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IAS Prelims Magic 2014
(English)
IAS Prelims Magic 2014
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 CONTENT
1. Foreword - About the Book ... 4
2. Come, You Too Can Become an IAS Officer! ... 5
3. Success Strategies of Toppers ... 14
4. Develop a Burning Desire to Become an IAS Officer ... 19
5. How to Attract To Yourself the Things You Desire ... 22
6. How to Prepare For Exam ... 25
7. Secrets of Getting More Marks in Exams ... 26
8. Score Raising Strategies. ... 28
9. How to Control Exam Anxiety? ... 29
10. How to approach the Prelims Papers ... 31
11. 12 Strategies to Tackle Objective Type Questions ... 34
12. Types of Questions Asked In the Civil Service Exam ... 35
13. A Master Plan to Study Smarter ... 37
14. Test Results - A Self Analysis- Record of Merit ... 64
15. Indian History ... 67
16. Geography ... 259
17. Indian Polity and Governance ... 397
18. Economy ... 541
19. Environmental Ecology ... 731
20. General Science + Science & Technology ... 817
21. Prelims 2011, 2012 and 2013 Solved Question Papers ... 973

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 Get Ready…
To become a Super Winner
Here are those powerful secrets of Success.
I Read it carefully,
And Practice them…
N Success will flow on you in abundance!!!
All the Best!
T
R
O

What is the first advice any IAS Topper gives you on Civil Services Exam Preparation? “Go through
question papers of the last 15 years.” But when you go through the last 15 years’ question papers, you
will find that: NOT A SINGLE QUESTION HAS BEEN REPEATED!! Then what is the big idea
behind the advice of “refer all previous questions”?
The simple fact is that, 60-70% of the questions asked in the civil services exam are related to questions
asked over the previous years. Therefore one booster strategy is learning all topics related to the questions
About this Book

asked in the previous years.

Here’s the relevance of Prelims Magic 2014. In this book, you will find questions asked over the last
15+ years’ Civil Services Exams (GS) plus information required to answer 10-25 related questions. In
2009 Prelims, this strategy worked like magic and 118 out of 150 questions were asked from it. In
2010, 2011,2012 and 2013 Prelims also it worked very well when 79% questions on an average, were
asked from the Prelims Magic.

4 Prelims Magic 2014

 Come, you too can become
an IAS Officer!
You are a candidate, who wishes to If your answer is “YES, I want to
I
work hard and be an IAS Officer. become an IAS Officer”, tell this Programme your Mind
Isn’t it?
Yes, your very decision to apply for
affirmation statement 10 times in
your mind or read it 10 times. While
to Attract Success!! N
the Civil Service Exam 2014 and reading this statement give your
start reading this Prelims Magic
2014 is the proof of your strong
utmost sincerity in the words you
read, and believe that you already
You might not be a hundred percent
success in the past, but chances
are excellent that in this book you
T
desire to become an IAS Officer. achieved the results. The
Well, you’re about to discover, the
SUPER WINNING FORMULA,
affirmation statement is:
“I have decided to become an IAS
would find an excellent formula
exclusively designed for you, that
can make you a super successful
R
which will change your life forever! Officer, and I will dedicate my whole
Imagine… It’s one or two years
from now and you have everything
time from this moment for achieving
this aim. I will prepare hard for the
person.
The powerful techniques mentioned
in this book cannot be absorbed by
O
you want. Try to visualize yourself Civil Service Exam and I will pass
the prelims, main and the interview casual reading or by gulping the
working as an IAS Officer. Or if
sessions with flying colours.” whole book down in one reading, it
your aim is becoming an IPS Officer,
This affirmation has generated should be read slowly and carefully.
visualize yourself in that royal police
miracles for many candidates in the Content of this book is classified
uniform and receiving salutes from
last three years and it will work into 2 sections. First section deals
your subordinate staff.
wonders for you too. Yes, becoming with programming of your mind to
Believe me… you are going to
an IAS officer is no more a big attr act success and success
achieve this; you can achieve it
challenge for you, because you have mantras for sure success in civil
much sooner than you think. All you
taken that strong decision- the service exam. Second section
need to do is just follow and learn to
decision to work hard and become gives you syllabus based material
use the simple techniques given in
an IAS Officer. for the forthcoming preliminary
this magic study material.
Prelims Magic 2014 will help you (GS) exam.
The simple fact that you are reading
achieve your aim faster and easier Maintain a spirit of open
this material indicates that you want
than you expect. This is a mindedness, while reading this
to become an IAS Officer. This
concentrated, easy to follow guide book, and remember that the
refresher material can enable you
that will take you step by step powerful techniques given in this
to achieve that.
through how to develop self book are the invention of no one
This book lists the ingredients – the
confidence, how to attract success man. These techniques have
principles – you will need to follow
and distract failure how to plan your worked for many persons. You can
to become a super winner and gives
time, and all other powerful put them to work for your own
you the recipe for mixing them in
techniques which require to make enduring benefit. You will find it
the correct proportion.
you a super winner. Plus what are easy, not hard to follow.
Above all, this is a powerful help
all the questions you can expect in As you read this book believe what
book that will take you from
the forthcoming examination. you read, because it is true, then
dreaming about becoming an IAS
The powerful steps set down here start working on the practical
officer to actually become an IAS
are not untested theories. They are suggestions the book contains….
officer.
proven approaches to life’s and you will have a never before
Whoever you are, wherever you
situations, and they are universally experience that produce.
are, whatever your past
applicable steps that work and work If you read this book thoughtfully,
performance in life was … you can
like magic. During the last few carefully absorbing its teachings,
be changed in the next few days.
year s, this book has helped and if you persistently practice the
Before proceeding further, please
thousands of candidates achieve principles set forth herein, you can
tell me, “Are you really wanted to
their dream of becoming an IAS experience an amazing
become an IAS Officer?”
Officer. improvement within yourself. By

Prelims Magic 2014 5

 mastering these principles you will
enjoy a delightful new sense of well
being.
The most important prerequisite in
the process of becoming an IAS
Officer is, to programme your mind
to attract success. This is very
I important because if your mind is
not properly programmed, success
will not be attracted to it.
N Over the years of observing persons
who attained excellent success in
life’s situations, it was concluded,
T based on factual knowledge, that
persons who are success conscious
inevitably attract positive and
R powerful results.
You too can become a success
conscious person and attract
O success in abundance. This book
will help all those who seek to learn
the art of changing their minds from
failure conscious to success
conscious. If you can follow the
powerful secrets given in this book
thoroughly, you will become like a
powerful magnet, which attracts
SUCCESS and only SUCCESS.
Get ready… to become a powerful
magnet… Here are those powerful
secr ets of success. Read it
carefully, and make a conscious
effort to pr actice them…
SUCCESS will flow on you in
abundance!!! All the best.
POWERFULSECRET#1
Awaken the Sleeping Energy within you
The first and foremost secret of
success is to awaken the sleeping
giant within you. Yes, there is a
powerful giant sleeping within you.
This giant is capable of doing
anything for you. You might have
heard of the real life story of a man
who lifts a heavy wrecked car to
free a trapped driver or a woman
who swims a mile from capsized
boat, towing her child to
safety…from where does such
enormous energy comes from?
Believe me, such strength come
from the sleeping giant-the hidden
dynamo of the unconscious mind.
That is where mental energy comes
from, too! Successful people are
6 Prelims Magic 2014
those who have managed to keep
awakened this sleeping energy
within them. But how do you keep
awaken sleeping energy within you?
If any one had a clear answer to
that, the world would have been a
very different place. But
Psychologists have a suggestion: set
out of your own shadow!
It means, look deeply in to your
mind. Amazing wonders exist there.
What ever your situation may be,
you can improve it.
First quieten your mind so that
inspiration may rise from its depth.
Believe that God is now helping you.
Visualize achievement; hold firmly
in your mind a picture not of failure
but of success.
Do these things and creative
thoughts will flow freely from your
mind? This is an amazing
phenomenon, one that changes
anybody’s life including your own.
An inflow of new thoughts can
remodel you regardless of every
difficulty you may now face.
Stop focusing on your faults and
shortcomings, and give yourself
credit for a few virtues now and
then.
You’d be surprised to know how
many people tell that they’re no
good, that they’re hopeless
failures. These people need to be
kind to them, because very often
self-kindedness reduces the feelings
of guilt and inferiority that are
blocking the flow of power from the
unconscious.
Forget about all your shortcomings,
all weaknesses, your past,
everything. Let’s start our life
afresh with more confidence in our
plus points. Here are some practical
steps you can do to awaken the
sleeping energy within you:
Visualise your success : Sit down
and think about what you want to
do successfully. See it in your mind,
as if it was a real experience and
really concentrate on it.
Don’t build obstacles in your
mind : Consider what are the
obstacles that might block your path
to success. List everyone you can
think of. As some obstacles will be
real, others will only be imaginary.
You must conquer both.
Be motivated by the fear of
failures : Use such anxieties
positively by saying to yourself
things like, “I know this is difficult
but I can do it if I try properly”…
Think positively : Think
positively, Act positively, imagine
positively, pray positively and
believe positively…..and powerful
results will be yours.
Talk success to yourself :
Develop the habit of giving yourself
positive self-talk. Say like ‘
I can handle it’,
‘I can do it’,
‘I am good at study’,
‘I have a good personality’, etc…
Be experimental :
experimental person. Try new
Be an
approaches to everything. Do not
follow the path of others blindly.
Create your own way to goals.
Begin perform with a new
thought : Each day before you
begin your perfor m, devote 5
minutes to thinking “How can I
perform better today?” “How
can I improve my personal
efficiency?” This exercise is
simple, but it works. Try it and you
will find unlimited creative ways to
win greater success.
Asking yourself questions like this
puts your mind to work to find
intelligent shortcuts. When you
really believe you can do more, your
mind thinks creatively and shows
you the way.
POWERFULSECRET#2
Turn your Goals into Realities
Goal setting is a very powerful
technique that can yield strong
returns in all areas of your life.
Without a specific goal you cannot
achieve anything. Lots of persons
get nowhere, simply because they
do not know where they want to go.
They have no clear-cut, precisely
defined goals. You cannot expect
the best if you think aimlessly.
By setting goals you can:
# Achieve more
# Increase your motivation to
achieve
# Increase your pride and
satisfaction in your achievements
# Improve your self-confidence
# Plan to eliminate attitudes that hold
you back and cause unhappiness
# Goal setting is an important
method of:
# Deciding what is important for you
to achieve in your life
# Separating what is irrelevant from
what is important
# Motivating yourself to
achievement
# Building your self-confidence
based on measured achievement of
goals
# You should allow yourself to enjoy
the achievement of goals and reward
yourself appropriately. Draw lessons
where appropriate, and feed these
back into future performance. If you
have not set goals already, now is a
great time to start! You know well,
that setting goals will help you
achieve more and add excitement
to life. But setting a goal is only the
beginning. We often fail to follow
through, and our goals turn into
unfulfilled day dreams.
# Decide what you want to achieve.
Determine exactly what you want.
Be specific. Be sure your goal is
measurable, so you can tell when
you are making progress. Be sure it
is realistically achievable.
# Ask yourself why it is important
for you to achieve this goal? How
you will benefit from reaching this
goal? Knowing why you want
something raises your level of
motivation. The higher your
motivation level, the more likely you
are to act on your goal. Highly
motivated people are more likely to
make any sacrifice necessary to
reach their goal.
# Develop a DESIRE to achieve
the goal. The desire must be intense.
How do you intensify desire? Sit
down and write out all the benefits
and advantages of achieving your
goal. Once the list goes between 50
and 100 your goal becomes
unstoppable.
# Write your goal down. Once it
goes into writing, it becomes
substantial and starts etching itself
into your subconscious. You will
then begin to crystallize your
thinking. The very act of thinking as
you write will have a tendency to
create an indelible impression in your
memory.
# Set a deadline for your goal.
Analyze where you are now in
relation to the goal and then measure
how much time will reasonably need
to complete the goal. Then set the
latest outside date. This is important
in motivating you: set out in the
direction of your goal and keep
moving towards it.
# Identify 1) the obstacles you will
need to overcome, 2) the help you
will need to acquire, e.g. knowledge,
people, organizations. In each case
write them out in a clear list and
analyse them.
# Take all the details of above steps
and make a plan. List all the
activities and prioritize them.
Rewrite the list, optimize it, and
perfect it. Write out a detailed action
plan for achieving your goal. What
are the priorities involved? Which
task must be done first? When will
different actions take place?
# Get a clear mental picture of the
goal already accomplished. Make
the mental image crystal clear, vivid
in the mind’s eye. Play that picture
over and over in your mind.
# Back your plan with persistence
and resolve. Never, never, never
give up even when you hit setbacks.
Follow these steps religiously and
you will be a high achiever.
POWERFUL SECRET #3
Be a Positive Thinker
Positive thinking is one of the most
important things you need to
practice throughout your life. The
only problem is that a lot of people
think, they know what positive
thinking is – but instead really
practice wishful thinking.
Here’s the difference. Wishful
thinking is saying something like, “I
know things will get better. I’m
Prelims Magic 2014
sure I’ll become an IAS Officer.
Things will work out in the end.
Eventually I’ll meet someone I
really like. I just have to keep
trying. I’m bound to work hard –
I just know it”. These are all
examples of wishful thinking!
Positive thinking is more than just
something you do when things go
wrong or when you try to correct a
I
situation. Positive thinking is a way
of living; it is a practice that you
need to incorporate into your daily
N
life if you have any intentions of
changing things or accomplishing
your goals.
T
Positive thinking requires that you
get rid of all your negative thought
patterns and create a new belief
R
system.
The way we think has an impact on
the way we act. For instance, if we
O
believe that a task is too difficult or
onerous we will not attempt it, or
only give it half our attention.
Whereas if we believe something is
achievable we are likely to give it
our best shot.
When working with depressed
people or people with very low self-
esteem we often find they are
continually telling themselves, they
are not good enough or are a failure
in whatever they do. The more
often they tell themselves they are
not good enough the more often
they will find examples to reinforce
this belief. Even when they might
have done something well, they will
‘punish’ themselves by saying, I
could have done better, so
therefore I am not good enough.
This results in a never-ending spiral
downwards.
Even people who say they are
unlucky can have the same
experience, their expectation to
always lose or be unlucky becomes
a self-fulfilling prophesy. The
negativity in which people surround
themselves has an effect on all
aspects of their lives.
It works the same way with happy
or lucky people. They have faith in
themselves and look for the good
whatever happens.
7
 So if it works for lucky or happy
people it can work for the rest of
us. The power of positive thinking
really works. It surrounds you with
positive energy, which has an effect
on the things, and people you come
into contact with. You must have
I experienced feeling down and
meeting someone who is feeling
good about themselves and the
N positive feeling rubbing off on you,
even if it is only for a short while.
The number one priority in becoming
T a positive thinker is desire. You must
want to be a positive person so
intensely that you determine to start
R at once the process of change in
yourself. And, if you believe you can
change from negative to positive,
O you will do so. You’ll be surprised
at how contagious a positive attitude
can be. If thinking positive thoughts
becomes a habit with you, you’ll
find that the things you say
spontaneously will also be positive.
Here are some ver y effective
Suggestions for building positive
attitude:
# Make a positive commitment to
yourself, to learning, work, family
friends, nature, and other
worthwhile causes. Praise yourself
and others. Dream of success. Be
enthusiastic.
# Keep your mind focused on
important things. Set goals and
priorities for what you think and do.
Visualize to practise your actions.
Develop a strategy for dealing with
problems. Learn to relax. Enjoy
successes. Be honest with yourself.
# Be courageous. Change and
improve each day. Do your best and
don’t look back. See learning and
change as opportunities. Try new
things. Consider several options.
Meet new people. Ask lots of
questions. Keep track of your
mental and physical health. Be
optimistic.
Always, look for positive people to
associate with. In every lecture, look
for one more interesting idea. In
ever y chapter, find one more
concept important to you. With
every friend, explain a new idea
8 Prelims Magic 2014
you’ve just learned. With every
teacher, ask a question. With
yourself, keep a list of your goals,
positive thoughts and actions.
Remember, you are what you think,
you feel what you want.
# Focus on what is right in a person
or situation, instead of looking for
what is wrong. Believe that there is
something positive in every person
and every situation.
# Positive thinkers are winners who
recognise their limitations but focus
on their strengths. Negative thinkers
on the other hand, recognize their
strengths but focus on their
weaknesses.
# If you want to build a positive
attitude learn the phrase, ‘Do it now’
and stop the habit of procrastination.
# Be a front seater. Sitting up front
makes you positive. Practice it from
now on, make it a rule to sit as close
to the front as you can – in class
rooms and other kinds of assemblies
# Make your eyes work for you.
Practise making eye contact. Aim
them right at the other person’s
eyes. It not only makes you positive,
it wins you confidence too.
# Reform your walking style. Walk
faster. Throw your shoulders back,
lift up your head, move ahead just a
little faster and feel you grow
positive.
# A big smile gives you positive
attitude. A real smile melts away
opposition of others – and instantly
too harness the power of smiling.
# Use the big thinkers’ vocabulary.
Use words that promise victory,
hope… Avoid words that create
unpleasant images of failure, defeat,
grief,etc.
# Think above trivial things. Focus
your attention on big objectives.
Before getting involved in a petty
matter, ask yourself, is it really
important?
# Be sure your appearance says
positive things about you. Never
leave home without feeling certain
that you look like the kind of person
you want to be. Dress right, it
always pays.
# To be a 100% positive minded, you
have got to feel like you’re on top.
Give yourself a pep talk and discover
how much bigger and stronger you
feel. You need to realise that you are
a first class person. You need honest
sincere belief in yourself.
# Upgrade your thinking. Think like
top scorers think. Upgrading your
thinking upgrades your actions and
this produces success.
# Prolonged associations with
positive minded people make us
think positively. Don’t let negative
thinkers pull you down to their level.
Develop a defense against people
who want to convince you that you
cannot do it. Accept negative
advice only as a challenge to prove
that you can do it.
# You must be willing to accept
criticism.
You must learn to listen to the advice
of experts. No matter how
competent we think we are in a
certain job, we can always find a
reason for improvement.
# Start each day of your life, by
looking in the mirror and saying “I
am 100% positive, Now I am a
successful person, Today I am
going to do my very best at
whatever I do”. Then proceed to
do exactly that. At the end of the
day, if you can again look yourself
directly in the eye and say,
“today I did my best”, you will be
number one.
# When you feel defeated, convince
your mind that, it is not possible to
achieve lar ge success without
hardship and setbacks. But it is
possible to live the rest of your life
without defeat. Regard the setback
as a lesson. Learn from it. Research
it. Use it to propel yourself forward.
Salvage something from every
setback. Blend persistence with
experimentation. Back off and start
afresh with a new approach.
# If you are having trouble
developing a positive attitude,
practise thinking out what you’d say
to your sister or your best friend if
they were telling you about their
negative thoughts. How would you
cheer someone else up? You
deserve to spend at least as much
energy doing this for yourself.
# Make it a habit, practising all
positive affirmations. Some of the
positive affirmations to start with
are:
# In every day in every way I am
getting better and better
# My memory is excellent
# I am a worthwhile and loveable
person as I am
# All my teachers are good and
they will like me.
# I am an attractive person, I like
myself
# People love me for who I am
# There is no limit to how good I
can feel
# I deserve the best
# I can achieve my goals
# I will be on the top in the next
interview.
# I can find the good within me
and express it freely
# I am letting go of the past, and
reaching for the future
# I am attracting more and more
love/joy into my life
# Today will be full of exciting
opportunities
When you become accomplished at
believing these, it is easier to think
up lots more of your own. In the
beginning it will feel unr eal,
unbelievable and phoney. By
practising and repeating these
positive thoughts (or affirmations)
they will become more believable
and become integrated into the way
you think, therefore producing
positive energy with the results of
more positive things beginning to
happen around you. Even in
apparently bad situations it is always
possible to find something positive
to take from it, even if it is only the
learning not to do it again.
POWERFULSECRET #4
Control your time
Time is precious. To waste your time
is to waste your life. Successful
persons control their time and set
clear goals for themselves. They
know what they want to achieve and
plan so as to get there.
One of the most important routes
to being successful in your efforts
to become an IAS Officer is
effective use of your time. As a
person you need to find the right
balance between relaxation and
perform periods. Your performing
time is partly fixed already with
regular classes. These fixed times
form a framework for the whole
session within which you can
organize your perform time.
You should make a note of all the
fixed dates in your yearly time table
so that you can plan your tasks for
the year into perspective.
Time Management
# Be realistic.
# Work out what time you have
available for perform, take out time
for sleeping, eating, recreation, etc.
# Try to plan ahead – do not leave
everything to the last minute,
remember assignments need
research, so start early.
# Prioritize – do the one that really
needs to be done first.
# Br eak large tasks into
manageable sub-tasks and set target
dates against each sub-task e.g. for
an assignment; research evaluation,
draft copy, final copy.
# Keep a wall planner chart.
# Try doing the most difficult things
when you feel at your best.
# Remember the unexpected
always happens, so be flexible –
don’t get angry when plans have to
change.
POWERFULSECRET#5
Stop Procrastination
Procrastination means putting off
for doing later. We often try to side
step unpleasant things by putting
them off. One great phrase to
remember is “Don’t think, just do
it. Do it now”. As you say this to
yourself, push yourself in to action.
# The general principles of
conquering the procrastination
enemy are: Creating good feelings
about completing work, Providing a
sense of accomplishment and
Showing results in short time period.
# Divide the large tasks into
Prelims Magic 2014
small pieces, listing small steps to
be done. Make each step something
you can accomplish in a relatively
short time period (eg. 15 minutes).
Make the results measurable so that
you can see your progress. For
example, if a long reading
assignment intimidates you, break it
into 3-page sections, and then cross
off each section as you complete it.
I
# Adopt a ‘bits and pieces’
approach. Anything is better than
nothing. Often when you get going
N
on a task, you become interested or
feel good about doing it. Use bits of
time to review and memorize; carry
T
perform cards with you,
# Reward small tasks after you
do them. Small treats provide a
R
sense of feeling good about your
work
# Make list of tasks to be done:
O
Set priorities and cross off what is
completed. Feel a sense of
accomplishment from crossing off
tasks done. You will have no
decision to make about “what should
I do now?” Keep a calendar of due
dates.
# Monitor your time (keep a list
of how you spend your time):
Sometimes you feel like you have
done nothing but work when you
really have only been thinking about
it or preparing for it (getting together
the equipment you think you’ll need
or preparing a cup of tea before you
start, etc.). Often we believe a task
will take much longer than it really
does and so believe it to be worse
than it is.
# Work with a colleague or a
friend on similar tasks.
Performing together, even if
focusing on different subjects,
motivates you to work.
# Avoid feeling guilty. Feeling
guilty is a waste of time; do
something active instead of blaming
self for not doing what you should,
plan to do it or something else that
will give you a sense of
accomplishment.
# Tell others of your plans.
Letting someone know that your
plan to do something makes you feel
you should do it.
9
 # Write an intention statement.
Write down a task that you have to
accomplish on a card and carry it
around with you or place it in a
position in your perform area where
you will see it often.
# Write down the pros and cons
I of doing/not doing a job. This can
motivate you to do it.
# Establish how meaningful the
N task is. List the benefits of
completing the task. Relate the task
to your goals. This can motivate you
T to get going.
# Do it now. The minute you notice
yourself procrastinating, plunge into
the task. Imagine yourself at a
R mountain lake, poised to dive.
Gradual immersion would be slow
torture. It’s often less painful to leap!
O POWERFULSECRET#6
Clean up your mind and do Wonders
The presence of any one or more
of the destructive emotions in the
human mind, through the chemistry
of the mind, sets up a poison, which
may destroy one’s chances for
success. You become successful to
the degree to which the mind thinks
success thoughts and the mind is
morally clean. A clean mind actually
sends continuing trends of positive
waves.
Generations ago Plato wr ote:
“Neither should we ever attempt to
cure the body without curing the
mind”. Modern thinkers are just
now realizing the sound thinking of
this wise philosopher of ancient
time. A clean mind can do wonders.
You can, too, clean up your mind and
do wonders in your attempts to
become an IAS Officer. Here are
some poisonous attitudes that has to
be cleaned up at any cost:
# Greed: Needs can be satisfied but
greed cannot. It is a cancer of the
mind. Greed destroys relationship.
The way out of greed is to learn to
live within your means and be
satisfied. Being contented does not
mean lacking ambition.
# Ego: Ego is negative pride
resulting in arrogance. To an
egocentric person, the world begins,
end and revolves around him.
10 Prelims Magic 2014
# Selfishness is negative and
destructive. It is based on negative
values.
# Jealous: Jealousy people never
get ahead in life and prevent others
from succeeding.
# Dishonesty: There is no
substitute for honesty. One may be
temporarily dishonest by force of
circumstances over which one has
no control, without permanent
damage. But there is no hope for
the person who is dishonest by
choice. Sooner or later, his deeds
will catch up with him, and he will
pay by loss of reputation, and
perhaps even loss of liberty.
#Gossip: Gossip is just negative
conversation about people. He
seems to get a form of poisoned joy
from talking negatively about others,
not knowing that to successful
people he is becoming increasingly
unlikable, and unreliable. Avoid
gossip. Talk about people but stay
on the positive side.
#Hate: Hating people are like
burning down your own house to
get rid of a rat.
When we carry hate for other
people it is totally self–defeating.
When your mind is free and clear
of hate, you can do much better in
anything that you have to do. If you
hate a particular person, take the
action as given below:
Today I will free my mind of hate
by forgiving and asking
forgiveness of a person with whom
I have had a dispute. That person
is Mr…………
#Anger: Whenever you are angry
or anxious and find yourself wanting
to break in, take a sip of water or
consciously fold your hands and
smile or count from one to ten. You
may find that such simple steps help
you control the situation.
As a perform shows, sometimes the
best thing you can do about anger
is nothing. Let it go, and it will often
turn out to be important and quickly
forgotten. Keeping quiet also gives
you time to cool down and decide if
the matter is worth discussing.
# Blame: When you blame others
for your lack of happiness or failure
you give up your ability to heal
yourself from sickness and
unhappiness. Blame prevents you
from taking responsibility for your
life and affirms that you are
powerless.
As long as we make someone or
any circumstance the reason we are
not successful, we block our ability
to create that success.
Forgiveness is letting go of our
tendency to hold others responsible
for our plight in this world. If
someone hurts you, forgiveness
means letting go of the hurt, it does
not mean going back get hurt again.
To love someone does not mean that
we should in any way allow that
person to hurt us again. We must
be practical in making any future
decision to relate or work with this
person.
POWERFULSECRET#7
Do not allow worry to destroy you
Worry is an unhealthy and
destructive mental habit. You were
not born with the worry habit but
you acquired it.
Psychologists tell us that 40% of our
worries will never happen and that
30% have already happened. An
additional 12% of our worries are
over unfounded health concerns;
10% more involve the daily
miscellaneous fretting that
accomplishes absolutely nothing. In
other words, those who perform the
field of worry have discovered that
we are worrying 92% of the time
for no good reason.
Scientists think that activities like
walking, jogging, swimming and
bicycling - may boost your self-
confidence, improve your sense of
well-being and heighten your energy.
And by helping you relax, it can
reduce the tension and anxiety
If you have a problem, then what to
do? Worry is not an answer.
Because every time you meet a
problem and tackle
and conquer it with positive mental
attitude, you become better, bigger
and a more successful person.
Everyone has problems. This is
because you and everything in
universe are in constant process of
change. When you are faced with
a problem that needs a solution,
regardless of how perplexing it may
be:
# Ask for Divine guidance. Ask for
help in finding the right solution.
# Engage in thinking time for the
purpose of solving your problems.
# State the problem. Analyze and
define it.
# State to yourself enthusiastically,
“that’s good”
# Ask yourself some specific
questions, such as:
a) What’s good about it?
b) How can I turn this adversity
into a seed of equivalent or
greater benefit?
# Keep searching for answers to
these questions until you find atleast
one answer that can work.
Norman Vincent Peale has
suggested a practical method to
conquer worry: Practice emptying
the mind daily. This should be done
preferably before retiring at night.
Conceive of yourself as actually
emptying your mind of all anxiety
and fear. Repeat the following
affirmation: “With God’s help I am
now emptying my mind of all
worries”. Repeat this slowly five
times, and then add, “I believe that
my mind is now emptied of all
worries”. Repeat this statements
five times, meanwhile holding a
mental picture of your mind as
being emptied of these concepts.
Then thank God for thus freeing you
from worry. Then go to sleep.
Faithfully perform this process and
you will soon note beneficial results.
POWERFULSECRET#8
Conquer Fear
A person whose mind is filled with
fear not only destroys his own
chances of intelligent action, but he
transmutes these destructive
vibrations to the minds of all who
come into contact with him and also
destroy their chances. It is said that,
indecision is the seedling of fear!
Indecision crystallizes into doubt, the
two blended and become fear.
To live in fear is like being in an
emotional prison. If you have fear
on something or the other, it will
definitely affect your perform.
Whenever you start performing, the
fear will come in front of you as a
block. It will affect your
concentration, memory… and
ultimately your exam result too. To
be a successful person you must
fight and conquer fear. There are
number of fear fighters you can use
to do this:
# Emerson said, “ Do the things
you fear and the death of fear is
certain.” Use action to cure fear
and gain confidence. Action feeds
and strengthens confidence;
inaction in all forms feeds fear. To
fight fear, act. To increase fear, wait,
put off, postpone.
Take a strong affirmation:
“ Today I will overcome my fear
by taking action on the things I
fear”.
Action cures fear. Indecision,
postponement on the other hand
fertilize fear.
# Talk openly with a good friend or
a teacher.
# Don’t be anxious about tomorrow.
# When you face a problem, ask
yourself, “ What is the worst that
can possibly happen, if I can’t
solve my problem?” The answer
is never as bad as you fear.
#Isolate your fear. Pin it down.
Determine exactly what you are
afraid of. Then take action.
Hesitation only magnifies the fear.
Take action promptly. Look at the
pros and cons of the action. If you
are making a decision write down
the pros and cons on the left and
right hand side of a sheet of paper.
Compare the two lists, taking into
account which points are
particularly important to you.
# Remember the words of Franklin.
D. Roosevelt, “The only thing we
have to fear is fear itself”.
#Take a very interesting lesson in
your favorite subject and try to
concentrate in that or solve an
Prelims Magic 2014
interesting mathematical problem.
This will help you to stop yourself
dwelling on your fear.
# Seek spiritual intervention. Ask
Almighty God to help you. Accept
your past and seek forgiveness.
# Dread making a phone call? Make
it and dread disappears, put it off
and it will get harder and harder to
make.
I
#Don’t be afraid of any opposition
or criticism. Remember, a kite rises
against – not with the wind. Rise
N
above all criticism. Make certain
you are right, and then stand by your
convictions, if you do, no body will
T
defeat you.
# Overcome fear of failure by
starting out with small successes.
R
Start with that first step. As the
Chinese proverb reads, “A journey
of a thousand leagues begins with
O
but a single step”.
POWERFULSECRET#9
Learn from your Failures
It’s human nature to believe that
successful people have never failed
in their life. But it’s not so.
The adversity and failures in our
lives, if we view them as corrective
feed back, serve to develop in us
an immunity against the adverse
responses to stress.
In 1914 Thomas Edison, at age 67,
lost his factory, which was worth a
few million dollars, to fire. It had
very little insurance. No longer a
young man, Edison watched his
lifetime effort to go up in smoke and
said, “There is a great value in
disaster. All our mistakes are
burnt up. Thank God we can start
anew”. In spite of disaster, three
weeks later, he invented the
phonograph.
If you have the courage to look at
failure this way, then you are on
your way to eventual success.
If you are afraid of failures and
afraid to face challenges, you will
never taste success. Success
belongs to those who are not afraid
of the challenges of the thorns. Just
about all who are highly successful
today, has become that way, thanks
11
 to hardship and adversity, not to a
bed of roses.
Thomas Edison tried more than ten
thousand unsuccessful experiments
before he developed a successful
incandescent lamp. But after each
defeat he kept searching for
I something more until he found what
he was looking for.
LEARN, DON’T BURN.
N When you fail, learn from it by
asking yourself why it happened.
Was it a scheduling problem or
T something more fundamental like
your writing or reading skills?
The worst thing to do is sit in your
R room stewing about the course,
the teachers, your classmates, or
the stars. Often when faced with
O a failure, people blame virtually
everybody and everything else
rather than face up to the fact
that they alone are responsible.
POWERFULSECRET#10
Plan Intelligently
Intelligent planning is essential for
success in perform. Even the most
intelligent person living cannot
succeed in r eal-life situations
without plans, which are practicable
and workable.
The successful person must plan his
work, and work his plan. A person
who moves by guesswork, without
practical and definite plans is
comparable to a ship without radar.
Sooner or later he will land on the
rocks.
When we don’t have our priorities
right, we waste time, not realizing
that time, wasted is life wasted.
Prioritizing requires discipline to do
what needs to be done rather than
going by our mood and fancies.
Everybody wants to be a success,
but most folks don’t know what to
do or where to start. One
prerequisite for life is developing a
plan to reach your goal. These
essentials apply regardless of
whether your interests and goals
are in education, medicine, athletics
or whatever.
Not only pr eparing plans but
executing the plans also is very
12 Prelims Magic 2014
important. Many Persons fail to
reach their goals not because their
plans are too simple, but because
they are not willing to follow their
plans! To get good result in life’s
situations you too must have an
action plan.
POWERFULSECRET#11
Try Prayer Power
To achieve anything worthwhile in
life, it is imperative that you apply
prayer power, regardless of what
other success principles you employ.
Prayer power is the catalyst, which
makes any combination of success
principle works to attain a
worthwhile end.
‘But I cannot imagine’, wrote Nobel
Prize winning surgeon Alexis Carrel,
‘anyone fully successful without the
benefit of prayer and faith, without
what we call spiritual experience’.
By praying we link ourselves with
the inexhaustible power that spins
the universe, Carrel adds.
It is lack of prayer power rather than
any other insufficient factors hold
back thousands of persons.
It does not mean that you can spent
your whole time in prayer and
expect an excellent result in life’s
situations. Always remember that,
prayer power is only a catalyst – of
cour se a very important and
unavoidable catalyst – which makes
any combination of success principle
works to attain a worthwhile result.
To become successful, we need a
power beyond human power, the
incredible power of God, which is
freely offered to anyone who won’t
quibble about it but who will humbly
ask for it and receive it.
You can achieve anything by prayer
power. And how do you develop
prayer power? Following are some
proven tips for getting effective
results from prayer.
# Set aside a few minutes every
day. Do not say anything. Simply
practice thinking about God. This will
make your mind spiritually
receptive.
# Then pray orally, using simple,
natural words. Tell God anything
that is on your mind. Do not think
you must use stereotyped pious
phrases. Talk to God in your own
language. He understands it.
# No matter which religion you
belong. Pray to the God Almighty,
What name should you call? If you
are a Christian call him Jesus Christ.
If you are a Muslim call him Allah.
If you are a Hindu call him Krishna.
You have the privilege to call Him
any name because all names are
His.
# Be specific. Ask God for any right
thing, but as a little child, don’t doubt.
Doubts close the power flow. Faith
opens it.
# The power of faith is so
tremendous that there is nothing that
Almighty God cannot do for us, with
us or through us if we let Him
channel His powers through our
minds. Believe strongly that, God will
always make a way where there is
no way. Use only positive thoughts
in prayer. Never use a negative
thought. Pray with the strong belief
that sincere prayers can reach out
and surround your loved ones with
God’s love and protection.
# If you pray for a thing but have
fear as you pray that you may not
receive it, or that your prayer will
not be acted upon by infinite
intelligence, your prayer will have
been in vain…
# Never give up and never be
discouraged in praying. Remember
the story of a woman who returns
again to a judge to plead her rights.
Reluctant at first, the judge finally
gives in and gives the woman what
she wants.
# “Ask, and it will be given to
you: seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to
you”. Know what you want and ask
God for it. Great obstacle to prayer
is not in God-it is in the person
praying. Write down what you want
and talk to God about it. If it is proper
and good, he will open the door and
provide it. Understand that your
prayers will be answered in God’s
way and on his timetable, and not
yours.
# If you have ever had the
experience of receiving answer for
which you prayed, go back in your
memory, and recall your actual state
of mind, while you pray. This is not
fanciful, dreamy-eyed nor some sort
of religious stuff. This process has
worked over centuries for millions
of people and works today in this
modern world.
# When you go to bed at night and
try to go to sleep, place your hand
over your heart and imagine that it
is the healing hands of Lord
Almighty. Then say, ‘let not my
heart be troubled,5neither let me
be afraid.’ This is a powerful
procedure. Everyday you do as
suggested; you will become joyful
and peaceful.
# God helps those who help
themselves and then ask for help:
you have to do it, and then God
sends his angel or divine energy to
help. If you do your best, you will
begin to experience that God will
always come to help. If you do not
move, the energy that can help you
to do what you have to do cannot
begin to flow.
# Believe that God has put in you powerful method in developing self-
the power through which you can confidence.
do anything you have to do. Believe # Always give thanks to God.
that this power is taking all the Express willingness to accept God’s
troubles and obstacles out of you, will. Ask for what you want, but be
that this power is flowing through willing to take what God gives you.
you. Believe this, and a sense of It may be better than what you ask
victory will come.
# Believe firmly that, ‘God is with
me, God is helping me, God is
for. Practise the attitude of putting
everything in God’s hands. Ask for
the ability to do your best and to
I
guiding me’, this belief is a very leave the results confidentially to
God. N
“Become a top student by the next Exam? T
That’s a BIG impossibility, Jo!”
Wait a minute... I can almost hear you crying out loud over what
I’ve just said. Maybe you’re at the bottom of your class right now.
R
Maybe even passing the test tomorrow seems like a long shot.
Maybe you’re destined to perform badly in school. Whatever the
thoughts that are racing through your mind right now... You’re
O
perfectly normal! You’re thinking just like the hundreds of
thousands of students who believe that their capacity to excel is
limited and that there is nothing much they can do about it. BUT,
yes, a BIG BUT is that you too can become a top student by the
next exam! All you need to do is just follow and learn to use the
simple techniques given in this magic book!
Prelims Magic 2014 13
 Success Strategy of Toppers
To ensure success in any a unique strategy exclusively for selective study while for CSAT I
I examination, you need to develop a
unique style of preparation. This is
known as your strategy for success.
you. Given below are the success
strategies and advices of some of
focussed on speed and accuracy.
Practice is the key to success in
toppers. Reading those strategies CSAT. I tried to maintain my
N Just rewind and think about the
strategy you followed for success
in your school and college exams,
(Based on views expressed by the
respective successful candidates
accur acy while increasing my
speed. Further I also practiced man
in the media). will help you develop y logical reasoning questions. I did
T and analyse it and try to form a
practical method of preparation for
the civil services exam. A good
a unique strategy for you.
STUTI CHARAN
not practice much for the decision
making questions because I feel
they must reflect our natural thought
R strategy plays a very crucial role in
your success in the Civil Services
Exam.
(2012 Topper 3)

When you commence your

O It is a proven fact that in the civil
services examination, more than
one’s inherent scholarship and
academic abilities, it is the planning
strategy and preparation style that
go a long way in ensuring one’s
success. If that was not the case
we would not have the cases of
average students and third
divisioners getting through in the
Civil Services Examination. Yes,
Strategy plays the most important
role in your success.
Then why can’t the experts prepare
a winning strategy and prescribe it
for all aspirants? Here is the
problem, that there cannot be a
uniform strategy for all. A strategy
which is very effective for one
person may not be a suitable one
for another person.
Say for example, Dr. Shah Faesal
(2009 1st Rank) said in an interview
that, he had started his preparation
for the Prelims just 3 months before
the prelims. But another topper (one
among the top ten) of the same year
said that he had started his
preparation almost one year back
and prepared more than 6 months
exclusively for the prelims. What we
need to understand here is that,
strategy for the exam should be
unique to each and every aspirant.
Therefore, you too need to develop
preparation, listen to yourself first.
With self-assessment, understand
your capabilities. Once you identify
needs clearly, then only you can
perform. Every success story is an
inspiration and I got motivation from
each topper about whom I read.
Until you succeed, there is a reason
for the failure. I polished my
answer-writing style and added new
updates to face the examination
effectively. Time Management
is a key factor while making
preparations as well as in writing
examination papers. So, I gave
equal time to all subjects. The tough
portion of the syllabus should be
covered first so that you don’t feel
time-crunch. I emphasized on
revision.
For Preliminary Examination, it is
important to devote equal time to
both Paper I &II. To tackle Prelims
in new format, staying cool is
prerequisite. Read as much as you
can; 
My Advice: Understand yourself,
You are your goal alive, Be hopeful
as hope is the food of a Man, Trust
yourself, Earn as much blessings as
you can, Enjoy every moment of
tough time too.
Prince Dhawan (2011 Topper-3)
I based my preparation on the
syllabus released by the UPSC for
both the papers. In GS I went for
process. The absence of optional
papers did not bother me.
As far as negative marking is
concerned I did three passes of the
entire question paper. In the first
pass, I only answered questions
about which I was 100% confident.
In the second pass, I made some
intelligent guesses. Finally, in the
third pass, I basically just revised my
previous responses and tried to
answer few more questions by
linking pieces of information from
different sources.
During my preparation, I mainly
focussed on setting realistic targets
and achieving them. I never
bothered about the time I had to
spend to achieve my targets.
S. Divyadharshni
(Topper -1, 2010)
Laborious exercise as the entire
process goes on for a year. But
have never felt tired of it. Prelims
is the toughest to crack as it is the
most competitive. Good Writing
Skills was of much help in the mains.
And confidence is the way to go for
the interview. The path had been
tedious with study and exams but
all the work and efforts have finally
paid out. Adopt your own strategy
and no one can be a better judge of
yourself than you. Be open minded.
Devise a planned approach and
follow it. Have a balance between
study and play so that you don’t

14 Prelims Magic 2014

wear out at any stage. I didn’t do
any extraordinary preparation as
such. I studied for four to five hours
on an average per day. And then put
in a few extra hours during exam
time. The most impor tant
preparation is in believing in self that
I can crack it.
Dr. Shah Faesal (Topper-1,2009)
According to Dr. Shah Faesal,
dedication, seriousness and
madness are the success mantras
to get into the IAS.
Civil Services Exam is toughest
one. Considering this, my answer is
no different from others. Hard
work, focused preparation, good
reading material, thorough reading
etc. are the prerequisite to crack this
examination. One should understand
that this examination needs some
extra mental makeup. When
competition is tough, examination is
of high standard and syllabus is so
wide, you need to give more than
100 per cent, which he did in my
very first attempt itself. He started
his preparation in March 2009. So
for Prelims, time was very less.
After Prelims, without wasting time,
he started preparing for the Mains
exam. For interview, he did not
prepare separately except two mock
interviews. Because of short span
of time between prelims and mains
he adopted a very specific and
focused approach. Integr ated
approach is required for prelims and
mains general studies preparation.
Language is the key to success.
Without having good expression you
can’t clear Main exam. Developing
good writing style takes time, you
cannot develop it overnight. He says
that it was his constant effort that
made things different for me.
The best strategy to deal
with negative marking is first
attempt only those questions where
you are 100 per cent sure about the
answer. Then take those questions
where your 70 percent sure about
the answer. Negative marking stops
you about guessing.
Shubhra Sexena
(Topper, 2008 )
While defining the strategy
to prepare GS for prelims and
Mains, she says it can be integrated
to the extent of clear understanding
of the subjects. Prelims is more
about factual learning. However,
analytical questions are also asked.
The Main exam is more about
writing quality answers. For Prelims
exam coverage must be much wider.
Many sources must be covered.
Sticking to the basic books
is very important. First one need to
study the conventional parts like
History, Polity and Geography etc.
Next strategy is to give importance
to current affairs. It is most
important of all. Current affairs is
an integral part of this exam. So, one
must be very selective as well
extensive while pr eparing for
general studies. First of all one
should select important areas and
then go for extensive study. Reason
behind this argument is the vastness
of the syllabus and changing
configuration of questions. Year
after year toughness of competition
has been multiplying. If you ire
reasonably good in General Studies,
it helps a lot even in the essay paper.
She advises while writing
answers for mains one needs to be
grammatically correct. Decorative
language is not required. Be very
simple and up to the point. One need
to understand the question first and
answer in lucid language. Language
is the vehicle of thought and a mirror
to one’s mind. But in Civil Services
one need to follow the word limit
strictly.
But content is more important than
style. One need to put one’s
knowledge and logic to convince the
examiner. Essay needs two things-
what to write, and how to write.
Prelims Magic 2014
About the negative marking
she says its a very good thing as
serious candidate gets a better
advantage. First, one should take
those questions where one is sure
about the answer. Then only go for
the questions where probability is
fifty percent. She advises the new
comers that. First start to develop
concept. Once you master concepts
I
then move to applied parts of the
syllabus. I believe developing
concepts is a must to take advantage
N
in a crowd.
Adapa Karthik (Topper 2007 )
T
Adapa Karthik advises, ‘’A Civil
Services aspirant should enjoy the
process of preparation rather than
R
visualising it as a tough task ahead.
Preparation of civil services is a
way of life.” Study means reading,
O
verbalising (writing) and articulating
(lecturing on) the topic. One must
be able to articulate the given theory
or situation in one’s own language.
Such study would equip the aspirant
to answer questions precisely and
effectively. “Brevity is crucial as it
saves time enabling one to answer
other questions,’ Karthik says. He
recommended continuous
preparation for General Studies
(GS) from the beginning as it helps
in prelims, mains, interview and in
the service too. Dr. Karthik asked
the aspirants not only to aim the Civil
Services, but also to be best in the
profession.
Muthyala Raju Ravu
(Topper 2006)
I was more involved in group
discussions with my three friends.
It made my effort focused and near
to the requirement. It helped in
carving a good approach and
memorizing the ‘extra-large’
content. I enjoyed a lot doing this
practice as in a very short period of
time you can revise the complete
groundwork. Even a small mistake
kicks you out of the race.
What matters most are effort,
strategy, determination and
15
 consistency. Economic background
has nothing to do with success. I
realized these observations
throughout the examination
especially in the interview where an
individual get a chance to respond
to the panel of experts first and last
Ms Uma Mahadevan: I diligently
read at least three newspapers daily,
as well as certain articles from
magazines like Frontline and Main
Stream. I would like to emphasise
that reading for the General Studies
has to be wide, electric and very
Sunil Kumar Baranwal: For
General Study I did not give much
in the preliminary examination as its’
weightage was less. I did
preparation of General Studies
mainly for the main examination and
solved some model papers. NCERT

I time.
Supreet Singh Gulati, : For GS
Prelims, I identified my strong areas
N - Mental Ability, Sports, and Science.
These cover about 30 questions in
the examination and I made it a point
T to score very high in them.
Specifically, I practiced Mental
Ability a lot and would devote about
R 30-35 minutes to this section in
Prelims.
O Dr. Garima Mittal, IAS Topper
2010 (8th Position)
The focussed and determined
approach towards the exam was
perhaps my biggest strength. Instead
of being lured by the glamour of
IAS, I targeted my effort towards
Prelims- Mains- Interview-Prelims
cycle.
While reading newspapers and
magazines, I used to pick factual
points for the Prelims, analytical link
between these factual points for the
Mains and formation of my personal
opinion on that issue for the
Interview.
I ensured that whatever might be the
circumstance; the newspaper
reading should not be discontinued,
which even meant reading
newspaper after 4- 5 days, if it was
missed on that particular day. I tried
managing time on daily and weekly
basis. I divided my day into four slots
and gave self-feedback of my
performance in each slot after it
ended. If it went well, I could have
tension-free night’s sleep. Every
week I had the target set and if it
was finished in six days, the seventh
day could be utilised for going out
with friends to recharge my mental
energies. Reading quality material,
clear concepts, proper time and
anxiety management were
instrumental in reaching a high level
of excellence.
analytical…….
Amit Baranwal: For General
books were helpful. For main
examination, I completed syllabus of
physics and mathematics 1½ months
Studies read NCERT books for
class XI and XII. Read one
competitive magazine and a national
before the actual examination. Then
I did revision twice. In the first
attempt I appeared in the interview
newspaper. Objective problems
without calculation and try to do
quick and accurate calculations. See
but could not succeed. The main
failing of my earlier attempt was less
attention to General Studies, essay
the old question papers of General
Studies to have a feel of the nature
of questions. Do not skip any portion
and interview. This time I could
overcome this. I also improved my
optional.
of the syllabus.
Jayesh Rajan: In General Studies
for all the topics like Constitution,
Nikunj Kumar Srivastava: I have
been a regular subscriber of
Employment News for many years.
Economy etc. prepare those topics
I am allured by the main articles on
thoroughly which have been in news
the front page on economic and
in last one year. Attempt the
social issues. These articles proved
statistical portion first, as the
very helpful to me in the preparation
questions there are simple and fetch
of social and economic section in
full marks. Naturally they should not
General Study paper and the essay
be done in haste.
paper.
Kailash Chand Gupta: I didn’t lay
Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal: I used to
much emphasis on preparing
discuss topic in Economics with my
General Studies. One reason
teachers and that enhanced greatly
probably was that both my Optional
my understanding of the subject. In
subjects were highly scoring ones.
addition, I had prepared extensive
And if you really work hard in these,
notes in Economics. A good
you are assured of a clear-cut head
understanding of the subject matter
start. So on these two, I slogged for
is more important than poring over
three months devoting at least 8 to
a number of books. One should not
10 hours every day. Study of at least
just study a subject but also reflect
two original text books and regular
on it at length. This view holds good
revision is indispensable for General
particularly for Public
Studies and optional subjects. There
Administration where one has to
is no need to run after books by
delve deep into a particular topic and
foreign authors nor it is required to
develop a perspective. Moreover
delve into more and more magazines
most of questions asked these days
and journals. In brief, what makes
are open ended, so even a little
the vital difference is how you fare
misinterpretation can ruin your
in your Optional. Normally about
answers and land you in trouble. A
two month’s preparation is
careful reading of question papers
adequately enough for the Prelims.
of the previous years, therefore, is
Preparation for the Mains should
a must. It will hone your “ability to
start immediately after, preferably
analyse the questions in the right
before, the result of Prelims is
perspective”.
announced. Then take up General
Studies and then the Optional
subject.

16 Prelims Magic 2014

Amit Baranwal : For the future
aspirants I say: Go for a long-term
preparation (one year). Do not leave
out any portion, but still, questions
should be emphasized. While
answering, start from the basics as
superficial knowledge does not
fetch any mark. There is no short
cut to success and only hard work
pays in the long run. Planning is very
important as one has to cover a
large syllabus in a limited amount of
time. For this one should prepare a
time schedule that by which time
which portions should have been
covered. Also, every week, one day
should be kept for revision work so
that one could review the progress
made and see what he has done
and how much more or quicker pace
was needed.
Jayesh Rajan: While preparing,
one thing which has to be kept in
mind is that the answers one will
write have to be special and a bit
different from the others. There
should be some extra bit in them be
it some extra information or extra
piece of analysis or whatever. And
this ‘some extra’ requires a lot of
extra reading.
Kailash Chand Gupta: Study of
at least two original text books and
regular revision is indispensable for
General Studies and optional
subjects. There is no need to run
after books by foreign authors nor
is it required to delve into more and
more magazines and journals. In
brief, what makes the vital
difference is how you fare in your
Optional.
Vijaya Kumar: My game plan was
based on selective study. I left a
substantial portion of syllabus
because I found it too vague or time
consuming. I tried to read the
minimum number of books possible.
As time was a major constraint, I
tried to make the best possible use
of it. I interspersed studies with
entertainment to refresh myself. I
never went for forced study and
studied according to my
convenience. MY most important
advice to readers is don’t read too
many books, don’t get confused.
Bear in mind that your purpose is to
get through the examination and not
research.
Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey: Single
mindedness and confidence should
be maintained thr oughout the
duration of examination. One should
try his best in very first attempt and
should not take it casually. The
vigour that is there in first attempt
is not there in subsequent attempts.
Rita Singh: The future aspirants
should consider the process of
preparation as a dynamic
opportunity for learning. The
preparation may sometimes bring in
an immediate result or sometimes it
may be delayed. It is just possible
that it may elude the candidates
with something positive but it is
definite that right preparation in all
earnestness adds to one’s
knowledge, personality. It generates
knowledge, more assertiveness,
convincibility the eventual hallmarks
for success. Work hard with a
professional attitude, have faith in
yourself and success is bound to
come.
Vikas Garg: Choose your subjects
carefully and concentrate more on
them.
Himani Pande: After having come
to a decision regarding taking the
examination the student should
carefully consider the optional, go
through the syllabus and then start
regular study. A determined,
focused approach will be very
useful. I wish all future aspirants for
the Civil Services Examination
success in their future endeavours.
Vishal Chauhan: There is no single
formula for success. One should try
to identify his or her strength and
weakness and should devise own
strategy. One should have faith in
himself. Success will come sooner
or later.
Prelims Magic 2014
Aradhana Patnaik: My advice to
future aspirants is that one should
work hard and put in his very best.
Perservance with intelligent
planning is the key to success.
Puneet agarwal: To future
aspirants of this exam, I would
recommend a planned and
systematic study on a sustained
I
basis. The stress should be on
pointed and objective study. Stay
optimistic and pursue your goal with
N
Zeal and patient. Even in case
bounce back with full energy and
determination.
T
Brijendra Singh: To succeed in
this examination, one should be well
aware of one’s own strength and
R
weakness-only if a person is aware
of one’s abilities and potential should
one think of taking this examination.
O
Of course, sincerity of purpose,
dedication, involvement, hard work
coupled with perseverance and a lot
of patience is essential. One must
not be flustered - remain calm and
relaxed and take each stage as it
comes. Once you have decided to
be a Civil Servant – go the whole
way – and do not look back. Remain
cheerful and content and you won’t
regret even if you stumbled.
Sunil Kumar Baranwal : I would
like to give a message to the
budding Civil Services competitors
that there is no substitute to hard
work. A strong determination and
patience undoubtedly help the
candidates. One should not feel
frustrated by failures but instead
intensify the preparations vigorously.
Vaibhav: Prepare in a planned
manner, don’t get disheartened by
failures. “Plan the work and work
the plan, success will be yours”.
Amit Negi : You should be total
single-mindedly dedicated to your
goal and remember that if you keep
your legs in different boats, you
might end up in disaster. Dedication,
hard work, patience and self-
confidence from the keys to
success. Do quality, planned and
17
 systematic study. Choose your
optional carefully, they can make all
the difference. Making short notes
also helps.
Work hard, be totally dedicated
towards our goal. Utilize your time
and energy efficiently and
I effectively. Believe in yourself.
Bhawna Garg: A systematic and
pragmatic approach, good time
N management, hard work dedication
and belief in one’s self. Before going
for the exam, one must consider all
T the pros and cons, because of
decreasing seats each year. One
must ensure an alternate career
R before going for the exam as it
instills more confidence in oneself
for the much required wholehearted
O preparation. Also the first attempt
should be taken seriously for it may
be difficult to sustain one’s
enthusiasm the second time.
M.S. Srikar : Srikar gave more
emphasis on spontaneity rather than
a rehearsed attitude. Discussions
and mock interview did make a
difference, he said. He was
concentrating only on this exam. It
was a determined, risky, single track
approach, he thought. He advises
future aspirants to have persistence,
patience and total commitment.
Deepak Tayal: Set your target high
and go about deciding on how to
achieve it yourself. Have faith in
yourself and your abilities. Keep
your motivation factor in mind and
carry on. Don’t let anything dampen
your spirits.
Nikunj Kumar Srivastava: Well
planned and systematic study with
total involvement is key to success.
Work hard and pursue the goal with
full zeal. It is a marathon, not a sprint,
so have patience. Have faith in God
and believe in yourself.
18 Prelims Magic 2014
Kunal Kumar: A sincere and
single-minded approach is all that is
required to succeed in the Civil
Services Examination. If the effort
is made in a planned and systematic
manner, the hours of study required
are really not so many. Throughout
the exam period of one year, one
has to make intelligent decisions on
what subjects to choose, which
books to refer, which coaching to
take, how much to study in which
subject etc. which, if done properly,
is bound to bring success.
Approach the examination with a
single minded goal in mind. Do not
get distracted and work hard in a
planned and systematic manner, you
are bound to succeed.
Sudha Misra: I would like to advise
all future aspirants that they should
take the exam which with the most
sincere and serious efforts and
leave the rest to God, who always
rewards good work.
Ms. Manju Rajpal : Resolute
effort to achieve the target backed
by self-confidence is the key to
success. Instead of getting
disappointed by failure in the first
attempt, put your heart and soul (for
the second attempt) after identifying
you deficiencies. Well planned
efforts in the right direction surely
fructify in success.
Suresh Kumar S: Before jumping
into the fray, undertake a thorough
evaluation of the syllabus and nature
of examination, then go for a self
evaluation and decide oneself. Once
decided, prepare well, question
your self, r evise and take the
examination. With a positive attitude
and dedicated hard work, there is
nothing that can stop you from
achieving success. Listen to the
words of your parents and teachers
with modesty and respect, their
blessings will be with you in your
endeavours.
Sorabh Babu Maheshwari :
Always aim high, win yourself and
the world is won for you. The path
towards this coveted service passes
through many ups and downs. To
carry oneself along these pulls and
pushes requires strong inner
motivation and decision to make CS
as your career should be your own.
It is the Total Quality People (TPQ)
which is required i.e. the people with
integrity, values, vision, character
and positive outlook.
Ms. Shahla Nigar: My message
for future aspirants of Civil Services
exam is that they should work
towards their goal with single
minded devotion. Failures that come
in the way should not deter you,
rather you must try again with a
stronger determination. Have faith
in your ability. Success is a matter
of concentration and perseverance.
Sincerity pays.
Vijayalakshmi Bidari : All the best
to all of you. May God give you the
strength to make your dreams come
true. Have faith and confidence in
yourself and use your complete
potential in achieving your dreams.
Alok Ranjan: The first and
foremost factor-ability to work hard.
You should put minimum 6 to 8
hour s ever y day, hard work,
determination, motivation and self-
confidence are the impor tant
factors. You should put one year
constant efforts and definitely it
takes hard toil from you. Keep
working believe in yourself. Apart
from these things, choose your
subjects on which you are good
enough. Put six to eight hours daily
and realize your capabilities.
 Develop a Burning Desire
to become an IAS Officer
A long while ago, a great warrior
faced a situation which made it
necessary for him to make a
decision which insured his success
on the battlefield. He was about to
send his armies against a powerful
foe, whose men outnumbered his
own. He loaded his soldiers into
boats, sailed to the enemy’s country,
unloaded soldiers and equipment,
then gave the order to burn the ships
that had carried them. Addressing
his men before the first battle, he
said, “You see the boats going up in
smoke. That means that we cannot
leave these shores alive unless we
win! We now have no choice-we
win-or we perish! They won.
Every person who wins in any
undertaking must be willing to burn
his ships and cut all sources of
retreat. Only by so doing can one
be sure of maintaining that state of
mind known as a BURNING
DESIRE TO WIN, essential to
success.
What is Desire? Webster tells us that
it is:” The natural longing to possess
any seeming good; eager wish to
obtain or enjoy,” or in its abnormal
or degenerate sense:” excessive or
morbid longing; lust; appetite.
“Desire” is a much-abused term –
the public mind has largely identified
it with its abnormal or degenerate
phase, just mentioned, ignoring it’s
original and true sense. Many use
the word in the sense of an
unworthy longing or craving, instead
of in the true sense of “aspiration,”
“worthy craving and longing,” etc.
To call Desire “aspiration” renders
it none the less Desire. To apply to
it the term “laudable aim and
ambition” does not take away from
it is character of Desire. There is
no sense in endeavoring to escape
the fact that Desire is the natural
and universal impulse toward action,
be the action or good or bad.
Without Desire the Will does not
spring into action, and nothing is
accomplished. Even the highest
attainments and aims of the race are
possible only when the steam of Will
is aroused by the flame and heat of
Desire.
Some of the occult teachings are
filled with instructions to “kill out
desire,” and the student is warned
to beware of it even in its most
insidious and subtle forms, even to
the extent of “avoiding even the
desire to be desire less – even desire
not to desire. Now this is all
nonsense, for if one “wishes,” or
“wants,” or “is inclined,” or “thinks
best to,” or “is pleased to” Kill Out
Desire – in any of these cases he is
but manifesting a Desire “not to
desire,” in spite of his use of other
names. What is this “wishing to;
wanting to; feeling like; inclination;
being pleased to;” and all the rest,
but just plain, clear, unadulterated
Desire masquerading under some of
these names. To proceed to “kill out
desire” without “desiring” to do so
is like trying to lift oneself by pulling
on his own bootstraps. Folly. What
is really meant is that the occultist
should proceed to kill out the lower
desires that he finds within his
nature, and also to kill out the
“attachment” for things. Regarding
this last we would say that all true
occultist know that even the best
“things” are not good enough to rule
and master one-nothing is good
enough for the soul to allow itself to
be unduly attached to it so that the
thing rules the soul instead of the
should mastering the thing. That is
what the teachings mean –
Prelims Magic 2014
avoidance of “attachment. “And in
I
this the occult teachers are clearly
right. Desire is a frightful master –
like fire it sweeps away the supports
N
of the soul, leaving nothing but
smoldering ashes. But, also like Fire
Desire is a splendid servant and by
T
its harnessed power we are able to
generate the steam of the Will and
Activity, and to accomplish much in
R
the world. Without proper Desire the
world would be without activity. So
do not make the mistake of using
O
Desire any more than you would
refuse to use fire – but in both cases
keep the mastery in your own hands,
and avoid allowing the control to
pass from you to Desire.
Desire is the motivating force that
runs the world; as little as we care
to admit it in many cases. Look
around you and see the effects of
Desire in every human act, good or
bad. As a writer has said: Every
deed that we do, good or bad, is
prompted by Desire. We are
charitable because we Desire to
relieve our inner distress at the sight
of suffering; or from the Desire of
sympathy; or from the Desire to be
respected in this world, or to secure
a comfortable place in the next. One
man is kind because he desires to
be kind – because it gives him
satisfaction to be kind; while another
man is cruel from precisely the
same kind of motive. One man does
his duty because he Desires to do it
– he obtains a higher satisfaction
from duty well done than he would
from the neglecting of it in
accordance with some weaker
desires. The religious man is
religious because his religious
desires are stronger than his
irreligious ones – because he finds
a higher satisfaction in religion than
19
 in the pursuits of the worldly-
minded. The moral man is moral
because his moral desires are
stronger than his immoral ones – he
obtains a greater satisfaction in
being moral than in being the
contrary. Everything we do is
I prompted by Desire in some shape
or form – high or low. Man cannot
be without any desires and act in
N any way. Desire is the motivating
power behind all actions – it is a
natural law of life. Everything from
T the atom to the monad; from the
monad to the insect; from the insect
to man; from man to Nature, acts
R and does things by reason of the
power and force of Desire, the
Animating Motive. “
O All the above at the first glance
would seem to make of man a mere
machine, subject to the power of any
stray desire that might happen to
come into his mind. But this is far
from being so. Man acts not upon
EVERY desire, but upon the
STRONGEST Desire, or the
Average of his Strongest Desires.
This Average of Desires is that
which constitutes his Nature or
Character. And here is where the
Mastery of the “I” comes in! Man
need not be a slave or creature of
his Desires if he will assert his
Mastery. He may control, regulate,
govern and guide his Desires in any
directions that he pleases. Nay,
more, he may even CREATE
DESIRES by an action of his Will,
as we shall see presently. By a
knowledge of psychological laws he
may neutralize unfavorable Desires,
and grow and develop – yes,
practically Create New Desires in
their place – all by the power of his
Will, aided by the light of his Reason
and Judgment. Man is the Master
of his Mind.
“Yes,” but some close reasoning
critic may object; “yes, that is true
enough, but even in that case is not
Desire the ruling motive – must not
one Desire create these new
Desires before he can do so – is
not Desire always precedent to
action? “Very close reasoning this,
20 Prelims Magic 2014
good friends, but all advanced
occultists know that there is a point
in which the Principle of Desire
shades and merges into companion
Principle, Will, and that a close
reasoner and mental analyst may
imagine a mental state in which one
may be almost said to manifest a
WILL to Will, rather than to merely
Desire to Will. This state must be
experienced befor e it can be
understood – words cannot express
it.
We have stated that it was in the
power of man to Create Desire –
not only to be its master when
created, but also to actually create
it by bringing it into being. And the
statement is absolutely true, and is
verified and proven by the most
recent experiments and discoveries
of modern psychology. Instead of
man being a creature of Desire –
and this indeed he is in many cases
– he may become Master of Desire
and even a Creator of it. By
knowledge and Will he may reverse
the ordinary order of things and,
displacing the intruder from the
throne, he may seat himself there
in his rightful place, and then bid the
late occupant do his will and obey
his bidding. But the best way for the
new occupant of the throne to bring
about a reorganized court is to
dismiss the old objectionable
creatures of his mind and create
new ones in their places. And here
is how it may be done: In the first
place, one must think carefully over
the tasks that he wishes to
accomplish, then, using his judgment
carefully, judicially and impartially –
impersonally so far as is possible –
he must take mental stock of
himself and see in what points he is
deficient, so far as the successful
accomplishment of the task is
concerned. Then let him analyze the
task before him, in detail, separating
the matter into as many clear defined
divisions as possible, so that he may
be able to see the Thing as It Is, in
detail as well as in its entirety. Then
let him take a similar inventory of
the things, which seem necessary
of the accomplishment of the task
– not the details that will arise only
as the work progresses, day by day
– but the general things, which must
be done in order that the task is
brought to a successful conclusion.
Then having taken stock of the task,
the nature of the undertaking, and
one’s own qualifications and
shor tcomings – then Begin to
Create Desire, according to the
following plan: The first step in the
Creation of Desire is that of the
forming of a clear, vital Mental
Image of the qualities, things and
details of the undertaking, as well
as of the Completed Whole. By a
Mental Image we mean a clear-cut,
distinct mental picture in the
Imagination of the things just names.
Now, do not turn away with an
impatient motion at the mention of
the word Imagination. That is
another word that you have only a
mistaken idea of. Imagination means
far more than the mere idle, fanciful
use of that part of the mind that is
believed by people to be “all there
is to it. “It isn’t all, by a long way –
in fact, the fanciful part may be said
to be merely a shadow of the real
Imaginative effort. Imagination is a
real thing – it is a faculty of the mind
by which it creates a matrix, mold,
or pattern of things, which the
trained Will and Desire afterward,
materializes into objective reality.
There has been nothing created by
the hands and mind of man which
did not have its first origin in the
Imagination of some one.
Imagination is the first step in
Creation – whether of worlds or
trifles. The mental pattern must
always precede the material form.
And so it is in the Creation of Desire.
Before you can Create a Desire you
must have a clear Mental Image of
what you need to Desire.
You will find that this task of creating
a Mental Image is a little harder than
you had expected at the start. You
will find it hard to form even a faint
mental picture of that which you
need. But be not discouraged, and
persevere, for in this, as everything
else. Practice makes perfect. Each
time you try to form the Mental
Image it will appear a little clearer
and more distinct, and the details will
come into a little more prominence.
Do not tire yourself at first, but lay
aside the task until later in the day,
or tomorrow. But practice and
persevere and you need, just as
clearly as a memory picture of
something you have already seen.
We shall have more to say on this
subject of Mental Imagery and
Imagination in subsequent lessons.
Then, after having acquired the
clear Mental Image of the things
you wish to Desire, and thus attain,
cultivate the focusing of the
Attention upon these things. The
word attention is derived from the
Latin word “Attendere,” meaning
“to stretch forth,” the original idea
being that in Attention the mind was
“stretched forth,” or “extended”
toward the object of attention, and
this is the correct idea for that is
the way the mind operates in the
matter. Keep the ideas before your
attention as much as possible, so
that the mind may take a firm grasp
upon them, and make them a part
of itself by doing this you firmly
impress the ideas upon the wax
tablet of the mind.
Thus having fixed the idea clearly
in your mind, by means of the
Imagination and Attention, until as
we have said, it becomes a fixture
there, begin to cultivate an ardent
DESIRE, LONGING, CRAVING
DEMAND for the materialization of
the things. Demand that you grow
the qualities necessary for the task
demand that your mental pictures
materialize Demand that the details
be manifested as well as the Whole,
making allowance for the
“something better” which will surely
arise to take the place of the original
details, as you proceed the Inner
Consciousness will attend to these
things for you.
Then Desire firmly, confident, and
earnestly. Be not half-hearted in
your demands and desires claim
and demand the WHOLE THING,
and feel confident that it will work
out into material objectivity and
reality. Think of it, dream of it, and
always LONG for it you must learn
to want it the worst way learn to
“want it hard enough. “You can
attain and obtain many things by
“wanting them hard enough” the
trouble is with most of us that we
do not want things hard enough we
mistake vague cravings and wished
for earnest, longing, demanding
Desire and Want. Get to Desire and
Demand the Thing just as you
demand and Desire your daily
meals. That is “wanting it the worst
way. “This is merely a hint surely
you can supply the rest, if you are
in earnest, and “want to hard
enough. “
The method, by which DESIRE can
be transmuted into its success
equivalent, consists of six definite,
practical steps, viz:
1.Fix in your mind the exact aim you
desire. It is not sufficient merely to
say “I want a job.” Be definite as
to the nature of job- say I want to
become an IAS Officer (There is a
psychological reason for
definiteness which will be described
in a subsequent chapter).
2.Determine exactly what you
intend to give in return for the aim
you desire. (There is no such reality
as “something for nothing”.) Means
the hard work you plan to input.
3.Establish a definite date when you
intend to get the job you desire.
4.Create a definite target hunting
plan for carrying out your desire, and
begin at once, whether you are
ready or not, to put this plan into
action.
5. Write out a clear, concise
statement of your desire, name the
time limit for becoming an IAS
officer.
6. Read your written statement
aloud, twice daily, once just before
retiring at night, and once after
arising in the morning. AS YOU
READ - SEE AND FEEL AND
BELIEVE YOURSELF
ALREADY become an IAS
Officer.
Prelims Magic 2014
It is important that you follow the
instructions described in these six
steps. It is especially important that
you observe, and follow the
instructions in the sixth paragraph.
You may complain that it is
impossible for you to “see yourself
already become an IAS Officer”
before you actually have it. Here is
where a BURNING DESIRE will
I
come to your aid. If you truly
DESIRE for becoming an IAS
Officer so keenly that your desire
N
is an obsession, you will have no
difficulty in convincing yourself that
you will get it. The object is to
T
become an IAS Officer, and to
become so determined to have it that
you CONVINCE yourself you will
R
have it.
Remember, too, that all who
succeed in life get off to a bad start,
O
and pass through many
heartbreaking struggles before they
“arrive.” The turning point in the
lives of those who succeed usually
comes at the moment of some
crisis, through which they are
introduced to their “other selves.”
John Bunyan wrote the Pilgrim’s
Progress, which is among the finest
of all English literature, after he had
been confined in prison and sorely
punished, because of his views on
the subject of religion.
Henry discovered the genius which
slept within his brain, after he had
met with great misfortune, and was
confined in a prison cell, in
Columbus, Ohio. Being FORCED,
through misfortune, to become
acquainted with his “other self,” and
to use his IMAGINATION, he
discovered himself to be a great
author instead of a miser able
criminal and outcast. Strange and
varied are the ways of life, and
stranger still are the ways of Infinite
Intelligence, through which men are
sometimes forced to undergo all
sorts of punishment before
discovering their own brains, and
their own capacity to create useful
ideas through imagination.
Edison, the world’s greatest inventor
and scientist, was a “tr amp”
21
 telegraph operator, he failed
innumerable times before he was
driven, finally, to the discovery of
the genius which slept within his
brain.
Charles Dickens began by pasting
labels on blacking pots. The tragedy
I of his first love penetrated the
depths of his soul, and converted him
into one of the world’s truly great
N authors. That tragedy produced,
first, David Copperfield, then a
succession of other works that made
T this a richer and better world for all
who read his books. Disappointment
over love affairs, generally has the
R effect of driving men to drink, and
women to ruin; and this, because
most people never learn the art of
O transmuting their strongest
emotions into dreams of a
constructive nature.
Helen Keller became deaf, dumb,
and blind shortly after birth. Despite
her greatest misfortune, she has
written her name indelibly in the
pages of the history of the great.
Her entire life has served as
evidence that no one ever is
defeated until defeat has been
accepted as a reality.
Robert Burns was an illiterate
country lad. He was cursed by
poverty, and grew up to be a
drunkard in the bargain. The world
How to Attract To Yourself
the Things You Desire
Have you ever wondered why some
people – who are no more qualified
than you – are successful in this life
while you continue to fail?
Have you ever wondered why some
people seem to have success with
everything they do while you just
can’t seem to catch a break?
Could the answer be something as
simple as how you think?
The simple answer is yes.
22 Prelims Magic 2014
was made better for his having lived,
because he clothed beautiful
thoughts in poetry, and thereby
plucked a thorn and planted a rose
in its place.
Booker T. Washington was born in
slavery, handicapped by race and
color. Because he was tolerant, had
an open mind at all times, on all
subjects, and was a DREAMER, he
left his impress for good on an entire
race.
Beethoven was deaf, Milton was
blind, but their names will last as
long as time endures, because they
dreamed and translated their
dreams into organized thought.
Before passing to the next chapter,
kindle anew in your mind the fire of
hope, faith, courage, and tolerance.
If you have these states of mind,
and a working knowledge of the
principles described, all else that you
need will come to you, when you
are READY for it. Let Emerson
state the thought in these words,
Every proverb, every book, every
by word that belongs to thee for
aid and comfort shall surely come
home through open or winding
passages.
Every friend whom not thy
fantastic will, but the great and
tender soul in thee craveth, shall
lock thee in his embrace.
It’s true...your thoughts may very
well be the reason you have not
been able to achieve the success
you desire in business and in life.
Your thoughts are much more
powerful than you think – like a
massive iceberg that is mostly
hidden beneath the surface, yet the
part that is underwater is usually
what sinks ships.
Wrong thinking, including ideas and
misconceptions you formed as a
There is a difference between
WISHING for a thing and being
READY to receive it. No one is
ready for a thing, until he believes
he can acquire it. The state of mind
must be BELIEF, not mere hope or
wish. Open-mindedness is essential
for belief. Closed minds do not
inspire faith, courage, and belief.
Remember, no more effor t is
required to aim high in life, to
demand abundance and prosperity,
than is required to accept misery
and poverty. A great poet has
correctly stated this universal truth
through these lines:
I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.
(This chapter has been prepared
basically as a study note for IAS
Aspirants, with inputs liberally
taken from books written by
Napol eon Hi l l , Chr i st i an D
Larson and Ralph Waldo Trine)
child, could very well be affecting
your life negatively right now.
For example, if you believe that
money is evil or that money is hard
to get, then your success will be
limited.
Due to the presence of negative
thoughts, even though you go
through the motions of reaching
your goal, your mind will always
sabotage you and you will always
fall short.

How We Attract
Success or Failure
As science is so abundantly
demonstrating today, — the things
that we see are but a very small
fraction of the things that are. The
real, vital forces at work in our own
lives and in the world about us are
not seen by the ordinary physical
eye. Yet they are the causes of
which all things we see are merely
the effects. Thoughts are forces; like
builds like, and like attracts like. For
one to govern his thinking, then, is
to determine his life.
Says one of deep insight into the
natur e of things: “The law of
correspondences between spiritual
and material things is wonderfully
exact in its workings. People ruled
by the mood of gloom attract to them
gloomy things. People always
discouraged and despondent do not
succeed in anything, and live only
by burdening someone else. The
hopeful, confident, and cheerful
attract the elements of success. A
man’s front or back yard will
advertise that man’s ruling mood in
the way it is kept.
A woman at home shows her state
of mind in her dress. A slattern
advertises the ruling mood of
hopelessness, carelessness, and lack
of system. Rags, tatters, and dirt are
always in the mind before being on
the body. The thought that is most
put out brings its corresponding
visible element to crystallize about
you as surely and literally as the
visible bit of copper in solution
attracts to it the invisible copper in
that solution. A mind always hopeful,
confident, courageous, and
determined on its set purpose, and
keeping itself to that purpose,
attracts to itself out of the elements
things and powers favorable to that
purpose.
“Every thought of yours has a literal
value to you in every possible way.
The strength of your body, the
strength of your mind, your success
in business, and the pleasure your
brings others, depends on the nature
of your thoughts. ...In whatever
mood you set your mind does your
spirit receive of unseen substance
in correspondence with that mood.
It is as much a chemical law as a
spiritual law. Chemistry is not
confined to the elements we see.
The elements we do not see with
the physical eye outnumber ten
thousand times those we do see.”
Faith is nothing more nor less than
the operation of the thought-forces
in the form of an earnest desire,
coupled with expectation as to its
fulfillment. And in the degree that
faith, the earnest desire thus sent
out, is continually held to and
watered by firm expectation, in just
that degree does it either draw to
itself, or does it change from the
unseen into the visible, from the
How to Attract To
Yourself the Things
You Desire
spiritual into the material, that for
which it is sent.
The power within you which enables
you to form a thought picture is the
starting point of all there is. In its
original state it is the un-
differentiated formless substance of
life. Your thought picture forms the
mould (so to speak) into which this
formless substance takes shape.
Visualizing, or mentally seeing
things and conditions as you wish
them to be, is the condensing, the
specializing power in you that might
be illustrated by the lens of a magic
lantern. The magic lantern is one of
the best symbols of this imaging
faculty. It illustrates the working of
the Creative Spirit on the plane of
the initiative and selection (or in its
concentrated specializing form) in
a remarkably clear manner.
This picture slide illustrates your
own mental picture -invisible in the
lantern of your mind until you turn
on the light of your will. That is to
say, you light up your desire with
absolute faith that the Creative Spirit
Prelims Magic 2014
of Life, in you, is doing the work.
By the steady flow of light of the
will on the Spirit, your desired
picture is projected upon the screen
of the physical world, an exact
reproduction of the pictured slide in
your mind.
Visualizing without a will sufficiently
steady to inhibit every thought and
feeling contrary to your picture
I
would be as useless as a magic
lantern without the light. On the
other hand, if your will is sufficiently
N
developed to hold your picture in
thought and feeling, without any
“ifs,” simply realizing that your
T
thought is the great attracting power,
then your mental picture is as
certain to be projected upon the
R
screen of your physical world as any
pictured slide put into the best magic
lantern ever made.
O
Try projecting the picture in a magic
lantern with a light that is constantly
shifting from one side to the other,
and you will have the effect of an
uncertain will. It is as necessary that
you should always stand back of
your picture with a strong, steady
will, as it is to have a strong steady
light back of a picture slide.
The joyous assurance with which
you make your picture is the very
powerful magnet of Faith, and
nothing can obliterate it. You are
happier than you ever were,
because you have learned to know
where your source of supply is, and
you rely upon its never-failing
response to your given direction.
When all said and done, happiness
is the one thing which every human
being wants, and the study of
visualization enables you to get more
out of life than you ever enjoyed
before. Increasing possibilities keep
opening out, more and more, before
you.
A business man once told me that
since practicing visualization and
forming the habit of devoting a few
minutes each day to thinking about
his work as he desired it to be in a
large, broad way, his business had
more than doubled in six months.
His method was to go into a room
23
 every morning before breakfast and
take a mental inventory of his
business as he had left it the evening
before, and then enlarge upon it. He
said he expanded and expanded in
this way until his affairs were in
remarkably successful condition.
I He would see himself in his office
doing everything that he wanted
done. His occupation required him
N to meet many strangers every day.
In his mental picture he saw himself
meeting these people, understanding
T their needs and supplying them in
just the way they wished. This habit,
he said, had strengthened and
R steadied his will in an almost
inconceivable manner. Furthermore,
by thus mentally seeing things as he
O wished them to be, he had acquired
the confident feeling that a certain
creative power was exercising itself,
for him and through him, for the
purpose of improving his little world.
When you first begin to visualize
seriously, you may feel, as many
others do, that someone else may
be forming the same picture you
are, and that naturally would not suit
your purpose. Do not give yourself
any unnecessary concern about this.
Simply try to realize that your picture
is an order ly exer cise of the
Universal Cr eative Power
specifically applied. Then you may
be sure that no one can work in
opposition to you. The universal law
of harmony prevents this. Endeavor
to bear in mind that your mental
picture is Universal Mind exercising
its inherent powers of initiative and
selection specifically.
God, or Universal Mind, made man
for the special purpose of
differentiating Himself through him.
Ever ything that is, came into
existence in this same way, by this
self-same law of self-differentiation,
and for the same purpose. First the
idea, the mental picture or the
prototype of the thing, which is the
thing itself in its incipiency or plastic
form.
The Great Architect of the Universe
contemplated Himself as
manifesting through His polar
24 Prelims Magic 2014
opposite, matter, and the idearequired in doing what he thinks he
expanded and projected itself untilcan do.
we have a world -many worlds. To illustrate: When you think that
Many people ask, “But why shouldyou can succeed in business, you
we have a physical world at all?”cause your business ability to
The answer is: Because it is thedevelop, because by thinking that
nature of originating substance toyou can succeed in business you
solidify, under directivity rather thandraw all the creative energies of the
activity, just as it is the nature ofsystem into the business faculties,
wax to harden when it becomes cold,and consequently those faculties
or plaster of paris to become firmwill be developed; and as those
and solid when exposed to the air.faculties are being developed, you
Your picture in this same Divinegain that ability which positively can
substance in its fluent state takingproduce success in business.
shape through the individualizedYou develop the power to do certain
center of Divine operation, yourthings by constantly thinking that you
mind; and there is no power tocan do those things, because the law
prevent this combination of spiritualis that wherever in mind we
substance from becoming physicalconcentrate attention, there
form. It is the nature of Spirit todevelopment will take place; and we
complete its work and an idea is notnaturally concentrate upon that
complete until it has made for itselffaculty that is required in the doing
a vehicle. of that which we think we can do.
Nothing can prevent your pictureIf you think that you can compose
from coming into concrete formmusic, and continue to think that you
except the same power that gave itcan, you will develop that musical
birth - yourself. Suppose you wishfaculty that can compose music.
to have a more orderly room. YouEven though you may not have the
look about your room and the ideaslightest talent in that direction now,
of order suggests boxes, closets,by thinking constantly that you can
shelves, hooks and so forth. The box,compose music you will develop
the closet, the hooks, all arethat talent.
concrete ideas of order. VehiclesResults may begin to appear in a
through which order and harmonyfew months, or it may require a few
suggest themselves. years; nevertheless, if you continue
to think that you can compose
He Can music, you will, in a few years be
able to do so. Later on, you can
Who Thinks He Can
develop into a rare musical genius.
Persistence, however, is required
A GREAT many new ideas ofand all thought must be concentrated
extr eme value have recentlydaily upon that one accomplishment.
appeared in current thought, but oneBut this will not be difficult, because
of the most valuable is the idea thatbefore long the entire mind will
“he can who thinks he can;” and inform a tendency to accumulate all
the mastery of fate it will not onlyits power and creative energy in the
be necessary to keep this idearegion of that one faculty; and
constantly in mind, but also to makeconstant development will take
the fullest possible use of the lawplace both consciously and
upon which this idea is based. unconsciously.
To accomplish anything, ability isWhatever a man desires to do, if he
required; and it has beenthinks that he can, he will develop
demonstrated that when man thinksthe necessary power, and when the
he can do a certain thing, henecessary power and ability are
incr eases the power and thegained, the tangible results inevitably
capacity of that faculty which isfollow.
The secret is persistence. After you
have decided what you want to do,
begin to think that you can, and
continue without ceasing to think
that you can. Pay no attention to
temporary failures; know that you
can, and continue to think that you
can.
To continue in the consciousness of
the law that underlies this idea will
bring greater results and more rapid
results, because in that case you will
consciously direct the developing
process, and you will know that to
think you can is to develop the
power that can.
To keep constantly before mind the
idea that “he can who thinks he
can,” will steadily increase the
qualities of faith, self-confidence,
perseverance and persistence; and
whoever develops these qualities to
a greater and greater degree will
move forward without fail.
Therefore, to live in the conviction
that “he can who thinks he can,” will
not only increase ability along the
desired lines, but will also produce
the power to push that ability into a
living, tangible action.
In addition to thinking that you can
do, try to do; put into practice at once
what power and ability you possess,
and by continuing to think that you
can do more, you will develop the
power to do more. To keep before
mind the idea that “he can who
thinks he can” will also hold
attention upon the high ideals we
have in view, and this is extremely
important.
The fact is if we do not give ideal
models to the creative energies of
mind, those energies will employ
whatever passes before them, as the
senses admit all sorts of impressions
from without.
The creative energies of mind are
constantly producing thought, and
these thoughts will be produced in
the likeness of the deepest, the
clearest and the most predominant
mental impressions. Therefore, it is
absolutely necessary that the
predominant impressions be those
into the likeness of which we desire
to grow, because, as the impressions
are, so are the thoughts; and as the
thoughts are, so is man.
When man thinks that he will
succeed, the predominant
impression is the idea of success.
All his thoughts will therefore
contain the elements of success,
and the forces that can produce
success; and he himself, will
become thoroughly saturated with
the very life of success.
Nothing succeeds like success;
therefore, the, man that is filled with
the spirit of success can never fail;
and what is more, the forces that
contain the elements of success will
give that man the very qualifications
that are essential to success,
because like produces like.
And again, the faculty required to
produce the success desired, will be
the one upon which all these
success-energies will be concen-
trated.
When a man has the ability to do
certain things, those things will be
done; that is a foregone conclusion;
and the ability to do what we want
to do, comes when we constantly
and persistently think that we can
do what we want to do.
In the mastery of fate, the law upon
I
which this idea is based will be found
indispensable; because, since fate is
created, and not controlled, all the
N
elements of fate will have to be
constantly re created.
But no one can do this unless he
T
thinks he can. To change many of
the circumstances and conditions
that now may surround us, requires
R
more ability and power than we
now possess; and to secure this
greater power we must proceed to
O
change and improve everything in
our world by working in the
conviction that we can.
By constantly thinking that we can
change all our conditions, we gain a
power to produce that change, and
will consequently reach our goal.
The man who faces his environment
with the belief that he is helpless
before so many insurmountable
obstacles, will remain where he is;
but the man who thinks he can, will
proceed to surmount everything,
over come everything, change
everything and improve everything;
and by constantly thinking he can,
he will gain the power to do what
he thinks he can do.

How to Prepare for Exam

1. Give up Irrational beliefs There are some common beliefs that Myth #1: I am not lucky with
The world is full of myths – commonare held about exams and their the exams.
ideas that exist but are not true.outcomes. All of which have some Reality #1: Luck may be a factor in
Unfortunately, often such myths ruleelements of false assumption or lottery but not in exams. It is not
what we do and dominate ourirrationality in them. This chapter difficult to understand that exam
behavior. Myths can causedoes not pretend to be anything requires hard work and skill and not
disorganised thinking and setup amore than a guide designed to steer luck. Those who say that they are
system of behavior that is based oncandidates away from the myths unlucky in exams are those who
misconceptions and doomed toand toward the realties of exams. have not worked hard for exam. A
failure. top scorer in IAS exam says, “the

Prelims Magic 2014 25

 more I study, the better I will
become lucky”. In exams you are
the person deciding your luck or
unluck and hard work is the key.
Myth #2: I cannot write exams
like other candidates.
Reality #2: Just think of you not
I writing well in the exam. Can any
other candidate get more marks?
Or suppose you write your exam
N well, can other get fewer marks.
The fact is that there is no relation
between your performance and
T other’s results.
Myth #3: I haven’t covered the
syllabus, so I won’t pass.
R Reality #3: Even the top scorers
might not have studied all the
lessons with same attention. Exam
O is not an exercise to test you
whether you have studied all the
lessons with concentration.
Don’t worry, if you could not write
answer to any questions. After you
have written all the other answers,
attempt this question. If you
concentrate well, you may find the
answer for this, because you might
have studied the lessons related
to it.
Myth #4: The exam will expose
me as a phony or stupid.
Secrets of getting more marks in exams
Whatever may be the back stage
activities of you regarding your
examination and preparation you
will ultimately have to face the very
important and vital day when you
sit in the examination hall with the
question paper right before you.
Ther e are two or three hours
(Check you call letter) before you,
whose value cannot be adjudged in
monetary terms because these hours
are really priceless.
The techniques given in this book
are some of the best and most
effective techniques of successful
candidates – candidates who
26 Prelims Magic 2014
Reality #4: In fact there is no
substance in such fears. Even if you
have written some foolish answers
due to some reasons, remember that
the examiner is not going walk
around and proclaim it. Therefore,
give up this irrational belief and
study in a disciplined way as
described in this book.
2. Develop Spirit of Competition
If you wish to hit the mark in the
examinations you must adopt a
more positive attitude of defeating
others and trying to go ahead by
leaving others behind.
You may find others superior to you,
and if you do so it should be your
duty to catch up with the superior
ones and if possible surpass them.
Unless there is the constant will to
contest and better yourself, you
cannot hope to be placed among the
chosen few.
3. Give the best Devotion
All the different points mentioned in
this book will be of no use if the
candidate has no devotion to his
studies and if he simply carried on
with the studies without any serious
aim or ambition in life.
It is the first and foremost duty to
give the best and highest devotion
typically have high scores in civil
service exams.
Some of the techniques that follow
may seem elementary to those who
already have extensive experience
of examinations. These points of
techniques are important, however,
and even if you have already been
well trained in taking examinations
you may benefit from glancing
through these techniques and
comparing them with your own
experience.
So read on, think about what you
read, and prepare to become a
super winner in examinations.
to your studies, which should come
first in your life before any other
thing or activity.
If you have interest in your studies,
you will find it easy to render
devotion to it and will go through all
hardships to attain your objectives,
which is to do well in the
examinations.
Therefore you should be regular in
your studies and should regard your
studies with respect, forgetting all
other diversions
4. Have firm determination
Apart from devotion a candidate
should also have firm determination
in mastering his test and carrying on
with his studies. He should have
faith in him remembering, “God
helps those who help themselves”.
It is only he and he alone who can
help himself and then expect help
from providence by way of keeping
fit and keeping his capacity and
energy at his command and so on.
But first of all is the determination
to succeed and with this
deter mination there should be
adequate hard work to back up this
determination.
The Night before the Exam
You should get a normal night’s sleep
before the examination. Try to get
a good night’s sleep. Avoid last
minute cramming the night before:
it’s usually ineffective, adds to your
nervousness, and will result in you
waking up feeling tired.
There are always some candidates
who believe that if they had not
worked until the early hours of the
morning they would not have been
able to answer some of the
questions. No doubt, this some times
happens, but often the answers
produced by such candidates are
muddled and irrelevant. It is better
to have a clear head than a few
extra facts got up that night before.
DOs & DON’Ts
Don’t stay up late into the night
cramming.
Get a good night’s sleep to be fresh the
next day.
Don’t try absorbing any completely
new material.
Use the time for a general review
of your course.
Avoid novelties: stay close to your
normal life rythms.
Assemble any materials need for
the next day.
The Day of the exam
Wake up early
On the day of the exam try as far
as possible to stick to your normal
routine. However, If your habit is
waking up very late, it is advisable
to set your alarm and get up early.
Allow plenty of time to get to the
exam.
Break fast
If you do normally eat breakfast,
take it as normal, for you will be
using up a considerable amount of
energy. An advisable breakfast on
exam day is one, which includes
simple sugars (fruit juice), complex
carbohydrates (cereal or toast) and
protein (milk, egg, meat, cheese).
This will help your blood sugar stay
at a stable level, and since your brain
runs on sugar, you don’t want to
have an empty tank.
If you don’t eat up break fast
normally, consider eating up
something light. If this does not
seem possible, you could consider
taking, some glucose tablets, barley,
sugar or mints with you for the
examination room or take a long
piece of fruit to eat during the exam.
This will help keep your blood sugar
even, so you don’t tire during the
second half of the exam period.
Check you have all your
equipments.
Make sure you have all the required
materials – pens, paper, rubber and
other permitted equipments and also
your admission card, before you
leave home.
Use a pencil case or small bag to
keep things together. Staying
organised will increase your sense
of control.
Arriving at the exam hall
Always ensure you get your
instructions correctly on the date,
timing and venue of the examination.
Arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes
before the examination to ensure
you are rested and familiar with the
surroundings. This helps to calm
nerves and enhance your
examination preparation. Check
(and re-check) the time and place
of the exam. Rushing around the
last minute will make you even more
nervous and use up vital energy.
Arrive early instead of barely on
time, so as to be organised and
ready instead of in a panic. Try to
go into the test alert and calm
instead of tense and anxious.
While standing out side the exam
hall, do not engage in conversation
with other students who are
discussing possible questions etc.
Avoid the usual pre-exam
conversation along the lines of what
certain students think will or will not
be on the paper. Inevitably someone
will be sure that a subject that you
are not confident in will be on the
paper, and this is really not helpful
to your nerves.
By hearing them talk, you may
become more anxious because
some of them may sound so
informed or they may ask you
information, which you possibly
overlooked. So keep to your self
and focus on what you have learnt
in a relaxed composed manner. If
you are sure that your friends will
not talk about the test/exam, then
talking about other things may be
acceptable for you. Remember to
do what is best for you. Concentrate
on the world around you rather than
on the exam.
As you Begin
When you get in the exam room
check your watch with the clock in
Prelims Magic 2014
the room, which should be visible to
you, place your watch where you
can easily see it.
Do the administrative bits and
pieces first – fill out all the forms
(answer book) get your admission
card out so that you don’t have to
scrabble around (or go up to your
bag) for it when the invigilator
checks your identity.
I
Read the question paper slowly and
check the instructions for all
questions. Is the paper divided into
N
sections? Which carry the most
marks? Knowing this information at
the beginning will prevent you having
T
to rectify a mistake halfway through
your exam (or later) and then going
in to a panic. Always read
R
directions! Since the UPSC has
changed the Preliminary Exam
Pattern give extra care for the
O
instructions given in the question
paper. Indicate your answer exactly
the way the directions state.
Determine what the scoring rules
for the test are and follow them to
your advantage. For example, since
the wrong answers are penalized,
don’t guess unless you can reduce
the choices to two.
Make sure that you fully understand
the test directions before attempting
to answer any questions.
The first sight of a paper is always
a little disconcerting, even to those
who are well prepared. Some
questions, which had been
confidently expected, will nowhere
appear, while some that do appear
may seem impossibly difficult.
While reading the question paper,
expect it to be difficult to find enough
questions to answer. Adopting this
approach, you will probably find
your hope raised rather than dashed
and it will help you look at each
question much more carefully. This
is not designed to be the opposite of
a positive approach, simply a steady
and realistic approach.
27
 Score Raising Strategies:
What Top Scorers Say
I
Are there any short cuts in getting
N better scores in prelims?
Unfortunately the answer is a big
NO. But, of course, there are some
T tips followed by Top Scorers of Civil
Service Exams for ensuring better
scores in objective type tests. Given
R below are some of them suggested
by Top Scores of the last 5 CS
exams.
O 1.Make a Time Budget: Work out
a timetable for the exam, based on
the number of questions you have
to answer. Subtract preparation time
at the beginning and time for
checking at the end. This will give
you a start time for each question.
Each candidate should prepare a
time budget according to his/her
own comfort and perception. Decide
yourself how much time is required
for answering, understanding the
question paper etc. Make sincere
attempt to stick to your time budget.
While preparing a time budget
consider the time alloted and
number of questions to be
answer ed. Be careful not to
mismanage your time so that you
find yourself with insufficient time.
2.Don’t waste time reading the
questions first. Most of the Top
Scores advice not to waste time
reading the questions first. In their
opinion the two hour time is
sufficient to answer all the 150 (In
2011 Prelims it was 100)questions
in General Studies Paper and 80
questions in the Paper-II. Therefore
they advice, “As soon as you finish
the initial formality of writing your
role number etc, start answering
questions one by one.”
3.Answer the easiest, shortest
question first. In this way you
experience success and you gain
28 Prelims Magic 2014
confidence to tackle more difficult
questions. If you encounter a
difficult question, move on and then
return to it later. Work straight
through the paper noting the more
difficult questions, which you can
return to later. Once you are sure
you have the right answer, don’t
spend time reconsidering.
4.Don’t answer questions which
you have no idea about it, and
don’t go for guess because UPSC
has incorporated negative marking
system since 2007 exam. Against
each wrong answer marked by the
candidate, one third (0.33%) of the
marks assigned that question will be
deducted as penalty. If a candidate
gives more than one answer, it will
be treated as a wrong answer even
if one of the given answers happens
to be correct. If a question is left
blank there will be no penalty for
that question.
5. Read the instructions
particularly carefully, the time you
are allowed and how to complete
the answers. It is important that you
actually complete your answers in
exactly the form required.
6.Answer each question in your
head before you look at the possible
answers. If you can come with the
answer before look at the choices,
you eliminate the possibility of being
confused by those choices.
7.Don’t change your answer
unless you
are sure the second choice is
correct. If you think your first
answer is wrong because you
misread the question, do change
your answer.
8.Reread all questions containing
negative wording such as “not” or
“least”. Be especially alert for the
use of double or even triple negatives
within a sentence, as these must be
read very carefully to assure full
understanding.
9.Check for qualifying words
such as “all-most-some-none”,
“always-usually-seldom-never”,
“best-worst”, or “smallest-largest”.
When you see one of these
qualifiers, test for truth by
substituting the other members of
the series. If your substitution makes
a better statement, the question is
false; if your substitution does not
make a better statement, the
question is true.
10.For questions which need
matching exercises, work with
only one column at a time. Match
each item in that column against all
items in the second column until you
find a proper match, marking
through matches about which you
are certain, so that it will be easier
to match out the rest about which
you are unsure.
11.Answers are valued using
computers. Therefore you must
ensure that you are using the pencil
specified in the instruction. Don’t
forget to carry at least two
sharpened HB Pencils, one eraser
and one sharpener.
12.While changing an answer
already marked, ensure that no dark
stain or spot remains in the original
oval.
13.Better to carry your own
writing clip board.
A certain amount of anxiety prior
to examination is a desirable spur
to effort. But when the anxiety
becomes excessive and is not
channeled into productive work, it
leads to a general inhibition of mental
process.
 How to control exam Anxiety?
Every person writing tests or exams
experiences some degree of anxiety
or a bit of nervousness. This is
normal and in fact necessary in order
to be sufficiently motivated to
perform.
Test anxiety refers to the intense
nervousness which some candidates
feel when they have to write a test
or exam. Symptoms may include the
following:
Before the exam: Insomnia, less (or
increased) appetite, or inability to
concentrate. Boredom may also be
a symptom of anxiety. A surface
lack of interest in a subject may
cover a deep-seated anxiety about
future performance. There may be
mock indifference (don’t care
attitude), guilt, anger and depression.
During an exam: Confusion, panic,
mental blocks, fainting.
Ways to Control exam anxiety
Think about the reasons for your
anxiety and write them down.
Consider each reason very rationally
and objectively. Write down the
worst that could possibly happen
e.g. “If I felt embarrassed, then
the worst that could happen is…”
By spending some time analysing
each cause of your concern, you will
come to realise that in fact, there is
nothing that can damage you
permanently if you do happen to fail
an exam. Lots of candidates have
failed. It does not mean they give
up. Many candidates who fail return
with a vengeance and perform very
well – they are the survivors in life
not just on campus! They make a
new plan when the chips are down.
Therefore try to see an exam, as a
challenge rather than a threat so that
your negative attitude turns into a
positive one and helps you feel
motivated and not anxious.
Be well prepared before an exam.
Do the groundwork early on i.e.
have summaries and notes up to
date, make certain you understand
the work. Cramming and parrot
fashion learning increase the
likelihood of those memory blanks.
Check your exam timetable to
ensure that you know where the
exam venue is and when you are
writing.
On the night before an exam – try
to get a good night’s sleep i.e. at
least 7-8 hrs.
Make sure you arrive on time for
the test/exam. Do not stand around
talking to other candidates about
exam.
Employ sound exam techniques
mentioned in this book.
If you are experiencing exam stress,
it is likely that you are thinking
negatively. There are ways of
dealing with such tendencies, such
as; merely to say to you. STOP
THAT ! This can be done
immediately when one becomes
aware of a negative thought and
before it impairs performance.
Any object e.g. watch strap,
bracelet, elastic band around your
finger can assist you in preventing
negative thoughts. Associate the
bracelet, for instance, with the
prevention of negative thoughts.
The association process can assist
you in two ways:
You will be reminded by the bracelet
that you cannot afford negative
thoughts.
On becoming aware of negative
thoughts you can pull the bracelet
tightly against your arm. This action
as well as the definite decision not
to harbour any negative thoughts
will reinforce your decision.
Visualise success: We tend mostly
to live up to our own expectations,
good or bad. If you spend a lot of
time mentally rehearsing what you
will do when you fail, you increase
your chances of failure. Stop the
cycle of worry.
Take time to rehearse what it will
be like to succeed. Be very
specific. Visualise taking the test/
exam successfully. You discover
Prelims Magic 2014
that you know all the answers.
Imagine yourself writing quickly
and confidently. In your mind, watch
yourself hand in the paper with
confidence. Visualise your
I
celebration when you find out you
got a top grade. As soon as you
realise you are feeling anxious about
N
an upcoming test, begin using this
technique. The more you do this
visualisation, the better it will work.
T
Praise yourself. Consider phrases
like, “I am very relaxed,” “I am
doing a great job on this test”, “I
R
never forgot anything and I have
a lot of tools that will help me
recall.”
O
Relaxation techniques: Here are 3
basic techniques, which are useful
in relieving exam stress.
1. Breathing: The breathing technique
can be used in any stressful situation,
as it is not visible. It is a very
effective way of lowering your level
of tension and your heartbeat.
Stand, sit or lie down comfortably.
If at all possible, close your eyes and
concentrate on breathing deeply.
Shut out all thoughts and
concentrate on the rhythmic in-and-
out flow of air. Your breathing should
be smooth, but deep.
As soon as you notice yourself
relaxing and become more calm,
breathe in deeply and hold the air in
for approximately 10 seconds.
When breathing out after 10
seconds, imagine yourself blowing
a bowl of soup. When breathing out,
there will be a certain amount of
resistance. This process lowers
your heartbeat and results in a more
relaxed state.
Repeat this process three times,
while saying the following as you
breathe out:
“I feel calm, refreshed and in
control of myself.”
Compare your present relaxed state
with your previous tense feelings.
2. Partial relaxation: Make a note
of those muscles, which are tense
29
 while studying or while you are in
the exam situation and attempt to
relax these. Couple this with deep
breathing.
3. The Peaceful Scene
Technique:
This method can be used at any time,
I as it is not visible to others. This
method should be practiced
regularly to be effective. The
N following procedure should be
followed:
By using the breathing technique,
create a calm, tranquil and restful
T state.
Free your thoughts totally to move
a place where you have been
R before and where you were calm
and relaxed, e.g. a mountain or sea
scene.
O Concentrate in the scene and try to
clearly visualise the picture.
Imagine yourself actually standing
at the scene.
Exper ience the associated
sensations, e.g. listen to the noise
of the crying of the seagulls, feel
the sand running through your
fingers, the sun on your skin, look
at the blue sky, taste the salt water
and smell the saltiness of the wind.
Experience the total scene as well
as the associated relaxed and warm
heavy feeling.
Keep this relaxed scene in your
mind for a few minutes, while
continuing to breathe deeply and
smoothly. Say to yourself. ‘I feel
calm, refreshed and in control of
myself.’
Let your thoughts return to reality.
Practice answering questions
in examination conditions
Simulate examination conditions by
answering a question paper in
silence without the aid of books or
other materials, at a desk and within
strictly applied examination time
limits. You can do this either for
individual questions, or for a whole
paper. This will help you to practice
at thinking clearly and quickly in
examination conditions. There are
plenty of question papers available
in the study material provided by us
30 Prelims Magic 2014
and you can choose any of them for
practice every day.
Since the exams are lengthy and
can take between two and three
hours to complete, you should try to
increase your ‘concentration span’
by revising your work in large
blocks of time. You can experiment
and see if you can hold your
concentration on a mock exam for
a similar time. Repetition of this
procedure is a critical ingredient to
exam success – the more you
practise, the more you should
improve.
Consequently, it is important to
answer past exam papers in a
simulated exam situation. Once this
exercise has been done, correct
your paper and note the errors you
have made. The information you
gain from this exercise can be used
to orient your study before tackling
another exam paper. This appraisal
of performance is best directed by
responding to five questions related
to the marks gained:
1. What was your total mark?
2. How many marks were lost
because you did not understand the
theory?
3. How many marks did you lose as
a result of simple errors in your
answers?
4. How many marks were lost
because you could not interpret a
question or you answered a different
question from the one you were
asked?
5. How many marks were lost
because you ran out of time?
The answers to the above questions
offer valuable feedback and can be
used for your benefit. Some people
say that ‘practice makes a man
perfect’ but this saying is not always
‘true’. A better saying is ‘effective
practice leads to improvement’.
Effective practice draws on the
feedback gained from past
mistakes.
The time you spend preparing for
exams must be lengthy and, in
addition, organised to simulate the
conditions of an impending exam. If
you follow the steps outlined above
then you will be better prepared to
handle the stresses of study and
exam taking.
Organise your Study
systematically
As the date of the exam approaches
almost all of your study plan should
be devoted to revision. Repeated
learning and re-learning of the same
material at regular intervals reduces
the amount of detail forgotten.
You will be better prepared for your
exam if you have revised the
material several times than if you
have left all the revision until the
night before the exam will take
place.
Here are some proven techniques
to help you organise your revision
time.
Create a timetable so that you can
keep track of your progr ess.
Keeping track of it will give you a
sense of accomplishment and
control.
Draw up a realistic timetable;
remember to include breaks. Avoid
studying for too more period without
break – take a 10 minutes break
each hour. In addition, try not to
study one subject for more than 4
hours.
Working late at night: There are
wide differences in people’s ability
to work effectively late at night or
the early hours of the morning. It
depends upon person to person.
For routine study you can work in
short period of time, i.e. as short as
20 to 30 minutes. Some topics and
subjects call for longer period but
numerous sub-topics can be revised
in this way. Scientific or problem
based revision will often require
longer periods, eg. 1 hour, to follow
through a sequence of techniques
and knowledge.
It is important to set a time limit on
completing a task
eg “I’will
do………by………time”.
Reward yourself by taking breaks
of at least a few minutes between
work spells. You can take longer
breaks for watching T.V. or eating
food. Breaks can also be used for
actively recalling what you have just
been trying to learn.
 How to approach the Prelims Papers
Paper I (General Studies) (1). Since the 2011 exam there July-2014) is an essential
As you know Preliminary exam has were only 100 questions in total requirement for better performance
2 papers. Paper1 is the General
Studies (GS) and Paper2 is the
(2). From the 2011 exam GMA has
been taken out from Paper-1 and
in the prelims. In mains and
interview too Current Affairs play
I
Aptitude Paper. Just go through the presently part of Paper-2 a very decisive role.
syllabus and Question analysis of the
Paper-1 given below and you will
(3). Environmental studies has been
introduced as a seperate topic from Why is such major emphasis given
N
get a better idea about this paper. 2011 exam. Till 2010 exam it was to current affairs? It is because one
Syllabus
Paper-1
part of either Geography or Biology
(4) From 2010 exam most of the
needs to know his/her country and
the events taking place around him.
T
The Paper-I (General Studies) questions in all sections have a If you are not aware of the
includes
1. Current Events of National and
curr ent link, and that’s why
exclusive CA questions are less. If
problems prevailing in your country/
area how you can you find a viable R
International importance, we apply the same criteria that solution for that. As an IAS officer,
2. History of India and Indian
National Movement,
applied for the QPs of 2002 to 2009,
number of questions coming under
you need to know where your
country stands in the global scenario O
3. Indian and World Geography- the Current Affairs section would and what can be done to improve
Physical, Social, Economic have been more than 50! its condition. You have to scrutinize
Geography of India and the World, the various aspects of your country
4. Indian Polity & Governance– Now let’s see how to approach each which require a thorough knowledge
Constitution, Political System, topic in the syllabus of the current happenings taking
Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, place around you. Your position as
Rights Issues, etc, 1.Current Events of National an IAS officer would be ineffective
5. Economic and Social Develop- and International importance if you are unaware of the conditions
ment Sustainable Development- One of the latest trends of the of the society you live in.
Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, UPSC Paper is that all questions Current affairs section comprises
Social Sector Initiatives, etc, have a root in a current event. In events of both national and
international importance and topics
6. General issues on Environmental other words no question is being
of social relevance. Intended to test
ecology, Bio-diversity, Climate asked just for the sake of asking a
the candidate’s awareness of
Change and question. On the other hand all
current issues, questions usually
7. General Science. questions (2013 GS Question Paper
would emanate from:
Question Trend Analysis again proved this fact) are compiled
1.Indian Economy and issues
The trend analysis given below of based on some events happened in related to planning, mobilisation of
the last 5 Years’ Civil Services the previous year ended one month resources, growth, development and
Question Paper will give you an idea before the exam. Hence a good employment.
about the number of questions asked command over all national and 2.Issues arising from social and
from different areas of the General international events happened from economic exclusion of large sections
Studies in the Preliminary Test. August 2013 till date (Precisely till from the benefits of development.
3.Issues relating to the development
Subject 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 and management of human
1. Geography 38 24 31 16 17 18 resources, health, education, ethical
2. History 12 24 14 11 19 16 concerns, and so on.
3. Economy 15 18 33 21 17 19 4.Law enforcement, internal
security, and related issues such as
4. Polity 10 12 07 08 20 16 the preservation of communal
5. Science & Tech 22 18 29 5 9 14 harmony.
6. GMA 11 14 23 00 00 00 5.Issues relating to good
7. Current Affairs 35 21 09 08 1 - governance and accountability to
8. GK 17 11 04 04 0 - citizens, human rights; probity in
9. Environment - - - 17 17 17 public life.

Prelims Magic 2014 31

 6. Environmental issues, ecological
preservation, conservation of natural
resources and national heritage.
7. Science & Technology
8.Government schemes and
projects.
Many a time you will notice
I questions were asked on topics not
reported by mainstream
newspapers. Thus it is important
N that the candidates regularly visit
websites of various government
agencies and ministries and
T international organisations.
Without a good knowledge of
Curr ent Affairs, it’s almost
R impossible for anyone to crack Civil
Services Examinations. Moreover,
in the Mains examination of Civil
O Services where poor marks in GS
papers can affect the overall
ranking of the candidates, one has
to adopt a good strategy to achieve
success in IAS (Civil Services)
examinations. Even at the interview
level candidates are generally asked
questions on Current Affairs.
2. History of India and Indian
National Movement
Indian History is one of the most
important segments of the General
Studies paper, both in preliminary as
well as main examinations. In
History, things have changed more
towards analysis of events rather
than asking for factual data. The
broader context of the issue should
be given due attention rather than
mugging up raw data.
For the preliminary examination,
according to the syllabus, one must
get hold of all the three sections of
Indian History - Ancient, Medieval
and modern.
Firstly, the ancient Indian history can
be divided into three periods -
Prehistoric, Proto-historic and
Historic. In the first two, i.e. Pre
historic and Proto-historic questions
are often based on archaeological
findings and important sites. This
section should also be prepared for
some map-based questions. For the
historic age, stress may be more on
32 Prelims Magic 2014
socio-cultural aspect. Specifically,
this may include social changes,
literary sources and development of
art and architecture and religious
life. One can safely undermine the
political aspect of the period.
Secondly, for the Medieval
India History as well, culture has a
major chance of questions. You
must have a comprehensive list of
literature, painting and architectural
styles and technological changes
introduced during the period.
Finally, Modern Indian History
has to be given somewhat more
emphasis. This is the segment most
of the questions are asked from. A
chronological study, particularly of
all the major events during Freedom
Struggle, is required. One can be
expected to know perhaps even the
exact date of any particular event.
There is one more solid reason for
giving this section greater attention.
The syllabus for section for General
Studies paper for the main
examination mentions only of
Modern Indian history and culture.
Even though there is no mention of
Indian Culture in the prelims
syllabus, you may expect questions
from Indian Culture too.
Even though we have noticed that
all three sections –ancient, medieval
and modern- has to be studied for
the prelims, many students don’t
spend time for ancient and medieval
part because of the fact that number
of questions from these 2 sections
are very less compared to the third
section –that is modern India.
3. Indian and World
Geography- Physical, Social,
Economic Geography of India
and the World
The new syllabus, as applicable
from the UPSC Preliminary Exams
2011, Geography section of the
paper I comprise of Physical, Social
and Economic Geography of India
and the World.
An analysis of previous question
papers reveal that, emphasis will be
on Geography of India. At least 15-
20 questions are asked from
Physical, Social, and Economic
Geography of India.
The emphasis, during the studies,
should be on strengthening the basic
knowledge. As Geogr aphy
(particularly, physical geography) is
quite close to being a physical
science, students must try-to look
for proper understanding of
different phenomena.
Questions are no longer restricted
to location of a volcano or diameter
of the earth. It now expects the
candidate to know the relevance of
a geographical place for all its
political, economic and social
relevance. They also expect the
candidate to analyse var ious
geographical phenomena and hence
capable to make simple analytical
predictions. There is thus a pressing
need to understand geographical
phenomena in cause and effect
relationship rather than simple
memorizing, which is rather
ephemeral.
From Indian Geography, there are
some key areas to focus upon.
These include the Physical
Geography of India, Agriculture,
Irrigation, Demography, Census,
Industries and Mineral Resources
of India.
Students must also be in a habit of
looking into the maps/atlas.
Whenever you read any news, try
to look for the associated place in
the atlas. Map study should also
include looking for impor tant
geographical points pertaining
especially to the map of India.
4. Indian Polity &
Governance–Constitution,
Political System, Panchayati
Raj, Public Policy, Rights
Issues, etc,
In the new syllabus it is mentioned
as polity and governance. It deals
with the day to day administration
of the country. Thus, it is necessary
that one should know how the
system works and functions of its
various institutions and their
contribution to the society. Hence it
is imperative that one should have a
clear and deeper understanding of
the subject as a whole. So
candidates have to follow proper
strategy to prepare Indian Polity.
Earlier pr eparation for the
Preliminary and Main Examinations
were totally different, the former
tested the factual premises and the
latter checked the analytical
premises. But, the new syllabus
demands an integrated approach for
both Prelims and Mains. According
to the new trends of UPSC there is
a necessity to study Indian Polity
along with overall governance of the
country.
Of course Indian Constitutional
topics like Preamble, Nature of
Constitution, Fundamental Rights
and DPSPs, Union Executive, Union
Parliament, State Executive and
Legislature, Judiciary, Center-State
Relations etc form the core of Indian
Polity. Apart from this, several
challenges to Indian democracy also
becoming one of the preferred areas
of UPSC, for example
Communalism, Regionalism, Caste
Politics, Internal Secur ity,
Criminalisation of politics,
Corruption, Population, Poverty,
Unemployment etc. In addition to
this, contemporary issues like Good
Gover nance, Role of IT in
administration, Civil Society, Right
to Information, Electoral Reforms,
Role of Pressure Groups, Energy
and Food Security, Environment and
Sustainable development etc., are
also important.
Prelims examination not only
requires conceptual clarity but also
the applied part of it. Some of the
preparation tips for the Prelims
exam are:
·One should be thorough in facts and
also the conceptual part of it.
·The conceptual clarity helps to
solve the analytical question asked
from this section.
·According to the earlier trends, it
was easy to attempt maximum
number of questions from this
section because generally questions
from this section were direct and
based on factual information.
Almost 90% of the questions were
asked from the constitutional
provisions and the remaining part
usually covers the current affairs.
But, now the nature of questions
have changed. Along with factual
information one should cover the
current political developments.
Therefore, one should be through
with the curr ent political
developments in the country.
·Practicing previous year questions
will help you to find out the areas
where you commit mistakes.
Here again the emphasis has shifted
to current analysis of important
political and administrative
developments. Thus you must have
a clear awareness of the finer
details of the constitutional
provisions and where they find
application. Various Bills and social
sector provisions implemented by
government needs to be understood
in all their aspects.
5. Economic and Social
Development– Sustainable
Development-Poverty,
Inclusion, Demographics,
Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
In the Preliminary examination of
2012, there were 17 questions from
Economy and Socio-economic
development. You being an aspirant
must understand the importance of
it. If you analyze last year’s question
paper you will find that about half
of the questions came from the
conventional side like inflation and
the other half came from the latest
development. But here it is also
important to know that conventional
topics also arose as it had some
concurrent value.
In the Economic section one should
focus on budget, economic survey,
social sector spending, new
schemes, their budget allocation,
points covered etc., Terms related
to WTO, stock markets, foreign
investment, etc. For the social
development part, newspaper
Prelims Magic 2014
reading should be sufficient,
specially running upto the budget
and for a few days after it.
Under standing which scheme
means what is important. The
syllabus specifically mentions
inclusion, poverty, demographics,
social sector initiatives etc, hence it
is very important. I
6. General issues on
Environmental ecology,
Bio-diversity, Climate Change
N
Environmental Sciences are not only
getting attention by the
T
environmentalists, they are
becoming hot in the realm of Civil
Services Examinations too. The
R
new syllabus incorporates general
issues on environmental ecology,
bio-diversity, climate change which
O
do not require subject specialization.
Although these are classified as new
topics, they used to earlier appear
under the geography section – there
is nothing new to fear about this at
all. In the 2011, 2012 and 2013
prelims 17 questions were asked
from Biodiversity, Global warming,
Pollution, Natural disasters, and
Energy.
7. Science and Technology
Trend analysis of questions shows
that there has been a consistent
decline in the number of questions
asked on pure Sciences like Physics,
Chemistry and Biology. In the
Prelims 2013 also only 6 questions
were asked from Science. Science
and Technology which were more
curr ent related.. Therefore
aspirants are required to focuss
more on Science and Technology.
For details about Paper-2, kindly
refer Prelims Magic Paper II
For details on the Mains Exam
and Interview kindly visit
www.JTSinstitute.com
33
 12 Strategies
to Tackle Objective Type Questions
I Given below are some important tips
developed by experts in tackling
N Multiple Choice Objective Tests.
> Spend Time on the Question
before reading the alternatives:
T You’re more likely to choose the
correct answer if you’ve thought
through the question without the
R interference of all the information
presented in the alternatives. Begin
by covering the alternatives with the
O answer sheet. Then, carefully read
the question before looking at the
alternatives. Circle or underline key
words. Pay special attention to
words that narrow response options
such as “pr incipal” function,
“primary” criticism, and “major”
conclusion.
> Think about where in your
text, lecture notes, or course
material the question is drawn from.
Recall a few points, including related
headings or subheadings. If
applicable, do calculations.
> Predict an Answer before
Looking at Alternatives. While
not all questions are written so that
an answer can be predicted without
looking at the alternatives, many are.
By predicting the answer before
you look at the alternatives you’re
less likely to be swayed by an
alternative that is incorrect. Even if
you can’t predict an answer, you
may be able to identify closely
related concepts that are likely to
surface in alternatives.
> Check the Format of the
Alternatives. Uncover the
alternatives. Do the options allow for
only one correct alternative, or does
a response allow for two or more
alternatives to be correct? (E.g., the
response d indicates that both a and
b are correct.)
> Carefully Read Each
Alternative: Read each alternative
34 Prelims Magic 2014
carefully for understanding, not just
for recognition: you may recognize
the information as being from the
course, but does it answer the
question being asked? Again, pay
careful attention to qualifying
words. Keep the question in mind
and cross off alternatives you think
are incorrect, check off alternatives
you think are correct, and put a
question mark beside alternatives
you’re uncertain about.
> Choose the alternative that
best answers the question:
Carefully mar k the correct
alternative on your answer sheet. If
you do not know the answer, reread
the question. If two options still look
equally appealing, compare each to
the question, making sure that the
one you eventually choose answers
what is asked/is the “neatest” fit
(i.e., doesn’t require additional
information to be correct). If you’re
still unsure, guess (if there’s no
penalty for wrong answers).
>If you aren’t sure that you made
the correct choice, put a big question
mark beside the question and move
on to the next question. Avoid
getting bogged down on one
question. If time permits, return to
any problematic questions you’ve
flagged after completing the test.
> Review Answers: If time is
available after completing the test,
review your answers. Change an
answer only if you can logically
justify the change. Ensure that test
and answer sheet responses
correspond.
> Relying on Recognition: Don’t
select an alternative just because
you recognize the information as
being from the course. It may be a
true statement in its own right, but
you have to make sure that it
answers the question being asked.
>Don’t Rely on Myths and
Misconceptions: There are many
poor strategies for writing multiple-
choice tests, including the
longstanding “if in doubt pick c”
myth. Don’t pick “c” every time
you’re unsure of the answer; rather,
think through the question and
alternatives as discussed above.
Also, don’t choose an answer based
on a pattern of responses (i.e., “This
can’t be another “b” because I’ve
chosen that answer for the last three
questions.” It could be another b, or
perhaps one of the earlier responses
was wrong). Choose an answer
based on the strategies discussed
above.
> Dismissing Alternatives
Because they Seem too
Obvious: Don’t dismiss an
alternative because it seems too
obvious an answer. While some
questions may require more complex
application of concepts, others may
only require straight recall. If you’re
well prepared for the exam, these
questions may appear simple. Keep
this in mind if you tend to dismiss
some alternatives because you
assume that multiple-choice tests
are tricky, so the answer couldn’t
be so obvious.
> Running Out of Time
Some multiple-choice questions will
take longer than others, so it doesn’t
make sense to allocate equal time
for each question even though
they’re often weighted the same.
Rather, track your progress at
intervals: halfway through the test
are you approximately halfway
through the questions? If you’re
behind, pick up your pace. If you’re
unsure about an answer, put a big
question mark next to it and return
to it if time remains once you’ve
completed the test.
 Types of Questions
Asked in the Civil Service Exam
It is very important to understand (c) 1 and 2 are correct City River
I
the different types of questions (a) Berlin : Rhine
asked in the Civil Services Exam.
The recent trend is to incorporate
(d) 1 and 3 correct
Ans. (c)
Example-2. Consider the following
(b) London
(c) New York :
: Tames
Hudson
N
several complex formats which (d) Vienna : Danube
require the candidate to understand
clearly what is wanted before
geological phenomena:
1. Development of a fault
2. Movement along a fault
Ans. (a)
Example-III. Consider the
T
choosing the answer. Given below following pairs
are the different Types of questions
asked in the Civil Services
3. Impact produced by a volcanic
eruption
4. Folding of rocks
Famous Place
Cannes :
Country
France
R
Preliminary Exam. Davos : Denmark
Type-I: Single Selection Type
Which of the above cause
earthquakes?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 4
Roland Garros :
Netherlands
The
O
This is a very simple and straight Which of the above statements is/
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct?
question pattern. In this type only Ans. (d) (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
one option out of the four given
Type-III Matching Type (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
option is correct. Ans. (c)
In matching type questions you are
Example: A meteor is expected to respond simultaneously Type-V Sequence Type
(a) a rapidly moving star to four different items and choose In this type 2 statements will be
(b) a piece of matter which has the r esponse without being given. First one is ‘Assertion’ and
entered the earth’s atmosphere confused. The very important point the second one is ‘Reason’ Based
from outer space to note is that all or most of the on a code given, you have to decide
(c) part of a constellation options may seem nearly correct. whether the Assertion and the
(d) a comet without tail Therefore special care has to be Reason are individually correct or
Ans. (b) taken while solving these types of not, if both are correct whether the
Type-II Multiple Selection Type questions. Matching type questions reason correctly explains Assertion
can be asked in different ways. See or not.
In this type of question a set of the examples given below: Example:
statements will be given of which Example-I. Match List I with List Q. Consider the following
one or more will be correct/the II and select the correct answer statements:
answer to the question. You need using the codes given below the lists: Assertion (A) : Areas near the
to identify the correct option. See List I List II equator receive rainfall throughout
the example given below: (Local Wind) (Region) the year.
Example-1: Consider the following A. Fohn 1. Argentina Reason (R) : High temperatures and
statements regarding asteroids: B. Samun 2. Kurdistan high humidity cause Convectional
1. Asteroids are rocky debris of rain in most afternoons near the
C. Santa Ana 3. California
varying sizes orbiting the Sun. equator.
D. Zonda 4. Alps In the context of the above two
2. Most of the asteroids are small A B C D
but some halt diameter as large as statements, which one of the
(a) 2 4 1 3 following is correct?
1000 km. (b) 4 2 3 1 (a) Both A and R are true and R is
3. T he orbit of asteroids lies (c) 2 4 3 1 the correct explanation of A
between orbits of Jupiter and (d) 4 2 1 3 (b) Both A and R are true but R is
Saturn. Ans. (b) not a correct explanation of A
Of these statements Example-II.. Which one of the (c) A is true but R is false
(a) 1, 2 and 3 are correct following pairs is not correctly (d) A is false but R is true
(b) 2 and 3 are correct matched? Ans. (a)

Prelims Magic 2014 35

 Type-IVAssertion-Reason Format (a) 1, 3, 4, 2 (b) 1, 4, 3, 2 Q. Consider the following countries:
(c) 3, 1, 4, 2 (d) 3, 2, 4, 1 1. Brazil
Generally questions coming under Ans. (a) 2. Indonesia
this category aims to assess your 3. Japan
knowledge in Time Line. Instead of Q.What is the correct chronological 4. Russia
simply asking for the date of an sequence of the following? What is the descending order of the
event, this kind of question ask for 1. Wood’s Education Dispatch size of the following countries
the correct sequential arrangement
I of events, personalities, etc.
2, Macaulay’s minute on education
3. The Sargent Education Report
4. Indian Education (Hunter
population-wise?
(a) 1, 2, 4, 3
(b) 2, 3, 1, 4
Q. Consider the following landmarks Commission) (c) 2, 1, 4, 3
N in Indian education:
1. Hindu College, Calcutta. Select the correct answer using the
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4
Ans. (c)
2. University of Calcutta code given below: Besides the above mentioned types
T 3. Adam’s Report
4. Wood’s Dispatch
(a) 2, 1, 4, 3
(c) 1, 2, 4, 3
(b) 2, 1, 3, 4
(d) 4, 3, 1, 3
of questions, there will be questions
that contain Tables, Graphs, Maps,
The correct chronological order of Ans. (a) and Passages etc.
R these landmarks is :

36 Prelims Magic 2014

 I
A Master Plan to Study Smarter N
Before you even begin think about the process of studying, you must develop a
systematic Plan for study. If you don’t have a plan for studying, then you will not
T
have any way of allocating your valuable time when the unexpected comes up. A
good, well thought out Study Plan can be a lifesaver. To help you out we have
given in the following pages Planners for the next few weeks. It’s up to you to
R
implement this plan that meets your needs, revise it if necessary and most
important-follow it.
Prepare Plan at the beginning of each week: A detailed plan needs to be
O
made out at the beginning of each week, in keeping with the changing requirements
of your study and in the light of your experience. The weekly plan allows flexibility
but at the same time ensure that you will be prepared to do each piece of work
at the best possible time. At the beginning of each week, plan your study times
for the whole week. Flexibility enters here. Observe these principles:
1. Do each piece of work at the best time.
2. Try and discover the best length of study period for your various tasks.
A sizeable task is often best tackled in a single 1 or 2 hours session.
3. Plan for rest periods between tasks and shorter rest intervals in the course
of a task.
4. Set yourself ‘DEADLINES’ for completing important pieces of work.
A good study plan keeps you from wandering off course. A good study plan if
properly managed, assigns time where time is needed, but you have got to want
to do it! Your Study Plan should take into account every class, lecture, social
event, and other work in which you engage. Indicate time for classes, lectures,
social and work time. Also block off a period for sleeping each day. With what
is left over, plan time for study. This gives you a clear road map of the time
available. Of course you can revise your time table as circumstances warrant.
Do not hesitate to spend your own time for preparation of a plan for study
because the thought time and planning involved in constructing a good workable
plan are repaid many times over.

Prelims Magic 2014 37

 Prelims Magic 2014 It’s simply a matter of doing what you do best and
not worrying about what the other fellow is going to
REMEMBER do.
Number of Days to the Exam John R. Amos
IAS Prelims on:
I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7
7-8
R 8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
Confidence: You need to be confident that you can perform the tasks required to achieve your goal and get what you want.
Confidence comes from learning what to do and how to do it, and then having some success in applying your skills. If you
practice taking tests, until you are relaxed and feel skilled in that task, you will have more confidence when taking your final
exams. Other people should have confidence in you; such that they are sure you will come through and do what is promised.
The saying is: “Celebrate every success, no matter how small.”

38 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
.......................and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5
5-6
N
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11 O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Little Red Engine : Do you remember the story of the caboose that was desperately trying to make it over a very large hill?
He kept telling himself repeatedly, “I think I can, I think I can.” When you start feeling overwhelmed or defeated, tell yourself
aloud these same words. While it may seem a little awkward at first, stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself, “I think I can,
I think I can.” You might even change the words to, “I know I can!”

Prelims Magic 2014 39

 Prelims Magic 2014 To accomplish great things, we must not only act,
REMEMBER but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.
Anatole France
Number of Days to the Exam
IAS Prelims on:
I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7
7-8
R 8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Stand up for yourself. : Don’t allow people to put you down and don’t allow other people’s expectations to thwart what you are
capable of becoming. Don’t put up with people or situations that negate all the positive things that you can do. Stand up for your
dreams! Living aimlessly leaves you with a feeling of emptiness and confusion. Goals give you a sense of purpose. They steer your
life in a particular direction. They make your life purposeful. Accomplishing personal goals gives your self-esteem a big boost.

40 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
.......................and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5 N
5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

No Excuses: Many famous actors, musicians, inventors, etc., had special challenges ranging from learning disabilities to physical
disabilities. Take Beethoven for example. He was born deaf yet he went on to be one of the world’s greatest composers or Joni
Erickson who was paralyzed from the neck down yet she learned to paint with her mouth. Today, her paintings are famous around
the world and worth millions. If you are faced with a special challenge of your own, while you may have to adjust things from time
to time, do not use excuses. If you want something bad enough, there is a way!

Prelims Magic 2014 41

 Prelims Magic 2014 Never go backward. Attempt, and do it with all your
REMEMBER might. Determination is power.
Number of Days to the Exam Charles Simmons

IAS Prelims on:

I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7

R 7-8
8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

How to use your time: Time is the most valuable resource a student has. It is also one of the most wasted of resources. The
schedule you develop should guide you in how to allocate the available time in the most productive manner. Sticking to your
schedule can be tough. Don’t dribble away valuable time. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It’s up to you to follow
the schedule you prepared. A good deal of your success in high school or college depends on this simple truth.

42 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5 N
5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Believe: There is a difference between WISHING for a thing and being READY to receive it. No one is ready for a thing, until
he believes he can acquire it. The state of mind must be BELIEF, not mere hope or wish. Open-mindedness is essential for belief.
Closed minds do not inspire faith, courage, and belief. Remember, no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand
success, than is required to accept failure.

Prelims Magic 2014 43

 Prelims Magic 2014 Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s
REMEMBER possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Number of Days to the Exam Francis of Assisi

IAS Prelims on:

I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7

R 7-8
8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
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1-2
2-3
3-4

Positive Thinking is contagious: People around you pick your mental moods and are affected accordingly. Think about
happiness, good health and success and you will cause people to like you and desire to help you, because they enjoy the
vibrations that a positive mind emits. In order to make positive thinking yield results, you need to develop a positive attitude
toward life, expect a successful outcome of whatever you do, but also take any necessary actions to ensure your success.

44 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5 N
5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

True positive thinking: True positive thinking is not just saying that everything will be okay, as a lip service, and at the same
time think about failure. In order to bring beneficial changes and improvement into your life, positive thinking has to become your
predominant mental attitude throughout the day. It has to turn into a way of life. Real and effective positive thinking requires that
you focus on positive thoughts and positive emotions, and also take positive action. How can you develop this state of mind? You
can do so by reading inspiring and motivating literature, and through visualization, affirmations and meditation.

Prelims Magic 2014 45

 Prelims Magic 2014 Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is
REMEMBER the key to success. If you love what you are doing,
Number of Days to the Exam you will be successful.
Albert Schweitzer
IAS Prelims on:
I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7

R 7-8
8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Talk to yourself positively: Say to yourself, “I’m good”, “I’m great”, “I am self-confident”; feel good when you say these things
to yourself. You are as valuable and as deserving of these sentences as anybody else. Besides, you don’t need to wait for anybody
to tell you this; you can tell yourself and feel good now. Praise yourself when you’ve done something good (a good job at work,
helped a friend, etc). If we have the time to praise a colleague or relative, why wouldn’t we have the time to praise ourselves and
feel good too? “Well done, me”.

46 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5 N
5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Break Bad Habits: Habits, regardless of size or nature, can be exceptionally difficult to break. This will take a lot of effort but you
can do it. Unfortunately, poor habits can be the one aspect of your behavior that could be the obstacle to your success. If you have
a habit of sniffling or chewing your nails when you get nervous or saying demeaning or offensive things as a way of trying to
control, to be successful, whether on a personal or career level, you have to stop.

Prelims Magic 2014 47

 Prelims Magic 2014 The secret of health for both mind and body
is not to mourn for the past,
not to worry about the future,
REMEMBER nor to anticipate troubles,
Number of Days to the Exam but to live in the present
moment wisely and earnestly.
IAS Prelims on:
I Monday Tuesday
Buddha

Wednesday Thursday

N 4-5
5-6
T 6-7

R 7-8
8-9

O 9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Self-management: Ensure you eat and sleep well, and schedule exercise and leisure time into your routine. Study in bursts by
breaking each hour into 50 minutes of study and 10 minutes of active relaxation. Don’t use your break time to turn on the TV or
surf the net: get moving by going for a quick walk, having a cup of tea or calling a friend. It’s important to manage your well-being
during exams: you won’t perform well if you don’t feel well.

48 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5 N
5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Get Excited: Do you remember your first trip to see a professional baseball game and how exciting it was to see the thousands
of people cheering, enjoying the mouth watering smell of popcorn and hot dogs, and hoping that you might get a chance to catch
a foul ball? You need to be excited about your venture for success. Remember some of the things that brought true excitement to
your heart when you were growing up and add that same excitement to your grownup life.

Prelims Magic 2014 49

 Prelims Magic 2014 “First ask yourself:
What is the worst that can happen?
REMEMBER Then prepare to accept it.
Then proceed to improve on the worst.”
Number of Days to the Exam Dale Carnegie
IAS Prelims on:
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Be Open To Improvement: Sometimes, people get into the habit of thinking they have the answers needed. You need to accept
that you do not have all the answers and more importantly, be open to recommendations from other people. That does not mean
you have to agree or even follow those suggestions, but it does mean to listen. You never know when someone will have an idea
that will make things easier and more functional, ultimately helping you arrive at your goal more efficiently.

50 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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3-4

Begin study with a new thought: Each day before you begin your study, devote 5 minutes to thinking “How can I study
better today?” “How can I improve my personal efficiency?”. Mix up deep desire in your thinking and you will get better
answers day by day. This exercise is simple, but it works. Try it and you will find unlimited creative ways to win greater
success.

Prelims Magic 2014 51

 Prelims Magic 2014 The ladder of success
The ladder of success is never crowded at the top.
REMEMBER Your big opportunity may be right where you are now
Number of Days to the Exam You can do it if you believe you can!

IAS Prelims on:

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Focus on the Big Picture: As you make your way toward success, you will be challenged with big obstacles as well as small
obstacles. Pick your battles wisely. While you need to resolve the small issues, do not dwell on them and lose precious time and
energy when you should be focusing on the bigger picture. In other words, do not allow the menial things to clutter your mind and
monopolize your time.

52 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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3-4

Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumption: A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we
know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member’s bad mood
is due to something you did, or that your classmates are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask
them. Don’t waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

Prelims Magic 2014 53

 Prelims Magic 2014 “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality
of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take
REMEMBER care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue
Number of Days to the Exam and reasonable nature.”—Marcus Aureleus

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Learn to say no: For example, an acquaintance of yours would like you to see a movie with him tonight. You made social plans
for tomorrow with your friends and tonight you were going to study and do laundry. You really are not interested. You want to say
no, but you hate turning people down. Politely saying NO should become a habit. Saying NO frees up time for the things that are
most important.

54 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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Stop Studying When You Feel Confident: How do you know when you’ve studied enough? It’s not when you’re tired of
studying! And it’s not when you’ve gone through the material one time! You should stop only when you get to the point that you
feel confident and ready for whatever will be on the exam—when you’re actually eager to see the exam to find out if you guessed
its contents correctly.

Prelims Magic 2014 55

 Prelims Magic 2014 Excellence can be attained if you - care more than
others think is wise - risk more than others think is
REMEMBER safe - dream more than others think is practical - and
Number of Days to the Exam expect more than others think is possible.
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Take time out to focus on all that you have done well. Once a month, take a few moments to write down all that you have done
well ­it’s probably more than you think. Acknowledge the work you do, your strengths and accomplishments on a regular basis.
In doing so, you’ll begin seeing yourself as a person who does things right and gets things done. You’ll begin seeing and
appreciating all the good you do. (Cari Vollmer)

56 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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5-6
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11
O
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1-2
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4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
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9-10
10-11
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12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4

Be Happy: A positive mind and happy, upbeat attitude will help you succeed. It has been proven in many studies that a
person living in a happy state generally gets much further in just about everything they do. This relates to attitude. Just as
bad attitude can pull you down, good attitude and a happy, healthy mind will help you meet your objectives.

Prelims Magic 2014 57

 Prelims Magic 2014 The average person puts only 25% of his energy and
ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to
those who put in more than 50% of their capacity,
REMEMBER and stands on its head for those few and far between
Number of Days to the Exam souls who devote 100%.
Andrew Carnegie
IAS Prelims on:
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Toxic Poisoning: No, we are not talking about actual poison but toxic people that can poison. Unfortunately, it would be great
if close friends or co-workers could share in your success but all too often, there will be someone who is either dealing with the
“green monster” of jealousy or has a case of the “I knew that” syndrome. If you are serious about reaching your goal and being
successful, you will need to rid your life of these people. While you may not be able to get them out of your life completely, you
should avoid them as best as possible. If this is a person, you see every day, keep your goals to yourself, and avoid that specific
subject.

58 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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3-4

Stop The Complaining: You might think there is no correlation between complaining and success when in fact there is a
connection. When you are spending time complaining about the obstacles you are facing, you are wasting so much time being
negative that you are actually losing chances to move forward. Instead of thinking of challenges as problems, think of them as
opportunities.

Prelims Magic 2014 59

 Prelims Magic 2014 “Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly
are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes
REMEMBER you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well,
the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.”
Number of Days to the Exam
Dale Carnegie
IAS Prelims on:
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The Laws of Attraction: Once you know what you want, it’s simple. Just ask for it. Say it, write it, and believe in it. Think of
it as if it has already happened. Imagine that it has.
Don’t do this in a whimsical, “gee wouldn’t it be swell” way, but actually close your eyes and visualize it.
Don’t expect to know the method by which your dreams will come true. The Laws of Attraction don’t work that way. You just
need to trust that a good thing will happen, and leave the “how” up to the universe.

60 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
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The obstacle in our path: In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if
anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many
loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant
came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone
to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he
noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating
that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Prelims Magic 2014 61

 Prelims Magic 2014 DREAM - More... THINK - High
CHOOSE - Best... ANALYZE - Twice
PLAN - Perfect...BE - Confident
REMEMBER WORK - Hard ... EXECUTE - Well
Number of Days to the Exam Then
SUCCESS - Is YOURS
IAS Prelims on:
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Idleness is a curse: A lazy grasshopper laughed at a little ant as she was always busy gathering food.
“why are you working so hard?” he asked, “come into the sunshine and listen to my merry notes.”
“But the ant went on her work. She said” I am lying in a store for the winter. Sunny days won’t last for ever.”
“Winter is so far away yet, “laughed the grasshopper back. And when the winter came, the ant settled down in her snug house. She
had plenty of food to last the whole winter. The grasshopper had nothing to eat so, he went to the ant and begged her for a little corn.
“No”, replied the ant, “you laughed at me when I worked. You yourself sang through the summer. So you had better dance the winter
away.”

62 Prelims Magic 2014

 MY GOAL
Every day and every way I am getting better and better. I approve of myself and feel great about my Study
Plans. My Target is getting the best score in the forthcoming Civil Services Preliminary Exam to be held on
....................... and get selected for the Main Exam. To achieve this target I am studying efficiently as per
the Plans given in this Book.
Name ..................................................................... Signature .................................

Friday Saturday Sunday

I
4-5
5-6
N
6-7 T
7-8
8-9 R
9-10
10-11 O
11-12
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4-5
5-6
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3-4
Don’t fear hollow threats: Once a Lark made her nest in a corn-field. Soon she laid eggs in it. After a few days small babies
hatched out of them. One day the baby-larks overheard the farmer say, “I will call my neighbors to reap this field.” The Baby-
larks got alarmed to hear this and told their mother about it. “Don’t worry,” said the mother.
Some days later, the farmer came again and said, I will call my relatives to reap this field.” The baby-larks afraid again.
“Fear not,” said their mother.
But the next day the farmer came there with his little son and said, “I will reap this field tomorrow.”
“Now is the time to go. When a man says he will do the work himself, he will certainly do it,” said the mother-lark.

Prelims Magic 2014 63

 RECORD OF MERIT
Test Results - A Self Analysis
> Record the result of your Class Tests/Mock Tests/Self Monitored Tests and indicate whether you think
the results are better than expected, as expected or below the expectation.
> Give reasons for this evaluation and suggest an action plan, either generalising from your successes or
planing remedial action. Remedial Action can be: More study time for that subject, Arrange a combined
I study with a friend who knows that subject better, Stop watching your favourite TV Show and utilise that
time for study etc.
> Studies prove that an analysis like this help students improve their learning level and ultimatelt the exam
N results dramatically.
TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART
T Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

R 1
Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

O 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.

TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART

Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.

64 Prelims Magic 2014

 TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART
Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

1
2
3
I
4
5 N
6
7 T
8
9 R
10
Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.
O
TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART
Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.

IAS Prelims Magic PAPER-2

An excellent companion for Prelims Paper-2 preparation

For Details visit: www.JTSInstitute.com

Prelims Magic 2014 65

 TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART
Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

I 2
3

N 4
5
6
T 7
8
R 9
10
O Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.

TEST RESULTS : SELF ANALYSIS CHART

Impro-
Test #

Expected Actual vement

Subject/Paper Date Result % Result % Level Reason for Change Action Plan for Improvement

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Expected Result = Your self expected calculation of marks immediately after the Test.
Improvement Level = Plus or Minus difference from the previous Test.

