Test: Indian Polity MCQs (July2024 Current Affairs) - UPSC MCQ

The primary objective of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) is to enhance the quality of life for citizens through sustainable and inclusive development. This initiative aims to transform cities by providing necessary core infrastructure and clean, sustainable environments to enable a decent quality of life for residents through the application of "Smart Solutions." This includes improving infrastructure, amenities, and overall urban sustainability to create a better living environment for citizens.

This question assesses the understanding of the core goal of the Smart Cities Mission and the impact it aims to achieve in urban areas.

Statement-I correctly reflects the Allahabad High Court's emphasis on the limitations of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution regarding religious conversions. The statement highlights that while Article 25 guarantees freedom of religion and the promotion of religion, it does not explicitly endorse conversions.
Statement-II accurately summarizes the recent decision by the Bombay High Court to dismiss a plea challenging a college's dress code that banned certain religious symbols like hijabs. The court justified this decision as being in the "larger academic interest" of the students, which aligns with the content of the statement.
Therefore, in this context, both Statement-I and Statement-II are factually correct, and Statement-II indeed provides additional context and explanation to Statement-I, making option (a) the correct answer.

- Statement 1 is correct. Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion but does not explicitly sanction religious conversions. The propagation of religion means promoting it, not necessarily converting others.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. While the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, does impose certain restrictions on religious conversions, including making conversion non-bailable and requiring district magistrate approval for conversions intended for marriage, the statement suggests that district magistrate approval is needed for all conversions, which is not accurate.

- Statement 3 is correct. In the Hadiya Judgement 2017, the Supreme Court emphasized that matters like love, partnership, and the choice of partners are integral to an individual's identity and cannot be dictated by the state or law.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option C.

Section 79 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, known as the Safe Harbour Clause, provides legal protection to intermediaries from liability for third-party content on their platforms. This immunity shields intermediaries from legal action concerning content posted by users, as long as they meet certain conditions like observing due diligence, not modifying transmitted information, and complying with government directives. This provision plays a crucial role in balancing the responsibilities of intermediaries with the freedom of expression and the dissemination of information on digital platforms.

1. Article 120: Language to be used in Parliament - Correctly matched. Article 120 indeed deals with the language to be used in Parliament.

2. Article 345: President to recognize any language spoken by a section of the population of a state if demanded - Incorrectly matched. Article 345 allows the state legislature to adopt any official language for the state.

3. Article 346: Specifies the official language for communication between states and between states and the Union - Correctly matched. Article 346 specifies the official language for communication between states and between states and the Union.

4. Article 350A: Protects the interests of minorities - Incorrectly matched. Article 350A directs states to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups. The article that protects the interests of minorities is Article 29.

Thus, pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched. Hence, the correct answer is Option B: Only two pairs.

The SDG India Index for 2023-24 indicates that 99.29% of rural households have improved their source of drinking water. This significant improvement underscores the strides made in providing access to clean and safe drinking water, a crucial aspect of sustainable development.

1. Kerala - Best performing state with a score of 79 points: This statement is correct. Kerala is one of the best-performing states with a score of 79 points.

2. Bihar - Lowest performing state with a score of 57 points: This statement is correct. Bihar is the lowest performing state with a score of 57 points.

3. Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy - Highest score amongst all SDGs with a significant improvement from 51 in 2018 to 96 in 2023-24: This statement is correct. Goal 7 indeed has shown significant improvement and has the highest score among all SDGs.

4. Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities - Significant improvement in score from 67 in 2020-21 to 75 in 2023-24: This statement is incorrect. Goal 10 saw a decrease in points from 67 in 2020-21 to 65 in 2023-24, not an improvement.

Thus, only three pairs are correctly matched.

The criteria set for granting classical language status in India encompass several key aspects:

1. High Antiquity: The language must have ancient texts or recorded history that span 1,500-2,000 years, which ensures that the language has a long-standing historical presence.

2. Ancient Literature: The language should possess a body of literature or texts that are considered to be valuable heritage by multiple generations. This highlights the cultural and literary significance of the language.

3. Distinct from Modern Forms: The classical language and its literature should be distinct from its modern forms. This includes the possibility of a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or offshoots, indicating that the classical version of the language has maintained its uniqueness over time.

Since all three statements accurately reflect the criteria for granting classical language status, the correct answer is Option D.

