UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Polity and Governance to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the History, Culture, and Social Issues MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations.

Consider the following statements:

1. Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India having a distinct language, script or culture shall have the right to conserve the same.

2. Citizens can be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid from State funds.

3. All minorities only based on religion shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Supreme Court ruled on whether Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can claim minority status under Article 30 of the Constitution.

— In a 4-3 majority ruling, the court overruled an earlier Supreme Court decision, which held that AMU was not a minority institution. Though a separate bench will now determine AMU’s case, the verdict laid down a test for determining whether an educational institution can claim minority status.

— Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— No citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

Consider the following statements:

1. India’s Parliament has a fixed calendar of sittings.

2. The provision on the constitution which specifies that six months should not elapse between two parliamentary sessions has been borrowed from the Government of India Act of 1919.

3. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha determines the date and duration of parliamentary sessions.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— India’s Parliament has no fixed calendar of sittings. In 1955, a Lok Sabha committee had proposed a timetable for parliamentary sessions. It recommended that the Budget session of Parliament begin on February 1 and go on till May 7, and the Monsoon session start on July 15 and end on September 15. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The government determines the date and duration of parliamentary sessions. The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs takes this decision. It currently has ten Ministers, including those for Defence, Home, Finance, Agriculture, Tribal Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The Constitution specifies that six months should not elapse between two parliamentary sessions. This provision is a colonial legacy. The framers of the Constitution borrowed it from the Government of India Act of 1935. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Dr. B R Ambedkar argued that the central parliament was convened solely to collect taxes, and that the once-a-year gathering allowed the government to evade examination by the legislature. The interval between sessions was decreased to six months by the Constituent Assembly.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

With reference to the Section 6A, consider the following statements:

1. Section 6A is within the scope of the Constitution and violates the fundamental ideals of fraternity.

2. It infringes upon Articles 6 and Article 326 of the Constitution of India.

3. Section 6A does not clash with the IEAA — Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 — or established principles of international law.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which granted citizenship to immigrants who entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and called for stricter implementation of laws against illegal immigration and judicial monitoring of the implementation of immigration and citizenship legislations.

— The bench ruled, “Immigrants who entered the State of Assam on or after 25.03.1971 are not entitled to the protection conferred vide Section 6A and consequently, they are declared to be illegal immigrants”.

— The provision was introduced in 1985 following the signing of the Assam accord between the Government of India and agitating groups in the state and says that all those who came to Assam on or after January 1, 1966, but before March 25, 1971, from Bangladesh at the time of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 1985, and since then are residents of Assam, can register for citizenship.

— Justice Surya Kant, writing for himself and Justices M M Sundresh and Manoj Misra, said, “Section 6A falls within the bounds of the Constitution and does not contravene the foundational principles of fraternity, nor does it infringe upon Articles 6 and 7, Article 9, Article 14, Article 21, Article 29, Article 326, or Article 355 of the Constitution of India.” Hence, statements 1 and 2 are not correct.

— “Section 6A does not clash with the IEAA — Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 — or established principles of international law,” said the ruling. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

With reference to the questions asked in the parliament, consider the following statements:

1. Starred questions are answered through written replies which are placed on the Table of the House.

2. Unstarred questions are answered orally on the floor of the House.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Questions are of three kinds, viz., starred, unstarred and short notice questions.

Starred Questions

— These are answered orally on the floor of the House and with reference to the reply given; members are entitled to ask supplementary questions. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

Unstarred Questions

— These call for written replies which are placed on the Table of the House and no supplementary are asked in respect of such replies. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Short Notice Questions

— These may be put only in regard to matters of the public importance of an urgent character at shorter notice than provided for in the Rules of the two Houses and are answered orally as starred questions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha Secretariat gives at least five days’ notice to the Minister concerned to answer a question.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: mpa.gov.in)

Which of the articles of the Constitution of India provides for the protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance?

(a) Article 47

(b) Article 51-A

(c) Article 49

(d) Article 48

Explanation

— Article 49 of the Constitution of India provides for the protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance.

— It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, [declared by or under law made by Parliament] to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 83)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 83)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 83)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 83)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 83)

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