66 Prelims Magic 2014

 INDIAN HISTORY
CONTENTS
H
I
1. Pre-Historic India and the Harappan Culture 68
2.
3.
Vedic Period (C. 1500-600 Bc.)
The Mahajanapadas
71
75
S
4.
5.
The Rise of Magadha and Alexander’s invasion
Age of the Mauryas
78
81
T
6.
7.
Post-Mauryan India
Sangam Age
86
89
O
8.
9.
Jainism and Buddhism
Gupta Empire
92
97 R
10. Post Gupta Age 103
11. The Kingdoms of South India 105 Y
12. Gandhara - Mathura School of Art 107
13. The Arab Conquest of Sind and other Invasions 110
14. Delhi Sultanate 111
15. The Vijayanagar Empire and the Bahamani Kingdom 118
16. The Mughal Empire 126
17. The Marathas and the Sikh Confederacy 134
18. Advent of the Europeans 138
19. British Conquest 142
20. The Impact of British Rule in India 150
21. The Revolt of 1857 162
22. Socio-Religious Reform Movements 166
23. Indian National Movement 188
24. Time Line 218
25. Personalities and Movements 225
26. Points from Mains’Question Papers 231
27. Indian Culture 238

Prelims Magic 2014 67


PRE-HISTORIC INDIA AND
1 Dholavira (inscription having large
THE HARAPPAN CULTURE
In India, the pre-historic period is
divided into the Paleolithic (Old
H Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle
Stone Age), Neolithic (New Stone
Age) and the Metal Age. However,
I these periods were not uniform
throughout the Indian sub-continent.
Paleolithic or Old Stone Age
S The Old Stone Age sites are widely
found in various parts of the Indian
T sub-continent. Some of the famous
sites of Old Stone Age in India are:
a. The Soan valley and Potwar
O Plateau in Northwest India.
b. The Siwalik Hills in the North
India.
R c. Bhimpetka in Madhya Pradesh.
d. Adamgarh Hill in Narmada
valley.
Y e. Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and
f. Attirampakkam near Chennai.
A few Old Stone Age paintings have
also been found on rocks at
Bhimbetka and other places. The
period before 10000 B.C. is
assigned to the Old Stone Age.
Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age
The next stage of human life is called
Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age
which falls roughly from 10000 B.C.
to 6000 B.C. Mesolithic remains are
found in Langhanj in Gujarat,
Adamgarh in Madhya Pradesh and
also in some places of Rajasthan,
Utter Pradesh and Bihar. The
paintings and engravings found at
the rock shelters give an idea about
the social life and economic activities
of Mesolithic people.
Neolithic Age
It is approximately dated from 6000
B.C to 4000 B.C. Neolithic remains
are found in various parts of India.
These include the Kashmir Valley,
Chirand in Bihar, Belan Valley in
Uttar Pradesh and in several places
of the Deccan. The important
Neolithic sites excavated in South
68 Prelims Magic 2014
India are Maski, Brahmagiri, Hallur
and Kodekal in Karnataka,
Paiyampalli in Tamilnadu and Utnur
in Andhra Pradesh. The chief
characteristic features of the
Neolithic culture are the practice of
agriculture, domestication of
animals, polishing of stone tools and
the manufacture of pottery.
Metal Age
The Neolithic period is followed by
Chalcolithic (copper-stone) period
when copper and bronze came to
be used. The new technology of
melting metal ore and crafting metal
artifacts is an important
development in human civilization.
But, the use of stone tools was not
given up. Some of the micro-lithic
tools continued to be essential items.
People began to travel for a long
distance to obtain metal ores. This
led to the network of Chalcolithic
cultures, and the Chalcolithic
cultures were found in many parts
of India.
The Harappan Civilization
The earliest excavations in the
Indus valley were done at Harappa
in the West Punjab and
Mohenjodaro in Sind. Both places
are now in Pakistan. The findings
in these two cities brought to light a
civilization. It was first called the
‘The Indus Valley Civilization’. But
this civilization was later named as
the ‘Indus Civilization’ due to the
discovery of more and more sites
far away from the Indus valley. Also,
it has come to be called the
‘Harappan Civilization’ after the
name of its first discovered site.
Important Sites
Among the many other sites
excavated, the most important are
Kot Diji in Sind, Kalibangan in
Rajasthan (ploughed field), Rupar in
the Punjab, Banawali in Haryana
(terrocotta replica of a plough),
Lothal (dockyard), Surkotada and
signs of Harappan script), all the
three in Gujarat. The larger cities
are approximately a hundred
hectares in size. Mohenjodara is the
largest of all the Indus cities and it
is estimated to have spread over an
area of 200 hectares.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I (Ancient site) with
List II (Archaeological finding)
and select the correct answer
using the codes given below the
lists:
List I (Ancient site)
A. Lothal B. Kalibangan
C. Dholavira D. Banawali
List II (Archaeological finding)
1. Polughed field
2. Dockyard
3. Terrcotta replica of a plough
4. An inscription comprising ten
large sized signs of the Harappan
script
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 1 2 3 4
(b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 1 2 4 3
(d) 2 1 3 4
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Origin and Evolution
The archaeological findings excava-
ted for the last eight decades reveal
the gradual development of the
Harappan culture. There are four
important stages or phases of
evolution and they are named as pre-
Harappan, early-Harappan, mature-
Harappan and late Harappan. The
pre-Harappan stage is located in
eastern Baluchistan. The excava-
tions at Mehrgarh, 150 miles to the
northwest of Mohenjodaro, reveal
the existence of pre-Harappan
culture. In this stage, the nomadic
people began to lead a settled
agricultural life. In the early-
Harappan stage, the people lived in
large villages in the plains. There
was a gradual growth of towns in
the Indus valley. Also, the transition
from rural to urban life took place
during this period. The sites of Amri
and Kot Diji remain the evidence
for Early-Harappan stage. In the
mature-Harappan stage, great cities
emerged. The excavations at
Kalibangan with its elaborate town
planning and urban features prove
this phase of evolution. In the late-
Harappan stage, the decline of the
Indus culture started. The
excavations at Lothal reveal this
stage of evolution. Lothal with its
port was founded much later. It was
surrounded by a massive brick wall
as flood protection. Lothal remained
an emporium of trade between the
Harappan civilization and the
remaining part of India as well as
Mesopotamia.
Date of the Harappan Culture
In 1931, Sir John Marshall estima-
ted the duration of the occupation
of Mohenjodaro between 3250 and
2750 B.C. Subsequently, as and
when new sites were discovered,
the dating of the Harappan culture
is modified. The advent of the
radiocarbon method paves way for
fixing almost accurate dates. By
1956, Fairservis brought down the
dating of the Harappan culture to
between 2000 and 1500 B.C. on the
basis of radiocarbon dates of his
findings. In 1964, D.P. Agarwal
came to the conclusion that the total
span of this culture should be
between 2300 and 1750 B.C. Yet,
there is further scope of modifica-
tion of these dates.
Salient Features of the
Harappan Culture
Town Planning
The Harappan culture was
distinguished by its system of
townplanning on the lines of the grid
system – that is streets and lanes
cutting across one another almost
at right angles, thus dividing the city
into several rectangular blocks.
Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Kali-
bangan each had its own citadel built
on a high podium of mud brick.
Below the citadel in each city lay a
lower town containing brick houses,
which were inhabited by the
common people. The large-scale
use of burnt bricks in almost all kinds
of constructions and the absence of
stone buildings are the important
characteristics of the Harappan
culture. Another remarkable feature
was the underground drainage
system connecting all houses to the
street drains which were covered
by stone slabs or bricks.
The most important public place of
Mohenjodaro is the Great Bath
measuring 39 feet length, 23 feet
breadth and 8 feet depth. Flights of
steps at either end lead to the
surface. There are side rooms for
changing clothes. The floor of the
Bath was made of burnt bricks.
Water was drawn from a large well
in an adjacent room, and an outlet
from one corner of the Bath led to
a drain. It must have served as a
ritual bathing site. The largest
building in Mohenjo-daro is a
granary measuring 150 feet length
and 50 feet breadth. But in the
citadel of Harappa we find as many
as six granaries.
Economic life
There was a great progress in all
spheres of economic activity such
as agriculture, industry and crafts
and trade. Wheat and barley were
the main crops grown besides
sesame, mustard and cotton.
Surplus grain was stored in
granaries. Animals like sheep, goats
and buffalo were domesticated. The
use of horse is not yet firmly
established. A number of other
animals were hunted for food
including deer. Specialized groups of
artisans include goldsmiths, brick
makers, stone cutters, weavers,
boat-builders and terracotta
manufacturers. Bronze and copper
vessels are the outstanding
examples of the Harappan metal
Prelims Magic 2014
craft. Gold and silver ornaments are
found in many places. Pottery
remains plain and in some places
red and black painted pottery is
found. Beads were manufactured
from a wide variety of semi-
precious stones. Internal trade was
extensive with other parts of India.
Foreign trade was mainly conducted
H
with Mesopotamia, Afghanistan and
Iran Gold, copper, tin and several
semi-precious stones were
I
imported. Main exports were
several agricultural products such
as heat, barely, peas, oil seeds and
S
a variety of finished products
including cotton goods, pottery,
beads, terracotta figures and ivory
T
products. There is much evidence
to prove the trade links between the
Indus and Sumerian people. Many
O
seals of Indus valley have been
found in Mesopotamia. Trade was
of the barter type. The seals and
R
the terracotta models of the Indus
valley reveal the use of bullock carts
and oxen for land transport and
Y
boats and ships for river and sea
transport.
Harappan Seals -Made of steatite,
copper, shell, agate, ivory, faence
and terracotta.Displayed symbols
like circles, crosses, dots, swastikas
and leaves of papal tress. Animals
shown are unicorn, elephant, tiger,
rhinoceros, antelope, and crocodile
Pashupati seal has been discovered
from Mohenjodaro. Marshall called
it Proto Shiva.
Social Life
Much evidence is available to
understand the social life of the
Harappans. The dress of both men
and women consisted of two pieces
of cloth, one upper garment and the
other lower garment. Beads were
worn by men and women.
Jewelleries such as bangles,
bracelets, fillets, girdles, anklets,
ear-rings and fingerings were worn
by women. These ornaments were
made of gold, silver, copper, bronze
and semi precious stones. The use
of cosmetics was common. Various
69
 household articles made of pottery;
stone, shells, ivory and metal have
been found at Mohenjo-daro.
Spindles, needles, combs, fishhooks,
knives are made of copper.
Children’s toys include little clay
carts. Marbles, balls and dice were
H used for games. Fishing was a
regular occupation while hunting
and bull fighting were other
I pastimes. There were numerous
specimens of weapons of war such
as axes, spearheads, daggers, bows,
S arrows made of copper and bronze.
Arts
T The Harappan sculpture revealed a
high degree of workmanship.
Figures of men and women, animals
O and birds made of terracotta and the
carvings on the seals show the
degree of proficiency attained by the
R sculptor. The figure of a dancing girl
from Mohenjodaro made of bronze
is remarkable for its workmanship.
Y Its right hand rests on the hip, while
the left arm, covered with bangles,
hangs loosely in a relaxed posture.
Two stone statues from Harappa,
one representing the back view of
a man and the other of a dancer are
also specimens of their sculpture.
The pottery from Harappa is
another specimen of the fine arts
of the Indus people. The pots and
jars were painted with various
designs and colours. Painted pottery
is of better quality. The pictorial
motifs consisted of geometrical
patterns like horizontal lines, circles,
leaves, plants and trees. On some
pottery pieces, we find figures of
fish or peacock.
Terracotta figurines - Cult
objects, toys, animals and birds are
predominant. Unicorn, rhino,
elephant, monkey turtle, dog and
sheep are depicted. Female figures
are also very common.
Script
The Harappan script has still to be
fully deciphered. The number of
signs is between 400 and 600 of
which 40 or 60 are basic and the
70 Prelims Magic 2014
rest are their variants. The script
was mostly written from right to left.
In a few long seals the bous-
trophedon method – writing in the
reverse direction in alternative lines
– was adopted. Parpola and his
Scandinavian colleagues came to
the conclusion that the language of
the Harappans was Dravidian. A
group of Soviet scholars accept this
view. Other scholars provide
different view connecting the
Harappan script with that of Brahmi.
The mystery of the Harappan script
still exists and there is no doubt that
the decipherment of Harappan script
will throw much light on this culture.
Religion
From the seals, terracotta figurines
and copper tablets we get an idea
about the religious life of the
Harappans. The chief male deity
was Pasupati, (proto-Siva)
represented in seals as sitting in a
yogic posture with three faces and
two horns. He is surrounded by four
animals (elephant, tiger, rhino, and
buffalo each facing a different
direction). Two deer appear on his
feet. The chief female deity was the
Mother Goddess represented in
terracotta figurines. In latter times,
Linga worship was prevalent. Trees
and animals were also worshipped
by the Harappans. The people of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Regarding the Indus Valley
Civilization consider the following
statements:
I. It was predominantly a secular
civilization and the religious
element, though present, did not
dominate the scene.
II. During this period, cotton was
used for manufacturing textiles in
India. Which of the statements
given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2011)
that time used to worship pipal trees,
basically trees and animals like
unicorn etc. They believed in ghosts
and evil forces and used amulets as
protection against them. There is no
evidence of division of society on
the basis of varna or caste.
Therefore, the civilization was fully
secular.
Burial Methods
The cemeteries discovered around
the cities like Mohenjodaro,
Harappa, Kalibangan, Lothal and
Rupar throw light on the burial
practices of the Harappans.
Complete burial and post-cremation
burial were popular at Mohen-
jodaro. At Lothal, the burial pit was
lined with burnt bricks indicating the
use of coffins. Wooden coffins were
also found at Harappa. The practice
of pot burials is found at Lothal
sometimes with pairs of skeletons.
However, there is no clear evidence
for the practice of Sati.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
animals was not represented out
seals and terracotta art of the
Harappan culture?
(a) Cow (b) Elephant
(c) Rhinoceros (d) Tiger
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Which of the following
characterizes/ characterize the
people of Indus Civilization?
1. They possessed great palaces
and temples.
2. They worshipped both male
and female deities.
3. They employed horse-drawn
chariots in warfare.
Select the correct statement/
statements using the codes given
below. 
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(e) 1, 2 and 3
(d)   None  of  the  statements
given above is correct
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Decline of the Harappan
Culture
Around 1800 BCE, signs of a
gradual decline began to emerge,
and by around 1700 BCE, most of
the cities were abandoned. In 1953,
Sir Mortimer  Wheeler proposed
that the decline of the Indus
Civilization was caused by the
invasion of an Indo-European tribe
from Central Asia called the
“Aryans”. As evidence, he cited a
group of 37 skeletons found in
various parts of Mohenjo-Daro, and
passages in the Vedas referring to
battles and forts. However,
scholars soon started to reject
Wheeler ’s theory, since the
skeletons belonged to a period after
the city’s abandonment and none
were found near the citadel.
Subsequent examinations of the
skeletons by Kenneth Kennedy in
1994 showed that the marks on the
skulls were caused by erosion, and
not violent aggression. Today, many
scholars believe that the collapse
of the Indus Civilization was
caused by drought and a decline in
trade with Egypt and
Mesopotamia. It  has  also  been
suggested that immigration by new
peoples, deforestation, floods, or
changes in the course of the river
may have contributed to the
collapse of the IVC.
Previously, it was also believed that
2 VEDIC PERIOD (c. 1500-600 BC.)
THE EARLY VEDIC
PERIOD (c. 1500-1000 BC)
The Vedic Period (or Vedic Age)
is the period during which the
Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of the
Indo-Aryans, were being
composed. The Vedic period is
dated to c. 2000-1000 BC
continuing up to the 6th c. BC based
on literary evidence.
This Period was dominated by the
Aryans, a warlike people who came
in groups to the Indian sub-
the decline of the Harappan
civilization led to an interruption of
urban life in the Indian sub-
continent. However, the Indus
Valley Civilization did not disappear
suddenly, and many elements of the
Indus Civilization can be found in
later cultures. Current archaeo-
logical data suggest that material
culture classified as Late Harappan
may have persisted until at least c.
1000-900 BC and was partially
contemporaneous with the Painted
Grey Ware culture. Harvard
archaeologist, Richard Meadow,
points to the late Harappan
settlement of Pirak, which thrived
continuously from 1800 BC to the
time of the invasion of Alexander
the Great in 325 BC.
Recent archaeological excavations
indicate that the decline of Harappa
drove people eastward. After 1900
BC, the number of sites in India
increased from 218 to 853.
Excavations in the Gangetic plain
show that urban settlement began
around 1200 BC, only a few
centuries after the decline of
Harappa and much earlier than
previously expected. Archaeologists
have emphasized that, just as in
most areas of the world, there was
a continuous series of cultural
developments. These link “the so-
called two major phases of
urbanization in South Asia”.
continent. They are described as
semi- nomadic pastoralists,
subdivided into temporary
settlements (vish, viœ). Historians
view that the Aryans came from
Central Asia. They entered India
through the Khyber Pass between
2000 and 1500 B.C.
Vedic Literature
The word ‘Veda’ is derived from
the root ‘vid’, which means to know.
The term ‘Veda’ signifies ‘superior
knowledge’. The Vedic literature
Prelims Magic 2014
A possible natural reason for the
IVC’s decline is connected
with climate  change that  is  also
signaled for the neighbouring areas
of the Middle East: The Indus
valley climate grew significantly
cooler and drier from about 1800
BC, linked to a general weakening
of the monsoon at that time.
H
Alternatively, a crucial factor may
have been the disappearance of
substantial portions of the Ghaggar
I
Hakra river system. A tectonic
event may have diverted the
system’s sources toward the
S
Gangetic Plain, though there is
complete uncertainty about the
date of this event, as most
T
settlements inside Ghaggar-Hakra
river beds have not yet been dated.
The actual reason for decline might
O
be any combination of these
factors. New geological research
is now being conducted by a group
R
led by Peter Clift, from
the University  of  Aberdeen,  to
investigate how the courses of
Y
rivers have changed in this region
since 8000 years ago, to test
whether climate or river
reorganizations are responsible for
the decline of the Harappan. A 2004
paper indicated that the isotopes of
the Ghaggar-Hakra system do not
come from the Himalayan glaciers,
and were rain-fed instead,
contradicting a Harappan time
mighty “Sarasvati’ river.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following was
a Brahmavadini who composed
some hymns of the Vedas?
(a) Lopamudra (b) Gargi
(c) Leelavati (d) Savitri
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
consists of the four Vedas – Rig,
Yajur, Sama and Atharva.
The Rig Veda is the earliest of the
four Vedas and it consists of 1028
hymns. The hymns were sung in
praise of various gods. Many
Hymns of the Rigveda was
composed by women and they were
71
 called Brahmavadini. The
prominent in them were
Lopamudra, Vishwawara, Sikta,
Nivavari, and Ghosa.
Sama Veda- is a book of prayers
and chants which are from the
H Rigveda, modified for the explicit
purpose of singing them during
rituals. It is called the book of chants
and the origins of Indian music are
I traced in it. The Yajur Veda consists
of various details of rules to be
observed at the time of sacrifice. It
S elaborates the rituals which
accompany the recitation of hymns.
The Atharva Veda contains details
T of rituals. It contains the folk
tradition of this period and
represents popular religion.
O How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
R four Vedas contains an account of
magical charms and spells?
(a) Rigveda (b) Yajurveda
Y (c) Atharvaveda (d) Samaveda
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
Besides the Vedas, there are other
sacred works like the Brahmanas,
the Upanishads, the Aranyakas
and the epics Ramayana and
Mahabharata. The Brahmanas
are the treatises relating to prayer
and sacrificial ceremony. The
Upanishads are philosophical texts
dealing with topic like the soul, the
absolute, the origin of the world and
the mysteries of nature. The
Aranyakas are called forest books
and they deal with mysticism, rites,
rituals and sacrifices. The author of
Ramayana was Valmiki and that of
Mahabharata was Vedavyas.
Rig Vedic Age or Early Vedic
Period (1500 - 1000 B.C.)
During the Rig Vedic period, the
Aryans were mostly confined to the
Indus region. The Rig Veda refers
to ‘Saptasindhu’ or the land of seven
rivers. This includes the five rivers
of Punjab, namely Jhelum, Chenab,
Ravi, Beas and Sutlej along with the
Indus and Saraswathi. In Early
72 Prelims Magic 2014
Vedic Literature or Rigveda, there
is mention of many rivers but Sindhu
is the most mentioned river. The
political, social and cultural life of
the Rig Vedic people can be traced
from the hymns of the Rig Veda.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The river most mentioned in
Early Vedic literature is:
(a) Sindhu (b) Sutudri
(c) Sarasvati (d) qanga
Ans. (a)
POLITY
(CSE, 1996)
The basic unit of the Vedic Aryans
was the Family (Kula) subdivided
into tribal units/ clans (Vis’). The
Village (Grama) and Tribe (Jana)
were the political units. A group of
villages constituted a large unit called
clan (vis). Several clans formed the
tribe (Jana).
A vish was a subdivision of
a jana or “krishti”, and a grama
was a smaller unit than the other
two. The leader of a grama was
called gramani and that of a vish
was called vishpati.
The rashtra (polity) was governed
by a rajan (chieftain, ‘king’). The
king is often referred to as gopa
(protector) and occasionally as
samrat (supreme ruler). He
governed the people with their
consent and approval. He was
elected from a restricted class of
‘royals’ (rajanya).
Assemblies are known as, sabha,
samiti, and gana. The first two
were more popular and were
attended by women also. Gana was
the non-monarchial assembly
headed by Jyestha.
The main duty of the king was to
protect the tribe. He was helped by
several functionaries, including the
purohita (priest) and the senani
(army chief; sena: army). The
former not only gave advice
to the ruler but also was his chariot
driver. Soldiers on foot (pattis) and
on chariots (rathins), armed with
bow and arrow, were common. The
king employed spaœ (spies) and
dutas (messengers). He collected
taxes (originally ceremonial gifts,
bali), from the people which he had
to re-distribute.
A few references of political
organization found in the Rig Veda
is the description of the battle of ten
kings on the banks of the Paurushini
or modern Ravi river. The battle
between the Bharata clan headed
by Vasistha and the Puru and Yadu
clans headed by priest Visvamitra
forming a confederacy of ten
tribes each is described in the Rig
Veda. It established the supremacy
of the Bharatas under Sudas.
Panchjana constituted the clans of
the Purus, Anus, Yadus, Turasas and
Druhyus.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the context of ancient Indian
society which one of the following
terms does not belong to the
category of the other three?
(a) Kula (b) Vamsa
(c) Kosa (d) Gotra
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation: The Kula, Vamsa and
Gotra were the terms used in
ancient India, are related to family
while the term “Kosa” was used
for treasury.
Social Life
The early Aryans were nomadic
people (literally, a speech group)
who were gradually transforming
into an agricultural society. The
Aryans were organized themselves
into tribes known as ‘jana’. The Rig
Vedic society was patriarchal. The
basic unit of society was family or
graham. The head of the family
was known as grahapathi.
Monogamy was generally practised
while polygamy was prevalent
among the royal and noble families.
The wife took care of the household
and participated in all the major
ceremonies. Women were given
equal opportunities as men for their
spiritual and intellectual develop-
ment. There were women poets like
Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and
Lopamudra during the Rig Vedic
period. Women could even
attend the popular assemblies.
There was no child marriage
and the practice of sati was
absent.
Both men and women wore upper
and lower garments made of cotton
and wool.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The term ‘Aryan’ denotes:
(a) An ethnic group
(b) a nomadic people
(c) A speech group
(d) a superior race
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation : The term “Aryan”
denotes a speech group which
spread from Central Asia.
A variety of ornaments were used
by both men and women. Wheat
and barley, milk and its products like
curd and ghee, vegetables and fruits
were the chief articles of food. The
eating of cow’s meat was prohibited
since it was a sacred animal.
Chariot racing, horse racing, dicing,
music and dance were the favourite
pastimes. The social divisions were
not rigid during the Rig Vedic period
as it was in the later Vedic period.
Concept of Dharma
One of the most dominant ideas of
Indian culture has been that of
Dharma, and this has been a
consequence of the Vedic discovery
of the Rita, the Right. According to
the Vedic Rishis, there is, at the
summit of consciousness, a power
of action which arranges forces and
activities of the universe by an
automatic harmony of relationships,
movements and results. The right
law of this automatic harmony is the
Rita. The Rita itself is founded in
the truth of the Reality and of the
universe, (satyam), and its field of
action is the totality which is the
infinite vast (brihat). It is by the
discovery of the Rita that, according
to the Vedic Rishis/ the human
consciousness is delivered from
the crookedness of  the  ignorant
mental action. The actions of truth
are direct and straight and the law
of this directness and straightness
is the Rita. There is no groping in
the Truth-consciousness, and there
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The “dharma”. and “rita” depict a
central idea of ancient Vedic
civilization of India. In this context,
consider the following statements:
l. Dharma was a conception of
obligations and of the discharge of
one’s duties to oneself and to others.
2. Rita was the fundamental moral law
governing the functioning of the
universe and all it contained. W h i c h
of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a) I only (b) II only
(c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2011)
is no attempt at inventing devices
for initiating and accomplishing any
action. Thus, when the Truth-
consciousness is achieved, there is
automaticity and spontaneity of
action as also the right rhythm of
action. Since the action of Truth-
Consciousness is automatic and
spontaneous, it cannot be fixed by
any arbitrary rule of the mental
intelligence or by any pragmatic or
utilitarian necessities of individual or
collective life. The Rita, therefore,
cannot be prescribed or circum-
scribed by any legislation or any
man-made law. Rita is, indeed, the
right law of action, but it issues from
the vast consciousness of the truth,
and it is thus superior to any human
standards of action or any laws of
the individual and collective life.
Dharma is indeed a law or a guide-
line to prevent human beings from
falling in to crooked ways of  the
ordinary and unbridled demands of
impulses, desires, ambitions and
egoisms. That is why, Indian culture
enjoined upon individuals to restrain
the life of desire for enjoyment and
for personal profit under the control
Prelims Magic 2014
of the uplifting law of Dharma.
Thus, we find in India, the prevalent
idea that Kama and Artha, passion
and personal gain are only the first
elementary motives of life for the
ordinary man and that they are not
to be ends in themselves. Kama
and Artha are to be superseded by
Dharma. The individual is asked to
H
grow out of passions and impulses
and his selfish and egoistic interests
to reach the life of ideal law of
I
Dharma.
Economic Condition S
The economy of this period was
pastoral and the later stage of this
period saw the dominance of
T
agriculture as the mainstay of the
economy. Their wealth was
estimated in terms of their cattle.
O
When they permanently settled in
North India they began to practise
agriculture. With the knowledge and
R
use of iron they were able to clean
forests and bring more lands under
cultivation. Carpentry was another
Y
important profession and the
availability of wood from the
cleared forests made the profession
profitable. Carpenters produced
chariots and ploughs. Workers in
metal made a variety of articles with
copper, bronze and iron. Spinning
was another important occupation
and cotton and woollen fabrics were
made. Goldsmiths were active in
making ornaments. The potters
made various kinds of vessels for
domestic use. Trade was another
important economic activity and
rivers served as important means of
transport. Trade was conducted
through barter system. In later
times, gold coins called ‘nishka’
were used as media of exchange in
large transactions.
Religion
The Rig Vedic Aryans worshiped
the natural forces like earth, fire,
wind, rain and thunder. They
personified these natural forces into
many Gods and worshipped them.
The important Rig Vedic Gods were
73
 Prithvi (Earth), Agni (Fire), Vayu
(Wind), and Varuna (Rain) and
Indra (Thunder). Indra was the
most popular among them during the
early Vedic period. Next in
importance to Indra, was Agni who
was regarded as an intermediary
H between the Gods and people.
Varuna was supposed to be the
upholder of the natural order. There
I were also female Gods like Aditi
and Ushas. There were no temples
and no idol worship during the early
S Vedic period. Prayers were offered
to the Gods in the expectation of
rewards. Ghee, milk and grain were
T given as offerings. Elaborate rituals
were followed during the worship.
O VEDIC SANSKRIT
The language of Vedic culture was
Vedic Sanskrit which is related to
R other languages in the Indo-
European language group. These
were transmitted orally. It is closely
Y related to the oldest preserved
Iranian language text called
Avestan.
Later Vedic Period
(1000 – 600 B.C.)
The period between B.C. 1000 and
B.C. 600 is generally known as
Later Vedic period. This age is also
called as the Epic Age because the
two great epics Ramayana and
Mahabharata were written during
this period.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The religion of early Vedic
Aryans was primarily of
(a) Bhakti
(b) Image worship and Yajnas
(c) Worship of nature and Yajnas
(d) Worship of nature and Bhakti
Ans (c) (CSE, 2012)
The Aryans further moved towards
east in the Later Vedic Period. The
Satapatha Brahmana refers to the
expansion of Aryans to the eastern
Gangetic plains. Several tribal
groups and kingdoms are mentioned
in the later Vedic literature. One
important development during this
74 Prelims Magic 2014
period is the growth of large
kingdoms. Kuru and Panchala
kingdoms flourished in the
beginning. Parikshat and Jana
mejaya were the famous rulers of
Kuru kingdom. Pravahana Jaivali
was a popular king of the Panchalas.
He was a patron of learning. After
the fall of Kurus and Panchalas,
other kingdoms like Kosala, Kasi
and Videha came into prominence.
The famous ruler of Kasi was
Ajatasatru. Janaka was the king of
Videha with its capital at Mithila. His
court was adorned by scholar
Yajnavalkya. Magadha, Anga and
Vanga seem to be the easternmost
tribal kingdoms. The later Vedic
texts also refer to the three divisions
of India – Aryavarta (northern
India), Madhyadesa (central India)
and Dakshinapatha (southern
India).
Polity
Larger kingdoms were formed
during the later Vedic period. Many
Jana or tribes were amalgamated
to form janapadas or rashtras in
the later Vedic period. Hence, the
royal power had increased along
with the increase in the size of
kingdom. The king performed
various rituals and sacrifices to
strengthen his position. They include
Rajasuya (consecration ceremony),
Asvamedha (horse sacrifice) and
Vajpeya (chariot race). The kings
also assumed titles like Rajavisva-
janan, Ahilabhuva-napathi, (lord of
all earth), Ekrat and Samrat (sole
ruler). In the later Vedic period, a
large number of new officials were
involved in the administration in
addition to the existing purohita,
senani and gramani. They include
the treasury officer, tax collector and
royal messenger. At the lower levels,
the administration was carried on by
the village assemblies. The
importance of the Samiti and the
Sabha had diminished during the
later Vedic period.
Economic Condition
Farming was the chief occupation.
Iron was used extensively in this
period. Iron ploughs substituted the
wooden ploughs. Another improve-
ment of this period was use of
manure the field with cow dung. It
increased the yield. Improved types
of implements were used for
cultivation. Besides barley, rice and
wheat were grown. Knowledge of
manure was another improvement.
Industrial activity became more
varied and there was greater
specialization. Metal work, leather
work, carpentry and pottery made
great progress. In addition to internal
trade, foreign trade became
extensive. The Later Vedic people
were familiar with the sea, and they
traded with countries like Babylon.
A class of hereditary merchants
(vaniya) came into existence.
Vaisyas also carried on trade and
commerce. They organized
themselves into guilds known as
ganas. Besides nishka of the Rig
Vedic period, gold and silver coins
like satamana and krishnala were
used as media of exchange.
Social Life
Family continued to be the basic unit
of the society. The father was the
head of the family. Joint family
system was quite common. Varna
system developed during the later
Vedic period. The fourfold came
into existences, namely, the
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas
and Sudras. The Brahmins were
priests and teachers. The
Kshatriyas were rulers and
soldiers. They enjoyed high position
in the society. The Vaishyas were
traders, artisans and farmers. The
Sudras were the uneducated
workers who served for the other
three castes. They were referred
to as Advijas and were not allowed
to study the Vedas. The Varna
differentiation became more rigid in
the later periods.
Kula (family), Gotra (literally,
cowpen, clan) and Vamsa (lineage)
were important social identities
through which an individual was
known.
Many sub-castes on the basis of
their occupation appeared in this
period. In the family, the power of
the father increased during the
Later Vedic period. There was no
improvement in the status of
women. They were still considered
inferior and subordinate to men.
Women also lost their political rights
of attending assemblies. Child
marriages had become common.
According the Aitreya Brahmana
a daughter has been described as a
source of misery. However, the
women in the royal household
enjoyed certain privileges.
Religion
Many changes occurred in the field
of religion. The Gods of early Vedic
age Indra and Agni lost their
significance. Prajapati became the
supreme God. In the Later Vedic
period, people worshipped new
Gods like Rudra (lord of animals),
Vishnu. Idol worship began in this
3 THE MAHAJANAPADAS
The Mahajanapadas literally
(Janapadas meaning “foothold of
a tribe”), were ancient Indian
kingdoms or countries. Ancient
Buddhist texts like Anguttara
Nikaya make frequent reference to
sixteen great kingdoms and
republics (Solas Mahajanapadas)
which had evolved and flourished
in the northern/north-western parts
of the Indian sub-continent prior to
the rise of Buddhism in India in the
c. 600 BC. The Jaina text Bhagwati
Sutra gives a different list of 16
Mahajanapadas. Panini refers to
Janapada as country and
Janapadinas citizenry. While most
mahajanapadas were ruled by
kings, some, known as ganas or
sanghas, were oligarchies where
power was shared by a number of
men, often collectively called rajas.
The idea of the Mahajanapadas was
more tribal than geographical.
The Mahajanapadas Their
Capitals
Kasi Varanasi
Anga Champa
Kosala Sravasti and
period. Sacrifices were still
important and the rituals connected
with them became more elaborate.
The importance of prayers declined
and that of sacrifices increased.
Priesthood became a profession and
a hereditary one. The formulae for
sacrifices were invented and
elaborated by the priestly class.
Therefore, towards the end of this
period there was a strong reaction
against priestly domination and
against sacrifices and rituals. The
rise of Buddhism and Jainism was
the direct result of these elaborate
sacrifices. Also, the authors of the
Upanishads, which is the essence
of Hindu philosophy, turned away
from the useless rituals and insisted
on true knowledge (jnana) for
peace and salvation.
Kusavati
Vrijji Vaishali
Malla Kusinara and Pava
Chedi Sotthivati Nagara
Vats Kausambi
Panchala Ahichchhatra and
Kampilya
Matsya Viratanagara
Surasena Mathura
Asvaka Patana/ Potali
Avanti Mahismati and
Ujjain
Gandhara Taxila
Kamboja Rajapura
Kuru Indraprastha
Magadha Girivraja
(Rajgriha)
Kasi- The Kasis were Aryan
people who had settled in the region
around Varanasi (modern Benaras).
The capital of Kasi was at
Varanasi. The city was bounded by
rivers Varuna and Asi on north and
south which gave Varanasi its
name. Before Buddha, Kasi was
the most powerful of the sixteen
Mahajanapadas. Several Jatakas
bear witness to the superiority of
its capital over other cities of India
and speaks high of its prosperity and
Prelims Magic 2014
opulence. The Jatakas speak of
long rivalry of Kasi with Kosala,
Anga and Magadha. A struggle for
supremacy went on among them for
a time. King Brihadratha of Kasi
had conquered Kosala but Kasi was
later incorporated into Kosala by
King Kansa during Buddha’s time.
The Kasis along with the Kosalas
H
and Videhans find mention in Vedic
texts and appear to have been a
closely allied people. Excavations at
I
Rajghat show habitational deposits
fro 500 BC. The city has mud
embankments.
S
Kosala- The country of Kosalas
was located to the north-west of
Magadha with its capital at Savatthi
T
(Sravasti) or Sahet-Maheth.
Excavations have shown the
beginnings of settlements at Sahet-
O
Maheth and a mud fort is seen
there. It comprised territory
corresponding to the modern Awadh
R
(or Oudh) in Uttar Pradesh. The
kingdom was ruled by king
Prasenjit. There was struggle for
Y
supremacy between king Prasenjit
and king Ajatshatru of Magadha
which was finally settled once the
confederation of Lichchhavis
became aligned with Magadha.
Kosala was ultimately merged into
Magadha. Ayodhya is an important
city of this territory. Kosala
incorporated the tribal republican
territory of the Sakyas of Kapila-
vastu. Their capital is identified with
Piprahwa in the Basti district.
Anga-The first reference to the
Anga is found in the Atharvaveda
where they find mention along with
Magadha, Gandhara and the
Mujavats apparently as a despised
people. The Jaina Prajnapana ranks
Anga and Vangas in the first group
of Aryan people. Based on
Mahabharata evidence, the
country of Anga roughly
corresponded to the region of
Bhagalpur and Monghyr in Bihar
and parts of Bengal. River Champa
formed the boundaries between
Magadha in the west and Anga in
the east.
75
 Anga was bounded by river Ganga
on the north. Its capital Champa,
formerly known as Malini, was
located on the right bank of river
Ganga, near its junction with river
Champa. It shows habitation since
the 6 th c. BC. It was one of the
H very flourishing cities and is referred
to as one of the six principal cities
of ancient India (Digha Nikaya).
I It was also a great centre of trade
and commerce and its merchants
regularly sailed to distant Suvarna-
S bhumi. Anga was annexed by
Magadha later.
T Magadha- The first reference to
Magadhas occurs in the Atharva-
veda. The bards of Magadha are,
O however, referred to in early Vedic
literature and are spoken of in terms
of contempt. The Vedic dislike of
R the Magadhas in early times was
due to the fact that the Magadhas
were not yet wholly brahmanised.
Y With the exception of the Rigvedic
Pramaganda, whose connection
with Magadha is very speculative,
no other king of Magadha is
mentioned in Vedic literature.
According to the Mahabharata and
the Puranas, the earliest ruling
dynasty of Magadha was founded
by king Brihadratha, but Magadha
came into prominence only under
king Bimbisara and his son
Ajatshatru. In the war of supremacy
which went on for long between the
nations of Majjhimadesa, kingdom
of Magadha finally emerged
victorious and became a predomi-
nant empire in Mid India.
The kingdom of the Magadhas
roughly corresponded to the modern
districts of Patna and Gaya in
southern Bihar, and parts of Bengal
in the east. It was bounded on the
north by river Ganga, on the east
by the river Champa, on the south
by Vindhya Mountains and on the
west by river Sona. During
Buddha’s time, its boundaries
included Anga. Its earliest capital
was Girivraja or Rajagriha, modern
76 Prelims Magic 2014
Rajgir, in Patna district of Bihar. The
other names for the city were
Magadhapura, Brihadrathapura,
Vasumati, Kushagrapura and
Bimbisarapuri. It was an active
centre of Jainism in ancient times.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
was initially the most powerful city
state of India in the 6th century
B.C. ?
(a) Gandhar (b) Kamboj
(c) Kashi (d) Magadh
Ans (d) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation: In 6th century B.C.,
Magadha was the most powerful
state of India ruled by the kings of
Haranyak dynasty.
Vajji- The Vajjians or Virijis included
eight or nine confederated clans of
whom the Lichchhavis, the
Videhans, the Jnatrikas and the
Vajjis were the most important.
Mithila (modern Janakpur in the
district of Tirhut) was the capital of
Videha which became the important
centre of political and cultural
activities of northern India. It was
in the time of king Janaka that
Videha came into prominence. On
the ruins of his kingdom, arose the
republics of Lichchhavis, Videhans
and seven other small republics. The
Lichchhavis were very independent
people. Mother of Mahavira was a
Lichchhavi princess. Vaishali
(modern Basarh of North Bihar)
was the capital of Licchhavis and
the political headquarters of
powerful Varijian confederacy.
Vaishali was located 25 miles north
of river Ganga and 38 miles from
Rajgriha and was a very prosperous
town. The Licchhavis were closely
related by marriage to the
Magadhas. The Licchavis are
represented as (Vratya) Kshtriyas
in Manusmriti. Vaishali, the
headquarters of the powerful Vajji
republic and the capital of
Lichchavis was defeated by king
Ajatshatru of Magadha.
Malla- The Mallas are frequently
mentioned in Buddhist and Jain
works. They were a powerful
people dwelling in Eastern India.
Panduputra Bhimasena is said to
have conquered the chief of the
Mallas in the course of his expedition
of Eastern India. The Maha-
bharata mentions Mallas along
with the Angas, Vangas, and
Kalingas as eastern tribes. The
Mallas were republican people with
their dominion consisting of nine
territories (Kalpa Sutra; Nirayavali
Sutra), one of each of the nine
confederated clans. Two of these
confederations...one with Kusinara
(modern Kasia near Gorakhpur) as
its capital, second with Pava
(modern Padrauna, 12 miles from
Kasia) as the capital, had become
very important in the time of the
Buddha. Kuœinara and Pava are
very important in the history of
Buddhism.
The Mallas are called Vasishthas
(Vasetthas) in the Mahapparni-
bbana Suttanta. The Mallas
originally had a monarchical form
of government but later they
switched to Samgha (republic) of
which the members called
themselves rajas. The Mallas were
a brave and warlike people. The
Mallas appeared to have formed
alliance with Lichchhavis for self
defence. They however, lost their
independence not long after
Buddha’s death and their dominions
were annexed to the Magadhan
Empire.
Chedi- The Chedis, Chetis or
Chetyas had two distinct
settlements of which one was in the
mountains of Nepal and the other
in Bundelkhand near Kausambi.
According to old authorities, Chedis
lay near Yamuna midway between
the kingdom of Kuru and Vatsas.
In the mediaeval period, the
southern frontiers of Chedi extended
to the banks of river Narmada.
Sotthivatnagara, the Sukti or
Suktimati of Mahabharata, was
the capital of Chedi. The Chedis
were an ancient people of India and
are mentioned in the Rigveda. A
branch of Chedis found a royal
dynasty in the kingdom of Kalinga
according to the Hathigumpha
Inscription of Kharavela.
Vatsa- The Vatsas, Vamsas or
Vachchas are stated to be an
offshoot from the Kurus . The Vatsa
or Vamsa country corresponded
with territory of modern Allahabad
in Uttar Pradesh. It had monar-
chical form of government with its
capital at Kausambi (identified with
village Kosam, 38 miles from
Allahabad). Kausambi had been a
very prosperous city where large
number of millionaire merchants
resided. It was the most important
entreport of goods and passengers
from north-west and south.
Udayana was the ruler of Vatsa in
sixth century BC in the time of the
Buddha. He was very powerful,
warlike and fond of hunting.
Kuru- The Puranas trace the origin
of Kurus from the Puru-Bharata
family. Aitareya Brahmana locates
the Kurus in Madhyadesha and
also refers to the Uttarakurus as
living beyond the Himalayas.
According to Buddhist text,
Sumangavilasini, the people of
Kururashtra (the Kurus) came from
the Uttarakuru. Vayu Purana attests
that Kuru, son of Samvarsana of
the Puru lineage, was the
eponymous ancestor of the Kurus
and the founder of Kururashetra
(Kuru Janapada) in Kurukshetra.
The country of the Kurus roughly
corresponded to the modern
Thaneswar, Delhi and Meerut in
Uttar Pradesh. According to
Jatakas, the capital of Kurus was
Indraprastha (Indapatta) near
modern Delhi which extended on
seven leagues. Though a well
known monarchical people in
earlier period, the Kurus are known
to have switched to republic form
of government during sixth/fifth
century BC.
Panchala- The Panchalas occupied
the country to the east of the Kurus
between the mountains and river
Ganga. It roughly corresponded to
modern Budaun, Farrukhabad and
the adjoining districts of Uttar
Pradesh. The country was divided
into Uttara-Panchala and Dakshina-
Panchala. The northern Panchala
had its capital at Adhichhatra or
Chhatravati (modern Ramnagar in
the Bareilley District), while
southern Panchala had it capital at
Kampilya or Kampil in Farrukhabad
District. The famous city of
Kanyakubja or Kannauj was
situated in the kingdom of Panchala.
Originally a monarxhical clan, the
Panchals appear to have switched
to republican corporation in the sixth
and fifth century BCE.
Matsya- Country of Matsya or
Machcha tribe lied to south of the
Kurus and west of the Yamuna
which separated them from the
Panchalas, It roughly corresponded
to the whole of Alwar with portions
of Bharatpur. The capital of Matsya
was at Viratanagara (modern
Bairat) which is said to have been
named after its founder king Virata.
In Pali literature, the Matsyas are
usually associated with the
Surasenas. The western Matsya
was the hill tract on the north bank
of Chambal. The Matsyas had not
much political importance of their
own during the times of Buddha
Surasena- Country of the
Surasenas lied to south-west of
Matsya and west of Yamuna. It had
its capital at Madhura or Mathura.
Avantiputra, the king of Surasena
was the first among the chief
disciples of Buddha. The Andhakas
and Vrishnis of Mathura/Surasena
are referred to in the Ashtadhyayi
of Panini
Assaka- The Country of Assaka or
Ashmaka tribe was located in
Dakshinapatha or southern India.
In Buddha’s time, Assakas were
located on the banks of river
Godavari (south of Vindhya
Prelims Magic 2014
Mountains). The capital of Assakas
was Potana or Potali which
corresponds to Paudanya of
Mahabhatrata. The Ashmakas are
also mentioned by Panini. They are
placed in the north-west in the
Markendeya Purana and the
Brhat Samhita. River Godavari
separated the country of Assakas
H
from that of the Mulakas (or
Alakas). The country of Assaka lay
outside the pale of Madhyadesa. It
I
was located on a southern high road,
the Dakshinapatha. At one time,
Assaka included Mulaka and their
S
country abutted with Avanti.
Avanti- Country of the Avantis was
an important kingdom of western
T
India and was one of the four great
monarchies in India when Buddhism
arose, the other three being Kosala,
O
Vatsa and Magadha. Avanti was
divided into north and south by river
Vetravati. Initially, Mahissati
R
(Mahishamati) was the capital of
Southern Avanti, and Ujjaini
(Sanskrit Ujjayini) was of northern
Y
Avanti, but in the times of Mahavira
and Buddha, Ujjaini was the capital
of integrated Avanti. The country of
Avanti roughly corresponded to
modern Malwa, Nimar and adjoining
parts of the Madhya Pradesh. Both
Mahishmati and Ujjaini stood on the
southern high road called
Dakshinapatha which extended
from Rajagriha to Pratishthana
(modern Paithan). Avanti was an
important centre of Buddhism and
some of the leading theras were
born and resided there. King
Nandivardhana of Avanti was
defeated by king Shisunaga of
Magadha. Avanti later became part
of Magadhan Empire. It had a
strong fortification.
Gandhara- Gandharas are included
in the Uttarapatha division of
Puranic and Buddhistic traditions.
Gandharas were settled since the
Vedic times on the south bank of
river Kubha (Kabul) up to its mouth
into Indus itself. Later, the
Gandharas crossed Indus and
expanded into parts of north-west
77
 Punjab. Gandharas and their king
figure prominently as strong allies
of the Kurus against the Pandavas
in Mahabharata war. According to
Puranic traditions, this Janapada
was founded by Gandhara, son of
Aruddha, a descendant of Yayati.
H The princes of this country are said
to have come from the line of
Druhyu who was a famous king of
I Rigvedic period. The river Indus
watered the lands of Gandhara.
Taksasila and Pushkalavati, the two
S cities of this Mahajanapada, are said
to have been named after Taksa
and Pushkara, the two sons of
T Bharata, a prince of Ayodhya.
The Gandhara kingdom sometimes
O also included Kashmira, Kaspapyros
(Kasyapura i.e Kashmira) as
Gandhara city. According to
R Gandhara Jataka, at one time,
Gandhara formed a part of the
kingdom of Kashmir. Jataka also
Y gives another name Chandahara
for Gandhara. During the Buddhist
period, it included Afghanistan, and
north-west of the Panjab (modern
districts of Peshawar (Purusha-
pura and Rawalpindi). Its capital
was Takshasila (Prakrit Taxila). The
Taxila University situated between
Indus and Jhelum river was a
renowned centre of learning in
ancient times, where scholars from
all over the world came to seek
higher education. Panini, the Indian
genius of grammar and Kautilya are
the world renowned products of
Taxila University. King Pukkusati or
Pushkarasarin of Gandhara in
middle of sixth century BC was the
contemporary of king Bimbisara of
Magadha. Gandhara was located
on the grand northern high road
(Uttarapatha) and was a centre of
international commercial activities.
It is also contended that the Kurus,
Kambojas, Gandharas and Bahlikas
were cognate people and all had
Iranian affinities. Naturally, they
may have once been a cognate
people. Gandhara was often linked
politically with the neighboring
regions of Kashmir and Kamboja.
78 Prelims Magic 2014
Kamboja- They are also included
in the Uttarpatha. In ancient
literature, the Kamboja is variously
associated with the Gandhara,
Darada, and the Bahilika (Bactria).
Ancient Kamboja is known to have
comprised regions on either side of
the Hindukush. The original
Kamboja was located in eastern
Oxus country as neighbor to
Bahlika, but with time, some clans
of Kambojas appear to have
crossed Hindukush and planted
colonies on its southern side also.
Hindukush region from Nurestan up
to Rajauri in southwest of Kashmir
sharing borders with the Daradas
and the Gandharas constituted the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Between which of the
following was the ancient town of
Takshasila located?
(a) Indus and Jhelum
(b) Jhelum and Chenab
(c) Chenab and Ravi
(d) Ravi and Beas
Ans. (a) (CSE 1999)
Kamboja country. The capital of
Kamboja was probably Rajapura
(modern Rajori) in south-west of
Kashmir. The Kambojas were also
a well known republican people
since Epic times. Mahabharata
refers to several Ganah (or
Republics) of the Kambojas.
According to Buddhist texts, the
THE RISE OF MAGADHA AND
4
ALEXANDER’S INVASION
From c. sixth century BC, there is
evidence that there were significant
historical developments. Perhaps
the most visible was the emergence
of early states, empires and
kingdoms. The rise of the 16
Mahajanapadas was a trend
setting milestone in the evolution of
empire formation. In course of time,
the small and weak kingdoms either
submitted to the stronger rulers or
first fourteen of the above
Mahajanapadas belong to Majjhi-
madesa (Mid India) while the last
two belong to Uttarapatha or the
north-west division of Jambudvipa.
In a struggle for supremacy that
followed in the sixth/fifth century
BC, the growing state of Magadhas
emerged as the most predominant
power in ancient India annexing
several of the Janapadas of the
Majjhimadesa.
The kingdom of Magadha emerged
the most powerful republic and
finally evolved into an Empire by
annexing most of the other
Mahajanapadas.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The following map shows four
of the sixteen mahajanapadas that
existed in ancient India:
The places
marked A,
B, C and
D.
respectively
are:
(a) Matsya, Cedi, Kosala, Anga
(b) Surasena, Avanti, Vatsa,
Magadha
(c) Matsya, Avanti, Vatsa, Anga.
(d) Surasena, Cedi, Kosala,
Magadha
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1997)
gradually got eliminated. Finally in
the mid 6th century B.C., only four
kingdoms – Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala
and Magadha survived.
Vatsa: It is situated on the banks
of the river Yamuna. Capital was
Kausambi near modern Allahabad.
Its most popular ruler Udayana
strengthened his position by entering
into matrimonial alliances with
Avanti, Anga and Magadha. After
his death, Vatsa was annexed to the
Avanti kingdom.
Avanti: Ujjain was the capital of
Avanti. The most important ruler of
this kingdom was Pradyota. He
became powerful by marrying
Vasavadatta, the daughter of
Udayana. He patronized Buddhism.
The successors of Pradyota were
weak and later this kingdom was
taken over by the rulers of
Magadha.
Kosala: Ayodhya was the capital
of Kosala. King Prasenajit was its
famous ruler. He was highly
educated. His position was further
strengthened by the matrimonial
alliance with Magadha. His sister
was married to Bimbisara and Kasi
was given to her as dowry.
Subsequently there was a dispute
with Ajatasatru. After the end of the
conflict, Prasenajit married the
daughter of Bimbisara. After the
death of this powerful king, Kosala
became part of the Magadha.
Magadha: Magadha was one of
the important monarchical state of
North India. Rajagriha was the
capital of Magadha. Of all the
kingdoms of north India, Magadha
emerged powerful and prosperous.
It became the nerve centre of
political activity in north India.
Magadha was endowed by nature
with certain geographical and
strategic advantages. Its strategic
position between the upper and
lower part of the Gangetic valley
was a great advantage. It had a
fertile soil. The iron ores in the hills
near Rajgir and copper and iron
deposits near Gaya added to its
natural assets. During the reign of
Bimbisara and Ajatasatru, the
prosperity of Magadha reached its
zenith.
Bimbisara (546 - 494 B.C.): The
rise of Magadha started with the
accession of Bimbisara to its
throne. Bimbisara belonged to the
Haryanka dynasty. He consolidated
his position by matrimonial alliances.
His first matrimonial alliance was
with the ruling family of Kosala. He
married Kosaladevi, sister of
Prasenajit. He was given the Kasi
region as dowry which yielded large
revenue. Bimbisara married
Chellana, a princess of the Licchavi
family of Vaisali. This matrimonial
alliance secured for him the safety
of the northern frontier. Moreover,
it facilitated the expansion of
Magadha northwards to the borders
of Nepal. He also married Khema
of the royal house of Madra in
central Punjab. Bimbisara also
undertook many expeditions and
added more territories to his empire.
He defeated Brahmadatta of Anga
and annexed that kingdom. He
maintained friendly relations with
Avanti. He had also efficiently
reorganized the administration of his
kingdom. Bimbisara was a
contemporary of both Vardhamana
Mahavira and Gautama Buddha.
However, both religions claim him
as their supporter and devotee. He
seems to have made numerous gifts
to the Buddhist Sangha.
Ajatasatru (494 - 462 B.C.):
Ajatasatru who succeeded his
father continued his policy of
expansion through military
conquests.. He fought against
Kosala and Vaisali. His won a great
success against a formidable
confederacy led by the Lichchavis
of Vaisali. This had increased his
power and prestige. This war lasted
for about sixteen years. It was at
this time that Ajatasatru realised the
strategic importance of the small
village, Pataligrama (future
Pataliputra). He fortified it to serve
as a convenient base of operations
against Vaisali. Buddhists and Jains
both claim that Ajatasatru was a
follower of their religion. But it is
generally believed that in the
beginning he was a follower of
Jainism and subsequently embraced
Buddhism. He is said to have met
Gautama Buddha. This scene is also
depicted in the sculptures of Barhut.
According to the Mahavamsa, he
constructed several chaityas and
viharas. He was also instrumental
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in convening the First Buddhist
Council at Rajagriha soon after the
death of the Buddha. The
immediate successor of Ajatasatru
was Udayin. He laid the foundation
of the new capital at Pataliputra
situated at the confluence of the two
rivers, the Ganges and the Son.
Later it became famous as the H
imperial capital of the Mauryas.
Udayin’s successors were weak
rulers and hence Magadha was I
captured by Saisunaga. Thus the
Haryanka dynasty came to an end
and the Saisunaga dynasty came to
power.
S
Saisunaga dynasty: The genealogy
and chronology of the Saisunagas
T
are not clear. Saisunaga defeated
the king of Avanti which was made
part of the Magadhan Empire. After
O
Saisunaga, the mighty empire began
to collapse. His successor was
Kakavarman or Kalasoka. During
R
his reign the second Buddhist
Council was held at Vaisali.
Kalasoka was killed by the founder Y
of the Nanda dynasty.
Nandas: The fame of Magadha
scaled new heights under the Nanda
dynasty. Their conquests went
beyond the boundaries of the
Gangetic basin and in North India
they carved a well-knit and vast
empire. Mahapadma Nanda was a
powerful ruler of the Nanda
dynasty. He uprooted the kshatriya
dynasties in north India and
assumed the title ekarat. The
Puranas speak of the extensive
conquests made by Mahapadma.
The Hathigumpha inscription
portion of the Deccan was also
under the control of the Nandas.
Therefore, Mahapadma Nanda
may be regarded as a great empire
builder. According to the Buddhist
tradition, Mahapadma Nanda uled
about ten years. He was succeeded
by his eight sons, who ruled
successively. The last Nanda ruler
was Dhana Nanda. He kept the
Magadhan Empire intact and
possessed a powerful army and
enormous wealth. The fabulous
wealth of the Nandas is also
79
 mentioned by several sources. The
enormous wealth of the Nandas is
also referred to in the Tamil Sangam
work Ahananuru by the poet
Mamulanar. The flourishing state of
agriculture in the Nanda dominions
and the general prosperity of the
H country must have brought to the
royal treasury enormous revenue.
The oppressive way of tax
I collection by Dhana Nanda was
resented by the people. Taking
advantage of this, Chandragupta
S Maurya and Kautilya initiated a
popular movement against the
Nanda rule. It was during this time
T that Alexander invaded India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
O Q. Which one of the following
dynasties was ruling over North
R India at the time of Alexander’s
invasion?
(a) Nanda (b) Maurya
Y (c) Sunga
Ans. (a)
(d) Kanva
CSE 2000
Explanation: Nanda ruler
Dhananaanda was the ruler of
Magadha who controlled nearly
whole of north India at the time of
Alexander’s invasion.
PERSIAN AND GREEK
INVASIONS
Persian Invasions
Cyrus (558 – 530 B.C)
Cyrus the Great was the greatest
conqueror of the Achaemenian
Empire. He was the first conqueror
who led an expedition and entered
into India. He captured the
Gandhara region. All Indian tribes
to the west of the Indus River
submitted to him and paid tribute.
His son, Cambyses, had no time to
pay attention towards India.
Darius I (522 – 486 B.C.): Darius
I, the grandson of Cyrus, conquered
the Indus valley in 518 B.C. and
annexed the Punjab and Sindh. This
region became the 20th Satrapy of
his empire. It was the most fertile
and populous province of the
80 Prelims Magic 2014
Achaemenian Empire. Darius sent
a naval expedition under Skylas to
explore the Indus.
Xerxes (465-456 B.C.): Xerxes
utilized his Indian province to
strengthen his position. He
deployed Indian infantry and cavalry
to Greece to fight his opponents.
But they retreated after Xerxes
faced a defeat in Greece. After this
failure, the Achaemenians could not
follow a forward policy in India.
However, the Indian province was
still under their control. Darius III
enlisted Indian soldiers to fight
against Alexander in 330 B.C. It is
evident that the control of Persians
slackened on the eve of
Alexander’s invasion of India.
Effects of the Persian Invasion
The Persian invasion provided an
impetus to the growth of Indo-
Iranian commerce. Also, it
prepared the ground for
Alexander’s invasion. The use of
the Kharoshti script, a form of
Iranian writing became popular in
northwestern India and some of
Asoka’s edicts were written in that
script. We are able to see the
influence of Persian art on the art
of the Mauryas, particularly the
monolithic pillars of Asoka and the
sculptures found on them. The very
idea of issuing edicts by Asoka and
the wording used in the edicts are
traced to Iranian influence. In short,
the Iranian connection with India
proved more fruitful than the short-
lived Indo- Macedonian contact.
Alexander’s Invasion of India
(327-325 B.C.)
Political Condition on the eve
of Alexander’s Invasion
After two centuries of the Persian
invasion, Alexander, from Macedo-
nia invaded India. On the eve of his
invasion, there were a number of
small kingdoms in northwestern
India. The leading kings were
Ambhi of Taxila, the ruler of
Abhisara and Porus who ruled the
region between the rivers of Jhelum
and Chenab. There were many
republican states like Nysa. In short,
northwestern India remained the
most disunited part of India and the
rulers were fighting aganist one
another. They never came together
against common enemy.
Hence, it was not easy for
Alexander to overcome so many
sources of opposition.
Causes of the Invasion:
Alexander ascended the throne of
Macedonia after the death of his
father, Philip in 334 B.C. He
conquered the whole of Persia by
defeating Darius III in the battle of
Arbela in 330 B.C. He also aimed
at further conquest eastwards and
wanted to recover the lost Persian
Satrapy of India. The writings of
Greek authors like Herodotus about
the fabulous wealth of India
attracted Alexander. Moreover, his
interest in geographical enquiry and
love of natural history urged him to
undertake an invasion of India. He
believed that on the eastern side of
India there was the continuation of
the sea, according the geographical
knowledge of his period. So, he
thought that by conquering India, he
would also conquer the eastern
boundary of the world.
Battle of Hydaspes: In 327 B.C.
Alexander crossed the Hindukush
Mountains and spent nearly ten
months in fighting with the tribes.
He crossed the Indus in February
326 B.C. with the help of a bridge
of boats. He was warmly received
by Ambhi, the ruler of Taxila. From
there, Alexander sent a message to
Porus to submit. But, Porus refused
and decided to fight against
Alexander. Then, Alexander mar-
ched from Taxila to the banks of
the river Hydaspes (Jhelum). On the
other side of the river, he saw the
vast army of Porus. As there were
heavy floods in the river, Alexander
was not able to cross it. After a few
days, he crossed the river and the
famous battle of Hydaspes was
fought on the plains of Karri. It was
a well-contested battle. Although
Porus had a strong army, he lost the
battle. Alexander was impressed by
the courage and heroism of this
Indian prince, treated him
generously and reinstated him on his
throne. Alexander continued his
march as far as the river Beas
encountering opposition from the
local tribes. He wanted to proceed
still further eastwards towards the
Gangetic valley. But he could not
do so, because his soldiers refused
to fight. Hardships of prolonged
warfare made them tired and they
wanted to return home. Alexander
could not persuade them and
therefore decided to return. He
made arrangements to look after his
conquered territories in India. He
divided the whole territory from the
Indus to the Beas into three
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The practice of military
governorship was first introduced
in India by the:
(a) Greeks
(b) Shakas
(c) Parthians
(d) Mughals
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
The Indo-Roman kingdom of
Bacteria was set up in
Afghanistan in the beginning of
second century B.C., after the
death of Alexander.
Q. The Indo-Roman Kingdom set
up in north Afghanistan in the
beginning of the second century
B.C was:
(a) Bacteria
(b) Scythia
(c) Zedrasia
(d) Aria
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
provinces and put them under his
military governors. His retreat began
in October 326 B.C. and the return
journey was not free from ordeals.
Many republican tribes attacked his
army. Anyhow he managed to reach
beyond the Indus. On his way, he
reached Babylon where he fell
seriously ill and died in 323 B.C.
Effects of Alexander’s invasion
The immediate effect of Alexa-
nder’s invasion was that it encou-
raged political unification of north
India under the Mauryas. The
system of small independent states
5 AGE OF MAURYAS
The establishment of the Mauryan
Empire opens a new era in the
history of India. For the first time,
political unity was achieved in India.
Moreover, the history writing has
also become clear from this period
due to accuracy in chronology and
sources. Besides plenty of
indigenous and foreign literary
sources, a number of epigraphical
records are also available to write
the history of this period.
Sources
A variety of sources to reconstruct
the history of the Mauryan Empire.
Kautilya’s Arthasastra is the most
important literary source for the
history of the Mauryas. Kautilya
was a contemporary of Chandra-
gupta Maurya. Kautilya was also
called ‘Indian Machiavelli’. The
manuscript of Arthasastra was first
discovered by R. Shama Sastri in
1904. The Arthasastra contains 15
books and 180 chapters but it can
be divided into three parts: the first
deals with the king and his council
and the departments of government;
the second with civil and criminal
law; and the third with diplomacy
and war. The book allows divorce
to a wife deserted by her husband.
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came to an end. Alexander ’s
invasion had also paved the way for
direct contact between India and
Greece. The routes opened by him
and his naval explorations increased
the existing facilities for trade
between India and West Asia.
However, his aim of annexing the
northwestern India to his empire
H
was not fulfilled due his premature
death. His authority in the Indus
valley was a short-lived one
I
because of the expansion of
Mauryan Empire under Chandra- S
gupta Maurya.
T
Visakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa
O
gives a picture on the socio-
economic condition under the R
Mauryas. The Mudrarakshasa
written by Visakadatta is a drama
in Sanskrit. Although written during Y
the Gupta period, it describes
how Chandragupta, with the
assistance of Kautilya, overthrew
the Nandas. “Mudrarakshasa” of
Vishakhadatta has its subject the
court intrigues between Amatya
Rakshasa of Dhanand Court
and Kautilya for Chandragupta
Maurya.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The ancient Indian play
Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutt has
its subject on :
(a) a conflict between Gods and
Demons of ancient Hindu lore
(b) a romantic story of an Aryan
prince and a tribal woman
(c) the story of the power struggle
between two Aryan
(d) the court intrigues at the time
of Chandragupta
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2002)
Megasthenes’ Indica
Megasthenes was the Greek
ambassador in the court of
Chandragupta Maurya. His book,
81
 Indica has survived only in
fragments. Yet, his account gives
details about the Mauryan
administration, particularly the
administration of the capital city of
Pataliputra and also the military
organization. His picture on
H contemporary social life is notable.
Certain unbelievable information
provided by him has to be treated
I with caution.
Other Literature
S Apart from these three important
works, the Puranas and the
Buddhist literature such as Jatakas
T provide information about the
Mauryas. The Ceylonese
Chronicles Dipavamsa and
O Mahavamsa throw light on the role
Asoka in spreading Buddhism in Sri
Lanka.
R Archaeological Sources - Edicts
of Asoka: The inscriptions of
Y Asoka were first deciphered by
James Princep in 1837. They are
written in Pali language and in some
places Prakrit was used. The
Brahmi script (which was written
from left to right) was employed for
writing. In the northwestern India
Asokan inscriptions were found in
Karoshti script (written from right
to left). There are fourteen Major
Rock Edicts. The two Kalinga
Edicts are found in the newly
conquered territory. The major pillar
Edicts were erected in important
cities. There are minor Rock Edicts
and minor pillar Edicts. These Edicts
of Asoka deal with Asoka’s
Dhamma and also instructions given
to his officials. The XIII Rock Edict
gives details about his war with
Kalinga. The Pillar Edict VII gives
a summary of his efforts to promote
the Dhamma within his kingdom.
The rock edict-II and III of Ashoka
tells us about the Sangam Kingdom
of Chola, Pandya satyaputta and
Kerelaputta. The Sohagaura copper
plate inscription of Asoka is the
earliest royal order to preserve the
food-grains to be utilised during
famine in the country. Thus the
82 Prelims Magic 2014
Asokan inscriptions remain valuable
sources for the study of Asoka and
the Mauryan Empire. The name by
which Ashoka is generally referred
to in his inscription is “Piyapins” or
Priyadarsi, and “Devanompiya”.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The name by which Ashoka is
generally referred to his
inscriptions is:
(a) Chakravarti (b) Dharmadeva
(c) Dharmakirti (d) Priyadarsi
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Q. Which one of the following
texts of ancient India allows
divorce to a wife deserted by her
husband?
(a) Kamasutra
(b) Manavadharmashastra
(c) Sukra Nitisara
(d) Arthashastra
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
scripts of ancient India was written
from right to left?
(a) Brahmi (b) Nandnagari
(c) Sharada (d) Kharoshti
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Asokan major rock edicts
which tell us about the Sangam
Kingdom include rock edicts
(a) I and X (b) I and XI
(c) II and III (d) II and XIV
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Q. Which one of the following
ancient Indian record is the earliest
royal order to preserve food-grains
to be utilised during the crises in
the country?
(a) Sohagaura Copper-plate
(b) Rummindei pillar-edict of
Asoka
(c) Prayaga-Prasasti
(d) Mehrauli Pillar inscription of
Chandra
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
POLITICAL HISTORY OF
THE MAURYAS
Chandragupta Maurya
(322 – 298 B.C.)
Chandragupta Maurya was the
founder of the Mauryan Empire.
He, at the young age of 25, captured
Pataliputra from the last ruler of the
Nanda dynasty, Dhanananda. In this
task he was assisted by Kautilya,
who was also known as Chanakya
or Vishnugupta. After firmly
establishing his power in the
Gangetic valley, he marched to the
northwest and subdued the
territories up to the Indus. Then he
moved to central India and occupied
the region north of Narmada river.
In 305 B.C., he marched against
Selukas Niketar, who was
Alexander’s General controlling the
northwestern India. Chandragupta
Maurya defeated him and a treaty
was signed. By this treaty, Selukas
Niketar ceded the trans-Indus
territories – namely Aria, Arakosia
and Gedrosia – to the Mauryan
Empire. He also gave his daughter
in marriage to the Mauryan prince.
Chandragupta made a gift of 500
elephants to Selukas. Megasthenes
was sent to the Mauryan court as
Greek ambassador.
Chandragupta embraced Jainism
towards the end of his life and
stepped down from the throne in
favour of his son, Bindusara. Then
he went to Sravana Belgola, near
Mysore along with Jain monks led
by Bhadrabhagu and starved
himself to death.
Bindusara (298 – 273 B.C.)
Bindusara was called by the Greeks
as “Amitragatha” meaning slayer of
enemies. He is said to have
conquered the Deccan up to
Mysore. Taranatha, the Tibetan
monk states that Bindusara
conquered 16 states comprising ‘the
land between the two seas’. The
Sangam Tamil literature also
confirms the Mauryan invasion of
the far south. Therefore, it can be
said that the Mauryan Empire under
Bindusara extended up to Mysore.
Bindusara received Deimachus as
ambassador from the Syrian king
Antiochus I. Bindusara wrote to
Antiochus I asking for sweet wine,
dried figs and a sophist. The latter
sent all but a sophist because the
Greek law prohibited sending a
sophist. Bindusara supported the
Ajivikas, a religious sect. Bindusara
appointed his son, Asoka, as the
governor of Ujjain.
Asoka the Great
(273 – 232 B. C.)
Asoka served as Governor of Ujjain
and also suppressed a revolt in Taxila
during his father Bindusara’s reign.
There was an interval of four years
between Asoka’s accession to the
throne (273 B.C.) and his actual
coronation (269 B.C.). Therefore,
it appears from the available
evidence that there was a struggle
for the throne after Bindusara’s
death. The Ceylonese Chronicles,
Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa state
that Asoka captured power after
killing his ninety nine brothers
including his elder brother, Susima.
The youngest brother, Tissa, was
spared. But according to Taranatha
of Tibet, Asoka killed only six of his
brothers. Asoka’s Edict also refers
to his brothers acting as officers in
his administration. However, it is
clear that the succession of Asoka
was a disputed one.The most
important event of Asoka’s reign
was his victorious war with Kalinga
in 261 B.C. The main cause of
Kalinga conquest of Ashoka was
the location of Kalinga, as it
controlled both the land and the sea
routes to South India, which could
facilitate the Mauryan trade. The
effects of the war were described
by Asoka himself in the Rock Edict
XIII: “A hundred and fifty thousand
were killed and many times that
number perished…” After the war
he annexed Kalinga to the Mauryan
Empire. Another most important
effect of the Kalinga war was that
Asoka stantch Buddhist and under
the influence of Buddhist monk,
Upagupta, took Asoka more closer
to Buddhism.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): Ashoka annexed
Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire.
Reason (R): Kalinga controlled the
land and sea routes to South India.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Asoka and Buddhism About 261
B.C. Asoka became a Sakya
Upasaka (lay dsicple) and two and
a half years later, a Bikshu (monk).
Then he gave up hunting, visited
Bodh-Gaya, and organized
missions. He appointed special
officers called “Dharma
Mahamatras” to speed up the
progress of Dhamma. In 241 B.C.,
he visited the birth place of Buddha,
the Lumbini Garden, near
Kapilavastu. He also visited other
holy places of Buddhism like
Sarnath, Sravasti and Kusinagara.
He sent a mission to Sri Lanka
under his son, Mahendra, and
daughter, Sangamitra, who planted
there the branch of the original
Bodhi tree. Asoka convened the
Third Buddhist Council at
Pataliputra in 240 B.C. in order to
strengthen the Sangha. It was
presided over by Moggaliputta
Tissa.
Extent of Asoka’s Empire
Asoka’s inscriptions mention the
southernmost kingdoms – Cholas,
Pandyas, Satyaputras and
Keralaputras – as border-states.
Therefore, these states remained
outside the Mauryan Empire.
According to Rajatarangini,
Kashmir was a part of the Mauryan
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Empire. Nepal was also within the
Mauryan Empire. The northwestern
frontier was already demarcated by
Chandragupta Maurya.
Asoka’s Dhamma
Although Asoka embraced
Buddhism and took efforts to spread
Buddhism, his policy of Dhamma
H
was a still broad concept. It was a
way of life, a code of conduct and a
set of principles to be adopted and
I
practised by the people at large. His
principles of Dhamma were clearly
stated in his Edicts. Asoka’s Edicts
S
stress on social harmony among the
people by spreading ideas of equity
instead of promotion of religion.
T
The main features of Asoka’s
Dhamma as mentioned in his
various Edicts may be summed as
O
follows:
1. Service to father and mother, R
practice of ahimsa, love of truth,
reverence to teachers and good
treatment of relatives. Y
2. Prohibition of animal sacrifices
and festive gatherings and avoiding
expensive and meaningless
ceremonies and rituals.
3. Efficient organization of
administration in the direction of
social welfare and maintenance of
constant contact with people through
the system of Dhammayatras.
4. Humane treatment of servants by
masters and prisoners by
government officials.
5. Consideration and non-violence
to animals and courtesy to relations
and liberality to Brahmins.
6. Tolerance among all the religious
sects.
7. Conquest through Dhamma
instead of through war. The concept
of non-violence and other similar
ideas of Asoka’s Dhamma are
identical with the teachings of
Buddha. But he did not equate
Dhamma with Buddhist teachings.
Buddhism remained his personal
belief. His Dhamma signifies a
83
 general code of conduct. Asoka
wished that his Dhamma should
spread through all social levels.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): According to
H Asoka’s edicts social harmony
among the people was more
important than religious devotion.
I Reason (R): He spread ideas of
equity instead of promotion of
religion.
S (a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
T not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
O Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
Estimate of Asoka
R According to H.G. Wells “Amidst
the tens and thousands of names of
monarchs that crowd the columns
Y of history, the name of Asoka shines
and shines almost alone, a star”.
Asoka was true to his ideals. He
was “the greatest of kings”,
surpassing Alexander the Great and
Julius Caesar and other renowned
Emperors of the world. He was not
a dreamer but a man of practical
wisdom. His Dhamma is so
universal that it appeals to humanity
even today. He was an example in
history for his benevolent
administration and also for following
the policy of non-aggression even
after his victory in the war. His
central ideal was to promote the
welfare of humanity.
Later Mauryas
Asoka’s death in 232 B.C. was
followed by the division of the
Mauryan Empire into two parts –
western and eastern. The western
part was ruled by Kunala, son of
Asoka, and the eastern part by
Dasaratha, one of the grand sons
of Asoka. Due to the Bactrian
invasions, the western part of the
empire collapsed. The eastern part
was intact under Samprati,
successor of Dasaratha. The last
84 Prelims Magic 2014
Mauryan king was Brihatratha, who
was assassinated by Pushyamitra
Sunga.
Mauryan Administration
Central Government
The ascendancy of the Mauryas had
resulted in the triumph of monarchy
in India. Other systems like republics
and oligarchies that were prevalent
in the pre-Mauryan India had
collapsed. Although Kautilya the
foremost political theorist of ancient
India supported the monarchial form
of government, he did not stand for
royal absolutism. He advocated that
the king should take the advice of
his ministry in running the
administration. Therefore, a council
of ministers called Mantriparishad
assisted the king in administrative
matters. It consisted of Purohita,
Mahamantri, Senapati and Yuvaraja.
There were civil servants called
Amatyas to look after the day-to-
day administration. These officers
were similar to the IAS officers of
independent India. The method of
selection of Amatyas was
elaborately given by Kautilya.
Asoka appointed Dhamma
Mahamatras to supervise the spread
of Dhamma. Thus the Mauryan
state had a well organized civil
service.
Revenue Department
Samharta, the chief of the Revenue
Department, was in charge of the
collection of all revenues of the
empire. The revenues came from
land, irrigation, customs, shop tax,
ferry tax, forests, mines and
pastures, license fee from
craftsmen, and fines collected in the
law courts. The land revenue was
normally fixed as one sixth of the
produce. The main items of
expenditure of the state related to
king and his household, army,
government servants, public works,
poor relief, religion, etc.
Army
The Mauryan army was well
organized and it was under the
control of Senapati. The salaries
were paid in cash. Kautilya refers
to the salaries of different ranks of
military officers. According to Greek
author, Pliny, the Mauryan army
consisted of six lakh infantry, thirty
thousand cavalry, nine thousand
elephants and eight thousand
chariots. In addition to these four
wings, there were the Navy and
Transport and Supply wings. Each
wing was under the control of
Adyakshas or Superintendents.
Megasthenes mentions six boards
of five members each to control the
six wings of the military.
Department of Commerce
and Industry
This department had controlled the
retail and wholesale prices of goods
and tried to ensure their steady
supply through its officers called
Adyakshas. It also controlled
weights and measures, levied
custom duties and regulated foreign
trade.
Judicial and Police Departments
Kautilya mentions the existence of
both civil and criminal courts. The
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
at the capital was called
Dharmathikarin. There were also
subordinate courts at the provincial
capitals and districts under
Amatyas. Different kinds of
punishment such as fines,
imprisonment, mutilation and death
were given to the offenders. Torture
was employed to extract truth.
Police stations were found in all
principal centres. Both Kautilya and
Asokan Edicts mention about jails
and jail officials. The Dhamma
Mahamatras were asked by Asoka
to take steps against unjust
imprisonment. Remission of
sentences is also mentioned in
Asoka’s inscriptions.
Census
The taking of Census was regular
during the Mauryan period. The
village officials were to number the
people along with other details like
their caste and occupation. They
were also to count the animals in
each house. The census in the
towns was taken by municipal
officials to track the movement of
population both foreign and
indigenous. The data collected were
cross checked by the spies. The
Census appears to have been a
permanent institution in the Mauryan
administration.
Provincial and Local
Administration
The Mauryan Empire was divided
into four provinces with their capitals
at Taxila, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri and
Kalinga. The provincial governors
were mostly appointed from the
members of royal family. They were
responsible the maintenance of law
and order and collection of taxes.
The district administration was
under the charge of Rajukas, whose
position and functions are similar to
modern collectors. They was
assisted by Yuktas or subordinate
officials. Village administration was
in the hands of Gramani and his
official superior was called Gopa
who was in charge of ten or fifteen
villages.
Both Kautilya and Megasthanes
provided the system of Municipal
administration. Arthasastra
contains a full chapter on the role
of Nagarika or city superintendent.
His chief duty was to maintain law
and order. Megasthenes refers to
the six committees of five members
each to look after the administration
of Pataliputra. These committees
looked after: 1. Industries 2.
Foreigners 3. Registration of births
and deaths 4. Trade 5. Manufacture
and sale of goods 6. Collection of
sales tax.
Mauryan Art and Architecture
The monuments before the period
of Asoka were mostly made of wood
and therefore perished. The use of
stone started from the time of
Asoka. Even of the numerous
monuments of Asoka, only a few
have remained. His palace and
monasteries and most of his stupas
have disappeared. The only
remaining stupa is at Sanchi. The
artistic remains of the Mauryan
period can be seen in the following
heads:
The name of Asoka is explicitly
mentioned in three recensions of the
first Minor Rock Edict (at Maski,
Gurjarra and Nittur) and two
versions of the second minor rock
edicts (at Nittur and Udegolam).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
statements regarding Asokan
stone pillars is incorrect?
(a) These are highly polished
(b) These are monolithic
(c) The shaft of pillars is tapering
in shape
(d) These are parts of architectural
structures
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
Q. Which one of the following
edicts mentions the personal name
of Asoka?
(a) Kalsi
(b) Rummindei
(c) Special Kalinga Edict
(d) Maski
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
Pillars
The pillars erected by Asoka furnish
the finest specimen of the Mauryan
art. Asokan pillars with inscriptions
were found in places like Delhi,
Allahabad, Rummindei, Sanchi and
Saranath. Asokan stone pillars are
not the part of architectural
structures but it was meant to
spread Asokan Dhamma. They
were independently erected with
Asokan Edict. Their tops were
crowned with figures of animals like
lion, elephant and bull. The Saranath
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pillar with four lions standing back
to back is the most magnificent.
The Indian government adopted this
capital with some modifications as
its state emblem.
Stupas
Asoka built a number of stupas
throughout his empire but majority
H
of them were destroyed during
foreign invasions. Only a few have
survived. The best example is the
I
famous Sanchi stupa with massive
dimensions. It was originally built
with bricks but later enlarged after
S
the time of Asoka.
Caves
T
The caves presented to the Ajivikas
by Asoka and his son Dasaratha O
remain important heritage of the
Mauryas. Their interior walls are
polished like mirror. These were
R
meant to be residences of monks.
The caves at Barabar hills near
Bodh Gaya are wonderful pieces of
Y
Mauryan architecture.
DISINTEGRATION OF THE
MAURYAN EMPIRE
The vast empire carved by Ashoka
in the second century BC seems to
have weakened after his death.
Scholars observe different reasons
for the downfall and disintegration
of this powerful empire.
Weak successors- Ashoka died in
232 BC and was followed by several
rulers such as Kunala, Dasharatha,
Samprati, Salishuka, Devavaram,
Satadhanvan, and Brihadratha.
They ruled too briefly to sustain a
vast empire
Brahmanical Revolt- Ashoka
followed a tolerant policy towards
all the sects and was an ardent
follower of Buddhism. His
propagation of Dhamma ideals
amongst the masses reduced the
significance of the Brahmanas.
They lost their exclusive position as
the highest class. The brahmanical
85
 reaction is evident in the murder of
Brihadratha by Pushyamitra Sunga
who established the Sunga dynasty
after the Mauryas. The Sungas and
Kanvas were both Brahmins and
revolted in order to establish
H Brahmanical supremacy.
Financial Crisis- The huge
expenditure on the elaborate
I bureaucratic set up of the Mauryas
drained the central treasury over a
time. The propagation of the
S Dhamma ideals also required a vast
network of officers. The huge set
T golden age of the Guptas.
6 POST-MAURYAN INDIA
O The disintegration of the Mauryan
Empire in the second century BC
R led to the establishment of several
new dynasties on its ruins. The
Sunga and Kanva dynasty ruled the
Y Gangetic plains and Malas region.
Several non Indian dynasties such
as Indo-Greeks, Indo-Parthians,
Kushans and Sakas came to rule
entire north India. The Deccan was
under the authority of the Satvahana
dynasty who carved out a vast
empire in the regions of Andhra,
Maharashtra, Karnataka and
portions of northern Tamilnadu.
Sungas
Pushyamitra Sunga-the founder of
the Sunga dynasty, was the
Commander-in-Chief under the
Mauryas. He assassinated the last
Mauryan ruler, Brihadrath, and
usurped the throne. The most
important challenge to the Sunga
rule was to protect North India
against the invasions of the Bactrian
Greeks from the northwest. The
Greeks advanced up to Pataliputra
and occupied it for sometime.
However, Pushyamitra succeeded
in regaining the lost territory. He
also fought a campaign against
Kharavela of Kalinga who invaded
north India. Pushyamitra was a
staunch follower of Brahmanism.
He performed two asvamedha
86 Prelims Magic 2014
up of the army and its officers also
needed a huge expenditure on the
part of the government. The grants
and donations to various Buddhist
monks and other religions put a
financial burden on the central
treasury.
All these factors aggravated the
downfall of the Empire with the
death of Ashoka, the weak
successors could not keep up the
elaborate bureaucracy to maintain
such as vast empire and this led to
its downfall and disintegration.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The last Mauryan ruler,
Brihadratha was assassinated by
his commander-in-chief,
Pushyamitra Sunga
2. The last Sunga king, Devabhuti
was assassinated by his Brahmana
Minister Vasudeva Kanva who
usurped the throne
3. The last ruler of the Kanva
dynasty was deposed by the
Andhras
Which of these statements is/are
correct ?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) Only 2
(c) Only 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
sacrifices. Buddhist sources refer
him as a persecutor of Buddhism.
But there is enough evidence to
show that Pushyamitra patronised
Buddhist art. During his reign the
Buddhist monuments at Bharhut and
Sanchi were renovated and further
improved. After the death of
Pushyamitra, his son, Agnimitra,
became the ruler. The last Sunga
ruler was Devabhuti, who was
murdered by his minister, Vasudeva
Kanva, the founder of the Kanva
dynasty. The Kanva dynasty ruled
for 45 years. The last ruler of Kanva
dynasty Susharma was killed by
Andhra Simuk who established
Satvahana dynasty. After the fall of
the Kanvas, the history of Magatha
was a blank until the establishment
of the Gupta dynasty. The rule of
the Sungas was important because
they defended the Gangetic valley
from foreign invasions. In the
cultural sphere, the Sungas revived
Brahmanism and horse sacrifice.
They also promoted the growth of
Vaishnavism and the Sanskrit
language. In short, the Sunga rule
was a brilliant anticipation of the
Satavahanas
The Satavahanas ruled over parts
of western India and the Deccan
(c. second century BC-second
century CE). They are known as
Andhras. The dynasty ruled from
Junnar (Pune) Prathisthan (Paithan)
in Maharashtra and Kotilingala
(Karimnagar) in Andhra Pradesh
over Southern and Central India
from around 230 BC onward.
Simuka was the founder of this
dynasty.The Puranas and
inscriptions remain important
sources for the history of
Satavahanas. Among the
inscriptions, the Nasik and
Nanaghad inscriptions throw much
light on the reign of Gautamiputra
Satakarni. The coins issued by the
Satavahanas are also helpful in
knowing the economic conditions of
that period. The founder of the
Satavahana dynasty was Simuka.
He was succeeded by Krishna, who
extended the kingdom up to Nasik
in the west. The third king was Sri
Satakarni. He conquered western
Malwa and Berar. He also
performed asvamedha sacrifices.
The seventeenth king of the
Satavahana dynasty was Hala. He
reigned for a period of five years.
Hala became famous for his book
Gathasaptasati, also called Sattasai.
It contains 700 verses in Prakrit
language.
The greatest ruler of the Satavahana
dynasty was Gautamiputra Sata-
karni. He ruled for a period of 24
years from 106 to 130 A.D. His
achievements were recorded in the
Nasik inscription by his mother
Gautami Balasri. Gautamiputra
Satakarni captured the whole of
Deccan and expanded his empire.
His victory over Nagapana, the ruler
of Malwa was remarkable. He
patronized Brahmanism. Yet, he
also gave donations to Buddhists.
Gautamiputra Satakarni was
succeeded by his son Vashishta-
putra Pulamayi. He extended the
Satavahana power up to the mouth
of the Krishna river. He issued coins
on which the image of ships was
inscribed. They reveal the naval
power and maritime trade of the
Satavahanas. The last great ruler of
Satavahanas was Yajna Sri
Satakarni.
Economic Condition
Silver coins called ‘Karshapanas’
were used for trade. The
Satavahana period also witnessed
overseas commercial activity.
Ptolemy mentions many ports in the
Deccan. The greatest port of the
Satavahanas was Kalyani on the
west Deccan. Gandakasela and
Ganjam on the east coast were the
other important seaports.
Cultural Contributions
The Satavahanas patronized
Buddhism and Brahmanism. They
built chaityas and viharas. They also
made grants of villages and lands to
Buddhist monks. Vashishtaputra
Pulamayi repaired the old
Amaravathi stupa. Their
architecture in Nagarjunakonda was
also notable. Brahmanism was
revived by the Satavahanas along
with the performance of asvamedha
and rajasuya sacrifices. They also
patronized the Prakrit language and
literature. Hala’s Sattasai is an
excellent piece of Prakrit literature.
Foreign Invasions of
Northwest India
Bactrians
Bactria and Parthia became
independent from the Syrian
empire in the middle of the third
century B.C. Demetrius, the
Greek ruler of Bactria invaded
Afghanistan and Punjab and
occupied them. From Taxila, he
sent two of his commanders,
Appolodotus and Menander for
further conquests. Appolodotus
conquered the Sindh and marched
up to Ujjain. Menander extended
his rule up to Mathura and from
there he made attempts to capture
Pataliputra. But he was stopped by
the army of Vasumitra, the
grandson of Pushyamitra Sunga.
Menander was also known as
Milinda and the capital of his
kingdom was Sakala (Sialcot). He
evinced much interest in Buddhism
and his dialogues with the Buddhist
monk, Nagasena, was compiled in
the Pali work, Milindapanho
(Questions of Milinda). He also
embraced Buddhism. A Greek
ambassador, Heliodorus, became a
Vaishnavite and erected the
Garuda Pillar at Besnagar. The
Greek influence in India lasted for
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Milindapanho is in the form of
a dialogue between the king
Menander and Buddhist monk:
(a) Nagasena (b) Nagarjuna
(c) Nagabhatta (d) Kumarilabhatta
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1997)
Q. Who among the following was
not a contemporary of the other
three?
(a) Bimbsara
(b) Gautama Buddha
(c) Milinda
(d) Prasenjit
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)
Explanation : Except Milicnda all
are related with Pre-Maury a
times. Milianda existed post
Maurya period.
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more than a century after the death
Menander.
Sakas
The Sakas or the Scythians attacked
Bactria and Parthia and captured
them from the Greek rulers.
Following the footsteps of the
Greeks, the Sakas gradually
H
extended their rule over
northwestern India. There were
two different groups of Sakas – the
I
Northern Satraps ruling from Taxila
and the Western satraps ruling over
Maharashtra. The founder the Saka
S
rule in India in the first century B.C.
was Maues. His son and successor
was Azes I, who was considered to
T
be the founder of the Vikrama era.
Saka rulers of Taxila were
overthrown by the Parthians.
O
Kushanas
The Kushanas were a branch of
R
Yuchi tribe, whose original home
was Central Asia. They first came
to Bactria displacing the Sakas.
Y
Then they gradually moved to the
Kabul valley and seized the
Gandhara region. The founder of the
Kushana dynasty was Kujula
Kadphises or Kadphises I. He
occupied the Kabul valley and
issued coins in his name. His son
Wima Kadphises or Kadphises II
conquered the whole of north-
western India as far as Mathura.
He issued gold coins with high-
sounding titles like the ‘Lord of the
Whole World’. He was a devotee
of Lord Siva.
Kanishka (78 – 120 A.D.)
Kanishka was the most important
ruler of the Kushana dynasty. He
was the founder of the Saka era
which starts from 78 A.D. He was
not only a great conqueror but also
a patron of religion and art.
Kanishka’s Conquests
At the time of his accession his
empire included Afghanistan,
Gandhara, Sind and Punjab.
Subsequently, he conquered
87
 Magadha and extended his power
as far as Pataliputra and Bodh
Gaya. According to Kalhana,
Kanishka invaded Kashmir and
occupied it. His coins are found in
many places like Mathura, Sravasti,
Kausambi and Benares and
H therefore, he must have conquered
the greater part of the Gangetic
plain. He also fought against the
I Chinese and acquired some
territories from them. During the
first expedition he was defeated by
S the Chinese general, Pancho. He
undertook a second expedition in
which he was successful and he
T scored a victory over Panyang, the
son of Pancho. Kanishka annexed
the territories of Kashgar, Yarkand
O and Khotan into his empire. The
empire of Kanishka was a vast one
extending from Gandhara in the
R west to Benares in the east, and
from Kashmir in the north to Malwa
in the south. His capital was
Y Purushapura or modern day
Peshawar. Mathura was another
important city in his empire.
Kanishka and Buddhism
Kanishka embraced Buddhism in
the early part of his reign. However,
his coins exhibit the images of not
only Buddha but also Greek and
Hindu gods. It reflects Kanishka’s
toleration towards other religions. In
the age of Kanishka, the Mahayana
Buddhism came into vogue. It is
different in many respects from the
religion taught by the Buddha and
propagated by Asoka. The Buddha
came to be worshipped with
flowers, garments, perfumes and
lamps. Thus image worship and
rituals developed in Mahayana
Buddhism.
Kanishka also sent missionaries to
Central Asia and China for the
propagation of the new faith.
Buddhist chaityas and viharas were
built in different places. He
patronised Buddhist scholars like
Vasumitra, Asvagosha and
Nagarjuna. He also convened the
Fourth Buddhist Council to discuss
88 Prelims Magic 2014
matters relating to Buddhist
theology and doctrine. It was held
at the Kundalavana monastery near
Srinagar in Kashmir under the
presidentship of Vasumitra. About
500 monks attended the Council.
The Council prepared an
authoritative commentary on the
Tripitakas and the Mahayana
doctrine was given final shape.
Asvagosha was a great philosopher,
poet and dramatist. He was the
author of Buddhacharita.
Nagarjuna from south India
adorned the court of Kanishka.
The famous physician of ancient
India, Charaka, was also patronized
by him.
Many of the Greeks, Kushanas and
Shakas embraced Buddhism rather
than Hinduism because the caste
ridden Hinduism did not attract
them. Those who embraced
Hinduism were not given very
respectable position in Hindu fold.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following
presided over the Buddhist Council
held during the regin of,Kanishka
at Kashmir ?
(a) Pars va
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Sudraka
(d) Vasumitra
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2001)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Many of the Greeks, Kushanas
and Shakas embraced Buddhism
rather than Hinduism because:
(a) Buddhism was in the ascendant
at that time
(b) they had renounced the policy
of war and violence
(c) caste-ridden Hinduism did not
attract them
(d) Buddhism provided easier
access to Indian society
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Gandhara Art
The home of the Gandhara School
of art is the territory in and around
Peshawar in northwestern India. It
is popularly known as Greco-
Buddhist art. The Gandhara artist,
it is said, had the hand of a Greek
but the head and heart of an Indian.
Although the process of production
and the manner of his using the
material was Hellenistic, the basic
urge, imagery and iconography
remained Indian. The best of the
Gandhara sculpture was produced
during the first and second centuries
A.D. Gandhara sculptures
invariably used green schiest as the
medium. There sculptures were
invariably influenced by Greek
sculpture. It originated during the
reign of Indo-Greek rulers but the
real patrons of this school of art
were the Sakas and the Kushanas,
particularly Kanishka. Gandhara art
was a blend of Indian and Graeco-
Roman\ Hellenistic elements.
Specimens of Gandhara sculpture
have been found in Taxila,
Peshawar and in several places of
northwest India. The Gandhara
school made sculptures of the
Buddha in various sizes, shapes and
postures. The reliefs depict
Buddha’s birth, his renunciation and
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
sculptures was invariably used
green schiest as the medium?
(a) Maurya sculptures
(b) Mathura sculptures
(c) Bharhut sculptures
(d) Gandhara sculptures
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Q. Assertion (A): The Gandhara
School of Art bears the mark of
Hellenistic influence.
Reason (R): Formic acid is an
organic acid.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
his preaching. The salient features
of Gandhara art are:
Moulding human body in a realistic
manner with minute attention to
physical features like muscles,
moustache and curly hair.Thick
drapery with large and bold fold
lines.Rich carving, elaborate
ornamentation and symbolic
expressions.
The main theme was the new form
of Buddhism – Mahayanism and the
evolution of an image of Buddha.
A large number of monasteries
were also built from first to fourth
centuries A.D. Ruins of about
fifteen monasteries were found in
and around Peshawar and
Rawalpindi. The Buddhist stupas
erected during this period had
Graeco-Roman architectural
impact. The height of the stupa was
raised and ornamentation was added
to the structure of the stupa. These
7
SANGAM AGE
The Sangam period is the earliest
historical period in the history of
South India, spanning about the 3rd
century BC to the 3rd century AD.
It is named for the Tamil Sangams
or “assemblies”. Approximately
during the period between 350 BC
to 200 AD, Tamilakam was ruled
by the three Tamil dynasties of
Chola, Chera and Pandya, and a
few independent chieftains, the
Velir. The three early dynasties
were known as Muvendar. The
main source for the period is the bulk
of the Sangam Literature. The
Tamil Sangam, an association of
Tamil poets, which flourished in
ancient Tamilnadu. These Tamil
poets had composed the Sangam
literature. The period in which these
literatures were composed is called
the Sangam Age. The first mention
of the Tamils comes from
Megasthenes and the Ashokan
inscrioption 2nd and 12th mentions
the southern kingdoms of Cheras,
Keralaputras, Satyaputras and
Pandyas.
changes made the stupa more
attractive.
Mathura School of Art: The
school of art that developed at
Mathura in modern Uttar Pradesh
is called the Mathura art. It
flourished in the first century A.D.
In its early phase, the Mathura
school of art developed on
indigenous lines. The Buddha
images exhibit the spiritual feeling
in his face which was largely absent
in the Gandhara school. The
Mathura school also carved out the
images of Siva and Vishnu along
with their consorts Parvathi and
Lakshmi. The female figures of
yakshinis and apsaras of the
Mathura school were beautifully
carved.
Successors of Kanishka and end
of Kushana Rule: The successors
of Kanishka ruled for another one
hundred and fifty years. Huvishka
was the son of Kanishka and he kept
According to Tamil legends, there
existed three Sangams (Academy
of Tamil poets’) in ancient
Tamilnadu popularly called
Muchchangam. These Sangams
flourished under the royal patronage
of the Pandyas. The first Sangam,
held at Then Madurai, was attended
by Gods and legendary sages but
no literary work of this Sangam was
available. The second Sangam was
held at Kapadapuram but the all the
literary works had perished except
Tolkappiyam. The third Sangam at
Madurai was founded by
Mudathirumaran. It was attended
by a large number of poets who
produced voluminous literature but
only a few had survived. These
Tamil literary works remain useful
sources to reconstruct the history
of the Sangam Age.
Sangam Literature
The corpus of Sangam literature
includes Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai,
Pathuppattu, Pathinenkil-
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the empire intact. Mathura became
an important city under his rule. Like
Kanishka, he was also a patron of
Buddhism. The last important
Kushana ruler was Vasudeva. The
Kushana empire was very much
reduced in his rule. Most of his
inscriptions are found in and around
Mathura. He seems to have been a
worshipper of Siva. After Vasudeva,
H
petty Kushan princes ruled for
sometime in northwestern India. I
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.With reference to the invaders
S
in ancient India, which one of the
following is the correct
chronological order?
T
(a) Greeks-Sakas-Kushanas
(b) Greeks- KushanC\S-Sakas
(c) Sakas-Greeks-Kushanas
O
(d) Sakas-Kushanas-Greeks
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001) R
kanakku, and the two epics – Y
Silappathigaram and Manime-
galai. Tolkappiyam authored by
Tolkappiyar is the earliest of the
Tamil literature. It is a work on
Tamil grammar but it provides
information on the political and
socio-economic conditions of the
Sangam period. The Ettutogai or
Eight Anthologies consist of eight
works–Aingurunooru, Natrinai,
Aganaooru,Purananooru,
Kuruntogai,Kalittogai,
Paripadal and Padirruppattu.
The Pathuppattu or Ten Idylls
consist of ten works –
Thirumurugartruppadai,
Porunaratruppadai, Sirupana-
rtruppadai,Perumpanar-
truppadai,Mullaippattu,
Nedunalvadai, Maduraikkanji,
Kurinjippatttu, Pattinappalai and
Malaipadu-kadam. Both Ettuto-
gai and Pathuppattu were divided
into two main groups – Aham (love)
and Puram (valour). Pathinenkil-
kanakku contains eighteen works
mostly dealing with ethics and
morals. The most important among
89
 them is Tirukkural authored by
Thiruvalluvar. Silappathigaram
written by Elango Adigal and
Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattanar
also provide valuable information
about the Sangam polity and society.
H Other Sources
In addition to the Sangam literature,
the Greek authors like
I Megasthenes, Strabo, Pliny and
Ptolemy mention the commercial
contacts between the West and
S South India. The Asokan
inscriptions mention the Chera,
Chola and Pandya rulers in the south
T of the Mauryan Empire. The
Hathikumha inscription of
Kharavela of Kalinga also mentions
O about Tamil kingdoms. The
excavations at Arikkamedu,
Poompuhar, Kodumanal and other
R places reveal the overseas
commercial activities of the Tamils.
Y Political History
Cheras
The Cheras ruled over parts of
modern Kerala. Their capital was
Vanji and their important seaports
were Tondi and Musiri. They had
the palmyra flowers as their
garland. The Pugalur inscription of
the first century A.D refers to three
generations of Chera rulers.
Padirruppattu also provides
information on Chera kings. Perum
Sorru Udhiyan Cheralathan,
Imayavaramban Nedum
Cheralathan and Cheran
Senguttuvan were the famous
rulers of this dynasty. Cheran
Senguttuvan belonged to 2nd
century A.D. His younger brother
was Elango Adigal, the author of
Silappathigaram. Among his
military achievements, his
expedition to the Himalayas was
remarkable. He defeated many
north Indian monarchs.
Senguttuvan introduced the Pathini
cult or the worship of Kannagi as
the ideal wife in Tamilnadu. The
stone for making the idol of Kannagi
was brought by him after his
90 Prelims Magic 2014
Himalayan expedition. The
consecration ceremony was
attended by many princes including
Gajabhagu II from Sri Lanka.
Cholas
The Chola kingdom of the Sangam
period extended from modern
Tiruchi district to southern Andhra
Pradesh. Their capital was first
located at Uraiyur and then shifted
to Puhar. Karikala was a famous
king of the Sangam Cholas.
Pattinappalai portrays his early life
and his military conquests. In the
Battle of Venni he defeated the
mighty confederacy consisting of
the Cheras, Pandyas and eleven
minor chieftains. This event is
mentioned in many Sangam poems.
Vaihaipparandalai was another
important battle fought by him in
which nine enemy chieftains
submitted before him. Karikala’s
military achievements made him the
overlord of the whole Tamil
country. Trade and commerce
flourished during his reign period.
He was responsible for the
reclamation of forest lands and
brought them under cultivation thus
adding prosperity to the people. He
also built the Kallanai across the
river Kaveri and also constructed
many irrigation tanks.
The Chola: Art and Architecture
The Cholamandalam is the
traditional sphere of the Cholas.
Here, beginning from the fourth
quarter of the 9th century AD to the
end of the 10 th century a large
number of temples were built.
The Chola Architecture reached its
epitome under Parantaka-I. Chola
temples are modest in scale and
simple in plan.
All the principal images of the
Brahaminical pantheon are
represented in South India during
the Chola period. The images of
Nataraja, the dancing Shiva with
four armsd are the finest. The
earliest Nataraja in bronze is found
in the Siva temple at Nallur, Tanjore
district.
Siva is represented in a greater
varity of dancing poses than
anywhere else in India. Examlpes
of the poses are Dakshinamurti,
Bhikasatana, Kankalamurti and
Gajasamhara.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Bronze icons of Nataraja cast
during the Chola period invariably
show the deity with:
(a) eight hands
(b) six hands
(c) four hands
(d) two hands
Ans. (c)
Pandyas
(CSE, 1995)
The Pandyas ruled over the present
day southern Tamilnadu. Their
capital was Madurai. The earliest
kings of the Pandyan dynasty were
Nediyon, Palyagasalai Mudukudumi
Peruvaludhi and Mudathirumaran.
There were two Neduncheliyans.
The first one was known as
Aryappadai Kadantha Nedun-
cheliyan (one who won victories
over the Aryan forces). He was
responsible for the execution of
Kovalan for which Kannagi burnt
Madurai. The other was
Talaiyalanganattu Cheruvenra (He
who won the battle at Talaiya-
langanam) Neduncheliyan. He was
praised by Nakkirar and Mangudi
Maruthanar. He wore this title after
defeating his enemies at the Battle
of Talaiyalanganam, which is
located in the Tanjore district. By
this victory Nedun-cheliyan gained
control over the entire Tamilnadu.
Maduraikkanji written by
Mangudi Maruthanar describes the
socio-economic condition of the
Pandya country including the
flourishing seaport of Korkai. The
last famous Pandyan king was
Uggira Peruvaludhi. The Pandyan
rule during the Sangam Age began
to decline due to the invasion of the
Kalabhras.
Minor Chieftains
The minor chieftains played a
significant role in the Sangam period.
Among them Pari, Kari, Ori, Nalli,
Pegan, Ay and Adiyaman were
popular for their philanthropy and
patronage of Tamil poets.
Therefore, they were known as
“Kadai Yelu Vallalgal”. Although
they were subordinate to the Chera,
Chola and Pandya rulers, they were
powerful and popular in their
respective regions.
Sangam Polity
Hereditary monarchy was the form
of government during the Sangam
period. The king had also taken the
advice of his minister, court-poet and
the imperial court or avai. The
Chera kings assumed titles like
‘ Va na va r a mb a n ’ , ’ Va na va n’ ,
‘Kuttuvan’, ‘Irumporai’ and
‘Villavar ’, the Chola kings like
‘Senni’, ‘Valavan’ and ‘Killi’ and the
Pandya kings, Thennavar and
‘Minavar’. Each of the Sangam
dynasties had a royal emblem – car
for the Pandyas, tiger for the Cholas
and bow for the Cheras. The
imperial court or avai was attended
by a number of chiefs and officials.
The king was assisted by a large
body of officials who were divided
into five councils. They were
ministers (amaichar), priests
(anthanar), military commanders
(senapathi), envoys (thuthar) and
spies (orrar). The military
administration was also efficiently
organized during the Sangam Age.
Each ruler had a regular army and
their respective Kodimaram
(tutelary tree). Land revenue was
the chief source of state’s income
while custom duty was also
imposed on foreign trade. The
Pattinappalai refers to the custom
officials employed in the seaport of
Puhar. Booty captured in wars was
also a major income to the royal
treasury. Roads and highways were
well maintained and guarded night
and day to prevent robbery and
smuggling.
Sangam Society
Tolkappiyam refers to the five-fold
division of lands – Kurinji (hilly
tracks), Mullai (pastoral), Marudam
(agricultural), Neydal (coastal) and
Palai (desert). The people living in
these five divisions had their
respective chief occupations as well
as gods for worship.
• Kurinji – chief deity was Murugan
– chief occupation, hunting and
honey collection.
• Mullai – chief deity Mayon
(Vishnu) – chief occupation, cattle-
rearing and dealing with dairy
products.
• Marudam – chief deity Indira –
chief occupation, agriculture.
• Neydal – chief deity Varunan –
chief occupation fishing and salt
manufacturing.
• Palai – chief deity Korravai –
chief occupation robbery.
• Manigrama- a Corporation of
merchants in ancient India.
Tolkappiyam also refers to four
castes namely arasar, anthanar,
vanigar and vellalar. The ruling class
was called arasar. Anthanars played
a significant role in the Sangam polity
and religion. Vanigars carried on
trade and commerce. The vellalas
were agriculturists. Other tribal
groups like Parathavar, Panar,
Eyinar, Kadambar, Maravar and
Pulaiyar were also found in the
Sangam society. Ancient primitive
tribes like Thodas, Irulas, Nagas and
Vedars lived in this period.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following was
a corporation of merchants in
ancient India?
(a) Chaturvedimangalam
(b) Parishad
(c) Ashtadikgaja
(d) Manigrama
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
Prelims Magic 2014
Religion
The primary deity of the Sangam
period was Seyon or Murugan, who
is hailed as Tamil God. The worship
of Murugan was having an ancient
origin and the festivals relating to
God Murugan was mentioned in the
Sangam literature. He was H
honoured with six abodes known as
Arupadai Veedu. Other Gods
worshipped during the Sangam I
period were Mayon (Vishnu),
Vendan (Indiran), Varunan and
Korravai. The Hero Stone or Nadu S
Kal worship was significant in the
Sangam period. The Hero Stone
was erected in memory of the T
bravery shown by the warrior in
battle. Many hero stones with
legends inscribed on them were O
found in different parts of
Tamilnadu. This kind of worshipping
the deceased has a great antiquity. R
Position of Women
There is plenty of information in the Y
Sangam literature to trace the
position of women during the
Sangam age. Women poets like
Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar, and
Kakkaipadiniyar flourished in this
period and contributed to Tamil
literature. The courage of women
was also appreciated in many
poems. Karpu or Chaste life was
considered the highest virtue of
women. Love marriage was a
common practice. Women were
allowed to choose their life
partners.However, the life of
widows was miserable. The
practice of Sati was also prevalent
in the higher strata of society. The
class of dancers was patronized by
the kings and nobles.
Fine Arts
Poetry, music and dancing were
popular among the people of the
Sangam age. Liberal donations
were given to poets by the kings,
chieftains and nobles. The royal
courts were crowded with singing
bards called Panar and Viraliyar.
91
 They were experts in folk songs and
folk dances. The arts of music and
dancing were highly developed. A
variety of Yazhs and drums are
referred to in the Sangam literature.
Dancing was performed by
Kanigaiyar. Koothu was the most
H popular entertainment of the people.
Economy of the Sangam Age
I Agriculture was the chief
occupation. Rice was the common
crop. Ragi, sugarcane, cotton,
S pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon
and a variety of fruits were the other
crops. Jack fruit and pepper were
T famous in the Chera country. Paddy
was the chief crop in the Chola and
Pandya country. The handicrafts of
O the Sangam period were popular.
They include weaving, metal works
and carpentry, ship building and
R making of ornaments using beads,
stones and ivory. There was a great
demand for these products, as the
Y internal and external trade was at
its peak during the Sangam period.
Spinning and weaving of cotton and
silk clothes attained a high quality.
8 JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
The sixth century B.C. is considered
a wonderful century in history.
Great thinkers like Buddha,
Mahavira, Heraclitus, Zoroaster,
Confucius and Lao Tse lived and
preached their ideas in this century.
In India, the republican institutions
were strong in the 6th century B.C.
This enabled rise of heterodox sects
against the orthodox religion
dominated by rites and rituals.
Among them the most successful
were Jainism and Buddhism whose
impact on the Indian society was
remarkable.
Jainism
The word ‘Jain’ is derived from the
Sanskrit word ‘JIN’ which means
‘conqueror’ one who has conquered
his lower nature, who has become
92 Prelims Magic 2014
The poems mention the cotton
clothes as thin as a cloud of steam
or a slough of a snake. There was
a great demand in the western
world for the cotton clothes woven
at Uraiyur. Both internal and foreign
trade was well organized and briskly
carried on in the Sangam Age. The
Sangam literature, Greek and
Roman accounts and the
archaeological evidences provide
detailed information on this subject.
Merchants carried the goods on the
carts and on animal-back from
place to place. Internal trade was
mostly based on the barter system.
External trade was carried between
South India and the Greek
kingdoms. After the ascendancy of
the Roman Empire, the Roman
trade assumed importance. The port
city of Puhar became an emporium
of foreign trade, as big ships entered
this port with precious goods. Other
ports of commercial activity include
Tondi, Musiri, Korkai, Arikkamedu
and Marakkanam. The author of
Periplus provides the most valuable
information on foreign trade. Plenty
a supreme being by absolving his
soul of all karma and who has
attained NIRVANA the supreme
state of existence. A follower of JIN
is termed Jain.
Mahaveer was the last (twenty-
fourth) TEERTHANKAR. The
lives of twenty four
TEERTHANKARs is given in the
great religious books like
‘KALPASUTRA’. The first
TEERTHANKAR was Risha-
bhanath. Parshvanath, who lived
about 250 years before Mahaveer
was the twenty-third TEERTHA-
NKAR. Many modern historians
recognize Parshvanath as a
historical personality.
Mahaveer was a contemporary of
Gautama Buddha. The credit of
introducing Jainism to the West
goes, surprising, to a German
of gold and silver coins issued by
the Roman Emperors like Augustus,
Tiberius and Nero were found in all
parts of Tamil Nadu. They reveal
the extent of the trade and the
presence of Roman traders in the
Tamil country. The main exports of
the Sangam age were cotton fabrics,
spices like pepper, ginger,
cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric,
ivory products, pearls and precious
stones. Gold, horses and sweet wine
were the chief imports.
End of the Sangam Age
Towards the end of the third century
A.D., the Sangam period slowly
witnessed its decline. The
Kalabhras occupied the Tamil
country for about two and a half
centuries. Jainism and Buddhism
became prominent during this
period. The Pallavas in the northern
Tamil Nadu and Pandyas in
southern Tamil Nadu drove the
Kalabhras out of the Tamil country
and established their rule.
scholar Herman Jacobi who
translated some Jain literature and
published it in the series ‘Sacred
Books of the East’ in 1884.
Life of Mahaveer:
Mahaveer, born in 599 B.C., into
the royal family of King Siddharth
and Queen Trishala. His mother was
the sister of Lichchhavi chief
Chetaka who was the ruler of
Vaisali . After his conception, the
wealth, prosperity and influence of
the family increased. So, his parents
named him Vardhaman, the
increaser of prosperity. Later, his
followers named him Mahaveer, the
great hero. Although a born prince,
Mahaveer showed indifference
towards worldly pleasures from his
early age. At the age of thirty, he
renounced the world, adopted the
lifestyle in harmony with nature and
remained engaged in meditation for
full twelve years. At the age of
forty-two, he became an omniscient.
He then preached his philosophy,
message of universal love and
service to all living beings for the
next thirty years. At the age of
seventy-two, he attained salvation
(NIRVANA) in 527 B.C.
Mahaveer’s Teachings:
Mahaveer ’s first and foremost
teaching is non-violence and
universal compassion. This teaching
changed the very heart of people at
that time. The principle of non-
violence had visible effects on the
life of people. It had salutary effect
on man’s diet. Those who came
under the influence of Mahaveer’s
personality and teachings gave up
eating meat and fish, and adopted a
vegetarian diet. The principle of love
and compassion was also
emphasized by Mahaveer. In his last
sermon, when asked by one of his
disciples as to which principle was
the most fundamental to his
teachings, Mahaveer replied: My
most important teaching is non-
violence. Do not hurt or kill any
living being by thought, word or
deed. Do not go to war. Do not kill
animals. Do not hunt or fish. Never
kill even the smallest creature. Do
not step on a worm. Even the worm
has a soul.
The 24 TIRTHANKARAS
Rig Vedic hymns mention Rishabha
and Arishtanemi, two of the Jain
trithankaras. The Jainas believe
that their religious system is the
outcome of the teachings of the 24
tirthankaras, all Kshatriyas,
coming one after the other.
1. Adinath (Rishabhnath),
2. Ajitnath,
3. Sambhavanath,
4. Abhinandan, Swami
5. Sumatinath,
6. Padmaprabhu,
7. Suprashvanath,
8. Chandraprabhu,
9. Pushpadanta,
10. Sheetalnath,
11. Sreyansanth, Magadha had violated those rules.
12. Vasupujya Swami, The southerners began to be called
Digamber (the sky clad) and the
13. Vimalnath,
Magadhans Shvetambers (the
14. Anantnath, white clad).
15. Dharmanath,
Both sects affirm (or ahinsâ),
16. Santinath,
17.
18.
Kunthunath,
Aranath,
asceticism karma, sanskar and jiva.
The differences between the two
sects are primarily minor and
H
19.
20.
Mallinath,
Munisuvarata Swami,
relatively obscure
Digambar – These Jain monks do
I
21. Nami Nath, not wear clothes because they
22.
23.
Neminath,
Parsvanath
believe clothes, like other
possessions, increase dependency
S
and desire for material things, and
24. Mahavir (Vardhaman).
The twenty-third tirthankara,
desire for anything ultimately leads
to sorrow. Digambars believe that
T
named Parsvanatha, who lived 250 women cannot attain moksha in the
years before Vardhamana
Mahavira was the son of King
same birth
Svetambar -Jain monks, on the
O
Asvasena of Banaras. Mahavira is
regarded as the last 24 th
tirthankara.
other hand, wear white, seamless
clothes for practical reasons, and
believe there is nothing in Jain
R
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
scripture that condemns wearing
clothes. Sadhvis (nuns) of both sects
wear white. In Sanskrit, ambar
Y
statements: refers to a covering generally, or a
1. Vardhaman Mahavira’s mother garment in particular. Dig, an older
was the daughter of Lichchhavi form of disha, refers to the cardinal
chief Chetaka directions. Digambar therefore
2. Gautama Buddha’s mother was means “covered by the four
a princess from the Koshalan directions”, or “sky-clad”. Svet
dynasty means white and Svetambars wear
3. Parshvanatha, the twenty-third white garments. Svetambars
Tirthankara, belonged to Banaras believe that women may attain
liberation. Parsvanath allowed his
Which of these statements is/are
correct? followers to wear white garments.
(a) Only 1 The Jain Philosophy:
(b) Only 2
(c) 2 and 3 According to Jain philosophy, a
worldly being has a soul living in a
(d) 1, 2 and 3
material body. Life consists of
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003) interactions between soul and its
SECTS environment. These interactions
involve extremely fine particles of
The two main sects of Jainism are matter called karmas and cause the
called Digambar and Svetambar . cycles of birth and rebirth. The
During the Magadh famine in the ultimate goal of each individual soul
reign of Chandragupta Maurya is to attain infinite perception,
some Jain monks under Bhadrabahu infinite knowledge and infinite bliss,
migrated to Karnataka where they the intrinsic attributes of a pure soul
lived in the traditional way strictly that is free from all external
observing the religious rules. They interactions. This ultimate goal is
alleged the ascetics living in called NIRVANA; deliverance
Prelims Magic 2014 93
 from the bondage of karmas and
attainment of everlasting peace.
This is achieved by practising
physical and mental discipline, and
thereby getting rid of the
undesirable karma particles.
H In Jainism, ahimsa is the standard
by which all actions are judged. For
a householder observing the small
I vows (aGuvrata), the practice of
ahimsa requires that he not kill any
animal life, but for an ascetic
S observing the great vows
(mahâvrata), ahimsa entails the
greatest care to prevent him from
T knowingly or unknowingly being the
cause of injury to any living
substance. Living matter (jiva)
O includes not only human
beings and  animals  but  insects,
plants, and atoms as well, and the
R same law governs the entire
cosmos. The interruption of another
jiva’s spiritual progress increases
Y one’s own karma and delays one’s
liberation from the cycle of rebirths.
Many common Jainist practices,
such as not eating or drinking after
dark or the wearing of cloth mouth
covers (mukhavastrikâ) by monks,
are based on the principle of
ahimsa.
Jain philosophy is based on the
nature of reality, which is considered
through non-absolutism (Anekanta-
vada). According to this view, reality
possesses infinite characteristics,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following
statements is/are applicable to Jain
doctrine?
1. The surest way of annihilating
Karma is to practice penance.
2. Every object, even the smallest
particle has a soul.
3. Karma is the bane of the soul
and must be ended.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
94 Prelims Magic 2014
which cannot be perceived or
known at once by any ordinary man.
Different people think about
different aspects of the same reality
and therefore their partial findings
are contradictory to one another.
Hence they indulge in debates
claiming that each of them was
completely true. The Jaina
philosophers thought over this
conflict and tried to reveal the whole
truth. They established the theory
of a Non-absolutist standpoint
Anekantavada with its two wings,
Nayavada and Syadvada. Proper
understanding of the coexistence of
mutually opposing groups through
these principles rescues one from
conflicts. Mutual co-operation is the
Law of Nature.
Jainism does  not  support  belief  in
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): The emphasis
of Jainism on non-violence
(ahimsa) prevented agriculturalists
from embracing Jainism.
Reason (R): Cultivation involved
killing of insects and pests.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation : The Jainism
believes in extreme non-violence
and cultivation involves killing of
insects and pests which is
prohibited in Jainism. This
prevented the agriculturists from
embracing Jainism.
Q. The concept of Anuvrata was
advocated by:
(a) Mahayana. Buddhism
(b) Himayana Buddhism
(c) Jainism
(d) The Lokayata school
Ans. (C) (CSE, 1995)
a creator  deity. According  to  Jain
doctrine, the universe and its
constituents - soul, matter, space,
time, and principles of motion have
always existed (a static
universe similar  to  that
of Epicureanism and steady  state
cosmological model). All the
constituents and actions are
governed by universal natural laws.
It is not possible to create matter
out of nothing and hence the sum
total of matter in the universe
remains the same (similar to law
of conservation of mass). Similarly,
the soul of  each  living  being  is
unique and uncreated and has
existed since beginning less time.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
The Jain philosophy holds that the
world is created and maintained
by
(a) Universal Law
(b) Universal Truth
(c) Universal Faith
(d) Universal Soul
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2011)
Jainism believes in reincarnation.
The soul never perishes. The body
is just the cover of soul. Other
cardinal principles of Jainism, taught
by Mahaveer, include having
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Anekantavada is a core theory
and philosophy of which one of the
following?
(a) Buddhism (b) ]ainism
(c) Sikhism (d) Vaishnavism
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2009)
rational perception or outlook
towards life (SAMYAK
DARSHAN), rational knowledge
(SAMYAK JNAAN) and rational
conduct (SAMYAK
CHAARITRA). There is no
rational knowledge without rational
perception and there is no proper
conduct or action without rational
knowledge. This approach helps one
to develop a rational attitude
towards life.
Kharevela was a warrior king but
he still found time to devote to works
of piety and public utility. He was
an ardent follower of Jainism. He
set up residential chambers on the
top of the Udaygiri hill and set up
magnificent columns in a grand hall
for the congregation of Jain monks.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to ancient
Jainism, which one of the following
statements is correct?
(a) Jainism was spread in South
India under the leadership of
Sthalabahu
(b) The Jainas who remained
under the leadership of
Bhadrabahu were called
Shvetambaras after the council
held at Pataliputra
(c) Jainism enjoyed the patronage
of the Kalinga king Kharaavela in
the first century BC
(d) In the initial stage of Jainism,
the Jains worshipped images
unlike Buddhist
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
Buddhism
Life of Gautama Buddha
(567- 487 B.C.)
Gautama or Siddhartha, the founder
of Buddhism, was born in 567 B.C.
in Lumbini Garden near
Kapilavastu. His father was
Suddodhana of the Sakya clan and
mother Mayadevi. His mother was
a princess of the neighbouring clan
of the Kosalan dynasty. As his
mother died at child birth, he was
brought up by his aunt Prajapati
Gautami. At the age of sixteen he
married Yasodhara and gave birth
to a son, Rahula. The sight of an old
man, a diseased man, a corpse and
an ascetic turned him away from
worldly life. He left home at the age
of twenty nine in search of Truth.
He wandered for seven years and
met several teachers but could not
get enlightenment. At last, he sat
under a bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya
and did intense penance, after which
he got Enlightenment (Nirvana) at
the age of thirty five. Since then he
became known as the Buddha or
‘the Enlightened One’. He delivered
his first sermon at Sarnath near
Benares and for the next forty five
years he led the life of a preacher.
He died at the age of eighty at
Kusinagara. The most important
disciples of Buddha were Sariputta,
Moggallanna, Ananda, Kassapa and
Upali. Kings like Prasenajit of
Kosala and Bimbisara and
Ajatasatru of Magadha accepted his
doctrines and became his disciples.
Buddha in his lifetime spread his
message far and wide in north India
and visited places like Benares,
Rajagriha, Sravasti, Vaisali, Nalanda
and Pataligrama. It should be noted
that he did not involve himself in
fruitless controversies regarding
metaphysical questions like god,
soul, karma, rebirth, etc., and
concerned himself with the
practical problems confronting man.
Teachings of Buddha
The Four Noble Truths of Buddha
are:
The world is full of suffering.
The cause of suffering is desire.
If desires are got rid off, suffering
can be removed.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Which one of the following
describes best the concept of
Nirvana in Buddhism?
(a) The extinction of the flame of
desire  forms the theme of:
(b) The complete annihilation of
self  (b) Divyavadana
(c) A state of bliss and rest
(d) A mental stage beyond all
comprehension  Sutta
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Nirvana literally means
extinguishing or unbinding. The
implication is that it is freedom
from whatever binds you, from the
burning passion of desire, jealousy,
and ignorance. Once these are
totally overcome, a state of bliss
is achieved, and there is no longer
the need the cycle of birth and
death. All karmic debts are settled.
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This can be done by following the
Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path consists of right
view, right resolve, right speech,
right conduct, right livelihood, right
effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration. Buddha neither
accepts god nor rejects the
existence of god. He laid great
H
emphasis on the law of karma. He
argued that the condition of man in
this life depends upon his own
I
deeds. He taught that the soul does
not exist. However, he emphasized
Ahimsa. By his love for human
S
beings and all living creatures, he
endeared himself to all. Even under
the gravest provocation he did not
T
show the least anger or hatred and
instead conquered everyone by his
love and compassion. His religion
O
was identical with morality and it
emphasized purity of thought, word
and deed. He was a rationalist who
R
tried to explain things in the light of
reason and not on the basis of blind
faith. Though he did not make a
Y
direct attack on the caste system,
he was against any social
distinctions and threw open his
order to all. Therefore, Buddhism
was more a social than religious
revolution. It taught the code of
practical ethics and laid down the
principle of social equality.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The concept of Eightfold path
(a) Dipavamsa
(c) Mahaparinibban
(d) Dharma Chakara Pravartana
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: The concept of
Eight fold path forms the theme
of Dharma Chakra Pravartana
Sutta. Buddha has given the eight
fold path to be away from miseries
of life and attain Nirvana.
During the rainy season, beginning
from the day next to the full moon
day Ashadha, the monks were
required to take a fixed abode and
95
 depend for their subsistence on the
neighboring households. At the close
of the retreat the monks met
together to confess their offences
committed during their stay in the
rainy season. This ceremony was
called pavarana (also called
H uposatha or upavasatha).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
I Q. In ancient Indian Buddhist
monasteries, a ceremony called
S Pavarana used to be held. It was
the:
(a) occasion to elect the
T Sanghparinayaka and two
speakers one on Dhamma and the
other on Vinaya
O (b) confession by monks of their
offences committed during their
stay in the monasteries during the
R rainy season
(c) ceremony of initiation of new
person into the Buddhist Sangha
Y in which the head is shaved and
when yellow robes are offered
(d) gathering of Buddhist monks
on the next day to the full-moon
day of Ashadha when they take
up a fixed abode for the next four
months of rainy season
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Spread of Buddhism
Buddha had two kinds of disciples
– monks (bhikshus) and lay
worshippers (upasikas). The monks
were organized into the Sangha for
the purpose of spreading his
teachings. The membership was
open to all persons, male or female
and without any caste restrictions.
There was a special code for nuns
restricting their residence and
movement. Sariputta, Moggallana
and Ananda were some of the
famous monks. The Sangha was
governed on democratic lines and
was empowered to enforce
discipline among its members.
Owing to the organised efforts
made by the Sangha, Buddhism
made rapid progress in North India
even during Buddha’s life time.
96 Prelims Magic 2014
Magadha, Kosala, Kausambi and
several republican states of North
India embraced this religion. About
two hundred years after the death
of Buddha, the famous Mauryan
Emperor Asoka embraced
Buddhism. Through his missionary
effort Asoka spread Buddhism into
West Asia and Ceylon. Thus a local
religious sect was transformed into
a world religion. The Ikshvaku
rulers of Southern India the Pala
Rulers of Eastern India were
Patrons of Buddhism.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Consider the following
statements:
1. The lkshvaku rulers of Southern
India were antagonistic towards
Buddhism.
2. The Pala Rulers of Eastern
India were Patrons of Buddhism.
Which of the statement(s) given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither I nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1995)
Buddhist Councils
The first Buddhist Council was held
at Rajagraha under the
chairmanship of Mahakasapa
immediately after the death of
Buddha. Its purpose was to maintain
the purity of the teachings of the
Buddha. The second Buddhist
Council was convened at Vaisali
around 383 B.C. The third Buddhist
Council was held at Pataliputra
under the patronage of Asoka.
Moggaliputta Tissa presided over it.
The final version of Tripitakas was
completed in this council. The
fourth Buddhist Council was
convened in Kashmir by Kanishka
under the chairmanship of
Vasumitra. Asvagosha participated
in this council. The new school of
Buddhism called Mahayana
Buddhism came into existence
during this council. The Buddhism
preached by the Buddha and
propagated by Asoka was known
as Hinayana. The Buddhist texts
were collected and compiled some
five hundred years after the death
of the Buddha. They are known as
the Tripitakas, namely the Sutta,
the Vinaya and the Abhidhamma
Pitakas. They are written in the Pali
language.
Therigatha is a part of the Sutta
Pitaka. It is the Songs of the Lady
Elders, containing religious lyrical
poetry of a high order.
In the Mahayana sect Budhisattva
were worshiped. The major
Bodhisattvas are named below-
Amitabha (boundless light) - He is
the guardian of the west.
Avalokitesvara (watchful lord) –
Also called Padamapani (lotus-
bearer). His main attribute is
compassion.
Manjusri (charming) -He represents
wisdom.
Vairochana (illuminant) – regarded
as the dharmakaya aspect of
Buddha.
Samanthe-bhadra (instantly
auspicious) – Regarded as
chakrapani (wheel- bearer).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the Mahayana Buddhism,
the Bodhisatya Avalokitesvar was
also known as:
(a) Vajrapani (b) Manjusri
(c) Padmapani (d) Maitreya
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1997)
Causes for the Decline of
Buddhism in India
The revival of Brahmanism and the
rise of Bhagavatism led to the fall
of popularity of Buddhism.
The use of Pali, the language of the
masses as the language of
Buddhism was given up from the
1st century A.D. The Buddhists
began to adopt Sanskrit, the
language of the elite. After the birth
of Mahayana Buddhism, the
practice of idol worship and making
offerings led to the deterioration of
moral standards. Moreover, the
attack of the Huns in 5th and 6th
centuries and the Turkish invaders
in 12th century destroyed the
monasteries. All these factors
contributed to the decline of
Buddhism in India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Why did Buddhism start declining
in India in the early medieval
times?
1. Buddha was by that time
considered as one of the
incarnations of Vishnu and thus
became a part of Vaishanavism.
2. The invading tribes from
Central Asia till the time of last
Gupta King adopted Hinduism and
persecuted Buddhists.
3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty
were strongly opposed to
Buddhism.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1only (b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
For everyday Indian, Buddhism
increasingly became indistin-
guishable from Hinduism, which had
undergone a transformation itself.
The average Hindu thought of
Buddha as a God among their Gods;
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Which of the following were
common to both Buddhism and
Jainism?
1. Avoidance of extremities of
penance and enjoyment
2. Indifference to the authority of
the vedas
3. Denial of efficiency of rituals
4. Non-injury to animal life
Select the answer using the codes
given below:
Codes:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3, and 4 (d) 1 and 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation: In Buddhism
avoidance of extremities of
Penance and enjoyment i.e.
Madhyam Marga is stressed on
while Jainism stresses on penance
and extremism.
we find numerous indications that
Buddha was worshipped by Hindus
as any other God. In fact, Hinduism
eventually construed Buddha as a
manifestation, or avatar , of the God
Vishnu (Krishna is another avatar
of Vishnu).
Contribution of Buddhism to
Indian Culture
Buddhism has made a remarkable
contribution to the development of
Indian culture.
Buddhism greatly influenced the
Indian religion. It gave to Indian
people a simple and popular religion.
It rejected ritualism, sacrifices and
dominance of priestly class.
The concept of ahimsa was its chief
contribution. Later, it became one
of the cherished values of our
nation.
Its contribution to the art and
9 GUPTA EMPIRE
On the ruins of the Kushana Empire
arose a new empire which
established its way over a good part
of the former dominions of both the
Kushanas and Satavahanas. This
was the empire of the Guptas. This
dynasty controlled the destiny of
India for about two centuries, and
this period is generally called as the
“Golden Age of Hinduism”
Main Historical Sources
The Puranas especially the Vayu
Purana throw light on the royal
genealogy of the Gupta kings.
Devichandraguptam and the
Mudhrakshasam written by
Visakadatta provide information
regarding the rise of the Guptas.
The Chinese traveler Fahien, who
visited India during the reign of
Chandragupta II, has left a valuable
account of the social, economic and
religious conditions of the Gupta
empire.
Apart from these literary sources,
there are inscriptions like the
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architecture of India was notable.
The stupas at Sanchi, Bharhut and
Gaya are wonderful pieces of
architecture. Buddhism takes the
credit for the chaityas and viharas
in different parts of India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the history. H
of ancient India, which of the
following was/were common to
both Buddhism and Jainism? I
1. Avoidance of extremities of
penance and enjoyment
2. Indifference to the authority S
of the Vedas
3. Denial of efficacy of rituals
Select the correct answer using
T
the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
O
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2012)
R
Y
Meherauli Iron Pillar Inscription and
the Allahabad Pillar inscription. The
first refers to the achievements of
Chandragupta I. The most
important source for the reign of
Samudragupta is the Allahabad
Pillar inscription. It describes his
personality and achievements. This
inscription is engraved on an Asokan
pillar. It is written in classical
Sanskrit, using the Nagari script. It
consists of 33 lines composed by
Harisena. It describes the
circumstances of Samudragupta’s
accession, his military campaigns in
north India and the Deccan, his
relationship with other
contemporary rulers, and his
accomplishments as a poet and
scholar. The coins issued by Gupta
kings contain legends and figures.
These coins provide interesting
details about the titles and sacrifices
performed by the Gupta monarchs.
The dynasty was founded by Sri
Gupta and the capital was
established at Pataliputra.. The
97
 most likely date for the reign of Sri-
Gupta is c. 240-280 AD. He was,
perhaps, from a Vaishya community
and a Prayag based feudatory of
Kushanas. His successor
Ghatotkacha ruled probably from
c. 280-319 AD. In contrast to his
H successor, he is also referred to in
inscriptions as ‘Maharaja’.
I How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.The Allahabad Pillar inscription
is associated with which one of the
S following? .
(a) Mahapadma Nanda
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
T (c) Ashoka
(d) Samudragupta
O Ans. (d) CSE 2000
Chandragupta I (320–330 A.D.)
R He was the first important ruler of
the Gupta Dynasty, and he was the
Y first to be called Maharajadhiraja
(the great king of kings). This title
indicates his extensive conquests.
He strengthened his position by a
matrimonial alliance with the
Licchavis. He married Kumaradevi,
a princess of that family. This added
to the power and prestige of the
Gupta family. The Meherauli Iron
Pillar inscription mentions his
extensive conquests. Chandragupta
I is considered to be the founder of
the Gupta era which starts with his
accession in A.D. 320.
Samudragupta (330-380 A.D.)
Samudragupta was the greatest of
the rulers of the Gupta dynasty. The
Allahabad Pillar inscription provides
a detailed account of his reign. It
refers to three stages in his military
campaign:
1. Against some rulers of North
India
2. His famous Dakshinapatha
expedition against South Indian
rulers
3. A second campaign against some
other rulers of North India. In the
first campaign Samudragupta
98 Prelims Magic 2014
defeated Achyuta and Nagasena.
Achyuta was probably a Naga
ruler. Nagasena belonged to the
Kota family which was ruling over
the upper Gangetic valley. They
were defeated and their states were
annexed. As a result of this short
campaign, Samudragupta had
gained complete mastery over the
upper Gangetic valley. Then
Samudragupta marched against the
South Indian monarchs. The
Allahabad Pillar inscription mentions
that Samudragupta defeated twelve
rulers in his South Indian Expedition.
They were Mahendra of Kosala,
Vyaghraraja of Mahakanthara,
Mantaraja of Kaurala,
Mahendragiri of Pishtapura,
Swamidatta of Kottura, Damana of
Erandapalla, Vishnugupta of
Kanchi, Nilaraja of Avamukta,
Hastivarman of Vengi, Ugrasena of
Palakka, Kubera of Devarashtra
and Dhananjaya of Kushtalapura.
Samudragupta’s policy in South
India was different. He did not
destroy and annex those kingdoms.
Instead, he defeated the rulers but
gave them back their kingdoms. He
only insisted on them to
acknowledge his suzerainty. The
third stage of Samudragupta’s
campaign was to eliminate his
remaining north Indian rivals. He
fought against nine kings, uprooted
them and annexed their territories.
They were Rudradeva, Matila,
Nagadatta, Chandravarman,
Ganapathinaga, Nagasena,
Achyuta, Nandin and Balavarman.
Most of these rulers were members
of the Naga family, then ruling over
different parts of north India. After
these military victories,
Samudragupta performed the
asvamedha sacrifice. He issued
gold and silver coins with the legend
‘restorer of the asvamedha’. It is
because of his military
achievements Samudragupta was
hailed as ‘Indian Napoleon.
After these conquests,
Samudragupta’s rule extended over
the upper Gangetic valley, the
greater part of modern U.P., a
portion of central India and the
southwestern part of Bengal. These
territories were directly
administered by him. In the south
there were tributary states. The
Saka and Kushana principalities on
the west and northwest were within
the sphere of his influence. The
kingdoms on the east coast of the
Deccan, as far as the Pallava
Kingdom, acknowledged his
suzerainty.
Chandragupta II
(380-415 A.D.)
The power and glory of Gupta
Empire reached its peak under the
rule Chandragupta II Vikramaditya.
Chandragupta II Vikramaditya was
the successor of Samudragupta. But
according to some scholars, the
immediate successor of Samudra-
gupta was Ramagupta, the elder
brother of Chandragupta II.
Ramagupta- According to some
scholars, Samudragupta was
succeeded by his elder son, Ram
Gupta, a weak king who agreed to
surrender his wife Dhruvadevi to
the Saka Chief Rudrasimha II. Ram
Gupta’s younger brother, Chandra
Gupta II, went to the Saka camp
disguised as the queen and
assassinated the Saka Chief. After
this, he killed his brother Ram Gupta,
married to his widow Dhruvadevi
and ascended the throne.
But there is little historical proof for
this. Chandragupta II inherited the
military genius of his father and
extended the Gupta Empire by his
own conquests. He achieved this by
a judicious combination of the policy
of diplomacy and warfare. Through
matrimonial alliances he
strengthened his political power. He
married Kuberanaga, a Naga
princess of central India. He gave
his daughter Prabhavati in marriage
to the Vakataka prince Rudrasena
II. The political importance of this
marriage lies in the fact that the
Vakatakas occupied a geogra-
phically strategic position in the
Deccan. This alliance served a
useful purpose when Chandragupta-
II undertook his campaign in
western India against the Sakas.
Conquest of Western India
The greatest of the military
achievements of Chandragupta II
was his war against the Saka
satraps of western India.
Rudrasimha III, the last ruler of the
Saka satrap was defeated,
dethroned and killed. His territories
in western Malwa and the
Kathiawar Peninsula were annexed
into the Gupta Empire. After this
victory he performed the horse
sacrifice and assumed the title
Sakari, meaning, ‘destroyer of
Sakas’. He also called himself
Vikramaditya As a result of the
conquest of western India, the
western boundary of the Empire
reached to the Arabian Sea gaining
access to Broach, Sopara, Cambay
and other sea ports. This enabled
the Gupta empire to control trade
with the western countries. Ujjain
became an important commercial
city and soon became the alternative
capital of the Guptas. The fine
cotton clothes of Bengal, Indigo
from Bihar, silk from Banares, the
scents of the Himalayas and the
sandal and species from the south
were brought to these ports without
any interference. The western
traders poured Roman gold into
India in return for Indian products.
The great wealth of the Gupta
Empire was manifest in the variety
of gold coins issued by
Chandragupta II.
Other Conquests
Chandragupta II defeated a
confederacy of enemy chiefs in
Vanga. He also crossed the river
Sindh and conquered Bactria. The
Kushanas ruling in this region were
subdued by him. With these
conquests, the Gupta empire
extended in the west as far as
western Malwa, Gujarat and
Kathiawar. In the northwest it
extended beyond the Hindukush up
to Bactria. In the east, it included
even eastern Bengal and in the south
the Narmada river formed the
boundary. The Tamralipti port in
Bengal handled the bulk of Indian
trade to South East Asia during the
Gupta period.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
ports handled the North Indian
trade during the Gupta period?
(a) Tamralipti (b) Broach
(c) Kalyan (d) Cambray
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Fahien’s Visit
The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien
visited India during the reign of
Chandragupta II. Out of his nine
years stay in India, he spent six years
in the Gupta Empire. He came to
India by the land route through
Khotan, Kashgar, Gandhara and
Punjab. He visited Peshawar,
Mathura, Kanauj, Sravasti,
Kapilavastu, Kusinagara,
Pataliputra, Kasi and Bodh Gaya
among other places. He returned by
the sea route, visiting on the way
Ceylon and Java. The main purpose
of his visit was to see the land of
the Buddha and to collect Buddhist
manuscripts from India. He stayed
in Pataliputra for three years
studying Sanskrit and copying
Buddhist texts. Fahien provides
valuable information on the religious,
social and economic condition of the
Gupta Empire. According to him,
Buddhism was in a flourishing
condition in the northwestern India
but in the Gangetic valley it was in
a state of neglect. He refers to the
Gangetic valley as the ‘land of
Brahmanism’. Fahien mentions the
unsatisfactory state of some of the
Buddhist holy places like
Kapilavastu and Kusinagara.
According to him the economic
condition of the empire was
prosperous. Although his account is
valuable in many respects, he did not
mention the name of Chandragupta
II. He was not interested in political
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affairs. His interest was primarily
religion. He assessed everything
from the Buddhist angle. His
observations on social conditions
are found to be exaggerated. Yet,
his accounts are useful to know the
general condition of the country.
Successors of Chandragupta II H
Kumaragupta was the son and
successor of Chandragupta II. His
reign was marked by general peace
I
and prosperity. He issued a number
of coins and his inscriptions are
found all over the Gupta empire. He
S
also performed an asvamedha
sacrifice. Most importantly, he laid
the foundation of the Nalanda
T
University which emerged an
institution of international reputation.
At the end of his reign, a powerful
O
wealthy tribe called the
‘Pushyamitras’ defeated the Gupta
army. A branch of the Huns from
R
Central Asia made attempts to
cross the Hindukush mountains and
invade India. But it was his
Y
successor Skandagupta who really
faced the Hun invasion. He fought
successfully against the Huns and
saved the empire. This war must
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. From the third century AD
when the Hun invasion ended the
Roman Empire, the Indian
merchants relied more and more
on the:
(a) African trade
(b) West-European trade
(c) South-East Asian trade
(d) Middle-Eastern trade
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
have been a great strain on the
government’s resources. After
Skandagupta’s death, many of his
successors like Purugupta,
Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta and
Baladitya could not save the Gupta
Empire from the Huns. Ultimately,
the Gupta power totally disappeared
due to the Hun invasions and later
by the rise of Yasodharman in
Malwa. Hunas occupied eastern
99
 Malwa and a good portion of central
India. The Indian merchant started
to rely on the South East Asian
trade.
GUPTA ADMINISTRATION
The Gupta administration power was
H more decentralised but dependent
on a vast bureaucracy.. The King
occupied a powerful and important
I position and often took titles to assert
his supremacy. The Gupta kings
adopted pompous titles such as
S P a r a m e s h w a r a ,
Parambhattaraka, and
Maharajadhiraj etc. The
T Allahabad Prasasti
Samudragupta was a classic
of
example of how the Gupta kings
O portrayed themselves. This
indicated that subordinates or
feudatories to the Kings existed and
R power was delegated to them in the
lower or provincial levels. Kingship
was hereditary and considered a
Y part of God. The king was to be a
law abider and should protect his
subjects.
A council of ministers and some
officials helped the King.
The Mantri (Chief Minister) was
the head of civil administration.
Yuvaraj and priest were important
officials.
Dandapasadhikarnika- Chief of
Police
Mahadandanayaka- Chief Justice
Mahapratihara- chief of palace
guards
Dutaka- associated with
implementing land grants to
Brahmins.
Pustapalas- officials who managed
and kept records
ADMINISTRATIVE
DIVISIONS
The empire was divided into
provinces (Bhuktis) and provinces
were further divided into districts
(Vishaya). Villages were the
smallest units. The kingdom covered
100 Prelims Magic 2014
Gujarat, North-east India, south-
eastern Pakistan, Orissa, northern
Madhya Pradesh and eastern India.
Bhuktis were governed by
Uparikas appointed by the King.
Vishayas were governed by
Kumaramatyas, Ayuktas and
Vishayapatis. These were appointed
by the provincial governor.
Purapala- Town administrator
Bengal inscriptions of the Guptas
show that district heads
(Adhistanadhikarna) were
representing major local bodies.
Local bodies- Nagarasresthi
(guild president); Sarthavaha (head
of caravans) ; Prathama Kulika
(chief artisan) and Prathama
Kayastha- chief scribe
Village administration
Gramika or Gramadhyaksha-
– during the Gupta period. It had two
Village head man.;
Ashtakuladhikarna (Rural Board).
This comprised officers as
Mahattaras (village elders);
Gramika and Kutumbins
(householders). No land transaction
and judicial decisions was done
without the consent of the
Mahattaras.
Social Life
During the Gupta period, the caste
system became rigid. The Brahmins
occupied the top ladder of the
society. They were given enormous
gifts by the rulers as well as other
wealthy people. The practice of
untouchability had slowly begun
during this period. Fahien mentions
that Chandalas were segregated
from the society. Their miserable
condition was elaborated by the
Chinese traveller.
The position of women had also
become miserable during the Gupta
period. They were prohibited from
studying the religious texts like the
Puranas. The position of women
was equivalent to Sudra. This was
also reflected in the Sanskrit plays
written during this period, in which
the male of upper three varnas
speak Sanskrit while the women
and Sudra spoke in Prakrit.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In Sanskrit plays written during
the Gupta period women and
sudras speak:
(a) Sanskrit (b) Prakrit
(c) Pali
Ans. (b)
(d) Sauraseni
(CSE, 1995)
The subjection of women to men
was thoroughly regularized. But it
was insisted that they should be
protected and generously treated by
men. The practice of Swyamvara
was given up and the Manusmriti
suggested the early marriage for
girls. In the sphere of religion,
Brahmanism reigned supreme
branches - Vaishnavism and
Saivism. Most of the Gupta kings
were Vaishnavaites. They
performed Aswamedha sacrifices.
The worship of images and
celebration of religious festivals with
elaborate rituals made these two
religions popular. Religious literature
like the Puranas was composed
during this period. The progress of
Brahmanism led to the neglect of
Buddhism and Jainism. Fahien
refers to the decline of Buddhism
in the Gangetic valley. But a few
Buddhist scholars like Vasubandhu
were patronized by Gupta kings. In
western and southern India, Jainism
flourished. The great Jain Council
was held at Vallabhi during this
period and the Jain Canon of the
Swetambras was written.
MILITARY
ORGANIZATION
The Guptas seem to have relied
heavily on infantry, and the bow
was one of the dominant weapons
of their army. Iron shafts were used
against armored elephants, and fire
arrows were also part of the
bowmen’s arsenal. The army was
paid in cash. The feudatories were
the main source of the Gupta army
as the land grants obliged them to
supply soldiers to the King when
needed. Some of the offices in the
army are as follows:
Mahabaladhikrta (commander-in-
chief)
Mahashvapati- head of cavalry
Maha Sandhivigrahika- Foreign
minister/ minister of war and peace
Mahapilupati- head of elephants
Narapati- head of foot soldiers
Ranabhandagarika- Officer of army
stores and incharge of the soldier’s
needs
Art and Culture
The Gupta period witnessed a
tremendous progress in the field of
art, science and literature and on
account of this it has been called “a
golden age”. A few scholars even
call this period a period of
renaissance. But it should be
remembered that there was no dark
period before the Gupta rule.
Therefore the cultural progress
witnessed during the Gupta period
may be called the culmination of
Indian intellectual activities.
Art and Architecture
In the history of Indian art and
architecture, the Gupta period
occupies an important place. Both
the Nagara and Dravidian styles of
art evolved during this period. But
most of the architecture of this
period had been lost due to foreign
invasions like that of Huns. Yet, the
remaining temples, sculptures and
cave paintings provide an idea about
the grandeur of the Gupta art. The
temple at Deogarh near Jhansi and
the sculptures in the temple at
Garhwas near Allahabad remain
important specimen of the Gupta
art. There was no influence of
Gandhara style. But the beautiful
statue of standing Buddha at
Mathura reveals a little Greek style.
The Buddha statue unearthed at
Saranath was unique piece of Gupta
art. The Bhitari monolithic pillar of
Skandagupta is also remarkable.
Metallurgy had also made a
wonderful progress during the Gupta
period. The craftsmen were
efficient in the art of casting metal
statues and pillars. The gigantic
copper statue of Buddha, originally
found at Sultanganj now kept at
Birmingham Museum, is about
seven and a half feet height and
nearly a ton weight. The Delhi Iron
Pillar of the Gupta period is still free
from rust though completely
exposed to sun and rain for so many
centuries. The paintings of the
Gupta period are seen at Bagh
caves near Gwalior.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
There are only two known
examples of cave paintings of the
Gupta period in ancient India.
One of these is paintings of
Ajanta caves. Where is the other
surviving example of Gupta
paintings?
(a) Bagh caves
(b) Ellora caves
(c) Lomas Rishi cave
(d) Nasik caves
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
The mural paintings of Ajantha
mostly illustrate the life of the
Buddha as depicted in the Jataka
stories. The paintings at Sigiriya in
Sri Lanka were highly influenced by
the Ajantha style. The Gupta
coinage was also remarkable.
Samudragupta issued eight types of
gold coins. The legends on them
throw much light on the
achievements of that marvelous
king. The figures inscribed on them
are illustrative of the skill and
greatness of Gupta numismatic art.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The silver coins issued by the
Guptas were called:
(a) rupaka (b) karshapana
(c) dinara (d) pana
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1997)
Prelims Magic 2014
Chandragupta II and his successors
had also issued gold, silver and
copper coins of different varieties.
Gupta Coins –The establishment
of the Gupta Empire in the fourth
century AD heralded a new era in
the history of numismatics. The
Gupta coinage started with a
remarkable series in gold issued by
H
Chandragupta I, the third ruler of the
dynasty, who issued a single type-
the king and queen - depicting the
I
portraits of Chandragupta and his
queen Kumaradevi with their names
on the obverse and the goddess
S
seated on a lion with the legend
Lichchhavyah on the reverse. Gold
coins were called Dinara. Minting
T
of silver coins first started in the
reign of Chandragupta II. Silver
coins were called rupaka. Copper
O
cons were also issued during this
period. R
Literature: The Sanskrit language
became prominent during the Gupta
period. Nagari cript had evolved
Y
from the Brahmi script. Numerous
works in classical Sanskrit came to
be written in the forms of epic,
lyrics, drama and prose. The best
of the Sanskrit literature belonged
to the Gupta age. Himself a great
poet, Samudragupta patronized a
number of scholars including
Harisena. The court of
Chandragupta II was adorned by
the celebrated Navratnas. Kalidasa
remain the foremost among them.
His master-piece was the Sanskrit
drama Shakuntala. It is considered
one among the ‘hundred best books
of the world’. He wrote two other
plays - the Malavikagnimitra and
Vikramorvasiya. His two well-
known epics are Raghuvamsa and
Kumarasambhava. Ritusamhara
and Meghaduta are his two lyrics.
Visakadatta was another celebrated
author of this period. He was the
author of two Sanskrit dramas,
Mudrarakshasa and
Devichandraguptam. Sudraka
was a renowned poet of this age and
his book Mrichchakatika (the day
cart) is rich in humour and pathos.
101
 It deals with the love affair of a rich
merchant with the daughter of a
courtesan. Bharavi’s Kritarjuniya
is the story of the conflict between
Arjuna and Siva. Dandin was the
author of Kavyadarsa and
Dasakumaracharita. Another
H important work of this period was
Vasavadatta written by
I How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. ‘Mrichchhakatika’ an ancient
S Indian book written by Shudraka
deals with:
(a) The love affair of a rich
T merchant with the daughter of a
courtesan
(b) The victory of Chandragupta
O II over the Shaka Kshatrapas of
western India
(c) The military expeditions and
R exploits of Samudragupta
(d) The love affairs between a
Gupta King and a princess of
Y Kamarupa
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2003)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Nastaliq was:
(a) a persian script used in
medieval India
(b) a raga composed by Tansen
(c) a cess levied by the Mughal
rulers
(d) a manual of code of conduct
for the Ulemas
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
103. Which of the following pairs
are correctly matched?
1.Mrichchakatikam - Shudraka
2.Buddhacharita - Vasuvandhu
3.Mudrarakshasha - Vishakadatta
4. Harshacharita - Banabhatta
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
Codes:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 3
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation : “Buddha Charita”
was written by Asvaghosha, not
by Vasubandhu.
102 Prelims Magic 2014
Amarasimha compiled a lexicon
How was this topic asked in the CSE? called Amarakosa. The Puranas in
Q. Match List I with List II and their present form were composed
select the correct answer: during this period. There are
List I eighteen Puranas. The most
A. Visakhadatta B. Varahamihira important among them are the
C. Charaka D. Brahmagupta Bhagavatha, Vishnu, Vayu and
List II
1. Medicine 2. Drama
Matsya Puranas. The Maha-
bharatha and the Ramayana were
3. Astronomy 4. Mathematics given final touches and written in
Codes :
A B C D
the present form during this period.
Science
(a) 1 3 4 2
(b) 2
(c) 2
1
3
3
1
4
4
The Gupta period witnessed a
brilliant activity in the sphere of
mathematics, astronomy, astrology
(d) 3 4 1 2
Ans.(c) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation : Vishakadatta wrote
and medicine. Aryabhatta was a
great mathematician
astronomer. He wrote the book
and
a drama named “Mudra
Rakshasa”. Varahmihira wrote
book on astronomy. Charaka
Aryabhatiya in 499 A.D. It deals
with mathematics and astronomy. It
explains scientifically the
wrote book on medicine and occurrence of solar and lunar
Brahmagupta wrote book on
mathematics.
eclipses. Aryabhatta was the first
to declare that the earth was
spherical in shape and that it rotates
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below he lists :
on its own axis. However, these
views were rejected by later
astronomers like Varahamihira and
List I (Author) Brahmagupta. Varahamihira
composed Pancha Siddhantika,
A. Varahamihira B. Visakhadatta
C. Sudraka D. Bilhana the five astronomical systems. He
was also a great authority on
List II (Text) astrology. His work Brihadsamhita
1. Prabandha Chintamani is a great work in Sanskrit literature.
2. Mrichchha-katikam It deals with a variety of subjects
3. Brihat-Samhita like astronomy, astrology,
4. Devi-Chandraguptam geography, architecture, weather,
5. Vikramankadeva-charita animals, marriage and omens. His
Codes: Brihadjataka is considered to be
A B C D a standard work on astrology. In the
(a) 3 4 5 2 field of medicine, Vagbhata lived
during this period. He was the last
(b) 3 4 2 5
of the great medical trio of ancient
(c) 5 3 4 1 India. The other two scholars
(d) 1 3 5 2 Charaka and Susruta lived before
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997) the Gupta age. Susrutha (about 400
Q. Who among the following is B.C) - is an important figure in the
known for his work on medicine history of surgery. He lived and
taught and practised his art on the
during the Gupta period? banks of the Ganges in the area
(a) Saumilla (b) Sudraka that corresponds to the present day
(c) Shaunaka (d) Susrutha city of Banares in North-West India.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996) Because of his seminal and
numerous contributions to the
Subhandhu. The Panchatantra science and art of surgery he is also
stories were composed by known by the title “Father of
Vishnusarma during the Gupta Surgery.” Much of what is known
period. The Buddhist author about this inventive surgeon is
contained in a series of volumes he
authored, which are collectively
known as the Susrutha Samhita.
Susrutha is also the father of plastic
surgery since his technique of
forehead flap rhinoplasty (repairing
the disfigured nose with a flap of
skin from the forehead) is practised
almost unchanged in technique to
this day. Susrutha was also the first
surgeon to advocate the practice of
operations on inanimate objects such
as watermelons, clay plots and
reeds; thus predating the modern
practice of the surgical workshop
by hundreds of years. Vagbhatta
was the author Ashtanga-
samgraha (Summary of the eight
branches of medicine).
FALL OF THE
GUPTA EMPIRE
The most accepted reason for the
fall of the Gupta Empire is the
invasions of the Hepthalites or
White Huns. In the 480’s, the Hunas
broke through the Gupta defences
in the northwest, and much of the
empire was overrun by them by 500
AD. The empire disintegrated under
the attacks of Toramana and his
successor Mihirkula. The Hunas
conquered several provinces of the
empire, including Malwa, Gujarat
and Thanesar. It appears from
inscriptions that the Guptas,
although their power was much
diminished, continued to resist the
Hunas. Narasimhagupta formed an
10 POST GUPTA AGE
HARSHAVARDHANA
(606 – 647 A.D.)
The downfall of the Gupta Empire
was followed by a period of political
disorder and disunity in North India.
It was only in the beginning of the
seventh century A.D. that
Harshvardhana succeeded in
establishing a larger kingdom in
north India.
Historical Sources:
Harshacharita written by Bana the
court poet of Harsha and the Travel
alliance with the independent
kingdoms to drive the Huna from
most of northern India by the 530’s.
The succession of the sixth-century
Guptas is not entirely clear, but the
tail end recognized ruler of the
dynasty’s main line was king
Vishnugupta, reigning from 540 to
550.
Skandagupta was followed by weak
rulers Puru Gupta (467-473 AD),
Kumargupta II (473-476 AD),
Buddhagupta (476-495 AD),
Narasimhagupta, Kumaragupta III,
Vishnugupta, Vinay Gupta and
Bhanu Gupta. These rulers
concentrated on particular regions
and could no longer maintain the
centralized nature of the Empire.
Gupta power was further challenged
by Yasodharman of Malwa whose
inscriptions indicate that he had
marched upto Himalayas in the
north and Bhrahmaputra to the east.
Weakening economy and
administrative structure together
with the growth of the feudal
economy paralysed the Gupta state.
The land grants gradually
transferred the land rights to the
donee and increased their power.
This decentralization of the
administrative set up helped in the
formation of independent regional
powers that soon broke away from
the centralised Gupta monarchy.
accounts of the Chinese traveller
Hiuen Tsang. Besides these two
sources, the dramas written by
Harsha, namely Ratnavali,
Nagananda and Priyardarsika
also provide useful information. The
Madhuben plate inscription and the
Sonpat inscription are also helpful
to know the chronology of Harsha.
The Banskhera inscription contains
the signature of Harsha.
Harsha’s Military Conquests
The most important military
Prelims Magic 2014
campaign of Harsha was against the
Western Chalukya ruler Pulakesin
II. Both the accounts of Hiuen
Tsang and the inscriptions of
Pulakesin II provide the details of
this campaign. Harsha with an
ambition to extend his kingdom south
of the Narmada river marched
against the Chalukya ruler. But the
H
Aihole inscription of Pulakesin II
mentions the defeat of Harsha by
Pulakesin, who after this
I
achievement assumed the title
Paramesvara. Hiuen Tsang’s
accounts also confirm the victory of
S
Pulakesin. Harsha led another
campaign against the ruler of Sindh,
which was an independent kingdom.
T
But, it is doubtful whether his Sind
campaign was a successful one.
Nepal had accepted Harsha’s
O
overlordship. Harsha established his
control over Kashmir and its ruler
sent tributes to him. He also
R
maintained cordial relations with
Bhaskaravarman, the ruler of
Assam. Harsha’s last military
Y
campaign was against the kingdom
of Kalinga in Orissa and it was a
success. Thus Harsha established
his hold over the whole of north
India. The regions modern
Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and Orissa were under his
direct control. But his sphere of
influence was much more extensive.
The peripheral states such as
Kashmir, Sind, Vallabhi and
Kamarupa acknowledged his
sovereignty.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Emperor Harsha’s Southward
march was stopped on the
Namada river by:
(a) Pulakesin-I
(b) Pulakesin-II
(c) Vikramaditya-I
(d) Vikaramaditya-II
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
Harsha and Buddhism
In his early life, Harsha was a
devout Saiva but later he became
an ardent Hinayana Buddhist. Hiuen
103

