Post on 07-Aug-2018
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 1
1. Solution: d)
The invisible hand theory is a concept described by Adam Smith in the 18th century, and is
broadly accepted by today‘s economists as a means to explain the forces of a free
market. Smith‘s description of the invisible hand theory states that individuals pursuing
their own interest frequently promote the good of society than when he really intends to
promote it.‖ Smith also provides a more direct scenario of the invisible hand theory, ―It is
not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner,
but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity
but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.‖
According to the invisible hand theory, each of us, acting in our own self-interests, generates
a demand for goods and services that compels others to deliver those goods and services in
the most efficient manner so that they may be able to receive compensation from others and
make a profit in doing so. In this process, resources are allocated in the most efficient
manner, in contrast to a process that relies on a centrally planned system.
2. Solution: c)
The kind of state-market mix for which India went was thought to be fit for the socio-
economic and political conditions of the time. Once the country started the process of
economic reforms in early 1990s, the prevailing state-market mix was redefined and a new
form of mixed economy began to be practised. As the socioeconomic conditions had
changed the state-market mix also changed. The redefined mixed economy for India had a
declared favour for the market economy. Many economic roles which were under complete
government monopolies were now opened for participation by the private sector.
Examples are many —telecommunication, power, roads, oil and natural gas, etc. At the
same time, the responsibilities which were till date being shouldered by the state alone and
which could be taken up by the state only were given extra emphasis. In this category comes
the whole social sector—education, healthcare, drinking water, sanitation, nutrition, social
security, etc.
3. Solution: b)
If we look back into the economic history of the world, we see three possible roles for the
State/Government in the economy:
(i) As a regulator of the economic system (where the state takes important economic
decisions, announces the required kind of economic policies, takes the sole responsibility to
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 2
get them implemented and controlling and punishing those who don‘t oblige to those
economic decisions).
(ii) As a producer and/or supplier of the ‗private goods and services‘ (these include all those
goods and services which constitute the part of market and which will be distributed among
the needy according to the principles of the market mechanism. Here the state earns profit as
a private enterprise).
(iii) As a producer and/or supplier of the ‗public goods‘ or the ‗social goods‘ (these include
the goods and services which look essential from the social justice and well-being
perspective for the people. Education, healthcare, sanitation, drinking water, nutrition and
caring for the handicapped and old etc come under this category. These goods which are
generally distributed free of cost at times might reach the beneficiaries at the subsidised
prices. The loss incurred by the state in this way is paid out of the public exchequer which
means that the whole economy pays for the cause of a few people).
4. Solution: c)
The people of India were given eight months to discuss the draft and propose amendments.
In the light of the public comments, criticisms and suggestions, the Drafting Committee
prepared a second draft, which was published in October 1948.
Some provisions of the Constitution pertaining to citizenship, elections, provisional
parliament, temporary and transitional provisions, and short title contained in Articles 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 60, 324, 366, 367, 379, 380, 388, 391, 392 and 393 came into force on November 26, 1949
itself.
5. Solution: d)
The Constitution of India is the lengthiest of all the written constitutions of the world. It is a
very comprehensive, elaborate and detailed document.
Originally (1949), the Constitution contained a Preamble, 395 Articles (divided into 22 Parts)
and 8 Schedules. Presently (2013), it consists of a Preamble, about 465 Articles (divided into
25 Parts) and 12 Schedules. The various amendments carried out since 1951 have deleted
about 20 Articles and one Part (VII) and added about 85 Articles, four Parts (IVA, IXA, IXB
and XIVA) and four Schedules (9, 10, 11 and 12). No other Constitution in the world has so
many Articles and Schedules.
Centre-state relations have been given in so much detail containing even the minutest of
provisions of taxation, administration and finances. For e.g. which taxes will be
appropriated by either centre or state has been given in the constitution.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 3
Similarily, 5th and 6h schedule areas have not only been defined and demarcated by the
constitution, but also several administrative provisions like tribal advisory council; power of
Gram sabhas in those areas etc. have also been provided.
Four factors have contributed to the elephantine size of our Constitution. They are:
(a) Geographical factors, that is, the vastness of the country and its diversity.
(b) Historical factors, e.g., the influence of the Government of India Act of 1935, which was
bulky.
(c) Single Constitution for both the Centre and the states except Jammu and Kashmir4.
(d) Dominance of legal luminaries in the Constituent Assembly.
6. Solution: b)
Net Domestic Product (NDP) is the GDP calculated after adjusting the weight of the value of
‗depreciation‘. This is, basically, net form of the GDP, i.e. GDP minus the total value of the
‗wear and tear‘ (depreciation) that happened in the assets while the goods and services were
being produced. Every asset (except human beings) go for depreciation in the process of
their uses, which means they ‗wear and tear‘.
The governments of the economies decide and announce the rates by which assets
depreciate (done in India by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and a list is published,
which is used by the different sections of the economy to determine the real levels of
depreciations in different assets.
7. Solution: c)
NDP of an economy has to be always lower than its GDP for the same year, since there is no
way to cut the depreciation to zero. But mankind has achieved too much in this area by the
developments such as ‗ball-bearing‘, ‗lubricants‘, etc., all innovated to minimise the levels of
depreciation.
The different uses of the concept of NDP are as given below:
(a) For domestic use only – to understand the historical situation of the loss due to
depreciation to the economy. Also used to understand and analyse the sectoral situation of
depreciation in industry and trade in comparative periods.
(b) To show the achievements of the economy in the area of research and development
which have tried cutting the levels of depreciation in a historical time period.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 4
8. Solution: a)
NDP is not used in comparative economics, i.e., to compare the economies of the world.
Why this is so? This is due to different rates of depreciation which is set by the different
economies of the world. Rates of depreciation may be based on logic (as it is in the case of
houses in India—the cement, bricks, sand and iron rods which are used to build houses in
India can sustain it for the coming 100 years, thus the rate of depreciation is fixed at 1 per
cent per annum).
But it may not be based on logic all the time - for example, upto Feb 2000 the rate of
depreciation for the heavy vehicles (vehicles with 6-wheels and above) was 20 per cent while
it was done 40 per cent afterwards - to boost the sales of the vehicles. There was no logic in
doubling the rate! Basically, depreciation and its rates are used by the modern governments
as a tool of economic policy-making also, which is the third way how depreciation is used in
economics.
9. Solution: d)
Gross National Product (GNP) is the GDP of a country added with its ‗income from abroad‘.
Here, the trans-boundary economic activities of an economy is also taken into account. The
items which are counted in the segment ‗Income from Abroad‘ are:
(i) Trade Balance: the net outcome at the year end of the total exports and imports of a
country may be positive or negative accordingly added with the GDP (in India‘s case it has
always been negative except the three consecutive years 2000-03 when it was positive, due
to high levels of ‗services sector‘ export during the years courtsey the booming BPO
industry).
(ii) Interest of External Loans: the net outcome on the front of the interest payments i.e.
balance of the inflow (on the money lend out by the economy) and the outflow (on the
money borrowedby the economy) of the external interests. In India‘s case it has been always
negative as the economy has been a ‗net borrower‘ from the world economies.
