Which of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution are concerned with the protection of environment a… - RRB Nsg. Superintendent-2026 (Shift -1st)

RRB Nsg. Superintendent-2026 (Shift -1st)

General Knowledge

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent-2026 (Shift -1st)

Explanation

Article 48A is a Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) found in Part IV of the Indian Constitution.
It explicitly mandates the State to endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
This article was added to the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment Act in 1976, a significant step towards environmental jurisprudence in India.

Option A: Article 41A does not exist in the Constitution. The base Article 41 pertains to the 'Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases', not environmental protection.
Option B: Article 38A is not a valid article. The base Article 38 directs the State to secure a social order for the promotion of the welfare of the people, focusing on social, economic, and political justice.
Option D: Article 42A does not exist. The base Article 42 concerns 'Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief', which is unrelated to wildlife or the environment.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart showing key environmental provisions in the Indian Constitution, highlighting Article 48A (Directive Principle) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty) and noting they were both added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Indian Constitutional Provisions for Environmental Protection as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not directly clinical, understanding environmental laws is crucial for public health professionals. A safe environment, which these laws aim to ensure, directly impacts community health, disease prevention, and epidemiology.
Knowledge of the state's constitutional responsibilities towards the environment empowers healthcare workers in community health roles to advocate for better public infrastructure, such as sanitation, clean water access, and pollution control measures.
What if? If a public health nurse observes a local factory polluting a river (a major source of water for a village), knowing about Article 48A provides a legal and moral basis to escalate the issue to local authorities and advocate for the community's right to a clean environment.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question: 'Indian Constitution', 'protection of environment', and 'wildlife'.
This is a factual recall question from the subject of Indian Polity. The question asks for a specific Article number.
Scan the options. Notice that they are all 'A' variants of existing articles (41, 38, 48, 42). This is a common way to create distractors.
Recall or deduce that environmental protection was a major focus of the 42nd Amendment (1976). This amendment added several new provisions.
Mentally connect the topic of 'environment' with the specific articles. Article 48A is the well-known provision under Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) for environmental protection. Article 51A(g) is the corresponding Fundamental Duty.
Based on this knowledge, select Article 48A and confirm that the other options are incorrect distractors.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Indian Constitutional Provisions for Environmental Protection
Stem keywords: Articles, Indian Constitution, protection of environment, wildlife
Lead-in keywords: Which of the following
Negative lead-in flag: false

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