A student, on his school assignment, is taking a session on how to make compost at home for using it at a park. Which fundamental duty is he performing?

The correct answer is To protect and improve the natural environment. Teaching people to turn kitchen waste into compost for a park reduces waste and enriches the soil, which is exactly what Article 51A(g) asks for: to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures. It matches the Directive Principle in Article 48A, which asks the State to protect the environment.

The other duties do not fit the activity as closely. Striving towards excellence, clause (j), is about raising the nation's achievements in every field. Safeguarding public property and abjuring violence, clause (i), is about not damaging what belongs to the public. Developing the scientific temper, clause (h), is about questioning and reasoning, and although making compost involves some science, the purpose of the session is environmental. This kind of situation-based question is becoming common in SSC papers, so practise linking everyday actions to the clause they fulfil.