The Directive Principles of States Policy though not enforceable through court of law are regarded as “fundamental in the governance of the country”. They are merely instructions or directives issued to the Legislatures and the Executives or the day-to-day administration of the country. The State is directed to promote the welfare of the people. These are moral precepts, and impose a moral, if not legal duty upon the State to apply these principles in making laws.

Conscience of the Constitution

The majority of Indian Constitution’s provisions are either directly aimed at furthering the goals of the social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing the conditions necessary for its achievement. Yet despite the permeation of the entire constitution by the aim of national renascence, the core of the commitment to the social revolution lies in Part IV, in the Directive Principles of State Policy. These principles are the conscience of the Constitution.

List of Directive Principles

1. Adequate means of livelihood for all citizens.
2. Fair distribution of wealth and material resources among all classes.
3. Equal pay for equal work for men as well as for women.
4. Provision for free and compulsory education for children.
5. To provide work, education and public assistance during unemployment, old age, sickness etc.
6. To improve public health.
7. To raise the level of nutrition and standard of living.
8. To ensure just and humane conditions of work so as to offer full opportunity for enjoyment of leisure, and social and cultural progress.
9. Promoting agricultural and animal husbandry; improving breed of cattle and preventing cow slaughter.
10. To protect monuments of historical and national importance.
11. To establish village panchayats and also to separate the Judiciary from the Executive.
12. To safeguard and promote the interests, educational and economic of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
13. To promote international peace and security, maintain just and honourable relations amongst nations and encourage the settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

The main difference between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principle is that whereas the former can be enforced by the Courts, i.e., are justiciable, the latter cannot be questioned in a Court of law, i.e., they are non-justiciable.

Conclusion

The Directive Principles of State Policy as embodied in our constitution are the basic principles from the point of view of the social and economic order which the framers envisaged that India should attain. These principles have been borrowed/taken from the Constitution of Ireland. These principles are like a manifesto, an instrument of instructions, a code of moral precepts for the guidance of the Legislatures and the Executive. They confer to no legal rights and create no legal remedies. They constitute a charter for India’s development as a Welfare State.