Q19easy
Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the
(a) Department of Science and Technology
(b) Ministry of Labour and Employment
(c) NITI Aayog
(d) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Answer: (c)
Q45moderateSimilar Sounding
Consider the following statements:
1. The 44th Amendment to the Constitution of India introduced an Article placing the election of the Prime Minister beyond judicial review.
2. The Supreme Court of India struck down the 99th Amendment to the Constitution of India as being violative of the independence of judiciary.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)
Trap: Similar Sounding
Statement 1 confuses amendments. The 39th Amendment (not 44th) placed the election of PM/President beyond judicial review. The 44th Amendment actually REVERSED this by deleting Article 329A that the 42nd Amendment had added. Students confuse the 39th, 42nd, and 44th amendments.
Q46easyPartial Truth
Consider the following statements:
1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
2. The Constitution of India defines and gives details of what constitutes 'incapacity and proved misbehaviour' of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
3. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India are given in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
4. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement 1 is a trap: The Speaker CAN reject the motion after preliminary examination (as happened with Justice V. Ramaswami's case). Statement 2 is wrong because the Constitution mentions 'proved misbehaviour or incapacity' but does NOT define what constitutes them. Students assume the Constitution would define such important terms.
Q47easy
The Ninth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution of India during the prime ministership of
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru
(b) Lal Bahadur Shastri
(c) Indira Gandhi
(d) Morarji Desai
Answer: (a)
Q49moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following statements:
1. The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 exempts several posts from disqualification on the grounds of 'Office of Profit'.
2. The above-mentioned Act was amended five times.
3. The term 'Office of Profit' is well-defined in the Constitution of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement 3 is the trap. Students assume that something as important as 'Office of Profit' must be defined in the Constitution. But the Constitution only mentions the term (Articles 102, 191) without defining it. The definition has been developed through judicial interpretation.
Q50moderateSimilar Sounding
Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void?
(a) Third Schedule
(b) Fifth Schedule
(c) Ninth Schedule
(d) Twelfth Schedule
Answer: (b)
Trap: Similar Sounding
Ninth Schedule (c) is a trap because students associate it with protecting land reform laws. But the Fifth Schedule specifically deals with administration of Scheduled Areas and tribal welfare, including restrictions on transfer of tribal land. The Ninth Schedule protects laws from judicial review.
Q51moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India:
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement 3 is the trap: There are 75 PVTGs (not 95). The number 75 is a frequently tested fact. Students may confuse this with the total number of Scheduled Tribes (over 700) or other tribal statistics. The '95' is close enough to seem plausible.
Q52moderateAbsolute Qualifier
With reference to the Constitution of India, prohibitions or limitations or provisions contained in ordinary laws cannot act as prohibitions or limitations on the constitutional powers under Article 142. It could mean which one of the following?
(a) The decisions taken by the Election Commission of India while discharging its duties cannot be challenged in any court of law.
(b) The Supreme Court of India is not constrained in the exercise of its powers by laws made by the Parliament.
(c) In the event of grave financial crisis in the country, the President of India can declare Financial Emergency without the counsel from the Cabinet.
(d) State Legislatures cannot make laws on certain matters without the concurrence of Union Legislature.
Answer: (b)
Trap: Absolute Qualifier
Students unfamiliar with Article 142 may pick (a) or (d) based on general knowledge of constitutional provisions. Article 142 gives the Supreme Court power to pass any order for 'complete justice', and ordinary laws cannot limit this power. Options (a), (c), (d) deal with different constitutional provisions entirely.
Q53moderateCommon Misconception
With reference to the Legislative Assembly of a State in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Governor makes a customary address to Members of the House at the commencement of the first session of the year.
2. When a State Legislature does not have a rule on a particular matter, it follows the Lok Sabha rule on that matter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement 2 sounds logical - students may assume that in absence of state rules, Lok Sabha rules apply by default. But state legislatures follow their own rules framed by the Speaker, and there is no automatic adoption of Lok Sabha rules. The Speaker of the State Assembly decides on matters not covered by rules.
Q54easyDistractor Pairing
Consider the following statements:
1. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) has a 'Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air'.