(iii) Private Remittances: the net outcome of the money which inflows and outflows on
account of the ‗private transfers‘ by the Indian nationals working outside India (to India)
and the foreign nationals working in India (to their home countries).
10. Solution: d)
The different uses of the concept GNP are as given below:
(a) This is the ‗national income‘ according to which the IMF ranks the nations of the world in
terms of the volumes – at the Purchasing Power Parity (at PPP). For detailed discussion on
the PPP readers may search for it alphabetically in the Chapter- 24. India is ranked as the 4th
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 5
largest economy of the world (after the USA, Japan and China) - while as per the nominal/
prevailing exchange rate of rupee India is the 13th largest economy.
(b) It is the more exhaustive concept of national income than the GDP as it indicates about
the ‗quantitative‘ as well as the ‗qualitative‘ aspect of the economy, i.e., the ‗internal‘ as well
as the ‗external‘ strength of the economy.
(c) It enables us to learn several facts about the production behaviour and pattern of an
economy, such as, how much the outside world is dependent on its product and how much
it depends on the world for the same (numerically shown by the size and net flow of its
‗trade balance‘); what is the standard of its human resource in international parlance (shown
by the size and the net flow of its ‗private remittances‘); what position it holds regarding
financial support from and to the world economies (shown by the net flow of ‗interests‘ on
external lending/borrowing).
11. Solution: b)
The different uses of the concept NNP are as given below:
(a) This is the ‗National Income‘ (NI) of an economy. Though, the GDP, NDP and GNP, all
are ‗national income‘ they are not written with capitalised ‗N‘ and ‗I‘.
(b) This is the purest form of the income of a nation.
(c) When we divide NNP by the total population of nation we get the ‗per capita income‘
(PCI) of that nation i.e. ‗income per head per year‘. A very basic point should be noted here
that this is the point where the rates of dipreciation followed by the different nations make a
difference. Higher the rates of depreciation lower the PCI of the nation (whatever be the
reason for it- logical or artificial as in the case of depreciation being used as a tool of
policymaking)! Though, economies are free to fix any rate of depreciation for the different
assets the rates fixed by them make difference when the NI of the nations are compared by
the international financial institutions like the IMF, WB, ADB, etc.
12. Solution: a)
Income of an economy i.e. value of its total produced goods and services may be calculated
at either the ‗factor cost‘ or the ‗market cost‘. What is the difference between them? Basically,
‗factor cost‘ is the ‗input cost‘ the producer has to incur in the process of producing
something (such as cost of capital i.e. interest on loans, raw materials, labour, rent, power,
etc.). This is also termed as ‗factory price‘ or ‗production cost/price‘. This is nothing but
‗price‘ of the commodity from the producer‘s side. While the ‗market cost‘ is derived after
adding the indirect taxes to the factor cost of the product, it means the cost at which the
goods reach the market i.e. showrooms (these are the Cenvat/central excise and the CST
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 6
which are paid by the producers to the Central government in India). This is also known as
the ‗ex-factory price‘
13. Solution: a)
Similar to the indirect taxes, the various subsidies which are forwarded by the governments
need to be adjusted while calculating national income. They are added to the national
income at market cost, in case of India. Subsidies are added in the national income at the
market cost to derive the national income at factor cost.
This is because the prices at which the subsidised goods and services are made available by
the governments are not their real factor costs (subsidies are forwarded on the factor costs of
the goods and services) otherwise we will have a distorted value (which will be less than its
real value!).
Thus the formula will be:
National Income at Factor Cost = NNP at Market Cost + Subsidies
If the national income is derived at the market cost and governments forward no subsidies
there is no need to adjustments for the subsidies – but after all there is not a single economy
in the world today which does not forward subsidies in one or the other form.
Putting ‗indirect taxes‘ and the ‗subsidies‘ both together India‘s National Income will be
derived with the following formula (as India does it at the factor cost):
National Income at Factor Cost = NNP at Market Cost – Indirect Taxes + Subsidies
14. Solution: d)
The Constitution (Article 4) itself declares that laws made for admission or establishment of
new states (under Article 2) and formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries
or names of existing states (under Articles 3) are not to be considered as amendments of the
Constitution under Article 368. This means that such laws can be passed by a simple
majority and by the ordinary legislative process. The Supreme Court in 1969 ruled that,
settlement of a boundary dispute between India and another country does not require a
constitutional amendment. It can be done by executive action as it does not involve cession
of Indian territory to a foreign country.
15. Solution: c)
These are the rights denied to alien citizens:
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 7
Right against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
(Article 15).
Right to equality of opportunity in the matter of public employment (Article 16).
Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement,
residence and profession (Article 19).
Cultural and educational rights (Articles 29 and 30).
Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly.
Right to contest for the membership of the Parliament and the state legislature.
Eligibility to hold certain public offices, that is, President of India, Vice-President of
India, judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, governor of states, attorney
general of India and advocate general of states.
16. Solution: a)
The Constitution deals with the citizenship from Articles 5 to 11 under Part II. However, it
contains neither any permanent nor any elaborate provisions in this regard. It only identifies
the persons who became citizens of India at its commencement (i.e., on January 26, 1950). It
does not deal with the problem of acquisition or loss of citizenship subsequent to its
commencement. It leaves the same to the Parliament.
In India both a citizen by birth as well as a naturalised citizen are eligible for the office of
President while in USA, only a citizen by birth and not a naturalised citizen is eligible for the
office of President.
17. Solution: b)
FRs can be suspended during the operation of a National Emergency except the rights
guaranteed by Articles 20 and 21. Further, the six rights guaranteed by Article 19 can be
suspended only when emergency is declared on the grounds of war or external aggression
(i.e., external emergency) and not on the ground of armed rebellion (i.e., internal
emergency).
Their application can be restricted while martial law is in force in any area. Martial law
means ‗military rule‘ imposed under abnormal circumstances to restore order (Article 34). It
is different from the imposition of national emergency.
18. Solution: d)
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 8
The HDI went on to select three broad parameters and allotted them an equal weightage on
the scale of one and measured the development of the countries included in the report. The
three parameters are as given below:
(i) Standard of living: to be indicated by the real per capita income adjusted for the differing
purchasing power parity (PPP).
(ii) Knowledge: to be measured by indicators related to the level of education: (a)
educational attainment among the adults (given 2/3 rd weightage). (b) school enrollment
(given 1/3 rd weightage).
(iii) Life Expectancy: to be calculated at the time of birth.
The UNDP ranks the economies in accordance of their achievements on the above-given
three parameters on the scale of one (i.e. 0.000–1.000).
19. Solution: d)
Differences between NITI and Planning Commission
While Planning Commission enjoyed the powers to allocate funds to ministries and state
governments, NITI Aayog will be an advisory body, or a think-tank. Under Planning
Commission, States' role was limited to the National Development Council and annual
interaction during Plan meetings and the commission reported to National Development
Council that had state chief ministers and lieutenant governors of UTs. But Niti Aayog‘s
Governing Council has state chief ministers and lieutenant governors as the all powerful
body. Under Niti Aayog states are consulted while making policy and deciding on funds
allocation. Final policy would be a result of that consultations unlike under Planning
Commission when policy was formed by the commission and states were then consulted
about allocation of funds. While Niti Aayog is a think-tank and does not have the power to
impose policies, Planning Commission decided policies for states and tied allocation of
funds with projects it approved, a methodology driven by "one size fits all" concept.
