Social Studies PYQs

The correct answer is Article 21

Key Points

• The Supreme Court has interpreted the Right to food, Right to privacy and Right to pollution-free water and air as being integral parts of the Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
• Article 21 guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty to all citizens. It states: "No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law."

Additional Information

While Article 21 does not explicitly mention the aforementioned rights, the Supreme Court has, through various judgements, evolved a very broad and expansive understanding of this right:

• Right to food: In PUCL v. Union of India (2001), the SC affirmed Right to Food as integral to Article 21 since being free from hunger is fundamental to the Right to Life.
• Right to privacy: In the Puttaswamy judgement (2017), the SC ruled Right to Privacy (personal autonomy, control over data, etc.) to be intrinsically protected under Article 21.
• Right to clean air and water: In Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991), the SC held that Right to Pollution-free air and water is part of Right to Life under Article 21. Environmental integrity is essential to human survival.

The correct options is 'A and B'.

Key Points

• In the USA, there is a strict separation between state and religion, with no interference allowed. India has principled distance, allowing state intervention in religion for reforms.
• The Indian constitution has specific minority rights protections under Articles 29-30. The USA does not have similar constitutional provisions.
• Strict separation between state and religion is present in the USA but not in India.
• In India, the state can enact laws allowing religious reforms of minority communities. In the USA, the state cannot interfere in internal religious matters.

Additional InformationIn summary, Indian secularism differs from the American model by not practising strict separation and church-state dissociation. The Indian state takes an active role in religious reforms and safeguards minority rights constitutionally. These provisions are absent in American secularism, which maintains a wall of separation between church and state.

The correct option is 'A, B and D'

Key Points

• It means that all citizens, regardless of their socio-economic status, have to abide by the same laws of the land.

No one is exempt.

• It implies non-discrimination before the law on the basis of race, religion, caste, gender etc.

All are entitled to equal treatment.

• The Indian Constitution recognises every person as equal. This means that every individual in the country, including male and female persons from all castes, religions, tribes, educational and economic backgrounds are recognised as equal. This is not to say that inequality ceases to exist.
• Lastly, legal equality does help to ensure fair opportunities and offer a life of dignity for all citizens, as it prevents legal mechanisms from being used to create unjust societal divisions. However, the fulfillment of this promise is contingent on the just and equitable enforcement of laws.

Additional InformationTo summarize, "equal before the law" signifies impartiality of law - its uniform applicability to all citizens irrespective of their social identities or status and without prejudice or favor.

The correct option is 'A and C.

Key Points

• Masons who work on daily wages are considered daily wage labourers.
• Vegetable vendors who run their own small business are considered self-employed.
• A shop supervisor does not own the business, hence is not a businessperson but rather a salaried employee.
• Most domestic workers are women. Sometimes, even young boys or girls are employed to do this work. Wages are low, as domestic work does not have much value. A domestic worker’s day can begin as early as five in the morning and end as late as twelve at night! Despite the hard work they do, their employers often do not show them much respect.

Additional InformationIn summary, the work types of mason and vegetable vendor correctly match with the forms of employment - daily wage earner and self-employed respectively. The shop supervisor is incorrectly categorized as a businessperson instead of being an employee.

The correct option is 'B and C'.

Key Points

• Disruption of rural labour market:
• This refers to changes in the structure and opportunities within rural economies that may cause competitive or earning disadvantages for rural workers.
• The shift of value-added activities from rural to urban areas causes lower incomes for workers in natural resource-based sectors common in rural areas, such as farming, forestry, and fishing.
• Decreased agricultural productivity:
• A decline in agricultural productivity can lead to reduced incomes and livelihood opportunities in rural areas, pushing people to migrate to urban areas in search of better economic prospects.
• This commonly occurs in the context of natural disasters, environmental degradation, or lack of technological advancement in farming practices. While not specifically mentioned in the sources provided, this reason is widely acknowledged in the literature on rural-urban migration.

Additional Information

• 'Deterioration in living standards in urban areas' and 'Increased skilled workforce in rural areas'  do not necessarily motivate rural-urban migration.
• Deteriorating urban living standards would generally discourage rather than encourage migration, and an increased skilled workforce in rural areas could provide more opportunities locally, reducing the impetus for migration.

The correct option is 'A, B and C'.

Key Points

• Police Services:
• These are considered public services as they play a vital role in safeguarding the peace, preventing crime, and maintaining order in society.
• Judicial Services:
• While not explicitly mentioned in the references provided, judicial services form a crucial part of public services.
• They are managed by the government, which aligns with the defining role of government in making and enforcing public policies through institutions like the judiciary.
• Educational Services:
• Similar to judicial services, educational services are not explicitly mentioned in the given references but are widely acknowledged as significant public services.
• They may be offered directly by the government or through funding to private entities, which is essential in improving the welfare and knowledge of the people in a society.

