GS Paper II — Q1
'Constitutional Morality' is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of…
'Constitutional Morality' is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of 'Constitutional Morality' with the help of relevant judicial decisions. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
'संवैधानिक नैतिकता' की जड़ संविधान में ही निहित है और इसके तात्विक फलकों पर आधारित है। 'संवैधानिक नैतिकता' के सिद्धांत की प्रासंगिक न्यायिक निर्णयों की सहायता से विवेचना कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)
Model answer
Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.
Constitutional morality, Ambedkar's idea drawn from Grote, means fidelity to the Constitution's essential facets (the Preamble's ideals, fundamental rights, the rule of law and the basic structure of Kesavananda Bharati, 1973) over popular or majoritarian morality.
K.S. Puttaswamy (2017) held that privacy and dignity under Article 21 protect individual autonomy. Navtej Singh Johar (2018) read down Section 377 IPC (not carried into the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023), holding that majoritarian morality cannot override dignity and Article 14 equality. Indian Young Lawyers Association (Sabarimala, 2018) struck down a gender-based temple restriction under Articles 14, 15 and 25, though its review was referred to a larger bench in 2019. In Manoj Narula (2014) and GNCTD v. Union of India (2018), the Court described constitutional morality as a discipline binding those who hold power.
Together these rulings protect minorities, check populism and keep rights from yielding to transient public opinion.
How this answer will be evaluated
Framework: GS2 Paper 2: Constitutional Morality
What earns full marks: Precise definition with 2+ landmark judgments (Kesavananda, Navtej) and clear link to constitutional facets.
Evaluation rubric
Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.
- The answer Define Constitutional Morality and substantiate with judicial precedents. 10 marks · 150 words
explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close
Must cover
- Define Constitutional Morality as rooted in the Constitution
- Cite Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973)
- Cite Navtej Singh Johar judgment (2018)
- Link doctrine to essential facets of the Constitution
Loses marks
- Reciting Articles without linking to judicial interpretation
- Confusing Constitutional Morality with Social Morality
- Lack of specific case law citations
Earns more
- Mention Puttaswamy judgment (Right to Privacy)
- Reference Article 14 (Equality) or Article 21 (Life & Liberty)
- Mention Article 13 (Constitutional validity of laws)
Extra mark
- Cite Manoj Narula (2014) or GNCTD v. Union of India (2018)
- Reference 2nd ARC or Law Commission on morality
What "Explain" is asking you to do
Make the working of something clear — what sets it off, what follows from what, and what it produces. Explain is the Commission's mechanism word: it dominates the technical papers and the “explain why” stems, where the marks sit in the causal chain and not in the label.
Structure that answers it
State what it is → the initiating condition → the chain of cause, step by step → an instance where it plays out → what the chain produces
Where marks are lost
Describing what something looks like instead of why it works that way. Naming the stages without linking them reads as description too.
Practice this exact question
Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.
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