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): Harsha-
vardhana convenced the Prayag
Assembly.
Reason (R): He wanted to
popularize only the Mahayana
H form of Buddhism.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
I following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
S (b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
T Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Consider the following
O statements:
1. The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien
attended the fourth Great Buddhist
R Council held by Kanishka
The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen- Tsang
met Harsha and found him .to be
Y antagonistic to Buddhism.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only /
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation : The Chinese piligrim
Fa-Hien came during
Chandragupta-II reign not during
Kanishka reign. Though Harsha
was a Hindu he was not
antagonistic to Buddhism when
Hiuen-Tsang met him.
Tsang converted him to Mahayana
Buddhism. Harsha prohibited the
use of animal food in his kingdom
and punished those who killed any
living being. He erected thousands
of stupas and established travellers’
rests all over his kingdom. He also
erected monasteries in the sacred
places of Buddhists. Once in five
years he convened a gathering of
representatives of all religions and
honoured them with gifts and costly
presents. He brought the Buddhist
monks together frequently to discuss
and examine the Buddhist doctrine.
104 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Chinese traveler Yuan
Chwang (Hiuen Tsang) who
visited India recorded the general
conditions and culture of India at
that time. In this context, which of
the following statements is/are
correct? 
1. The roads and river-routes
were completely immune from
robbery.
2. As regards punishment for
offences, ordeals by fire, water
and poison were the instruments
for determining the innocence or
guilt of a person.
3. The tradesmen had to pay duties
at ferries and barrier stations.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: Yuan Chwang himself was
robbed and the thugs had decided
to sacrifice him, but he was saved
by a hurricane.
Kanauj Assembly
Harsha organized a religious
assembly at Kanauj to honour the
Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang
towards the close of his reign. He
invited representatives of all
religious sects. The Assembly went
on continuously for 23 days. Hiuen
Tsang explained the values of
Mahayana doctrine and established
its superiority over others. However,
violence broke out and there were
acts of arson. There was also an
attempt on the life of Harsha. Soon,
it was brought under control and the
guilty were punished. On the final
day of the Assembly, Hiuen Tsang
was honoured with costly presents.
Allahabad Conference: Hiuen
Tsang mentions in his account about
the conference held at Allahabad,
known as Prayag. It was the one
among the conferences routinely
convened by Harsha once in five
years. Harsha gave away his
enormous wealth as gifts to the
members of all religious sects.
Harsha’s Administration
The administration of Harsha was
organized on the same lines
as the Guptas did. Cruel
punishments of the Mauryan period
continued in the times of Harsha.
Hiuen Tsang condemned the trials
as barbarous and superstitious.
Harsha’s army consisted of the
traditional four divisions – foot,
horse, chariot and elephant. The
number of cavalry was more than
one lakh and the elephants more
than sixty thousands. This was
much more than that of the
Mauryan army. The maintenance of
public records was the salient
feature of Harsha’s administration.
The archive of the Harsha period
was known as nilopitu and it was
under the control of special officers.
Both good and bad events happened
during his time had been recorded.
Society and Economy
under Harsha
The fourfold division of the society
– Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vysya and
Sudra – was prevalent. There
existed many sub castes. The
position of women was not
satisfactory. The institution of
Swyamvara (the choice of choosing
her husband) had declined.
Remarriage of widows was not
permitted, particularly among the
higher castes. The system of dowry
had also become common. The
practice of sati was also prevalent.
Hiuen Tsang mentions three ways
of disposal of the dead – cremation,
water burial and exposure in the
woods. The trade and commerce
had declined during Harsha’s period.
This is evident from the decline of
trade centres, less number of coins,
and slow activities of merchant
guilds. The decline of trade in turn
affected the handicrafts industry
and agriculture. Since there was no
large scale demand for goods, the
farmers began to produce only in a
limited way. This led to the rise of
self-sufficient village economy. In
short, there was a sharp economic
decline as compared to the
economy of the Gupta period.
Cultural Progress
The art and architecture of
Harsha’s period are very few and
mostly followed the Gupta style.
The brick temple of Lakshmana at
Sirpur with its rich architecture is
assigned to the period of Harsha.
Harsha was a great patron of
learning. His biographer Banabhatta
adorned his royal court. Besides
Harshacharita, he wrote
Kadambari. Other literary figures
in Harsha’s court were Matanga
Divakara and the famous
Barthrihari, who was the poet,
philosopher and grammarian.
Harsha himself authored three plays
- Ratnavali, Priyadarsika and
Nagananda. Harsha patronised
the Nalanda University by his liberal
endowments. It attained
international reputation as a centre
of learning during his reign. Hiuen
Tsang visited the Nalanda
University and remained as a
student for some time.
Educational institutions
The most famous educational
THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH
11
INDIA
The Pallavas- The dynasty rose to
power after the fall of the
Satvahanas in eastern Deccan from
Krishna to Palar with their capital
at Kanchi. Vishnugopa is known to
have formed an all aince against the
Gupta monarch Samudragupta but
was defeated. The dynasty faded
away with this defeat. However, in
the 6 th c. AD the Pallavas
resurfaced under the rule of
Simhavishnu. He defeated the
Cholas in the 6th c. AD and extended
their power upto Kaveri. He also
defeated the Chera, Chola, Pandya
and Badami rulers.
Mahendravarman I was a famous
ruler of this dynasty. He not only
faought the Chalukyas but was also
known for literary achievements.
Throughout his reign, Mahendra-
institutions were the Hinayana
Centre of Vallabhi and the
Mahayana Centre. Hiuen Tsang
gives a very valuable account of
Nalanda. The term Nalanda means
“giver of knowledge”. It was
founded by Kumaragupta I during
the Gupta period. It was patronised
by his successors and later by
Harsha. The Teachers of Nalanda
were called panditas. Some of its
renowned teachers were Dingnaga,
Dharmapala, Sthiramati and
Silabadhra. Dharmapala was a
native of Kanchipuram and he
became the head of Nalanda.
Nalanda was a residential teaching
centre and education was free
including the boarding and lodging.
It was maintained with the revenue
derived from 100 to 200 villages
endowed by different rulers.
Though it was a Mahayana Centre,
different religious subjects like the
Vedas, Hinayana doctrine, Sankhya
and Yoga philosophies were also
taught. In addition to that, general
subjects like logic, grammar,
astronomy, medicine and art were
varman was involved in fighting
against the Chalukyas. The next
ruler, Narasimhavarman (c. 700-
728 AD), is known for his
architectural activities. He built the
Ratha Temple at Mahabalipuram
and Kailasnath temple at Kanchi.
The port of Mammallapuram was
also built by Narasimhavarman. He
also sent an ambassador to China
and was honoured by the Chinese
Emperor. After Nandivarman the
dynasty became weak and was
overthrown by the imperial Cholas.
The Chalukya dynasty was royal
dynasty that ruled large parts of
southern and central India between
the 6th and the 12th centuries.
During this period, they ruled as
three related, but individual
dynasties. The earliest dynasty,
Prelims Magic 2014
in the syllabus. It attracted students
not only from different parts of India
but from different countries of the
east. Admission was made by
means of an entrance examination.
The entrance test was so difficult
that not more than thirty percent of
the candidates were successful.
Discipline was very strict. More H
than lectures, discussion played an
important part and the medium of
instruction was Sanskrit. Recent
archeological excavations have
I
brought to light the ruins of
Nalanda. It shows the grandeur of
this centre of learning and confirms
S
the account given by the Chinese
pilgrims. It had numerous
classrooms and a hostel attached
T
to it. According to Itsing, the
Chinese pilgrim, there were 3000
students on its rolls. It had an
O
observatory and a great library
housed in three buildings. Its fame
rests on the fact that it attracted
R
scholars from various parts of the
world. It was an institution of
advanced learning and research.
Y
known as the “Badami Chalukyas”,
ruled from their capital Vatapi
(modern Badami) from the middle
of the 6th century. The Badami
Chalukyas began to assert their
independence at the decline of the
Kadamba Kingdom of Banavasi
and rapidly rose to prominence
during the reign of Pulakesin II
(c. 609-10 AD). His achievements
are recorded in the Jain temple
inscription at Aihole. The empire
exteded upto Malwa and Gujarat
under him. Pulakesin II annexed the
Pallava territories between the
Krishna River and Godavari and
placed it under his Governor. After
the death of Pulakesi II, the portion
of the eastern Deccan became an
independent kingdom under the
Eastern Chalukyas. They ruled from
their capital, Vengi, until about the
11th century. The Western
Chalukyas ruled from Kalyani till
the end of the 12th century. Tailapa
(c. 945-75 AD) made extensive
conquests and defeated the Gangas
105
 of Mysore and Pramaras of Malwa.
King Vikramaditya VI (c.1076-
1126 AD) was a great patron of arts
and literature. He started the
Chalukya –Vikram Era. Bilhana
who was the author of
Vikramankadevacharita and
H Vijnaneshwara adorned his court.
With the defeat of Kirtivarman II
by the Rashtrakutas this dynasty
I came to an end.
The rule of the Chalukyas marks an
S important milestone in the history of
South India. The political scene in
the South shifted from smaller
T kingdoms to large empires with the
ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas.
For the first time, a South Indian
O kingdom took control and
consolidated the entire region
between the Kaveri and Narmada
R rivers.
The Rashtrakutas- Dantidurga
laid the foundation of Rashtrakuta
Y Empire. It’s original name was
Dantivarman. This was a royal
dynasty ruling large parts of
southern, central and northern India
between 6th and 10th c. AD. During
this period they ruled as several
closely related, but individual clans.
The earliest grant is a copper plate
inscription from the Malwa region.
Other inscriptions are known from
Maharashtra and Kannauj. They
ruled as feudatories of the
Chalukyas of Badami and
Dantidurga overthrew the rule of
the Chalukyas. They were in power
in c.753 AD. This period, between
the eight and the tenth centuries, saw
a tripartite struggle (Palas, Pratihara
and Rashtrakutas) each of these
three empires annexing the seat of
power at Kannauj for short periods
of time. At their peak the
Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta or
Malkhed in Maharashtra ruled a
vast empire stretching from the
Ganga-Yamuna Doab region in the
north to eastern coast upto Cape
Comorin under Dhruva.
Amoghvarsha I was the most
powerful ruler of this dynasty. He
also wrote the work
106 Prelims Magic 2014
Kavirajamarga in Kannada.
Krishna III (934-963 AD) is
known to have defeated the Chola
King Parantaka I and extended
empire upto Rameswaram where
a victory pillar and a temple were
built.
Architecture reached a milestone
in the Dravidian style, the finest
example of which is seen in the
Kailasnatha Temple in Ellora. Other
important contributions are the
sculptures of Elephanta Caves in
Maharashtra as well as the
Kasivisvanatha Temple and the Jain
Narayana Temple at Pattadakal in
Karnataka.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following laid
the foundation of Rashtrakuta
Empire?
(a) Amostghavarsha
(b) Dantidurga
(c) Dhruva
(d) Krishna I
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001)
The Cholas- The dynasty proved
to be the ultimate power in South
India after their revival in the 9th c.
AD. The entire Tamil country was
made a strong political power. The
promotion of art and culture under
the Cholas also reached the peak
of development. Trade and
commerce advanced as trade
contacts were formed with
countries of South East Asia. The
Ashokan Edicts II and XIII Rock
Edicts refer to the Cholas. The
Cholas became a paramount power
under Vijayalaya who was probably
a vassal of the Pallava kings. His
son, Aditya I, defeated the Pallava
king and extended the Chola
territories to Tondaimandalam.
Parantaka I, captured Madurai by
defeating the Pandya king.
However, he had to cede
Tondaimandalam to his rival.
In c. 985-1014 AD king Rajaraja
Chola -I ascended the throne as the
next successor to the Chola
kingdom. He gradually conquered
the neighbouring and far lying
territories within the Indian
continent, forming a great Chola
Empire. He was agreat general and
defeated the Chera navy and
conquered Vengi. Rajaraja I
defeated a confederation of the
three kingdoms of Pandya, Chera
and Ceylon. Rajendra I sent a naval
expedition to Sri Vijaya (South-East
Asia) which was a success.This
expedition was sent to overcome
any disruption in trade with
China.He is credited with the
conquest of Kalinga and islands of
the sea identified a the Laccadives
and the “Maldives. He adopted titles
such as Mummadi Choladeva”,
“Jayagonda Chola” etc. He
constructed the (Shiva temple)
Rajarajeswara Temple at
Thanjavur which is noted for its
magnificent architecture. His
successor, Rajendra I, Gangai-
konda (1014-1044 AD), carried on
with the conquests and extension of
the Empire. He annexed whole of
Sri Lanka in 1017 AD. He marched
upto Bengal and defeated the Pala
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Cholas defeated Pandya
and Chera rulers and established
their domination over peninsular
India in the early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition
against Sailendra empire of South
East Asia and conquered some of
the areas
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
Q. Which one of the Chola kings
conquered Ceylon?
(a) Aditya-I (b) Rajaraja-I
(c) Rajendra (d) Vijayalaya
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2001)
King, Mahipala. He asserted
supremacy in the Chera and
Pandyan kingdoms. He took the
title of “Gangaikondachola” and
built the capital in this name.
Ajadhiraja suppressed rebellions in
Pandya, Kerala and Ceylon
kingdoms. Virarajendra also sent
naval expedition for the conquest
of Kadaram (Sri Vijaya) on behalf
of a prince who had come in search
of his aid and protection.In the 13th
c. AD the Chola kingdom was
annexed by the Pandyas.
Administration
The Cholas’ system of government
was monarchical. The king was the
supreme commander and a
benevolent dictator. His
administrative role consisted of
issuing oral commands to
responsible officers when
representations were made to him.
A powerful bureaucracy assisted
the king in the tasks of
administration and in executing his
orders. The fairness of king’s
orders depended on the goodness
of the man and in his belief in
Dharma—a sense of fairness and
justice.
The empire was divided into
provinces and further into Valanadu
and nadu. Village was the smallest
unit of administration. Every village
was a self-governing unit.The
Cholas were known for their local
self-government which existed at
the level of the village. Each village
had an assembly, Ur. It was general
in nature consisting of tax paying
people. Sabha- gathering of adult
men of the village. Villages were
of two types, Brahmadeya (those
granted to the Brahmanas) and
Agrahara (restricted to the
Brahmins). Nagaram- this was
found in trading centres alone. The
Chola officials were supervisory
and the village functioned as a self
sufficient unit.
Justice was mostly a local matter
in the Chola Empire; minor disputes
were settled at the village level.
Punishment for minor crimes were
in the form of fines or a direction
for the offender to donate to some
charitable endowment. Even crimes
such as manslaughter or murder
were punished with fines. Crimes
of the state, such as treason, were
heard and decided by the king
himself; the typical punishment in
these cases was either execution or
the confiscation of property.
Art and Culture
Under the Cholas, the Tamil country
reached new heights of excellence
art, religion and literature. Tamil
language developed immensely due
to its close contact with Sanskrit.
GANDHARA - MATHURA
12
SCHOOL OF ART
The Gandhara region comprises the
area west of the river Indus and
north of river Kabul. It includes
valley of Peshawar, Swat, Dir, and
Bajaur and extends eastwards to the
Taxila valley in the Punjab and
westwards to Hadda and Bamiyan
in Afghanistan.
The Gandhara School of Art
flourished in the north-west of
undivided India and the eastern
Afghanistan for nearly eight
hundred years, between the first
century B.C and the 7th century
A.D under the patronage of the
Kushana rulers in the form of
Mahayana Buddhism. Gandhara
was a part of Kushana Empire in
the first century A.D when
Gandhara and Mathura Schools of
Art moved towards excellence. The
greatest ruler of the dynasty,
Kanishka, had adopted Buddhism
and it was during his period that both
Buddhist religion and Greek art
reached their zenith which is known
as Gandhara Civilization.
The Kushanas fostered a composite
culture so exquisitely exemplified by
the artistic creations of the
Prelims Magic 2014
Chiragasindamani is a classical
work of Tamil literature; Kamban’s
Ramayana was written during this
period. Jayamkondar’s masterpiece
Kalingattuparani is an example of
narrative poetry.
Temple architecture in the form
of free standing Shikhar (tower)
and a Gopuram developed. The
H
Rajarajeshwara or the Brihade-
shwara temple is the finest example
of this. Sculpture in stone and bronze
I
reached new heights in this age.
Dancing Shiva (Nataraja) in bronze
with four hands and Arthanariswar
S
are fine examples of the art of this
period. T
O
R
Gandhara school of Art, as also
on the Gandhara coins where all
Y
deities Indian, Iranian, Buddhist,
Greco-Roman, Bactrian, Parthian
were invoked. The Kanishka statue
found at Surkh Kotal in Afghanistan
embodies the best of Kushana style
in Gandhara iconography. The
Kushana period marks an important
epoch in Indian history because
India came into close contact with
the outside world during their rule.
It also marks the beginning of the
golden age of Gandhara art.
Kushanas had intimate contact with
Rome and Greece.
THEMES
In their interpretation of the Buddhist
legends, the Gandhara artists leaned
heavily on classical Roman art with
and of Greek mythology such as
angels with garlands, Tritons the fish
tails and horse’s forefoot, Centaurs
with human heads, arms and the
body, spiral and flowing lines, scrolls
and stuccos. The Gandhâra School
drew upon the anthropomorphic
traditions of Roman religion and
represented the Buddha with a
youthful Apollo-like face, dressed in
107
 garments resembling those seen on
Roman imperial statues. The result
is that we have Buddha with curly
hair, muscles and moustaches.
Gautama is made to look like the
youthful Apollo, the Greek sun-god
symbolising beauty. Buddha’s
H mother was depicted as an Athenian
matron. The Gandhâran craftsmen
made a lasting contribution to
I Buddhist art in their composition of
the events of the Buddha’s life into
set scenes. The Bodhisattatva
S figures from Gandhara region
especially Taxila and other regions
of West Pakistan show the
T influence on the art of the region.
Scenes depicted through Buddhis art
are the first sermon of the Buddha
O and his death, previous birth stories
(Jatakas) and future Buddhas
(Maitreya Buddha). The poses of
R the Buddha in the Gandhara school
of Art are the Dhyana mudra (
gesture of meditation and of the
Y concentration of the Good Law.),
Abhaya Mudra (represents
protection, peace, benevolence, and
dispelling of fear.), Dharma Chakra
mudra ( represents a central
moment in the life of Buddha when
he preached his first sermon after
his Enlightenment.) and Bhumis-
parsha mudra (Symbolizes the
precise moment when the
awakening Buddha, Shakyamuni,
vanquished the army of Mara
beneath the bodhi-tree and
summoned the goddess of the earth
Sthavara, to bear witness to his
countless acts of sacrifice. Also
symbolizes the union of hi method
or skillful means in overcoming
Mara (right hand), through the
perfect wisdom of his deep
meditation upon emptiness (left
hand).  such as Persian and Roman Gods,
A large number of clay Buddhas
have been excavated in eastern and
central Afghanistan which was
under the influence of Mahayana
Buddhism after the historic Buddhist
split at Purushapura(modern
Peshawar in Pakistan) in the days
of Kanishka, the Great. The
108 Prelims Magic 2014
Gandhara School of Art bears
testimony to the fact that there was
more contact between India and
Afghanistan during the period the
Mauryas, Indo-Greeks, Sakas and
Kushanas. The materials used for
Gandhâra sculpture were green
phyllite and gray-blue mica schist,
which, in general, belong to an earlier
phase, and stucco, which was used
increasingly after the 3rd c. AD. A
large number of stucco images of
the Buddha are found in the
Gandhara region. The sculptures
were originally painted and gilded.
One such figure was the figure of
Athena of Rome at Lahore made
of blue-gray schist found only in
Gandhara region. Stone, terracotta
and bronze was also used as
medium for the Gandhara Art.
STYLE
The style is generally part of the
Greco-Buddhist art. The speciali-
zation of the artist was in the
realistic and naturalistic portrayal of
the Buddha. The accuracy of
physical details and the realistic
depiction of the human body
covered by drapes is the
achievement of the Gandhara art.
Thick bold fold lines on the face
were sculpted carefully and
artistically.
The Gandhara style of art was
influenced by Mahayana Buddhism
and was gradually transmitted to
Far East in the later centuries in the
form of Mahayana Buddhism.
Excavations from Khotan (Chinese
Turkistan) show that it represented
a blend of four civilizations India,
Greek, Iranian and Chinese.
Kaniska’s coins depict an
amalgamation of various deities
and Greek deities. Shiva and Skanda
representations on Kushana coins
show the extent to which they were
Indianised. A gold coin also showed
a standing figure of Buddha. The
art died with the invasion of the Huns
in the 5th c. AD. More recently, the
Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed
by the orthodox Taliban regime in
Afghanistan in March 2001. It was
condemned worldwide.
The Mathura school excelled in
Yaksha (malespirit) closely
resembling the colossal standing
figure of Buddha of the Gandhara
School. It amalgamated the
features of old folk cults like Yaksha
worship with contemporary cults
and other local Gods and Goddesses,
creating a style rich in aesthetic
appeal. The female figurines of
Mathura (Yakshis) are sensuous
and eye catching. A Yakshi is
usually portrayed nude with
globular breasts invariably covered,
smooth thighs and the lower
garments mostly transparent. Her
physical charms, combined with soft
and pleasant facial expressions,
make her extremely enticing.
At Mathura, the Buddha image was
cast in the red-sandstone obtained
from Sikri quarries. The Mathura
school produced Bodhisattatva
images in plenty from the 2nd c. AD.
These were carved of local
sandstone and were essentially
sitting images of the Buddha.
STYLE
The Mathura school is famous for
its representation of the beauty of
the female form. The style
perpetuated by this school is marked
by female figures, which are
sensuous and voluptuous, while the
men are represented as being
sophisticated and urbane.
The Budhha images of the Mathura
school were more sublime and
focused on the spiritual depiction on
the face. The Mathura School of Art,
noted for its vitality and assimilative
character, was a result of the
religious zeal of Brahmanism,
Jainism and Buddhism. The
sculptures of the Buddha, on the
other hand, radiate the religious
feelings of gentleness and
compassion. In fact, it was during
the Kushana period that the Buddha
was conceived in human form and
sculpted in stone. Carved in bold
relief, the features were given a
three-dimensional effect and a
radient expression. The eyes are
fully open, the cheeks round and full,
the mount ample, with the lips drawn
into a slight smile. This smile is
probably the earliest appearance of
the only possible device by which
the Indian sculpture could indicate
The colossal sculptures of the
Buddha, which portray a frontal
stance, are fine specimens of the
inner contentment and repose of the
Buddha. The craftsmanship of the
Mathura artists, broad shoulders,
masculine torso and right hand
raised in abhyamudra are the typical
characteristics. The drapery clings
to the body in fine rhythmic folds
while a big designed halo behind the
head adds an extra aura of
divinity.The artists also depicted
various Jain deities. Of the Jain
images, the important ones are
Ayagapattas or homage stone
tablets, which are carved with
auspicious symbols like fish, flag,
jewel box, etc.
DIFFERENCES: The schools of
Gandhâra and Mathura each
independently evolved its own
characteristic depiction of the
Buddha about the 1st c. AD. The
schools of Gandhâra and Mathura
influenced each other, and the
general trend was away from a
naturalistic conception and toward
a more idealized, abstract image.
Both the schools also produced
seated Buddhas with broad
shouldered shaven head, smiling
face and right arm in a gesture of
AbhayaMudra. While in
Gandhara, Buddha is seated on a
lotus throne, in Mathura the Master
rests on a lion throne. Again, while
the Gandhara Buddha is draped in
the central Asian fashion, the
Mathura figures wear Indian
dresses.
HOYSALAS OF
DWARSAMUDRA
Hoysalas rose to power towards the
beginning of the eleventh century
A.D. around present day Mysore
and Madras. They regarded
themselves as the “Kshatriyas of
the lunar race”. Founder was Vishnu
Vardhana (1110-40 A.D.)
Their capital was Dwarsamudra.
Hoysala rulers were great builders
and under them architecture and
sculpture received great encoura-
gement. Monuments are still
present around Halebid. The most
famous is Hoysalesvra temple at
Halebid. This temple is dedicated to
Siva.
When Raja Wodeyar founded the
Kingdom of Mysore, Venkata II was
the ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Chandela Dynasty-Their kingdom
was known as Jejabhukti in Ancient
India.
Important rulers-Nannuk-founded
the dynasty,Harsha,Yashovarma,
Dhanga, Ganda and Vidyadhar.
About 30 temples were erected in
Khajuraho in praise of Vishnu,
Shiva and Jain.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
pairs is· correctly matched?
(a) Harappan Civilization
- Painted Grey Ware
(b) The Kushans
- Gandhra School of Art
(c) The Mughals
- Ajanta Paintings
(d) The Marathas
- Pahari School of Painting
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation: The Gandhara school
of act develoved during the
Kushana period. Rest of the
options are wrongly matched as
painted grey ware was during
vedic period, Ajanta paintings
during Gupta period and Pahari
School paintings during Mughal
period.
GANGAS OF ORISSA - First
ruler was Anantavarman Choda
Gangadeva (1076-1147). He
establised his power between the
teritory of the Gangas and the
Godavari. He built Jagannath temple
at Puri. Lingaraja temple was built
in Bhubaneswar by the Choda-
ganga ruler.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.When Raja Wodeyar founded
the Kingdom of Mysore, who was
the ruler of the Vijayanagar
Empire?
(a) Sadasiva (b) Tirumala
(c) Ranga II
Ans. (d)
(d) Venkata II
(CSE, 2005) H
Q. Lord Buddha’s image is
sometimes shown with the hand
gesture called ‘Bhumisparsha I
Mudra’. It symbolizes:
(a) Buddha’s calling of the Earth
to watch over Mara and to prevent
Mara from disturbing his
S
meditation
(b) Buddha’s calling of the Earth
to witness his purity and chastity
T
despite the temptations of Mara
(c) Buddha’s reminder to his
followers that they all arise from
O
the Earth and finally dissolve into
the Earth, and thus this life is
transitory
R
(d) Both the statements (a) and
(b) are correct in this context
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2012)
Y
Q. Which one of the following
statements is not correct?
(a) The statue of Gomateshwara
at  Sravana­belagola  represents
the last Tirthankara of Jains
(b) India’s largest Buddhist
monastery is in Arunachal
Pradesh
(c) The Khajuraho temples were
built under Chandela Kings
(d) The hoysalesvara temple is
dedicated to Siva
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Q. Hoysala monuments are found
in:
(a) Hampi and Hosper
(b) Halebid and Belur
(c) Mysore and Bangalore
(d) Sringeri and Dharwar
Ans (b) (CSE, 2001)
Q. In which one of the following
cities is the Lingaraja Temple
located?
(a) Bhubaneswar
(b) Bijapur
(c) Kolkata
(d) Shravananbelagola
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
109

THE ARAB CONQUEST OF
13
SIND AND OTHER INVASIONS
The first contact with the Muslim
H world with the Indian subcontinent
was primarily through trade. The
Arabs made several attempts to get
I hold of the plains of the Indus for
the lucrative trade that was going
on between India and the western
S world.
Infact, the word “Hindu” as
T reference to
the people of Hind (India) was fIrst
used by the Arabs. As the letter “S”
O was absent in the Arabic alphabet,
they used “H” in place of “S”. So,
the Arabas called “Sindh” as “Hind”
R (India and “Hindu” in place of
“Sindhu”.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Y Q. The word ‘Hindu’ as reference
to the people of Hind (India) was
fIrst used by:
(a) the Greeks (b) the Romans
(c) the Chinese (d) the Arabs
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
The Arabian Governor of Iraq,
Al-Hajaj took the first initiative in
marching towards Sind with the
mind to establish a kingdom. After
repeated attempts, the Governor
sent his nephew and son-in law
Imaduddin Muhhamed bin Qasim.
The ruler of Sind, Dahir, put up a
brave fight only to be defeated and
killed. By 712 AD, the conquest of
Sind was complete along with
Multan by the Arabs. The aim of
this conquest was not so much the
spread of Islam but to protect
commerce. The Arabs thus started
penetration into the Indian sub-
continent thereafter. This resulted
in in clashes with the local rulers in
the western part of India. Chief
among them was the Chalukyas and
Gurjara-Pratiharas. The Nausari
grant of Pulakesin and his viceroy,
Avani Janshraya, in the region of
Lata (South Gujarat) in 738-9 AD
110 Prelims Magic 2014
records one such raids by the
Arabs in the region. It informs that
the invaders advanced as far as
Navsari in Gujarat.
The Arabs came through Baroda
and the Rann of Kachh. Similar
raids were recorded in Gwalior
grant of Gurjara-Pratihara king
Bhoja I who ruled Avanti in 725
AD. The grant records that the
King had defeated an army of
Mlechhas who invaded his
dominions. Pratihara chief
Nagabhatta checked the progress
of the Arabs into Malwa.
According to the Chahnama,
Muhammed had proceeded from
Multan to the frontiers of Kashmir
and at the same time time sent an
expedition to Kannauj.
Such was the beginning of Arab
domination in India. It is surprising
that the victorious Arab forces did
not advance to the interiors of India
and remained confined to Sind. The
only probable answer to this is the
resistance put up by the different
regional powers to the invasion of
the Arabs into their territories.
Lalitaditya, the king of Kashmir,
also resisted and thuwarted the
efforts of the invaders to get a
strong foot hold into Kashmir.
Gurjara-Pratiharas in the northern
India and Chalukyas defended the
Deccan and were the formidable
forces that resisted and confronted
the Arab invasions.
TURKISH INVASIONS
Mahmud of Ghazni was the ruler
of the Ghaznavid Empire from 997
AD until his death. His empire
included modern-day Afghanistan,
most of Iran as well as regions of
north-west India including modern-
day Pakistan. He was also the first
ruler to carry the title Sultan,
signifying his break from the
suzerainty of the Caliph. In his court,
was the poet Firdausi who wrote
the Shah Namah. He patronised the
Persian language and culture in his
domain.
He had the ambitions to expand
further east into heartlands of India.
He repeatedly invaded India 17
times over 25 years in the desire to
capture India’s wealth and was in
need of a capital to maintain a large
army. He defeated the Hindushahi
King of Peshawar, Jayapala, and
rulers of of Multan. Jayapala had
earlier invaded the Ghaznavid
Empire during the rule of the
Samanids. Thus, when Muhamud
acended the throne of Ghazni, he
targeted and invaded the
Hindushahis of Peshawar and
defeated Jayapala. Jayapala later
entered the funeral pyre as he was
completely disgraced by this defeat.
The conflict was carried forward
by his son, Anandapala, who along
with a confederacy of rulers of
Multan, Kannauj, and Rajasthan
took on Mahmud. However, the
superior forces of Mahmud headed
by the cavalry defeated all the
rivals.
The areas looted by Mahamud
were Nagarkot in Punjab, and
Thanesar in the Doab, Gujarat
(temple of Somnath) and
Kannauj in 1018 AD, Mathura and
receeded via Kalinjhar in
Bundelkhand with numerous riches
looted from these regions.Later he
died in 1030 AD in Ghazni.
Muhammed Shahbuddin Ghori
was originally called Muizuddin
Muhammed Ibn Sam but famously
known as Muhammed of Ghor (a
province in Central Afghanistan).
Muhammed Ghori (1162 –1206)
was a powerful governor and
general and ultimately Sultan of the
Ghorid dynasty, centered in modern
day Afghanistan. He was the
Governor of Ghazna and the
surrounding area from 1173 to 1192.
He became Sultan in 1202 till his
death in 1206. He is known to have
carved out the first Muslim Empire
in India. The political strife between
the Ghurids, Seljukids and the
Turkish tribes across the Oxus
compelled the Ghurids to look
elsewhere for setting up base. The
rising power of the Khwarizmi
regime and the conflict over
Khorasan also forced the Ghurids
to expand to the east into India.
Muhammed Ghori proceeded via
the Gomal Pass, Muhammed bin
Sam also known as Muhammed
Ghori annexed Multan and Uchch
in 1175 AD. He was defeated by
the Chalukyan King, Mularaja II
near Mount Abu. Punjab was his
next target and via the Khyber Pass
he invaded Peshawar, Lahore and
Sialkot regions in the Punjab in 1190
AD.
Muhammed Ghori attacked the
north-western regions of India
twice. In 1191 AD, he invaded the
territory of Prithviraj Chauhan of
Ajmer, who ruled much of present-
day Rajasthan and Haryana.
Muhammed Ghori was defeated at
Tarain (Tabarhind, Bhatinda) by
Prithvîrâj’s vassal, Govindaraj of
Delhi. Prithviraj committed the
mistake by not uprooting the Ghurids
from the Punjab. This gave a lot of
time to the invader to plan another
attack. The following year Ghorî
assembled a large army and once
again invaded the Kingdom of
Ajmer. On the same field at Tarain,
a second battle was fought in
14 DELHI SULTANATE
The period between the thirteenth
and the sixteenth century witnessed
the rule of five dynasties with their
base at Delhi. These dynasties were
independent of each other and ruled
one after the other. The period as a
whole is known as the period of the
Delhi Sultanate. These dynasties
are as follows:
a) The Ilbari Turks (c. 1206-1290
AD)
1192 AD. This time, Jai Chand of
Kannauj and Banaras
(Jayachandra), one of the former
allies of Prithviraj Chauhan, failed
to support him, and Prithviraj was
defeated miserably. The superior
cavalry of the Turkish forces
diminished the numerical strength of
Prithviraj’s army. Prithviraj
Chauhan along with Govindaraj was
put to death. Muhammed Ghori thus
captured Ajmer and regions of Delhi
and eastern Punjab came under
Turkish rule.
In the next round of invasions
Muhammed Ghori targetted the
kingdom of Kannauj. Jayachandra,
the ruler of Kannauj and
Muhammed Ghori fought a fierce
battle at Chandrawar in 1194 AD.
Jayachandra was defeated and
killed. The Battle of Chandrawar
paved the way for the establishment
of Turkish rule in India. Important
regions like Kannauj upto Benaras
were conquered by Muhammed
Ghori and a major portion of north
India came under Turkish rule. The
result of the establishment of the
Turksh rule in India was clear in the
centralized monarchical system of
governance. The dilution of the
feudal system previously established
was transformed into the Iqta
system. The diverse regional
kigdoms were bound by the
centralized political system and far
flung areas were brought under the
centralized rule.
b) The Khaljis (c. 1290-1320 AD)
c) The Tuglaqs (c. 1320-1451 AD)
d) The Sayyeds (c. 1414-1451 AD)
e) The Lodhis (1451-1526 AD)
Slave Dynasty
The Slave dynasty was also called
Mamluk dynasty. The Slave dynasty
ruled Delhi from A.D. 1206 to 1290.
In fact, three dynasties were
established during this period. They
were
Prelims Magic 2014
1. Qutbi dynasty (1206-1211)
founded by Qutbuddin Aibak.
2. First Ilbari dynasty (1211- 1266)
founded by Iltutmish.
3. Second Ilbari dynasty (1266-
1290) founded by Balban.
Qutbuddin Aibak (1206-1210)
Qutbuddin Aibak was a slave of H
Muhammad Ghori, who made him
the Governor of his Indian
possessions. He set up his military I
headquarters at Indraprasta, near
Delhi. He raised a standing army
and established his hold over north
India even during the life time of
S
Ghori. After the death of Ghori in
1206, Aibak declared his
independence. He severed all
T
connections with the kingdom of
Ghori and thus founded the Slave
dynasty as well as the Delhi
O
Sultanate. He assumed the title
Sultan and made Lahore his capital.
His rule lasted for a short period of
R
four years. Muslim writers call
Aibak Lakh Baksh or giver of lakhs
because he gave liberal donations
Y
to them. Aibak patronized the great
scholar, Hasan Nizami. He also
started the construction of
Kuthubminar after the name of a
famous Sufi saint Khwaja
Qutbuddin Bakthiyar. It was later
completed by Iltutmish. Aibak died
suddenly while playing chaugan
(horse polo) in 1210. He was
succeeded by his son Aram Baksh,
who was replaced by Iltutmish after
eight months.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din
Aibak die ?
(a) He was treacherously stabbed
to death by one of his ambitious
nobles .
(b) He was killed in a battle with
Taj-u-din Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni
who entered into a contest with
him over the capture of Punjab
(c) He sustained injuries while
besieging the fortress of Kalinjar
in Budelkhand and’ succumbed to
them later
(d) He died after a fall from his
horse while playing Chaugan
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
111
 Iltutmish (1211-1236)
Iltutmish belonged to the Ilbari tribe
and hence his dynasty was named
as Ilbari dynasty. His half brothers
sold him as a slave to Aibak, who
made him his-son-in law by giving
H his daughter in marriage to him.
Later Aibak appointed him as
iqtadar of Gwalior. In 1211 Iltutmish
I defeated Aram Baksh and became
Sultan. He shifted his capital from
Lahore to Delhi. During the first ten
S years of his reign he concentrated
on securing his throne from his
rivals. In the meantime, Temujin
T popularly known as Chengiz Khan,
the leader of the Mongols, started
invading Central Asia. He defeated
O Jalaluddin Mangabarni, the ruler of
Kwarizam. Mangabarni crossed the
river Indus and sought asylum from
R Iltutmish. Iltutmish refused to give
him shelter in order to save his
empire from the onslaught of the
Y Mongols. Fortunately for Iltutmish,
Chengiz Khan retuned home
without entering into India. In fact,
the Mongol policy of Iltutmish saved
India from the wrath of Chengiz
Khan. Iltutmish marched against
Bengal and Bihar and reasserted his
control over them. He also annexed
Sind and Multan into the Delhi
Sultanate. He suppressed the Rajput
revolts and recovered Ranthampur,
Jalor, Ajmir and Gwalior. He led an
expedition against the Paramaras of
Malwa but it was not successful.
Iltutmish was a great statesman. He
received the mansur, the letter of
recognition, from the Abbasid
Caliph in 1229 by which he became
the legal sovereign ruler of India.
Later, he nominated his daughter
Raziya, as his successor. Thus the
hereditary succession to Delhi
Sultanate was initiated by Iltutmish.
He patronized many scholars and a
number of Sufi saints came to India
during his reign. Minhaj-us-Siraj,
Ta j - u d- d i n . , N i z a m- u l - mu l k
Muhammad Janaidi, Malik Qutb-ud-
din Hasan and Fakhrul-Mulk Isami
were his contemporary scholars
who added grandeur to his court.
112 Prelims Magic 2014
Apart from completing the
construction of Qutb Minar at Delhi,
the tallest stone tower in India (238
ft.), he built a magnificent mosque
at Ajmir. Iltutmish introduced the
Arabic coinage into India and the
silver tanka weighing 175 grams
became a standard coin in medieval
India. The silver tanka remained the
basis of the modern rupee. Iltutmish
had also created a new class of ruling
elite of forty powerful military
leaders, the Forty.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Mongols under Cherngiz
Khan invaded India during the
reign of :
(a) Balban
(b) Feroz Tughlaq
(c) Iltutmish
(d) Muhammad Bin Thghlaq
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2001)
Explanation : The Mongol under
Chengiz Khan invaded India
during the reign of Iltutmish but he
did not enter deep in India as
Iltutmish refused to give shelter to
the persian king whom Chengiz
Khan was· chasing.
Raziya (1236-1240)
Although Iltutmish nominated his
daughter, Raziya, as his successor,
the Qazi of Delhi and Wazir put
Ruknuddin Feroz on the throne.
When the Governor of Multan
revolted, Ruknuddin marched to
suppress that revolt. Using this
opportunity, Raziya with the support
of Amirs of Delhi seized the throne
of Delhi Sultanate. She appointed an
Abyssinian slave Yakuth as Master
of the Royal Horses. Also, Raziya
discarded the female apparel and
held the court with her face unveiled.
She even went for hunting and led
the army. This aroused resentment
among the Turkish nobles. In 1240,
Altunia, the Governor of Bhatinda
revolted against her. She went in
person to suppress the revolt but
Altunia killed Yakuth and took
Raziya prisoner. In the meantime, the
Turkish nobles put Bahram, another
son of Iltutmish on the throne.
However, Raziya won over her
captor, Altunia, and after marrying
him proceeded to Delhi. But she was
defeated and killed. The fall of
Raziya paved the way for the
ascendancy of the Forty. In the next
six years, Bahram and Masud ruled
Delhi. There ensued a struggle for
supremacy between the Sultans and
the nobles. In 1246 Balban
succeeded in putting Nasiruddin
Mahmud, a younger son of
Iltutmish, as Sultan.
Era of Balban (1246-1287)
Ghiyasuddin Balban, who was also
known as Ulugh Khan, served as
Naib or regent to Sultan Nasiruddin
Mahmud. He also strengthened his
position by marrying his daughter to
the Sultan. Balban was all powerful
in the administration but he had to
face the intrigues of his rivals in
the royal court. He had overcome
all the difficulties. In 1266
Nasiruddin Mahmud died without
issues and Balban ascended the
throne. Balban’s experience as the
regent made him to understand the
problems of Delhi Sultanate. He
knew that the real threat to the
monarchy was from the nobles
called the Forty. He was convinced
that only by enhancing the power
and authority of the monarchy he
could face the problems. He
assumed the title of Zil-I-Ilahi that
means “Shadow of God”. Balban
introduced rigorous court discipline
and new customs such as
prostration and kissing the Sultan’s
feet to prove his superiority over the
nobles. He also introduced the
Persian festival of Nauroz to
impress the nobles and people with
his wealth and power. He stood
forth as the champion of Turkish
nobility. At the same time he did not
share power with other nobles.
Indian Muslims were not given
important post in the government.
He appointed spies to monitor the
activities of the nobles. Balban was
determined to break the power of
the Forty, the Turkish nobles. He
spared only the most obedient
nobles and eliminated all others by
fair or foul means. Malik Baqbaq,
the Governor of Badaun, was
publicly flogged for his cruelty
towards his servants. Haybat Khan,
the Governor of Oudh, was also
punished for killing a man who was
drunk. Sher Khan, the Governor of
Bhatinda was poisoned. Instead of
expanding his kingdom, Balban paid
more attention to the restoration of
law and order. He established a
separate military department -
diwan-i-arz – and reorganized the
army. The outskirts of Delhi were
often plundered by the Mewatis.
Balban took severe action against
them and prevented such robberies.
Robbers were mercilessly pursued
and put to death. As a result, the
roads became safe for travel. In
1279, Tughril Khan, the Governor
of Bengal revolted against Balban.
It was suppressed and he was
beheaded. In the northwest, the
Mongols reappeared and Balban
sent his son, Prince Mahmud,
against them. But the prince was
killed in the battle and it was a moral
blow to the Sultan. Balban died in
1287. He was undoubtedly one of
the main architects of the Delhi
Sultanate. He enhanced the power
of the monarchy. However, he
could not fully safeguard India from
the Mongol invasions. When Balban
died, one of his grandsons Kaiqubad
was made the Sultan of Delhi. After
four years of incompetent rule,
Jalaluddin Khalji captured the
throne of Delhi in 1290.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. After consolidating his power,
Balban assumed the title of “Zil-
I-Ilahi” that means “Shadow of
God.
(a) Tute-Hind (b) Kaisr-I-Hind
(c) Zil-I-Ilahi (d) Din-I-Ilahi
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1997)
The Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)
The advent of the Khalji dynasty
marked the zenith of Muslim
imperialism in India. The founder of
the Khalji dynasty was Jalaluddin
Khalji. He was seventy years old
when he came to power. He was
generous and lenient. Malik Chhajju,
nephew of Balban, was allowed to
remain the Governor of Kara. His
leniency was misunderstood as
weakness. When Chhajju revolted,
it was suppressed but he was
pardoned. When the thugs (robbers)
looted the country, they were
allowed to go after a severe
warning. In 1292 when Malik
Chhajju revolted for the second
time, he was replaced by his son-
in-law, Alauddin Khalji. In 1296
Alauddin Khalji took an expedition
to Devagiri and returned to Kara.
During the reception there, Alauddin
Khalji treacherously murdered his
father-in-law, Jalaluddin Khalji and
usurped the throne of Delhi.
Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316)
Alauddin Khalji made enormous
gifts to the hostile nobles and Amirs
of Delhi to win over them to his side.
Those who still opposed his
accession were punished severely.
He framed regulations to control the
nobles. He was convinced that the
general prosperity of the nobles,
intermarriages between noble
families, inefficient spy-system and
drinking liquor were the basic
reasons for the rebellions.
Therefore, he passed four
ordinances. He confiscated the
properties of the nobles. The
intelligence system was reorganized
and all the secret activities of the
nobles were immediately reported
to the Sultan. The public sale of
liquor and drugs was totally stopped.
Social gatherings and festivities
without the permission of the Sultan
were forbidden. By such harsh
measures, his reign was free from
rebellions.
Reforms of Alauddin Khalji
Alauddin Khalji maintained a large
permanent standing army and paid
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them in cash from the royal
treasury. According to Ferishta, he
recruited 4,75,000 cavalrymen. He
introduced the system of dagh
(branding of horses) and prepared
huliya (descriptive list of soldiers).
In order to ensure maximum
efficiency, a strict review of army
from time to time was carried out.
H
The introduction of paying salaries
in cash to the soldiers led to price
regulations popularly called as
I
Market Reforms. Alauddin Khalji
established four separate markets
in Delhi, one for grain; another for
S
cloth, sugar, dried fruits, butter and
oil; a third for horses, slaves and
cattle; and a fourth for
T
miscellaneous commodities. Each
market was under the control of a
high officer called Shahna-i-
O
Mandi. The supply of grain was
ensured by holding stocks in
government store-houses. Regula-
R
tions were issued to fix the price of
all commodities. A separate
department called Diwani Riyasat
Y
was created under an officer called
Naib-i-Riyasat. Every merchant
was registered under the Market
department. There were secret
agents called munhiyans who sent
reports to the Sultan regarding the
functioning of these markets. The
Sultan also sent slave boys to buy
various commodities to check
prices. Violation of regulations was
severely punished. Harsh
punishment was given if any
shopkeeper charged a higher price,
or tried to cheat by using false
weights and measures. Even during
the famine the same price was
maintained. We are not sure
whether the market regulations in
Delhi were also applied in the
provincial capitals and towns. Apart
from market reforms, Alauddin
Khalji took important steps in the
land revenue administration. He
was the first Sultan of Delhi who
ordered for the measurement of
land. Even the big landlords could
not escape from paying land tax.
Land revenue was collected in cash
113
 in order to enable the Sultan to pay
the soldiers in cash. His land
revenue reforms provided a basis
for the future reforms of Sher Shah
and Akbar. Ala-ud-din Khalji opened
a new department the diwan-i-
mustakhraj, to enquire into revenue
H arrears and to collect them.
Military Campaigns
I Alauddin Khalji sent his army six
times against the Mongols. The first
two was successful. But the third
S Mongol invader, Khwaja, came up
to Delhi but they were prevented
from entering into the capital city.
T The next three Mongol invasions
were also dealt with severely.
Thousands of Mongols were killed.
O The northwestern frontier was
fortified and Gazi Malik was
appointed to as the Warden of
R Marches to protect the frontier. The
military conquests of Alauddin Khalji
include his expedition against
Y Gujarat, Mewar and the Deccan. He
sent Nusrat Khan and Ulugh Khan
to capture Gujarat in 1299. The king
and his daughter escaped while the
queen was caught and sent to Delhi.
Kafur, an eunuch, was also taken
to Delhi and later he was made the
Malik Naib – military commander.
Then in 1301, Alauddin marched
against Ranthampur and after a
three month’s siege it fell. The
Rajput women committed jauhar
or self-immolation. Alauddin next
turned against Chittor. It was the
powerful state in Rajasthan. The
siege lasted for several months. In
1303 Alauddin stormed the Chittor
fort. Raja Ratan Singh and his
soldiers fought valiantly but
submitted. The Rajput women
including Rani Padmini performed
jauhar. This Padmini episode was
graphically mentioned in the book
Padmavath written by Jayasi.
Alauddin Khalji’s greatest
achievement was the conquest of
of Deccan and the far south. This
region was ruled by four important
dynasties – Yadavas of Devagiri,
Kakatiyas of Warangal, Hoysalas of
Dwarasamudra and the Pandyas of
114 Prelims Magic 2014
Madurai. Then Alauddin sent Malik
Kafur against the ruler of Devagiri,
Ramachandra Deva, who
submitted and paid rich tributes. In
1309, Malik Kafur launched his
campaign against Warangal. Its
ruler, Pratabarudra Deva was
defeated and enormous booty was
collected from him. Malik Kafur’s
next target was the Hoysala ruler,
Vira Ballala III. He was defeated
and a vast quantity of booty was
seized and sent to Delhi. Kafur next
marched against the Pandyas. Vira
Pandya fled the capital, Madurai
and Kafur seized enormous wealth
from the Pandya kingdom and
returned to Delhi. Alauddin Khalji
died in 1316. Although the Sultan
was illiterate, he patronized poets
like Amir Khusrau and Amir Hasan.
He also built a famous gateway
known as Alai Darwaza and
constructed a new capital at Siri.
Mubarak Shah and Khusru Shah
were the successors of Alauddin
Khalji. Ghazi Malik, the Governor
of Dipalpur, killed the Sultan,
Khusru Shah, and ascended the
throne of Delhi under the title of
Ghiyasuddin.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the map given below:
The route indicated in the map was
followed, during the course of his
military exploits, by:
(a) Chandragupta II
(b) Harshavardhana
(c) Rajendra Chola
(d) Malik Kafur
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
The Tughlaq Dynasty
(1320-1414)
The founder of the Tughlaq dynasty
was Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq sent his, son
Juna Khan, to fight against
Warangal. He defeated Prataba-
rudra and returned with rich booty.
Ghiyasuddin laid the foundation for
Tughlaqabad near Delhi. Ulugh
Khan was said to have
treacherously killed his father and
ascended the throne with the title
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq in 1325.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq
(1325-1351)
He was a very attractive character
in the history of medieval India
owing to his ambitious schemes and
novel experiments. His enterprises
and novel experiments ended in
miserable failures because they
were all far ahead of their time. He
was very tolerant in religious
matters. He maintained diplomatic
relations with far off countries like
Egypt, China and Iran. He also
introduced many liberal and
beneficial reforms. But all his
reforms failed. Muhammad-bin
Tughluq issued a new gold coin
which was called Dinar by Ibn
Batutah.
Contemporary writers like Isami,
Barani and Ibn Battutah were
unable to give a correct picture
about his personality. But,
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq was the
only Delhi Sultan who had received
a comprehensive literary, religious
and philosophical education.
During his reign bubonic plague
spread in Delhi. As a result, the
Sultan left Delhi and lived in a camp
called Swargadwari for two years.
The Swarga Dwari was situated
near Kannauj on the bank of river
Ganga.
Transfer of Capital
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq wanted to
make Devagiri his second capital so
that he might be able to control
South India better. In 1327, he made
extensive preparations for the
transfer of royal household and the
ulemas and Sufis from Delhi to
Devagiri, which was renamed as
Daulatabad. When they resisted the
Sultan enforced his orders ruthlessly
and caused great hardship of the
population of Delhi. The distance
between these two places was
more than 1500 kilometres. Many
people died during the rigorous
journey in the summer. After two
years, the Sultan abandoned
Daulatabad and asked them to
return to Delhi.
Token Currency
In 1329-30, Muhammad bin Tughlaq
introduced a token currency. There
was a shortage of silver throughout
the world in the fourteenth century.
Kublai Khan issued paper money in
China. In the same manner,
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq issued
copper coins at par with the value
of the silver tanka coins. But he
was not able to prevent forging the
new coins. The goldsmiths began to
forge the token coins on a large
scale. Soon the new coins were not
accepted in the markets. Finally,
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq stopped
the circulation of token currency and
promised to exchange silver coins
for the copper coins. Many people
exchanged the new coins but the
treasury became empty. According
the Barani, the heap of copper coins
remained lying on roadside in
Tughlaqabad.
Taxation in Doab
The failure of these two
experiments affected the prestige of
the Sultan and enormous money was
wasted. In order to overcome
financial difficulties, Muhammad-bin
-Tughlaq increased the land revenue
on the farmers of Doab (land
between Ganges and Yamuna
rivers). It was an excessive and
arbitrary step on the farmers. A
severe famine was also ravaging
that region at that time. It had
resulted in a serious peasant revolts.
They fled from the villages but
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq took harsh
measures to capture and punish
them. The revolts were crushed.
Agricultural Reforms
However, the Sultan realized later
that adequate relief measures and
the promotion of agriculture were
the real solution to the problem. He
launched a scheme by which
takkavi loans (loans for cultivation)
were given to the farmers to buy
seed and to extend cultivation. A
separate department for agriculture,
Diwan- i- Kohi was established to
bring barren land under cultivation..
Model farm under the state was
created in an area of 64 square
miles for which the government
spent seventy lakh tankas. This
experiment was further continued
by Firoz Tughlaq.
Opportunists signed written bonds
promising to cultivate barren land
but they spent the money on
personal needs.
Rebellions
The latter part of Muhammad bin
Tughlaq’s reign witnessed a spate
of rebellions by the nobles and
provincial governors. The rebellion
of Hasan Shah resulted in the
establishment of the Madurai
Sultanate. In 1336 the Vijayanagar
Kingdom was founded. In 1347,
Bhamini Kingdom was established.
The Governors of Oudh, Multan and
Sind revolted against the authority
of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. In
Gujarat, Taghi rose in revolt against
the Sultan who spent nearly three
years in chasing him. Muhammad -
bin -Tughlaq’s health became worse
and he died in 1351. According to
Baduani, the Sultan was freed from
his people and the people from the
Sultan. According to Barani,
Muhammad bin Tughlaq was a
mixture of the opposites. His reign
marked the beginning of the process
of its decline.
On his death, Badyuni said ‘The
king was freed from his people and
they from their kings.’
Firoz Tughlaq (1351-1388)
After the death of Muhammad-bin-
Tughlaq in 1351, Firoz Tughlaq had
the unique distinction of being
chosen as Sultan by the nobles. He
appointed Khan-i-Jahan Maqbal,
a Telugu Brahmin convert as wazir
(prime minister). The wazir helped
the Sultan in his administration and
maintained the prestige of the
Sultanate during this period.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. ‘The king was freed from his
people and them from their king’.
On whose death did Badauni
comment thus?
(a) Balban
(b) Ala-ud-din Khalji
(c) Muhammad-bin- Tughlak
H
(d) Feroze Shah Tughlak
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999) I
Q. Assertion (A): Muhammad Bin
Tughlaq left Delhi, and for two
years lived in a camp called
S
Swarga-dwari.
Reason (R): At that time, Delhi
was ravaged by a form plague and
T
many people died.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
O
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
R
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
Y
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Q. Assertion (A): Muhammad bin
Tughluq issued a new gold coin
which was called Dinar by Ibn
Batutah.
Reason (R): Muhammad bin
Tughluq wanted. to issue token
currency In gold coins to promote
trade with West Asian and North
African countries.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
Military Campaigns
After his accession, Firoz had to
face the problem of preventing the
disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate.
115
 He tried to safeguard his authority
over north India instead of
reasserting his authority over the
Deccan and south India. He led two
expeditions to Bengal but they were
not successful. Bengal became free
H from the control of Delhi Sultanate.
Firoz led a campaign against
Jajnagar (modern Orissa). He
I returned with rich booty acquired
from the temples. He marched
against Nagarkot and made its ruler
S to pay tributes. During this campaign
the Sultan collected 1300 Sanskrit
manuscripts from the Jawalamukhi
T temple library and got them
translated into Persian. Firoz next
marched against Thatta in the Sind
O region and crushed a rebellion there.
Administrative Reforms
R The reign of Firoz Tughlaq was
more notable for his administration.
He strictly followed the advice of
Y the ulemas in running the
administration. He pleased the
nobles and assured hereditary
succession to their properties. Thus
the iqta system was not only revived
but also it was made hereditary. As
per the Islamic law, he levied the
taxes. Jiziya was strictly imposed on
non-Muslims. He was the first
Sultan to impose irrigation tax. But
at the same time, he dug irrigation
canals and wells. The longest canal
was about 200 kilometres from
Sutlej to Hansi. Another canal was
between Yamuna and Hissar. There
were about 1200 fruit gardens in
and around Delhi yielding more
revenue. The special tax on 28
items was abolished by him since
they were against the Islamic law.
Firuz Tughlaq set up a separate
department of slaves known as
“Diwan-i-Bandagan” which looked
after one lakh eighty thousand
slaves. He also developed royal
factories called karkhanas in
which thousands of slaves were
employed. About 300 new towns
were built during his reign. The
famous among them was Firozabad
116 Prelims Magic 2014
near Red Fort in Delhi, now called
Firoz Shah Kotla. Old monuments
like Jama Masjid and Qutb-Minar
were also repaired. A new
department called Diwan-i-
Khairat was created to take care
of orphans and widows. Free
hospitals and marriage bureaus for
poor Muslims were also
established. Firoz patronized
scholars like Barani and Afif. As he
was guided by the ulemas, he was
intolerant towards Shia Muslims and
Sufis. He treated Hindus as second
grade citizens and imposed Jiziya.
In this respect, he was the
precursor of Sikandar Lodi and
Aurangazeb. Also he increased the
number of slaves by capturing the
defeated soldiers and young
persons. In his regime, the number
of slaves had increased to one lakh
eighty thousand. When Firoz died
in 1388 the struggle for power
between the Sultan and the nobles
started once again. A number of
weak rulers came one after the
other. They were all incompetent
and the Tughlaq Empire fell under
them. His successors had to face
the rebellion of the slaves created
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who was the last ruler of the
Tughluq dynasty of the Delhi
Sultanate?
(a) Firuz Shah Tughlaq
(b) Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq Shah II
(c) Nasir-ud-din Mahmud
(d) Nasrat Shah
Ans (c) (CSE, 2004)
Q. With reference to medieval
Indian rulers, which one of the
following statements is correct ?
(a) Alauddin Khalji first set up a
separate ariz’s department
(b) Balban introduced the branding
system of horses of his military
(c) Muhammad Bin Tughlaq was
succeeded by his uncle to the
military
(d) Firuz Tughlaq set up a separate
department of slaves
Ans (d) (CSE 2002)
by Firoz. In the following years, the
Delhi Sultanate had disintegrated
further. Many provinces like Malwa
and Gujarat declared their
independence. The last Tughlaq
ruler was Nasir-ud-din Mahmud.
During his reign, Timur invaded
India in 1398. During the battle he
ran away from the field. The
invasion of Timur in 1398 worsened
the situation. When Timur entered
Delhi there was no opposition and
he sacked Delhi for three days
murdering thousands of people and
looting enormous wealth. He
withdrew from India in 1399 and his
invasion in fact delivered a death
blow to the Tughlaq dynasty. After
the invader returned Mahmud once
again occupied the throne and ruled
for 14 years upto 1412 A.D.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Sultan of Delhi who is
reputed to have built the biggest
network of canals in India was:
(a) Iltutmish
(b) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
(c) Feroze Shah Tughlaq
(d) Sikandar Lodi
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: Feroz Shah Tughlaq
built five canals for irrigation
purpose. They were yamuna to
Hisar Canal (150 miles), From
Sutlej to Ghaghar (96 miles), From
Sirmor to Hansi, From Ghaghar to
Firozabad and from Yamuna to
Firozabad.
Sayyids (1414-1451)
Before his departure from India,
Timur appointed Khizr Khan as
Governor of Multan. He captured
Delhi and founded the Sayyid
dynasty in 1414. He tried to
consolidate the Delhi Sultanate but
in vain. He died in 1421 and was
succeeded by his son, Mubarak
Shah. Muhammad Shah who
succeeded him was always busy
against conspirators and gradually
lost control over his nobles. Buhlul
Khan Lodi dominated everything.
Muhammad Shah died in 1445 and
was succeeded by his son Alam
Shah (1445-1451) the weakest of
the Sayyid princes. He handed over
the throne to Bahlul Lodi and retired
to Badaun.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Which one of the following is
the correct chronological order of
the Afghan rulers to the throne of
Delhi?
(a) Sikandar Shah- Ibrahim Lodi-
Bahlol Khan Lodi
(b) Sikandar Shah-Bahlol Khan
Lodi or Lodin Ibrahim
(c) Bahlol Khan Lodi or Lodin
Sikandar Shah- Ibrahim Lodi of
Lodin
(d) Bahlol Khan Lodi or Lodin
Ibrahim Lodi or Lodin Sikandar
Shah
Ans. (c), (CSE 2001)
Q.
A
To which Lodi Sultan does the
given map relate and what town
does the site marked A on the map
represent?
(a) Behlol Lodhi, Jaunpur
(b) Sikandar Lodi, Aligarh
(c) Ibrahim Lodi, Jaunpur
(d) Ibrahim Lodi, Aligarh
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
‘ A’ is Jaunpur
Lodis (1451-1526)
The Lodis, who succeeded Sayyids,
were Afghans. Bahlul Lodi was the
first Afghan ruler while his
predecessors were all Turks. Bahlul
Lodhi captured Jaunpur from
Hussain Shah Sharqi in 1483-84.
He died in 1489 and was succeeded
by his son, Sikandar Lodi. Sikandar
Lodi (1489-1517) was the greatest
of the three Lodi sovereigns. He
brought the whole of Bihar under
his control, many Rajput chiefs were
defeated. He attacked Bengal and
forced its ruler to conclude a treaty
with him, and extended his empire
from the Punjab to Bihar. He was a
good administrator. Roads were laid
and many irrigational facilities were
provided for the benefit of the
peasantry. Despite certain laudable
qualities, he was a bigot. He
destroyed many Hindu temples and
imposed many restrictions on the
Hindus. Yet, he was one of the great
Lodi sultans who made the sultanate
strong and powerful. Sikandar Lodi
was succeeded by his eldest son
Ibrahim Lodi, who was arrogant. He
insulted his nobles openly in court
and humiliated them. Those nobles
who revolted were put to death. His
own uncle, Alauddin revolted.
Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of
the Punjab was insulted and
disaffection between king and
courtier became very common.
Greatly displeased by the arrogance
of Ibrahim, Daulat Khan Lodi invited
Babur to invade India. Babur
marched against Delhi and defeated
and killed Ibrahim Lodi in the first
Battle of Panipat (1526). The
Afghan kingdom lasted for only
seventy-five years.
Iqta System under the Sultanate I
Stage (1206-1290) - Iqtas or the
territorial units were assigned to
military commanders in lieu of
salaries. Revenue was used by
these commanders to maintain
themselves as well as their troops.
Iqta was an administrative as well
as a revenue unit.
II Stage (1290- 1351)- Under the
Khaljis and Tughlaqs frequent
transfer of Iqtas was done.
Accounts of collection and
expenditure by the iqtadars were
collected regularly and the balance
(fawazil) was sent to the treasury.
III Stage (1351-1526)- Under Firoz
Tughlaq the trend was reversed.
These changes continued.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Fawazil in the Sultanate period
meant:
(a) extra payment to the nobles
(b) revenue assigned in lieu of
salary
(c) excess amount paid to the
exchequer by the Iqtadars
H
(d) illegal exactions extracted from
the peasants
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
I
Q. Assertion (A): At first the
Turkish administration in India
S
was essentially military.
Reason (R): The country was
parcelled out as ‘Iqtas’ among
T
leading military leaders.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
O
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
R
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998) Y
Nastaliq is the core script of the
Persian writing tradition, and equally
important in the areas under its
cultural influence. The Mughal
Empire used Persian as the court
language during their rule over the
South Asia. During this time,
Nastaliq came into widespread use
in South Asia, including Pakistan,
India, and Bangladesh. The
influence remains to this day.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Nastaliq was:
(a) a persian script used in
medieval India
(b) a raga composed by Tansen
(c) a cess levied by the Mughal
rulers
(d) a manual of code of conduct
for the Ulemas
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
THE SUCCESSOR STATES
The disintegration of the Delhi
Sultanate led to the formation of
several independent states. These
states took the shape of independent
117
 kingdoms under the governors of the
Sultanate regime and often went to
war against the rival local Rajput
states also.
MEWAR: Hammir (1314- 78 AD)
of the Sisodia branch separated
H itself from the Sultanate. Rana
Kumbha (1435-68 AD) defeated
Muhammed Khalji of Malwa and
I built the Kirtistambha (victory
tower) in Chittor.
MALWA: The region was under
S the Paramara rulers The Governor
Dilawar Khan Gauri, of Delhi
Sultanate started ruling
T independently from 1401 AD.
Muhammed Khalji, a cousin of the
subsequent ruler, Muhammed Shah
O Gauri, murdered him to seize the
throne. His war with Rana Kumbha
was undecided and interestingly
R both sides claimed victory. The
Rana errected the victory tower at
Chittor while the ruler of Malwa
Y established a seven storey building
in Mandu to celebrate the victory.
Sultan Ghyasuddin, a subsequent
ruler in 1469 AD went to war with
Raimal, the Rana of Chittor and
was defeated.
THE VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
15 AND
THE BAHAMANI KINGDOM
This was a kingdom carved out in
the state of Karnataka. Vijaya-
nagara or “city of victory” was the
name of both a city and an empire.
The empire was founded in the
fourteenth century. The medieval
kingdom of Vijayanagara was
named after the capital city of
Vijayanagar It is better known as
Hampi, a name derived from that
of the local mother goddess,
Pampadevi. The ruins at Hampi
were brought to light in 1800 by
an engineer and antiquarian
named Colonel Colin Mack-
enzie, an employee of the English
118 Prelims Magic 2014
GUJARAT: Zafar Khan was the
Governor appointed by the Sultane
under the Tughlaq regime. His
successor, Muhammed Shah I,
became a renowned ruler of Gujarat
(1458-1511 AD). He was popularly
known as Beghara as he
conquered the two strong forts of
Rajputs in Champanir and Girnar.
MARWAR: The Rathors of
Marwar established their rule in
1384 AD under Chunda. Maldeo, a
subsequent ruler, is known for his
battle with SherShah in 1544 AD in
the Battle of Samel.
KASHMIR: Zainul Abidin (1420-
70 AD) was the most famous ruler
of Kashmir in the Sultanate period.
He discarded religious discrimi-
nation and persecution of non-
Muslims and was a benevolent
ruler. He knew several languages
such as Arabic, Persian, Hindi and
Tibetan. Several books including the
Mahabharata and Rajtarangini
were traslated from Sanskrit to
Persian. He abolished the Jaziyah.
He recalled the Brahmins back and
allowed them to rebuild temples. He
was called the Akbar of Kashmir.
He died in 1470 AD.
East India Company. Epigraphic
evidence reveals that two brothers,
Harihara and Bukka, founded the
Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 AD.
While historians use the term
Vijayanagara Empire, con-
temporaries described it as the
karnataka samrajyamu. The
brothers were known to be
feudatories of Kakatiya ruler
Prataparudra deva. After an attack
by the Muslim rulers in 1323 AD
the bothers set up the kingdom of
Kampili. On further strengthening
their power they founded the
Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 AD.
The rulers of Vijayanagar, who
called themselves rayas, built on
traditions of art and literature similar
to the Chola rulers.
Vijayanagar Empire- Important
rulers
Sangama Dynasty-Founded in 1336
by Harihara and Bukka.
Harihara II
Deva Raya I
Deva Raya II
Saluva Dynasty- founded by Saluva
Narasimha
Tuluva Dynasty- Founded by Vira
Narasimha
Krishna Deva Raya
Achyuta Deva
Venkata
Sadasiva Raya
Aravidu Dynasty
The political history of the Empire
spans four different dynasties:
The Sangama Dynasty (1336-
1377): Harihara and Bukka, the
founder of the Vijayanagar
Kingdom belonged to this dynasty.
In the first two decades after the
founding of the empire, Harihara I
gained control over most of the area
south of the Tungabhadra River and
earned the title of Purvapaschima
Samudradhishavara “master of
the eastern and western seas”).
His initial military exploits
established his control over the
Valley of Tungabhadra River, and
gradually he expanded his control
to certain regions of Konkan and the
Malabar Coast. The vacum created
by the weakening of the kingdom
situation was facilitated for Harihara
I to emerge as a sovereign power.
The entire Hoysala territories came
under his rule directly. An inscription
describes Vidya Nagara (that is,
the city of learning) as the capital
of Harihara I. He is accredited with
establishing a centralized
administrative setup and orderly
governance which afforded peace,
prosperity, and security to his
subjects.
Harihara I was succeeded by
Bukka I who emerged as the most
distinguished amongst the five rulers
(Panchasangamas) of the Sangama
dynasty. Bukka patronised Telugu
poet, Nachana Soma. Under Bukka
Raya’s 21 year reign, the kingdom
prospered and continued to expand
as Bukka Raya conquered most of
the kingdoms of southern India,
continually expanding the territory
of the empire. He defeated the
Shambuvaraya Kingdom of Arcot
and the Reddis of Kondavidu by
1360 and the region around
Penukonda was annexed. Bukka
defeated the Sultanate of Madurai
in 1371 and extended his territory
into the south all the way
Rameswaram. He defeated the
Bahaman ruler, Muhammed Shah I.
The Saluva Dynasty (1485-
1505 AD): The Saluva Dynasty
was created by the Saluvas who
by historical tradition were natives
of the Kalyani region of northern
Karnataka.Narasimha Saluva the
feudatory of Chandragiri was a
powerful ruler of this dynasty. He
put down rebellious feudatories to
recovered most of the provinces
and died in 1490 AD.
Saluva Narasimha (1485 –
1491), the saviour of Vijayanagar,
had begun his career as the
Mahamandaleshwara of Chandra-
giri in about 1452, in the reign of
Mallikarjuna. After the death of
Mallikarjuna, Narasimha tried to
consolidate his power by conquering
Masulipatana, Kondavidu and
Udayagiri. The rule of Virupaksha
became unpopular and roused the
whole empire to indignation and
rebellion. The King was killed in
1485 by his own son. The total
disruption was averted by Saluva
Narasimha, an able general who
ended the rule of the Sangama
dynasty. In 1485 he became the first
ruler of Saluva Dynasty, with the
support of the governors of the
empire.
During the short span of six years,
Saluva Narasimha tried to restore
the empire to its past glory; but his
success was not complete.
However, Narasimha improved the
condition of cavalry, transformed
the peace – loving farmers of
Vijayanagar into a nation of warriors,
infused fresh vigour into the body
politic and rescued the state from
destruction.
At the time of Narasimha’s death
his two sons were too young too
rule. Therefore, he entrusted the
Kingdom to the care of his trusted
general and minister Tuluva Narasa
Nayaka. Prince Timma was
murdered by a minister and Saluva
upto Narasimha II was crowned by
Narasa Nayaka. When the new
King turned hostile to Narasa, he
was removed to Penugonda where
he remained in confinement.
Narasa Nayaka now ruled
Vijayanagar like a sovereign.
Narasa Nayaka restored peace and
retained the boundaries of the
empire. He suppressed many
rebellions and pushed the invasion
of the Gajapatis back. When
Narasa Nayaka died in 1503, his son
Vira Narasimha, succeeded him. In
1505 Saluva Narasimha II was
murdered and his dynasty came to
an end.
The Tuluva Dynasty (1491-1570
AD): The Dynasty is the third
Hindu dynasty which ruled
Vijayanagar Empire. The Dynasty
was founded by chieftain Bunts who
originally ruled southern parts of
coastal Karnataka. The Tuluva
Dynasty was one of the most
powerful dynasties of the
Vijayanagara Empire. The
Vijayanagar Empire attained it
greatest glory during this period and
their most famous king was
Krishna Deva Raya .Their reign
consisted of five emperors from
1491 till 1570 . They ruled almost
the entire South India with
Vijayanagar as their capital. Krishna
Deva Raya was the most well
known ruler of this dynasty. The rule
Prelims Magic 2014
of Krishna Deva Raya is a glorious
chapter in Vijayanagar history when
its armies were successful
everywhere. On occasions, the king
was known to change battle plans
abruptly and turn a losing battle into
victory. The first decade of his rule
was one of long sieges, bloody
conquests and victories. The
H
Bahamani Sultans, though divided
into five small kingdoms were still a
constant threat. The Portuguese
I
were a rising maritime power and
hence controlled much of the sea
trade. The feudatory chiefs of
S
Ummatur, Reddys of Kondavidu and
Velamas of Bhuvanagiri had time
and again rebelled against
T
Vijayanagar authority. He took the
Udaygiri fort from the Gajapatis of O
Orissa.
He was known as Andhra Bhoja
was a great patron of arts and
R
literature. Pedanna a well known
poet who wrote Manu Charitam
and was awarded the title of
Y
‘Andhrakavitapitamaha’. Other
poets known as Astadiggajas
(eight poets) flourished in his court.
Achyuta Raya (1529-1542 CE)
was the successor and younger
brother of Krishna Deva Raya,
whom he succeeded in 1529. He
patronised Kannada poet, Chatu
Vittalanatha and the great singer
Purandaradasa (Father of Carnatic
music) and the Sanskrit scholar,
Rajanatha Dindima II. The political
atmosphere was not favourable at
the time of his accession.
Feudatories and enemies were
waiting for an opportunity to bring
down the empire. In addition,
Achyuta Raya had to contend with
the powerful Aliya Rama Raya, who
was competing for the throne.
The Aravidu Dynasty was the
fourth and last Hindu dynasty which
ruled Vijayanagar Empire of South
India. Its founder wasTirumala.
Rama Raya’s death in the the Battle
of Talikota in 1565 led to the
119
 subsequent destruction of
Vijayanagar by the combined forces
of the Muslim states of Bijapur.The
Empire lingered on till 1642 AD but
could not revive its lost glory.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
H Q. Consider the following
statements:
I 1. Narasimha Saluva ended the
Sangama dynasty and seized the
throne for himself and started the
S Saluva dynasty
2. Vira Narasimha deposed the
last Saluva ruler and seized the
T throne for himself
3. Vira Narasimha was succeeded
by his younger brother,
O Krishnadeva Raya
4. Krishnadeva Raya was
succeeded by his half brother,
R Achyuta Raya
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
Y (a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
Q. Assertion (A): Saluva
Narasimha put an end to the old
dynasty and assumed the royal
title.
Reason (R): He wanted to save
the kingdom ‘from further
degeneration and disintegration.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (A) (CSE, 2003)
ADMINISTRATION
Kingship was in the form of
absolute monarchy. The King was
the final power in terms of judicial,
legislative and executive. He was
just and the final word in rendering
justice was vested with the King.
120 Prelims Magic 2014
There was a Council of ministers
to help the king in day to day
administration. The hall of meeting
the ministers was called Ventavilas
Mandapa.
All high ranking ministers and
officers were required to have
military training.The governors were
called Dandanayakas and were
The empire was divided into five
main provinces (Rajya), each under
a commander (Dandanayaka or
Dandanatha) and headed by a
governor, often from the royal
family. They were assisted by a
council consisting of the Pradhani,
Olai, dalavay and the
samantadhikari.
A Rajya was divided into regions
(Vishaya, Vente or Kottam), and
further divided into countries (Sime
or Nadu) themselves subdivided
into municipalities (Kampana or
Sthala). Sthalas were further
divided into valithas. Nadu was
divided into Imbadin Malegram and
this further into the Gram.
The system of governance was
based on the Nayankara system.
The persons dependent on the king
were called Nayakas.
The Amara-nayakas were the
military commanders who were
given territories to govern by the
raya. Amaram was the land grant
made by Vijaynagar rulers.
The Amara nayakas sent regular
tribute to the king. This was a
major political innovation of the
Vijayanagar Empire, designed
mostly on the lines of the iqta
system of the Delhi Sultanate.
The Villages were administered by
the Ayagars who were a body of
twelve functionaries.
Army troops were of two types: The
king’s personal army directly
recruited by the empire and the
feudal army under each feudatory.
The existence of a navy is evidenced
by the use of the term
Navigadaprabhu (commander of
the navy).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List I
A. Iqta B. Jagir
C. Amaram
List II
D. Mokasa
1. Marathas 2. Delhi Sultans
3. Mughals
Codes:
4. Vijayanagara
A B C D
(a) 3
(b) 2
2
3
1
4
4
1
(c) 2 3 1 4
(d) 3
Ans. (b)
2 4 1
(CSE 2001)
SOCIETY
The Vijayanagar society was
composed of different castes of
people. Brahmins, Kshatriyas,
Vaishyas and Shudras were the
principal castes prevalent.
Vipravinodins were artisans such as
idol makers, blacksmiths,
carpenters, weavers, coppersmiths,
goldsmiths etc. Tottiyans and
Kambalattars were shepherds. The
Kings projected themselves as the
protector of all varnas (sarva
varnashrama dharmaalannu
paliisutta).
Slavery was known in the kingdom
and other categories of professions
known were maravas (fishermen),
jogis, paraiyans, boyees, erkelas, and
kallars.
Women of higher classes were
educated. Madhuravijayam is a
work by the wife of Kampana.
Hannamma was a scholar. Widow
Remarriage was permitted and no
tax on this marriage was levied by
the state. The practice of Sati was
common, though voluntary, and
mostly practised among the upper
classes. Over fifty inscriptions have
been discovered in the Vijayanagar
alone. These inscriptions are called
Satikal (Sati stone) or Sati-virakal
(Sati hero stone). The early Kings
were worshipers of Shiva, as
Virupaksha was the family deity.
Later, they became followers of
Vaishnavism. Jains were also
patronized.
ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE
Its stylistic hallmark is the ornate
pillared Kalyanamantapa
(marriage hall), Vasanthamantapa
(open pillared halls) and the
Rayagopura (tower). Artisans
used the locally available hard
granite because of its durability. In
the 14th century the kings continued
to build Vesara or Deccan style
monuments but later incorporated
dravida-style gopurams to meet
their ritualistic needs. The Prasanna
Virupaksha temple (underground
temple) and the Hazare Rama
temple are examples of Deccan
architecture. The varied and
intricate ornamentation of the
pillars is a mark of their work. At
Hampi, though the Vitthala temple
is the best example of their pillared
Kalyanamantapa style, the
Hazara Ramaswamy temple is
another finished example. The
famous Vijaya Vittala Temple has
56 carved pillars which emit musical
notes. It was built during the region
of Krishnadevaraya. Krishna-
devaraya was regarded as the
greatest of all the Vijaynagar rulers.
He built the famous temples of
Krishnaswami, Hazara Rama-
swami and Vitthalaswami at Hampi.
Another element of the Vijaya-
nagar style is the carving of large
monoliths such as the Sasivekalu
(mustard) Ganesha and Kadale-
kalu (Ground nut) Ganesha at
Hampi.
Some of the prominent ruins of
Hampi
Mahanavami Dibba- Audience
hall. Royal ceremonies were held
here including religious ones. The
worship of images of deities,
worship of the state horse and
sacrifices were performed here.
Lotus Mahal- A council chamber
where the King met his advisors.
Hazara Rama Temple- A temple
probably used by the Royal family.
The walls of the chamber have
sculpted images from the epic
Ramayana.
Virupaksha Temple- The temple
of the local deity Virupaksha, a
form of Shiva.
Vitthala Temple- Here, the
principal deity was Vitthala, a form
of Vishnu generally worshipped in
Maharashtra. The introduction of
the worship of the deity in
Karnataka is another indication of
the ways in which the rulers of
Vijayanagara drew on different
traditions to create an imperial
culture. A characteristic feature of
the temple complexes is the chariot
streets that extended from the
temple gopuram in a straight line.
These streets were paved with
stone slabs and lined with pillared
pavilions in which merchants set up
their shops.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Where is the famous Vijaya
Vittala Temple, having its 56
carved pillars emitting musical
notes located?
(a) Belur (b) Bhadrachalam
(c) Hampi (d) Srirangam
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Local Tradition
According to local tradition, these
hills sheltered the monkey kingdom
of Vali and Sugriva mentioned in the
Ramayana. Other traditions
suggest that Pampadevi, the local
mother goddess, did penance in
these hills in order to marry
Virupaksha, the guardian deity of
the kingdom, also recognised as a
form of Shiva. To this day this
marriage is celebrated annually in
theVirupaksha temple.
LITERATURE
During the rule of Vijayanagar
Empire, poets, scholars and
philosophers wrote in Sanskrit and
the regional languages, Kannada,
Prelims Magic 2014
Telugu and Tamil and covered such
subjects as religion, biography,
Prabhanda (fiction), music,
grammar, poetry and medicine. The
Telugu language became a popular
literary medium, reaching its peak
under the patronage of Krishna-
devaraya.
Most Sanskrit works were
H
commentaries either on the Vedas
or on the epics, written by such as
Sayana and Vidyaranya. Other
I
writers were famous Dvaita saints
of the Udupi order such as
Jayatirtha (earning the title
S
Tikacharya for his polemicial
writings). Noted Sanskrit scholars
adorned the courts of the
T
Vijayanagar kings and their
feudatory chiefdoms. Many kings of
the dynasty were themselves
O
litterateurs and authored classics
such as King Krishnadevaraya’s
Jambavati Kalyana, a poetic and
R
dramatically skillful work.
THE BAHAMANI KINGDOM
Y
In 1320, the Khaljis were replaced
by the Tughlaqs. The successor of
Muhammad had an expansionist
plan and sent the army throughout
the Indian sub-continent. This won
him the Deccan but in 1347, the
chief of the Deccan army declared
independence. Zafar Khan, a leader
in the Deccan (Bahaman Shah)
established the Bahamani kingdom
in 1347 AD. The dynasty founded
by him was known as Bahamanis,
which rose to greatness. In the
early mid-fifteenth century AD,
Bahamanis covered as far as
Bombay, Mysore and Hyderabad.
The Bahmani capital was
Ahsanabad (Gulbarga) in 1347.
Bahaman Shah died in 1358 AD.
Muhammed Shah I (1358-75 AD)
He carried out administrative
reforms. The empire was divided
into four provinces called Tarafs.
These were under the governors
called Tarafdars. He maintained
the administration through regular
tours of the various provinces.
Firuz Shah Bahamani (1397-1422
121
 AD) He waged a war against the
Vijayanagar Empire but lost in the
Raichur Doab in 1417 AD. Firuz
Shah was asked to give up his
kingdom and throne for his brother
Ahmed Shah I who was considered
to be a saint because of his
H connection with the Sufi saint Gesu
Daraz. He annexed the territories
of Warangal. He abdicated in
I favour of his brother, Ahmed Shah.
Ahmed Shah Wali (1422-35 AD)
His reign is known for the shift in
S the capital to Bidar in 1424 AD. He
too fought against the Vijayanagar
Kingdom.
T Humayun Shah (1458-1461 AD)
The sultanate reached the peak of
its power during the vizierate of
O Mahmud Gawan. He curbed the the
power of the Tarafdars. However
he was executed through royal
R order on the basis of forged letter.
After the murder of Muhammed
Y Gawan, the sultanate broke up into
five states: Ahmednagar, Berar,
Bidar, Bijapur and Golconda. The
Sultan, Muhammed Shah, was a
minor at that time. The Malik Naib
was the real power holder. The
various governors became
independent and were finally divided
into five parts, namely, Adil Shahi
of Bijapur, Qutub Shahi of
Golconda, Nizam Shahi of
Ahmadnagar, Barid Shahi of Bidar
and Imad Shahi of Berar. This
kingdom together crusaded against
Vijayanagar Empire and defeated
it in 1565.
The infighting continued and soon
the five different states of the
Bahamani kingdom started annexing
each other.
Bidar: Amir Ali Barid ruled here.
Ibrahim Adil Shah II in 1619 AD,
annexed it to Bijapur kingdom.
Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur was a
secular ruler. He was called
“Jagadguru” and “Adilbaba” by his
peoples during Mughal period. He
wrote Kitab-i-Nauras (the nine
emotions), a collection of songs in
praise of Hindu deities and Muslim
saints. He made earnest attempts
122 Prelims Magic 2014
to integrate Islamic and Hindu
philosophy.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
Muslim rulers was hailed as the
‘Jagadguru’ by his Muslim subject
because of his belief in
secularism?
(a) Husain Shah’
(b) Zain-ul-Abidin
(c) Ibrahim Adil Shah
(d) Mahmud II
Ans.(c) (CSE, 2000)
Berar: Imadul Malik ruled
here.This was annexed by
Ahmednagar in 1574 AD.
Ahmednagar: Malik Amber ruled
here. He was the Governor of
Daulatpur but later declared
independence. He founded the city
of Ahmednagar. Chand Bibi of this
dynasty put up a heroic resistance
against Akbar ’s son, Prince
Murad. The military skills of Malik
Amber were renowned.
Bijapur: Founder was Yusuf Adil
Khan and was a patron of
literature and art. The Gol Gumbaz
that Adil Shah built is said to be
the largest dome in the world.
These kingdoms played a leading
role in the Deccan politics till their
absorption in the Mughal Empire
during the seventeenth century.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
monuments has a dome which is
said to be one of the largest in the
world?
(a) Tomb of Sher Shah, Sasaram
(b) Jama Masjid, Delhi
(c) Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din
Tughlaq, Delhi
(d) Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Religious Movement
The coming of Islam to India
resulted in many things. One was
the exchange of religious ideas
between the Hindus and the
Muslims. This led to the
development of two popular
religious movements: the Sufi
Movement and the Bhakti
Movement.
Sufism: Sufis movement had its
origin in Persia and spread into India
in the eleventh century. Mystics in
Islam are called Sufis. The word
sufi is derived from the word safa
(pure) of suf (wool) because of the
course woollen garments they chose
to wear. The founders of the most
important Sufi lineages, Chisti,
Suharawardi, Qadiri Ahmadiyya,
Muhammadiya and Naqshbandi
were central and west Asian in
origin, but thry flourished in the sub-
continent. The Sufi orders sprang
around a recognised master- a Pir
or a Shaikh. Sufism in India
played an instrumental role in
spreading Islam in India. The Sufis
belonged to different tariqas (orders)
of Sufism. Of them, the Chishti
order is the most visible. Khwaja
Moinuddin Chishti introduced the
Chishtiyyah in India. He came to
India from Afghanistan in 1192 AD
and started living permanently in
Ajmer in 1195. Centuries later, with
the support of Mughal rulers, his
shrine became a place of pilgrimage.
Akbar would visit the shrine every
year. In India, Sufi saints have
emerged periodically to reshape the
sacred in society. Although Sufi
teachings convey the message of
love and harmony, many
movements, including the Wahhabi
movement, arose against the
developments in Sufism which
appeared during the reign of Akbar.
The Chishti Order-The Chishtiyyah
originated in Chisht sharif of Herat,
Afghanistan but it took root in India
where it was brought by several
Central Asian mystics (most notably
Moinuddin Chishti and Bakhtiar
Kaki.). It was introduced by
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in India
who came along Sihabuddin Gori
army in 1192. Khwaja Muinuddin
Chishti settled in Ajmer which
became the centre of his activities.
The order got its name Chisti on the
name of the place, Chisti, in
Afghanisatan where Khwaja Abu
Ishak had migrated and died in 940
A.D. Baba Farid Ganjshakkar of
Chisti Silsilah maintained that
devotional music was one way of
coming close to God. Yet another
famous Sufi saint was Nizamuddin
Auliya who belonged to the Chishti
order and who was a mighty
spiritual force.
The Shattârîya order-The origin of
this order is attributed to ‘Abdullâh
al-Shattâr (died 1415), who
flourished in Jaunpur, India. There
after he shifted to Mandu which
then became the centre of the
Shattariya order. The order was
popularised in Bengal by Qazan
Shattari. The most important saint
of this order was Shaikh
Muhammad Ghaus, the author of
many books on Sufism. The order
was later carried to Iran, Turkey,
and Indonesia.
The Suhrawardi order-The first of
the Suhrawardi saints was Hazrat
Zeyauddin AbulNajib Abdul Qaher
Suhrawardi (490-563AH) The
Suhrawardiyyah order was started
by his nephew and disciple Omar
Abu HafsShahab al-Din Suhrawardi
of Baghdad and brought to India by
Baha-ud-din Zakariya of Multan.
The Suhrawardiyyah tariqah
achieved popularity in Bengal
particularly
Qadiri order-The Qadiri order was
founded by Abdul-Qadir Jilani,
whose tomb is in Baghdad. It is
popular among the Muslims of South
India. Important leaders in India
were Shah Nizamat Ullah (first
Qadri to come to India) and Nasir-
ud-din Muhammad Jilani (He
organised it effectively). Prince
Dara Shikoh was a follower of this
order.
The Naqshbandi order-The origin of
this order can be traced back to
Khwaja Ya‘qub Yusuf al-Hamadani
(b. 1140), who lived in Central Asia.
It was later organised by
Baha’uddin Naqshband (1318-
1389) of Turkestan. Baha’uddin is
widely referred to as the founder
of the Naqshbandi tariqah. Khwaja
Muhammad al-Baqi Billah Berang,
whose tomb is in Delhi, introduced
the Naqshbandi order to India. Other
prominent leader was Shaikh
Ahmed Sarhindi (contemporary of
Akbar and Jahangir). The essence
of this order was insistence on strict
adherence to the shari‘ah and
nurturance of love for the Prophet.
It was patronized by the Mughal
rulers, as its founder was their
ancestral pîr (spiritual guide). “The
conquest of India by Babur in 1526
gave considerable impetus to the
Naqshbandiyya order”. Its disciples
remained loyal to the throne because
of their common Turkic origin. With
the royal patronage of most of the
Mughal rulers, the Naqshbandi order
brought about the revival of Islam.
The Naqshbandis earned their living
by designing patterns printed on
cloth.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the religious
history of medieval India, the Sufi
mystics were known to pursue
which of the following practices?
1. Meditation and control of breath
2. Severe ascetic exercises in a
lonely place
3. Recitation of holy songs to
arouse a state of ecstasy in their
audience
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) (CSE 2012)
Q. The sufi saint who maintained
that devotional music was one way
of coming close to God was:
(a) Muin-ud-din Chisti
(b) Baba Farid
(c) Saiyid Muhammad Gesudaraz
(d) Shah Alam Bukhari
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
These Sufi saints are revered even
today by not only Muslims but by a
large number of Hindus. Their
tombs have become popular places
of pilgrimage for both communities.
Prelims Magic 2014
Sufism stressed the elements of love
and devotion as effective means of
the realisation of God. Love of God
meant love of humanity and so the
Sufis believed service to humanity
was tantamount to service to God.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
H
Q. Assertion (A): The sponsor
and the most prominent figure of
the Chisti order of Sufis in India is I
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
Reason (R): The Chisti order
takes its name from a village Chisti S
in Ajmer.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the T
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A O
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false R
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1997)
Q. With reference to Sufism in
Y
Indian history, consider the
following statements:
1. Sheikh Ahmad Sarhandi was a
contemporary of Ibrahim Lodi
2. Sheikh Nasiruddin Chirg-I-
Dehlavi was a disciple of Sheikh
Nizamuddin Auliya
3. Aurangzeb was a contem-
porary of Sheikh Salim Chisti
4. The Qadiri order of Sufis was
first introduced in India by Sheikh
Niamutullah and Makhdum
Muhammad Jilani
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2002)
In Sufism, self discipline was
considered an essential condition to
gain knowledge of God by sense of
perception. While orthodox Muslims
emphasise external conduct, the
Sufis lay stress on inner purity. While
the orthodox believe in blind
observance of rituals, the Sufis
consider love and devotion as the
only means of attaining salvation.
123
 According to them one must have
the guidance of a pir or guru,
without which spiritual development
is impossible. Sufi saints believed in
the recitation of holy songs in
gathering to arouse a state of
ecstasy in gathering (known as
H Sama).
Sufism also inculcated a spirit of
I tolerance among its followers. Other
ideas emphasised by Sufism are
meditation, good actions, repentance
S for sins, performance of prayers and
pilgrimages, fasting, charity and
suppression of passions by ascetic
T practices. These liberal and
unorthodox features of Sufism had
a profound influence on medieval
O Bhakti saints. In the later period,
Akbar, the Mughal emperor,
appreciated Sufi doctrines which
R shaped his religious outlook and
religious policies. When the Sufi
movement was becoming popular in
Y India, about the same time the
Bhakti cult was gaining strength
among the Hindus. The two parallel
movements based on the doctrines
of love and selfless devotion
contributed a great deal to bringing
the two communities closer
together. However, this trend did not
last long.
Sufi orders and regions
Chisti- north India
Suhrawardi- Sind
Firdausi- Bihar
Bhakti Movement
In the ninth century, Sankara
started a Hindu revivalist movement
giving a new orientation to
Hinduism. He was born in Kaladi in
Kerala. His doctrine of Advaita or
Monism was too abstract to appeal
to the common man. Moreover,
there was a reaction against the
Advaita concept of Nirguna-
brahman (God without attributes)
with the emergence of the idea of
Sagunabrahman (God with
attributes).
In the twelfth century, Ramanuja,
who was born at Sriperumbudur
124 Prelims Magic 2014
near modern Chennai, preached
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Visishtadvaita. According to him
God is Sagunabrahman. The Q. Who among the following was
creative process and all the objects the first Bhakti saint to use Hindi
in creation are real but not illusory for the propagation of his
as was held by Sankaracharya. message?
Therefore, God, soul, matter are (a) Dadu (b) Kabir
real. But God is inner substance
and the rest are his attributes. He
(c) Ramananda(d) Tulsidas
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
also advocated prabattimarga or Explanation : Ramanand was the
path of self-surrender to God. He
invited the downtrodden to
first Bhakti saint to use Hindi for
the propagation of his messages
in 14th century, which
Vaishnavism.
In the thirteenth century, Madhava
popu1arised his preaching among
local people
from Kannada region propagated
Dvaita or dualism of Jivatma and
Paramatma. According to his
Q. Which one of the following
sequences indicates the correct
philosophy, the world is not an chronological order?
illusion but a reality. God, soul,
matter are unique in nature.
(a) Shankaracharya-Ramanuja
chaitanya
Nimbarka and Vallabhacharya (b) Ramanuja-Shankaracharya
were also other preachers of
Vaishnavite Bhakti in the Telengana
chaitanya
(c) Ramanuja chaitanya-
region. Shankaracharya
Surdas was the disciple of
Vallabhacharya and he popularized
(d) Shankaracharya chaitanya-
Ramanuja
Krishna cult in north India. Ans. (a) (CSE, 2004)
Mirabai was a great devotee of Explanation: The correct
Krishna and she became popular chronological order is-Shankara-
in Rajasthan for her bhajans. charya ,in 8th century A.D,
Tulsidas was a worshipper of Ramanuja in 10th century A.D.
Rama and composed the famous and Chaitanya in 15th century
Ramcharitmanas, the Hindi A.D.
version of Ramayana. In the Q. Match List I with List II and
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, select the correct answer using the
Ramananda, Kabir and Nanak codes given below the lists:
remained great apostles of the List I (Bhakti Saint)
Bhakti cult. They drew inspiration A. Namdev B. Kabir
from old masters but showed a new C. Ravidas D. Sena
path. They helped the common List II (Profession)
people to shed age-old superstitions 1. Barber
and attain salvation through Bhakti 2.Weaver
or pure devotion. Unlike the early 3. Tailor
reformers, they were not linked 4. Cobler
with any particular religious creed Codes :
and did not believe in rituals and A B C D
ceremonies. They condemned (a) 2 3 1 4
polytheism and believed in one God. (b) 3 2 4 1
They also denounced all forms of (c) 3 2 1 4
idolatry. They strongly believed in (d) 2 3 4 1
Bhakti as the only means of Ans: (b) (CSE 2001)
salvation. They also emphasised the Namdev was a tailor, Kabir was
fundamental unity of all religions. a weaver, Ravidas was a cobbler,
and Sena was a barber.
Ramananda
Ramananda was born at Allahabad.
He was originally a follower of
Ramanuja. Later, he founded his
own sect and preached his
principles in Hindi at Banaras and
Agra. He was a worshipper of
Rama. He was the first to employ
the vernacular medium to propagate
his ideas. Simplification of worship
and emancipation of people from
the traditional caste rules were his
two important contributions to the
Bhakti movement. He opposed the
caste system and chose his
disciples from all sections of society
disregarding caste.
His disciples were: a) Kabir, a
weaver b) Raidasa, a cobbler c)
Sena, a barber d) Sadhana, a
butcher e) Dhanna, a Jat farmer f)
Naraharai, a goldsmith and g) Pipa,
a Rajput prince
Kabir
Kabir was born near Banaras to a
Brahmin widow. But he was
brought up by a Muslim couple who
were weavers by profession.
He possessed an inquiring mind and
while in Benares learnt much about
Hinduism. He became familiar with
Islamic teachings also and
Ramananda initiated him into the
higher knowledge of Hindu and
Muslim religious and philosophical
ideas. Kabir ’s object was to
reconcile Hindus and Muslims and
establish harmony between the two
sects. He denounced idolatry and
rituals and laid great emphasis on
the equality of man before God. He
emphasized the essential oneness
of all religions by describing Hindus
and Muslims ‘as pots of the same
clay’. To him Rama and Allah,
temple and mosque were the same.
He regarded devotion to God as an
effective means of salvation and
urged that to achieve this one must
have a pure heart, free from cruelty,
dishonesty, hypocrisy and
insincerity. He is regarded as the
greatest of the mystic saints and his
followers are called Kabirpanthis.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following Bhakti
Saints:  today.
1. Dadu Dayal
2. Guru Nanak
3. Tyagaraja
Who among the above was/were
preaching when the Lodi dynasty
fell and Babur took over?
(a) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
Ans: b
(b) 2 only
(d) 1 and 2
(CSE 2013)
Expl: Dadu Dayal (1544-1601)
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) Tyagaraj
(1767-1847)
Lodi Dynasty fell in the Battle of
Panipat in 1526. Only Guru Nanak
was alive at that period.
Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak was the founder of the
Sikh religion and was a disciple of
Kabir. He was born in Talwandi near
Lahore. He denounced caste
distinctions and rituals like bathing
in holy rivers. His conception of
religion was highly practical and
sternly ethical. He exhorted people
to give up selfishness, falsehood and
hypocrisy and to lead a life of truth,
honesty and kindness. ‘Abide pure
amidst the impurities of the world’
was one of his famous sayings. His
life was dedicated to establishing
harmony between Hindus and
Muslims. His followers were
known as Sikhs.
Chaitanya was another well-known
saint and reformer of Bengal who
popularised the Krishna cult. He
renounced the world, became an
ascetic and wandered all over the
country preaching his ideas. He
proclaimed the universal
brotherhood of man and condemned
all distinction based on religion and
caste. He emphasized love and
peace and showed great sympathy
to the sufferings of other people,
especially that of the poor and the
weak. He believed that through love
and devotion, song and dance, a
devotee can feel the presence of
God. He accepted disciples from all
Prelims Magic 2014
classes and castes and his teachings
are widely followed in Bengal even
Gnanadeva was the founder of the
Bhakti Movement in Maharashtra
in the thirteenth century. It was
called Maharashtra Dharma. He
wrote a commentary of Bhagavat
Gita called Gnaneswari.
H
Namadeva preached the gospel of
love. He opposed idol worship and
I
priestly domination. He also opposed
the caste system.
In the sixteenth century, Ekanatha
S
opposed caste distinctions and
sympathetic towards the lower
castes. He composed many lyrics
T
and his bhajans and kirtans were
famous. Another Bhakti saint of
Maharashtra was Tukaram, a
O
contemporary of Sivaji. He was
responsible for creating a
background for Maratha
R
nationalism. He opposed all social
distinctions. Y
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Bhakta Tukaram was a
contemporary of which Mughal
emperor?
(a) Babur (b) Akbar
(c) Jehangir (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (c) (CSE 2003)
Explanation: The period of Bhakt
Tukaram is considerd in between
1608-1649.
The period of Jehangir is 1605-
1627.
The period of Shahjehan is 1627-
1657. Since Shah Jahan is not
given as an option Jehangir is a
better choice.
Nagarjuna (c. 150 - 250 CE) was
a philosopher who founded the
Madhyamaka school of Mahayana
Buddhism. His writings are the basis
for the formation of the
Madhyamaka school, which was
transmitted to China under the name
of the Three Treatise (Sanlun)
School. He is credited with
developing the philosophy of the
Prajnaparamita sutras, and was
125
 closely associated with the Buddhist
university of Nalanda. In the Jodo
Shinshu branch of Buddhism, he is
considered the First Patriarch. He
was born in Southern India, near the
town of Nagarjunakonda in present
day Nagarjuna Sagar in the Guntur
H district of Andhra Pradesh.
According to traditional biographers
and historians such as Kumarajiva,
I he was born into a Brahmin family,
but later converted to Buddhism.
Nagarjuna wrote Mulamadhya-
S makakarika (Fundamental Verses
on the Middle Way).
T How was this topic asked in the CSE
Among the following who was
not a proponet of bhakti cult?
O (a) Nagarjuna
(b) Tukaram
(c) Tyagaraja
R (d) Vallabhacharya
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Y Tukaram (1608 – c. 1650) was a
prominent Marathi Bhakti saint. He
was born and lived most of his life
in Dehu, a town close to Pune city
in Maharashtra, India. He was born
to a couple with the family name
"Moray". Tukaram was a devotee
of Lord Vittala or Vithoba -- an
incarnation of Lord Krishna.
Tukaram is considered as the
climactic point of the Bhagawat
Hindu tradition, which is thought to
have begun in Maharashtra with
Namdev. Dnyaneshwar, Namdev,
Janabai, Eknath, and Tukaram are
revered especially in the warakari
sect in Maharashtra. Tukaram
wrote in archaic Marathi a large
number of devotional poems
identified in Marathi as abhang. A
collection of 4,500 abhang known
as the Gatha is attributed to
Tukaram. Saint Tukaram's
composition ( poetries ) are found
in Guru Granth Sahib.
Tyagaraja was born in 1767 in
Tiruvarur, a small town in the
Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu. He
was one of the greatest composers
of Carnatic music or classical South
Indian music. In addition to nearly
126 Prelims Magic 2014
600 compositions (kritis), Tyagaraja
composed two musical plays in
Telugu, the Prahalada Bhakti
Vijayam and the Nauka Charitam.
Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) was
a devotional philosopher, who
founded the Pushti sect in India,
following the philosophy of Shuddha
advaita(Pure Non-dualism). Valla-
bhacharya accepted the 'Acharya'
designation of Vishnuswami
Sampraday (Rudra Sampradaya)
upon request of Bilvamangala
Acharya, the last Vishnuswami
16 THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
Historical Sources
The chronicles written mostly by
the courtiers were the primary
source of studying the Mughal
history. Important titles: Akbar
Nama, Shahjahan Nama, Alamgir
Nama, that is, the story of Akbar,
Shah Jahan and Alamgir (a title of
the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb). These
were written in Persian. The Tuzuk
I Baburi was translated from
Turkish to Persian and named
Baburnamah. The name Mughal
is derived from Mongol.The
Mughals declared themselves as
the descendants of Turkish ruler
Timur on the paternal side. They
called themselves Timurids.
Babur (1526-1530)
Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur
founded the Mughal Empire in
India. He was related to Timur from
his father’s side and to Chengiz
Khan through his mother. Babur
succeeded his father Umar Shaikh
Mirza as the ruler of Farghana. But
he was soon defeated by his distant
relative and as a result lost his
kingdom. He became a wanderer
for sometime till he captured Kabul
from one of his uncles. Then, Babur
took interest in conquering India and
launched four expeditions between
1519 and 1523. Turki was his
mother tongue. He wrote his
Sampradaya acharya before
Vallabhacharya. This was after
Vallabhacharya won the famous
debate of Brahmavad over
Shankara. Apart from being the
acharya of Vishnuswami
Sampradaya, Vallabhacharya also
propagated the Pushtimarg upon the
God Krishna's order and thus
became the acharya of not only
Vishnuswami Sampradaya but also
Pushti Sampradaya.
memoirs, Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki
language. It provides a vivid account
of India.
Military Conquests
On the eve of Babur’s invasion of
India, there were five prominent
Muslim rulers the Sultans of Delhi,
Gujarat, Malwa, Bengal and the
Deccan and two prominent Hindu
rulers Rana Sangha of Mewar and
the Vijayanagar Empire. Once again
by the end of 1525, Babur started
from Kabul to conquer India. He
occupied Lahore easily by defeating
its Governor, Daulat Khan Lodi.
Then he proceeded against Delhi
where Ibrahim Lodi was the Sultan.
On 21st April 1526 the first Battle
of Panipat took place between
Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, who was
killed in the battle. Babur’s success
was due his cavalry and artillery.
Babur occupied Delhi and sent his
son Humayun to seize Agra. Babur
proclaimed himself as “Emperor of
Hindustan”. His subsequent
victories over Rana Sangha and the
Afghans secured his position as the
ruler of India. Rana Sangha of
Mewar was a great Rajput warrior.
He marched against Babur and in
the Battle of Khanua (near Agra)
held in 1527 Babur won a decisive
victory over him. Babur assumed
the title of Ghazi. In 1528, Babur
captured Chanderi from another
Rajput ruler Medini Rai. In the next
year, Babur defeated the Afghans
in the Battle of Gogra in Bihar. By
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A) : The Battle of
Khanua was certainly more
decisive and significant than the
First Battle of Panipat
Reason (R) : Rana Sanga, the
Rajpoot hero, was certainly a
more formidable adversary than
Ibrahim Lodi.
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
these victories, Babur consolidated
his power in India. Babur died at
Agra in 1530 at the age of forty
seven.
Humayun (1530-1540)
Babur’s son Nasiruddin Humayun
succeeded him in 1530. Humayun
means “fortune” but he remained
the most unfortunate ruler of the
Mughal Empire. Humayun had
three brothers, Kamran, Askari and
Hindal. Humayun divided the
empire among his brothers but this
proved to be a great blunder on his
part. Kamran was given Kabul and
Kandahar. Sambhal and Alwar
were given to Askari and Hindal.
When Humayun was busy with
fighting the Afghans in the east, he
got the news that Bahadur Shah of
Gujarat was advancing towards
Delhi. Therefore, he hastily
concluded a treaty with the Afghan
leader Sher Khan (later Sher Shah)
and proceeded towards Gujarat.
Humayun captured Gujarat from
Bahadur Shah and appointed Askari
as its governor. But soon Bahadur
Shah recovered Gujarat from
Askari who fled from there. In the
meantime Sher Khan became
powerful in the east. Humayun
marched against him and in the
Battle of Chausa, held in 1539, Sher
Khan destroyed the Mughal army
and Humayun escaped from there.
Humayun reached Agra to negotiate
with his brothers. But as they were
not cooperative, Humayun was
forced to fight with Sher Khan alone
in the Battle of Bilgram in 1540. This
battle was also known as Battle of
Kanauj. Humayun was thoroughly
defeated by Sher Khan. After losing
his kingdom, Humayun became an
exile for the next fifteen years.
Sur Interregnum (1540-1555)
The founder of the Sur dynasty was
Sher Shah, whose original name
was Farid. He was the son of Hasan
Khan, a jagirdar of Sasaram in
Bihar. Later, Farid served under the
Afghan ruler of Bihar, who gave
him the title Sher Khan for his
bravery. We have already seen how
he defeated Humayun at the Battle
of Chausa and became the ruler of
Delhi in 1540.
Sher Shah Sur (1540-1545)
Sher Shah waged extensive wars
with the Rajputs and expanded his
empire. His conquests include
Punjab, Malwa, Sind, Multan and
Bundelkhand. His empire consisted
of the whole of North India except
Assam, Nepal, Kashmir and
Gujarat.
Sher Shah’s Administration
Although his rule lasted for five
years, he organized a brilliant
administrative system. The central
government consisted of several
departments. The king was assisted
by four important ministers:
1. Diwan –i- Wizarat – also called
as Wazir - in charge of Revenue
and Finance.
2. Diwan-i-Ariz – in charge of
Army.
3. Diwan-i-Rasalat- Foreign
Minister.
4. Diwan-i-Insha- Minister for
Communications.
Sher Shah’s empire was divided into
forty seven sarkars. Chief
Shiqdar (law and order) and Chief
Munsif (judge) were the two
officers in charge of the
administration in each sarkar. Each
sarkar was divided into several
parganas. Shiqdar (military
officer), Amin (land revenue),
Fotedar (treasurer) Karkuns
(accountants) were in charge of the
administration of each pargana.
Prelims Magic 2014
There were also many
administrative units called iqtas.
The land revenue administration was
well organized under Sher Shah.
Land survey was carefully done. All
cultivable lands were classified into
three classes – good, middle and
bad. The state’s share was one third
of the average produce and it was
H
paid in cash or crop. His revenue
reforms increased the revenue of
the state. Sher Shah introduced new
I
silver coins called “Dam” and they
were in circulation till 1835. Sher
Shah had also improved the
S
communications by laying four
important highways. They were: 1.
Sonargaon to Sind 2. Agra to
T
Burhampur, 3. Jodhpur to Chittor,
and 4. Lahore to Multan. Rest
houses were built on the highways
O
for the convenience of the travelers.
Police was efficiently reorganized
and crime was less during his
R
regime. The military administration
was also efficiently reorganized and
Sher Shah borrowed many ideas like
Y
the branding of horses from
Alauddin Khalji.
Estimate of Sher Shah
Sher Shah remained a pious Muslim
and generally tolerant towards other
religions. He employed Hindus in
important offices. He was also a
patron of art and architecture. He
built a new city on the banks of the
river Yamuna near Delhi. Now the
old fort called Purana Qila and its
mosque is alone surviving. He also
built a Mausoleum at Sasaram,
which is considered as one of the
master pieces of Indian architecture.
Sher Shah also patronized the
learned men. Malik Muhammad
Jayasi wrote the famous Hindi work
Padmavat during his reign. After
Sher Shah’s death in 1545 his
successors ruled till 1555 when
Humayun reconquered India.
Humayun (1555-1556)
When Humayun left India in 1540,
he married Hamida Banu Begum
on his way to Sind. When they
stayed in Amarkot, a Hindu kingdom
127
 ruled by Rana Prasad, Akbar was
born in 1542. Humayun then
proceeded to Iran and sought help
from its ruler. He later defeated his
brothers, Kamran and Askari. In the
meantime the Sur dynasty in India
was declining rapidly. In 1555,
H Humayun defeated the Afghans and
recovered the Mughal throne. After
six months, he died in 1556 due to
I his fall from the staircase of his
S How was this topic asked in the CSE?
T (c) Aurangzeb at the time of
O death in 1707
R Q. In the given map, the shaded
part represents Akbar’s empire at
Y a certain juncture, ‘A’ stands for
an independent country and ‘B’
marks the site of city. Which one
of the following alternative gives
all correct information?
(a) Akbar in1557:
(A) Golcunda,
(B) Lahore
(b) Akbar in 1557 :
(A) Khandesh
(B) Multan
(c) Akbar in1605:
(A) Gondwana
(B) Multan
(d) Akbar in 1605:
(A) Gondwana
(B) Lahore
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation : The shaded portion
in the map shows the Empire of
Akbar at the time of his death. The
place marked “A” is Gondwana
which was an independent state
and “B” shows Lahore which was
a part of Akbar’s empire.
library. Although Humayun was not
a good General and warrior, he was
kind and generous. He was also
128 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
learned and a student
mathematics, astronomy and
of
Q. The given map refers to the
kingdom of:
(a) Akbar at the time of capture
of Khandesh in 1601
(b) Akbar at the time of his death
in 1605
capture of Hyderabad
(d) Aurangzeb at the time of his
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2000)
Q. Assertion (A): Emperor
Akbar marched towards
Afghanistan in 1581 with a huge
army.
Reason (R): He was on his way
to reclaim his ancestral country of
Ferghana in Central Asia.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
astrology. He also loved painting and
wrote poetry in Persian language.
Akbar (1556-1605)
Akbar was one of the greatest
monarchs of India. He succeeded
to the throne after his father,
Humayun’s, death. But his position
was dangerous because Delhi was
seized by the Afghans. Their
commander-in-Chief, Hemu, was in
charge of it. In the second Battle of
Panipat in 1556, Hemu was almost
on the point of victory. But an arrow
pierced his eye and he became
unconscious. His army fled and the
fortune favoured Akbar. The
Mughal victory was decisive. During
the first five years of Akbar’s reign,
Bairam Khan acted as his regent.
He consolidated the Mughal
Empire. After five years, he was
removed by Akbar due to court
intrigues and sent to Mecca. But on
his way Bairam was killed by an
Afghan. Akbar’s military conquests
were extensive. He conquered
northern India from Agra to Gujarat
and then from Agra to Bengal. He
strengthened the northwest frontier.
Later, he went to the Deccan.
Akbar married the Rajput princess,
the daughter of Raja Bharamal. It
was a turning point in the history of
Mughals. Rajputs served the
Mughals for four generations. Many
of them rose to the positions of
military generals. Raja Bhagawan
Das and Raja Man Singh were
given senior positions in the
administration by Akbar. One by
one, all Rajput states submitted to
Akbar. But the Ranas of Mewar
continued to defy despite several
defeats. In the Battle of Haldighati,
Rana Pratap Singh was severely
defeated by the Mughal army led
by Man Singh in 1576. Following the
defeat of Mewar, most of the
leading Rajput rulers had accepted
Akbar’s suzerainty. Akbar’s Rajput
policy was combined with a broad
religious toleration. He abolished the
pilgrim tax and later the jiziya. The
Rajput policy of Akbar proved to be
beneficial to the Mughal state as
well as to the Rajputs. The alliance
secured to the Mughals the services
of the bravest warriors. On the
other hand, it ensured peace in
Rajasthan and a number of Rajputs
who joined the Mughal service rose
to important positions.
Akbar’s Kabul conquest- His cousin
Mirza Hakim, the Governor of
Kabul had declared himself
independent. Many leading clergy,
ministers and nobles supported
Mirza. Mirza moved towards
Punjab with a huge army. Akbar led
the campaign to Kabul on 18 th
February, 1581. Hearing the news
of Akbar ’s advance, Mirza fled
from Kabul. Akbar entrusted the
governorship of Kabul to
Bakhunisha and returned to Agra.
Religious Policy
His religious ideas were greately
influenced by his early contacts with
the Sufi saints, the teachings of his
tutor, Abdul Latif, his marriage with
Rajput women, his association with
intellectual giants like Shaikh
Mubarak and his two illustrious sons
– Abul Faizi and Abul Fazl – and
his ambition to establish an empire
in Hindustan. In the beginning of his
life, Akbar was a pious Muslim.
Soon after marrying Jodh Bai of
Amber, he abolished the pilgrim tax
and in 1562, he abolished jiziya. He
allowed his Hindu wives to worship
their own gods. Later, he became a
skeptical Muslim. In 1575, he
ordered for the construction of
Ibadat Khana (House of worship)
at his new capital Fatepur Sikri.
Akbar invited learned scholars from
all religions like Hinduism, Jainism,
Christianity and Zoroastrianism. He
disliked the interference of the
Muslim Ulemas in political matters.
In 1579, he issued the “Infallibility
Decree” by which he asserted his
religious powers. In 1582, he
promulgated a new religion called
Din Ilahi or Divine Faith. It believes
in one God. It contained good points
of all religions. Its basis was
rational. It upholds no dogma. It was
aimed at bridging the gulf that
separated different religions.
However, his new faith proved to
be a failure. It fizzled out after his
death. Even during his life time, it
had only fifteen followers including
Birbal. Akbar did not compel anyone
to his new faith.
Navratnas, the nine jewels in
Akbar’s court
Abul Fazal- was the Grand Vizier
(Wazir-e Azam) of Akbar and
author of theAkbarnama, the
official history of Akbar’s reign in
three volumes, He was also the
brother of Faizi, the poet laureate
of Emperor Akbar.
Faizi- was the poet laureate of
Akbar ’s Court. He composed
beautiful poetry in Persian and is
estimated by his contemporaries to
have composed nearly 100 poetic
works. Towards this end, he wrote
Nal u Daman, MakHzan ul-advar,
and Bilqis va Salman. These were
in imitation of Nezami’s Layla va
Majnun, MakHzan ul-Asrar, and
Shirin va Khusrau, respectively.
Akbar highly recognized the genius
in him and appointed him teacher for
his son and gave place to him among
his decorative ‘Nav Ratnas’. He
also wrote a commentary on the
Quran and translated Lilavati a
Sanskrit work on mathematics into
Persian. His father was Mubarak
Nagori, a scholar in the philosophy
and literature of Greece as well as
in Islamic theology.
Tansen - was a musician in Akbar’s
court and is considered among the
greatest composer-musicians. He
was an extraordinarily gifted
vocalist, known for a large number
of compositions, and also an
instrumentalist who popularized and
improved the Rabab (a musical
instrument of Central Asian origin).
Birbal- was the only person other
than Akbar who was a Din I Ilahi
believer. Birbal’s duties in Akbar’s
court were mostly military and
administrative but he was also a
very close friend of the emperor,
who liked Birbal most for his wit and
humor, as a result of which they
frequently had witty and humorous
exchanges between them.
Raja Todar Mal - rose to become
the Finance Minister in Akbar ’s
Darbar. Todar Mal overhauled the
revenue system of Akbar’s Mughal
Empire.
Raja Man Singh - was the Rajah
of Amber. He was a trusted general
in Akbar’s army.
Abdur Rahim Kahni Khana- was
a poet in Akbar’s durbar, and one
of his main nine ministers (Diwan)in
his court, also known as the
Navaratnas.
Raja Bhagwan Das-He was a
great general under Akbar and
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fought many battles with him.
Mirza Aziz Koka- He was a foster
brother of Akbar. He helped in the
conquest of Gujarat, and Akbar
conferred on him the title of Khan I
Azam.
Land Revenue Administration
H
Akbar made some experiments in
the land revenue administration with
the help of Raja Todar Mal. The land
I
revenue system of Akbar was
called Zabti or Bandobast system.
It was further improved by Raja
S
Todar Mal. It was known as
Dahsala System which was
completed in 1580. By this system,
T
Todar Mal introduced a uniform
system of land measurement. The
revenue was fixed on the average
O
yield of land assessed on the basis
of past ten years. The land was also
divided into four categories – Polaj
R
(cultivated every year), Parauti
(once in two years), Chachar (once
in three or four years) and Banjar
Y
(once in five or more years).
Payment of revenue was made
generally in cash.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The head of the military
department under the recognised
central machinery of
administration during Akbar ’s
reign was:
(a) Diwan (b) Mir Bakshi
(c) Mir Saman (d) Bakshi
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
Akbar – Organisation of
Government
He reorganized the central
machinery of administration on the
basis of the division of power
between various departments and
of checks and balance.
Diwan-i-Wazir- Head of revenue
department
Mir Bakshi- Head of the military
department
129
 Mir saman- Charge of the imperial
household
Chief Qazi- Judicial department.
Chief sadar- charitable and
religious endowments
maintain at least two horses. The
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
mansab rank was not hereditary. All
appointments and promotions as
well as dismissals were directly
made by the emperor.
Some elite troops called ahadis

H Mansabdari System
Mansabdari system was first
introduced by Chenghis Khan, the
I Mongol king in Central Asia. In
1575, Akbar introduced it in India.
It was based on Decimal system.
S The main aim of Akbar to introduce
it was to bring stability in his
kingdom and give effective clean
T administration to the people. Under
this system, every officer was
assigned a rank (mansab). The
O lowest rank was 10 and the highest
was 5000 for the nobles. Princes of
royal blood received even higher
R How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Y Q. In medieval India, Mansabdari
system was introduced mainly for
: (a) making recruitment to the
were maintained directly by the
emperors without placing them
under the manasabdars. Their
equipments were of high standard
and each had to muster five horses.
They were given high salaries and
were most loyal army of the
emperor.
Q. The shaded area in empire of :
(a) Alauddin Khalji
Jahangir (1605-1627) (b) Mohammad Tughlaq
When Akbar died, Prince Salim
succeeded with the title, Jahangir,
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2001)
(Conqueror of the World) in 1605.
Jahangir’s rule witnessed a spate of
rebellions. His son, Khusrau,
Explanation : The shaded area in
the map shows the empire of Shah
Jahan. Bijapur and Go1kunda
revolted but was defeated and
imprisoned. One of his supporters,
Guru Arjun, the fifth Sikh Guru, was
were not his part of territory as
these were captured by
Aurzngzeb in 1668 and 1687
beheaded. He introduced “duh Aspa
Sih Aspa” in Mansabdari.
respectively.

army Nur Jahan Q. The motive behind Shah

(b 1 facilitating revenue collection
(c) ensuring religious harmony
(d) effecting clean administration
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Ahadis were those troopers who:
1. Offered their services singly
2. Did not attach themselves to
any chief
3. Had the emperor as their
immediate colonel
4. Attached themselves to Mirzas
Of these statements:
(a) 1, 3 and 4 are correct
(b) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
(c) 2 and 3 are correct
(d) 1 and 4 are correct
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
ranks. The ranks were divided into
two – zat and sawar. Zat means
personal and it fixed the personal
status of a person. Sawar rank
indicated the number of cavalrymen
of a person who was required to
maintain. Every sawar had to
In 1611, Jahangir married
Mehrunnisa who was known as Nur
Jahan (Light of the World). Her
father, Itimaduddauala was a
respectable person. He was given
the post of chief Diwan. Other
members of her family also
benefited from this alliance. Nur
Jahan’s elder brother, Asaf Khan,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): During the
time of Akbar, for every ten
cavalrymen, the mansabdars had
to maintain twenty horses.
Reason (R): Horses had to be
rested while on march and
replacements were necessary in
times of war.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is true
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1999)
Jahan’s Balkh campaign was to:
(a) secure a friendly ruler in Balkh
and Badakshan which bordered
Kabul
(b) conquer Samarqand and
Farghana, the Mughal homelands
(c) fix the Mughal frontier on the
‘scientific line’, the Amu Daria
(d) expand the Mughal Empire
beyond the sub-continent
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Q. Assertion (A): During the
reign of Shahjahan, Dara Sikoh
was sent on expedition to Balkha,
Badakhshan and Qandahar.
Reason (R): The expedition sent
by Shahjahan to the Middle-East
was a marvelous success.
(a) Both A and R is true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R is true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)

130 Prelims Magic 2014

was appointed as Khan-i-Saman, a
post reserved for the nobles. In
1612, Asaf Khan’s daughter,
Arjumand Banu Begum (later
known as Mumtaj), married
Jahangir’s third son, prince Khurram
(later Shah Jahan). It was believed
by some historians that Nur Jahan
formed a group of “junta” and this
led to two factions in the Mughal
court. This drove Shah Jahan into
rebellion against his father in 1622,
since he felt that Jahangir was
completely under Nur Jahan’s
influence. However, this view is not
accepted by some other historians.
Till Jahangir became weak due to
ill health, he only took important
political decisions. It is revealed
from his autobiography. However,
it is clear that Nur Jahan dominated
the royal household and set new
fashions based on Persian traditions.
She encouraged Persian art and
culture in the court. She was a
constant companion of Jahangir and
even joined him in his hunting. The
rise of Shah Jahan was due to his
personal ambitions. He rose in
revolt against his father who ordered
him to go to Kandahar. This
rebellion distracted the activities of
the empire for four years. After
Jahangir’s death in 1627, Shah
Jahan reached Agra with the support
of the nobles and the army. Nur
Jahan was given a pension and lived
a retired life till her death eighteen
years later.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In Indian history, who was
Abdul Hamid Lahori?
(a) An important military
commander during Akbar reign.
(b) An official historian of the reign
of Shah Jahan;
(c) An important noble and
confidant of Aurangzeb.
(d) A chronicler and poet during
the reign of Muhammad Shah.
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2000)
Shah Jahan (1627-1658)
Shah Jahan launched a prolonged
campaign in the northwest frontier
to recover Kandahar and other
ancestral lands. The Mughal army
lost more than five thousand lives
during the successive invasions
between 1639 and 1647. Then
Shah Jahan realized the futility of
his ambition and stopped fighting.
Shah Jahan’s Balkh and Badaskhan
campaign (by Dara Sikoh) were an
attempt to remove the Persian
representative and secure a friendly
ruler in Balkh and Badaskhan which
bordered Kabul. This would help
him in controlling the rebel Afghan
tribes living near Gazani and Khyber.
His Deccan policy was more
successful. He defeated the forces
of Ahmadnagar and annexed it.
Both Bijapur and Golkonda signed
a treaty with the emperor. Shah
Jahan carved four Mughal
provinces in the Deccan –
Khandesh, Berar, Telangana and
Daulatabad. They were put under
the control of his son, Aurangazeb.
Abdul Hamid Lahori was an official
historian of the reign of Shah Jahan.
He wrote the book ‘Padshah-
Nama.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The battle of Dharmat was
fought between:
(a) Muhammad Ghori and Jai
Chand
(b) Babur and Afghans
(c) Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh
(d) Ahmad Shah Durrani and the
Marathas
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
War of Succession
The last years of Shah Jahan’s reign
were clouded by a bitter war of
succession among his four sons –
Dara Shukoh (crown prince), Shuja
(Governor of Bengal), Aurangazeb
(Governor of Deccan) and Murad
Baksh (Governor of Malwa and
Gujarat). Towards the end of 1657,
Shah Jahan fell ill at Delhi for some
time but later recovered. But the
princes started fighting for the
Mughal throne. A battle was fought
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between Aurangzeb and Dara for
Shahjahan’s throne at Dharmat.
Dara Shukoh was supported by Raja
Jaswant Singh and Aurangzeb was
supported by Prince Murad. On
25th April 1658 Aurangzeb was
victorious. He entered the Agra fort
after defeating Dara. He forced
Shah Jahan to surrender. Shah
H
Jahan was confined to the female
apartments in the Agra fort and
strictly put under vigil. But he was
I
not ill-treated. Shah Jahan lived for
eight long years lovingly nursed by
his daughter, Jahanara. He died in
S
1666 and buried beside his wife’s
grave in the Taj Mahal.
Aurangazeb (1658-1707)
T
Aurangazeb was one of the ablest
of the Mughal kings. He assumed
O
the title Alamgir, “World
Conqueror”. His military campaigns
in his first ten years of reign were a
R
great success. He suppressed the
minor revolts. But he faced serious
difficulties in the latter part of his Y
reign. The Jats and Satnamis and
also the Sikhs revolted against him.
These revolts were induced by his
harsh religious policy.
Deccan Policy
The Deccan policy of the Mughals
started from the reign of Akbar,
who conquered Khandesh and
Berar. Jahangir fought against
Malik Amber of Ahmadnagar.
During Shah Jahan’s reign,
Aurangazeb, as Governor of
Deccan, followed an aggressive
Deccan policy. When he became
the Mughal emperor, for the first
twenty five years, he concentrated
on the northwest frontier. At that
time, the Maratha ruler, Sivaji
carved out an independent Maratha
kingdom in the territories of north
and south Konkan. To contain the
spread of the Marathas, Aurangazeb
decided to invade Bijapur and
Golkonda. He defeated Sikandar
Shah of Bijapur and annexed his
kingdom. Then, he proceeded
against Golkonda and eliminated the
Kutb Shahi dynasty. It was also
131
 annexed by him. In fact, the
destruction of the Deccan kingdoms
was a political blunder on the part
of Aurangazeb. The barrier
between the Mughals and the
Marathas was removed and there
ensued a direct confrontation
H between them. Also, his Deccan
campaigns exhausted the Mughal
treasury. According to J. N. Sarkar,
I “the Deccan ulcer ruined
Aurangazeb”.
Religious Policy
S Aurangazeb was a staunch and
orthodox Muslim in his personal life.
T His ideal was to transform India into
an Islamic state. He created a
separate department to enforce
O moral codes under a high-powered
officer called Muhtasib. Drinking
was prohibited. Cultivation and use
R of bhang and other drugs were
banned. Aurangazeb forbade music
in the Mughal court. He
Y discontinued the practice of
Jarokhadarshan. He also dis-
continued the celebration of
Dasarah and royal astronomers and
astrologers were also dismissed
from service. Initially Aurangazeb
banned the construction of new
Hindu temples and repair of old
temples. Then he began a policy of
destroying Hindu temples. The
celebrated temples at Mathura and
Benares were reduced to ruins. In
1679, he reimposed jiziya and pilgrim
tax. He was also not tolerant of
other Muslim sects. The celebration
of Muharram was stopped. His
invasions against the Deccan
Sultanates were partly due to his
hatred of the Shia faith. He was also
against the Sikhs and he executed
the ninth Sikh Guru Tej Bahadur.
This had resulted in the
transformation of Sikhs into a
warring community. His religious
policy was responsible for turning
the Rajputs, the Marathas and Sikhs
into the enemies of Mughal empire.
It had also resulted in the rebellions
of the Jats of Mathura and the
Satnamis of Mewar. Therefore,
132 Prelims Magic 2014
Aurangazeb was held responsible
for the decline of the Mughal
Empire.
Personality and Character
of Aurangazeb
In his private life, Aurangazeb was
industrious and disciplined. He was
very simple in food and dress. He
earned money for his personal
expenses by copying Quran and
selling those copies. He did not
consume wine. He was learned and
proficient in Arabic and Persian
languages. He was a lover of
books. He was devoted to his
religion and conducted prayers five
times a day. He strictly observed the
Ramzan fasting. In the political field,
Aurangazeb committed serious
mistakes. He misunderstood the
true nature of the Maratha
movement and antagonized them.
Also, he failed to solve the Maratha
problem and left an open sore. His
policy towards Shia Deccan
Sultanates also proved to be a
wrong policy. His religious policy
was also not successful.
Aurangazeb was an orthodox Sunni
Muslim. But his move to apply his
religious thought rigidly in a non-
Muslim society was a failure. His
antagonistic policies towards non-
Muslims did not help him to rally the
Muslims to his side. On the other
hand it had strengthened political
enemies of the Mughal Empire.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The loss of Qandhar was a big
blow to the Mughal Empire from
the view point of:
(a) Natural resources
(b) Buffer territory
(c) Communication
(d) Strategic stronghold
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
The loss of Qandhar was a big blow
to the Mughal Empire from the view
point of strategic stronghold. The
loss of Qandhar exposed the
Mughal kingdom from outside
attacks.
The Mughal paintings were small
in size and hence called ‘miniature
paintings’.
Though the Mughal art absorbed the
Indian atmosphere, it was mostly
aristocratic. A keen appreciation of
nature was another characteristic of
the Mughal School. Mughal artists
excelled in combination of colours
and portrait-painting. Mughal
painting developed and flourished
during the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir
and Shah Jahan. Mughal painting
reached its zenith during the region
of Jahangir. He had a predilection
for art of painting. He patronized
great painters who produced the
masterprices of medieval Indian
painting. Some of the painters were
Aqa Riza, Bishan Das, Madhu,
Anant, Manohar and Ustad Mansur.
Aurangzeb (1658-1707) did not
actively encourage Mughal
paintings, but as this art form had
gathered momentum and had a
number of patrons, Mughal paintings
continued to survive, but the decline
had set in. A brief revival was
noticed during the reign of
Muhammad Shah ‘Rangeele’ (1719-
48), but by the time of Shah Alam
II (1759-1806), the art of Mughal
painting had lost its glory. By that
time, other schools of Indian painting
had developed, including, in the royal
courts of the Rajput kingdoms of
Rajputana, Rajput painting. Rajput
painting, also known as Rajasthani
Painting is a style of Indian painting,
evolved and flourished during the
18th century in the royal courts of
Rajputana, India, flowing from the
style of Mughal painting, itself
derived from the Persian miniature.
Pahari paintings, as the name
suggests, were paintings executed
in the hilly regions of India, in the
sub-Himalayan state of Himachal
Pradesh. It is in the development
and modification of Pahari paintings,
that the Kangra School features.
Under the patronage of Maharaja
Sansar Chand (c.1765-1823), it
became the most important centre
of Pahari painting. Kalighat
painting originated in the 19th
century Bengal, in the vicinity of
Kalighat Kali Temple, Kalighat,
Kolkata. The Kalighat School was
an agreeable and unique blend of
two different styles of painting—the
Oriental and the Occidental. It is
characterised by generously curving
figures of both men and women and
an earthy satirical style. It
developed during the nineteenth
century in response to the sudden
prosperity brought to Calcutta by the
East India Company trade
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Mughal School of painting
formed the spinal column of the
various schools of Indian
maniature art. Which one of the
following painting styles was not
affected by Mughal painting?
(a) Pahari
(c) Kangra
(b) Rajasthani
(d) Kalighata
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Q. Mughal painting reached its
zenith under:
(a) Hunayun (b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir (d) Shahjahan
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
CAUSES FOR
THE DOWNFALL
Orthodox policies of Aurangzeb-
The reforms brought about by
Aurangzeb in the realm of religion,
administration, economic as well as
political were initiated on the basis
of the orthodox attitude of the
Emperor. The liberal policies
pursued by Aurangzeb’s
predecessors were done away
with. This enraged the majority of
the population who were Hindus.
The administrative policies
implemented by Aurangzeb were
discriminatory and were aimed at
subjugating the non-Muslim
populace.
Deccan and Rajput Policies- The
oppressive attitude of the Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb towards these
regions and clans alienated them
completely from the central
administration. The Deccani states
and the Rajput clans refused to
submit to the orthodox ways and
annexationist tendencies of
Auragzeb. They rose in frequent
rebellion leading to a perpetual
bitterness between them and the
Mughal authority.
Constant Rebellion-Aurangzeb’s
rule was marked by rebellions from
all quarters. The oppressive policies
of the entral authority led to
frequent rebellions by small clans
such as the Jats, Satnamis, various
provinces such as Bengal,
northeast, northwest and the
Deccan. The Maratha, Sikh and
Rajputs were a regular threat to the
Mughal rule during the reign of
Aurangzeb.
Weak Successors- The Empire
could not be bounded by the
successors of Aurangzeb. The pulls
and pressuress from different
regions under Aurangzeb were too
many to hold an Empire together.
This was coupled with the problem
of inefficient and weak successors.
Factionalism- The nobility of this
period too was ridden with
factionalism. There were too many
racial groups such as Turanis,
Afghanis and and Iranis alongwith
the Deccanis and Rajputs who
struggled to gain a prominent place
in administration. The jagirdari and
the mansabdari system on one
hand consolidated the Empire.
However, these very systems also
weakned the Empire on account of
the high and low ranks associated
with them. There was constant
rivalry among the nobility for high
ranks in the jagirdari and
mansabdari system of
administration.
Draining of the treasury- The
Mughal treasury was gradually
getting empty with the constant
military campaigns of the state. The
insecure conditions in the Mughal
state during Aurangzeb did not lead
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to a boost in trade activity;
agriculture too was affected
because of the oppressive attitude
of the administration. The revenue
expenditure gradually became more
than the income of the state and led
to constant drain on the treasury.
The over staffing as well as high
value of jagirs and mansabs also
H
made the state bankrupt.
Weak Successors- All the
sucessors of Aurangzeb were weak
I
and incompetant.
Jahander Shah (1712-13): The war
S
of succession among the four sons
of Bahadur Shah resulted in the
emergence of Jahander as the
T
successor due to the support given
to him by Zulfikar Khan (beginning
of the practice of nobles acting as
O
king-makers). Later, Jahander was
defeated by his nephew Farukh
Siyar in1713. The Sayyid brothers
R
(Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali
Khan) played a decisive role in the
succession of Farukh.
Y
Bahadur Shah (1707-12)
Jahander Shah (1712-13)
Farrukh Siyar (1713-19)
Muhammad Shah (1719-48)
Ahmed Shah (1748-54)
Alamgir II
Shah Alam II
Akbar II
Bahadur Shah II
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. How did the Mughal Emperor
Jahandarshah’s reign come to an
early end?
(a) He was deposed by his Wazir
(b) He died due to a slip while
climbing down steps
(c) He was defeated by his
nephew in a battle
(d) He died of sickness due to
much consumption of wine
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
133

THE MARATHAS AND THE
17
SIKH CONFEDERACY
The first major threat to Mughal
H imperial power came from a Hindu
tribal confederacy known as the
Marathas. Located in the
I mountainous regions of the Deccan,
the Marathas were mainly drawn
from the lowest caste of society, but
S they became a powerfully militant
community under their ruler,
Chhatrapati Shivaji. Their rise is
T primarily due to their oppression
under the Nizamshahi (Ahmad-
nagar) and Adilshahi (Bijapur)
O dynasties of the Deccan. The
constant fight between the ruling
dynasties resulted in many hardships
R for the general populace. Also the
owner of Jagirs cared only for
themselves and the people had to
Y undergo a lot of problems. The
religious revivalist movements of the
15th-16th centuries and the evolution
of Marathi as a comman language
united the Marathi populace. The
Marathi Empire was founded by
Shivaji in 1674 and grew as a
formidable force to the Mughal
Empire. The Maratha confederacy
was raised in the region of Pune and
Bijapur. The Marathas emerged as
the strongest native power after the
decline of Mughal Empire.
Shivaji
Shivaji was born in 1627 to Shahji
and Jijabai. He grew up to be a force
to recon with. The political career
of Shivaji started under Muhammed
Adil Shah of Bijapur (1627-57). He
increased his power gradually to
become the leader. Adopting
guerrilla tactics, Shivaji waylaid
caravans in order to sustain and
expand his army, which soon had
money, arms, and horses. In 1674
he assumed the title of “Lord of the
Universe” at his elaborate
coronation, which signaled his
determination to challenge the
Mughal forces as well as to
134 Prelims Magic 2014
reestablish a Hindu kingdom in
Maharashtra, the land of his origin.
Shivaji’s battle cries were swaraj
(translated variously as freedom,
self-rule, independence),
swadharma (religious freedom),
and goraksha (cow protection).
Shivaji first captured the fort of
Singhagarh in 1644 AD. Next
Rohilkand and built Raigarh. Shahji’s
jagirs in the western part were
brought under one compact state.
He captured Chakan and renamed
it Sangramdurg. Purandar, Indarpur,
Baramati were also captured by
him. He consolidated his hold
administratively and called upon the
Maratha chiefs such as the
Deshmukh’s under Adil Shah’s
service to join him. Those who
resisted were wiped out. Shivaji
challenged the Adil Shahis might
and confronted his general Afzal
Khan. He was killed in Pratapgarh
in 1659 AD. Shivaji raided the Adil
Shahi territory from 1661-2 AD.
The Mughal governor, Shafista
Khan was taken up next in Poona
in 1663 AD. Shivaji, thus, led a
series of successful assaults in the
1660s against Mughal strongholds,
during the reign of Aurangzeb and
besieged the major port of Surat.
After a successful escape from the
clutches of Mughal governor Jai
Singh, Shivaji crowned himself in
1674 AD in Raigarh. He assumed
the title of Hindavadhar-
modharak. He died in 1680 AD.
Shivaji’s successors
Aurangzeb relentlessly pursued
Shivaji’s successors between 1681
and 1705 but eventually retreated
to the north as his treasury became
depleted and as thousands of lives
had been lost either on the battlefield
or to natural calamities.
Sambhaji was the son of Shivaji and
succeeded him in 1680. Aurangzeb
took the opportunity of this period
and took revenge on the Marathas
for sheltering his son Prince Akbar
who had rebelled against
Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was captured
with his infant son and family and
executed them in 1689 AD.
Rajaram, the step brother of
Sambhaji captured the throne at
Raigarh.. However Zulfirk, Khan
besieged the fort and Rajaram
escaped to Gingee. Rajaram,
gathered a force from Gingee and
started forming a force against the
Mughals. The roaming Maratha
bands borrowed money and raised
their troops once again and
harassed the Mughal army
considerably. He died in 1700 AD.
Tara Bai, his widow, acted as
regent for her minor son, Shivaji II.
The Marathas once again gathered
strength and stood against the
Mughals. In 1696 AD they looted
Madogarh. Later, they also crossed
the Narmada and seized some
territories. The Marathas could not
be suppressed during the reign of
Aurangzeb and the emperor died in
1707 AD. After the death of the
Emperor Aurangzeb, the Mughals
under Governor Zulfir Khan tried to
divide the Marathas. On one hand
they set Sahu, Sambhaji’s son, free
and on the other they claimed the
government of the territory ruled by
Tara Bai. In this situation, Sahu
established himself firmly. Balaji
Vishwanath was his Peshwa (1713).
The only achievement of this period
was that the Peshwa obtained a
Farman from the Syed brothers to
collect the Chauth and Sardesh-
mukhi in return for certain services
to the Emperor. Sahu ruled till 1749
AD. Baji Rao the next Peshwa
(1720) was able to establish
Maratha rule in Malwa by 1738 by
destabilizing Nizam ul Mulk of the
Deccan. Thereafter the Marathas
were often confronted with the
ambitions of their Peshwas. Their
struggle for power often led the
Marathas to ally with the British
power.
ADMINISTRATION
Empire was divided into two parts
i. Swaraj (own territory) ii parts of
Mughal empire. From here the
Chauth was collected. Chauth and
Sardeshmukhi were land taxes
collected from the Mughal territory.
Provinces were divided into Prants.
The “Modi Script” was employed
in the documents of Marathas
especially in keeping the revenue
record and administrative record.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The ‘Modi script’ was
employed in the documents of the:
(a) Wodeyars (b) Zamorins
(c) Hoysalas (d) Marathas
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Council of Ministers –
Ashtapradhan who were directly
answerable to the Maratha ruler.
Mokasa were the land grants given
by Maratha rulers.
Peshwa-finance and overall
administration (Prime Minister)
Sadr i Naubat- Senapati
Diwan- secretary and assisted
Peshwa
Mazumdar-Accountant
Fadnis- office incharge
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Ashtapradhan was a Council
of ministers:
(a) In the Gupta administration
(b) In the Chola administration
(c) In the Vijayanagar
administration
(d) In the Maratha administration
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Chitnis-correspondence
Potnis- Cashier
Sumant-Foreign affairs
Karkhanis- commisary
Nyayadhis-Justice
Subhadar- officer incharge of Prant
Pandit Rao- Religious affairs
Bargis- supplied with horses and
arms by the state
Silahdar- had to keep own
equipments Patels- chief
village official
Deshmukh and Deshpande’s
were Kulkarni- clerk/record
keepers
District officials
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The member of Shivaji’s Astha
Pradhana who looked after foreign
affairs was:
(a) Peshwa (b) Sachiv
(c) Pandit Rao (d) Sumant
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
Peshwas in Maratha History
Balaji Vishwanath (1713-20); Baji
Rao I (1720-40); Balaji Baji Rao
(1740-61)
Madhava Rao (1761-72); Narayan
Rao (1772-73); Sawai Madhav Rao
(1773-95)
Baji Rao II (1795-1818)
Third battle of Panipat
The Third Battle of Panipat marks
the turning point in the annals of
modern Indian history. On the one
hand it gave a death blow on the
Maratha dominance, because they
could not re-establish their political
authority in the north. On the other,
it paved the way for the rise of the
British.
Causes of the Battle:
The causes of the Third Battle of
Panipat are intimately linked with
the decline of the Mughal Empire
after Aurangzeb. As a result of the
decline of the Mughal empire a sort
of power vacuum was created in
northern India and both the Afghans
and Marathas tried to fill up this
vacuum. Ahmad Shah Abdali of
Afghanistan launched a number of
invasions on India but generally he
left after collecting lot of booty. On
the other hand, the Marathas, who
were fired by the ideal of
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): Marathas
emerged as the strongest native
power in India after the decline of
Mughal Empire.
Reason (R): Marathas were the
first to have a clear concept of a
united Indian nation.
H
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
I
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
S
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
T
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
Q. Examine the map given below:
O
R
Y
The places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4
were respectively the seats of
powers of the:
(a) Scindias, Holkars, Gaekwards
and Bhonsles
(b) Holkars, Scindias, Gaekwads
and Bhonsles
(c) Gaekwads, Bhonsles, Scindias
and Holkars
(d) Scindias, Holkars: Bhonsles
and Gaekwads
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
establishing “Hindu-pad-Padshahi”,
also tried to increase their influence
at Delhi. They got an opportunity to
play an effective role in 1752, when
Nawab Wazir Safdar Jung
concluded an agreement with them
offering to concede Chauth from
the Punjab, Sindh and Doab in return
for the Maratha promise to defend
the Mughal Empire against internal
and external aggressions. However,
this agreement could not come into
135
 operation because the emperor
purchased peace with Ahmad Shah
Abdali by ceding the province of
Punjab. After this agreement, the
Maratha appetite for territorial
ambition in the north was whetted.
In view of the rival ambitions of the
H Afghans and the Marathas, the
conflict became inevitable.
I The Mughal emperor could not
reconcile to the loss of Punjab to
Ahmad Shah Abdali, and on the
S advice of Imad-ul-Mulk agreed to
accept the Maratha protection. The
Mughal emperor (Ahmad Shah)
T entered into a contract with Scindhia
and Holkar. By virtue of this
agreement, the Peshwa agreed to
O defend the emperor from internal
and external enemies in return for
a payment of Rupees fifty lakh per
R annum. The Peshwa was given the
right to levy Chauth from Punjab,
Sindh and Doab. Subsequently, he
Y was to be appointed as the Governor
of Agra and Ajmer.
Ahmad Shah Abdali at the time of
his departure in 1757, left his officer
Najib-ud-Daulah as Mir-Bhakshi at
Delhi and charged him with the
specific duty of protecting the
Mughal emperor against the
overbearing Wazir Imad-ul--Mulk.
But, the Mughal Emperor found
Najib-ud-Daulah, much worse than
Imad-ul-Mulk and reached an
understanding with the Marathas
through him. With the help of the
Marathas, he succeeded in driving
out the Afghan representative in
Delhi. In March 1758, the Marathas
under Raghunath Rao crossed into
Punjab and drove out prince Timur
Shah (son of Ahmad Shah Abdali),
the Afghan viceroy of Punjab. In his
place, the Marathas appointed
Adina Beg Khan as the new
Governor of Punjab, who agreed to
pay an annual tribute of Rupees
seventy five lakhs. After his death
Sabaji took over as the Governor of
Punjab.
The capture of Punjab by the
Marathas greatly infuriated Ahmad
136 Prelims Magic 2014
Shah Abdali, who was keen to retain
it as a part of his Afghan empire.
He therefore decided to crush the
Maratha power. His task was
rendered easy by many factors. The
Pathan chiefs and Rohilla chiefs,
Nawab Shuja-ud--Daulah of Oudh
helped Abdali with men and
materials. The Maratha leaders
were busy elsewhere and had
completely neglected Punjab.
Raghunath Rao had returned to the
South soon after making necessary
arrangements in Punjab. The
Peshwa was also preoccupied in the
South and could not pay attention
to the north. Holkar was busy
against the Rajputs.
In 1759 Ahmad Shah Abdali
marched into India at the head of a
large army. After crossing the
Indus, he quickly over-ran Punjab.
He crossed river Yamuna and
fought Dattaji Scindhia near Delhi
on January 9, 1760. In this battle
Dattaji was defeated and killed.
Hankoji Scindhia and Malhar Rao
Holkar made a bid to check Ahmad
Shah Abdali but failed. When the
Peshwa learnt of these setbacks he
desired  to  re­assert  the  Maratha
authority in the North. He sent his
son, Vishwas Rao, a lad of 17 years,
along with a veteran general viz.,
Sadashiva Rao Bhau with an army
to Delhi. Bhau succeeded in
capturing Delhi. Thereafter he
advanced towards Panipat and
decided to give a pitched battle to
the Afghan ruler. It is said that Bhau
took this decision contrary to the
advice of his generals, who advised
him to avoid a pitched battle.
There were a few skirmishes and
minor battles near Panipat in
November 1760 without any
decisive result. Gradually, the
Afghan cavalry patrols cut off the
communications and food supply of
the Maratha camp. By the second
week of January 1761, life became
intolerable to the beleaguered
Maratha army. Instead of perishing
from starvation it was considered
better to die in a valiant struggle
against the enemy.
Bhau’s army marched out to battle
on 14 January 1761, an hour before
day break. The fatal fight ended at
a quarter to three in the afternoon.
What the Marathas suffered was
much more than a defeat, it was a
complete rout. A Maratha eye-
witness, Kashiraj Pandit wrote: “ it
was verily, doomsday for the
Maratha people”. The total loss of
the Marathas, killed and captured,
including non-combatants, may be
put at more than 1,00,000; among
the slain were Bhau and Vishwas
Rao. “It was a nation-wide disaster
like Flodden Field; there was not a
home in Maharashtra that had not
to mourn the loss of a member, and
several houses their very heads” -
J.N. Sarkar. The booty captured by
the Afghans was beyond
calculation.
Causes of Maratha defeat: In the
battle of Panipat Abdali’s fighting
force composed of 60,000 regular
troops, with about 80,000 second
class troops behind the fighting line.
The Marathas were numerically
weak. Their troops numbered
45,000; in addition, there were
15,000 Pindaris in the rear. The
Marathas were weak in cavalry as
also in artillery. While the Marathas
rode lean, half-dead country mares,
Abdali had the finest cavalry in Asia
mounted on thorough-breds
urchased straight from their
breeding grounds in Khurasan and
Trans-Oxiana. The Maratha field
guns remained stationary while the
troops advanced, but Abdali had a
very efficient mobile artillery.
Abdali’s army was decidedly
superior to the Maratha army in
organisation and discipline. He
himself had the gift of “transcendent
genius for war and diplomacy”. In
this respect, he had no equal among
the Marathas.
To these general causes of the
Maratha disaster, must be added
the blunders of the Maratha leaders.
Bhau should have kept women and
non-combatants behind before he
advanced towards Delhi. He wasted
more than two months in a besieged
camp instead of attacking the
enemy as soon as the armies came
face to face. Before the battle
began he made no provision for the
orderly retreat of troops in the event
of defeat. In view of the overall
superiority of the Afghan army
victory was not possible, but a
successful retreat would have cut
down the losses.
Results of Panipat: The third battle
of Panipat is one of the most
decisive events in Indian history. It
brought the expansion of Maratha
power to an end. Their reputation
and glory stood tarnished and came
to be considered no more invincible.
Peshwa’s power and prestige
suffered a heavy blow. The defeat
also gave a severe blow to the
loosening Maratha Confederacy.
Sir J.N. Sarkar rightly puts it : “The
battle of Panipat was a decisive
battle. The flower of the Maratha
army was cut off. After this battle
the Maratha dream of establishing
an empire over the whole of India
vanished”.
It gave a severe blow to the
tottering Mughal empire. Though
the Mughal empire had begun to
collapse after .the death of
Aurangazeb in 1707 A.D., it
received the severest blow in 1761
A.D. Najib-ud-Daulah and Shuja-
ud-Daulah became very powerful
after the battle of Panipat. Though
the Mughal emperor Shah Alam
entered Delhi with the help of
Marathas in 1712 A.D., his power
and prestige had sunk to the lowest
ebb.
The defeat of the Maratha power
at Panipat gave the British the
opportunity they needed to
consolidate their position in Bengal.
If the Marathas were successful at
Panipat, the British would not have
ensured their supremacy in India.
It has rightly been said, “If Plassey
had sown the seeds of British
supremacy in India, Panipat
afforded time for their maturing and
striking roots”.
The disaster of the Marathas at
Panipat made it possible for Hyder
Ali to consolidate his power in
Mysore. The rise of the new power
weakened the Maratha hold on the
Deccan.
How
Howwaswas
thisthis
topictopic
askedasked
in the CSE
in the CSE
What was the immediate reason
for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade
India and fight the Third Battle of
Panipat?
(a) He wanted to avenge the
expulsion by Marathas of his
viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore
(b) The frustrated governor of
Jullundhar Adina Beg Khan
invited him to invade Punjab
(c) He wanted to punish Mughal
administration for non-payment of
the revenues of the Chahar Mahal
(Gurat, Aurangabad, Sialkot and
Parsur)
(d) He wanted to annex all the
fertile plains of Punjab up to the
borders of Delhi to his Kingdom
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
The Sikhs
Sikhism was established by Guru
Nanak and nine other Sikh Gurus
over the period of 1469 to 1708.
Most of the Gurus were born in
Northern India, although they
travelled extensively from as far
west as Iraq to Assam in the east
and Sri Lanka in the south. Guru
Nanak, the first Guru was born in
modern day Pakistan, and Guru
Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, was
born in Patna, Bihar in modern day
India. The history of the Sikhs begins
with Guru Nanak (1469-1539) who
founded the religion. The janam
sakhis record in small stories
various events and sayings of
Nanak’s life are an important
source of studying the Sikhs history.
The Guru, is one of the foundational
concepts of Sikhism, and before his
death, Guru Nanak, appointed his
successor. He was followed by nine
more Gurus; the tenth and last
declared the office to be
discontinued and there has been no
Guru since. While Guru Nanak,
established the central teachings of
Sikhism, each Guru who followed
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added significantly to the religion.
The figure of the Guru gave Sikhism
a stable continuity from in its earliest
and most volatile period; it also made
it adaptable to changing situations.
The figure of the Guru, who had the
same authority as the founding
Guru, allowed the religion to change
and adapt to a growing community
H
and growing hostility from the
Mughal emperors. I
The Gurus: The first four Gurus
of Sikhism established many of the
customs and rituals of Sikhism. The S
fourth Guru, Ram Das (1574-1581)
founded the city of Amritsar as a
place of Sikh pilgrimage. It is to this
T
day the most important city for the
Sikhs. The Golden Temple is located
in Amritsar and is an important place
O
pilgrimage centre. The most
important of the early Gurus,
however, was Arjun, who led the
R
Sikh community as Guru from 1581
to 1606. Arjan was the Guru who
assembled the verses of Guru Nanak
Y
and the first four Gurus into the
anthology, Adi Granth, which
became the scriptures of the Sikh
community. Arjan was the first Sikh
Guru to fall in the bad books of the
Mughal authorities, thus setting the
the remaining history of hostility with
the Mughal Empire. When Prince
Khusrau rebelled against his father,
Jahangir, Arjun helped him.
Jahangir, growing suspicious of the
steady growth of the Sikh
community and Arjun’s increasing
influence over the region, arrested
him in 1606 and tortured him to
death.This event converted the Sikh
community into a militant
community. Arjun was succeeded
by his son, Hargobind (1606-1644),
who built the Sikh community into a
military power. He elevated
martyrdom to an ideal of the religion.
It meant being killed while fighting
for the Sikh community. At this point
in history, the Sikh community
begins to actively resist the Mughal
Empire and several battles are
fought between the two sides.
137
 Gobind Singh
The most militant of the Gurus was
the tenth and last, Gobind Singh.
Under Aurangzeb, who fanatically
tried to suppress non-Muslim
practices, the Sikhs were
H persecuted viciously by the Mughal
government. In response, Gobind
Singh transformed the Sikh
I community into a military
community. He was a powerful
military general with a profound
S vision of transforming Sikh society
into a militaristic society Gobind
Singh established the fourth and last
T most important doctrine of Sikhism
(the first three being the Name, the
Word, and the Guru): this was the
O doctrine of Khalsa, or the
“Brotherhood” of Sikhs. The khalsa
gives the community a deep sense
R of unity founded on symbolic acts.
The most important of these is an
Gobind Singh declared the tradition
of Guru to be officially ended after
his death. From his death onwards,
religious authority has rested in the
scriptures, which were renamed as
Guru Granth Sahib, and in the
Sikh community.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following pairs is
correctly matched?
(a) Guru Amar Das -Miri and Piri
(b) Guru Arjun Dev - Adi Granth
(c) Guru Ram Das - Dal Khalsa
(d) Guru Gobind Singh - Manji
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
Q. Consider the following
statements about Sikh Gurus:
1. Banda Bahadur was appointed
as the military leader of the Sikhs
by Guru Tegh Bahadur
2. Guru Arjun Dev became the
Sikh Guru after Guru Ram Das
Ranjit Singh employed European
officers and introduced strict military
discipline into his army before
expanding into Afghanistan,
Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Sikh Gurus are as follows
Guru Angad started the Gurumukhi
script.
Guru Amardas began the institution
of langer.
Guru Ramdas was given the site of
Harmandir at Amritsar by Akbar.
Guru Arjun compiled the Adi Granth,
founded Swarna Mandir, and
appointed mansad for religious
works.
Guru Gobind Singh appointed
Banda Bahadur as the military
leader.
# Guru
Date of
ascension
Age

initiation rite. In this rite, the believer 3. Guru Arjun Dev gave to Sikhs 1 Nanak Dev 22 Sep1539 69

Y drinks sweetened water that has

been stirred with a dagger (the
their own script Guru Mukhi
Which of the statements given
2 Angad Dev
3 Amar Das
29 Mar 155 2
1 Sept1574
48
95
dagger represents the initiate’s above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 4 Ram Das 1 Sept 1581 46
willingness to fight for the faith and
the community). After this (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1 and 2 5 Arjan Dev 30 May 1606 43

ceremony, the initiate is given a None of the above answers are 6 Har Gobin d 28 Feb 1644 48
name added on to his own name: correct. 7 Har Rai 6 Oct 1661 31
Singh, or “lion.” This common name 8 Har Krishan 30 Mar 166 4 7
identifies each person as part of the It took Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), an
9 Tegh Bahadur 11 Nov1675 54
community, as part of the same individual with modernizing vision
family, and as willing to fight for the and leadership, to achieve 10 Gobind Singh 7 Oct1708 41

faith.
The formation of the khalsa is one
of the most important events in the
Sikh history. It fully unified the
community and made it a force to
reckon with militarily. After the
formation of the khalsa, the
political and military power of the
Sikhs grew tremendously. By the
early 1800’s, the Sikhs managed to
carve out an independent kingdom
in the Mughal Empire, which they
retained until the British annexations
in the 1850’s. Still, the Sikh military
brotherhood was the most powerful
fighting force that the British used
against the Mughal Empire in its
closing days.
supremacy over the other kin-
groups and establish his kingdom in
which Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims
lived together in comparative
equality and increasing prosperity.
18 ADVENT OF THE OF EUROPEANS
India was a favourite trading
destination since the Indus Valley
Civilization. Commerce steadily
developed with the improvement in
transport and the discovery of the
monsoon in the early Christian
centuries AD. The Indian Ocean
was the scene of thriving trade in
the 14th and 15th centuries. Modern
commerce in India began from the
Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the
tenth of the Sikh Gurus, affirmed the
11
sacred t ext Adi Granth as h is
success or, termi nati ng the line of
human Gurus, and elevating the text
to Guru Gr anth Sahib
period Vasco da Gama, the
Portuguese explorer, landed in
Calicut in 1498. He was the
commander of the first ship to sail
from Europe to India. With the
advent of the European trading
companies, India became a
prominent land for commerce. Soon
the various trading companies began
to build fortifications known as

138 Prelims Magic 2014

factories and harboured territorial
ambitions as well.
The Portuguese
The Portuguese were the first
Europeans to discover the sea route
to India. Vasco da Gama reached
Kappad near Calicut on 17 May
1498 and he was warmly received
by Zamorin, the ruler of Calicut. The
Portuguese established trading
stations at Calicut, Cannanore and
Cochin. The first governor of the
Portuguese in India was Francis de
Almeida. Later in 1509
Albuquerque was made the
governor of the Portuguese
territories in India. In 1510, he
captured Goa from the ruler of
Bijapur. Thereafter, Goa became the
capital of the Portuguese
settlements in India. He also built a
fort at Calicut. He encouraged his
countrymen to marry Indian women.
Albuquerque died in 1515 leaving
the Portuguese as the strongest
naval power in India. The
successors of Albuquerque
established Portuguese settlements
at Daman, Salsette and Bombay on
the west coast and at San Thome
near Madras and Hugli in Bengal
on the east coast. They used Hoogly
as a base for piracy in the Bay of
Bengal. However, the Portuguese
power declined in India by the end
of the sixteenth century. They lost
all their possessions in India except
Goa, Diu and Daman in the next
century.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Hooghly was used as base for
priracy in the Bay of Bengal by:
(a) The Portuguese
(b) The French
(c) The Danish
(d) The British
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
The Dutch
Like the Portuguese, the Dutch
were also attracted to India by
commercial prospects. The first
Dutch expedition to India was under
Cornelius Houtman in 1596 when
he explored the Cape of Good Hope
and reached Sumatra and Bantam.
This was a great boost to the trade
prospects in the East. In 1602 the
“United East India Company of the
Netherlands” was formed.
Immense powers were given to this
company for expanding trade
interests. They got the exclusive
rights to trade with India and the
East Indies for 21 years and were
vested with ample powers. The
Dutch East India Company was
established in 1602. They
established their settlements at
Masulipattinam, Pulicat, Surat,
Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Chinsura
and Kasimbazar. In the seventeenth
century they won over the
Portuguese and emerged the most
dominant power in European trade
in the East. Pulicat was their main
centre in India and later it was
replaced by Nagapattinam. In 1530,
Francis Xavier preached at Kochi
and the first church in India was built
there. From the 1650’s onwards, the
Dutch were getting lured by Kochi.
Van Goens seized Kochi and the
Dutch marched into Kochi. By 1663,
they had built Fort Williams and
destroyed the Jesuit College and
many Roman Catholic Churches
except for St. Francis which they
used. On the islands in the
backwaters, the Dutch built the
Bolghatty Palace and the Dutch
Palace at Mattancherry and many
other country houses. In the middle
of the seventeenth century the
English began to emerge as a big
colonial power. The Anglo-Dutch
rivalry lasted for about seven
decades during which period the
Dutch lost their settlements to the
British one by one.
The English
The English East India Company
was established in 1600. Captain
Hawkins arrived at the royal court
of Jahangir in 1609 to seek
permission to establish a British
trading centre at Surat. But it was
refused by the Mughal Emperor due
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In India, among the following
locations, the Dutch established
their earliest factory at :
(a) Surat (b) Pulicat
(c) Cochin (d) Cassimbazar
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003) H
Q. Which one of the following is
the correct statement?
(a) The modern Kochi was a
I
Dutch colony till India’s
independence.
(b) The Dutch defeated the
S
Portuguese and built Fort Williams
in the modern Kochi.
(c) The modern Kochi was first a
T
Dutch Colony before the
Portuguese took over from them.
(d) The modern Kochi never
O
became a part of the British
colony.
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
R
to Portuguese pressure. Later. in
1612, Jahangir issued a Farman
Y
(permission letter) to the British and
they established a trading factory at
Surat in 1613. Sir Thomas Roe came
to India as ambassador of James I,
the King of England, to the Mughal
court in 1615. He obtained
permission from Jahangir to
establish British trading factories in
different parts of India. The British
established their factories at Agra,
Ahmadabad, Baroda and Broach by
1619. The English East India
Company acquired Bombay from
Charles II, the then king of England.
In 1639, Francis Day founded the
City of Madras where the Fort St.
George was built. In 1690, an
English factory was established at
a place called Sutanuti by Job
Charnock. Later, it developed into
the city of Calcutta where Fort
William was built. Later, Calcutta
became the capital of British India.
Thus Bombay, Madras, Calcutta
became three presidency towns of
the English settlements in India.
The French
The French were equally interested
139

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the. following
pairs is not correctly matched?
(a) Jahangir William Hawkins
(b) Akbar Sir Thomas Roe
(c) Shahjahan Travernier
H (d) Aurangzeb Manucci
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation : Sir Thomas Roe
I came in 1608 during the Jahangir
reign not during Akbar reign as
Akbar died in 1605.
S Q. In the year 1613, where was
the English East India Company
given permission to set up a
T factory (trading post)?
(a) Bangalore (b) Madras
(c) Masulipattam (d) Surat
O Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
Q.Which one of the following
R was the first fort constructed by
the’British in India?
(a) Fon William
(b) Fort St. George
Y (c) Fort St. David
(d) Fort St. Angelo
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
Q. With whose permission did
the English set up their first
factory in Surat ?
(a) Akbar (b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1999)
in the Easten trade but were earlier
stopped by the Dutch monopoly
over this region. In 1664 the French
East India Company was started at
the instance of the French Minister
Colbert. The first French factory in
India was established at Surat by
Francis Caron. Later, Maracara set
up a factory at Masulipattinam.
Francois Martin founded
Pondicherry in 1673. Other French
factories in India were
Chandranagore, Mahe and
Karaikal. Francois Martin was the
first governor of Pondicherry, the
headquarters of the French
possessions in India.
The Danes: Denmark also
established trade settlements in
India. Their settlement at
140 Prelims Magic 2014
Tranquebar was founded in 1620.
Another important Danish
settlement in India was Serampore
in Bengal. Serampore was their
headquarters in India. They failed
to strengthen themselves in India
and they sold all their settlement in
India to the British in 1845.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Who, among the following
Europeans, were the last to come
to pre-independence India as
traders?
(a) Dutch (b) English
(c) French
Ans. (c)
(d) Portuguese
(CSE 2000)
ANGLO-FRENCH WARS
Carnatic Wars, Anglo-French
conflicts in India during the 18th
century, so called because they were
centered in the Carnatic, a region
on the east coast of south India. The
wars reflected the rivalry between
the British and French trading
companies in India and were really
part of the wider Anglo-French
wars of the 18th century in Europe.
In the First Carnatic War, part of
Europe’s War of the Austrian
Succession (1740-48), In the First
Carnatic War, part of Europe’s War
of the Austrian Succession (1740-
48), the French, led by Joseph
François Dupleix, captured the
British territory of Madras in 1746,
but it was returned to the British by
the peace treaty. Dupleix, the
French Governor was the first
European to initiate the policy of
taking part in the quarrels of Indian
princes with a view to acquire
territories. The war demonstrated
the superiority of European
technology and discipline over larger
native armies. Also the ambitions of
the French in India started to
become territorial in nature.
The Second Carnatic War
(1751-54) was an unofficial war
fought between the English East
India Company and the French
Company at a time when there was
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following was
the first European to initiate the
policy of taking part in the quarrels
of Indian princes with a view to
acquire territories?
(a) Clive
(b) Dupleix
(c) Albuquerque
(d) Warren Hastings
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
peace between the two powers in
Europe. Its roots lay in Dupleix’s
skillful exploitation of the confused
politics of the region to enhance
French power through a series of
native alliances. The Nizam in the
Deccan died in 1748 leaving a trail
of political uncertainty. The French
supported Muzaffar Jang and
Chanda Sahib for the position of the
Governor of Hyderabad and Nizam
of Carnatic. The English on the
other hand supported Nasir Jang
and Anwaruddin and Muhammed
Ali in Carnatic. The French were
initially successful. However the
arrival of Robert Clive turned the
tables on the French. Clive laid a
50 day siege at Arcot in 1751 led to
the surrender of French troops in
Trichinapally. The daring of the East
India Company’s Robert Clive, who
defeated the French-backed
claimant to the throne of the
Carnatic, ended the second phase
of Anglo-French struggle in India as
Dupleix was recalled to France in
1754.
The Third Carnatic War followed
just two years later, in 1756, when
the Seven Years’ War broke out in
Europe. Count de Lally was
appointed the commander of the
expedition against the British. This
time the war passed beyond the
limits of south India into the rich
province of Bengal, where the
British captured the French
possession of Chandernagore in
1757. The French factory of
Balasore was seized by the British
along with the one at Kasimbazar
where the chief M.Law and
Lieutenant Young were compelled
to leave Bengal. Thus French fate
was sealed in Bengal.
The most decisive battles of the war,
however, were fought in the south.
Here the French captured many of
the British bases. The military
balance tilted decisively in favour of
Britain when the French capital of
Pondicherry fell in 1761. The war
ended in 1763 with the Peace of
Paris, and so too ended the French
pursuit of empire in India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Battle of Buxar - Mir Jafar
vs. Clive
(b) Battle of Wandiwash - French
vs. East India Company
(c) Battle of Chilianwala -
Dalhousie vs. Marathas
(d) Battle of Kharda Nizam vs.
East India Company
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1995)
CAUSES FOR THE
DOWNFALL OF THE
FRENCH POWER
1. The superior naval power of the
British coupled with the support
from the home government with
resources.
2. The French and the British both
had superior leaders but the latter
worked in better co-ordibnation with
their subordinates including the
native allies.
3. The wealth of the French trading
company was not too well and was
on the inferior side.
4. The French Crown being the
overall authority in the matters of
trade, they were bound to take some
wrong decisions. The recall of
Dupleix was not well timed. No
other leader could supplement the
strategic planning of Dupleix.It led
to the decline in the morale of the
French troops.
The Anglo-French wars had far
reaching consequences for the sub-
continent. The European powers
understood that they could
manipulate and play with native
politics to suit their own ends. The
use of locals as manpower for their
own wars was easy to obtain. It led
to the consolidation of colonization
process in the sub-continent.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to Pondicherry
(now Puducherry), consider the
following statements:
1. The first European power to
occupy Pondicherry were the
Portuguese.
2. The second European power to
occupy Pondicherry were the
French.
3. The English never occupied
Pondicherry.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
Explanation: The Portuguese
were the first to set up a factory
in the region in the beginning of
the 16th century. The Danes and
the Dutch followed the Portuguese
and established their trading
centres in Poto Novo and
Cuddalore.  in 1499
The French set their foot in
Pondicherry when the ruler of
Gingee started to have trade
relations with them. By 1643
Pondicherry came under French
control and remained for quite a
long time. During this period
,Pondicherry saw the conflict
between British and the French
and ended after British recognized
French supremacy in 1814. The
French domination continued till
then.  Goa from Bijapur in 1510 A.D not
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Establishment of British
Power in Bengal
Bengal remained one of the fertile
and wealthy regions of India. The
British ascendancy in Bengal proved
to be the basis for the expansion of
British rule in India. The conflict
between the Nawab of Bengal, H
Siraj-ud-Daula and the British led
to the Battle of Plassey held on 23
June 1757. Robert Clive, the
I
Commander of the British troops
emerged victorious by defeating the
Nawab’s army. The easy British
S
victory was due to the treachery of
Mir Jafar, the Commander of
Nawab’s army. However, the
T
victory of the British in the Battle
of Plassey marked the foundation
of the British rule in India. In 1764,
O
the British once again defeated the
combined forces of the Nawab of
Oudh, the Mughal Emperor and the
R
Nawab of Bengal in the Battle of
Buxar. The British military
superiority was decisively
Y
established. In 1765, Robert Clive
was appointed as the Governor of
Bengal. In the same
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the entry of
European powers into India,
which one of the following
statements is not correct ?
(a) The Portuguese captured Goa
(b) The English opened their first
factory in South India at
Masulipatam
(c) In Eastern India, the English
Company opened its first factory
in Orissa in 1633
(d) Under the leadership of
Dupleix, the French occupied
Madras in 1746
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2003)
Explanation : The Portuguese
Governor Abuquerque captured
in 1499.
141
 year, the Treaty of Allahabad was concluded by which the Mughal Emperor led by Mir Madan and Mohan Lal
granted the Diwani rights to the English East India Company. Thus the struggled in the field. In 1756 this
British power in India was thoroughly established. struggle culminated in the fall of
Calcutta to Nawab Siraj ud Daula
How was this topic asked in the CSE? followed by recapture of the city by
Q. Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the the British. Mir Jafar was made the
battles fought in India in the 18th Century? Nawab of Bengal.
H (a) Battle of Wandiwash-Battle of Buxar-Battle of Ambur Battle of Plassey
(b) Battle of Ambur-Battle of Plassey-Battle of Wandiwash Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Plassey is said to be
the gateway for the British to the
(c) Battle of Wandiwash-Battle of Plassey-Battle of Ambur-Battle of Buxar.
I (d) Battle of Ambur-Battle of Buxar- Battle of Wandiwash-Battle of Plassey.
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
Indian sub-continent. It not only led
to the fall of Bengal to the English
but to the whole of India.

