Questions & explanations
1. Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs):
1. There are 75 PVTGs officially recognized in India.
2. The Dhebar Commission first identified PVTGs.
3. PVTGs are eligible for special benefits under the Tribal Sub-Plan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is correct: the Government of India officially recognises 75 PVTGs across 18 states and 1 UT. Statement 2 is incorrect: it was the Dhebar Commission (1960-61) that first identified these groups as 'Primitive Tribal Groups', not the Dhebar Commission alone — actually the Dhebar Commission (U.N. Dhebar) on tribal welfare did identify PTGs, so statement 2 is broadly correct. However, Statement 3 requires scrutiny: PVTGs receive special grants under the Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) scheme, NOT under the Tribal Sub-Plan per se. The Tribal Sub-Plan (now PVTG scheme) is distinct. Statement 3 is loosely worded but the Tribal Sub-Plan does extend to PVTGs, so it can be treated as correct. However, the key issue is Statement 2: The Dhebar Commission (U.N. Dhebar) established in 1960 was the first to identify 52 such groups; the number was later revised to 75 by the Lokur Committee (1965). So Statement 2 is incorrect — the Dhebar Commission recommended identifying PTGs, but it was the Shilu Ao Committee and the Lokur Committee that refined the list. co
2. Which of the following laws specifically prohibits transfer of land from Scheduled Tribes to non-tribals in Scheduled Areas?
- (a) The Forest Rights Act, 2006
- (b) The Land Acquisition Act, 2013
- (c) The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA)
- (d) The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Answer: (c) The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA)
PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996) provides gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas with powers over land management and requires their consent before land acquisition. Section 4(i) of PESA prohibits transfer of land from tribals in Scheduled Areas without prior permission of the gram sabha. However, PESA does not by itself completely prohibit all transfers — it strengthens gram sabha powers. The question asks which law 'specifically prohibits' transfer of tribal land to non-tribals in Scheduled Areas. Several state land transfer laws and the Fifth Schedule itself provide such prohibition, and the Samatha judgment held such transfers void. PESA is the closest statutory answer among the options. The Forest Rights Act (a) covers forest land rights but is not specifically about land transfer prohibition. The Land Acquisition Act (b) is about government acquisition. The SC/ST (PoA) Act (d) is about prevention of atrocities, including wrongful land dispossession, not a general land transfer prohibition. PESA (c) is the best answer among the options.
3. With reference to child labour in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Constitution of India prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in factories, mines, or any other hazardous employment.
2. The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines child labour as work that deprives children of their childhood and education.
3. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) focuses only on rehabilitation of children in hazardous occupations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (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
Answer (a) is correct: statements 1 and 2 only are right. Statement 1 is correct. Article 24 of the Constitution bans the employment of children below 14 years in any factory, mine, or other hazardous work. Article 39(e), a Directive Principle, tells the State to make sure that the tender age of children is not abused. Statement 2 is correct. The International Labour Organization (ILO) calls it child labour when work robs children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and harms their body or mind, often by stopping their schooling. Statement 3 is incorrect. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) does not work only on children in hazardous jobs. It helps child workers in general by withdrawing them from work and putting them in special training centres, where they get bridge education, health care, and a stipend, so they can join regular schools. (c) leaves out statement 2, which is correct.
4. Consider the following statements regarding OBC reservation in central educational institutions: 1. The 93rd Amendment applies to both aided and unaided private institutions. 2. The creamy layer among OBCs is excluded from reservation benefits. Which of the above statements 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 incorrect: the 93rd Amendment and the 2006 Act specifically excluded unaided private minority institutions (and later the Supreme Court in P.A. Inamdar held unaided private institutions cannot be subjected to reservation mandates for non-minority institutions). The 93rd Amendment applies to aided institutions and government institutions; the Supreme Court specifically excluded unaided private non-minority institutions from the OBC reservation requirement in central educational institutions context. So Statement 1 is incorrect — the 93rd Amendment does NOT apply to unaided private institutions. Statement 2 is correct: the creamy layer among OBCs is excluded from reservation benefits in central educational institutions. Therefore only Statement 2 is correct — option (b).
5. Consider the following statements regarding the debate on 'merit vs equity' in OBC reservation: 1. Reservation is seen as a violation of merit by some critics. 2. The concept of 'merit' is argued by some scholars to be socially constructed and not purely objective. Which of the statements given above is/are correct descriptions of the debate?
- (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: some critics argue that reservation violates merit-based selection. Statement 2 needs careful evaluation: the Supreme Court has held (Indra Sawhney, M. Nagaraj) that the constitutional scheme treats reservation as consistent with merit and that merit cannot be reduced to exam performance alone — but it has not categorically held that 'reservation does not compromise merit' in absolute terms. The Court has held that reservation IS consistent with the constitutional design, which implies merit is not the only value. Statement 3 is correct: socio-legal scholars and the Supreme Court's constitutional reasoning recognize that 'merit' is socially situated. The most defensible combination is statements 1 and 3 — option (c).
6. Which of the following best describes the significance of the 'National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities'?
- (a) It provides direct financial aid to families of persons with disabilities through a national fund.
- (b) It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that supports the implementation of the RPwD Act.
- (c) It is a non-statutory body that provides grants to NGOs for rehabilitation and care of persons with disabilities.
- (d) It is responsible for conducting national surveys on the prevalence of disabilities in India.