PIB Features http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx
20. Solution: b)
It provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation consisting of provinces and
princely states as units. The Act divided the powers between the Centre and units in terms
of three lists—Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List (for provinces, with 54
items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items). Residuary powers were given to the
Viceroy. However, the federation never came into being as the princely states did not join it.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 9
It abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced ‗provincial autonomy‘ in its place. The
provinces were allowed to act as autonomous units of administration in their defined
spheres.
Moreover, the Act introduced responsible governments in provinces, that is, the governor
was required to act with the advice of ministers responsible to the provincial legislature.
This came into effect in 1937 and was discontinued in 1939.
It extended franchise. About 10 per cent of the total population got the voting right.
21. Solution: d)
The revised Scheme, prescribes the eligibility criteria for all four categories.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Corporates now can spend and provide funds for
promotion and development of sports from the funds earmarked for CSR.
In this regard, training to promote rural sports, nationally recognized sports, Paralympic
sports and Olympic sports have been included in the Schedule VII of the Companies Act,
2013.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): In case of NGOs, who are working in promotion
and development of sports, a separate category, Sports for Development has been provided for
the NGOs in order to recognize their contributions.
22. Solution: a)
Features of the 1853 Act
1. It separated, for the first time, the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-
General‘s council. It provided for addition of six new members called legislative councillors
to the council. In other words, it established a separate Governor-General‘s legislative
council which came to be known as the Indian (Central) Legislative Council. This legislative
wing of the council functioned as a mini-Parliament, adopting the same procedures as the
British Parliament. Thus, legislation, for the first time, was treated as a special function of
the government, requiring special machinery and special process.
2. It introduced an open competition system of selection and recruitment of civil servants.
The covenanted civil service3 was thus thrown open to the Indians also. Accordingly, the
Macaulay Committee (the Committee on the Indian Civil Service) was appointed in 1854.
3. It extended the Company‘s rule and allowed it to retain the possession of Indian
territories on trust for the British Crown. But, it did not specify any particular period, unlike
the previous Charters. This was a clear indication that the Company‘s rule could be
terminated at any time the Parliament liked.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 10
4. It introduced, for the first time, local representation in the Indian (Central) Legislative
Council. Of the six new legislative members of the governor-general‘s council, four members
were appointed by the local (provincial) governments of Madras, Bombay, Bengal and Agra.
23. Solution: c)
This significant Act was enacted in the wake of the Revolt of 1857—also known as the First
War of Independence or the ‗sepoy mutiny‘. The act known as the Act for the Good
Government of India, abolished the East India Company, and transferred the powers of
government, territories and revenues to the British Crown.
Features of the Act
1. It provided that India henceforth was to be governed by, and in the name of, Her Majesty.
It changed the designation of the Governor-General of India to that of Viceroy of India. He
(viceroy) was the direct representative of the British Crown in India. Lord Canning thus
became the first Viceroy of India.
2. It ended the system of double government by abolishing the Board of Control and Court
of Directors.
3. It created a new office, Secretary of State for India, vested with complete authority and
control over Indian administration. The secretary of state was a member of the British
cabinet and was responsible ultimately to the British Parliament.
4. It established a 15-member Council of India to assist the secretary of state for India. The
council was an advisory body. The secretary of state was made the chairman of the council.
5. It constituted the secretary of state-in-council as a body corporate, capable of suing and
being sued in India and in England.
The Act of 1858 was, however, largely confined to the improvement of the administrative
machinery by which the Indian Government was to be supervised and controlled in
England. It did not alter in any substantial way the system of government that prevailed in
India.
24. Solution: d)
Some Features of the Act of 1861
It made a beginning of representative institutions by associating Indians with the law-
making process. It thus provided that the viceroy should nominate some Indians as non-
official members of his expanded council. In 1862, Lord Canning, the then viceroy,
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 11
nominated three Indians to his legislative council—the Raja of Benaras, the Maharaja of
Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.
Some Features of the Act of 1892
1. It increased the number of additional (non-official) members in the Central and provincial
legislative councils, but maintained the official majority in them.
2. It increased the functions of legislative councils and gave them the power of discussing
the budget and addressing questions to the executive.
Act of 1909 considerably increased the size of the legislative councils, both Central and
provincial. It retained official majority in the Central Legislative Council but allowed the
provincial legislative councils to have non-official majority.
It enlarged the deliberative functions of the legislative councils at both the levels. For
example, members were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move resolutions on the
budget, and so on.
25. Solution: d)
Features of the Act
1. It relaxed the central control over the provinces by demarcating and separating the central
and provincial subjects. The central and provincial legislatures were authorised to make
laws on their respective list of subjects. However, the structure of government continued to
be centralised and unitary.
2. It further divided the provincial subjects into two parts—transferred and reserved. The
transferred subjects were to be administered by the governor with the aid of ministers
responsible to the legislative Council. The reserved subjects, on the other hand, were to be
administered by the governor and his executive council without being responsible to the
legislative Council. This dual scheme of governance was known as ‗dyarchy‘—a term
derived from the Greek word di-arche which means double rule. However, this experiment
was largely unsuccessful.
3. It introduced, for the first time, bicameralism and direct elections in the country. Thus, the
Indian Legislative Council was replaced by a bicameral legislature consisting of an Upper
House (Council of State) and a Lower House (Legislative Assembly). The majority of
members of both the Houses were chosen by direct election.
4. It required that the three of the six members of the Viceroy‘s executive Council (other than
the commander-in-chief) were to be Indian.
5. It extended the principle of communal representation by providing separate electorates
for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 12
26. Solution: d)
In 1927, the British Government announced the appointment a seven-member statutory
commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon to report on the condition of India
under its new Constitution. All the members of the commission were British and hence, all
the parties boycotted the commission.
The commission submitted its report in 1930 and recommended the abolition of dyarchy,
extension of responsible government in the provinces, establishment of a federation of
British India and princely states, continuation of communal electorate and so on. To consider
the proposals of the commission, the British Government convened three round table
conferences of the representatives of the British Government, British India and Indian
princely states.
On the basis of these discussions, a ‗White Paper on Constitutional Reforms‘ was prepared
and submitted for the consideration of the Joint Select Committee of the British Parliament.
The recommendations of this committee were incorporated (with certain changes) in the
next Government of India Act of 1935.
27. Solution: a)
Maharashtra Government is planning to revamp the Jeevan Amrut Yojana(blood-on-
call) scheme to make it more beneficial to people.
State government is seeking to strengthen the network of blood storage units in rural areas
instead of current mechanism of transporting blood through motorcycles.
About Jeevan Amrut Yojana
It is first of its kind scheme in the country, launched in 2014.
It aimed at facilitating blood supply to patients scheduled to undergo surgeries and
medical procedures in remote areas.
