Which one of the following statements is correct ?
Rights are claims of the State against the citizens.
Rights are privileges which are incorporated in the Constitution of a State.
Rights are claims of the citizens against the State.
Rights are privileges of a few citizens against the many.
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2017
– Option A describes duties or obligations of citizens towards the state, not rights.
– Option B is partially true in that fundamental rights are incorporated in the Constitution, but defining rights solely as “privileges” can be misleading and incomplete, as rights are fundamental entitlements, not mere favors, and can exist beyond the constitution (e.g., natural rights).
– Option D is incorrect. Rights are generally universal or apply to specific categories in a non-discriminatory way, not privileges of a few *against* the many. This description aligns more with an aristocratic or unequal system.
– Therefore, the most accurate description of rights among the given options, particularly in the context of constitutional rights, is that they are claims of the citizens against the State.