Polity MCQs for Prelims - 26 May 2025

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Official Secrets Act, consider the following statements:

1. The act has its roots in the British colonial era.

2. The original version was the Indian Official Secrets Act was brought in with the main objective of muzzling newspapers opposing the Raj’s policies.

3. Section 3 deals with ‘penalties for spying’, and under the ambit is anyone who, “for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans C

Explanation

— Jyoti Rani, a Haryana-based travel blogger, was detained on May 16 for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agents during Operation Sindoor. Rani was charged under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

— The Official Secrets Act of 1923 has its roots in the British colonial era. The first version was the Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), which was enacted in 1889 with the primary goal of silencing newspapers that opposed the Raj’s policies. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— During Lord Curzon’s tenure as Viceroy of India, it was updated and strengthened to become the Indian Official Secrets Act of 1904. In 1923, a newer version was announced.

— Section 3 deals with ‘penalties for spying’, and under the ambit is anyone who, “for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State, approaches, inspects, passes over or is in the vicinity of, or enters, any prohibited place; or makes any sketch, plan, model, or note which is calculated to be or might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy; or obtains, collects, records or publishes or communicates to any other person any secret official code or password, or any sketch, plan, model, article or note or other document or information” that could be useful to an enemy. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Such an offence is “punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend, where the offence is committed in relation to any work of defence, arsenal, naval, military or air force establishment or station, mine, minefield, factory, dockyard, camp, ship or aircraft or otherwise in relation to the naval, military or air force affairs of Government or in relation to any secret official code, to fourteen years and in other cases to three years.”

QUESTION 2

With reference to the PM SHRI scheme, consider the following statements:

1. It is a scheme under the Union Ministry of School Education and Literacy.

2. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

3. It aims to transform only the primary schools and not higher secondary schools.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans A

Explanation

— The Kerala government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against the Centre’s decision to withhold the release of Rs 1,500 crore to the state under various centrally sponsored education schemes.

— PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) is an initiative run by the Union Ministry of School Education and Literacy. It intends to improve over 14,500 existing schools across the country, transforming them into model institutions that exemplify the spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to a September 2022 press release from the Centre, the initiative “is to be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total project cost of Rs 27360 crore, including a central share of Rs 18128 crore for the period of five years from year 2022-23 to 2026-27.” States will bear 40% of the project costs, as with any other Centre scheme. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— So far, 12,400 schools from primary to higher secondary levels in 670 districts around the country have joined the scheme. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— However, the scheme excludes schools run by state bodies in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. This is because these states have declined to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Union School Education Ministry to carry out the PM SHRI plan.

— The Kerala government claims to have already implemented many parts of the PM SHRI plan. On the infrastructure front, Kerala schools, both government and aided, have achieved significant development over the last nine years.

QUESTION 3

In order to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be a citizen of India and must have been:

1. for at least five years, a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession

2. an Advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession for at least 10 years

3. in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans D

Explanation

— Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai takes oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), becoming only the second Dalit in the history of the republic to rise to the very top of the Indian judiciary.

— The Supreme Court of India comprises the Chief Justice and 33 other Judges appointed by the President of India. Supreme Court Judges retire upon attaining the age of 65 years.

— To be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be a citizen of India and have served as a Judge of a High Court or two or more such Courts in succession for at least five years, or as an Advocate of a High Court or two or more such Courts in succession for at least ten years, or be considered a distinguished jurist by the President.

— There are provisions in place to appoint a High Court Judge as an Ad-hoc Judge of the Supreme Court, as well as to allow retired Supreme Court or High Court Judges to sit and act as Judges of that Court.

QUESTION 4

According to Article 201 of the Constitution of India, when a Bill is reserved by a Governor for the consideration of the President, the President can:

1. either gives assent to the Bill or can withhold assent

2. can direct the Governor to return the Bill to the House in case of a Money Bill

3. When a Bill is so returned, the House or Houses shall reconsider it accordingly within a period of one month from the date of receipt of such message.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans C

Explanation

— When a Bill is reserved by a Governor for the consideration of the President, the President shall declare either that he assents to the Bill or that he withholds assent therefrom: Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Provided that, where the Bill is not a Money Bill, the President may direct the Governor to return the Bill to the House or, as the case may be, the Houses of the Legislature of the State together with such a message as is mentioned in the first proviso to article 200; and, when a Bill is so returned, the House or Houses shall reconsider it accordingly within a period of six months from the date of receipt of such message; and, if it is again passed by the House or Houses. Hence, statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for the protection of monuments and places, and objects of national importance?

(a) Article 39

(b) Article 47

(c) Article 51-A

(d) Article 49

Ans D

Explanation

— Article 49 of the Constitution of India provides for the protection of monuments and places, and objects of national importance.

— It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, to be of national importance, from spoliation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.