The Objectives of the Constitution refer to the fundamental aims and purposes that the Constitution seeks to achieve. These are primarily outlined in the Preamble, which serves as the philosophy and soul of the Constitution. The Constitution is the supreme law, which helps maintain societal integrity and promotes harmony throughout the nation. These objectives can be categorized into two main groups: Sovereignty (describing the nature of the Indian State) and Aspirations (the goals to be secured for the citizens).

The Fundamental Objectives (Aspirations of the State)

The core fundamental objectives outline the ultimate sociopolitical and economic goals for the citizens, as laid down in the Preamble:

Objective	What the Constitution seeks to secure	Constitutional Fulfillment
Justice (Social, Economic, and Political)	1. Social Justice: Elimination of discrimination based on caste, religion, gender, etc. 2. Economic Justice: Equitable distribution of wealth and resources 3. Political Justice: Equal political rights and opportunities for all citizens	Fundamental Rights (Article 14, 15, 16) and Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) (Article 38, 39, etc.)
Liberty (of Thought, Expression, Belief, Faith, and Worship)	1. Freedom of thought and expression 2. Religious freedom 3. Liberty subject to reasonable restrictions for public order	Fundamental Rights, primarily Article 19 (Freedom of Speech and Expression) and Article 25 (Freedom of Religion).
Equality (of Status and Opportunity)	1. Equal status before the law 2. Equal opportunities in public employment 3. Abolition of untouchability and titles	Fundamental Rights, primarily Article 14 (Equality before the law), Article 15 (Prohibition of discrimination), and Article 16 (Equality of opportunity in public employment).
Fraternity (Assuring Dignity of the Individual and Unity of Nation)	1. Promoting brotherhood among all citizens 2. Maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation 3. Ensuring dignity of every individual	Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) and various constitutional provisions promoting a unified citizenship and federal structure.

Objectives Defining the Nature of the State

The Preamble also sets out the nature of the Indian State, which is a foundational objective:

Objective	Significance
Sovereign	India is an independent state, free from any external control and internally supreme.
Socialist	(Added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976) Aims at securing social and economic equality, following a model of democratic socialism.
Secular	(Added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976) Guarantees equal respect and protection to all religions (Positive Secularism).
Democratic	The government is elected by the people and accountable to them.
Republic	The head of the State (the President) is elected, not a hereditary monarch.

Importance of Objectives

It provides a way of life. It includes fraternity, liberty, and equality as the notion of a happy life and which can not be taken from each other.

• Liberty cannot be divorced from equality; equality cannot be divorced from liberty. Nor can liberty and equality be divorced from fraternity.
• Without equality, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many.
• Equality without liberty would kill individual initiative.
• Without fraternity, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many.
• Without fraternity, liberty and equality could not become a natural course of things.

previous year questions

Explain the objectives of the Indian Constitution as enshrined in the Preamble. How have they been implemented? (MPPSC 2024)

“Fraternity is the most neglected objective of the Constitution.” Comment. (MPPSC 2023)

The objectives of the Constitution reflect the aspirations of the freedom struggle.” Discuss with examples. (UPPSC 2024)

Analyze the significance of ‘unity and integrity of the nation’ as a constitutional objective in the context of India’s diversity. (UPPSC 2023)

The Preamble is the key to the Constitution.” Explain the objectives mentioned in the Preamble. (RPSC 2024)

How do the constitutional objectives of Liberty and Equality complement each other? (RPSC 2022)