The patients, who need the blood, have to pay 450 rupees towards the cost of blood
and 50 rupees to 100 rupees as transportation cost depending on the distance after
the request (for blood) is placed by the hospital concerned.
Upon receiving the call, the required blood and blood components are transported
on motorcycle to hospitals and nursing homes, in specially fitted cold storage boxes.
28. Solution: a)
Top 10 foreign investment destinations in 2014 ($ Billion)
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 13
Rank Country FDI*
1 China 128
2 Hong Kong 111
3 United States 86
4 Singapore 81
5 Brazil 62
6 United Kingdom 61
7 Canada 53
8 Australia 49
9 Netherlands 42
10 Luxembourg 36
29. Solution: a)
The 21st century MSR project is an initiative by China to resurrect the ancient
maritime Silk Road. It is perceived to be an attempt by China to ameliorate relations
with South and Southeast Asia- in this case the focus is on maritime trade security.
The project will prioritize construction ports and infrastructure, industrial parks in
strategically significant countries in Southeast Asia, the Mideast, Africa, Europe and
the Indian Ocean region, which includes Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
China has already begun building of port projects in Gwadar (Pakistan), Hambantota
(Sri Lanka) and Chittagong (Bangladesh) respectively.
China has announced a USD 40 billion Silk Road fund which became operational in
February 2015 for attracting small countries in the projects.
30. Solution: a)
In 1942, Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the cabinet, came to India with a draft proposal of
the British Government on the framing of an independent Constitution to be adopted after
the World War II. The Cripps Proposals were rejected by the Muslim League which wanted
India to be divided into two autonomous states with two separate Constituent Assemblies.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 14
Finally, a Cabinet Mission was sent to India. While it rejected the idea of two Constituent
Assemblies, it put forth a scheme for the Constituent Assembly which more or less satisfied
the Muslim League.
Composition of The Constituent Assembly
The Constituent Assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the scheme formulated
by the Cabinet Mission Plan. The features of the scheme were:
1. The total strength of the Constituent Assembly was to be 389. Of these, 296 seats were to
be allotted to British India and 93 seats to the Princely States. Out of 296 seats allotted to the
British India, 292 members were to be drawn from the eleven governors‘ provinces2 and
four from the four chief commissioners‘ provinces3, one from each.
2. Each province and princely state (or group of states in case of small states) were to be
allotted seats in proportion to their respective population. Roughly, one seat was to be
allotted for every million population.
3. Seats allocated to each British province were to be decided among the three principal
communities—Muslims, Sikhs and general (all except Muslims and Sikhs), in proportion to
their population.
4. The representatives of each community were to be elected by members of that community
in the provincial legislative assembly and voting was to be by the method of proportional
representation by means of single transferable vote.
5. The representatives of princely states were to be nominated by the heads of the princely
states.
31. Solution: d)
If the secondary sector contributes 50 per cent or more to the total produce value of an
economy, it is an industrial economy. Higher the contribution, higher is the level of
industrialisation. The western economies who went for early industrialisation earning faster
and enough income and developing early were known as developed economies. Most of
these economies have crossed this phase once the process of industrialisation saturated.
As country after country successfully industrialised, a pattern of the population shift from
one to another sector was established, which was known as the stages of growth of an
economy. 7 With the intensification of industrialisation, dependency on primary sector for
livelihood decreased and dependency on secondary sector increased consistently. Similarly,
such economies saw a population shift from the secondary to the tertiary sector—and these
were known as the ‗post-industrial‘ societies or the service societies.
Almost the whole Euro-America falls under this category—these economies are having over
50 per cent of their total produce value being contributed by their tertiary sectors and over
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 15
half of the population depends on the sector for their livelihood. Many other countries
which started industrialisation in the post-war period did show abberations in this shift of
the population and the income—India being one among them.
32. Solution: a)
Option A is also the financial year of India. Since the annual budget is also prepared,
presented, approved and passed presented during the starting of this period, it is
appropriate to calculate GDP in that period also.
33. Solution: a)
The different uses of the concept GDP are as given below:
(i) Per annum percentage change in it is the ‗growth rate‘ of an economy. For example, if a
country has a GDP of Rs. 107 which is 7 rupees higher than the last year, it has a growth rate
of 7 per cent. When we use the term ‗a growing‘ economy, it means that the economy is
adding up its income i.e. in quantitative terms.
(ii) It is a ‗quantitative‘ concept and its volume/size indicates the ‗internal‘ strength of the
economy. But it does not say anything about the ‗qualitative‘ aspects of the produced goods
and services by the economy.
(iii) It is used by the IMF/WB in the comparative analyses of its member nations.
34. Solution: d)
The structural part of the Constitution is, to a large extent, derived from the Government of
India Act of 1935. The philosophical part of the Constitution (the Fundamental Rights and
the Directive Principles of State Policy) derives their inspiration from the American and Irish
Constitutions respectively. The political part of the Constitution (the principle of Cabinet
Government and the relations between the executive and the legislature) has been largely
drawn from the British Constitution.
In one of the explanations above, refer to the provision of the GoI act, 1935 to understand
how these provisions affected the Indian constitution.
35. Solution: d)
This case is not a violation of fundamental right. A hindu temple managed by the state is not
a public place where free movement is unrestricted. It is a place which belongs to a certain
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 16
religious community. It has all the constitutional rights to block the entry of people
belonging to other religious communities.
Hence, none of the above options would be appropriate as this case is not a violation of
fundamental right.
36. Solution: b)
The Constitution of India has opted for the British parliamentary System of Government
rather than American Presidential System of Government. The parliamentary system is
based on the principle of cooperation and co-ordination between the legislative and
executive organs while the presidential system is based on the doctrine of separation of
powers between the two organs.
The parliamentary system is also known as the ‗Westminster‘ model of government,
responsible government and cabinet government. The Constitution establishes the
parliamentary system not only at the Centre but also in the states. The features of
parliamentary government in India are:
(a) Presence of nominal and real executives;
(b) Majority party rule,
(c) Collective responsibility of the executive to the legislature,
(d) Membership of the ministers in the legislature,
(e) Leadership of the prime minister or the chief minister,
(f) Dissolution of the lower House (Lok Sabha or Assembly).
37. Solution: c)
The Constitution of India establishes a federal system of government. It contains all the
usual features of a federation, viz., two government, division of powers, written
Constitution, supremacy of Constitution, rigidity of Constitution, independent judiciary and
bicameralism.
However, the Indian Constitution also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal
features, viz., a strong Centre, single Constitution, single citizenship, flexibility of
Constitution, integrated judiciary, appointment of state governor by the Centre, all-India
services, emergency provisions, and so on.
Moreover, the term ‗Federation‘ has nowhere been used in the Constitution. Article 1, on the
other hand, describes India as a ‗Union of States‘ which implies two things: one, Indian
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 17
Federation is not the result of an agreement by the states; and two, no state has the right to
secede from the federation.