1. Article 25: Correctly matched. It guarantees freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice, and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality, and health.

2. Article 26: Incorrectly matched. Article 26 grants every religious group the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes, manage its affairs and properties as per the law.

3. Article 27: Correctly matched. It mandates that no citizen can be compelled by the state to pay taxes for promoting or maintaining a particular religion.

4. Article 28: Incorrectly matched. Article 28 mandates that no religious instruction would be imparted in state-funded educational institutions.

Thus, pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched, making the correct answer Option B: Only two pairs.

To evaluate the correctness of the statements about the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), let's break them down:

Statement I: "The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was initially planned for completion by 2020 but has been extended until 31st March 2025."

Statement II: "The Smart Cities Mission includes components such as Area-based Development, Pan-City Solutions, Governance Structure, Financing, and Convergence with Other Government Schemes."

1. Statement I: The initial timeline for the Smart Cities Mission was indeed planned to be completed by 2020. However, the mission has been extended to 31st March 2025 due to various factors including the need for more time to implement and evaluate projects.

2. Statement II: This statement accurately describes some of the key components of the Smart Cities Mission. The mission includes:

   • Area-based Development: Developing specific areas in cities with a focus on improving infrastructure and quality of life.
   • Pan-City Solutions: Implementing smart solutions that impact the entire city, such as intelligent traffic management or smart energy systems.
   • Governance Structure: Establishing frameworks for efficient management and execution of the mission.
   • Financing: Securing funds for the mission through various means including public-private partnerships.
   • Convergence with Other Government Schemes: Integrating the mission with other existing schemes for better overall impact and efficiency.

Conclusion:

• Statement I is correct regarding the extension of the mission's deadline.
• Statement II is correct as it accurately outlines the components of the Smart Cities Mission.

Since Statement II does not explain Statement I but both statements are correct, the correct option is:

1 Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, but Statement II does not explain Statement I

• Statement 1: The SDG India Index assesses the performance of states and union territories (UTs) across 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), not 17. This statement is incorrect.
• Statement 2: Kerala and Uttarakhand emerged as the best-performing states in the SDG India Index 2023-24, each scoring 79 points. This statement is correct.
• Statement 3: The Index indeed promotes both competitive and cooperative federalism among states and UTs, encouraging them to learn from each other and close outcome-based gaps. This statement is correct.

Thus, the correct statements are 2 and 3. Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: 2 and 3 Only.

Statement-I correctly reflects the improvement in India's SDG score as per the information provided in the context, showcasing progress across states and union territories. This aligns with the data presented in the NITI Aayog's SDG India Index for 2023-24. Statement-II accurately describes the objectives and pillars of the Digital India initiative, emphasizing its goals to bridge the digital divide and stimulate economic growth through enhanced digital participation. The two statements are independently correct, and Statement-II provides the broader context of a national initiative, which aligns with the progress represented in Statement-I concerning India's SDG scores.

In a parliamentary democracy, the Cabinet is responsible for advising the President or Monarch, making and implementing policy decisions, and coordinating the work of the government. The Cabinet serves as the highest decision-making body, formulates government policy, and acts as the main coordinator of the central administration. The Cabinet's advice to the President is binding, and it plays a crucial role in managing crisis situations, handling legislative and financial matters, overseeing high-level appointments, and managing foreign affairs.

Statement 1 is correct: Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 indeed defines an "intermediary" as someone who handles electronic records on behalf of others, like internet service providers, web-hosting services, and search engines.

Statement 2 is correct: Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000, often referred to as the Safe Harbour Clause, provides legal protection to intermediaries from liability for third-party content hosted or transmitted by them, provided they adhere to certain conditions.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, 2021 requires intermediaries to remove specified material upon government notification, not merely upon user notification. The distinction is critical as it reflects the regulatory requirement for compliance with government directives, not general user complaints.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 2, making Option B: 1 and 2 Only the correct answer.

Statement-I correctly highlights that Bengali alphabets and terms started appearing in literature as early as the 10th century AD, indicating a historical presence. Statement-II complements this by stating that research affirms Bengali's retention of fundamental syntactic structure, morphological, and phonological patterns from at least the 3rd century, thereby explaining the historical continuity and evolution of Bengali language. This option is the most appropriate as both statements are factually accurate, and Statement-II logically extends and elucidates Statement-I, providing a comprehensive view of Bengali's linguistic heritage and development.