Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is 2004-2007.

Key Points

• Pratibha Devi Singh Patil: 
  • She was the 12th President of India from 2007 to 2012
  • She was the first female President in India.
  • She was also a Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007.
  • She was also the first female Governor of Rajasthan.

Additional Information

• Prabha Rau:
  • She was the 2nd female Governor(Acting) of Rajasthan from 2009 to 2010.
  • She also served as a Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
• ​​Margret Alva:
  • She was 3rd female Governor of Rajasthan from 2012 to 2014
  • She was also a Governor of Goa, Gujarat, and Uttrakhand.
  • She also held the office of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry Youth and Sports and Women and Child Development, and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

The correct answer is 172.

• Article 172 of the Indian Constitution relates to the tenure of the state legislature.

Key Points

• State Legislature:
  • Articles 168 to 212 in Part VI of the Constitution deals with the organization, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, powers of the state legislature.
  • States having bicameral legislatures are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. 
    • {Trick to Remember- KUMBAT- Karnatak, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana}
  • The legislature's maximum strength is fixed at 500 and minimum strength at 60.
  • Article 172 deals with the Duration of State Legislatures.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• NDC is listed as an advisory body to the Planning commission. Moreover, the plans made by the Planning commission are placed before NDC for its acceptance. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• Now, the National Development Council (NDC) and Planning Commission (PC) has been abolished now.
  • NDC used to advise PC on planning and included all CMs and union ministers etc.
• The Economic and Social Planning is kept in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India.
  • Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The Constitution of India prescribes that Panchayats should be assigned the task of preparation of plans for economic development and social justice.
• The 73rd Amendment 1992 added a new Part IX to the constitution titled “The Panchayats” covering provisions from Article 243 to 243(O); and a new Eleventh Schedule covering 29 subjects within the functions of the Panchayats.
  • Hence statement 3 is correct.

​​​Additional Information

• National Development Council is an organ of the Planning Commission
  • Planning Commission was replaced by a new institution – NITI AAYYOG on January 1, 2015, with emphasis on the ‘Bottom –Up’ approach to envisage the vision of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government, echoing the spirit of ‘Cooperative Federalism’.
  • Objectives
    • To foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis, recognizing that strong States make a strong nation.
    • To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these progressively at higher levels of government.
    • To ensure, on areas that are specifically referred to it, that the interests of national security are incorporated in economic strategy and policy.
    • To pay special attention to the sections of our society that may be at risk of not benefitting adequately from economic progress.
    • To provide advice and encourage partnerships between key stakeholders and national and international like-minded Think Tanks, as well as educational and policy research institutions.
    • To create a knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurial support system through a collaborative community of national and international experts, practitioners and other partners.
    • To offer a platform for the resolution of inter-sectoral and inter-departmental issues in order to accelerate the implementation of the development agenda.
    • To maintain a state-of-the-art Resource Centre, be a repository of research on good governance and best practices in sustainable and equitable development as well as help their dissemination to stake-holders.

The correct answer is 1 only.

Confusion Points

• The Northern Zonal Council, The Central Zonal Council, The Eastern Zonal Council, The Western Zonal Council and The Southern Zonal Council are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. 
• In addition to the above Zonal Councils, a North-Eastern Council was created by a separate Act of Parliament i.e. the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971. Hence, statement 3 is NOT correct.

Key Points

• Zonal Councils:
  • The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional) bodies. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. 
  • There are 5 five Zonal councils:
    • The Northern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Union Territory of Chandigarh.
    • The Central Zonal Council, comprising the States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
    • The Eastern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal.
    • The Western Zonal Council, comprising the States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
    • The Southern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
  • North-Eastern Council
    • In addition to the above Zonal Councils, a North-Eastern Council was created by a separate Act of Parliament i.e. the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971.
    • Its functions are similar to those of the zonal councils, but with few additions.
    • Its members include Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Sikkim.
  • While forming these zones, several factors have been taken into account which includes:
    • The natural divisions of the country, the river systems and means of communication, the cultural and linguistic affinity, and the requirements of economic development, security, and law and order.
    • They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.
• Composition:-
  • Chairman: The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils. Hence, statement 2 is NOT correct.
  • Vice-Chairman: The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time.
  • Members: Chief Minister and two other Ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the States and two members from Union Territories included in the zone.
  • Advisers: One person nominated by the Planning Commission (which has been replaced by NITI Ayog now) for each of the Zonal Councils, Chief Secretaries, and another officer/Development Commissioner nominated by each of the States included in the Zone.
  • Union Ministers are also invited to participate in the meetings of Zonal Councils depending upon necessity.

The correct answer is 17.

Key Points

• Untouchability is neither defined in the Constitution nor in the Act.
  • It refers to a social practice that looks down upon certain depressed classes solely on account of their birth and makes any discrimination against them on this ground.
  • In 1976, it was made more stringent and was renamed ‘The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.
  • It defines ‘Civil Right’ as ‘any right accruing to a person by reason of the abolition of untouchability by 'Article 17 of the Constitution.’
  • All offenses under the Act have been made non-compoundable. 

Additional Information

• Article 14 of the Indian Constitution states that “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India”.
• Article 48 of DPSP in the Indian Constitution directs the State to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves, and other milch and draught cattle and to improve their breeds.
• Article 22 is one such Fundamental Right that safeguards the rights of individuals who have been arrested and detained for committing an offence.