Hence, the Indian Constitution has been variously described as ‗federal in form but unitary
in spirit‘,‘quasi-federal‘ by K C Wheare, ‗ bargaining federalism‘ by Morris Jones, ‗ co-
operative federalism‘ by Granville Austin, ‗federation with a centralising tendency‘ by Ivor
Jennings, and so on.
38. Solution: a)
After the acceptance of the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947 for a partition of the country,
the representatives of most of the other princely states took their seats in the Assembly. The
members of the Muslim League from the Indian Dominion also entered the Assembly. The
Indian Independence Act of 1947 made the following three changes in the position of the
Assembly:
1. The Assembly was made a fully sovereign body, which could frame any Constitution it
pleased. The act empowered the Assembly to abrogate or alter any law made by the British
Parliament in relation to India.
2. The Assembly also became a legislative body. In other words, two separate functions were
assigned to the Assembly, that is, making of a constitution for free India and enacting of
ordinary laws for the country. These two tasks were to be performed on separate days.
Thus, the Assembly became the first Parliament of free India (Dominion Legislature).
Whenever the Assembly met as the Constituent body it was chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad
and when it met as the legislative body, it was chaired by G V Mavlankar. These two
functions continued till November 26, 1949, when the task of making the Constitution was
over.
39. Solution: d)
It was this committee that was entrusted with the task of preparing a draft of the new
Constitution. It consisted of seven members. They were:
Dr B R Ambedkar (Chairman)
N Gopalaswamy Ayyangar
Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar
Dr K M Munshi
Syed Mohammad Saadullah
N Madhava Rau (He replaced B L Mitter who resigned due to ill-health)
T T Krishnamachari (He replaced D P Khaitan who died in 1948)
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 18
The Drafting Committee, after taking into consideration the proposals of the various
committees, prepared the first draft of the Constitution of India, which was published in
February 1948. The people of India were given eight months to discuss the draft and
propose amendments. In the light of the public comments, criticisms and suggestions, the
Drafting Committee prepared a second draft, which was published in October 1948.
40. Solution: a)
In the arena of distribution network, we have three historically existing models—state,
market and state–market mix. In the first kind of distribution system, the state (i.e. the
government) takes the sole responsibility of supplying the goods and services required by
the population with no payments being done by the consumer—The former Soviet Union
and Communist China being the best examples.
In the second categories comes the market mode of distribution which functions on the basis
of price mechanism. In this system, goods and services are made available in the market and
on the basis of their demand and supply, their prices are determined in the open market and
finally they get distributed to the population. This was the distribution system of the
capitalist economies—the whole Euro-America till 1930s.
41. Solution: a)
The political leadership selected industry as the leading force of the economy after
independence— this was already decided by the dominant group of the nationalist leaders
way back in the mid-1930s when they felt the need for economic planning in India before
setting up the National Planning Committee (1938). Given the available resource base it
seems an illogical decision as India lacked all those pre-requisites which could suggest the
declaration of industry as its prime mover:
(i) Almost no presence of infrastructure sector i.e. power, transportation and
communication.
(ii) Negligible presence of the infrastructure industries i.e. iron and steel, cement, coal, crude
oil, oil refining and electricity.
(iii) Lack of investible capital—be the case of either the government or the private sector.
(iv) Absence of the required technology to support the process of industrialisation and no
research and development.
(v) Lack of skilled manpower.
(vi) Absence of entrepreneurship among the people.
(vii) Absence of the market for industrial goods.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 19
(viii) Many other socio-psychological factors which were negative forces for the proper
industrialisation of the economy.
42. Solution: a)
There are six basic industries which every industrialising economy requires, namely—
(i) Iron and Steel (ii) Cement (iii) Coal (iv) Crude oil (v) Oil refining and (vi) Electricity.
At present, there are eight Core Industries in India (with the Base: 2004-05=100), six existing
‗basic/infrastructure industries‘ with two new additions i.e. Natural Gas and Fertilizer.
Similar to the infrastructure sector, these basic industries also require high level of capital,
technology, skilled manpower and articulation in entrepreneurship which was again
considered not feasible for the private sector of the time to manage. Even if the private sector
supplied goods from the ‗basic industries‘ they might not be able to sell their products in the
market due to the lower purchasing power of the consumers
43. Solution: d)
The investment to be made by the government in the PSUs was in the nature of asset
creation and these entities were to be involved in production activities. It was natural for the
government to gain control over the profits and dividends accruing from them. The goods
and services the PSUs were to produce and sell were going to provide disposable income to
the government. The government had a conscious policy of spending the income generated
by the PSUs. They were to be used in the supply of the ‗social goods‘ or what is called the
‗public goods‘. And thus, India was to have a developed social sector.
By social goods the government meant the universal supply of certain goods and services to
the Indian people. They included education, healthcare, nutrition, drinking water, social
security, etc. in India. It means that the PSUs were also visioned as the revenue generators
for the development of the social sector.
Due to many reasons the PSUs would not be able to generate as much profit as was required
for the healthy development of the social sector. This eventually hampered the availability
of public goods in the country. In place of giving profits back to the government, a very high
number of the PSUs started incurring huge losses and required budgetary supports as a
regular phenomenon.
44. Solution: a)
Charter Act of 1833
This Act was the final step towards centralisation in British India.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 20
Features of the Act
1. It made the Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India and vested in
him all civil and military powers. Thus, the act created, for the first time, a Government of
India having authority over the entire territorial area possessed by the British in India. Lord
William Bentick was the first governor-general of India.
2. It deprived the governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers. The
Governor-General of India was given exclusive legislative powers for the entire British
India. The laws made under the previous acts were called as Regulations while laws made
under this act were called as Acts.
3. It ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial body, which became a
purely administrative body. It provided that the company‘s territories in India were held by
it ‗in trust for His Majesty, His heirs and successors‘.
4. The Charter Act of 1833 attempted to introduce a system of open competition for selection
of civil servants, and stated that the Indians should not be debarred from holding any place,
office and employment under the Company. However, this provision was negated after
opposition from the Court of Directors.
45. Solution: a)
The capitalistic form of economy has its origin in the famous work of Adam Smith—Wealth
of Nations (1776). Adam Smith (1723–1790), the Scottish philosopher-economist professor at
Glasgow University whose writings formed the basis of classical economics had stressed
certain fine ideas which were to take fancy among some of the western countries and finally
capitalism took birth. He raised his voice against the heavy-handed government regulation
of commerce and industry of the time which did not allow the economy to tap its full
economic worth and reach the level of wellbeing.
Stressing ‗division of labour‘, an environment of ‗laissez faire‘ (non-interference by the
government) he proposed that the ‗invisible hand‘ of the ‗market forces‘ (price mechanism)
will bring a state of equilibrium to the economy and a general well-being to the countrymen.
For such an economy to function for public well-being, he has acknowledged the need of
competition in the market.
46. Solution: d)
In tribal areas, fifth and sixth schedule give them greater autonomy, more political rights
and a different political structure alongwith regular special incentives from the Union and
State governments.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 21
In J&K, acts like AFSPA, different constitution, special category status, Article 370 of the
constitution etc. create a difference in the status of citizens.
