Test: UPSC Prelims (Past Year Questions) Polity 2015-20 - 2 - BPSC (Bihar) MCQ

(1) If the President, on receipt of a report from the Governor of the State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, the President may be Proclamation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct because under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE), Act 2009, the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE), has laid down the minimum educational & professional qualifications for a person to be eligible for an appointment as a teacher for classes I-VIII, which are applicable to all schools imparting elementary education, including the schools under the State Governments and to qualify under a Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).

Statement 2: Imperial bank was renamed as state bank of India in 1955.

Statement 3: Air India was nationalized in 1953. The government of India passed the Air Corporations Act and purchased a majority stake in the carrier from Tata Sons. Statement 4: Goa became an independent India on 18 December 1961. Indian troops crossed the border into Goa and “liberated” it.

S2: The value of vote of each MP is same whether it is Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Statement 2 is a little unclear on whether it refers to an individual MP or MPs as a whole. But, then the term “The value of THE VOTE (and not VOTES)” makes it clear that the examiner is not asking you for the total number of votes. So, “MPs of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha” are to be understood as a single group here, and not as a plural entity. Thus, S2 will be wrong.

1. If he ceases to be a member of the assembly

2. If he resigns by writing to the deputy speaker and;

3. If he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the assembly. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice

Statement 2 is incorrect because the Speaker holds office from the date of her election till immediately before the first meeting of the Legislative assembly after the dissolution of the one to which she was elected. She is eligible for re-election. On the dissolution of the Legislative assembly, although the Speaker ceases to be a member of the House, she does not vacate her office.

Option B is a popular choice because it was a statement made by John Locke. He, in the Second Treatise of Civil Government, wrote: “where there is no law, there is no freedom” In 1689, he also wrote that “the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.” No law would give LICENSE (Unregulated liberty). Therefore, B is correct.

But, then such statements are not to be considered objective realities. If there are no laws, there can be either complete liberty, because nothing restricts the actions of citizens, or NO liberty because then lawlessness can heavily curtail liberty. It really depends. It is an extreme statement to say that when there are no laws, there is no liberty (Can we say there is no liberty in a Jungle?) There can be liberty despite the absence of laws.

Option D: This can also be justified, but this would not be the most appropriate answer here

1. The fundamental philosophy of rule of law in a liberal society is that laws should be just, reasonable, and based on the principles of fairness and equity. If laws are changed too often, one would find their actions restricted because what was a completely lawful action, such as smoking, may suddenly become illegal because it hurts the health of a common citizen.

2. And then on the next day, the government can legalize smoking and thus infringe on the liberty of those who cannot bear public smoking.

3. When laws are changed too often, and when there is no fundamental principle on which laws are based, it can lead to dictatorship and arbitrariness, which defeats the very purpose of the rule of law based on reason.

4. But, laws can also be changed too often based on the exigencies and contingencies and this may not violate someone’s liberty. However, if there was no option B, this would have been the most appropriate answer.

Option A is incorrect because if there are more laws, it may lead to more liberty as well as laws themselves might be enabling more liberty.

1. Absence of arbitrary power

2. Equality before the law

3. Primacy of individual rights

Statement 3 is wrong because it should be that the government is responsible to the people and not vice versa.

Statement 2: Around 14 private member’s bills have been passed since independence.

Option B: This is wrong because rights are not privileges, they are the bare minimum for the formation of a democratic state. Also, the constitution abolishes the concept of special privileges.

Option A: Local bodies are not federal entities as is the position of states in India.

Option C: This isn’t administrative delegation because local self-government bodies are political entities that are elected directly (or indirectly) by people and managed by their representatives.

Option D: Since it involves election and indirect decision making by people’s representatives, there can be no direct democracy (where all decisions are made directly by the people).

Statement 2: ‘legal duties’, for all practical purposes can be considered as ‘law of the land’. FDs are in sync with legal duties because what is illegal cannot be a fundamental duty, and what is a fundamental duty has also been made a legal duty (e.g. respecting women). Also, it is an Indian citizen’s fundamental duty to abide by the constitutional laws (legal duties); this brings the correlation. Statement 2 is thus correct.

Option A: Democracy allows you to vote (by exercising your intellect), gives you the liberty and freedom of expression (so that your intellectual potential is fulfilled), and ensures adherence to moral values (character) such as justice and equality. So, A seems appropriate.

Option B: There is no ground for this statement.

Option C: Since it specifies a “superior individual”, it attaches a sense of privilege to selected people, which is against democratic values. It also does not clarify what dynamism and vision mean.

Option D: No ground.

Statement 2 and 3: MPs hold the executive accountable by asking questions, and supplementary questions.

Statement 2: Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by the house. This is a convention (not constitutional provision) that usually Speaker’s post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker’s to the Opposition.

• Right to vote in elections is an important constitutional right. Hence option D is correct
• What is true of the right to vote, is also true for the right to contest the election, that means it is also a constitutional right.
• However, Article 326 of the Constitution provides for universal adult suffrage but does not specifically mention the right to vote.
• It is celebrated on 25th January every year since the year 2011 to mark the Election Commission’s foundation day.
• It encourages more voters to take part in the political process.
• It observes a different theme every year. The theme for the year 2019 was “No voter to be left behind".

Statement 1: The President can either suspend or dissolve the Legislative assembly, so 1 is not necessarily the consequence of proclamation.