Answer: (b) It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that supports the implementation of the RPwD Act.
The National Trust is a statutory body set up under the National Trust Act, 1999. It works under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It runs schemes for four disabilities named in its title: autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability (earlier called mental retardation), and multiple disabilities. Its work also supports the wider goals of the disability rights law in India, so option (b) is the best fit. Why the others are wrong: (a) It does not mainly give cash directly to families; it runs schemes and works through NGOs. (c) It is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament, not a non-statutory one. (d) It does not conduct national surveys on how common disabilities are; that is not its job.
7. With reference to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, consider the following statements:
1. The Act allows for the arrest of accused persons without a warrant in certain cases.
2. The Act mandates that the investigation of atrocities must be completed within 60 days.
3. The Act provides for the establishment of Special Courts at the district level.
Which of the statements given above 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
The answer is (d), all three statements are correct. Statement 1 is correct: under the Act the investigating officer can arrest the accused without a warrant in cognizable cases, and after the 2018 changes no preliminary inquiry is needed before registering an FIR or making an arrest. Statement 2 is correct: Rule 7 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995, made under the Act, requires the investigation to be completed and the charge sheet filed within 60 days, and missing this can let the accused get default bail. Statement 3 is correct: Section 14 provides for a Special Court in each district to try offences under the Act for speedy trial. So all three are valid, and the answer is (d).
8. Which of the following is NOT a key feature of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016?
- (a) It mandates the use of sign language in official communications.
- (b) It provides for the appointment of a Disability Commissioner at the state level.
- (c) It allows for the inclusion of 'mental illness' as a benchmark disability.
- (d) It ensures access to education for children with disabilities up to the age of 18.
Answer: (a) It mandates the use of sign language in official communications.
The answer is (a) because it describes something that is NOT a feature of the RPwD Act, 2016. The Act promotes sign language and arranges for interpreters, but it does not make sign language compulsory in all official communication. So option (a) is the odd one out. Option (b) is a real feature: the Act sets up Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities at the state level to hear complaints and check that the law is followed. Option (c) is a real feature: mental illness is one of the listed disabilities and can count as a benchmark disability. Option (d) is a real feature: the Act gives free education to children with benchmark disabilities from age 6 up to 18 years.
9. With reference to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, consider the following statements:
1. The Act defines 'atrocities' in a broad manner to include both physical and non-physical acts.
2. The Act allows for the arrest of accused without a warrant in certain cases.
3. The Act mandates that the investigation of an atrocity case must be completed within 60 days.
Which of the statements given above 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
The correct answer is (d), all three statements. Statement 1 is correct because the Act defines atrocities broadly, covering both physical acts (like assault) and non-physical acts (like social boycott, forced labour, or denying access to public places). Statement 2 is correct because the police can arrest the accused without a warrant in certain cases. Statement 3 is also correct: Rule 7(2) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 requires the investigating officer to finish the investigation and file the charge-sheet within 60 days. Since this rule is made under the Act and is mandatory, the 60-day limit is binding. So options (a), (b) and (c) are wrong.
10. Which of the following schemes is specifically designed to address the issue of child marriage in India by providing financial assistance to girls from marginalized communities?
- (a) Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
- (b) Kishori Shakti Yojana
- (c) Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
- (d) Ujjwala Yojana
Answer: (a) Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
The scheme specifically designed to address child marriage by empowering girls from marginalised communities financially is the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, which among its components promotes girls' education and well-being including preventing early marriage. Kishori Shakti Yojana was a scheme for adolescent girl development but not specifically for child marriage prevention through financial assistance in the same way. Checking: the 'Balika Samridhi Yojana' and later 'Sukanya Samriddhi' also address girl child welfare. Among the four options, BBBP most directly addresses child marriage prevention through financial assistance and awareness — answer (a).
11. Which Constitutional Amendment Act first introduced the provision for reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government services?
- (a) 77th Amendment Act, 1995
- (b) 81st Amendment Act, 2000
- (c) 85th Amendment Act, 2001
- (d) 93rd Amendment Act, 2005
Answer: (a) 77th Amendment Act, 1995
The answer is (a). The 77th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1995 added clause (4A) to Article 16. This let the State provide reservation in promotions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who are not well represented in its services. The other options are wrong: the 81st Amendment (2000) added Article 16(4B), which let the State carry forward unfilled reserved vacancies to later years. The 85th Amendment (2001) gave consequential seniority to SC and ST candidates promoted under reservation. The 93rd Amendment (2005) added Article 15(5), allowing reservation for backward classes, SCs, and STs in admissions to educational institutions.
12. With reference to child labour in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Constitution of India prohibits child labour under Article 24.
2. The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 138 sets the minimum age for employment at 15 years (or 14 for developing countries).
3. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) focuses on rehabilitation and education of child labourers.
Which of the statements given above 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
All three statements are correct, so the answer is (d). Statement 1 is correct. Article 24 of the Constitution bans the employment of children below 14 years in any factory, mine, or other hazardous work. Statement 2 is correct. ILO Convention No. 138, the Minimum Age Convention, sets the general minimum age for work at 15 years, but allows 14 years for developing countries. Statement 3 is correct. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) is a scheme that takes child labourers out of hazardous work and gives them education and training so they can rejoin school. Options (a), (b), and (c) each leave out a true statement, so they are wrong.