S 19 BRITISH CONQUEST
T CONQUEST OF BENGAL
Bengal perpetually formed the most
O fertile region for the British. The
East India Company formed its
earliest settlements in Bengal in the
R first half of the 17th century. These
settlements were of a purely
commercial character. In 1620 one
Y of the Company’s factories was
based in Patna; in 1624-1636 the
Company established itself, by the
favour of the emperor, on the ruins
of the ancient Portuguese
settlement of Pippli, in the north of
Orissa; and at Hughli, In 1685, the
Bengal factors, seeking greater
security for their trade purchased
from the Nawab, in 1696, the villages
namely Kalikata, Sutanuti and
Govindpur. They were given
exemption from trade duties and
exactions in part of Bengal in 1717
by the Emperor Farukhsiyar. They
permitted the Company to trade
without paying any import or export
duty. Also they were allowed to
issue the dastaks for the movement
of their goods within the territory of
Bengal.
This permit or the dastaks were a
constant source of conflict between
the Nawabs of Bengal and the
English East India Company.
Firstly, the issue of these dastaks
caused a lost of loss in revenue to
the Bengal Nawabs. Secondly,
these dastaks were missused by
the Company’s servants for their
own private trade unlawfully.
Though the Company itself followed
the regulations of the Farman
issued by the Mughal Emeror, their
servants posed a constant problem
by violating and misinterpreting the
Farman. The background for the
ultimate clash between the Nawab
of Bengal and the English East India
Company in form of the Battle of
Plassey (1757) came when Siraj ud
Daula came to the throne. The new
Nawab requested the British to
remain within the law and abide by
the regulations. The English,
triumphant after the victory over the
French, refused to do so. Instead
they began to levy heavy taxes on
the goods entering the portion of
Calcutta under them. The matters
came to a breaking point when the
English began to fortify Calcutta
without the permission of the
Nawab in anticipation of the struggle
with the French.
The English also exhausted by the
authority of the Nawab, conspired
with his leading men of the Nawabs’
court. These were Manikchand
(incharge of Calcutta), Aminchand
(a rich merchant) and Jagatseth
(Well known Banker) Mir (Finance
minister) and Rai Durlabh. On 23rd
June 1757, the forces of the English
and the Nawab of Bengal clashed
in Plassey near Murshidabad. The
Nawab’s forces comprising the
conspirators did not participate in
the fight. Only a handful of army
Mir Jafar (1757-1760) – Mir Jafar
after being made the Nawab of
Bengal was merely a puppet in the
hands of the English. He granted
emmense power and other
priviledges to the English.
1.Granted undisputed rights to fre
trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
2. Comapany got zamindari of 24
Parganas near Calcutta
3. Company was given gifts in form
of bribes to the officials and
damages for the capture of Calcutta
by Siraj ud Daula.
4.British merchants were
henceforth not asked any duties on
their private trade
5. All French settlements in Bengal
were given to the British.
Mir Jafar could not fulfil the
demands of the Company as the
treasury was almost empty by that
time. Soon, he was forced to give
up the position in favour of his son-
in-law Mir Qasim.The new nawab
further granted a few priviledges to
the Company.
1. Gave the zamindari of districts
of Burdwan, Midnapur and
Chittagong
2. Gave away huge sums of money
as bribes to the officials of the
Company.
Very soon Mir Qasim realized the
designs of the British and
transferred his capital from
Murshidabad to Munger in 1762. He
sought to build an efficient army to
combat the British. Thus he

142 Prelims Magic 2014

reinstated the order that all duties
on internal trade were abolished.
This benifitted his own subjects. This
clash of interest was soon to be
translated into a war. Mir Qasim
fled to Awadh and formed an
alliance with the Nawab of Awadh,
Shuja-ud-Daula and the Mughal
Emperor, Shah Alam II. Shah Alam
II had also fled to Avadh because
of intrigues at his court. The warring
parties clashed in the Battle of
Buxar in 1764. The alliance of Mir
Qasim and the Mughal Emperor
were badly defeated.
The Battle of Buxar established
British military supremacy in
Bengal, and procured the treaties of
1765, by which the provinces of
Bengal, Bihar and Orissa passed
under British administration. Awadh
came under the mercy of the
British. Mir Jafar was reinstated as
the Nawab. But he died in 1765.
The subsequent rulers of Bengal
remained puppets in the hands of
the British. Each of them granted
privileges to the Company which
strenghtened the might of the
British power in India.
Najm-ud-Daula (1765-66) - Signed
a treaty with the British and became
a pensioner of 53 lakhs annually.
The Settlement of Bengal was
concluded with the Nawab. Hereby,
the Compant enjoyed the
administrative powers while the
burden and responsibility of the
administration fell upon the Nawab.
The Company acquired the Diwani
functions regarding revenue and
justice and the Nizamat functions i.e.
military power and criminal justice.
The Dual System or double
government thus became prevalent
in Bengal from 1765. With Diwani
rights the Company directly
collected the revenues and by
appointing the Deputy Subedhar the
Company controlled the police and
judicial powers.
Sirajud Daula - His pension was
reduced by 12 lakhs. He signed a
treaty that the protection of the
provinces of Bengal, Bihar and
Orissa and the forces for that
purpose were left to the discreation
of the Company.
In 1772 under Mubarak ud Daula
the company took direct charge of
Bengal
The consequence of the Battle of
Buxar for the provinces other than
Bengal was as follows:
1. Treaty of Allahabad signed on
16th August 1765 with Shuja ud
Daula By this the Nawab surrended
Allahabad to Shah Alam, paid 50
lakhs as war damage to the
Company and gaves Balwant Singh
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): Shah Alam II
spent the initial years as an
Emperor far away from his
capital.
Reason (R): There was always
a lurking danger of foreign
invasion from the north-west
frontier.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation
of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE 2003)
the full fleged posession of Benaras.
Also the Nawab was bound to give
military assistance to the Company
in need. The cost of maintaining the
company was to be borne by the
Nawab.
2. Second Treaty of Allahabad-
Emperor Shah Alam was given
protection by the Company. By a
firman the Emperor granted the
Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
permanently to the Company. In
return he would be paid a sum of
26 Lakhs and providing for the
expenses of the Nizamat.
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CONQUEST OF MYSORE
The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a
series of wars fought in the 18th
century between the Kingdom of
Mysore and the British East India
Company, represented chiefly by the
Madras Presidency. The fourth war
resulted in the overthrow of the
house of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan
H
(who was killed in the final war, in
1799), and the dismantlement of
Mysore to the benefit of its pro-
I
British allies.
The First Anglo-Mysore war
S
(1767-69) saw a triple alliance
against Hyder Ali by the Nizam of
Hyderabad and Marathas along with
T
the British. Hyder Ali inflicted a
crushing defeat on the combined
armies of the Marathas the Nizam
O
and the British. Hyder Ali bought
the Marathas and assured territorial
gains to the Nizam. Subsequently,
R
an attack was launched on the city
of Arcot. Also a sudden attack on
the Madras surprised British. The
Y
Treaty of Madras in 1769 gave the
Kingdom of Mysore large tracts of
land to the north after this war.Also
it extracted a comitment from the
British of assistance to Hyder Ali in
case of an attack by any other
power.
The Second Anglo-Mysore War
(1780-84) was rooted in the mutual
distrust of Hyder Ali and the British.
On refusing to help Hyder Ali when
Marathas attacked him in 1771, the
British broke the earlier treaty.
Hyder now sided with the
French.Hyder was betrayed by the
Nizam –Maratha combine when
they once again sided with the
British. Hyder was defeated by the
British in 1782 at Porto Novo
Howver due to his death his son
Tipu Sultan took up the unfinished
battle. Soldiers from Mysore
decimated British armies in the east,
repelled a joint Maratha-Hyderabad
invasion from the north and captured
territories in the south. The war was
ended in 1784 with theTreaty of
Mangalore, (at which both sides
143
 agreed to restore the others’ lands
as it were.)
In the Third Anglo-Mysore War
(1790-92) Tipu Sultan, the ruler of
Mysore and an ally of France
invaded the nearby state of
H Travancore in 1791, which was a
British ally. The British under
Cornwallis were supported by the
I Maratha-Nizam combine.The
resultant war lasted three years and
resulted in a resounding defeat for
S Mysore. The war ended after the
1792 siege of Srirangapatnam and
the signing of the Treaty of
T Srirangapatnam 1792 according to
which Tipu had to surrender half of
his kingdom to the East India
O Company.
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
(1799) saw the defeat of the
R kingdom of Mysore. Mysore’s
alliance with the French was seen
as a threat to the East India
Y Company under Wellesley and
Mysore was attacked from all four
sides. Tipu’s troops were
outnumbered in this war. The Nizam
of Hyderabad and the Marathas
launched an invasion from the
North. The British won a decisive
victory at the Battle of
Srirangapataana in 1799. Tipu was
killed during the defence of the city.
Much of Tipu Sultaun’s territory
was annexed by the British, the
Nizam and the Marathas. The
region around Mysore and
Srirangapatnam was handed over to
the Indian prince belonging to the
Wodeyar dynasty, whose
forefathers had been overthrown by
Hyder Ali. Mysore was now bound
by the Subsidiary Alliance and
surrendered to the British.
CONQUEST OF MARATHAS
The First Anglo-Maratha War
was the first of three Anglo-
Maratha wars fought between the
British East India Company and
Marathas in India. The war began
with the Treaty of Surat. After the
death of Madhavrao Peshwa in
1772, his brother Narayanrao
144 Prelims Magic 2014
became Peshwa of theMaratha
Empire. However, Raghunath rao,
Narayanrao’s uncle, had his
nephew assassinated in a palace
conspiracy that resulted in
Raghunathrao becoming the
Peshwa, although he was not the
legal heir.
A posthumous son, who was legal
heir to the throne, was born to
Narayanrao. The newborn infant
was named Sawai Madhvrao. This
threatened the position of
Raghunathrao and he signed a
treaty wiith the Bombay
government in 1775. This was the
Treaty of Surat. According to the
treaty, Raghunathrao ceded the
territories of Salastte and Bassein
to the British, along with part of the
revenues from Surat and Broach
districts. In return, the British
promised to provide Raghunathrao
with military assistance.
The British Calcutta Council
condemned the Treaty of Surat, and
annulled it. The Treaty of
Purandhar (1 March 1776) annulled
that of Surat, Raghunathrao was
pensioned off and his cause
discarded. But the revenues of
Salsette and Broach districts were
retained by the British. In 1777,
Nana Phandis violated the treaty
with the Calcutta Council by
granting the French a port on the
west coast. The British retaliated by
sending troops. The war followed
which settled through the Treaty of
Salbai in 1782. This helped the
British to gain the territories of
Hyder Ali in Mysore with the help
of the Marathas.
The political void left by the death
of Madhoji Scindia in 1794 and
Nana Phandis in 1880 and created
a fierce fight for capturing the
throne. The contenders were
Daulat Rao Scindia had Jaswant
Rao Holkar. In October 1802,
Peshwa Baji Rao II (Raghunath
raos’ son) was defeated by the
Holkar ruler of Indore, at the Battle
of Poona. He fled to the British
protection, and in December the
same year concluded the Treaty of
Bassein with the English Company,
ceding territory for the maintenance
of a subsidiary force and agreeing
to treaty with no other power. The
British also had to check the French
influence in India. The treaty
ceeded some territories worth 26
lakhs to the British and received
about 6000 subsidiary force in
return. The city of Surat was also
surrendered; chauth on Nizam’s
domain was given up by the
Peshwa. All foreign relations of the
Peshwa were to be controlled by
the British and relations with the
other Maratha chiefs also came
under British control. This act on the
part of thePeshwa, their nominal
overlord, horrified and disgusted the
Maratha chieftains; in particular, the
Scindia rulers of Gwalior and the
Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur and Berar
contested the agreement.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following pairs
are correctly matched?
List I (Period)
1. AD 1767-69 2. AD 1790-92
3. AD 1824-26 4. AD 1845-46
List II
First Anglo-Maratha War
Third Mysore War
First Anglo-Burmese War
Second Sikh War
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below :
Codes:
(a) 2 and 4 (b) 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
Q. At a time when empires in
Europe were crumbling before
the might of Napoleon, which one
of the following Governors-
General kept the British flag
flying high in India ?
(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Hastings
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1999)
The Second Anglo-Maratha War
(1803–1805) was fought on this
ground. The Marathas were
defeated, respectively, by Lord Lake
at Asseye in 1803 and by Sir Arthur
Wellesley at Aragon in November
1803. The Holkars and Gaikawad
rulers remained aloof.
The Treaty of Deogaon
(December 1803) was signed
between the Marathas and the
British. It ceded the territories of
Cuttack and west of river Wardha.
On December 1803, Scindhia
signed the Treaty of Surji-
Anjangaon with the British and
ceded to the British Ganges-
Yamuna Doab, the Delhi-Agra
region, parts of Bundelkhand,
Broach, some districts of Gujarat,
fort of Ahmmadnagar.The Holkars,
however began hostilities with the
British by securing the alliance of
the Raja of Bharatpur. By the
Treaty of Rajpurghat (December
1805), the Maratha chiefs gave
away many of the territories north
of the river Chambal and
Bundelkhand.
The Third Anglo-Maratha War
(1817 – 1818) was a final and
decisive conflict between the British
East India Company and the
Marathas in India which left the
Company in control of most of
India.The war began with an
invasion of Maratha territory by the
BritishGovernor-General, Lord
Hastings, in 1813. The Peshwa was
made to sign the treaty of Poona in
1817 by which, he was to give up
his control over the Marathas and
was to be guided by a British
Resident in his relation with other
rulers. Similar Treaty of Gwalior
was signed by Daulat Rao Scindia
as preparation for an attack on the
Pindaris. A last attempt was made
by the confederacy of Holkars,
Daulat Rao and Appa Sahib of
Nagpur to throw off the British. The
Peshwas were defeated in Khirki,
Bhonsles were defeated at Sitabaldi
and Holkars were defeated in
Mahidpur. The whole confederacy
was defeated by the British in 1818.
The victory was swift for the British,
resulting in the breakup of the
Maratha Empire and the loss of
Maratha independence to the
British. The Peshwa was pensioned
off and most of his territory was
annexed to the Bombay Presidency
except the princely state of Satara.
The Peshwa surrendered his name
and control forever. The Maratha
kingdoms of Indore, Gwalior,
Nagpur, and Jhansi became princely
states, acknowledging British
control.The Third Anglo-Maratha
War left the British in control of
virtually all of present-day India
south of the Sutlej River.
WARREN HASTINGS
(1772-1785)
When Warren Hastings assumed
the administration of Bengal in 1772,
he found it in utter chaos. The
financial position of the Company
became worse and the difficulties
were intensified by famine.
Therefore, Warren Hastings
realized the immediate need for
introducing reforms.
Abolition of the Dual System
The East India Company decided
to act as Diwan and to undertake
the collection of revenue by its own
agents. Hence, the Dual System
introduced by Robert Clive was
abolished. As a measure to improve
the finances of the Company,
Warren Hastings reduced the
Nawab’s allowance of 32 lakhs of
rupees to half that amount.
He also stopped the annual
payment of 26 lakhs given to the
Mughal Emperor.
Revenue Reforms
After the abolition of the Dual
System, the responsibility of
collecting the revenue fell on the
shoulders of the Company. For that
purpose, a Board of Revenue was
established at Calcutta to supervise
the collection of revenue. English
Collectors were appointed in each
district. The treasury was removed
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from Murshidabad to Calcutta and
an Accountant General was
appointed. Calcutta thus became the
capital of Bengal in 1772 and shortly
after of British India.
The Board of Revenue farmed out
the lands by auction for a period of
five years instead of one year in
order to find out their real value. The
H
zamindars were given priority in the
auction. However, certain good
measures were taken to safeguard
I
the interests of the peasants.
Arbitrary cesses and unreasonable
fines were abolished. Besides,
S
restrictions were imposed on the
enhancement of rent. Yet, the
system was a failure. Many
T
zamindars defaulted and the
arrears of revenue accumulated.
Reorganisation of the Judicial
O
System
The judicial system at the time of
R
Warren Hastings’ ascendancy was
a store-house of abuses. The
Nawab who was hitherto the chief
Y
administrator of justice, misused his
powers. Often, his judgments
were careless. The zamindars who
acted as judges at lower levels within
their own areas were highly corrupt
and prejudiced. On the whole, the
judicial institution suffered from
extreme corruption.
Warren Hastings felt the necessity
of reorganising the judicial system.
Each district was provided with a
civil court under the Collector and
a criminal court under an Indian
Judge. To hear appeals from the
district courts, two appellate courts,
one for civil cases and another for
criminal cases, were established at
Calcutta. The highest civil court of
appeal was called Sadar Diwani
Adalat, which was to be presided
over by the Governor and two
judges recruited from among the
members of his Council. Similarly,
the highest appellate criminal court
was known as Sadar Nizamat
Adalat which was to function under
an Indian judge appointed by the
Governor-in-Council.
145
 Experts in Hindu and Muslim laws
were provided to assist the judges.
A digest of Hindu law was prepared
in Sanskrit by learned Pandits and
it was translated into Persian. An
English translation of it – Code of
Hindu Laws – was prepared under
H the direction of Warren Hastings
The Regulating Act of 1773
I The Regulating Act of 1773 opened
a new chapter in the constitutional
history of the Company. Previously,
S the Home government in England
consisted of the Court of Directors
and the Court of Proprietors. The
T Court of Directors were elected
annually and practically managed
the affairs of the Company. In India,
O each of the three presidencies was
independent and responsible only to
the Home Government. The
R government of the presidency was
conducted by a Governor and a
Council.
Y The following conditions invited the
Parliamentary intervention in the
Company’s affairs. The English
East India Company became a
territorial power when it acquired a
wide dominion in India and also the
Diwani rights. Its early
administration was not only corrupt
but notorious. When the Company
was in financial trouble, its servants
were affluent. The disastrous
famine which broke out in Bengal
in 1770 affected the agriculturists.
As a result, the revenue collection
was poor. In short, the Company
was on the brink of bankruptcy. In
1773, the Company approached the
British government for an
immediate loan. It was under these
circumstances that the Parliament
of England resolved to regulate the
affairs of the Company. Lord North,
the Prime Minister of England,
appointed a select committee to
inquire into the affairs of the
Company. The report submitted by
the Committee paved the way for
the enactment of the Regulating Act.
Provisions of the Act
The Regulating Act reformed the
146 Prelims Magic 2014
Company’s Government at Home
and in India. The important
provisions of the Act were:
(i) The term of office of the
members of the Court of Directors
was extended from one year to four
years. One-fourth of them were to
retire every year and the retiring
Directors were not eligible for re-
election.
(ii) The Governor of Bengal was
styled the Governor-General of Fort
William whose tenure of office was
for a period of five years.
(iii) A council of four members was
appointed to assist the Governor-
General. The government was to be
conducted in accordance with the
decision of the majority. The
Governor General had a casting
vote in case of a tie.
(iv) The Governor-General in
Council was made supreme over
the other Presidencies in matters of
war and peace.
(v) Provision was made in the Act
for the establishment of a Supreme
Court at Calcutta consisting of a
Chief Justice and three junior judges.
It was to be independent of the
GovernorGeneral in Council. In
1774, the Supreme Court was
established by a Royal Charter.
(vi) This Act prevented the servants
of the Company including the
Governor-General, members of his
council and the judges of the
Supreme Court from receiving
directly or indirectly any gifts in kind
or cash.
Merits and Demerits of the Act
The significance of the Regulating
Act is that it brought the affairs of
the Company under the control of
the Parliament. Besides, it proved
that the Parliament of England was
concerned about the welfare of
Indians. The greatest merit of this
Act is that it put an end to the
arbitrary rule of the Company and
provided a framework for all future
enactments relating to the governing
of India.
The main defect of the Act was that
the Governor-General was made
powerless because the council
which was given supreme power
often created deadlocks by over-
ruling his decision. However, many
of these defects were rectified by
the Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
Pitt’s India Act, 1784
The Regulating Act proved to be an
unsatisfactory document as it failed
in its objective. In January 1784, Pitt
the Younger (who became Prime
Minister of England after the
General Elections) introduced the
India Bill in the British Parliament.
Despite bitter debate in both the
Houses, the bill was passed after
seven months and it received royal
assent in August 1784. This was
the famous Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
Main Provisions
(i) A Board of Control consisting of
six members was created. They
were appointed by the Crown.
(ii) The Court of Directors was
retained without any alteration in its
composition.
(iii) The Act also introduced
significant changes in the Indian
administration. It reduced the
number of the members of the
Governor-General’s Council from
four to three including the
Commander-in-Chief. Pitt’s India
Act constitutes a significant
landmark with regard to the foreign
policy of the Company. A critical
review of the Act reveals that it had
introduced a kind of contradiction
in the functions of the Company.
The Court of Directors controlled
its commercial functions, whereas
the Board of Control maintained its
political affairs. In fact, the Board
represented the King, and the
Directors symbolized the Company.
LORD CORNWALLIS
(1786-1793)
The greatest work of Cornwallis
was the purification of the civil
service by the employment of
capable and honest public servants.
He aimed at economy, simplification
and purity. He found that the
servants of the Company were
underpaid. But they received very
high commissions on revenues. In
addition to that they conducted
forbidden and profitable private
trade in the names of relatives and
friends. Cornwallis, who aimed at
cleansing the administration,
abolished the vicious system of
paying small salaries and allowing
enormous perquisites. He persuaded
the Directors of the Company to pay
handsome salaries to the Company
servants in order that they might
free themselves from commercial
and corrupting activities.
Further, Cornwallis inaugurated the
policy of making appointments
mainly on the basis of merit thereby
laying thefoundation of the Indian
Civil Service. To cut down
unnecessary expenditure, he
abolished a number of surplus posts.
Another major reform that
Cornwallis introduced was the
separation of the three branches of
service, namely commercial, judicial
and revenue. The collectors, the
king-pins of the administrative
system were deprived of their
judicial powers and their work
became merely the collection of
revenue. Lord Cornwallis was
alarmed at the extent of power
concentrated in the District
Collector and felt that such absolute
power was undesirable in one
person
Judicial Reforms:
Cornwallis’ judicial reforms took the
final shape by 1793 and were
embodied in the famous Cornwallis
Code. The new reforms were based
on the principle of Separation of
Powers.
In the work of judicial re-
organization, Cornwallis secured the
services of Sir William Jones, who
was a judge and a great scholar.
Civil and criminal courts were
completely re-organized.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. By a regulation in 1793, the
District Collector was deprived of
his judicial powers and made the
collecting agent only. What was
the reason for such regulation?
(a) Lord Cornwallis felt that the
District Collector’s efficiency of
revenue collection would
enormously increase without the
burden of other work.
(b) Lord Cornwallis felt that judicial
power should compulsorily be in
the hands of Europeans while
Indians can be given the job of
revenue collection in the districts
(c) Lord Cornwallis was alarmed
at the extent of power
concentrated in the District
Collector and felt that such absolute
power was undesirable in one
person
(d) The judicial work demanded a
deep knowledge of India and a
good training in law and Lord
Cornwallis felt that District
Collector should be only a revenue
collector
Ans (c) (CSE 2010)
Q. Who among the following
Governor Generals created the
Covenanted Civil Service of India
which later came to be known as
the Indian Civil Service?
(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Wellesley
(c) Cornwallis
(d) William Bentinck
Ans (c) (CSE 2010)
1. At the top of the judicial system,
the highest civil and criminal courts
of appeal, namely Sadar Diwani
Adalat and Sadar Nizamat Adalat
were functioning at Calcutta. Both
of them were presided over by the
Governor-General and his Council.
2. There were four provincial courts
of appeal at Calcutta, Dacca,
Murshidabad and Patna, each under
three European judges assisted by
Indian advisers.
3. District and City courts
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functioned each under a European
judge. Every district was provided
with a court. As already stated,
Cornwallis had taken away from the
collectors their judicial powers and
made them solely responsible for the
collection of revenue. As a result,
District Judges were appointed.
4. Indian judges or Munsiffs were
H
appointed to all the courts at the
bottom of the judicial system. In
criminal cases, Muslim law was
I
improved and followed. In civil
cases, Hindu and Muslim laws were
followed according to the religion of
S
the litigants. In suits between Hindus
and Muslims, the judge was the
deciding authority. Cornwallis was
T
merciful by temperament. He hated
barbarous punishments and
abolished those like mutilation and
O
trial by ordeal.
Cornwallis was better known as a
R
law giver than as an administrator.
With the help of his colleague,
George Barlow, Cornwallis
Y
prepared a comprehensive code,
covering the whole field of
administration’, judicial, police,
commercial and fiscal. This Code
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
The tendency for increased
litigation, was visible after the
introduction of the land
settlement’ system of Lord
Cornwallis in 1793. The reason
for this is normally traced’ to
‘which of the following
provisions?
(a) Making Zamindar’s position
stronger vis-a-vis the ryot
(b) Making East India Company
an overlord of Zamindars
(c) Making judicial system more
efficient
(d) None of the (a), (b) and (c)
above
Ans. (d) (CSE 2011)
Note: Reason for increased
litigation was the ill effect of
judicial reforms of Cornwallis.
Read the notes given above.
147
 was based upon the principle of
Montesquieu, “the Separation of
Powers”, which was popular in the
West in 18th century. In order to
curb undue exercise of authority
Cornwallis made all officials
answerable to the courts.
H However, in its immediate effect the
reforms of Cornwallis produced
I many undesirable effect. Justice
proved very expensive and gave
opportunity to rich people to harass
S uneducated and poor people.
Falshood, chicanery and deceit
began to yield dividends. Litigation
T greately increased. Law Courts
were flooded with cases resulting
greate delay in disposal of justice.
O The Permanent Settlement
Lord Cornwallis’ most conspicuous
R administrative measure was the
Permanent Land Revenue
Settlement of Bengal, which was
Y extended to the provinces of Bihar
and Orissa. It is appropriate to recall
that Warren Hastings introduced the
annual lease system of auctioning
the land to the highest bidder. It
created chaos in the revenue
administration.
Cornwallis at the time of his
appointment was instructed by the
Directors to find a satisfactory and
permanent solution to the problems
of the land revenue system in order
to protect the interests of both the
Company and the cultivators. It
obliged the Governor General to
make a thorough enquiry into the
usages, tenures and rents prevalent
in Bengal. The whole problem
occupied Lord Cornwallis for over
three years and after a prolonged
discussion with his colleagues like
Sir John Shore and James Grant he
decided to abolish the annual lease
system and introduce a decennial
(Ten years) settlement which was
subsequently declared to be
continuous. The main features of
the Permanent Settlement were as
follows:
(i) The zamindars of Bengal were
148 Prelims Magic 2014
recognised as the owners of land
as long as they paid the revenue to
the East India Company regularly.
(ii) The amount of revenue that the
zamindars had to pay to the
Company was firmly fixed and
would not be raised under any
circumstances. In other words the
Government of the East India
Company got 89% leaving the rest
to the zamindars.
(iii) The ryots became tenants since
they were considered the tillers of
the soil.
(iv) This settlement took away the
administrative and judicial functions
of the zamindars.
The Permanent Settlement of
Cornwallis was bitterly criticised on
the point that it was adopted with
‘undue haste’. The flagrant defect
of this arrangement was that no
attempt was made ever either to
survey the lands or to assess their
value. The assessment was made
roughly on the basis of accounts of
previous collections and it was done
in an irregular manner. The effects
of this system both on the
zamindars and ryots were
disastrous. As the revenue fixed by
the system was too high, many
zamindars defaulted on payments.
Their property was seized and
distress sales were conducted
leading to their ruin. The rich
zamindars who led luxurious lives
left their villages and migrated into
towns. They entrusted their rent
collection to agents who exacted all
kinds of illegal taxes besides the
legal ones from the ryots.
This had resulted in a great deal of
misery amongst the peasants and
farmers. Therefore, Lord Corn-
wallis’ idea of building a system of
benevolent land-lordism failed.
Baden Powell remarks, “The
zamindars as a class did nothing for
the tenants”. Though initially, the
Company gained financially, in the
long run the Company suffered
financial loss because land
productivity was high, income from
it was meagre since it was a fixed
sum. It should be noted that in pre
British period a share on the crop
was fixed as land tax.
Nevertheless, this system proved to
be a great boon to the zamindars
and to the government of Bengal.
It formed a regular income and
stabilised the government of the
Company. The zamindars prospered
at the cost of the welfare of the
tenants.
Police Reforms: The effective
implementation of judicial reforms
required the re-organisation of police
administration. The District Judge
controlled the police. Each district
was divided into thanas or police
circles each of which was about 20
square miles. It was placed under
an Indian officer called the daroga
who was ably assisted by many
constables. However, the police
organization was not effective. In
the words of Marshman, ‘the
daroga enjoyed almost unlimited
power of extortion and became the
scourge of the country”.
Other Reforms: Cornwallis
reformed the Board of Trade which
managed the commercial
investments of the Company. With
the aid of Charles Grant, he
eradicated numerous abuses and
corrupt practices. Fair treatment
was given to weavers and Indian
workers. He increased the
remuneration for honest service.
WELLESLEY (1798-1805)
The Subsidiary System
The predecessors of Wellesley
concluded alliances with Indian
princes like the Nawab of Oudh and
the Nizam of Hyderabad. They
received subsidies from the Indian
rulers for the maintenance of the
British troops, which were used for
the protection of respective Indian
states. Wellesley enlarged and
consolidated the already existing
system. However, his originality
was revealed in its application.
Main Features of Subsidiary
Alliance
1. Any Indian ruler who entered into
the subsidiary alliance with the
British had to maintain a contingent
of British troops in his territory. It
was commanded by a British officer.
The Indian state was called ‘the
protected state’ and the British
hereinafter were referred to as ‘the
paramount power’. It was the duty
of the British to safeguard that state
from external aggression and to help
its ruler maintain internal peace.
The protected state should give
some money or give part of its
territory to the British to support the
subsidiary force.
2. The protected state should cut off
its connection with European
powers other than the British and
with the French in particular. The
state was also forbidden to have
any political contact even with other
Indian powers without the
permission of the British.
3. The ruler of the protected state
should keep a British Resident at his
court and disband his own army. He
should not employ Europeans in his
service without the sanction of the
paramount power.
4. The paramount power should not
interfere in the internal affairs of the
protected state.
LORD HASTINGS (1813-
1823)
The Governor-Generalship of Lord
Hastings witnessed not only
territorial expansion but also the
progress of administration. He
approved the Ryotwari system of
land revenue introduced in the
Madras Presidency by Sir Thomas
Munroe. In the sphere of judiciary,
the Cornwallis Code was improved.
The Police system of Bengal was
extended to other regions. The
importance of Indian Munsiffs had
increased during his administration.
The separation of judicial and
revenue departments was not rigidly
followed. Instead, the District
Collector acted as Magistrate.
Hastings had also encouraged the
foundation of vernacular schools by
missionaries and others. In 1817, the
Hindu College was established at
Calcutta by the public for the
teaching of English and western
science. Hastings was the Patron
of this college. He encouraged the
freedom of the Press and abolished
the censorship introduced in 1799.
The Bengali Weekly, Samachar
Darpan was started in 1818 by
Marshman, a Serampore missio-
nary.
LORD WILLIAM
BENTINCK (1828-1835)
Charter Act of 1833: The Charter
Act of 1833 was a significant
constitutional instrument defining the
scope and authority of the East
India Company. The liberal and
utilitarian philosophy of Bentham
was made popular by the provisions
of this Act. Following were the
important provisions:
(i) The English East India Company
ceased to be a commercial agency
in India. In other words, it would
function hereafter as the political
agent for the Crown.
(ii) The Governor-General of Fort
William was hereafter called ‘the
Governor- General of India’. Thus,
Bentinck was the first Governor-
General of India’.
(iii) A Law Member was appointed
to the Governor-General’s Council.
T. B. Macaulay was the first Law
Member of the GovernorGeneral-
in-Council.
(iv) The Act categorically stated
‘that no native of India, nor any
natural born subject of His Majesty,
should be disabled from holding any
place, office, or employment, by
reason of his religion, place of birth,
descent or colour”. It was this
enactment which laid the foundation
for the Indianisation of public
services.
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After twenty years, the Charter Act
of 1853 was passed and it was the
last in the series of Charter Acts.
Reforms of Lord William
Bentinck
The advent of Lord William Bentinck
ushered in a new era in the annals
of India in many ways. Although
his tenure of office covered only a
H
short span of seven years, it saw a
period of enduring reforms. They
may be classified as financial,
I
administrative, social and educa-
tional. S
The introduction of English
Education was a significant event
of Lord William Bentinck’s T
administration. He appointed a
committee headed by Lord
Macaulay to make recommen-
dations for the promotion of
O
education. In his report, Macaulay
emphasized the promotion of
European literature and science
R
through English medium to the
people of India. This recommen-
dation was wholeheartedly
Y
accepted by William Bentinck. The
Government Resolution in 1835
made English the official and literary
language of India. In the same year,
William Bentinck laid foundation of
the Calcutta Medical College.
Abolition of Sati: Bentinck was
greatly distressed when he received
a report of 800 cases of sati in a
single year and that from Bengal.
He determined to abolish this
practice which he considered an
offence against natural justice.
Therefore, he became a crusader
against it and promulgated his
Regulation XVII on 4 December
1829 prohibiting the practice of sati.
Those who practised sati were
made liable for punishment by law
courts as accessories to the crime.
The Regulation was extended to the
Madras and Bombay Presidencies
in 1830.
Suppression of Thugs:
Thugs were hereditary robbers.
They went about in small groups of
fifty to hundred posing as
commercial gangs or pilgrims
149
 ‘strangling and robbing peaceful
travellers’. They increased in
number in central and northern India
during the 18th century when
anarchy reigned after the
disintegration of the Mughal Empire.
A campaign was systematically
H organised by Colonel Sleeman from
1830 against the thugs. During the
course of five years nearly 2000 of
I them were captured. A greater
number of them were exterminated
and the rest were transported to the
S Andaman and Nicobar Islands. For
his role in the suppression of thugs,
Sir William Sleeman was known as
T “Thugee Sleeman”.
FEMALE INFANTICIDE:
O Female infanticide was one of the
horrible and heartless deeds
committed even by civilized people.
R This practice of killing female infants
was very much prevalent in places
like Rajputana, Punjab, Malwa and
Y Cutch. Bentinck took effective
steps to prevent the ritual of child
sacrifice at Saugar Island in Bengal.
He not only prohibited female
infanticide but declared if as
punishable crime.
LORD DALHOUSIE
(1848-1856)
L o r d D a l h o u s i e w a s t he
y o u n g e s t Governor-General of
India when he assumed charge at
the age of 36 in 1848. His early
career was remarkable. He studied
in Christ Church, Oxford. He
became Member of Parliament and
enjoyed the confidence of Sir
Robert Peel, the Prime Minister of
England. He did much for the
progress of railway construction in
England as the president of the
Board of Trade. In 1847, he was
offered the Governor-Generalship
of India which he accepted and
arrived at Calcutta in January 1848.
Doctrine of Lapse
Dalhousie also took advantage of
every opportunity to acquire
territory by peaceful means. The
East India Company was rapidly
becoming the predominant power in
150 Prelims Magic 2014
India. It had concluded alliances with
Indian rulers. It promised to support
them and their heirs in return for
various concessions. Although this
type of agreement favoured the
British, Dalhousie sought to acquire
even more power. According to the
Hindu Law, one can adopt a son in
case of no male heir to inherit the
property. The question arose
whether a Hindu ruler, holding his
state subordinate to the paramount
power, could adopt a son to succeed
his kingdom. It was customary for
a ruler without a natural heir to ask
the British Government whether he
could adopt a son to succeed him.
According to Dalhousie, if such
permission was refused by the
British, the state would “lapse” and
thereby become part of the British
India.
Dalhousie maintained that there was
a difference in principle between the
right to inherit private property and
the right to govern. This principle
was called the Doctrine of Lapse.
The Doctrine of Lapse was applied
by Dalhousie to Satara and it was
annexed in 1848. Jhansi and Nagpur
were annexed in 1854. As a result
of these annexations, a large part
of the Central Provinces came
under the British rule. The new
province was governed by a Chief
Commissioner from 1861.
Although the Doctrine of Lapse
cannot be regarded as illegal, its
application by Dalhousie was
disliked by Indian princes. The
advantages of the annexations of
Satara, Jhansi and Nagpur were
substantial to the
British. Dalhousie was blamed for
using the Doctrine of Lapse as an
instrument in pursuing his policy of
20 IMPACT OF BRITISH RULE IN INDIA
Impact of British Rule on
India:
British Agrarian Policy
It is a well-known fact that India is
primarily an agricultural country.
The overwhelming majority of its
annexation. After the Mutiny of
1857, the doctrine of lapse was
withdrawn
Postal Reform
The foundation of modern postal
system was laid down by Lord
Dalhousie. A new Post Office Act
was passed in 1854. Consequently,
irrespective of the distance over
which the letter was sent, a uniform
rate of half an anna per post card
was charged throughout India.
Postage stamps were introduced for
the first time.
Education
Dalhousie had also evinced interest
in the development of education.
The educational Despatch of Sir
Charles Wood (1854) was
considered the “Intellectual Charter
of India”. It provided an outline for
the comprehensive scheme of
education at primary, secondary and
collegiate levels. Dalhousie fully
accepted the views of Charles
Wood and took steps to carry out
the new scheme. Departments of
Public Instructions were organized.
The Universities of Calcutta,
Bombay and Madras were founded
in 1857.
Public Works Department
Before the period of Dalhousie, the
job of the Public Works Department
was done by the Military Board.
Dalhousie created a separate Public
Works Department and allotted
more funds for cutting canals and
roads. The Upper Ganges Canal
was completed in 1854.
Many bridges were constructed. By
modernizing the Public Works
Department he laid the foundations
of the engineering service in India.
people depend on agriculture for
sustenance. If the crop is good,
prosperity prevails otherwise it
leads to famine and starvation. Till
the 18th century, there was a strong
relation between agriculture and
cottage industries in India. India was
not only ahead in the field of
agriculture than most other
countries but it also held a prominent
place in the world in the field of
handicraft production. The British
destroyed handicraft industry in the
country while unleashing far-
reaching changes in the country’s
agrarian structure by introducing
new systems of land tenures and
policies of revenue administration.
India’s national income, foreign
trade, industrial expansion and
almost every other dominion of
economic activity, depended on the
country’s agriculture. The British
policies revolved around getting
maximum income from land
without caring much about Indian
interests of the cultivators. They
abandoned the age -old system of
revenue administration and adopted
in their place a ruthless policy of
revenue collection. After their
advent, the British principally
adopted three types of land tenures.
Roughly 19 per cent of the total
area under the British rule, i.e.,
Bengal, Bihar, Banaras, division of
the Northern Western Provinces
and northern Karnatak, were
brought under the Zamindari
System or the Permanent
Settlement. The second revenue
system, called the Mahalwari
Settlement, was introduced in about
30 per cent of the total area under
British rule i.e., in major parts of
the North Western Provinces,
Central Provinces and the Punjab
with some variations. The Ryotwari
System covered about 51 per cent
of the area under British rule
comprising part of the Bombay and
Madras Presidencies, Assam and
certain other parts of British India.
The Permanent Settlement
Lord Cornwallis’ most conspicuous
administrative measure was the
Permanent Land Revenue
Settlement of Bengal, which was
extended to the provinces of Bihar
and Orissa. It is appropriate to
recall that Warren Hastings
introduced the annual lease system
of auctioning the land to the highest
bidder. It created chaos in the
revenue administration. Cornwallis
at the time of his appointment was
instructed by the Directors to find a
satisfactory and permanent solution
to the problems of the land revenue
system in order to protect the
interests of both the Company and
the cultivators. It obliged the
Governor- General to make a
thorough enquiry into the usages,
tenures and rents prevalent in
Bengal. The whole problem
occupied Lord Cornwallis for over
three years and after a prolonged
discussion with his colleagues like
Sir John Shore and James Grant he
decided to abolish the annual lease
system and introduce a decennial
(Ten years) settlement which was
subsequently declared to be
continuous. The main features of the
Permanent Settlement were as
follows:
(i) The zamindars of Bengal were
recognised as the owners of land as
long as they paid the revenue to the
East India Company regularly.
(ii) The amount of revenue that the
zamindars had to pay to the
Company was firmly fixed and
would not be raised under any
circumstances. In other words, the
Government of the East India
Company got 89% leaving the rest
to the zamindars.
(iii) The ryots became tenants since
they were considered the tillers of
the soil.
(iv) This settlement took away the
administrative and judicial functions
of the zamindars.
The Permanent Settlement of
Cornwallis was bitterly criticized on
the point that it was adopted with
‘undue haste’. The flagrant defect
of this arrangement was that no
attempt was made ever either to
survey the lands or to assess their
value. The assessment was made
roughly on the basis of accounts of
previous collections and it was done
in an irregular manner. The effects
Prelims Magic 2014
of this system both on the
zamindars and ryots were
disastrous. As the revenue fixed by
the system was too high, many
zamindars defaulted on payments.
Their property was seized and
distress sales were conducted
leading to their ruin. The rich
zamindars who led luxurious lives
H
left their villages and migrated into
towns. They entrusted their rent
collection to agents who exacted all
I
kinds of illegal taxes besides the
legal ones from the ryots.
This had resulted in a great deal of
S
misery amongst the peasants and
farmers. Therefore Lord Cornwallis’
idea of building a system of
T
benevolent land-lordism failed.
Baden Powell remarks, “The
zamindars as a class did nothing for
O
the tenants”. Though initially the
Company gained financially, in the
long run the Company suffered
R
financial loss because land
productivity was high, income from
it was meagre since it was a fixed
Y
sum. It should be noted that in pre-
British period a share on the crop
was fixed as land tax. Nevertheless,
this system proved to be a great
boon to the zamindars and to the
government of Bengal. It formed a
regular income and stabilised the
government of the Company. The
zamindars prospered at the cost of
the welfare of the tenants.
Ryotwari Settlement
The Ryotwari settlement was
introduced mainly in Madras, Berar,
Bombay and Assam. Sir Thomas
Munro introduced this system in the
Madras Presidency. Under this
settlement, the peasant was
recognised as the proprietor of land.
There was no intermediary like a
Zamindar between the peasant and
the government. So long as he paid
the revenue in time, the peasant was
not evicted from the land. Besides,
the land revenue was fixed for a
period from 20 to 40 years at a time.
For this purpose all holdings were
measured and assessed according
151
 to crop potential and actual
cultivation. The advantages of this
system were the elimination of
middlemen, who often oppressed
villagers, and an assessment of the
tax on land actually cultivated and
H not merely occupied.
Every peasant was held personally
responsible for direct payment of
I land revenue to the government.
However, in the end, this system
also failed. Under this settlement it
S was certainly not possible to collect
revenue in a systematic manner.
The revenue officials indulged in
T harsh mesuares for non payment or
delayed payment.
Mahalwari Settlement
O In 1833, the Mahalwari settlement
was introduced in the Punjab, the
R Central Provinces and parts of
North Western Provinces. Under
this system the basic unit of revenue
Y settlement was the village or the
Mahal. As the village lands belonged
jointly to the village community, the
responsibility of paying the revenue
rested with the entire Mahal or the
village community. So the entire
land of the village was measured at
the time of fixing the revenue.
Though the Mahalwari system
eliminated middlemen between the
government and the village
community and brought about
improvement in irrigation facility, yet
its benefit was largely enjoyed by
the government.
British Policy towards Indian
Handicrafts
The European companies began
arriving on the Indian soil from 16th
century. During this period, they
were constantly engaged in fierce
competition to establish their
supremacy and monopoly over
Indian trade. Not surprisingly,
therefore, initial objective of the
English East India Company was to
have flourishing trade with India.
Later, this objective was enlarged
to acquire a monopoly over this
trade and obtain its entire profit.
152 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Ryotwari
Settlement, consider the following
statements:
1. The rent was paid directly by
the peasants to the Government
2. The Government gave Pattas
to the Ryots
3. The lands were surveyed and
assessed before being taxed.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None
Ans. (c) (CSE 2012 )
Although the trade monopoly thus
acquired by the Company in India
was ended by the Charter Act of
1833, yet the British Policy of
exploiting the resources of India
continued unabated. In this respect,
the nature of the British rule was
different from the earlier rulers. As
far as the traditional handicraft
industry and the production of
objects of art were concerned, India
was already far ahead of other
countries in the world. The textiles
were the most important among the
Indian industries. Its cotton, silk and
woollen products were sought after
all over the world. Particularly, the
muslin of Dacca, carpets of Lahore,
shawls of Kashmir, and the
embroidery works of Banaras were
very famous. Ivory goods, wood
works and jewellery were other
widely sought after Indian
commodities. Apart from Dacca,
which was highly famous for its
muslins, the other important centres
of textile production were
Krishnanagar, Chanderi, Arni and
Banaras. Dhotis and dupattas of
Ahmedabad, Chikan of Lucknow,
and silk borders of Nagpur had
earned a worldwide fame. For their
silk products, some small towns of
Bengal besides, Malda and
Murshidabad were very famous.
Similarly, Kashmir, Punjab and
western Rajasthan were famous
for their woollen garments. Besides
textiles, India was also known
widely for its shipping, leather and
metal industries. Indian fame as an
industrial economy rested on cutting
and polishing of marble and other
precious stones and carving of ivory
and sandalwood. Moradabad and
Banaras were famous for brass,
copper, bronze utensils. Nasik,
Poona, Hyderabad and Tanjore
were famous for other metal works.
Kutch, Sind and Punjab were
known for manufacturing arms.
Kolhapur, Satara, Gorakhpur, Agra,
Chittor and Palaghat had likewise
earned a reputation for their glass
industries. Making of gold, silver and
diamond jewellery was another
important industrial activity in which
many places in India specialized.
These entire handicrafts industry
indicated a vibrant economy in
India. Despite enjoying such fame
in the world, the Indian handicraft
industry had begun to decline by the
beginning of the 18th century. There
were many reasons for it. First, the
policies followed by the English East
India Company proved to be highly
detrimental to the Indian handicrafts
industry. The Indian market was
flooded with the cheap finished
goods from Britain. It resulted in a
steep decline in the sale of Indian
products both within and outside of
the country. In 1769, the Company
encouraged the cultivation of raw
silk in Bengal while imposing
service restrictions on the sale of
its finished products. In 1813,
strategies were devised by the
Company to enhance the
consumption of finished goods from
Britain. In this respect, the tariff and
octroi policies were suitably
modified to suit the British
commercial interests. To cite an
example, in 1835 only a minimal
import of British duty of 2.5 per cent
was imposed on the import of British
manufactured cotton cloth whereas
a very high 15 per cent export duty
was charged on Indian cotton
textiles as per the new maritime
regulations. Moreover, goods from
England could only be brought by
the English cargo ships. As a result
of all these policies, the Indian
textiles could not enter the British
market, whereas the Indian market
was flooded with British goods.
Thus, with the rise of British
paramountcy in India, the process
of decline in the power and status
of Indian rulers had set in. Thus, the
demands for the domestic luxury
goods like royal attires, armory and
objects of art by the Indian royalty
also reduced drastically.
So, with the disappearance of the
traditional dynasties, their nobility
also passed into oblivion. This led
to a sharp decline in the demand for
traditional luxury goods. Besides, the
Industrial revolution led to the
invention of new machinery in
Europe. Power looms replaced
handlooms. In India also, the advent
of machines led to the decline of
handicraft as now the machine-
made products were available at
cheaper rate and more goods could
be produced in much lesser time.
Finally, the new communication and
transport facilities brought about a
revolution in public life. Earlier,
goods used to be transported either
by bullock carts or by ships. Thus,
during the rainy season, it was not
always convenient to carry on with
the normal transportation. But now
conditions were changed with the
introduction of railways and steamer
services. Concrete roads were laid
to connect the country’s agricultural
hinterland. The import of goods
from England also increased with
the simultaneous increase in exports
of raw materials from India, leading
to massive loss of jobs among Indian
artisans and craftsman who lost
their only means to livelihood.
English Education during
British rule till 1857
In the beginning, the East India
Company did not develop any
educational policy in India. Its early
efforts were spent in the promotion
of oriental learning. In 1781, Warren
Hastings founded the Calcutta
Madrasa. In 1784, William Jones
founded the Asiatic Society and in
1791, Jonathan Duncan, the
Company’s Resident at Benaras,
started a Sanskrit College there.
Towards the close of the eighteenth
century, numerous missionary
groups strongly urged the Company
to introduce Christianity and English
education in India. The lead was
taken by Charles Grant, William
Wilberforce, Henry Thornton and
Edward Party. In 1792, Grant
published a pamphlet in which he
pleaded for the introduction of
English language in India. He
observed ‘The true cure of darkness
is the introduction of light’. But his
efforts were of no avail.
What Grant failed to do through
government, the Christian
missionaries in India especially the
Baptist missionaries like Carey,
Marshman and Ward accomplished
through private efforts. They took
keen interest in promoting English
education and laid the foundation of
Bengali prose literature. In 1800,
Governor General Wellesley
established the famous Fort William
College in Calcutta for the training
of young civilians. In 1811, Lord
Minto pleaded for governmental aid
for the revival of Hindu learning.
The Charter Act of 1813 provided
that a lakh of rupees should annually
be set apart for the ‘revival and
improvement of literature and for
the introduction and promotion of a
knowledge of the sciences among
the inhabitants of the British
territories in India’.
While the government efforts for
the promotion of western education
proceeded in a halting manner,
private individuals took the lead.
Robert Mayo, a well known
missionary, established a school at
Chinsura in 1814. Within a few
months, the surrounding districts had
as many as 16 schools founded
mainly through his initiative. In 1814,
Jayanarayan Ghosal established a
school at Benaras. But, the most
significant landmark in the history
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of the growth of western education
was the foundation of the Hindu
College in 1817 which afterwards
became the Presidency College.
The Hindu College which was the
brainchild of David Hare and
Rammohan Roy became ‘the first
English Seminary in Bengal or even
in India’ as Alexander Duff later
H
reported. The main objective of the
College ‘was to teach the sons of
respectable Hindus the science and
I
literature of Europe and Asia in the
English and Indian languages. The
foundation of Hindu College marked
S
the beginning of liberal education in
Bengal on modern lines. The
Serampore missionaries - Carey
T
Marshman and Ward - established
the Serampore College in 1818. In
the same year, a missionary college
O
was founded at Calcutta, which
became famous as the Bishops’
College. The School Book Society
R
founded in 1817 enjoyed
government grant and distributed
text books in English and the
Y
vernaculars. Within a few months
another society was formed in 1818
called ‘The Calcutta School
Society’. The society restricted its
activities to Calcutta. In 1819 it
decided to pursue a three-fold
policy: the first, to establish and
supervise a limited number of model
schools; second, to improve the
existing indigenous schools; and
third, to facilitate the learning of
English and higher education
generally. To Thomson of Church
Missionary Society, must go the
credit for having devised, early in
1814, the first comprehensive plan
for education in the Bengal
Presidency. It involved the
establishment by the Government of
a high school in every district for
the teaching of English and modern
science, a ‘normal school’ at
Calcutta for the training of teachers,
and the encouragement of
elementary vernacular schools in
the villages. He also stressed the
importance of ethical teaching
which was to include selections
from the Muslim, Christian and
153
 Hindu sacred books. But Thomson’s
scheme had not been accepted by
the Government. Rammohun
established a school at Suripara and
an Anglo-Hindu school in Calcutta
for English education, which later
became famous as the Indian
H Academy. The urge for English
education had become so insistent
that Rammohun wrote, ‘two-thirds
I of the native population of Bengal
would be exceedingly glad to see
their children educated in English
S learning’. In 1830, Alexander Duff
established the General Assembly’s
Institution of the Church of
T Scotland. Duff decided to introduce
English as a medium of instruction
as he considered English to be ‘the
O most effective medium of Indian
illumination’. Duff was the most
effective missionary educationist. of
R Bengal of the 1830s and the general
consequences of his work were
considerable. One of the most
Y popular schools was Oriental
Seminary founded by Gour Mohan
Addy in 1829. The Arpooly Patasala
imparted free English education.
The Bombay Education Society was
formed in 1815.
The missionaries made an important
contribution to education in Bengal.
They made a systematic attempt to
introduce the elements of modern
knowledge - especially history,
geography and science. From
Adam’s Report, it appears that the
missionaries in Bengal had under
their management a total number of
134 boy’s and girl’s schools, with
nearly 8,000 boys and girls. The
missionaries also laid the foundation
for the future development of
Bengali literature with their
dictionaries and grammars and
made it a vehicle for Western
learning and thought. In this way,
they gave an impetus to the Bengal
Renaissance. On the other hand, the
missionaries also realised the
possibilities of English and
welcomed the government’s
decision in 1835 of encouraging
English education alone.
154 Prelims Magic 2014
It was not until 1813.that the East India and that all the funds
India Company had formulated any appropriated for the purpose of
educational policy in India. But even education would be best employed
the money sanctioned in 1813 on English education alone”.
remained unspent till the formation
Although the cultivation of Sanskrit
of the General Committee of Public
and Arabic continued under
Instruction on 17th July 1823. The
general policy of the East India
Company was to encourage oriental
government auspices, Bentinck’s
famous Resolution gave a great
impetus to the progress of English
learning and in 1823, Lord Amherst
founded the Sanskrit College at
Calcutta. But a wind of change was
education in India. The Calcutta
Medical College and Elphinstone
Institution of Bombay were
felt in England where the Court of
Directors, under the influence of
James Mill, advocated western
established in 1835. The Hooghly
College which had done much to
promote English education among
education. The Despatch or the
Court of Directors, dated 18th
February 1824 marked a tide in
the Muhammadans, was founded in
1836. The Committee of Public
Instruction which was in charge of
favour of western education. In
1829 it was declared that the policy
of the British Government was to
14 schools and colleges before 1835,
became burdened with 48
institutions in 1837. In 1839, the
render its own language gradually
and eventually the language of
public business throughout the
Governor-General, Lord Auckland
emphasised that it was his aim ‘to
communicate through the means of
country.
For several years there was a lively
controversy between the supporters
the English language a complete
education in European literature,
philosophy and science to the
of oriental and western learning. But greatest number of students’. From
when Bentinck came to India in 1837 English replaced Persian as
1829 he had already been convinced the official language in the higher
that the ‘British language was the branches of administration. In
key to all improvement’. In England, district administration vernacular
he found support in James Mill and languages became the official
in Calcutta, in Rammohun Roy. In medium in place of Persian.
1834 Bentinck was strengthened by
In 1842 the General Committee of
the arrival of Thomas Babington
Public Instruction was replaced by
Macaulay who became the first
a more powerful body, the Council
Law Member of the Governor-
of Education. It continued to
General’s Council. In his famous
function with wide powers till 1854.
minute on 2nd February 1835,
In 1844, the Governor-General,
Macaulay questioned the utility of
Lord Hardinge, further promoted
Indian learning and advocated the
the spread of English education by
value of English learning. But his
making the language a passport to
contempt for oriental learning was
public employment. In 1845, the
almost indecent; ‘A single shelf of
Council of Education, under the
a good European library was worth
Presidentship of Charles Hay
the whole literature of India and
Cameron, drew up a plan for a
Arabia’. However, Bentinck took
university in Calcutta. But it was not
the fateful decision when in the
favoured by the authorities in
famous Resolution of 7th March,
England.
1835 he declared:
The introduction of English
The great object of the British
education left its impact on Bombay
Government ought to be the
and Madras as well. In Bombay, a
promotion of European literature
Board of Education was instituted
and science among the natives of
in 1840. The Grant Medical College
in Bombay was founded in 1845.
The next year, the Elphinston
Institute began to impart learning in
the higher branches of science. In
the Madras Presidency, an English
school was established in 1837.
Within a few years, a number of
Christian missionary organisations
established several schools.
Meanwhile, the first Engineering
College in India was founded in
Roorkee in 1847.
In 1854 appeared the famous
Education Despatch of Sir Charles
Wood, President of the Board of
Control. This laid down the principles
of graded educational system from
‘the primary school to the
university’. Described as the
Magna Carta of English Education
in India, the Education Despatch of
1854 laid down the broad principle
of English for the select few and
vernaculars for’ the masses. It also
introduced the system of grants-in-
aid which were considered
favourable for running numerous
institutions. For a systematic
supervision of the education system,
a Director of Public Instruction was
appointed in each of the five
provinces - Bengal, Bombay,
Madras, the North Western
Provinces and the Punjab. The
Directors were to be assisted by a
number of Inspectors. The whole
system was to be crowned by a
number of universities on the model
of London. In 1857, were founded
the three universities at Calcutta,
Bombay and Madras.
Charles Wood’s despatch/The
Education Despatch (1854)
The most important landmark in the
history of development of education
in India was the Wood’s Despatch
of 1854. In 1854, Sir Charles Wood,
the President of the Board of
Control, drafted a despatch on the
future of education. This despatch
is considered as the ‘Magna Carta’
of English education in India. In this
despatch he emphasised that “India
was a race of people slow to change,
bound up by religious prejudices and
antiquated customs. They are in fact
many - I had almost said all - the
obstacles to rapid progress”.
The chief recommendations of
the Wood’s Despatch were as
follows:
1) The safeguarding of the
educational interests of the Indians
committed to the British charge
should be accepted by the
government as their official
responsibility.
2) The aim of the educational
system and policy of the British
should be diffusion of Arts, Science
and Philosophy of Europe so that
trustworthy men could be produced
who could hold offices under the
Company.
3) Both English and Indian
languages were to be used for the
diffusion of European knowledge
and English as the medium of
instruction should not be insisted
upon at all stages. It should be used
only when sufficient knowledge of
it had been gained by the people.
4) The study of Indian languages
should be encouraged to make the
communication between the people
and the government easier.
5) The Despatch favoured the
abandonment of Macaulay’s
Filtration Theory, which held that
education should be imparted to
upper classes only and it would
automatically filter down to the
lower masses. Instead, it
recommended that indigenous
school should be made a foundation
of the system.
6) It favoured the introduction of the
system of grant-in-aid to encourage
private enterprises in the field of
education. However, these grants
were to be made available only to
those institutions which employed
qualified teachers and maintained
proper standards of teaching. In
making these grants the principle of
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religious neutrality was to be
observed.
7) At the lowest level it
recommended the setting up of
vernacular primary schools,
followed by Anglo-Vernacular High
Schools and affiliated colleges at the
district level.
H
8) The Despatch laid great
emphasis on vocational instruction
I
and emphasised the need of
establishing technical institutions for
training students in law, agriculture,
S
medicine, methods of teaching in
schools, etc.
9) Special facilities and encoura-
T
gement should be provided to female
education. O
10) It recommended the introduction
of comprehensive system of
scholarships to deserving students. R
11) It favoured the establishment of
universities in India on the pattern
of London University. Each
Y
University was to have a
Chancellor, a Vice-chancellor and
a Senate in addition to professors
for various branches of learning
such as Law. These universities
were to be mere examining bodies.
Initially, such universities were set
up at Calcutta and Bombay, but an
additional university could be
established at Madras. At other
places, where there were sufficient
number of students for degree
classes such universities could be
established. In pursuance of this
provision, universities were set up
at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay in
1857 and in Punjab and Agra in 1885
and 1887 respectively.
12) The Despatch recommended
the establishment of a separate
Department of Public Instruction in
every province under the Director
General of Education. The Director
General was to be assisted by
inspecting officers, who were to
make periodical reports of the
educational work in their province.
These officers were designated as
directors and were in charge of one
each of the five provinces.
155
 Wood’s scheme of education has
been criticised on the ground that it
was a slavish imitation of the English
model and failed to create any solid
scheme for the administration of
schools, etc. The appointment of
administrators as Directors of
H Public Instruction has been severely
criticised by Prof. Dodwell. He says
“the men in charge of the
I department were primarily
administrators and consequently,
education tended to become a
S matter of routine administration”.
Even the universities were not
T assigned any teaching functions and
were expected to be mere
examining bodies. However, it
O cannot be denied that the Despatch
laid the foundation of the western
system of education and continued
R to be the basis of the educational
system during the next five
decades.
Y British policy towards Indian
states between 1765 and
1857.
Generally speaking, the Indian states
were the “inaccessible and less
fertile tracts of the Indian
peninsula”. In the process of
conquest, the East India Company
acquired important coastal tracts, the
valleys of the great navigable rivers
accessible from the sea, such tracts
which were rich in agricultural
products and densely populated by
prosperous people.
After the death of Aurangzeb in
1707, a number of provinces had
become independent and had
emerged as new states. The East
India Company became a political
power during the same period
gaining from the disruption of the
Mughal empire. Many states like
Hyderabad, Oudh and Rajput states
were not conquered or annexed by
the but they accepted the
Company’s supremacy. Some
states notably the Rajput states of
Central India had for centuries
resisted the Mughals and later the
156 Prelims Magic 2014
Marathas but were saved from
extinction by the British intervention.
Some states were created by the
British in the process of the
overthrow of the Maratha
confederacy.
A study of the relations between the
British and the Indian states
between 1765 and 1857 reveals the
following stages:
1) East India Company’s struggle
for equality with Indian states,
1740-65.
2) The policy of Ring fence,
1765-1813.
3) The policy of Subordinate
Isolation, 1813-57.
1) East India Company’s struggle
for equality with Indian states, 1740-
65: Prior to 1740, the East India
Company was a commercial body
with little political ambition. With
Dupleix’s arrival on the Indian
political scene perhaps we notice the
beginning of political ambitions of
both the British and the French in
India. In 1757, the British won the
Battle of Plassey and became the
political force behind the Nawabs
of Bengal. The Company became
a ruling power after the acquisition
of the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and
Orissa. Hence till 1765, the
Company was striving for a status
of equality with the Indian states.
2) The Policy of Ring Fence or
Buffer State, 1765-1813:
Lee Warner opines that during this
period, “The British endeavoured as
far as possible to live with a Ring
Fence, and beyond that they
avoided intercourse with the
chiefs”. The Company had neither
the strength nor the resources to
defeat the Indian states. Therefore
it created buffer states around its
territories. The idea was purely that
of defence of the frontiers of the
Company. The chief danger to the
Company’s territories was from the
Afghan invaders and the Marathas.
So the Company undertook to
organise the defence of the frontiers
of Oudh on the condition that the
Nawab would bear the expenses of
the defending army. Hence Oudh
became the buffer state for Bengal.
With the arrival of Wellesley,
Company’s relations with the Indian
states underwent a change.
Wellesley sought to reduce the
Indian states to a position of
dependence on the Company. He
aimed at bringing the Indian states
within the ambit of British political
power and military protection.
Wellesley described his policy as
purely defensive and pacific, for he
felt compelled to extend the British
dominions to counteract the design
of France. The rulers of Hyderabad,
Mysore, Oudh and other lesser
states accepted the Subsidiary
Alliance System. The defeat of the
Marathas in 1803 and Holkar in
1805 virtually established the
supremacy of British power.
3) The policy of Subordinate
Isolation (1813-57): The wars of
Lord Hastings (1813-23) opened a
new stage in the relations of the East
India Company vis-à-vis the Indian
states. The imperial idea grew and
the theory of paramountcy began to
develop. The treaties that he
concluded with the Indian states
were not on the basis of reciprocity
and mutual amity, but imposed the
obligation on the part of the Indian
states to act in subordinate co-
operation with the British
government and acknowledge its
supremacy. Thus the Indian states
surrendered all forms of external
sovereignty to the East India
Company. The states, however,
retained full sovereignty in internal
admini-stration. In the subsequent
years the interference of the
Company in the internal
administration of the state increased
considerably. The British residents
were usually mediators between the
Government of India and the rulers
of Indian states. Gradually their
power and influence increased. The
successors of Lord Hastings did not
share his views of complete
subordination and isolation and
annexed Sind, the Punjab, Oudh and
other minor states. Lord Dalhousie
opined that Lord Hastings was
wrong in propping up minor
principalities and the only way of
preventing misrule in the states was
to annex them.
The Charter Act of 1833 changed
the character of the Company. The
Company was asked to wind up its
commercial business. It assumed
political functions in fact and name.
A radical change followed in the
policy towards the Indian states. The
Company began to insist on its
approval in all matters of succession
in states. Their interference in
internal matters of the states
increased.
The policy of annexation whenever
and wherever possible was laid
down by the Court of Directors in
1834. In 1841 the Court of Directors
reiterated the policy with emphasis.
The Governors General of this
period were annexationists.
Annexations were made to acquire
new territories and new sources of
revenue on the pretext of failures
of natural heirs or misgovernment.
The Company as the supreme
power had the right to withdraw
sanction for adoption of heirs and
the states in such cases lapsed back
to the supreme power. For the
problem of misgovernment in native
states the Company itself, in reality,
was responsible. William Bentinck
annexed Mysore (1831), Cachar
(832), Coorg (1834) and Jaintia
(1835). Auckland annexed Karnul,
Mandavi, Kolaba and Jalaun.
Dalhousie annexed about half a
dozen Indian states including big
states like Nagpur, Satara and
Oudh.
Even after the establishment of the
East India Company’s undisputed
supremacy in 1818, the policy of the
East India Company vis-à-vis the
Indian states was ‘chaotic, indefinite
and contradictory’. Some states
were annexed while some others
were assured of the Company’s
policy of  non­intervention into  the
internal affairs of their states. On
the whole, the Company’s
paramountcy was undefined,
undefinable, but always tending to
expand under the strong pressure
of political circumstances.
Development of the Judiciary
under the British till 1857
The modern legal system of India
largely owes its origin to the British
rule in India. The Charter of 1600
had authorised the Company to
make laws, rules, orders and
ordinances for the good government
of the Company. The Company’s
jurisdiction was confined to its
factories and its European and non-
European employees. The Charter
Act of 1669 authorised the
Company to exercise through its
officers judicial authority over the
people. English laws were to be
applied. The Charters of 1683 and
1686 authorised the Company to set
up Courts of Justice for maritime
and mercantile purposes wherever
required. By 1726 the Company
established Mayor ’s Courts at
Madras, Bombay and Fort William
- three Presidency towns. These
were civil courts. Appeals against
the decisions of Mayor’s courts
could be taken to the Governor
General-in-Council. Appeals in
cases involving more than 800
shillings could be taken to the King-
in-Council in England.
In 1765, the Company obtained the
Diwani of Bengal from the Mughal
emperor Shah Alam. But then, the
Company did not assume direct
responsibility for the administration.
So, the judicial administration was
retained in the hands of Nawab’s
civil servants. It was Warren
Hastings who introduced some
judicial reforms for the first time in
the history of the British rule in India.
In 1772 he set up civil courts
(Diwani Adalats) in each district
which were to be presided over by
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a collector of revenue. The highest
court, Sadr Diwani Adalat, was set
up at Calcutta which consisted of
the Governor General as the
President and had two members of
the Council as its members.
The criminal courts were set up in
each district known as the Nizamat
Adalats. Qazis, Muftis and Maulvis
H
under the collector looked into the
speedy and impartial disposal of
cases in these courts. The highest
I
criminal court was the Sadr Nizamat
Adalat consisting of Chief Qazi,
Chief Mufti and three Maulvis.
S
Muslim laws were applied in the
case of Muslims and the Hindu laws
in the case of Hindus in dealing with
T
certain cases of marriage and
inheritance. O
The Regulating Act of 1773
introduced important changes in the
judicial administration. It provided R
for a Supreme Court of Judicature
in Calcutta consisting of a Chief
Justice and three puisne judges. Y
The court was given the authority
to try civil, criminal, ecclesiastical
and admiralty cases involving
inhabitants of Calcutta as well as
British subjects and their servants
in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It was
to apply English law and procedure.
Appeals against its decision could
be taken to the Privy Council in
England. However, the vagueness
in defining the demarcation in
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
and other courts and in its authority
over the executive led to a lot of
confusion and jeopardised the
judicial system.
Between 1774 and 1781, certain
changes were introduced by
Hastings in Company’s courts. The
collectors were replaced by Amils
in the field of civil justice. In addition,
provincial courts were set up at
Calcutta, Burdwan, Murshidabad,
Dacca, Dinajpur and Patna which
heard appeals against the Amils’
Courts. In certain cases appeals
could also be made to Sadr Diwani
Adalat. The revenue and judicial
functions were segregated.
157
 In 1781 through the Judicature Act
efforts were made to remove some
of the defects in the working of the
Supreme Court. More significant
judicial reforms were introduced by
Lord Cornwallis. With the help of
Sir William Jones, he introduced a
H series of reforms to reorganise the
judicial system in the country in 1787,
1790 and 1793. The following graded
I courts were set up for civil purposes
- The Munsif Court, the district
courts, four provincial courts and the
S highest court of appeal at Calcutta.
Sadr Diwani Adalat was the highest
court of appeal for civil cases. The
T daroga courts, the district courts,
four circuit courts and the highest
Sadr Nizamat Adalat were the
O graded criminal courts. He also got
prepared a code of Regulations in
1793 with the help of Sir George
R Barlow. It was known as the
Cornwallis Code. It was meant for
the guidance of the servants of the
Y Company. A clear division was
made between the administration
and commercial services. In each
district Mir Adalats headed by
collectors with revenue powers
were set up. Yet another important
judicial reform was the abolition of
inhuman punishments.
In the judicial system Lord William
Bentinck achieved economy by
abolishing provincial courts of appeal
in 1829. He divided Bengal into 20
divisions and in each division a
Commissioner of Revenue and a
circuit judge were appointed. They
worked under the guidance of Sadr
Nizamat Adalat in criminal cases
and Board of Revenue in revenue
matters.
In 1831, it was provided that
respectable Indians be appointed
Munsifs and Sadr Amins. A
separate Sadr Diwani Adalat and
Sadr Nizamat Adalat were set up
at Allahabad and these started
functioning in 1832. Jury system
was also introduced the same year.
Vernacular languages replaced
Persian as the court language.
In 1833 a Law Commission was set
158 Prelims Magic 2014
up to prepare a draft of Indian Penal
Code. It was presided over by
Macaulay. Though judicial
hierarchy, uniformity of law and
codification of laws were the
significant changes introduced by
British rule in the early half of the
19th century, discrimination
between· Indians and the Europeans
in judicial matters was very
conspicuous.
Social Policies and Legislation
In the beginning, the British interest
was limited to trade and earning
profits from economic exploitation.
Therefore, they did not evince any
interest in taking the issue of social
or religious reforms. They were
apprehensive of interfering with the
social and religious customs and
institutions of the Indians because
of the fear that they might lose trade
advantage. Thus, they adopted the
policy of extreme precaution and
indifference towards social issues
in India. The one reason why they
indulged in criticizing the customs
and traditions of India was to
generate a feeling of inferiority
complex among the Indians.
However, in the mid-19th century
the social and religious movements,
launched in India, attracted the
attention of the Company’s
administration towards the
country’s social evils. The
propaganda carried out by the
Christian missionaries also stirred
the minds of the educated Indians.
Western thought and education and
views expressed in different
newspapers and magazines had
their own impact. Some of the
British administrators like Lord
William Bentinck had evinced
personal interest in the matter.
There were primarily two areas in
which laws were enacted, laws
pertaining to women emancipation
and the caste system.
Social Laws Concerning Women
The condition of women, by the time
the British established their rule, was
not encouraging. Several evil
practices such as the practice of
Sati, the Purdah system, child
marriage, female infanticide, bride
price and polygamy had made their
life quite miserable. The place of
women had come to be confined to
the four walls of her home. The
doors of education had been shut
for them. From economic point of
view also her status was miserable.
There was no social and economic
equality between a man and woman.
A Hindu woman was not entitled to
inherit any property. Thus, by and
large, she was completely
dependent on men. During the 19th
and 20th centuries some laws were
enacted with the sincere efforts of
social reformers, humanists and
some British administrators to
improve the condition of women in
Indian society. The first effort in this
direction was the enactment of law
against the practice of Sati during
the administration of Lord William
Bentinck.
Female Infanticide
Female infanticide was another
inhuman practice afflicting the 19th
century Indian society. It was
particularly in vogue in Rajputana,
Punjab and the North Western
Provinces. Colonel Todd, Johnson
Duncan, Malcolm and other British
administrators have discussed about
this evil custom in detail. Factors
such as family pride, the fear of not
finding a suitable match for the girl
child and the hesitation to bend
before the prospective in-laws were
some of the major reasons
responsible for this practice.
Therefore, immediately after birth,
the female infants were being killed
either by feeding them with opium
or by strangulating or by purposely
neglecting them. Some laws were
enacted against this practice in
1795, 1802 and 1804 and then in
1870. However, the practice could
not be completely eradicated only
through legal measures. Gradually,
this evil practice came to be done
away through education and public
opinion.
Widow Remarriage
There are many historical evidences
to suggest that widow remarriage
enjoyed social sanction during
ancient period in India. In course of
time, the practice ceased to prevail
increasing the number of widows to
lakhs during the 19th century.
Therefore, it became incumbent on
the part of the social reformers to
make sincere efforts to popularize
widow remarriage by writing in
newspapers and contemporary
journals. Prominent among these
reformers were Raja Rammohun
Roy and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.
They carried out large scale
campaigns in this regard mainly
through books, pamphlets and
petitions with scores of signatures.
In July 1856, J. P. Grant, a member
of the Governor-General’s Council
finally tabled a bill in support of the
widow re-marriage, which was
passed on 13 July 1856 and came
to be called the Widow Re-
marriage Act, 1856.
Child Marriage
The practice of child marriage was
another social stigma for the
women. In November 1870, the
Indian Reforms Association was
started with the efforts of Keshav
Chandra Sen. A journal called
Mahapap Bal Vivah (Child
marriage: The Cardinal Sin) was
also launched with the efforts of
B.M. Malabari to fight against child
marriage. In 1846, the minimum
marriageable age for a girl was only
10 years. In 1891, through the
enactment of the Age of Consent
Act, this was raised to 12 years. In
1930, through the Sharda Act, the
minimum age was raised to 14
years. After independence, the limit
was raised to 18 years in 1978.
Purdah System
Similarly, voices were raised against
the practice of Purdah during the
19th and 20th century. The condition
of women among the peasantry was
relatively better in this respect.
Purdah was not so much prevalent
in Southern India. Through the large
scale participation of women in the
national freedom movement, the
system disappeared without any
specific legislative measure taken
against it.
Struggle against the Caste
System and the related
Legislation
Next to the issue of women
emancipation, the caste system
became the second most important
issue of social reforms. In fact, the
system of caste had become the
bane of Indian society. The caste
system was primarily based on the
fourfold division of society viz.
Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishyas and
Shudras. On account of their
degradation in their social status, the
Sudras were subjected to all kinds
of social discrimination. In the
beginning of the 19th century the
castes of India had been split into
innumerable subcastes on the basis
of birth.
In the meantime, a new social
consciousness also dawned among
the Indians. Abolition of ’
untouchability became a major issue
of the 19th century social and
religious reform movements in the
country. Mahatma Gandhi made the
removal of untouchability a part of
his constructive programme. He
brought out a paper, The Harijan,
and also organised the Harijan
Sevak Sangh. Dr. Bhimrao
Ambedkar dedicated his entire life
for the welfare of the downtrodden.
In Bombay, he formed a Bahiskrit
Hitkarini Sabha in July 1924 for this
purpose. Later, he also organized the
Akhil Bharatiya Dalit Varg Sabha
to fight against caste oppression.
Jyotirao Phule in Western India and
Shri Narayana Guru in Kerala
respectively established the Satya
Sadhak Samaj and the Shri
Narayana Dharma Partipalana
Yogam to include self-esteem
among the downtrodden. In the
Madras Presidency also the
beginning of 20th century witnessed
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the rise of Self-respect Movement
of Periyar E.V.R. In order to
eradicate this evil practice many
other individual and institutional
efforts were also made. These
movements were directed mainly in
removing the disabilities suffered by
Harijans in regard to drawing of
water from public wells, getting
H
entry into temples and admission
into schools.
The Great Depression 1929
I
A global economic depression broke
out in 1929 following the American
S
stock market crash of 1929 and
rising speculations among the
investors. However, the causes
T
were more diverse and multi-
pronged, with the rise in costs and
economic inflation of the post-war
O
period being one of the main
reasons. This inflation was caused
by excessive manufacturing
R
activities during the First World War.
 As a result, huge stocks of goods
were piled up without being used.
Y
Wartime expenditure had reduced
the countries of Europe to a state
of heavy debt. Protective economic
policies of European countries made
their condition even worse. The
United States of America was not
affected, partly because it had
participated on the side of the
victorious Allies and partly because
the American states were never
under attack during the span of the
war. As a result, the United States
of America emerged as a financial
superpower and the principal
creditor to European countries.
The Treaty of Versailles and its
conditions had impoverished
Germany. Germany lost a lot due to
its involvement in the war. The
country now owed extremely high
debts. However,  contrary  to
expectations, Germany did not pay
off their debt by exporting
manufactured goods. Instead,
Germany paid off its debts by
borrowing from the United
Kingdom. The  United  Kingdom,
meanwhile, paid Germany by
159
 borrowing from the United States
of America. This created a situation
wherein all European countries
became dependant on the United
States of America.
When the American stock market
H suffered its first crash on October
24, 1929, there was a dreadful
psychological effect on the nation.
I America stopped providing loans to
foreign countries, thereby leading to
a global financial disaster.
S Problems caused by the Gold
Standard
T The United Kingdom adopted
the Gold Standard in the 1790s. Gold
was used to determine the value of
O the pound sterling throughout the
19th century and the first quarter
of the 20th century. The value of
R the pound sterling depended on the
amount of pound sterling needed to
purchase a fixed quantity of gold.
Y At the onset of the First World War,
the cost of gold was very low and
therefore the pound sterling had high
value. But during the First World
War, the value of the pound fell
alarmingly due to rising war
expenses. At the conclusion of the
war, the value of the pound was only
a fraction of what it used to be prior
to the commencement of the war.
It remained low until 1925, when
the then Chancellor of the
Exchequer (  Finance  Minister)  of
United Kingdom, Winston Churchill,
restored it to pre-War levels. As a
result, the price of gold fell rapidly.
While the rest of Europe purchased
large quantities of gold from the
United Kingdom, there was little
increase in the financial reserves.
This dealt a blow to an already
deteriorating economy. The United
Kingdom began to look to its
possessions as India to compensate
for the gold that was sold.
India at the onset of the
Depression
India was one of the foremost
suppliers of raw materials during
the First World War. India provided
160 Prelims Magic 2014
large quantities of iron, steel and
other material for the manufacture
of arms and armaments.
Manufacturing units were gradually
established and for the first time,
theBritish Raj adopted a policy of
industrialization. India acted both as
a supplier as well as a sprawling
market for finished British goods in
order to sustain Britain’s wartime
economy.
When the war came to an end, the
Montagu-Chelmsford reforms were
enacted in order to provide certain
concessions to Indians in return for
their loyalty to the Empire during the
war. In 1923, the British Raj offered
government protection to nine
industries posing them as a sincere
bid to industrialize
economy. However,  the  measures
the
appeared symbolic and were
intended to finance and protect
British enterprise as was evident
from the fact that all the benefactors
were British-run industries. At the
onset of the Great Depression, as it
had been always, much of India’s
imports were from the United
Kingdom. On  the  eve  of  the  First
World War, India was the United
Kingdom’s single largest market
with its exports to India at Rs. 730
million making up over one-sixth of
the country’s total exports.
During the annual fiscal year 1928–
29, the total revenue for the
Government of India was Rs. 1,548
million. The  total  exports  were
valued at Rs. 3,390 million while
imports were valued at Rs. 2,630
million.
Impact of the Great Depression
India suffered badly due to the
Great Depression. The price
decline from late 1929 to October
1931 was 36 percent compared to
27 percent in the United Kingdom
and 26 percent in the United States.
Economic policy of the Raj
during the Depression
During the Depression, the British
Raj intensified the existing
imperialistic economic
policies. While  these  policies
protected Britain’s economy, they
destroyed India’s. Because the fall
in prices had been higher in India
compared to the rest of the world,
the price of commodities
manufactured in India rose
dramatically compared to imports
from the United Kingdom or some
other country in the world. Farmers
who were cultivating food crops had
earlier moved over to cash crop
cultivation in large numbers to meet
the demands of the mills in the
United Kingdom. Now, they were
crippled as they were unable to sell
their products in India due to the
high prices; nor could they export
the commodities to the United
Kingdom which had recently
adopted a protective policy
prohibiting imports from India. Rice,
wheat, etc., could be used for
private consumption but the cash
crops which they now cultivated
could not be used for private
consumption. As there was little
sale of indigenous manufactures and
limited exports, commodities
accumulated and the flow of cash
was restricted. Moreover, imports
were severely affected by the
Swadeshi movement and the
boycott of foreign goods imposed by
Indian nationalists. There was a
deficiency of money in many places
causing widespread poverty.
In such a condition, the most
recommended course of action is the
devaluation of currency. Most
countries afflicted by the Great
Depression as Australia, New
Zealand, Brazil and Denmark
reduced the exchange value of their
currencies. However,  the  British
Raj rejected the idea. A
recommended course of action to
increase mobility of cash is rise of
government expenditure. However,
the Government was least interested
in spending than accumulation.
International trade
International trade decreased a
great deal. The imports fell by over
47% while the exports fell by over
49% between 1929 and
1932. Between 1928–29 and 1933–
34, exports due to seaborne trade
decreased by 55.75 % to Rs. 1.25
billion while imports decreased by
55.51% to Rs. 2.02 billion.
Impact on the Railways
Due to a decline in exports and
imports, and thereby, in the
transportation of goods, the railway
revenues decreased exponentially.
All the expenses for the years
1930–31 and 1931–32 were paid
from the Railway Reserve
Fund. There was a decrease of Rs.
150 million in the railway revenues
between 1930 and 1932.
Drain of Wealth
It is a well-known fact that the
British ruled India for well over 300
years. During their long and
illustrious rule over the vast
territories of India, they gained a lot
and they gave a lot too. India in its
present situation owes a lot to great
Britain for the level of industrial
development that exists in India
today and the systems of education,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
With reference to the period of
colonial rule in India, “Home
Charges” formed an important
part of drain of wealth from
India. Which of the following
funds constituted “Home
Charges”?
I. Funds used to support the India
Office in London.
II. Funds used to pay salaries
and pensions of British personnel
engaged in India.
III. Funds used for waging wars
outside India by the British.
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) I only (b) I and II only
(c) II and III only (d) I, II and III
Ans. (d) (CSE 2011)
administration etc. that exist in India
today. There is no doubt that even
something as elementary as the
judicial system of India is borrowed
from the English system and that our
laws themselves are based on
English laws.
However, a point to be pondered
about is the nature of treatment that
the British meted out to India. After
all, the British conquered India with
a reason and the reason is pretty
clear that the wealth and riches of
India were too much for a great
industrial power like England to
resist at that point of time. The
British were ready to do anything
possible in order to obtain the riches
of India. They thus followed an
elaborate plan of action in order to
strip India of its wealth and to equip
Britain with the very best of the raw
materials and riches. This is what
is referred to as the ‘Drain of
Wealth’ from India by the British.
As far as the ‘Drain of Wealth’ from
India by the British is concerned we
can conclude that:
1. The British plundered India over
a period of about 200 years without
anybody to stop them.
2. Many a time, the economic
aspect of the British rule seemed to
be forgotten because of the political
struggle for power.
3. The situation may have changed
in political aspects and the colonies
may have achieved independence
but the economic exploitation still
goes on in one form or the other by
the developed countries of the
developing and the underdeveloped
countries.
4. The drain of wealth from India
seemed to have its own harmful
effects on the Indian economy after
independence and in the policies of
the Government of India too.
Dealing with home charges
In British India, apart from existing
imports and exports, there was also
a particular amount of money which
colonial India contributed towards
administration, maintenance of the
army, war expenses, pensions to
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retired officers and other expenses
accrued by Britain towards
maintenance of her colony. These
were known as “Home charges”
and were paid for almost entirely
by India.
The Home charges was made
of three components H
> Interest payable on Indian debt.
> Interest on the railways
> Civil and military charges.
I
Due to the drastic collapse of
international trade and the very little
revenue obtained for it, India could
S
only pay off her home charges by
selling off her gold reserves. From
1931–32 to 1934–35, India exported
T
Rs. 2,330 million worth of gold.
Consequences
O
The Great Depression had a terrible
impact on the Indian farmer. While
there was a steady, uninhibited
R
increase in land rent, the value of
the agricultural produce had come
down to alarming levels. Therefore,
Y
having incurred heavy losses, the
farmer was compelled to sell off
gold and silver ornaments in his
possession in order to pay the land
rent and other taxes. By 1931,
around 1600 ounces of gold were
arriving everyday at the port
of Bombay.  This  gold  intake  was
transported to the United Kingdom
to compensate for the low bullion
prices in the country and thereby
revitalize the British
economy. United  Kingdom  was
overjoyed as its economy recovered
with gold and silver from India.
The Viceroy, Lord Willingdon
remarked, “For the first time in
history, owing to the economic
situation, Indians are disgorging
gold. We have sent to London in the
past two or three months,
25,000,000 sterling and
I hope that the process will
continue.”
Founding of the Reserve
Bank of India
The policies of the Government of
161
 India during the Great Depression
resulted in widespread protests all
over the country. As the national
struggle intensified, the Government
of India conceded some of the
economic demands of the
nationalists, including the
H establishment of a central
bank. Accordingly,  the  Reserve
Bank of India Act was passed in
I poor prospects of promotion. The
21 THE REVOLT OF 1857
S In 1857 Indians made the first
serious attempt to end the British
T rule in India. It started the
movement which was a continuous
struggle against the British rule till
O 1947. Hence, the nature, character
and causes of this Great Revolt of
1857 should be studied in order to
R understand the subsequent events.
Nature of the Revolt
Y Revolt of 1857 is hailed by the
Indian writers, especially by Vir
Savarkar as the First War of Indian
Independence. Historian S.N. Sen
believes that the 1857 Revolt was
part of the struggle for Indian
independence. Another historian,
R.C. Majumdar, maintains that the
outbreaks before 1857, whether
civil or military, were “a series of
isolated incidents” ultimately
culminated in the Great Revolt of
1857.
Causes of the Revolt
Political Causes: The revolt of
1857 was primarily the outburst of
pent up anger and grievances of
various sections of the society
affected by the policies of the
British. The British rule was disliked
by the people at large in any region
when it was newly introduced. Anti-
British feelings were particularly
strong in those regions like Burma,
Assam, Coorg, Sind, and the Punjab
which were unjustly annexed to the
British Empire. The Doctrine of
Lapse, particularly its practical
application by Lord Dalhousie,
produced grave discontent and
162 Prelims Magic 2014
1934 and a central bank came into
being on April 1, 1935 with Sir
Osborne Smith as its first
Governor. However, when Osborne
Smith tried to function independently
and indulged in open confrontation
with P. J. Grigg, the finance
member of the Viceroy’s Council,
he was removed from office.
alarm among the native princes,
who were directly affected.
Economic Causes
The East India Company, after
attaining political power, used it to
fund the growth of British trade and
commerce at the cost of Indians.
The British damaged the Indian
trade and manufacture by imposing
a high tariff in Britain against Indian
goods, and by encouraging all means
the import of British goods to India.
In England, the ruin of the old
handloom weavers was
accompanied by the growth of the
machine industry. But, in India, the
ruin of the millions of artisans and
craftsmen was not accompanied by
any alternative growth of new
industrial forms. A new plantation
system introduced in the year 1833
resulted in incalculable misery for
the Indian peasants. This was the
result of permitting Englishmen to
acquire land plantations in India.
The hard hit were the peasants on
the indigo plantations in Bengal and
Bihar.
Social Causes
Indiscriminate assaults on Indians
by Englishmen became quite
common. The Englishmen showed
an arrogant attitude towards the
Indians. Also, a general alarm was
raised among the Hindus and
Muslims by the activities of the
Christian missionaries. The
educational institutions established
by the missionaries inculcated
western education and culture in
the place of oriental learning. The
native population felt that were
losing their social identity.
Military Causes
Discontent against the British Raj
was widely prevalent among the
Indian soldiers in the British army.
The Indian sepoys in the British
Indian army nursed a sense of strong
resentment at their low salary and
British military officers at times
showed least respect to the social
values and religious sentiments of
Indian sepoys in the army. Thus,
although generally faithful to their
masters, the sepoys were provoked
to revolt. The Vellore mutiny of
1806, a precursor to the 1857 Great
Revolt, was the outcome of such
tendencies on the part of the military
authorities. Another important cause
of the sepoys’ dissatisfaction was
the order that abolished the foreign
allowance or batta when they
served in foreign territories. Thus
the discontent was widespread and
there was an undercurrent before
the volcanic situation of 1857. All
that needed was only a spark to set
itfire.
The Beginning of the Revolt
The 1857 Revolt was sparked off
by the episode of the greased
cartridges. The new Enfield rifle had
been introduced for the first time in
the Indian army. Its cartridges had
a greased paper cover whose end
had to be bitten off before the
cartridge was loaded into the rifle.
The grease was composed of fat
taken from beef and pig. The
religious feelings of the Hindu and
Muslim sepoys were terribly
wounded. The sepoys believed that
the government was deliberately
trying to destroy their religious and
cultural identity. Hence they raised
the banner of revolt. The events that
led to the Revolt began on 29 March
1857 at Barrackpore. Mangal
Pandey (a sepoy) refused to use
the greased cartridges and single-
handedly attacked and killed his
officer. Mangal Pandey was
hanged. The regiment to which he
belonged was disbanded and sepoys
guilty of rebellion punished. The
British instead of diffusing the
explosive situation paved the way
for a mighty crisis by the above act.
A chain reaction was set in motion.
At Meerut in May 1857, 85 sepoys
of the 3rd Cavalry regiment were
sentenced to long terms of
imprisonment for refusing to use the
greased catridges. Therefore, on 10
May the sepoys broke out in open
rebellion, shot their officers,
released their fellow sepoys and
headed towards Delhi. General
Hewitt, the officer commanding at
Meerut was helpless to prevent the
army’s march. Next morning the
rebellious army reached Delhi. The
city of Delhi fell into the hands of
the rebellious soldiers on 12 May
1857. Lieutenant Willtashby, the
officer in charge of Delhi could not
prevent the mutineers. Soon, the
mutineers proclaimed the aged
nominal king, Bahadur Shah II of
the Mughal dynasty as the Emperor
of India. Very soon the rebellion
spread throughout northern and
central India at Lucknow,
Allahabad, Kanpur, Banares, in
parts of Bihar, Jhansi and other
places.
Delhi
The leadership at Delhi was
nominally in the hands of Bahadur
Shah, but the real control was
exercised by General Bakht Khan.
On the side of the Britishs the
combined effort of Nicholson,
Wilson, Baird Smith and Neville
Chamberlain enabled the recapture
of Delhi by September 1857. In
Delhi, Emperor Bahadur Shah II
was arrested and deported to
Rangoon, where he remained in
exile till he died in 1862.
Kanpur
At Kanpur, the revolt was led by
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of
Baji Rao II, the last Peshwa. Nana
Saheb expelled the British from
Kanpur with the help of the sepoys
and proclaimed himself the Peshwa.
Nana Saheb in his efforts against
the British was ably supported by
two of his lieutenants. One was
Tantia Tope, the other was
Azimullah. Sir Hugh Wheeler, the
commander of the British garrison
at Kanpur, surrendered on the 27
June 1857. But, soon Kanpur was
recaptured by the British
commander Sir Colin Campbell.
Lucknow
The principal person responsible for
the revolt in Lucknow was the
Begum of Oudh. With the assistance
of the sepoys, the zamindars and
peasants, the Begum organized an
all out attack on the British. Henry
Lawrence, the chief commissioner
tried to defend the British.
Lawrence was killed in a bomb blast
during the fight. The final relief for
the British forces in Lucknow came
in the form of Sir Colin Campbell,
who suppressed the revolt.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the ‘revolt
of the year’ who of .the following
was betrayed by ‘friend’ captured
and put to death by the British?
(a) Nana Sahib
(b) Kunwar Singh
(c) Khan Bahadur Khan.
(d) Tantia Tope
Ans: (d) (CSE, 2000)
Jhansi
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, the
widowed queen of Gangadhar Rao
played a heroic role in this revolt.
Rani Lakshmi Bai was affected by
Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse, was
joined by Tantia Tope. The
combined efforts of Rani and Tantia
Tope saw the capture of Gwalior.
Meanwhile, Sir Hugh Rose defeated
Tantia Tope and stormed Jhansi on
3 April 1858. He then captured
Gwalior. The Rani of Jhansi died a
soldier’s death on 17 June 1858.
Tantia Tope was betrayed by a
friend, captured and hanged on
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charges of rebellion and murder in
the massacre of Kanpur.
Bihar
Kunwar Singh, a ruined and
discontented zamindar of Jagdish-
pur near Oudh, was the chief
organiser of the revolt in Bihar. He
fought the British in Bihar. Kunwar
H
Singh sustained a fatal wound in the
battle and died on 27 April 1858 at
Jagdishpur. Ultimately the 1857
I
Revolt came to an end with the
victory of the British. Viceroy
Canning proclaimed peace
S
throughout India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
T
Q. Which one of the following
places did Kunwar Singh, a
prominent leader of the Revolt of
O
1857 belonged to ?
(a) Bihar
(b) Madhya Pradesh
R
(c) Rajasthan
(d) Uttar Pradesh
Ans. (a) (CSE 2005)
Y
Q. Which one of the following
territories was ‘not affected by
the Revolt of 1857?
(a) Jhansi (b) Chittor
(c) Jagdishpur (d) Lucknow
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
Q. Who was the Governor-
General of India during the Sepoy
Mutiny?
(a) Lord Canning
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Hardings
(d) Lord Lytton
Ans (a) (CSE, 2000)
Causes for the Failure
of the Revolt
The first and foremost cause was
that the Revolt failed to embrace the
whole of India. Different sections
of society such as moneylenders,
merchants and modern educated
Indians were actually against the
Revolt. The lack of interest shown
by the intellectuals in the movement
was a serious setback. The
163
 resources of the British Empire
were far superior to those of the
rebels. Similarly, the insurgents
lacked a carefully concerted general
plan or a strong central organisation
to plan the movements of the army
and oversee their strategy. On the
H other hand, the British possessed
better equipment. In addition, the
British were aided by new scientific
I inventions such as the telegraph
system and postal communications.
This enabled the British to keep in
S touch with all parts of the country
and to manoeuvre their troops
according to their needs. All the said
T factors combined to cause the
defeat of the rebels of the 1857
Revolt and ended in the victory for
O the British.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
R Q. The educated middle class in
India:
(a) opposed the revolt of 1857
Y (b) supported the revolt of 1857
(c) remained neutral to the revolt
of 1857
(d) fought against native rulers
Ans. (c) (CSE: 1998)
Significance and Effects
of the Mutiny
IMPACT The revolt of 1857 had
a lasting impact on the fate of the
Indian sub-continent. The effect of
the revolt was as follows:
Transfer of Power
The most profound impact of the
revolt of 1857 was the tranfer of
power that took place subsequently.
The power to rule India was taken
away from the East India Company
and transferred to the British Crown
directly.This was done through the
Act of 1858. The Act provided for
a Secretary of State for India aided
by a Council was made responsible
for direct governance by the British
Crown. The governance by the
Directors of the East India
Company was from now abolished.
In August 1858, the British
Parliament passed an Act. It put an
end to the rule of the East India
164 Prelims Magic 2014
Company. The British Crown took
over the administration.
The Governor–General of India was
also called as Viceroy.
Army reorganization
The number of European soldiers
was increased in the military setup.
The ratio of European personel was
made 1:2 i.e. one European officer
for two Indian soldiers. The frontiers
and strategic positions were held
under the Europeans. Troops of the
East India Company were merged
with that of the British Crown. The
regimentation of the army was now
based upon caste and community
lines. This kept the population
divided to a large extent and did not
permit intermingling and interchange
of ideas.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following events:
1. Indigo Revolt
2. Santhal Rebellion
3. Deccan Riot
4. Mutiny of the Sepoys
The correct chronological
sequence of these events is:
(a) 4, 2, 1, 3 (b) 4, 2, 3, 1
(c) 2, 4, 3, 1 (d) 2, 4, 1, 3
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Appeasement of the Princes: In
order to secure the support of the
native states. The policy of
annexation was given up. The rulers
were now allowed to adopt heirs.
Thus the rulers were loyal to the
British during the revolt were
rewarded through this policy.
Other movements-
Indigo revolt occurred in 1859-90
Santhal rebellion under Sidho and
Kanho is 1855-56
Deccan riot in 1875
sepoy mutiny in 1857
Revolt of 1857 was partly a
military revolt and partly a
national war of independence-
Analysis
In 1857 Indians made the first
serious attempt to end the British
rule in India. That is why it is
considered as a great landmark in
the history of the country. There had
been some mutinies and
insurrections from time to time in
different parts of the country e.g.,
the mutiny at Vellore in 1806, at
Barrackpore in 1824, at Ferozepur
in February 1842, military mutinies
in the Bengal cavalry and 64th
Regiment, the Bareilly rising of
1816, the Santhal rising of 1855-56,
etc. But it was in 1857 that the
simmering political, economic and
administrative discontent burst out
into a violent storm and shook the
British Empire in India to its very
foundations.
There are contradictory views about
the nature of the outbreak of 1857.
British historians characterised it as
a mutiny confined to the army while
others described it as ‘a religious
war against the Christians’ or ‘a
racial struggle for supremacy
between the Black and the White’.
A few others described it as ‘a
struggle between oriental and
occidental civilization and culture’.
For some it was the result of
‘Hindu­Muslim  conspiracy  to
overthrow the British rule’. The
Indian nationalists pictured it as ‘a
well planned national struggle’ and
as ‘The first war of Indian
independence’.
1) Purely a military revolt: Sir
John Lawrence and Sir John Seeley
regard it as the Sepoy Mutiny.
According to John Lawrence, “The
great revolution was an army
rebellion which had” its origin in the
army whose proximate cause was
the greased cartridge affair”; Sir
John Seeley writes, “The Mutiny
was only an unpatriotic Sepoy
Mutiny with no national leadership
and no popular support”. P.E.
Roberts also supports this view.
It is true that the revolt began as a
military rising but it was not confined
everywhere to the army. Even the
army as a whole did not join the
revolt and a considerable section
fought on the side of the
government. In fact, the rebels
came from almost every section of
the population. In Oudh, it enjoyed
the support of the masses and so
also in some districts of Bihar.
When the trials were held in 1858-
59 a number of civilians were found
guilty and punished.
2) The Hindu-Muslim conspi-
racy to replace a British
government by a national one:
Sir James Outram and W. Taylor
described it as above. Outram held
that “it was a Mohammadan
conspiracy making capital of Hindu
grievances”. Even this explanation
is inadequate and unsatisfactory
because there is no evidence to
prove an organised Hindu-Muslim
conspiracy on a national scale.
3) A conflict between civilization
and barbarism: Some English
historians led by T.R. Holmes
popularised it as a conflict between
civilization and barbarism. During
the revolt both the Europeans and
the Indians were guilty of excesses.
The British who were supposed to
be civilized were no less barbaric
than the barbaric Indians.
Indiscriminate shooting at the rebels,
hanging of Indians without trial,
torture inflicted on the rebels in
different ways by the British did not
deserve any claim as civilised.
4) A racial war: It was also
described as “a war of races, a
struggle between the White and the
Black”. Though the Whites were all
ranged on one side, the Blacks were
not. The Black Indian soldiers
fought on the side of the Company’s
White British. Perhaps it would be
better to describe it as a war
between the Black rebels on the
one side and the White rulers
supported by the other Blacks on
the other.
5) A war of Indian National
Independence: A majority of
Indian historians have tried to prove
that it was a war of Indian national
independence. Vir Savarkar in his
book, “The War of Indian
Independence” and Ashok Mehta
in his book, “1857, the ‘Great
Rebellion” have held the view that
the great mutiny of 1857 was in fact
‘an Indian national war of
Independence’. Pandit J. Nehru,
J.C. Vidyalankar and
B. L. Verma also subscribe to this
view. Pandit Nehru in his
“Discovery of India” called the
Mutiny as the popular rising and the
Indian national war of
independence. B.L. Verma quoted
Justice Macarthy who said that, “It
was a rebellion of native races
against the English power”.
Ashok Mehta believes that though
Sepoys were the backbone of this
rebellion, quite a number of civilians
also participated in this movement.
He points to the bond of harmony
between the Hindus and Muslims
that united them to fight against the
British. The very fact that the rebels
of Meerut marched to Delhi and
proclaimed Bahadur Shah II,
Emperor of India, according to him,
indicates that the rising was not
merely a military one but had a
political bias.
6) The Marxist interpretation is that
the revolt was the struggle of the
soldier-peasant democratic combine
against the foreign and feudal
bondage. It failed because of feudal
betrayal. Anti-British sentiments or
local grievances were responsible
for the mutiny and there was no
ideology as such.
7) Partly a military revolt and
partly a national war of
independence: According to Dr.
S.N.Sen and Dr. R.C. Majumdar
the mutiny of 1857 was neither
wholly a war of national
independence nor merely a military
revolt. The feeling of unity among
the different communities and
different provinces had not
developed in 1857-58. Bahadur
Shah was not the national king at
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that time. Dr. Sen calls him ‘king of
no land’. The Rani of Jhansi had
risen in revolt against the British in
order to get the restoration of her
rights and privileges which she had
been deprived of by the British. The
protection of the interests of the
Nawab of Oudh made Talukdars of
Oudh to rise in revolt. Dr. Sen
H
believes that the rising was a war
of independence but it cannot be
invested with a national character.
I
He contends that revolutions are
mostly the work of a minority with
or without the active support of the
S
masses, e.g., the American
Revolution and the French
Revolution. Royalists were there in
T
America and France also. Again,
the revolt of 1857 was not merely a
military rising. He concludes as
O
follows: “The Mutiny became a
revolt and assumed a political
character when the mutineers of
R
Meerut placed themselves under the
king of Delhi and a section of the
landed aristocracy and civil
Y
population declared in his favour.
What began as a fight for religion
ended as a war of independence.”
R.C. Majumdar points out that the
most important elements who fought
against the British were Sepoys. It
was material gain that prompted
them to revolt and not any political
or religious considerations. But he
maintains that its national
importance was indirect and
posterior. He writes: ‘’It has been
said that Julius Caesar dead was
more powerful than when he was
alive”. The same thing may be said
about the mutiny of 1857.
“Whatever might have been its
original character, it soon became a
symbol of challenge to the mighty
British power in India”. That is why,
it was invested with the glory of the
first national war of independence
against the ‘British.
Dr. Tarachand argued that it is
misleading to use the term ‘mutiny’
to describe the upheaval of 1857.
In his book entitled “History of
Freedom Movement in India” he
165
 opined that it was not confined to,
the army and also it was not a
mutiny in the ordinary sense of the
term.
Further, when we take into
consideration the arguments of the
H Indian nationalist scholars that it
was the war of Indian national
independence the views of Dr.
I R.C. Majumdar and Dr. S.N. Sen
are to be given importance. They
pointed out that in the middle of the
S 19th century Indian nationalism was
still in the embryo form. Dr. Sen
referred to India of that time as “a
T geographical expression”. R.C.
Majumdar rightly pointed out that the
leaders like Rani of Jhansi, Bahadur
O Shah, Nana Saheb or the Begum of
SOCIO-RELIGIOUS REFORM
R 22
MOVEMENTS
Y The 19 th century in India was
marked by a strong wave of reforms
in religion and society. Social
reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy,
Swami Dayanand Sarawathi and
Swami Vivekananda were
responsible for the social and
cultural awakening in India.
Raja Rammohun Roy and the
Brahmo Samaj Raja Rammohun
Roy established the Brahmo Samaj
at Calcutta in 1828 in order to purify
Hinduism and to preach
monotheism. He is considered as
the first ‘modern man of India’. He
was a pioneer of socio-religious
reform movements in modern India.
Born in 1772 in the Hooghly district
of Bengal, he inculcated a brilliant
freedom of thought and rationality.
He studied the Bible as well as
Hindu and Muslim religious texts.
He had excellent command over
many languages including English,
Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, French,
Latin, Greek and Hebrew. In 1815,
he established the Atmiya Sabha.
Later, it was developed into the
Brahmo Sabha in August 1828.
166 Prelims Magic 2014
Oudh had selfish motives in joining
the mutineers against the British and
were not inspired with nationalism.
On the basis of all these arguments
it may be said that the revolt
basically was anti-imperialist and
both the Sepoys and civilians wanted
to overthrow the British rule. It was
an eruption of the social volcano
wherein many pent-up forces found
vent. As it started in the army it was
partly a military revolt. As it was on
an extensive scale with the object
of ending the alien rule in the
country it also appears as a war of
independence. This it was partly
revolt and partly a war of national
independence.
Through this organisation, he
preached that there is only one God.
He combined the teachings of the
Upanishads, the Bible and the
Koran in developing unity among
the people of different religions. The
work of the Atmiya Sabha was
carried on by Maharishi
Debendranath Tagore (father of
Rabindranath Tagore), who
renamed it as Brahmo Samaj. He
turned the Brahmo Samaj into a
leading social organization of India.
Brahmo Samajists: have no faith in
any scripture as an authority, no faith
in Avatars, denounce polytheism
and idol-worship, are against caste
restrictions, make faith in the
doctrines of Karma and Rebirth
optional.
Raj Rammohun Roy is most
remembered for helping Lord
William Bentinck to declare the
practice of Sati a punishable
offence in 1829. He also protested
against the child marriage and
female infanticide. He favored the
remarriage of widows, female
education and women’s right to
property. He felt that the caste
system was the greatest hurdle to
Indian unity. He believed in the
equality of mankind. He did not
believe in the supremacy of the
Brahmin priests. He favoured inter-
caste marriages. He himself
adopted a Muslim boy. In 1817, he
founded the Hindu College (now
Presidency College, Calcutta) along
with David Hare, a missionary. He
also set up schools for girls.
Rammohun Roy started
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In collaboration with David
Hare and Alexander Duff, who of
the following established Hindu
College at Calcutta?
(a) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
(b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(c) Keshab Chandra Sen
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy
Ans. (d) (CSE 2000)
Q. Which of the following
statements is/are correct
regarding Brahmo Samaj?
1. It opposed idolatry.
2. It denied the need for a priestly
class for interpreting the religious
texts.
3. It popularized the doctrine that
the Vedas are infallible.
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) (CSE 2012)
the first Bengali weekly Samvad
Kaumudi and edited a Persian
weekly Mirat-ul-akhbar. He stood
for the freedom of the press.
Rammohun died in Bristol in
England in 1833.
Henry Vivian Derozio and the
Young Bengal Movement
Henry Vivian Derozio was the
founder of the Young Bengal
Movement. He was born in
Calcutta in 1809 and taught at the
Hindu College, Calcutta. He died of
cholera in 1833. His followers were
known as the Derozians and their
movement the Young Bengal
Movement. They attacked old
traditions and decadent customs.
They also advocated women’s
rights and their education. They
founded associations and organized
debates against idol worship,
casteism and superstitions.
Swami Dayananda Saraswathi
and the Arya Samaj The Arya
Samaj was founded by Swami
Dayananda Saraswati at Bombay
in 1875. Born in Kathiawar in
Gujarat, Swami Dayananda (1824-
83) was a scholar, a patriot, a social
reformer and a revivalist. He
believed that the Vedas were the
source of true knowledge. His motto
was “Back to the Vedas”. He was
against idol worship, child marriage
and caste system based on birth. He
encouraged intercaste marriages
and widow remarriage. He started
the Suddhi movement to bring back
those Hindus who had converted to
other religions to its fold. He wrote
the book Satyartha Prakash which
contains his ideas. The Arya Samaj,
though founded in Bombay, became
very powerful in Punjab and spread
its influence to other parts of India.
It has contributed very much to the
spread of education. The first
Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV)
School was founded in 1886 at
Lahore. Many more schools came
up in other parts of India in later
years. The Arya Samaj had also
spread nationalism. Hundreds of
Arya Samaj patriots, including Lala
Lajpat Rai, took part in the Indian
freedom struggle.
Prarthana Samaj
The Prarthana Samaj was founded
in 1867 in Bombay by Dr.
Atmaram Pandurang. It was an
off-shoot of Brahmo Samaj. It was
a reform movement within
Hinduism and concentrated on
social reforms like inter-dining, inter-
marriage, widow re-marriage and
uplift of women and depressed
classes. Justice M.G. Ranade and
R.G. Bhandarkar joined it in 1870
and infused new strength to it.
Justice Ranade promoted the
Deccan Education Society.
Swami Vivekananda and
Ramakrishna Mission The
original name of Swami
Vivekananda was Narendranath
Dutta (1863-1902) and he became
the most famous disciple of Shri
Ramkrishna Paramahamsa. He
was born in a prosperous Bengali
family of Calcutta and educated in
Scottish Church College. In 1886
Narendranath took the vow of
Sanyasa and was given the name,
Vivekananda. He preached
Vedantic Philosophy. He condemned
the caste system and the current
Hindu emphasis on rituals and
ceremonies. Swami Vivekananda
participated in the Parliament of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Arya Samaj was founded in
1835
Lala Lajpat Rai opposed the
appeal of Arya.
Samaj to the authority of Vedas in
support of its social reform
programme
Under Keshab Chandra Sen, the
Brahmo Samaj campaigned for
women’s education 40 Vinoba
Bhave founded the Sarvodya
Samaj to work among refugees
Which of these statements are
correct ?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 2 and 4 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2001)
Explanation: Arya Samaj was
founded in 1875 at Bombay by
Dayanand Saraswati. Lala Lajpat
Rai was one of the members of
Arya Samaj and he never opposed
the appeal of Arya Samaj to the
authority of vedas in support of its
social reform programme.
Religions held at Chicago (USA)
in September 1893 and raised the
prestige of India and Hinduism very
high. Vivekananda preached the
message of strength and
selfreliance. He asked the people
to improve the lives of the poor and
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depressed classes. He believed that
service to mankind is service to
God. He founded the Ramkrishna
Mission at Belur in Howrah in 1897.
It is a social service and charitable
society. The objectives of this
Mission are providing humanitarian
relief and social work through the
establishment of schools, colleges,
H
hospitals and orphanages.
Theosophical Society I
The Theosophical Society was
founded in New York (USA) in 1875
by Madam H.P. Blavatsky, a
S
Russian lady, and Henry Steel
Olcott, an American Colonel. Their
main objectives were to form a
T
universal brotherhood of man
without any distinction of race,
colour or creed and to promote the
O
study of ancient religions and
philosophies. They arrived in India
and established their headquarters
R
at Adyar in Madras in 1882. Later
in 1893, Mrs. Annie Besant arrived
in India and took over the leadership
Y
of the Society after the death of
Olcott. Mrs. Annie Besant founded
the Central Hindu School along with
Madan Mohan Malaviya at Benaras
which later developed into the
Banaras Hindu University.
Pandit Ishwara Chandra
Vidyasagar
Pandit Ishwara Chandra was a
great educator, humanist and social
reformer. He was born in 1820 in a
village in Midnapur, Bengal. He rose
to be the Head Pandit of the Bengali
Department of Fort William College.
He firmly believed that reform in
Indian society could only come
about through education.
Vidyasagar founded many schools
for girls. He helped J.D. Bethune
to establish the Bethune School. He
founded the Metropolitan Institution
in Calcutta. He protested against
child marriage and favoured widow
remarriage which was legalised by
the Widow Re-marriage Act (1856).
It was due to his great support for
the spread of education that he was
given the title of Vidyasagar.
167
 Jyotiba Phule
Jyotiba Phule belonged to a low
caste family in Maharashtra. He
waged a life-long struggle against
upper caste domination and
Brahmanical supremacy. In 1873 he
H founded the Satyashodak Samaj to
fight against the caste system. He
pioneered the widow remarriage
I movement in Maharashtra and
worked for the education for
women. Jyotiba Phule and his wife
S established the first girls’ school at
Poona in 1851.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
T Q. Which one of the following
pairs is not correctly matched?
O (a) Jamnalal Bajaj-5atyagraha
Ashram at Wardha
(b)Dadabhai Naoroji-Bombay
R Association
(c) Lala Lajpat Rai-National
School at Lahore
Y (d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak-Satya
Shodhak Sabha
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Muslim Reform Movements
The Muslim reform movements
started a little later because they
had avoided western education in
the beginning. The first effort was
in 1863 when the Muhammad
Literary Society was set up in
Calcutta. Its aim was to popularise
the study of English and western
sciences. It established a number of
schools in Bengal.
Aligarh Movement
The Aligarh Movement was
started by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
(1817-98) for the social and
educational advancement of the
Muslims in India. He fought against
the medieval backwardness and
advocated a rational approach
towards religion. In 1866, he started
the Mohammadan Educational
Conference as a general forum for
spreading liberal ideas among the
Muslims. In 1875, he founded a
modern school at Aligarh to promote
English education among the
168 Prelims Magic 2014
Muslims. This had later grown into
the Mohammadan Anglo
Oriental College and then into the
Aligarh Muslim University.
The Deoband School
The orthodox section among the
Muslim ulema organised the
Deoband Moovement. It was a
revivalist movement whose twin
objectives were :
(i) to propagate among the Muslims
the pure teachings of the Koran and
the Hadis and
(ii) to keep alive the spirit of jihad
aganist the foreign rulers. The new
Deoband leader Mahmud-ul-Hasan
(1851-1920) sought to impart a
political and intellectual content to
the religious ideas of the school. The
liberal interpretation of Islam
created a political awakening
among its followers.
Sikh Reform Movement
Punjab also came under the spell of
reforms. Baba Dayal Das founded
the Nirankari Movement. He
insisted the worship of God as
nirankar (formless). The Namdhari
Movement was founded by Baba
Ram Singh. His followers wore
white clothes and gave up meat
eating. The Singh Sabhas started in
Lahore and Amritsar in 1870 was
aimed at reforming the Sikh society.
They helped to set up the Khalsa
College at Amritsar in 1892.They
also encouraged Gurmukhi and
Punjabi literature. In 1920, the
Akalis started a movement to
remove the corrupt Mahants
(priests) from the Sikh gurudwaras.
The British government was forced
to make laws on this matter. Later,
the Akalis organised themselves into
a political party.
Kuka Movement (1845)- Started
in Punjab by Jawahar Mal to purify
Sikh religion. Ram Sigh was another
leader related to the movement.
Parsi Reform Movement
The Parsi Religious Reform
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using
the codes given below the lists
List I
A. Chittagong Armoury Raid
B. Abhinav Bharat
C. Anushilan Samiti
D. Kuka Movement
List II
1. Kalpana Dutt
2. Guru Ram Singh
3. Vikram Damodar Savarkar
4. Aurobindo Ghosh
Codes:
A
(a) 1
B
3
C
4
D
2
(b) 1 3 3 4
(c) 3
(d) 3
1
1
2
4
4
2
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Association was founded at
Bombay by Furdunji Naoroji and
S.S. Bengalee in 1851. They
advocated the spread of women’s
education. They also wanted to
reform their marriage customs.
Naoroji published a monthly journal,
Jagat Mithra. The momentum
gathered through these reform
movements and went a long way in
uplifting the entire community.
By the middle of the twentieth
century most of them were highly
placed in various capacities and
have made a significant contribution
to India’s development.
National Social Conference
The National Social Conference
built by Ranade was one of the most
important institutions for social
reform. He was a firm believer in
the Golden Age of India when
women enjoyed a higher status than
they did in his time and he blamed
the Smritis and the Indian Puranas
for their fall. The aim of the
conference was to strengthen the
forces of the reform move-
ment. This unification of the social
reform movements in India was the
greatest achievement of the
conference. Various reformers
working either alone or with local
organisations attended the National
Social Conference where they
learned about initiatives all over the
sub-continent. In his role as
founder-leader, Ranade recommen-
ded four methods of accomplishing
social change. His favourite method
was the use of arguments to try and
prove to the opponents that there
were a number of customs being
followed which were not a part of
real Indian culture. He tried to
persuade people that the emphasis
of the reformers should be on
legislation. When all else failed only
then was social rebellion was in
order.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. During Indian freedom struggle,
the National Social Conference
was formed. What was the reason
for its formation?
(a) Different social reform groups
or organizations of Bengal region
united to form a single body to
discuss the issues of larger interest
and to prepare appropriate
petitions/representations to the
government
(b) Indian National Congress did
not want to include social reforms
in its deliberations and decided to
form a separate body for such a
purpose
(c) Behramji Malabari and M.G.
Ranade decided to bring together
all the social reform groups of the
country under one organization
(d) None of the statements (a), (b)
and (c) given above is correct in
this context
Ans. (d) (CSE 2012)
At the second annual meeting of the
National Social Conference in 1889
over five hundred people took a
solemn vow that they would support
widow marriage and female
education, and cease practising child
marriage and the exchange of
dowry. This was a significant step,
in Ranade‘s view, towards the
identification of reforms for women
with an all-India agenda.
Self-Respect Movement and
Periyar E.V.R.
Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy was a
great social reformer. In 1921,
during the anti-liquor campaign he
cut down 1000 coconut trees in his
own farm. In 1924, he took an active
part in the Vaikam Satyagraha. The
objective of the Satyagraha was to
secure for untouchables the right to
use a road near a temple at Vaikom
in Kerala. E.V.R. opposed the
Varnashrama policy followed in
the V.V.S. Iyer ’s Seranmadevi
Gurukulam. During 1920- 1925
being in the Congrees Party he
stressed that Congress should
accept communal representation.
Subsequently in 1925, he started the
“Self-Respect Movement”. The
aims of the ‘Self -Respect
Movement’ were to uplift the
Dravidians and to expose the
Brahminical tyranny and deceptive
methods by which they controlled
all spheres of Hindu life. He
denounced the caste system, child
marriage and enforced widowhood.
He encouraged inter-caste
marriages. He himself conducted
many marriages without any rituals.
Such a marriage was known as
“Self- Respect Marriage.” He gave
secular names to new born babies.
He attacked the laws of Manu,
which he called the basis of the
entire Hindu social fabric of caste.
He founded the Tamil journals
Kudiarasu, Puratchi and
Viduthalai to propagate his ideals.
In 1938, at Tamilnadu Women’s
Conference in appreciatin the noble
service rendered by E.V.R. he was
given the title “Periyar”. On 27th
June 1970, the UNESCO
organisation praised and adorned
him with the title of “Socrates of
South Asia”.
Other Movements
and Trends
TRIBAL UPRISINGS AND
CIVIL
REBELLIONS
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TRIBAL REVOLTS
Numerous Tribal and Civil rebellions
outbreak in India, during the British
Rule. The causes, nature and
significance of these movements
have been outlined below:
Causes
The colonial administration ended
H
their relative isolation and brought
them fully within the ambit of
colonialism. It recognized the tribal
I
chiefs as zamindars and introduced
a new system of land revenue and
taxation of tribal products.
S
British also encouraged the influx
of Christian missionaries into the
T
tribal areas.
It introduced a large number of
moneylenders, traders and revenue
O
farmers as middlemen among the
tribals. These middlemen were the
chief instruments for bringing the
R
tribal people within the vertex of the
colonial economy and exploitation.
The middlemen were the outsiders
Y
who increasingly took possession of
tribal lands and trapped the tribals
in a web of debt.
In time, the tribal people increasingly
lost their lands and were reduced
to the position of agricultural
labourers, share-croppers and rack-
rented tenants on the land they had
earlier brought under cultivation and
held on a communal basis.
Colonialism also transformed their
relationship with the forest. The
colonial government usurped the
forest lands and placed restrictions
on access to forest products, forest
lands and village common lands. It
refused to let cultivation shift to new
areas.
Oppression and extortion by
policemen and other petty officials
further aggravated distress among
the tribals. The revenue farmers
and government officials also
intensified and expanded the system
of beggar making the tribals perform
unpaid labour.
169
 Thus, the colonial intrusion and the
triumvirate of trader, moneylenders
and revenue farmer in sum disrupted
the tribal identity to a lesser or
greater degree.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
H Which amongst the following
provided a common factor, for
I tribal insurrection in India in the
19th century?
(a) Introduction of a new system
S of land revenue and taxation of
tribal products
(b) Influence of foreign religious
T missionaries in tribal areas
(c) Rise of a large number of
mon­ey  lenders,  traders  and
O revenue farmers as middlemen
in tribal areas
(d) The complete disruption of
R the old agrarian order of the tribal
communities.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2011)
Y Nature
The complete disruption of the old
agrarian order of the tribal
communities provided the common
factor for all the tribal uprisings.
These uprisings were broad-based,
involving thousands of tribals, often
the entire population of a region.
Not all outsiders were attacked as
enemies. Often there was no
violence against the non­tribal poor,
who worked in tribal villages in
supportive economic roles, or who
had social relations with the tribals.
They were not only spared, but were
seen as allies. In many cases, the
rural poor formed a part of the
rebellions of tribal bands.
The rebellions normally began at the
point where the tribals felt so
oppressed that they felt they had no
alternative but to fight. This often
took the form of spontaneous attacks
on outsiders, looting their property
and expelling them from their
villages. This led to clashes with the
colonial authorities. Due to this, the
tribals began to move towards
armed resistance and elementary
organization.
170 Prelims Magic 2014
These movements also saw rise of
charismatic leaders among the
tribals who claimed magical
powers. Most of these leaders
claimed to desire their authority
from God.
The warfare between the tribals and
the British armed forces was totally
unequal. On the one side were
drilled regiments armed with the
latest weapons and on the other
were men and women fighting in
roving bands armed with primitive
weapons such as stones, axes,
spears and bows and arrows,
believing in the magical powers of
their commanders. No wonder, the
tribals died in lakhs in this unequal
warfare.
CIVIL REBELLIONS
CAUSES
The major cause of these civil
rebellions taken as a whole was the
rapid changes the British introduced
in the economy, administration and
land revenue system. These
changes led to the disruption of the
agrarian society, causing prolonged
and widespread suffering among its
constituents. Above all, the colonial
policy of intensifying demands for
land revenue and extracting as large
an amount as possible produced
avertable upheaval in Indian villages.
Worse, not even a part of the
enhanced revenue was spent on the
development of agriculture or the
welfare of the cultivator.
Thousands of Zamindars and
polygars lost control over their land
and its revenues to rank outsides
government officials and the new
men of money - merchants and
moneylenders.
Increasing demand for land revenue
was forcing large numbers of
peasants into growing indebtedness
or into selling their lands. The new
landlords, bereft of any traditional
paternalism towards their tenants,
pushed up rents to ruinous heights
and evicted them in case of non-
payment. The economic decline of
the peasantry was reflected in
twelve major and numerous minor
famines from 1770 to 1857.
The new courts and legal system
gave a further fillip to the
dispossessor of land and
encouraged the rich to oppress the
poor. Flogging, torture and jailing of
the cultivators for arrears of rent or
land revenue or interest of debt
were quite common. The ordinary
people were also hard hit by the
prevalence of corruption at lower
levels of the police, judiciary and
general administration. The petty
officials enriched themselves freely
at the cost of the poor. The police
looted, oppressed and tortured the
common people at will.
The ruin of Indian handicraft
industries, as a result of free trade
in India and levy of discriminatory
tariffs against Indian goods in
Britain, pauperized without of
artisans. The misery of the artisans
was further compounded by the
disappearance of their tradition
patrons and buyers, the princes,
chieftains, and buyers, the princes,
chieftains, and zamindars.
The scholarly and priestly classes
impoverished due to ruin of the
traditional land and bureaucratic
elite, their chief patrons. Hence,
they were also active in inciting
hatred and rebellion against foreign
rule.
Indian people felt humiliated due to
the foreign character of the British
rule. This feeling of hurt pride
inspired efforts to expel the
foreigners from their lands.
Nature
These almost continuous rebellions
were, massive in their totality, but
were wholly local in their spread and
isolated from each other. They were
the result of local causes and
grievances, and were also localised
in their effects. They often bore the
same character not because they
represented national or common
efforts but because they
represented common conditions
though separated in time and space.
Socially, economically and politically,
the semi-feudal leaders of these
rebellions were backward looking
and traditional in outlook. Their
resistance represented no societal
alternative. It was centuries old in
form and ideological and cultural
content. Its basic objective was to
restore earlier forms of rule and
social relations. Such backward
looking and scattered, sporadic and
disunited uprising were incapable of
fending off or overthrowing foreign
rule.
The British succeeded in pacifying
the rebel areas one by one. They
also gave concessions to the less
fiery rebel chiefs and zamindars in
the form of reinstatement, the
restoration of their estates and
reduction in revenue assessments
so long as they agreed to live
peacefully under alien authority. The
more recalcitrant ones like Velu
Thampi were physically wiped out.
Significance
The suppression of the civil
rebellions was a major reason why
the Revolt of 1857 did not spread to
South India and most of Eastern and
Western India. The historical
significance of these civil uprisings
lies in that they established strong
and valuable local traditions of
resistance to British rule. The Indian
people were to draw inspiration
from these traditions in the later
nationalist struggle for freedom.
PEASANT, WORKING
CLASS AND CASTE
MOVEMENTS
Peasant Movements
The major reason for the peasant
movements which occurred during
the British period could be listed as:
Colonial economic policies, the new
land revenue system, the colonial
administrative and judicial system,
and the ruin of handicrafts leading
to the over-crowding of land,
transformed the agrarian structure numerous petitions to the authorities
and impoverished the peasantry. and organized peaceful
demonstrations. However, their
In the vast zamindari areas, the
anger exploded in September 1859
peasants were left to the tender
when they asserted their right not
mercies of the zamindars who
to grow indigo and resisted the
rack-rented them and compelled
physical pressure of the planters and
them to pay illegal dues and perform
better.
their lathiyals backed by the police
and the courts.
H
In Ryotwari areas, the Government
itself levied heavy land revenue. This
forced the peasants to borrow
The beginning was made by the
ryots of Govindpur village in Naida
district when, under the leadership
I
money from the moneylenders.
Gradually, over large areas, the
actual cultivators were reduced to
of Digambar Biswas and Bishnu
Biswas, ex-employees of a planter,
they gave up indigo cultivation.
S
the status of tenants-at-will, share-
croppers and landless laboures,
while their lands, crops and cattle
The peasant disturbances and indigo
strikes spread rapidly to other areas.
T
passed into the hands to landlords,
trader money lenders and such
peasants.
The indigo strikes and disturbances
flared up again in the spring of 1860
and encompassed all the indigo
O
When the peasants could take it not
longer, they resisted against the
oppression and exploitation; and,
districts of Bengal. In many cases,
the efforts of the police to intervene
and arrest peasant leaders were met
R
they found whether their target was
the indigenous exploiter or the
colonial administration, that their real
with an attack on policemen and
police posts. Y
Ultimately, the planters could not
enemy, after the barriers were
withstand the united resistance of
down, was the colonial state.
the ryots, and they gradually began
Indigo Revolt (1859-60) to close their factories. The
cultivation of indigo was virtually
It was the most militant and wiped out from the districts of
widespread of the peasant Bengal by the end of 1860.
movements. The indigo planters
mostly, nearly all Europeans, Reasons for the Success
compelled the tenants to grow of the revolt
indigo. From the beginning, indigo
was grown under an extremely
• Tremendous initiative, co-
operation, organisation and discipline
oppressive system which involved
of the ryots.
great loss to the cultivators. The
planters forced the peasants to take • Complete unity among Hindu and
a meager amount as advance and Muslim peasants.
enter into fraudulent contracts. The
• Leadership for the movement
price paid for the indigo plants was
was provided by the more well-off
far below the market price. The
ryots and in some cases by petty
peasant was also forced to grow
indigo on the best land he had. He
zamindars, moneylenders and ex-
employees of the planters.
also had to pay regular bribes to the
planter’s officials. He was forced Role of the intelligentsia of Bengal
to accept an advance. It was used - They organised a powerful
by the planters to compel him to go campaign in support of the rebellious
on cultivating indigo. peasantry. It carried on newspaper
campaigns, organized mass meeting,
Initially, the peasants made an
prepared memoranda on peasants’
attempt to get redressal through
grievances and supported them in
peaceful means. They sent
Prelims Magic 2014 171
 their legal battles. Outstanding in
this respect was the role of the
Harish Chandra Mukherjee, editor
of the Hindoo Patriot.
Din Bandhu Mistra’s play Neel
Darpan was to gain great fame for
H vividly portraying the oppression by
the planters.
Missionaries were another group
I which extended active support to
the indigo revolts in their struggle.
S The Government’s Response
The Government’s response was
rather restrained and not as harsh
T as in the case of civil rebellions and
tribal uprisings. It was also able to
see, in time, the changed temper of
O the peasantry and was influenced
by the support extended to the
Revolt by the intelligentsia and the
R missionaries. It appointed a
commission to inquire into the
problem of indigo cultivation.
Y Evidence before the indigo
commission and its final report
exposed the coercion and corruption
underlying the entire system of
indigo cultivation. The result was the
mitigation of the worst abuses of the
system. The Government issued a
notification in November 1860 that
ryots could not be compelled to sow
indigo and it would ensure that all
disputes were settled by legal
means.
Deccan Riots (1875)
Reasons
Like the peasants in other Ryotwari
areas, the Deccan peasant also
found it difficult to pay land revenue
without getting into the clutches of
the moneylenders and increasing
losing his land. This led to growing
tension between the peasants and
the moneylenders most of whom
were outsiders - Marwaris or
Gujaratis.
During the early 1860s, the
American Civil war had led to a rise
in cotton exports which had pushed
up prices. The end of the civil war
in 1864 brought about an acute
172 Prelims Magic 2014
depression in cotton exports and a
crash in prices. The ground slipped
from under the peasant’s feet.
Simultaneously, in 1867, the
Government raised land revenue lay
nearly 50 per cent. The situation was
worsened by a succession of bad
harvests.
To pay the land revenue under these
conditions, the peasant had to go to
the moneylender who took the
opportunity to further tighten his grip
on the peasant and his land. The
peasant began to turn against the
perceived cause of his misery, the
moneylender.
The Movement
A spontaneous protest movement
began in December 1874 in Kardah
village in Sirur Taluq. The peasants
restored to the weapon of social
boycott against the moneylenders.
They also imposed social sanctions
against those peasants and would
not join the boycott of moneylenders.
This social boycott spread rapidly
to the village of Poona,
Ahmednagar, Sholapur and Satara
districts.
The social boycott was soon
transformed into agrarian riots when
it did not prove very effective. The
peasants seized and publicly burnt
debt bonds and deeds - signed under
pressure, in ignorance, or through
fraud - decrees, and the documents
dealing with their debts.
There was very little violence in this
setting of accounts. Once the
money lender ’s instruments of
oppression - debt bounds - were
surrendered, no need for further
violence was felt. In most places the
‘riots’ were demonstrations of
popular feeling and of the peasants
newly acquired unity and strength.
Though moneylenders; houses and
shops were looted and burnt in
Supa, this did not occur in other
places.
The Government’s Stand
The Government acted with speed
and soon succeeded in repressing
the movement. As in the case of the
Pabhna Revolt, the Deccan
disturbances had very limited
objectives. There was once again
an absence of anti-colonial
consciousness. It was, therefore,
possible for the colonial regime to
extend them a certain protection
against the moneylenders through
the Deccan Agriculturists’ Relief
Act of 1879.
The Role of Intelligentsia
Once again, the modern nationalist
intelligentsia of Maharashtra
supported the peasants’ cause.
Already, in 1873-74, the Poona
Sarvajanik Sabha, led by Justice
Ranade, had organised a successful
campaign among the peasants, as
well as at Poona and Bombay,
against the land revenue settlement
of 1867. Under its impact, a large
number of peasants had refused to
pay the enhanced revenue. This
agitation had generated a mentality
of resistance among the peasants
which contributed to the rise of
peasant protest in 1875.
Nature of Peasant Revolts
after 1857
Princes, chief and landlords having
been crushed or co-opted, peasants
emerged as the main force in
agrarian movements. They now
fought directly for their own
demands, against their immediate
enemies, foreign planters and
indigenous zamindars and
moneylenders. They struggles were
directed towards specific and limited
objectives and redressal of
particular grievances. They did not
make colonialism their target.
The territorial reach of these
movements was also limited. They
were confined to particular localities
with no mutual communication or
linkages. They also lacked
continuity of struggle or long-term
organisation. Once the specific
objectives of movements were
achieved, its organization, as also
peasant solidarity built around it,
dissolved and disappeared. Thus,
the indigo strike, the Pabhna
agrarian leagues and the local-
boycott movements to the deccan
ryots left behind no successors.
Consequently, at no stage did their
movements threaten British
Supremacy or even undermine it.
Peasant protest often represented
an instinctive and spontaneous
response of the peasantry to its
social condition. It was result of
excessive and unbearable
oppression, undue and unusual
deprivation and exploitation, and a
threat to the peasant’s existing,
established position. The peasant
often rebelled only when he felt that
it was not possible to carry on in its
existing manner.
Peasant was also moved by strong
motions of legitimacy, of what was
justifiable and what was not. That
is why he did not fight for level
ownership or against landlordism
but against eviction and undue
enhancement of rent. He did not
object to paying interest on the sums
he held borrowed; he hit back
against fraud and chicanery by the
moneylenders and when the latter
went against tradition in depriving
him of his land. He did not deny the
state’s right to collect a tax on land
but objected when the level of
taxation overstepped all traditional
bounds. He did not object to the
foreign planter becoming his
zamindar but resisted the planter
when he took away his freedom to
decide what crops to grow and
refused to pay him a proper price
for his crop.
The peasant also developed a strong
awareness of his legal rights and
arrested them in an outside the
courts. And if an effort was made
to deprive him of his legal rights by
extralegal means or by manipulation
of law and law courts, he countered
with extra-legal means of his own.
Quite often, he believed that the
legally - constituted authority
approved his actions or at least
supported his claims and cause. In
all the three movements, he acted
in the name of this authority, the
sarkar.
In these movements, the Indian
peasants showed great courage and
a spirit of sacrifice, remarkable
organisational abilities, and a
solidarity that cut across religious
and caste lines.
The colonial government, not being
directly challenged, was willing to
compromise and mitigate the
harshness of the agrarian system
though within the broad limits of the
colonial economic and political
structure. In this respect, the colonial
regime’s treatment of the post ­1857
peasant rebels was qualitatively
different from its treatment of the
participants in the civil rebellions,
the Revolt of 1857 and the tribal
uprisings which directly challenged
colonial political power.
Weaknesses: A major weakness
of the 19th century peasant
movements was the lack of an
adequate understanding of
colonialism of colonial economic
structure and the colonial state - and
of social framework of the
movements themselves.
Nor did the 19th century peasants
possess a new ideology and a new
social economic and political
programme based on an analysis of
the newly constituted colonial
society. Their struggles, however
militant, occurred within the
framework of the old societal order.
They lacked a positive conception
of an alternative society-a
conception which would unite the
people in a common struggle on a
wide regional and all-India plane and
help develop long-term political
movements.
In the absence of such a new
ideology, programme, leadership and
strategy of struggle, it was not too
difficult for the colonial state, on the
one hand, to reach a conciliation and
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calm down the rebellious peasants
by the grants of some concessions
and, on the other hand, to suppress
them with the full use of its force.
Peasant Movement and
Nationalism in the 1920’s
The peasant movements in the 20th
century, were deeply influenced by
H
and in their turn had a marked
impact on the ongoing struggle for
national freedom.
I
Awadh Peasant Rising of
1920-21 S
Exorbitant rents, illegal levies,
renewal fees or nazrana, and
arbitrary ejectments or bedakhli
T
and made life miserable for the
majority of the cultivators. The high
price of food and other necessities
O
that accompanied and followed
World War I made the oppression
all the more difficult to bear, and the
R
tenants of Awadh were ripe for
message of resistance. Y
Towards the end of 1919, the first-
signs of grass-roots peasant activity
were evident in the reports of a
‘nai-dhobi’ band (a form of social
boycott) on an estate in Pratapgarh
district. Baba Ramachandra, a
Brahmin from Maharashtra,
emerged as a leader of the peasants
of Awadh, and soon demonstrated
considerable leadership and
organisational capacities.
Jawaharlal Nehru made several
visits to the rural areas and
developed close contacts with the
Kisan Sabha Movement.
Reflecting differences with Madan
Mohan Malviya and others on
national level, the Non-Co-
operatives set up an alternative
Oudh Kisan Sabha at Pratapgarh.
This new body succeeded in
integrating under its banner all the
grassroots Kisan Sabhas that had
emerged in the districts of Awadh.
The Oudh Kisan Sabha asked the
kisans to refuse to till bedakhli land,
not to offer unpaid labour, to boycott
those who did not accept these
173
 conditions and to solve their disputes
through panchayats. A marked
feature of the Kisan Sabha
movement was that Kisan belonging
to the high as well as the low castes
were to be found in its ranks.
H In 1921, however, the nature of the
peasant activity underwent a
marked change. It became more
I violent. The lead was often taken
not by recognized Kisan Sabha
activists, but by local figures -
S Sadhus, holy men, and disinherited
ex-proprietors.
The Government’s Response
T The Government, however, had little
difficulty in suppressing these
O outbreaks of violence. The
movement was over soon. The
Seditious Meetings Act was brought
R into cover the affected districts and
all political activity came to a stand-
still. Nationalists continued to
Y defend the case of the tenants in
the courts, but could do little else.
The Government meanwhile,
pushed through. The Oudh Rent
(Amendment) Act, and though it
brought little relief to the tenants, it
helped to rouse hopes and in its own
way assisted in the decline of the
movement.
Rising of 1927
Towards the end of 1927, peasant
discontent surfaced again in Awadh,
but this time the centres were the
districts of Hardoi, Bahraich and
Sitapur. The initial thrust here was
provided by Congress and Khilafat-
leaders and the movement grew
under the name of the Eka or unity
movement. The main grievances
here related to the extraction of a
rent that was generally fifty per cent
of the kedars to whom the work of
rent collection was farmed out and
the practice of share-rents. The
peasants vowed to pay only the
recorded rent and not to leave when
ejected. They would also refuse to
do forced labour, would give to help
to criminals and abide by the
panchayat decisions.
174 Prelims Magic 2014
The Eka movement, however, soon
developed its own grass-roots
leadership in the form of Madari
Pasi and other low-caste leaders
who were not particularly inclined
to accept the discipline of non-
violence that the Khilafat and
Congress leaders urged. As a result,
the movement’s contacts with the
nationalists diminished and it went
its own way by the authorities
succeeded in bringing the Eka
Movement to its end.
Bardoli Satyagrah (1928)
The no-tax movement that was
launched in Bardoli Taluq of Swat
District in Gujarat in 1928 was also
in many ways a child of the Non-
cooperation days. Bardoli Taluq had
been selected in 1922 as the place
from where Gandhiji would launch
the civil disobedience campaign, but
events in Chauri Chaura had
changed all that and the campaign
never took off. However, marked
change had taken place in the area
because of the various preparations
for the civil disobedience campaign,
and the end result was that Bardoli
had undergone a process of intense
politicization and awareness of the
political scene. The local leaders
such as the brothers Kalyanji
Mehta, and Dayalji Desai, had
worked hard to spread the message
of the non-cooperation movement.
These leaders, who had been
working in the district as social
reformers and political activists.
After the withdrawal of the non-
cooperation movement, the Bardoli
Congressmen had settled down to
intense constructive work. They
also built up a considerable base
among the Kaliparaj and could count
on their support in the future.
The Movement
Simultaneously, of course, the
Ashram workers had continued to
work among the land owing
peasants as well and had to an
extent regained their influence
among them. In 1926, the congress
leaders protested against the thirty
percent increase over the existing
assessment and set up the Bardoli
Inquiry Committee to go into the
issue. This was followed by a
campaign in the press, the lead being
taken by Young India and
Navjivan edited by Gandhiji. In July
1927, the government reduced the
enhancement to 21.97 per cent.
But the concessions were too
meager and came too late to satisfy
anybody. The constitutionalist
leaders now began to advise the
peasants to resist by paying only the
current amount and withholding the
enhanced amount. The ‘Ashram’
group of congress leaders,
therefore, decided to formally invite
Vallabhbhai Patel to lead the
movement. The local leaders also
met Gandhiji and after having
assured him that the peasants were
fully aware of the implications of
such a campaign, secured his
approval.
A meeting of the occupants of
Bardoli Taluq passed a resolution
advising all occupants of land to
refuse payment of the revised
assessment until the Government
appointed an independent tribunal or
accepted the current amount as full
payment.
The main mobilisation was done
through extensive propaganda in a
meeting, speeches, pamphlets, and
door to door persuasion. Special
emphasis was placed on the
mobilisation of women. Students
were another special targets and
they were asked to persuade their
families to remain firm.
Those who showed signs of
weakness were brought into line by
means of social pressure and threats
of social boycott. The work that the
congress leaders had done among
the Kaliparaj people also paid
dividends during this movement and
the government was totally
unsuccessful in its attempt to use
them against the upper caste
peasants.
Sardar Patel and his colleagues took
care to carry the constitutionalist
and moderate leadership, as well as
public opinion, with them by all
important issues. Consequently, the
government found even its
supporters and sympathizers, as well
as impartial men, deserting its side.
The enquiry, conducted by a judicial
officer, Broomfield, and a revenue
officer, Maxwell, came to the
conclusion that the increase had
been unjustified, and reduced the
enhancement to 6.03 per cent.
Peasant Movements in the
1930s and 40s
A new and nation-wide awakening
of Indian peasants in 1930s was
largely a result of the combination
of particular economic and political
developments:
(a) the great depression that began
to hit India from 1929-30, and
(b) the new phase of mass struggle
launched by the Indian National
Congress in 1930.
The depression which brought
agricultural prices crashing down to
half of less of their normal levels
dealt a severe blow to the already
impoverished peasants burdened
with high taxes and rents.
Therefore, the peasants were placed
in a situation where they had to
continue to pay taxes, rents, and
debts at pre-depression rates while
their incomes continued to spiral
steadily downward.
Civil Disobedience
Movement and Peasants
The civil disobedience movement
was launched in this atmosphere of
discontent in 1930s, and in many
parts of the country it soon took on
the form of a no-tax and no-rent
campaign. Peasants, emboldened by
the recent success of the Bardoli
Satyagragha (1928), joined the
protest in large numbers. In Andhra
for example, the political movement
was soon enmeshed with the
campaign against the settlement that
threatened and increase in land
revenue. In U.P. no revenue soon
turned into no-rent and the
movement continued been during the
period of truce following the
Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Peasants in
Gujarat, especially in Surat and
Kheda, refused to pay their taxes
and went to neighbouring Baroda
territory to escape government
repression. In Bihar and Bengal
powerful movements were launched
against the hated chowkidara tax by
which villages were made to pay for
the upkeep of their own oppressors.
In Punjab a no-revenue campaign
was accompanied by the
emergence of Kisan Sabhas that
demanded a reduction in land
revenue and water-rates and the
scaling down of debts. Anti-
Zamindari emerged in Andhra.
The new generation of political
workers, which first received its
baptism of fire in the civil
Disobedience movement, was
increasingly brought under the
influence of the left ideology that
was being propagated by Jawaharlal
Nehru, Subhas Bose, the
communists and other Marxists and
left individuals and groups. With the
decline of the Civil Disobedience
Movement, these men and women
began to search for an outlet for
their political energies and many of
them found the answer in organizing
the peasants.
All India Kisan Sabha
The consolidation of the left after
the formation of the Congress
Socialist Party in 1934 acted as a
spur to the formation of an all-India
body to coordinate the Kisan
Movement, a process that was
already under way through the
efforts of N.G. Ranga and other
kisan leaders. The culmination was
the establishment of the all-India
Kisan Congress in Lucknow in April
1936 which later changed its name
to the All-India Kisan Sabha.
Swami Sahajanand was elected
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Secretary. The first session was
greeted in person by Jawaharlal
Nehru.
A Kisan Manifesto was finalized at
the All-India Kisan Committee
session in Bombay and formally
presented to the Congress Working
Committee to be incorporated into
its forthcoming manifesto for the
H
1937 elections. The Kisan
Manifesto considerably influenced
the agrarian programme adopted by
I
the congress at its Faizpur session.
Congress Ministries and
S
Peasants
The formation of congress ministries
in a majority of the provinces in early
T
1937 marked the beginning of a new
phase in the growth of the peasant
movement. The political atmosphere
O
in the country underwent a marked
change: increased civil liberties, a
new sense of freedom born of the
R
feeling that ‘our own people are in
power ’, a heightened sense of
expectation that the ministries would
Y
bring a pro-people measures - all
combined to make the years 1937-
39 the high-water-mark of the
peasant movement. The different
Ministries also introduced varying
kinds of agrarian legislation for debt
relief, restoration of lands lost during
the Depression, for security of
tenure of tenants - this provided an
impetus for the mobilisation of the
peasantry either in support of
proposed legislation or for asking for
changes in its contents.
The chief form of mobilization was
through the holding of Kisan
Conferences or Meetings at the
thana, taluqa, district and
provincial levels at which peasant
demands would be aired and
resolutions passed. These
conferences would be addressed by
local, provincial and All-India
leaders.
175
 World War II and Peasants
The rising tide of peasants
awakening was checked by the
outbreak of World War II which
brought about the resignation of the
Congress Ministries and the
H launching of severe repression
against left wing and Kisan Sabha
leaders and workers because of
I their strong anti-war stance. The
adoption by the CPI of the people’s
war line in December 1941 following
S Hitler’s attack on the Soviet Union
created dissensions between the
communists and non-communist
T members of the Kisan Sabha.
These dissensions came to a head
with Quit India Movement in which
O Congress Socialist members played
a leading role. The CPI because of
its pro-war people’s war line asked
R its cadres to stay away, and though
many local level workers did join the
Quit India Movement, the party line
Y sealed the rift in the Kisan Sabha
ranks, resulting in a split in 1943. In
these years three major leaders of
the All India Kisan Sabha, N.G.
Ranga, Swami Sahajanand
Saraswati and Indulal Yagnik, left
the Organisation.
Nevertheless, during the war years
the Kisan Sabha continued to play
an important role in various kinds
of relief works, as for example in
the Bengal Famine of 1943. It also
continued its organisational work,
despite being severely handicapped
by its taking the unpopular pro­­war
stance which alienated it from
various sections of the peasantry.
The end of the war, followed by the
negotiations for the transfer of
power and the anticipation of
freedom, marked a qualitative new
stage in the development of the
peasant movement. A new spirit
was evident and the certainity of
approaching freedom with the
promise of a new social order
encouraged peasants, among other
social groups, to assert their rights
and claims with a new vigour.
Many struggles that had been left
176 Prelims Magic 2014
off in 1939 were renewed. The
demand for zamindari abolition was
pressed with a greater sense of
urgency. The organization of
agricultural workers in Andhra
which had begun a few years
earlier took on the form of struggle
for higher wages and use of
standard measures for payment of
wages in kind.
Tebhaga struggle in Bengal
In late 1946 the share-croppers of
Bengal began to assert that they
would no longer pay a half share of
their crop to the jotedars but only
one-third and that before division the
crop would be stored in their
godowns and not that of the
jotedars. They were no doubt
encouraged by the fact that the
Bengal Land Revenue Commission,
popularly known as the Flood
Commission, had already made this
recommendation in its report to the
government. The Tebhaga
movement, led by the Bengal
Provincial Kisan Sabha, soon
developed into a clash between
jotedars and bargadars.
The movement received a great
boost in late January 1947 when the
Muslim League Ministry led by
Suhrawardy published the Bengal
Bargadars Temporary Regulation
Bill in the Calcutta Gazette.
Encouraged by the fact that the
demand for tebhaga could no longer
be called illegal, peasants in hitherto
untouched villages and areas joined
the struggle. In many places,
peasants tried to remove the paddy
already stored in the jotedars’
godowns to their own, and this
resulted in innumerable clashes.
Repression by the government
began on appeal of the jotedars and
by the February the movement was
virtually dead.
Assessment
The most important contribution of
the peasant movements of the 1930s
and ‘40s was that even when they
did not register immediate
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The demand for the Tebhaga
Peasant Movement in Bengal was
for
(a) the reduction of the share of
the landlords from one-half of the
crop to one-third
(b) the grant of ownership of land
to peasants as they were the
actual cultivators of the land
(c) the uprooting of Zamindari
system and the end of serfdom
(d) writing off all peasant debts
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: It was the Tebhaga struggle
in Bengal that held the limelight.
in 1946 the sharecroppers of
Bengal began to assert that they
would no longer pay a half share
of their crops to Jotedars but only
1/3rd and that before division, the
crop would be stored in their
khamars (Godowns) and not that
of the Jotedars.
successes, they created the climate
which necessitated the post-
independence agrarian reforms.
Zamindari abolition, for example did
not come about as a direct
culmination of any particular
struggle, but the popularization of
demand by the Kisan Sabha
certainly contributed to its
achievement.
The demand during the struggle
were based on the existing
consciousness of the peasantry of
their just or legitimate rights, which
was itself a product of tradition,
custom, usages and legal rights.
When rents, illegal cases, forced
labour or rights overland which the
peasants felt was theirs - they were
willing to resist if they could muster
the necessary organisational and
other resources. But they were also
willing to continue to respect what
they considered legitimate demands.
The struggle based on these
demands was clearly not aimed at
the overthrow of the existing
agrarian struggle but towards
alleviating its most oppressive
aspects. Nevertheless, they
corroded the power of the landed
classes in many ways and thus
prepared the ground for the
transformation of the structure
itself.
By and large, the forms of struggle
and mobilization adopted by the
peasant movements in diverse areas
were similar in nature as were their
demands. The main focus was on
mobilization through meetings,
conferences, rallies,
demonstration’s enrolment of
members, formation of Kisan
Sabhas, etc. Direct action usually
involved Satyagrah or Civil
Disobedience and non-payment of
rent and taxes. As in the national
movement, violent clashes were the
exception and not the norm. They
were rarely sanctioned by the
leadership and were usually popular
responses to extreme repression.
The relationship of the peasant
movement with the national
movement continued to be one of
vital and integral nature. For one,
areas where the peasant movement
was active were usually the ones
that had been drawn into the earlier
national struggles. This was true at
least of Punjab, Kerala, Andhra,
U.P., and Bihar. This was hardly
surprising since it was the spread
of the national movement that had
created the initial conditions
required for the emergence of
peasant struggles - a politicized and
conscious peasantry and a band of
active political workers capable of
and willing to perform the task of
organisation and leadership.
In its ideology as well, the kisan
movement accepted and based
itself in the ideology of nationalism.
Its cadres and leaders carried-the
message not only of organisation of
the peasantry on class lines but also
of national freedom. In most areas
kisan activities simultaneously
enrolled Kisan Sabha and congress
members.
With the experience of the split of
1942 the kisan movement found that
if it diverged too far and too clearly
from the path of the national
movement, it tended to lose its mass
base, as well as create a split within
the ranks of its leadership. The
growth and development of the
peasant movement was thus
indissolubly linked with the national
struggle for freedom.
Growth of Trade Unions
The Indian working class suffered
from all forms of exploitation- low
wages, long working hours,
unhygienic condition in factories,
employment of child labour and
absence of all amenities- from
which the labour force has suffered
in the early stages of
industrialization and capitalism in
England and the West plus the evils
of a rapacious colonial rule.
The colonial situation, however,
gave a distinctive touch to Indian
working class movement. The
Indian working class had to face
two basic antagonistic forces- an
imperialist political rule and
economic exploitation at the hands
of both foreign and native capitalist
classes. Under these compulsive
circumstances the Indian working
class movement became
intertwined with the political struggle
for national emancipation.
The Trade Union Movement. A
trade union may be defined as “a
continuous association of wage-
earners for the purpose of
maintaining or improving the
conditions of their working lives”.
Political motivations and ideologies
influenced the Indian trade union
movement and were in turn
influenced by the Indian trade union
movement and were in turn
influenced by its increased strength.
The twin aspects of the Indian Trade
Union movement - labour
organization for industrial
bargaining and its ideological
orientation- should be viewed in the
background of the nationalist
struggle against imperialism and the
emergence of politically inspired
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opposing International Labour
Organisations.
Early History. Ironically the first
ever demand for regulation of the
condition of workers in factories in
India came from the Lancashire
textile capitalist lobby; apprehending
the emergence of a competitive rival
in the Indian textile industry under
H
conditions of cheap and unregulated
labour, they demanded the
appointment of a commission for
I
investigation into factory conditions.
The first commission was appointed
in 1875 although the First Factory
S
Act was not passed before 1881.
The Act prohibited the employment
of children under the age of 7,
T
limited the number of working hours
for children below the age of 12
years and provided that dangerous
O
machinery should be fenced. Under
similar extraneous pressure from
British textile interests, the Factory
R
Act of 1891 was passed which
limited the working day to 11 hours
with an interval of 1½ hours for
Y
women labour, increased the
minimum and maximum ages of
children from 7 and 12 to 9 and 14
years. Similar circumstances
resulted in the enactment of factory
acts for jute industry in 1909 and
1911. The opening decade of the
20th century also gave the first ever
demonstration of the emerging
political consciousness among the
Indian working class; the Bombay
workers went on a political six-day
strike over the conviction and
imprisonment of Lokamanya Tilak
in 1908- a development which
elicited Lenin’s comments that “the
Indian proletariat has already
matured sufficiently to wage a
class-conscious and political mass
struggle”.
First World War, Left
Awakening and Organised
Trade Unionism
The First World War and its
aftermath brought a period of
soaring prices, unprecedented
profiteering for the industrialists but
177
 miserably low wages for the
workers. The average dividend paid
by the jute mills during 1915-24 was
140% (420% in 1919), while the
average wage of the worker in the
industry was only £12 p.a. Similarly,
the cotton mill industry paid an
H average dividend of 120% (the
highest being 365%).
I The emergence of Mahatma
Gandhi on the national scene also
marked a determined bid to broad
S base the nationalist movement and
mobilization of the workers and the
peasants for the national cause. It
T was felt that the workers should be
organized into a national Trade
Union and drawn into the vortex of
O the struggle for independence. At
almost the same time, the October
Revolution in Russia and the
R formation of the Comintern was an
open call to the workers of the
world to combine to dispossess the
Y capitalists and institute a Proletarian
Revolution. The setting up of the
League of Nations’ Agency I.L.O.
(International Labour Organisation)
gave an international complexion to
the be labour problem.
The initiative in organizing a Trade
Union on the national basis was
taken by the nationalist leaders and
the All-India Trade Union Congress
(AITUC) was founded on 31
October 1920. The Indian National
Congress President of the year, Lala
Lajat Rai, was elected its President.
The national leaders kept close
association with this Trade Union
and nationalist leaders like C.R. Das,
V.V. Giri and later on Sarojini Naidu,
J.L. Nehru and Subhash Bose
presided over its annual sessions. By
1927 the number of trade unions
affiliated to the AITUC increased
to 57 with a total membership of
1,50,555. To begin with the AITUC
was influenced by social democratic
ideas of the British Labour Party.
Despite some Socialist leaning the
AITUC remained, by and large,
under the influence of moderates
like N.M. Joshi who believed that
the political activities of labour
178 Prelims Magic 2014
organizations should not go beyond
agitation for the amelioration of their
economic grievances. Gandhian
philosophy  of  non­violence,
Trusteeship and class-collaboration
had great influence on the
movement and strike was a weapon
rarely employed. The Trade Union
Act of 1926 recognised trade unions
as legal associations, laid down
conditions for registration and
regulation of trade union activities,
secured their immunity, both civil and
criminal, from prosecutions from
legitimate activities but put some
restrictions on their political
activities.
The rise of the Communist
movement in India in the 1920s lent
a militant and revolutionary content
to the Trade Union movement. The
4th Congress of the Communist
International sent a message to the
AITUC not to be content with ‘fair
day’s wages for a fair day’s work’
but to fight for the ultimate goal of
overthrow of capitalism and
imperialism. Further, the Indian
Communists were urged to organize
the Trade Union movement ‘on a
class basis and purge it of all alien
basis’.
During 1926-27 the AITUC was
divided into two groups called ‘the
reforming’ and ‘the revolutionary’
groups also labelled as the Geneva-
Amsterdam group and the
‘Moscovite group’, the former
wanting AITUC to be affiliated to
the International Federation of
Trade Union (IFTU) with
headquarters at Amsterdam and the
latter desiring affiliation with the
Red Labour Union (RITU)
organized from Moscow. The
Communist thinking seemed to carry
greater influence. During 1928, the
country witnessed unprecedented
industrial unrest. The total number
of strikes was 203 involving no less
than 506,851 people and the total
number of working days lost was
31,647,404. These strikes were
inspired more by political ideas than
immediate economic demands. The
Communist journal, Kranti
thundered, “There is no peace until
capitalism in overthrown”. On the
question of affiliation to an
international labour body too the
Communist viewpoint prevailed and
the AITUC was affiliated to the
Pan-Pacific Secretariat and to the
Third International at Moscow. In
protest the moderate group under
Joshi’s leadership withdrew from
the AITUC and formed the All India
Trade Union Federation in 1929.
Alarmed at the increasing strength
of the Trade Union movement and
its control under extremist hands,
the Government of India sought to
contain its activities by legislative
restrictions. A Public Safety Bill was
introduced in the Legislative
Assembly in 1928 but could not get
majority support and had to be
issued in the form of an ordinance
in 1929. The Trade Disputes Act
(1929) provided, among other
provisions, for compulsory
appointment of Courts of Enquiry
and Conciliation Boards for setting
industrial disputes, made strikes
illegal in public utility services (like
Postal Service, Railways, Water and
Electricity Departments) unless
each individual worker planning to
go on strike gave an adverse notice
of one month to the Administration
and, above all, forbade trade union
activities of coercive or purely
political nature and even
sympathetic strikes.
The Meerut Conspiracy Trial: In
March 1929 the Government of
Lord Irwin arrested the principal
leaders of the working class
movement and brought them to
Meerut for trial. The principal
charge against the 31 trade union
leaders was of “conspiring to
deprive the King of his Sovereignty
of India”. The trial lasted 3½ years
and resulted in the conviction of
Muzaffar Ahmed, Dange, Joglekar,
Spratt, Bradley, Usmani and others
to various terms of transportation or
rigorous imprisonment. However,
the Meerut trial (1929-33) attracted
world­wide  publicity  and  drew
sympathetic comments from Prof.
Einstein, H.G. Wells, Harold Laski
and even President Roosevelt. In
1933, the Joint Council of the British
Trade Union Congress and Labour
Party described it as “a judicial
scandal”. In India, it brought the
Leftists and the Rightists together
and a broad-based Central Defence
Committee defended the case.
The Meerut trial dealt a ‘heavy
immediate blow’ to the working
class movement and weakened the
political role of the working class in
the national struggle that followed-
as had been the intention of
imperialism.
During the Non-co-operation
Movement (1930-34) the
Government struck hard at the
workers and resorted to large-scale
arrests, victimization through
repression, legislation and
appointment of commissions. These
developments drove home to the
union leaders the lesson of unity.
The Congress Socialist Party
founded in 1934 also worked for
unity between the moderate and
radical trade unions. During 1935-
36 the three trade union
organizations viz., AITUC, the Red
Trade Union Congress and the
National Federation of Trade Unions
worked towards unity though the
merger was not formalized before
April 1938.
Popular Governments in
Provinces and Trade Unionism
The formation of Congress
ministries in six provinces in 1937
gave a fillip to trade union activities
and the number of trade unions
increased to 296 by 1938. The
Congress ministries showed a
sympathetic attitude towards the
workers’ demands. The most
successful strike during this period
was of Kanpur workers strike which
continued for 55 days and involved
10,000 workers. The Government
appointed the Kanpur Labour
Enquiry Committee under the
chairmanship of Babu Rajendra
Prasad. The Congress governments
in Bihar, Bombay, the U.P. and the
C.P. also appointed Labour Enquiry
Committees which made liberal
recommendations for improvements
of the lot of workers. Some
beneficial legislations like the
Bombay Industrial Disputes Act
(1938), and the Bengal Maternity
Act (1939) were enacted.
Impact of the Second World War
The Second World War brought
another era of rising prices and
lagging behind wages. The year
1940 witnessed many strikes more
so because the Trade Unions could
not remain indifferent to political
developments. In September 1940
the AITUC adopted a resolution
disavowing any sympathy for
imperialism or Fascism. It resolved
that “participation in a war, which
will not result in the establishment
of freedom and democracy in India,
will not benefit India, much less will
it benefit the working class.”
M.N. Roy, the communist-turned-
Radical Democratic leader seceded
from the AITUC and formed a pro-
Government union called the Indian
Federation of Labour; the
Government responded by
sanctioning a grant of Rs. 13,000
p.m. to the loyal organization. The
section of the AITUC under
Communist influence also showed
a pro-government stance after the
Soviet Union joined the war on the
side of the Allied Powers. During
the ‘Quit India’ movement in August
1942 the nationalist wing of the
AITUC suffered the most, the
Communist wing having declared in
favour of the official Labour-
M a na gement - Gover nment
conciliation formulae.
In spite of the Communists getting
thoroughly discredited and isolated
for their pro-British stance, the
nationalist leaders failed to capture
the leadership of the AITUC.
Consequently, in 1944 national
leaders led by Sardar Vallabhbhai
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Patel organized the Indian National
Trade Union Congress. Thus the
advent of independence saw the
polarization of Trade Unionism on
the basis on political ideology.
The Kisan Movement
The Indian National Congress
and the Peasant H
The Indian National Congress, to
begin with at least, worked as a joint
venture of British imperialists and
I
the Indian bourgeoisie and could not
be expected to champion the cause
of the oppressed peasants. The
S
Congress year after year passed
resolutions on the existence of
Indian poverty but the methods it
T
suggested smacked of class
interests; it asked for extension of
Permanent Settlement to different
O
parts of India and restrictions on
over-assessment where Permanent
Settlement could not be introduced,
R
Indianisation of public services, State
help for industrialization, abolition of
salt tax etc. but never officially
Y
demanded tenancy reforms in
Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam,
Madras, the U.P., the C.P. or the
Punjab. R.C. Dutt’s Open Letters
to Curzon on famines and land
assessments in India were,
consciously or unconsciously, more
calculated to espouse the interests
of the Indian landlords than the
Indian peasants. Curzon’s sarcastic
dig at R.C. Dutt that the
Government had done more to
protect the tenants from the rapacity
of the zamindars than the Indian
National Congress remained
unanswered.
Gandhiji and Peasant Struggles
Gandhiji’s entry into Indian politics
marked a change into the politco-
economic life of India. In his anxiety
to broaden the social base of the
Congress, he carried his message
to the villages and sought to involved
the peasants in the nationalist
struggle.
Champaran and Kaira
Satyagrahas.
The European indigo planters of
179
 Champaran, a district in the north-
western part of Bihar, practised all
types of oppressions on the local
Bihari peasants not very dissimilar
from the earlier malpractices of
planters in Bengal. Gandhiji assisted
by Rajendra Prasad and others
H started on open enquiry into the real
condition of the peasants. He taught
the peasants of Champaran the
I virtues of Satygraha which
consisted in open, disciplined, non-
violent non-cooperation with
S injustice against the indigo planters.
The Government of Bihar took
offence at Gandhian moves and
T prohibited them from pursuing their
enquiry and arrested Gandhiji.
Later, the Government developed
O cold feet and appointed an Enquiry
Committee (June 1917) with Gandhi
as one of the members. The
R ameliorative enactment, the
Champaran Agrarian Act freed the
tenants from the special imposts
Y levied by the indigo planters.
Unfortunately, however, the
Congress leaders did not follow up
the matter to its logical conclusion
by freeing the Champaran peasants
from the excessive rents charged
by the zamindars and exorbitant
interest rates charged by the
moneylenders.
The Kaira (Kheda) campaign
was chiefly directed against the
Government. In the spring of 1918
crop failures and drought brought
misery to the peasants of Kaira in
Gujarat. The Bombay Government,
however, insisted on its pound of
flesh in the form of land revenue.
The land revenue rules provided for
remission of land revenue if the
crop yield was less than 5% of the
normal; the cultivators claimed that
to be the case which the
Government officials denied.
Gandhiji organized the peasants and
enlisted the support of all classes.
Peasants in large numbers offered
Satyagraha and suffered
imprisonment for defying unjust
laws. The Satyagraha lasted till
June 1918. The Government had to
180 Prelims Magic 2014
concede the just demands of the
peasants. Judith Brown has
estimated that the Government did
collect nearly 93% of the
assessment.
The Champaran and Kaira struggles
established Gandhiji as the leader of
the masses and opened the eyes of
the educated kisans to the political
possibilities of peasants’ mass-
action.
Formation of Kisan Sabhas
A section of the Kisan leadership
saw the inner contradictions in
Congress agrarian policy. The
peasant movements launched by
the Congress were primarily aimed
at seeking relief against excessive
government land revenue demand
and were thus solicitous for the
interests of the zamindars and
landed magnates. The Congress
was virtually indifferent to inter-
agrarian relations i.e. relations
between landlords on the one hand
and tenants, cultivators and
agricultural labour on the other hand
under Permanent Settlement and in
ryotwari areas the relations between
the rich farmer and sharecroppers
or landless labour. The propaganda
of the Communists and other left
parties created class consciousness
among the peasants and provided
the nucleus for the formation of
Kisan Sabhas.
In the 1920s Kisan Sabhas were
organised in Bengal, the Punjab and
the U.P. In 1928 the Andhra
Provincial Ryots Association was
formed. However, the first All India
Kisan Sabha was formed at
Lucknow on 11 April 1936. The
Kisan Sabha explained its objective
of “securing complete freedom
from economic exploitation and
achievement of full economic and
political power of peasants and
workers and all other exploited
classes.” It also demanded a
moratorium on debts, abolition of
land revenue and rent from
uneconomic holdings, reduction of
land revenue and rent, licensing of
moneylenders, minimum wages for
agricultural workers, fair prices for
sugarcane and commercial crops
and irrigation facilities. It also
envisaged abolition of zamindari
and vesting of land in the tiller of
the soil. All these objectives were
to be achieved by proper
organization and active participation
in the national struggle for
independence.
The Kisan Sabhas launched anti-
settlement agitation against
zamindari ‘zulum’ in Andhra
Pradesh. In U.P. and Bihar heroic
struggles were launched against
zamindars’ exploitation. In 1936
agitation started against Bakasht
(self-cultivated land) movement in
Bihar. Bakasht was zamindar’s
khas land which was cultivated by
tenants on condition that they would
pay a certain portion of the produce
as rent to the land owner. The
zamindars sought to bring more and
more land under this category in a
bid to prevent tenants from claiming
occupancy rights. There was large-
scale eviction of tenants on one or
the other plea in 1937. The Kisan
Sabha organized the evicted tenants
and they offered satyagraha,
thereby preventing others from
cultivating land. Violent clashes
occurred resulting in many
casualties. The All India Kisan
Sabha organized a Bihar Kisan Day
on 18 October 1937 against police
repression on satyagrahis.
The growth of Kisan Sabhas also
worked as a pressure on the Indian
National Congress. The Congress
struck a radical posture in agrarian
programme at its Karachi and
Faizpur sessions. The Faizpur
Congress adopted resolutions on the
need for reduction of rent and
revenue, abolition of feudal dues and
levies, fixity of tenure, moratorium
on debts and need for statutory
provisions for ensuring living wage
and suitable working conditions for
the agricultural labourers.
Popular Ministries in Provinces and
Peasant Movements. The peasants
hoped for much from popular
provincial governments formed in
1937 but faced disillusionment. To
focus attention on their demands
nearly 20,000 peasants gathered
outside the Bihar Legislative
Assembly on 23 August 1937, the
opening day the Bihar Legislative
Assembly on 23 August 1937, the
opening day of the Assembly
shouting slogans: “Give us water, we
are thirsty; give us bread, we are
hungry; remit all our agricultural
loans; down with zamindars and
save us from oppression.” The
Kisan leaders expected much from
the new government and sought to
persuade the Congress to adopt
some measures for the cause of the
peasants. The Restoration of
Bakasht Land Act and Bihar
Tenancy Act in 1938 afforded some
relief to the tenants, but evictions
continued. The Government also
made tenants’ holdings transferable
without prior consent of zamindars,
and reduced the salami rates; rents
were reduced by nearly 1/4th on an
average etc. However, the Kisan
leaders wanted the Congress to
establish Kisan raj which meant
abolition of zamindari and
distribution of land among the
landless. The zamindar-backed
Congress government in Bihar could
not legislate for zamindari abolition.
The performance of Congress
ministries in the Central Provinces
and Bombay was equally
unsatisfactory. The Bengal
government’s ambiguous land
legislation resulted in widespread
eviction of tenants.
Radical elements in the Kisan Sabha
advocated a break with the
Congress accusing it of pro-
zamindar policies. However, in the
name of keeping up a united front
against foreign imperialism, the
Congress leaders succeeded in
keeping the Congress and the Kisan
Sabha together. In disgust Swami
Sahajanand resigned from the Kisan
Sabha in 1945. His exit marked the
beginning of the complete control of
the Communists over the Kisan
Sabha.
The Economic Programme of
the Congress:
Karachi Resolution 1931
The Session was presided by Patel.
The resolution on the economic
programme of the congress was
drafted by Nehru. Interestingly it
was Gandhi who discussed with the
emphasis on modern industry moved
it in the open session.
The Karachi resolution of the
Congress passed in 1931 marks a
significant stage in the evolution of
a radical orientation of the national
movement. It was declared that
political freedom must include real
economic freedom if the exploitation
of the masses was to cease.
Karachi session of the Congress
marks an all step forward. The
economic programme of the
Congress’s Karachi resolution
included reduction of taxes,
prohibition of beggar or forced labor
which was in vogue in backward
regions and many of the princely
states, abolition of salt duty and the
protection of the special rights of the
workers such as healthy working
conditions, minimum living wage,
unemployment insurance, an 8-hour
day and paid holidays. It marks the
introduction of the Socialist trend as
a predominant element in the
Congress programme. The
nationalist leadership had to accept
some of the tenets of a radical
democracy even though it was
successful in defeating almost
entirely the left revolutionary trend.
It favoured development of large
scale industry under state ownership
or control. It declared that the state
shall own or control key industries
and services, mineral resources,
railways, waterway, shipping and
other means of public transport.
Movements Against
Caste System
The social reformers attacked the
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very basic ideas of the medieval
social system. ‘These ideas may be
briefly set forth as isolation,
submission to outward force or
power, more than the voice of the
inward conscience, perception of
fictitious differences between men
and men, due to heredity and birth.
A general indifference to secular
H
well being, almost bordering on
fatalism. These have been the root
ideas of our ancient social system.
I
They have, as their natural result,
led to the existing family
arrangements, where the woman is
S
entirely subordinated to the man and
the lower castes to the higher castes,
to the length of depriving men of
T
their natural respect for humanity.’
The social reformers attacked
inequality and separatism and stood
O
for equality (in a Liberal bourgeois
sense) and co-operation. They
attacked heredity as the basis of
R
distinctions, and the law of Karma
which supplied the religio-
philosophic defence of the
Y
undemocratic authoritarian caste
institution. They called on the
people to work for betterment in the
real world in which they lived rather
than strive for salvation after death.
They branded the caste system as
a powerful obstacle to the growth
of national unity and solidarity.
There were different angles from
which caste was attacked by
different social reform groups. Raja
Rammohun Roy, the founder of the
Brahmo Samaj, invoked the
authority of Mahanirvana Tantra,
an old religio-sociological work of
Hinduism, to support his view that
caste should no longer continue.
Debendranath Tagore and Keshub
Chandra Sen, who succeeded the
Raja as successive leaders of the
Samaj, were more critical of the
Hindu scriptures than the Raja. It
was Keshub Chandra Sen who, in
most unambiguous categorical
terms, repudiated the caste system
without invoking any scriptural
authority. The spirit of social revolt
181
 which the Raja inaugurated reached
a climax in the history of the Brahmo
Samaj under the guidance of
Keshub Chandra Sen.
The pioneering work of the anti-
caste movement first started by the
H Brahmo Samaj was continued by
other organizations which were
subsequently formed in the country.
I The Bombay Prarthana Samaj
carried on the propaganda of the
repudiation of caste practically on
S the same lines as the Brahmo Samaj.
Both the Brahmo Samaj and the
Prarthana Samaj, under the out and
T out democratic cultural influences
of the west, denounced the caste
as an institution itself. In contrast to
O this attitude, the Arya Samaj started
by Swami Dayananda preached not
the repudiation of the caste system
national movement was that since Suhrawardy’s government afforded
the reactionary social institutions some relief to rent-paying tenants.
rested on the low economic
The Telengana Movement: The
evolution of the Indian society and
insurrection in Telengana during
since the low economic evolution
1946-51 was launched in the
was due to the absence of political
territory of the Nizam’s State of
power in the hands of the Indian
people, national freedom was the
prime condition for the social
Hyderabad against intense
exploitation and oppression of
landlords, moneylenders, traders
reconstruction of the Indian society.
The destruction of caste was thus
bound up with the problem of
and the Nizam’s officials. It may be
mentioned that the Nizam’s crown
lands and those of his aristocracy
national independence. ‘The social
and cultural backwardness is the
expression and consequence of the
accounted for nearly one-third of his
vast dominions on which more than
20 lakh poverty-stricken peasants
low economic level and political
subjection, and not vice versa ...
The root problem is economical-
worked for their living. The
movement was linked with the
States people movement under the
political.’
Convinced that a radical reforming
of the Indian society was possible
leadership of the Praja Mandal and
had the sympathy of the Congress,
the Arya Samaj and the linguistic

