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Q5 (IAS/2017) Polity & Governance › Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Fundamental Duties › Right to Equality Official Key

One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is option A: Privileges.

The term 'equality' means the absence of special privileges to any section of the society[1]. This concept is further reinforced in the context of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, where equality before the law is described as implying the absence of any special privilege by reason of birth, creed or the like, in favour of any individual[2]. The first step towards bringing about equality is ending the formal system of inequality and privileges, as social, economic and political inequalities have been protected by customs and legal systems that prohibited some sections of society from enjoying certain kinds of opportunities and rewards[3].

Equality does not imply the absence of competition; in fact, competition between people in free and fair conditions is considered the most just and efficient way of distributing rewards in a society, and as long as competition is open and free, inequalities are unlikely to become entrenched[4]. Restraints and ideology are not what equality seeks to eliminate—rather, equality focuses on removing unearned advantages and special privileges that create unjust social hierarchies.

Sources
  1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 5: Preamble of the Constitution > III Liberty > p. 45
  2. [2] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 8: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES > p. 100
  3. [3] Political Theory, Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Equality > Establishing Formal Equality > p. 45
  4. [4] Political Theory, Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Equality > LET'S DO IT > p. 43
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of [A] Privileges [B] Restraints [C] Competition [D] Ideology
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 5/10 · 0/10
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This is a textbook 'Sitter' if you read NCERT Political Theory, but a 'Trap' if you rely only on guidebooks. It tests the normative definition of political concepts rather than constitutional articles. The key is realizing UPSC asks 'What does X imply?' using standard political science definitions found in Class XI NCERT.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does equality in society imply the absence of privileges?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 8: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES > p. 100
Presence: 5/5
“While equality before the law is a somewhat negative concept Article 14: Equality implying the absence of any special privilege by reason of birth, creed or the like, in favour of any individual and the Equal Protection of the Laws. equal subjection of all classes to the ordinary law-equal protection of the laws is a more positive concept, implying the right to equality of treatment in equal circumstances The concept of equality and equal protection of laws in its proper spectrum encompasses social and economic justice in a political democracy.​. The principle of "equality" is the essence of democracy and accordingly a basic​. feature of Constitution.​.”
Why this source?
  • Defines 'equality' (Article 14) as implying the absence of any special privilege by reason of birth, creed etc.
  • Frames equality as equal subjection to ordinary law and equal protection — directly negating special privileges.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 5: Preamble of the Constitution > III Liberty > p. 45
Presence: 5/5
“The ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity in our Preamble have been taken from the French Revolution (1789-1799). The term 'equality' means the absence of special privileges to any section of the society,”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the Preamble's term 'equality' means absence of special privileges to any section of society.
  • Provides a clear, concise normative formulation linking equality to non-existence of privileged sections.
Political Theory, Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Equality > Establishing Formal Equality > p. 45
Presence: 4/5
“The first step towards bringing about equality is, of course, ending the formal system of inequality and privileges. Social, economic and political inequalities all over the world have been protected by customs and legal systems that prohibited some sections of society from enjoying certain kinds of opportunities and rewards. Poor people were not granted the right to vote in a large number of countries. Women were not allowed to take up many professions and activities. The caste system in India prevented people from the 'lower' castes from doing anything except manual labour. In many countries only people from some families could occupy high positions.”
Why this source?
  • Identifies ending the formal system of inequality and privileges as the first step towards bringing about equality.
  • Gives historical/social mechanisms (customs, legal systems) that protected privileges and must be removed for equality.
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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement I : The principle of equality before the law is not applicable to the President of India. Statement II : The President of India enjoys some special privileges under the Constitution of India.