UPSC 2015 Mains GS2 Model Answer - Discuss the possible factors that inhibit India from enacting for its citizens a uniform civil code as provided for in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Mayuri
Feb, 2025
•1 min read
Q1. Discuss the possible factors that inhibit India from enacting for its citizens a uniform civil code as provided for in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Model Answer:
Introduction
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) aims to unify personal laws across religions in India. Although supported by the Directive Principles, various political, religious, and societal factors have delayed its implementation.
Body
Factors hindering enactment of UCC
1. Religious diversity: India’s vast religious diversity, including Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and other faiths, creates strong opposition to a single legal code, as each group seeks to preserve its laws.
2. Constitutional safeguards: The Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom, and enacting a UCC could be perceived as infringing on this right, leading to tensions around individual and collective religious identities.
3. Political considerations: Political parties often avoid supporting the UCC due to fears of alienating religious minorities, particularly Muslims, as they rely on these groups for electoral gains and political stability.
4. Social complexity: India’s complex social fabric, marked by differences in customs, traditions, and regional practices, makes achieving consensus on a common civil code difficult, delaying legislative progress on the UCC.
5. Gender equality concerns: While the UCC aims to ensure gender equality, its opposition sometimes claims that imposing it could erase positive religious reforms. Others worry it may insufficiently address deep-seated patriarchal practices.
6. Legal pluralism tradition: India’s long history of legal pluralism, where different communities have coexisted with distinct laws, complicates the idea of unification, raising concerns about disrupting established societal structures.
Conclusion
Implementing the UCC faces religious, political, and social hurdles. For progress, a balanced approach respecting diversity while promoting equality and unity must be developed through public consensus and dialogue.
