Question 1

With reference to the succession after Jawaharlal Nehru, consider the following statements:
1. The group known as the 'Syndicate' included the Congress party president K. Kamaraj and was instrumental in guiding the succession process.
2. Morarji Desai was widely perceived as mild and flexible, which garnered him more support across the party than Lal Bahadur Shastri.
3. Lal Bahadur Shastri was ultimately chosen as the parliamentary leader after Morarji Desai contested and lost the internal party election.

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is correct. The 'Syndicate', a group within the Congress formed in 1963, did guide the succession process, and its members included the then-party president, K. Kamaraj. Statement 2 is incorrect. The characteristics of the two leaders have been swapped. Lal Bahadur Shastri was seen as mild and flexible, while Morarji Desai was considered rigid and conservative. It was Shastri who had wider support. Statement 3 is incorrect. Morarji Desai decided not to contest the election for the party's parliamentary leader, which led to Shastri's selection.

Question 2

Consider the following statements regarding the early life and principles of Lal Bahadur Shastri:
1. To demonstrate his opposition to the caste system, he adopted the title 'Shastri' upon his graduation from Kashi Vidyapeeth.
2. As a firm opponent of the dowry system, he accepted only five yards of khadi and a spinning wheel at his wedding upon the insistence of his father-in-law.
3. His first arrest during the freedom struggle occurred for participating in the Salt Satyagraha, but he was released because he was a minor.

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. He dropped his surname 'Srivastava' to oppose the caste system. The title 'Shastri' was conferred upon him after completing his graduation; it was not adopted as a protest. Statement 2 is correct. While opposed to dowry, he accepted five yards of khadi and a spinning wheel at his father-in-law's insistence. Statement 3 is incorrect. His first arrest was during the Non-cooperation Movement of 1921, not the Salt Satyagraha. He was let off at that time for being a minor.

Question 3

Read the following two statements:

Statement-I: Lal Bahadur Shastri gave authorisation to the Atomic Energy Commission in 1965 to proceed with developing a nuclear device.

Statement-II: This decision was taken as a direct consequence of the 1964 military repatriation of Indian families from Burma and marked a fundamental break from the policy of non-alignment.

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.. Statement-I is correct. In 1965, Lal Bahadur Shastri authorised the Atomic Energy Commission to proceed with developing a nuclear device. Statement-II is incorrect. The primary motivation for this decision was the strategic situation following the 1962 war with China and the growing military ties between Pakistan and China, not the events in Burma. Furthermore, this step was taken to enhance national security within the framework of non-alignment, not as a departure from it.

Question 4

Consider the following pairs regarding military operations during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure:

1. Operation Flowers are Blooming : Maldives
2. Operation Cactus : Seychelles
3. Operation Rajiv : Siachen

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only one pair. Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. Operation Flowers are Blooming (1986) was launched to avert a coup in Seychelles, not Maldives. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched. Operation Cactus (1988) was launched to thwart a coup in Maldives, not Seychelles. Pair 3 is correctly matched. Operation Rajiv (1987) refers to the re-occupation of the Quaid Post in the disputed Siachen region. Therefore, only one pair is correct.

Question 5

Consider the following statements regarding the foreign policy of the Janata government:

1. The policy of 'genuine non-alignment' resulted in a strategic shift away from the Soviet Union and exclusively towards the United States.
2. A key outcome of this policy was the visit of US President Jimmy Carter, the first such presidential visit since Eisenhower.
3. The government reversed India's long-standing opposition to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to improve ties with Western powers.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Janata government sought to practice 'genuine non-alignment' and improve ties with the US, it did not abandon its relationship with the USSR. Prime Minister Morarji Desai and Foreign Minister A.B. Vajpayee visited Moscow to maintain cordial relations. Statement 2 is correct. The government's efforts to improve ties with the US resulted in President Jimmy Carter's visit. Statement 3 is incorrect. The government, represented by A.B. Vajpayee at the UN, continued India's earlier policy of opposing the non-proliferation treaty on the grounds that it was discriminatory.

Question 6

Consider the following statements regarding the ideological and organizational divisions within the Indian National Congress in the late 1960s:
1. The Congress right-wing, also known as the 'Syndicate', advocated for giving more space to the private sector and improving relations with the US.
2. Indira Gandhi's faction, known as Congress (O) or 'Organisation', was formed after she was expelled from the party.
3. A key ideological stance of Indira Gandhi's group was to prioritize tackling protest movements and suppressing the left.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is correct. The Congress right-wing was in favour of policies such as providing more space for the private sector in the economy and improving relations with the United States. Statement 2 is incorrect. The faction led by Indira Gandhi was known as Congress (R), where 'R' stood for Requisitionists. The other group was Congress (O), for 'Organisation'. Statement 3 is incorrect. The policy of tackling protest movements and putting down the left was an ideological position of the Congress right-wing, not Indira Gandhi's faction, which was increasingly leaning towards a socialistic ideology.