2. The UNCAC is the ever-first legally binding global anti-corruption instrument.
3. A highlight of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) is the inclusion of a specific chapter aimed at returning assets to their rightful owners from whom they had been taken illicitly.
4. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its member States to assist in the implementation of both UNCAC and UNTOC.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (c)
Trap: Distractor Pairing
Statement 1 swaps features: The 'Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants' belongs to UNTOC, not UNCAC. Statement 3 swaps features: Asset return provisions are in UNCAC (Chapter V), not UNTOC. The question deliberately cross-attributes features of the two conventions to confuse.
Q56moderateSimilar Sounding
Which Article of the Constitution of India safeguards one's right to marry the person of one's choice?
(a) Article 19
(b) Article 21
(c) Article 25
(d) Article 29
Answer: (b)
Trap: Similar Sounding
Article 19 (freedom of speech, movement, etc.) seems like it could cover freedom to marry. Article 25 (freedom of religion) might also seem relevant for inter-religious marriages. But right to marry is part of the expanded interpretation of Article 21 (Right to Life includes right to live with dignity, which includes choice of marriage partner).
Q66moderateSimilar Sounding
Which one of the following suggested that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in the recent past?
(a) First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966)
(b) Rajamannar Committee (1969)
(c) Sarkaria Commission (1983)
(d) National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000)
Answer: (c)
Trap: Similar Sounding
The NCRWC (2000) also made recommendations about the Governor's appointment, and students may confuse it with Sarkaria Commission. The Punchhi Commission (2010, not listed) made similar recommendations. Sarkaria Commission's recommendation on Governor's appointment is the most cited one.
Q69hardScope Confusion
In India, which of the following review the independent regulators in sectors like telecommunications, insurance, electricity, etc.?
1. Ad Hoc Committees set up by the Parliament
2. Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committees
3. Finance Commission
4. Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission
5. NITI Aayog
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2 and 5
Answer: (a)
Trap: Scope Confusion
Students may think Finance Commission (3) or NITI Aayog (5) review regulators because they are important bodies. But Finance Commission deals with Centre-State fiscal relations, and NITI Aayog is a think tank, not a reviewer of regulators. FSLRC (4) made recommendations but doesn't regularly review. Parliament through its committees actually reviews regulators.
Q76easyPartial Truth
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017?
1. Pregnant women are entitled for three months pre-delivery and three months post-delivery paid leave.
2. Enterprises with creches must allow the mother minimum six creche visits daily.
3. Women with two children get reduced entitlements.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement 1 is wrong: Total leave is 26 weeks but NOT equally split (not 3+3 months). Maximum 8 weeks can be taken pre-delivery. Statement 2 is wrong: The Act allows 4 creche visits daily, not 6. Statement 3 is correct: Women with 2+ children get only 12 weeks (vs 26 weeks for first two children).
Q81moderateCommon Misconception
With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
1. No High Court shall have the jurisdiction to declare any central law to be constitutionally invalid.
2. An amendment to the Constitution of India cannot be called into question by the Supreme Court of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
Trap: Common Misconception
Statement 1: High Courts DO have power to declare central laws unconstitutional under Article 226/writ jurisdiction. Students may think only SC can do this. Statement 2: After Kesavananda Bharati case, SC CAN review amendments if they violate the basic structure doctrine. Both statements are wrong.
Q85easy
In the context of polity, which one of the following would you accept as the most appropriate definition of liberty?
(a) Protection against the tyranny of political rulers
(b) Absence of restraint
(c) Opportunity to do whatever one likes
(d) Opportunity to develop oneself fully
Answer: (d)
Q89hardSimilar Sounding
Recently, India signed a deal known as 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' with which of the following countries?
(a) Japan
(b) Russia
(c) The United Kingdom
(d) The United States of America
Answer: (b)
Trap: Similar Sounding
India has nuclear cooperation agreements with multiple countries (US - 123 Agreement, Japan - civil nuclear deal). Students may pick USA thinking of the Indo-US nuclear deal. But this specific 'Action Plan for Prioritization' was signed with Russia during the 2018 India-Russia summit.