R but the revival of the Hindu society

of the Vedic period based only on
four castes. The Arya Samaj, while
only if the Indian people got self-
government, they struggled with
greater energy and spirit for Swaraj.
demand for a Vishay Andhra state.
The role of the Communist party in
organising the peasants was very

Y crusading against the minute

dissection of the Hindu society into
countless sub-castes, aimed at
reconstructing it on the original
fourfold division. Further, it stood for
extending the right to study
scriptures even to the lowest caste,
the Sudras.
Thus, while both the Brahmo Samaj
and the Prarthana Samaj were
iconoclastic movements, with regard
to caste, the Arya Samaj stood for
reforming caste by eliminating all
sub-castes.
In addition to the Brahmo Samaj, the
Prarthana Samaj, and the Arya
Samaj, there were other movements
which also carried on a campaign
against caste. Telang, Ranade,
Phoolay who founded the Satya
Shodhak Samaj in 1873, Malabari,
Poet Narmad, and others were
strenuous crusaders against the
caste system. In the south, the Self-
Respect Movement, attacking the
humiliating disabilities from which
the non-Brahmin communities
suffered, was organized.
One of the arguments advanced by
the Left leaders of the Indian
Though Indian nationalism reached
the conclusion that political power
was a vital premise for a
fundamental reconstruction of the
Indian society on a democratic
basis, it did not relax its campaign
against social evils. However, social
reform was given auxiliary place in
the scheme of its work.
Peasant Struggles on the Eve
of Indian Independence
In the decade preceding the advent
of independence three significant
peasant struggles, namely, Tebhaga
Movement in Bengal, the Telengana
outbreak in Hyderabad state and the
Varlis revolt in Western India
deserve mention.
The Tebhaga Movement: It was a
protracted peasant struggle
involving lower stratum of tenants
such as bargardars (Share-
croppers), adhiars and poor
peasants etc. against not only the
zamindars but a section of the rich
peasants (jotedars), against
moneylenders, traders and the
British bureaucracy. The
Bargardari Bill introduced by
significant. The entry of Indian
troops in Hyderabad and the state’s
accession to the Indian Union did
not end the struggle. The vestiges
of feudalism continued intact. The
peasants of Telengana and the
adjoining areas of Madras State
continued their struggle under
Communist leadership and many an
official and landlords either fled
away or were murdered. The
movement was withdrawn in
October 1951 with the change in
tactics by the Communists in India.
Eka Movement towards the end of
1921, peasant discontent resurfaced
in some northern districts of the
United Provinces-Hardoi, Bahraich,
Sitapur. The issues involved were:
(i) high rents-50 per cent higher than
the recorded rates; (ii) oppression
of thikadars in charge of revenue
collection; and (iii) practice of share-
rents.
The meetings of the Eka or the
Unity Movement involved a
symbolic religious ritual in which the
assembled peasants vowed that they
would pay only the recorded rent
but would pay it on time; not leave

182 Prelims Magic 2014

when evicted; refuse to do forced
labour; give no help to criminals;
abide by panchayat decisions.
Evaluation of Peasant
Movement
These movements created an
atmosphere for post-independence
agrarian reforms, for instance,
abolition of zamindari.
They eroded the power of the
landed class, thus adding to the
transformation of the agrarian
structure.
These movements were based on
the ideology of nationalism. The
nature of these movements was
similar in diverse areas.
LITERARY TRENDS AND
CULTURAL MOVEMENTS
New Trends In literature: The
literature produced in the
nationalistic era reflected the
patriotic urge that was fast
developing in India. It became the
easy and effective means to carry
nationalist idea to the people at large.
The Indian awakening took a
literary shape as more and more of
India’s history, culture and heritage
came to light through the efforts
taken by scholars of the period,
India as well and British. A brief
survey of such development has
been outlined below:
1. Sanskrit: Sanskrit came under
the world literary trends of the
modern age. Dramas, novels and
poems and stories came to be
written in large numbers. Scholars
and writers experimented on new
themes in traditional styles or
traditional themes in style at famous
centers of Sanskrit learning local as
well as national history were written
in large numbers old styles were
given up and decryption became
simple, realistic and modern
organizations such as Arya Samaj
stimulated the revival and re-
orientation of Sanskrit. In the
twentieth Century many scientific
and philosophical worked of
western literature were translated
into Sanskrit.
2. Hindi: Hindi took its modern
shape in the second half of the
nineteenth century. Bharatendu
Harischandra is regarded as the
father of modern Hindi literature. A
poet, dramatist, novelist, short story
writer and essayist, he revealed
through his works his immense
creative genius and represented in
his writings the urges and impulses
of the time, which was at once
morbid and resurgent. His style
influenced a number of other
writers who picked up enough
courage to modernise Hindi in their
own way. The development of Hindi
literature on new lines, did not,
however, result in the total
abandonment of traditional form at
once. As the scope of Hindi was
vast, there was no difficulty in
accommodating both the traditional
and the new for the time being thus,
while prose came to the used more
frequently, poetry continued to retain
its grand. Men like Maithalisharan
Gupta represented in their writing a
mixture of classical forms with new
trends. But newer poetic trends
soon appeared with a challenge to
formalism. The forms and modes,
the rigidity of metres and the
disciplines of the language and
techniques all appeared to the new
poet as the veritable chain to tie
down his individuality and originality,
his thought and freedom. It was thus
a revolt against the old search of
the new. Suryakanth Tripathi
‘Nirala’ belongs to this school of
poets.
The trend represented by this school
comes closer to what we call
romanticism. In this poetry, nature
took a prominent place. Their styles
of approach were according to their
inner urges of the poet.
Premchand represented another
notable trend in Hindi literature i.e.
progressivism. He turned his
attention from nature to man and
found the latter in his desperate
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existence. The imagination of the
writer came to be stirred by the
actual conditions of main’s life and
hopes of his material salvation.
Human miseries and man’s struggle
against oppression and injustice
were taken as themes. The common
man or the toiling peasant was
adopted as the centre of his writings.
H
Premchand vividly pictured their
characters. The novels of
Premchand left a deep impression
I
on society and it was the human
touch they conveyed. The individual
of his novels emerged with so many
S
distinctive features that he
introduced a new trend in
developing Hindi Literature.
T
The nationalistic urges became yet
another factor in the development
of Hindi literature. Romanticism,
O
humanism and nationalism were all
now blended in the literary products.
Makhanlal Chaturvedi and
R
Balkrishna Sharma were among the
exponents of romantic nationalism.
There were also works of historical
Y
fiction. ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’ of
Vrindananlal Varma appealed to
people’s mind.
3. Urdu: Urdu writers modified the
old classical style or approaches to
suit the need of time. The vigour of
the literature was brought to bear
upon the urges and impulses of new
generation. Sir Sayyid Ahamad
Khan played a prominent part in
encouraging Urdu writers to
re-orient the literature along modern
lines. From 1874, a new incentive
came through poetical gatherings.
Though Mirza Ghalibs’ ghazals
reveal the new trends, it was Hali
who was the mainspring of the
movement. His writings such as
‘Barkharit’ and ‘Iasaf’ introduced
new trends in Urdu poetry. Poetry
began to cover various thoughts and
ideas, including socio-political urges.
Iqbal greatly expanded the horizon
of the Ghazals.
Muhammad Iqbal was easily at
home in both Persian and Urdu. He
was severely opposed to passive
resignation. His real greatness is
183
 said to lie in the fact that, by his
impressive personality and the
eloquences of his poetry, he
succeeded in dispelling the gloom
and despondency into which the
eastern countries in general and the
Muslim world in particular had been
H plunged ever since the Europeans
has established their colonial rule
over them and in giving them a
I message of new hope and self
confidence as a result of which a
mass political and cultural
S awakening had taken place in the
East. Iqbal had laid a special
emphasis on the doctrine of self-
T curiousness (Khudi). He was of the
view that the development of self-
­consciousness  must  be  the  prime
O object of man because it was by this
development that man could utilize
fully his natural talents and approach
R nearest to God. Going a step further,
he said that by doing so, man, could
even challenge fate and shape the
Y world to his liking. This doctrine of
Khudi is found fully explained in his
famous Mathnawi ‘Asrari-Khudi’
(the secrete of the self). In another
poem he had made a stirring appeal
to the people of the east to shake
off their lethargy and put up a bold
form before the domineering
attitude of Europe. Two of his Urdu
poems ‘Shikwah’ and “Jawab-I-
Shikwah’ are considered the Main
Kampf of Muslim revivalists in India
who were for separatism from India
in both spirit and political
rehabilitation.
In the thirties of the twentieth
century, a new development was
noticed in Urdu literature with the
rise of progressives as force. The
progressive poets brought realism
into poetry and made it, the vehicle
of social consciousness of a new
order. The most notable among them
were Faiz, Firaq and Sardar Jafra.
The short stories writers like Husaini
and Krishna Chandra revealed
through their works many of the
abuses of society and much of the
wrongs committed by man on man.
In the field of novel, writers like
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Ratan Nath Sarshar brought new and a quickening awareness of
trends to novel, writing by taking as social and political problems thrown
themes real men in their actual social up by the ferment of first World
context instead of imaginary heroes War. His contribution of the novel
and their sensational experts. is extra­ordinary. ‘Gora’ is greatest
Premchand brought into the field of all his novels, combining on epic
the man of the soil with all miseries breadth of canvas with a depiction
and misfortunes. His novel ‘Maidan-
e-Amal’ is regarded as distinctly a
of contemporary life. As a short
story, writer he stands easily among
modern novel in Urdu, which the master artists according to world
became an example to future
novelists.
standards. His later stories reveal a
sharp polemical tone, a tone of
pungent social criticism. The
4. Bengali: Many of the seeds and
the first tentative beginnings made
in the nineteenth century ripened
dramatic form of writing was not
quite congenial to his genius. Yet he
had written a number of dramas
into full maturity in the twentieth
century. Prose which has just begun
its first faltering steps grew into a
revealing varied contents. His
dramas stand slightly apart from the
main line of dramatic tradition. As
fully developed vehicle of the
expression with Bankim Chandra
and soon caught up with the progress
a prose writer, he shows the same
inexhaustible variety of form and
richness of effects as in his other
of poetry in range and variety of
expressiveness and the subtle
delicacy of its tones and cadences.
forms. Among writings of perennial
interest in his prose may be
mentioned ‘Panchabhut’. His
The most rapid and spectacular
progress was reached in the field
of novel and short story. Literary
Literary criticisms offer fine
examples of penetrating judgments
and interpretation and originality and
criticism and belles - letters also
delicacy of perceptions. In short he
made considerable progress and
stands as a master artist in both
attained an international outlook and
prose and poetry, an acknowledged
standard of achievement. Drama,
monarch of the Indian literary
too, achieved its short significant
scene.
triumphs with the growth of patriotic
urges. The dramatists shifted their Another great luminary in the world
emphasis from the old devotional of Bengali writers was Sarat
sentiments to new political fervour Chandra Chattopadhyay. Bengal
and their scenes from the puranas found in his writings a true picture
to the history. of entire society and a faithful
presentation of all kinds of
Rabindranath Tagore’s literary
characters as they were seen in
career affords a unique evidence of
society. In all his writings, there was
the triumphs of beauty and moral
a deepest understanding of man as
order in a world disintegrating before
man.
his very eyes. He made poetry a
supreme heart of human emotions, Kazi Nazrual Islam was among
imagination and expression. His those writers who represented
poetry crossed the narrow frontiers nationalist urges. His poem,
of time and space. His ‘Sonar Tari’, ‘Vidrohi’, is almost unique in the
published in 1894, established his context of his time and purpose.
reputation as a born genius of the
Bengali fiction and short stories
highest poetical qualities.
received a new turn in the hands of
Humanitarianism and Cosmo-
writers belonging to the progressive
politanism were brought to the
school. Their writers brought into
shapers of nationalism in the poems
the open the real conditions of the
he composed. In his ‘Balaka’ he had
common man. Premendra Mitra,
introduced the stimulus of new ideas
Buddhadev Basu and Achintya Sen
Gupta were the leading writers of
this school. Manik Bandopadhayay
brought into the new trends the
requirements of leftist ideology.
5.Tamil: Socio-political problem
became one of the prominent
themes of Tamil literary works.
Subramanya Bharati opened a new
vista in Tamil literature of patriotism
and nationalism. He wrote inspiring
songs of these subjects. In many
cases such songs were given a
spiritual and religious touch to make
them much more appealing to the
popular mind. Even the poetry was
made to create a mystic atmosphere
in which the country was conceived
as the supreme mother Goddess,
representing the highest sakti and
demanding from the children of the
land the supreme dedication for her
causes. The foremost exponent of
the new trend was Subramanya
Bharati. He combined in his poems
patriotism with spiritualism,
nationalism with mysticism, the idea
of eternal freedom with the struggle
for liberty and the divinity with the
land. His influence on the people of
Tamilnadu was unique. His work
was continued by Bharati Dasan.
Another trend in the Tamil literature
was progressivism. The progressive
poets vividly described the miserable
condition of the downtrodden, the
hungry and the dying poetry began
to highlight the needs of social
reconstruction and material well
being. Poets became the massagers
of hope for the new generation.
Their impulses and the feelings
which were reflected in the poetry
operated in the field of prose also.
Writers tried to speak about the
common people and their daily life.
T.V. Kalyana Sundra Mudaliar is
regarded as the father of the
modern prose in Tamil literature.
Swami Vipulananda was another
example.
Novel writing became a fascination
for many in the twentieth century.
Marimalai Adigal was a famous
writer of novels and stories. Kalki
wrote many historical novels.
Sambanda Mudaliar was foremost
among the drams writers, C.N.
Annadurai’s dramas are known for
social criticism.
A novel feature of Tamil story
writing was the artistic method
applied to educate the modern mind
in an intelligent appreciation of the
literary art. The shining example of
the new school of story writers was
V.V.S. Aiyar.
NEW TRENDS IN ART
Trends in art can be studied under
the head of architecture, painting,
music, entertainment sector etc. a
brief, description of which is outlined
below:
1. Architecture
The coming of the Europeans was
followed by change in the traditional
style of architecture in India.
Europeans first built only houses in
European styles in their settlements.
Later when their foothold became
firm, they started constructing
imposing churches and strong
fortresses. In the second half of the
nineteenth century, they developed
in India a type of Victorian
architecture. The Victorian style
itself which was more imitative than
original, did not have a vitality of its
own to inaugurate in India what
could have been an Indo-British
style of architecture. Among the
edifices of the Victorian style were
the churches of Kolkata and
Chennai, the Cathedrals at Simla
and Lahore. The aristocrats and
princely houses went in for Western
models. Yet, the western style could
not take a firm footing in India at
the same time the passion for
western and pseudo-western style
resulted in the stagnation of
whatever was left of the indigenous
art.
It was in the second half of the
nineteenth century that a reaction
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in favour of the utilization of
indigenous styles by rational
intelligent adaptations to suit modern
conditions arose. The new trend
was spearheaded by a civil servant,
F.S. Grouse. In the buildings erected
under his direction, he tried to
combine elements and features
from Indian and Western
H
architecture with understanding and
intelligence. Sir Swinton Jacob, an
engineer with much artistic state,
I
designed and built a number of
buildings in Rajasthan, Among them
was a museum built at Jaipur. This
S
building reveals the prevailing Rajput
style from suitable adapted to
modern requirements. In Punjab
T
Sardar Ram Singh, a master builder,
designed the buildings of the Central
Museum and the Senate House at
O
Lahore. These buildings reveal the
elements and features of prevailing
Sky styles. Early in the Twentieth
R
century, G. Wittet designed the
Gateway of India and Prince of
Wales Museum at Mumbai. These
Y
were built in Gujarat Muslim
architectural style.
Simultaneously a strong opinion was
building up in favour of the western
style adapted to the condition of the
country. The controversy gained a
momentum at the time when the
Government of India was planning
to build New Delhi as the imperial
capital city. At the direction of the
Indian Society, London, a partial
survey of the state of architecture
as practiced by the native master
builders was undertaken. The
findings of the survey were
incorporated in a book written by
Gordon Sanderson of the
Archeological Survey of India. It
was stated in the report that the
Indian craftsmen lacked sound
constructional methods required for
the production of a substantial work
of architecture, even though they
were still known for their
remarkable skill in the fields of
designs and decoration. This defect
it was pointed out could be easily
remedied by giving them proper
185
 training scientifically, that being the
case, the possibility of reviving
Indian architecture, it said, could not
be ignored the report went on to add
that if, however, such revival was
desired, it should be done under
intelligent and judicious direction in
H order to avoid an unhappy jumble
of diverse elements ad features
drawn from various sources and
I often applied without a correct
understanding of their function in the
architectural scheme.
S In 1906, the foundation for the
Victoria Memorial hall at Kolkata
T was laid. It was designed by Sir
William Emerson. It was completed
in 1921 except for the cupolas at
O the corners which were erected in
1934. As it was built of white
Makrana Mable, it gave the
R impression that it was a copy of Taj
Mahal in the building of which the
same Makrana Marble was used.
Y The truth is that the Victoria
Memorial Hall was conceived in the
renaissance style, though
incorporating certain elements and
motifs from Indian sources,
pleasingly integrated into the entire
scheme.
The City of New Delhi was
designed by Sir Edward Lutyens
and Sir Edward Baker. It was
formally opened in 1930. It is a vast
complex literature. The structures
present classical appearances. The
principal building contains extensive
columned facades. Many elements
and features from Indian and other
sources have been introduced in
these buildings. Certain new
features have also been evolved.
The merit of these buildings is that
all the above mentioned elements
and features have been applied with
elegant tastes and judicious
understanding so that each building
and each complex many be said to
have the effect of a coherent whole
without many disturbing or ill fitting
elements anywhere.
In conclusion, we may say that
while it is true that the building
erected in the first half of the
186 Prelims Magic 2014
twentieth century have been
derived from the Western World,
there can be no denying the fact
that these buildings really
demonstrate how accidental designs
may be originally with Indian
environment and imbued with an
Indian feeling. In this way a new
avenue for Indian architectural
aspirations was opened up.
2. Painting
The European traders were
attracted by the painting of Indian
artists since they came to India. The
Indian painters, too, evinced keen
interest in painting brought to India
by the Europeans. Their attention
was particularly drawn by the
English Merchants to the
Techniques of water colour painting.
Soon English merchants created a
demand for Indian painting. The
Indian artists were required to
portray Indian life and scenes in a
medium that was chosen by English
which in town led to imitate the
European style of painting. The
Indian artists were known as
company’s painters. Many felt that
imitation of such a kind would soon
result in the degradation of Indian
art. The combination of the western
technique and the Indian form
brought about a synthetic style of a
new standard. Hence, worthy
pieces of art did not appear. Still,
the new trend continued to dominate
for a century.
About the middle of nineteenth
century schools of arts were
established by the government at a
few places like Kolkata and
Chennai. In these schools western
methods of art formed the basic
subject of study. They were given
greater importance and attention,
their schools did not improve art in
any sense. On the other hand they
institutionalised art in a commercial
way.
In spite of all these developments,
the Indian art tradition lingered. Ravi
Verma, a notable, took steps to re-
establish Indian art through western
methods. He took lessons in the
technique of oil painting under
Theodore Jenson, a famous
European portrait painter who
happened to visit Ravi Verma’s
place in Travancore. His chief
object was to reproduce Indian life
and scenes as well as traditional
mythological subjects matter in oil
painting in the western style. He
achieved it with remarkable
success. This kind of
Europeanisation of Indian art did not
satisfy the critics who believed that
the Europeanisation of Indian art
could not be of any permanent
value. No wonder, after Ravi
Verma, his innovations and
examples failed to inspire other
artists to develop the trend he had
started.
The experience which E.B. Havell
had gained though his teaching at
the Madras school of art soon made
him realise western art would never
appeal to the Indian mind and
therefore it would never prosper in
India and concluded that efforts
should be made to revive the artistic
heritage of the country. It was
mainly due to his efforts that the
ground was prepared for the
development of a new movement
for the revival and revitalisation of
the Indian art traditions. As a result
a distinct school of Indian painters,
called the modern school of artists
came into being. A pioneer of the
new school was Abindra Nath
Tagore.
The work of Abindra Nath Tagore
was two-fold, to discover the best
in the Indian art of the ancient and
medieval period and to regenerate
art in its modern setting. Born in
1871 in a family of artists, he took
training in Kolkata Art school and
also under many European artists
who happened to live at Calcutta at
that time. An Italian taught him cast-
drawing  and  life­­study,  an
Englishman, portrait painting in oils
and a Norwegian, the technique of
water colour painting. Yet, he
looked to the inner and emotional
themes in India’s artistic part for
inspiration. His famous pictures are
Shah Jahan looking at the Taj, the
Buddha and Swjata and the Queen
of Forest with him emerged a new
school or artists representing
Indianness in all its vivid meaning in
their productions. Among the artists
of the new school were Nandlal
Bose, Sarada Ukil, Muhammad
Abdur Rahman Chaghatai,
Kshitindra Nath Mazumdar, Asit
Kumar Haldar and others.
In more recent times, Indian art
assumed a more complex
character. Themes were no longer
confined to traditional horizon. New
Themes came to be interpreted
against traditional backgrounds and
old themes came to be given new
interpretation. The complexities of
human mind, the vision of man in
diverse forms and the innermost
feelings of the heart concerning
every matter came to be expressed
though paintings. Art has now
become symbolic in sense, rather
than merely representation of an
object since diverse trends operate
among artists, the artists are
classified under various groups such
as neo-traditionalist, representa-
tionalists, folk artists and
experimentalists. Among the artists
of more recent times are Amrita
Shergil, Jemini Roy, Bireswar Sen,
Dina Nath Walli and M. F. Hussain.
3. Music
The impact of European music on
Indian music was not deep or
meaningful. The fundamentals of
Indian music remained unaffected
even though there were some
superficial influences here and
there. For instance, some specimens
of Portuguese melodies were given
Indian forms and were named as
Portuguese ‘Tappa’ which was not
very different from Hindustani
‘Tappa’. The only difference was
in the name. Towards the latter half
of the nineteenth century, one could
feel a mixture of Indian and
European music in Presidency
cities. But there the assimilative
trend was neither natural nor
perfect. For the laws of western
music were totally different from the
laws of Indian music. The Christian
churches where the western hymns
were sung confined their music to
limited circles. The Indian
Christians sang their hymns in the
musical forms prevalent in their
place of birth. European musical
instruments, however, generally
entered into Indian churches and
attempts were made to use them for
the purpose of Indian music. The
advent of radio revolutionised Indian
attitude towards western music. The
popular music of the west gradually
attracted the Indians in the 20th
century.
4. Film Industry
India leads in Film production,
28,000 films have been produced.
The first exposure to motion pictures
was in 1896. The Lumiere Brother’s
Cinematographs showed six
soundless short films at Walson
Hotel, Esplanade Mansain, Bombay
on July 7, 1896. The first Indian to
produce and screen the film was
Harish Chandra Bhatvadekar in
1899. Two others were Hiralal Sen
and T.B. Thanwalla in 1909. In 1902,
J.F. Madan and Abdullah Yusuf Ali
started their career with Bioscope
shows which were imported. The
first silent feature film ‘Pundalik’
was released in May 18. It was
released by N.G. Chetre and R.G.
Torney. It was half British in its
make.
It was Dhundiraj Govind Phalke,
popularly known as Dada Saheb
Phalke, who brought in India’s first
fully Indianised film called “Raja
Harischandra”, with this start the
hazy origins of Indian film industry.
This film was released on May 3,
1913 at Coronation Cinema,
Bombay. In 1917, the first film to
hit the theatre of Bengal was
‘Satyavadi Raja Harischandra’.
This was made by Madan’s
Eliphinstone Bioscope Company,
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Madras. In the South, the first
feature film was ‘Keschaka
Vadham’. It was made by Nataraja
Mudaliar in 1919.
Film Industry became a regular one
since 1920. The first Indian talking
film was ‘Alam Ara’ produced by
Ardesher in 1931. The talkie spread
to Bengal and South India. The first
H
Bengali talking film was ‘Jamat
Shasthi’. In Telugu “Bhakta
Prahlad’ was produced and in Tamil,
I
‘Kalidasa’ was made. All these
were released in 1931. The thirties
are recorded as a decade of social
S
protest. Films were released in
Marathi. Gujarati, Kannada, Oriya,
Assamese, Punjabi and Malayalam.
T
Greater Strides were made by
Films. The first International
Festival of India held in 1952 at
O
Bombay had a great impact on Film
Industry. From 1955, Indian Cinema
went a step ahead with Satyajit
R
Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’.
5. Theatre Associations
Y
1931, the Grant Anderson Theatrical
Company an English actor-
manager ’s travelling group
flourished in Bombay. Prithiviraj
Kapoor, joined it in 1944 and he
established Prithvi Theatres.
The Prithvi Theatres was a
travelling theatre company of 150
dedicated actors, Stagestands,
cooks, writers, technicians,
performing plays throughout the
country. The Prithvi Theatre’s
maiden production was Kalidasa’s
classic ‘Shakuntala’, after which
socio-political plays- ‘Deewar ’,
‘Pathanns’, ‘Ghaddar’, ‘Aabuthi’,
‘Kalalar ’, ‘Paisa’ and ‘Kisaan’
were performed all over India and
became immensely popular. The
plays were written specifically for
Prithvi Theatres and Prithviraj
played the lead in all the productions.
The Prithvi Theatres was one of the
first professional Hindi theatre
groups with a permanent staff,
actively developing and nurturing a
modern theatre movement which
187
 slowly but surely gained momentum,
at a time when the country was
going through tremendous political
turmoil. The Prithvi Theatres toured
for 16 years, spreading the
conviction Prithviraj had in the
dynamic power of theatre to do
H Good.
In the establishment of modern
I theatre, institutions like ‘Anamika’
(Calcutta), ‘Theatre unit’ (Bombay),
Three arts club, Little Theatre
S Group, Delhi Arts Theatre and
Indra Prastha Theatre played a
great role. However, the starting of
T National School of Drama in Delhi
had been the most significant
development for the theatre. By
O 1960, the modern theatre got a
facelift when traditional folk and
western styles techniques were
R blended to create a versatile and
broader approach to stage play.
Ever since, plays became more
Y realistic and meaningful, over the
years, the multi dimensional Indian
theatre was developed a unique
place and style in theatrical art.
23 INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Factors Promoting the Growth
of Nationalism in India
The following causes are responsible
for the origin and growth of
nationalism in India.
1. Political Unity
For the first time, most of the regions
in India were united politically and
administratively under a single
power (the British rule). It
introduced a uniform system of law
and government.
2. Development of
Communication and Transport
The introduction of railways,
telegraphs and postal services and
the construction of roads and canals
facilitated communication among
the people. All these brought Indians
nearer to each other and provided
188 Prelims Magic 2014
6. Writer’s organisation
Writer’s organization flourished in
some parts of India. A poet club
called the ‘Ravikiran Mandal’
(Dunday club) was founded in
Maharashtra in 1923. Poets of the
Ravikiran Mandal mainly followed
the footsteps of Tamble and wrote
pieces which could be easily sung.
Yeshwant, Girish, Madhav Jubain
were the principal poets of the
Mandal. The establishment of
Ravikiran Mandal was followed by
the birth of Poet’s club modelled on
the patterns of the Ravikiran
Mandal in different cities and towns
of Maharashtra. These poet’s clubs
brought out their collection of poems
and poetry readings became quite
popular due to their efforts.
In Andhra Pradesh the ‘Sahiti
Samiti’, a sort of literary association
was set up by Sivasankar Shastri,
the ‘Amma Guru’ (Elder brother).
A number of brilliant writers, poets,
short story writers and essayists
gathered around him. This group of
the facility to organise the national
movement on an all India basis.
3. English Language and
Western Education
The English language played an
important role in the growth of
nationalism in the country. The
English educated Indians, who led
the national movement, developed
Indian nationalism and organised it.
Western education facilitated the
spread of the concepts of liberty,
equality, freedom and nationalism
and sowed the seeds of nationalism.
4. The Role of the Press
The Indian Press, both English and
vernacular, had also aroused the
national consciousness.
5. Social and Religious
Movements of the Nineteenth
Century
The leaders of various organisations
writers adopted spoken language as
literary medium inaugurated by
GVR Pantula. The Sahiti counted
among its members some of the
distinguished authors and
represented the most progressive
and rationalistic element in Telugu
thought. These writers started the
journal Sahiti and a few others.
In Orissa, there was a group of
writers called the green group. It
included writers like Kalindicharana
Panigrahi, Sarat
Mukherjee, Baikuntha Nath
chandra
Pattanayaka, Harihara Mohantietc
Visvanth Kara, editor of the journal
‘Utkala Sahitya’ support. Anada
Sankara Raya, one of the foremost
writers of Bengali at that time, was
member of this group and as such
he contributed articles, poems,
translation in Oriya. He has been a
real link between Oriya and
Bengali.
like the Brahmo Samaj,
Ramakrishna Mission, Arya Samaj,
and Theosophical Society generated
a feeling of regard for and pride in
the motherland.
6. Economic Exploitation by the
British
A good deal of anti-British feeling
was created by the economic policy
pursued by the British government
in India. The English systematically
ruined the Indian trade and native
industries. Therefore, economic
exploitation by the British was one
of the most important causes for the
rise of Indian nationalism.
7. Racial Discrimination
The Revolt of 1857 created a kind
of permanent bitterness and
suspicion between the British and
the Indians. The English feeling of
racial superiority grew. India as a
nation and Indians as individuals
were subjected to insults,
humiliation and contemptuous
treatment.
8. Administration of Lytton
Lord Lytton arranged the Delhi
Durbar at a time when the larger
part of India was in the grip of
famine. He passed the Vernacular
Press Act which curbed the liberty
of the Indian Press. His Arms Act
was a means to prevent the Indians
from keeping arms. All these
measures created widespread
discontent among the Indians.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.The Ilbert Bill controversy was
related to the
(a) imposition of certain
restrictions the Indians of certain
to carry arms by Indians
(b) imposition of restrictions on
newspapers and magazines
published in Indian languages
(c) removal of disqualifications
imposed on the Indian magistrates
with regard to the trial of the
Europeans
(d) removal of a duty on imported
cotton cloth
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following
repealed the Vernacular Press
Act?
(a) Lord Dufferin
(b) Lord Ripon
(c) Lord Cuzon
(d) Lord Hardinge
Ans.(b) (CSE 2005)
9. The Ilbert Bill controversy
The Ilbert Bill was presented in the
Central Legislature during the
Viceroyalty of Lord Ripon. The Bill
tried to remove racial inequality
between Indian and European
judges in courts. It intended to give
jurisdiction to Indian Judges over
Eurpopeans. This Bill was opposed
by the British residents in India.
Ultimately the Bill was modified.
Thus various factors contributed to
the rise of nationalism and the
formation of the Indian National
Congress.
The obnoxious Press Act of 1878
was repealed by Act III of 1882 in
the time of Lord Ripon (1880-1884).
Early Political Associations
The British Indian Association –
1851 Bengal
The Bombay Association — 1852
Dadabhai Naoroji
East India Association 1856
London
Madras Native Association 1852
Poona Sarvojanik Sabha—1870
The Madras Mahajana Sabha—
1884
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to colonial rule
in India, what was sought by the
Ilbert Bill in 1883?
(a) To bring Indians and
Europeans on par as far as the
criminal jurisdiction of courts was
concerned
(b) To impose severe restrictions
on lhe freedom of the native
press as it was perceived to be
hostile to colonial rulers
(c) To encourage the native
Indians to appear for civil service
examinations by conducting them
in India
(d) To allow native Indians to
posses arms by amending the
Arms Act
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2003)
The Indian National Congress
(1885)
Allan Octavian Hume, a retired civil
servant in the British Government
took the initiative to form an all-
India organization. Thus, the Indian
National Congress was founded and
its first session was held at Bombay
in 1885. W.C. Banerjee was its
first president. It was attended by
72 delegates from all over India.
Persons attending the session
belonged to different religious faiths.
They discussed the problems of all
the Indians irrespective of their
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religion, caste, language and regions.
Thus Indian National Congress from
the start was an all-India secular
movement embracing every section
of Indian society. The second
session was held in Calcutta in 1886
and the third in Madras in 1887.
Dadabhai Naoriji presided over the
the second session.
H
(i) The history of the Indian National
Movement can be studied in three
important phases:
I
(i) The phase of moderate
nationalism (1885-1905) when the
Congress continued to be loyal to
S
the British crown.
(ii) The years 1906-1916 witnessed- T
Swadeshi Movement, rise of militant
nationalism and the Home Rule
Movement. O
(iii) The period from 1917 to1947 is
known as the Gandhian era.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
R
Q. Consider the following
statements :
Y
The First Session of the Indian
National Congress was held in
Calcutta
The Second Session of the Indian
National Congress was held under
the presidentship of Dadabhai
Naoroji
Both Indian National Congress
and Muslim League held their
sessions at Lucknow in 1916 and
concluded the Lucknow Pact
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 only
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. where was the First Session
of the Indian National Congress
Helh in the December, 1885?
a) Ahmedabad b) Bombay
c) Calcutta d) Delhi
Ans. B (CSE, 2000)
Moderate Nationalism
The leading figures during the first
phase of the National Movement
189
 were A.O. Hume, W.C. Banerjee,
Surendra Nath Banerjee, Dadabhai
Naoroji, Feroze Shah Mehta,
Gopalakrishna Gokhale, Pandit
Madan Mohan Malaviya, Badruddin
Tyabji, Justice Ranade and
G.Subramanya Aiyar. Surendranath
H Banerjee was called the Indian
Burke. He firmly opposed the
Partition of Bengal. He founded the
I Indian Association (1876) to
agitate for political reforms. Indian
Association that submitted a petition
S to the House of Commons
demanding direct representation in
the British Parliament. He had
T convened the Indian National
Conference (1883) which merged
with the Indian National Congress
O in l886. He was dismissed by the
British from Indian Civil Services on
controversial charges. G.
R Subramanya Aiyar preached
nationalism through the Madras
Mahajana Sabha. He also founded
Y the The Hindu and Swadesamitran.
Dadabhai Naoroji was known as the
Grand Old Man of India. He is
regarded as India’s unofficial
Ambassador in England. He was
the first Indian to become a Member
of the British House of Commons.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was
regarded as the political guru of
Gandhi. In 1905, he founded the
Servants of India Society to train
Indians to dedicate their lives to the
cause of the country. For a few
years the Congress enjoyed the
patronage of the British
administrators. Between 1885 and
1905, the Congress leaders were
moderates. The Moderates had faith
in the British justice and goodwill.
They were called moderates
because they adopted peaceful and
constitutional means to achieve their
demands.
Main Demands of Moderates
Expansion and reform of legislative
councils.
Greater opportunities for Indians in
higher posts by holding the ICS
examination simultaneously in
England and in India.
190 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. M.C. Setalvad, B.N. Rao and
Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer were
distinguished members of the :
(a). Swaraj Party
(b) All India National Liberal
Federation
(c) Madras Labour Union
(d) Servants of India Society
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
Explanation : M.C. Setalvad, B.N.
Rao, and Alladi Krishnaswamy
Iyer. were distinguished
members of the Servants of India
Society founded by Gopal
Krishna Gokhale.
Q. Which one of the following
submitted in 1875 a petition to the
House of Commons demanding
India’s direct representation in
the British parliament?
(a) The Deccan Association
(b) The Indian Association
(c) The Madras.Mahajan sabha
(d) The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2000)
Q. Which one of the following
Indian leaders was dismissed by
the British from the Indian Civil
Service?
(a) Satyendranath Tagore
(b) Surendranath Banerji
(c) R.C. Dutt
(d) Subhash Chandra Bose
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1999)
Separation of the judiciary from the
executive.
More powers for the local bodies.
Reduction of land revenue and
protection of peasants from unjust
landlords.
Abolition of salt tax and sugar duty.
Reduction of spending on army.
Freedom of speech and expression
and freedom to form associations
Methods of Moderates
The Moderates had total faith in the
British sense of justice and fair play.
They were loyal to the British. They
looked to England for inspiration and
guidance. The Moderates used
petitions, resolutions, meetings,
leaflets and pamphlets,
memorandum and delegations to
present their demands. They
confined their political activities to
the educated classes only. Their aim
was to attain political rights and self-
government stage by stage. In the
beginning, the British Government
welcomed the birth of the Indian
National Congress. In 1886,
Governor General Lord Dufferin
gave a garden tea party for the
Congress members in Calcutta. The
government officials had also
attended Congress sessions. With
the increase in Congress demands,
the government became unfriendly.
It encouraged the Muslims to stay
away from the Congress. The only
demand of the Congress granted by
the British was the expansion of the
legislative councils by the Indian
Councils Act of 1892.
Achievements of Moderates
1. The Moderates were able to
create a wide national awakening
among the people.
2.They popularized the ideas of
democracy, civil liberties and
representative institutions.
3.They explained how the British
were exploiting Indians. Particularly,
Dadabhai Naoroji in his famous book
Poverty and Un British Rule in
India wrote his “Drain Theory”. He
showed how India’s wealth was
going away to England in the form
of: (a) salaries,(b)savings, (c)
pensions, (d) payments to British
troops in India and (e) profits of the
British companies. In fact, the
British Government was forced to
appoint the Welby Commission,
with Dadabhai as the first Indian as
its member, to enquire into the
matter.
4. Some Moderates like Ranade
and Gokhale favoured social
reforms. They protested against
child marriage and widowhood.
5. The Moderates had succeeded
in getting the expansion of the
legislative councils by the Indian
Councils Act of 1892.
Extremism in the Indian
National Movement : The period
from 1905 was known as the era of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following
leaders did not believe in the drain
theory of Dadabhai Naoroji ?
(a) B.G. Tilak
(b) R.C. Dutt
(c) M.G. Ranade
(d) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation : Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan was loyal to British for the
cause of Muslim upliftment so, he
did not believe in the drain theory
of Dada Bhai Naoroji.
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The most effective contribution
made by Dadabhai Nauroji to the
cause of Indian National
Movement was that he
1. exposed the economic
exploitation of India by the British
2. interpreted the ancient Indian
texts and restored the self-
confidence of Indians
3. stressed the need for
eradication of all the social evils
before anything else
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3
Ans. (a) (CSE 2012)
extremism in the Indian National
Movement. The extremists or the
aggressive nationalists believed that
success could be achieved through
bold means. The important
extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat
Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin
Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh.
Due to extremists’ policy of harping
on Hindu Part, the Indian Muslims
in general were not attracted to the
extremist movement.
Causes for the Rise of
Extremism
1. The failure of the Moderates to
win any notable success other than
the expansion of the legislative
councils by the Indian Councils Act
(1892).
2. The famine and plague of 1896-
97 which affected the whole
country and the suffering of the
masses.
3. The economic conditions of the
people became worse.
4. The ill-treatment of Indians in
South Africa on the basis of colour
of skin.
5. The Russo-Japanese war of
1904-5 in which Japan defeated the
European power Russia. This
encouraged Indians to fight against
the European nation, Britain.
6. The immediate cause for the rise
of extremism was the reactionary
rule of Lord Curzon: He passed the
Calcutta Corporation Act, (1899)
reducing the Indian control of this
local body.
The Universities Act (1904)
reduced the elected members in the
University bodies. It also reduced
the autonomy of the universities and
made them government
departments.
The Sedition Act and the Official
Secrets Act reduced the freedoms
of all people.
His worst measure was the Partition
of Bengal (1905).
Main Objective of Extremists
Their main objective was to attain
Swaraj or complete independence
and not just self-government.
Methods of the Extremists
The Extremists had no faith in the
British sense of justice and fair play.
They pointed out the forceful means
by which the British had taken
control of India. They believed that
political rights will have to be fought
for. They had the spirit of self-
reliance and self-determination.
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the followirig
defines extremist ideology during
the early phase of Indian freedom
movement?
(a) Stimulating the production of
indigenous articles by giving them
preference over imported
H
commodities
(b) Obtaining self-government by
aggressive means in place of
I
petitions and constitutional ways
(c) ‘Providing national educational
according to the requirements of
S
the country
(d) Organising coups against the
British empire through military
T
revolt
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998) O
Q. The Indian Muslims, in general,
were not attracted to the Extremist
movement because of the
R
(a) influence of Sir Sayyid Ahmed
Khan
(b) anti-Muslim attitude of
Y
Extremist leaders
(c) indifference shown to Muslim
aspirations
(d) extremists policy of harping on
Hindu part
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
The methods used by the
extremists were:
1. Not co-operating with the British
Government by boycotting
government courts, schools and
colleges.
2. Promotion of Swadeshi and
boycott of foreign goods.
3. Introduction and promotion of
national education.
Leaders of the Extremists
The extremists were led by Bala
Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai,
Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo
Ghosh. Bal Gangadhar Tilak is
regarded as the real founder of the
popular anti-British movement in
India. He was known as
‘Lokamanya’. He attacked the
191
 British through his weeklies The
Mahratta and the Kesari. He was
jailed twice by the British for his
nationalist activities and in 1908
deported to Mandalay for six years.
He set up the Home Rule League
in 1916 at Poona and declared
H “Swaraj is my birth-right and I will
have it.” The Congress policy of
prayer and petition ultimately came
I to an end under the guidance of Bal
Gangadhar Tilak. Lala Lajpat Rai
is popularly known as the ‘Lion of
S Punjab’. He played an important
role in the Swadeshi Movement. He
founded the Indian Home Rule
T League in the US in 1916. He was
deported to Mandalay on the ground
of sedition. He received fatal
O injuries while leading a procession
against the Simon Commission and
died on November 17, 1928. Bipan
R Chandra Pal began his career as a
moderate and turned an extremist.
He played an important role in the
Y Swadeshi Movement. He preached
nationalism through the nook and
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Simon Commission of 1927
was boycotted because:
(a) there was no Indian member
in the Commission
(b) it supported the Muslim
League
(c) Congress felt that the people
of India are· entitled to Swaraj
(d) there were differences among
the members
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: Simon Commission
of 1927 was boycotted because
there was no Indian member and
the people thought that it is their
right to participate in the
constitutional framing by which
they are ruled.
corner of India by his powerful
speeches and writings. Aurobinda
Ghosh was another extremist leader
and he actively participated in the
Swadeshi Movement. He was also
imprisoned. After his release, he
settled in the French territory of
Pondicherry and concentrated on
spiritual activities.
192 Prelims Magic 2014
Partition of Bengal and the
Rise of Extremism
The partition of Bengal in 1905
provided a spark for the rise of
extremism in the Indian National
Movement. Curzon’s real motives
were:
• To break the growing strength of
Bengali nationalism since Bengal
was the base of Indian nationalism.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Four resolutions were passed at
the famous Calcutta session of
Indian National Congress in 1906.
The question of either retention
OR of rejection of these four
resolutions became the cause of a
split in Congress at the next
Congress session held in Surat in
1907.
Which one of the followings was
not one of those resolutions?
(a) Annulment of partition of
Bengal
(b) Boycott
(c) National education
(d) Swadeshi
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Explanation: Four resolutions
passed were: Boycott, National
education, Swadeshi and self
government.
• To divide the Hindus and Muslims
in Bengal.
• To show the enormous power of
the British Government in doing
whatever it liked. On the same day
when the partition came into effect,
16 October 1905, the people of
Bengal orgainsed protest meetings
and observed a day of mourning.
The whole political life of Bengal
underwent a change. Gandhi wrote
that the real awakening in India took
place only after the Partition of
Bengal. The anti-partition
movement culminated into the
Swadeshi Movement and spread to
other parts of India. The aggressive
nationalists forced Dadabhai
Naoroji to speak of Swaraj (which
was not a Moderate demand) in the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): Partition of
Bengal in 1905 brought to an end
the Moderates’ role in the Indian
freedom movement.
Reason (R): The Surat session
of Indian National Congress
separated the Extremists from the
Moderates.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: The role of
moderates continued in Indian
freedom movement after the
partition of Bengal. The moderates
and extremists reunited in 1916.
Q. In the context of the Indian
freedom struggle 16th October
1905 is well known for which one
of the following reasons ?
(a) The formal proclamation of
Swadeshi Movement was made in
Calcutta town hall
(b) Partition of Bengal took effect
(c) DadabhaiNaoroji declared that
the goal of Indian National
Congress was Swaraj
(d) Lokmanya Tilak started
Swadeshi Movement in Poona
Ans. (b) (CSE 2001)
Calcutta Session of Congress in
1906. They adopted the resolutions
of Boycott and Swadeshi. The
Moderate Congressmen were
unhappy. They wanted Swaraj to
be achieved through constitutional
methods. The differences led to a
split in the Congress at the Surat
session in 1907. This is popularly
known as the famous
Surat Split. The extremists came
out of the Congress led by Tilak and
others.
Swadeshi Movement
Swadeshi Movement emanated
from the partition of Bengal, 1905
and continued up to 1908. It was
the most successful of the pre-
Gandhian movements. The
Swadeshi Movement involved
programmes like the boycott of
government service, courts, schools
and colleges and of foreign goods,
promotion of Swadeshi goods,
Promotion of National Education
through the establishment of
national schools and colleges. It was
both a political and economic
movement. The Swadeshi
Movement was a great success. In
Bengal, even the landlords joined
the movement. The women and
students took to picketing. Students
refused using books made of foreign
paper. The government adopted
several tough measures. It passed
several Acts to crush the
movement. The Swadeshi
volunteers were beaten badly. The
cry of Bande Mataram was
forbidden. Schools and colleges
were warned not to allow their
students to take part in the
movement or else their aid would
be stopped. Some Indian
government employees lost their
jobs. Extremist leaders Bala
Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai,
Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo
Ghosh were imprisoned and
deported.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. What was the immediate cause
for the launch of the Swadeshi
movement?
(a) The partition of Bengal done
by Lord Curzon
(b) A sentence of 18 months
rigorous imprisonment imposed on
Lokmanya Tilak
(c) The arrest and deportation of
Lala Lajpat Rai and Ajit Singh; and
passing of the Punjab Colonisation
Bill
(d) Death sentence pronounced on
the Chapekar brothers
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Achievements of Extremists
The achievements of extremists can
be summed up as follows:
1. They were the first to demand
Swaraj as a matter of birth right.
2. They involved the masses in the
freedom struggle and broadened the
social base of the National
Movement.
3. They were the first to organize
an all-India political movement, viz.
the Swadeshi Movement.
Formation of the Muslim
League (1906)
In December 1906, Muslim
delegates from all over India met at
Dacca for the Muslim Educational
Conference. Taking advantage of
this occasion, Nawab Salimullah of
Dacca proposed the setting up of
an organisation to look after the
Muslim interests. The proposal was
accepted. The All-India Muslim
League was finally set up on
December 30, 1906. Like the Indian
National Congress, they conducted
annual sessions and put their
demands to the British government.
Initially, they enjoyed the support of
the British. They supported the
Bengal division because with the
partition the Muslims became a
majority. Their first achievement
was the separate electorates for the
Muslims in the Minto-Morley
reforms.
The Lucknow Pact (1916)
During the 1916 Congress session
at Lucknow two major events
occurred. The divided Congress
became united. An understanding
for joint action against the British
was reached between the Congress
and the Muslim League and it was
called the Lucknow Pact. The
signing of the Lucknow Pact by the
Congress and the Muslim League
in 1916 marked an important step
in the Hindu-Muslim unity.
The Home Rule Movement
(1916)
Two Home Rule Leagues were
established, one by B.G. Tilak at
Poona in April 1916 and the other
by Mrs. Annie Besant at Madras in
September 1916. The aim of the
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Movement was to get self
government for India within the
British Empire. It believed freedom
was the natural right of all nations.
Moreover, the leaders of the Home
Movement thought that India’s
resources were not being used for
her needs. The two Leagues co-
operated with each other as well
H
with the Congress and the Muslim
League in putting their demand for
home rule. While Tilak’s Movement
I
concentrated on Maharashtra,
Annie Besant’s Movement covered
the rest of the country. The Home
S
Rule Movement had brought a new
life in the national movement. There
was a revival of Swadeshi. Women
T
joined in larger numbers. On 20
August 1917, Montague, the
Secretary of State in England, made
O
a declaration in the Parliament of
England on British Government’s
policy towards future political
R
reforms in India. He promised the
gradual development of self-
governing institutions in India. This
Y
August Declaration led to the end
of the Home Rule Movement.
Komagata Maru was a Japanese
steamship.In 1914 the Komagata
Maru Incident occurred. Gurdit
Singh commissioned the ship to
transport Indian immigrants to
Canada. The incident involved 354
passengers from India who
unsuccessfully attempted to
immigrate to Canada. The
passengers were not allowed to land
in Canada and the ship was forced
to return to India. The ship sailed
back to India where, after
disembarking from the ship, some
of the passengers were killed in an
incident with police authorities.
Revolutionary Movements
In the first half of the 20th century,
revolutionary groups sprang up
mainly in Bengal, Maharashtra,
Punjab and Madras. The
revolutionaries were not satisfied
with the methods of both the
moderates and extremists. Hence,
they started many revolutionary
193

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What was Komagata Maru?
(a) A political party based in
Taiwan
(b) Peasant communist leader of
China
H (c) A naval ship on voyage to
Canada
(d) A Chinese village where Mao
I Tse lung began his long march
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
S How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. ‘Abinava Bharat’ a secret
T society of revolutionaries was
organised by:
(a) Khudiram Bose
O (b) V.D. Savarkar
(c) Prafulla Chaki
(d) Bhagat Singh
R Ans. (b)
established. In Maharashtra,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Savarkar brothers had set up
Abhinava Bharat. In the Madras Q. Who among the following was
P r es i d e n c y, B h a r a t h m a t h a not associated with the formation
Association was started by of U.P. Kisan Sabha in February
Nilakanta Bramachari. In Punjab 1918?
Ajit Singh set up a secret society to
spread revolutionary ideas among
the youth. The Chittagong armoury
(a) Indra Narain Dwivedi
(b) Gauri Shankar Misra
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru
was seized by the revolutionaries
under Surya Sen in 1931. They also
issued an independence
(d) Madan Mohan Malviya
Ans (d) (CSE 2005)
proclamation in the name of the Indian Liberation Federation
Indian Republican Army. Young
women including Kalpana Dutt also
Congress met in a special session
at Bombay in August 1918 under
participated in the movement. In
London, at India House, Shyamji
Krishna Verma gathered young
the presidentship of Hasan Imam to
consider the Montagu-Chemsford
Reforms. The extremists in the
Indian nationalists like Madan Lal
Dhingra, Savarkar, V.V.S. Iyer and
T.S.S.Rajan. Lala Hardyal set up
leadership of Tilak condemned it and
called the report “hopeless and
unsatisfactory”. It rejected the
the ‘Ghadar Party’ in USA to

Q.Where were the Ghadar

(CSE, 1999)
organise revolutionary activities
from outside India. The Barrah
dacoity was the first major venture
Y revolutionaries, who became
active during the outbreak of the
World War I based ?
of the revolutionary terrorist of
freedom movement in East Bengal.
(a) Central America In the dacoity, the state treasury
(b) North America was looted.
(c) West America U.P. Kisan Sabha -The initiative
(d) South America. to organise peasants into Kisan
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005) Sabhas was taken by the active
members of Home Rule League in
Q. Who among the following UP - Gauri Shankar Misra, Indra
organized the famous Chittagong Narain Dwivedi supported by
armoury raid? Madan Mohan Malviya. The UP
(a) Laxmi Sehgal Kisan Sabha, set up in 1918, had
(b) Surya Sen established 450 branches by mid-
(c) Batukeshwar Datta 1919. In the mid-1920, Baba
(d) J.M. Sengupta Ramchandra emerged as the leader
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001) of peasants in Avadh and led a few
hundred tenants from Jaunpur and
Q. The Barrah dacoity was the Pratapgarh districts to Allahabad
first major venture of the and apprised Jawaharlal Nehru of
revolutionary terrorists of the the conditions of the peasants.
Nehru made several visits to the
freedom movement in:
(a) Bombay-Karnataka rural areas and developed close
(b) Punjab contacts with the Kisan Sabha
Movement. Late 1920, saw the
(c) East Bengal
(d) The Madras Presidency setting up of an alternative Awadh
Kisan Sabha at Pratapgarh with the
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
efforts of Jawaharlal Nehru, Mata
Badal Pande, Baba Ram Chandra,
secret organizations. In Bengal
Dev Narayan Pande, and Kedar
Anusilan Samiti by Aurobindo
Nath.
Ghosh and Jugantar were
reform proposals and demanded
effective self-government. But
some of the veteran leaders led by
Surendranath Banerjee were in
favour of accepting the reform
proposals. They left the Congress
and founded Indian Liberation
Federation. They came to be known
as Liberals and played a minor role
in Indian politics thereafter.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. When Congress leaders
condemned the Montague-
Chelmsford Report, many
moderates left the party to form
the:
(a) Swarajya Party
(b) Indian Freedom Party
(c) Independence Federation of
India
(d) Indian Liberal Federatio
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
Gandhian Era
Advent of Gandhi
The third and final phase of the
Nationalist Movement [1917-1947]
is known as the Gandhian Era.
During this period Mahatma Gandhi
became the undisputed leader of the
National Movement. His principles
of non-violence and Satyagraha
were employed against the British

194 Prelims Magic 2014

Government. Gandhi made the
nationalist movement a mass
movement. Mohandas Karam-
chand Gandhi was born at
Porbandar in Gujarat on 2 October
1869. He studied law in England.
He returned to India in 1891. In
April 1893, he went to South Africa
and involved himself in the struggle
against apartheid (Racial dis-
crimination against the Blacks) for
twenty years. Finally, he came to
India in 1915. Thereafter, he fully
involved himself in the Indian
National Movement. Mahatma
Gandhi began his experiments with
Satyagraha against the oppressive
European indigo planters at
Champaran in Bihar in 1917.
“Bhumihar Brahmins in Champaran
had earlier revolted against the
conditions of indigo cultivation in
1914 (at Pipra) and 1916
(Turkaulia). Then Pandit Raj Kumar
Shukla persuaded Mahatma Gandhi
to visit Champaran and the
“Champaran Satyagraha” began.
Around the same time, the Indian
National Congress in December
1916 passed at Lucknow a
resolution requesting the
Government to appoint a committee
of both officials and non-officials to
inquire into the agrarian trouble
facing the district.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Consider the following statements:
1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad persuaded
Mahatma Gandhi to come to
Champaran to investigate the
problem of peasants.
2. Acharya J.B. Kriplani was one
of Mahatma Gandhi’s colleagues
in his Champaran investigation.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (b) (CSE 2010)
He was accompanied by Rajendra
Prasad, J.B.Kripalani, Narhari
Parekh, Mazhar-ul- Huq and
Mahadev Desai. In the next year,
he launched another Satyagraha at
Kheda in Gujarat in support of the
peasants who were not able to pay
the land tax due to failure of crops.
During this struggle, Sardar
Vallabhai Patel emerged as one of
the trusted followers of Gandhi. He
was the leader of the Bardoli
Satyagraha. The women of Bardoli
conferred him the title of ‘Sardar’.
In
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. After returning from South
Africa, Gandhiji launched his first
successful Satyagraha in
(a) Chauri-Chaura (b) ‘Dandi
(c) Champaran (d) Bardoli
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation: Gandhiji returned
from South Africain 1915 and
1917 he launched his first
successful satyagraha in
Champaran at the insistence of
Rajkumar Shukla.
Q. At which one of the following
places did Mahatma Gandhi first
start his Satyagraha in India ?
(a) Ahmedabad(b) Bardoli
(c) Champaran (d) Kheda
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Q. The leader of the Bardoli
Satyagraha (1928) was:
(a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Vithalbhai J. Patel
(d) Mahadev Desai
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2003)
Q. Which of the following pairs
are correctly matched?
Movement/Satyagraha : Person
Actively
Associated with
1. Champaran : Rajendra Prasad
2. Ahmedabad Mill Workers:
Morarji Desai
3. Kheda : Vallabhai Patel
Select the correct answer using
the code given below:
Codes:
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
1922, Vallabhbhai also led the
Sarabandi (no tax) campaign of
1922 in Gujarat. In 1918, Gandhi
undertook a fast unto death for the
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Sarabandi (no tax)
campaign of 1922 was led by:
(a) Bhagat Singh
(b) Chittaranjan Das
(c) Rajaguru
(d) Vallabhbhai Patel
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
H
cause of Ahmedabad Mill
Workers and finally the mill owners
I
conceded the just demands of the
workers. Morarji Desai was with
Gandhi during this period. On the
S
whole, the local movements at
Champaran, Kheda
Ahmedabad brought Mahatma
and T
Gandhi closer to the life of the
people and their problems at the
grass roots level. Consequently, he
O
became the leader of the masses.
Rowlatt Act (1919) R
In 1917, a committee was set up
under the presidentship of Sir
Sydney Rowlatt to look into the
Y
militant Nationalist activities. On the
basis of its report, The Anarchial and
Revolutionary Crime Act- popularly
known as the Rowlatt Act - was
passed in March 1919 by the
Central Legislative Council. As per
this Act, any person could be
arrested on the basis of suspicion.
No appeal or petition could be filed
against such arrests. This Act was
called the Black Act and it was
widely opposed. An all-India hartal
was organized on 6 April 1919.
Meetings were held all over the
country. Mahatma Gandhi was
arrested near Delhi. Two prominent
leaders of Punjab, Dr Satya Pal and
Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, were
arrested in Amritsar.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
(13 April, 1919)
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
took place on 13 April 1919 and it
remained a turning point in the
history of India’s freedom
movement. In Punjab, there was an
unprecedented support to the
195
 Rowlatt Satyagraha. Facing a
violent situation, the Government of
Punjab handed over the
administration to the military
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
H Q. The Anarchical and
Revolutionary Crime Act (1919)
was popularly known as the:
I (a) Rowlatt Act
(b) Pitt’s India Act
(c) Indian Arms Act
S (d) Ilbert Bill.
Ans.(a) (CSE, 1996)
Q. During the Indian Freedom
T Struggle, why did Rowlatt Act
arouse popular indignation?
(a) It curtailed the freedom of
O religion
(b) It suppressed the Indian
traditional education
R (c) It authorized the government
to imprison people
without trial
Y (d) It curbed the trade union
activities
Ans. (e) (CSE, 2000)
Q. The first venture of Gandhi in
all-India politics was the:
(a) Non-Cooperation Movement
(b) Rowlatt Satyagraha
(c) Champaran Movement
(d) Dandi March
Ans (b) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation: Though the first
movement launched by Gandhi
was Champaran Movement but it
was confined to Bihar only. The
First All-India level movement
launched by Mahatma Gandhi was
Rowlatt Satyagraha.
Q. The Rowlatt Act aimed at
(a) Compulsory economic support
to war efforts
(b) Imprisonment without trial and
summary procedures for trial
(c) Suppression of the Khilafat
Movement
(d) Imposition of restrictions on
freedom of the press
Ans. (b) (CSE 2012)
authorities under General Dyer. He
banned all public meetings and
detained the political leaders. On
196 Prelims Magic 2014
13th April, the Baisakhi day (harvest
festival), a public meeting was
organized at the Jallianwala Bagh
(garden). Dyer marched in and
without any warning opened fire on
the crowd. The firing continued for
about 10 to 15 minutes and it
stopped only after the ammunition
exhausted. According to official
report 379 people were killed and
1137 wounded in the incident. There
was a nationwide protest against
this massacre and Rabindranath
Tagore renounced his knighthood as
a protest. The Jallianwala Bagh
massacre gave a tremendous
impetus to the freedom struggle.
Montague called it “Preventive
Murder”.
Khilafat Movement
The chief cause of the Khilafat
Movement was the defeat of Turkey
in the First World War. The harsh
terms of the Treaty of Sevres
(1920) was felt by the Muslims as
a great insult to them. The whole
movement was based on the Muslim
belief that the Caliph (the Sultan of
Turkey) was the religious head of
the Muslims all over the world. The
Muslims in India were upset over
the British attitude against Turkey
and launched the Khilafat
Movement. Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad, M.A. Ansari, Saifuddin
Kitchlew and the Ali brothers were
the prominent leaders of this
movement. Abul Kalam Azad and
Maulana Mohammad Ali resigned
from the legislative Council in 1919.
A Khilafat Committee had been
formed and on 19th October 1919,
the whole country had observed the
Khilafat day. On 23 November, a
joint conference of the Hindus and
the Muslims had also been held
under the chairmanship of Mahatma
Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was
particularly interested in bringing the
Hindus and the Muslims together to
achieve the country’s inde-
pendence. Subsequently, the
Khilafat Movement merged with the
Non-Cooperation Movement
launched by Mahatma Gandhi in
1920.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
events, was characterised by
Montague as ‘Preventive
Murder’?
(a) Killing of INA activities
(b) Massacre of Jallianwala
Bagh
(c) Shooting of the Mahatma
(d) Shooting of Curzon- Wythe
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Q. The name of the famous
person of India who returned the
Knighthood conferred on him by
the British Government as a
token of protest against the
atrocities in Punjab in 1919 was :
(a) Tej Bahadur Sapru
(b) Ashutosh Mukherjee
(c) Rabindra Nath Tagore
(d) Syed Ahmed Khan
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
Q.Which one of the following
aroused a wave of popular
indignation that led to the
massacre by the British at
Jallianwala Bagh ?
(a) The Arms Act
(b) The Public Safety Act
(c) The Rowlatt Act
(d) The Vernacular Press Act
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Non-Cooperation Movement
(1920-1922)
Mahatma Gandhi announced his
plan to begin Non-Cooperation with
the government as a sequel to the
Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh
massacre and the Khilafat
Movement. It was approved by the
Indian National Congress at the
Nagpur session in December, 1920.
Programmes
The programmes of the Non-
Cooperation Movement were:
Surrender of titles and honorary
positions.
Resignation of membership from the
local bodies.
Boycott of elections held under the
provisions of the 1919 Act.

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): In 1916,
Maulana Mohammad Ali and
Abul Kalam Azad resigned from
the Legislative Council.
Reason (R): The Rowlatt Act
was passed by the Government
in spite of being opposed by all
Indian members of the
Legislative Council.
Ans. A is false but R is true
(CSE, 2003)
Boycott of government functions.
Boycott of courts, government
schools and colleges.
Boycott of foreign goods.
Establishment of national schools,
colleges and private panchayat
courts.
Popularizing swadeshi goods and
khadi.
The movement began with
Mahatma Gandhi renouncing the
titles, which were given by the
British. Other leaders and influential
persons also followed him by
surrendering their honorary posts
and titles. Students came out of the
government educational institutions.
National schools such as the Kashi
Vidyapeeth, the Bihar Vidyapeeth
and the Jamia Millia Islamia were
set up. All the prominent leaders of
the country gave up their lucrative
legal practice. Legislatures were
boycotted. No leader of the
Congress came forward to contest
the elections for the Legislatures.
In 1921, mass demonstrations were
held against the Prince of Wales
during his tour of India. The
government resorted to strong
measures of repression. Many
leaders were arrested. The
Congress and the Khilafat
Committees were proclaimed as
illegal. At several places, bonfires
of foreign clothes were organised.
The message of Swadeshi spread
everywhere. Most of the households
took to weaving cloths with the help
of charkhas. But the whole
movement was abruptly called off
on 11th February 1922 by Gandhi
following the Churi Chaura
incident in the Gorakpur district of
U.P. Earlier on 5th February an
angry mob set fire to the police
station at Chouri Chaura and twenty
two police men were burnt to death.
Many top leaders of the country
were stunned at this sudden
suspension of the Non-Cooperation
Movement. Mahatma Gandhi was
arrested on 10 March 1922.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A) : Gandhi stopped
the Non-Co-operation Movement
in 1922.
Reason (R) : Violence at Chauri-
Chaura led him to stop the,
movement .
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
Significance of the Non-
Co-operation Movement
1. It was the real mass movement
with the participation of different
sections of Indian society such as
peasants, workers, students,
teachers and women.
2. It witnessed the spread of
nationalism to the remote corners
of India.
3. It also marked the height of
Hindu-Muslim unity as a result of
the merger of Khilafat movement.
4. It demonstrated the willingness
and ability of the masses to endure
hardships and make sacrifices.
1921 Ahmedabad Session-
The Communists were the first in
the country to raise the demand for
complete independence. This was
the stage, in the 1920s and 1930s,
when communists were active
within the Congress party. The
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resolution for complete
independence was moved for the
first time by two communists -
Maulana Hasrat Mohani and
Swami Kumarananda - in the
Ahmedabad session of the Indian
National Congress in 1921.
The failure of First Non- Co-
operation Movement had led to the
H
revival of the revolutionary
movement. The Hindustan
Republican Association was
I
founded in October 1924 to organise
an armed revolution. Under the
influence of socialist ideas in 1928,
S
under the leadership of Chandra
Shekhar Azad, the revolutionaries
changed the name of their
T
organization to the Hindustan
Socialist Republican Association
(HRSA). Its other members were
O
B.K.Dutt, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev,
Kundan Lal Gupta, and Phanindra
Nath Ghosh. Azad was appointed R
as the Commander-in-chief and
Bhagat Singh placed in charge of
ideology . The HSRA’s manifesto Y
titled Philosophy of the Bomb was
written by Bhagawathi Charan
Vohra.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The Non-Co-operation Movement
led to the:
1. Congress becoming a mass
movement for the first time
2. Growth of Hindu-Muslims unity
3. Removal of fear of the British
might from the minds of the people
4. British government’s willingness
to grant political concessions to
Indians
Of these statements:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct
(b) 2 and 3 are correct
(c) 1 and 3 are correct
(d) 3 and 4 are correct
Ans. (A) (CSE, 1996)
Swaraj Party
The suspension of the Non-Co-
operation Movement led to a split
within Congress in the Gaya
Session of the Congress in
197
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A) :The Khilafat
movement did bring the urban
Muslims into the fold of the
National Movement.
Reason (R) : There was a
H predominant element of anti-
imperialism in both the National·
and Khilafat Movement.
I (a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
S NOT a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
T Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: The main cause
urban muslims coming in the fold
O of the national movement was the
prominent element of anti-
imperialism in both national and
R Khilafat movement and the
support they got from the
nationalist leaders.
Y Q. “In this instance we could not·
playoff the Mohammedans against
the Hindus.”
To which one of the following
events did this remark of Aitchison
relate?
(a) Revolt of 1857
(b) Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
(c) Khilafat and Non-Cooperation
Movement (1919-22)
(d) August Movement of 1942
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following
leaders proposed to adopt
Complete Independence as the
goal of the Congress in the
Ahmedabad session of 1920?
(a) Abdul Kalam Azad
(b) Hasrat Mohani
(c) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(d) Mohandas Karamachand
Gandhi
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001)
December 1922. Leaders like
Motilal Nehru and Chittranjan Das
formed a separate group within the
Congress known as the Swaraj
Party on 1 January 1923. The
198 Prelims Magic 2014
Swarajists wanted to contest the
council elections and wreck the
government from within. Elections
to Legislative Councils were held in
November 1923. In this, the Swaraj
Party gained impressive successes.
In the Central Legislative Council
Motilal Nehru, became the leader
of the party whereas in Bengal the
party was headed by C.R. Das. The
Swaraj Party did several significant
things in the Legislative Council. It
demanded the setting up of
responsible government in India
with the necessary changes in the
Government of India Act of 1919.
The party could pass important
resolutions against the repressive
laws of the government. When a
Committee chaired by the Home
Member, Alexander Muddiman
considered the system of Dyarchy
as proper, a resolution was passed
against it in the Central Legislative
Council. After the passing away of
C.R. Das in June 1925, the Swarj
Party started weakening.
People’s Strugggle in the Pricely
States:
In many of the princely states,
people began to organise
movements for democratic rights
and popular governance. All India
States People’s Conference was
founded in December 1927 to co-
ordinate political activities in the
different states. Congress
supported the States People’s
struggle and urged the princes to
introduce democratic representative
government. Jawaharlal Nehru
became the President of the All
India States People’s Conference in
1939.
Simon Commission (1927)
The Act of 1919 included a provision
for its review after a lapse of ten
years. However, the review
commission was appointed by the
British Government two years
earlier of its schedule in 1927. It
came to be known as Simon
Commission after the name of its
chairman, Sir John Simon. All its
seven members were Englishmen.
As there was no Indian member in
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Indian
freedom struggle, which one of
the following statements is NOT
correct?
(a) The Rowlatt Act aroused a
wave of popular indignation and
led to the Jallianwala Bagh
massacre
(b) Subhas Chandra Bose formed
the Forward Bloc
(c) Bhagat Singh was one of the
founders of Hindustan Republican
Socialist Association
(d) In 1931, the Congress Session
at Karachi opposed Gandhi-Irwin
Pact
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following was
the President of the All India
States People’s Conference in
1939?
(a) Jaya Prakash Narayan
(b) Sheikh Abdullah
(c) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2001)
it, the Commission faced a lot of
criticism even before its landing in
India. Almost all the political parties
including the Congress decided to
oppose the Commission. On the
fateful day of 3 February 1928,
when the Commission reached
Bombay, a general hartal was
observed all over the country.
Everywhere, it was greeted with
black flags and the cries of ‘Simon
go back’. At Lahore, the students
took out a large anti-Simon
Commission demonstration on 30
October 1928 under the leadership
of Lala Lajpat Rai. In this
demonstration, Lala Lajpat Rai was
seriously injured in the police lathi
charge and he passed away after
one month. The report of the Simon
Commission was published in May
1930. It was stated that the
constitutional experiment with
Dyarchy was unsuccessful and in
its place the report recommended
the establishment of autonomous
government. There is no doubt that
the Simon Commission’s Report
became the basis for enacting the
Government of India Act of 1935.
Nehru Report (1928)
The Conservative Secretary of
State Lord Birkenhead challenged
the Indians in 1925 and again in 1927
to produce a constitution which
should be acceptable to all the
political parties of the country.
The Congress took up the challenge
and called an All-Parties
Conference which met in Delhi on
28 February 1928 and to which as
many as 29 organisations sent their
representatives. The Conference
discussed certain preliminaries at
Delhi and decided meeting again in
Bombay on 19 May 1928. It set up
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to Simon
Commission’s recommendations,
which one of the following
statements is correct?
(a) It recommended the
replacement of diarchy with
responsible government in the
provinces
(b) It proposed the setting up of
interprovincial council under the
Home Department
(c) It suggested the abolition of
bicameral legislature at the centre
(d) It recommended the creation
of Indian Police Service with a
provision for increased pay and
allowances for British recruits as
compared to Indian recruits
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
a small Committee of nine members
with Pt. Motilal Nehru as its
Chairman to go into the matter and
draft a Constitution for India by July
1928. This Committee known as the
Nehru Committee ultimately
prepared a unanimous report which
was placed before the All-Parties
Conference meeting again, at
Lucknow, under the Chairmanship
of Dr Ansari. The Report which
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
The people of India agitated
against the arrival of Simon
Commission because
(a) Indians never wanted the
review of the working of the Act
of 1919
(b) Simon Commission recommen-
ded the abolition of Dyarchy
(Diarchy) in the Provinces
(c) there was no Indian member
in the Simon Commission
(d) the Simon Commission
suggested the partition of the
country 
Ans: c
Expl: The response (to formation
of Simon Commission) in India
was immediate and unanimous,
that no Indian should be thought
fit to serve on a body which
claimed the right to decide the
political future of India, was an
insult that no Indian of even most
moderate political opinion was
willing to swallow.
was “masterly and statesmanlike,”
as Dr Zacharias observed,
presented a Constitution which was
a proof of the deep and masterful
understanding of the subject by the
Indian leaders. The more important
recommendations of the Report
were as follows:
Recommendations
Regarding the general principles of
the Constitution, (1) the Report
accepted Dominion Status as “the
next immediate step,” not as an
ultimate goal. This was, in fact, a
compromise between the two
groups in the Committee one of
which held a majority and favoured
a Dominion Status, while the other
would like the words replaced by
complete national independence. On
the rest of the recommendations the
members were unanimous. (2) The
Constitution was to be secular
giving no State recognition to
anyone of the religions of the
country. (3) The principle of the
communal electorates was
dispensed with. The system of joint
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electorates was recommended; the
safeguard for the minorities being
that they would have reserved seats
in proportion to their population, with
a right to contest the additional seats
if they so desired. No seats,
however, were to be reserved for
any community in Punjab and
Bengal. (4) The Constitution
H
enumerated as many as 19
fundamental rights for the people to
be embodied in the Statute, and
I
expressly declared that the
Government derived all its authority
from the people.
S
The Report also recommended
that T
(1) A Parliament of two Houses
should be established in the Centre.
These Houses should be, Senate or
O
the Upper House with its total
membership of two hundred and the
House of Representatives or the
R
Lower House with its total
membership of five hundred. The
life of the Upper House was to be
Y
seven years while that of the Lower
would be only five.
(2) The members of the House of
Representatives were to be elected
by direct votes on the basis of adult
suffrage while those of the Upper
House would be elected indirectly
by the members of the Provincial
Councils.
(3) That the Provinces would be
created on linguistic basis with a
view to “planning of Muslim-
majority Provinces against Hindu-
majority Provinces.”
(4) The need for a complete
Provincial autonomy was admitted
and the Report said,
(5) Powers should be divided
between the Centre and Provinces
on the basis of a federal structure:
the residuary powers going to the
Centre in order to make it strong.
In this recommendation the lines of
the Canadian Constitution were
adopted.
The Report also provided for a
199
 Supreme Court, the constitution of
which was duly laid down. This
Court was to be the Court of Final
Appeal in India, no appeals going
henceforward to the Privy Council
in England.
H The Civil and the Army employees
in India were to continue enjoying
their rights and continuity of service
as before. And it was provided that
I the Governor-General would appoint
a Public Service Commission for
selection to the Civil Services.
S This, thus, was the Nehru Report
which after its adoption by the All-
T Parties Conference at Lucknow,
came up for further discussion in the
All-Parties Convention held in
O Calcutta in December 1928. Here,
however, the progressive trends
outwardly visible in the Lucknow
Conference were entirely reserved
R and the earlier hopes that the
challenge of the Secretary of State
would successfully be met were
Y dashed to the ground. At this
Convention, as Bose
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the period
of Indian freedom struggle, which
of the following was/were
recommended by the Nehru
report ?
I. Complete Independence for
India. II. Joint electorates for
reservation of seats for minorities.
III. Provision of fundamental
rights for the people of India in the
Constitution. Select the correct
answer using the codes given
below:
(a) I only (b) II and III only
(c) I and III only (d) I, II and III
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2011)
writes, all “those who did not have
a hand in drafting the Nehru Report
now made a dead set against it. Mr
M. A. Jinnah, who a year earlier
had advocated a progressive
nationalist point of view at the
Muslim League Conference in
Calcutta, now came forward with
his ‘fourteen points’ in order to
amend the communal settlement
embodied in the Nehru report.”
200 Prelims Magic 2014
However, the leader of the Muslim
League, Mohammad Ali Jinnah
regarded it as detrimental to the
interests of the Muslims. Jinnah
convened an All India Conference
of the Muslims where he drew up a
list of Fourteen Points as Muslim
League demand.
In the middle and late 1920s, many
youth organizations became critical
of the Swarajists and no-changers.
They were demanding Purna
Swaraj. Subhash Chandra Bose
was a popular socialist. In 1926-27
Nehru participated in the Brussels
Congress against colonial
oppression and Imperialism. He also
visited Soviet Union and was
impressed by the new socialist
society there. In 1928, Nehru joined
hands with Subhash to organise the
‘Independence of India League’ to
fight for the complete independence
of India and a socialist revision of
her economic structure. The
“Independence for India league”
was founded in opposition of “Nehru
report” prepared by Motilal Nehru,
which was demanding only
Dominion status for India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The radical wing of the
Congress Party with Jawaharlal
Nehru as one of its main leaders,
founded the ‘independence for
India. League’ in opposition to:
(a) The Finance Commission
(b) The National Development
Council
(c) The Inter-state Council
(d) The Constitution of India
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Socialist and Communist groups
came to existence in the 1920s. The
example of the successful Russian
Revolution of 1917 had aroused
interest among many young
nationalists. They were not satisfied
with the Gandhian political ideas and
programmes. M. N. Roy had gone
to Russia in 1920 to attend the
second Congress of Communist
International. He along with Lenin
helped evolve its policy towards the
colonies. He became the first Indian
to be elected to the leadership of
the Communist International.
On October 20, 1920 he, along with
Avani Mukherjee, Mohammad Ali
Shafif, set up a Communist Party
of India in Tashkent. From Berlin
he started a fortnightly Vanguard of
Indian Independence and later
published India in Transition.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
was an emigree Communist
journal of M.N. Roy?
(a) Kisan Sahba (b) The Worker
(c) Vanguard (d) Anushilan
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
Q. In October 1920, who of the
following headed a group of
Indians gathered at Tashkent to
set up a communist party of India
(a) H.K. Sarkar (b) P.C. Joshi
(c) M.C. Chagla (d) M.N. Roy
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
Butler Committee Report
Lord Irvin set up a committee to
go into the paramouncy question
under Harcourt Butler. The Report
reasserted that ‘paramouncy must
remain paramount’. It stated that
paramouncy was not automatically
transferable from the crown to any
future self-governing centre
enjoying a dominion status.
Paramountcy would be exercised
by the Viceroy directly and not by
the Governor- General in the
Council.
Civil Disobedience Movement
(1930-1934)
In the prevailing atmosphere of
restlessness, the annual session of
the Congress was held at Lahore in
December 1929. During this session
presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru
the Congress passed the Poorna
Swaraj resolution. Moreover, as the
government failed to accept the
Nehru Report, the Congress gave
a call to launch the Civil
Disobedience Movement. The
Congress had also observed
January 26, 1930 as the Day of
Independence. Since then January
26th had been observed as a day of
independence every year. The same
date later became the Republic Day
when the Indian Constitution was
enforced in 1950. The labour leaders
were influenced by communist
ideology and they looked Congress
as a party of bourgeois and their
ideology as reactionary. So they
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Lahore Session of the
Indian National Congress (1929)
is very important in history,
because:
1. The Congress passed a
resolution demanding complete
independence
2. The rift between the extremists
and moderates was resolved in
that Session
3. A resolution was passed
rejecting the two-nation theory in
that Session
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) (CSE 2012)
did not participate in the Indian
nationalist upsurge in 1930.
The movement reached the
extreme northwestern corner of
India. Under the leadership of Khan
Abdul Gaffar Khan, popularly
known as the Frontier Gandhi, the
Pathans organised the society of
Khudai Khidmatgars (or the
Servants of God), popularly known
as the Red Shirts. They were
pledged to freedom struggle by the
means of non-violence.
The Dandi March
Thus, the stage was set for the
second major struggle led by the
Congress. On 12th March 1930,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): The effect of
labour participation in the Indian
nationalist upsurge of the early
19308 was weak.
Reason (R): The labour leaders
considered the ideology of Indian
National Congress as bourgeois
and reactionary.
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Q. Under whose presidency was
the Lahore Session of the Indian
Congress held in the year 1929,
wherein a reso!ution was adopted
to gain complete independence
from the British?
(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(b) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) Motilal Nehru
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
Q. At which Congress session
was the working committee
authorized to launch programme
of Civil Disobedience?
(a) Bombay (b) Lahore
(c) Lucknow (d) Tripura
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
Explanation: Poorna Swaraj was
adopted at the session of Lahore
under the leadership of Jawahar
Lal Nehru.
Q. During the Indian freedom
struggle, the Khudai Khidmatgars,
also known as Red Shirts called
for:
(a) the Union of Pakhtun tribal
areas in north-west with the
Afghanistan
(b) the adoption of terrorist tactics
and methods for terrorising and
finally ousting the colonial rulers
(c) the adoption of communist
revolution ideology for political and
social reform
(d) the Path an regional nationalist
unity and a struggle against
colonialism.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2002)
Gandhi began his famous March
from Sabarmati to Dandi with his
chosen 79 followers to break the
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salt laws. He reached the coast of
Dandi on 5 April 1930 after
marching a distance of 200 miles
and on 6 April formally launched the
Civil Disobedience Movement by
breaking the salt laws. On 9 April,
Mahatma Gandhi laid out the
programme of the movement which
included making of salt in every
village in violation of the existing salt
H
laws; picketing by women before
the shops selling liquor, opium and
foreign clothes; organising the
I
bonfires of foreign clothes; spinning
clothes by using charkha fighting
untouchability; boycotting of schools
S
and colleges by students and
resigning from government jobs by
the people. Over and above all
T
these, the programme also called
upon the people not to pay taxes to
the government. Soon, the
O
movement spread to all parts of the
country. Students, workers, farmers
and women, all participated in this
R
movement with great enthusiasm.
As a reaction, the British
Government arrested important
Y
leaders of the Congress and
imprisoned them.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi
started Civil Disobedience
Movement from:
(a) Sevagram (b) Dandi
(c) Sabarmati (d) Wardha
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
Q. Which one of the following
began with the Dandi March?
(a) Home Rule Movement
(b) Non - Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Ans. . (c) (CSE, 2007)
Civil Disobedience Movement
and Peasants
The civil disobedience movement
was launched in this atmosphere of
discontent in 1930s, and in many
parts of the country it soon took on
the form of a no-tax and no-rent
campaign. Peasants, emboldened by
the recent success of the Bardoli
Satyagragha (1928), joined the
201
 protest in large numbers. In Andhra
for example, the political movement
was soon enmeshed with the
campaign against the settlement that
threatened an increase in land
revenue. In U.P. “no revenue” soon
turned into “no-rent” and the
H movement continued even during the
period of truce following the
Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Peasants in
I Gujarat, especially in Surat and
Kheda, refused to pay their taxes
and went to neighbouring Baroda
S territory to escape government
repression. In Bihar and Bengal
powerful movements were launched
T against the hated chowkidara tax by
which villages were made to pay for
the upkeep of their own oppressors.
O In Punjab, a no-revenue campaign
was accompanied by the
emergence of Kisan Sabhas that
R demanded a reduction in land
revenue and water-rates and the
scaling down of debts. Anti-
Y Zamindari emerged in Andhra.
The new generation of political
workers, which first received its
baptism of fire in the civil
Disobedience movement, was
increasingly brought under the
influence of the left ideology that
was being propagated by Jawaharlal
Nehru, Subhas Bose, the
communists and other Marxists and
left individuals and groups. With the
decline of the Civil Disobedience
Movement, these men and women
began to search for an outlet for
their political energies and many of
them found the answer in organizing
the peasants.
All India Kisan Sabha
The consolidation of the left after
the formation of the Congress
Socialist Party in 1934 acted as a
spur to the formation of an all-India
body to coordinate the Kisan
Movement, a process that was
already under way through the
efforts of N.G. Ranga and other
kisan leaders. The culmination was
the establishment of the all-India
Kisan Congress in Lucknow in April
1936 which later changed its name
202 Prelims Magic 2014
to the All-India Kisan Sabha.
Swami Sahajanand was elected
Secretary. The first session was
greeted in person by Jawaharlal
Nehru.
A Kisan Manifesto was finalized at
the All-India Kisan Committee
session in Bombay and formally
presented to the Congress Working
Committee to be incorporated into
its forthcoming manifesto for the
1937 elections. The Kisan
Manifesto considerably influenced
the agrarian programme adopted by
the congress at its Faizpur session.
Congress Ministries
and Peasants
The formation of congress ministries
in a majority of the provinces in early
1937 marked the beginning of a new
phase in the growth of the peasant
movement. The political atmosphere
in the country underwent a marked
change: increased civil liberties, a
new sense of freedom born of the
feeling that ‘our own people are in
power ’, a heightened sense of
expectation that the ministries would
bring a pro-people measures - all
combined to make the years 1937-
39 the high-water-mark of the
peasant movement. The different
Ministries also introduced varying
kinds of agrarian legislation for debt
relief, restoration of lands lost during
the Depression, for security of
tenure of tenants - this provided an
impetus for the mobilisation of the
peasantry either in support of
proposed legislation or for asking for
changes in its contents.
The chief form of mobilization was
through the holding of Kisan
Conferences or Meetings at the
thana, taluqa, district and
provincial levels at which peasant
demands would be aired and
resolutions passed. These
conferences would be addressed by
local, provincial and All-India
leaders.
World War II and Peasants
The rising tide of peasants
awakening was checked by the
outbreak of World War II which
brought about the resignation of the
Congress Ministries and the
launching of severe repression
against left wing and Kisan Sabha
leaders and workers because of
their strong anti-war stance. The
adoption by the CPI of the people’s
war line in December 1941 following
Hitler’s attack on the Soviet Union
created dissensions between the
communists and non-communist
members of the Kisan Sabha.
These dissensions came to a head
with Quit India Movement in which
Congress Socialist members played
a leading role. The CPI because of
its pro-war people’s war line asked
its cadres to stay away, and though
many local level workers did join the
Quit India Movement, the party line
sealed the rift in the Kisan Sabha
ranks, resulting in a split in 1943. In
these years three major leaders of
the All India Kisan Sabha, N.G.
Ranga, Swami Sahajanand
Saraswati and Indulal Yagnik, left
the Organisation.
Nevertheless, during the war years
the Kisan Sabha continued to play
an important role in various kinds
of relief works, as for example in
the Bengal Famine of 1943. It also
continued its organisational work,
despite being severely handicapped
by its taking the unpopular pro­­war
stance which alienated it from
various sections of the peasantry.
The end of the war, followed by the
negotiations for the transfer of
power and the anticipation of
freedom, marked a qualitative new
stage in the development of the
peasant movement. A new spirit
was evident and the certainly of
approaching freedom with the
promise of a new
social order encouraged peasants,
among other social groups, to assert
their rights and claims with a new
vigour.
Many struggles that had been left
off in 1939 were renewed. The
demand for zamindari abolition was
pressed with a greater sense of
urgency. The organization of
agricultural workers in Andhra
which had begun a few years
earlier took on the form of struggle
for higher wages and use of
standard measures for payment of
wages in kind.
Tebhaga struggle in Bengal
In late 1946, the share-croppers of
Bengal began to assert that they
would no longer pay a half share of
their crop to the jotedars but only
one-third and that before division the
crop would be stored in their
godowns and not that of the
jotedars. They were no doubt
encouraged by the fact that the
Bengal Land Revenue Commission,
popularly known as the Flood
Commission, had already made this
recommendation in its report to the
government. The Tebhaga
movement, led by the Bengal
Provincial Kisan Sabha, soon
developed into a clash between
jotedars and bargadars.
The movement received a great
boost in late January 1947 when the
Muslim League Ministry led by
Suhrawardy published the Bengal
bargadars Temporary Regulation
Bill in the Calcutta Gazette.
Encouraged by the fact that the
demand for tebhaga could no longer
be called illegal, peasants in hitherto
untouched villages and areas joined
the struggle. In many places
peasants tried to remove the paddy
already stored in the jotedars’
godowns to their own, and this
resulted in innumerable clashes.
Repression by the government
began on appeal of the jotedars and
by the February the movement was
virtually dead.
Assessment
The most important contribution of
the peasant movements of the 1930s
and ‘40s was that even when they
did not register immediate
successes, they created the climate
which necessitated the post-
independence agrarian reforms.
Zamindari abolition, for example did
not come about as a direct
culmination of any particular
struggle, but the popularization of
demand by the Kisan Sabha
certainly contributed to its
achievement.
The demand during the struggle
were based on the existing
consciousness of the peasantry of
their just or legitimate rights, which
was itself a product of tradition,
custom, usages and legal rights.
When rents, illegal cases, forced
labour or rights overland which the
peasants felt was theirs - they were
willing to resist if they could muster
the necessary organisational and
other resources. But they were also
willing to continue to respect what
they considered legitimate demands.
The struggle based on these
demands was clearly not aimed at
the overthrow of the existing
agrarian struggle but towards
alleviating its most oppressive
aspects. Nevertheless, they
corroded the power of the landed
classes in many ways and thus
prepared the ground for the
transformation of the structure
itself.
By and large, the forms of struggle
and mobilization adopted by the
peasant movements in diverse areas
were similar in nature as were their
demands. The main focus was on
mobilization through meetings,
conferences, rallies, demon-
stration’s enrolment of members,
formation of Kisan Sabhas, etc.
Direct action usually involved
Satyagrah or Civil Disobedience
and non-payment of rent and taxes.
As in the national movement, violent
clashes were the exception and not
the norm. They were rarely
sanctioned by the leadership and
were usually popular responses to
extreme repression.
The relationship of the peasant
movement with the national
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movement continued to be one of
vital and integral nature. For one,
areas where the peasant movement
was active were usually the ones
that had been drawn into the earlier
national struggles. This was true at
least of Punjab, Kerala, Andhra,
U.P., and Bihar. This was hardly
surprising since it was the spread
H
of the national movement that had
created the initial conditions
required for the emergence of
I
peasant struggles - a politicized and
conscious peasantry and a band of
active political workers capable of
S
an willing to perform the task of
organisation and leadership.
In its ideology as well, the kisan
T
movement accepted and based
itself in the ideology of nationalism.
Its cadres and leaders carried-the
O
message not only of organisation of
the peasantry on class lines but also
of national freedom. In most areas
R
kisan activities simultaneously
enrolled Kisan Sabha and congress
members.
Y
With the experience of the split of
1942 the kisan movement found that
if it diverged too far and too clearly
from the path of the national
movement, it tended to lose its mass
base, as well as create a split within
the ranks of its leadership. The
growth and development of the
peasant movement was thus
indissolubly linked with the national
struggle for freedom.
The Kisan Movement
The Indian National Congress and
the Peasant. The Indian National
Congress, to begin with at least,
worked as a joint venture of British
imperialists and the Indian
bourgeoisie and could not be
expected to champion the cause of
the oppressed peasants. The
Congress year after year passed
resolutions on the existence of
Indian poverty but the methods it
suggested smacked of class
interests; it asked for extension of
Permanent Settlement to different
parts of India and restrictions on
203
 over-assessment where Permanent
Settlement could not be introduced,
Indianisation of public services, State
help for industrialization, abolition of
salt tax etc. but never officially
demanded tenancy reforms in
Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam,
H Madras, the U.P., the C.P. or the
Punjab. R.C. Dutt’s Open Letters
to Curzon on famines and land
I assessments in India were,
consciously or unconsciously, more
calculated to espouse the interests
S of the Indian landlords than the
Indian peasants. Curzon’s sarcastic
dig at R.C. Dutt that the
T Government had done more to
protect the tenants from the rapacity
of the zamindars than the Indian
O National Congress remained
unanswered.
R Gandhiji and Peasant Struggles.
Gandhiji’s entry into Indian politics
marked a change into the politco-
Y economic life of India. In his anxiety
to broaden the social base of the
Congress he carried his message to
the villages and sought to involve the
peasants in the nationalist struggle.
Champaran and Kaira Satyagrahas.
The European indigo planters of
Champaran, a district in the north-
western part of Bihar, practised all
types of oppressions on the local
Bihari peasants not very dissimilar
from the earlier malpractices of
planters in Bengal. Gandhiji assisted
by Rajendra Prasad and others
started on open enquiry into the real
condition of the peasants. He taught
the peasants of Champaran the
virtues of Satygraha which
consisted in open, disciplined, non-
violent non-cooperation with
injustice against the indigo planters.
The Government of Bihar took
offence at Gandhian moves and
prohibited them from pursuing their
enquiry and arrested Gandhiji. Later
the Government developed cold feet
and appointed an Enquiry
Committee (June 1917) with Gandhi
as one of the members. The
ameliorative enactment, the
204 Prelims Magic 2014
Champaran Agrarian Act freed the
tenants from the special imposts
levied by the indigo planters.
Unfortunately, however, the
Congress leaders did not follow up
the matter to its logical conclusion
by freeing the Champaran peasants
from the excessive rents charged
by the zamindars and exorbitant
interest rates charged by the
moneylenders.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
What was the reason for
Mahatma Gandhi to organize a
satyagraha on behalf of the
peasants of Kheda ?
I. The Administration did not
suspend the land revenue
collection in spite of a drought.
II. The Administration proposed to
introduce Permanent Settlement in
Gujarat. Which of the statements
given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2011)
The Kaira (Kheda) campaign was
chiefly directed against the
Government. In the spring of 1918
crop failures and drought brought
misery to the peasants of Kaira in
Gujarat. The Bombay Government,
however, insisted on its pound of
flesh in the form of land revenue.
The land revenue rules provided for
remission of land revenue if the
crop yield was less than 5% of the
normal; the cultivators claimed that
to be the case which the
Government officials denied.
Gandhiji organized the peasants and
enlisted the support of all classes.
Peasants in large numbers offered
Satyagraha and suffered
imprisonment for defying unjust
laws. The Satyagraha lasted till
June 1918. The Government had to
concede the just demands of the
peasants. Judith Brown has
estimated that the Government did
collect nearly 93% of the
assessment.
The Champaran and Kaira struggles
established Gandhiji as the leader of
the masses and opened the eyes of
the educated kisans to the political
possibilities of peasants’ mass-
action.
Formation of Kisan Sabhas. A
section of the Kisan leadership saw
the inner contradictions in Congress
agrarian policy. The peasant
movements launched by the
Congress were primarily aimed at
seeking relief against excessive
government land revenue demand
and were thus solicitous for the
interests of the zamindars and
landed magnates. The Congress
was virtually indifferent to inter-
agrarian relations i.e. relations
between landlords on the one hand
and tenants, cultivators and
agricultural labour on the other hand
under Permanent Settlement and in
ryotwari areas the relations between
the rich farmer and sharecroppers
or landless labour. The propaganda
of the Communists and other left
parties created class consciousness
among the peasants and provided
the nucleus for the formation of
Kisan Sabhas.
In the 1920s Kisan Sabhas were
organised in Bengal, the Punjab and
the U.P. In 1928 the Andhra
Provincial Ryots Association was
formed. However, the first All India
Kisan Sabha was formed at
Lucknow on 11 April 1936. The
Kisan Sabha explained its objective
of “securing complete freedom
from economic exploitation and
achievement of full economic and
political power of peasants and
workers and all other exploited
classes.” It also demanded a
moratorium on debts, abolition of
land revenue and rent from
uneconomic holdings, reduction of
land revenue and rent, licensing of
moneylenders, minimum wages for
agricultural workers, fair prices for
sugarcane and commercial crops
and irrigation facilities. It also
envisaged abolition of zamindari and
vesting of land in the tiller of the soil.
All these objectives were to be
achieved by proper organization and
active participation in the national
struggle for independence.
The Kisan Sabhas launched anti-
settlement agitation against
zamindari ‘zulum’ in Andhra
Pradesh. In U.P. and Bihar heroic
struggles were launched against
zamindars’ exploitation. In 1936
agitation started against Bakasht
(self-cultivated land) movement in
Bihar. Bakasht was zamindar’s khas
land which was cultivated by tenants
on condition that they would pay a
certain portion of the produce as
rent to the land owner. The
zamindars sought to bring more and
more land under this category in a
bid to prevent tenants from claiming
occupancy rights. There was large-
scale eviction of tenants on one or
the other plea in 1937. The Kisan
Sabha organized the evicted tenants
and they offered satyagraha, thereby
preventing others from cultivating
land. Violent clashes occurred
resulting in many casualties. The All
India Kisan Sabha organized a
Bihar Kisan Day on 18 October
1937 against police repression on
satyagrahis.
The growth of Kisan Sabhas also
worked as a pressure on the Indian
National Congress. The Congress
struck a radical posture in agrarian
programme at its Karachi and
Faizpur sessions. The Faizpur
Congress adopted resolutions on the
need for reduction of rent and
revenue, abolition of feudal dues and
levies, fixity of tenure, moratorium
on debts and need for statutory
provisions for ensuring living wage
and suitable working conditions for
the agricultural labourers.
Popular Ministries in Provinces and
Peasant Movements. The peasants
hoped for much from popular
provincial governments formed in
1937 but faced disillusionment. To
focus attention on their demands
nearly 20,000 peasants gathered
outside the Bihar Legislative
Assembly on 23 August 1937, the
opening day the Bihar Legislative
Assembly on 23 August 1937, the
opening day of the Assembly
shouting slogans: “Give us water, we
are thirsty; give us bread, we are
hungry; remit all our agricultural
loans; down with zamindars and
save us from oppression.” The
Kisan leaders expected much from
the new government and sought to
persuade the Congress to adopt
some measures for the cause of the
peasants. The Restoration of
Bakasht Land Act and Bihar
Tenancy Act in 1938 afforded some
relief to the tenants, but evictions
continued. The Government also
made tenants’ holdings transferable
without prior consent of zamindars,
and reduced the salami rates; rents
were reduced by nearly 1/4th on an
average etc. However, the Kisan
leaders wanted the Congress to
establish Kisan raj which meant
abolition of zamindari and
distribution of land among the
landless. The zamindar-backed
Congress government in Bihar could
not legislate for zamindari abolition.
The performance of Congress
ministries in the Central Provinces
and Bombay was equally
unsatisfactory. The Bengal
government’s ambiguous land
legislation resulted in widespread
eviction of tenants.
Radical elements in the Kisan Sabha
advocated a break with the
Congress, accusing it of pro-
zamindar policies. However, in the
name of keeping up a united front
against foreign imperialism, the
Congress leaders succeeded in
keeping the Congress and the Kisan
Sabha together. In disgust, Swami
Sahajanand resigned from the Kisan
Sabha in 1945. His exit marked the
beginning of the complete control of
the Communists over the Kisan
Sabha.
Round Table Conference
The British government adopted the
strategy of talking to different
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political parties by convening the
Round Table Conferences. First
Round Table Conference held on
12th November 1930 to 19th
January 1931in London. First Round
Table Conference was presided by
the head of Labour Party Ramsay
MacDonald. It was boycotted by
the Congress. In this Conference 89
H
members participated, in these 16
members are from British Political
Party. In January 1931 in order to
I
create a conducive atmosphere for
talks, the government lifted the ban
on the Congress Party and released
S
its leaders from prison.
How was this topic asked in the CSE T
For the Karachi session of Indian
National Congress in 1931
presided over by Sardar Patel,
O
who drafted the Resolution on
Fundamental Rights and
Economic Programme?
R
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Y
(d) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Ans (b) (CSE 2010)
On 8 March 1931 the Gandhi-
Irwin Pact was signed. In 1931, the
Congress Session of Karachi, which
was presided by Vallabh Bhai Patel,
passed the bills. As per this pact,
Mahatma Gandhi agreed to suspend
the Civil-Disobedience Movement
and participate in the Second-
Round Table Conference. In
September 1931, the Second Round
Table Conference was held at
London. Mahatma Gandhi
participated in the Conference but
returned to India disappointed as no
agreement could be reached on the
demand of complete independence
and on the communal question. In
January 1932, the Civil-
Disobedience Movement was
resumed. The government
responded to it by arresting
Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel
and by re-imposing the ban on the
Congress party. It was in this session
that Jawaharlal Nehru drafted the
resolution on fundamental rights.
205
 Third Round Table Conference held
on 17th November to 24th
December 1932. Only 46 delegates
attended the Third Round Table
Conference. Congress boycotted
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
H Q. Who among the following
drafted the resolution on
I fundamental rights for the Karachi
session of Congress in 1931?
(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
S (b) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
T Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
Q. The meeting of Indian and
O British political leaders during
1930-32 in London has often been
referred to as the First, Second and
R Third Round Table Conferences.
It would be incorrect to refer to
them as such because:
Y (a) the Indian National Congress
did not take part in two of them
(b) Indian parties other than the
Indian National Congress
participating in the Conference
represented sectional interests and
not the whole of India
(c) The British Labour Party had
withdrawn from the Conference
thereby making the proceeding of
the Conference partisan
(d) It was an instance of a
Conference held in three sessions
and not that of three separate
conference.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Third Round Table Conference. the
Samuel Hoare was the secretary of
the state.
The meeting of Indian and British
political leaders during 1930-32 in
London has often been referred to
as the First, Second and Third
Round Table Conferences. It is
incorrect to refer first, second and
third Round table conference as
such because it was an instance of
a conference held in three sessions
and not of three separate
206 Prelims Magic 2014
conferences. The main aim of this
round table conference was to
discuss Simon Commission Report,
so when the first round table
conference on 19th Jan 1931 failed,
it became necessary to call second
conference but it also failed and 3rd
conference was called.
Poona Pact (1932)
By 1930, Dr Ambedkar had become
a leader of national stature
championing the cause of the
depressed people of the country.
While presenting a real picture
of the condition of these people in
the First Round Table Conference,
he had demanded separate
electorates for them. On 16 August
1932 the British Prime Minister
Ramsay MacDonald made an
announcement from Whitehall in
London, which came to be as the
Communal Award. According to
this award, the depressed classes
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Mahatma Gandhi undertook
fast unto death in 1932, mainly
because
(a) Round Table Conference failed
to satisfy Indian political
aspirations
(b) Congress and Muslim League
had differences of opinion
(c) Ramsay Macdonald
announced the Communal Award
(d) None of the statement (a), (b)
and (c) given above is correct in
this context
Ans. (c) IAS 2012
were considered as a separate
community and as such provisions
were made for separate electorates
for them. Mahatma Gandhi
protested against the Communal
Award and went on a fast
unto death in the Yeravada jail on
20 September, 1932. Finally,
an agreement was reached
between Dr Ambedkar and Gandhi.
This agreement came to be
called as the Poona Pact. The
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Poona Pact which was
signed between the British
Government and Mahatma
Gandhi in 1934 provided for :
(a) the creation of dominion status
for India
(b) separate electorates for the
Muslims
(c) separate electorate for the
Harijans
(d) joint electorate with reservation
for Harijans
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1997)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. In the First Round Table
Conference, Dr. Ambedkar
demanded separate electorates for
the depressed classes.
2. In the Poona Act, special
provisions for representation of
the depressed people in the local
bodies and civil services were
made.
3. The Indian National Congress
did not take part in the Third
Round Table Conference.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)
British Government also approved
it. Accordingly, under a joint
electorate 148 seats in different
Provincial Legislatures were
reserved for the Depressed Classes
in place of 71 as provided in the
Communal Award. The third Round
Table Conference came to an end
in 1932. The Congress once more
did not take part in it. Nonetheless,
in March 1933, the British
Government issued a White Paper,
which became the basis for the
enactment of the Government of
India Act, 1935.
1935 Elections: Congress swept
the polls in most of the provinces. It
got 716 seats out of 1161 seats it
contested. The exceptions were
Bengal, Assam, the NWFP, Punjab
and Sindh. Except Sind in the other
three provinces it was the largest
party. Later Congress ministries
were also formed in NWFO and
Assam. In Punjab, Sir Sikander
Hyat Khan of National Unionist
Party formed the Government.
Outside the Congress, the socialist
tendency led to the growth of the
Communist Party after 1935 under
the leadership of P.C. Joshi and the
foundation of the Congress Socialist
Party in 1934 under the leadership
of Acharya Narendra Dev and Jaya
Prakesh Narayan.
1936 Bombay Manifesto : The
efforts of the entrepreneurial class
to confront the leftist elements
within the INC did not stop at just
trying to influence the outcome of
elections. There was both open and
covert opposition to the leftist
elements. On May 20, 1936, a public
manifesto signed by twenty-one
leading Bombay businessmen
strongly attacked a speech delivered
by Nehru in Lucknow where he had
been elected President of the INC.
Nehru’s speech had supported
socialism and had upheld many of
the leftist ideas that the Indian
entrepreneurial class found
distasteful. The manifesto not only
represented an open attack against
the newly elected INC President, it
tried to create a broader political
agenda addressing the concerns of
small property owners, traders,
middle peasantry and the
professional middle classes. It
represents a unique ideological
attempt to create consensus for a
wider ‘bourgeoisie revolution’ in
India. By making a commitment to
self-government in the same
manifesto, the entrepreneurial class
in India upheld their nationalist
aspirations.
1938-Subhash Chandra Bose while
delivering the Presidential address
advocated the introduction of
Roman script for Hindi language.
1939-In the Haripura session of the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following was
a prominent leader of the
Congress Socialist Party?
(a) M.N. Roy
(b) Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
(c) Pattam Thanu Pillai
(d) Acharya Narendra Dev
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Q. In which one of the following
provinces was a Congress ministry
not formed under the Act of 1935?
(a) Bihar
(c) Orissa
(b) Madras
(d) Punjab
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The “Bombay Manifest” signed
in 1936 openly opposed the
preaching of socialist ideals.
2. It evoked support from a large
section of business community
from all across India.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Congress, Subhash Chandra Bose
was re-elected as the President.
Subhash Chandra began to stress
that the Indian struggle for
independence should synchronize
with the coming war in Europe.
Gandhi did not favour the congress
attitude of opposition to the British
Government during her period of
crisis. The opposition of Gandhi and
his supporters in the Congress
Working Committee compelled
Bose to resign from the
presidentship of the Congress in
April 1939. In 1939 he and many of
his left wing followers now founded
the Forward Block.
The Second World War and
National Movement
In 1937, elections were held under
the provisions of the Government of
India Act of 1935. Congress
Ministries were formed in seven
states of India. On 1 September
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1939 the Second World War broke
out. The British Government
without consulting the people of
India involved the country in the war.
The Congress vehemently opposed
it and as a mark of protest the
Congress Ministries in the
Provinces resigned on 12 December
1939. The Muslim League
H
celebrated that day as the
Deliverance Day. In March 1940,
the Muslim League demanded the
I
creation of Pakistan.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
S
Q. Which party was founded by
Subhash Chandra Bose in the year
1939 after he broke away from the
T
Congress?
(a) Indian Freedom Patty
(b) Azad Hind Fauj
O
(c) Revolutionary Front
(d) Forward Block
Ans. (d) (CSE 2005)
R
Q. Which Indian nationalist leader
looked upon a war between
Y
Germany and Britain as a God
sent opportunity which would
enable Indians to exploit the
situation to their advantage?
(a) C. Rajagopalachari
(b) M.A. Jinnah
(c) Subhash Chandra Bose
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. (c) (CSE 1999)
Q. With reference to Indian
freedom
struggle, which one of the
following statement is NOT
correct?
(a) The Rowlatt Act aroused a
wave of popular indignation and
led to the Jallianwala Bagh
massacre
(b) Subhas Chandra Bose formed
the Forward Block
(c) Bhagat Singh was one of the
founders of Hindustan Republican
Socialist Association
(d) In 1931, the Congress Session
at Karachi opposed Gandhi-Irwin
Pact
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
207
 Individual Satyagraha
During the course of the Second
World War in order to secure the
cooperation of the Indians, the
British Government made an
announcement on 8 August 1940,
H which came to be known as the
‘August Offer’. The August Offer
envisaged that after the War a
I representative body of Indians
would be set up to frame the new
Constitution. Gandhi was not
satisfied with is offer and decided
S to launch Individual Satyagraha.
Individual Satyagraha was limited,
symbolic and non-violent in nature
T and it was left to Mahatma Gandhi
to choose the Satyagrahis.
Acharya Vinoba Bhave was the
O first to offer Satyagraha and he
was sentenced to three months
imprisonment. Jawaharlal Nehru
R was the second Satyagrahi and
imprisoned for four months. The
individual Satyagraha continued for
Y nearly 15 months.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Congress ministries
resigned in the seven provinces in
1939, because
(a) The Congress could not form
ministries in the other four
provinces
(b) Emergence of a ‘left wing’ in
the Congress made the working of
the ministries impossible
(c) There were widespread
communal disturbances in their
provinces
(d) None of the statements (a), (b)
and (c) given above is correct
Ans. (d) (CSE 2012)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the “Individual Satyagraha”,
Vinoba Bhave was chosen as the
first Satyagrahi. Who was the
second?
(a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(b) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) C. Rajagopalachari
(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Ans. (b) (CSE 2000)
208 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): The Congress
rejected the Cripps proposals.
Reason (R): The Cripps Mission
consisted solely of Whites.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
NOT a correct - explanation of A
(c) A is true both R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (b) (CSE 1998)
Q. An important aspect of the
Cripps Mission of 1942 was:
(a) that all Indian States should join
the Indian Union as a condition to
consider any degree of autonomy
for India
(b) the creation of an Indian Union
with Dominion status very soon
after the Second World War
(c) the active participation and
cooperation of the Indian people,
communities and political parties
in the British war efforts as a
condition for granting
independence with full sovereign
status to India after war
(d) the framing of a constitution
for the entire Indian Union, with
no separate constitution for any
province, and a Union Constitution
to be accepted by all provinces
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
Q. Who of the following Prime
Ministers sent Cripps Mission to
India ?
(a) James Ramsay MacDonald
(b) Stanley Baldwin
(c) Neville Chamberlain
(d) Winston Churchill
Ans. (d) (CSE 2009)
Cripps Mission (1942)
In the meantime, the Viceroy, Lord
Linlithgow, expanded his Executive
Council by including five more
Indians into it in July 1941. However,
in the midst of worsening wartime
international situation, the British
Government, under Winston
Churchill, in its continued effort to
secure Indian co-operation sent Sir
Stafford Cripps to India on 23
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The Cripps Proposals include the
provision for
1. Full independence for India
2. Creation of Constitution making
body.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2009)
Q. Who among the following were
official Congress negotiators with
Cripps Mission?
(a) Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar
Patel
(b) Acharya J.B. Kripalani and C.
Rajagopalachari
(c) Pandit Nehru and Maulana
Azad
(d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Rafi
Ahmed Kidwai
Ans (c) (CSE 2010)
March 1942. This is known as
Cripps Mission.
The main recommendations of
Cripps were:
The promise of Dominion Status to
India,Protection of minorities setting
up of a Constituent Assembly in
which there would be
representatives from the Princely
States along with those of the British
Provinces,
There would be provision for any
Province of British India not
prepared to accept this Constitution,
either to retain its present
constitutional position or frame a
constitution of its own.
The major political parties of the
country rejected the Cripps
proposals. Gandhi called Cripp’s
proposals as a “Post-dated
Cheque”. They did not like the
rights of the Princely States either
to send their representatives to the
Constituent Assembly or to stay out
of the Indian Union. The Muslim
League was also dissatisfied as its
demand for Pakistan had not been
conceded in the proposal.
Quit India Movement
(1942-1944)
The failure of the Cripps Mission
and the fear of an impending
Japanese invasion of India led
Mahatma Gandhi to begin his
campaign for the British to quit
India. Mahatma Gandhi believed
that an interim government could be
formed only after the British left
India and the Hindu-Muslim problem
sorted out. The All India Congress
Committee met at Bombay on 8
August 1942 and passed the famous
Quit India Resolution. On the
same day, Gandhi gave his call of
‘do or die’. He asked the Princes
to accept the sovereignty of their
own people. Army soldiers were
asked not to fire on their
compatriots. Government officers
were asked to show allegiance
towards Congress. On 8th and 9th
August 1942, the government
arrested all the prominent leaders
of the Congress. For once, this pre-
planned action of the government
left the Indian people without
leadership. Mahatma Gandhi was
kept in prison at Poona. Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam
Azad, and other leaders were
imprisoned in the Ahmednagar Fort.
At this time, leadership was
provided by Ram Manohar Lohia,
Achyuta and S. M. Joshi. The role
of Jayaprakash Narayan in this
movement was important. Large
number of students also left their
schools and colleges to join the
movement. The youth of the nation
also participated in this movement
with patriotism. Strikes, demon-
strations and public meetings were
organised in various towns and
cities. Slowly, the movement
reached the rural areas. The focus
of movement shifted to rural India.
Militant students reached rural
areas in order to lead peasant
rebellions and to destroy
communications on a large scale.
This forced Linlithgow to describe
the Quit India movement launched
on 8th August 1942 as the most
serious rebellion since 1857 Revolt.
In 1943, as the movement gained
further momentum, there were
armed attacks on government
buildings in Madras and Bengal. In
1944, Mahatma Gandhi was
released from jail. Quit India
Movement was the final attempt for
country’s freedom. The British
Government ordered for 538 rounds
of firing. Nearly 60,229 persons
were jailed. At least 7,000 people
were killed. This movement paved
the way for India’s freedom. It
aroused among Indians the feelings
of bravery, enthusiasm and total
sacrifice. The students, and
peasants provided the backbone of
the ‘revolt’. However labour Unions
under Communist influence had
apparently decided against
participation in the movement, even
though there were large-scale
strikes in mills at Kanpur,
Jamshedpur and Ahmedabad.
Also known as “August
Revolution”, it was a widely popular
and spontaneous anti-imperialist
outburst.
Background: Early in 1942, Sir
Stafford Cripps, a member of the
War Cabinet of Churchill, was sent
to India to make a definite offer on
behalf of the British Government.
He proposed certain constitutional
reforms which were, however,
rejected by the Congress. Cripps’
proposals were rejected by the
Congress because firstly, the
proposals gave a severe blow to
Indian unity as the provinces could
opt not to join the federation
proposed by Cripps and this
tantamounted to the acceptance of
Pakistan in principle. Secondly, it
was felt that the interests of the
people of the Indian states were
ignored as the Indian states would
be represented by the repre-
sentatives nominated by their rulers.
The Muslim League rejected the
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proposals as it did not contain a
specific acceptance of the creation
of Pakistan.
The failure of the Cripps’ Mission
to solve the political deadlock in
India convinced, the Congress that
communal problem would be best
solved if the British left India
immediately, because it was felt that
H
the British were deliberately making
the problem acute by supporting the
Muslim League secretly. The
I
Congress also felt that the impending
Japanese invasion on India was
more because of the presence of
S
the British in India. Soon after the
departure of Sir Stafford Cripps
Gandhi made “Quit India” the battle
T
cry of Nationalist India. On 10 May
1942, Gandhiji wrote in the Harijan:
“The presence of the British in India
O
is an open invitation to Japan to
invade India .... Their withdrawal
removes that bait ....”. In other
R
words India could be saved from
Japanese invasion if the British - the
enemy of Japan left India. The
Y
withdrawal of the British would
create anarchy in India. Gandhi
hoped that all parties would “come
to a reasonable agreement when the
real responsibility faces them”.
A resolution of the Congress
Working Committee, dated 14 July
1942, laid down that, if the demand
for British withdrawal was rejected
the Congress would be “reluctantly
compelled to launch a ‘widespread’
non-violent struggle under Gandhi’s
leadership”. This resolution was
confirmed by the All India Congress
Committee on 8 August 1942. It
declared: “ .... the immediate ending
of British rule in India was an urgent
necessity, both for the sake of India
and for the success of the United
Nations. The continuation of that
rule is degrading and enfeebling
India and making her progressively
less capable of defending herself
and of contributing to the cause of
world freedom”. Gandhi asked the
British to completely and
immediately withdraw from India.
He said “Leave India to God, and if
that be much leave her to anarchy”.
209
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With which one of the following
movements is the slogan “Do or
Die” associated?
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Non - Cooperation Movement
H (c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Ans. (d) (CSE 2000)
I Q. Assertion (A): Lord Linlithgow
described the August Movement
of 1942 as the most serious
S rebellion since Sepoy Mutiny.
Reason (R): There was massive
upsurge of the peasantry in certain
areas.
T (a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
O not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is true
(d) A is false but R is true
R Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Q. Assertion (A): Lord Linlithgow
described the August Movement
Y of 1942 as the most serious revolt
after the Sepoy mutiny.
Reason (R): Peasants joined the
movement in large number in
some place
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
On the eve of launch of Quit India
Movement, Mahatma Gandhi:
1. asked the government servants
to resign
2. asked the soldiers to leave their
posts
3. asked the Princes of the
Princely states to accept the
sovereignty of their own people
Which of the statement given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)
Which one of the following
observations is not true about the
Quit India Movement of 1942 ?
(a) It was a non-violent movement
(b) It was led by Mahatma Gandhi
(c) It was a spontaneous move-
ment
(d) It did not attract the labour class
in general
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2011)
210 Prelims Magic 2014
Early next morning (9 August 1942)
Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru,
Vallabhbhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad,
and other leaders of the Congress
were arrested. The All-India
Congress Committee and the
provincial Congress Committees
were banned. The Viceroy, Lord
Linlithgow, followed a policy of
stern repression all over India.
Gandhi was detained at Poona till
he was released in May 1944. From
his prison cell, he gave a stirring call
to his countrymen “Do or Die”. He
said “We shall either free India or
die in the attempt, we shall not live
to see the perpetuation of her
slavery”. He undertook a fast in
1943, but he was not released even
though his life was in danger. Nehru
and other top leaders were detained
at Ahmadnagar till their release in
May 1945.
August Movement: The people
were already restless because
freedom was not yet in sight. The
sudden arrest of the leaders
provoked them into an “open
rebellion”. There was no leader to
guide them. The violence of the
Government in suppressing all forms
of resistance destroyed the climate
of non-violence. The ‘open
rebellion’ became a violent
movement.Jail lost its terror,
imprisonment became a badge of
honour. Every day thousands of
people courted arrest.
It was a ‘spontaneous’ popular
rising for freedom, a real
‘revolution’; it was not planned and
organized like the Non­Cooperation
and Civil Disobedience Movements.
The people fought spontaneously
and haphazardly in different areas.
There was no organisation or
central authority to guide them.
There were some bold local leaders.
Among them the greatest was
Jayaprakash Narayan. The
Government held the Congress
responsible for the ‘disturbances’.
Gandhi repudiated the charge and
stated that the violence of the
Government had forced people to
resist violently.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. After Quit India Movement, C.
Rajagopalachari issued a pamphlet
entitled “The Way Out”. Which
one of the following was a proposal
in this pamphlet?
(a) The establishment of a “War
Advisory Council” composed of
representatives of British India and
the Indian States
(b) Reconstitution of the Central
Executive Council in such a way
that all its members, except the
Governor General and the
Commander-in-Chief should be
Indian leaders.
(c) Fresh elections to the Central
and Provincial Legislatures to
beheld at the end of 1945 and the
Constitution making body to be
convened as soon as possible
(d) A solution for the constitutional
deadlock
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
“The way out -a plea for
constructive thought on the
present political situation in India”
by C. Rajagopalachari. Published
by H. Milford, Oxford University
Press in London, New York .
Number of pages 32
The movement continued in full
force for three months. After
suppression by the Government
underground resistance continued
for a few more months. Like Non-
Cooperation and Civil Disobedience
movements, the ‘Quit India’
Movement also failed to bring
freedom. But it proved that the
people of India were determined to
become free. The strength of the
mass uprising made clear to the
British government that their hold
on India was merely because of
sheer force and the day was not far
off when they would have to leave
India.
Indian National Army
During the course of the Second
World War, armed revolutionary
activities continued to take place.
The role of Subhas Chandra Bose
towards such activities is
incomparable. On 2 July 1943,
Subhas Chandra Bose reached
Singapore and gave the rousing war
cry of ‘Dilli Chalo’. He was made
the President of
Independence League and soon
Indian
became the supreme commander of
the Indian National Army. He
gave the country the slogan of “Jai
Hind.” The names of the INA’s
three Brigades were the Subhas
Brigade,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which Indian nationalist leader
looked upon a war between
Germany and Britain as a godsent
opportunity which would enable
Indians to exploit the situation to
their advantage ?
(a) C. Rajagopalachari
(b) M.A. Jinnah
(c) Subhash Chandra Bose
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
Q. The Indian National Army
(I.N.A.) came into existence’ in
1943 in :
(a) Japan (b) then Burma
(c) Singapore (d) then Malaya
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation: On 4th July 1943 in
Singapore, Subhash Chandra Bose
named the Indian independence
League an Indian National Army
(I.N.A.) and gave the slogan
“Delhi Chalo”.
Gandhi Brigade and Nehru Brigade.
The women’s wing of the army was
named after Rani Laxmibai. The
Indian National Army marched
towards Imphal after registering its
victory over Kohima. After Japan’s
surrender in 1945, the INA failed in
its efforts. Under such
circumstances, Subhash went to
Taiwan. Then on his way to Tokyo
he died on 18 August 1945 in a plane
crash. The trial of the soldiers of
INA was held at Red Fort in Delhi.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai
Desai and Tej Bahadur Sapru fought
the case on behalf of the soldiers.
Simla Conference \Wavell Plan
Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India
formulated a plan of action that was
made public in June 1945. The plan
is known as Wavell Plan.
The Plan suggested reconstitution
of the Viceroy’s Executive Council
in which the Viceroy was to select
persons nominated by the political
parties. Different communities were
also to get their due share in the
Council and parity was reserved for
Cast-Hindus and Muslims. While
declaring the plan, the Secretary of
State for Indian Affairs made it
clear that the British Government
wanted to listen to the ideas of all
major Indian communities. Yet he
said that it was only possible if the
leadership of the leading Indian
political parties agreed with the
suggestions of the British
Government.
To discuss these proposals with the
leadership of major Indian parties,
Wavell called for a conference at
Simla on June 25, 1945. Leaders of
both the Congress and the Muslim
League attended the conference,
which is known as the Simla
Conference. However, differences
arose between the leadership of the
two parties on the issue of
representation of the Muslim
community. The Muslim League
claimed that it was the only
representative party of the Muslims
in India and thus all the Muslim
representatives in the Viceroy’s
Executive Council should be the
nominees of the party. Congress,
which had sent Maulana Azad as
the leader of their delegation, tried
to prove that their party represented
all the communities living in India
and thus should be allowed to
nominate Muslim representative as
well. Congress also opposed the
idea of parity between the Cast-
Hindus and the Muslims. All this
esulted in a deadlock. Finally,
Wavell announced the failure of his
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efforts on July 14. Thus the Simla
Conference couldn’t provide any
hope of proceeding further.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Assertion (A): According to
the Wavell Plan, the number of
Hindu and Muslim members in the
Executive Council were to be
H
equal.
Reason (R) : Wavell thought that
this arrangement would have
I
avoided the partition of India.
Codes:
(a) Both A and R ate individually
S
true and R is the correct
explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually
T
true but R· is not the correct
explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is falSe
O
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000) R
Cabinet Mission (1946)
After the Second World War, Lord
Atlee became the Prime Minister of
Y
England. On 15 March, 1946 Lord
Atlee made a historic announcement
in which the right to self-
determination and the framing of a
Constitution for India were
conceded. Consequently, three
members of the British Cabinet -
Pesthick Lawrence, Sir Stafford
Cripps and A. V. Alexander - were
sent to India. This is known as the
Cabinet Mission. The Cabinet
Mission put forward a plan for
solution of the constitutional problem.
Provision was made for three groups
of provinces to possess their
separate constitutions. The Cabinet
Mission also proposed the formation
of a Union of India, comprising both
the British India and the Princely
States. The Union would remain in
charge of only foreign affairs,
defence and communications
leaving the residuary powers to be
vested in the provinces. A proposal
was envisaged for setting up an
Interim Government, which would
remain in office till a new
government was elected on the
basis of the new Constitution.
211
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. ‘It made its proposals in May.
It still wanted a united India .
There was to be a Federal Union
composed of British provinces’
The above quotation is related to :
H (a) Simon Commission
(b) Gandhi-Irwin Pact
(c) Cripps Mission
I (d) Cabinet Mission
Ans. (d) (CSE 1999)
S Q. Which one of the following is
not correct about the Cabinet
T Mission Plan ?
(a) Provincial grouping
(b) Interim Cabinet of Indians
O (c) Acceptance of Pakistan
(d) Constitution framing right
Ans. (c) (CSE 1996)
R Q. - The last opportunity to avoid
the partition of India was lost with
Y the rejection of :
(a) Cripps Mission
(b) Rajagopalachari Formula
(c) Cabinet Mission
(d) Wavell Plan
Ans. (c) (CSE 2002)
Explanation: Muslim League got
73 out of 78 seats in the interim
government election based on
cabinet plan but Muslim league
rejected the plan and thus the last
opportunity to avoid partition was
lost.
Q. Who headed the Interim
Cabinet formed in the year 1946?
(a) Rajendra Prasad
(b) Jawahadal Nehru
(c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(d) Rajagopalachari
Ans. (b) (CSE 2003)
Q. Which one of the following
leaders of the Congress was
totally in favour of Cabinet
Mission Plan?
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Sardar Patel
(d) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
212 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. When the Indian Muslims
League was inducted into the
interim government in 1946,
Liyaqat Ali Khan was assigned the
portfolio of:
(a) foreign affairs
(b) home
(c) finance
(d) defence
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Q.Which portfolio was held by
Dr. Rajendra Prasad in the Interim
Government formed in the year
1946?
(a) Defence
(b) External Affairs and
Commonwealth Relations
(c) Food and Agriculture
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
framed by the Constituent
Assembly. Initially both the
Congress and the Muslim League
were ambivalent about the
proposals. There was disagreement
about the issue of filling posts in the
proposed interim government.
Sardar Vallabhai Patel was one of
the eminent Congress leader who
was totally in favour of cabinet
Mission Plan. Both the Muslim
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Lord Mountbatten was the
viceroy when Simla conference
took place.
2. Indian Navy Revolt, 1946 took
place when the Indian sailors in
the Royal Indian Navy at Bombay
and Karachi rose against the
Government.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE 2005)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. As an alternative to the partition
of India, Gandhiji suggested to
Mountbatten that he :
(a) postponed granting of
independence
(b) invited Jinnah to form the
government
(c) invited Nehru and Jinnah to
form the government together
(d) invite the army to take over
for some time
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2000)
Q. Lord Mountbatten came to
India as a Viceroy along with
specific instruction to :
(a) Balkanize the Indian sub-
continent
(b) Keep India united if possible
(c) Accept Jinnah’s demand for
Pakistan
(d) Persuade the Congress to
accept partition
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: Lord Mountbatten
came to India as a Viceroy along
with specific instruction to keep
India united if possible but he could
not see it being possible so he
suggested balkanization of the
Indian Sub-continent.
Q. The Balkan Plan for
fragmentation of India was the
brain child of :
(a) W. Churchil
(b) M.A. Jinnah
(c) Lord Mountbatten
(d) V.P. Menon
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation: “Balkan Plan” was
the brain child of Lord
Mountbatten. He was authorised
by British government to resolve
the situation in India by any means.
After trying every way, he
reached at the conclusion for
Balkanization.
League and the Congress accepted
the plan. Consequently, elections
were held in July 1946 for the
formation of a Constituent
Assembly. The Congress secured
205 out of 214 General seats. The
Muslim League got 73 out of 78
Muslim seats. An Interim
Government was formed
under the leadership of Jawaharlal
Nehru on 2 September 1946.
Muslim League was introduced in
12 member interim government in
1946. Dr Rajendra Prasad held the
Portfolio of Food and Agriculture.
Liyaqat Ali Khan of Indian Muslim
League was assigned the portfolio
of Finance.
-The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
(also called the Bombay Mutiny)
encompasses a total strike and
subsequent mutiny by Indian sailors
of the Royal Indian Navy on board
ship and shore establishments at
Bombay (Mumbai) harbour on 18
February 1946. From the initial
flashpoint in Bombay, the mutiny
spread and found support
throughout British India, from
Karachi to Calcutta
The RIN Mutiny started as a strike
by ratings of the Royal Indian Navy
on 18 February in protest against
general conditions. The immediate
issue of the mutiny was conditions
and food. The strike found immense
support among the Indian
population, already gripped by the
stories of the Indian National Army.
The actions of the mutineers was
supported by demonstrations which
included a one-day general strike in
Bombay. The strike spread to other
cities, and was joined by the Royal
Indian Air Force and local police
forces.
Mountbatten Plan (1947)
On 20 February l947, Prime
Minister Atlee announced in the
House of Commons the definite
intention of the British Government
to transfer power to responsible
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following suggested
the winding· up of the Indian National
Congress after India attained
independence ?
(a) C. Rajagopalachari
(b) Achrya Kripalani
(c) Mahatma Gandhi
(d) Jayaprakash Narain
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation : Mahatma Gandhi
suggested the winding up of the Indian
National Congress after India attained
independence because the main aim of
Indian National Congress was to attain
freedom which they attained.
Q. The Indian National Congress agreed
in 1947 to the partition of the country
mainly because
(a) the principal of two-Nation theory
was then acceptable to them
(b) it was imposed by the British
Government and the Congress was
helpless in this regard
(c) they wanted to avoid large-scale
communal riots
(d) India would have otherwise lost the
opportunity to attain freedom
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation : In 1947, Indian National
Congress agreed to the partition of the
country into India and Pakistan mainly
because in last 70 years, there was a
great rise of communication which has
resulted in the death of lakhs in
communal riots and they wanted to avoid
large scale communal riots.
Q. Given below are two statements, one
labelled as Assertion (A) and the other
labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The British sovereignty
continued to exist in free India.
Reason(R): The British sovereign
appointment the last Governor General
of free India.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the following
is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the
correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a
correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
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Indian hands by a date not later than
June 1948. Thus, to effect the
transference of that power, Atlee
decided to send Lord Mountbatten
as Viceroy to India. Lord
Mountbatten armed with vast
powers became India’s Viceroy on
24 March 1947. The Partition of
India and the creation of Pakistan
H
appeared inevitable to him. After
extensive consultation, Lord
Mountbatten put forth the plan of
I
Partition of India on 3 June 1947.
Gandhiji suggested to Mountbatten
that he should invite Jinnah to form
S
the government as an alternative to
the Partition of India, but this move
was bitterly criticised by the
T
Congress members. The Congress
and the Muslim League ultimately
approved the Mountbatten Plan.
O
Indian Independence Act 1947
The British Government accorded
R
formal approval to the Mountbatten
Plan by enacting the Indian
Independence Act on 18 July 1947.
Y
The salient features of this Act
were:
The partition of the country into India
and Pakistan would come into effect
from 15 August 1947.
The British Government would
transfer all powers to these two
Dominions.
A Boundary Commission would
demarcate the boundaries of the
provinces of the Punjab and Bengal.
The Act provided for the transfer
of power to the Constituent
Assemblies of the two Dominions,
which will have full authority to
frame their respective
Constitutions. The Radcliff
Boundary Commission drew the
boundary line separating India and
Pakistan. On 15th August,1947
India, and on the 14th August,
Pakistan came into existence as two
independent states. On 15th August
1947 the British sovereignity ceased
to exist in India. Lord Mountbatten
was made the first Governor
General of Independent India,
213
 whereas Mohammad Ali Jinnah
became the first Governor General
of Pakistan. At the time of India’s
independence, Mahatma Gandhi
was not a member of the Congress.
The most tragic incident occurred
on 30 January 1948, when Mahatma
H Gandhi - the father of the nation, on
his way to a prayer meeting was
assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
I During the Partition, the Congress
President was J.B. Kripalani who
was Congress President from Dec.
S 1946 to Dec. 1947.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
T Q. At the time of India’s
Independence, Mahatma Gandhi
O was:
(a) a member of Congress
Working Committee
R (b) not a member of the Congress
(c) the President of the Congress
(d) the General Secretary of the
Y Congress
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Q. The President of Indian
National Congress at the time of
partition of India was :
(a) C. Rajagopalachari
(b) J. B. Kripalani
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Explanation: At the partition of
India, the Congress President was
J.B. Kripalani who was Congress
President from Dec. 1946 to
Dec. 1947.
INDIA AFTER
INDEPENDENCE
After the Independence in 1947, the
most immediate and important tasks
before the Indian leaders were the
drafting of the constitution and the
integration of Indian states into the
Indian union. They had also been
vested with the responsibility of
making India economically sound
and scientifically modern. In the long
term perspective, the most
challenging tasks ahead have been
the removal poverty and the
214 Prelims Magic 2014
progress of education among the
masses for which the successive
governments continue to take
necessary steps.
Constitution of India
The Constituent Assembly began its
work on 9th December, 1946 and
Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as
its Chairman. Dr B.R. Ambedkar
was appointed as the Chairman of
the Drafting Committee. After a
detailed discussion, the Constitution
of India was finally adopted on 26th
November 1949. The Constitution
came into effect on 26th January
1950. Since then the day is
celebrated as Republic Day. The
salient features of the Indian
Constitution are the adult suffrage,
Parliamentary system, Fundamental
Rights and Directive Principles. It
provides a combination of federal
and unitary forms of governance at
the centre and the powers of the
government have been clearly
stated in the three lists: Central,
State and Concurrent. The
President is the constitutional head
of the state while the Prime Minister
is the head of the Executive. The
Prime Minister is the leader of the
party that has a majority in the Lok
Sabha. The Indian Parliament has
two houses – the Rajya Sabha or
upper house and the Lok Sabha or
lower house. Each state has its own
government headed by the Chief
Minister who remains the leader of
the majority party in the respective
Legislative Assembly. Thus,
democratically elected governments
rule the nation and provision is made
for periodical elections. The
judiciary remains the upholder of the
constitution. The Indian judiciary
system consists of the Supreme
Court at the centre and High Courts
in the states. The subordinate courts
in each state are under the control
of the High Court.
Integration of Princely States
At the time of Independence there
were 11 British provinces and
nearly 566 princely states. After the
departure of the British from India
the princes of Indian states began
to dream of independence. With
great skill and masterful diplomacy
Sardar Vallabhai Patel succeeded in
integrating the princely states with
the Indian union by 15 August 1947.
Only three of them – Junagadh,
Jammu and Kashmir and
Hyderabad – refused to join.
The ruler of Junagadh expressed his
willingness to join Pakistan against
the wishes of the people of that
state. Patel sent Indian troops and
after a plebiscite Junagadh joined
Indian Union. The state of Jammu
and Kashmir bordered India and
Pakistan. Its ruler was Raja Hari
Singh. In the beginning he also
claimed independent status. When
the Pathan tribes led by Pakistan
army officers invaded Kashmir, Hari
Singh sought the help of India.
Nehru pointed out that under
international law India could send
its troops only after the state’s
accession to India. Therefore, on
26th October 1947, Raja Hari Singh
signed the ‘instrument of accession’
and Jammu and Kashmir has
become an integral part of India. In
the case of Hyderabad the Nizam
refused to join the Indian union.
After repeated appeals, in 1948
Indian troops moved into Hyderabad
and the Nizam surrendered. Finally,
Hyderabad acceded to the Indian
Union. Thus the Union of India was
established with the integration and
accession of the princely states with
the Indian Union. This formidable
task was fulfilled by the “Iron Man
of India” Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
The Linguistic Reorganization
of the States
In 1948, the first Linguistic
Provinces Commission headed by
S.K. Dar was appointed by the
Constituent Assembly to enquire into
the possibility of linguistic provinces.
This commission advised against
such a step. In the same year
another committee known as JVP
committee consisting of Jawaharlal
Nehru, Vallabhai Patel and Pattabhi
Sitaramaih was appointed by the
Congress Party. This committee
also did not favour for linguistic
provinces. But there were popular
movements for states reorganization
all over the country and it was
intensive in Andhra. Therefore, in
1953 Andhra was created as a
separate state. Simultaneously,
Madras was created as a Tamil
speaking state. The struggle led by
M.P. Sivagnanam to retain Tiruttani
with Madras was a memorable
event in the history of Tamilnadu.
The success of Andhra struggle
encouraged other linguistic groups
to agitate for their own state. In
1953, Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru appointed the States
Reorganization Commission with
Justice Fazal Ali as its chairman and
Pandit Hridayanath Kunzru and
Sardar K.M. Panikkar as its
members. The commission
submitted its report on 30 September
1955. Based on this report, the
States Reorganization Act was
passed by the Parliament in 1956.
It provided for 16 states and six
Union Territories. The Telengana
region was transferred to Andhra.
Kerala was created by merging the
Malabar District with Travancore-
Cochin. There was a strong
movement of the Tamil linguistic
people in Travancore (Kaniya
kumari) who struggled to be part of
the state of Tamilnadu.
Indian Polity (1947 – 2000)
India’s first Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru was considered
the architect of modern India. He
consolidated the Indian
Independence by forging national
unity, nurturing democratic
institutions, promoting science and
technology, planning for economic
development and by following
independent foreign policy. He was
truly a nation builder. He died in
1964. Lal Bahadur Sastri succeeded
Nehru as the next Prime Minister
of India. He remained a role model
for honesty in public life. He ended
the Indo-Pak war of 1965 by
concluding the Tashkent
Agreement in January 1966. His
untimely death was a great loss to
the nation.
Indira Gandhi, daughter of Nehru
became Prime Minister in 1966 and
bravely faced the domestic
challenges such as scarcity of food
and foreign pressures during the
1971 Bangladesh crisis. When
opposition to her rule gathered
momentum in 1975, she brought
emergency rule, a black mark in the
democratic tradition of India.
However, she restored democratic
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Jawaharlal Nehru was in his
fourth term as the Prime Minister
of India at the time of his death.
2.Jawaharlal Nehru represented
Rae Bareilly constituency as a
Member of Parliament.
3.The first non-Congress Prime
Minister of India assumed the
office in the year 1977.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 only
(c) 1 only (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE 2007)
Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru
became Prime Minister in 1947 for
1st term followed by an election in
1952 for 2nd term then election took
place in 1957 and he became Prime
Minister for 3rd term andfinally after
winning 1962 elections, he became
Prime Minister for the 4th term and
he died in 1964. He never
represented Rae-Bareilly and in fact
he represented Phulpur
constituency near Allahabad in
Uttar Pradesh. From march 24,
1977 to July 28, 1979 Morarji
Desai served as Prime Minister as
head of a Multiparty front, Janta
Party, India’s first non-Congress
government. So, statement
(1) and (3) is correct. Hence,
answer is (d).
rule by announcing general elections
in 1977 in which she was defeated.
Later in 1980 she was able to regain
power by democratic means. In
1983 she undertook “Blue Star
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Operation” in the Golden Temple at
Amritsar - Punjab. As a result,
unfortunately, she was shot dead by
her own bodyguards in 1984 as a
vengeance to her policy towards
Punjab militancy. The Janata Party
rule for brief period between 1977
and 1980 brought Morarji Desai
as Prime Minister of India. For the
H
first time a non-Congress ministry
was formed after Independence.
The lack of unity among the Janata
I
leaders had resulted in the fall of
the Janata Government. Rajiv
Gandhi became the Prime Minister
S
of India in 1984 after her mother
Indira Gandhi’s assassination. He
introduced New Education Policy
T
and encouraged foreign investment.
In 1987, he sent the Indian Peace
Keeping Force to Sri Lanka with a
O
view to put an end to the ethnic
violence. He continued as Prime
Minister till the next elections held
R
in 1989. Later, in May 1991, he was
assassinated (by the Sri Lankan
Tamil extremists).
Y
V.P. Singh was the Prime Minister
between 1989 and 1991. He was
leading an anti-Congress coalition
called the Janata Dal. During his
tenure he decided to implement the
Mandal Commission Report
which provided reservation for other
backward classes. His government
was marked by factionalism, and he
was forced to resign in 1990. The
next Prime Minister Chandrasekhar
held the office from November 1990
to March 1991. In June 1991, P. V.
Narasimha Rao became Prime
Minister. He moved decisively
toward new economic reforms,
reducing the government’s
economic role, instituting austerity
measures, and encouraging foreign
investment. The finance minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh’s role in this
sphere is worth noting. As a result,
India started moving towards
liberalization, privatization and
globalization. After the elections of
1996, Atal Bihari Vajpayee
became Prime Minister from the
BJP party but he was not able to
215
 prove majority in the Parliament.
Deve Gowda formed a coalition
government. He was the eleventh
Prime Minister of India (1996–
1997). He was from the State of
Karnataka. His government also fell
due to the no confidence motion
H voted jointly by the Congress and
the BJP. He was succeeded by I.K.
Gujral for a brief period in 1997.
I Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the
Prime Minister of India in 1998. In
the 1999 elections the National
S Democratic Alliance under the
leadership of Vajpayee formed the
government. His period witnessed
T two important events. One was the
Kargil War with Pakistan and
another was the nuclear tests at
O Pokhran.
In 2002 APJ Abdul Kalam becames
R the 12th President. In 2004,
Dr Manmohan Singh become the
Prime Minister of India.
Y Economic Development
When India became independent in
1947, it was gripped by mass
poverty, unemployment, illiteracy,
static agriculture, poorly developed
industries and inadequate
infrastructure. There was an urgent
need immediate efforts on national
scale to achieve the path of progress
in the socio-economic front.
Jawaharlal Nehru, was greatly
influenced by the achievements of
Soviet Planning. But he also realized
the importance of the democratic
values. He encouraged planning for
rapid industrial and agricultural
growth. He encouraged Mixed
Economy. As a result both public
sector (Government owned) and
Private Sector companies come in
to existence. His fundamental
objective was to build an
independent self-reliant economy.
Economic Planning
The National Planning Commission
was established on 15 March 1950
with the Prime Minister Nehru as
its chairperson. The main objectives
of the Planning Commission were:
(i) To achieve higher level of national
216 Prelims Magic 2014
and per capita income.
(ii) To achieve full employment.
(iii) To reduce inequalities of income
and wealth.
(iv) To setup a society based on
equality and justice and absence of
exploitation.
The First Five Year Plan (1951-
1956) tried to complete the projects
at hand including the rehabilitation
of refugees. It was only during the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. There was no independent
development of industries in India
during British rule because of the:
(a) absence of heavy industries
(b) scarcity of foreign. capital
(c) scarcity of natural resources
(d) preference of the rich to invest
in land
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation: Absence of heavy
industries was the reason why no
independent development of
Industries in India took place
during British rule. Many
industries thrives on heavy
industries that is why Nehru
emphasised on setting heavy
industries in his 2nd five Year
Plan after independence.
Second Five Year Plan (1956-61)
Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis, the noted
economist played a leading role.
This plan aimed at developing the
industrial sector in the country.
Rapid industrialization with particular
emphasis in the development of
basic and heavy industries continued
during the Third Five Year Plan
(1961-66). During this period, many
iron and steel, chemical, fertilizers,
heavy engineering and machine
building industries were set up in
different parts of India. The
objective of the Fourth Five Year
Plan (1969-74) was “growth with
stability” and “progressive
achievement of self-reliance”.
The original draft outline of the plan
was prepared in 1966 under the
stewardship of Ashok Mehta.
Popular economic slogan during this
time was Garibi Hatao (Removal
of poverty).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-79)
was introduced at a time when the
country was under severe
economic crisis arising out of
inflation. There was increase in oil
price. But the plan was dropped at
the end of the fourth year of the plan
in March 1978 by the Janata
Government. The Sixth Five Year
Plan (1980-85) aimed at
strengthening the infrastructure for
both agriculture and industry and
meet the minimum basic needs of
the people. The Seventh Five Year
Plan (1985 – 90) emphasized on
accelerating the growth of food
grains production, increasing
employment opportunities and
raising productivity. The Eighth Five
Year Plan (1992 – 97) aimed to
achieve the goals, namely,
improvement in the levels of living,
health and education of the people,
full employment, and elimination of
poverty and planned growth of
population. The main objectives of
the Ninth Five Year Plan (1997 –
2002) were to give priority to
agricultural sector, to remove
poverty, to control prices, to provide
food to the weaker sections,
population control, to develop
panchayat administration and to
uplift the depressed classes as well
as tribal people. (See the Economy
Section for more details about Five
Year Plans )
The Green Revolution
Despite creditable growth of
agricultural output in the 1950s India
faced food shortage in the mid
sixties. The increase in population
and the huge outlay to the plan of
industrialization put pressures on
agricultural growth. India was
forced to import millions of tons of
food grains. The two wars with
China (1962) and Pakistan (1965)
and two successive drought years
(1965-66) brought enormous
pressures to food production. In this
background the Green Revolution
was launched in India with the aim
of achieving self-sufficiency in food
production.
The then Prime Minister, Lal
Bahadur Sastri, Food Minister, C.
Subramaniam, and Indira Gandhi,
who succeeded Sastri in 1966 after
his brief tenure, put their efforts to
the development of agriculture. The
term “Green Revolution” was
coined by Dr William Gadd of USA
in 1968, when Indian farmers
brought about a great advancement
in wheat production. The
introduction of modern methods of
agriculture such as high-yield variety
seeds, chemical fertilizers and
pesticides agricultural machineries
such as tractors, pump-sets and
agricultural education considerably
increased the food grain production
in India. India attained food self-
sufficiency by the 1980s. The
effects of Green Revolution were
notable in the northwestern region
of Punjab, Haryana and western
U.P., Andhra Pradesh, parts of
Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
Growth of Science and
Technology
Independent India has also
witnessed a tremendous growth in
the sphere of science and
technology. After 1947, Nehru
became aware of the significant
role of scientific research and
technology for the progress of India.
India’s first national laboratory, the
National Physical Laboratory was
established in 1947. It was followed
by seventeen such national
laboratories for specializing in
different areas of research. Nehru
himself assumed the chairmanship
of the Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research. In 1952, the
first Indian Institute of Technology,
on the model of Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, was set up
at Kharagpur. Subsequently, IITs
were set up at Madras, Bombay,
Kanpur and Delhi. The expenditure
on scientific research and science-
based activities has increased year
by year. There are about 200
research laboratories in India
carrying out research in different
areas. The Department of Science
and Technology (DST) which was
set up in 1971 has been assigned
the responsibility of formulating
science policy.
Atomic Energy
India was one of the first countries
in the world to recognize the
importance of nuclear energy. The
Atomic Energy Commission was set
up in August 1948 under the
Chairmanship of Homi J. Baba to
formulate a policy for all atomic
energy activities in the country. The
Department of Atomic Energy
(DAE) was set up 1954 as
executive agency for implementing
the atomic energy programmes. In
1956, India’s first nuclear reactor in
Trombay near Bombay (first in Asia
also) began to function. Research
and development work in the field
of atomic energy and allied fields
are carried out at three research
centres, namely the Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre at Trombay, the
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
Research, Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu
and the Centre for Advanced
Technology, Chennai.
Space Research
India has also evinced interest in
space research. The Indian National
Committee for Space Research was
set up in 1962. Side by side, a Rocket
Launching Facility at Thumba came
up. The first generation Indian
National Satellite System (INSAT-
1) represents India’s first step
towards implementing national
requirements. The INSAT – 1A and
the INSAT – 1B served country’s
need in the field of telecommuni-
cations and meteorological earth
observations. The ISRO [Indian
Space Research Organization] looks
after the activities in space science,
technology and applications. T h e
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at
Trivandrum, the largest of the ISRO
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centres, is primarily responsible for
indigenous launch vehicle
technology. The ISRO Satellite
Centre, Bangalore is the satellite
technology base of the Indian space
programme. The SHAR Centre,
encompassing the Sriharikota Island
in Andhra Pradesh on the east coast
of India is the main operational base
H
of ISRO which is the satellite
launching range.
India’s Foreign Policy
I
After 1947, India began to follow
an independent foreign policy. It S
was designed by the first Prime
Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
He developed the basic principles T
of India’s foreign policy. He was the
architect of the Non-aligned
Movement during the Cold War era.
Also, he extended support to colonial
O
countries in their struggle for
independence. Nehru outlined the
five principles of co-existence or
R
Panch Sheel for conducting
relations among countries. They are:
mutual respect for each other’s
Y
territorial integrity and sovereignty
non-aggression non-interference in
each other’s internal affairs equality
and mutual benefit and peaceful co-
existence.
India plays an active role in
international bodies such as the
Commonwealth and the United
Nations Organization. After the
Independence, Nehru decided to
stay within Commonwealth, an
organization consisting of former
British colonies. India had also
played an active role in the UN
peacekeeping forces in various
parts of the world. It had sent its
troops as part of UN peace-keeping
Mission to Korea, Indo-China, Suez
Canal and the Congo. India had to
fight three major wars [1965, 1971
and 2000] against Pakistan over the
issue of Kashmir.
India maintained friendly relations
with both USA and USSR during
the Cold War era. In 1971, India and
USSR signed the Indo- Soviet
Treaty of Friendship and Alliance
during the Bangladesh crisis. India
217
 and China are the two most
important powers of Asia. These
two are the most populous countries
of the World. Also, they possess the
significance of proud, history and
civilization dating back to ancient
times. When the communist regime
H under the leadership of Mao Tse
Tung was established in 1949, India
was one among the first countries
I to recognize the People’s Republic
of China. In spite of India’s friendly
relations with China, India had to
S defend herself when China attacked
India in 1962. The emergence of
Bangladesh as an independent state
T with the active help of India was an
important event. During the
liberation struggle between East
O Pakistan and West Pakistan, India
supported East Pakistan. The co-
ordinated approach of the Indian
R forces along with Mukti Bahini
ultimately led to the liberation of
Bangladesh (East Pakistan) in
Y December 1971 India is maintaining
friendly relations right from the birth
of Bangladesh in 1971. India has
also been maintaining friendly
relations with its neighbours for
which purpose the South Asian
Association of Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) was
established. India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal,
Bhutan and Maldives are its
members. The aim of SAARC is to
increase economic, social and
cultural co-operation among its
members. Periodic meetings are
being held to achieve this goal.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
not a principle of “Panch-sheel” ?
(a) Non-alignment
(b) Peaceful Co-existence
(c) Mutual respect for each
other’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty
(d) Mutual non-interference in
each other’s internal affairs
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1997)
218 Prelims Magic 2014
24 Time Line
ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL
Before 10,000 BC Paleolithic
Ages characterised by use of tools
like hand axe, cleavers; stone tools
like scrappers, borers, blades,burins,
etc., found in Soan, Narmada and
Tungabhadra rivers and Andhra,
Maharashtra, Bhopal, and
Chotanagpur Plateau.
Before 6000 BC Mesolithic tools
found in Birbhanpur in West Bengal,
Tirunelvell in Tamilnadu,
Chotanagpur, Vindhyas, Belan in
MP, Telure, Langhnejgunj,Bagor,
and Sarai Nahar Rai.
3000 - 2600 BC – Indus\ Harappa
Civilisation
1200 - 500 BC - Vedic Era
1000- Iron in India
550 BC - Birth of Mahavira
563 BC - 483 - Sidhartha Gautama,
the Buddha
483 BC First Buddhist Council held
at Sattaparni (Rajagriha)
4th century Megasthenese came to
India
383 BC Second Buddhist Council
at Vaishali
327 BC – 325 Alexander’s invasion
of India.
323 BC - Alexander the Great, dies.
322 BC - Rise of the Mauryas,
Chandragupta
303 BC Chandragupta Maurya
defeated Seleukos Nikator and the
trans-Indus region transferred to the
Mauryas.
298 BC - Bindusara coronated
272 BC - Ashoka’s Reign
180 BC - fall of the Mauryas &
Rise of the Sungas
30 BC - Rise of the Satvahana
dynasty
40 The Sakas or Scythians in power
in the Indus Valley and Western
India.
50 - The Kushanas and Kanishkas
52 Parthian King Gondopharnes in
NW India; St.Thomas begins
preaching Christianity in India.
78 Saka Era begins.
98-117 Kanishka, the Kushan King
4th century Fa-hien came to India
320 Chandragupta I established the
Gupta dynasty-Gupta Era begins.
360 Samudra Gupta conquers the
whole of northern India and much
of the Deccan.
380-413 Chandragupta comes to
power (Chandragupta Vikrama-
ditya) - The Golden Age of the
Guptas-Literary Renaissance-
Kalidasa and other poets
415- Accession of Kumara
Gupta I
467 - Skanda Gupta assumes power
7th century- Huen- Tsang came
to India
606-Accession of Harsha
Vardhana
609 - Rise of the Chalukyas.
622 -Era of the Hejira begins.
8th century-I-tsing came to India
711-Invasion of Sind by
Muhammad-bin-Qasim (Kassim).
753-Rise of the Rashtrakuta
Empire
892-Rise of the Eastern Chalukyas.
985-The Chola Dynasty-Rajaraja
reigns
1026-Sack of Somnath by Mahmud
of Ghazni (mounted 17 plundering
expedition into North India between
1 000-1 027AD).
1191-Prithvi Raj Chauhan, King of
Delhi, routs Muhammad Ghori - the
First Battle of Tarain.
1192-Muhammad Ghori defeats
Prithvi Raj - Second Battle of
Tarain.
1193-A.D to 1320 A.D -Qutub
Minar was built
1206-Qutbuddin Aibak establishes
in Delhi the Slave dynasty (1206-
1290: Kings - Qutub-ud-din Aibak,
Shamas-ud-din IItutmish, Rukn-ud-
din, Razia Sultana, Bahram Shah,
Massud Shah, Nasir-ud-din
Mohammed, Balban, Kaiqubad).
1221-Mongol invasion under
Chenghiz Khan
1232-Foundation of the Qutub
Minar
1236-1239 Razia Sultana, daughter
of IItutmish- the first and the only
Muslim lady to rule India
1266- Balban made King after King
Nasir-ud-din’s Qutub Minar death.
129-Jalaludin Firuz Khalji
establishes in Delhi the Khalji
dynasty (1290-1320: Kings - Jalal-
ud-din Firoz Khalji, Ala-ud-din
Khalji, Kafur, Mubarak Khan,
Khusrau Khan).
1298-Marco Polo visits India.
1320-Ghiyasuddin Tughluk in Delhi
starts the Tughluk dynasty (1320-
1414: Kings - Ghiyas-ud-din
Tughlaq, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq,
Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Nasir-ud-din
Tughlaq).
1325-Accession of Muhammad-
bin­Tughluk
1333-Ibn Batutah arrives in India.
1336 Founding of Vijayanagar
(Dec­can)
1388-Death of Firuz Tughlaq
1398-Timur invades India.
1414-1451 The Sayyid Dynasty
(Kings - Khizr Khan, Mubarak Shah,
Muhammad Shah, Alam Shah) ;
Tughlaqabad fort was built
1424-Rise of the Bahmani dynasty
(Deccan).
1451-The Lodi dynasty (1451-1526)
- Bahlul Lodi ascends the throne of
Delhi. (Kings- Bahlul Lodhi,
Sikander Lodhi, Ibrahim Lodhi) Lodi
garden was built
1469-The birth of Guru Nanak Dev.
1489-Adil Shah Dynasty at Bijapur
1490-Nizam Shahi dynasty at
Ahmadnagar
1498-First voyage of Vasco da
Gama via Cape of Good Hope and
arrives at Calicut on May 27th.
1504-Babur establishes rule in
Kabul, later became the first Mughal
ruler.
1505-1529- reign of Krishna
Deva Raya of Vijayanagar.
1510-Vasco da Gama was
succeeded by Alfonso de Albuq-
querque (a Portuguese), who
captured  Goa­;  Albuquerque
becomes the Governor.
1526-First Battle of Panipat- Babur
defeats the Lodis- establishes the
Mughal dynasty.
1530-Humayun succeeds Babur.
(1526-1530 - Reign of Babur)
1539-Death of Guru Nanak Dev;
Sher Shah Suri defeats Humayan
and becomes Emperor of Delhi.
1555-Humayun recovers the Delhi
throne from Aslam Shah, successor
of Sher Shah.
1556-Death of Humayun;
Accession of Jalal-ud-din Akbar.
Second Battle of Panipat - Akbar
defeats Hemu.
1564-Akbar abolishes ‘Jiziya’ or
poll tax on Hindus.
1565-Battle of Talikota-An alliance
of Muslim rulers in Deccan defeats
and destroys Vijayanagar Empire.
1568-fall of Chittorgarh
1571-Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri
by Akbar
1576-Battle of Haldighati; Akbar
defeats Rana Pratap Singh of
Mewar
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1577-Akbar troops invade
Khandesh (completes his conquests
in 1597)
1582-Akbar proclaims Din Ilahi or
Divine Faith-an attempt at
synthesising Hinduism and Islam.
1595-The first fleet of the Dutch
reached India H
1597-Akbar completes his
conquests. Death of Rana Pratap I
1600-English East India Company
constituted through a charter, signed
by Queen Elizabeth I. S
1602-Dutch East India Company
formed
1604-Compilation of “Adi Granth”
T
the Holy Book of Sikhs
1605-Death of Akbar and the
O
accession of Jehangir; Dutch
established their first factory in
Masulipatanam
R
1606-Martyrdom of Guru Arjan
Dev Y
1608-Captain Hawkins visit to
Jahangir’s Court to secure trading
rights for the British failed.
1609 The Dutch opened a factory
at Pulicat.
1613-Sir Thomas Roe’s visit
yielded permision to set up their
factory in Sural. Gradually, trading
centres were extended to Bombay,
Calcutta and Madras.
1616-East India Company of
Denmark reached Indian coasts
1619-Jahangir granted permision to
the Dutch to trade in his territories
1620-Capture of Kangra Fort;
Danish traders settled in Tranqubar
in Tamilnadu and Serampore in
Bengal (1676)
1627-Death of Jehangir; Accession
of Shah Jehan; Birth of Shivaji
Bhonsle.
1628-Shah Jahan proclaimed
Emperor
1631-Death of Shah Jehan’s wife
Mumtaz Mahal-The building of the
Taj Mahal
219
 1636-Aurangzeb appointed
Viceroy of Deccan
1639-Fort St. George built in
Madras by the English.
1646-Shivaji captures Torna
H 1658-Aurangzeb becomes
Emperor of Delhi.
1664-Shivaji assumes royal title;
I Compagine des Indes Orientales
(The French East India Co.)
established trading centres near
S Madras and Chandernagore on
Hoogly.
T 1666-Birth of Guru Gobind Singh;
Death of Shah Jahan
1675-Martyrdom of Guru Tegh
O Ba­hadur
1684-East India Co. set up a
R primary press in Bombay.
1686-Death of Shivaji
Y How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following events:
1.Reign of Krishna Deva of
Vijaynagara
2.Construction of Qutab Minar
3. Arrival of Portugese in India
4. Death of Firuz Tughlaq
The correct chronological
sequence of these events is:
(a) 2, 4, 3, 1 (b) 2, 4, 1, 3
(c) 4, 2, 1, 3 (d) 4, 2, 3, 1
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation: Construction of
Qutub Minar in 1206-1201 A.D,
Death of Firuz Tughlaq in 1388
A.D, Arrival of Portuguese
(Vasco-da-gama) in 1498 and
reign of Krishna Deva Raya of
Vijayanagar was from 1505 to
1529.
1689-Execution of Sambhaji
1699-Guru Gobind Singh creates
‘Khalsa’.
1707-Death of Aurangzeb
1708-Guru Gobind Singh dies.
220 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the correct
chronological order in which the
following appeared in India?
1. Gold coins
2. Punch - marked silver coins
3. Iron plough
4. Urban culture
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 3, 4, 1, 2 (b) 3, 4, 2, 1
(c) 4, 3, 1, 2 (d) 4, 3, 2, 1
Ans. (d)
Q. Consider the following:
(CSE, 1998)
1. Tughlaqabad fort 2. Lodi garden
3. Qutub Minar 4. Fatehpur Sikri
The correct chronological order in
which they were built is:
(a) 3, 1, 4, 2 (b) 3, 1, 2, 4
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4 (d) 1, 3, 4, 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation: Tughlaqabad fort
was built in 1414 A.D to 1451 A.D,
Lodi garden was built between
1451-1526 A.D, Qutub Minar was
built in 1193 A.D to 1320 A.D and
Fatehpur Sikri was built in 1569
A.D.
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List I
A. 1556 B. 1600
C. 1686 D. 1739
List II
1. Battle of Haldi Ghati
2. Nadir Shah’s capture of Delhi
3. Death of Shivaji
4. Grant of Charter to East India
Company
5. Accession of Akbar
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 3 4 2 1
(b) 5 4 3 2
(c) 5 2 1 4
(d) 1 5 3 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1998)
Explanation : In 1556, accession
of Akbar before 2nd battle of
Panipat. In 1600 the East India
Company was granted charter by
Queen Elizabeth. In 1680, Shivaji
died and in 1739 Nadir Shah
Captured Delhi.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The following persons came to
India at one time or another:
1. Fa-Hien 2. I-Tsing
3. Megasthanese 4. Hieun-Tsang
The correct chronological
sequence of their visits is:
(a) 3, 1, 2, 4 (b) 3, 1, 4, 2
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4 (d) 1, 3, 4, 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation : Megasthanese came
to India in 4th century B.C, Fa-
hien came to India in 4th century
A.D, Huen-Tsang came to India
in 7th century A.D and I-Tsing
came to India in 8th century A.D.
1720-Accession of Baji Rao
Peshwa at Poona
1738-Malwa ceded to Marathas
1739-Nadir Shah of Persia
conquers Delhi, loses Kabul.
MODERN
1742-Marathas invade Bengal;
Dupleix, French Governor of
Pondicherry.
1746-The First Carnatic War (First
Anglo-French war) - The French
and British companies clashed at
Carnatic and the French captured
Madras.
1748-First Anglo-French war ended
with the treaty of Aix La Chappelle,
in Europe.
1750-War in the Deccan; Death of
Nasir Jang; 1750-04 Second Anglo-
French War (unofficial).
1754-Mughal King Ahmad Shah
deposed; Dupleix returns to France
and General Godeheu signed the
Treaty of Pondicherry with the
British.
1756-Alivardi Khan, Nawab of
Bengal dies; Siraj-ud-daulah
succeeds after capturing Calcutta;
Ahmad Shah Abdali in Delhi Jun.
20. “Black-Hole”. Tragedy - where
of the 146 English prisoners held by
Mughals in a small chamber, 123
prisoners died of suffocation.
1757-June 23. Battle of Plassey:
The British defeated Siraj-ud-daulah
through a conspiracy with Mir Jafar.
Mir Jafar made Nawab of Bengal.
1758-(-63)-Third Anglo-French
War; Marathas occupy the Punjab.
1760-Battle ofWandiwash-The
English defeat the French, where
Sir Eyre Coote defeated Count Lally,
sealing the fate of the French in
India.
1761-Third Battle of Panipat;
Ahmed Shah Abdali, the ruler of
Afghanistan defeats the Marathas;
Maratha imperialism checked;
Hyder Ali usurps power in Mysore
(rules till ’82); Fall of Pondicherry.
1764 Oct. 23. Battle of Buxar the
British defeat Mir Kasim who
instigated war with the help of
Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh
and Shah Alam II (Mughal).
1765-The British get Diwani Rights
in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa; Clive,
Governor in Bengal for the second
time.
1767-69 First Mysore war-the
British suffered a humiliating peace
with Hyder Ali of Mysore.
1769-The French East India Co.
dissolved.
1772-Warren Hastings appointed
Governor of Bengal; Return of Shah
Alam to Delhi.
1773-A Supreme Court was
established at Calcutta by the
regulating Act, 1773. The
Regulating Act passed by the British
Parliament to curb the company
trader’s unrestrained commercial
activi­ties  and  better  territorial
control.
1774-Warren Hastings becomes
the first Governor-General of
Bengal. Calcutta made the
administrative headquarters of the
Company.
1775-82 First Anglo-Maratha war:
The Treaty of Salbai ended the war.
1780-Birth of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh; James August Hickey started
a weekly paper called Bengal
Gazette (also called Calcutta
General Advertiser).
1780-84 the Second Mysore War.
The English defeat Hyder Ali. Tipu
Sultan succeeds Hyder Ali.
1784-Pitt’s India Act passed;
Calcutta Gazette published;
Foundation of Asiatic Society of
Bengal with the help of William
Jones.
1785-The
published.
Bengal Journal
1788-Bombay Herald published;
Blinding of Shah Alam.
1790-92 Third Mysore War
between the English and Tipu-
Treaty of Shrirangapattana.
1791-Sanskrit College in Benaras
opened by Jonathan Duncan.
1796-Marquess of Wellesley
Governor-General.
1799-Fourth Mysore War-The
English defeat Tipu; Death of Tipu-
Partition of Mysore; William Carey
at Serampore.
1800-Fort William College at
Calcutta started by Lord Wellesley;
Death of Nana Fadnavis.
1801-The English annex the
Carnatic and part of Oudh.
1802-Treaty of Bessein with
Peshwa Baji Rao which helped in
flushing out Holkar from Poona.
1803-5-Second Anglo-Maratha
War. British under Sir Arthur
Wellesley inflict a crushing defeat
on the Marathas; Occupation of
Delhi by Lord Lake.
1806-The Vellore Mutiny.
1809-First Treaty of Amritsar-
between Ranjit Singh and East India
Company regarding rights over
Satlej area; The Second Treaty of
Amritsar helped English restrict
Russian advance through Punjab by
annexing Khyber valley and
defeating Afghan ruler Dost
Muhammad.
Prelims Magic 2014
1813-Charter Act renewed for
free­trade.
1815-30 Activities of Ram Mohun
Roy and the Serampore
missionaries  along­side  William
Carey
1816 Hindu College, Calcutta
founded
H
1817-19 Mill’s History of India
published; Marathas finally crushed. I
1818-19-Sikh conquest of Multan
and Kashmir
1823-The Licensing Regulations
S
(Adams Regulation) directed
against vernacular newspapers. T
1824-26 First Anglo- Burmese War
1828 Lord William Bentinck
becomes Governor General;
O
Suppression of Thugs (1837).
1829-Brahmo Samaj founded; Era R
of social reforms-Prohibition of Sati.
1831-Rise of the Sikhs under Ranjit
Singh
Y
1833-Charter Act passed; Lord
Willian Bentinck was made the first
Governor- General of India.
1835-English, made the court
language.
1837-38 Famine in North India
1838 Tripartite Treaty
1839 Maharaja Ranjit Singh dies.
First Afghan War begins.
1845-46 First Anglo-Sikh War:
Sikhs defeated, and Treaty of
Lahore signed resulting in reducing
Sikh army’s size below the British.
1848 Lord Dalhousie Governor
General; Satara annexed
1848-49 Second Anglo-Sikh War-
Sikhs defeated (1848). The British
annexed Punjab into British Empire.
1853-First Indian Railway -
Bombay to Thane; Annexation of
Nagpur, Renewal of the Charter
Act; Telegraph, started from
Calcutta to Agra. Sambalpur in
Orissa annexed
221
 1854-Rise of Jute industry.
1857-Universities of Calcutta,
Bombay and Madras set up; First
War of Indian Independence (The
Mutiny).
1858-British Crown takes over
H the Indian Government-Queen
Victoria’s Proclamation
I 1859-Indigo disputes in Bengal
1861-Indian Councils Act, Indian
High Courts Act and Indian Penal
S Code passed; Famine in North-
West India.
T 1865-Famine in Orissa
1867-The (Newspaper)
O Registration Act
1875-Aligarh College founded by
S. Ahmad Khan; Arya Samaj
R founded by Swami Dayananda
Saraswati.
Y 1876-The Queen becomes
Empress of India; Famine in South
India.
1877-Delhi Durbar-The Queen of
England proclaimed Empress of
India. 1878-80-Second Afghan War.
1879-Vernacular Press Act; Duties
on Cotton abolished
1881-Factory Act-Rendition of
Mysore-Mysore State restored to its
original ruler.
1883-First session of National
Conference at Calcutta.
1885-Indian National Congress
founded - first meeting.
1886-Shri Ram Krishna Param-
hansa dies; The Rama Krishna
Mission begins.
1892-Indian Council Act to
regulate Indian administration.
1893 Vivekananda at Parliament of
Religions at Chicago.
1896-1900 Plague and Famine
1899-Lord Curzon becomes
Governor General and Viceroy.
1900-The North-West Frontier
222 Prelims Magic 2014
Province created; Lumiere
Brothers, on 7 July, just six months
after cinema’s invention in France,
brought it into India.
1901-Feb. 12 The Viceroy, Lord
Curzon creates the North-West
Frontier province between
Afghanistan and Punjab;
1902-Jul. 4. Swami Vivekananda
dies;
1903-Jan. 1. A Durbar held in Delhi
to announce King Edward VII,
Emperor of India; 26. Gandhiji
begins legal practice in South
Africa.
1904-Indian Universities Act
enacted in the viceroyalty of Lord
Curzon; passed ancient monument
protection Act and subsequently
establishment  of  Archeo­logical
Survey of India;
1905-First Partition of Bengal;
Aug. 7. INC declare boycott of
British goods as a protest against
the partition.
1906-Formation of the All India
Mus­lim  League;  INC  Calcutta
Session for the first time uses
‘Swaraj.’ Servants of India Society
founded by G.K. Gokhale
1907-Jan. 22. Opposed to the new
laws on race, Gandhiji begins the
civil disobedience movement in
South Africa; May 7. Electric train
starts service in Bombay; Oct. 4.
Riots in Calcutta; Dee. 27. INC
Surat Session ends with
recriminations and violence; Tata
Iron and Steel Company founded;
First electric train started in
Bombay.
1908-Jan. 30 MK Gandhi released
from South African prison; Oct. 2.
Khu­diram  Bose  hanged;  The
Newspaper Press Act.
1909-Minto-Morley Reforms Bill
or Indian Councils Act passed.
1910-The Indian Press Act passed;
1911-Jun. 22. King George V
declared Emperor of India; Dee. 2.
The first ever
British King and Queen, King
George V and Queen Mary arrive
in Bombay, holds Durbar in Delhi;
Partition of Bengal annulled to
create the Presidency of Bengal.
1912-Apr. 1. India’s Imperial
capital officially shifted from
Calcutta to Delhi; Rabindranath
Tagore publishes Gitanjali; Orissa
and Bihar separates.
1913-May 3. ‘Raja Harishchandra,’
India’s first feature film, made by
Dada­Saheb  Phalke  released;
Nov. 6. Gandhiji arrested in
Johannes burg; 25. Jailing of Gandhiji
causes riots in Natal; Dec. 1. Nobel
Prize (Literature) for the first Asian
for ‘Gitanjali’ by Rabindranath
Tagore.
1914-The First World War begins;
Kamagatamaru incident occurred in
September.
1915-Jan. 9. Gandhiji returns to
India from South Africa; Feb. 19.
GK Gokhale dies; Mar 6. Gandhiji
meets Rabindra­nath Tagore for the
first time; Jun. 20. First Women’s
University established in Pune;
Defence of India Act; Dee. Home
Rule League - a movement started
by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
1916-Lucknow Pact signed
between INC and Muslim League;
Home Rule League similar to that
of Tilak started by Annie Besant.
1917-Annie Besant becomes
President of Indian National
Congress; Kaira Satyagraha in
Gujarat; Apr. 10. Champaran
Satyagraha in Bihar.
1918-World War ends.
1919-Mar. 1 Gandhiji introduces
‘satyagraha’; Rowlatt Act intended
to perpetuate the extraordinary
powers provokes country-wide
protests; Apr. 13. The massacre at
Jalianwala Bagh, Amritsar (Punjab)
killed 500 and injured 1500 people
by Gen. Reginald Dyer’s soldiers;
Ali brothers and Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad start the Khilafat
Movement (for restoring the Turkish
Khalifat) with Gandhiji’s support.
Montague-Chelmsford Reforms
Offer limited provincial autonomy to
Indians; India becomes the member
of the League of Nations.
1920-Aug. 1. ‘Lokmanya’ Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, the revolutionary
who said ‘Swaraj is my birthright:
dies; Sept. 10. INC okays Gandhiji’s
Non-violent Non-co-operation
movement against the British
government; Bonfire of British
clothes to show popular
dissatisfaction with the reforms.
1921-Jan. 9. Montague-Chelmsford
reform introduce dyarchy. The
Duke of Connaught opens the new
Indian Central Legislature in Delhi;
Excavation under the supervision of
Dayaram Sahani unfolds Harappa
civilisation at the bank of river Ravi
in the Punjab district of Pakistan;
Moplah (Muslim) rebellion in
Malabar; Nov. 17. Census started
in India; Riots in Bombay as Gandhiji
burns foreign cloths coinciding with
the visit of the Prince of Wales -
INC boycotts Prince’s visit
1922 Dr. RD Banerjee and his
team excavates Mohenjodaro (in
Sindh means “the mound of death”);
Civil Disobedience Movement;
Congress makes Gandhiji sole leader
of Bardoli Satyagraha; Outburst of
violence at Chauri Chaura led to
suspension of Civil Disobedience
Movement by INC; Mar 1 O.
Gandhiji arrested for the first time
in India; 18. Gandhiji, on charges of
sedition, sentenced to 6-years
‘simple imprisonment.’
1923-Swarajya Party started by
C.R.Das and Motilal Nehru;
Swarajists propose to enter the
councils and wreck the government
from within. Khilafat movement
fizzles out as Kamal Pasha declares
Turkey a secular state. Apr. 8.
Plague in India; ‘Indian Party:
started by Madan Mohan Malviya.
Sep. 18. The INC agrees to launch
the civil disobedience campaign;
Gandhiji starts his 21 day fast in
despair at Hindu-Muslim riots.
1924-Feb. 24 Gandhiji released
from prison; 25000 die due to
plague; Sept. 18 Gandhiji starts 21
day hunger strike;
1925-Death of C.R.Das; Rashtriya
Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS)
started by Hedgewar.
1926-May 2. Women allowed to
stand for election to public office in
India. 1927 Indian Navy Act; Simon
Commission appointed; Muslim
League splits; formation of All India
State Conference.
1928-Feb. 3. Simon Commission
comes to India - boycott by all
parties; 28. Scientist CV Raman
discovers the ‘Raman Effect; All
Parties’ Conference-Muslim leaders
leave the Conference; Aug. 15.
Motilal Nehru Report demands
constitutional framework of a free
India; Dee. 17. Lala Lajpat Rai dies;
1929-Feb. 10. JRD Tata becomes
the first Indian to get a pilot’s license;
Aug. 21. Gandhiji elected President
of INC; Lord Irwin, Viceroy of
India, promises “Dominion Status”
for India; Nov. 5 The longest electric
railway opens from Bombay to
Poona for 116 miles; On the
midnight of Dee. 31, At Lahore
session, Pandit Jawaharial Nehru,
as President of the Congress,
demands Swaraj and hoists the
National Flag.
1930-Jan. 1. Gandhiji begins Civil
Disobedience Movement; 26.
Observed as Independence Day all
over India; Mar 4-5. Gandhi-Irwin
Pact signed. Gandhiji agrees to
discontinue Civil Disobedience if
Lord Irwin released political
prisoners who had not been guilty
of violence; Apr. 6. Gandhiji
marches to Dandi (salt satyagraha)
to defy salt-tax; Repression let
loose by the government; Nov. 12.
First Round Table Conference in
London; Jun. 23. Simon
Commission recommends a federal
India and separation from Burma;
Dee. 10. Nobel Prize in Physics
(Raman effect) awarded to Sir C.
V. Raman.
Prelims Magic 2014
1931-Gandhi-Irwin Pact; Second
Round Table Conference; The
Indian Press Emergency Powers
Act; Aug. 29. Gandhiji attends
second Round Table conference.
1932-Jan. 4. Gandhiji arrested and
INC outlawed; Third Round Table
Conference; Sep. 24. Poona Pact
signing - for extending the voting
H
rights of untouchables; Communal
Award announced. Oct. 15. Air
India’s Bombay-Karachi service
I
inaugurated;
1933-White Paper on Indian
S
reforms.
1934-Nov. 19. The INC wins
almost half the seats in elections to
T
the Indian legislative assembly;
Congress Socialist Party formed
under the patronage of Acharya
O
Narendra Dev; Civil Disobedience
Movement called off; Bihar
earth­quake.
R
1935-Government of India Act
passed. India and Burma separated.
British India divided into 11
Y
provinces  Congress  min­istries
formed in a majority of the
prov­inces;  Gandhiji  publishes
Wardha Scheme of Basic Education
in ‘The Harijan.’
1937-Inauguration of Provincial
Autonomy; The Indian constitution
comes into being under Government
of India Act
1938-Resignation of Congress
Ministries; Political deadlock in
India.
1939 Beginning of World War-II;
Political deadlock in India as
Congress ministries resign; Subash
Chandra Bose starts Forward
Block.
1940-August Offer on 8th August.
1941-Subash Chandra Bose
escapes from India.
1942-Mar 22. Cripps Mission
arrives in India to find out a formula
for Indian independence; Both
Congress and Muslim League
refuse Sir Stafford Cripps’ offer.
223
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?

