2024 · GS Paper 2 · Q15 · 15 marks
Discuss India as a secular state and compare with the secular principles of the US constitution.
In short
India is a secular state of principled distance that has no state religion, protects minorities and reforms practices that offend equality, unlike the US wall of separation. S.R. Bommai (1994) made secularism part of the basic structure, while the US relies on its First Amendment (1791).
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 314 words
Equal citizenship
There is no state religion, and Articles 14, 15 and 16 bar religious discrimination.
Freedom with reform
Articles 25-28 protect faith, while Article 25(2) allows social reform such as temple entry.
Minority protection
Article 30 lets minorities run aided educational institutions.
Common core
Both bar a state church and protect free exercise, the US through the First Amendment (1791).
Wall versus principled distance
Jefferson's "wall of separation" keeps the US state out of religion, while India engages with religion when equality demands it.
Schools and funding
Engel v. Vitale (1962) barred official prayer in US public schools, while India's Article 28 bars religious instruction only in wholly State-funded institutions.
Personal law
The US has one civil law, whereas India keeps religion-based personal laws under Article 44's unrealised directive.
Consistent doctrine
Settle the essential religious practices test through the nine-judge Sabarimala reference (2019).
Reform by consensus
Pursue gender-just reform within personal laws, as the 21st Law Commission (2018) suggested.
Even-handed enforcement
Apply the Tehseen Poonawalla (2018) guidelines against mob violence.
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This chapter in the exam
Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme with That of Other Countries8 questions
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.