Additional Information

While construction services carry public benefits, they are not typically categorized as 'public services' since they may be provided by both private entities and the government. Public services mainly refer to services like healthcare, law enforcement, waste removal, and other services that the government provides or facilitates to meet the individual and collective needs of its citizens. Therefore, 'Construction Services' is not included in the list.

The correct option is 'B and C'.

Key Points  

• Britishers opposed the Bill as Indians could take up the trial of British or European people:
• This refers to the concern of British colonial officials and European residents in India that allowing Indian judges to preside over cases involving British subjects might lead to biased judgments or outcomes that favored Indians over Europeans.
• They worried that Indian judges might not fully understand or uphold British legal norms and standards, potentially leading to unjust outcomes for British individuals.
• The Bill sought equality between British and Indian judges:
• The Ilbert Bill aimed to provide Indian judges with the authority to preside over cases involving British subjects, which was an effort to establish a more equal legal system.
• At the time, the colonial legal system was characterized by significant disparities between the treatment of British and Indian judges.
• The bill aimed to address this inequality and promote a more just legal system by allowing Indian judges to handle cases involving British subjects.

The correct option is 'Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct reason for (A).'

Key Points    

• Despite constitutional recognition of equality before law, some Indians are more equal than others.
• This is true because while the Indian Constitution guarantees equality before the law for all citizens, the reality is that socio-economic disparities, caste-based discrimination, and other factors often lead to unequal treatment and opportunities for different sections of the population.
• Some individuals or groups, due to factors like social status, economic background, or political influence, might receive preferential treatment or privileges, which goes against the ideal of equal treatment before the law.
• The ideals set out in the Indian Constitution have not yet been fulfilled.
• This  is true because the ideals laid out in the Indian Constitution, which include justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, have not been fully realized across the nation even after decades of independence.
• While progress has been made, there are still significant challenges related to poverty, discrimination, corruption, and unequal access to opportunities that prevent the complete fulfillment of the constitutional ideals.

Additional Information

However, the reason (R) provided does not directly explain why "some Indians are more equal than others." The unequal treatment highlighted in assertion (A) arises from a complex interplay of historical, socio-economic, and cultural factors. The reason (R) focuses on the general non-fulfillment of constitutional ideals rather than directly addressing the specific issue of unequal treatment mentioned in the assertion (A).

The correct option is 'A is true, but B is false'.

Key Points

• In 1920, the British imposed a harsh treaty on the Turkish Sultan (Khalifa).
• This is true.
• The Khilafat movement emerged as a response to the harsh Treaty of Sevres imposed by the British in 1920 on the Ottoman Empire (led by the Turkish Sultan or Khalifa).
• This treaty aimed to dismember the Ottoman Empire, with unpleasant implications for the status and position of the Khalifa, who was a significant spiritual leader recognized by Muslims worldwide.
• Indian Muslims were keen that the Khalifa was not allowed to retain control over Muslim sacred places in the erstwhile Ottoman empire.
• This statement, however, is false
• Indian Muslims were not keen on the Khalifa losing control over Muslim sacred places within the erstwhile Ottoman Empire.
• Rather, they were concerned about it, hence the start of the Khilafat movement. This movement saw active participation from Indian Muslim leaders who sought to exert pressure on the British government to ensure that the Khalifa retained control over the sacred Islamic sites.
• Their fear stemmed from the fact that the demobilization of the Ottoman Empire could lead to the Khalifa losing control over these Islamic holy places, which was an unacceptable predicament for them.
• Thus,  this statement  contradicts the actual motivations and objectives of the Khilafat movement.

The correct option is 'Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).'

Key Points

• As the indigo trade grew, commercial agents and officials of the Company began investing in indigo production.
• This is true because during the colonial period, especially during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the indigo trade played a significant role in the economic activities of the British East India Company.
• As the demand for indigo dye increased in Europe, the British officials, commercial agents, and even members of the Company began investing in indigo production.
• They recognized the potential for profits in the indigo trade and saw it as a lucrative opportunity to generate wealth.
• Attracted by the prospect of high profits, numerous Scotsmen and Englishmen came to India and became planters. 
• This is also true because the British colonial presence in India attracted a significant number of Scotsmen and Englishmen who sought opportunities for wealth accumulation.
• Many of these individuals became planters, engaging in activities such as cultivating indigo and other cash crops.
• The reason mentions the prospect of high profits, which was indeed a driving force behind the interest of these individuals in becoming planters in India.

Additional InformationBoth assertion (A) and reason (R) are true, and reason (R) accurately explains why commercial agents, officials, and British individuals became interested in investing in indigo production in India during the colonial period.

The correct option is 'A and B'.

