Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: 1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India. 2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. 3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year. Which of the above statements are not correct?
Contents16
- A1 and 2 only
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3
Statement 1 is wrong:
Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are explicitly NOT titles under Article 18(1).
They must not be used as prefixes or suffixes to names.
Statement 2 is wrong:
Padma Awards (instituted 1954) are generally announced on Republic Day,
but there were interruptions during 1978-1979 and 1993-1997.
Statement 3 is wrong:
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award, treated separately from Padma Awards.
Recommendations come from the Prime Minister to the President —
no formal recommendations from others are needed.
Maximum three can be given per year.
All three statements contain errors.
Answer: (d).
Article 18(1) prohibits titles of honor, but civilian awards like Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are explicitly exempt as they cannot be used as prefixes or suffixes to names.
UPSC uses awards questions to test whether students understand the difference between prohibited 'titles' under Article 18(1) and permitted civilian honors that have usage restrictions.
The question tests factual knowledge about award limits and suspension periods alongside the constitutional concept of what constitutes a banned title.
Article 18: Prohibition of Titles
Indian Polity Article 18(1) titles
Article 18: Prohibition of Titles & Award System
Article 18(1) prohibits the State from conferring titles except military and academic distinctions
Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are NOT titles under Article 18(1)
These awards cannot be used as prefixes or suffixes to names
Foreign titles cannot be accepted by Indian citizens without Presidential permission
Constitutional Framework
Article 18 ensures equality by prohibiting hereditary titles that create social hierarchy. The State cannot confer titles, but military decorations (like Param Veer Chakra) and academic distinctions (like D.Litt.) are explicitly allowed exceptions.
What's Prohibited vs Allowed
Category | Status | Examples | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
Titles | Prohibited | Sir, Raja, Nawab | Cannot be conferred by State |
Military Distinctions | Allowed | Param Veer Chakra, Ashok Chakra | Exception under Article 18(1) |
Academic Distinctions | Allowed | D.Litt., D.Sc. | Exception under Article 18(1) |
Civilian Awards | Allowed but NOT titles | Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards | Cannot be used as prefix/suffix |
Key Constitutional Provisions
Article 18(2): No citizen can accept titles from foreign states without Presidential permission
Article 18(3): Foreigners holding office under the State cannot accept titles without Presidential consent
Article 18(4): No person holding office under the State can accept presents, emoluments from foreign states without Presidential permission
Trap: Bharat Ratna/Padma Awards are titles under Article 18(1) — they are awards, NOT titles
Trap: All State conferments are prohibited — military and academic distinctions are allowed
Trap: Foreign titles are completely banned — they need Presidential permission, not banned outright
Bharat Ratna Award System
Indian Polity Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna: India's Highest Civilian Award
Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award, instituted in 1954
Maximum 3 awards can be given per year, not 5
Prime Minister recommends to President — no formal limit on sources
Can be awarded posthumously since 1966
Award Framework
Bharat Ratna recognizes exceptional service in any field of human endeavor. Unlike Padma Awards, it has no separate categories and stands as the pinnacle of India's civilian honor system.
Bharat Ratna Key Facts
Aspect | Details | Important Note |
|---|---|---|
Instituted | 1954 | Same year as Padma Awards |
Annual Limit | Maximum 3 | Not 5 as statement suggests |
Recommendation | PM to President | No formal restriction on sources |
Posthumous | Allowed since 1966 | Lal Bahadur Shastri was first |
Medal Design | Peepal leaf shape | Gold-plated bronze |
Precedence | 7th in order | After military decorations |
Notable Recipients & Patterns
First recipients (1954): C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C.V. Raman
Non-Indians: Only Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Pakistan, 1987) and Nelson Mandela (South Africa, 1990)
Youngest recipient: Sachin Tendulkar at age 40 in 2014
Refused: Mahatma Gandhi never received it; proposal existed but he was assassinated in 1948
Trap: Maximum 5 Bharat Ratnas per year — it's maximum 3 per year
Trap: Only PM can recommend — while PM recommends to President, no formal bar on other sources
Trap: Bharat Ratna is a Padma Award — it's separate from the Padma Award hierarchy
Padma Awards Classification
Indian Polity Padma Awards 1954
Padma Awards: Categories, Process & Suspension History
Three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri
Instituted in 1954, announced every Republic Day
Suspended twice: 1978-79 and 1993-1997, not once
120 awards maximum per year across all categories
Award Structure
The Padma Award system recognizes distinguished service in various fields. These are civilian honors below Bharat Ratna, with three distinct categories based on the level of excellence and contribution.
Padma Award Categories
Award | Rank | For | Annual Limit | Precedence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Padma Vibhushan | 2nd highest | Exceptional service | Max 12 | 8th in order |
Padma Bhushan | 3rd highest | Distinguished service | Max 30 | 9th in order |
Padma Shri | 4th highest | Distinguished service | Max 120 | 10th in order |
Suspension History & Reasons
1978-1979 suspension: Janata Party government questioned the award system's credibility
1993-1997 suspension: Questions raised about the selection process and transparency
Resumed in 1998: With reformed selection committee including non-official members
Current process: Online nominations accepted from public, evaluated by multi-tier committees
Selection Process
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Online Nominations**
Citizens can nominate online; self-nomination allowed`"]
s2["`**Screening Committee**
Initial evaluation by joint secretaries`"]
s3["`**Selection Committee**
Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, and 4-6 non-officials`"]
s4["`**PM Recommendation**
Prime Minister's final recommendation`"]
s5["`**Presidential Approval**
President's formal approval and announcement`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4
s4 --> s5Trap: Padma Awards suspended only once — suspended twice (1978-79, 1993-97)
Trap: Only government can nominate — public nominations accepted since 2016 reforms
Trap: All have same precedence — Vibhushan (8th), Bhushan (9th), Shri (10th) in order
Indian Civilian Awards Order
Indian Polity
Complete Indian Awards Hierarchy & Precedence
Military awards rank higher than civilian awards in precedence
Bharat Ratna is 7th in overall precedence, highest among civilian awards
Param Veer Chakra tops the hierarchy as India's highest gallantry award
Complete Awards Precedence
Rank | Award | Category | For |
|---|---|---|---|
1st | Param Veer Chakra | Military | Conspicuous gallantry |
2nd | Ashok Chakra | Military | Peacetime gallantry |
3rd | Maha Veer Chakra | Military | Gallantry in face of enemy |
4th | Kirti Chakra | Military | Peacetime gallantry (2nd class) |
5th | Veer Chakra | Military | Gallantry (3rd class) |
6th | Shaurya Chakra | Military | Peacetime gallantry (3rd class) |
7th | Bharat Ratna | Civilian | Exceptional service any field |
8th | Padma Vibhushan | Civilian | Exceptional service |
9th | Padma Bhushan | Civilian | Distinguished service |
10th | Padma Shri | Civilian | Distinguished service |
Award System Structure
# Indian National Awards
## Military Awards
- Gallantry Awards
- Service Medals
- Campaign Medals
## Civilian Awards
- Bharat Ratna
- Padma Vibhushan
- Padma Bhushan
- Padma Shri
## Other Categories
- Sports Awards
- Police Medals
- Fire Service MedalsTrap: Bharat Ratna is highest award — Param Veer Chakra is actually highest overall
Trap: Civilian awards rank equally with military — military awards have higher precedence
Trap: Awards can be used as titles — they are honors, not titles under Article 18