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Gender Justice and the Indian Constitution: The elimination of gender-based discriminations is one of the fundamentals of the constitutional edifice of India. In fact, the constitution empowers the state to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women for neutralizing the cumulative discriminations and deprecations’ which women face.

Fundamental Rights (Part III):

• Article 14 of the Constitution of India ensures to women the right to equality.
• Article 15(1) prohibits the State to discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.
• Article 15 (2) prohibits citizens on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to 
• access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and palaces of public entertainment;
• or the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.
• Article 15(3) empowered the state to make special provisions for the welfare of the women and children.
• Article 16 of the Constitution provides for equality of opportunity to all, in matters relating to public employment or appointment to any office and specifically forbids discrimination inter-alia on the ground of sex.
• These articles are all justiciable and form on the basis of our legal Constitutional history.

Hence, we conclude that the Right to Equality to Woman is ensured by ​Article 14.

The correct answer is Awadh.

Key Points

• Sir Henry Lawrence was a prominent British military officer and administrator who was appointed as the Chief Commissioner of Awadh (Oudh) in March 1857.
• He arrived in Lucknow just weeks before the outbreak of the Great Revolt of 1857, tasked with stabilizing the province after its controversial annexation by the British.
• Lawrence is best remembered for his leadership during the Siege of Lucknow; he anticipated the rebellion and moved the British population and loyal Indian troops into the fortified Lucknow Residency.
• His strategic foresight in stockpiling provisions and strengthening the defenses of the Residency complex is credited with the survival of the garrison during the prolonged siege.
• During the conflict, Lawrence was severely wounded by a fragment of an exploding shell on July 2, 1857, and succumbed to his injuries on July 4, 1857.

 Additional Information

• Awadh (Oudh):
• The province was formally annexed by Lord Dalhousie in 1856 on the grounds of maladministration by the then-ruler, Wajid Ali Shah.
• This annexation caused widespread resentment among the Taluqdars and the Bengal Army sepoys, many of whom hailed from this region, making it a major center of the 1857 uprising.
• Punjab:
• Before his posting in Awadh, Henry Lawrence served as the President of the Board of Administration in Punjab following its annexation in 1849.
• His brother, John Lawrence, was the Chief Commissioner of Punjab during the 1857 revolt and later became the Viceroy of India.
• Odisha and Maharashtra:
• While these regions saw localized disturbances, they were not the primary administrative focus of Henry Lawrence during the peak of the 1857 rebellion.

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8^th August 1942 during the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee. It was a mass protest demanding an end to British rule in India, often summarized by the slogan "Do or Die." The movement marked a significant step in India's struggle for independence.

• Panthi, one of the important dance form in Chattisgarh is the folk dance of Chattisgarh.
• It is mainly performed by the Satnami community of Chhattisgarh.
• Saila Dance, Karma, Sua Nacha, and Gendi are the other important folk dances of Chattisgarh

The correct answer is Northern India.

Key Points

• Kathak is a classical Indian dance form that originated in northern India and has a rich history that dates back several centuries.
• It is known for its graceful movements, intricate footwork, expressive gestures, and rhythmic patterns.
• Kathak dancers often perform storytelling through dance, depicting mythological tales, historical events, and emotions.
• Birju Maharaj, Sitara Devi, Uma Sharma etc are the famous personalities associated with this dance form.

Additional Information Eight classical dances of India and States:

The correct answer is Banas.

Key Points

• Banas river originates from the state of Rajasthan.
• The river originates from the Khamnor hills of the Aravali range near Kumbhalgarh.
• It is also known as 'Van ki Asha' (Hope of forest).
• It flows northeast through the Mewar region of Rajasthan and meets the Chambal near the village of Rameshwar in Sawai Madhopur district.
• Berach and Menali are the right bank tributaries of the Banas river.
• Kothari, Khari, Dai, Dheel River, Sohadara River, Morel, and Kalisil are the left bank tributaries of Banas river.​

Additional Information

• Chambal River
• It is the tributary of the Yamuna River.
• It rises in the Vindhyachal range South of Mhow, the western state of Madhya Pradesh.
• It flows from the north into the southeastern state of Rajasthan.
• It ends on the confluence of five rivers which includes the Chambal, Kwari, Yamuna, Sind, Pahuj, at Pachnada near Bhareh in Uttar Pradesh, at the border of Bhind and Etawah districts.
• Major Tributary - Kshipra, Kalisindh, Parvati, Bansa, Newaj, Kwari, Sindh, etc.
• Narmada River
• It originates from the Narmada Kund located in Amarkantak, Anuppur district in Madhya Pradesh.
• The major tributaries of the Narmada are Barna, Tawa, Kanar, Kolar, Man, Hatni, Uri, Shakkar, etc.
• It flows westwards before falling into the Gulf of Khambhat.
• The Narmada river is the longest river in Madhya Pradesh and it's called "The Lifeline of Madhya Pradesh".
• The waterfalls created by the Narmada River include Kapil Dhara and Dudh Dhara Falls (Anuppur), Dhuandhar Falls (Bhedaghat, Jabalpur), Sahasradhara Falls (Maheshwar, Khargone), Dardhi Falls, Manadhata Falls, etc.
• Mahi River
• It rises in Madhya Pradesh and, after flowing through the Vagad region of Rajasthan, enters Gujarat and flows into the Arabian Sea.
• It is one of Five west-flowing rivers in India, along with Tapti River, Sabarmati River, Luni River (Endorheic river) and the Narmada River.
• Tributaries- Som, Anas, and Panam.

The correct answer is Intoxicating liquors.

