Political Science · Political Institutions in India
UGC NET Jan 2025 Political Science
Equality of opportunity in employment has been guaranteed through which article of Indian Constitution?
AArticle 13
BArticle 19
CArticle 16 ✓ Correct
DArticle 18
Correct answer: (C) Article 16 — Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment is guaranteed through Article 16, which is option (3).
Explanation
★Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment is guaranteed through Article 16, which is option (3).
★Article 16 ensures that no citizen is discriminated against in public employment on certain grounds.
★These grounds are religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, or residence.
★Article 16 also allows the State to make reservations of posts for backward classes.
★It thus combines a guarantee of equality with provisions for affirmative action.
★Article 16 is part of the right to equality in Articles 14 to 18 of the Constitution.
★The option Article 13 is wrong, since that deals with laws inconsistent with fundamental rights.
★Article 13 declares that any law violating fundamental rights is void to that extent.
★The option Article 19 is wrong, since that guarantees the six freedoms, such as speech and assembly.
★The option Article 18 is wrong, since that abolishes titles, except military and academic distinctions.
★So among these, only Article 16 deals with equality of opportunity in employment.
★Article 14 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws.
★Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
★Article 17 abolishes untouchability, completing the right to equality cluster.
★For NET, fix Article 16 for equality of opportunity in public employment, within the equality cluster of Articles 14 to 18.
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