16th Finance Commission & Constitutional Mandate

Consider the following statements regarding the “16th Finance Commission”: It is constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution. The Commission is chaired by the current Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. It recommends measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of Panchayats and Municipalities. Which … Read more

UN CyberCrime Treaty: Scope & Secretariat

With reference to the “UN CyberCrime Treaty”, consider the following statements: It is the first universal legally binding framework for the collection and sharing of electronic evidence for serious offences. The treaty’s secretariat is hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It deals solely with financial cybercrimes and excludes offences related to online content. Which … Read more

Colonial Mindset, Education & Decolonisation in India

With reference to the “Colonial Mindset” and education in India, consider the following statements: Macaulay’s Minute of 1835 promoted education in Oriental languages like Sanskrit and Arabic at the expense of English. Mahatma Gandhi described India’s ancient education system as a “beautiful tree” that was uprooted by the British system. The renaming of Rajpath to … Read more

Anti-Defection Law & Indian Constitution (Tenth Schedule)

Consider the following statements regarding the “Anti-Defection Law” under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution: The law was introduced by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act. The Supreme Court in the Kihoto Hollohan case (1992) declared that the Speaker acts as a tribunal and their decisions are subject to judicial review. The law allows a … Read more

Supreme Court Directions on Tiger Reserves Protection

With reference to the recent Supreme Court directions for “Tiger Reserves” protection, consider the following statements: Tiger Safaris are completely banned in both core and buffer areas. Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) for all reserves must be notified by the State Governments under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Human-Wildlife Conflicts (HWCs) are to be treated as a … Read more