Question 7

With reference to the 10-point programme adopted by the Congress Working Committee under Indira Gandhi's leadership, consider the following provisions:
1. The complete nationalisation of the banking sector.
2. The abolition of privy purses for former rulers of princely states.
3. The establishment of a public distribution system for food grains.

How many of the above provisions were part of the 10-point programme?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The 10-point programme referred to 'social control of banks', not their complete nationalisation. Indira Gandhi later nationalised a specific set of banks, but the programme's language was more moderate. Statement 2 is incorrect. While Indira Gandhi was personally in favour of abolishing the privy purses, and it was a major policy point of hers, it was not explicitly listed as part of the 10-point programme mentioned. Statement 3 is correct. The 10-point programme explicitly included the 'public distribution of food grains' as one of its key objectives.

Question 8

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: In November 1969, the Congress party president expelled Indira Gandhi from the party, leading to a formal split.
Statement-II: The primary trigger for this expulsion was Indira Gandhi's decision to devalue the rupee without consulting senior party leaders.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.. Statement-I is correct. In November 1969, Congress President S. Nijalingappa did expel Indira Gandhi from the party on grounds of indiscipline, formalizing the split. Statement-II is incorrect. The decision on the devaluation of the rupee occurred earlier and was a source of general criticism around the 1967 elections. The immediate trigger for her expulsion in 1969 was the conflict over the presidential election, where she supported the independent candidate V.V. Giri against the official party candidate, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, leading to Giri's victory and the final breakdown of party discipline.

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding environmental legislation in India:
1. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was created as a statutory body under the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980.
2. The Environment Protection Act of 1986 granted the Central government the authority to issue direct orders to close, prohibit, or regulate any industry.
3. Amendments made in 1987 to the Factories Act, 1948, empowered the Central government to appoint site appraisal committees for factories using hazardous processes.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was created in 1986 under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), not the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980. Statement 2 is correct. The EPA is an enabling law that delegates wide powers to the executive, including the authority for the Centre to issue direct orders to close, prohibit, or regulate industries to manage environmental issues. Statement 3 is incorrect. The 1987 amendments to the Factories Act, 1948, empowered the state governments, not the Central government, to appoint site appraisal committees to guide the location of factories using hazardous processes.

Question 10

Given below are two statements:
Statement-I: The anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October 1984 saw a significant delay in effective administrative and military intervention.
Statement-II: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's remark that 'when a great tree falls, the earth around it shakes' was delivered at the outset of the violence, serving as a justification for the administration's delayed response.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.. Statement-I is correct. Following the assassination on October 31, 1984, riots went on largely unabated for two days. The army was not called in immediately by the Prime Minister or Home Minister and only received effective orders to control the situation by November 3, indicating a significant delay in intervention. Statement-II is incorrect. The remark 'when a great tree falls, the earth around it shakes' was made by Rajiv Gandhi in a speech on November 19, 1984, well after the riots had been brought under control. It was not delivered at the outset of the violence and therefore could not have served as a justification for the administration's delayed response during the riots. It was widely interpreted as an insensitive post-facto comment.

Question 11

Consider the following statements regarding the Mandal Commission and its implementation:
1. The Commission recommended a 27 per cent job reservation for OBCs in central government services, in addition to existing reservations for SCs and STs.
2. The report, submitted in 1980, was implemented by the V.P. Singh government after being shelved by the preceding Congress governments.
3. The implementation was met with intense protests in northern India, while the south was largely unaffected, partly because a significant proportion of government jobs were already reserved for non-brahmins in southern states.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

All three. Statement 1 is correct. The Mandal Commission recommended that 27 per cent of jobs in the central government should be reserved for OBCs, beyond the percentage already reserved for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Statement 2 is correct. The commission submitted its report in December 1980, but the Congress governments under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had shelved it. It was V.P. Singh's government that announced its implementation in August 1990. Statement 3 is correct. The protests against the implementation were intense in the northern part of the country, while the south was largely unaffected. This was partly because, in the southern states, a large proportion of government jobs were already reserved for non-brahmins.

Question 12

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The V.P. Singh government announced its decision to implement the Mandal Commission's recommendation for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central government services.
Statement-II: The decision was a strategic political move calculated to consolidate the caste coalition forming the support base of the Janata Dal in northern India and to gain popularity with the OBC 'vote bank'.

