Supreme Court Recognizes 'Right to be Forgotten' as Fundamental Right
In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India has declared the 'Right to be Forgotten' as an integral part of the Right to Privacy under Article 21.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Right to be Forgotten is now a fundamental right under Article 21.
- Derived from the Right to Privacy (Puttaswamy Judgment).
- Allows removal of irrelevant or prejudicial personal data from the internet.
- Subject to public interest and legal requirements.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Very High | 15–25 | Polity is a core UPSC subject. Both Prelims and Mains test constitutional provisions in depth. |
| State PCS / PSC | High | 5–10 | State PCS papers test both central and state government structures. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 4–6 | Questions on constitutional amendments, Parliament, and schemes appear in every SSC paper. |
| Banking (IBPS / SBI) | Medium | 2–4 | RBI Act, banking legislation, and government policies are regularly tested. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- Article numbers related to the topic (e.g., Article 356 for President's Rule)
- Constitutional bodies: composition, tenure, appointment authority
- Recent amendments and their impact
- Supreme Court / High Court judgements mentioned in news
- Government schemes: ministry, launch year, beneficiaries
Practice Questions
Q1. Under which Article of the Indian Constitution is the 'Right to Privacy' protected?
- Article 14
- Article 19
- Article 21
- Article 32
Explanation: The Supreme Court in the Puttaswamy case ruled that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21.
Q2. The 'Right to be Forgotten' allows an individual to:
- Delete their criminal record permanently
- Remove personal data from public digital platforms
- Change their legal name without notice
- Access anyone's private data
Explanation: It allows individuals to request the removal of personal data from digital platforms when it is no longer relevant.
How to Prepare Indian Polity & Governance for Government Exams
Map every news item to an Article or provision in the Constitution. This is what UPSC Prelims directly tests.
For SSC and Railway, focus on the practical side — who appoints whom, term lengths, and what each body does.
Note the date and context of any constitutional amendment or ordinance. Questions are often framed around the 'first time' or 'most recent' event.
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