Article 371 contains special provisions for Maharashtra and Gujarat. Then follow a stream of
special provisions, including Articles 371A (for Nagaland), 371B (Assam), 371C (Manipur),
371D and E (Andhra Pradesh), 371F (Sikkim), 371G (Mizoram), 371H (Arunachal Pradesh),
and 371(I) (Goa).
47. Solution: d)
The Indian Constitution not only provides for the legislative, executive and judicial organs
of the government (Central and state) but also establishes certain independent bodies. They
are envisaged by the Constitution as the bulwarks of the democratic system of Government
in India. These are CAG, ECI, UPSC, state public service Commissions etc.
The Constitution ensures the independence of these bodies through various provisions like
security of tenure, fixed service conditions, expenses being charged on the Consolidated
Fund of India, and so on.
48. Solution: a)
The Indian Constitution contains elaborate emergency provisions to enable the President to
meet any extraordinary situation effectively. The rationality behind the incorporation of
these provisions is to safeguard the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of the country,
the democratic political system and the Constitution.
The Constitution envisages three types of emergencies, namely:
(a) National emergency on the ground of war or external aggression or armed rebellion16
(Article 352);
(b) State emergency (President‘s Rule) on the ground of failure of Constitutional machinery
in the states (Article 356) or failure to comply with the directions of the Centre (Article 365);
and
(c) Financial emergency on the ground of threat to the financial stability or credit of India
(Article 360).
49. Solution: b)
The Preamble reveals four ingredients or components:
Source of authority of the Constitution: The Preamble states that the Constitution
derives its authority from the people of India.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 22
Nature of Indian State: It declares India to be of a sovereign, socialist, secular
democratic and republican polity.
Objectives of the Constitution: It specifies justice, liberty, equality and fraternity as
the objectives.
Date of adoption of the Constitution: It stipulates November 26, 1949 as the date.
50. Solution: d)
Notably, the ‗Territory of India‘ is a wider expression than the ‗Union of India‘ because the
latter includes only states while the former includes not only the states but also union
territories and territories that may be acquired by the Government of India at any future
time. The states are the members of the federal system and share a distribution of powers
with the Centre. The union territories and the acquired territories, on the other hand, are
directly administered by the Central government.
Being a sovereign state, India can acquire foreign territories according to the modes
recognised by international law, i.e., cession (following treaty, purchase, gift, lease or
plebiscite), occupation (hitherto unoccupied by a recognised ruler), conquest or subjugation.
For example, India acquired several foreign territories such as Dadra and Nagar Haveli;
Goa, Daman and Diu; Puducherry; and Sikkim since the commencement of the Constitution.
Notably, Article 2 relates to the admission or establishment of new states that are not part of
the Union of India. Article 3, on the other hand, relates to the formation of or changes in the
existing states of the Union of India. In other words,
Article 3 deals with the internal re-adjustment inter se of the territories of the constituent
states of the Union of India.
51. Solution: a)
Article 3 authorises the Parliament to:
(a) form a new state by separation of territory from any state or by uniting two or more
states or parts of states or by uniting any territory to a part of any state,
(b) Increase the area of any state,
(c) Diminish the area of any state,
(d) Alter the boundaries of any state, and
(e) Alter the name of any state.
52. Solution: d)
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 23
The Supreme Court stands at the top of the integrated judicial system in the country. Below
it, there are high courts at the state level. Under a high court, there is a hierarchy of
subordinate courts, that is, district courts and other lower courts. This single system of
courts enforces both the central laws as well as the state laws, unlike in USA, where the
federal laws are enforced by the federal judiciary and the state laws are enforced by the state
judiciary.
The Supreme Court is a federal court, the highest court of appeal, the guarantor of the
fundamental rights of the citizens and the guardian of the Constitution. Hence, the
Constitution has made various provisions to ensure its independence—security of tenure of
the judges, fixed service conditions for the judges, all the expenses of the Supreme Court
charged on the Consolidated Fund of India, prohibition on discussion on the conduct of
judges in the legislatures, ban on practice after retirement, power to punish for its contempt
vested in the Supreme Court, separation of the judiciary from the executive, and so on.
Courts are not law enforcers; they are the upholders of the law. Laws are enforced by
executive agencies.
53. Solution: a)
According to Dr B R Ambedkar, the Directive Principles of State Policy is a ‗novel feature‘ of
the Indian Constitution. They are enumerated in Part IV of the Constitution. They can be
classified into three broad categories—socialistic, Gandhian and liberal–intellectual.
They impose a moral obligation on the state author-ities for their application. But, the real
force (sanction) behind them is political, that is, public opinion.
In the Minerva Mills case (1980), the Supreme Court held that ‗the Indian Constitution is
founded on the bedrock of the balance between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive
Principles‘.
54. Solution: d)
The term ‗secular‘ was added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd
Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.
(b) The Preamble secures to all citizens of India liberty of belief, faith and worship.
(c) The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or equal protection of the
laws (Article 14).
(d) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on the ground of religion (Article 15).
(e) Equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment (Article 16).
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 24
(f) All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess,
practice and propagate any religion (Article 25).
(g) Every religious denomination or any of its section shall have the right to manage its
religious affairs (Article 26).
(h) No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion of a particular religion
(Article 27).
(i) No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution maintained by
the State (Article 28).
(j) Any section of the citizens shall have the right to conserve its distinct language, script or
culture (Article 29).
(k) All minorities shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of
their choice (Article 30).
(l) The State shall endeavour to secure for all the citizens a Uniform Civil Code (Article 44).
55. Solution: a)
Article 3 lays down two conditions in this regard: one, a bill contemplating the above
changes can be introduced in the Parliament only with the prior recommendation of the
President; and two, before recommending the bill, the President has to refer the same to the
state legistature concerned for expressing its views within a specified period.
Further, the power of Parliament to form new states includes the power to form a new state
or union territory by uniting a part of any state or union territory to any other state or union
territory3.
The President (or Parliament) is not bound by the views of the state legislature and may
either accept or reject them, even if the views are received in time. Further, it is not necessary
to make a fresh reference to the state legislature every time an amendment to the bill is
moved and accepted in Parliament.
56. Solution: d)
Article 12 has defined the term for the purposes of Part III. According to it, the State includes
the following:
Government and Parliament of India, that is, executive and legislative organs of the
Union government.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 25
Government and legislature of states, that is, executive and legislative organs of state
government.
All local authorities, that is, municipalities, panchayats, district boards, improvement
trusts, etc.
All other authorities, that is, statutory or non-statutory authorities like LIC, ONGC,
SAIL, etc.
Thus, State has been defined in a wider sense so as to include all its agencies. It is the actions
of these agencies that can be challenged in the courts as violating the Fundamental Rights.
According to the Supreme Court, even a private body or an agency working as an
instrument of the State falls within the meaning of the ‗State‘ under Article 12.
57. Solution: a)
The term connotes: (a) the equality of treatment under equal circumstances, both in the
privileges conferred and liabilities imposed by the laws, (b) the similar application of the
same laws to all persons who are similarly situated, and (c) the like should be treated alike
without any discrimination. Thus, the former is a negative concept while the latter is a
positive concept. However, both of them aim at establishing equality of legal status,
opportunity and justice.
