Constitution of India

Part III

Fundamental Rights

Right to Equality

Article 18 - Abolition of titles.

(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.

Explanation/Comment -

Titles, that are against the principle of equal status of citizens, are banned/barred by the Constitution of India. In this context, it should be noted that only the state is affected by the ban in Article 18. This Article was mentioned in the Constitution because the hereditary titles of Raja, Maharaja etc., were, and people with the title, somehow treated superior to the common people. From the Article itself is clear that It doesn't stop other organizations, like universities, from awarding titles or honours to their leaders or deserving people. The State is not prohibited from awarding academic or military honours or awards. Such titles cannot be used as titles or prefix or suffix to the name of the awardee. Titles like Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan etc. are not titles of nobility and so not violative of Article 18. It also is prohibited for Indian nationals to accept any titles from other nations. No non-Indian national shall accept any title from any foreign State without the President's approval while holding any post of profit or trust under the State and without the President's approval, no one holding a position of profit or trust under the State may accept a gift, emolument, or position of any sort from or under a foreign State.