Key Points

• Our sufferings and unhappiness are a result of our past births.
• This statement is true.
• In Buddhist teachings, the concept of karma and rebirth is central. According to Buddhism, our current experiences and sufferings are influenced by our past actions (karma), which can span multiple lifetimes.
• While the concept of karma is more about cause and effect, it's closely related to the idea that our present circumstances, including suffering, can be a result of actions in past lives.
• Our sufferings and unhappiness are a result of our cravings and desires.
• This statement is true.
• One of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths, and the second noble truth states that the cause of suffering (dukkha) is craving or attachment.
• Cravings and desires lead to attachment to impermanent things, and when those things change or are lost, suffering arises.
• Overcoming these desires and attachments is a key aspect of achieving liberation from suffering (nirvana).
• All believers had to accept and follow the teachings of Buddha for a happy life.
• This statement is not entirely accurate.
• While Buddhism does offer teachings and practices that can lead to a happier and more meaningful life, it's not necessary for everyone to become a believer or follower of Buddha's teachings to find happiness.
• Moreover, Buddhism recognizes the diversity of individual paths and spiritual beliefs. It emphasizes personal understanding, experience, and practice rather than a rigid dogma.

The correct option is 'A and D'.

Key Points

• Expanding crafts of spinning, bleaching and dyeing​
• Expanding crafts of spinning, bleaching, and dyeing would be a plausible result of increased demand for Indian textiles in European markets during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• This is because, in order to meet increased demand, production processes likely needed to be scaled up and expanded, involving more specialization and development of different elements of textile production including spinning, bleaching, and dyeing.
• Working on a new system of advance payments from agents:
• While it's possible that changes in trading practices occurred due to increased European demand, there isn't substantial historical evidence to strongly associate this specific change with the increased demand for Indian textiles.
• The textile industry did involve merchants and agents.

The correct option is 'Anti-slavery activists of American Civil War'.

Key Points

• Jyotirao Phule's book, titled 'Gulamgiri' or 'Slavery', is a seminal work that scrutinizes the dominance and supremacy of the Brahmin caste in the Indian societal structure.
• However, the book doesn't just examine Indian society alone. In an act of international solidarity, Phule dedicated 'Gulamgiri' to the anti-slavery activists of the American Civil War.
• The act of dedicating his book to the anti-slavery activists of the American Civil War goes beyond just a simple dedication.
• For Phule, these activists represented a struggle against a system that was analogous to the caste system in India.
• Slavery in America, much like the caste system in India, was a system of social division and discrimination, one that was deeply ingrained and perpetuated by vested interests.
• Phule likely saw parallels between the struggle of these American activists, who fought against racial discrimination and slavery, and his own battle against the caste-based discrimination in India.
• By dedicating his book to them, Phule was not only acknowledging their efforts but also drawing international attention to the parallels between the two systems of injustice.
• Phule's dedication is indicative of his deep understanding of the global struggle for human rights and his commitment to the demolition of all kinds of inhumane practices, regardless of geographical boundaries.

Additional Information

• ​ Jyotirao Phule was an Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra. He is also known as Jyotiba Phule.
• Phule was born on 11^th April, 1827 in present-day Maharashtra and belonged to the Mali caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers.
• His Ideology was based on: Liberty; Egalitarianism; Socialism.

Phule was influenced by Thomas Paine’s book titled The Rights of Man and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes.

• His major publications include Tritiya Ratna (1855); Powada: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (1869); Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud (1881).
• Phule along with his followers formed Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 which meant ‘Seekers of Truth’ in order to attain equal social and economic benefits for the lower castes in Maharashtra. The society endeavoured to mitigate the distress and sufferings of Dalits and women.

The correct option is 'Both A and B are true and B is an example of A.'

Key Points

• By the second half of the nineteenth century, people from within the non-Brahmin castes began organising movements against caste discrimination and demanded social equality and justice.
• This is accurate, as, during this time, India saw a rise in socio-religious reform movements which aimed to abolish caste-based discrimination and reinforce equal rights for all castes.
• One example of these movements is mentioned in Statement B, which refers to the Satnami Movement in Central India, founded by Ghasi Das. Ghasi Das, a saint of a low-caste community, worked among the low-caste leather workers and organized the Satnami Movement to improve their social status.
• Ghasidas, the founder of the Satnami community in the 19^th century, preached against the caste system and idol worship and advocated moral values and social equality.

Therefore, option 4 is correct: Both A and B are true and B serves as an example of A, demonstrating the socio-political changes and the fight for equality that was underway during the 19^th century in India.

