BharatNotes Naturalisation
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
The Citizenship Amendment Act recast the ordinary path of naturalisation by abridging the residency requirement for certain communities, thereby reigniting a constitutional debate over whether eligibility for Indian citizenship may be calibrated along religious lines.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
naturalise (v.), naturalized (adj.), naturalising (v. pres.p), naturalization (n.), natural (adj.)
Root
Latin nātūra = nature, birth; nātūrālis = belonging to nature + Medieval Latin -izāre (verbal suffix)
Etymology
From medieval Latin nātūrālizāre, from Latin nātūrālis ("of or belonging to nature, natural"), from nātūra ("nature, birth") + -izāre (verbal suffix).
Memory Hook
"Natural-isation" = making a foreigner a NATURAL of the land, by law rather than by birth; the alien is reborn (Latin natus, 'born') as a citizen.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
The acquisition of citizenship by a foreign national who satisfies statutory conditions. The Citizenship Act, 1955 provides five modes of acquisition, by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory, and naturalisation is the residual route for those with no ancestral or marital connection to India. The ordinary requirement is twelve years of residence, made up of the twelve months immediately preceding the application together with eleven of the preceding fourteen years, along with good character, adequate knowledge of a language listed in the Eighth Schedule, and an intention to reside in India. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 reduced that qualifying period to five years for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2014, and the implementing Rules were notified on 11 March 2024, routing applications through district level committees and state level empowered committees.
Don’t Confuse It With
Naturalisation confers citizenship on a foreign national meeting statutory conditions, whereas registration is the shorter route open to those with a specified connection such as marriage or Indian origin. Citizenship by birth arises from being born in the territory, subject to conditions on parentage that have tightened successively, and by descent through an Indian parent abroad. An Overseas Citizen of India is despite the name not a citizen at all, holding no political rights such as the vote or eligibility for public office. Domicile concerns permanent residence and is distinct from nationality.
Hindi Meaning
देशीयकरण (deshīyakaran); नागरिकता (nāgriktā) for citizenship.
Common Questions
- How long must one reside in India to seek naturalisation?
- Ordinarily twelve years, comprising the twelve months immediately preceding the application and eleven of the fourteen years before that; the 2019 amendment reduced this to five years for specified communities from three named countries.
- Is an Overseas Citizen of India a citizen?
- No. Despite the name, an OCI holds residence and economic rights but no political rights such as voting or eligibility for public office.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