Key Points

• The seventh schedule of the Indian constitution deals with the division of powers between the central government and the state governments through three lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List.
• The Union List consists of subjects on which the central government has exclusive legislative authority.
• This means that only the Parliament of India can make laws regarding the items mentioned in the Union List.
• The Union List includes subjects of national importance or those that require uniform laws throughout the country.
• It encompasses areas such as defense, foreign affairs, atomic energy, railways, communication, and more.
• In this way, all the other options lie on the union list except intoxicating liquors.

​

Additional Information

• Union List:
• The Union List consists of around 100 items over which the central government has exclusive legislative authority, including defence, foreign affairs, atomic energy, banking, and telecommunications.
• The central government has the power to make laws, regulate, and govern the subjects mentioned in the Union List uniformly across all states and union territories in India.
• Items in the Union List ensure the central government's authority in critical areas such as national security, inter-state trade and commerce, currency, copyright, air and water pollution, and more.
• Any amendment to the Union List requires the approval of the Parliament through a prescribed legislative process, ensuring that changes to these subjects are made at the national level.
• State List:
• The State List consists of subjects over which state governments have exclusive legislative authority, including public order, police, public health, local government, agriculture, state taxation, and more.
• State governments exercise their legislative and executive powers to make laws, regulate, and govern the subjects mentioned in the State List within their respective states.
• Subjects in the State List allow state governments to address regional and local concerns, implement policies specific to their states, and ensure effective governance at the state level.
• Any amendment to the State List requires the approval of the state legislature concerned and does not require the consent of the Parliament, providing states with autonomy in making changes to these subjects.
• Concurrent List:
• The Concurrent List consists of subjects on which both the central government and state governments have the power to legislate, such as criminal law, marriage and divorce, bankruptcy and insolvency, education, forests, and more.
• Both the central and state governments can make laws, regulate, and govern the subjects mentioned in the Concurrent List simultaneously, subject to certain limitations and guidelines.
• In case of a conflict between central and state laws on Concurrent List subjects, the law made by the central government prevails, provided it receives the President's assent.
• Any amendment to the Concurrent List requires the approval of the Parliament, and state legislatures can also make laws on these subjects unless they conflict with existing central laws.

The correct answer is Charles Cornwallis.

Key Points

• Lord Cornwallis 
• Lord Cornwallis was the Governor-General of Bengal when the Permanent Settlement was introduced there in 1793.
• The permanent settlement is also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal.
• It was an agreement between the British East India Company and the Landlords of Bengal to fix the land revenue.
• Land revenue was the major source of income for the British in India.
• Permanent Settlement was one such land revenue system.
• It was first introduced in Bengal and Bihar and later it was introduced in Madras and Varanasi.
• This system was also known as the Zamindari system.
• He is known as the 'Father of Civil Services in India'.
• He created the post of District Judge.
• he was the first person to codify laws in 1793.

Additional Information 

• Warren Hastings
• First Governor-General of Bengal.
• He abolished the dual system of administration.
• Regulating Act of 1773 and Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
• Rohilla war in 1774.
• He established Supreme Court in Calcutta.
• He founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
• First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782) ended with the Treaty of Salbai.
• The second Anglo-Mysore war (1780-1784) ended with the Treaty of Mangalore.
• Sir John Macpherson
• Sir John Macpherson was a British administrator in India.
• He was the acting Governor-General of Bengal from 1785 to 1786.
• Sir John Shore
• He introduced the first Charter act of 1793.

The correct answer is Rangoon.

Key Points

• Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last ruler of the Mughal Dynasty, was proclaimed the symbolic leader of the Revolt of 1857 by the rebel Indian sepoys.
• After British forces successfully recaptured Delhi in September 1857, the emperor was apprehended by Major William Hodson at Humayun’s Tomb.
• Following his capture, he was tried at the Red Fort for his involvement in the uprising and was subsequently convicted of treason and conspiracy against the British Crown.
• In 1858, the British authorities exiled him to Rangoon (modern-day Yangon) in Burma (now Myanmar), effectively terminating the Mughal Empire.
• He remained in confinement in Rangoon until his death on November 7, 1862, at the age of 87, and was buried there.

 Additional Information

• Andaman Islands:
• These islands became infamous for the Cellular Jail (Kala Pani), where the British exiled many political prisoners, including V.D. Savarkar, but it was not used for the last Mughal Emperor.
• Dhaka:
• A prominent city in the Bengal Presidency, Dhaka was an important administrative and manufacturing center but did not serve as a place of exile for Bahadur Shah Zafar.
• Shanghai:
• A major port in China, Shanghai was a site of British commercial interest following the Opium Wars, but it had no historical involvement in the detention of leaders from the 1857 revolt.
• Poetic Legacy:
• An accomplished Urdu poet, Zafar composed many verses expressing his grief and longing for his homeland during his years of exile in Burma.

The correct answer is 226.

Key Points 

• Under Article 226, a writ petition can be filed in a High court for issuing one of the five writs as per the case.
• A High Court is empowered to issue directions, orders, or writs for the enforcement of a Fundamental Right and for any other purpose those include:
• Habeas corpus
• Mandamus
• Prohibition
• Quo warranto
• Certiorari.
• The Supreme Court is considered the protector and guarantor of fundamental rights(Article 32).

Additional Information

• Article 32  of the Indian Constitution has been described as the ‘heart and soul’ of the Indian Constitution by Dr B. R. Ambedkar.
• It gives a citizen the right to approach the Supreme Court to get resorted to any of the fundamental rights in case of their violation.
• It is also known as the Right to Constitutional Remedies.