Questions & explanations
1. Consider the following statements about the role of the judiciary in addressing communalism in India: 1. The Supreme Court has held that criminal proceedings can be initiated against politicians for hate speech under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act. 2. The Constitution prohibits the state from discriminating on grounds of religion (Article 15). Which of the above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Statement 1 is correct. Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 makes it an electoral offence to promote enmity or hatred between groups on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language during an election. A person can face up to three years in jail, and conviction can lead to disqualification. (Note: the separate idea of a 'corrupt practice' on these grounds comes from Section 123(3A), not Section 125.) Statement 2 is treated as correct here. Article 15(1) bars the state from discriminating only on the ground of religion. The Constitution also protects religious minorities through their cultural and educational rights under Articles 29 and 30. (Strictly, reservations under Article 15(4) and 16(4) are based on social and educational backwardness, not on religion alone.) Statement 3 is false. Despite many court rulings, communal violence has not been fully wiped out and still occurs. So the answer is 1 and 2 only.
2. Consider the following statements about secularism models:
1. In the American model, the state cannot fund religious schools.
2. In France, the state can fund private religious schools under certain conditions.
3. In India, the state can regulate religious institutions for social reform.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Statement 1: In the American model, the Establishment Clause prevents state funding of religious schools — TRUE (though some limited funding for secular activities is permitted by Supreme Court rulings, direct funding to religious schools is constitutionally restricted). Statement 2: In France, the state does fund private religious schools (contrat d'association system since the Debré Law of 1959) under certain conditions — TRUE. Statement 3: In India, the state can regulate and intervene in religious institutions for social reform (Article 25(2), Article 26) — TRUE. All three are correct, making (d) 1, 2 and 3 the right answer. However, Statement 1 on American model is nuanced — recent SCOTUS rulings (Espinoza v. Montana, 2020) allow some state funding to flow to religious schools. For a standard UPSC answer, Statement 1 is treated as TRUE. Correct answer: (d).
3. Consider the following pairs of events/personalities and their contribution to composite culture:
1. Amir Khusro – Development of khayal and qawwali
2. Kabir – Syncretic poetry emphasizing unity of God
3. Akbar – Din-i-Ilahi as a state religion
Which of the above is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Pair 1: Amir Khusro (1253-1325) is credited with developing qawwali as a musical form and with innovations in musical instruments; he is also associated with the development of khayal's precursors. While the precise origins of khayal are debated, Khusro is broadly credited in Indian musicology with the early development of this genre alongside qawwali — this pair is broadly acceptable. Pair 2: Kabir's syncretic poetry emphasized the unity of God (nirguna bhakti) beyond the boundaries of Hinduism and Islam — correctly matched. Pair 3: Akbar instituted Din-i-Ilahi, but NOT as a 'state religion' — it was a personal syncretic spiritual order/discussion group with very few followers, not imposed as a compulsory state religion. It was a private spiritual effort, not a state religion. Therefore Pair 3 is incorrectly matched. Answer (a) — 1 and 2 only — is correct.
4. In the context of Indian secularism, which of the following cases affirmed that secularism is a 'basic structure' of the Constitution?
- (a) S.R. Bommai v. Union of India
- (b) Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
- (c) Minerva Mills v. Union of India
- (d) Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain
Answer: (a) S.R. Bommai v. Union of India
In S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994), the Supreme Court clearly held that secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution. The Court said the state cannot have its own religion and must treat all religions equally. Why the others are wrong: (b) Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) gave us the Basic Structure Doctrine, which says some core features of the Constitution cannot be amended, but it did not name secularism in that list; later cases like S.R. Bommai did. (c) Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980) dealt with the balance between fundamental rights and directive principles and limits on the power to amend; it did not settle this point. (d) Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975) applied the basic structure idea to election law, not to secularism.
5. Which of the following best illustrates the tension between individual religious freedom and state secularism in India?
- (a) The ban on cow slaughter in all states
- (b) The Supreme Court's judgment in Sabarimala case (2018)
- (c) The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code
- (d) The establishment of religious educational institutions
Answer: (b) The Supreme Court's judgment in Sabarimala case (2018)
The Sabarimala case (2018) pitted the right to follow a religious practice (stopping women aged 10 to 50 from entering the temple) against the right to equality and non-discrimination. The Supreme Court ruled that such a practice cannot override fundamental rights, which shows the tension between religious freedom and secular principles. Why the others are wrong: (a) Cow slaughter bans rest on cultural and religious feelings and are not a direct clash with secularism. (c) The Uniform Civil Code is a directive to the state under Article 44, not a conflict already settled by a court. (d) Setting up religious educational institutions is allowed under Articles 29 and 30 and does not by itself create such tension.
6. Which of the following incidents is considered a major example of communal violence in post-independence India?
- (a) Jallianwala Bagh massacre
- (b) Partition riots of 1947
- (c) 1984 anti-Sikh riots
- (d) 1993 Bombay blasts
Answer: (c) 1984 anti-Sikh riots
The answer is (c). The 1984 anti-Sikh riots broke out after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards. Mobs attacked Sikhs in Delhi and other places, and thousands died. This happened after independence and targeted people of one religion, so it is a clear case of communal violence. Option (a), the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, was a colonial act where British troops fired on unarmed people; it was not violence between religious groups. Option (b), the Partition riots, did involve religious groups but happened in 1947 around independence, not clearly after it, and is usually treated separately. Option (d), the 1993 Bombay blasts, were planned bomb attacks (terrorism), not communal riots.