The correct option is 'Mumtaz Ali'

Key Points

• Mumtaz Ali was a significant reformer who reinterpreted verses from the Quran to argue for women's education. He was born in 1860 in Patna, Bihar, a region of India.
• He was not only a prominent Muslim scholar but also an advocate of education for women.
• Mumtaz Ali contended with the common interpretations of religious texts that were used to deny education to women.
• He methodically reinterpreted various verses from the Quran, using his profound understanding of the texts, to argue that Islam didn't prohibit women's education but instead encouraged it.
• His reinterpretations and arguments significantly influenced societal perceptions and played a critical role in advocating for the cause of women's education in the Muslim community.
• This contribution of Mumtaz Ali was quite significant considering the societal norms and restrictions prevalent in his time, when a majority of the Muslim community, especially women, had limited access to education due to various cultural, social, and religious constraints.

The correct option is 'they did not keep written records so there is less information'.

Key Points

• The primary reason we know very little about tribal groups during the medieval period is that they did not keep written records.
• Most of what we know about the history of different peoples and cultures comes from written documents of some sort.
• This could range from official decrees and letters to personal journals and diaries. However, many tribal societies around the world did not have written languages, instead relying on oral traditions for the passing of knowledge and history.
• This does not mean these societies didn't have complex histories and cultures, only that they did not record them in ways that are easily accessible to modern historians.
• The lack of written records means that much of the information about these groups has to be pieced together from other sources, such as archaeological findings, oral traditions, and descriptions by other cultures that did keep written records.
• This, however, poses significant challenges as these alternative sources could be limited, lack details, or come with their own sets of biases and misinterpretations.

Therefore, much of the historical understanding of these tribal groups during the medieval period is fragmentary and often heavily influenced by the interpretations and biases of the external cultures that documented their interactions with these tribes.

The correct option is 'Raziyya'.

Key Points

• This passage was written for Sultan Raziyya in the thirteenth century.
• Sultan Raziyya (sometimes spelled as Razia) was the first and only female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in India.
• She was the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish who succeeded him to the throne against the accepted norms of the time which didn't allow for a woman to ascend the throne.
• A historian named Minhaj-i Siraj found the concept of a queen ruling as contrary to the God's ideal societal order, where women were expected to be subordinate to men.
• It was he who said, "In the register of God's creation, since her account did not fall under the column of men, how did she gain from all of her excellent qualities?". His question implies that despite her commendable traits that might've made her a good ruler, he found it difficult to reconcile her queenship with the traditional societal norms around gender roles.
• Raziyya Sultan, however, was known for her effective leadership and political insight. She dismissed the notion of being excluded from ruling based on her gender and took reign confidently, demonstrating that women, given the opportunity, can be as effective as men in providing governance.

The correct option is 'Only A'.

Key Point

• Arches were constructed to transfer the weight of the superstructure.
• In the twelfth century, and even before, architects used arches in the construction of buildings and structures.
• The purpose of these arches was to evenly distribute the weight of the superstructure down into the foundation.
• Without an arch or similar feature, a structure might collapse under its own weight.
• This method of construction was prevalent in many ancient civilizations and was still dominant in the middle ages.
• The centre of the arch was called the base stone. 
• This is not correct.
• The highest point of an arch is not referred to as the 'base stone', but as the 'keystone'. The keystone is the last stone placed during the construction of an arch and it locks all the other stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight.
• This is a crucial component in the overall stability and strength of an arch.
• The base of an arch is typically where it meets the vertical support surface, such as a wall or column.

The correct option is 'Hunsgi'

Key Points

• Hunsgi is a prehistoric archaeological site located in India.
• It is considered one of the significant Palaeolithic sites because of its vast expanse of artifacts and preserved geological context.
• Moreover, Hunsgi is particularly noted for stone tool assemblages made of limestone and quartz in its excavation sites.
• The people of the Palaeolithic era used natural resources available in their local environment to make tools.
• Limestone, as a rock that fractures predictably, was used especially in areas where other resources, like flint or obsidian, were scarce.
• In the context of Hunsgi, the people living in this region chose to utilize limestone in creating their tools because of its availability and workability.
• Through such findings, researchers have been able to learn more about the survival strategies, skill sets, and lifestyle of early humans at these particular sites.

The correct option is ' Usually tax on crops was fixed at half of what was produced.

Key Points

• The tax on crops was not fixed at half of what was produced, but rather at 1/6^th of the produce. This was known as Bhaga or "share" .
• The practice of taking a sixth of the produce as taxation was a common one in the Mauryan period and likely persisted in some form throughout much of Indian history.

Additional Information

• The other options indeed correctly describe the system of taxes in the Mahajanapadas. For example, herders had to pay taxes in the form of animals and animal products, and hunters and gatherers were required to provide some part of their forest produce to the Raja.
• Goods that were bought and sold in trading were also taxed. These taxes were all ways the rulers generated revenue, and they give us insight into the economic activities and structure of the society at that time.