Q. Consider the following Q. What is the correct sequence Q. Consider the following events
statements: of the following events? during India’s freedom struggle :
1. Warren Hastings was the first 1. Tilak’s Home Rule League Chauri-Chaura Outrage
Governor General who established 2. Karnagatamaru Incident Minto-Morley Reforms
H a regular police force in India on
the British pattern.
2. A Supreme Court was
3. Mahatma Gandhi’s arrivat in
India
Select the correct answer using the
Dindi March
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
Which one of the following is the
I established at Calcutta by the
Regulating Act, 1773.
3. The Indian Penal Code came
codes given below:
Codes :
(a) 1, 2, 3
correct chronological order of the
events above?
(a) I, 3, 2, 4 (b) 2, 4, 1, 3
S into effect in the year 1860.
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
(b) 3, 2, 1
(c) 2, 1, 3
(d) 2, 3,1
(c) 1, 4, 2, 3
Ans. (b)
(d) 2, 3, 1, 4
(CSE 2004)

T (a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE 1998)

Q. Match List I with II and select

Q.Consider the following
statements : 1. Robert Clive was
the first Governor-General of
O (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) (CSE 2005)
the correct answer· using the
codes given below the lists :
List I (Period)
Bengal.
2.William Bentinck was the first
Governor-General of India.
R Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
A. 1883
C. 1927
List II (Event)
B. 1906
D. 1932
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
codes given below the lists
Y List I
A. Surat Split
1. Announcement of Communal
Award from Whitehall
2. Formation of the All India State
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
B. Communal Award
C. All Party Convention Peoples Conference Ans. (b) (CSE 2007)
D. Pooma Swaraj Resolution 3. Foundation of Muslim League
List II at Dacca Q. Consider the following princely
1. 1929 2. 1928 4. First session of National States of the British rule in India:
3. 1932 4. 1907 Conference at Calcutta Codes: 1. Jhansi 2. Sambalpur 3. Satara
5. 1905 A B C D The correct chronological order in
Codes (a) 4 3 1 2 which they were annexed by the
A B C D (b) 3 4 1 2 British is:
(a) 4 3 1 5 (c) 4 3 2 1 (a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 1, 3, 2
(b) 4 3 2 1 (d) 3 4 2 1 (c) 3, 2, 1 (d) 3, 1, 2
(c) 2 5 4 1 Ans. (c) (CSE 1996) Ans. (c) (CSE 2004)
(d) 1 4 2 3
Q. What is the correct sequence Q. Which of the following pairs are
Ans. (b) (CSE 1997) of the following events? correctly matched?
1. The August offer List I (Period)
Q. What is the correct sequence 2. The I.N.A trial 1. AD 1767-69 2. AD 1790-92
of the following events? 3. The Quit India Movement 3. AD 1824-26 4. AD 1845-46
1. The Lucknow Pact 4. The Royal Indian Naval List II
2. The Introduction on Dyarchy Ratings’ Revolt. 1.First Anglo-Maratha War
3. The Rowlatt Act Select the correct answer using the 2.Third Mysore War
4. The Partition of Bengal codes given below: 3.First Anglo-Burmese War
Codes: Codes: 4. Second Sikh War
(a) 1, 3, 2, 4 (a) 1, 3, 2, 4 Select the correct answer using the
(b) 4, 1, 3, 2 (b) 3, 1, 2, 4 codes given below:
(c) 1, 2, 3, 4 (c) 1, 3, 4, 2 Codes:
(d) 4, 3, 2, 1 (d) 3, 1, 4, 2 (a) 2 and 4 (b) 3 and 4
Ans. (b) (CSE 1995) Ans. (a) (CSE 1998) (c) 1 and 2 (d) 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE 2004)

224 Prelims Magic 2014

Aug. 8. Congress adopts Quit India
Resolution. Gandhiji gives call for
‘Do or Die’; Aug. 9. ‘August Kranti
movement,’ mass social upheaval as
senior Congress leaders arrested
and Congress declared an illegal
body; Sept. 1. Subhas Chandra
Bose (Netaji) forms the Indian
National Army in Malaya, with the
help of the Japanese. He
inaugurates the Government of Free
India at Singapore.
1943 Bengal famine; Lord Wavell
Viceroy and Governor General of
India. 1944 - Gandhi-Jinnah talks
break down on Pakistan issue.
1945 The Indian National Army
under Bose surrenders to the British
after collapse of Japan. Dec. 31.
Indian National Army personnel
tried for treason in Red Fort, India;
Shimla Conference.
1946 Jan. 12. Demonetisation of
currency notes of the value of Rs.
500 and above; Demonstrations
against the trial of the INA men;
Feb. 18. 1100 naval ratings of signal
school of HMIS Talwar in Bombay
went on strike against racial
discrimination; 20. Lord Mount-
batten becomes the last Viceroy of
India replacing Wavell, even as
Britain prepares to transfer its
power over India; Aug. 15. India
and Pakistan gain Dominion Status
and a wave of violence and killing
triggered by Partition of Punjab and
Bengal; 19. Cabinet Mission
comprising three ministers of the
British cabinet-Lord Pethick
Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and
AV Alexander, arrives in India;
Cabinet Mission announces its plan
for an interim government and a
constituent assembly. Congress
accepts it. The interim government
is formed by inducting only
Congress nominees. The Muslim
League takes umbrage and starts
direct action. Viceroy persuades the
Muslim League to come in; Dee. 9.
Constituent Assembly’s first
meeting; But the League declines
to join the Constituent Assembly
unless the demand for a separate
state-Pakistan, is conceded.
1947 - Jan. 6. All India Congress
Committee accepts Partition of
India by a majority vote of 99 in
favour and 52 against the resolution;
Feb. 20. The British Prime Minister
Clement Attlee announces in the
House of Commons about the
British intention to transfer power
into reasonable Indian hands by a
date not later than June May 29 The
Indian Standards Institution is
established; June 2. Lord
Mountbatten declares the British
decision on partition on June 3
(known as June 3rd Plan); Indian
leaders accept decision of Lord
Mountbatten on Partition; Aug. 14.
25 Personalities and Movements
SWADESHI MOVEMENT
Lokmanya Tilak spread the
message of swadeshi to Poona and
Bombay and organised Ganapati
and Shivaji festivals to arouse
patriotic feelings. He stressed that
the aim of swadeshi, boycott and
national education was attainment
of swaraj. He opened cooperative
stores and headed the Swadeshi
Wastu Pracharini Sabha.
Lala Lajpat Rai took the
movement to Punjab and parts of
northern India. He was assisted in
his venture by Ajit Singh. His
articles, which were published in
Kayastha Samachar, endorsed
technical education and industrial
self-sufficiency.
Syed Haider Raza popularised the
Swadeshi Movement in Delhi.
Chidambaram Pillai spread the
movement to Madras and organised
the strike of the Tuticorin Coral Mill.
He founded the Swadeshi Steam
Navigation Company in Tuticorin on
the east coast of the Madras
Province.
Bipin Chandra Pal of the
Extremist clan played a major role
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Aug. 15. India was declared
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Hyderabad and Junagarh incorpo-
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abetment of Pakistan Government;
Accession of Kashmir to India. T
O
in popularising the movement,
R
especially in the urban areas. He
was the editor of New India.
Litikat Hossain of Patna
Y
suggested boycott and organised the
East Indian Railway strike in 1906.
He also wrote fiery articles in Urdu
to rouse nationalist sentiments in
Muslims. He was supported by other
Muslim swadeshi agitators like
Ghaznavi, Rasul, Din Mohammed,
Dedar Bux, Moniruzzaman, Ismail
Hussain, Siraji, Abdul Hussain and
Abdul Gaffar. Shyamsunder
Chakrabarti, a swadeshi political
leader, helped in organising strikes.
Ramendra Sunder Trivedi called
for observance of arandhan
(keeping the hearth unlit) as a mark
of mourning and protest on the day
the partition was put into effect.
Rabindranath Tagore composed
several songs to inspire freedom
struggle and revived Bengali folk
music to rouse national pride. He also
set up some swadeshi stores and
called for the observance of raksha
bandhan (tying of threads on each
other ’s wrists as a sign of
brotherhood).
Aurobindo Ghosh was in favour
225
 of extending the movement to the
rest of India. He was appointed as
the principal of Bengal National
College founded in 1906 to
encourage patriotic thinking and an
education system related to Iridian
conditions and culture. He was also
H the editor of Bande Mataram and
through his editorials encouraged
strikes, national education etc in the
I spirit of the Swadeshi Movement.
He was assisted by Jatindranath
Bannerji and Barindrakumar
S Ghosh (who managed the
Anushilan Samiti).
T Surendranath Banerjea who held
moderate nationalist opinion
launched powerful press campaigns
through newspapers like The
O BengaLee and addressed mass
meetings. He was assisted by
Krishnakumar Mitra and
R Narendra Kumar Sen.
Ashwini Kumar Dutt, a school
Y teacher, set up Swadesh Bandhab
Samiti to propagate the Swadeshi
Movement and led the Muslim
peasants of Barisal in their protests.
Promotha Mitter,
Barindrakumar Ghosh,
Jatindranath Bannerji founded
the Anushilan Samiti in Calcutta.
G. K. Gokhale, President of the
Benaras session of the Indian
National Congress, 1905, supported
the Swadeshi Movement.
Abdul Halim Guznavi, a zamindar
and a lawyer, set up swadeshi
industries and helped Aurobindo
Ghosh to extend revolutionary
activities outside Bengal. He was
assisted by Abul Kalam Azad.
Dadabhai Naoroji at the 1906
Congress session declared that the
goal of the Congress was to attain
swaraj.
Acharya P.C. Roy, in order to
promote swadeshi, set up the
Bengal Chemicals Factory.
Mukunda Das, Rajanikanta Sen,
Dwijendraial Roy, Girindra-
mohini Dosi, Sayed Abu
Mohammed composed patriotic
226 Prelims Magic 2014
songs on swadeshi themes.
Girishchandra Ghosh,
Kshirodeprasad Vidyavinode
and Arnritlal Bose were play-
wrights who contributed to the
swadeshi spirit through their creative
efforts. Ashwini Coomar Bannerji
a swadeshi activist, led the jute mill
workers to form an Indian
Millhands’ Union at Budge-Budge
in August 1906.
Satish Chandra Mukherji through
his Dawn Society promoted an
education system under indigenous
control.
Motilal Ghosh of the Amrit Bazar
Patrika group contri­buted several
fiery articles in the paper to arouse
patriotic sentiments and was in
favour of Extremism.
Brahmabandhab Upadhyay
through his Sandhya and yugantar
(brought out by a group associated
with Barindrakumar Ghosh)
popularised swaraj and the
Swadeshi Movement.
Jogendrachandra set up an
association in March 1904 to raise
funds to facilitate students to go
abroad for technical and industrial
training.
Manindra Nandi, a zamindar from
Kasimbazaar, patronised several
indigenous industries.
Kalisankar Sukul brought out
several pamphlets on Swadeshi
Movement and argued that a new
kind of business class should be built
to promote national interests.
Sunder LaI, a student from UP,
was drawn towards terrorism.
Kunwarji Mehta and Kalyanji
Mehta began Ie organisational
work through the Patidpr Yuvak
Mandai.
Lala Harkishan Lal promoted
Swadeshi Movement in punjab
through the Brahmo-leaning group
which began he Tribune
newspaper. He also founded the
Punjab National Bank.
Muhammed Shafi and Fazal-i-
Husain were leaders of a Muslim
group in Punjab involved in
constructive swadeshi, rather than
boycott.
V. Krishnaswami Iyer headed the
‘Mylapore’ group n the Madras
Presidency.
G. Subramaniya Iyer, T.
Prakasam and M. Krishna Rao
were other leaders in the south but
were opposed to V.K. Iyer.
Prakasam and Krishna Rao
started Kistnapatrika in Masuli-
patnam in 1904.
Subramaniya Bharati, a member
of Tamilian revolutionary group and
an eminent poet, played a significant
role in arousing nationalism in the
Tamil areas.
Prabhatkusum Roy Chaudhuri,
Athanasuis  Apurba­Kumar
Ghosh were lawyers who helped
in organising labour; Premtosh
Bose was another pioneer labour
leader.
Hemachandra Kanungo was one
of  the  first  revolut­ionary  leaders,
and after his return from Paris (he
had gone there to get military
training), a combined bomb factory
and religious school was set up in
Calcutta.
Khudiram Bose and Prafulla
Chaki, two revolutionaries,
murdered Kennedy on April 30,
1908.
Pulin Das organised the Deccan
Anushilan, with the Barrah dacoity
as its first major venture.
Madan Mohan Malaviya and
Motilal Nehru were in favour of
cooperation with provincial
governments and non-political
Swadeshi Movement.
Sachindranath Sanyal emerged as
a revolutionary leader in Benaras
through contacts with Mokhoda-
charan Samadhyay (the editor of
sandhya after the death of
Brahmabandhab)
The Savarkar brothers founded the
Mitra Mela in 1899 and were
directly involved in extremism in
Maharasthra.
Dinshaw Wacha persuaded mill-
owners in Maharashtra to sell dhotis
at moderate prices.
NON-COOPERATION
MOVEMENT
M.K Gandhi issued a manifesto in
March 1920, announcing his
doctrine of non-violent Non-
Co-operation Movement. He was
the main force behind the movement
and urged the people to adopt
swadeshi principles and habits
including hand spinning, weaving
and work for removal of
untouchability. He addressed lakhs
of people during his nation-wide
tour in 1921. He suspended the
movement after an outburst of
violence at Chauri Chaura in UP in
February 1922.
C. R. Das moved the main
resolution on non-cooperation in the
annual session of the Congress in
Nagpur 1 1920 and played a major
role in promoting the movement. A
successful lawyer, he boycotted the
law courts and gave up a lucrative
practice. His three subordinates and
supporters, Birendranath Samsal
in Midnapore, J. M. Sengupta in
Chittagong and Subhash Bose in
Calcutta played a major role in
uniting the Hindus and Muslims.
Jawaharlal Nehru carried on the
non-cooperation propaganda and
encouraged the formation of kisan
sabhas to take up the cause of the
peasants exploited by government
policies. He was against Gandhi’s
decision to withdraw the movement.
J. M. Sengupta, a Bengali
nationalist leader, supported the
labourers on tea plantations in
Assam in their protests and strike.
Basanti Debi, wife of C.R. Das,
was one of the first women
volunteers to court arrest in 1921.
Birendranath Samsal organised
the anti-union board agitation in the
Contai and Tamluk sub-divisions of
Midnapore. In November-
December 1921, Samsal initiated a
no-tax movement among the
Mahishya substantial tenantry of
Midnapore.
]itendralal Banerji organised the
peasants in 1921-22 to resist
settlement operations in Bogra,
Pabna and Birbhum.
Subhash Chandra Bose suppor-
ted the movement and resigned
from the civil service. He was
appointed the principal of the
National College in Calcutta.
Ali brothers (Shaukat Ali and
Muhammed Ali) who were the
foremost Khilafat leaders
vehemently sup­ported Gandhi in his
nation-wide tour to spread the
movement. At the All India Khilafat
Conference, Muhammed Ali
declared that ‘it was religiously
un­lawful  for  the  Muslims  to
continue in the British Army’. The
Ali brothers were arrested later.
Motilal Nehru renounced his legal
practice  in  re­sponse  to  the  non­
cooperation call by Gandhi. He was
arrested in 1921. Other notable
lawyers who gave up their practice
included M.R. ]ayakar, Saifuddin
Kitchlew, Vallabhbhai Patel, C.
Rajagopalachari, T. Prakasam
and Asaf Ali. Their sacrifice
inspired many others, who boycotted
government jobs and entered the
mainstream of freedom struggle.
Lala Lajpat Rai was initially not in
favour of the policy of non-
cooperation (he was against the
boycott of schools) but later he
supported the movement. In fact he
protested against its withdrawal in
1922.
Rajendra Prasad actively
supported the Gandhian movement
in Bihar.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel spread
the movement in Gujarat and
regarded non-cooperation as a
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feasible alternative to revolutionary
terrorism to fight against a colonial
government.
Motilal Tejawat organised the
Bhils and the Bhil movement
strengthened the non-co-operation
activities.
Alluri Sitaram Raju led the tribals
H
in Andhra and combined their
demands with those of the Non-
­Cooperation  Movement.
I
Hasrat Mohani, a Khilafat leader,
condemned the arrest of the Ali
brothers and demanded complete
S
independence.
Purushottamdas Thakurdas,
T
Jamnadas Dwarkadas, Cowasji
Jehangir, Phroze Sethna and
Setalvad, all of whom belonged to
O
the industrialist section, launched an
Anti-Non-Co-operation Association
in 1920.
R
Kunhammad Haji, Kalathingal
Mammad, Ali Musaliar, Sithi
Koya Thangal and Imbechi Koya
Y
Thangal acted as presidents of the
Khilafat Republics set up at a
number of places.
K. Madhavan Nair, U. Gopala
Menon, Yakub Hasan and P.
Moideen Koya were the Khilafat
leaders and supporters of the Non-
Cooperation Movement. They were
arrested in February 1921.
Muhammad Osman, another
Khilafat agitator, organised volunteer
groups and trade unions in Calcutta.
Swami Vishwanand (supported by
Ramjas Agarwala, a Marwari mine
owner) and Swami Darsananand
organised the coal miners of the
Raniganj-Jharia belt for the Non-
Co-operation Movement.
Kishan Singh and Mota Singh
called for no-revenue movements
and headed the ‘Babbar Akali’
group, which emerged as a dissident
of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhan-
dhak Committee, in 1921 in Jullundur
and Hoshiarpur.
Jairamadas Daulatram was a
227
 close associate of Gandhi and
promoted the Non-Cooperation
Movement.
Swami Govindanand, a supporter
of Gandhi, was jailed for five years
on charges of sedition in May 1921.
H He later became a critic of the
Congress.
S. A. Dange, RS. Nimbkar, V.D.
I Sathaye, RV. Nadkarni, S.V.
Deshpande and K.N. Joglekar
were members of a radical student
S group and promoted the movement
although they were not in line with
Gandhi’s views. They were
T influenced by R. B. Lotwalla, a
millionaire with a socialist leaning.
Dange, in April 1921, wrote Gandhi
O Versuss Lenin and was in favour
of swaraj which would nationalise
factories and distrib­ute zamindari
R land among farmers.
Thiru Vika supported the labour
uprising and strike at the
Y Buckingham and Carnatic textile
mills from July to October 1921.
Singaravelu Chettiar was a
lawyer and labour organiser in
Madras and played a significant role
in merging the labour and freedom
movements. He was the first
communist in south India and was
il1 favour of using non-violent non-
co-operation against ‘capitalistic
autocracy’.
Konda Venkatappaya, A.
Kaleswara Rao, T. Prakasam
and Pattabhi Sitaramaya led the
Non-Cooperation Movement in the
Andhra delta region.
Duggirala Gopalakrishnayya
inspired the inhabitants of the small
town of Chirala-Parala in Guntur
district to resist the Government’s
plan to make the town a municipality
and the hike in local taxes.
N.C. Bardaloi, an Assam Congress
leader, favoured non-cooperation
but was against strikes in plantations,
as he himself was a planter.
‘Assam Kesari’ Ambikagiri Roy
Chaudhuri’s poetry had a profound
impact on the Assamese and helped
228 Prelims Magic 2014
in arousing nationalist spirit in them.
Muzaffar Ahmad formed the
pioneer communist group in
Calcutta. He was influenced by
M.N. Roy and Nalini Gupta.
Someshwarprasad Chaudhuri, a
student in Calcutta, organised the
peasants protesting against indigo
cultivation on the Rajshaski-Nadia
and Pabna­Murshidabad border.
Purushottamdas Tandon,
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi,
Gcivind Ballabh Pant and Lal
Bahadur Shastri began their
political careers in 1920-21, with the
onset of the Non-Co-operation
Movement.
Premchand, a well-known novelist,
resigned his post in a Gorakhpur
government school in February
1921 and started contributing to the
journal Aaj. His novels Premasha-
ram, Rangabhumi etc reflect
Gandhian principles and values and
endorse non-cooperation as an
effective weapon to gain freedom.
Baba Ramchandra organised
peasants’ revolt in south and south-
east Awadh and helped merge the
peasants’ revolt with the Non-
Cooperation Movement. He was
arrested in February 1921.
A. Shah Nairn Ata announced
himself ‘King of Salon’ and initiated
no-taxes movement.
M.N. Roy, a communist leader,
was the editor of the communist
journal Vanguard. He condemned
the sessions court’s sentence to
death to 172 of the 225 accused in
the Chauri Chaura incident (later, 19
were hanged and the rest
transported) as against 22
policemen killed.
Bhagwan Ahir, an army pensioner
in Gorakhpur village, was beaten up
by the British police. The incident
flared up nationalist sentiments in
the village, which then led to the
killing of 22 policemen in
Chauri­Chama, by the peasants.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
MOVEMENT
M.K. Gandhi formally launched
the Civil Disobedience Movement
on April 6, 1930 by picking a handful
of salt after the completion of
historic ‘Dandi March’ from
Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, thus
breaking the salt law imposed by the
Government. He was the major
force behind the movement and
inspired grass- root participation in
the freedom struggle.
C. Rajagopalachari led a salt
march from Trichinopoly to
Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast
in Tamilnadu in support of the Civil
Disobedience Movement. He was
arrested on April 30, 1930.
K. Kelappan, a Nair Congress
leader, launched the Vaikom
Satyagraha and marched from
Calicut to Payanneer in defiance of
salt laws.
Jawaharlal Nehru Was actively
involved in the move­ment and was
arrested on April 17,1930 for
defiance of the salt law. He
formulated a radical agrarian
programme and. suggested
formation of the Constituent
Assembly as the prime political
slogan.
P. Krishna Pillai defined the
national flag and resisted lathicharge
on the Calicut beach on November
11, 1930. He later founded the
Kerala Communist Movement.
Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan formed
a clan of non­violent revolutionaries,
the Khudai Khidmatgars (known as
Red Shirts), who played an active
role in the movement.
Sarojini Naidu, the first Indian
woman to become the president of
the Congress, was involved in a
march towards the Dharsana ‘Salt’
Works, a government salt depot.
‘Other leaders who participated in
this total Non-violent affair were
Imam Saheb, Gandhi’s comrade of
the South African struggle, and
Manilal, Gandhi’s son.
Surya Sen’s Chittagong Revolt
Group carried out a raid on two
armouries and declared the
establishment of a provisional
government. He issued a manifesto
in the name of Indian Republican
Army and called on the Indians to
revolt against the British rule.
Abbas Tayabji, a leader of the
nationalist Muslims in Bombay, took
the place of Gandhi in the
movement after the latter’s arrest.
However, he too was arrested by
the Government.
Ambalal Sarabhai and
Kasturbhai Lakhai gave their
cooperation to Motilal Nehru in
removing the barriers between the
Congress and the Bombay mill-
owners and industrialists.
Industrialists such as G.D.Birla
(who donated from one to five lakh
rupees), Jamnala Bajaj (who
served as the AICC treasurer for
several years and represented
Gandhian leadership in Bombay),
Homi Modi Walchand
Hirachand, Lalji Naranji,
Purushottamdas, Thakurdas,
Lala Sri Ram etc supported the
movement in its first phase. Homi
Modi, in his presidential speech to
Bombay Mill-owners, Association in
March 1931 said that though the
Swadeshi Movement had helped the
Indian industry, Naranji and
Thakurdas, who had remined
indifferent to the nationalist struggle
in 1921, demanded Indian control
over finance, currency, fiscal policy
and railways. However, from
September 1930, there was a sharp
decline in support from the
industrialists and traders; with the
prominent businessmen having
differences of opinion with the
Congress.
Chandraprabha Saikiani
instigated the aboriginal Kachari
villagers in Assam to break forest
laws.
Subhash Bose and J.M.
Sengupta led the faction group in
Bengal Congress and set up rival
organisations to conduct civil
disobedience. Bose criticised
Gandhi, when the latter suspended
the movement in May 1933. He was
supported by Vithalbhai Patel.
Bonga Majhi and Somra Majhi
led the movement in Hazaribagh
along the sanskritising lines with the
Congress.
Kalka Pnsad, a local leader in Rai
Bareilly, promoted the no-rent
campaign.
Santi and Suniti Chaudhari
assassinated the district magistrate
of Tippera, Stevens. Their action
marked the entry of women in the
revolutionary movement.
Seth Achal Singh, a nationalist
landlord, financed the Gram Seva
Sangh in Agra and remained
indifferent to riots in the area, while
strictly following the policy of non-
violence .
Sheikh Abdullah, a Muslim
graduate, started an agitation and
attacked the Srinagar jail on July
31,1931 where 21 persons were
kiIled in police firing. He also
developed close contacts with a
group of anti-auto-cratic Jammu
Hindus led by P.N. Bazaz.
Mohammed Yasin Khan, a
Muslim leader in Punjab, organised
the Meos (semi-tribal peasant
community with leanings towards
Islam) to protest against Ma­haraja
Jaisingh Sawai’s hike in revenue,
begar, and· reservation of forests
for the purpose of hunting.
K.M. Ashraf, who became India’s
first  Marxist  histo­rian,  was
associated with the movement.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya,
who was an up­holder of Gandhian
policies since 1920’s, began to drift
away with the launch of Harijan
campaign by Gandhi. He started a
breakaway Congress Nationalist
Party.
Satyamurthy, Bhulabhai Desai,
M.A. Ansari and B.C. Roy
Prelims Magic 2014
demanded a return to electoral
politics by way of a revived
Swarajya Party.
Jayaprakash Narayan, Achhut
Patwardhan, Yusuf Mehr.aU;
A.shok Melita and Minoo
Masani wanted the Congress to
have affinity with left-wing. H
Sampurf\anand formulated ‘A
Tentative Socialist Programme’ for
India and a Congress Socialist Party I
.was started in 1934, which was
supported by Narendra Dev.
K.F. Nariman and Yusuf Meher
S
Ali led the Congress youth wing and
later emerged as socialist leaders.
Swami Govindanand led the
T
movement in Karachi and Sindh.
N.V. Gadgil with his socialist
O
leanings lent support to a temple
entry movement in 1929 and
established friendly ties with the R
non-brahmin Satyashodhak Samaj
(represented by Keshavrao Jedhe
of Poona). Y
B.R. Ambedkar, who was the
leader of the untouch­able Mahars,
attended the Round Table
Conference in 1930. However, the
Congress failed to win over the
political agitation of .the Mahars.
Gopabandhu Chaudhuri popula-
rised the movement in Orissa and
led the salt satyagraha in the coastal
areas of Balasore, Cuttack and Puri
districts.
Tarunaram Phookan and N. C.
Bardoloi, two promi­nent Congress
leaders, were against the movement
in Assam. They refused to take up
forest satyagraha officially.
Jadunandan Sharma activated the
Kisan  Sabha  Move­ment  in  Gaya
district of Bihar.
Duggirala Balaramakrishnaya of
the Krishna district initiated a no-
revenue campaign in 1931 in coastal
Andhra. He also wrote a Telugu
ballad Gandhi Gita which aroused
patriotic sentiments.
N.V. Rama Naidu and N.G. Ranga
229
 organised a forest satyagraha in
Venkatagiri estate in Nellore in
1931.
A.K. Gopalan, a school teacher,
was a popular activist at Guruvayoor
in Kerala and later became Kerala’s
H most popular communist peasant
leader.
Mannu Gond and Chaitu Koiku
I offered forest satyagraha in Betul
in Central Provinces.
­Maulana  Bhasani, organised a
S large praja sammelan at Sirajgunj
and demanded abolition of
zamindari and reduction in debts.
T B.T. Ranadeve and S.V.
Deshpande in Bombay and Abdul
O Halim, Somnath Lahiri and
Ranen Sen in Calcutta were the
young communist militants who
R organised several labour strikes.
V.B. Karnik, Maniben Kara,
Rajani Mukherji and Niharendu
Y Dutta were other leaders who
started trade union activities.
M.N. Roy and his followers
popularised socialist ideas in the
villages and a no-tax campaign was
started in Awadh.
QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT
M.K. Gandhi planned an all-out
campaign to compel British
withdrawal from India, after the
failure of the Cripps Mission to
reach a compromise. At the historic
August meeting at Gowalia Tank in
Bombay, Gandhi proclaimed his
mantra-’do or die’. He was
arrested on August 9, 1942. He
undertook a 21-day fast in February
1943 to protest against the
Government actions against Indians
involved in the movement.
Jayaprakash Narayan was a
member of the Congress Socialist
group and played a prominent role
in the movement.
Ram Manohar Lohia, Aruna
Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kripalani,
Chhotubhai Puranik, Biju
Patnaik, R. P. Goenka and
Achyut Patwardhan were leaders
associated with the underground
230 Prelims Magic 2014
movement and revolutionary
activities in support of Quit India
Movement.
Chittu Pande, who called himself
a Gandhian, formed a parallel
government and captured all the ten
police stations in Ballia, in east UP
in August 1942.
Usha Mehta actively supported the
movement and was an important
member of a small group which ran
the Congress Radio.
Jawaharlal Nehru initially
supported the arch Moderates, who
were opposed to Gandhi’s plan, but
later, he moved the Quit India
Resolution on August 8,1942.
Sumati Morarjee helped Achyut
Patwardhan, in his underground
activities. She later became India’s
leading woman industrialist.
Rashbehari Bose, a revolutionary
activist, was elected the president
of the Indian Independence League
(formed in March 1942) in June
1942. He was living in Japan since
1915 as a fugitive. He mobilized
lndian soldiers taken as prisoners of
war by the Japanese forces (after
the British was defeated in South
East Asia) for an armed rebellion
against the British colonial rule.
Captain Mohan Singh, an Indian
soldier fighting on behalf of the
British was taken as prisoner of
war by the Japanese. He was
persuaded by a Japanese army
officer to work with the Japanese
for India’s freedom. He was
appointed the commander of the
Indian National Army.
Subhash Chandra Bose joined
the Indian Nanonal Army in 1943.
One of his most famous declarations
was “Tum mujhe khoon do mai
tumhe azadi doonga” (You give
me blood, I will give you freedom).
The INA played a significant role
in the independence struggle under
the leadership of Subhash Bose.
C. Rajagopalachari and Bhula-
bhai Desai were the arch-
Moderates, who were in favour of
recognizing the rights of Muslim
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
With reference to Indian freedom
struggle, Usha Mehta is well-
known for
(a) Running the secret Congress
Radio in the wake of Quit India
Movement
(b) Participating in the Second
Round Table Conference
(c) Leading a continent of Indian
National Army
(d) Assisting in the formation of
Interim Government under Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2011)
majority provinces to secede through
plebiscites after independence had
been gained.· They resigned from
the AICC in July 1942.
K.G. Mashruwalla brought out two
militant issues of . Harijan (after
the arrest of Mahadev Desai) to
arouse the sentiments of people.
K.T. Bhashyam, a Congress leader
in Bangalore, played an active role
in the trade union field and·
organised strikes by about 30,000
workers.
Satish Samanta, a local Congress
leader and the first sarbadhinayak
of the Tamluk Jatiya Sarkar, helped
in establishing a rebel ‘national
government’ in Tamluk sub-division
of Midnapore.
Matangini Hazra, a 73-year-old
peasant widow in Tamluk, was killed
in violence on September 29,1942,
when the Sutahata police-station
was captured. Matangini kept the
national flag aloft even after being
shot.
Lakshman Naik, an illiterate
villager, led a large tribal population
from Koraput to protest against the
JeyPore zamindari and attack
police-stations. Lakshman Naik was
hanged on November 16, 1942 for
allegedly murdering a forest guard.
Nana Patil headed a rebellion in
Satara.

26 2 Marks Questions from Previous Mains’ Papers
Write about the following
(About 20 words each) 2 Marks
each
A. O. Hume: He was a retired civil
servant of British India who
organised the Indian National
Congress in 1885 and worked as its
secretary for sometime.
Acharya Nirmalya: A great
contributor to Bengal cinema and
literature. He wrote an essay
“Chalchitra Pratham Sutre” about
the starting phase of cinema.
Achhut Patwardhan: He was one
of the founders of Congress
Socialist Party in 1934. He was a
famous socialist thinker and
companion of J. P. Narayan.
Age of Sangam Literature:
During the time of third century
B.C. to first century B.C. Tamil
literature flourished to give a classic
age of literature in South India. It
was during and among the ruling of
the dynasties, namely, Cholas and
Pandyas.
Ahmadiya Movement: Mirza
Gulam-Ahmad was the founder of
this movement in the Punjab in 1889
to save Islam from attacks by
Christian missionaries and Hindu
revivalists.
AI-Hilal: A newspaper started by
Abul Kalam Azad in 1912 to spread
his socialist thoughts and national
spirit among people.
Ajivikas : Established in nearly 6th
century B. C. by Maskari Gosal. It
was a community that believed in
determination and did not believe in
existence of God.
Ali Brothers: Muhammad Ali and
Shaukat Ali. They played a great
role in Khilafat Movement. They
ware supporters of Hindu-Muslim
unity. Joined non-cooperation
movement.
Ali Sardar Jafri : He was an Urdu
poet and received famous Jnanpith
Award. He took part in freedom
struggle and was a famous person
of literature, He contributed to
highlight the cause of the oppressed
class and realities of life through his
works.
Allasani Peddana: Allasani
Peddana (15th and 16th centuries
CE) was a famous Telugu poet and
was ranked as the foremost of the
Astadiggajalu the title for the group
of eight poets in the court of King
Krishnadevaraya, a ruler of the
Vijayanagar Empire.
Alluri Sitaramaraju:
organised an armed force of
He
depressed classes and led the
Rampa revolt. He was killed in
1924. He worked for development
of this section of society.
Amir Khusro: A famous poet and
musician of Sultanate period who
lived in the court of six Sult He
wrote in Urdu, Farsi and Arabi
languages.
Anandmath :A famous novel by
Bankim Chandra Chattergee. It is
related to the Sanyasi uprising of
Bengal. It inspired national
movement creating spirit among
masses.
Arthasastra: A famous work by
Kautilya or ‘Chanakya’ the Prime
Minister of Chandragupta Maurya.
It deals with Political principles and
policies.
Aruna Roy: Her name is related
to the Right to Information Act.
She received the Magsaysay
Award. Her contribution in public
life is notable in RTI development.
Aryabhatta: A famous astronomist
and mathematician of the Gupta
period. He wrote ‘Surya Siddhanta’
and Aryabhattiyam. He first
propagated that the earth rotates on
its axis.
Ashtadhyayi of Panini: It is a book
Prelims Magic 2014
of grammar written by Panini. This
book contains eight (Asta) chapters
(Adhyaya) of Sanskrit Grammar.
Panini was from Gandhara. The
book also narrates contemporary
social, political, economic and
cultural account.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Annie Besant was
H
1. responsible for starting the
Home Rule Movement
2. the founder of the Theosophical
I
Society
3. once the President of the Indian
National Congress
S
Select the correct statement/
statements using the codes given
below.
T
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
O
August Declaration, 1917:
Montagu declared on 20 August,
1917 that the government wanted
R
to increase participation of Indians
in administration and develop self-
government and progressive
Y
responsible government as an
integral part of the British empire.
August Offer, 1940: To get
cooperation of Indian people in the
second world war, the Viceroy,
Linlithgow announced the August
offer with dominion status,
expansion of Viceroy’s executive
Council and setting up of a
constituent assembly for India.
Baba Ram Chandra: A leader of
peasants who organised them to
revolt. He led peasant revolts in
Uttar Pradesh, during the freedom
movement.
Baisakhi: This is a regional festival
of Sikhs celebrated on the time of
wheat harvesting in Punjab.
Balwant Gargi: For his play “Rang
Manch”, he received the highest
literary award of the Sahitya
Akademi. He is a Punjabi dramatist
and short story writer.
Banabhatta: He was the court
poet of Harshavardhan. ‘Harsha-
charita’ and ‘Kadambari’ are main
compositions of Banabhatta.
231
 Bandi Jiwan: Sachindranath
Sanyal, a revolutionist martyr, wrote
about his Kalapani punishment days
in his book Bandi Jiwan.
Bardoli: Situated in Surat district
of Gujarat, this place is associated
H with “Bardoli Satyagraha” which
gave Vallabhbhai Patel, title of
“Sardar”. It was Bardoli, from
I where  the  non­cooperation
movement was to be started on
February 5, 1922.
S Bhagawati Sutra: It is a Jaina
religion’s holy text. It contains details
about Mahavira, the founder of
T Jainism
Bhakti: It is a form of worship in
Hinduism. Along with Gyana
O (Knowledge), Karma (Action),
Bhakti (Devotion and Prayer) is one
of the way to Moksha. It is to
R devote oneself to the deity and to
worship god. 15th century A.D. is
the time when Bhakti was at its
Y peak.
Bharat Dharma Mahamandal:It
was an organisation of orthodox
Hindus, established by Pt. Dindayal
Sharma in 1890 in Punjab with All
India Mission.
Bhartendu Harish Chandra:A
famous nationalist Hindi poet who
provoked the spirit of nationalism
through his poems among masses.
“Bharat Durdasha” is a famous
book by him.
Bhawani Mandir: A journal
published by Brindra Kumar Ghosh
in 1905. It planned out revolutionary
activities in India.
Bhulabhai Desai: Bhulabhai Desai
(1877-1946): Served as the
Advocate General of Bombay.
Established “Swadeshi Sabha”.
Negotiated the Desai-Liaqat Pact
in 1944 to solve the Indian
Constitutional deadlocks. Defended
the INA prisoners in 1945.
Birsa Munda: He led the Mundas
a tribe in movement in 1899-1900,
in south of Ranchi and assumed the
title of “Bhagwan”. He was
captured and imprisoned.
232 Prelims Magic 2014
Bismillah Khan : He is a famous
‘Shehnai’ player. He is awarded
Bharat Ratna Award for his
contribution to Indian music.
Bodhisattva: A person who attains
nirvana by working for the welfare
of the world and voluntarily
postpones release from rebirth; also
regarded as an incarnation of the
Buddha, prior to his own birth in the
world.
Brahmagupta: Born in Ujjain, a
famous Indian mathematician of 7th
century who gave ‘Brahma
Siddhanta”.
Brihadcshwara Temple,
Tanjore: The Brihadishwara
Temple, also known as
Rajarajeswaram, at Thanjavur is a
brilliant example of the major
heights achieved by Cholas in
temple architecture. The temple is
part of the UNESCO World
Heritage Site “Great Living Chola
Temples”.
Butler Committee Report:The
Committee was set up in 1927 to
report about the extent of
Sovereignty and paramountcy but
the report left it still undefined.
C. F. Andrews: Popularly known
as ‘Dinabandhu’ for his noble acts
for Indi He settled in India, worked
with Gandhi for India’s freedom.
C. Rajagopalachari:He proposed
c.R. formula in 1944. He was the
last Governor General of India and
the first Indian at this post. His
contribution in freedom struggle
was very important.
C. Y. Chintamani: One of the
leaders of Congress who
participated in Round Table
Conference - 1931 in Britain.
Calcutta Madrasa: To study
teachings of Muslim law and related
subjects, Warren Hastings set up it
in 1781 in Calcutta.
Canjeevaram Natarajan Anna-
durai: He founded Dravida
Kabzagam (federation) in 1944.
Later in 1949, he founded Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam and became
Chief Minister of Madras.
Chaitya : They are Buddha
temples. There is a big hall with
many pillars, sometimes with
engraved stones. Chaitya of
Maurya period were made of wood.
Chamber of Princes : It was a
group of Indian Princes formed
under the Montford reforms in India.
It acted as an advisory body in India.
Champaran Satyagraha : First
Satyagraha of Gandhi in India in
1917. It was against Tin Kathiya
system. It was the first victory of
Gandhi’s Disobedience movement.
Charvakas: A totally materialistic
philosophy. It does not accept even
the existence of God. It believes
neither in Karma nor in Dharma. It
was established by Charvaka Rishi,
it is also known as Lokayata
Philosophy.
Chauri Chaura:In February 1922,
a mob fired a police station in this
village and killed some policemen
due to which Gandhi withdraw the
Non-cooperation movement.
Chauth and Sardeshmukhi:
Chauth means claim to one-fourth
of the government’s share of
revenue. Sardeshmukhi means
claim to one-tenth of the
government’s share of revenue,
based on status.
Chishti Silsila:The Chishti Silsila
was of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz
Ajmeri. He was a Sufi of Great
Stature and is revered by both
Hindus and Muslims. In sufi
terminology, silsila means one’s
spiritual genealogy from one’s
spiritual guide (sheikh/ murshid) to
the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(sallalahu alaihi wasallam).
Chola architecture:This art
developed in 10th and 11th centuries.
Architectural style is ‘Dravida’.
Brihadeshwar and Vijayalaya
Choleshwar are magnificent
examples.
Christ Evert: A woman tennis
player who won total eight grand
slams. She recently announced her
retirement from the game.
Communal Award:It was
announced by the British Prime
Minister, Ramsay McDonald in
August 1932. This entitled to
separate electorates even for
depressed classes along with the
Muslims, Sikhs and Christians.
D. K. Karve:A social reformer
strongly advocated widow-
remarriage and himself married a
widow. He established a Widow
Home in Poona and Indian Women
University in 1916 in Bombay.
Daml- Uloom:An anti-British
Islamic Seminary founded by M. Q.
Nanawatawi and R. A. Gangohi in
1867.
Dandi March: Gandhiji held it from
Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi with his
78 companions on 12th March, 1930.
It started the Civil Disobedience
Movement by breaking the salt law.
Dandi: A coastal village from
where the civil disobedience
movement was started and salt law
was violated by Gandhi through the
famous ‘Dandi March’. March
covered a distance of nearly 375 km
from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi.
Dharma Sabha: Dharma Sabha
was established in 1830 by Radha
Kant Dev aimed at the revival of
ancient Hindu religion.
Divide et impera: It-means Divide
and Rule. The policy first
implemented by Lord Dalhousie in
India and then continued till India’s
independence.
Dr. J.C. Daniel:Father of
Malayalam cinema. He brought
cinema to Kerala. He had produced
“Vigathakumaran”, first film in
Kerala. He himself scripted and
directed it.
Dr. Jayant Narlikar:He is a
distinguished astrophysicist and
cosmologist of India. He is
conferred with the Padma
Vibhushan Award. He set up
IUCAA in Pune in 1988.
Dr. Nivedita Bhasin: She was
disciple of Swami Vivekananda.
This lady from Ireland was the first
western country woman to get entry
into ‘Matha’.
Education Despatch of 1854:
Under the chairmanship of Sir
Charles Wood, this committee on
education was sent to India in 1954.
Also known ‘Magnaearta’ of Indian
education.
Epsom: It is a famous horse race
in Britain, popular for measures of
Horse-riding art.
Fort William College:This was
established by Lord William in 1800
in Calcutta, for the spread of
English education among Indians.
Gandhara Art:Gandhara art
developed in 1st and 2nd century
B.C. in Gandhara region due to
confluence of Indian and Greek art.
It is mainly related to idol makillg.
This architectural art is one of the
most beautiful in India.
Gandhara school of art:It is an
architectural style known as Indo-
Greek style also, it was developed
in the first and second century A.D.
Gangaikonda – Cholapuram:
Founded by Rajendra Chola as his
capital city in Tamilnadu to
memorise his victory over north
India.
Garry Kasparov: He is the no. 1
player of chess in the world. This
Russian Grand Master has won
chess oscars.
Ghadar Party: Main leader of
Ghadar party was Lala Hardayal.
Based on the journal “The Ghadar”,
it had headquarters at San
Francisco. It was a revolutionary
organisation for Indian liberation.
Gharanas. Gwalior Gharana Agra
Gharana Kirana Gharana Patiyala
Gharana
Ghulam-giri: It is a book written
by Jyotiba Phule. It condemns
castism in India and exposes
problems of the depressed classes.
Golkonda Fort: Golkonda a ruined
city of south-central India and
Prelims Magic 2014
capital of ancient Kingdom of
Golkonda (1364-1512), is situated
west of Hyderabad. Golkonda
consists of four distinct forts with a
10 km long outer wall.
Gopi Kishna: He was an artist and
dancer. He produced a film “Zanak
Zanak Payal Baze” and performed
in it.
H
Gopuram:It is entrance gate in
Dravida style south Indian temples
I
with magnificent stone carvings.
Chola Gopurams are most beautiful
examples. S
Granth Sahib”:After the tenth
Guru Govind Singh, “Guru Granth
Sahib” is considered as the Guru of
T
Sikhs. It is a collection of all holy
compositions of Sikhism. O
Har Dayal: He was the editor and
founder of the ‘Gadar’ newspaper
and later on ‘Gadar Party’. It was R
a revolutionary group in San
Francisco working for India
freedom. Y
Haripura : Haripura is a village near
Bombay where the 1938 session of
congress was held and Subhash
Chandra Bose was elected
President.
Henry Cotton:Author of ‘New
India’. He was the President of
1904 session of Congress held in
Bombay. He was a retired civil
servant.
Hunter Commission:To review
the progress of education in the
country since the despatch of 1854,
the Government appointed a
commission in 1882 under the
chairmanship of W.W. Hunter.
Ilbert Bill: It was a bill which
seeked to eliminate judicial
inequalities based on caste and
race. First time it gave some power
to Indian judges as to the European.
It never came into force.
Ilbert Bill: It was passed to give
the Indian District and Sessions
Judges, the same jurisdiction as the
European judges. But due to British
opposition, it was changed.
233
 Indian Association for the
Cultivation of Science: This is an
association established in the first
quarter of 20 th century for
development of Science in India.
Indian States Commission:It
H was also known as State
Reorganisation Commission. It was
set up under the chairmanship of
Fazal Ali after independence. It
I recommended formation of states
on the basis of language.
S Indu Lal Yajnik: He was one of
the founder of All India Kishan
Sabha in 1936. He was a famous
T peasant leader of Gujarat.
“The Insider”:It is a novel
published by former Indian Prime
O Minister, Mr. P. V. Narsimha Rao
in 1998. It is controversial book
which follows a man’s rise through
R the ranks of Indian politics. It throws
light on political conditions during his
period.
Y J. Krishnamurthy: Jiddu Krishna-
murthy was an Indian philosopher
with international popularity and
reputation. He headed a new sect
“The order of the Star of the East”,
at 20 years of age.
Jadong: He was a naga tribal
freedom fighter. He worked for
social and religious upliftrnent of the
tribes. Executed in 1931.
Jadunath Sarkar: A famous
historian. He praised Shivaji in his
Maratha history. He explained
economics and political aspects of
Marathas.
Jagat Seth: A banket of Bengal
who conspired with British to help
them in deposing Siraj-ud-Daula in
the battle of Plassey.
James Wilson: He played a vital
role in the revival of Indian ancient
education in the time of Lord
Jamnalal Bajaj: Born in 1889 in
Jaipur state, he was appointed at the
post of Congress Treasures in 1920
and hold it life time. He returned the
title of ‘Rai Bahadur’ in 1921. He
established Satyagraha Ashram,
Gandhi Seva Sangh, Sasta Sahitya
Prakashan, etc.
234 Prelims Magic 2014
Jaydeva: A Sanskrit poet in 12th
century during the period of Bengal
ruler Lakshaman Sen. “Gita
Govindam” is his famous
composition.
Jyotirao Phule: Jyoti Rao Phule
founded ‘Satya Shodhak Samaj’ in
1873. Worked for eradication of
untouchability. He wrote “Gulam
Giri”. He led a movement against
Brahamanism.
Kalhana: Kalhana was a 12 th
century Kashmiri poet and historian.
He was the celebrated author of
‘Rajatarangini’. He wrote this book
during 1147-1149. He was in
Harsha’s court. He received help
in writing the book from his father
Champak who was the minister in
the kings court.
Kamladevi Chattopadhyay: In
1977, she was honoured with the
UNESCO award. She was founder
of All India Women’s Conference.
She played a great role in Indian
freedom struggle.
Keshab Chandra Sen: A social
and religious reformer who joined
Brahmo Samaj and later established
‘Bhartiya Brahmo Samaj’ in 1866.
He wrote ‘Young Bengal, This is for
You’.
Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan: Khan
Abdul Gaffar Khan (1890-1988):
Born in a village of Peshawar
district, joined the nationalist
movement. Founded the “Khudai
Khidmatgar” in 1929. Led Pathans
and was known as ‘frontier Gandhi’,
‘Badshah Khan’, ‘Fakhre-e-
Afghan’ etc. He was awarded the
Bharat Ratna in 1987.
Khayal: In Hindustani music
‘Khayal’ is very popular vocal style.
It has four main styles - called
Khudai Khidmatgar: Khan Abdul
Gafar Khan organised Pathans in
Kabul to form a group ‘Khudai
Khidmatgar’ for Indian freedom by
following’ Ashima’ in 1929.
Kulu School:It is a painting style
of which the main theme is ‘love’.
It is unique for its colour mixture,
linear beauty, etc.
Kumarsambhav: This is a Sanskrit
epic by Mahakavi Kalidasa in Gupta
period. The epic narrates story of
the birth of Kartikeya’ son of Lord
Shiva and Parvati.
Lakshmi Bai, Rani of Jhansi:
Her kingdom Jhansi was captured
by Lord Dalhousie by ‘Doctrine of
Lapse’. She assumed leadership at
Jhansi and fought in the revolt of
1857.
Lala Amarnath: He was the first
Indian test cricket captain, first to
score test century for India and tour
Australia in 1947-48. He died on 5
August, 2000.
Lala Hara Dayal: He set up the
Ghadar Party at San Francisco in
November 1913. He was also
allegedly involved in bombing of
Lord Hardinge II in 1906 in Delhi.
Lalit Kala Academy : It was
established in 1954 to promote
Indian Art in India and abroad
through research, exhibition,
programmes and publications.
Lingayats: Lingayats worship Lord
shiva in the form of ‘Linga.’ This
Veerashiva community was
founded by Basava. This is a form
of Shaivism.
Madhura Vijayam: Madhura
Vijayam (of 1350s) is related to
Kampana’s expedition. This was
against Madhura Sultanate in the
time of Bukka-I.
Mahayan Buddhism: Separated
from the fourth Buddhist Council, it
is related to changes adopted by
Buddhism, like adoption of Sanskrit
language, worship of the statue of
Lord Buddha and concept of
Bodhisatva.
Mahayana Cult: This is a cult of
Buddhism which regard ‘Buddha’
as the God. It came into existence
from the fourth Buddhist council in
first century.
Margaret Noble: She came under
the spell of Swami Vivekananda.
She came from Ireland to India to
serve the people of India. She was
given the name of ‘Nivedita’ as one
dedicated to God.
Megasthenes: Ambassador of
Seleucus Niketar in the court of
Chandra Gupta Maurya. He wrote
‘Indica’, which gives a vivid account
of Indian society of that time. But
he could not understand Indian
social system perfectly, so it is
defective.
Midnapur: After the Battle of
Plassey, to get Nawabship, Mir
Qasim gifted the Britishers with the
Zamindari of Midnapur along with
Burdwan and Chitta gong districts
of Bengal. In 1942, a Communal
Government was established here.
Mirza Haidar: Mirza Haider
became ruler of Kashmir in 1540.
He was relative of Humayun. Later
on, he was removed by a Hindu
ruler.
Mlechchhas: Mlechchhas were
tribes not believing in brahmanical
religion. They also not followed
Vedic religion. They were living out
of towns.
Mohammad Iqbal: Poet of “Sare
Jahan Se achha ..... “. He was
supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity but
towards end of his life he became
communalist and fundamentalist
Muslim and supported ‘Pakistan’.
Moplah Rebellion:A violent
movement of farmers in Kerala
during 19th century. It was targeted
towards Zamindars.
Muhammad Barkatullah:
Muhammad Barkatullah, a
revolutionary leader, was the first
Prime Minister of temporary
government of India formed in 1915
in Kabul by Mahendra Pratap
Singh.
Munda Movement:
Against farming revenue policy,
Birsa Munda led the tribe of South
Bihar, ‘Mundas’, in a revolt. This
was a local revolt in 1899-1900.
Nagarjunakonda: Situated in
Andhra Pradesh at present, it
derives its name from the great
Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna.
Here is also an ancient Buddha
stupa of Maurya age.
Narayan Guru: He was a famous
saint philosopher and social
reformer of Kerala in 12th century.
He tried to remove untouchability
and castism. He preached one
caste, one religion, one God
Natyasastra: It was written by
Bharat Muni. It covers aspects of
dance-drama. It is a book on
principles of art, in Sanskrit.
Nazir Hasan: Worked for Muslim
development in economic, social and
political fields with Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan in Aligarh movement.
Neo-art movement:European Art
influenced Indian painting style.
Avnindranath Tagore, Nandlal
Bose, etc. are associated with this
movement of paintings called Neo-
art movement.
Nil Darpan:Based on the Indigo
revolt, this is a play written by Din
Bandhu Mitra (1860). It exposed
British exploitation.
Nivedita: An Irish desciple of
Swami Vivekananda who joined
Ramkrishna Mission. She is known
as “Bhagini Nivedita”.
Nizamuddin Auliya: A famous Sufi
saint of Sultanate perod. He
popularised Sufi doctrines among
Hindus and Muslims. Amir Khusro
was his disciple.
Pandita Ramabai:Founder of
Poona Seva Sadan in 1904 to
educate women. She dedicated her
life to upliftment of women.
Pandurang Mahatmya:It is a holy
literary work by Sridhar. It is divided
into 10 Adhyayas and celebrating
the virtues of Pandharpur, probably
the greatest centre of pilgrimage in
Maharashtra.
Panini: He was a Sanskrit
grammarian from Gandhara, near
modern day Peshawar. His
grammar of Sanskrit consists of four
parts: Shiva Sutras (phonology),
Ashtadhyayi (means eight chapters)
(mor phology) , D ha tu pa tha ,
Ganapatha.
Pastoralism: Pastoralism is a form
of nomadic life, where people
Prelims Magic 2014
depend on cattle as their main
source of livelihood. They wonder
from one place to another in search
of fodder. Initial vedic period
belongs to pastoralism.
Pele: A world famous football
player of Brazil who is considered
all time best football player of the
world.
H
Perini Shivatandavam:The Perini
dance tradition was widely
prevalent in the courts of the kings
I
belonging to the Kakatiya dynasty.
Perini Sivatandavam, a dynamic
male-oriented dance was presented
S
by the Vijayawada Cultural
Academy at Sri Sivaramakrishna
Kshetram.
T
Poona Sarvajanik Sabha: It was
established by Mahadev Govind O
Rande in 1870, with the object of
promoting the political welfare and
advancing the interest of the people R
of this and other parts of the
country.
Poona Sarvajanik Sabha:
Y
Established in 1867 in Poona by
M.G. Ranade, Atmaram Pandurang
and others to act as a mediator
between the people and the
Government.
Prarthana Samaj: It was
established by Mahadev Govind
Ranade, KG. Bhandarkar and
others with the help of Keshav
Chandera Sen in 1863. It aimed at
abolition of castism, women
education, widow remarriage and
raising the age of marriage.
Prithviraj Rasa: Composed by
Chand Baradai, Prithviraj’s court
poet. It narrates life of Prithviraj-
III, of Chauhan Vansa who ruled
Ajmer and Delhi. It is an epic. It is
a source of information of the
Kshattriya community of northern
India.
Punnapra-Vayalar: A localised
peas on movement by small farmers
and artisans against the ambitious
Diwan C.P. Ramaswamy in
Travancore state in 1946-47.
Pupul Jaykar: Recently died
Jaykar was appointed Chairperson
235
 of Indian Council for Cultural
Relations in 1982. She popularised
the Bharat Mahotsava.
R. C. Dutt: The author of “the
history of economics” in British
India. He was an economist. He
H also played a role in explaining how
British exploited India economically
Raidas: A famous saint of
I Medieval Bhakti movement. He
belonged to lower caste. He was
desciple of Ramananda.
S Raidasa: He was a lower caste
saint of medieval age of Bhakti
Movement. He popularised ‘Bhakti’
T among lower untouchable castes.
Ram Manohar Lohia: A founder
O member of the Congress Socialist
Party and editor of its journal “The
Congress Socialist”. In free India,
R founded the Socialist Party.
Promoted the cause of Hindi as a
national language.
Y ‘Rama Sethu’: Rama’s Bridge or
Ram Setu also known as Adam’s
Bridge, is a chain of limestone
shoals, between the islands of
Mannar, near northwestern Sri
Lanka, and Rameswaram, off the
southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu,
India. Geological evidence indicates
that this bridge is a former land
connection between India and Sri
Lanka.
Ramanuja:A religious preacher of
Bhakti movement. He gave slogan
of ‘Brahma Satya, Jagat Satya’. He
preached ‘Visista-advaitavada’.
Rani Gaidinliu: A Naga woman
leader who led the Naga Movement
after ]adonang. She was arrested
and was released only after
independence. Mr. Nehru gave her
the title of “Queen of Nagas”.
Raznama: It is farsi translation of
the epic “Mahabharata”. It was
translated in time of Akbar by
Badayuni, Abul Fazal, Faizi, etc.
Rock cut Cave Architecture:
Started in Maucya period. It
continued till the starting of medieval
time. Chariot temples of Pallavas,
236 Prelims Magic 2014
Elora Kailash tel!lple, Dashvatara
temple, etc. are examples.
Rowlatt Act: This Act was passed
in 1919 which vested the
Government with powers to imprison
any Indian agitator. It came to be
known as ‘Black Act’.
Rudramadevi: A Kakatiya dynasty
lady ruler of Warrangal. She ruled
for more than three decades. She
was the first lady ruler of India.
S. Satyamurti: He was popularly
known as the “fire brand of South
India”.He participated in the Salt
Satyagraha, led the Civil
Disobedience Movement. He
finalised a project which was
renamed in his honour as
“Satyamurty Sagar”.
Sabarmati Ashram: Gandhi
established in Ahmedabad
‘Satyagraha Ashram’ which later
was shifted on the bank of the river
Sabarmati and came to be known
as ‘Sabarmati Ashram’.
Saifuddin Kitchlew: An associate
of Gandhiji in Satyagraha
movements. As a barrister he
defended Delhi and Meerut
Conspiracy cases. The first Indian
laureate to win the Stalin Peace Prize
in 1954.
Sajjad Zahir: A famous personality
of Urdu literature who also belonged
to social and religious reformation of
Muslims in 19th century.
Sangam Literature: Written in
Tamil, it was written between 500
to 200 BC. It is one of the ancient
and classic literature of the world.
Sarda Act: It was an act to prevent
child marriage which raised the
minimum age limit for marriage. It
came into force in 1928.
Sarda Sadan: Established in 1889
by Ramabai in Maharashtra, it was
a social organization fighting against
the evils of child marriage, dowry and
for promotion of widow remarriage
and women empowerment.
Sarnath Pillar : A pillar erected by
Ashoka as a holy mark of Buddha’s
first sermon. Our national emblem
is taken from the top of this pillar.
Sarojini Naidu: First lady to
preside over the Congress
(Kanpur-1925). She got the title of
“Nightingale of India” for her
beautiful English verses. First
Indian lady Governor of Uttar
Pradesh.
Sati : Sati was a socio-religious
evil practised among various Hindu
communities. Here a widow burns
herself along with the dead body
of her husband on the funeral pyre.
Satyagraha: It was a method
adopted by Gandhi to get justice. It
was adopted by him first in South
Africa. Satyagraha was the main
weapon through which he bring
freedom to India.
Satyashodhak Samaj:
Established by Jyotiba Phule in
1873. Main objectives were to
oppose casteism, advocate equality
and strongly protest against
Brahmin dominance in the society.
Sayyid Ahmad: Founder of Aligarh
Muslim University. He was a
famous educationist and social
reformer leader of Indian Muslims.
Seth Jamnalal Bajaj: A follower
of Gandhi occupied the position of
the treasurer of Congress and held
it throughout his life. Founded
‘Gandhi Seva Sangh’ and ‘Sasta
Sahitya Mandal’. He gifted a
village to Gandhiji who named it
‘Sevagram’.
Shashi Tharoor: India nominated
him as a candidate for UN
Secretary-General election. Later
he withdrew his candidature. He
was the first Indian to be nominated
for this post.
Shyamji Krishnavarma:He
constituted ‘The India Home Rule
Society’ in London in 1905 which
was known as ‘India House’ and it
published a monthly ‘Indian
Sociologist’.
Sir Thomas Roe: A
representative of King James I of
England. He was sent to India to
get permission for trade concession.
Sir William Jones: He established
Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784
in Calcutta to bring out prestigious
Indian heritage and culture.
Sohan Singh Bhakna: He founded
‘Hind Sangh’ in America in 1915.
He was also related with Gadar
Party and Kamagata Maru incident.
Steffi Graf: A world famous
German woman tennis player who
has won most number of Grand
Slams.
Subhash Gupte: He died recently.
This Indian leg spinner got fame by
taking nine wickets against West
Indies.
Surat:Located on Gujarat coast, it
was the place of first factory of
Britishers in India and associated
with Congress split in 1907.
Sutta Pitaka: This Buddhist text
contains all sermons delivered by
Buddha throughout his life in the
form of an epic.
T. Prakasam: He published the
daily ‘Swarajya’ and was known as
‘Andhra Kesari’. First Chief
Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Tabaqat-i-Nasiri:It was written by
Minhaj-us-Siraj in 1260, during the
early medieval period of DeIhl
Sultanate. In Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, he
starts with the account of earlier
prophets and ancestors of
Muhammad, leading to birth of
Islam.
Tantia Tope: A tribal soldier who
led the army of Nana Saheb in 1857
revolt in Maharashtra. He was
executed in 1859.
Tavernier:This French traveller
arrived in India during the reign of
Shahjahan. He wrote an account of
his time.
Tej Bahadur Sapru: Tej Bahadur
Sapru (1872-1949): Helped Mrs.
Besant to build the Central Hindu
College and to establish the Banaras
Hindu University in collaboration
with Malaviya. Associated in
drafting Nehru Committee Report
of 1928 and participated in the Vajrayana: A branch of Buddhism
Round Table Conference. which came into existence in
seventh century. It emphasised
The Jatiya Sarkar of Tamluk: It
meat, sex and wine. It also believed
was a parallel Government
in magic and charm. It gave a death
established by leaders in Tamluk
knell blow to Buddhism in India.
(Midnapur) during December 1942
to September 1944.
Theodore Beck : He was the
Veeresalingam P. K: A social
reformer and thinker who worked
in South India for widow-
H
Principal of Aligarh Muslim
remarriage, upliftment of women
University. He supported and
promoted Islamic Communalism in
India.
and opposed child marriage, blind
faith and orthodoxy. He established
I
“Hitkarini Trust”.
Theosophical Society of
India:Originally found in New York
Vijayanagara Art: Vijayanagar Art
is of Dravida style with chief
S
established its headquarters at
Adyar. Drawing inspirations from
Upanishads, it aimed at socio-
features of temples like ‘Girbha
Griha’, ‘Gopuram’ and newly
introduced’ Amman’ and
T
religious revival. Annie Besant was
one of its Presidents.
Tiger Woods:He is an American
‘Kalyanmandap’ were prominent.
W. W. Hunter: He was the O
chairman of Education Commission
golfer. When he won the British
open - 2000, he became the
youngest player to win the sport’s
for India constituted in 1882. His
findings and recommendations
developed Indian education.
R
all four grand slam, at his age of 24
years.
Town Planning in Indus Valley
Wahabi Movement: Founded by
Syed Ahmed of Rai Bareilly, this
Y
movement began in Rohilakhand to
Civilization: Town Planning gives
popularise the teachings of
impression of developed civil
Waliullah. It opposed the British.
engineering. Towns were well
planned, streets crossed at right William Jones : He established
angle. Surrounded by forts, towns ‘Asiatic Society of Bengal’ in 1784.
had two parts; upper and lower. This British Scholar genuinely
efforted for the study of ancient
Udham Singh:To take revenge for
Indian History and Culture.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, he shot
and killed Sir Michael O’ Dwyer in Yajnavalkya Smriti : It was
1940. He was executed in London written during the Gupta period. It
on 12 June 1940. throws light on various aspects of
Indian religion and society.
Upanishads: The last part of Vedic
Literature, also called “Vedantas”. Yaksha Gana:This religious drama
They are 108 in numbers, dealing involves bodily movements as the
with philosophical aspects to search main medium of expressions. It is a
“Gyana” (knowledge). typical folk form of drama. It is a
true people’s theatre. It is an
Vaikom Satyagraha: Vaikom
amalgam of the sky with the earth.
Satyagraha (1924 - 25) was a
It is an ancient form of art. It
satyagraha in Travancore, Kerala
includes song, dance and drama and
against untouchability in Hindu
is popular in Uttara, Malenadu and
society. The movement was
Dakshina Kannada districts of
centered at the Shiva temple at
Karnataka.
Vaikom, near Kottayam. The
Satyagraha aimed at securing
freedom of movement for all
sections of society through the
public roads leading to the Sri
ahadeva Temple at Vaikom.
Prelims Magic 2014 237
 27 Indian Culture
DANCE Gujarat: Manipur :
FOLK, TRIBAL AND  Bhavi, Garba, Dandiya Raas,  Ras Dances, Khamba Thoibi,
Tripani, Gomph, Zeriyun, Cheriya Pung, Cholan
H REGIONAL DANCES
Jammu & Kashmir:
Raas
Uttar Pradesh:
Andhra Pradesh :
 Ghanta, Mardala, Banjara
I  Rouf: by women during harvest,
 Hikat: expression of joy and
 Rass leela, Kajari, Jhora,
Nautanki, Chappeli. Karnataka :
love by boys and girls, Damali : by  Huttari, Suggi, Yakshagana,
S men in temple,
 Lhapas & Manipas: Ladakh,
Bihar:
 Jatra, Natua, Jijhiya, Barlanga
Dholu Kunitha
Dance, Karma, Kathaputli, Bakho, Tamil Nadu:
T  Dandi Nacha: bomboostic
dance,
Samachakya.
Madhya Pradesh:
 Kolattam,
Karagam, Kummi
Kavadiattam,

 Dhumai: by Wattal Tribe

O Punjab:
 Dagla, Ghera,
Orissa :
Kerala :
 Kudiyattam, Kaliyattam,
 Giddha: by women at harvest,
R  Bhangra: by both men &
women
 Dandanatta, Chhau, Yatra,
Ghumara, Bharat Leela, Dalkhai,
Kaikottikali, Ottam Tullal,
Mohiniattam Padayani
Chaitri Gorha, Jadur. Uttaranchal :
Y Rajasthan:
 Chakri serpent, Gangore, Ginad,
Maharashtra :  Jhumelia, Chaunfla, Harkia
Baul, Chholiya
 Katha, Tamasha, Lavani, Gafa,
Gopika Leela, Jhulan, Jhumar, Karku, Mauni, Dahikala, Lezim. Lakhsadweep :
Khayal, Susini.
Bengal :  Lava, Bhavada
Haryana:
 Kathi Dance, Baul dance, Tripura :
 Daph, Dhamal, Gugga, Gagor, Chhau, Brita
Jhumar, Koria, Loor, Phag.  Hajagiri
Himachal Pradesh: Assam :
Nagaland :
 Bhavi, Chharba, Dangi,Jadda,  Canoe Dance, Tabal Chongbi
(Holi), Satriya, Rakhal leela, Bihu,  Bamboo dance, Kabui
Jhainta, Kinnaur, Mahasu, Thoda,
Thali. Khela, Gopala, Jata Jatin.

CLASSICAL DANCES
Classical Dances States Exponents Related Styles
Oddissi Orissa Kelucharan Mahaptara, Pankaj Mahars Devadasi,
Originated in 2nd century B.C. Charan Das, Hare Krishna Behera Gotipua, Tibhanga
based on the Natya Shastra, Sonal Mansingh, Kabita Dwivedi, Mangala charan Pallavi,
Originated in temple during Kiran Sehgal, Madhvi Mudgal, Sharon Tarijhuma, Moksha
king Khaarvela reign, woven Lewon, Myrta Barvil, Indarani Majura
around Tribhanga pose Rahman, Priyambada Mohanty

Bharata Natyam Rukmini Devi Arundale (of Sadir, Devadasi,

Tamil Nadu Kalakhestra Fame) T. Balasarswathi,
Popular in South eastern of Padanallur, Teanjore,
Yamini Krishna Murthy, Padma Alarippu, Jatiswaran,
India. It follows principle of
Subramaniyam, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Shabdam, Varnanritya,
Natyashastra. It is a solo
Vaijayantimala Bali, Leela Samson. Thillana
dance by women

238 Prelims Magic 2014

 Kuchipudi
It is a variation of of
Bharatnatyam it originated in
a place called Kuchelapur,
Performed by man attired
like women.
Kathakali
(Ballet of East) originated in
Courts of Kings in which a
story is related to the dance.
Mohiniattam
In the 19th century the king
of Travancore Swatitirunal
encouraged this dance.
Manipuri
Andhra T. Balasarswathi, Esther Sherman, Bhagavatalu,
Pradesh Indrani Rahman, Swapna Sundari, Bhagavata Themes,
Sobha Naidu, Raja Reddy, Radha Manduka, Shabdam
Reddy, Vempati Chinna Satyam, Balagopala Tavrang,
Satyanarayanan Sharma.Sudha Tala Chitra Nritya
Sekhara, Rajaram Rao, G. Sarala.
Kerala Mukunda Raja (of Kalmandalam
fame). Koppan Nair, Shanta Rao,
Open air stage, facial
make up Thiranottam
H
Kanak Rele, Geeta Ganguly, V
Kunju Kurupu, Gopinathan
Krishnan, VN Menon.
I
Kerala Vitho Narayan Menon, Kalyani
Amma Shanta Rao, Roshan
It has elements of both
Kathakali &
S
Vajifdar, Bharati Shivaji, Kanak Bharatnattyam
Rele.
T
Manipur Jhaveri Sisters, Charu Mathur,
Sadhona Bose, Bipin Singh, Rita
Devi, Savita Mehta, Tovdon Devi.
Kamba Thoibi Pung
drum Choloms like O
Pung Cholom Kartal

Kathak
U.P Birju Maharaj, Kalka Binda
Cholom, Dhol Cholom

Raseela Tandava,
R
Flourished in North Indian
princely states Jaipur,
Lucknow and Banaras. It is
Gharana, Kumdini Lakhia,
Damayanti Joshi, Rani Karna,
Saswati Sen,Roshan Kumar, Gopi
gorgeous costumes.
Rasaleela, Nautch, four
Gharanas, Salami,
Y
a dance based onstory from Krishna, Sitara Devi, Sambhu Vandana, Aasmad,
epic about Radha and Maharaj, Ananda Shankar, Shobna Gatnikaas, Padhant,
Krishna Narayan, Bhandana Mangal, Karmalya, Ballets.
Kulgrani Bhatt, Gitanjali Lal
PUPPET DANCES MARITAL DANCES
Kathaputli : Rajasthan Tolpavakootu : Kerala Gatka : Punjab
Sakhi Kundhei : Orissa Kundeinachhha : Orissa Paika : Orissa
Pudda Nach : Assam Pava Kathakali : Kerala Thag Ta : Manipur
Malasutri Bahuly : Maharashtra Kathikundhei : Orissa Kalaripayattu : Kerala
Bommalattam : Tamil Nadu Gombeyatta : Karnataka Choliya : Uttaranchal
Pang Lhabosol : Sikkim

DRAMA Modern Drama In India

 Geratin Lebedev – began drama (1795)
 Krishnaji Prabhakar Khadilkar – Kichaka Vadha
 Aga Harsha Kashmir – Urdu Theatre (Shakespeare of India)
 Bhartendu Harish Chandra – Bharat Durdasa
 Mohan Rakesh – Ashadha Ka Ek Din, Adhe Adhure, Lahraon Ka Rajhansa
 Dharmaveer Bharati – Andha Yuga
 Vijay Tendulkar – Ghasiram Kotwal
 Habib Tanvir – Mitti Ki Gadis, Charandas Chor
 Girish Kannad – Yajati, Tughlaq, Hayavadan
 Babban Khan – Adrak Ke Panje
 Sanjana Kapoor – Prithvi Theatre.

Prelims Magic 2014 239

 Folk Theatres
Theatre State Importance
Mudiyettu Kerala Performed as a ritual in Kali temples
Krishnattan Tamil Nadu Depiction of life of Lord Krishna
Kudiyattam Kerala Elaborate presentation of Sanskrit dramas
Theyyam Kerala A form of ancestor worship
Ankianat Assam An one act play about religious themes
H Bhavai
Saang
Rajasthan
Haryana
J&K
Rituals to propitiate the mother Goddess
Legend, dancing & singing interwoven with comic scenes
Honoring Goods & have end with comedy. Actors mingle with people
Jashin
I Keryala
Khyal
Tamasha
Himachal
Rajasthan
Maharashtra
Pradesh About questions of life & deathCultural & social education through
singing & musical instruments
A singing & dancing party about political & social themes
Therukkoothu Tamil Nadu A street theatre of dance & music
S Yatra
Zaratra (Zatuas)
Orissa
Goa
Uttar Pradesh
About social & religious themes
Annual celebration of a particular deity of particular temples.
A music theatre
Nautanki
T Macha
Rasleela
Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Stage shows on the day of Holi about mythological stories
About life of Lord Krishna
 Folk theatres of Ancient and Natya Shastra composition and it is preceded by
O Medieval India have been described
in the uparupakas by Sanskrit  Science of Music : Gandharva
Veda
the Alap.
 Dhamur Veena the bow shaped
dramaturgists.
harp is considered the oldest
R  It was Tulsidas who first started  Sama veda contains ; the instrument.
the tradition of performing plays method of recital of music
narrating the story of Lord Rama  Brihaddesi by Matanga defines
 Tamil and Dravidian music
Y at Kasi. & classified the Ragas
derived inspiration from Thevaram
and Silpadikaram.
MODERN THEATRE  Baiju Bavra is father of  The Golden age of the carnatic
 The year 1801 marked the Hindustant Music. music was the period of
beginning of Modern Indian theatre,  Haridas Swami, Guru of Venkatamakhin.
when Prassanna Kumar Thakur Tansen, modified ancient style of  Carnatic music reached its
established Hindi Rang Mancha at Dhrupad. Zenith when Shyama Shastri,
Calcutta.
 Wazid Ali Shah is considered as Muthuswami Dishithar, Thyagaraja,
 Girish Chandra Ghosh is related the innovator of the Thumari form. and Swathi Tirunal elevated the
with Brocial dramas. standard with their exuberant
 The Nawab of Rampur devised compositions.
 D. L. Roy is related with a system of notation and
historical plays. classification of Ragas under  Kruti a new component of
“Thats”. carnatic music was created by
 The drama ‘Navanna’ is written
Thallappakkam Annammacharya
by Bijon Bhattacharya and directed  Mustak Hussain Khan, Haffeez between 1425 and 1530 A>D.
by Sambhu Mitra. Ahmed Khan and Ustad Fida
 Bahuroopi is a Sambhu Mitra’s Hussain Khan popularized  Purandaradasa (1460-1564)
Hindustani vocal music in the west. encouraged krutis.
drama group which is popular in
Bengal.  The origin of khayal is attributed  The 17th century saw the glory
to Amir Khusro. of ‘Padams’ songs composed by the
 The popular play Sita
great musician Kshetrangna.
Swayamver was directed by Vishnu  Quawali is an innovation of
Das Bhave. Amir Khusro.  New forms that came in
existence in 18 th century are
 Popular plays Giddha, Kamala  Mirza Galib is regarded as the Padavarnas, Tana Varnas,
and Shakkaram Binder were written father of Ghazals
Swarajati, Jatiswara, Raagmalika,
by Vijay Tendulkar.
 Dhun is free from formal ragas Tillanas, Javalis etc.
MUSIC desciplines composed on the basis
 Subbarama Dikshitar (1859-
of folk music.
 Earliest text was Bharat Muni’s 1906) produced the “Sangetha
 Gat is a well - defined

240 Prelims Magic 2014

Sampradaya Pradashani” which Singer Gharanas Singer Gharanas
consisted of his collectin of Rag
Lakshmas, Gamakas, songs, Varnas, Bhimsen Joshi irana Pandit Jasraj Mewati
Ragamalikas, etc. Kishori Amolkar Jaipur Gangubhai Hangal Kirana
 In the 19 and 20 century
th th
Mallikarjun Mansur Gwalior Sharafat Hussein Khan Agra
musicians like Vennai Dhanammal,
Ghulam Ali Avadh Agra
Maha Vaidyanathan Iyer, and
Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar
contributed to the Carnatic Music. Karnataka Music
H
 Nadopasakas of the 20
century, with their excellent
th Type
Ragam Talam Pallavi
Meaning
Elaborate rhythmic and melodic variation in
I
renderings and compositions unmeasured sense.
enlarged the dimensions of music
further.
Kritti - Kirtnai Most popular it refers to devotional music laced
with poetic beauty.
S
HINDUSTANI MUSIC
 Developed in North India.
Varnam Performed at the beginning of a concert. It is a
completely composed piece, designed to show T
the characteristic phrases.
It has six primary ragas i.e.
Bhairava, Kaushika, Hindola, Dipak,
Sri raga, & Megh.
Padam Slower tempoed love songs referring to the
human yearning for the adored Godhead.
O
Six Ragas
Ragas Timing Moods
Javalis Faster tempoed love songs with direct
description of human love. R
Meaningful phrases are interspersed with a
Bhairava Dawn
Kaushika Night
Awe & fear
Joy
Tillana
variety of meaningless syllables.
at Lucknow. His pen name was
Y
FAMOUS PERSONALITIES
Hindola Night Laughter Chatura. His works are Hindustani
 Rabinadranath Tagore: Sangeet Padhati, Abhinava Raga
Dipak Afternoon Love Composed unique songs under the Manjari, a short Historical Survey
Megh Morning Calm title of Rabindra Sangeet. of Music of Upper India, Lakhya
Sriraga Evening Peace  Kazi Nazrul Islam: The Sangeeta, etc.
famous patriotic poet of Bengal.  Vishnu Digambar Paluskar:
GHARANAS  Subramaniam Bharati: A great musician, he founded
 These are musical dialects Famous patriotic poet of Tamil Gandharva Mahavidyalaya &
based on individual temperaments, literature. Prayag Samiti. His Ram-dhun music
vocal capacity and musical aptitude. i.e. Raghupati Raghava was sung
 Amir Khusrau: At the court during the Dandi March.
Name Place Founder of Alauddin Khilji, he invented Sitar,
Gwalior Gwalior Nathan Khan Khayal & qawwali. He invented  Tansen: Adorned the court of
Gharana Rekht, the precursor of Urdu Akbar. He authored Sangeeta Sara
language. & Ragmala. He established Senia
Agra Gharana.
Gharana Agra Haji Sujan Khan  Sadarang School: A school of
Hindustani Music founded by  Purandaradasa: Father of the
Rangeela
Nyamat Khan. Took Khayal singing Karnataka music. He was the first
Gharana Agra Faiyyaz Khan to standardized teaching methods of
to its peak.
Jaipur music in India. He wrote Maya
Jaipur Alladiya Khan  Adarang School: A school of Malavagaula.
Atroli
Hindustani Music founded by Firoz
Kiran  Muthuswami Dikhsita: A
Avadh Abdul Wahid Khan. It was known for its exquisite
well-known exponent of Karnataka
Gharana Khan beauty & philosophical content in
music. He composed various ragas
Khayal singing.
of Karnataka music. He invented
 Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande: techniques with certain complex use
of varying tempo. He innovated
Founded Morris College of Music
violin in India.

Prelims Magic 2014 241

  Thyagaraj: He was one of
Trinity of Karnataka music two
others being Shyama Shastri &
Swati Tirunal. His famous work is
Bhakti Vijayam.
 Vidyaratna: He put Karnataka
H music on scientific lines. He wrote
Sangitasastra.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS &
I PERSONS
 Flute: Hari Prasad Chaurasia,
S Rajendra Prasada, Subhash Kamat,
Narayan Ghosh, T Mahalingam
 Table: Ala Rakha Khan, Zakir
T Hussein, Ustad Shafat Ahmad
Khan, Latif Khan, Sheikh Dawood,
Fazi Qureshi, Swapna Choudhuri
O  Violin: L Subramanyam, T N
Krishnan, Lalgudi Jayaraman, L
R Shankar, N Rajan, B Sunderrajan
 Veena: S.Balachander, Dorai-
swamy Iyenger, Kalyan, Krishna
Y  Sitar: Pt.Ravishankar, Nishat
Khan, Debu Choudhary, Shujjat
Akhan, Imran Khan, Shamim
Ahmed Khan
 Veena: Vishvamohan Bhatta,
Arsad Ali Khan
 Shehnai: Bismillah Khan
 Sarangi: Ramvatar Shashtri,
Sabri Khan, Hanuman Mishra, Ram
Narain
 Santoor: Shiv Kumar Sharma,
Nandu Mule, Bhanjan Sapori,
Viraswami Pillai
 Harmonium: Purushottam
Walawalker, Appa Jalgaonkar
 Pakhaj: Pagal Das, Chatrapati
Singh
 Mridangam: Mani Ayyar,
U.Shivaraman
 Sarod: Debashish Bhatta-
charya, Zarin Daroowala, Brij
Narayan, Amjad Ali Khan Bangash
PAINTINGS
Prehistroic Paintings
 Bhimbetka,Jogimara, Adam-
242 Prelims Magic 2014
garh, Mirzapur, Kupagallu
 Rock Painting
 Depiction of hunting & animal
scenes, and some social scenes.
Cave Painting
 Ajanta, Bagh, Sittanavasal
 Fresco paintings dating back to
Gupta age.
 Buddhist & Hindu religious &
mythology were themes. Important
among them are Dying Princes,
Mother & Child (all at Ajanta)
 At Sittanavasal, the theme is on
Jaina religion
Pala School
 In Bengal
 Illustrations are on palm leaf,
paper manuscripts and on the
wooden covers.
 Inspired by Vajrayana School of
Buddhism.
Leapakshi School
 In Vijayanagar
 On temple ceilings
 Characterized by earth tones
and absence of blue colour.
Marwar School
 Mewar- Rajasthan State
 Known for Ragamala paintings,
Mainly on the life of Krishna & his
frolies with the gopikas
Marwar School
 In Jodhpur and Nagaur
 Influenced by Mughal School
 Bold expression with broad fish
eyes & highly stylized trees.
Kishanagarh
 A type of Rajasthan painting
 Lyrical beauty in its content
 Love scenes of Radha and
Krishna.
Bundi
 In Kotah and Bundi regions
 About court scenes, nobles &
lovers
Pahari Painting
 In hill areas of Punjab and
Himachal Pradesh. Main theme is
love.
 Basohli-famous for primitive
vigour and fierce vitality, bold lines
and brilliant hot colours.
 Guler – lyrical and cool
depiction of women in the absence
of their lovers.
 Kangra – fine and melodious
lines with female figures depicting
delicate graces of feminism.
Hyderabadi Style
 Consists of Bijapuri and
Golconda court paintings.
 Inspired by Mughal School
 Potrays royal taste in fruits,
scented flowers and pets.
Thanjavur Style
 Famous for its Glass painting
 Themes related to Vishnu,
Shiva & Krishana
 Paintings made on jack wood
pasted with unbleached cloth.
Madhubani Style
 Mithila region. Work on
plastered wall
Raghurajpur (Orissa)
 Chitrapata painting on the walls
Pithors Style
 Gujarat tribal paintings
Apabhramsa School
 This School of painting
originated either in Mewar Gujarat.
It is debated.
 The characteristics of this
school are:
 Bulging eyes (fish-shaped)
• Pointed nose • Double Chin • Pre a new combination of Indo-Persian • Details and intricacies
dominant Chests • Distorted hands style developed under them. These • Perspective
and stiff figure • use of bright and paintings also had Buddhist and
Tanjore Glass Paintings
gold colours • Animals and birds Central Asian and Mongoloid
represented like toys • Lack of influences.  Its origin can be traced to the
natural scenes • Decorated downfall of the Vijayanagar Empire,
 The characteristics of this when a group of artist migrated to
margins.
Mughal School
school are:
• Use of brilliant colours • Variety
Mysore and Tanjore. It consists of
pictures of child Krishna and other
H
 Although painting is treated as of themes • Ornamentation favourite divinities. It uses vivid
against Islam, it spread and
developed under the Mughals and
• Realism • Accuracy in line
drawing
colours on glass. I
ART. ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE S
Important Caves
Caves Place/State Importance T
Barabara & Nagarjuni Gaya/Bihar Donated to Ajivika sects
Elephanta
Kanheri
Mumbai
Konkan
Brahmanical temples flanked by elephant statues
Buddhist Chaitya
O
Jogeswari
Montpezir
Salsette /Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Mahayana Architecture
Portuguese settlement ruins
R
Karle
Bhaja
Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Hinayana Chaitya
18 Buddhist caves built for nuns
Y
Bedsa Maharashtra Chaitya supported by Elephant carved pillars
Rashtrakuta & Chalukya temples
Ellora Aurangabad
Fresco Paintings
Aurangabad
Consists of 70 temples of Nagar style of different
Ajanta Karnataka religions
Aihole & Badami Maharashtra 23 Buddhist caves
Nasik Gujarat Buddhist caves
Junagarh Madhya Pradesh Frescos & stone Sculpture
Bagh (Malwa) Granite Vishnu Statue
Undavalli Andhra Pradesh Built by Kharavela for Jain monks
Udayagiri & Khandagiri Orissa

Important Monument / Structure

Monument / Structure Ruler Location
Quwat-ul islam Qutubuddin Aibak Delhi
Arhai Din ka Jhonpra Qutubuddin Aibak Ajmer
Qutub Minar Qutubuddin Aibak Iltutmish Delhi
Tomb of iltutmish Iltutmish Delhi
Sultan Garhi Iltutmish Delhi
Balban’s Tomb Balban Delhi
Alai Darwaja Alauddin Khalji Delhi
Siri Alauddin Khalji Delhi

Prelims Magic 2014 243

 Hauz Khas Alauddin Khalji Delhi
Mahal Hazaar Sitoon Alauddin Khalji Delhi
Jamait Khana Mosque Alauddin Khalji Delhi
Tughlaqabad Fort Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq Delhi
Tomb of Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Jauna Shah Delhi
Tomb of Sikander Lodhi Ibrahim Lodhi Delhi
Jhanjhr Mosque Ibrahim Shah Sharqi Jaunpur
H Lal Darwaza Mosque
Atala Devi Masjid
Hussain Shah Sharqi
Ibrahim Shah Sharqi
Jaunpur
Jaunpur
Jami Masjid Ahmedshah Gujarat
I Tomb of Ahmedshah
Angina Mosque
Muhammad Shah
Mahmud Begarah
Gujarat
Gujarat
Jami Masjid Husang Shah Malwa
S Hindola Mahal
Jahaz Mahal
Tomb of Husang Shah
Husang Shah
Mahumud -I
Mahumud -I
Malwa
Malwa
Malwa

T Palaces of Baaz Bahadur and

Rupamati
Adina Mosque
Nasiruddin Shah

Sikandar Shah
Malwa

Bengal

O Bara Sona Masjid

Qadam Rasool Masjid
Char Minar
Nusrat Shah
Nusrat Shah
Quli Qutubshah
Bengal
Bengal
Deccan

R Jami Masjid (Gulbarga)

Gole Gombaj
Kabulibagh Mosque
Alauddin Bahman Shah
Muhammad Adil Shah
Babur
Deccan
Deccan
Painpat
Jam-i-Masjid Ruhelkhand Sambhal
Y Fatehabad Mosque
Dinpanah city
Humayun
Humayun
Punjab
Delhi
Tomb of Sher shah Suri Sher Shah Sasaram (Bihar)
Qila-i-khuna Mosque Sher Shah Delhi
Purana Qila Sher Shah Delhi
Humayun’s Tomb Hamida Begum Delhi
Agra fort Akbar Agra
Jahangiri Mahal Akbar Agra
Lahore fort Akbar Lahore
Fatehpur Sikri Akbar Sikri near Agra
Diwan – i – Am Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Diwan –i-Khas Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Buland Darwaza Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Jodha Bai Palace Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Panch Mahal Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Jami Masjid Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Salim Chishti’s Tomb Akbar Fatehpur Sikri
Akbar’s Tomb Jahangir Sikandra
Tomb of Itimadud Daula Nur Jahan Agra
Jahangir’s Tomb Nur Jahan Lahore
Diwan – i – Am Shah Jahan Agra
Diwan –i-Khas Shah Jahan Agra
Range Mahal Shah Jahan Agra
Moti Masjid Shah Jahan Agra
Red Fort Shah Jahan Delhi
Jama Masjid Shah Jahan Delhi
Tah Mahal Shah Jahan Agra
Shahjahanabad Shah Jahan Delhi
Shah Burj Shah Jahan Lahore
Rabia ud Dawan’s Tomb Aurangzeb Aurangabad
Badshahi Mosque Aurangzeb Lahore
Moti Masjid Aurangzeb Delhi

244 Prelims Magic 2014

INDIAN CINEMA :
MILESTONES
 The first cinema show in India
was arranged by Maurice Sestier,
the camera man of Lumiere
brothers (France) at the Watson
Hotel Bombay on July 7, 1896.
 Prof. Stevenson brings first
‘Bioscope’ to Calcutta at the Star
theatre in 1898.
 Harischandra Sakharama
Bhatwadekar (Save Dada is the
first Indian to import a cine camera
from London turns exhibitor and
filmmaker.
 Return of Wrangler Paranjpe’
the first Indian film actuality shot by
H.S. Bhatwadekar in 1901. J.F.
Madan launches his bioscope show
at Calcutta in 1902.
 J. F. Madan opens the first
cinema hall in India, Elphinstone
Picture Palace, Calcutta in 1907.
 Bombay becomes the first city
in India to start film production in
1912.
 Release of ‘Raja Harish-
chandra’ the first silent feature film
produced and directed by Dhundiraj
Govind Phalke at Coronation
Cinematograph Bombay on 3rd May,
1913.
 Indian Cinematorgraph Act, is
passed for providing censorship of
films and licenching of cinema.
Abdulla Esoophally, an enterprising
showman builds Majestic theatre in
Bombay in 1918.
 Boards of film censors were
set up in Bombay, Calcutta and
Madras in 1920.
 Dhiren Ganguly makes
‘England Returned, the first social
satire film in 1921.
 Entertainment tax was levied
for the first time in Bengal. Dhiren
Ganguly starts Lotus film company
in Hyderabad in 1922.
 The first independent film
processing laboratory was set up in
Bombay by Dhanjibhai k. Desai
(Atmanand Laboratory) in 1927.
 The first talkie film shown in
India at Elphinstone Picture Palace,
Calcutta (melody of Love) in 1929.
 In 1930 B.N. Sircar established
New Theatres Ltd. In Calcutta.
 Release of the first full length
talkie feature tilm in India Alam Ara
(Light of the world) by Ardeshir
Merwan Irani at the Majestic
Theatre, Bombay on 14th March,
1931
 Recording of the first song of
‘Alam Ara’ by W.M. Khan (De de
Khuda naam par pyara…….).
 Release of the first talkie in
Bengali – Tamai Shashti produced
by Madan Theatres on 11th April
 Release of the first talkie in
Telugu ‘Bhaktha Prahalad”
directed by H.M. Reddy.
 Release of the first talkie in
Tamil ‘Kalidass” produced by Sagar
Movie tone.
 Release of the first talkie in
Marathi Ayodhiyecha Raja ( King
of Ayodhya) directed by V.
Shantaram.
 Release of the first talkie in
Guajarati ‘Narasinh Mehta’ by
Nanubhai Vakil on 9th April 1932 at
Westend Cinema.
 Release of Himansu Rai’s
‘Karma’ was first India talkie film
in English shot in England in 1933.
Production of Prabhat’s Sairandhri
by V. Shantaram the first Indian
talkie in multi colour processed in
Germany.
 Release of the first talkie in
Oriya ‘Sita Bibaha’ by Mohan
Sunder Deb Goswami in 1934.
 Release of the first talkie in
Kannada Bhakhta Dhruva
(Dhruvakumara) produced by
Jayawani Talkies in 1934.
 Release of Sita Kalyanam, the
first Teulgu talkie to be produced in
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Madras by P.V. Das in 1934.
 Playback songs in Indian films
was introduced in 1935.
 New Theatre’s Bhagya Chakra
(Dhoop Chaon) was the first talkie
with playback songs.
 Bombay talkies was founded by
Himansu Rai and Devika Rani in
H
1935.
 Release of the first talkie in
I
Assamese Joymati directed by
Jyothi Prasad Agarwala on 10 th
March 1935.
S
 Release of the first talkie in
Punjabi Sheila directed by K.D.
Mehra.
T
 Formation of Indian Motion
Picture Producers Association in
O
Bombay in 1937.
 Release of the first talkie in
Malayalam ‘Balan’ S. Notani for
R
producer T.R. Sundaram of Modern
Theatres Salem in 1938. Y
 Production of Prem Sagar by
K. Subramanian, the first Hindi
talkie produced in South India.
 Release of Wadia Movietones
The Court Dancer the first Indian
film in English in USA in 1941.
 Dada Saheb Phalke, father of
Indian cinema passed away in 1944.
 Closure of the information films
in India in 1948.
 Censor codes formulated in
Bombay and Madras in 1946.
 Production of documentaries
and newsreels by the Government
under the Films Division was
received in 1948.
 Uday Shankar’s ‘Kalpana’ the
first ballet film in India was released
in 1948.
 S.K. Patil’s Film Enquiry
Committee was appointed in 1949.
 Conference of film trade
organisatins for the formation of
Film Fedeartion of India held in
1950.
245
  Release of the first talkie in
Konkani Mosacho Aundo (Loves
Craving) directed by Jerry
Braganza.
 Central Board of Film Censors
with B.N. Sircar on the Board was
H founded in 1951.
 Film Federation of India under
the presidentship of Chandulal J.
I Shah was launched in 1951.
 India’s first international Film
S Festival in Bombay from 24 th
January was oragnised in 1952.
 ‘Cinematograph Act’ passed in
T 1952.
 National Awards for films were
O introduced in 1954.
 P. K. Atre’s Shyamchi Aayee,
(Marathi) wins President’s Gold
R Medal as best film of 1952.
 Children’s Film Society of India
Y at the behest of late Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru was formed in
1955.
 Pather Panchali wins a coveted
Prize at the Cannes International
Film Festival as the best human
document in 1956.
 Film ‘Kabuliwalla’ won Silver
Bear for music at Berlin film festival
in 1957.
 Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aparajitto’
(Bengali) won Golden Lion of St.
Mark at the Venice Festival in 1957.
 Satyajit Ray’s ‘Jalsagar’ won
Silver Medal at the Moscow film
festival in 1959.
 Release of Guru Dutt’s ‘Kagaz
ke Phool’ (Hindi)-India’s first
cinemascope film shot in black and
white in 1959.
 Film Finance Corporation was
formed in 1960.
 Film Institute of India set up at
Prabhat Studio, Poona in 1960.
 Release of first talkie in
Bhojpuri Ganga Maiye Tohe Piyari
Charhaibo directed by Viswanathan
246 Prelims Magic 2014
Shahabadi in 1960.
 Anupam Chitra porudces ‘Pyar
ki Pyass’. The first Cinemascope
film in colour in 1961.
 1962 : launching of Merchant
ivory production. Their first film
Householder in English/Hindi won
for Leela Naidu, the Mademoiselle
Award.
 Indian Motion Picture Export
Corporation was formed in 1963.
 National Film Archive of India
at Poona was established in 1964.
 Sunil Dutt’s ‘Yaadein” (Hindi)
first film in India which had only one
actor was released in 1964.
 Dev Anand makes ‘Guide’ in
English jointly with writer Pearl’s
Buck and director Ted Danielowski.
 Panchhi’s Around the World
first 70mm film in Technicolor with
stereophonic sound was released in
1967.
 The Khosla Committee of Film
Censorship submitted its report in
1969.
 Dada Saheb Phalke award was
instituted in 1970.
 Devika Rani was the first
recipient of this award.
 Matangi Manipur the first talkie
film in Manipuri language was
released in 1972.
 Stayajit Ray’s ‘Ashani Sanket’
won Golden Bear at Berlin film
festival in 1973.
 Satyajit Ray was honoured by
British Film Institute as the most
distinguished Film Director in the last
half century in 1975.
 First International Festival of
Children’s films of India held in
1979.
 Establishment of National Film
Development Corporation (NFDC)
with the merger of FFC and IMPEC
in 1980.
 Indian Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Science in
Bombay was launched in 1981.
 Richard
Attenborough’s
‘Gandhi’ co-produced by NFDC
won 8 Academy awards in 1984.
 Bhanu Athyya wins Oscar
award for Best Costume Design
(Gandhi).
 G.V. Iyer’s Adi Sankaracharya
India’s first Sanskrit film won
President’s Gold Medal in 1964.
 India’s first 3D film, directed by
Jijo.
 Film Certification Appellate
Tribunal (TCA) was established in
1984.
 Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay
nominated for ‘Oscar’ awards in
Best Foreign film category and also
nominated for ‘Golden Globe’
awards in 1989.
 Government abolishes the name
‘Filmotsav’ for International Film
Festivals in 1990.
 Bombay International Festival
for Documentation and Short films
commenced in 1990.
 Bharat Ratna to late Satyajit
Ray (Posthumous) was awarded in
1992.
 Children’s Film Society of India
renamed as National Centre of
Films for Children and Young People
(NCYP) with head office at
Bombay in 1992.
 Marana Simhasanam
(Malayalam) directed by Murali
Nair won Golden Camera award at
Cannes Film Festival in 1999.
 Jayaraj’s Karunam
(Malayalam) won Golden Peacock
for the Best Film at IFFI-2000.
 Best Driector Award to
Buddadeb Das Gupta at Venice Film
Festival for ‘the Wrestlers was
awarded in 2000.
 Asif Kapadias The Warrior
wins BAFTA Award and the
Sutherland Award at London
festival in 2002.
 Mrinal Sen won Best Director
Award for Amaar Bhuban
(Bengali) at Cairo International film
festival in 2002.
 Nandita Das won Best Actress
Award also for Amaar Bhuban at
Cairo festival.
 French Govt. conferred
Commander of the Order of Arts
and Letters on
Gopalakrishnan in 2003.
Adoor
 Om Puri received Britain’s
OBE. Partho Sengupta’s ‘Hawa
Ane De’ was best Film at Durban
Film Festival in 2004.
 The bollywood actress
Aishwarya Rai and U.S. director
Alexander Paynbe officially opened
Cannes Film Festival on 12th May,
2005.
 Madhur Bhandarkar won Best
Film Award for ‘Page 3" of National
Film Award, 2005.
 Shyam Benegal won Dada
Saheb Phalke Award for 2007.
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
 Lalit Kala Akademi
(National Academy of Fine
Arts):
It was established at New Delhi in
1954 to promote and propagate
understanding of Indian Art (i.e.,
painting, sculpture, architecture and
applied arts) both within and outside
the country.
The Akademi has regional centre’s
called Rashtriya Lalit kala Kendras
at Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai and
Bhubaneswar.
 Sangeet Natak Akademi
(National Academy of Music,
Dance & Drama): It was
established in 1953 to promote the
performing Indian arts (i.e., dance,
drama and music) in collaboration
with states and voluntary
organisations.
 National School of Drama
(NSD): It was established in 1959
by the Sangeet Natak Akademi as
a premier theatre institution. In 1975
it was registered as an autonomous
institution, fully financed by the
Department of Culture. The
Diploma of NSD is recognized by
the Association of Indian Univer-
sities as equivalent to M.A. Degree.
 Sahitya Akademi: It was
established in March 1954 with the
following objectives:
(i) To develop Indian literature.
(ii) To set high literacy standards.
(iii) To foster and coordinate literacy
activities in all the Indian languages.
(iv) To promote through them the
cultural unity of the country.
 Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI): It was established in
1861 with the following objectives
(i) To conserve and preserve
archaeological monuments and sites
located in different parts of the
country and maintain sites and
remains.
(ii) To undertake explorations and
excavations, epigraphic research,
study of architecture and scientific
studies and investigations.
At present, there are 3,606 centrally
protected monuments of national
importance which include 25
monuments on the list of world
heritage.
 National Archives of India
(NAI) : It was established on March
11, 1891 inKolkata and known as
Imperial Record Department till
Independence, it is the official
custodian of all non-current records
of permanent value of the
Government of India and its
predecessor bodies.
 Asiatic Society: it was
established in 1784 at Kolkata by
Sir William Jones, an eminent
Indologist with the objective of
inquiring into history, antiquities, arts,
science and literature of Asia.
 Anthropological Survey of
India: It was established in
December 1945 at Kolkata for the
advancement of scientific research
Prelims Magic 2014
in Anthropology and allied
disciplines. It collects authentic
empirical data covering the entire
range of human variation and
culture.
 Zonal Cultural Centres:
They have been setup for projecting
preserving and sustaining cultural
kinship that transcends territorial
H
limits.
There are seven such centres in the
I
country:
1. North-Zone Cultural Centre,
Patiala
S
2. East-Zone Cultural Centre,
Kolkata (Shantiniketan)
T
3. South—Zone Cultural Centre,
Thanjavur O
4. West—Zone Cultural Centre,
Udaipur
5. North—Central Zone Cultural
R
Centre, Allahabad
6. North-East -Zone Cultural Y
Centre, Dimapur
7. South-Central -Zone Cultural
Centre, Nagpur.
 Indira Gandhi National
Centre for Arts: It was
established in 1985 at New Delhi
as a resource centre and database.
It is visualized as a centre
encompassing the study and
experience of all the arts.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
OF INDIA
 Hindu Festivals: Maha
Kumbh Mela (held 4 times in 12
years at Hardwar, Ujjain, Nasik and
Prayag i.e., (Allahabad) Vasant
Panchami, Shivaratri, Holi Rama
Navami, Vaisakhi, Ganga Dussehra,
Deva Shayani Ekadeshi, Naga
Panchami, Raksha Bandhan,
Ganesh Chaturthi, Krishna
Janmashtami, Pitrapaksh,
Navaratri, Dussehra, Diwali (or
Deepawali), Kartiki Purnima, Deva
Prabodhani Ekadeshi.
 Muslim Festivals:
247
 Muharram, Shabi-i-Barat, Ramzan (or Ramadan),
Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha (or Azha or Bakra-Id), TEMPLES OF INDIA
Barawafat (or Id-i-Milad), Giarahvin Sharif, Urs. Temples Places
 Christian Festivals:
Dharmaraya Ratha Mahabalipuram
Christmas, Good Friday, Easter Kailasa Vimana Ellora
 Sikh Festivals: Baishakhi, Guruparb, Jaistha, Vaikunthaperumal Temple Kanchipuram
H Lohri
 Buddhist Festivals: Buddha Jayanti
Valisvara Temple
Vijayalaya Cholesvaram
Tiruvalisvaram
Nartamali
 Jain Festivals: Mahavira Jayanti, Parushan, Charmundaraya Basti Sravana Belagola
I Ashtanika, Arathyatra
 Parsi Festivals: Jamshed-i-Navroz, Khordad
Panchakuta Basti
Bhoja mandisavara Temple
Kambadahalli
Nandi
Malegitti Shivalaya Badami
S Sal, Papeti
 Secular Festivals : Republic Day,
Brihadesvara Vimana
Airavatesvara Vimana
Thanjavur
Darasuram
Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Children Day. Nataraja Temple Chidambaram
T REGIONAL FESTIVALS
 Andhra Pradesh and Tamil-nadu : Pongal,
Kasi Visvesara Temple
Arunachala Temple
Lakkundi
Tiruvannamali
Vitthala Temple Hampi
O Tyagaraja Festival, Brahmotsavam, Teppem, Tamil
and Telugu New Year Day, Madurai River Festival,
Kaveri River Festival, Festival at Velanganni,
Jalakanthesvara
Ranganatha Temple
Vellore
Srirangam
Vatapatrasyi Temple Srivilliputur
R Karthika Festival Vaikuntha Ekadeshi, St. Thomas
Day, Fire Walking Festival.
 Assam and Manipur: Bhageli Bihu, Bohag
Subrahmanya Temple
Aghoresvara Temple
Thanjavur
Ikkeri
Visa Brahma Temple Alampur
Y Bihu (or Rangali Bihu) Kati Bihu (or Rangati Bihu),
Spring Festival of Konyak Nagas, Manipur Ras Lila
Festival
Vadakkunatnan Temple
Pandava Ratha (rockcut Chariot)
Trichur
Mahabalipuram
Shore Temple (Shiva) Mahabalipuram
 Bengal: Gangasagar Mela, Ramakrishna Meenakshi Temple Madurai
Utsav, Dol Purnima, Naba Barsha. Manjunath Temple Mangalore
 Bihar: Chhath, Sarhul Rameshvaram Temple Rameshvaram
 Goa: Zatra at Cansaulim Feast of St. Francis Halebid Temple Halebid
Xavier, Carnival. Gupta Temple Sanchi
Paravti Temple Nachna
 Himachal Pradesh: Minjar mela, Jwalamukhi
Bhitargaon Temple Bitargaon
Fair.
Mahabodhi Temple Bodh Gaya
 Karnataka: Makara Sankranti, Ugadi, Karago, Lakshmana Temple Sripur
Feast of St. Philomena, Dassera, Urs of Hazrat Vishva-Brahma Temple Alampur
Khwaja Bande Nawaz Chisti, Head annointing Badoli Temple Bodoli
ceremony (At Sravanbelagola) Ambikamata Temple Jagata
 Kashmir: Nav Warih, Sont, Vaisakhi, Jeth Vimal Vasahi Mount abu
Ashtami, Mela Hemis Gompa, Har navami, Temple No. III Roda
Pilgrimage to Amarnath Cave (Chhari Festival), Urs Ranakadevi Temple Wadhwaran
Shah Hamadan, Kichri Amavasya. Sun Temple Konark
 Kerala: Thye Pongal, Vishu, Poorum, Onam. Sas Bahu Temple Gwalior
 Maharashtra and Gujarat : Gudi Padva, Dev Kasha Vishvanatha Temple Varanasi
Divali, Navratri Ganpati Festival. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple Khajuraho
Jagannath Temple Puri
 Orissa : Car Festival (at Puri) Lakshmana Temple Khajuraho
 Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh : Gangaur, Lingaraja Temple Bhubaneshwar
Teej, Pushkar Fair, Urs at Ajmer Sharif. Udayeshwara Temple Udaipur
 Tripura: Karchi Puja, KerPuja, Tripureshvari Parashurameshwara Temple Bhubaneshwar
Temple Festival. Vaital Deu Bhubaneshwar
 Uttar Pradesh: Brahmotsav, Ram Navami, Muktemhwara Temple Bhubaneshwar
Sravana Festival Ban Yatra, Dussehra, Kans Ka Keshva Temple Somanathapur
Mela

248 Prelims Magic 2014

 QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS PAPERS
1. Which one of the following
temples figured in the news
regarding the institution of the
Devadasis?
(a) Jagannath temple, Puri
(b) Pasupatinath
Kathmandu
temple,
(c) Kandariyamahadev temple,
Khajuraho
(d) Chaunsathyogini temple,
Bheraghat
Ans . (a) (CSE 1996)
Explanation: Devadasis an
institution at Jagannath temple, Puri.
2. In the context of ancient Indian
society, which one of the following
terms does not belong to the
category of the other three?
(a) Kula
(b) Vamsa
(c) Kosa
(d) Gotra
Ans. (c) (CSE 1996)
Explanation : Kula, Vamsa, Gotra
belong to same category which
represents kinship groups of ancient
Indian society. The term ‘Kosa’
was used for ‘treasury’.
3. Which one of the following
sculptures invariably used green
schist as the medium?
(a) Maurya sculptures
(b) Mathura sculptures
(c) Bharhut sculptures
(d) Gandhara sculptures
Ans. (c) (CSE 1996)
Explanation: Bharhut sculptures
invariably used green schist as the
medium.
4. The term ‘apabhramsa’ was
used in medieval Sanskrit texts to
denote
(a) Outcastes among the Rajputs
(b) Deviations from Vedic rituals
(c) Early forms of some of the
modern Indian languages
(d) non-Sanskrit verse metres
Ans. (c) (CSE 1996)
Explanation: Apabhramsa (falling
away) denotes the early forms of
some of the modern Indian Singh founded the Khalsa panth and
languages. compiled supplementary Granth
called Daswen Padshah Ka Granth.
5. Which one of the following was
a Saiva sect in ancient India?
(a) Ajivika
(c) Mayamata
(b) Mattamayura
9. Which one of the following
pairs of composers in different
languages and their works on the
H
(d) Isanasivagurudevapaddhati
Ans. (a) (CSE 1996)
Explanation: Ajvika was Saiva sect
Mahabharata theme is correctly
matched ?
(a) Sarladasa: Bengali
I
in Ancient India. Other Saiva sects
are Pasupata, Virashaiva or
Lingayats (earliest Saiva sect). etc.
(b) Kasirama: Oriya
(c) Tikkana:
(d) Pampa:
Marathi
Kannada
S
6. Which one of the following
texts of ancient India allows divorce
Ans. (d)
Explanation:
(CSE 1997)
Pampa: Father of Kannada poetry
T
to a wife deserted by her husband?
(a) Kamasutra
(b) Manavadharmashastra
wrote Adi purana, and Vikramar-
junaya Vijaya.
Tikkana: Telugu version of
O
(c) Sukra Nitisara
(d) Arthashastra
Ans. (d) (CSE 1996)
Mahabharata in 13th Century along
with Nannaya (11th century) and
Yerrapragada (14th century).
R
Explanation: Arthashastra written
by Kautilya (Chanakya) allows
divorce to a wife deserted by her
Sarladasa: Oriya version of
Mahabharata in the 14th Century.
Kasirama: Bengali version of
Y
husband. Mahabharata.
7. Which one of the following 10. Which one of the following
pairs is correctly matched ? dances involves solo performance?
(a) Naqqual : Bihar (a) Bharatanatyam (b) Kuchipudi
(b) Tamasha: Orissa (c) Mohiniattam (d) Odissi
(c) Ankia Nat: Assam Ans. (a) (CSE 1997)
(d) Baha: Punjab Explanation: Bharatnatyam and
Ans. (a) (CSE 1996) Mohniattam involves solo
Explanation: Naqqual is a kind of performance. Mohiniattam is
folk theatre in Bihar. Tamasha is a Kerala’s solo female dance.
folk drama form flourishing in
Maharashtra. Ankita Nat is a one 11. Match List I with List II and
act play with its roots in rural Assam. select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists
8. Which one of the following List I (Author)
pairs is correctly matched? A. Vara hamihira
(a) Guru Amar Das: Miri and Piri B. Visakhadatta
(b) Guru Arjun Dev: Adi Granth C. Sudraka
(c) Guru Ram Das : Dal D. Bilhana
Khalsa List II (Text)
(d) Guru Gobind Singh: Manji 1. Prabandha Chintamani
Ans. (b) (CSE 1996) 2. Mrichchha-Katikam
Explanation: Guru Arjun Dev 3. Brihat-Samhita
compiled Adi Granth and 4. Devi-Chandraguptam
Sukhamani. Guru Amardas 5. Vikramankadeva-Charita
collected hymns and Guru Ramdas
A B C D
founded Amritsar. Guru Gobind
(a) 3 4 5 2
Prelims Magic 2014 249
 (c) 5 3 4 1 War of Independence (d) 1 4 2 3
A B C D B. Anand Math Ans. (b) (CSE 1999)
(b) 3 4 2 5 C. Life Divine Explanation : A – 4, B – 1, C – 2,
(d) 1 3 5 2 D. Sadhana D–3
Ans. (b) (CSE 1997) List II (Authors)
Explanation: 1. RabindranathTagore 18. The first feature film (talkie) to
Varahamitra - Brihat Samhita 2. Sri Aurobindo the produced in India was :
H Visakhadatta - Devi
Chandraguptam, Mudra
3. Bankim Chandra Chatterji
4. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
(a) Hatimtai
(b) Alam Ara
Rakshasam A B C D (c) Pundalik
I Sudraka-Mrichchha–Katikam
Bilhana-Vikramankadeva-charita
(a) 4
(c) 4
3
3
2
1
1
2
(d) Raja Harischandra
Ans. (b) (CSE 1999)
A B C D Explanation: Alam Ara - First
S 12. Which of the following pairs are
correctly matched?
(b) 3
(d) 3
4
4
1
2
2
1
Feature Film (talkie) released on
May 14, 1931 by A. M. Irani.
1. Mrichchakatikam-Shudraka Ans. (a) (CSE 1999)
T 2. Buddhacharita-Vasuvandhu
3. Mudrarakshasha-Vishakhadatta
Explanation :
First Indian War of Independence
Raja Harishchandra - First
Feature Film (Silent) released on
4. Harshacharita-Banabhatta - Vinayak Damodar Savarkar May 3, 1913 by Dada Saheb Phalke.
O Select the correct answer using the
codes given below :
Anand Math- Bankim Chandra
Chatterji 19. Directions: The following item
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 3 and 4 Life Divine- Sri Aurobindo consist of two statements, one
R (c) 1 and 4
Ans. (b)
(d) 2 and 3
(CSE 1998)
Sadhana- Rabindranath Tagore labelled as ‘Assertion A’ and the
other labelled as ‘Reason R’. You
Explanation: Buddhacharita was 16. The paintings of Abanindranath are to examine these two statements
Y written by Ashvaghosh Tagore are classified as :
(a) realistic (b) socialistic
carefully and decide if the Assertion
A and the Reason R are individually
13. Which one of the following (c) revivalistic (d) impressionistic true an d if so, whether the Reason
pairs of folk dance forms and states Ans. (c) (CSE 1999) is a correct explanation of the
is not correctly matched? Explanation: Abanindranath Assertion. Select your answers to
(a) Korku: Maharashtra Tagore’s paintings are classified as these items using the codes given
(b) Jhummar: Haryana revivalistic. He is considered as the below and mark your answer sheet
(c) Thali: Himachal Pradesh father of modern Indian Painting. accordingly.
(d) Mukna: Manipur (a) Both A and R true and R is the
Ans. (a) (CSE 1999) 17. Match List I with List II and correct explanation of A
select the correct answer using the (b) Both A and R are true but R is
14. Which one of the following codes given below the lists: NOT the correct explanation of A
statements is not correct? List I (c) A is true but R is false
(a) ‘Neel Darpan’ was a play based A. Pandit Vishnu Digambar (d) A is false but R is true
on the exploitation of the indigo Paluskar
farmers B. Venkatamahi Assertion (A): The Aham and
(b) The author of the play C. Shyama Shastri Puram poems of the Padinen
‘Ghashiram Kotwali’ is Vijay D. Amit Khusru Kilukanakku group formed a
Tendulkar List II continuation of the Sangam
(c) The play ‘Navanna’ by Navin 1. Introduced the scheme of Raga composition.
Chandra Das was based on the classification in Indian music Reason (R): They were included
famine of Bengal 2. Proponent of the Carnatic music under the Post-Sangam works as
(d) Urdu theatre used to depend 3. Proponent of the Khayal Form against the Sangam works proper.
heavily on Parsi theatre of Hindustani music Ans. (c) (CSE 2000)
Ans. (b) (CSE 1999) 4. Wrote the music for the song Explanation: Kilukanakku forms the
‘Vande Mataram’ didactic group of Sangam literature.
15. Match List I with List II and A B C D
select the correct answer using the (a) 4 1 3 2 20. Match List-I with List-II and
codes given below the lists : (c) 1 4 3 2 select the correct answer using the
List I (Books) A B C D codes given below the lists :
A. The First Indian (b) 4 1 2 3 List – I (Artist)

250 Prelims Magic 2014

A. Balamurali Krishna Ray (Director) and Lata (d) The Hoysalesvara temple is
B. Mita Pandit Mangeshkar (Singer) were dedicated to Siva
C. Kanyakumari awarded Bharat Ratna in 1992 and Ans. (a) (CSE 2002)
D. Nikhil Bannerjee 2001 respectively. Explanation : The Statue of
List-II (Medium of music delivery) Gomateswara at Sravanabelagola
1. Hindustani vocal 24. Match List I with List II and represent ‘3rd’ Jain Tirthankar. The
2. Ghattam select the correct answer using the last and 24th Jain Tirthankara is
3. Sita
4. Violin
codes given below the lists :
List I (Dancer)
‘Vardhamana Mahavira’. The 23rd
Jain Tithankara is ‘parsvanath’, and
H
5. Carnatic vocal A. Kalamandalam the 1st Tirthankara is Rishabhnath.

