The Responsibilities of Young Citizens
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Whatever your station in future life, you should first of all think of yourselves as citizens of this country. This confers on you certain rights, which are guaranteed by the Constitution, but it also subjects you to certain responsibilities, which also have to be clearly understood.
Ours is a democracy, which enjoins freedom to the individual, but this freedom has to be subjected to a number of voluntary restraints in the interests of organised society. And these voluntary restraints have to be exercised and demonstrated in everyday life.
A good citizen is one who obeys the law, whether there is a policeman around or not, and who takes delight in performing his civic duties. In the olden days, sense of self-restraint and discipline was inculcated by the combined effort of the family and the teacher. The economic stresses of present-day life unfortunately do not leave enough time to the parents to look after the children.
In the educational institutions the numbers have grown so large as to take away the benefits, which used to accrue formerly by personal contact between the teacher and the taught. Inevitably, our young students are often left much to their own resources. Often this creates problems, which we all know about. This is an important aspect, which needs thorough examination. The responsibility of our young citizens is great. In my view every station in life is important in itself. Work has its own dignity and there is great satisfaction in doing one's own job to the best of one's ability. Whatever the duties, we should apply ourselves with sincerity and devotion. Such an approach, apart from being good in itself, also has the added advantage of opening avenues for further advancement. We have to see whether we have done our own job well before thinking of criticising anybody else. All too often, we succumb to the temptation of decrying others without bothering to look to ourselves.
Never forget that loyalty to the country comes ahead of all other loyalties. And this is an absolute loyalty, since one cannot weigh it in terms of what one receives. It is essential to remember that the entire country is one and that anyone who fosters or promotes separatism or fissiparous tendencies is not our true friend. What I have said stems from a desire to see that the youth of our country prepares itself in a disciplined and determined manner for the responsibilities of tomorrow. A democratic country is sustained not by the greatness of a few but by the cooperative effort of the many. The future of the country is in your hands and as the older generations complete their task the new ones come along to take their place. If they are well equipped as individuals and as citizens, the country's future will be bright indeed. At a time when you are at the threshold of a new period in your life I would urge you to play your role with confidence.
Our position with regard to secularism is known so well that it hardly needs any reiteration. It is embodied in our Constitution, which ensures equal respect for all religions and equal opportunities for all citizens, irrespective of their caste and creed and the faith which they profess. In spite of a seeming diversity, there is a fundamental unity in India, which we all cherish and it has to be our constant endeavor to maintain and strengthen this unity.
The country can progress only if it does away completely with fissiparous tendencies and emerges as an integrated whole. And it is in the field of education that the seed of secularism has to be sown at the earliest stages, so that the plant can be carefully nurtured as it grows.
✅ Note Taking:
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Citizens have rights & responsibilities
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Democracy gives freedom, needs discipline
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Good citizen: obeys law, does civic duties
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Family & teachers used to teach discipline
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Parents/teachers now less involved
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Youth often left alone → problems
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All jobs have dignity → do work sincerely
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Loyalty to country is most important
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Avoid blaming others before self-check
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Reject separatism, promote unity
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Youth must prepare for future with discipline
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Secularism = respect all religions, part of Constitution
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Unity in diversity is India’s strength
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Education must teach secularism early
🗂️ Note Making:
Title: Responsibilities of Young Citizens – Lal Bahadur Shastri
1. Rights & Responsibilities:
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Citizenship brings both rights and duties
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Democracy requires freedom with discipline
2. Qualities of a Good Citizen:
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Obeys laws, shows self-restraint
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Performs civic duties willingly
3. Role of Family and Teachers:
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Earlier: discipline taught at home/school
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Now: less time from parents, large school sizes
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Youth often unguided → causes issues
4. Importance of Work and Duty:
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Every job has dignity
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Do duties sincerely → leads to growth
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Self-check before criticizing others
5. National Loyalty & Unity:
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Loyalty to country comes first
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Reject separatism and division
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Promote national unity and secularism
6. Role of Youth in Nation Building:
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Youth must prepare for future
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Democracy depends on everyone, not a few
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Education should promote secularism early
✨ Summary:
Citizens have both rights and duties. In a democracy, freedom must come with discipline. A good citizen obeys the law and does civic duties sincerely. Today, parents and teachers have less time to guide the youth, so young people must take more responsibility. Every job has value, and we should do our work with honesty. Loyalty to the country is most important. We must not support division or separatism. India is strong because of its unity and diversity. Secularism means respecting all religions and giving equal chances to all. This must be taught from early education. The future of the country depends on how well today’s youth prepare for tomorrow.
