UPSC Prelims 1997 · General Studies
Question 58: Polity and Governance
Assertion (A): The reservation of thirty-three per cent of seats for women in Parliament and State Legislatures does not require Constitutional amendment. Reason (R): Political parties contesting elections can allocate thirty-three per cent of seats they contest to women candidates without any Constitutional amendment. In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?
AnswerThe answer is (d).
A constitutional amendment is needed to reserve seats by law, which is why the women's reservation bills were brought as amendment bills. But a political party can choose on its own to give a third of the tickets it distributes to women, and no amendment is needed for that. So A is false and R is true. In 2023 the 106th Amendment reserved one-third of the Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats for women.
- A. Reserving seats by law requires amending the Constitution, as the reservation bills did.
- R. Parties are free to give a third of their tickets to women without any amendment.
How you could have got this
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) A is false, so R cannot explain it.
- (b) A is false, so this option fails.
- (c) R is true, so this option fails.
- (d) Right: A is false and R is true.
Worth knowing: Since 2023 the 106th Amendment has reserved one-third of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats for women by amending the Constitution, which bears out that an amendment was needed.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1997, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.