2023 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2023 · GS Paper I

Question 40: Polity and Governance

Consider the following statements :

  1. Statement-IThe Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration.
  2. Statement-IIArticle 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term 'efficiency of administration'.

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

aBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
bBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
cStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
dStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

Statement I is correct: the Supreme Court has held, for example in Indra Sawhney (1992) and M. Nagaraj (2006), that reservation in public posts under Article 16(4) must be read with Article 335, which requires the claims of Scheduled Castes and Tribes to be considered consistently with maintaining efficiency of administration. Statement II is wrong: Article 335 does not define 'efficiency of administration'; the Court judges it case by case. The 82nd Amendment added a proviso allowing relaxed qualifying marks.

  • I. The Supreme Court has read Article 16(4) subject to Article 335.
  • II. Article 335 does not define efficiency of administration.

How you could have got this

If you were sure Statement-I is correct, (d) goes. Then judge the second statement; if it is correct too, decide whether it explains the first.

What you needed to know: The Supreme Court has read Article 16(4) subject to Article 335.

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) Statement II is false, so it cannot explain Statement I.
  • (b) Statement II is false, so 'both correct' fails.
  • (c) Correct: Statement I is true, Statement II is false.
  • (d) Statement I is true, so this reverses the position.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2023, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.