7. Which of the following is a major historical factor that contributed to the rise of communalism in India?
- (a) The British policy of 'divide and rule'
- (b) The Green Revolution
- (c) The establishment of the Indian National Congress
- (d) The introduction of secularism in the Constitution
Answer: (a) The British policy of 'divide and rule'
Option (a) is correct. The British policy of 'divide and rule' is a major reason for the rise of communalism in India. The British created divisions between Hindus and Muslims through steps like separate electorates and by favouring one community over another. This built mistrust that carried on after independence. The Green Revolution (b) was a farming reform of the 1960s and 1970s and had nothing to do with communalism. The Indian National Congress (c) was a national movement that brought people of all faiths together, not one that caused religious division. Secularism in the Constitution (d) was meant to treat all religions equally, so it works against communalism, not for it.
8. Consider the following pairs:
1. Demand for a separate state within India - Separatism
2. Demand for independent country from Indian territory - Secessionism
3. Demand for greater autonomy for a region - Regionalism
4. Demand for recognition of a distinct cultural identity within a state - Sub-nationalism
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1, 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3 only
Pair 1 is INCORRECTLY matched: demanding a separate state WITHIN India is 'Separatism' — not Secessionism. Secessionism demands complete independence (separation from India). Pair 2 is correct: demanding an independent country from Indian territory = Secessionism. Pair 3 is correct: demanding greater autonomy for a region within its existing state framework = Regionalism. Pair 4 is debatable — 'Sub-nationalism' more typically refers to demands for cultural/political recognition of a sub-national group (e.g., Bodo identity in Assam), which is a form of identity assertion, but the description given (recognition of distinct cultural identity within a state) is broadly acceptable.
9. Which constitutional amendment introduced the concept of 'Social Justice' through affirmative action in public employment and education?
- (a) 1st Amendment
- (b) 42nd Amendment
- (c) 77th Amendment
- (d) 102nd Amendment
Answer: (a) 1st Amendment
The answer is (a). The 1st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951 added Article 15(4) and Article 16(4). These let the state make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes and for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This gave the legal base for reservations in education and public jobs, which is part of social justice. Option (b), the 42nd Amendment of 1976, added the words 'socialist' and 'secular' to the Preamble but did not start this. Option (c), the 77th Amendment of 1995, allowed reservation in promotions for SCs and STs. Option (d), the 102nd Amendment of 2018, gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.
10. Which of the following historical events is often cited as an example of the British colonial policy exploiting communal divisions in India?
- (a) The Partition of Bengal in 1905
- (b) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919
- (c) The Simon Commission boycott in 1928
- (d) The Quit India Movement in 1942
Answer: (a) The Partition of Bengal in 1905
Statement (a) is correct. The 1905 Partition of Bengal by Viceroy Curzon is the classic example of British 'divide and rule'. It split Bengal into a Muslim-majority east and a Hindu-majority west. The aim was to break the growing freedom movement by setting Hindus and Muslims against each other. The other options are different events. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 was the killing of a peaceful crowd, not a plan to divide communities. The Simon Commission boycott of 1928 was a united protest because the commission had no Indian members. The Quit India Movement of 1942 was a mass call to end British rule. None of these three were tools of communal division.
11. Which of the following best defines communalism in the Indian context?
- (a) Loyalty to one's caste above all other identities
- (b) Belief that followers of a religion share common interests and are hostile to other religions
- (c) Advocacy for a secular state that treats all religions equally
- (d) A form of regionalism based on linguistic identity
Answer: (b) Belief that followers of a religion share common interests and are hostile to other religions
Communalism is a social and political idea that puts religious identity above all else. It claims that people of one religion share common interests and are against people of other religions. This thinking often causes division, mistrust and violence. The Indian Constitution supports secularism, which is the opposite of communalism. In India the term is often used for Hindu-Muslim relations, but it can apply to conflict between any religions. So option (b) is the best definition. Option (a) describes casteism, not communalism. Option (c) describes secularism, which is the opposite of communalism. Option (d) describes regionalism based on language, not religion.
12. Which of the following states was formed primarily due to a distinct sub-regional identity, even within a larger linguistic group?
- (a) Sikkim
- (b) Telangana
- (c) Chhattisgarh
- (d) Jharkhand
Answer: (b) Telangana
The answer is (b) Telangana. Telangana was formed in 2014 even though its people speak Telugu, the same language as the rest of Andhra Pradesh. The state was carved out because of a strong sub-regional identity and a long movement against the economic, social and political neglect of the Telangana region. Sikkim became a state mainly due to political and ethnic reasons, not a sub-region within one language group. Chhattisgarh was formed on the basis of tribal identity, weak development and a distinct culture. Jharkhand too was created mainly around tribal identity and a sense of being left behind, not a sub-region within a larger language group.