Article 18 of Constitution of India – Abolition of titles
Article 18 of Constitution of India deals with Abolition of titles
Original Text of Article 18 of Constitution of India
(1) No title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State.
(2) No citizen of India shall accept any title from any foreign State.
(3) No person who is not a citizen of India shall, while he holds any office of profit or trust under the State, accept without the consent of the President any title from any foreign State.
(4) No person holding any office of profit or trust under the State shall, without the consent of the President, accept any present, emolument, or office of any kind from or under any foreign State.
https://99notes.in/indian-constitution/article18
Questions related to Article 18 of Constitution of India
Article 18 abolishes all titles (except academic or military distinctions) to promote equality. Under the Constitution of India, the State cannot confer titles like “Sir” or “Raja” as was done in colonial times.
No, Indian citizens are prohibited from accepting titles from foreign states. This helps maintain the dignity and sovereignty of Indian citizenship as defined in the Indian Constitution.
This has been debated in courts. According to judgments available on Indian Kanoon, national awards are not considered “titles” under Article 18 because they don’t create a hereditary or honorific class.
The goal was to eliminate inequality and the legacy of feudal titles. It reflects the democratic values enshrined in the Articles of Indian Constitution, promoting a society based on merit, not privilege.
The restrictions under Article 18 mainly apply to citizens of India. However, the State itself is barred from conferring any titles, aligning with the broader principles of the Constitution of India.
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