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.. Statement-I is correct. On August 7, 1990, V.P. Singh announced in Parliament that his government had accepted the Mandal Commission report and would implement a 27 per cent reservation for OBCs. Statement-II is also correct and provides the correct explanation for Statement-I. V.P. Singh believed that implementing the recommendations would be a way to gain popularity with the large group of OBCs, whose importance as a 'vote bank' was significant. He calculated that this move on social justice would consolidate the caste coalition that was the support base for the Janata Dal in northern India.

Question 13

Consider the following statements regarding the Kashmir situation during the V.P. Singh years:
1. In response to rising militant attacks, the Centre appointed Jagmohan as the governor, which was followed by the kidnapping of the Union Home Minister's daughter by the JKLF.
2. The Hizb-ul Mujahideen, a prominent militant group, was responsible for the kidnapping that led to the release of jailed militants.
3. Syed Salauddin, leader of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, had disengaged from mainstream politics following the rigged elections of 1987.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The kidnapping of the Union Home Minister's daughter occurred in December 1989. The appointment of Jagmohan as governor happened after this event, as the Centre decided to take strong action in response to the worsening situation and increasing militant defiance. Statement 2 is incorrect. The group responsible for kidnapping the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), not the Hizb-ul Mujahideen. Statement 3 is correct. Syed Salauddin, who led the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, had left mainstream politics after the rigged elections of 1987.

Question 14

Consider the following statements regarding the principles of the 'Gujral Doctrine':
1. It proposed that India should seek reciprocity in its relations with all its South Asian neighbours.
2. It mandated that all disputes among South Asian countries be settled through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
3. It stipulated that no South Asian country should interfere in the internal affairs of another.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only two. Statement 1 is incorrect. The Gujral Doctrine explicitly stated that with neighbours like Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, India does not ask for reciprocity but gives what it can in good faith. Statement 2 is correct. One of the five principles enunciated was that all South Asian countries will settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations. Statement 3 is correct. Another principle was that no country will interfere in the internal affairs of another.

Question 15

Consider the following pairs:
1. President Shankar Dayal Sharma : Invited the leader of the largest party in the Lok Sabha to form the government after the 1996 elections.
2. Lalu Prasad Yadav : Resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar following demands from within the United Front.
3. President K.R. Narayanan : Sent back the Gujral government's recommendation to impose president’s rule in Uttar Pradesh for reconsideration.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only two. Pair 1 is correctly matched. As the BJP was the largest party in the Lok Sabha after the 1996 elections, President Shankar Dayal Sharma called upon it to try and form a government. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched. Lalu Prasad Yadav refused to resign as Chief Minister of Bihar; he instead left his party and formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Pair 3 is correctly matched. When the Gujral government recommended president's rule in Uttar Pradesh, President K.R. Narayanan sent the recommendation back to the government for reconsideration.

Question 16

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The I.K. Gujral-led United Front government resigned in November 1997.
Statement-II: The Congress party withdrew its support after the Gujral government refused to dismiss DMK ministers following the tabling of the Jain Commission report.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.. Statement-I is correct; the Gujral government fell on November 28, 1997. Statement-II is also correct; the Jain Commission report, which enquired into the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, criticised the DMK for tacitly supporting Tamil militants. This led the Congress to demand the dismissal of DMK ministers from the government. When Prime Minister Gujral refused this demand, the Congress party withdrew its support, causing the government to fall. Therefore, Statement-II provides the direct and correct explanation for the event described in Statement-I.

Question 17

With reference to the social welfare measures during the first term of the UPA government, consider the following statements:
1. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act guaranteed 150 days of paid labour in a year to rural households.
2. The National Advisory Council (NAC) was chaired by the Prime Minister to guide the government's policies.
3. The Right to Information Act (2005) required public authorities to reply to a citizen's request within sixty days.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

None. Statement 1 is incorrect. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) guaranteed 100 days of paid labour in a year, not 150. Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Advisory Council (NAC) was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, not the Prime Minister. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Right to Information Act (2005) required a public authority to reply expeditiously or within thirty days, not sixty days.

Question 18

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The policies of the first UPA government were perceived to be ‘left-of-centre’.
Statement-II: The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) was formulated primarily based on ideas from the National Advisory Council (NAC), which was composed of social activists.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.. Statement-I is correct. The policies of the UPA government were indeed perceived as 'left-of-centre'. Statement-II is incorrect. The 'left-of-centre' perception arose because the communist parties had an important role in devising the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). The National Advisory Council (NAC) was a separate body, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, which also provided ideas for social welfare, but the text does not state that it was the primary formulator of the CMP.

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