Previous Year UPSC Questions

Explanation

PILs protect disadvantaged communities who can’t seek justice themselves. They can be filed in the Supreme Court and High Courts under Article 32 (right to move the Supreme Court) and Article 226 (power of High Courts to issue writs). Justice P.N. Bhagwati introduced Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India in the 1980s, broadening the judiciary’s role to address public grievances and protect marginalized communities. His efforts democratized the judicial process, allowing direct court access for significant public matters. This made the justice system more accessible and responsive to societal issues. However, the concept was first pioneered by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer in cases like Mumbai Kamgar Sabha vs. Abdulbhai Faizullabhai (1976) and Fertilizer Corporation Kamgar Union vs. Union of India (1981). Justice Bhagwati significantly expanded PILs through landmark cases like Hussainara Khatoon vs. State of Bihar (1979) and S.P. Gupta vs. Union of India (1981).

Explanation

The judges and the Chief Judge of a HC are appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the concerned state.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 220 of the Indian Constitution prohibits retired High Court judges from practicing in the same High Court but allows them to practice in other courts in India, including the Supreme Court.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 217 of the Indian Constitution stipulates that a person can be appointed as a High Court judge if they have held a judicial office in India for at least ten years or have served as an advocate of a High Court (or High Courts in succession) for at least ten years.

Explanation

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBMA), 2003, is a legislation enacted by the Government of India to institutionalize fiscal discipline, reduce fiscal deficits, and improve macroeconomic management. The Act specifically targets both fiscal deficit and revenue deficit:

Fiscal deficit is the difference between the government’s total expenditure and its total revenue (excluding borrowings). The FRBMA aims to reduce the fiscal deficit to a manageable level, typically around 3% of GDP, to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. Revenue deficit is the difference between the government’s revenue expenditure and its revenue receipts. The FRBMA aims to eliminate the revenue deficit, as it indicates that the government is borrowing to meet its day-to-day expenses, which is not sustainable in the long run. Other provisions of FRBMA:

The Act mandates the government to lay before Parliament Medium-Term Fiscal Policy Statements, Fiscal Policy Strategy Statements, and Macroeconomic Framework Statements. It sets targets for reducing fiscal and revenue deficits over a specified period. It prohibits the government from borrowing from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after 2006, except under exceptional circumstances.

Explanation

Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India enumerates subjects on which only the Parliament has exclusive legislative powers.

Option (a) is correct: Under the Seventh Schedule, the Union List includes 100 subjects (originally 97), covering matters of national importance. Among the options:

Regulation of labour and safety in mines and oilfields - Falls under the Union List (Entry 55). These industries involve inter-state implications, requiring uniform regulation. Agriculture - Falls under the State List (Entry 14), as it is primarily a state subject. Fisheries - Fisheries in inland and territorial waters are in the State List (Entry 21), while regulation of fisheries in EEZ and beyond territorial waters is in the Union List (Entry 57). Public Health - Falls under the State List (Entry 6)

Explanation

Madame Bhikaji Cama, a Parsi revolutionary who had developed contacts with French socialists worked from Paris and Geneva. She published the journal Bande Mataram.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Madam Bhikaji Cama actually unfurled the first version of the Indian National Flag at the Second International Socialist Congress held in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907, not Paris. The flag was co-designed by Madam Cama, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Shyamji Krishna Varma. The flag had green, saffron, and red stripes, with "Vande Mataram" written on it in Devanagari script, and symbols representing different communities of India.

Statement 2 is correct: Madam Bhikaji Cama did serve as the private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji, a key figure in the Indian National Congress and a prominent advocate for India’s independence.

Statement 3 is correct: Bhikaji Cama was born into a wealthy Parsi family in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1861. Her father, Sorabji Framji Patel was a well-known merchant and philanthropist.

Explanation

Monastery Location Significance Dhankar Monastery Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Perched on a high cliff; a major Gompa of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Rumtek Monastery Sikkim Largest monastery in Sikkim; headquarters of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Tabo Monastery Tabo village, Spiti Valley One of India’s oldest Buddhist monasteries (founded in 996 AD); renowned for ancient murals and frescoes. Kye (Key) Monastery Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Founded in the 11th century; largest monastery in Spiti; serves as a training centre for Lamas.

Explanation

Head Quarter of South-Eastern Railway Zone is in Kolkata. India has 17(PIB 2017) railway zones:

Zonal Railway Headquarters Central Railway Mumbai CST Eastern Railway Kolkata East Central Railway Hajipur East Coast Railway Bhubaneswar Northern Railway New Delhi North Central Railway Prayagraj North Eastern Railway Gorakhpur North Frontier Railway Maligaon, Guwahati North Western Railway Jaipur Southern Railway Chennai South Central Railway Secunderabad South Eastern Railway Kolkata South East Central Railway Bilaspur South Western Railway Hubballi Western Railway Mumbai West Central Railway Jabalpur Kolkata Metro Railway Kolkata

Explanation

Cairn Energy, a British oil and gas exploration company, is responsible for the exploration and commercial production of oil in the Barmer-Sanchor basin of Rajasthan. The company discovered significant oil reserves in Mangala, Bhagyam, and Aishwariya fields in the early 2000s. The oilfields in Rajasthan are now operated by Cairn India, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources.

Explanation

Pair (a) is correctly matched: The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 reorganized Indian states based on linguistic lines. Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be created on a linguistic basis in 1953 (from Madras Presidency). Later, the 1956 Act further reorganised states. Pair (b) is correctly matched: The Treaty of Yandabu (1826) was signed between the British East India Company and Burma. It ended the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826) and led to the annexation of Assam by the British. Pair (c) is correctly matched: The princely state of Bilaspur was merged with Himachal Pradesh in 1954. Himachal later became a full-fledged state in 1971. Pair (d) is incorrectly matched: Gujarat became a separate state on May 1, 1960, following the Bombay Reorganization Act, 1960. In 1966, the state of Haryana was formed

Explanation

Name Field Key Contributions C. N. R. Rao Solid State Chemistry & Material Science Research in solid-state chemistry and nanotechnology; awarded Bharat Ratna (2014). Jagdish Bhagwati Economics Expert in international trade and development economics; worked with UN & WTO. G. N. Ramachandran Physics Developed the Ramachandran Plot, a key discovery in protein structure; contributions to biophysics and crystallography. Ashok Jhunjhunwala Telecommunications Pioneered affordable telecom and broadband solutions in India; developed wireless communication for rural areas.