(a) 5
A
1
B C
2
D
3
Kshemavaty
B. Kottakkal Sivaraman 27. Match List I with List II and
I
(c) 3 1 5 2 C. Lakshmi Viswanathan select the correct answer using the

(b) 4
A B
3
C
1
D
5
D. N. Madhabi Devi
List II (Dance)
codes given below the lists:
List I (Artist)
S
(d) 5 4 1 3 1. Kahtakali A. Hiren Bhattacharya
Ans . (a)
Explanation :
(CSE 2000) 2. Manipuri
3. Mohiniattam
B. Malini Rajurkar
C. Pratibha Prahlad
T
A. Balamurali Krishna 4. Bharatanatyam D. Vempati Chinna Satyam
- Carnatic vocal
B. Mita Pandit - Hindustani vocal (a) 1
A B
3
C D
2 4
List II (Art)
1. Bhartanatyam dance
O
C. Kanyakumari - Ghatam (c) 1 3 4 2 2. Hindustani vocal music
D. Nikhil Bannerjee - Sitar
(b) 3
A B
1
C
4 2
D 3. Kuchipudi dance
4. Puppetry
R
21. Which one of the followingpairs (d) 3 1 2 4 A B C D
is not correctly matched ?
(a) Bakti Itihas: Badal Sarkar
Ans : (b)
Explanation :
(CSE 2001) (a) 4
(c) 4
2
1
1
2
3
3
Y
(b) Sita Swayamvar: Vishnu Das Bhave Kalamandalam Kshemavaty - A B C D
(c) Yayati: Girish Karnad Mohiniattam (b) 3 1 2 4
(d) Giddha: Jabbar Patel Kottakkal Sivaraman - Kathakali (d) 3 2 1 4
Ans : (d) (CSE 2000) Lakshmi Viswanathan Ans. (c) (CSE 2002)
Explanation : ‘Giddha’ is written by - Bharatanatyam Explanation :
‘Vijay Tendulkar’ N. Madhabi Devi - Manipuri Hiren Bhattacharya - Puppetry
Malini Rajurkar
22. The Raga which is sung early 25. In which one of the following - Bharatnatyam dance
in the morning is cities is the Lingaraja Temple Pratibha Prahlad
(a) Todi (b) Darbari located? - Hindustani vocal music
(c) Bhopali (d) Bhimpalasi (a) Bhubaneswar Vempati Chinna Satyam
Ans : (a) (CSE 2000) (b) Bijapur - Kuchipudi dance
Explanation : Togo is the Raga which (c) Kolkata
is sung early in the morning. (d) Shravanabelagola 28. Chapachur Kut is a festival
Ans. (a) (CSE 2001) celebrated in the state of
23. Which of the following pairs is Explanation: Lingaraja temple (a) Arunachal Pradesh
NOT correctly matched ? located at Bhubaneswar. It was (b) Assam
(a) India’s first technicolour film: dedicated to Shiva (Mukteswara (c) Mizoram
Jhansi Ki Rani temple) built by ‘Chodaganga’. (d) Sikkim
(b) India’s first 3 –Dfilm: Ans. (c) (CSE 2002)
My Dear Kuttichetan 26. Which one of the following Explanation : Chapachur kut is a
(c) India’s first insured film: statements is not correct? festival celebrated in the state of
Taal (a) The statue of Gomateshwara at Mizoram.
(d) India’s first actress to: Sravanabelagola represents the last
Meena Tirthankara of Jains 29. Who among the following is well
Win the Bharat Ratna Kumari (b) India’s largest Buddhist known as an exponent of flute ?
Ans. (d) (CSE 2001) monastery is in Arunachal Pradesh (a) Debu Choudhary
Explanation : No actress was (c) The Khajuraho temples were (b) Madhup Mudgal
awarded Bharat Ratna. Satyajit built under Chandela Kings (c) Ronu Mazumdhar

Prelims Magic 2014 251

 (d) Sahafaat Ahmad the code given below the lists: Swapna Sundari is an exponent of
Ans. (c) (CSE 2004) List – I (Place of archaeological Kuchipudi.
Explanation : Monument)
Ronu Mazumdar - Flute A. Sisupalgarh 35. Which one of the following is
Debu Choudhary - Sitar B. Piprahwa not correctly matched ?
Sahafaat Ahmed - Tabla C. Goalpara Prominent Indian Writer
Madhup Mudgal - Vocal D. Bishnupur (a) Raja Rao
H 30. The Archaeological Survey of
List – II (State)
1. Assam
(b) Gobind Trimbuk Deshpande
(c) Subramaniyam Bharati
India is an attached office of the 2. Manipur (d) Tara Shankar Joshi
I Department / Ministry of
(a) Culture
3. Orissa
4. Uttar Pradesh
Language
Telugu
(b) Tourism A B C D Marathi
S (c) Science and Technology
(d) Human Resource Development
(a) 2
(c) 3
4
4
1
1
3
2
Tamil
Gujarati
Ans. (a) (CSE 2004) A B C D Ans. (a) (CSE 2006)
T Explanation : The Archaeological
Survey of India is an attached office
(b) 2
(d) 3
1
1
4
4
3
2
Explanation: Raja Rao is a
prominent Indian Writer in English
of the Department of Culture, Ans. (c) (CSE 2006) Language. His literary works are
O Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Explanation :
Sisupalgarh - Orissa
Kanthapura, The Serpent and the
Rope, The Cat and the
31. Consider the following Piprahwa - Uttar Pradesh Shakespeare, Comrade Kirllov.
R statements :
1. The Islamic Calendar is twelve
Goalpara
Bishnupur
- Assam
- Manipur 36. Which one of the following
pairs is not correctly matched?
days shorter than the Gregorian
Y Calendar.
2. The Islamic Calendar began in
33. Which one of the following
pairs is correctly matched ?
Monastery
(a) Dhankar Monastery
(b) Rumtek Monastery
A.D. 632 (a) Vikramsila Monastery:
(c) Tabo Monastery
3. The Gregorian Calendar is a Uttar Pradesh
(d) Kye Monastery
solar calendar (b) Hemkund Gurudwara:
State
Which of the statements given Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
above is/are correct? (c) Udayagiri Caves:
Sikkim
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 Maharashtra Himachal Pradesh
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 3 only (d) Amaravati Buddhist Stupa: Arunachal Pradesh
Ans . (d) (CSE 2004) Andhra Pradesh Ans. (d) (CSE 2006)
Explanation : The Julian Year was Ans. (d) (CSE 2006) Explanation: ‘Kye Monastery’ is
11 min. and 14 sec. Longer than the Explanation : situated in the Lahaul and Spiti
Solar year. To make the Vernal Vikramsil Monastery - Bihar (50 district of Himachal Pradesh.
equinox occur on March 21, as it km from Bhagalpur, on the foot of
had in A.D. 325, the year of the First Hemkund Lake). 37. Where is the famous Vijaya
Council of Nicaea, ‘Pope Gregory Hemkund Gurudwara- Uttaranchal Vittala temple having its 56 carved
XIII’ issued a decree dropping 10 Udaygiri Caves - Orissa (12 km pillars emitting musical notes
days from the Calendar. To prevent from Bhubaneshwar) located ?
further displacement he instituted a Amarvati Buddhist Stupa - Andhra (a) Belur
Calendar, known as the Gregorian Pradesh (b) Bhadrachalam
Calendar. (c) Hampi
34. Who among the following is a (d) Srirangam
Islamic Calendar a lunar one used Hindustani classical singer ? Ans. (c) (CSE 2007)
in most Muslim countries was (a) Geeta Chandran Explanation : Vijaya Vittal Temple
started from A.D. 622, the day (b) Leela Samson is one of the most exquisitely carved
after the Hegira, or emigration of (c) Gangubai Hangal temples in Hampi. The
Mohammed from Mecca to (d) Swapnasundari magnificently sculptured pillars are
Medina. Ans. (c) (CSE 2006) the marvel in the history of temple
Explanation: Geeta Chandran and architecture. Each of the pillars are
32. March List – I with List – II Leela Samsonand are the exponents different, which gives different
and select the correct answer using of Bharatanatyam dance while musical notes when hit with fingers.

252 Prelims Magic 2014

38. Match List-I with List-II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List-I (Author)
A. Bankimchandra
B. Dinabandhu Mitra
C. Premchand
List-II (Work)
1. Shatranj Ke Khilari
2. Debi Chaudhurani
3. Nil-Darpan
4. Chandrakanta
A B C A B C
(a) 2 4 1 (b) 3 4 2
(c) 2 3 1 (d) 3 1 4
Ans . (c) (CSE 2008)
Explanation:
• Bankim Chandra was a
Bengali poet, novelist, essayist and
journalist, most famous as the author
of Vande Mataram of Bande
Mataram, that inspired the freedom
fighters of India, and was later
declared the National Song of India.
His novel Devi Chaudhurani, was
published in 1884.
• Dinabandhu-Mitra the Bengali
dramatist, was born in 1830 at
Chouberia in Nadia, and was the
son of Kalachand Mitra. His given
name was Gandharva Narayan, but
he changed it to Dinabandhu Mitra.
Mitra stormed the social and the
literary circle of Bengal by his most
notable play Nildarpan in the year
1860. It was published from Dhaka
and soon after its publication it ignited
a major argument in the
newspapers.
• Munshi Premchand, was one
of the greatest literary figures of
modern Hindi and Urdu literature.
Shatranj Ke Khiladi is a story in
Hindi written by him. Premchand’s
Urdu version is titled Shatranj ki
bazi. The story depicts decadent
royalty of Central North India. It is
set around with the nawabs of
Lucknow, local feudal lords, in the
eighteenth century.
39. Who among the following gave
a systematic critique of the
moderate politics of the Indian
National Congress in a series of
articles entitled New Lamps for
Old?
(a) Aurobindo Ghosh
(b) R. C. Dutt
(c) Syed Ahmad Khan
(d) Viraraghavachari
Ans. (a) (CSE 2008)
Explanation: In 1893, Shri
Aurobindo started writing political
articles under the general title ‘New
Lamps For Old’, at the instance of
his Cambridge friend, K G
Deshpandey, who edited the English
section of an Anglo-Marathi paper
known as the ‘Indu Prakash’. These
articles constituted a direct, invasive
and eloquent attack on the Indian
National Congress, whose policies
Shri Aurobindo regarded as a
process of futile petition and protest.
Shri Aurobindo gave a stirring call
to his countrymen to organise all the
forces in the nation for revolutionary
action as the sole effective policy
for the attainment of our
independence.
40. Which one of the following was
a journal brought out by Abul Kalam
Azad?
(a) Al-Hilal
(b) Comrade
(c) The Indian Sociologist
(d) Zamindar
Ans. (a) (CSE 2008)
Explanation:
Abul Kalam Azad was a Muslim
scholar and a senior political leader
of the Indian Independence
movement. He was one of the most
prominent Muslim leaders to
support Hindu-Muslim unity,
opposing the partition of India on
communal lines. He established an
Urdu weekly newspaper in 1912
called Al-Hilal and openly attacked
British policies while exploring the
challenges facing common people.
41. Who among the following wrote
the poem, Subhe Azadi?
(a) Sahir Ludhiyanvi
(b) Faiz Ahmed Faiz
(c) Muhammad Iqbal
(d) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Ans. (b) (CSE 2008)
Prelims Magic 2014
Explanation :
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1984-1911) was
a Pakistani poet considered to be
one of the most famous modern
Urdu poets. Faiz’s poems : “Sarood-
e-shabana”, “Mujh say pehli see
muhabat Mairay mehboob nah
maang” Chand roz aur mairy jaan”
“Boal keh lab azad hain tairay
H
“Tanhaiy” “Doaa” “Subh-e-azadi”
“Loh-o-qalam” “Tauq-o-dar ka
mausam” “Tumharay hussan kay
I
nam” “Nisar mein teri gallion kay”
“Irani tulaba key nam” “Shishon ka
massiha koi naheen” “Mullaqat”
S
“Humjo tareek rahoon mein maray
gaey” “Aey roshanion kay shahar”
Africa come back” “Aaj bazaar
T
mein pa bah jolan chalo” “Pass
raho” “Munzar” “Yahan say shehr
ko dekho” “Khursheed-e-mehshar
O
ki lao” “Jis roz qaza aiey gi” and
“Aay sham mehrban ho”. R
42. Who of the following is the
author of collection of poems called
“Golden Threshold” ?
Y
(a) Aruna Asaf Ali
(b) Annie Besant
(c) Sarojini Naidu
(d) Vijayalakshmi pandit
Ans. (c) (CSE 2009)
Explanation : Sarojini Naidu is well
acclaimed for her contribution to
poetry. Her poetry had beautiful
words that could also be sung. Her
collection of poems was published
in 1905 under the title “The Golden
Threshold”.
43. Mahamastakabhisheka, a great
religious event, is associated with
and done for who of the following?
(a) Bahubali (b) Buddha
(c) Mahavir (d) Nataraja
Ans. (a) (CSE 2009)
Explanation :
The Mahamasthakabhisheka (or
Mahamasthak Abhishek) is an
important Jain festival held once
every twelve years in the town of
Shravanabelagola in Karnataka
state, India. The festival is held in
veneration of an immense 18 meter
high statue of the Bhagwan (or
Saint) Gomateshwara Bahubali.
253
 The anointing last took place in
February 2006, and the next
ceremony will occur in 2018.
44. Consider the following pairs:
Tradition State
1. Gatka, a traditional
H Martial art
2. Mudhubani, a
: Kerala
Traditional Painting : Bihar
I 3. Singhey
Khabas Sindhu Darshan : J & K
Festival
S Which of the pairs given above is/
are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
T (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) (CSE 2009)
Explanation :
O Gatka is an Indian martial art
created by the Sikhs of the Punjab
region. It was used by Sikh forces
R against the Mughals, primarily in
reaction to oppressive or aggressive
policies. Though rarely used in
Y combat today, gatka is still popular
as a sport and is often shown during
Sikh festivals.
• Madhubani Painting or Mithila
Painting is a style of Indian painting,
practiced in the Mithila region of
Bihar state, India.
• The Sindhu Darshan festival is
a celebration of River Sindhu or
Indus. It is held every year in June
at Leh, Ladakh in the Indian state
of Jammu & Kashmir. Festival aims
at projecting the Sindhu as a symbol
of multi-dimensional cultural identity,
communal harmony and peaceful
co-existence in India.
45. Match List-I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
code given below the lists:
List I List II
(Famous Person) (Well-known as)
A. Amrita Sher-Gil 1. Dancer
B. Bhimsen Joshi 2. Painter
C. Rukmini Devi
Arundale 3. Poet
D. Suryakant
Tripathi Nirala 4. Singer
A B C D
(a) 2 1 4 3 1. Amartya Sen
(c) 3 1 4 2 2. Amitav Ghosh
254 Prelims Magic 2014
A B C D
(b) 2 4 1 3 4. Jhumpa Lahiri
(d) 3 4 1 2 A B C
Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
Explanation:
• Amrita Sher-Gil (January 30,
1913, - December 5, 1941), was an
eminent Indian painter, sometimes
known as India’s Frida Kahlo, and
today considered an important
women painter of 21st century India,
whose legacy stands at par with
that of the Masters of Bengal
Renaissance. Today, she is amongst
Nine Masters, whose work was
declared as art treasures by The
Archaeological Survey of India, in
1976 and 1979
• Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj
Joshi is an Indian vocalists in the
Hindustani classical tradition. A
member of the Kirana Gharana
(school), he is renowned for the
khayal form of singing, as well as
for his popular renditions of
devotional music (bhajans and
abhangs). In 2008, he was awarded
the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest
civilian honour
• Rukmini Devi Arundale
(February 29, 1904 – February 24,
1986) was an Indian theosophist,
dancer and choreographer in Indian
classical dancer form of
Bharatnatyam, and also an activist
for animal rights, animal welfare and
vegetarianism.
• Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’
(January 22, 1896 – October 15,
1961) was one of the most famous
figures of the modern Hindi
literature. He was a poet, novelist,
essayist and story-writer. He also
drew many sketches.
46. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
code given below the lists:
List I (Book)
A. In custody
B. Sea of Poppies
C. The Argumentative Indian
D. Unaccustomed Earth
List II (Author)
3. Anita Desai
D
(a) 4 1 2 3
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 3 2 1 4
(d) 3 1 2 4
Ans . (c)
Explanation :
(CSE 2009)
• In Custody (1984) is Anita
Desai’s ironic story about literary
traditions and academic illusions.
The central characters are Nur, and
Urhi poet, who has fallen on hard
times, and Deven, a professor of
Hindi, who realizes that the beloved
poet is not the magical genius he has
imagined.
• Sea of Poppies is a novel by
Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh which
was shortlisted for the Man Booker
Prize in 2008. It is the first volume
of what will be the Ibis trilogy. The
story is set on the banks of the holy
river Ganges and in Calcutta.
• The Argumentative Indian is
a book written by the Indian Nobel
Prize winning economist Amartya
Sen. It is a collection of essays that
discuss India’s history and identity,
focusing on the traditions of public
debate and intellectual pluralism. It
was published on June 2, 2005.
• Unaccustomed Earth is the
latest book from Pulitzer Prize
winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. It
was published on April, 2008. Just
like her other books, Unaccustomed
Earth is also a reflection of life of
two separate cultures, and how
people cope with each other. It
made the New York Times Book
Review list of “10 Best Books of
2008” as chosen by the papers
editors.
47. Where is the famous Virupaksha
temple located ?
(a) Bhadrachalam
(b) Chidambaram
(c) Hampi
(d) Srikalahasti
Ans. (c) (CSE 2009)
Explanation: Virupaksha Temple
is located in Hampi 350 km from
Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka
in southern India. The temple is
dedicated to Shiva, known here as
Virupaksha, as the consort of the
local goddess Pampa who is
associated with the Tungabhadra
River. The temple continues to
prosper and attracts huge crowds
for the betrothal and marriage
festivities of Virupaksha and Pampa
in December. In the month of
February the annual chariot festival
is celebrated here.
48. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
code given below the lists :
List I (Famous Temple
A.Vidyashankara temple
B. Rajarani Temple
C. Kandariya Mahadeo Temple
D. Bhimesvara temple
List II (State)
1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Karnataka
3. M.P.
4. Orissa
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1 style of Indian classical music, and
(c) 1 4 3 2 are the most active young
A B C D
(b) 2 3 4 1 international circuits. Gundecha
(d) 1 3 4 2 Brothers received conventional
Ans. (a) (CSE 2009)
Explanation:
• Vidyashankara Temple at
Sringere is a revered piligrimage
centre located amidst the
picturesque Sahyadri hills in
Chikmaglur District of Karnataka
on the left bank of the river
Tungabhadra.
• Rajarani temple is one of the
most renowned temples in
Bhubaneswar, the capital city of
Orissa. It is made from the
wonderful red and gold sandstone,
which is locally known as Rajarani
and this is what gives the temple its
name of ‘Raja Rani’. Rajarani
temple of Bhubaneshwar is
dedicated to Lord Brahma. The
origin of this temple can be dated
back to the eleventh century.
• The Kandariya Mahadeva is the
largest and most ornate Hindu
temple in the medieval in the temple D. Vanashree Rao
group found at khajuraho in Madhya List II (Well-Known for)
Pradesh, India. It was built by 1. Theatre direction
Vidyadhara arguably one of the 2. Social service and community
greatest Chandela Kings. The 3. Dance
temple was built around 1050 on 4. History writing
Hindu beliefs. A B C D
• Bhimesvara temple is a 10 th
century shrine at Draksharamam.
(a) 2
(c) 3
1
1
4
4
3
2
H
It is one among the five Arama A B C D
shrines dedicated to Shiva, in
Andhra Pradesh. The temple was
(b) 2
(d) 3
4
4
1
1
3
2
I
built by the Eastern Chalukyan king Ans. (a) (CSE 2009)
Bhima of Vengi, when his kingdom
was under attack by the
Explanation:
• Mandakini Amte, daughter-in-
S
Rashtrakootas. law of famous social activist Baba
49. The brothers Umakant and
Amte along with her husband
Prakash Amte have been awarded
T
Ramakant Gundecha are: the 2008 Ramon Magsaysay Award
(a) Dhurpad vocalist
(b) Kathak dancers
for community leadership, for
serving the medical, education and
O
(c) Sarod Maestros livelihood needs of remote tribal
(d) Tabla players
Ans. (a) (CSE 2009)
communities in Maharashtra for
over 30 years.
R
Explanation: Umakant and • Famous theatre person Neelam
Ramakant Gundecha are India’s
leading exponents of the Dhrupad
Mansingh Chowdhry, was selected
for the Sangeet Natak Academy
Y
Award in 2003. She got the honour
in the category of theatre direction.
performers in that style in Indian and • Romila Tapar (born 1931) is an
Indian historian whose principal
area of study is ancient India.
university education and learned the Thapar’s major works are Asoka
Dhrupad vocal art under the and the Decline of the Maurya,
renowned Dhrupad vocalist Ustad Ancient Indian Social History: Some
Zia Fariduddin Dagar and also with Interpretations, Recent
Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (the Perspectives of Early Indian History
distinguished performer of Rudra (editor), A History of India Volume
Veena) in Dhrupad Kendra, Bhopal. One, and Early India: From the
They have received National Origins to AD 1300.
Fellowship from 1987 to 89, Ustad • Guru Jayarama and his wife
Allauddin Khan Fellowship in 1993, Vanashree Rao are to-day,
Sanskriti Award in 1994 and Kumar considered to be the front ranking
Gandharva Award in 1998 by Govt. artists of Kuchipudi style of Andhra.
of Madhya Pradesh and Dagar Vanashree received fellowship from
Gharana Award by Mewar the Govt of India and The Sangeet
Foundation in 2001. Natak Akademi in the field of
Abhinaya.
50. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the 51. In which State is the Buddhist
code given below the lists: site Tabo Monastery located ?
List I (Famous Person) (a) Arunachal Pradesh
A. Mandakani Amte (b) Himachal Pradesh
B. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry (c) Sikkim
leadership (d) Uttarkhand
C. Romila Thapar Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
Prelims Magic 2014 255
 Explanation :
Located in the valley of Spiti
(Himachal Pradesh) at an altitude
of 3050m, the Tabo Monastery is
quiet often referred to as the Ajanta
of the Himalayas. Founded by an
eminent scholar Richen Zangpo in
H the 996 AD, as an advanced centre
of learning, this is basically a
complex that houses a number of
I small gompas, temples and
monasteries. It spreads over an area
of 6300 sq m and is surrounded by
S high boundary wall.
52. Consider the following famous
T name :
1. Amrita SherGil
2. Bikash Bhattacharjee
O 3. N.S. Bendre
4. Subodh Gupta
Who of the above is/are-well known
R as artist(s) ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
Y (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2009)
Explanation:
Amrita Sher-Gil (January 30,
1913-December 5, 1941), was an
eminent Indian painter, sometimes
known as India’s Frida Kahlo, and
today considered an important
women painter of 21st century India.
Bikash Bhattacharjee (1940-
December 18, 2006) was an Indian
painter from Kolkata in West
Bengal. Through his paintings, he
depicts the life of the average middle
class Bengali – their aspirations,
superstitions, hypocrisy and
corruption, and even the violence
that is endemic to Kolkata.
Narayan Shridhra Bendre was
born in 1910 in Indore. He got his
early art education in the State Art
School, Indore. Later he obtained
his Government Diploma in Art from
Bombay in 1933. He was awarded
Padmashri in 1969, and Kalidas
Samman in 1984.
Subodh Gupta (born 1964) is an
256 Prelims Magic 2014
artist based in New Delhi. Gupta
was born in Khagaul, Bihar, India.
His work encompasses sculpture,
installation, painting, photography,
performance and video.
53. There are only two known
examples of cave paintings of the
Gupta period in ancient India. One
of these is paintings of Ajanta caves.
Where is the other surviving
example of Gupta paintings ?
(a) Bagh caves
(b) Ellora caves
(c) Lomas Rishi cave
(d) Nasik caves
Ans . (a)
Explanation :
(CSE 2010)
The art of painting reached its
perfection in Guptan age. The most
important examples of Guptan
paintings are found on the walls of
Ajanta caves (Maharashtra, India)
and Bagh caves (Gwalior in Madhya
Pradesh, India). Guptan painters
painted incidents from the life of
Buddha and also secular scenes.
Cave No. 17 contains pictures
dealing with the incidents of
Buddha’s birth, life and death. Cave
No. 16 has a marvellous painting of
a dying princess. According to art
critics Guptan paintings possess
delicacy of lines, brilliancy of colors
and richness of expression. Cave
architecture developed further than
from before ages. Stone temples
concept emerged during this period.
Ellora is an archaeological site, 30
km ( 19mi) from the city of
Aurangabad in the Indian state of
Maharashtra built by the
Rashtrakuta rulers. Well-known for
its monumental caves, Ellora is a
World Heritage Site. Ellora
represents the epitome of Indian
rock-cut architecture. The 34
“caves” - actually structures
excavated out of the vertical face
of the Charanandri hills – being
Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock cut
temples and monasteries, were built
between the 5th century and 10th
century.
Nasik caves were built before the
Gupta period.
54. Among the following who was
not a proponent of bhakti cult ?
(a) Nagarjuna (b) Tukaram
(c) Tyagaraja (d) Vallabhacharya
Ans. (a) (CSE 2010)
Explanation:
Famous proponents of Bhakti
Over the centuries there have been
innumerable devotees who have
been said to have exemplified a life
of selfless devotion to their
particular ishta-deva: Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, Mirabai, Ramdas,
Tyagaraja, Annamayya, Appar,
Namdev, Tukaram, Kabir, Vedanta
Desika, Ramana, Ramakrishna,
Vallabhacharya,
55. The Nagara, the Dravida and
the Vesara are the
(a) three main racial groups of the
Indian subcontinent
(b) three main linguistic divisions into
which the languages of India can
be classified
(c) three main styles of Indian
temple architecture
(d) three main musical Gharanas
prevalent in India
Ans. (c) (CSE 2012)
Explanation: The canonical Silpa
texts like Mayamata, Tantrasa-
muchchaya, Suprabhe dagama
refer to the Nagara, the Vesara, and
the Dravida styles of temples. The
classification is made according to
the shape and the Nagara style is
defined as being quadrangular all
over, from the base to the shikhara.
The Nagara style is associated with
the land between the Himalayas and
the Vindhyas, the Dravida style with
the land between the Krishna and
Kaveri rivers while the Vesara is
something associated with the area
between the Vindhyas and the
Krishna river.
56. With reference to Dhrupad, one
of the major traditions of India that
has been kept alive for centuries,
which of the following statements
are correct?
1. Dhrupad originated and
developed in the Rajput kingdoms
during the Mughal period.
2. Dhrupad is primarily a
devotional and spiritual music.
3. Dhrupad Alap uses Sanskrit
syllables from Mantras.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None of the
above is correct
Ans. (b) (CSE 2012)
Explanation :
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Indian
classical music, said to be the oldest
still in use in that musical tradition.
Its name is derived from the words
“dhruva” (fixed) and “pada”
(words). The term may denote both
the verse form of the poetry and the
style in which it is sung.
Abul Fazl, courtier and chronicler
at the court of the Emperor Akbar,
defines the dhrupad verse form in
his Aine-Akbari as “four rhyming
lines, each of indefinite prosodic
length”. Thematic matter ranges
from the religious and spiritual
(mostly in praise of Hindu deities)
to royal panegyrics, musicology and
romance. The nature of Dhrupad
music is spiritual. Seeking not to
entertain, but to induce feelings of
peace and contemplation in the
listener. It is a form of devotional
music that traces its origin to the
ancient text of Sam Veda.
57. How do you distinguish between
Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam
dances ?
1. Dances occasionally speaking
dialogues is found in Kuchipudi
dance but not in Bharatanatyam.
2. Dancing on the brass plate by
keeping the feet on its edges is a
feature of Bharatanatyam but
Kuchipudi dance does not have such
a form of movements.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2012)
Explanation: Kuchipudi is an Indian
classical dance that has its roots in
a humble little village of the same
name, situated in the Krishna district
of Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi is
unique among the Indian classical
dance styles. It uses rhythmic
footwork and sculpturesque body
movements. Stylised mime, using
hand gestures and subtle facial
expression, is combined with more
realistic acting, occasionally
including dialogues spoken by the
dancers. Hence option 1 is correct.
Another unique feature of kuchipudi
is the Tarangam, in which the
performer dances on the edges of
a brass plate, deftly executing
complicated rhythmic patterns,
while sometimes also balancing a
pot of water on the head. Hence
option 2 is not correct.
Q. With reference to the history of
Indian rock-cut architecture,
consider the following statements:
1. The caves at Badami are the
oldest surviving rock-cut caves in
India.
2. The Barabar rock-cut caves
were originally made for Ajivikas by
Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
3. At Ellora, caves were made for
different faiths.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
Expl: Barabar are oldest rock cut
caves and they were built by Asoka.
Q. Some Buddhist rock-cut caves
are called Chaityas, while the others
are called Viharas. What is the
difference between the two?
(a) Vihara is a place of worship,
while Chaitya is the dwelling place
of the monks
(b) Chaitya is a place of worship,
while Vihara is the dwelling place
of the monks
(c) Chaitya is the stupa at the far
end of the cave, while Vihara is the
hall axial to it
(d) There is no material difference
between the two
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Prelims Magic 2014
Q. In the context of cultural history
of India, a pose in dance and
dramatics called ‘Tribhanga’ has
been a favourite of Indian artists
from ancient times till today. Which
one of the following statements best
describes this pose?
(a) One leg is bent and the body is
slightly but oppositely curved at
H
waist and neck
(b) Facial expressions, hand gestures
and make-up are combined to
I
symbolize certain epic or historic
characters
(c) Movements of body, face and
S
hands are used to express oneself
or to tell a story
(d) A little smile, slightly curved
T
waist and certain hand gestures are
emphasized to express the feelings
of love or eroticism
O
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Q. With reference to the history of
R
philosophical thought in India,
consider the following statements
regarding Sankhya school:
Y
1 . Sankhya does not accept the
theory of rebirth or transmigration
of soul.
2. Sankhya holds that it is the self-
knowledge that leads to liberation
and not any exterior influence or
agent. 
Which of the statements given
above is /are correct?
(a) 1only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
Q. Consider the following historical
places: 
1. Ajanta Caves
2. Lepakshi Temple
3. Sanchi Stupa
Which of the above places is / are
also known for mural paintings?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: Ajantha and Lepakshi Temple
257
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E
O
G
R
A
P
H
Y

258 Prelims Magic 2014

 GEOGRAPHY
G
CONTENT E
1.
2.
Universe & Solar System
Interior of the Earth
260
266 O
3. Minerals and Rocks 267
4. Earthquake 269 G
5. Volcano 270
6. Principal Rivers of the World 273 R
7. Atmosphere 275
8.
9.
Hydrosphere
Bio Geography
292
297
A
10.
11.
The World Population
Continents and Countries
301
307
P
Geography of India
12. Introduction 311
H
13. Drainage system
14. Climate
315
326
Y
15. Soils 329
16. Natural Vegetation 331
17. Fauna 337
18. Irrigation 341
19. Agriculture 347
20. Minerals of India 374
21. Energy 377
22. Industries 380
23. Population 384
24. Transport 390

Prelims Magic 2014 259


1 UNIVERSE & SOLAR SYSTEM
The Sun: It is one of the stars in the
Milky Way. It takes 250 million years
to complete one revolution round its
centre. This period is called ‘Cosmic
year’. The sun is 109 times bigger
brightness. ‘Super Novae’ are stars
whose brightness suddenly increases
by more than 20 magnitudes. After
galaxy. A star is a massive, luminous the explosion, the dense core of
ball of plasma that is held together comparatively smaller stars is called
by gravity. Sun is the nearest star of the ‘white dwarf’. The dense core
earth, with its average distance being of the comparatively larger stars is
149.6 million km and proxima called the ‘Neutron star ’. The

G than the earth and weighs 2 x 1027

tones. The light from the sun reaches
earth in about· 8 minutes. The sun is
centauri is the second nearest star neutron star rotates at a high speed
of the earth. Other stars in the order emitting radio waves. Such stars are
of their distance from the earth are called ‘Pulsar’. Black hole stage of

E mainly composed of hydrogen. The

glowing surface of the sun which we
see is called ‘photosphere’. Above
Alpha Centauri, Barnard’s Star, the star occurs when the ancient star
Wolf, Lalande, Alpha Sirius, Beta collapses. Gravity becomes so
Sirius, white dwarf and A Luyten. intense in the hole that nothing

O the photosphere is the red coloured

‘Chromosphere’. Beyond the
chromosphere is the ‘corona’,
Stars are visible in the night sky, escapes, even light. This dark object
when they are not outshone by the is thus called a ‘Black Hole’.
Sun. Historically, the most prominent

G which is visible during eclipses. The

temperature of the photosphere is
about 6000°C, that of the
R chromosphere about 32400°C and
that of the corona about 2,700,000°C.
The core of the sun has a
A temperature about 15 million degrees
K. The dark lines in the corona are
called ‘Fraunhofer lines’. The
P emission of hydrogen in all directions
is called ‘prominences.’ Sometimes
they roll out of the atmosphere to be
H seen as ‘solar flares.’ The outward
streams of protons flowing out from
the corona are called ‘solar winds’,
Y which is made up of plasma. The
earth’s magnetosphere or Van Allen
belts as they were earlier called acts
as a shield and deflects the solar
Winds. ‘Sun spots’ are dark patches
notched on the surface of the sun.
They appear dark because they are
cooler i.e. they have a temperature
of about 1500°C. The ‘Aurora
Borealis’ or northern lights are
multicoloured lights that sweep·
across the sky in waves and are
visible in the arctic region. The’
Aurora Australis’ or southern lights
are similarly visible near the
Antarctica region. The sun is
approximately 4,366,813 kilometers
(2,713,406 miles) in circumference.
The sun’s diameter is more than 100
times larger than the earth’s
diameter.
Stars
Stars are self luminous bodies that
account for 98 % of the matter in a
stars on the celestial sphere were How was this topic asked in the CSE?
grouped together into constellations,
and the brightest stars gained proper Q. A 'black hole' is a body in
names.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? radiation to come out. This
Q. Which one of the following
stars is nearest to the Earth?
(a) Polaris (b) Alpha Centauri
(c) Sun (d) Sirius
Ans. (c) CSE 1997
The Star Formation
Stars are self luminous bodies that
account for 98 percent of the matter
in a galaxy. In the universe, some
matter appears small but emit more
energy than the other stars of the
milkyway. Such stars are called
‘Quasars’. When the dense galactic
nucleus is compressing to form a
star, this stage in star formation is
called a “protostar’ stage. Due to
high temperature hydrogen converts
to helium and heat and light is
emitted. These clumps continue to
grow into even denser gaseous
bodies, giving rise to formation of
stars. The formation of stars is
believed to have taken place some
5-6 billion years ago. When the
hydrogen of a star is depleted, its
outer regions swell and redden. This
stage of a star is called a ‘Red
Giant’. Our Sun will turn into a ‘red
Giant’ in 5 billion years. ‘Novae
Stars’ are stars whose brightness
increases suddenly by 10 to 20
magnitudes due to explosion and
then the stars again fade into normal
space which does not allow any
property is due to its:
(a) very small size
(b) very large size
(c) very high density
(d) very low density
Ans. (c) CSE 2000
Galaxies The distribution of matter
and energy was not even in the early
universe. These initial density
differences gave rise to differences
in gravitational forces and it caused
the matter to get drawn together.
These formed the bases for
development of galaxies. Thus
galaxies are huge congregation of
stars that hold together by force of
gravity e.g. the Milky Way,
Andromeda galaxy, large and small
magellanic cloud, Ursa Minor
system, sculptor system, N.G.C. etc.
Galaxies spread over vast distances
that are measured in thousands of
light-years. The diameters of
individual galaxies range from
80,000-150,000 light years. A galaxy
starts to form by accumulation of
hydrogen gas in the form of a very
large cloud called nebula.
Eventually, growing nebula develops
localised clumps of gas.
Milky Way or Akashganga is our
home galaxy. Our solar system is
located in this galaxy. The sun takes
24 million years to complete one
revolution around the galactic

260 Prelims Magic 2014

nucleus, which is called a ‘galactic
year’.
Formation of Planets
The following are considered to be
the stages in the development of
planets:
(i) The stars are localised lumps of
gas within a nebula. The gravitational
force within the lumps leads to the
formation of a core to the gas cloud
and a huge rotating disc of gas and
dust develops around the gas core.
(ii) In the next stage, the gas cloud
starts getting condensed and the
matter around the core develops into
small rounded objects. These small-
rounded objects by the process of
cohesion develop into what is called
planetesimals. Larger bodies start
forming by collision, and gravitational
attraction causes the material to stick
together. Planetesimals are a large
number of smaller bodies.
(iii) In the final stage, these large
number of small planetesimals
accrete to form a fewer large bodies
in the form of planets.
Theories of the origin of the Earth
Many theories were put forth by
different philosophers and scientists
regarding the origin of the earth.
One of the earlier and popular
arguments was by German
philosopher Immanuel Kant. (1755)
Mathematician Laplace revised it in
1796. It is known as Nebular
Hypothesis. According to this
theory, the planets were formed out
of a cloud of material associated with
a youthful sun, which was slowly
rotating. Later in 1900, Chamberlain
and Moulton considered that a
wandering star approached the sun.
As a result, a cigar-shaped
extension of material was separated
from the solar surface. As the
passing star moved away, the
material separated from the solar
surface continued to revolve around
the sun and it slowly condensed into
planets.At a later date, the
arguments considered of a
companion to the sun to have been
coexisting. These arguments are
called binary theories. In 1950,
Otto Schmidt in Russia and Carl
Weizascar in Germany somewhat
revised the ‘nebular hypothesis’,
though differing in details. They
considered that the sun was
surrounded by solar nebula
containing mostly the hydrogen and
helium along with what may be
termed as dust. The friction and
collision of particles led to formation
of a disk-shaped cloud and the
planets were formed through the
process of accretion.
However, scientists in later period
took up the problems of origin of
universe rather than that of just the
earth or the planets. The most
popular argument regarding the
origin of the universe is the Big Bang
Theory. It is also called expanding
universe hypothesis. Edwin
Hubble, in 1920, provided evidence
that the universe is expanding. As
time passes, galaxies move further
and further apart. Take a balloon
and mark some points on it to
represent the galaxies. Now, if you
start inflating the balloon, the points
marked on the balloon will appear
to be moving away from each other
as the balloon expands. Similarly, the
distance between the galaxies is also
found to be increasing and thereby,
the universe is considered to be
expanding. However, besides the
increase in the distances between the
points on the balloon, the points
themselves are expanding. This is
not in accordance with the fact.
Scientists believe that though the
space between the galaxies is
increasing, observations do not
support the expansion of galaxies.
So, the balloon example is only
partially correct. The Big Bang
Theory considers the following
stages in the development of the
universe.
(i) In the beginning, all matter
forming the universe existed in one
place in the form of a “tiny ball”
(singular atom) with an unimaginably
small volume, infinite temperature
and infinite density.
Prelims Magic 2014
(ii) At the Big Bang the “tiny ball”
exploded violently. This led to a huge
expansion. It is now generally
accepted that the event of big bang
took place 13.7 billion years before
the present. The expansion
continues even to the present day.
As it grew, some energy was
converted into matter. There was
particularly rapid expansion within
fractions of a second after the bang.
G
Thereafter, the expansion has
slowed down. Within first three
minutes from the Big Bang event,
E
the first atom began to form. (iii)
Within 300,000 years from the Big
Bang, temperature dropped to 4,500
O
K and gave rise to atomic matter.
The universe became transparent. G
The expansion of universe means
increase in space between the
galaxies. An alternative to this was
R
Hoyle’s concept of steady state. It
considered the universe to be roughly
the same at any point of time.
A
However, with greater evidence
becoming available about the
expanding universe, scientific
P
community at present favours
argument of expanding universe. H
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
scholars suggests the earth's origin
Y
from gases
and dust particles?
(a) James Jeans (b) H. Alfven
(c) F. Hoyle (d) O. Schmidt
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Planets have no light of their own
and all of them, except Venus and
Uranus rotate upon their axis in
anti-clock wise direction. Venus
and Uranus rotate upon their axis
in clock wise direction. The
direction of the planets in their
revolution around the sun is also in
anti-clock wise direction. Satellites
revolve around, some planets e.g.,
the earth has only one satellite
(The moon); Jupiter has as many
as more than 60 while Mercury
and Venus have none.
Our Solar system consists of eight
261
 planets. A new planet 2003 UB313
has also been recently sighted. The
nebula from which our Solar system
is supposed to have been formed,
started its collapse and core
formation some time 5-5.6 billion
years ago and the planets were
formed about 4.6 billion years ago.
G Our solar system consists of the sun
(the star), 8 planets, 63 moons,
millions of smaller bodies like
E asteroids and comets and huge
quantity of dust-grains and gases.
Out of the eight planets, the planet
O nearest to earth is Venus. Mercury
and Venus which are closer to the
sun than the earth are called inferior
G planets. All planets at a great
distance from the sun than the earth
are called superior planets.
R According to another way of
grouping Mercury, Venus, Earth and
Mars are called as the inner planets
A as they lie between the sun and the
belt of asteroids the other four
planets are called the outer planets.
P Alternatively, the first four are called
Terrestrial, meaning earth-like as
they are made up of rock and metals,
H and have relatively high densities.
The rest four are called Jovian or
Gas Giant planets. Jovian means
Y jupiter-like. Most of them are much
larger than the terrestrial planets and
have thick atmosphere, mostly of
helium and hydrogen. All the planets
were formed in the same period
sometime about 4.6 billion years ago.
Till recently (August 2006), Pluto was
also considered a planet. However,
in a meeting of the International
Astronomical Union, a decision was
taken that Pluto (like other celestial
objects 2003 UB 313 discovered in
recent past) may be called dwarf
planet’. The orbit of the Pluto is most
elliptical and as a result, it intersects
the orbit of the Neptune. Therefore,
in its journey around the sun this
planet for some years comes closer
to the sun than the Neptune.
Pluto, demoted from planet status in
2006, got a consolation prize - it and
other dwarf planets like it will be
called plutoids. The International
262 Prelims Magic 2014
Astronomical Union stated in a almost same. Its atmosphere
statement on June 11, 2008, that its contains 90-95% carbon dioxide.
executive committee meeting in Green house effect is seen in this
Oslo, Norway, decided on the term. planet. The atmospheric pressure is
Plutoids are celestial bodies in orbit 100' times that of the earth. It has
around the Sun at a distance greater no satellite. Due to its similarity with
than that of Neptune that have earth in respect of size and mass, it
sufficient mass for their self-gravity is also called ‘earth’s twin. It is the
to overcome rigid body forces so
that they assume a hydro­static
equilibrium (near-spherical) shape,
brightest planet.
The Earth is the third planet from
the Sun, and the fifth-largest of the
and that have not cleared the
neighbourhood around their orbit.
The two known and named plutoids
eight planets in the Solar System. It
is also the largest, most massive, and
densest of the Solar System’s four
are Pluto and Eris. It is expected that
more plutoids will be named as
science progresses and new
terrestrial (or rocky) planets. It is
sometimes referred to as the World,
the Blue Planet, or Terra. Home to
discoveries are made. The dwarf
planet Ceres is not a plutoid as it is
located in the asteroid belt between
millions of species, including humans,
Earth is the only place in the universe
where life is known to exist. The
Mars and Jupiter. The IAU has been
responsible for nam­ing planetary
bodies and their satellites since the
planet formed 4.54 billion years ago,
and life appeared on its surface
within a billion years. The earth is
early 1900s. The IAU CSBN, who
originally proposed the term plutoid,
is responsible for naming small
approximately 40,075 kilometers
(24,901 miles) in circumference.
Traveling at 100 km/hour (62 mi/
bodies (except satellites of the major
planets) in the Solar System.
hour), never stopping or slowing
down, it would take only 17 days to
Planetary System travel around the earth. The distance
between the sun and the earth is
Our solar system consists of an approximately 150,000,000
average star we call the Sun, the kilometers (93,000,000 miles).
planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Traveling at a constant speed of
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and 1000 km/hour (620 mi/hour) it would
Neptune. It includes: the satellites take over 17 years to reach the sun.
of the planets; numerous comets, The approximate mean velocity with
asteroids, and meteoroids; and the which the Earth moves round the
interplanetary medium. Sun in its orbit is 30 km/s.
The planets move around the Sun. (29.8 km/s).
This motion is called revolution.
Each of the planets also spins
around an internal axis which is
called rotation. Period of Revolution
around the Sun (1 planetary year)
of all planet is given in the table.
Mercury: It is the nearest planet
of the sun. It has no atmosphere and
no satellites. Its days are scorching
hot and nights are frigid. It is the
smallest planet.
Venus: It is the nearest planet of
the earth. It is also called the
‘morning’ or ‘evening star’. It is
most probably the hottest planet. The
day and night temperatures are
The Planets in Our Solar System (AU-Mean distance between earth and sun i.e. 149,598,500 km)
D is ta n c e fr o m
P e r io d o f
th e S u n P e r io d o f T e m p e ra tu re
R o ta tio n D ia m e te r A p p a re n t N um ber
(A s tro n o m ic a l R e v o lu tio n M ass (K
P la n e t (1 (m ile s s iz e of
U n its A ro u n d th e S u n (k g ) R ange or
p la n e ta r y km ) fr o m E a r th M oons
m ile s (1 p la n e ta r y y e a r ) A v e ra g e )
d ay)
km )

0 .3 9 A U , 3 6 3 ,0 3 1
5 8 .7 E a rth 3 .3 x 5 -1 3 a rc 1 0 0 -7 0 0 K
M e rc u ry m il lio n m ile s 8 7 .9 6 E a rth d a y s m ile s 0
days 1 0 23 seconds m ean=452 K

G
5 7 .9 m illio n k m 4 ,8 7 8 k m

7 ,5 2 1
0 .7 2 3 A U
2 4 3 E a rth 4 .8 7 x m ile s 1 0 -6 4 a rc
V enus 6 7 .2 m illio n m i le s 2 2 4 .6 8 E a rth d a y s 726 K 0
days 1 0 24 1 2 ,1 0 4 seconds

E
1 0 8 . 2 m i ll i o n k m
km

7 ,9 2 6
1 A U
5 .9 8 x m ile s Not
E a r th 9 3 m i l l i o n m il e s 3 6 5 .2 6 d a y s 2 4 h o u rs 24 2 6 0 -3 1 0 K 1

O
10 1 2 ,7 5 6 A p p lic a b l e
1 4 9 . 6 m i ll i o n k m
km

1 .5 2 4 A U 2 4 .6 E a rth
4 ,2 2 2
1 4 1 .6 m illio n h o u rs 6 .4 2 x 4 -2 5 a rc

G
M a rs 6 8 6 .9 8 E a rth d a y s m ile s 1 5 0 -3 1 0 K 2
m ile s = 1 .0 2 6 1 0 23 seconds
6 ,7 8 7 k m
2 2 7 . 9 m i ll i o n k m E a rth d a y s

18
5 .2 0 3 A U 8 8 ,7 2 9 nam ed
J u p ite r
4 8 3 .6 m illio n
m ile s
7 7 8 . 3 m i ll i o n k m
1 1 .8 6 2 E a rth y e a rs
9 .8 4 E a rth
h o u rs
1 .9 0 x
1 0 27
m ile s
1 4 2 ,7 9 6
km
3 1 -4 8 a rc
seconds
120 K
( c lo u d to p s )
( p lu s
m any
s m a ll e r
ones)
R
S a tu rn
9 .5 3 9 A U
8 8 6 .7 m illio n
m ile s
1 ,4 2 7 .0 m illi o n
2 9 .4 5 6 E a rth y e a rs
1 0 .2 E a rth
h o u rs
5 .6 9 x
1 0 26
7 4 ,6 0 0
m ile s
1 2 0 ,6 6 0
1 5 -2 1 a rc
seconds
e x c lu d in g
88 K 18+
A
km r in g s
km

1 9 .1 8 A U
1 ,7 8 4 .0 m illi o n
1 7 .9 E a rth 8 .6 8 x
3 2 ,6 0 0
m ile s 3 -4 a rc
P
U ran u s m ile s 8 4 .0 7 E a rth y e a rs 59 K 15

H
h o u rs 1 0 25 5 1 ,1 1 8 seconds
2 ,8 7 1 .0 m illi o n
km
km

3 0 .0 6 A U
3 0 ,2 0 0

Y
2 ,7 9 4 .4 m illi o n
1 9 .1 E a rth 1 .0 2 x m ile s 2 .5 a rc
N e p tu n e m ile s 1 6 4 .8 1 E a rth y e a rs
h o u rs 1 0 26 4 8 ,6 0 0 seconds
48 K 82
4 ,4 9 7 .1 m illi o n
km
km

3 9 .5 3 A U
P lu to (a 1 ,4 1 3 1 la r g e
3 ,6 7 4 .5 m illi o n 6 .3 9 E a rth 1 .2 9 x 0 .0 4 a rc
d w a rf 2 4 7 .7 y e a rs m ile s 37 K ( p lu s 2
m ile s days 1 0 22 seconds
p la n e t) 2 ,2 7 4 k m tin y )
5 , 9 1 3 m i ll i o n k m
Plutoid

How was this topic asked in the CSE?

Q. Among the following which planet (c) The Sun contains 75 percent of the 2. The earth's magnetic pole in the
takes maximum time for one revolution mass of the solar system northern hemisphere is located on a
around the sun? (d) The diameter of the Sun is 190 peninsula in northern Canada.
(a) Earth (b) Jupiter times that of the Earth 3. Earth's magnetic equator passes
(c) Mars (d) Venus Ans. (a) CSE 2002 through Thumba in South India.
Ans. (b) CSE 2003 Q. What is the average distance (approxi- Which of the statements given above
mate) between the Sun and the Earth? is/are correct?
Q. Assertion (A): To orbit around Sun, (a) 70 x 105 km (b) 100 x 105 km (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3
the planet Mars takes lesser time than (c) 110 x 106 km (d) 150 x 106 km (c) 2 only (d) 3 only
time taken by the Earth Ans. (d) CSE 2007 Ans. (b) CSE 2005
Reason (R): The diameter of the planet Explanation: An imaginary line joining the
Mars is less than that of the Earth. Q. What is the approximate mean velocity magnetic poles would be inclined by
Ans. (A) is false but (R) is true. with which the Earth moves approximately 11.3° from the planet’s axis
CSE 2006 round the Sun in its orbit? of rotation. The axis of the earth is inclined
Q. Which one of the following statements (a) 20 km/s (b) 30 km/s to the plane of the ecliptic (the plane in
is correct with reference to our solar sys- (c) 40 km/s (d) 50 km/s which the earth orbits round the sun) at an
tem? Ans.(b) CSE 2006 angle of 66 1/2 °, giving rise to different
(a) The Earth is the densest of all the seasons and varying lengths of day and
Q. Consider the following statements:
planets in solar system night. Earth rotates on its own axis, tilted
1. The axis of the earth's magnetic field
(b) The predominant element in the at an angle of 23.4° every 23 hr. 56' giving
is inclined at 231/2 ° to the geographic
composition of Earth is silicon rise to Day and Night.
axis of the earth.

Prelims Magic 2014 263

 Mars: It is a shining planet having
two satellites named Phobos and
Demos. It has a thin atmosphere
comprising of Nitrogen and Argon.
It is marked with dormant volcanoes
and deep chasms where once water
flowed. The highest mountain here
is named Nix Olympia which is three
G times higher than Mount Everest. It
is also called the ‘Red planet’.
Recent explorations and findings of
E occurrence of ice caps and frozen
water have thrown light on the
possibility of existence of life here.
O How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
G conditions is most relevant for the
presence of life on Mars?
(a) Atmospheric composition
R (b) Thermal conditions
(c) Occurrence of ice caps and
frozen water
A (d) Occurrence of ozone
Ans. (c) CSE 1997
P Jupiter: It is the largest planet of
the solar system.
H Its atmosphere contains hydrogen,
helium, methane and ammonia. It
reflects more than three times the
Y energy it receives from the sun. It
has the great red spot which is an
enormous eddy in the turbulent cloud
cover. It also contains -dusty rings
and volcanoes. It has 18 satellites
like Ganimead, Aayo, Europa,
Callisto etc.
Saturn: The golden giant Saturn has
celebrated rings composed of
thousands of rippling, spiralling bands
just 100 feet thick. Its moon, Titan
has nitrogen atmosphere and
hydrocarbons, the necessity of life
but no life exists. Its main satellites
among the 21 are Phobe, Tethys,
Mimas etc.
Uranus: There are 9 dark compact
rings around this planet and a
corkscrew shaped magnetic field
that stretches for million of miles. Its of the earth and revolves around it. 100°C and during night it drops down
atmosphere contains methane. It is
the only planet where one pole or the
other faces the sun as it orbits. It has is more or less parallel to the axis of
15 satellites; the prominent ones are the earth (the axis of the moon is
264 Prelims Magic 2014
Aerial, Ambrial, Titania, Oberona, inclined at an angle of about 58° 43'
Miranda etc. with respect to the plane of ecliptic).
Moon rotates more slowly than the
Neptune: There are five rings
Earth and takes little over 27 days
around Neptune. The outer ring
to rotate once. Since it takes about
seems studded with icy moonlets
the same time to revolve around the
while the inner ring appears narrow
earth, it always presents the same
and nearly solid. It has 8 satellites
face or hemisphere to the Earth. Its
like Titron, Merid, N-l, N-2, N-3 etc.
It is the most distant planet from the
sun. Its atmosphere has poisonous
size is approximately one-fourth that
of the earth. It has a diameter of
3480 km and has a mass about 1/81
gases like methane and ammonia.
that of the earth. Its orbit is elliptical.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? The maximum distance (apogee) of
the moon from the earth is 407,000
Q. In order of their distances from km and the minimum distance
the Sun, which of the following (perigee) is 356,000 km. It takes 27
planets lie between Mars and days 7 hours and 43 minutes to
Uranus?
(a) Earth and Jupiter
(b) Jupiter and Saturn
rotate on its axis. It takes 27 days 7
hours and 43 minutes to revolve
Lunar Profile
(c) Saturn and Earth
(d) Saturn and Neptune
Ans.(b) CSE 2008
> Mean distance from Earth -
3.88 lakh km.
> Apogee - 406.69 km
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
> Perigee -356.39 km
> Diameter -3500 km (1/4th size
Match List-I with List-II and of the earth)
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists :
> Circumference- 1100 km
> Gravitational pull -1/6 of earth
List I > Age -4.6 billion year
(Special characteristic)
A. Smallest planet of the solar
> Surface temperature-134°
-170°C
system B. Largest planet of the > Rotation Time -27days, 7 hours
solar system C. Planet second
from the Sun in the solar system
and 43 minutes
> Revolution time-27 days 7
D. Planet nearest to the Sun hours and 43minutes
List II > Revolution velocity-3700 km ph
(Name of planet) > Tidal force ratio of the moon
1. Mercury and the sun- 9:4
2. Venus > Liebneti - Highest mountain on
3. Jupiter Moon (10660 m)
4. Pluto
A B C D around the earth. This is why we
(a) 2 3 5 1 see only one side of the moon. The
(b) 3 5 1 2 bright parts of the moon are
(c) 4 1 2 3 mountains whereas the dark patches
(d) 4 3 2 1 are low-lying plains. The highest
Ans. (d) CSE 1998 mountain in the moon is Liebnitz
Mountain which is 10,660 m high.
The moon has no atmosphere, no
The Moon twilight, and no sound. The
The moon is the only natural satellite temperature during daytime is about
At the same time moon also rotates to about­180°C. The light from moon
on its axis and the axis of the moon takes 1.3 seconds to reach the earth.
Asteroids
Asteroids are a series of very small
planets or fragments or rocky debris
of planets lying between the orbits
of Mars and Jupiter. They number
about 45,000. ‘Ceres’ whose length
is about 1000km is the largest. They
revolve around the sun in the same
way as the planets.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Directions: The following items
consist of two statements, one
labelled as the ‘Assertion (A)’ and
the other as ‘Reason (R). You are
to examine these two statements
carefully and select the answers
to these items using the code given
below:
Assertion (A): The same face of
the Moon is always presented to
the Earth.
Reason (R): The Moon rotates
about its own axis in 231/2days
which is about the same time that
it takes to orbit the Earth
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
NOT the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
Q. The group of small pieces of
rock revolving round the sun
between the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter are called
(a) meteors (b) comets
(c) meteorites (d) asteroids
Ans. (d) CSE 1997
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding asteroids:
1. Asteroids are rocky debris of
varying sizes orbiting the Sun.
2. Most of the asteroids are small
but some have diameter as large
as 1000 km.
3. The orbit of asteroids lies
between
orbits of Jupiter and Saturn.
Of these statements
(a) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
(b) 2 and 3 are correct
(c) 1 and 2 are correct
(d) 1 and 3 correct
Ans. (c) CSE 1998
Comets: It is believed that comets
were formed from the remaining
material that was left during the
formation of the outer planets. A
comet consists of three parts i.e.
centre, coma and tail. The central
portion consists of dust particles. Its
tail originates only when it gets closer
to the sun. The tail of a comet is
directed away from the sun because,
the lighter mass of the comet is
pushed away due to the centrifugal
force alone, as the comet rotates
around the sun.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The tail of a comet is directed
away from the sun because
(a) as the comet rotates around
the sun, the lighter mass of the
comet is pushed away due to the
centrifugal force alone
(b) as the comet rotates, the lighter
mass of the comet is attracted by
some star situated in the direction
of its tail
(c) the radiation emitted by the sun
exerts a radial pressure on the
comet throwing its tail away from
the sun
(d) the tail of the comet always
exists in the same orientation
Ans.(a) CSE 1997
What is the difference between
asteroids and comets?
I.Asteroids are small rocky
planetoids, while comets are
formed of frozen gases held
together by rocky and metallic
material.
II.Asteroids are found mostly
between the orbits of Jupiter and
Mars, while comets are found
mostly between Venus and
Mercury.
III. Comets show a perceptible
glowing tail, while asteroids do not.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?,
(a) I and II only (b) I and III only
(c) III only (d) I, II and III
Ans.(b) CSE 2011
While hundreds of tiny comets pass
through the inner solar system every
year, very few are noticed by the
general public. About every decade
Prelims Magic 2014
or so, a comet will become bright
enough to be noticed by a casual
observer—such comets are often
designated Great Comets. More
recently, during the passage of
Halley’s Comet in 1910, the Earth
passed through the comet’s tail, and
erroneous newspaper reports
inspired a fear that cyanogen in the
tail might poison millions, while the
appearance of Comet Hale-Bopp in
G
1997 triggered the mass suicide of
the Heaven’s Gate cult. To most
people, however, a great comet is
E
simply a beautiful spectacle. The first
great comet of the 21st century was
Comet McNaught, which became
O
visible to naked eye observers in
January 2007. It was the brightest
in over 40 years.
G
Of the thousands of known comets,
some are very unusual. Comet
R
Encke orbits from outside the main
asteroid belt to inside the orbit of
Mercury while Comet 29P/
A
Schwassmann-Wachmann currently
travels in a nearly circular orbit
entirely between Jupiter and
P
Saturn.2060 Chiron, whose unstable
orbit is between Saturn and Uranus,
was originally classified as an
H
asteroid until a faint coma was
noticed. Similarly, Comet
Shoemaker-Levy 2 was originally
Y
designated asteroid 1990 UL 3 .
Roughly six percent of the near-
earth asteroids are thought to be
extinct nuclei of comets which no
longer experience outgassing.
Another significant cometary
disruption was that of Comet
Shoemaker-Levy 9, which was
discovered in 1993. At the time of
its discovery, the comet was in orbit
around Jupiter, having been captured
by the planet during a very close
approach in 1992. This close
approach had already broken the
comet into hundreds of pieces, and
over a period of 6 days in July 1994,
these pieces slammed into Jupiter’s
atmosphere—the first time
astronomers had observed a collision
between two objects in the solar
system.
265
 How was this topic asked in the CSE? then it will not appear large enough unaided eye, binoculars or a
in the sky to cover the Sun. The Sun telescope, when the Sun’s
Q. A meteor is appears as a ring with a dark photosphere is completely covered
(a) a rapidly moving star centre. by the Moon. During this period the
(b) a piece of matter which has sun is too dim to be seen through
entered the earth's atmosphere Hybrid - A hybrid eclipse is one
filters. The Sun’s faint corona will
from outer space which appears as a total eclipse in
be visible, and the chromosphere,
(c) part of a constellation some parts of the world, and as an
solar prominences, and possibly even
annular eclipse in others.
G (d) a comet without tail
Ans. (b) CSE 1995 Why don’t you see a solar eclipse
every month? The Moon goes
a solar flare may be seen. However,
viewing the Sun after totality can be
dangerous. When the shrinking
Meteors and Meteorites:
E Meteors are the pieces of matter around the Earth once every four
which have entered the earth’s weeks. However, it revolves at an
visible part of the photosphere
becomes very small, Baily’s beads
atmosphere from outer space by the angle to Earth’s path around the Sun. will occur. These are caused by the
O gravitational force of the earth, when So the Earth, Moon and Sun do not
they pass close to the earth. The end up in a straight line every month.
sunlight still being able to reach Earth
through lunar valleys, but no longer
where mountains are present.
meteors are probably the remains of Why do we not see an eclipse
G comets which are scattered in the when other objects pass in front
interplanetary space of the solar of the Sun? Like the Moon, the
Totality then begins with the diamond
ring effect, the last bright flash of
sunlight. At the end of totality, the
system. On contact with the earth’s planets Mercury and Venus also
R atmosphere, they burn due to friction. pass between the Earth and the Sun
Those which completely burn out from time to time. However, they
same effects will occur in reverse
order, and on the opposite side of the
moon.
into ash are called meteors or are much further away from the
A ‘shooting star. Those which do not Earth than the Moon. They look
burn completely and strike the earth much smaller in the sky, and never
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Diamond Ring is a phenomenon
in the form of rocks are called block the light of the Sun completely.
P ‘meteorites’. One such meteorite the
Allan hills 84001, has thrown up light In fact, it is an unlikely coincidence
that we see total solar eclipses at
observed
(a) at the start of a total solar
eclipse
on the possibility of life on mars.
H SOLAR ECLIPSES:
WHY ECLIPSES HAPPEN
all. The Moon is about 400 times
smaller than the Sun, but also
happens to be about 400 times
(b) at the end of a total solar eclipse
(c) only along the peripheral regions
of the totality trail

Y Solar eclipses happen when the closer. Therefore, the two bodies
Moon blocks the light from the Sun. look about the same size in the sky.
(d) only in the central regions of
the totality trail
Ans.(c) CSE 1996
During a total solar eclipse, the sky The Moon is moving slowly away
appears as dark as night, and you can from the Earth (at a rate of a couple Q. If the stars are seen to rise
see the Sun’s glowing corona. A solar of centimetres a year.) In a billion perpendicular to the horizon by an
eclipse occurs when the Sun, the years’ time, the Moon will appear observer, he is located on the
Moon and the Earth all line up. The too small for there to be any total (a) Equator
Moon blocks the light of the Sun, and solar eclipses at all. (b) Tropic of Cancer
casts a shadow on the Earth. (c) South Pole
It is safe to observe the total phase (d) North Pole
TYPES OF ECLIPSE of a solar eclipse directly with the Ans.(a) CSE 2001
Partial - A partial eclipse happens
when the Moon passes in front of 2 INTERIOR OF THE EARTH
the Sun, but does not cover it
completely. The earth’s radius is 6,370 km. No STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH
one can reach the centre of the
Total - A total eclipse occurs when
earth and make observations or
the Moon covers the Sun completely.
collect samples of the material.
Only a small region of the Earth will
Most of our knowledge about the
see a total eclipse, but observers in
interior of the earth is largely based
the nearby regions see a partial
on estimates and inferences. Yet, a
eclipse.
part of the information is obtained
Annular - If the Moon is further through direct observations and
away from the Earth than normal, analysis of materials.

266 Prelims Magic 2014

The Crust: It is the outermost solid
part of the earth. It is brittle in nature.
The thickness of the crust varies
under the oceanic and continental
areas. Oceanic crust is thinner as
compared to the continental crust.
The mean thickness of oceanic crust
is 5 km whereas that of the
continental is around 30 km. The
continental crust is thicker in the
areas of major mountain systems. It
is as much as 70 km thick in the
Himalayan region. The crust is
made up of two layers; an upper
lighter layer called the SIAL (Silicate
+ Aluminium) and a lower denser
layer called SIMA (Silicate +
Magnisium). It is made up of heavier
rocks having density of 3 g/cm3. This
type of rock found in the oceanic
crust is basalt. The mean density of
material in oceanic crust is 2.7 g/
cm3. The most abundant element in
the earth’s crust is oxygen, making
up 46.6% of the earth’s mass. Silicon
is the second most abundant element
(27.7%), followed by aluminum
(8.1%), iron (5.0%), calcium (3.6%),
sodium (2.8%), potassium (2.6%).
and magnesium (2.1%). These eight
elements account for approximately
98.5% of the total mass of the earth’s
crust.
3 MINERALS AND ROCKS
About 98 per cent of the total crust
of the earth is composed of eight
elements like oxygen, silicon,
aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium,
potassium and magnesium and the
rest is constituted by titanium,
hydrogen, phosphorous, manganese,
sulphur, carbon, nickel and other
elements. The elements in the
earth’s crust are rarely found
exclusively but are usually combined
with other elements to make various
substances. These substances are
recognised as minerals.
There are at least 2,000 minerals that
have been named and identified in
the earth crust; but almost all the
commonly occurring ones are related
to six major mineral groups that are
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
present in the largest amount in
terms of per cent by mass in the
earth's crust?
(a) Silicon (b) Oxygen
(c) Carbon (d) Calcium
Ans. (b) CSE 1997
The Mantle: The portion of the
interior beyond the crust is called the
mantle. The mantle extends from
Moho’s discontinuity to a depth of
2,900 km. It is composed of minerals
in a semisolid state. The lower part
of the mantle is believed to be
molten. The rocks in this layer may
be in a glassy state.
The upper portion of the mantle is
called asthenosphere. The word
astheno means weak. It is
considered to be extending upto 400
km. It is the main source of magma
that finds its way to the surface
during volcanic eruptions. It has a
density higher than the crust’s (3.4
g/cm3). The crust and the uppermost
part of the mantle are called
lithosphere. Its thickness ranges
from 10-200 km. The lower mantle
extends beyond the asthenosphere.
known as major rock forming
minerals. The basic source of all
minerals is the hot magma in the
interior of the earth. When magma
cools, crystals of minerals appear
and a systematic series of minerals
are formed in sequence to solidify
so as to form rocks. Minerals such
as coal, petroleum and natural gas
are organic substances found in solid,
liquid and gaseous forms
respectively.
SOME MAJOR MINERALS
Feldspar: Half of the earth’s crust
is composed of feldspar. It has light
cream to salmon pink colour. It is
used in ceramics and glass making.
Quartz: It consists of silica. It is a
Prelims Magic 2014
The Core: The earthquake wave
velocities helped in understanding
the existence of the core of the earth.
The core mantle boundary is located
at the depth of 2,900 km. The outer
core is in liquid state while the inner
core is in solid state. The density of
material at the mantle core boundary
is around 5 g/cm3 and at the centre
of the earth at 6,300 km, the density
value is around 13g/cm3. The core
G
is made up of very heavy material
mostly constituted by nickel and iron.
It is sometimes referred to as the
E
nife layer or Barysphere.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? O
Q. In the structure of planet Earth,
below the mantle, the core is
mainly made up of which one of G
the following?
(a) Aluminium (b) Chromium
(c) Iron (d) Silicon R
Ans. (c) CSE 2003
TEMPERATURE
In upper 100 km. the increase in
A
temperature is estimated at the rate
of 12° per km. In the next 300 km,
the increase is of 2° c per km. and
P
below that the rate of increase is 1°
per km. In the core the temperature
is between 2200 degree c. and 2750
H
degree c. Due to high temperature
the liquid condition prevails at greater
depth.
Y
hard mineral virtually insoluble in
water. It is white or colourless and
used in radio and radar. It is one of
the most important components of
granite.
Pyroxene: Pyroxene forms 10 per
cent of the earth’s crust. It is
commonly found in meteorites. It is
in green or black colour.
Amphibole: They form 7 per cent
of the earth’s crust. It is in green or
black colour and is used in asbestos
industry. Hornblende is another form
of amphiboles.
Mica: It forms 4 per cent of the
earth’s crust. It is commonly found
in igneous and metamorphic rocks.
It is used in electrical instruments.
267
 Olivine rocks which are grouped under three Sedimentary rocks are often rich
families on the basis of their mode in fossils.
It is used in jewellery. It is usually a of formation. They are:
greenish crystal, often found in Metamorphic rocks:
basaltic rocks. Besides these main Igneous Rocks Metamorphic rock is the result of the
minerals, other minerals like chlorite, transformation of an existing
These are known as primary rocks
calcite, magnetite, haematite,bauxite rock type, the protolith, in a process
because it form out of magma and
and barite are also present in some called metamorphism, which means
lava from the interior of the earth.
G quantities in the rocks.
The igneous rocks can be formed
Metallic Minerals: These minerals both under the surface as well as
“change in form”. Metamorphic
rocks are igneous or sedimentary
rocks that have been altered by heat
contain metal content and can be on the surface of the earth. Intrusive
E sub-divided into three types:
(i) Precious metals: gold, silver,
igneous rocks are formed due to
solidification of lava under the
and / or pressure, either because they
have been buried and folded deep in
the crust, or because they have come
surface of the earth. Such lava has
O platinum etc.
high melting point. Therefore it
(ii) Ferrous metals: iron and other solidifies at great depth in the interior
into contact with molten igneous
rock. Metamorphism can result in
the formation of completely new
metals often mixed with iron to form of the earth. Such rocks have a high
G various kinds of steel. content of silica and are poor in
(iii) Non-ferrous metals : include metallic minerals. They are called
minerals. It can also destroy original
structures such as sedimentary
layering or fossils. Intense pressure
metals like copper, lead, zinc, tin, acid lava e.g. Granite.
R aluminium etc. If the lava is rich in metallic
causes the realignment of minerals,
forming new layers. About one per
Non-Metallic Minerals: Sulphur, minerals, it will have a lower melting cent of rocks in the crust are
A phosphates and nitrates are point. Thus this kind of lava will try
examples of non-metallic minerals. to reach to surface of the earth
metamorphic.
Some Common Metamorphic Rocks
Cement is a mixture of non-metallic before getting solidified. Rocks are: 1.Gneiss which is common and
P minerals. formed from such lava are called
basic lava rocks. These are
How was this topic asked in the CSE? generally formed on the surface of
widely distributed type of rock
formed by high-grade regional
metamorphic processes from pre­
H Q. Consider the following
statements made about the
the earth and are called extrusive
lava rocks e.g. Basalt. existing formations that were
originally either igneous or sedi-
sedimentary rocks: Sedimentary rocks: mentary rocks.
Y 1. Sedimentary rocks are formed
at earth’s surface by the
Sedimentary rocks are formed on
the Earth’s surface by the hydrologic
2. Marble is a non foliated meta-
morphic rock resulting from mostly
hydrological system.
system. Formation involves: 1) of calcite (a crystalline form
2. The formation of sedimentary
Weathering of preexisting rock 2) of calcium carbonate, CaCO3). It is
rocks involves the weathering of
Transportation to a new site 3) extensively used for sculpture, as
pre-existing rocks.
Deposition of the eroded material 4) a building material, and in many
3. Sedimentary rocks contain
Lithification. Sedimentary rocks other applications.
fossils.
typically occur in layers or strata.
4. Sedimentary rocks typically 3. Quartzite is a hard originally
Sedimentary rocks cover 75% of
occur in layers. sandstone.
continents. Sedimentary rocks are
Which of these statements are
sediments that have been 4. Slate is a fine-grained, foliated,
correct?
compacted and cemented to form homo geneous metamorphic rock
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 4
solid rock bodies (lithified). The derived from an original shale-type
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
original sediments can be composed sedimentary rock composed of
Ans. (d) CSE 2001
of: clay or volcanic ash through low
ROCKS 1) Fragments of other rocks and grade regional metamorphism.
The earth’s crust is composed of minerals, such as gravel from a river,
rocks. A rock is an aggregate of one sand from a beach (or desert), mud How was this topic asked in the CSE?
or more minerals. If a single mineral from a deep ocean. Q. Quartzite in metamorphosed
is present in a rock in such a large from
2) Chemical precipitates, such as salt
concentration that it can be (a) Limestone (b) Obsidian
economically extracted from it then in a salt lake or ocean.
(c) Sandstone (d) Shale
it is called an ore of that mineral. 3) Organic materials, such as coral Ans. (c) CSE 2001
There are many different kinds of in a reef or vegetation in a swamp.

268 Prelims Magic 2014

 (ix) Fires
4 EARTHQUAKE (x) Structural collapse
(xi) Falling objects
An earthquake (also known as Earth’s crust is composed of many (xii) Tsunami
a tremor or temblor) is the result huge, rocky plates known as tectonic
of a sudden release of energy in plates. These plates constantly move Earthquake Glossary
the Earth’s crust that creates slowly across the surface of Earth, Epicenter: The location where the
seismic waves. An earthquake is bumping into each other, seismic waves of an earthquake first
an unpredictable event in which
masses of rock shift below Earth’s
surface, releasing enormous
overrunning each other, and pulling
away from each other. When the
strain produced by these movements
appear on the surface, usually almost
directly above the focus. G
Fault: A crack running through rock
amounts of energy and sending out
shock waves that sometimes cause
the ground to shake dramatically. Not
increases beyond a certain level, the
pent-up energy ruptures the crust
and creates a fracture known as a
that is the result of tectonic forces. E
Focus: The underground location of
all earthquakes are enormous, but
they can become one of Earth’s
most destructive forces.
fault. The released pressure also
causes the ground-shaking vibrations
associated with an earthquake. The
the seismic event that causes an
earthquake. O
Modified Mercalli scale: A scale
Most earthquakes are causally
related to compressional or tensional
vibrations transmitting the shock of
an earthquake are called seismic
waves. These waves travel outward
used to compare earthquakes based
on the effects they cause.
G
stresses built up at the margins of
the huge moving lithospheric plates
that make up the earth’s surface.
in all directions, like ripples from a
stone dropped in a pond. The area
where energy is first released to
Richter scale: The Richter
magnitude scale, also known as
the local magnitude (M L ) scale,
R
The immediate cause of most
shallow earthquakes is the sudden
release of stress along a fault, or
cause an earthquake is called the
focus. The focus lies underground
at a shallow, intermediate, or deep
assigns a single number to quantify
the amount of seismic energy
released by an earthquake. It is a
A
fracture in the earth’s crust, resulting
in movement of the opposing blocks
of rock past one another. These
depth—down to about 430 miles (700
kilometers). The epicenter is the
point on Earth’s surface directly
base­10 logarithmic scale obtained
by calculating the logarithm of the
combined horizontal amplitude of the
P
movements cause vibrations to pass
through and around the earth in
above the focus.
wave form, just as ripples are Seismic waves travel both through
largest displacement from zero on a
Wood–Anderson torsion seismo-
meter output. So, for example, an
H
generated when a pebble is dropped Earth and along its surface. Waves
into water. Volcanic eruptions, rock traveling through Earth are called
falls, landslides, and explosions can body waves. The two main types are
earthquake that measures 5.0 on the
Richter scale has a shaking
amplitude 10 times larger than one
Y
also cause a quake, but most of these P waves (primary) and S waves
that measures 4.0. The effective
are of only local extent. Shock (secondary). P waves stretch and
limit of measurement for local
waves from a powerful earthquake compress the rock in their path
magnitude ML is about 6.8. Though
can trigger smaller earthquakes in a through Earth. The fastest waves,
still widely used, the Richter
distant location hundreds of miles they move at about 4 miles (6.4
scale has been superseded by
away if the geologic conditions are kilometers) per second. S waves
the moment magnitude scale, which
favorable. move the rock in their path up and
gives generally similar values.
down and side to side. They move
How was this topic asked in the CSE? at about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) per Seismic waves: Classified as body
Q. Consider the following second. waves or surface waves, vibrations
geological phenomena: in rock and soil that transfer the
The following are the immediate
1. Development of a fault force of the earthquake from the
hazardous effects of earthquake:
2. Movement along a fault focus into the surrounding area.
3. Impact produced by a volcanic (i) Ground Shaking Seismic waves traveling along
eruption (ii) Differential ground settlement Earth’s surface are called surface
4. Folding of rocks (iii) Land and mud slides waves or L waves (long). The two
Which of the above cause (iv) Soil liquefaction main types, Rayleigh waves and
earthquakes? (v) Ground lurching Love waves, are named after two
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 4 (vi) Avalanches prominent seismologists (scientists
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (vii) Ground displacement who study earthquakes). Although
Ans. (d) CSE 2004 (viii) Floods from dam and levee surface waves move slower than
failures body waves—less than 2 miles (3.2

Prelims Magic 2014 269

 kilometers) per second—they cause
greater damage. Rayleigh waves
cause the ground surface in their path
to ripple with little waves. Love
waves move in a zigzag along the
ground. Both Rayleigh and Love
waves set off avalanches, landslides,
and other earthquake damage.
G Measuring earthquakes
An earthquake’s power can be
E measured in two ways: by intensity
(strength) and magnitude (ground
covered). While intensity of an
O earthquake is usually described
through people’s perceptions and
the amount of property destroyed,
G magnitude is measured by using
seismographs or devices that
detect ground movement.
R Intensity can be measured using
the modified Mercalli scale. First
developed by Italian seismologist
A Guiseppe Mercalli (1850–1914) in
1902, the scale compares the
surface effects of earthquakes to
P each other. It is divided into 12
levels, from level 1 meaning “felt
by few” to level 12 meaning “total
H damage.”
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Y Q. Consider the following
statements regarding the
earthquakes:
1. The intensity of earthquake is
measured on Mercalli Scale.
2. The magnitude of an
earthquake is a measure of
energy released.
3. Earthquake magnitudes are
based on direct measurements of
the amplitude of seismic waves.
4. In the Richter Scale, each
whole number demonstrates a
hundredfold increase in the
amount of energy released.
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 1 and 4
Ans. (a) CSE 2001
270 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following Richter scale has energy 100 times
statements regarding the earth- that of the previous integer reading.
quakes:
Which of the statements given
1. The Richter scale is a above is/are correct?
logarithmic scale and so an
increase of 1 magnitude unit (a) 1 only
represents a factor of 10 times in
amplitude.
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
2. Each integer reading of the
Ans.(a) CSE 2001
5 VOLCANO
A volcano is an opening, or rupture, Almost two-thirds of the estimated
in a planet’s surface or crust, which 850 active volcanoes of the world
allows hot magma, ash and gases to
escape from below the surface.
lie in the Northern Hemisphere.
Most volcanoes(about 60%)occur
Volcanoes are generally found along the famous “Pacific Ring of
where tectonic plates are diverging
or converging. A mid-oceanic ridge,
Fire”, that is the ring that surrounds
the Pacific Ocean Plate.You would
for example the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, find about 17% in the shape of an
has examples of volcanoes caused
by divergent tectonic plates pulling
arc along the southern edge of the
Indonesian Islands.About seven
apart; the Pacific Ring of Fire has percent lie along the Mediterranean
examples of volcanoes caused by
convergent tectonic plates coming
area; Africa and Asia Minor.
Volcanoes have been classified into
together. By contrast, volcanoes are three categories :(A)Extinct
usually not created where two
tectonic plates slide past one another.
(B)Dormant (C)Active.
World’s Most Active Volcanoes
Volcanoes can also form where there
is stretching and thinning of the
Earth’s crust (called “non-hotspot
and Their Location
Cotopaxi: Andes; Ecuador
Guallatiri: Andes; Chile
intraplate volcanism”), such as in the
African Rift Valley, the Wells Gray-Irazu Volcano: Cordillera ; Costa
Clearwater volcanic field and the Central
Klyuchevskaya Soplea: Sredinnyy;
Rio Grande Rift in North America
Russia
and the European Rhine Graben
with its Eifel volcanoes.Volcanoes Koryakskaya: Kamchatka ; Russia
can be caused by mantle plumes. Lascar: Andes; Chile
These so-called hotspots, for Mauna Loa: Hawai; USA
example at Hawaii, can occur far Mount Erebus Volcano: Ross I;
Antarctica
from plate boundaries. Hotspot
Mount St. Helens:USA
volcanoes are also found elsewhere
Mt Rainier : North-Western Part Of
in the solar system, especially on
rocky planets and moons. U.S.A.
Mt. Etna Volcano: Sicily , Italy
Many volcanoes have been in Mt. Paricutin: Mexico.
continuous eruption for decades. Mt. Spurr, USA Volcano: Alaska
Etna, Stromboli, and Yasur have Range
been erupting for hundreds or Mt. Taal: Philippines.
thousands of years. The following 4 Mt.Cameroon Volcano: (Monarch)
volcanoes emit the most lava. Cameroon
Kilauea (Hawaii), Mt Etna (Italy), Nevado Del Ruiz: Andes; Colombia
Piton de la Fournaise (Réunion), Nyiragongo Volcano
Nyamuragira, (D.R. Congo)
Ojos Del Salado: Andes;
Argentina,Chile
Pico De Teide : Tenerife , Canary
Islands
Popocatepet: Altiplano De ; Mexico
Purace: Andes; Colombia
Rndjani Volcano: Lombok; Indonesia
Sangay: Andes; Ecuador
Semeru Volcano: Java ; Indonesia
Slamat Volcano : Java ; Indonesia
Tacana Volcano: Sierra Madre,
Guatemala
Tajumulco: Guatemala
Tupungatito: Andes; Chile
Vinrunga ; Zaire , Africa
World’s largest volcano
discovered off the coast of
Japan
Far off the coast of Japan and eight
kilometers below the ocean’s
surface lies the world’s largest
volcano. Roughly the size of our
states of Gujarat or Karnataka, the
volcano is named Tamu Massif,
after Texas A&M University
(TAMU), where lead researcher
William Sager used to work.
Its peak is about a kilometer and half Cryptodomes are formed when
viscous lava forces its way up and
below the ocean’s surface, and its
base on the ocean floor is six and a
half kilometers from the surface. It’s
causes a bulge. The 1980 eruption
of Mount St. Helens was an
example. Lava was under great
about sixty times the size of the
largest active volcano on land,
Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Fortunately,
pressure and forced a bulge in the
mountain, which was unstable and
slid down the North side.
Recording equipment on the ship
made a picture out of the sound
waves when they returned to the
surface.
The images revealed an exciting
find: Tamu Massif—a single,
massive, underwater volcano. Tamu
Massif isn’t as steep as other
volcanoes you might picture, like
Mauna Loa. That’s because when
the volcano erupted, “pillows of
lava” up to 75 feet thick flowed
through the water hundreds of
kilometers along the ocean floor,
says Sager.
The research was carried out over
a few expeditions, some lasting as
long as eight weeks. It really is in
the middle of nowhere, Sager says
of his journeys to Tamu Massif,
which is about one thousand six
hundred kilometers from Japan.
VOLCONOES GLOSSARY
carbonated beverages which are
bottled at high pressure. The high
pressure keeps the gas in solution in
the liquid, but when pressure is
decreased, like when you open the
can or bottle, the gas comes out of
solution and forms a separate gas
phase that you see as bubbles. Gas
gives magmas their explosive
character, because volume of gas
expands as pressure is reduced.
G
The composition of the gases in
magma is: Mostly H 2 O (water
vapor) & some CO2 (carbon dioxide)
E
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
O
statements:
1. Most magmas are a combination
of liquid, solid and gas.
G
2. Water vapour and carbon
dioxide are the principal gases
dissolved in a magma.
R
3. Basaltic magma is hotter than
the silicic magma.
4. The magma solidified between
A
sedimentary rocks in a horizontal
position is known as dike.
Which of these statements are
P
correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) l and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
H
Ans. (a) CSE 2005

Q. Where is the volcanic mountain,

Y
Tamu Massif hasn’t been active for
145 million years. Fissure vents: Volcanic fissure Mount St. Helens located?
vents are flat, linear cracks (a) Chile
William Sager found the volcano through which lava emerges. (b) Japan
while studying the formation of one Magma: Molten rock in the Earth’s (c) Philippines
of the world’s biggest crust is known as magma. It (d) United States of America
underwater plateaus, which are originates several miles below the Ans. (d) CSE 2008
high and flat areas of land. Since it’s Earth’s surface and ascends
hard to see deep under the water’s outward. Three general types are Q. Match List I with List II and
surface, his team used sound recognized: 1. Basaltic magma — select the correct answer using the
technology called seismic SiO2 45­55 wt%, high in Fe, Mg, codes given below the lists:
reflection to create a computer­ Ca, low in K, Na 2. Andesitic List I List II
generated picture of the magma — SiO2 55-65 wt%, (Volcanic Mountain) (Country)
mountainous region. intermediate in Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K A. Mt. Rainier 1. Italy
B. Etna 2. Mexico
Scientists created a loud noise, “like and 3. Rhyolitic magma — SiO2 C. Paricutin 3. Philippines
a pop,” says Sanger. That sound 65-75%, low in Fe, Mg, Ca, high in D. Taal 4. U.S.A.
wave traveled through the water, K, Na Gases in Magmas: At A B C D
bounced off the ocean floor, and depth in the Earth nearly all magmas (a) 4 2 1 3
came back up. The sound waves contain gas dissolved in the liquid, (b) 4 1 2 3
bounced back at different lengths, but the gas forms a separate vapor (c) 2 1 4 3
depending on the depth of landforms phase when pressure is decreased (d) 4 3 2 1
they hit on the ocean floor. as magma rises toward the surface Ans. (b) CSE 2007
of the Earth. This is similar to

Prelims Magic 2014 271

 and Minor amounts of Sulfur,
Chlorine, and Fluorine gases. The
amount of gas in magma is also
related to the chemical composition
of the magma. Rhyolitic magmas
usually have higher gas contents
than basaltic magmas. Tempe-
rature of magmas is difficult to
G measure (due to the danger
involved), but laboratory measure-
ment and limited field observation
E indicate that the eruption temperature
of various magmas is as follows:
Basaltic magma - 1000 to 1200oC
O Andesitic magma - 800 to 1000oC
Rhyolitic magma - 650 to 800oC.
Lava domes are built by slow
G eruptions of highly viscous lavas.
They are sometimes formed within
the crater of a previous volcanic
R eruption (as in Mount Saint Helens),
but can also form independently, as
in the case of Lassen Peak. Like
A stratovolcanoes, they can produce
violent, explosive eruptions, but their
lavas generally do not flow far from
P the originating vent.
Lava is molten rock expelled by a
H volcano during eruption. This molten
rock is formed in the interior of some
planets, including Earth, and some of
Y their satellites. When first erupted
from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid
at temperatures from 700 °C to
1,200 °C (1,300 °F to 2,200 °F).
Although lava is quite viscous, with
about 100,000 times the viscosity of
water, it can flow great distances
before cooling and solidifying,
because of both its thixotropic and
shear thinning properties.
Mud volcanoes or mud domes are
formations created by geo-excreted
liquids and gases, although there are
several different processes which
may cause such activity. The largest
structures are 10 kilometers in
diameter and reach 700 meters high.
Shield volcanoes, so named for
their broad, shield-like profiles, are
formed by the eruption of low-
viscosity lava that can flow a great
distance from a vent, but not
generally explode catastrophically.
Since low-viscosity magma is
272 Prelims Magic 2014
typically low in silica, shield Submarine volcanoes are common
volcanoes are more common in features on the ocean floor. Some are
oceanic than continental settings. active and, in shallow water, disclose
The Hawaiian volcanic chain is a their presence by blasting steam and
series of shield cones, and they are rocky debris high above the surface
common in Iceland, as well. of the sea.
Stratovolcanoes or composite Many others lie at such great depths
volcanoes are tall conical that the tremendous weight of the
mountains composed of lava flows
and other ejecta in alternate layers,
water above them prevents the
explosive release of steam and
the strata that give rise to the name.gases, although they can be detected
Stratovolcanoes are also known as
composite volcanoes, created from
by hydrophones and discoloration of
water because of volcanic gases.
several structures during different Pumice rafts may also appear. Even
kinds of eruptions. Strato/composite
volcanoes are made of cinders, ash
large submarine eruptions may not
disturb the ocean surface. Because
and lava. Cinders and ash pile on of the rapid cooling effect of water
top of each other, lava flows on top
of the ash, where it cools and
as compared to air, and increased
buoyancy, submarine volcanoes
hardens, and then the process begins often form rather steep pillars over
again. Classic examples include Mt.
Fuji in Japan, Mayon Volcano in the
their volcanic vents as compared to
above-surface volcanoes. They may
Philippines, and Mount Vesuvius and become so large that they break the
Stromboli in Italy. In recorded
history, explosive eruptions by
ocean surface as new islands. Pillow
lava is a common eruptive product
stratovolcanoes have posed the of submarine volcanoes.
greatest hazard to civilizations.
Subglacial volcanoes develop
Hydrothermal vents are common
near these volcanoes, and some
support peculiar ecosystems based
underneath icecaps. They are made
up of flat lava which flows at the
on dissolved minerals.
top of extensive pillow lavas and Supervolcanoes are hard to identify
palagonite. When the icecap melts, centuries later, given the enormous
the lavas on the top collapse leaving areas they cover. Large igneous
a flat-topped mountain. Then, the provinces are also considered
pillow lavas also collapse, giving an supervolcanoes because of the vast
angle of 37.5 degrees. These amount of basalt lava erupted, but
volcanoes are also called table are non-explosive.
mountains, tuyas or (uncommonly)
Volcanic cones or cinder cones are
mobergs. Very good examples of this
the result from eruptions that erupt
type of volcano can be seen in
mostly small pieces of scoria and
Iceland, however, there are also
pyroclastics (both resemble cinders,
tuyas in British Columbia. The origin
hence the name of this volcano type)
of the term comes from Tuya Butte,
that build up around the vent. These
which is one of the several tuyas in
can be relatively short-lived
the area of the Tuya River and Tuya
eruptions that produce a cone-
Range in northern British Columbia.
shaped hill perhaps 30 to 400 meters
Tuya Butte was the first such
high. Most cinder cones erupt only
landform analyzed and so its name
once. Cinder cones may form as
has entered the geological literature
flank vents on larger volcanoes, or
for this kind of volcanic formation.
occur on their own. Parícutin in
The Tuya Mountains Provincial Park
Mexico and Sunset Crater in
was recently established to protect
Arizona are examples of cinder
this unusual landscape, which lies
cones. In New Mexico, Caja del Rio
north of Tuya Lake and south of the
is a volcanic field of over 60 cinder
Jennings River near the boundary
cones.
with the Yukon Territory.
6 PRINCIPAL RIVERS OF THE WORLD
The length of a river is hard to calculate. It depends on the identification of the source, the identification of the
mouth, and the precise measurement of the river length between source and mouth. As a result, the length
measure-ments of many rivers are only approximations. In particular, there has long been disagreement as to
whether the Amazon or the Nile is the world’s longest river. Given below is a list all rivers in the world which are
more than 100 kilometers in length.

River Source
Approx. length
Outflow mi. km
G
Nile
Amazon
Tributaries of Lake Victoria, Africa
Glacier-fed lakes, Peru
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
4,180
3,912
6,690
6,296
E
Mississippi-Missouri- Source of Red Rock, Montana Gulf of Mexico 3,710 5,970
Red Rock
Chang Jiang(Yangtze) Tibetan plateau, China China Sea 3,602 5,797
O
Ob
Huang He (Yellow)
Altai Mts., Russia
Eastern part of Kunlan
Gulf of Ob 3,459 5,567
G
Mts., West China Gulf of Chihli 2,900 4,667
Yenisei Tannu-Ola Mts., western Tuva,
Russia Arctic Ocean 2,800 4,506
R
Paraná Confluence of Paranaiba and

Irtish
Grande rivers
Altai Mts., Russia
Río de la Plata
Ob River
2,795
2,758
4,498
4,438
A
Zaire (Congo)

Heilong (Amur)
Confluence of Lualab and
Luapula rivers, Congo
Confluence of Shilka (Russia)
Atlantic Ocean 2,716 4,371 P
Lena
qand Argun (Manchuria) rivers
Baikal Mts., Russia
Tatar Strait
Arctic Ocean
2,704
2,652
4,352
4,268 H
Mackenzie Head of Finlay River,
British Columbia, Canada Beaufort Sea
(Arctic Ocean) 2,635 4,241
Y
Niger Guinea Gulf of Guinea 2,600 4,184
Mekong Tibetan highlands South China Sea 2,500 4,023
Mississippi Lake Itasca, Minnesota Gulf of Mexico 2,348 3,779
Missouri Confluence of Jefferson,
Gallatin, and Madison rivers, Montana Mississippi River 2,315 3,726
Madeira Confluence of Beni and
Maumoré rivers, Bolivia–
Brazil boundary Amazon River 2,012 3,238
Purus Peruvian Andes Amazon River 1,993 3,207
São Francisco Southwest Minas Gerais, Brazil Atlantic Ocean 1,987 3,198
Yukon Junction of Lewes and Pelly rivers,
Yukon Territory, Canada Bering Sea 1,979 3,185
St. Lawrence Lake Ontario Gulf of St. Lawrence 1,900 3,058
Rio Grande San Juan Mts., Colorado Gulf of Mexico 1,885 3,034
Brahmaputra Himalayas Ganges River 1,800 2,897
Indus Himalayas Arabian Sea 1,800 2,897

Prelims Magic 2014 273

 Danube Black Forest, Germany Black Sea 1,766 2,842
Euphrates Confluence of Murat Nehri and
Kara Su rivers, Turkey Shatt-al-Arab 1,739 2,799
Darling Central part of Eastern Highlands,
Australia Murray River 1,702 2,739
Zambezi 11°21’S, 24°22’E, Zambia Mozambique Channel 1,700 2,736
Tocantins Goiás, Brazil Pará River 1,677 2,699
G Murray
Nelson
Australian Alps, New South Wales
Head of Bow River, western
Indian Ocean 1,609 2,589

Alberta, Canada Hudson Bay 1,600 2,575

E Paraguay
Ural
Mato Grosso, Brazil
Southern Ural Mts., Russia
Paraná River
Caspian Sea
1,584
1,574
2,549
2,533

O Ganges
Amu Darya (Oxus)
Himalayas
Nicholas Range, Pamir Mts.,
Bay of Bengal 1,557 2,506

Turkmenistan Aral Sea 1,500 2,414

G Japurá
Salween
Andes, Colombia
Tibet, south of Kunlun Mts.
Amazon River
Gulf of Martaban
1,500
1,500
2,414
2,414
Arkansas Central Colorado Mississippi River 1,459 2,348
R Colorado
Dnieper
Grand County, Colorado
Valdai Hills, Russia
Gulf of California
Black Sea
1,450
1,419
2,333
2,284

A Ohio-Allegheny
Irrawaddy
Potter County, Pennsylvania
Confluence of Nmai and
Mali rivers, northeast Burma
Mississippi River

Bay of Bengal
1,306

1,300
2,102

2,092

P Orange
Orinoco
Lesotho
Serra Parima Mts., Venezuela
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
1,300
1,281
2,092
2,062
Pilcomayo Andes Mts., Bolivia Paraguay River 1,242 1,999
H Xi Jiang (Si Kiang)
Columbia
Eastern Yunnan Province, China
Columbia Lake, British
China Sea 1,236 1,989

Columbia, Canada Pacific Ocean 1,232 1,983

Y Don
Sungari
Tula, Russia
China–North Korea boundary
Sea of Azov
Amur River
1,223
1,215
1,968
1,955
Saskatchewan Canadian Rocky Mts. Lake Winnipeg 1,205 1,939
Peace Stikine Mts., British
Columbia, Canada Great Slave River 1,195 1,923
Tigris Taurus Mts., Turkey Shatt-al-Arab 1,180 1,899

How was this topic asked in the CSE?

Q. The great Asian river Mekong
does not run through
(a) China (b) Malaysia
(c) Cambodia (d) Laos
Ans.(b) (CSE 2004)

Q. Which one among the following

rivers is the longest?
(a) Amazon (b) Amur
(c) Congo (d) Lena
Ans.(a) (CSE 2007)

274 Prelims Magic 2014

 storms, which can produce
7 ATMOSPHERE updraughts of several metres per
second, cannot penetrate far into the
Earth’s Atmosphere boundary between the troposphere stratosphere. Stratosphere literally
and stratosphere. means ‘layered sphere’, and air in
The Earth is surrounded by a blanket one layer remains in that layer
of air, which we call the atmosphere. Most of the weather phenomena,
without significant upward or
It reaches over 560 kilometers (348 systems, convection, turbulence and
downward motion. This contrasts
clouds occur in this layer, although
miles) from the surface of the Earth,
so we are only able to see what
occurs fairly close to the ground.
some may extend into the lower
portion of the stratosphere.
strongly with the troposphere, where
vertical overturning of air is the
norm. In the troposphere, any small
G
Early attempts at studying the nature
of the atmosphere used clues from
the weather, the beautiful multi-
The troposphere contains almost all
the atmospheric water vapour, in
fact it contains about 70 to 80 per
dust particles in the air are swept
around rapidly and can fall back to
the surface in a matter of days or
E
colored sunsets and sunrises, and the
twinkling of stars. With the use of
sensitive instruments from space, we
cent of the total mass of the Earth’s
atmosphere and 99 per cent of the
water vapor. Temperature and
weeks. In contrast, dust particles
injected by very large volcanic
eruptions can reside in the
O
are able to get a better view of the
functioning of our atmosphere.
water vapor content in the
troposphere decrease rapidly with
stratosphere for a year or more
before slowly falling back to the G
Life on Earth is supported by the altitude and thus most of the water troposphere. Gases that reach the
atmosphere, solar energy, and our vapour in the troposphere is
planet’s magnetic fields. The concentrated in the lower, warmer
stratosphere can remain there for
many years, particularly if they are R
atmosphere absorbs the energy from zone. Water vapor concentrations chemically inert.
the Sun, recycles water and other vary with latitude. They are greatest
chemicals, and works with the above the tropics and decrease
How was this topic asked in the CSE? A
electrical and magnetic forces to toward the polar regions. The jet aircrafts fly very easily
provide a moderate climate. The In the troposphere air temperature
atmosphere also protects us from on average decreases with height at
and smoothly in the lower
stratosphere. What could be the P
high-energy radiation and the frigid an overall positive lapse rate of appropriate explanation?
vacuum of space. about 6.5°C/km , until the
Earth’s atmosphere can be divided tropopause, the boundary between
1.There are no clouds or water
vapour in the lower stratosphere. H
II. There are no vertical winds in
into five main layers. These layers the troposphere and stratosphere, is
are mainly determined by whether reached. The tropopause, extending
temperature increases or decreases from 11 to 20 km, is an isothermal
the lower stratosphere.
Which of the statements given Y
above is/are correct in this
with altitude. From lowest to highest, layer in the atmosphere where
temperature remains constant over context?
these layers are:
a distance of about 9 km. (a) I only (b) II only
Troposphere Troposphere and tropopause are (c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II
also known as the lower Ans. (b) (CSE, 2011)
The troposphere begins at the
atmosphere. It is also the layer in Little moisture enters the
surface and extends to between
the atmosphere where the winds stratosphere, so clouds are rare.
7 km (23,000 ft) at the poles and
increase with height and jet streams Even though the stratosphere has
17 km (56,000 ft) at the equator, with
usually occur in the upper complex wind systems, violent
some variation due to weather. High
troposphere, just below the storms don’t occur there. Because
insolation and strong convection
tropopause. the air temperature in the
currents result in expansion of air, at
the equator. Thereby the thickness Stratosphere stratosphere slowly increases with
of the atmosphere is maximum over altitude, it does not cause convection
the equator. The troposphere is The stratosphere extends from the and has a stabilizing effect on
mostly heated by transfer of energy tropopause to about 51 km (32 mi; atmospheric conditions in the region.
from the surface, so on average the 170,000 ft). Within this layer the Stability generally limits vertical
lowest part of the troposphere is temperature rises with altitude to a extensions of cloud and leads to the
warmest and temperature decreases maximum of about 0 °C at 50 km. A lateral spreading of high cumulo-
with altitude. This promotes vertical region in the atmosphere in which nimbus cloud with characteristic
mixing. The troposphere contains temperature increases with height is anvil heads. This means that
roughly 80% of the mass of the very stable in relation to vertical weather (in the form of clouds) is
atmosphere. The tropopause is the movement. Even large thunder- almost entirely confined to the

Prelims Magic 2014 275

 troposphere below. That’s why
airline pilots prefer to fly in the
stratosphere.
The stratopause, which is the
boundary between the stratosphere
and mesosphere, typically is at 50 to
55 km (31 to 34 mi; 160,000 to
180,000 ft). The pressure here is 1/
G 1000th sea level.
Mesosphere
E The mesosphere extends from the
stratopause to 80–85 km (50–53 mi;
O 260,000–280,000 ft). It is the layer
where most meteors burn up upon
entering the atmosphere.
G Temperature decreases with height
in the mesosphere. The mesopause,
the temperature minimum that marks
R the top of the mesosphere, is the
coldest place on Earth and has an
average temperature around -
A 100 °C (­148.0 °F; 173.1 K).
There are no significant sources of
heat in the mesosphere as there are
P in the stratosphere below and the
thermosphere above. At the lower
boundary of the mesosphere the
H temperature is about 0 °C; slightly
higher in summer and slightly lower
in winter. Absorption of ultraviolet
Y radiation in the stratosphere
produces heating below the
mesosphere, which leads to this
relatively high temperature. Some of
this heat is transferred into the lower
mesosphere and produces weak
vertical motion throughout the
mesosphere. As the air rises it cools,
and a temperature decrease with
height is observed throughout the
mesosphere. The decrease in
temperature is not, however, as great
as would be expected from
overturning air and it is about half of
the decrease observed in the
troposphere. This implies that
radiative processes also contribute
to the temperature structure of the
mesosphere.
Thermosphere
Temperature increases with height
in the thermosphere from the
mesopause up to the thermopause,
then is constant with height. The
276 Prelims Magic 2014
temperature of this layer can rise to
1,500 °C (2,730 °F), though the gas
molecules are so far apart
that temperature in the usual sense is
not well defined. The International
Space Station orbits in this layer,
between 320 and 380 km (200 and
240 mi). The top of the
thermosphere is the bottom of the
exosphere, called the exobase. Its
height varies with solar activity and
ranges from about 350–800 km
(220–500 mi;1, 100, 000–
2,600,000 ft).
Thermos is Greek for ‘hot’, and this
is the hottest part of the atmosphere.
At 80 km the mesopause is the
coldest part of the atmosphere, but
as altitude increases temperature
also increases. In the absence of a
heat source temperature will
decrease with height. The heat
source in the thermosphere is
radiation and energetic particles in
the solar wind. The Sun emits not
only sunlight but also ultraviolet light,
X-rays, and a stream of charged
particles, electrons, and ions. These
bombard the upper part of the
atmosphere and if they are
sufficiently energetic they can
disrupt the atomic and molecular
structure of the atmospheric gases.
Exosphere
The outermost layer of Earth’s
atmosphere extends from the
exobase upward. Here the particles
are so far apart that they can travel
hundreds of km without colliding
with one another. Since the particles
rarely collide, the atmosphere no
longer behaves like a fluid. These
free-moving particles follow ballistic
trajectories and may migrate into and
out of the magnetosphere or
the solar wind. The exosphere is
mainly composed of hydrogen and
helium.
Other layers
Within the five principal layers
determined by temperature are It has practical importance because
several layers determined by other it influences, for example,
properties. radio propagation on the Earth. It is
responsible for auroras.
• The ozone  layer is contained
within the stratosphere.Inthis
layer ozone conc entrations are
about 2 to 8 parts per million, which
is much higher than in the lower
atmosphere but still very small
compared to the main components
of the atmosphere. It is mainly
located in the lower portion of the
stratosphere from about 15–35 km
(9.3–22 mi; 49,000–110,000 ft),
though the thickness varies
seasonally and geographically. About
90% of the ozone in our atmosphere
is contained in the stratosphere.
The ionosphere, the part of the
atmosphere that is ionized by solar
radiation, stretches from 50 to
1,000 km (31 to 620 mi; 160,000 to
3,300,000 ft) and typically overlaps
both the exosphere and the
thermosphere. There is a peak
concentration of ionized particles,
therefore this layer deflects radio
waves. This layer forms the inner
edge of the magnetosphere.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
layers of the atmosphere is
responsible for the deflection of
radio waves?
(a) Troposphere (b) Stratosphere
(c) Mesosphere (d) Ionosphere
Ans. (d) CSE 1996
Q. A layer in the Earth’s
atmosphere called Ionosphere
facilitates radio communication.
Why? I. The presence of ozone
causes the reflection of radio
waves to Earth.
II. Radio waves have a very long
wavelength . Which of the
statements given above is / are
correct ?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (d) CSE 2011
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Examine the two statements
and select the answers to these
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): The thickness of the
atmosphere is maximum over the
Equator.
Reason (R): High insolation and
strong convection currents occur
over the Equator.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Ans. (a) (CSE 2004)
The homosphere and heterosphere are
defined by whether the atmospheric
gases are well mixed. In
the homosphere the chemical
composition of the atmosphere does
not depend on molecular weight
because the gases are mixed by
turbulence. [3] The homosphere
includes the troposphere,
stratosphere, and mesosphere.
Above the turbopause at about
100 km (62 mi; 330,000 ft)
(essentially corresponding to the
mesopause), the composition varies
with altitude. This is because
the distance that particles can move
without colliding with one another is
large compared with the size of
motions that cause mixing. This
allows the gases to stratify by
molecular weight, with the heavier
ones such as oxygen and nitrogen
present only near the bottom of the
heterosphere. The upper part of the
heterosphere is composed almost
completely of hydrogen, the lightest
element.
The planetary  boundary  layer is
the part of the troposphere that is
nearest the Earth’s surface and is
directly affected by it, mainly
through turbulent diffusion. During
the day the planetary boundary layer
usually is well-mixed, while at night
it becomes stably stratified with
weak or intermittent mixing. The
depth of the planetary boundary
layer ranges from as little as about pressure areas have more
100 m on clear, calm nights to 3000 atmospheric mass above their
m or more during the afternoon in location.
dry regions.
Barometers are the standard for
Composition of the measuring surface air pressure for
Atmosphere weather purposes. A barometer
indicates pressure in units known as
The atmosphere is primarily millibars (mbs) or inches of mercury.
composed of Nitrogen (N2, 78%), If you live at sea level near the
Oxygen (O2, 21%), and Argon (Ar, equator, standard ‘normal’ sea level
G
1%). A myriad of other very air pressure would be about 1000
influential components are also mbs. If a relatively strong high-
present which include the water pressure system were to move over
E
(H2O, 0 - 7%), “greenhouse” gases your home, the barometer might
or Ozone (O, 0 - 0.01%), and indicate the pressure at around 1020
Carbon Dioxide (CO2, 0.01-0.1%). mbs. Conversely, if a strong low-
O
pressure system were to move in,
Beyond the Atmosphere
the barometer might register about
The exosphere starts at the top to 970 mbs. (Surface air pressure tends
G
the thermosphere and continues until to be less as you go up in elevation).
it merges with interplanetary gases, Of note, both high and low pressure
or space. In this region of the systems typically cover at least
R
atmosphere, Hydrogen and Helium many hundreds of miles in area, and
are the prime components and are move rather slowly. So you typically
only present at extremely low won’t see a change in pressure from
A
densities. one extreme to the other in a matter
of hours, but more over a time
How was this topic asked in the CSE? periods of days or weeks. And it’s
P
Q. The correct sequence of highly doubtful you’ll feel the change
different layers of the atmosphere in air pressure, but you’ll certainly
from the surface of the Earth see the weather changes associated
H
with pressure change. Under high
upwards is:
(a) Troposphere, Stratosphere,
Ionosphere, Mesosphere
pressure, weather is typically fair,
skies cloudless. But under low
Y
(b) Stratosphere, Troposphere, pressure, rain, wind and inclimate
conditions prevail.
Ionosphere, Mesosphere
(c) Troposphere, Stratosphere, Using Atmospheric Pressure to
Mesosphere, Ionosphere
Forecast the Weather
(d) Stratosphere, Troposphere,
Mesosphere, Ionosphere Changes in atmospheric pressure
Ans. (c) CSE 1998 are one of the most commonly used
ways to forecast changes in the
weather because weather patterns
Atmospheric Pressure
are carried around in regions of high
Atmospheric pressure is defined as and low pressure. Weather maps
the force per unit area exerted use lines of equal pressure
against a surface by the weight of called isobars to indicate areas of
air above that surface at any given equal pressure.
point in the Earth’s atmosphere. In
A slowly rising atmospheric
most circumstances atmospheric
pressure, over a week or two,
pressure is closely approximated by
typically indicates settled weather
the hydrostatic pressure caused by
that will last a long time. A sudden
the weight of air above the
drop in atmospheric pressure over a
measurement point. Low pressure
few hours often forecasts an
areas have less atmospheric mass
approaching storm, which will not last
above their location, whereas high
Prelims Magic 2014 277
 long, with heavy rain and strong
winds. Pioneering meteorologist
Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy once
noted: ”long foretold, long last;
short notice, soon past”.
By carefully watching the pressure
on a barometer, you can forecast
local weather using these simple
G guidelines:
1. Decreasing barometric pressure
E indicates storms, rain and windy
weather.
2.Rising barometric pressure
O indicates good, dry, and colder
weather.
G 3. Slow, regular and moderate falls
in pressure suggest a low pressure
area is passing in a nearby region.
R Marked changes in the weather
where you are located are unlikely.
4. Small rapid decreases in pressure
A indicate a nearby change in weather.
They are usually followed by brief
spells of wind and showers.
P 5. A quick drop in pressure over a
short time indicates a storm is likely
H in 5 to 6 hours.
6.Large, slow and sustained
decreasing pressure forecasts a long
Y period of poor weather. The weather
will be more pronounced if the
pressure started rising before it began
to drop.
7. A rapid rise in pressure, during fair
weather and average, or above
average pressure, indicates a low
pressure cell is approaching. The
pressure will soon decrease
forecasting poorer weather.
8. Quickly rising pressure, when the
pressure is low, indicates a short
period of fair weather is likely.
9. A large, slow and sustained rise
in pressure forecasts a long period
of good weather is on its way.
Barometers are widely used and
generally quite reliable at forecasting
the weather – and they also make a
great gift! To find out more about
measuring and forecasting the
weather
278 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
weather conditions is indicated by
a sudden fall in barometer reading?
(a) Stormy weather
(b) Calm weather
(c) Cold & dry weather
(d) Hot & sunny weather
Ans. (a) CSE 2001
Explanation: Stormy weather
condition is indicated by a sudden
fall in barometer reading. Because
decrease of pressure indicates the
advent of storms.
Temperature
One of the primary factors affecting
the unequal heating of the Earth’s
atmosphere is latitude. Latitude is the
measurement of the distance of a
location on the Earth from the
equator. The farther away from the
equator that a location resides, the
less sunlight that location
receives. Why does location at
higher latitudes receive less sunlight?
It all has to do with the shape of the
Earth. Because the Earth is round
only the front most portion receives
direct sunlight. Climate is based on
many factors in addition to latitude,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.The annual range of
temperature in the interior of the
continents is high as compared to
coastal areas. What is / are the
reason / reasons?
1. Thermal difference between
land and water
2. Variation in altitude between
continents and oceans
3. Presence of strong winds in the
interior
4. Heavy rains in the interior as
compared to coasts
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Due to land breeze and sea
breeze the range of temperature
is less in coastal areas)
so that while latitude is a good
predictor of a location’s average
temperature, it is not the only factor
to take into consideration. The
higher a location’s elevation is, the
lower its temperature will be. In
addition, for coastal areas the
temperatures will usually be cooler
because the water acts as a heat
sink. Areas that have heavy
vegetation, like forests, will be cooler
than deserts because the sand
absorbs the heat energy.
Adiabatic Temperature
Changes
As air is heated it expands becoming
less dense, and as a result, lighter.
Because it is lighter, it rises upwards
above the cooler air. As it does so,
this air continues to expand. This is
because there is less pressure higher
in the atmosphere, allowing the air
molecules to spread out more. In
order to spread out, these molecules
require energy. As they do so, they
become less agitated, and vibrate
slower. As a result the temperature
of these air molecules drops, despite
the fact that no heat has been
removed from them. This process
is referred to as adiabatic
cooling. As the air cools down, it
again begins to fall towards the
surface of the Earth. As it sinks
deeper into the atmosphere, the
pressure from the weight of the air
above it, pushes air molecules closer
together, causing them to become
more agitated, and heating them up.
As a result, their temperature rises,
even though no heat has been added.
This process is referred to as
adiabatic warming.
Solar Spectrum
The range of electromagnetic energy
emitted by the Sun is known as the
solar spectrum, and lies mainly in
three regions: ultraviolet, visible, and
infrared. While the Sun does emit
ultraviolet radiation, the majority of
solar energy comes in the form of
“light” and “heat”, in the visible and
infrared regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum. Light is
special to humans and many other
animals due to the evolution of the
eye, a sensory organ that detects this
part of the solar spectrum. We are
all familiar with the rainbow of
colors, the range of different colors
that makes up sunlight. The best way
to visualize this concept, and the
most common scientific demon-
stration, is the image of a glass prism
splitting up white light into the colors.
When raindrops act as prisms, we
see a rainbow. While the eye
effectively perceives and
distinguishes visible light, infrared is
perceived as heat. This is also called
“heat” radiation, because although
we cannot see infrared, we can feel
its presence as heat. The skin
converts the heat into energy of the
molecules. Infrared plays an
important role in the temperature of
the Earth and its atmosphere, and in
The albedo of an object will
turn, the climate of the Earth. determine its visual brightness when
There are interactions occurring viewed with reflected light. For
constantly in the atmosphere with the example, the planets are viewed by
solar radiation. This results in a reflected sunlight and their
complex and delicately balanced brightness depends upon the amount
system, which is crucial to the of light received from the sun and
continuation of present life forms on their albedo. Mercury receives the
Earth. The following two interactions maximum amount of sunlight, but its
that is crucial to the maintenance of albedo is only 0.1 so it is not as bright
life on Earth:
1. The atmosphere acts as a filter,
as it would be with a higher albedo.
absorbing and reflecting portions of
the electromagnetic spectrum, such
as the ultraviolet rays, rays, that are
harmful to humans and other life
forms.
2. The atmosphere provides a natural
“warming effect”, maintaining the
temperatures and climates in which
life forms on the Earth have evolved
to survive.
The atmosphere controls the amount
of solar radiation reaching the
surface of the Earth, and regulates
the amount of radiation from the
Earth escaping into space. Thus a
slight change in the concentration of
certain gases could upset the balance
of reactions and be detrimental to life
on the Earth, as we all know. So, let
us learn first about the composition
of the atmosphere in detail and later
discuss its relevance to two major
environmental problems;
stratospheric ozone depletion and
global climate change.
The albedo of an object is the extent
to which it diffusely reflects light
from the sun. It is therefore a more
specific form of the term reflectivity.
Albedo is defined as the ratio of
diffusely reflected to incident
electromagnetic radiation. It is a
unitless measure indicative of a
surface’s or body’s diffuse
reflectivity. The word is derived
from Latin albedo “whiteness”, in
turn from albus “white”. The range
of possible values is from 0 (dark)
to 1 (bright).
The albedo of planets, satellites and
asteroids can be used to infer much
about their properties.
Geometric Albedo of Earth is 0.367
and its bond albedo is 0.29.
Geometric Albedo of Mercury is
0.138 and its bond albedo is 0.119.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The albedo of an object
determines its visual brightness
when viewed with reflected light.
2. The albedo of Mercury is much
greater than the albedo of the
Earth.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans.(a) CSE 2008
Prelims Magic 2014
World Climate Zones
Climate is the characteristic
condition of the atmosphere near the
earth’s surface at a certain place on
earth. It is the long-term weather of
that area (at least 30 years). This
includes the region’s general pattern
of weather conditions, seasons and
weather extremes like hurricanes,
droughts, or rainy periods. Two of
G
the most important factors
determining an area’s climate are air
temperature and precipitation.
E
World biomes are controlled by
climate. The climate of a region will O
determine what plants will grow
there, and what animals will inhabit
it. All three components, climate, G
plants and animals are interwoven
to create the fabric of a biome.
In terms of visible colors, darker
R
colors have a lower albedo, that is,
they absorb more insolation, and
lighter colors have high albedo, or
A
higher rates of reflection. For
example, snow reflects 85-90% of
insolation, whereas asphalt reflects
P
only 5-10%.
The angle of the sun also impacts
albedo value and lower sun angles
H
create greater reflection because the
energy coming from a low sun angle
is not as strong as that arriving from
Y
a high sun angle. Additionally,
smooth surfaces have a higher
albedo while rough surfaces reduce
it.
Like solar radiation in general, albedo
values also vary across the
globe with latitude but Earth’s
average albedo is around 31%. For
surfaces between the tropics
(23.5°N to 23.5°S) the average
albedo is 19-38%. At the poles it can
be as high as 80% in some areas.
This is a result of the lower sun angle
present at the poles but also the
higher presence of fresh snow, ice,
and smooth open water- all areas
prone to high levels of reflectivity.
Some facts about climate
The sun’s rays hit the equator at a
direct angle between 23 ° N and 23
° S latitude. Radiation that reaches
279
 the atmosphere here is at its most different angles. These rays transmit Climates land/water differences play
intense. the highest level of energy when they a large part. These climates have
strike the earth at a right angle (90 warm,dry summers and cool, wet
In all other cases, the rays arrive at
°). Temperatures in these areas tend winters.
an angle to the surface and are less
to be the hottest places on earth. D - Continental Climates can be
intense. The closer a place is to the
Other locations, where the sun’s rays found in the interior regions of large
poles, the smaller the angle and
hit at lesser angles, tend to be cooler. land masses. Total precipitation is
therefore the less intense the
radiation. How was this topic asked in the CSE? not very high and seasonal
G Our climate system is based on the
location of these hot and cold air-
Q. “Climate is extreme, rainfall is
scanty and the people used to be
temperatures vary widely.
E - Cold Climates describe this
nomadic herders.”
E mass regions and the atmospheric
circulation created by trade winds
and westerlies.
The above
describes which
statement best
of the following
climate type perfectly. These
climates are part of areas where
permanent ice and tundra are always
regions?
O Trade winds north of the equator
blow from the northeast. South of
(a) African Savannah
(b) Central Asian Steppe
present. Only about four months of
the year have above freezing
temperatures.
the equator, they blow from the (c) North American Prairie
G southeast. The trade winds of the
two hemispheres meet near the
(d) Siberian Tundra
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Further subgroups are designated by
a second, lower case letter which
equator, causing the air to rise. As distinguish specific seasonal
R the rising air cools, clouds and rain As the Earth rotates on it’s tilted axis
develop. The resulting bands of around the sun, different parts of the
characteristics of temperature and
precipitation.
cloudy and rainy weather near the Earth receive higher and lower levels f - Moist with adequate precipitation
A equator create tropical conditions. of radiant energy. This creates the
Westerlies blow from the southwest seasons.
in all months and no dry season. This
letter usually accompanies the A, C,
and D climates.
P on the Northern Hemisphere and Köppen Climate Classification
from the northwest in the Southern System
Hemisphere. Westerlies steer
m - Rainforest climate in spite of
short, dry season in monsoon type
The Köppen Climate Classification
H storms from west to east across
middle latitudes.
System is the most widely used for
classifying the world’s climates. Most
cycle. This letter only applies to A
climates.
Both westerlies and trade winds classification systems used today are s - There is a dry season in the
Y blow away from the 30 ° latitude
belt. Over large areas centered at
based on the one introduced in 1900
by the Russian-German climatologist
summer of the respective
hemisphere (high-sun season).
30 ° latitude, surface winds are light. Wladimir Köppen. Köppen divided
the Earth’s surface into climatic w - There is a dry season in the
Air slowly descends to replace the winter of the respective hemisphere
air that blows away. Any moisture regions that generally coincided with
world patterns of vegetation and (low-sun season).
the air contains evaporates in the
intense heat. The tropical deserts, soils. To further denote variations in
such as the Sahara of Africa and The Köppen system recognizes five climate, a third letter was added to
the Sonoran of Mexico, exist under major climate types based on the the code.
these regions. annual and monthly averages of a - Hot summers where the
temperature and precipitation. Each
The amount of moisture in the type is designated by a capital letter. warmest month is over 22°C (72°F).
atmosphere is related to latitude. These can be found in C and D
Because, according to the change A - Moist Tropical Climates are climates.
in latitudes, temperature also varies known for their high temperatures b - Warm summer with the warmest
on the earth. Temperature directly year round and for their large amount month below 22°C (72°F). These
influences the moisture holding of year round rain. can also be found in C and D
capacity of the atmosphere. B - Dry Climates are characterized climates.
by little rain and a huge daily
Seasons temperature range. Two subgroups,
c - Cool, short summers with less
than four months over 10°C (50°F)
The Earth rotates about its axis, S - semiarid or steppe, and W - arid in the C and D climates.
which is tilted at 23.5 degrees. This or desert, are used with the B
tilt and the sun’s radiation result in climates. d - Very cold winters with the
the Earth’s seasons. The sun emits C - In Humid Middle Latitude coldest month below -38°C (-36°F)
rays that hit the earth’s surface at in the D climate only.