The Supreme Court held that where equals and unequals are treated differently, Article 14
does not apply. While Article 14 forbids class legislation, it permits reasonable classification
of persons, objects and transactions by the law. But the classification should not be arbitrary,
artificial or evasive. Rather, it should be based on an intelligible differential and substantial
distinction.
Equality of opportunity is a different fundamental right under Article 16.
58. Solution: b)
It literally means ‗we command‘. It is a command issued by the court to a public official
asking him to perform his official duties that he has failed or refused to perform. It can also
be issued against any public body, a corporation, an inferior court, a tribunal or government
for the same purpose.
The writ of mandamus cannot be issued (a) against a private individual or body; (b) to
enforce departmental instruction that does not possess statutory force; (c) when the duty is
discretionary and not mandatory; (d) to enforce a contractual obligation; (e) against the
president of India or the state governors; and (f) against the chief justice of a high court
acting in judicial capacity.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 26
59. Solution: a)
Freedom of Speech and Expression It implies that every citizen has the right to express his
views, opinions, belief and convictions freely by word of mouth, writing, printing, picturing
or in any other manner.
Right to propagate one‘s views as well as views of others.
Freedom of the press.
Freedom of commercial advertisements.
Right against tapping of telephonic conversation.
Right to telecast, that is, government has no monopoly on electronic media.
Right against bandh called by a political party or organisation.
Right to know about government activities.
Freedom of silence.
Right against imposition of pre-censorship on a newspaper.
Right to demonstration or picketing but not right to strike.
The State can impose reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of speech and
expression on the grounds of sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state,
friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court,
defamation, and incitement to an offence.
60. Solution: b)
The Supreme Court has reaffirmed its judgement in the Menaka case in the subsequent cases.
It has declared the following rights as part of Article 21:
Right to live with human dignity.
Right to decent environment including pollution free water and air and protection
against
Hazardous industries.
Right to livelihood.
Right to privacy.
Right to shelter.
Right to health.
Right to free education up to 14 years of age.
Right to free legal aid.
Right against solitary confinement.
Right to speedy trial.
Right against handcuffing.
Right against inhuman treatment.
Right against delayed execution.
Right to travel abroad.
Right against bonded labour.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 27
Right against custodial harassment.
Right to emergency medical aid.
Right to timely medical treatment in government hospital.
Right not to be driven out of a state.
Right to fair trial.
Right of prisoner to have necessities of life.
Right of women to be treated with decency and dignity.
Right against public hanging.
Right to hearing.
Right to information.
Right to reputation.
61. Solution: a)
The expression ‗traffic in human beings‘ include (a) selling and buying of men, women and
children like goods; (b) immoral traffic in women and children, including prostitution; (c)
devadasis; and (d) slavery. To punish these acts, the Parliament has made the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act, 1956.
The term ‗begar’ means compulsory work without remuneration. It was a peculiar Indian
system under which the local zamindars sometimes used to force their tenants to render
services without any payment. In addition to begar, the Article 23 prohibits other similar
forms of forced labour like ‗bonded labour‘. The term ‗forced labour‘ means compelling a
person to work against his will. The word ‗force‘ includes not only physical or legal force
but also force arising from the compulsion of economic circumstances, that is, working for
less than the minimum wage. In this regard, the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act,
1976; the Minimum Wages Act, 1948; the Contract Labour Act, 1970 and the Equal
Remuneration Act, 1976 were made.
62. Solution: a)
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/explained-nuclear-deal-moves-but-
some-way-still-to-go/
63. Solution: d)
Carbon capture properties- These species have excellent carbon capture properties
i.e. ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. So it can be used as bio-
fuels and help reduce global warming.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 28
Endemic- Both of them are endemic species to the western coast of India. So, their
cultivation is not going to cause any environmental harm and reduces the risk of bio
invasion in this region.
Bloom forming- Both species being bloom forming they have spontaneous growth.
So there is no need for any expensive cultivation systems such as photobioreactors or
extensive use of fertilizers/pesticides. They can grow sporadically at shorelines and
can sequester CO.
Medicinal values- Both species have similar characteristic like other algal species
which have Kahalalide-F , used in in clinical trials against prostate and breast cancers.
So they can be used in Pharmaceutical products.
It should be noted that, this discovery was the first molecular study on Indian algae, and
first algal species discovered in past 40 years.
64. Solution: d)
Democracy is of two types—direct and indirect. In direct democracy, the people exercise
their supreme power directly as is the case in Switzerland. There are four devices of direct
democracy, namely, Referendum, Initiative, Recall and Plebiscite. In indirect democracy,
on the other hand, the representatives elected by the people exercise the supreme power and
thus carry on the government and make the laws. This type of democracy, also known as
representative democracy, is of two kinds—parliamentary and presidential.
The Indian Constitution provides for representative parliamentary democracy under which
the executive is responsible to the legislature for all its policies and actions.
Referendum is a procedure whereby a proposed legislation is referred to the electorate for
settlement by their direct votes.
Initiative is a method by means of which the people can propose a bill to the legislature for
enactment.
Recall is a method by means of which the voters can remove a representative or an officer
before the expiry of his term, when he fails to discharge his duties properly.
Plebiscite is a method of obtaining the opinion of people on any issue of public importance.
It is generally used to solve the territorial disputes.
65. Solution: a)
The Preamble secures to all citizens of India equality of status and opportunity. This
provision embraces three dimensions of equality—civic, political and economic.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 29
The following provisions of the chapter on Fundamental Rights ensure civic equality:
(a) Equality before the law (Article 14).
(b) Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
(Article 15).
(c) Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment (Article 16).
(d) Abolition of untouchability (Article 17).
(e) Abolition of titles (Article 18).
There are two provisions in the Constitution that seek to achieve political equality. One, no
person is to be declared ineligible for inclusion in electoral rolls on grounds of religion, race,
caste or sex (Article 325). Two, elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies to be on
the basis of adult suffrage (Article 326).
66. Solution: c)
Like any other part of the Constitution, the Preamble was also enacted by the Constituent
Assembly, but, after the rest of the Constitution was already enacted. The reason for
inserting the Preamble at the end was to ensure that it was in conformity with the
Constitution as adopted by the Constituent Assembly. While forwarding the Preamble for
votes, the president of the Constituent Assembly said, ‗The question is that Preamble stands
part of the Constitution‘. The motion was then adopted.
Hence, the current opinion held by the Supreme Court that the Preamble is a part of the
Constitution, is in consonance with the opinion of the founding fathers of the Constitution.
However, two things should be noted:
The Preamble is neither a source of power to legislature nor a prohibition upon the
powers of legislature.
It is non-justiciable, that is, its provisions are not enforceable in courts of law.
67. Solution: d)
De-worming
It is administering an antihelmintic drug to a human or animal to rid them of parasites, such
as roundworm, hookworms, flukes and tapeworm. Mass deworming campaigns of school
children have been used both as a preventive as well as a treatment method
for helminthiasis which includes soil transmitted helminthiasis in children. Children can be
treated by administering for example Mebendazole and Albendazole. The cost is relatively
low. One tablet of Albendazole rids the child of parasitic worms which live in the child‘s
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 30
intestines and eat the nutrients the child needs for healthy mental and physical
development. This tablet is safe for both infected and non-infected children and has a
pleasant flavor.
