QUESTION 11
GS2
15 marks
"The Constitution of India is a living instrument with capabilities of enormous dynamism. It is a constitution made for a progressive society." Illustrate with special reference to the expanding horizons of the right to life and personal liberty.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Illustrate the Constitution's dynamism through the way courts have widened the right to life and personal liberty.
IllustrateExplain using concrete examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Shift from A.K. Gopalan (1950) to Maneka Gandhi (1978): procedure must be just, fair and reasonable≈65 words
- 2Expanded rights: livelihood (Olga Tellis), education (Unnikrishnan), privacy (Puttaswamy), dignity in death (Common Cause), clean environment, speedy trial, sexual autonomy (Navtej Johar)≈65 words
- 3Limits and caution: judicial overreach, enforcement≈65 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Living constitution ideaGopalan to ManekaList of new rights with casesSignificanceCautionConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Listing cases without showing the evolution
- Not linking the examples back to 'living instrument'
Draw this
- Timeline: 1950 Gopalan → 1978 Maneka → 1985 Olga Tellis → 2017 Puttaswamy → 2018 Navtej Johar and Common Cause
Value addition
- Case lawManeka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) linked Articles 14, 19 and 21 (the 'golden triangle').Supreme Court of India, 1978
- Case lawJustice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017): privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21.Supreme Court of India, 2017
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Alfred Thomas · Page 15 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Akash Kumar · AIR 101 · Page 15 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 7 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akash Kumar · AIR 101 · Page 9 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.