Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• The Public Accounts Committee consists of not more than 22 members comprising 15 members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members.
  • Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• The Public Account Committee carries out the examination of the Appropriation Accounts relating to the Railways, Defence Services, P&T Department and other Civil Ministries of the Government of India and Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India thereon as also the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on Revenue Receipts mainly form the basis of the deliberation of the Committee.
  • ​Hence statements 2 and 3 are correct.
• The Comptroller and Auditor General is the “friend, philosopher and guide” of the Committee.
• He attends the sittings of the Committee and assists it in its deliberations.
• Hence option 2 is correct.

​​Additional Information 

• Types of Parliamentary Committees:
  • India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
    • They can be differentiated on the basis of their work, their membership and the length of their tenure.
  • However, broadly there are two types of Parliamentary Committees– Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.
  • The Standing Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis.
  • Standing Committees can be classified into the following six categories:
    • Financial Committees
    • Departmental Standing Committees
    • Committees to Enquire
    • Committees to Scrutinise and Control
    • Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day Business of the House
    • House-Keeping Committees or Service Committees
  • While the Ad Hoc Committees are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them.
  • They are further subdivided into Inquiry Committees and Advisory Committees.

The correct answer is Nagaland.

• English is the official language of Nagaland.

Key Points

• The Official Language:
  • Part XVII of the Constitution deals with the official language in Articles 343 to 351.
  • Hindi written in Devanagari Script is to be the official language of the Union.
  • Originally there were fourteen languages in Eighth Schedule, but eight were added during amendments.
  • The first Official Language Commission was appointed in 1955 under Shri B.G. Kher as Chairman.
• Language of the State/Link Language:
  • The Legislature of a State can adopt any one or more languages used in the State or Hindi for the official purposes of that State.

Additional Information

• Konkani is the official language of Goa.
• The official languages of Puducherry are Tamil (in Puducherry and Karaikal), Telugu (in Yanam), Malayalam (in Mahe).
• Bengali and Kokborok are the official languages of Tripura.

The correct answer is Up to 15% of the strength of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

• According to the constitution, the Council of Ministers constitutes 15% of the total number of legislators (91st Amendment Amendment).
• The maximum number of ministers in Rajasthan is 30 which is 15% of 200.

Key Points

• The Council of Ministers in states is mentioned in Articles 163, 164, and 167.
• The Council of Ministers is headed by the Chief Minister.
• There are three classes of ministers:
  • Cabinet minister
  • Minister of State 
  • Deputy Minister
• Cabinet ministers are in charge of important departments.
• The cabinet-level group of ministers is called the cabinet ministers.
• Ministers of State are appointed to assist cabinet ministers. 
• Deputy Ministers are there to assist the State Ministers.
• Sometimes the Ministers of State are also given independent departments.

Additional Information

• Cabinet Secretariat:
  • The administrative head is the chief secretary.
  • The political head is the chief minister.

The Correct Answer is option is 3 i.e. 2 only.

• Eighty-sixth Amendment Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right.
• The right to work is placed in Part IV Directive Principles of State Policy of the Constitution under Article 41, which hence makes it unenforceable in the court of law.  Hence 3 is the correct answer.
• The right to form an association is a fundamental Right given in the Constitution of India under Article 19(1)(c). It says that all citizens shall have the freedom to form associations or unions for a lawful purpose.
• The Right to practice any profession is a fundamental Right given in the Constitution of India under Article 19(1)(g). It helps to carry on any occupation, trade, or business to all citizens subject to Art.

The Correct answer is ​42nd Amendment.

 Key Points

• The 42nd Amendment of the Indian Constitution is the most comprehensive amendment to the Constitution and carried out major changes.
• It is also known as “mini-constitution”.
•  Amendments:
  • Added three new words (i.e., socialist, secular, and integrity) in the Preamble.
  • Added Fundamental Duties by the citizens (new Part IV A).
  • Made the president bound by the advice of the cabinet.
  • Provided for administrative tribunals and tribunals for other matters (Added Part XIV A).
  • Froze the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies on the basis of 1971 census till 2001 - Population Controlling Measure
  • Made the constitutional amendments beyond judicial scrutiny.
  • Curtailed the power of judicial review and writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and high courts.
  • Raised the tenure of Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies from 5 to 6 years.
  • Provided that the laws made for the implementation of Directive Principles cannot be declared invalid by the courts on the ground of violation of some Fundamental Rights.
  • Added three new Directive Principles viz., equal justice and free legal aid, the participation of workers in the management of industries and protection of the environment, forests, and wildlife.
  • Provided for the creation of the All-India Judicial Service.
  • Shortened the procedure for disciplinary action by taking away the right of a civil servant to make representation at the second stage after the inquiry (i.e., on the penalty proposed).

 Important Points

• The 24th Amendment had re-established Parliament's authority to amend the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution.
• The 25th Amendment was intended to strip the Supreme Court of the power to go into the quantum of compensation for the takeover of property for public use.
• 44th Amendment Act nullified this unjustified power to the government.
• Right to Property was removed from the list of fundamental rights (Article 31) and was made a legal right under Article 300A.
• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were passed by Parliament in December 1992.
• Through these amendments, local self-governance was introduced in rural and urban India.