Helminths
They are a group of parasites commonly referred to as worms and include schistosomes and
soil-transmitted helminths. Such infections are among the most common infections in
developing countries. While mild infections often go unnoticed, more severe worm
infections can lead to abdominal pain, listlessness, iron-deficiency anaemia, malnutrition,
stunting, and wasting.. Infections can also cause cognitive impairment as well as tissue
damage that may require corrective surgery.
68. Solution: d)
There are several challenges preventing India‘s rural poor from competing in the modern
market, such as the lack of formal education and marketable skills. DDU-GKY bridges this
gap by funding training projects benchmarked to global standards, with an emphasis on
placement, retention, career progression and foreign placement.
Features of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
· Enable Poor and Marginalized to Access Benefits
Demand led skill training at no cost to the rural poor
· Inclusive Program Design
Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women
33%)
· Shifting Emphasis from Training to Career Progression
Pioneers in providing incentives for job retention, career progression and foreign placements
· Greater Support for Placed Candidates
Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network
· Proactive Approach to Build Placement Partnerships
Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates
· Enhancing the Capacity of Implementation Partners
Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills
· Regional Focus
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 31
Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT), the
North-East region and 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts (ROSHINI)
· Standards-led Delivery
All program activities are subject to Standard Operating Procedures that are not open to
interpretation by local inspectors. All inspections are supported by geo-tagged, time
stamped videos/photographs
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx
69. Solution: d)
Refer to the PIB e-features http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx of 9th Feb 2015
70. Solution: d)
An example of restricting a religious practice would be the Supreme Court banning
Jallikattu in TN.
Article 25 covers not only religious beliefs (doctrines) but also religious practices (rituals).
Moreover, these rights are available to all persons—citizens as well as non-citizens.
However, these rights are subject to public order, morality, health and other provisions
relating to fundamental rights. Further, the State is permitted to:
(a) Regulate or restrict any economic, financial, political or other secular activity associated
with religious practice; and
(b) Provide for social welfare and reform or throw open Hindu religious institutions of a
public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.
Article 25 also contains two explanations: one, wearing and carrying of kirpans is to be
included in the profession of the Sikh religion; and two, the Hindus, in this context, include
Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists.
71. Solution: c)
The writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court differs from that of a high court in three respects:
The Supreme Court can issue writs only for the enforcement of fundamental rights
whereas a high court can issue writs not only for the enforcement of Fundamental
Rights but also for any other purpose. The expression ‗for any other purpose‘ refers
to the enforcement of an ordinary legal right. Thus, the writ jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court, in this respect, is narrower than that of high court.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 32
The Supreme Court can issue writs against a person or government throughout the
territory of India whereas a high court can issue writs against a person residing or
against a government or authority located within its territorial jurisdiction only or
outside its territorial jurisdiction only if the cause of action arises within its territorial
jurisdiction. Thus, the territorial jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for the purpose of
issuing writs is wider than that of a high court.
A remedy under Article 32 is in itself a Fundamental Right and hence, the Supreme
Court may not refuse to exercise its writ jurisdiction. On the other hand, a remedy
under Article 226 is discretionary and hence, a high court may refuse to exercise its
writ jurisdiction. Article 32 does not merely confer power on the Supreme Court as
Article 226 does on a high court to issue writs for the enforcement of fundamental
rights or other rights as part of its general jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is thus
constituted as a defender and guarantor of the fundamental rights.
72. Solution: b)
It is a Latin term which literally means ‗to have the body of‘. It is an order issued by the
court to a person who has detained another person, to produce the body of the latter before
it. The court then examines the cause and legality of detention. It would set the detained
person free, if the detention is found to be illegal. Thus, this writ is a bulwark of individual
liberty against arbitrary detention.
The writ of habeas corpus can be issued against both public authorities as well as private
individuals. The writ, on the other hand, is not issued where the (a) detention is lawful, (b)
the proceeding is for contempt of a legislature or a court, (c) detention is by a competent
court, and (d) detention is outside the jurisdiction of the court.
73. Solution: d)
Article 27 lays down that no person shall be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion or
maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination. In other words, the State
should not spend the public money collected by way of tax for the promotion or
maintenance of any particular religion. This provision prohibits the State from favouring,
patronising and supporting one religion over the other. This means that the taxes can be
used for the promotion or maintenance of all religions.
This provision prohibits only levy of a tax and not a fee. This is because the purpose of a fee
is to control secular administration of religious institutions and not to promote or maintain
religion. Thus, a fee can be levied on pilgrims to provide them some special service or safety
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 33
measures. Similarly, a fee can be levied on religious endowments for meeting the regulation
expenditure.
74. Solution: d)
The Supreme Court has ruled that Article 32 is a basic feature of the Constitution. Hence, it
cannot be abridged or taken away even by way of an amendment to the Constitution. It
contains the following four provisions:
(a) The right to move the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement of
the Fundamental Rights is guaranteed.
(b) The Supreme Court shall have power to issue directions or orders or writs for the
enforcement of any of the fundamental rights. The writs issued may include habeas corpus,
mandamus, prohibition, certiorari and quo-warranto.
(c) Parliament can empower any other court to issue directions, orders and writs of all kinds.
However, this can be done without prejudice to the above powers conferred on the Supreme
Court. Any other court here does not include high courts because Article 226 has already
conferred these powers on the high courts.
(d) The right to move the Supreme Court shall not be suspended except as otherwise
provided for by the Constitution. Thus the Constitution provides that the President can
suspend the right to move any court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights during a
national emergency (Article 359).
It is thus clear that the Supreme Court has been constituted as the defender and guarantor of
the fundamental rights of the citizens. It has been vested with the ‗original‘ and ‗wide‘
powers for that purpose. Original, because an aggrieved citizen can directly go to the
Supreme Court, not necessarily by way of appeal. Wide, because its power is not restricted
to issuing of orders or directions but also writs of all kinds.
75. Solution: c)
Procedure established by law means that a law that is duly enacted by legislature or the
concerned body is valid if it has followed the correct procedure. Following this doctrine
means that, a person can be deprived of his life or personal liberty according to
the procedure established by law. So, if Parliament pass a law, then the life or personal
liberty of a person can be taken off according to the provisions and procedures of the that
law.
Insights Prleims Test Series – 2015: Mock Test – 14 Solutions
http://www.insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 34
Due process of law doctrine not only checks if there is a law to deprive the life and personal
liberty of a person, but also see if the law made is fair, just and not arbitrary. If SC finds that
any law as not fair, it will declare it as null and void. This doctrine provides for more fair
treatment of individual rights.
Under due process, it is the legal requirement that the state must respect all of the legal
rights that are owed to a person and laws that states enact must confirm to the laws of the
land like – fairness, fundamental rights, liberty etc. It also gives the judiciary to access the
fundamental fairness, justice, and liberty of any legislation.