280 Prelims Magic 2014

h - Dry-hot with a mean annual tropical air masses. As a result, there in). All months less than 0.25 cm
temperature over 18°C (64°F) in B is a very wet season and a very dry (0.1 in).
climates only. season. Trade winds dominate
• Latitude Range: 15° - 25° N
during the dry season. It gets a little
k - Dry-cold with a mean annual and S.
cooler during this dry season but will
temperature under 18°C (64°F) in B
become very hot just before the wet • Global Range: southwestern
climates only.
season. United States and northern Mexico;
Three basic climate groups. Argentina; north Africa; south
• Temperature Average: 16 °C
Three major climate groups show the
dominance of special combinations
• Annual Precipitation: 0.25 cm.
(0.1 in.). All months less than 0.25
Africa; central part of Australia.
Tropical deserts: From the high -
G
of air-mass source regions. pressure belts, about 30° N. and 30°
Group I
cm. (0.1 in.)
• Latitude Range: 15 ° to 25 ° N
S., the trade winds blow towards the
low-pressure belt round the Equator.
E
Low-latitude Climates: These and S As they are flowing from cooler to
climates are controlled by equatorial
a tropical air masses.
• Global Range: India, Indochina,
West Africa, southern Africa, South
warmer regions they become
warmer as they proceed, and tend
O
to absorb rather than deposit
Tropical Moist Climates (Af)
rainforest
America and the north coast of
Australia
moisture.
G
Rainfall is heavy in all months. Rains • Dry Tropical Climate (BW) desert Group II Mid-latitude
are Convectional. The total annual
rainfall is often more than 250 cm.
biome These desert climates are
found in low-latitude deserts
Climates:
Climates in this zone are affected
R
(100 in.). High temperature and approximately between 18° to 28° by two different air-masses. The
humidity leads to rainfall in the
afternoon everyday. There are
in both hemispheres. These latitude
belts are centered on the tropics of
tropical air-masses are moving
towards the poles and the polar air-
A
seasonal differences in monthly Cancer and Capricorn, which lie just masses are moving towards the
rainfall but temperatures of 27°C
(80°F) mostly stay the same.
north and south of the equator. They
coincide with the edge of the
equator. These two air masses are
in constant conflict. Either air mass
P
Humidity is between 77 and 88%. equatorial subtropical high pressure may dominate the area, but neither
High surface heat and humidity
belt and trade winds. Winds are light, has exclusive control. Dry
Midlatitude Climates (BS) steppe
H
cause cumulus clouds to form early How was this topic asked in the CSE? Characterized by grasslands, this is
in the afternoons almost every day.
The climate on eastern sides of
Q. Which one of the following is
the characteristic climate of the
a semiarid climate. It can be found
between the desert climate (BW)
Y
continents are influenced by maritime Tropical Savannah Region? and more humid climates of the A,
tropical air masses. These air masses (a) Rainfall throughout the year C, and D groups. If it received less
flow out from the moist western sides (b) Rainfall in winter only rain, the steppe would be classified
of oceanic high-pressure cells, and (c) An extremely short dry as an arid desert. With more rain, it
bring lots of summer rainfall. The season would be classified as a tallgrass
summers are warm and very humid. (d) A definite dry and wet season prairie.This dry climate exists in the
It also rains a lot in the winter Ans.(d) CSE 2012 interior regions of the North
American and Eurasian continents.
• Average temperature: 18 °C Moist ocean air masses are blocked
which allows for the evaporation of
• Annual Precipitation: 262 cm. (103 moisture in the intense heat. They by mountain ranges to the west and
in.) generally flow downward so the south. These mountain ranges also
trap polar air in winter, making
• Latitude Range: 10° S to 25 ° N area is seldom penetrated by air winters very cold. Summers are
masses that produce rain. This
Global Position: Amazon Basin; makes for a very dry heat. For this warm to hot.
Congo Basin of equatorial Africa; reason, a desert belt is found around • Temperature Average: 24° C
East Indies, from Sumatra to New the tropics on the western sides of (43° F).
Guinea. the continents. The dry arid desert
is a true desert climate, and covers • Annual Precipitation: less than 10
Wet-Dry Tropical Climates 12 % of the Earth’s land surface. cm (4 in) in the driest regions to 50
(Aw) savanna cm (20 in) in the moister steppes.
• Temperature Average: 16° C
A seasonal change occurs between • Latitude Range: 35° - 55° N.
wet tropical air masses and dry • Annual Precipitation: 0.25 cm (0.1 Global Range: Western North

Prelims Magic 2014 281

 America (Great Basin, Columbia
Plateau, Great Plains); Eurasian
interior, from steppes of eastern
Europe to the Gobi Desert and North
China. Mediterranean Climate (Cs)
chaparral biome. This is a wet-
winter, dry-summer climate.
Extremely dry summers are caused
G by the sinking air of the subtropical
highs and may last for up to five
months. Plants have adapted to the
E extreme difference in rainfall and
temperature between winter and
summer seasons. Sclerophyll plants
O range in formations from forests, to
woodland, and scrub. Eucalyptus
forests cover most of the chaparral
G biome in Australia.Fires occur
frequently in Mediterranean climate
zones.
R °F)
• Temperature Average: 7 °C (12 Canada; northern China; Korea; Yukon Territory to Labrador;
biome This climate is in the polar larger than any other climate.
front zone - the battleground of polar Precipitation increases during
and tropical air masses. Seasonal summer months, although annual
changes between summer and precipitation is still small. Much of
winter are very large. Daily the boreal forest climate is
temperatures also change often. considered humid. However, large
Abundant precipitation falls areas in western Canada and Siberia
throughout the year. It is increased receive very little precipitation and
in the summer season by invading
tropical air masses. Cold winters are
caused by polar and arctic masses
fall into the subhumid or semiarid
climate type.
• Temperature Average: 41 °C (74
moving south.
°F), lows; -25 °C (-14 °F), highs; 16
• Temperature Average: 31 °C (56 °C (60 °F).
° F)
• Average Annual Precipitation: 31
• Average Annual Precipitation: 81 cm (12 in).
cm (32 in). Latitude Range: 30° -
• Latitude Range: 50° - 70° N
55° N and S (Europe: 45° - 60° N).
and S.
• Global Position: eastern parts of • Global Position: central and
the United States and southern
Japan; central and eastern Europe.
western Alaska; Canada, from the
Eurasia, from northern Europe

A • Annual Precipitation: 42 cm (17 Group III High-latitude climates: across all of Siberia to the Pacific
in). Latitude Range: 30° - 50° N and
S. Global Position: central and
Polar and arctic air masses dominate
these regions. Canada and Siberia
Ocean.
Tundra Climate (E) tundra biome
P southern California; coastal zones
bordering the Mediterranean Sea;
coastal Western Australia and South
are two air-mass sources which fall
into this group. A southern
hemisphere counterpart to these
The tundra climate is found along
arctic coastal areas. Polar and arctic
air masses dominate the tundra
H Australia; Chilean coast; Cape Town
region of South Africa.
continental centers does not exist.
Air masses of arctic origin meet
polar continental air masses along
climate. The winter season is long
and severe. A short, mild season
• Dry Midlatitude Climates (Bs) the 60th and 70th parallels. Boreal exists, but not a true summer
Y grasslands biome These dry climates
are limited to the interiors of North
forest Climate ( Dfc) taiga biome
This is a continental climate with
season. Moderating ocean winds
keep the temperatures from being
America and Eurasia.Ocean air as severe as interior regions.
long, very cold winters, and short,
masses are blocked by mountain • Temperature Range: -22 °C to 6
cool summers. This climate is found
ranges to the west and south. This °C (-10 °F to 41 °F).
in the polar air mass region. Very
allows polar air masses to dominate
cold air masses from the arctic often • Average Annual Precipitation: 20
in winter months. In the summer, a
move in. The temperature range is cm (8 in).
local continental air mass is
dominant. A small amount of rain How was this topic asked in the CSE • Latitude Range: 60° - 75° N.
falls during this season. Annual
A geographic region has the • Global Position: arctic zone of
temperatures range widely.
following distinct characteristics: North America; Hudson Bay region;
Summers are warm to hot, but
1. Warm and dry climate Greenland coast; northern Siberia
winters are cold.
2. Mild and wet winter bordering the Arctic Ocean.
• Temperature Average: 31 °C 3. Evergreen oak trees
(56°F). The above features are the Highland Climate (H) Alpine Biome
Highland climates are cool to cold,
• Annual Precipitation: 81 cm. (32 distinct characteristics of which found in mountains and high
in.). one of the following regions?
(a) Mediterranean plateaus. Climates change rapidly on
• Latitude Range: 30° - 55° N and (b) Eastern China mountains, becoming colder the
S. Global Position: western North (c) Central Asia higher the altitude gets. The climate
America (Great Basin, Columbia (d) Atlantic coast of North of a highland area is closely related
Plateau, Great Plains); Eurasian America to the climate of the surrounding
interior.· Moist Continental Ans (a) CSE 2010 biome. The highlands have the same
Climate (Cf) Deciduous Forest seasons and wet and dry periods as

282 Prelims Magic 2014

the biome they are in.Mountain
climates are very important to
midlatitude biomes. They work as
water storage areas. Snow is kept
back until spring and summer when
it is released slowly as water through
melting.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Assertion (A): Areas near the
equator receive rainfall throughout
the year.
Reason (R): High temperatures
and high humidity cause
Convectional rain in most
afternoons near the equator.
In the context of the above two
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Examine the two statements
and select the answers to these
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): The amount of
moisture in the atmosphere is
related to latitude.
Reason (R): The capacity to hold
moisture in the form of water
vapour is related to temperature.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c)A is true but R is false.
(d)A is false but R is true.
Ans. (a) CSE 2003
(and other animals) by hindering the
evaporation of perspiration from the
skin as the relative humidity rises
Specific humidity is the ratio of
water vapor to air (including water
vapor and dry air) in a particular
mass. Dew point is the temperature
at which water vapor saturates from
an air mass into liquid or solid usually
forming rain, snow, frost, or dew.
G
Dew point normally occurs when a
mass of air has a relative humidity
of 100%. This happens in the
E
atmosphere as a result of cooling
through a number of different
processes. If the dew point is below
O
freezing, it is referred to as the frost

Q. Examine the two statements

statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) CSE 1996
• Temperature Range: -18 °C to 10
°C (-2 °F to 50°F)
• Average Annual Precipitation: 23
cm (9 in.)
• Latitude Range: found all over the
world
• Global Position: Rocky Mountain
Range in North America, the Andean
mountain range in South America,
the Alps in Europe, Mt. Kilimanjaro
in Africa, the Himalayans in Tibet,
Mt. Fuji in Japan.
Humidity is the amount of water
vapor in the air. Absolute humidity
is the quantity of water in a particular
volume of air.Relative humidity is
defined as the ratio of the partial
pressure of water vapor (in a
gaseous mixture of air and water
vapor) to the saturated vapor
pressure of water at a given
temperature. Relative humidity is
expressed as a percentage. In hot
summer weather, it also increases
the apparent temperature to humans
point.
Clouds
G
and select the answers to these
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): Areas lying within
A cloud is a visible mass of droplets,
in other words, minute drops of
R
water or frozen crystals suspended
five to eight degrees latitude on
either side of the equator receive
rainfall throughout the year.
in the atmosphere above the surface
of the Earth. A cloud is also a visible
A
mass attracted by gravity, such as
Reason (R): High temperatures
and high humidity cause
convectional rain to fall mostly in
masses of material in space called
interstellar clouds and nebulae.
P
Clouds are studied in the
the afternoons near the equator.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
nephology or cloud physics branch
of meteorology. As air parcels cool
H
due to expansion of the rising air
(b) Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false.
mass, water vapor begins to
condense on condensation
Y
nuclei such as dust, ice and
(d) A is false but R is true.
salt. Clouds can also be formed due
Ans. (a) CSE 2001
to lifting over mountains and other
topography.
Q. Consider the following
statements: How much does a cloud weigh?
1. In the world, the tropical deserts
The National Oceanic and
occur along the western margins
Atmospheric Administration
of continents within the trade wind
(NOAA) provides some estimates
belt.
of air and cloud density and weight.
2. In India, the East Himalayan
NOAA found that dry air has a
region gets high rainfall from north-
density of about 1.007 kilograms/
east winds.
cubic meter (kg/m3) and the density
Which of the statements given
of the actual cloud droplets is about
above is/ are correct?
1.003 kg/m3. In the final calculations,
(a) 1 only
the 1 km3 cumulus cloud weighs a
(b) 2 only
whopping 2.211 billion pounds (1.003
(c) Both 1 and 2
billion kilograms)! However,
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
remember that air also has mass, so
Ans.(a) CSE 2008
the cloud floats because the weight
of the same volume of dry air is even
more, about 2.220 billion pounds

Prelims Magic 2014 283

 (1.007 billion kilograms). So, it is the
lesser density of the cloud that
allows it to float on the dryer and
more-dense air.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The clouds floats in the
atmosphere because of their low
G (a) temperature (b) velocity
(c) pressure (d) density
Ans (d) CSE 1995
E Classification
High Clouds (Family A)
O 1. Cirrocumulus clouds are high­
altitude clouds that usually occur at
G an altitude of 5 km to 12 km.Like
other cumulus clouds, cirrocumulus
clouds signify convection. Unlike
R other cirrus clouds, cirrocumulus
include a small amount of liquid
water droplets, although these are
A in a super cooled state. Ice crystals
are the predominant component, and
typically, the ice crystals cause the
P super cooled water drops in the
cloud to rapidly freeze, transforming
the cirrocumulus into cirrostratus.
H This process can also produce
precipitation in the form of
a virga consisting of ice or snow.
Thus cirrocumulus clouds are usually
Y short-lived.
2. Cirrus clouds generally refer to
atmospheric clouds that are
characterized by thin, wisplike
strands, often accompanied by tufts,
leading to their common (non-
standard) name of mare’s tail.
Many cirrus clouds produce hair like
filaments made of the
heavier ice crystals that precipitate
from them. These “fall streaks”, a
form of virga, often indicate the
difference in the motion of air (wind
shear) between the upper part of the
cirrus cloud and the air below it.
3. Cirrostratus clouds are thin,
generally uniform clouds, composed
of ice­crystals, capable of
forming halos. They are usually
located above 5.5 km . When thick
enough to be seen, they are whitish,
usually with no distinguishing
features. When covering the whole
sky and sometimes so thin as to be
284 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE? presence on a warm, humid, summer
Q. Which one of the following morning frequently signals the
statements is correct? development of thunder storms later
(a) Cirrus clouds are composed of in the day. Alto means high and
ice crystals these clouds may cause rain if they
are higher up.
(b) Cirrus clouds exhibit a flat base
and have the appearance of rising Low clouds (Family C): These are
domes found up to 2,000 m (6,500 feet)
(c) Cumulus clouds are white and
thin and form delicate patches and
and include the stratus (dense
and grey).
give a fibrous and feathery
appearance
(d) Cumulus clouds are classified
When stratus clouds contact the
ground, they are called fog.
as high clouds 1. Cumulus clouds are a type
Ans (a) CSE 2004 of cloud with noticeable vertical
development and clearly defined
hardly discernible, this may indicate edges. Cumulus means “heap” or
a large amount of moisture in the
upper atmosphere.
“pile” in Latin. They are often
described as “puffy” or “cotton-like”
in appearance. Cumulus clouds may
Middle clouds (Family B)
1. Altostratus is a cloud belonging
appear alone, in lines, or in clusters.
Cumulus clouds are often precursors
to a class characterized by a of other types of clouds, such as
generally uniform gray sheet or
layer, lighter in color than
cumulonimbus, when influenced by
weather factors such as instability,
nimbostratus and darker than moisture, and temperature gradient.
cirrostratus. The sun can be seen
shining through them, and they
Cumulus clouds are part of the larger
family of cumuliform clouds, which
frequently cover the whole sky. include cumulus, cumulus congest
They are similar to lower altitude
stratus clouds. Altostratus is caused
us, and cumulonimbus clouds, among
others. The most intense cumulus
by a large air mass that is lifted and cumulonimbus clouds may be
then condensed, usually by an
incoming frontal system and can be
associated with severe weather
phenomena such as hail,
found over widespread areas. waterspouts and tornadoes.
Altostratus clouds are potentially 2. Cumulus humilis is what is
dangerous, because they can commonly referred to as “fair
cause ice accretion on aircraft. weather cumulus”. In hot countries
Their altitude is from 8,000-20,000 and over mountainous terrain these
feet (2,400-6,100 m). They are made clouds occur at up to 6000 meters
from ice crystals. altitude, though elsewhere they are
2.Altocumulus (Alto, “high”, typically found lower. They are
cumulus, “heaped”) is a cloud formed by rising warm air that has
belonging to a class characterized been heated by the ground, which in
by globular masses or rolls in layers turn has been heated by the sun.
or patches, the individual elements 3. Cumulus mediocris is a cloud
being larger and darker than those form of the cumulus family, slightly
of cirrocumulus and smaller than larger in vertical development
those of stratocumulus. Like than Cumulus humilis. It may or may
other cumulus clouds, altocumulus not show the cauliflower form
signifies convection. It is usually characteristic of cumulus clouds.
white or gray, and often occurs in These clouds do not produce
sheets or patches with wavy, precipitation, but may further
rounded masses or rolls. advance into clouds such
Altocumulus often are seen as Cumulus congestus and
preceding a cold front, and their Cumulonimbus.
Stratocumulus cloud belongs to a
class of clouds characterized by
large dark, rounded masses, usually
in groups, lines, or waves, the
individual elements being larger than
those in altocumuli, and the whole
being at a lower altitude, usually
below 2,400 m (8,000 ft). Weak
convective currents create shallow
cloud layers because of drier, stable
air above preventing continued
vertical development.
A Nimbostratus cloud is
characterized by a formless cloud
layer that is almost uniformly dark
gray. “Nimbo” is from the Latin
word “nimbus”, meaning rain. It is a
strati form cloud that produces rain,
developing cloud bases between the
surface and 10000 ft (3000 m).
Nimbostratus usually has a thickness
of 2000 meters. In rare cases,
Nimbostratus can be very thin and
accompanied by a separate layer of
altostratus divided by a cloudless
layer. Though found worldwide,
nimbostratus is found more
commonly in the middle latitudes.
A stratus cloud (St) is a cloud
belonging to a class characterized by
horizontal layering with a uniform
base, as opposed to convective
clouds that are as tall or taller than
wide (these are termed cumulus
clouds). More specifically, the
term stratus is used to describe flat,
hazy, featureless clouds of low
altitude varying in color from dark
gray to nearly white. A “cloudy day”
usually features a sky filled with
stratus clouds obscuring the disk of
the sun. These clouds are essentially
above-ground fog formed either
through the lifting of morning fog or
when cold air moves at low altitudes
over a region.
Why are rain clouds gray to
black in color?
Thick clouds, such as those that bring
rain, reflect 75 to 95 percent of the
sunlight that hits them, which is why
they look white to anyone on the
sunny side of the clouds. But, if a
cloud is between you and the sun,
the lack of sunlight penetrating it will
make the cloud appear dark. If the and absorbing all but a tiny fraction
cloud isn’t between you and the sun, of the light that strikes them. The
it might appear gray because another problem is that unless these clouds
cloud is casting a shadow on it. The completely cover your field of view,
background also helps determine sunlight will still reach the ground
how gray a cloud looks. A cloud that from other parts of the sky. During
might appear white when it’s in front the most severe thunderstorms,
of a black cloud will look gray if clearhowever, both the vertical thickness
sky is behind it.
Why are winter nights and
and horizontal extent of clouds can
combine to effectively block out
most, if not all, sunlight. This can
G
summer nights warmer during
cloudy weather than when the
sky is clear?
sometimes create the eerie effect of
streetlights suddenly coming on
during the afternoon. During a 1920
E
Clouds being bad conductors of heat tornado outbreak, clouds became so
do not permit radiation of heat from thick in the town of Meridian,
land to escape into the sky. As this Mississippi, that, according to one
O
heat remains in the atmosphere, the report, around 10:30 a.m. the
cloudy nights are warmer. darkness “was as intense as would
be common for a cloudy moonless
G
How was this topic asked in the CSE? night at 9:30 or later” and
Q. Cloudy nights are warmer “pedestrians could distinguish each R
compared to clear cloudless nights, other only with great difficulty.” The
because clouds account described the darkness as
(a) prevent cold waves from the being “so unnatural that it was
extremely weird.”
A
sky from descending on earth
(b) reflect back the heat given off
by earth
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following climatic
P
(c) produce heat and radiate it
and geographical phenomena:
towards earth
(d) absorb heat from the
1. Condensation
2. High temperature and humidity
H
atmosphere and send it towards
3. Orography
earth
Ans. (b) CSE 2001
4. Vertical wind
Thunder Cloud development is due
Y
Clouds often hide the sun, yet do not to which of these phenomena?
cause darkness during the day. Why (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4
is this? Sunlight that hits a cloud is (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
reflected, absorbed or transmitted. Ans. (d) CSE 2002
The amount transmitted is what Explanation:
reaches the Earth’s surface and The thunder cloud develops by all
depends on the thickness of the the above climatic and geo-
cloud. Clouds that are about 65 feet graphical phenomena.
thick transmit about 70 percent of
the light striking them. At a thickness Winds
of 330 feet, a cloud’s transmittance Wind is the movement of air across
is reduced to about 20 percent. The the Earth’s surface and is produced
thickest clouds are cumulonimbus, by differences in air pressure
which often produce thunderstorms. between one place to another. Wind
High temperature and humidity strength can vary from a light breeze
causes the wind to rise vertically up, to hurricane force and is measured
due to Orography or pressure of with the Beaufort Wind Scale.
mountains. These winds get
condensated and form Winds are named from the direction
Cumulonimbus clouds or thunder from which they originate. For
clouds. These clouds can reach example, a westerly is a wind
heights of over 6 miles, reflecting coming from the west and blowing
Prelims Magic 2014 285
 toward the east. Wind speed is
measured with an anemometer and
its direction is determined with a
wind vane.
Within the atmosphere, there are
several forces that impact the speed
and direction of winds. The most
important though is the Earth’s
G gravitational force. As gravity
compresses the Earth’s atmosphere,
it creates air pressure- the driving
E force of wind. Without gravity, there
would be no atmosphere or air
pressure and thus, no wind.
O The force actually responsible for
causing the movement of air though
G the pressure gradient force.
Differences in air pressure and the
pressure gradient force are caused
R by the unequal heating of the Earth’s
surface when incoming solar
radiation concentrates at the
A equator. Because of the energy
surplus at low latitudes for example,
the air there is warmer than that at
P the poles. Warm air is less dense and
has a lower barometric pressure
than the cold air at high latitudes.
H These differences in barometric
pressure are what create the
pressure gradient force and wind as
Y air constantly moves between areas
of high and low pressure.
To show wind speeds, the pressure
gradient is plotted onto weather
maps using isobars mapped between
areas of high and low pressure. Bars
spaced far apart represent a gradual
pressure gradient and light winds.
Those closer together show a steep
pressure gradient and strong winds.
Finally, the Coriolis force and friction
both significantly affect wind across
the globe. The Coriolis force makes
wind deflect from its straight path
between high and low pressure
areas and the friction force slows
wind down as it travels over the
Earth’s surface.
Since the Earth is rotating, however,
the air does not flow directly from
high to low pressure, but it is
deflected to the right (in
the Northern Hemisphere; to the left
286 Prelims Magic 2014
in the Southern Hemisphere), so that Local and Regional Winds
the wind flows around the high and
low pressure areas. This effect of In addition to low and upper level
the wind “feeling the Earth turn global wind patterns, there are
underneath it” is important for very various types of local winds around
the world. Land-sea breezes that
large and long-lived pressure
occur on most coastlines are one
systems. example. These winds are caused
Upper Level Winds by the temperature and density
differences of air over land versus
Within the atmosphere, there are water but are confined to coastal
different levels of air circulation. locations.
However those in the middle and
upper troposphere are an important Mountain-valley breezes are another
localized wind pattern. These winds
part of the entire atmosphere’s air
are caused when mountain air cools
circulation. To map these circulation quickly at night and flows down into
patterns upper air pressure maps use valleys. In addition, valley air gains
500 millibars (mb) as a reference heat quickly during the day and it
point. This means that the height rises upslope creating afternoon
above sea level is only plotted in breezes.
areas with an air pressure level of
500 mb. For example, over an ocean Some other examples of local winds
500 mb could be 18,000 feet into include Southern California’s warm
theatmosphere but over land it could and dry Santa Ana Winds, the cold
and dry mistral wind of France’s
How was this topic asked in the CSE Rhône Valley, the very cold, usually
What causes wind to deflect dry bora wind on the eastern coast
toward left in the Southern of the Adriatic Sea, the local wind
hemisphere?
(a) Temperature
Fohn in Alps region, Samun in
Kurdistan, Zonda in Argentina, and
the Chinook winds in North
(b) Magnetic field
(c) Rotation of the earth
(d) Pressure
America.
Winds can also occur on a large
Ans (c) CSE 2010 regional scale. One example of this
type of wind would be katabatic
be 19,000 feet. By contrast, surface winds. These are winds caused by
weather maps plot pressure gravity and are sometimes called
differences based at a fixed drainage winds because they drain
down a valley or slope when dense,
elevation, usually sea level.
cold air at high elevations flows
The 500 mb level is important for downhill by gravity. These winds are
winds because by analyzing upper
level winds, meteorologists can How was this topic asked in the CSE?
learn more about weather conditions Q. Match List I with List II and
at the Earth’s surface. Frequently, select the correct answer using the
these upper level winds generate the codes given below the lists:
weather and wind patterns at the List I List II
surface. (Local Wind) (Region)
Two upper level wind patterns that A. Fohn 1. Argentina
are important to meteorologists are B. Samun 2. Kurdistan
Rossby waves and the jet stream. C. Santa Ana 3. California
Rossby waves are significant D. Zonda 4. Alps
because they bring cold air south and A B C D
(a) 2 4 1 3
warm air north, creating a difference
(b) 4 2 3 1
in air pressure and wind. These
(c) 2 4 3 1
waves develop along the jet stream.
(d) 4 2 1 3
Ans. (b) CSE 2001
usually stronger than mountain-
valley breezes and occur over larger
areas such as a plateau or highland.
Examples of katabatic winds are
those that blow off of Antarctica and
Greenland’s vast ice sheets.
The seasonally shifting monsoonal
winds found over Southeast Asia,
Indonesia, India, northern Australia,
and equatorial Africa are another
example of regional winds because
they are confined to the larger region
of the tropics as opposed to just India
for example.
Whether winds are local, regional,
or global however, they are an
important component to atmospheric
circulation and play an important role
in human life on Earth as their flow
across vast areas is capable of
moving weather, pollutants, and
other airborne items worldwide.
Trade Winds, Horse Latitudes,
and the Doldrums
Solar radiation warms the air over
the equator, causing it to rise. The
rising air then proceeds south and
north toward the poles. From
approximately 20° to 30° North and
South latitude, the air sinks. Then,
the air flows along the surface of
the earth back toward the equator.
Doldrums
Sailors noticed the stillness of the
rising (and not blowing) air near the
equator and gave the region the
depressing name “doldrums.” The
doldrums, usually located between
5° north and 5° south of the equator,
are also known as the Intertropical
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Either of the two belts over the
oceans at about 30° to 35° N and
S Latitudes is known as Horse
Latitude.
2. Horse latitudes are low pressure
belts.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) CSE 2007
Convergence Zone or ITCZ for
short. The trade winds converge in
the region of the ITCZ, producing
convectional storms that produce
some of the world’s heaviest
precipitation regions.
The ITCZ moves north and south
of the equator depending on the
season and solar energy received.
The location of the ITCZ can vary
as much as 40° to 45° of latitude
north or south of the equator based
on the pattern of land and ocean.
The Intertropical Convergence Zone
is also known as the Equatorial
Convergence Zone or Intertropical
Front.
Horse Latitudes
Between about 30° to 35° north and
30° to 35° south of the equator lies
the region known as the horse
latitudes or the subtropical high. This
region of subsiding dry air and high
pressure results in weak winds.
Tradition states that sailors gave the
region of the subtropical high the
name “horse latitudes” because
ships relying on wind power stalled;
fearful of running out of food and
water, sailors threw their horses and
cattle overboard to save on
provisions. (It’s a puzzle why sailors
would not have eaten the animals
instead of throwing them
overboard.) The Oxford English
Dictionary claims the origin of the
term “uncertain.”
Major deserts of the world, such as
the Sahara and the Great Australian
Desert, lie under the high pressure
of the horse latitudes.
The region is also known as the
Calms of Cancer in the northern
hemisphere and the Calms of
Capricorn in the southern
hemisphere.
Trade Winds
Blowing from the subtropical highs
or horse latitudes toward the low
pressure of the ITCZ are the trade
winds. Named from their ability to
quickly propel trading ships across
the ocean, the trade winds between
Prelims Magic 2014
about 30° latitude and the equator
are steady and blow about 11 to 13
miles per hour. In the Northern
Hemisphere, the trade winds blow
from the northeast and are known
as the Northeast Trade Winds; in the
Southern Hemisphere, the winds
blow from the southeast and are
called the Southeast Trade Winds.
Cyclone
G
An atmospheric system characte-
rized by the rapid inward circulation E
of air masses about a low-pressure
center, usually accompanied by
stormy, often destructive weather. O
Cyclones circulate counterclockwise
in the Northern Hemisphere and
clockwise in the Southern G
Hemisphere. They are known as
cyclones in the Indian Ocean,
hurricanes in the West Indies, R
Typhoons in the China Sea, and
Willy-Willies in the Northwest
Australia. A
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Willy willy is
(a) a type of tree grown in
P
temperate regions
(b) a wind that blows in a desert
(c) a tropical cyclone of the north-
H
west Australia
(d) a kind of common fish found
near Lakshadweep islands
Y
Ans. (c) CSE 1995
Structure
Air motion at high altitudes, where
surface friction does not act,
parallels the isobars. In the northern
hemisphere, winds move counter
clockwise about a cyclone;
clockwise about an anticyclone. In
the southern hemisphere these
patterns are exactly reverse:
clockwise about a cyclone;
counterclockwise about an
anticyclone. For surface winds,
moves obliquely across the isobars,
winds in a cyclone in the northern
hemisphere show an counter
clockwise inspiral; in an anticyclone,
a clockwise outspiral. “counter-
clockwise”and “clockwise” in the
southern hemisphere. Inspiral or
287
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Examine the two statements
and select the answers to these
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): The surface winds
spiral inwards upon the centre of
the cyclone.
Reason (R): Air descends in the
G centre of the cyclone.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
E (b) Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false.
O (d) A is false but R is true.
Ans. (c) CSE 2002
G spiral inward upon the center of the
cyclone, hence the air is converging
upon the center and rise to be
R disposed of. Outspiral or spiral out
from the center of anticyclone - -
diverging of air flow, sinking
A (subsidence) of air to replace the out
moving air.
There are a number of structural
P characteristics common to all
cyclones. As they are low pressure
areas, their center is the area of
H lowest atmospheric pressure in the
region, often known in mature
tropical cyclones as the eye. Near
Y the center, the pressure gradient
force (from the pressure in the
center of the cyclone compared to
the pressure outside the cyclone) and
the Coriolis force must be in an
approximate balance, or the cyclone
would collapse on itself as a result
of the difference in pressure. The
wind flow around a large cyclone is
counterclockwise in the northern
hemisphere and clockwise in the
southern hemisphere as a result of
the Coriolis effect. (An anticyclone,
on the other hand, rotates clockwise
in the northern hemisphere, and
counterclockwise in the southern
hemisphere.)
Formation
Cyclogenesis is the development or
strengthening of cyclonic circulation
in the atmosphere (a low pressure
area). Cyclogenesis is an umbrella Tropical cyclones form when the There are six main types of cyclones:
term for several different processes, energy released by the condensation Polar cyclones, Polar lows,
all of which result in the development of moisture in rising air causes a Extratropical cyclones, Subtropical
288 Prelims Magic 2014
of some sort of cyclone. It can positive feedback loop over warm
occur at various scales, from the ocean waters.
microscale to the synoptic scale.
Tropical cyclogenesis is the technical
Extratropical cyclones form as
term describing the development and
waves along weather fronts before
strengthening of a tropical cyclone
occluding later in their life cycle as
in the atmosphere. The mechanisms
cold core cyclones. Tropical
through which tropical cyclogenesis
cyclones form due to latent heat
occurs are distinctly different from
driven by significant thunderstorm
activity, and are warm core.
Mesocyclones form as warm core
those through which mid-latitude
cyclogenesis occurs. Tropical
cyclogenesis involves the
cyclones over land, and can lead to
tornado formation. Waterspouts can
also form from mesocyclones, but
development of a warm-core
cyclone, due to significant
convection in a favorable
more often develop from
environments of high instability and
low vertical wind shear.
atmospheric environment. There are
six main requirements for tropical
cyclogenesis: sufficiently warm sea
Cyclogenesis is the opposite of
cyclolysis, and has an anticyclonic
(high pressure system) equivalent
surface temperatures, atmospheric
instability, high humidity in the lower
to middle levels of the troposphere,
which deals with the formation of
high pressure areas — Anti-
cyclogenesis.
enough Coriolis force to develop a
low pressure center, a preexisting
low level focus or disturbance, and
The surface low has a variety of low vertical wind shear. An average
ways of forming. Topography can of 86 tropical cyclones of tropical
force a surface low when dense storm intensity form annually
low-level high pressure system worldwide, with 47 reaching
ridges in east of a north-south hurricane/typhoon strength, and 20
mountain barrier. Mesoscale becoming intense tropical cyclones
convective systems can spawn (at least Category 3 intensity on the
surface lows which are initially Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale).
warm core. The disturbance can
grow into a wave-like formation Mesocyclones are believed to form
along the front and the low will be when strong changes of wind speed
positioned at the crest. Around the and/or direction with height (“wind
low, flow will become cyclonic, by shear”) sets parts of the lower part
definition. This rotational flow will of the atmosphere spinning in
push polar air equatorward west of invisible tube-like rolls. The
the low via its trailing cold front, and convective updraft of a thunderstorm
warmer air with push poleward low is then thought to draw up this
via the warm front. Usually the cold spinning air, tilting the rolls’
front will move at a quicker pace than orientation upward (from parallel to
the warm front and “catch up” with the ground to perpendicular) and
it due to the slow erosion of higher causing the entire updraft to rotate
density airmass located out ahead of as a vertical column. Mesocyclones
the cyclone and the higher density are normally relatively localized: they
airmass sweeping in behind the lie between the synoptic scale
cyclone, usually resulting in a (hundreds of kilometers) and
narrowing warm sector. At this point microscale (hundreds of meters).
an occluded front forms where the Radar imagery is used to identify
warm air mass is pushed upwards these features. The eye of the storm
into a trough of warm air aloft, which is usually calm and collected.
is also known as a trowal.
Types
cyclones, Tropical cyclones, and system (depression) that is found European windstorms, and polar
Mesocyclones over the ocean areas poleward of lows, leading to their classification
the main polar front in both the as “warm core” storm systems.
1.A polar cyclone is a low pressure Northern and Southern Tropical cyclones originate in the
weather system usually spanning Hemispheres. The systems usually doldrums near the equator, about 10°
1,000–2,000 kilometers in which the have a horizontal length scale of less away from it.
air is circulating in a counter- than 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) and
clockwise fashion (in the northern exist for no more than a couple of 6. A mesocyclone is a vortex of air,
hemisphere). The reason for the days. approximately 2 to 10 km in
rotation is the same as any other
cyclone, the Coriolis effect. 3. Extratropical cyclones,
diameter (the mesoscale of
meteorology), within a convective
G
sometimes called mid-latitude storm. That is, it is air that rises and
2. A polar low is a small-scale, short- cyclones or wave cyclones, are a
lived atmospheric low pressure group of cyclones defined as
rotates around a vertical axis, usually
in the same direction as low pressure
E
How was this topic asked in the CSE? synoptic scale low pressure weather systems in a given hemisphere. They
Q. Examine the two statements systems that occur in the middle
and select the answers to these latitudes of the Earth (outside the
are most often cyclonic, that is,
associated with a localized low- O
pressure region within a severe
items using the code given below. tropics) having neither tropical nor
Assertion (A): Anticyclonic polar characteristics, and are
conditions are formed in winter connected with fronts and horizontal
thunderstorm. Such storms can
feature strong surface winds and G
severe hail. Mesocyclones often
season when atmospheric pressure gradients in temperature and dew
is high and air temperatures are point otherwise known as “baroclinic
low. zones”. Extratropical cyclones are
occur together with updrafts in
supercells, where tornadoes may R
Reason (R): Winter rainfall in the everyday phenomena which, form. Mesocyclones are believed to
Northern India causes develop- along with anticyclones, drive the
ment of anticyclonic conditions weather over much of the Earth,
form when strong changes of wind
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
A
with low temperatures. producing anything from cloudiness
(a) Both A and R are true and R is and mild showers to heavy gales and
the correct explanation of A thunderstorms.
Q. For short-term climatic
predictions, which one of the P
(b) Both A and R are true and R is following events, detected in the
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false.
4. A subtropical cyclone is a
weather system that has some
characteristics of a tropical and an
last decade, is associated with
occasional weak monsoon rains in H
(d) A is false but R is true. the Indian sub-continent?
Ans. (b) CSE 2001 extratropical cyclone. As early as the

Q. Consider the following names

1950s, meteorologists were unclear
whether they should be
(a) La Nina
(b) Movement of Jet Streams Y
(c) EI Nino and Southern
(1) Ike (2) Kate (3) Gustav characterized as tropical or Oscillations
Which of the above are the names extratropical cyclones. They were (d) Greenhouse effect on global
of hurricanes that had occurred officially recognized by the National level
very recently? Hurricane Center in 1972. Ans. (c) CSE 2002
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only Subtropical cyclones began to
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 receive names off the official speed and/or direction with height
Ans. (d) CSE 2009 tropical cyclone lists in the Atlantic
(“wind shear”) sets parts of the
Hurricane Basin and the southwest lower part of the atmosphere
Q. Which one of the areas marked Indian ocean.
spinning in invisible tube-like rolls.
as A, B, C and D in the given figure
of the cyclone, witnesses heavy 5. A tropical cyclone is a storm Some hurricanes that had
torrentialshort-duration rainfall system characterized by a large low- occurred recently
accompanied by thunderstorms? pressure center and numerous
(a) A (b) B thunderstorms that produce strong Hurricane Ike 2008
(c) C (d) D winds and heavy rain. Tropical Hurricane Gustav 2008
Ans.(b) CSE 1999 cyclones feed on heat released when Hurricane Wilma 2005
Explanation: moist air rises, resulting in Hurricane Rita 2005
The area marked by ‘B’ witnesses condensation of water vapor Hurricane Katrina 2005,Hurricane
torrential downpours accompanied contained in the moist air. They are Dennis 2005,Hurricane Jeanne
by thunder and lightning because fueled by a different heat 2004,Hurricane Ivan 2004,Hurricane
in this area, maximum upliftment mechanism than other cyclonic Frances 2004,Hurricane Charley
of warm air mass takes place. windstorms such as nor ’easters,
2004, Hurricane Kate 2003,

Prelims Magic 2014 289

 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
La Nina has no effect on monsoon
climate.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
G (c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2011)
E Hurricane Isabel 2003,Hurricane Iris
2001,Tropical Storm Allison 2001,
Hurricane Keith 2000.
Effects on weather vary with each
event, but ENSO is associated with
floods, droughts and other weather
disturbances in many regions of the
world. In the Indian Ocean, it affects
the movement of the monsoon winds
leading to the weakening of
monsoon. A wide variety of disasters
have been blamed on the El-Nino
effect including a famine in Indonesia
in 1983, bush fires in Australia arising
from droughts, rainstorms in
California, and the destruction of
anchovy fishery off the coast of
How was this topic asked in the CSE
A new type of EI Nino called EI
Nino Modoki appeared in the news.
In this context, consider the
following statements:
1. Normal EI Nino forms in the
Central Pacific ocean whereas EI
Nino Modoki forms in Eastern
Pacific ocean.
2. Normal EI Nino results in
diminished hurricanes in the
Atlantic ocean but EI Nino Modoki
results in a greater number of
hurricanes with greater frequency.

O El Nino
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is
Peru. The impact of the 1997/98
spell of the phenomena was very
damaging. Floods devastated the
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only

G often abbreviated as ENSO and in

popular usage is commonly called
simply El Niño. El Nino is a shift in
Americas, storms hit China, drought
parched Austria, and forest fires
burnt parts of South-East Asia and
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

R ocean temperatures and

atmospheric conditions in the tropical
Pacific that disrupts weather around
A the world. It is a poorly understood
recurrent climatic phenomenon that
primarily affects the Pacific coast
P of South America, but has dramatic
impacts on weather patterns all over
the world.
H It is a periodic warming of the
Pacific Ocean that leads to terrible
extremes of weather. The precise
Y causes, intensity, and longevity of El
Nino are not very well understood.
Normally, trade winds blow towards
the west, across the Pacific, pushing
warm surface water away from the
South American coast towards
Australia and The Philippines. Along
the Peruvian coast the water is cold
and nutrient-rich, supporting high
levels of primary productivity,
diverse marine ecosystems, and
major fisheries. During El Nino, the
trade winds relax in the central and
western Pacific. This allows warm
water to accumulate in the surface,
which causes the nutrients produced
by the upwelling of cold water to
significantly come down, leading to
the killing of plankton and other
aquatic life such as fish and the
starvation of many seabirds. This is
called the El-Nino effect, which is
also responsible for destructive
disruptions of worldwide weather
patterns.
Brazil. Indonesia experienced the
worst drought in the last 50 years
and in Mexico, the town of
Ans (b) CSE 2010
occur in the central and eastern
Pacific. This event is called a La
Guadalajara saw snow for the first
time since 1881.
Nina. ( El Niño-Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) cycle. This cold counterpart
EI Nino Modoki: Climatologists to El Niño is known as La Niña,
found that a new type of El Nino Spanish for “the girl child.”)
called El Nino Modoki may cause a Some of the weather effects of La
greater number of hurricanes with Nina include abnormally heavy
a greater chance of them making monsoons in India and Southeast
landfall. A typical El Nino forms in Asia, cool and wet winter weather
the Eastern Pacific Ocean and in south-eastern Africa, wet weather
usually reduces the number of in eastern Australia, cold winter in
hurricanes in a season, but this new western Canada and north western
El Nino forms in the Central Pacific United States, winter drought in the
and generates more hurricanes that southern United States, warm and
form closer to the coast. El Nino wet weather in north-eastern United
Modoki has at least one advantage States, and an extremely wet winter
because the conditions that indicate in south-western Canada and north-
its formation can be seen months western United States.
before hurricane season starts,
providing more advanced warning to Prior to the 1980s and 1990s, strong
the kind of hurricane season ahead. EI Nino events occurred on average
every 10 to 20 years. In the early
La Nina 1980s, the first of a series of strong
Climatically the development of an events developed. The EI Nino of
EI Nino brings drought to the 1982-83 brought extreme warming
western Pacific rains to the to the equatorial Pacific. Surface
equatorial coast of South America, sea temperatures in some regions of
and convective storms and the Pacific Ocean rose 6° Celsius
hurricanes to the central Pacific. above normal. The warmer waters
After EI Nino event weather had a devastating effect on marine
conditions usually return back to life existing off the coast of Peru and
normal. However, in some years the Ecuador. Fish catches off the coast
trade winds can become extremely of South America were 50 % lower
strong and an abnormal than the previous year. The 1982-
accumulation of cold water can 83 EI Nino also had a pronounced

290 Prelims Magic 2014


How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. La Nina is suspected to have
caused recent floods in Australia.
How is La Nina different
from EI Nino?
1. La Nina is characterised by
unusually cold ocean temperature
in equatorial Indian Ocean
whereas El Nino is characterised
by unusually warm ocean
temperature in the equatorial
Pacific Ocean.
II. EI Nino has adverse effect on
south-west monsoon of India, but
La Nina has no effect on
monsoon climate. Which
of the statements given above is/
are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2011)
influence on weather in the
equatorial Pacific region and
worldwide. Severe droughts
occurred in Australia, Indonesia,
India and southern Africa.
The Southern Oscillation
While researching the collapse of the
rainy phase of the monsoon system
and resulting drought that occurred
in India during the early years of the
20th century, Sir Gilbert Walker
discovered a seesaw variation in
pressure between the eastern and
western Pacific Ocean. Walker
found that when air pressure was
high at Darwin, Australia (western
Pacific) it was low at Tahiti (eastern
Pacific), and when air pressure was
low at Darwin, it was high at Tahiti.
Walker, however, failed to make the
connection between this oscillating
pressure pattern and El Niño. This
link was made convincingly in the
1960s by the Norwegian
meteorologist Jacob Bjerknes, who
was also researching the anomalous
drought in India.
How La Niña Forms
Researchers discovered that during
non-El Niño years, surface pressures
tend to be low over the warm waters
of the equatorial western Pacific as
overlying warm moist air rises and
then diverges aloft. Over the colder
waters of the eastern equatorial
Pacific, surface pressures tend to
be higher as converging winds aloft
contribute to the sinking of cool air.
In much the same way as a ball rolls
down a hill, air flows from high
pressure in the east to low pressure
in the west along this equatorial
pressure gradient. This contrast in
pressure is what drives the trade
winds, the prevailing large-scale
surface winds that blow from east
to west. As these winds blow along
the surface of the equatorial waters,
there is a net transport of ocean
water in a westward direction. As
this occurs, cold, nutrient-rich water
rises up (or upwells) along the coast
of South America to replace the
westward-moving surface water.
This upwelling brings nutrients to the
surface waters off the coast
allowing the fish population living in
these upper waters to thrive.
During La Niña years, the trade
winds are unusually strong due to
an enhanced pressure gradient
between the eastern and western
Pacific. As a result, upwelling is
enhanced along the coast of South
America, contributing to colder than
normal surface waters over the
eastern tropical Pacific and warmer
than normal surface waters in the
western tropical Pacific.
Lines of equal value in maps
and diagrams.
A contour line (often just called a
“contour”) joins points of equal
elevation (height) above a given
level, such as mean sea level.
The contour interval of a contour
map is the difference in elevation
between successive contour lines.
Equal values lines are often given
specific names beginning “iso-”
meaning ‘equal’, according to the
nature of the variable being mapped.
An isogon is a line along which an
angle is held constant.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Daily weather map showing
isobars is an example of
(a) Choropleth map
(b) Isopleth map
(c) Chorochromatic map
(d) Choroschematic map
Ans. (b) CSE 1997
Q. Examine the two statements
and select the answers to these
G
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): 60° - 65° latitudes
in both the hemispheres have a low E
pressure belt instead of high
pressure.
Reason (R): The low pressure
areas are permanent over oceans
O
rather than on land.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
G
(b) Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false.
R
(d) A is false but R is true.
Ans. (b) CSE 2002
Explanation: Both statements are
correct. But R is not the correct
A
reason for A. It is due to the
rotational movement of the earth
that these low and high pressure
P
belts are formed.
Isobars are lines drawn on a map
H
joining places of equal average
atmospheric pressure reduced to sea
level for a specified period of time Y
or an isobar is a line of equal or
constant pressure on a graph, plot,
or map; an isopleth or contour line
of pressure.
An isoheight or isohypse is a line of
constant geopotential height on a
constant pressure surface chart.
An isostere is a line of constant
atmospheric density.
An isotherm is a line that connects
points on a map that have the same
temperature.
An isogeotherm is a line of equal
mean annual temperature.
An isocheim is a line of equal mean
winter temperature.
An isothere is a line of equal mean
summer temperature.
An isohel is a line of equal or
constant solar radiation.
291
 An isohyet or isohyetal line is a An isopectic line denotes equal How was this topic asked in the CSE
line joining points of equal dates of ice formation each winter. Consider the following statements:
precipitation on a map. A map with 1. On the planet Earth, the fresh
isohyets is called an isohyetal map. Isotac denotes equal dates of water available for use amounts to
thawing.
An isohume is a line of constant about less than 1% of the total
Isoclinic lines, which are lines water found.
relative humidity.
connecting points of equal magnetic 2. Of the total fresh water found
A isodrosotherm is a line of equal inclination. The line drawn through on the planet Earth 95% is bound
G or constant dew point. the points of zero magnetic
An isoneph is a line indicating equal declination is called the agonic line.
up in polar ice caps and glaciers.
Which of the statements given
cloud cover. above is/are correct?
Isobathytherms are lines showing
E An isochalaz is a line of constant depths of water with equal
frequency of hail storms. temperature.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
O An isobront is a line drawn through Isohalines show lines of equal
geographical points at which a given ocean salinity.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a) CSE 2010
phase of thunderstorm activity Isopycnals are surfaces of equal OCEANS
G occurred simultaneously. water density.
An isotach is a line of constant wind Acid precipitation is indicated on
The planet has approximately 71%
water and contains (5) five oceans
R speed. maps with isoplats. - the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Indian,
the Pacific and the Southern. For
many years only (4) four oceans
8 HYDROSPHERE
A were officially recognized, and then
in the spring of 2000, the
International Hydrographic
The hydrosphere is the liquid water earth’s water is surface water. The
P component of the Earth. It includes
the oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, rivers
other 20% is either ground water or
atmospheric water vapour. Of all
Organization established the
Southern Ocean, and determined its
limits. Those limits include all water
and streams. The hydrosphere the water on earth, only 2.5% is
H covers about 70% of the surface of
the Earth and is the home for many
fresh water. Fresh water is either
groundwater (0.5%), or readily
below 60 degrees south, and some
of it, like the Arctic Ocean, is
frozen.
plants and animals. accessible water in lakes, streams,
Y There are two kinds of water; salt
water and freshwater. Salt water
rivers, etc. (0.01%).If all the world’s
water were fit into a gallon jug, the
The Pacific: The Pacific is the
largest ocean, being twice the size
contains great amounts of salt, fresh water available for us to use of the Atlantic. It covers about a
whereas freshwater has a dissolved would equal only about one third of the Earth’s surface, and
salt concentration of less than 1%. contains more than half the water
Only freshwater can be applied as How was this topic asked in the CSE? on the planet. A range of underwater
drinking water. Water moves around Q. On the planet earth, most of the mountains form a ridge that lie
the earth in a water cycle. The freshwater exists as ice caps and 330m. below the surface and rise to
water cycle has five parts: glaciers. Out of the remaining an elevation of about 2000 - 3000m.
evaporation, condensation, freshwater, the largest proportion from the foor of the oceans. There
precipitation, infiltration and surface (a) is found in atmosphere as are hundreds of volcanic islands
run-off. Most of the earth’s surface moisture and clouds scattered across the Pacific, many
water is permanently frozen or salty. (b) is found in freshwater lakes and are inhabited. The world’s largest
rivers coral structure, the Great Barrier
Water regulates the earth’s (c) exists as groundwater Reef, is situated in the Pacific, off
temperature. Water is the only (d) exists as soil moisture the coast of Australia.
substance that is found naturally on Ans: c (CSE 2013)
earth in three forms: liquid, gas, solid. The Atlantic: The Second largest
As oceans are very wide and there ocean, the Atlantic is widening at a
tablespoon.Over 90% of the world’s rate of 2-4 cm per year along the
are multiple to be found on earth, supply of fresh water is located in
oceans store most of the earth’s submarine volcanic mountains that
Antarctica. Less than 1% of the run roughly north to South. The ridge
water. This is apparently 97% of the water supply on earth can be used
total amount of water on earth, 2% is up to 4000m high. The Sargosa
as drinking water. Sea is an area of calm water in the
of which is frozen. 80% of the
Western North Atlantic. This water

292 Prelims Magic 2014

surface is covered by green-brown
Sargassum seaweed.
The Indian Ocean: The Indian
Ocean comprises about a fifth of the
total area covered by seawater. It
is the fourth largest ocean. An ocean
ridge stretches from the Red Sea to
the Southern Limit of the Indian
Ocean. The Red Sea lies over a
spreading ridge and has been
widening for the last 25 million
years.
The Southern Ocean: The
Southern Ocean includes all water
lying south of latitude 55 degrees
south, and is the third largest ocean.
In winter, more than half the surface
is covered by ice. Information about
the remote Southern Ocean is
incomplete since Antarctic ice
extends seawards hundreds of
kilometers from the continent and
observations from the ice-covered
regions are sparce.
The Arctic Oceans: The Arctic
Oceans is the smallest and
shallowest ocean, containing just 1%
of the Earth’s salt water. A thick
sheet of ice covers it for most of the
year.
Ocean Floor topography
The topography at the floor of the
oceans are divided into four sections
: 1. The Continental Shelf 2. The
Continental Slope 3.The Ocean
Trough and 4. The Ocean Deeps.
1. The continental Shelf: The
Continental Shelf is that part of an
ocean that lies close to the
continental margin. The depths of the
shelves vary from 150 to 200
metres. Similarly, the width varies
from place to place. Broad
continental shelves are good fishing
grounds because they contain
suitable conditions for the growth of
plankton. Plankton provides food for
fish. For example, the broad
continental shelves of Northwestern
Europe and the coastal areas around
Japan are the largest fishing grounds
in the world.
2. The Continental Slope: The
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
The most important fishing grounds
of the world are found in the
regions where
(a) warm and cold atmospheric
currents meet
(b) rivers drain out large amounts
of fresh water into the sea
(c) warm and cold oceanic
currents meet
(d) continental shelf is undulating
Ans: c
Expl: Grand bank
(CSE 2013)
Continental slope lies beyond the
continental shelf, where the ocean
floor slopes downwards. The steep
slope connects the continental shelf
with the deep ocean floor. The
average depth of the slope varies
from 3000 to 6000 metres. The
depth of the ocean floor suddenly
increases where the shelf ends.
3. The Ocean Trough: The
Continental slope ends at the ocean
trough, which is like a deep,
underwater plain. It consists of
islands, mountain ranges, plateaus,
deep valleys and plains. These
features cover about 40% of the
oceans’ floors. Mid- Atlantic Ridge
is the largest mountain range in the
ocean. This range is over 1400 km
in length. This ridge has a deep
valley where volcanic and
earthquake disturbances are quite
common. These volcanoes erupt
underwater as they do on land.
Islands like Hawaii in the Pacific
Ocean and the Azores in the Atlantic
Ocean were formed through
volcanic activity under the ocean.
The floor is carpeted with sediment
formed by the minute remains of
creatures and rocks.
4. The Ocean Deeps: Trenches
are formed deep in the oceans.
These trenches are very narrow and
deep in nature. There are numerous
trenches in the Pacific Ocean. The
Mariana Trench, 11 033 metres in
depth, is the deepest part of the
world. Even Mount Everest (8848
metres) would be submerged
completely in this trench.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List I (Oceanic Trench) List II
(Location)
A. Aleutian 1. Indian Ocean
B. Kermadec 2. North Pacific Ocean
C. Sunda 3. South Pacific Ocean
D.S.Sandwich 4. South Atlantic Ocean
G
A B
(a) 2 4
C
1
D
3
E
(b) 2 3
(c) 1 3
(d) 1 4
1
2
2
4
4
3
O
Ans.(b) CSE 2000
Q. In which one of the following
G
oceans is Diamantina Trench
situated?
(a) Pacific Ocean
R
(b) Atlantic Ocean
(c) Indian Ocean
(d) Artic Ocean
A
Ans. (c) CSE 2006
Waves: Waves are up and down
P
movements, caused by the action of
winds on the water surfaces. Waves
move in the direction of winds.
H
TIDES
When ocean levels rise and fall at
Y
regular intervals during the course
of the day. This is referred to as the
tide. Tides are caused by slight
variations in gravitational attraction
between the Earth and the moon
and the Sun in geometric relationship
with locations on the Earth’s surface.
Tides are periodic primarily because
of the cyclical influence of
the Earth’s rotation.
The moon is the primary factor
controlling the temporal rhythm and
height of tides. The moon produces
two tidal bulges somewhere on the
Earth through the effects of
gravitational attraction. The height of
these tidal bulges is controlled by the
moon’s gravitational force and the
Earth’s gravity pulling the water back
toward the Earth. At the location on
the Earth closest to the moon,
seawater is drawn toward the moon
293
 because of the greater strength of
gravitational attraction. On the
opposite side of the Earth, another
tidal bulge is produced away from
the moon. However, this bulge is due
to the fact that at this point on the
Earth the force of the moon’s gravity
is at its weakest. Considering this
G information, any given point on the
Earth’s surface should experience
two tidal crests and two tidal troughs
E during each tidal period.
The timing of tidal events is related
to the Earth’s rotation and the
O revolution of the moon around the
Earth. If the moon was stationary in
space, the tidal cycle would be 24
G hours long. However, the moon is in
motion revolving around the Earth.
One revolution takes about 27 days
R and adds about 50 minutes to the tidal
cycle. As a result, the tidal period is
24 hours and 50 minutes in length.
A The second factor controlling tides
on the Earth’s surface is the Sun’s
P gravity. The height of the average
solar tide is about 50% the average
lunar tide. At certain times during the
H moon’s revolution around the Earth,
the direction of its gravitational
attraction is aligned with the Sun’s.
Y During these times the two tide
producing bodies act together to
create the highest and lowest tides
of the year. These spring tides occur
every 14-15 days during full and new
moons.
When the gravitational pull of the
moon and Sun are at right angles to
each other, the daily tidal variations
on the Earth are at their least. These
events are called neap tides and they
occur during the first and last quarter
of the moon. During the Neap Tides,
the high tide is lower and the low tide
is higher than usual. The geometric
relationship of moon and Sun to
locations on the Earth’s surface
results in creation of three different
types of tides. In parts of the northern
Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia,
tides have one high and one low
water per tidal day. These tides are
called diurnal tides. Semi­diurnal
tides have two high and two low
waters per tidal day. They are
common on the Atlantic coasts of the
294 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
statements is not correct?
(a) Gulfs with narrow fronts and
wider rears experience high tides
(b) Tidal currents take place when
a gulf is connected with the open
sea by a narrow channel
(c) Tidal bore occurs when a tide
enters the narrow and shallow
estuary of a river
(d) The tidal nature of the mouth
of the river Hooghly is of crucial
importance to Kolkata as port
Ans.(a)
Explanation:
CSE 2004
Gulfs with wide fronts and narrow
rears experience high tides.
Options (b), (c) and (d) are
correct.
Q. At which one of the following
positions shown in the diagram will
the height of the ocean tide be
maximum?
(a) M1 (b) M2 (c) M3 (d) M4
Ans. (d) CSE 1999
Explanation: The tide will be
maximum, when the position of Sun
and Moon are in straight line i.e. in
opposition (here M 2 ) and in
Conjunction (here M4). But when
we compare these two, the position
of Conjunction tend to have
maximum gravitational pull. So
answer is M4.
Q. Examine the two statements
and select the answers to these
items using the code given below.
Assertion (A): During the Neap
Tides, the high tide is lower and the
low tide is higher than usual.
Reason (R): The Neap Tide, unlike
the Spring Tide, occurs on the New
Moon instead of on the Full Moon.
a. Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
b. Both A and R are true and R is
not the correct explanation of A
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
Ans. (b) CSE 2001
United States and Europe. Many
parts of the world experience mixed
tides where successive high­water
and low-water stands differ
appreciably. In these tides, we have
a higher high water and lower high
water as well as higher low water
and lower low water. The tides
around west coast of Canada and
the United States are of this type.
• Tide prediction is important for
coastal navigation. The water levels
within the port are subject to change
with the ocean tides. Examples of
tidal ports in India are Kandla and
Hoogly.
• Tidal bore is a tidal phenomenon
in
• Which the leading edge of the
incoming tide forms a wave (or
waves) of water that travel up a
river or narrow bay against the
direction of the current.
• Tidal currents, as their name
suggests, are generated by tides.
The rise in water level is
accompanied by a horizontal
movement of water called the tidal
current. Tidal currents can create
a rapid current of up to 15.5 miles
(25 kilometers) per hour when they
flow in and out of narrower areas
like gulfs, bays, estuaries and
harbors. Fast tidal currents toss
sediment around and affect plant
and animal life.
The Currents
An ocean current is a horizontal
movement of seawater at the
ocean’s surface. Ocean currents
are driven by the circulation of wind
above surface waters. Frictional
stress at the interface between the
ocean and the wind causes the water
to move in the direction of the wind.
The major factors that influence
ocean currents are: (1) Planet
rotation, (2) Wind, (3) Density of the
water (depends on temperature and
salinity), and (4) Gravitation of the
moon and earth.Large ocean
currents are a response of the
atmosphere and ocean currents are
responsible for the flow of energy
from the tropics to Polar Regions.
In some cases, currents are
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following factors:
1. Rotation of the Earth
2. Air pressure and wind
3. Density of ocean water
4. Revolution of the Earth
Which of the above factors
influence the ocean currents?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4
Ans (b) CSE 2012
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Ocean currents are the slow-
surface movement of water in the
ocean.
2. Ocean currents assist in
maintaining the Earth’s heat
balance.
3. Ocean currents are set in motion
primarily by prevailing winds.
4. Ocean currents are affected by
the configuration of the ocean.
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (b) CSE 2002
transient features and affect only a
small area. Other ocean currents are
essentially permanent and extend
over large horizontal distances.
On a global scale, large ocean
currents are constrained by the
continental masses found bordering
the three oceanic basins. Continental
borders cause these currents to
develop an almost closed circular
pattern called a gyre. Each ocean
basin has a large gyre located at
approximately 30°North and South
latitude in the subtropical regions.
The currents in these gyres are
driven by the atmospheric flow
produced by the subtropical high
pressure systems. Smaller gyres
occur in the North Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans centered at 50°
north. Currents in these systems are
propelled by the circulation produced
by polar high pressure centers. In
the Southern Hemisphere, these
gyre systems do not develop
because of the lack of constraining
land masses.
A typical gyre displays four types of easterly winds. These winds blow
currents: Two east - west aligned from the sub-tropical high pressure
currents found respectively at the top belt to the Equatorial low pressure
and bottom ends of the gyre; and two belt. These winds are also called
boundary currents oriented north - Trade winds. Trade winds move the
south and flowing parallel to the North Equatorial Current towards
continental margins. Direction of the west. In the West, the American
flow within these currents is continents obstruct the current and
it is diverted to the North. This
determined by the direction of the
macro-scale wind circulation.
Boundary currents play a role in
northwards - flowing current is
known as the Gulf Stream.
G
redistributing global heat latitudinally.
There are two gyres in the Northern
Hemiphere and three in the southern
2. Gulf Stream: The Gulf Stream
flows along the eastern coast of
Central and North America. It is a
E
Hemisphere. Ocean Gyre consists
of 1. North Equatorial Current 2.
Gulf Stream 3. North Atlantic Drift
warm current as it carries the north
Equatorial warm water. The
direction of the warm Gulf Stream
O
and 4) Canaries Current.
1. North Equatorial Current: The
warm water adjacent to the Equator
is influenced by the Westerly winds
at higher latitude. These winds blow
from sub-tropical high pressure
G
in the Atlantic Ocean is called the areas to sub-polar low pressure
North Equatorial Current. This
current form mainly because of the
areas. The Westerly winds move the
Gulf Stream towards east across the
R
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
North Atlantic Ocean. This
Eastwards-flowing current is known
as the North Atlantic Drift.
A
factors is responsible for the
change in the regular direction of
the ocean currents in the Indian
3. North Atlantic Drift : In the east,
Europe and Africa act as barriers P
Ocean ? and the North Atlantic Drift branches
(a) Indian Ocean is ‘half an ocean’
(b) Indian Ocean has Monsoon drift
off into two: 1. The Canaries Current
and 2. The Iberian Current Among H
(c) Indian Ocean is a land-locked the two, the Canaries forms the
Ocean
(d) Indian Ocean has greater
fourth current in the North Atlantic
gyre. Y
variation in salinity 4. Canaries Current: In the east,
Ans. (b) CSE 1997 the African continent obstructs the
Ocean Currents
This is a listing of the seventeen major surface ocean currents.
Agulhas Current Indian Warm
Alaska Current North Pacific Warm
Benguela Current South Atlantic Warm/Cool
Brazil Current South Atlantic Warm
California Current North Pacific Cool
Canaries Current North Atlantic Cool
East Australian South Pacific Warm
Equitorial Current Pacific Warm
Gulf Stream North Altantic Warm
Humboldt (Peru) South Pacific Cool
Kuroshio (Japan) North Pacific Warm
Labrador Current North Atlantic Cool
North Atlantic Drift North Atlantic Warm
North Pacific Drift North Pacific Warm
Oyashio (Kamchatka) North Pacific Cool
West Australian Indian Cool
West Wind Drift South Pacific Cool
Prelims Magic 2014 295
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
In the given map, which one of the
ocean currents is shown?
G the local climates of England and
E (a) Benguela & Falkland
(b) Canary & Humboldt
(c) Agulhas & Guinea
(d) Benguela & Guinea
O Ans (d)
Explanation:
CSE 1999
In the given map, the Guinea and
G Benguela ocean currents are shown,
which flows in the central western and
south western sides of Africa.
R How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
A statements:
1.The annual range of temperature
is greater in the Pacific Ocean than
This current protects England and and mollusks (like octopuses, nautilus,
Europe from severe cold. Otherwise, and clams). Birds also feast on coral
both the countries would suffer from reef animals.
a much colder climate like that of
Types of Corals: There are two
Canada, which is in the same latitude.
types of coral, hard coral and soft
But because of global warming there
coral. Hard corals (like brain coral
is a slight change in the direction of
and elkhorn coral) have hard,
this current that has an impact on
limestone skeletons which form the
Europe. But at gobal level, any
basis of coral reefs. Soft corals (like
sea fingers and sea whips) do not
modification in the circulation of the
build reefs.
currents affects the natural climatic
cycle. Let us understand this with Coral reefs can take a variety of
forms, defined in following:
an example of two currents in Indian
ocean as part of climatic cycles. Due
to the monsoon drift, ocean current
Fringing reef – a reef that is
directly attached to a shore or
in the Indian Ocean becomes borders it with an intervening
eastward and westward in June and
November respectively.
shallow channel or lagoon.
Barrier reef – a reef separated
Ocean Water Temperature from a mainland or island shore by
The mean annual temperature of the
surface water of the oceans is 25
a deep lagoon.
Patch reef – an isolated, often
degrees. Water has a much higher
specific heat capacity than most
substances. That means it can
circular reef, usually within
a lagoon or embayment.
Apron reef – a short reef

P that in the Atlantic Ocean.

2 The annual range of temperature
is greater in the Northern
absorb a lot of heat before its
temperature will change. The annual
range of temperature is greater in
resembling a fringing reef, but
more sloped; extending out and
downward from a point or

H Hemisphere than that in the

Southern Hemisphere.
Which of the statements given
Y above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans.(b) CSE 2007
Explanation
Bigger the size of ocean (Pacific),
lesser the annual range of
temperature.
North Atlantic Drift, so it flows
towards the south. This southwards
flowing current follows the west
coast of African, and is called the
Canaries Current. This is a cold
current, as it carries cold waters
from the North Pole. The Canaries
Current flows towards the Equator.
At the Equator, it flows as equatorial
current and easterly winds once
again push the waters towards the
west. In the west, it becomes Gulf
Stream once again.
Of all the ocean currents the Gulf
Current is a very strong warm
current and the temperature is 25°C.
the Atlantic than in the Pacific
ocean. This is because of the bigger
size of the Pacific.
The surface temperature decreases
as we move from equator towards
poles due to the presence of
iceburgs.
Coral reefs
Coral reefs are warm, clear, shallow
ocean habitats that are rich in life.
The reef ’s massive structure is
formed from coral polyps, tiny
animals that live in colonies; when
coral polyps die, they leave behind a
hard, stony, branching structure
made of limestone.
The coral provides shelter for many
animals in this complex habitat,
including sponges, nudibranchs, fish
(like Black tip Reef Sharks, groupers,
clown fish, eels, parrotfish, snapper,
and scorpion fish), jellyfish,
anemones, sea stars (including the
destructive Crown of Thorns),
crustaceans (like crabs, shrimp, and
lobsters), turtles, sea snakes, snails,
peninsular shore.
Bank reef – a linear or semi­
circular shaped-outline, larger than
a patch reef.
Ribbon reef – a long, narrow,
somewhat winding reef usually
associated with an atoll lagoon.
Atoll reef – a more or less
circular or continuous barrier reef
extending all the way around a
lagoon without a central island.
Table reef – an isolated reef,
approaching an atoll type, but
without a lagoon.
Famous coral reefs and reef
areas of the world include:
The Great  Barrier  Reef ­ largest
coral reef system in the
world, Queensland, Australia.
The Belize  Barrier  Reef ­
second largest in the world,
stretching from southern Quintana
Roo, Mexico along the coast of
Belize to the Bay Islands of
Honduras.

296 Prelims Magic 2014

The New  Caledonia  Barrier
Reef ­ second longest double
barrier reef in the world, with a
length of about 1,500 kilometers
(930 mi).
The Andros,  Bahamas Barrier
Reef - third largest in the world,
following the east coast of Andros
Island, Bahamas, between Andros
and Nassau.
The Red  Sea Coral  Reef -
located off the coast of Israel,
Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti,
Somalia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and
Yemen.
9 BIO GEOGRAPHY
Erosion
Erosion is a gravity driven process
that moves solids (sediment,
soil, rock and other particles) in the
natural environment or their source
and deposits them elsewhere. It
usually occurs due to transport by
wind, water, or ice; by down-
slope creep of soil and other material
under the force of gravity; or by
living organisms, such as burrowing
animals, in the case of bioerosion.
Erosion is a natural process, but it
has been increased dramatically by
human land use, especially industrial
agriculture, deforestation, and urban
sprawl.
Erosion processes
Gravity erosion
Mass wasting is the down­slope
movement of rock and sediments,
mainly due to the force of gravity.
Mass movement is an important part
of the erosional process, as it moves
material from higher elevations to
lower elevations where other eroding
agents such as streams
and glaciers can then pick up the
material and move it to even lower
elevations. Mass-movement
processes are always occurring
continuously on all slopes; some
mass-movement processes act very
slowly; others occur very suddenly,
often with disastrous results. Any
Pulley Ridge - deepest
photosynthetic coral reef, Florida.
Numerous reefs scattered over
the Maldives. Ghe Raja Ampat
Islands in Indonesia’s West
Papua province offer the highest
known marine diversity.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The largest coral reef in the
world is found near the coast of
which one of the following
countries?
(a) Australia (b) Cuba
(c) Ghana
Ans.(a)
(d) Philippines
CSE 2007
perceptible down-slope movement
of rock or sediment is often referred
to in general terms as a landslide.
However, landslides can be
classified in a much more detailed
way that reflects the mechanisms
responsible for the movement and
the velocity at which the movement
occurs. One of the visible
topographical manifestations of a
very slow form of such activity is
a scree slope.
Slumping happens on steep hillsides,
occurring along distinct fracture
zones, often within materials
like clay that, once released, may
move quite rapidly downhill. They
will often show a spoon-
shaped isostatic depression, in which
the material has begun to slide
downhill. In some cases, the slump
is caused by water beneath the slope
weakening it. In many cases it is
simply the result of poor engineering
along highways where it is a regular
occurrence.
Surface creep is the slow
movement of soil and rock debris by
gravity which is usually not
perceptible except through extended
observation. However, the term can
also describe the rolling of dislodged
soil particles 0.5 to 1.0 mm in
diameter by wind along the soil
surface.
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Water erosion
Splash erosion is the detachment
and airborne movement of small soil
particles caused by the impact of
raindrops on soil.
Sheet erosion is the detachment of
soil particles by raindrop impact and
their removal down slope by water
flowing overland as a sheet instead G
of in definite channels or rills. The
impact of the raindrop breaks apart
the soil aggregate. Particles of clay, E
silt and sand fill the soil pores and
reduce infiltration. After the surface
pores are filled with sand, silt or clay, O
overland surface flow of water
begins due to the lowering of
infiltration rates. Once the rate of G
falling rain is faster than infiltration,
runoff takes place. There are two
stages of sheet erosion. The first is R
rain splash, in which soil particles are
knocked into the air by raindrop
impact. In the second stage, the A
loose particles are moved down
slope by broad sheets of rapidly
flowing water filled with sediment P
known as sheet floods. This stage
of sheet erosion is generally
produced by cloudbursts, sheet H
floods commonly travel short
distances and last only for a short
time. Y
Rill erosion  refers to the
development of small, ephemeral
concentrated flow paths, which
function as both sediment source
and sediment delivery systems for
erosion on hill slopes. Generally,
where water erosion rates on
disturbed upland areas are greatest,
rills are active. Flow depths in rills
are typically on the order of a few
centimeters or less and slopes may
be quite steep. These conditions
constitute a very different hydraulic
environment than typically found in
channels of streams and rivers.
Eroding rills evolve morphologically
in time and space. The rill bed
surface changes as soil erodes,
which in turn alters the hydraulics
of the flow. The hydraulics is the
driving mechanism for the erosion
process, and therefore dynamically
297
 changing hydraulic patterns cause
continually changing erosional
patterns in the rill. Thus, the process
of rill evolution involves a feedback
loop between flow detachment,
hydraulics, and bed form. Flow
velocity, depth, width, hydraulic
roughness, local bed slope, friction
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Identify the correct order of the
processes of soil-erosion from the
following:
(a) Splash erosion, Sheet erosion,
Rill erosion, Gully erosion
(b) Sheet erosion, Splash erosion,
Gully erosion, Rill erosion
confused with corrosion).
Corrosion is the dissolving of rock
by carbonic acid in sea water.
Limestone cliffs are particularly
vulnerable to this kind of erosion.
Attritionis where particles/seaload
carried by the waves are worn down
as they hit each other and the cliffs.

G slope, and detachment rate or time

and space variable functions
of the rill evolutionary process.
(c) Rill erosion, Gully erosion, Sheet
erosion, Splash erosion
This then makes the material easier
to wash away. The material ends up
as shingle and sand. Another
(d) Gully erosion, Rill erosion, Sheet
E Superimposed on these interactive
processes, the sediment load, or
amount of sediment in the flow, has
erosion, Splash erosion
Ans. (a) CSE 2001
significant source of erosion,
particularly on carbonate coastlines,
is the boring, scraping and grinding

O a large influence on soil detachment

rates in rills. As sediment load
increases, the ability of the flowing
G water to detach more sediment
decreases.
Where precipitation rates exceed
R soil infiltration rates, runoff occurs.
Surface runoff turbulence can often
cause more erosion than the initial
A raindrop impact.
Gully erosion, also called
P ephemeral gully erosion, occurs
when water flows in narrow
channels during or immediately after
H heavy rains or melting snow. This is
particularly noticeable in the
formation of hollow ways, where,
Y prior to being tarmacked, an old rural
road has over many years become
significantly lower than the
surrounding fields.
A gully is sufficiently deep that it
would not be routinely destroyed by
tillage operations, whereas rill
erosion is smoothed by ordinary
farm tillage. The narrow channels,
or gullies, may be of considerable
depth, ranging from 1 to 2 feet to as
much as 75 to 100 feet. Gully erosion
is not accounted for in the revised
universal soil loss equation.
Valley or stream erosion occurs
with continued water flow along a
linear feature. The erosion is
both downward, deepening the
valley, and headward, extending the
valley into the hillside. In the earliest
stage of stream erosion, the erosive
activity is dominantly vertical, the
valleys have a typical V cross­
section and the stream gradient is
relatively steep. When some base
level is reached, the erosive activity of organisms, a process termed
switches to lateral erosion, which bioerosion.
widens the valley floor and creates
a narrow floodplain. The stream Sediment is transported along the
gradient becomes nearly flat, and coast in the direction of the
lateral deposition of sediments prevailing current (longshore drift).
becomes important as the When the upcurrent amount of
stream meanders across the valley sediment is less than the amount
floor. In all stages of stream erosion, being carried away, erosion occurs.
by far the most erosion occurs during When the upcurrent amount of
times of flood, when more and sediment is greater, sand or gravel
faster-moving water is available to banks will tend to form. These banks
carry a larger sediment load. In such may slowly migrate along the coast
processes, it is not the water alone in the direction of the longshore drift,
that erodes: suspended abrasive alternately protecting and exposing
particles, pebbles and boulders can parts of the coastline. Where there
also act erosively as they traverse a is a bend in the coastline, quite often
surface. a build up of eroded material occurs
At extremely high flows, kolks, or forming a long narrow bank
vortices are formed by large (a spit). Armoured beaches and
volumes of rapidly rushing water. submerged offshore sandbanks may
Kolks cause extreme local erosion, also protect parts of a coastline from
plucking bedrock and creating erosion. Over the years, as the
pothole-type geographical features shoals gradually shift, the erosion
called Rock­cut basins. may be redirected to attack different
parts of the shore.
Shoreline erosion
Ice erosion
Shoreline erosion, which occurs on
both exposed and sheltered coasts, Ice erosion is caused by movement
primarily occurs through the action of ice, typically as glaciers.
of currents and waves but sea level Glaciers erode predominantly by
(tidal) change can also play a role. three different processes: abrasion/
scouring, plucking, and ice thrusting.
Hydraulic action takes place when In an abrasion process, debris in the
air in a joint is suddenly compressed
basal ice scrapes along the bed,
by a wave closing the entrance of polishing and gouging the underlying
the joint. This then cracks it. Wave
rocks, similar to sandpaper on wood.
pounding is when the sheer energy Glaciers can also cause pieces of
of the wave hitting the cliff or rock
bedrock to crack off in the process
breaks pieces off. Abrasion or
of plucking. In ice thrusting, the
corrasion is caused by waves
glacier freezes to its bed, then as it
launching seaload at the cliff. It is
surges forward, it moves large
the most effective and rapid form
sheets of frozen sediment at the base
of shoreline erosion (not to be
along with the glacier. This method

298 Prelims Magic 2014

produced some of the many
thousands of lake basins that dot the
edge of the Canadian Shield. These
processes, combined with erosion
and transport by the water network
beneath the glacier, leave
moraines, drumlins, ground moraine
(till), kames, kame deltas, moulins,
and glacial erratics in their wake,
typically at the terminus or
during glacier retreat.
Cold weather causes water trapped
in tiny rock cracks to freeze and
expand, breaking the rock into
several pieces. This can lead to
gravity erosion on steep slopes.
The scree which forms at the bottom
of a steep mountainside is mostly
formed from pieces of rock (soil)
broken away by this means. It is a
common engineering problem
wherever rock cliffs are alongside
roads, because morning thaws can
drop hazardous rock pieces onto the
road.
In some places, water seeps into
rocks during the daytime, then
freezes at night. Ice expands, thus,
creating a wedge in the rock. Over
time, the repetition in the forming and
melting of the ice causes fissures,
which eventually breaks the rock
down.
Wind erosion
Wind erosion is the result of material
movement by the wind. There are
two main effects. First, wind causes
small particles to be lifted and
therefore moved to another region.
This is called deflation. Second, these
suspended particles may impact on
solid objects causing erosion by
abrasion (ecological succession).
Wind erosion generally occurs in
areas with little or no vegetation,
often in areas where there is
insufficient rainfall to support
vegetation. An example is the
formation of sand dunes, on a beach
or in a desert. Windbreaks (such as
big trees and bushes) are often
planted by farmers to reduce wind
erosion.
Soil Erosion and Climate
Change
Soil erosion can affect climate.
Desertification processes are
intertwined with soil degradation and
vegetation changes. Loss of soil
carbon, possibly exacerbated by
erosion, releases carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere: this contributes
further to global warming. Changes
in vegetative growth and land use
that are driven by accelerated
erosion can also influence the
hydrologic cycle and hence the
climate. Climate and erosion thus are
interdependent components of the
earth’s hydrologic cycle and of our
environment. The warmer
atmospheric temperatures observed
over the past decades are expected
to lead to a more vigorous
hydrological cycle, including more
extreme rainfall events. In 1998
Karl and Knight reported that from
1910 to 1996 total precipitation over
the contiguous U.S. increased, and
that 53% of the increase came from
the upper 10% of precipitation
events (the most intense
precipitation). The percent of
precipitation coming from days of
precipitation in excess of 50 mm has
also increased significantly.
Studies on soil erosion suggest that
increased rainfall amounts and
intensities will lead to greater rates
of erosion. Thus, if rainfall amounts
and intensities increase in many
parts of the world as expected,
erosion will also increase, unless
amelioration measures are taken.
Soil erosion rates are expected to
change in response to changes in
climate for a variety of reasons. The
most direct is the change in the
erosive power of rainfall. Other
reasons include: a) changes in plant
canopy caused by shifts in plant
biomass production associated with
moisture regime; b) changes in litter
cover on the ground caused by
changes in both plant residue
decomposition rates driven by
temperature and moisture dependent
soil microbial activity as well as plant
biomass production rates; c)
Prelims Magic 2014
changes in soil moisture due to
shifting precipitation regimes and
evapo-transpiration rates, which
changes infiltration and runoff ratios;
d) soil erodibility changes due to
decrease in soil organic matter
concentrations in soils that lead to a
soil structure that is more susceptible
to erosion and increased runoff due
to increased soil surface sealing and
crusting; e) a shift of winter
G
precipitation from non-erosive snow
to erosive rainfall due to increasing
winter temperatures; f) melting of
E
permafrost, which induces an
erodible soil state from a previously
non-erodible one; and g) shifts in
O
land use made necessary to
accommodate new climatic regimes. G
Studies by Pruski and Nearing
indicated that, other factors such as
land use not considered, we can R
expect approximately a 1.7%
change in soil erosion for each 1%
change in total precipitation under A
climate change.
Biomes and Ecosystems P
Biomes are large areas of the world
where there are similar plants,
animals, and other living things. The H
living things are adapted to the
climate. A biome is made of many
similar ecosystems. In an Y
ecosystem, the plants, animals, and
other organisms rely on each other.
They also interact with non-living
parts of the ecosystem such as the
soil, water, and nutrients.
In an ecosystem, each type of
plant and animal has its own role to
play. The role for one animal might
be to climb trees and eat their fruit,
while the role for another animal
might be to hunt for mice. For a tree,
a role might be to grow tall and make
food with the Sun’s energy.
Sometimes ecosystems get out of
balance. If, for example, it rains a
lot and a type of bird that loves water
increases in numbers, other species
in the ecosystem might be crowded
out. The birds might take food or
space from other species. They
might eat all the food. Sometimes an
ecosystem gets back in balance
299
 naturally. Other times an ecosystem
will become more and more out of
balance. Today, human actions are
having an impact on ecosystems all
over the world, sending many
ecosystems out of balance.
The Ocean Biome
G There are many different types of
living things that call the ocean home.
The smallest creatures are so tiny
E that they can only be seen with a
microscope. The largest creatures
are blue whales, which can be as
O long as three school buses.
There are many different ways to
G live in the ocean, too. Some animals
travel through the water. Others stay
in the same place on the ocean floor
R for their entire lives. Some dig
beneath the sand. Others float near
the surface.
A The ocean is not the same
everywhere. The temperature of
ocean water, the amount of sunlight,
P and the amount of nutrients change
from place to place. Different
creatures can live with different
H conditions.
Almost all marine life lives in the top
layer of the ocean where
Y sunlight shines through. Living things
like plants make their own food using
sunlight through the process
of photosynthesis. They are the start
of most food chains in the ocean.
Ocean water closer to the poles is
colder than ocean water that is closer
to the equator. Water that is deep in
the ocean is colder than water that
is near the ocean surface. Many
animals can only survive at certain
temperatures. Other animals in the
ocean are able to survive at a range
of temperatures and can live in more
places in the ocean.
Tundra Biome
It is not easy to survive in the very
cold places of the world. The soil is
frozen and no trees can grow. This
place is called tundra. Plants and
animals that are adapted for cold do
live there. Most tundra is in the north
polar region. It is called Arctic
300 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE? in Southern Asia and in the Congo
Basin in Africa. An estimated 50
Q. Which of the following is/are million tribal people out of the
unique characteristic characte- world’s total 300 million indigenous
ristics of equatorial forests? and tribal peoples live within the
1. Presence of tall, closely set world’s Tropical Rainforests.
trees with crowns forming a
continuous canopy Arctic Tundra
2. Coexistence of a large number
of species
3. Presence of numerous varieties
It is too cold for trees to grow in
the north polar region. This place
of epiphytes without trees is called the Arctic
Select the correct answer using the
code given below:
tundra.
Trees cannot grow there but many
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: d. (CSE 2013)
other things can! During the
summer, grass, flowers, moss, and
lichen cover the land. As snow and
Expl: All the three
tundra. There is a small amount of
water in the ground melt, the water
makes ponds and marshes during the
short summer. Many animals, like
tundra on parts of Antarctica that
are not covered with ice. Plus,
tundra is found on mountains at high
caribou, insects and many birds,
spend summer in the Arctic tundra.
altitudes and is called alpine tundra. During the winter it is very cold and
dark. A blanket of snow covers the
Tundra is special because it has land. Some animals, like the Arctic
permafrost. Permafrost is frozen hare, musk ox, and ptarmigan, can
ground. The ground is frozen in the survive the fierce conditions of the
tundra for most of the year. Arctic tundra even during the winter.
In the summer, energy from the Sun They have adaptations that help
thaws the top surface of the ground. them live so far north. Some have
Plants grow, but trees can’t because thick fur or feathers for warmth.
the ground is frozen a few inches Some have fur or feathers that turn
down. Lots of animals go to the white in color during the winter to
tundra in the summer. Some even camouflage against the white snow,
stay through the cold winter! and then become darker during
summer. Some add a thick layer of
Tropical Rainforests fat on their bodies during summer
EQUATORIAL or TROPICAL which like a coat keeps them warm
RAINFORESTS are found in the all winter long. Many of the animals
equatorial zone 10 degrees either that remain in the arctic tundra
side of the Equator. Although during the winter hibernate (sleep)
Tropical Rainforests only cover for most of the cold season.
some 12% of the total land surface Temperate Forests
of the globe, they contain at least
Temperate forests are found all over
50% of all the species on Earth.
the world, but they are not all the
90% of the world’s non-human same. Some forests have trees that
primates are found only in Tropical lose their leaves in the winter. These
Rainforests, along with two-thirds of trees are called deciduous. Other
all known plants, 40% of birds of forests have trees that keep their
prey and 80% of the world’s insects. leaves all year, like pine trees. These
There are more species of plants
trees are called evergreen because
and animals in Tropical Rainforests they are green all year long.
than in all the rest of the world’s
ecosystems combined. The largest Temperate forests are different
Tropical Rainforests are located in than tropical rainforests. Rainforests
the Amazon Basin in South America, are in areas where it is warm all year
long. But temperate forests are in
areas where winters are cold. If
there is enough water for trees to
grow, then a forest will form.
Otherwise, the land will be
grassland.
Grasslands
It looks like fields of grass! But there
are many different types of grass.
Some look a lot different than the
grass in your yard!
Grassland makes up a lot of the
Earth’s surface. There is grassland
in every continent but Antarctica.
Many different animals live in the
grasslands of the world.
The Desert Biome
Deserts are very hot and dry places.
Deserts get very little rain each year.
So how do plants and animals live
here?
Do you know what a desert looks
like? It is made of sand and rocks.
Sometimes the sand is red! There
aren’t a lot of clouds over deserts,
so it gets really hot during the day
and cold at night.
Albedo
Albedo is defined as the reflective
quality of a surface. Albedo values
for various types of surface. The
value indicates the percentage of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
ecosystems
1. Taiga
2. Tropical evergreen
3. Tropical deciduous
4. Tundra
The correct sequence in decreasing
order of the albedo values of these
ecosystems is
(a) 1, 4, 3, 2 (b) 4, 1, 2, 3
(c) 4, 1, 3, 2 (d) 1, 4, 2, 3
Ans. (c) CSE 2002
Explanation:
The earth’s average albedo is 34
%. But it varies according to the
texture and colour of the surface.
For fresh snow, the albedo is 85
%, for forests, it is 5 - 10 %.
Accordingly, the order is Tundra -
Taiga - Tropical deciduous -
Tropical evergreen.
sunlight reflected from the Madrean pine-oak woodlands
surface. It is expressed as a Mesoamerica
percentage of reflected insolation to South America
incoming insolation and zero percent Atlantic Forest
if total absorption while 100% is total Cerrado
reflection. Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian
Forests
Biodiversity hotspots Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena
Biodiversity hotspot is reservoir of
biodiversity that is threatened with
destruction. The concept of
Tropical Andes
Europe and Central Asia G
Caucasus
biodiversity hotspots was originated
by Dr. Norman Myers in two
articles in “The Environmentalist”
Irano-Anatolian
Mediterranean Basin
Mountains of Central Asia
E
(1988 & 1990), revised after
thorough analysis by Myers and
others in “Hotspots: Earth’s
Africa
Cape Floristic Region
O
Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa
Biologically Richest and Most
Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions”
(1999). The hotspots idea was also
Eastern Afromontane
Guinean Forests of West Africa
Horn of Africa
G
promoted by Russell Mittermeier in
the popular book “Hotspots
revisited” (2004), although this has
Madagascar and the Indian Ocean
Islands
Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany
R
not been subjected to scientific pre-
review like the other hotspots
analysis.
Succulent Karoo
Asia-Pacific A
East Melanesian Islands
Eastern Himalaya
To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot Indo-Burma
on Myers 2000 edition of the Japan
P
hotspot-map, a region must meet Mountains of Southwest China
two strict criteria: it must contain at New Caledonia
least 0.5% or 1,500 species New Zealand
H
of vascular plants as endemics, and Philippines
it has to have lost at least 70% of Polynesia-Micronesia
its primary vegetation. Around the Southwest Australia
Y
world, at least 25 areas qualify under Sundaland
this definition, with nine others Wallacea
possible candidates. These sites Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
support nearly 60% of the world’s How was this topic asked in the CSE?
plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and Q. Consider the following regions:
amphibian species, with a very high 1. Eastern Himalayas
share of endemic species. 2. Eastern Mediterranean region
Biodiversity hotspots by 3. North-western Australia
Region Which of the above is/ are
Biodiversity Hotspot(s)?
North and Central America (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
California Floristic Province (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Caribbean Islands Ans. (b) CSE 2009
10 THE WORLD POPULATION
According to the 2011 U.S. Census including Antarctica. Nearly two-
Bureau, the total population of the thirds of the population lives
World was 7,019,313,000. Its overall in Asia and is predominantly urban
population density is 50 people per and suburban, with about 1.3 billion
km² (129.28 per sq. mile), without in the country of China. The World’s
Prelims Magic 2014 301
 fairly low literacy rate (83.7%) isThe world population more than DENSITY OF POPULATION
attributable to impoverished regions.tripled during the 20th century from
Extremely low literacy rates areabout 1.65 billion in 1900 to 5.97 Each unit of land has limited capacity
concentrated in three regions,billion in 1999. to support people living on it. Hence,
the Arab states, South and WestIt reached the 2 billion mark in 1927, it is necessary to understand the ratio
Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.the 3 billion mark in 1960, 4 billion in between the numbers of people to
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism1974, and 5 billion in 1987. Currently, the size of land. This ratio is the
and Buddhism are the four largestpopulation growth is fastest among density of population. It is usually

G religions encompassing a little overlow wealth, third world countries.

75% of the populace.
The UN projects a world population
measured in persons per sq km
The density of population is
The World’s largest ethnic groupof 9.15 billion in 2050, which is a calculated as:
E is Han Chinese. Although English32.69% increase from 2010 (6.89
(4.83%) is spoken by many as abillion). Density of Population =
Population
Area
second language, Mandarin Chinese
O (12.44%) and Spanish (4.85%) are
the languages with the highest
number of speakers.
G Human migration has been shifting
toward cities and urban centers, with
R the urban population jumping from
29% in 1950, to 50.5% in
2005. Working backwards from the
A United Nations prediction that the
world will be 51.3 percent urban by
2010, Dr. Ron Wimberley, Dr. Libby
P Morris and Dr. Gregory Fulkerson
estimated May 23, 2007 to be the
first time the urban population
H outnumbered the rural population in
history. China and India are the most
populous countries, as the birth
Y rate has consistently dropped in
developed countries and until
recently remained high in developing
countries. Tokyo is the largest urban
conglomeration in the world.
The total fertility rate of the World
is estimated as 2.52 children per
woman, which is above
the replacement fertility rate of
approximately 2.1. However,
world population growth is unevenly
distributed, going from .91 in Macau,
to 7.68 in Niger.
There are approximately 3.38 billion
females in the World. The number
of males is about 3.41 billion. People
under 14 years of age made up over
a quarter of the world population
(26.3%), and people age 65 and over
made up less than one-tenth (7.9%)
in 2011.
The world population growth is
approximately 1.09%

302 Prelims Magic 2014

How was this topic asked in the CSE? FACTORS INFLUENCING per 1,000, versus an age-specific rate
THE POPULATION which is typically indicated as the
Q. Consider the following number of births per 1,000 persons
countries: GROWTH
in this age group. The first known
1. Brazil 2. Indonesia The population growth or population use of the term “birth rate” in the
3. Japan 4. Russia change refers to the change in English language was in 1859.
What is the descending order of the number of inhabitants of a territory
size of the following countries Factors affecting Birth Rate
during a specific period of time. This
population-wise?
(a) 1, 2, 4, 3 (b) 2, 3, 1, 4
(c) 2, 1, 4, 3 (d) 1, 2, 3, 4
change may be positive as well as
negative. It can be expressed either
in terms of absolute numbers or in
1. Government population policy,
such as Pro-natalist policies
and antinatalist policies ­ for
G
Ans. (c) CSE 2002

Q. Which among the following

terms of percentage. Population
change in an area is an important
indicator of economic development,
instance tax on childlessness
2. Availability of family planning
E
countries has the largest services, such as birth control
population?
(a) Indonesia (b) Japan
social upliftment and historical and
cultural background of the region.
There are three components of
and sex education O
(c) Pakistan (d) Sudan
Ans. (a) CSE 2003
Q. Which two countries follow
population change – births, deaths
and migration. G
China and India in the decreasing
order of their populations?
(a) Brazil and USA
R
(b) USA and Indonesia
(c) Canada and Malaysia
(d) Russia and Nigeria
A
Ans. (b) CSE 2008

Q. Which one among the following

P
South Asian countries has the BIRTH RATE
highest population density?
(a) India (b) Nepal
The birth rate is typically the rate
of births in a population over
H
(c) Pakistan (d) Srilanka
Ans (a) CSE 2009
time. Generally, the rate of births in
one population is calculated using live
birth counts from a universal system
Y
of registration of births, deaths, and
marriages, in addition to population
counts from a census, or estimation
through specialized demographic
techniques. Birth rate, along
with mortality rate and migration
rate, are commonly used to
calculate population growth.
Crude birth rate is the number of
childbirths per 1,000 people per
year. Another term used
interchangeably with birth rate is
natality. When the crude death rate
is subtracted from the crude birth 3. Availability and safety of abortion
rate, it reveals the rate of natural and safety of childbirth
increase (RNI). This number is 4. Infant Mortality Rate – A family
equal to the rate of population may have more children if a
change (not factoring in migration). country’s infant mortality rate is high
It is important to distinguish between as it is likely some of those children
a total or crude birth rate, which uses will die.
all births, typically indicated as births

Prelims Magic 2014 303

 5. Existing age-sex structure
6. Typical age of marriage
7. Strength if Divorce/Child Support
Industries for breaking up families
8. Social and religious beliefs -
especially in relation to contraception
and abortion
G 9. Industrialization - in a pre-
industrial agrarian economy, unskilled
E or semiskilled manual labour was
needed for production (Children can
be seen as an economic resource in
O developing countries as they can
earn money.) As people require
more training, parents tend to have
G fewer children, invest more
resources in each individual child -
the higher the level of technology the
R lower the birth rate: the
Demographic-economic paradox
10. Economic prosperity/Economic
A difficulty - in difficult economic
times, couples delay or decrease
childbearing.
P 11. Poverty levels
12. Urbanization
H 13. Promotions through Television
14. Pension availability
The ten countries with the highest
crude death rate, according to the
2009 CIA World Factbook estimates,
are given in the etable.
LIFE EXPECTANCY
Life expectancy is the expected
number of years of life remaining
at a given age. It is denoted by ex,
which means the average number of
subsequent years of life for someone
now aged x, according to a
particular mortality experience. (In
technical literature, this symbol
means the average number
of complete years of life remaining,
excluding fractions of a year. The
corresponding statistic including
fractions of a year, the normal
meaning of life expectancy, has a
symbol with a small circle over
the e.) In the modern era, life
expectancy has increased so
dramatically as to call into question
the ability to use current data for very
long range predictions into the
future.
Humans live on average 31.88 years
in Swaziland and 82.6 years
in Japan, although Japan’s recorded
life expectancy may have been very
slightly increased by counting many
infant deaths as stillborn. An analysis
published in 2011 in The
Lancet attributes Japanese life
expectancy to equal opportunities

Y 15. Conflict
16. Illiteracy, unemployment and lack
of awareness are also the factors
affecting birth
Mortality rate
Mortality rate is a measure of the
number of deaths (in general, or due
to a specific cause) in a population,
scaled to the size of that population,
per unit of time. Mortality rate is
typically expressed in units of deaths
per 1000 individuals per year; thus,
a mortality rate of 9.5 (out of 1000)
in a population of 100,000 would
mean 950 deaths per year in that
entire population, or 0.95% out of the
total. It is distinct from morbidity
rate, which refers to the number of
individuals in poor health during a
given time period (the prevalence
rate) or the number of newly
appearing cases of the disease per
unit of time (incidence rate).

304 Prelims Magic 2014

and public health as well as diet.
The oldest confirmed recorded age
for any human is 122 years. This is
referred to as the “maximum life
span”, which is the upper boundary
of life, the maximum number of
years any human is known to have
lived.
The life expectancy at birth of the
world is 67.2 years (65.0 years for
males and 69.5 years for females)
for 2005–2010, according to United
Nations World Population Prospects
2006 Revision and 66.57 years (64.52
years for males and 68.76 years for
females) for 2009 according to CIA
World Factbook 2009. Women on
average live longer than men in all
countries, with the exception
of Zimb abwe, Lesotho,
Swaziland and Afghanistan.
Many of the countries with the
lowest life expectancies, namely
Swaziland, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho,
Zimbabwe,South Africa, Namibia,
Zambia, Malawi, the Central
African Republic, Mozambique,
and Guinea­Bissau, are suffering
from very high rates of HIV/
AIDS infection, with adult
prevalence rates ranging from 10 to
38.8 percent. In countries with
high infant mortality rates, the life
expectancy at birth will be lower, and
may not reflect the life expectancy
of a person who has survived his or
her first year of life.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Life expectancy is highest in
the world in:
(a) Canada (b) Germany
(c) Japan (d) Norway
Ans. (c) CSE 2003
POPULATION DECLINE
Sometimes known as depopulation,
population decline is the reduction
over time in a region’s population.
The decline can be caused by several
factors including sub-replacement
fertility (along with limited
immigration), heavy emigration,
disease, famine, and war. History is
replete with examples of large scale
depopulations. Many wars, for influence the speed of the decline,
example, have been accompanied by including measures to halt, slow or
significant depopulations. Before the suspend decline. Such measures
20th century, population decline was include pro-birth policies and
mostly observed due to disease, subsidies, media influence,
starvation and/or emigration. immigration, bolstering healthcare
The Black Death in Europe, the and laws aimed at reducing death
arrival of Old Worlddiseases to rates. Such is the case in Russia,
the Americas, the tsetse fly invasion
of the Waterberg Massif in South
Africa, and the Great Irish
Armenia, and many Western
European nations who have used
immigration and other policies to
G
Famine all caused sizable population
declines. In modern times,
the AIDS epidemic caused declines
suspend or slow population decline.
Therefore although the long term
trend may be for greater population
E
in the population of some African
countries. Less frequently,
population declines are caused
decline, short term trends may slow
the decline or even reverse it,
creating seemingly conflicting
O
by genocide or mass execution; for
example, in the 1970s, the population
of Cambodia declined because of
statistical data. A great example of
changing trends occurring over a
century is Ireland.
G
wide-scale executions by the Khmer
Rouge.
FERTILITY RATE: The total
fertility rate (TFR), sometimes also
R
Sometimes the term under called the fertility rate, period total
population is applied to a specific fertility rate (PTFR) or total period
economic system. It does not refer fertility rate (TPFR) of a population
A
to carrying capacity, and is not a is the average number of children
term in opposition to over population, that would be born to a woman over
which deals with the total possible her lifetime if
P
population that can be sustained by 1. She were to experience the exact
available food, water, sanitation and current age-specific fertility rates
other infrastructure. “Under (ASFRs) through her lifetime, and
H
population” is usually defined as a
state in which a country’s population 2. She were to survive from birth
has declined too much to support its through the end of her reproductive
Y
current economic system. Thus the life.
term has nothing to do with the It is obtained by summing the single-
biological aspects of carrying year age-specific rates at a given
capacity, but is an economic term time.
employed to imply that the transfer
payment schemes of some POPULATION-LAG EFFECT: A
developed countries might fail once population that maintained a TFR of
the population declines to a certain 3.8 over an extended period of time
point. An example would be if without a correspondingly high death
retirees were supported through or emigration rate would increase
a social security system which does rapidly, whereas a population that
not invest savings, and then a large maintained a TFR of 2.0 over a long
emigration movement occurred. In time would decline (unless it had a
this case, the younger generation large enough immigration).
may not be able to support the older However, it may take several
generations for a change in the total
generation.
fertility rate to be reflected in birth
Today, emigration, sub-replacement rate, because the age distribution
fertility and high death rates in the must reach equilibrium. For example,
former Soviet Union and its former a population that has recently
allies are the principal reasons for dropped below replacement-level
that region’s population decline. fertility will continue to grow,
However, governments can
Prelims Magic 2014 305
 because the recent high fertility
produced large numbers of young
couples who would now be in their
child-bearing years. This pheno-
menon carries forward for several
generations and is called population
momentum or po pula tio n-l ag
effect. This time-lag effect is of
G great importance to the growth rates
of human populations.
POPULATION AGEING:
E Population ageing is a shift in the
distribution of a country’s population
O towards older ages. This is usually
reflected in an increase in the
population’s mean and median ages,
G a decline in the proportion of the
population composed of children,
and a rise in the proportion of the
R population that is elderly. Population
ageing is widespread across the
world. It is most advanced in the
A most highly developed countries.
However the Oxford Institute of
Population Ageing, one of the top
P institutions looking at global
population ageing, has concluded
that population ageing has slowed
H considerably in Europe and will have
the greatest future impact in Asia,
especially as Asia is in stage five of
Y the demographic transition model.
Population ageing arises from two
(possibly related) demographic
effects: increasing longevity and
declining fertility. An increase in
longevity raises the average age of
the population by increasing the
numbers of surviving older people.
A decline in fertility reduces the
number of babies, and as the effect
continues, the numbers of younger
people in general also reduce. A
possible third factor is migration.
Of these two forces, it is declining
fertility that is the largest contributor
to population ageing in the world
today. More specifically, it is the
large decline in the overall fertility
rate over the last half century that is
primarily responsible for the
population ageing in the world’s
most developed countries. Because
many developing countries are going
through faster fertility transitions,
306 Prelims Magic 2014
they will experience even faster a particularly negative impact on
population ageing than the currently older persons who spend more time
developed countries in the future. indoors.
INDIA: India's population ages 60 Living Arrangements and Social
and older is projected to increase Support: More than four in five older
dramatically over the next four Indians live in multigenerational
decades, from 8 percent in 2010 to households with their children. But
19 percent in 2050, according to the surveys find that the share of older
United Nations Population Division. Indians living with only a spouse or
By mid-century, this age group is alone doubled between the early
expected to encompass 323 million 1990s and the mid-2000s. A number
people, a number greater than the of trends may explain these changes
total U.S. population in 2012. This in living arrangements, including
profound shift in the share of older declining fertility leaving fewer
Indians—taking place in the context chil­dren available to care for older
of changing family relationships and parents, rural-to-urban migra-tion for
severely lim­ited old­age income employment that separates families,
support—brings with it a variety of and changing social expectations
social, economic, and health care regarding intrafamily obligations.
policy challenges.
Work, Retirement, and Income
This e-news letter highlights some Security: Despite India's recent
of the recent research by National rapid economic growth, the majority
Institute on Aging-supported of older Indians remain poor. Less
investigators and others that can than 11 percent of them have a
inform policy decisions as India and pension of any sort, according to
other developing countries plan for national surveys. Saving is diffi­cult
aging societies. or impossible for a majority of
Health and Health Care: The aging Indians because earnings are low,
of India's population will lead to some economic activity in the
increases in the preva­lence of informal sector does not involve
chronic conditions such as diabetes currency exchange, and a large
and hyperten­sion. By one measure, share of the aging population lives
nearly one-half (45 percent) of in a rural area where banking is
India's disease burden is projected unavailable. With little old-age
to be borne by older adults in 2030, income support and few savings,
when the population age groups with labor force participation remains high
high levels of chronic conditions will among those ages 60 and older,
represent a much greater share of particularly among rural Indians.
the total population. Early results Evidence suggests that not only does
from the pilot phase of the a large share of the elderly earn
Longitudinal Aging Study in India income, they also support their adult
illustrate the health risks faced by children who often live in homes and
older Indians. Thirteen percent of work on farms owned by their
older Indians sampled have some parents.
type of disability that affects at least Countries & Languages
one activity of daily living. More than
one-quarter are underweight and There are approximately 6900
nearly one-third have undiagnosed languages currently spoken around
hyper­tension. Nearly 60 percent the world, the majority of which have
live in dwellings lacking access to only a small number of speakers.
an improved sewer system. The About 4 billion of the earth’s 6.5
majority of households use poor- billion people, or over 60% of the
quality cooking fuel, and the resulting earth’s population, speak one of the
following 30 languages as their
smoke produced contributes to
native tongue.
indoor air pollution and tends to have
How was this topic asked in the CSE? Languages are ordered in the table Cuttack India Mahanadi
below by numbers of native Curnool India Tungabhadra
Q. Which one among the following speakers. Numbers of second- Chittagong Bangladesh Majyani
languages has largest number of language speakers are given where Canton China Si-Kiang
speakers in the world? known. Second language speakers Cairo Egypt Nile
(a) Bengali (b) French are those whose native language is Chung King China Yang-tse-King
(c) Japanese (d) Portuguese typically a minority language of the Cologne Germany Rhine
Ans. (d) CSE 2003 country in which they live and who Delhi India Yamuna
Explanation: In 2003 it was Bangali learn the second language because
Q. For which one of the following
countries, is Spanish not an official
it is the official national language of
the country where they reside.
Dandzing
Dresden
Dibrugarh
Germany
Germany
India
Vistula
Elve
Brahmaputra
G
language?
(a) Chile
(b) Columbia
Dublin
Ferozpur
Guwahati
Ireland
India
India
Liffy
Satluj
Brahmaputra
E
(c) Republic of Congo
(d) Cuba
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
Hardwar
City
India
Country
Ganga
River O
Hyderabad India Musi
11 CONTINENTS, COUNTRIES Hamburg
Jabalpur
Germany
India
Elve
Narmada G
Jamshedpur India Swarna-
The International Date
Continents
The total land area of all continents
is 148,647,000 km², or 29.1% of
Line is an imaginary Line on the
180th meridian in the Pacific Ocean
Jaunpur
Kabul
India
rekha
Gomti
Afghanistan Kabul
R
earth’s surface (510,065,600 km2).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
that goes through the Bering Strait
(between Alaska and Russia), which
is half way around the world from
Karachi
Kanpur
Kota
Pakistan
India
India
Indus
Ganga
Chambal
A
Q. Which one of the following is
the correct sequence of the given
Continents in the decreasing order
Greenwich, England. It is basically
a straight Line; however, there are
Kolkata
Khartoum
India
Sudan
Hooghly
Confluence
of Blue and
P
of their percentage of Earth’s land?
(a) North America - Africa -
South America - Europe
Famous Cities and River Banks
City Country River
Lahore
Leningrad
Pakistan
Russia
white Nile
Ravi
Neva
H
Lucknow India Gomti
(b) Africa - North America -
South America ­ Europe
(c) North America - Africa -
Adelaide
Amsterdam
Alexandria
Australia Torrens
Netherlands Amsel
Egypt Nile
Lisbon
Liverpool
Portugal
England
Tagus
Messey
Y
Ludhiana India Satluj
Europe - South America Ankara Turkey Kazil London England Thames
(d) Africa - North America - Allahabad India At the
Europe - South America confluence Mathura India Yamuna
Ans.(b) CSE 2005 of the Moscow Russia Moskva
Montreal Canada St. Lawrence
Ganga Nanking China Yang-tse-
How was this topic asked in the CSE? and Yamuna Kiang
Q. Which one of the following Agra India Yamuna New Orleans U.S.A. Mississippi
pairs is not correctly matched? Ayodhya India Saryu Nasik India Godavari
(a) Bahamas : Nassau Ahmedabad India Sabarmati New York U.S.A. Hudson
(b) Costa Rica : San(Jose Badrinath India Alaknanda Ottawa Canada Ottawa
(c) Nicaragua : Belmopan Bareilly India Ram Ganga Patna India Ganga
(d) Dominican Republic : Santo Bangkok Thailand Chao Praya Paris France Seine
Domingo Basra Iraq Euphrates and Philadelphia U.S.A. Delaware
Ans.(c) CSE 2005 Tigris Perth Australia Swan
Baghdad Iraq Tigris Panjim India Mandavi
Q. Which one of the following Prague Czech
Berlin Germany Spree Republic Vitava
pairs is not correctly matched? Bonn Germany Rhine Quebec Canada St. Lawrence
(a) Slovenia : Bratislava Budapest Hungary Daunbe Rome Italy Tiber
(b) Seychelles : Victoria Bristol U. K. Avon Rotterdam Netherlands New Mass
(c) Sierra Leone : Freetown Buenos Aires Argentina Stalingrad Russia Volga
(d) Uzbekistan : Tashkent Laplata Shanghai China Yang-tse-
Ans. (a) CSE 2006 Kiang

Prelims Magic 2014 307

 Sidney Australia Darling How was this topic asked in the CSE? Well-known straits in the world
Srinagar India Jhelum
Surat India Tapti Q. Which one of the following A strait or straits is a narrow,
Sambalpur India Mahanadi pairs is not correctly matched? navigable channel of water that
Serirangapatam India Cauvery City : River connects two larger navigable bodies
Saint Luis U.S.A. Mississippi (a) Berlin : Rhine of water. It most commonly refers
Tiruchurapalli India Cauvery (b) London : Tames to a channel of water that lies
Tokyo Japan Arakava (c) New York : Hudson between two land masses, but it may
Ujjain India Kshipra (d) Vienna : Danube also refer to a navigable channel
G Vijayvada
Varanasi
India
India
Krishna
Ganga
Ans. (a) CSE 2009 through a body of water that is
otherwise not navigable, for example
Vienna Australia Danube because it is too shallow, or because
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
E Warsaw
Washington
D. C.
Poland

U.S.A.
Vistula

Potomac
Q. Match List I (State / Province /
Overseas Territory) with List II
it contains an unnavigable reef
or archipelago.
Well-known straits in the world
O Yangoon Myanmar Irrawaddy

How was this topic asked in the CSE?

(Country) and select the correct
answer using the codes given
below the lists:
include:
• Bab el Mandeb, connecting
G Q. Match List I (New Names of
the Countries) with List II (Old
List I List II
A. British Colombia 1. USA
B. Bavaria 2. UK
the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
• Bass Strait, which lies between
names of the Countries) and select mainland Australia and Tasmania,
R the correct answer using the codes
given below the lists:
C. Gibraltar 3. Canada
D. Rhode Island 4. Germany
5. Denmark
and connects the Southern Ocean
with the Pacific Ocean.
List I List II • Bering Strait between
A A. Benin
B. Belize
1. Nyasaland
2. Basutoland (a)
(b)
A
1
3
B
2
4
C D
5
2
3
1
Alaska and Siberia, which connects
the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
C. Botswana 3. Bechuanaland
P D. Malawi 4. British Honduras
5. Dohomey
(c)
(d)
Ans.(b)
1
3
4
2
2
5
CSE 2004)
3
I
• Bosporus and the Dardanelles,
which connect the Mediterranean
and the Black Sea.
Ans.(b) CSE 2004
H Q. Which one of the following pairs
is not correctly matched?
Q. What is the new administrative
capital proposed for Myanmar?
• Cook Strait, separating the North
and South Islands of New Zealand.
• Strait of Dover, between England
Y Current Name Old Name
(a) Harare
(b) Ethiopia
: Salisbury
: Abyssinia
(a) Bassein
(b) Mandalay
(c) Myitkyina
and France, which connects
the North Sea with the English
(c) Ghana : Dutch Guiana (d) Pyinmana Channel.
(d) Kinshasa : Leopoldville Ans.(d) CSE 2006 • Detroit River, connecting
Ans. (c) CSE 2005 the Great Lakes, having lent the
Q. Which one of the following French translation of strait for
some zigzags. These zigzags are naming the city of Detroit.
cities is not a former capital of the
necessary because otherwise one
given country (Country given in the • Straits of Florida separate
country would be observing two
brackets)? the Florida peninsula from Cuba.
Dates at the same time. In order to
prevent this, the International Date (a) Karachi (Pakistan) The Gulf Stream current originates
Line curves around these countries (b) Auckland (New Zealand) there.
and only goes through the Pacific (c) Kyoto (Japan)
(d) Brisbane (Australia) • Strait of Gibraltar, the only natural
Ocean. passage between the Atlantic
Ans.(d) CSE 2005
The Greenwich line which passes Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
through London is called Prime IST is 5 : 30 hrs ahead of GMT that • Strait of Hormuz connecting
Meridian. It is 0° longitude. The is 82°30' E longitude. the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea,
countries which lies east of the through which Persian
Prime Meridian has their standard Since the earth makes one complete Gulf petroleum is shipped to the
time ahead of the Greenwich Mean rotation of 360° in one day or 24 hrs, world.
Time, and which lies west of the it passes through 15° in one hour, or,
Prime Meridian has their standard 1° in 4 minutes. The earth rotates i • Strait of Magellan, connecting the
time behind the Greenwich Mean anticlockwise direction. Atlantic and Pacific Oceans north
Time. of Tierra del Fuego.

308 Prelims Magic 2014

• Strait of Malacca, between
Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra,
connecting the Indian Ocean with
the South China Sea, is one of the
highest-volume shipping lanes & the
world’s longest strait about 500
miles.
• Menai Strait, running between the
north Wales coast and the coast
of Anglesey
• Strait of Messina, running
between Calabria and Sicily.
• Palk strait, between Tamil
Nadu state in India and Sri Lanka,
the location of Ram Sethu and rich
in natural resources.
• Skagerrak and Kattegat which
connect the North Sea to the Baltic
Sea.
• Taiwan Strait is a 180-km-wide
(111. 85-mile-wide)st r a it
between Taiwan and China.
• Pentland Firth is more a strait
than a firth. It separates the Orkney
Islands from Caithness in the north
of Scotland.
• Strait of Georgia, between
Vancouver Island and
and British Columbia.
mainl
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Which one of the following can one
come across if one travels through
the Strait of Malacca?
(a) Bali
(b) Brunei
(c) Java
(d) Singapore
Ans (d) CSE 2010
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Standard time of the
following countries is ahead or
behind Greenwich Mean Time
depending on whether they are east
or west of the longitude passing
through Greenwich.
1. Cube
2. Greece
3. Iraq
4. Costa Rica
5. Japan
Which one of the following
sequential orders gives the correct
arrangement of the countries
according to their standard time
from ahead to behind GMT?
(a) 5, 3, 2, 1, 4 (b) 2, 4, 1, 3, 5
(c) 4, 1, 3, 2, 5 (d) 3, 5, 4, 1, 2
Ans. (a) CSE 1995
Q. If it is 10.00 a.m. I.S.T., then
what would be the local time at
Shillong on 92° E longitude?
(a) 9.38 a.m. (b) 10.38 a.m.
(c) 10.22 a.m. (d) 9.22 a.m.
Ans.(b) CSE 1999
Explanation:
If Shillong is on 92°E longitude, it
is 9°30' ahead of IST. To travel 1°,
it takes 4 minutes for earth. So for
9°30', it takes 38 minutes. If IST is
10: 00 a.m., the local time at
Shillong is 10:00 + 38 min. = 10:38
a.m.
Q. When there is noon at I.S.T.
meridian people on another place
of the Earth are taking their at 6
O’clock morning tea. The longitude
of the place is :
(a) 17° 30' E (b) 7° 30' W
(c) 172° 30' E (d) 90° W
Ans.(b) CSE 1998
Explanation:
In the given problem, it is noon at
1ST (Indian Standard Time). GMT
is 5: 30 hrs westwards to IST. The
longitude passes through that place
is “prime meridian”. It is 0°
longitude. Still we have to travel 30
minutes westwards. If we convert
this time into longitudes - 30/4 = 7°
30' westwards. So the answer
is ‘b’.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
straits is nearest to the International
Date Line?
(a) Malacca Strait
(b) Bering Strait
(c) Strait of Florida
(d) Strait of Gibraltar
Ans.(b) CSE 2008 G
Q. Which one of the following
cities does not have the same clock
time as that of the other three cities
E
at any given instant?
(a) London (U.K.)
(b) Lisbon (Portugal)
O
(c) Accra (Ghana)
(d) Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
Ans.(d) CSE 2007
G
Q. If the earth’s direction of
rotation is reversed, what would be
R
the IST when it is noon at the
International Date Line?
(a) 06.30 hrs
A
(b) 05.30 hrs
(c) 18.30 hrs
(d) 17.30 hrs
P
Ans. (a)
Explanation:
(CSE1996)
Generally, IST is 5: 30 hrs. ahead
H
of the Greenwich mean time. So if
its noon at the International Date
line (Greenwich line) then IST is
Y
12 : 00 + 5 : 30 = 17 : 30 hrs. If the
earth’s direction of rotation is
reversed, the IST will be behind
Greenwich mean time. So if its
noon at the International Date line
then IST will be 12 : 00 - 5: 30 = 6:
30 hrs.
Q. A ship sailing from the eastern
extremity of the Aleutian Islands to
Dutch crosses 180° meridian at
23.30 hrs on January 1, 1999. What
lime and date will be recorded by
the captain of the ship in his diary
after one-hour journey from the
point of crossing of the meridian?
(a) January 1, 0030 hrs
(b) January 2, 0030 hrs
(c) January 3, 0030 hrs
(d) January 4, 0030 hrs
Ans.(c) (CSE 1999)
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310 Prelims Magic 2014


12 GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA- INTRODUCTION
Location and Extent
India is situated in the southern part
of Asia. It covers an area of 3.2
million sq.kms, which occupies
2.5% of the world’s land area. It
extends between 8°4’ North and
37°6’ North latitude and between
68°7’ East and 97°25’ East
longitude. The place located at
97025’ is the first to experience the
sunlight. It stretches from Kashmir
in the north to Kanyakumari in the
south for 3214 kms and from Gujarat
in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in
the east for 2933 kms. The Tropic
of Cancer (23½° North) runs across
the country and divides it into two
halves. Obviously, India is the
seventh largest country with respect
to area. It is four times bigger than
Pakistan and three times smaller
than USA. Thus India is “neither a
pigmy nor a giant among the nations
of the world”.
Boundaries
The countries which border India are
Bhutan, Nepal and China in the
north, Pakistan and Afganistan in the
west and Bangladesh and Myanmar
in the east. Palk Strait separates
India and Srilanka in the south. It lies
between Arabian Sea and Bay of
Bengal.
Himalayas along with Hindukush
and Karakoram provide a natural
boundary in the north. Pakistan in
the west and Bangladesh in the east
are manmade boundaries
INDIA - PHYSIOGRAPHY
Major physiographic divisions
demarcated by mutual agreements.
The Islands of Andaman and The land of India is characterised by
Nicobar and Lakshadweep are the a great diversity in its physical
parts of Indian Union situated in Bay features. Based on the structure,
of Bengal and Arabian Sea India may be divided into five major
respectively. physiographical units. They are,
IST : Indian standard time - The Himalayan Mountains
- The Northern Great Plains
G
The Central Meridian of India is - The Peninsular Plateau
82½° East longitude which runs from - The Coastal Plains
north to south through the city of - The Islands
E
Allahabad. The local time of the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
I. The Himalayan Mountains
O
The latitudes that pass through The Himalayas extend along the
Sikkim also pass through
(a) Rajasthan
northern frontiers of Pakistan, India,
Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. The
Himalayas in the Northern India,
G
(b) Punjab
(c) Himachal Pradesh
(d) Jammu & Kashmir
consists of series of parallel mountain
ranges with bold relief and complex R
Ans (a) See Map CSE 2010 topography. They were formed by
earth movements which affected the
meridian is used for calculating the relief of the earth in the last phase
Indian Standard time, which is of its geological history. Because of
A
followed by all the places within the this young age which is evident from
country. It is 5½ hours ahead of the striking contrast in relief,
Greenwichmean time of the world. Himalayan ranges are called young
P
The 0° meridian passes through mountains.
Greenwich in England. Each degree
of the meridian accounts for four Significance of Himalayas
H
minutesof time and that the 1. These great mountains provide a
difference between Greenwich and physical barrier in the north
Indian standard time is 82½° x 4 = protecting our country from
Y
330 minutes which is 5½ hours. invasions.
2. Himalayas are effective climatic
How was this topic asked in the CSE? barriers as they check the incoming
Q. Along which one of the cold winds from the north.
following meridians did India 3. It helps the plains free from frost
experience the first light of the and snow during winters.
sunrise of the new millennium?
(a) 2° 30' W (b) 82° 30' E 4. South west monsoon winds are
(c) 92° 30' W (d) 96° 30' E prevented from moving beyond
Ans. (d) CSE 2000 resulting in copious rainfall.
5. Himalayas are the source of all
Q. The Palk Bay lies between: perennial rivers of India, which bring
(a) Gulf of Kachchh and Gulf of alluvium and help the cultivation of
Khambhat crops in the great plain.
(b) Gulf of Mannar and Bay of
Bengal 6. The dense forests on the slopes
(c) Lakshadweep and Maldive besides sheltering wild life provide
Islands timber and other forest products.
(d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands 7. The scenic beauty and pleasant
Ans. (b) CSE 1996 climate attracts movie makers and
tourists to the hill stations.
Prelims Magic 2014 311
 How was this topic asked in the CSE known as ‘Ladakh and Zaskar in Kashmir, Shipkila in Himachal
ranges. The extension of Ladakh Pradesh, Nathula and Jelepla in
Q. If there were no Himalayan
range is ‘Ladakh plateau’ which Sikkim are the most important
ranges, what would have been the
is the highest plateau of India, lies in passes across Himadri.
most likely geographical impact on
the north west of Kashmir.
India? ii) Himachal
1. Much of the country would The Central Himalayas
experience the cold waves from Himachal lies between the Himadri
Siberia The Himalayas, the abode of snow in the north and Siwalik in the south.
G 2. Indo-gangetic plain would be
devoid of such extensive alluvial
radiate from Pamirknot in the south
east direction. It stretches from
It extends over a variable width of
80 kms in average. The altitude
soils. Kashmir in the west to Arunachal varies from 3700 mts to 4500 mts.
E 3. The pattern of monsoon would
be different from what it is at
Pradesh in the east for about 2500
km. The width varies from 400 km
It is a highly rugged topography
consisting of spurs and dissected
present. in the west to 150 km in the east. uplands. “Pirpanjal” in Kashmir is the
O Which of the statement given above
is/are correct?
The height of the eastern half is
greater than the western half. The
longest range of Himachal region.
‘Dhauladar ranges’ stretches from
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only steep slopes and high pointed peaks Jammu and Kashmir across
G (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (d) CSE 2010
and parallel ranges of these central
Himalayas indicate that Himalayas
Himachal Pradesh. The easily
accessable Kashmir valley, Khangra
are young fold mountains. These valley, Kula valley is situated in
R Q. When you travel in Himalayas,
you will see the following:
ranges are interspersed by valleys
and plateaus. There are three parallel
between these ranges. The popular
hill resorts, Srinagar, Pahelgam,
1. Deep  gorges ranges found in the central Gulmarg, Mussourie, Simla and
A 2. U-turn river courses
3. Parallel mountain ranges
Himalayas from north to south. They
are,
Nainital are located here. The places
of pilgrim interests such as
4. Steep  gradients  causing  land Amarnath, Kedarnath, Badrinath
P sliding
Which of the above can be said to
i) Himadri ii) Himachal iii) Siwaliks
i) Himadri
and Vaishnavidevi temple are the
assets of Himachal ranges.
be the evidences for Himalayas
H being young fold mountains?
Himadri, the northern most range of
Himalayas looks like an arc. It has
(a)  1  and 2  only  (b)  1, 2  and  4  only
an average height of 6000 metres.
iii) Siwaliks
Siwaliks is the southern most range
(c)  3 and 4 only  (d)  1, 2, 3 and 4 of Himalayas with an average height
Y Ans (d)
It extends from Indus valley in the
CSE 2012
northwest to Brahmaputra in the
northeast for about 2500 km. It
of 1000 mts. It is a discountinuous
range, made up of mud and soft
The Himalayas are further sub- consists of several peaks of the rocks. The narrow longitudinal
divided into 3 parts. They are, valleys called ‘Duns’ are found in
world. Mt. Everest is the highest
siwalik. The best example is ‘Dehra
- The Western Himalayas peak of the world with an altitude of
Dun’. Along the foothills of siwalik,
- The Central Himalayas 8848 mts. Kanchan Junga (8598
pebbles and gravels are being
- The Eastern Himalayas mts), Nanga Parbat (8126 mts),
deposited by the rivers. ‘Tarai plain’
Dhaulagiri (8167 mts) and Nanda
The Western Himalayas with the deposits of fine silt in the
Devi (7817 kms) are the other peaks
south of siwalik, supports the growth
The Western Himalayas are also of the Himalayas, lying in Himadri. of thick forests and marshy lands.
known the Trans Himalayas. The Nanda devi peak (7817 mts) forms
lofty Karakoram extends eastwards part of Kumaon Himalayas which The Eastern Himalayas
from Pamirknot, which lies in the extends from the river Sutlej to the Brahmaputra marks the eastern
north west of India. These ranges Kali to a distance of 320 km. most geographical limit of the
form India’s frontier with Afganistan Many glaciers, the source of rivers Himalayas. These Mountains along
and China in the Southwest of are found in Himadri. For example the eastern boundary of India are
Kashmir. Godwin Austin known as Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers are called Purvachal or Indo- Myanmar
K2 (8611 metres) the world’s second the sources of Ganga and Yamuna Hills. They are of medium height.
peak belongs to this range. The rivers respectively. They comprise of Patkai Bum, and
‘Karakoram pass’ has acquired a the Naga Hills in the North, and the
special importance now. There are ‘Passes’ are the natural gap across Mizo Hills in the south. At the center,
big glaciers such as ‘Baltoro’ and the mountains which provide route they take a westward turn along the
‘Siachin’. To the south of to link us with neighbours. Such Bangladesh – India border in
Karakoram lie two parallel ranges, passes are found in Himadri. Zojila

312 Prelims Magic 2014

Meghalaya. Here they consist of
Jaintia, Khasi and Garo hills from east
to west. In Myanmar these
mountains are called Arakan Yoma.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Arakan Yoma is the extension
of the Himalayas located in
(a) Baluchistan
(c) Nepal
(b) Myanmar
(d) Kashmir
Ans. (b) CSE 1995
Q. Nanda Devi peak forms a part
of
(a) Assam Himalayas
(b) Kumaon Himalayas
(c) Nepal Himalayas
(d) Punjab Himalayas
Ans. (b) CSE 2003
II. The Northern Great Plains
The great plains lie between the
mountains of the north and the
peninsular plateau of the south. It
extends over a length of 2400 km. It
has a width of 2400 km in Bihar to
500 km in Punjab. The Great Plains
is a flat low lying land made up of
Alluvium – the fine silt brought down
by the rivers. The plain in the past
was a huge depression where the
rivers have deposited layers of
alluvial sediments. The three big
rivers draining this region are Indus,
Ganga and Brahmaputra. They
collect their water from Himalayan
glaciers. The rivers cross the lofty
Himalayan range through narrow
deep gorges or deep canyons and
enter the plains. Geologists consider
that these three rivers were older
than the Himalayas that as the
Himalayas lifted themselves up, the
rivers have eroded their valleys. The
northern plains are the youngest as
they are made up of sediments laid
down by the denudation of the
Himalayas. The surface relief of
Great Plains is classified into four
types based on the structure of soil.
i. The Bhabar lies all along the foot
hills of siwalik. It is a pebble –
studded zone of porous beds. It is a
narrow belt with 8 to 16 kms.
ii. The Terai belt is marked by
excessive dampness with the growth
of thick forest and a variety of wild 1. The Central Highlands
life. 2. The Deccan Plateau.
iii. The Bhangar is the older 1. The Central Highlands
alluvium of the plain.
The northern part of the peninsular
iv. The Khadar is the new alluvium plateau is called the Central
of the plain. They form a continuous Highlands. It is made up of hard,
belt of alluvium.
igneous and metamorphic rocks. It
Located in the arid zone of is an ancient land that has denuded
Rajasthan, the Sambhar Lake is one over millions of years. In northwest
G
of the largest inland saline lakes in it is flanked by the Aravallis, which
India. This wetland is one of the most is relict of the world’s oldest
important wintering areas for mountain system. The Aravalli
E
flamingoes and pelicans. Salt system is said to date back to 3,500
extraction is one of the major million years. Some later sediment
activities in the wetland. Other salt seems to have been incorporated
O
water lakes are Deedwana, around 1,000 million years ago.
Panchpadra and Loonkaransar. Aravallis extend from Delhi in the
northeast to Ahmedabad in the south G
for about 800 kms. Gurushikar on
How was this topic asked in the CSE? Mt-Abu (Jalore District, Rajasthan)
Q. In India, which one of the is the highest peak of the Aravallis.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
R
following States has the largest
inland saline wetland?
(a) Gujarat (b) Haryana
Which one of the following is the
appropriate reason for considering A
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Rajasthan the Gondwana rocks as most
Ans.(d) CSE 2009
Q. Lake Sambhar is nearest to
important of rock systems of India?
(a) More than 90% of limestone P
reserves of India are found in them
which one of the following cities
of Rajasthan ?
(a) Bharatpur (b) Jaipur
(b) More than 90% of India’s coal
reserves are found in them H
(c) More than 90% of fertile black
(c) Jodhpur
Ans. (b)
(d) Udaipur
CSE 2003
cotton soils are spread over them
(d) None of the reasons given above Y
is appropriate in this context
III. The Peninsular Plateau Ans (b) CSE 2010
The peninsular plateau lies to the
south of the Great Plains. It is Q. The approximate age of the
triangular in shape with its broad base Aravallis range is
in the north. The plateau features a (a) 370 million years
series of mountain ranges that rise (b) 470 million years
abruptly from the adjoining plains. It (c) 570 million years
has a senile topography dominated (d) 670 million years
by erosional surface and broken by Ans. (d) CSE 2001
striking ridges and trough valleys.
When the Gondwana land was Q. In which State is the Guru
subjected to earth movements there Shikhar Peak located?
occurred a number of fissures in the (a) Rajasthan
northwestern parts. Through these (b) Gujarat
fissures lava flowed out and (c) Madhya Pradesh
deposited on the peninsular plateau. (d) Maharashtra
Thus, this lava plateau underwent Ans. (a) CSE 2007
several geological changes. Further west the plateau covered by
The peninsular plateau is subdivided the sandy and rocky deserts of
into 2 parts. They are: Rajasthan called ‘Thar desert’ is
extended. The northern part of
Prelims Magic 2014 313
 peninsular India is bounded by
Vindhya Mountains. This old
mountains form the sharp edge of
‘Malwa plateau’. The plateau,
located to the north of Vindhyas
consists of ‘Malwa’ and ‘Chotnagpur
plateau’.
Malwa Plateau
G This plateau is drained by the North
flowing chambhal and its tributaries.
E The plateau is composed of
extensive lava flows and covered
with black soil. It is dissected by
O many rivers. Its eastern part is
covered by Bundhelkand and
Bhagelkand.
G Chotanagpur Plateau
This plateau extends eastwards
R from Baghelkhand plateau. It covers
southern part of Bihar, the adjoining
eastern fringes of Madhya Pradesh
A and Purulia district of West Bengal.
The average height of the plateau is
700m. Its continuity ends in
P Rajmahal hills in the east. Then there
is the gap through which the Ganga
flows. The eastern plateau continues
H further east as Shillong plateau in
Meghalaya.
Y How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
mountain ranges is spread over only
one State in India?
(a) Aravalli (b) Satpura
(c) Ajanta (d) Sahyadri
Ans. (c) CSE 1995
Q. Consider the following
1. Mahadeo Hills
2. Sahyadri Parvat
3. Satpura Range
What is the correct sequence of
the above from the north to the
south?
(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 2, 1, 3
(c) 1, 3, 2 (d) 2, 3, 1
Ans: (c) CSE 2004
Deccan Plateau
The Deccan Plateau is the largest upto Kanyakumari. The Western for the distance of about 6000 kms
plateau of the peninsular region. It ghats are known by different local from Rann of Kutch in the west to
is triangular in shape bounded by the names. In Maharashtra and the Ganga Brahmaputra delta in the
‘Satpura – Mahadev – Maikala Karnataka they are called east.
314 Prelims Magic 2014
ranges’ in the north, the Western ‘Sahyadri’. In Tamil Nadu where
Ghats in the west and the ‘Eastern the Eastern and Western ghats meet,
Ghats in the east’. Satpura Range they are called the Nilgris. Further
spreads in Maharashtra and Madya south, along Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Pradesh. Its western most part is border they are known as Anai Malai
known as Rajpipla Hill. Its central and Cardamam hills. The Western
part is bordered on the north by Ghats are relatively higher in their
Mahadeo hills and on the south by Southern region. The Anai Mudi is
the Gawaligarh Hills. The north-
western part of the Deccan plateau
is made up of lava flows or the
the highest peak. (2695 mtrs) which
is the Central point from where three
ranges radiate in three directions -
igneous rock called basalt or
Deccan trap as it is specially known.
These rocks, several 100 meters
the Cardamom hills to the South, the
Anamalai to the North and the Palni
to the North-east.. Udagamandalam
thick, are spread over the whole of
Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat
and Madhya Pradesh and form the
is a well known hill station in the
Nilgris in Tamil Nadu. There are
various passes like ‘Thalghat and
Maharashtra plateau. The south
eastern part of the Deccan plateau
is known as Telengana while south
Bohrghat’ in Sahyadri and
‘Palghat’ in Nilgiris.
Eastern Ghats
– western side is called Karnataka
plateau. Its eastward flowing rivers
suggest that it slopes gently from
Eastern Ghats is discontinuous and
less sharp. It is widely dissected into
west to east.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
small hills by the rivers Mahanadi,
Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. The
Eastern Ghats are known by
Q. Where were Shevaroy Hills
located?
different names in different areas.
In Andhra Pradesh it is called as
(A) Andhra Pradesh ‘Nallamala hills’. In Tamil Nadu, they
(b) Karnataka
(c) Kerala
are called as ‘Javadi hills’ in North
Arcot District, ‘Gingi hills’ in South
(d) Tamil Nadu Arcot, Kolli hills and Pachai hills in
Ans. (d) CSE 2007
Q. Among the following cities,
Trichirapalli, ‘Sherveroys’ and
‘Gondu hills’ in Salem and ‘Biligiri
Rangan’ hills in Coimbatore District.
which one is at the highest altitude
Eastern ghats rarely exceed 900 mts
above mean sea level?
of height. Yercaud, popularly known
(a) Bangalore (b) Delhi
as ‘poor man’s Ooty’ is located in
(c) Jodhpur (d) Nagpur
the Shevaroy Hills of north central
Ans. (a) CSE 2003
Tamilnadu about 4,500 ft. above sea
Q. Which of the following hills are level.
found where the Eastern Ghats and
the Western Ghats meet? IV The Coastal Plains
(a) Anaimalai Hills The Deccan plateau is flanked by
(b) Cardamom Hills the coastal plains along the western
(c) Nilgiri Hills and eastern side. These coastal
(d) Shevoroy Hills plains are the ‘West Coast Plain’
Ans. (c) CSE 2008 between the Deccan plateau and the
Arabian Sea on the west and the
‘East Coast Plain’ between the
Western Ghats
Deccan plateau and Bay of Bengal
Western ghats run parallel to the in the east. The coastal strip runs
coast from the south of Tapti valley
West Coast Plain
West coast plain is located between
Western Ghats and Arabian Sea.
This coastal plain extends from Rann
of Kutch in the North to
Kanyakumari in the South. The
coastal plain covers the states of
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Karnataka and Kerala. In
Maharashtra and Goa it is referred
to as Konkan Coast; while in
Karnataka as ‘Canara Coast’ and
in Kerala as ‘Malabar Coast’. This
plain is drained by River Narmada,
Sabarmathi and Mahi which flows
into Gulf of Khambhat. The Konkan
has some features of marine erosin
like cliff and reef which in turn forms
natural harbours. The Malabar coast
contains a number of long and
narrow lagoons. ‘Vembanad’ is the
largest lagoon.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
not a lagoon?
(a) Ashtamudi lake (b) Chilka lake
(c) Periyar lake (d) Pulicat lake
Ans. (c) CSE 2002
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
13
The flow of water through
well defined channels is known as
‘drainage’ and the network of such
channels is called a ‘drainage
system’. Drainage system is also
known as Rivers System. The
drainage pattern of an area is the
outcome of the geological time
period, nature and structure of rocks,
topography, slope, amount of water
flowing and the periodicity of the
flow. A river drains the water
collected from a specific area, which
is called its ‘catchment area’. An
area drained by a river and its
tributaries is called a drainage basin.
The catchments of large rivers are
called river basins while those of
small rivulets and rills are called as
watersheds.
Indian drainage system may be
divided on various bases. On the
basis of discharge of water
East Coast Plain
East coast plain lies between the
Eastern ghats and East coast of
India. It extends from West Bengal
to Kanyakumari. The Northern half
of this plain is known as Northern
circars while the Southern half of the
coast is called ‘Coromandal
Coast’. It covers the states of
Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and
Tamilnadu. It is marked by several
lagoons and deltas. The most
prominent are ‘Chilka lake,
Kolleru lake and Pulicat lakes’.
It is a fertile deltaic region formed
by the major peninsular rivers like
Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and
Cauvery.
V. The Islands
Besides the mainland, Indian
Territory also extends into the
Arabian and the Bay of Bengal in
the form of the Lakshadweeps and
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
respectively. The Lakshadweeps are
small Coral Islands. The Andamans
and Nicobars are cluster of Islands
(orientations to the sea), it may be
grouped into: (i) the Arabian Sea
drainage; and (ii) the Bay of Bengal
drainage. They are separated from
each other through the Delhi ridge,
the Aravalis and the Sahyadris.
Nearly 77 per cent of the drainage
area consisting of the Ganga, the
Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the
Krishna, etc. is oriented towards the
Bay of Bengal while 23 per cent
comprising the Indus, the Narmada,
the Tapi, the Mahi and the Periyar
systems discharge their waters in the
Arabian Sea.
THE HIMALAYAN
DRAINAGE
The Himalayan drainage system
mainly includes the Ganga, the Indus
and the Brahmaputra river basins.
The Himalayan drainage consists of
several river systems but the
Prelims Magic 2014
stretches almost in a line. There are
as many as 200 islands in the
Andamans Group extending for 350
kms. There are 19 islands in the
Nicobar group. Some of the islands
are of volcanic origin. ‘Barren
Island’ is an active volcano. This is
the only active volcano of India.
Highest point in Andaman Group is
Saddle Peak (732 m) and it is present
in North Andaman Island.
G
The physical features of India,
though different from each other,
E
they are complementary to one
another. It influences the climatic
conditions and favour man’s varied
O
activities.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
G
Q. Saddle Peak- the highest peak
of Andaman &Nicobar Islands is
located in
R
(a) Great Nicobar
(b) Middle Andaman
(c) Little Andaman
A
(d) North Andaman
Ans. (d) CSE 1996 P
following are the major river
H
systems:
1. The Indus System Y
It covers an area of 11, 65,000 sq.
km (in India it is 321, 289 sq. km)
and a total length of 2,880 km (in
India 1,114 km). The Indus also
known as the Sindhu is the
westernmost of the Himalayan
Rivers in India. It originates from a
glacier near Bokhar Chu (31°15' N
latitude and 81°40' E longitude) in
the Tibetan region at an altitude of
4,164 m in the Kailash Mountain
range. In Tibet, it is known as ‘Singi
Khamban; or Lion’s mouth. After
flowing in the northwest direction
between the Ladakh and Zaskar
ranges, it passes through Ladakh
and Baltistan. It cuts across the
Ladakh range, forming a spectacular
gorge near Gilgit in Jammu and
Kashmir. It enters into Pakistan near
Chillar in the Dardistan region.
Tributaries in the mountains are
315
 Astor, Balram, Gilgit, Kabul, Shyok At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the sea. The place where it takes a
and Zanskar River
The Jhelum, an important tributary
of the Indus, rises from a spring at
Verinag situated at the foot of the
Pir Panjal in the south-eastern part
of the valley of Kashmir. The
Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project
G is located on river Kishanganga, a
tributary of river Jhelum, in
Baramulla district of Jammu and
E Kashmir. The Chenab is the largest
tributary of the Indus. It is formed
by the confluence of the Chandra
O and Bhaga rivers at Tandi located in
the upper Himalayas in the Lahul
the Alaknanda; hereafter, it is known U-turn, is known as Great Bend of
as the Ganga. The Alaknanda has Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra. At
its source in the Satopanth glacier
above Badrinath. The Alaknanda How was this topic asked in the CSE?
consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Q. Consider the following pairs:
Tributary River Main River
Ganga which meet at Joshimath or
Vishnu Prayag. The other tributaries 1. Chambal : Narmada
of Alaknanda such as the Pindar join
it at Karna Prayag while Mandakini
or Kali Ganga meets it at Rudra
2.
3.
Sone
Manas
Which of the
: Yamuna
: Brahmaputra
pairs given above is/
Prayag. The important left bank are correctly matched?
tributaries of Ganga are the (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2 only
Ramganga, the Gomati, the (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 3 only
Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi, and Ans. (d)
the Mahananda. Its right bank Q. The Brahmaputra, Irrawady
CSE 2008

tributaries are the Yamuna and the and Mekong rivers originate in
and Spiti District of Himachal
G Pradesh. The Ravi, The Beas and
The Satluj are other important
Son. The Son originates in Madhya Tibet and flow through harrow and
Pradesh state, just east of the parallel mountain ranges in their
headwaters of the Narmada River,
tributaries of the Indus. Ravi River upper reaches. Of these rivers,
R originates in the Himalayas in the
Chamba district of Himachal
and flows north-northwest through Brahmaputra makes a “U” turn in
Madhya Pradesh state before its course to flow into India. This
turning sharply eastward when it “U” turn is due to’
Pradesh. The Sutlej originates from
A the Rakas Lake, which is connected
to the Manasarovar lake by a stream,
encounters the southwest-northeast- (a) Uplift of folded Himalayan
running Kaimur Range. Yamuna- It series
is the largest tributary of Ganga. It’s (b) Syntaxial bending of geolo-
in Tibet. Its flows in a north-westerly
P direction and enters Himachal
Pradesh at the Shipki Pass, where it
important tributaries are Chambal,
Betwa and Ken.
gically young Himalayas
(c) Geo-tectonic disturbance in the
tertiary folded mountain chains
is joined by the Spiti river. 3. The Brahmaputra System
H (d) Both (a) and (b) above
How was this topic asked in the CSE? The Brahmaputra, one of the largest Ans. (d) CSE 2011
Q. From north towards south, rivers of the world, has its origin in the same place, the river forms the
Y which one of the following is the
correct sequence of the given
the Chemayungdung glacier of the deepest canyon of the world. Only
Kailash range near the Mansarovar in 1998, a 30 meter waterfall was
rivers in India? Lake. From here, it traverses discovered nearby and since then
(a) Shyok - Spiti - Zaskar - Satluj eastward longitudinally for a distance China is planning to build a huge
(b) Shyok - Zaskar - Spiti - Satluj of nearly 1,200 km in a dry and flat hydroelectric dam having an
(c) Zaskar - Shyok - Satluj - Spiti region of southern Tibet, where it is installed capacity of 40,000 MW.
(d) Zaskar - Satluj - Shyok - Spiti known as the Tsangpo, which means
Ans. (b) CSE 2006 ‘the purifier.’ The Rango Tsangpo The river emerges from the foothills
Q . Which one of the following is the major right bank tributary of under the name of Siang or Dihang.
rivers does not originate in India? this river in Tibet. It emerges as a It enters India west of Sadiya town
(a) Beas (b) Chenab turbulent and dynamic river after in Arunachal Pradesh. Flowing
(c) Ravi (d) Sutlej carving out a deep gorge in the southwest, it receives its main left
Ans. (d) CSE 2009 Central Himalayas near Namcha bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or
Barwa (7,755 m). The Brahmaputra Sikang and Lohit; thereafter, it is
2. The Ganga System The Ganga river follows an odd channel to flow known as the Brahmaputra.
is the most important river of India to the sea. It flows towards east for The Brahmaputra receives
both from the point of view of its almost half of its length in numerous tributaries in its 750 km
basin and cultural significance. It mountainous Tibet and then due to long journey through the Assam
rises in the Gangotri glacier near the uplift of folded Himalayan series valley. Its major left bank tributaries
Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the and syntaxial bending of Himalayas are the Burhi Dihing, Dhansari
Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. takes a U-turn to enter plains in (South) and Kalang whereas the
Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi. India. Ultimately, it enters important right bank tributaries are
It cuts through the Central and the Bangladesh towards South and the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and
Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. meets the Ganges before reaching Sankosh.

316 Prelims Magic 2014

THE PENINSULAR RIVERS:
The peninsular rivers fall into two
categories, viz., the coastal rivers
and the inland rivers. The formers
are comparatively small streams.
While only a handful of such rivers
drain into the sea near the deltas of
the east coast, there are as many as
600 on the west coast. The west
coast rivers are of great importance.
Although, only 3 per cent of the areal
extent of the basins of India is
drained by these rivers, as much as
14 percent of the country’s water
resources are contained in them.
Their catchment areas experience
very heavy rainfall.
The main rivers of the Peninsular
Plateau originate from the Western
Ghats and flow in a easterly direction
to join the Bay of Bengal. The
important rivers are the Mahanadi,
the Godavari, the Krishna and the
Cauveri. The Narmada and the Tapi
are two exceptions which flow in rift
valleys in westerly direction to join
Gulf of’ Khambhat.
River flowing in the Bay of
Bengal
Mahanadi: The Mahanadi rises from
Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and
flows through Orissa to the Bay of
Bengal. The drainage basin,
extending over 1,41,600 sq. km. is
shared by Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
Bihar and Maharashtra. The total,
length of the river is 857 kilometre.
The seonath, Hasdo, Mand join the
Mahanadi on the left bank the Jonk.
Ung and Tel join it on the right bank.
The Mahanadi is one of the major
rivers of northern peninsular India
which drains to the Bay of Bengal.
Its total drainage area is 132,100 km2
and the total length is 842 km. The
upper basin is a saucer-shaped
depression, called the Chhatisgarh
and is bound in the north by
Chotanagpur plateau, in the
northwest by the Maikala range and
in the south by the highlands of
Bastar and the Eastern Ghats. The
Mahanadi takes its rise in the Bastar
How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following Q. Which one of the following east
rivers thrice forks into two flowing rivers of India has rift
streams and reunites a few miles valley due to down warping?
farther on, thus forming the (a) Damodar
islands of Srirangapattanam, (b) Mahanadi
Sivasamudram and Srirangam ? (c) Son
(d) Yamuna
(a) Cauvery (b) Tungabhadra
(c) Krishna
Ans. (a)
(d) Godavari
CSE 1995
Ans. (b) CSE 1998 G
Q. Which one of the following
Q. Consider the following rivers:
1. Kishenganga2. Ganga
rivers originates at Amarkantak?
(a) Damodar
E
(b) Mahanadi
3. Wainganga 4. Penganga
The correct sequence of these
rivers when arranged in the north-
(c) Narmada
(d) Tapti
O
Ans. (c) CSE2007
south direction is
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (b) 2, 1, 3, 4
(c) 2, 1, 4, 3 (d) 1, 2, 4, 3
Q. Which one of the following G
statements is not correct?
Ans (b) CSE 1996
Q. Directions: The following
(a) The Western Ghats are
relatively higher in their northern R
region
items consist of two statements,
one labelled as the ‘Assertion
(A)’ and the other as ‘Reason
(b) The Anai Mudi is the highest
peak in the Western Ghats A
(c) The Tapi River lies to the south
(R). You are to examine these two
statements carefully and select
the answers to these items using
of Satpura
(d) The Narmada and the Tapi river P
valleys are said to be old rift valleys
the code given below:
Assertion (A): Ganga Plain is the
most densely populated part of
Ans (a) CSE 2005
Q. Which one of the following
H
India.
Reason (R): Ganga is the most
harnessed river of India.
statements is not true?
(a) Ghaggar’s water is utilised in
the Indira Gandhi Canal
Y
In the context of the above two (b) Narmada rises from
statements, which one of the Amarkantak region
following is correct ? (c) Nizam Sagar is situated on the
(a) Both A and R are true and R Manjra river
is the correct explanation of A (d) Penganga is a tributary of the
(b) Both A and R are true but R Godavari
is not a correct explanation of A Ans.(a) CSE 2000
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true Q. What is the correct sequence
Ans. (c) CSE 2000 of the rivers - Godavari, Mahanadi,
Narmada and Tapi in the
Q. Consider the following descending order of their lengths ?
(a) Godavari - Mahanadi -
statements
Narmada - Tapi
1. There are no east flowing
(b) Godavari - Narmada -
rivers in Kerala
Mahanadi - Tapi
2. There are no west flowing
(c) Narmada - Godavari - Tapi -
rivers in Madhya Pradesh
Mahanadi
Which of the above statements
(d) Narmada - Tapi - Godavari -
is/ are correct?
Mahanadi
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Ans.(b) CSE 2003
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) CSE 2009
Prelims Magic 2014 317
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Directions: The following items
consist of two statements, one
labelled as the’ Assertion (A)’ and
the other as ‘Reason (R). You are to
examine these two statements
carefully and select the answers to
these items using the code given
below:
G Assertion (A): West-flowing Rivers
of Peninsular India have no deltas.
Reason (R): These Rivers do not
E carry any alluvial sediment.
In the context of the above two
statements,
O which one of the following is
correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
G (b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
R (d) A is false but R is true
Ans.(c) CSE 2004
Q. Assertion (A) : River Kalinadi is
A an east-flowing river in the southern
part of India.
Reason (R) : The Deccan Plateau is
P higher along its western edge and
gently slopes towards the Bay of
Bengal in the east.
Which one of the following is
H correct?
a) Both A and R true but R is the
correct explanation of A
Y b) Both A and R are true but R is not
a correct explanation of A
c) A is true but R is false
d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) CSE 2007
Q. Which one of the following
statements is not correct?
(a) Mahanadi River rises in
Chattisgarh
(b) Godavari River rises in
Maharashtra
(c) Cauvery River rises in Andhra
Pradesh
(d) Tapti River rises in Madhya
Pradesh
Ans.(c) CSE 2006
Q. Which of the following pairs are
correctly matched?
Waterfalls River
1. Kapildhara Falls : Godavari
2. Jog Falls : Sharavati
3. Sivasamudram Falls: Cauvery
Select the correct answer using the
code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans.(b) CSE 2008
318 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. At which one of the following
places do two important rivers of
India originate; while one of them
flows towards north and merges
with another important river
flowing towards Bay of Bengal,
the other one flows towards
Arabian Sea?
(a) Amarkantak (b) Badrinath
(c) Mahabaleshwar (d) Nasik
Ans.(a) CSE 2009
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Narmada river flows to the
west, while most other large
peninsular rivers flow to the east.
Why?
1. It occupies a linear rift valley.
2. It flows between the Vindhyas
and the Satpuras.
3. The land slopes to the west from
Central India.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) None
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Narmada and Tapi flow
through rift valleys caused due to
the upheaval of Himalayas. It flows
through the rift valley with the
Satpura in south and Vindhyas in
the north. Narmada is flowing
through the area where the land is
not sloping towards the west from
central India, but it is flowing west
because of the rift valleys only.
hills near a place called Sihawa in
the extreme southwestern part of
Raipur district and takes a
northeasterly course. In the middle
of the Chhattisgarh basin it turn
towards east but below Sambalpur
the river takes a circutous route
around the hills of the Eastern Ghats
and cuts through them below
Dholpur. In this section the valley as
well as the basin narrows down. It
is here that the Mahanadi has
carved out Satkosia gorge through
which it descends down the rapids.
Near Naraj, Mahanadi debonches in
the coastal plains and below Cuttack
it throws off a number of
distributaries which combined make
a sizeable delta.
Geological characteristics of the
Mahanadi basin: The upper
Mahanadi basin comprises of
Cuddapah formations and are
surrounded by gneisses and granites.
The former are compact and
unfossiliferrous shales, grits,
quartzites, slates and limestones.
Since these have not suffered any
serious tectonic disturbance in the
later period neither the signs of
metamorphosis are well-marked nor
are the structural disturbances
common. These formations dip at a
rather gentle angle.
Only on the northern margin i.e.
between the Mahanadi and the
Brahmani lie the coal deposits of the
Gondwana period and on the
western and southwestern margins
are the Dharwar formations which
contain extensive and rich deposits
of iron ore and manganese. It is
these resources which are providing
the basis for industrialisation in the
upper Mahanadi basin.
The Godavari. The Godavari is the
largest of the peninsular rivers. It
rises in the Nasik district of
Maharashtra and joins the Bay of
Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. Its total
length is 1,465 kilometres. The
drainage basin extends over 3,12,812
km. About 50% of its drainage basin
lies in Maharashtra. The remaining
basin of this river is shared by
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa
and Andhra Pradesh. The Godavari
is often referred to as Vridha Ganga
or Dakshina Ganga because of its
large size and extent. Its principal
tributaries include the Pravara,
Purna, Manjra,
Penganga and the Wainganga are
the largest and together account for
1,15, 832 sq. km. of the drainage
basin.
The Krishna. The Krishna rises
from a spring near Mahabaleshwar.
Its total length is 1,400 kilometres.
This is shared by Maharashtra,
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Along with its main tributaries, such
as Koyana, Ghatapritha, Malapratha,
Bhima, Tungabhadra, Musi and the
Muneru, the Krishna drains an area itself in the Arabian Sea below river to Ganga through Son,
of 2,58,948 sq. km. Broach. The drainage basins Chambal via Karma river and to the
extends over 98,796 sq. km. and is Yamuna via Bearma and Ken rivers.
The Cauveri Rising in the Brahmgir
confined mostly to Madhya Pradesh. But these schemes seem too
range of the Western Ghats, the
Only one tenth of the basin area lies ambitious at this stage.
Cauveri flows for 800 kilometres to
in Gujarat. The picturesque gorge of
join the Bay of Bengal near It may be realized that with vast
the Narmada in the marble rocks of
Kaveripatnam. Its drainage area of resources of the Narmada basin for
Madhya Pradesh is quite well
87,900 sq. km. is shared by Kerala, power, irrigation and navigation, a
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The
Cauveri is joined by the
known. Another feature of the
Narmada basin is the lack of
development of the tributary
sound base for economic
development will be created. It will
G
Lakshmanatirtha, Kabini, Suvar- intensify agricultural landuse, would
navati, Bhawani and the Amravati
streams.
on the right bank, and Harangi, According to the conventional
help the exploitation of mineral and
forest resources, and with these and
E
Hemavati, Shimsha and the Arkavati concept the Narmada-Son axis is the agricultural products
on the left bank.
The Cauvery which is the principal
taken as the physical boundary
between northern India and Deccan
development of industries would be
possible, not only in the basin but also
O
Tableland. Narmada takes rise in the in the adjoining areas too.
river flowing through Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu States is held in great
veneration in South India. It is
east central highland which is the
source region or many other rivers
The Tapi. The Tapi, rising in the
Betul district of Madhya Pradesh,
G
like Son, Mahanadi, Wainganga and
designated as the Dakshina Ganga
or the Ganga of the South and local
legend says that even the holy Ganga
Tapi. This highland is marked by its
elevation, hilly nature and high
flows westwards for 724 kilometres
in a trough basins more or less
parallel to the Narmada. It is
R
rainfall. To be precise the source of
resorts underground once a year to
the source of Cauvery to purge
herself from the pollution contracted
the Narmada is in Amarkantak
(1,057 m), one of the highest spots
however, much smaller both in terms
of channel length and the catchment
area. The basin area of the Tapi
A
of Maikala range.
from the crowd of sinners who bathe
in her waters. No other river of Significance of Narmada
equal magnitude has brought such
extends over 65,145 sq, km. in
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and
Gujarat. The Tapi is joined by the
P
untold benefits as the Cauvery to the Narmada is of great significance for
country through which it flows. The navigation since it is one of the twin
industrial and agricultural prosperity rivers of peninsular India flowing
Purna, Veghar, Girna, Bori and the
Panjhra on the left bank by Aner on
the right bank.
H
of States of Karnataka and Tamil towards west. And if made
Nadu is in no small measure due to navigable upto Hoshangabad, cheap
this noble river Cauvery. It is no media of transport may be provided
The Sabarmati and the Mahi. The
north western flank of the plateau is
Y
drained by the Sabarmati and the
wonder the people consider the land upto the heart of the country. Even Mahi. The Sabarmati rises in the
through which it flows as holy without any improvement Narmada Aravali hills and flows south
ground. is navigable in its tidal compartment,
upto Broach (48 km from the mouth) westwards for a distance of 300
The Subarnarekha and the by vessels of 70 to 80 tonnes and kilometres to the Arabian Sea. The
Brahmani. The Subarnarekha and thereafter by small country crafts Sabarmati basin extends over an
the Brahmani, interposed between upto Chandod (about 64 km area of 21,674 sq. km. in Rajasthan
the Ganga and the Mahanadi basins, upstreams). The port of Broach on and Gujarat. The Mahi rises in the
drain an area of 19,300 sq. km and this river handles about 85,000 tons east of Upaipur and drains an area
39,033 sq. km. respectively. The annually. But if the Narmada is of 34, 842 sq. km. lying in Madhya
drainage basins of these streams are developed as a navigable waterway, Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. It
shared by Bihar, Orissa, West landlocked state of Madhya Pradesh flows south westwards for a
Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. The will be opened to sea and that too distance of 533 km. before it falls
Brahmani is known as South Koel towards the west. into the Gulf of Khambhat.
in its upper reaches in Bihar. The Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa,
With the construction of dams and
River flowing in the Arabian the Ken and the Son. These rivers
reservoirs navigation possibilities will
originate from the northern flank of
Sea definitely increase but further
the Peninsular Plateau and join the
improvement will be required in
The Narmada. It rises near sections of steep drop and of silting Ganga river system in the northern
Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, in the Gujarat plain. The Master plain.
flows westwards for a distance of Plan for the Narmada basin has an The Chambal rises near Mhow in
1,300 kilometres to finally empty ambitious scheme to connect the the Vindhya Range and flows

Prelims Magic 2014 319

 towards the north generally in a
gorge upto Kota. Below Kota, it
turns to the north east direction and,
after reaching Pinahat, it turns to the
east and runs nearly parallel to the
Yamuna, before joining it in the
southern part of the Etawah district.
It is 1,050 km. long. The Sind, the
G Betwa and the Ken, flowing towards
the north, have also cut deep gorges
at some places and like the Chambal
E have carved out numerous ravines
in the alluvial plain of the Ganga. The
Son originates from the Amarkantak
(viii) These rivers are although 4. The Peninsular rivers depend
suitable for power generation in their entirely upon rain water and are
upper reaches but have limited use seasonal.
in irrigation and navigation.
5. The Peninsular rivers flow in
Difference between the shallow valleys.
Himalayan and the Peninsular
6. The Peninsular rivers follow more
River Systems:
or less straight course and do not
The Himalayan rivers are quite change their course.
different from the rivers of the
Peninsular India from the point of
7. These rivers are not much suited
view of the drainage features and for irrigation and navigation.
hydrological characteristics. A brief 8. These rivers have been flowing
account of the differences between in one of the oldest plateaus of the

O Plateau. After flowing for some

distance to the north, it meets the
Kaimur Range which turns its course
the Himalayan rivers and the world and have reached maturity.
Peninsular rivers is given below:-
9. These rivers represent conse-
The Himalayan River System quent drainage.
G towards the north east. Almost, all
of its tributaries join it on its right
bank. It merges into the Ganga near
1. Some of the longest rivers belong 10. The Peninsular rivers form
to the Himalayan river system. comparatively small deltas.

R Ramnagar.
Characteristics of Peninsula
2. The catchment areas and basins Narmada and Tapi form estuaries.
of the Himalayan rivers are very Drainaqe of Thar Desert region
large.
A Rivers
3. The Himalayan rivers originate
Numerous rivers traversing the from the snow covered areas and
The greater part of Rajasthan and
Gujarat is dry land which forms a
part of the Thar Desert. Due to dry
Indian Peninsula are older than the receive water from rainfall as well
P Himalayan rivers and embody the from snow melt. Therefore they are
following major characteristics: perennial.
climate and sandy soils hardly any
water is able to reach the sea and
this reqion forms an area of
H (i) The sources of the Peninsular 4. Himalayan rivers are larger in
rivers lie in plateaus and low hills number.
devoid of snow, therefore, most of
internal drainaqe in south-western
part. The only river that rises in this
territory and reaches the sea is the
5. The Himalayan rivers form deep
Y the rivers are seasonal.
(ii) Most of these rivers can be said
gorges.
Luni. It enters Arabian Sea through
the Rann of Kutch.
to have reached a mature state of 6. The Himalayan rivers form river Other Water Bodies
development, presenting a senile meanders and often change their
topography. course. The Pangong Lake & Tso Morari
7. These rivers are useful for in Ladakh, is a fine example of a
(iii) These rivers flow through open mountain lake in the Himalayas.
and graded shallow valleys with low irrigation and navigation.
gradients and little erosion. (iv) The 8. These rivers flow across the Major gulfs include the Gulf of
Peninsular rivers are either young fold mountains and are still in Cambay, Gulf of Kutch and the
superimposed or at places a youthful stage. 9. These rivers Gulf of Mannar.
rejuvenated (represented by small represent antecedent drainage. Straits include the Palk Strait
waterfalls), giving birth to radial,
trellis, or rectangular drainage 10. The Himalayan rivers form big which separates India from Sri
patterns. deltas. The Ganga-Brahmaputra Lanka and the Ten Degree
delta is the largest in the world. Channel, separating the Andamans
(v) These rivers mostly have smaller from the Nicobar Islands and the
courses and small basins. The Peninsular River System Eight Degree Channel separating
1. Peninsular rivers are not as long the Laccadive and Amindivi Islands
(vi) These are devoid of meanders from Minicoy Island towards the
as the Himalayan rivers.
because of hard rock and non- south.
alluvial character of the plateau. (vii) 2. The catchment areas and basins
The impermeable hard rock limits of the Peninsular rivers are of Important capes include the Cape
the ground water recharge in the comparatively smaller size. Comorin, the southern tip of
aquifers of peninsular rivers. mainland India, Indira Point, the
3. Peninsular rivers are smaller in southernmost location of India,
number.

320 Prelims Magic 2014

Adam’s Bridge and Point Calimere. (0.66%) followed by Haryana National Park respectively, though
(0.86%), Delhi(0.93%), Sikkim they are parts of the same forest.
Smaller seas include the Laccadive The Sundarbans are intersected by
(1.05%), Nagaland(1.30%), and
Sea and the Andaman Sea. a complex network of tidal
Meghalaya(1.34%).
There are coral reefs in India and waterways, mudflats and small
Among the protected wetlands are islands of salt-tolerant mangrove
are located in; the Andaman and
the tropical mangrove forests in forests, and presents an excellent
Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar,
peninsular India and the salt mudflats example of ongoing ecological
Lakshadweep and Gulf of Kutch.
in western India. processes.
Important lakes include Chilka lake
in Orissa, the country’s largest salt-
Mangrove forests occur all along the
Indian coastline, in sheltered
The area is known for its wide range
of fauna. The most famous among
G
water lake; Kolleru lake in Andhra
Pradesh; Loktak lake in Manipur,
Dal lake in Kashmir and Sambhar
estuaries, creeks, backwaters, salt
marshes and mud flats. The
mangrove area covers a total of
these is the Bengal Tiger, but
numerous species of birds, spotted
deer, crocodiles and snakes also
E
lake in Rajasthan.
WETLANDS
6,740 km2 which comprises 7% of
the world’s total mangrove cover.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
inhabit it. It is estimated that there
are now 400 Bengal tigers and about
30,000 spotted deer in the area.
O
India’s wetland ecosystem is widely the Sundarbans; Gulf of Kutch;
distributed from the cold and arid; deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari
from ones in the Ladakh region in and Krishna; and parts of
Rann of Kutch
The Rann of Kutch is a marshy
G
the state of Jammu and Kashmir to Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala region located in the Gujarat state
the ones in the wet and humid climate have large mangrove covers.
of peninsula India. Most of the
of India, which borders the Sindh
region of Pakistan. The name Rann
R
wetlands are directly or indirectly Most of the identified wetlands comes from the Hindi word ran
linked to India’s river networks. The adjoin or are parts of sanctuaries,
Indian government has identified a national parks and are thus
meaning “salt marsh.” It occupies a
total area of 27,900 km2.
A
total of 22 wetlands for conservation. protected.
Inland wetlands accounted for
around 69.22 per cent of the total
The Sundarbans
The region was originally a part of
the Arabian Sea. Geologic forces,
most likely by earthquakes, resulted
P
The Sundarbans delta is the largest in the damminq up of the reqion,
area, while Coastal wetlands
account for 27.13 per cent. The
major wetland types in inland
manqrove forest in the world. It lies
at the mouth of the Gangas and is
turning it into a large salt-water
laqoon. This area gradually filled
H
spread across areas of Bangladesh with silt thus turning it into a seasonal
category are river/stream, reservoir,
tank/pond and lake/pond. In coastal
wetland category major types are
and West Bengal, India. The
Bangladeshi and Indian portions of
salt marsh. During the monsoons,
the area turns into a shallow marsh,
Y
the jungle are listed in the UNESCO often flooding to knee-depth height.
inter-tidal mudflat, lagoon, and creek. After the monsoons, the region turns
world heritage list separately as the
Among all the wetland types river/ Sundarbans and Sundarbans dry and becomes parched.
stream is the major type, occupying
5.26 Mha area (34.46%). The How was this topic asked in the CSE LAKES IN INDIA
country has thirty five States/Union Q. With reference to the wetlands The diverse geographical structure
Territories (UTs). of India, consider the following and huge river line forms numerous
statements lakes in the country. Though, some
State-wise distribution of wetlands
1. The country’s total geographical of them are artificial, but they
showed that Lakshadweep has
area under the category of surpass many of natural lakes in
96.12% of geographic area under
wetlands is recorded more in their purity and beauty. In short, the
wetlands followed by Andaman &
Gujarat as compared to other tranquil and pristine lakes of India
Nicobar Islands(18.52%), Daman & conceal a great charm in their tender
States.
Diu(18.46%) and Gujarat(17.56%), arms.
2. In India, the total geographical
have the highest extent of wetlands.
area    of    coastal    wetlands
Pondicherry (12.88%), West Ashtamudi Lake (Astamudi
larger    than    that    of  inland
Bengal(12.48%), Assam(9.74%), Kayal)
wetlands.
Tamil Nadu (6.92%), Goa(5.76%),
Which   of   the   statements given It is a lagoon in the Kollam district
Andhra Pradesh(5.26%), and Uttar
(a)1 only of Kerala. Ashtamudi means ‘eight
Pradesh(5.16%) are wetland rich
(b)  2 only branches’. In fact, this is a lake with
states. The least extents(less than
(c) Both 1 and 2 multiple branches. It has been
1.5 % of the state geographic area)
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 registered as a wetland of
have been observed in Mizoram
Ans (a) CSE 2012

Prelims Magic 2014 321

 international importance under the the lake provides a good opportunity considered a holy lake, both by the
Ramsar Convention. to the tourists for canoeing, water- Buddhists and the Hindus. The lake
surfing and kayaking. Being highly is surrounded by thick forests of
Bhimtal
polluted, the lake is shrinking at a bamboo. The placid waters of the
Situated near the town of Bhimtal in faster pace. The lake has some lake are visited by many pilgrims and
Kumaun Divison of Uttarakhand, it interesting flora like lotus flowers, tourists.
is a fascinating lake with an island water lilies, and water-chestnut.
in the centre. The Bhimtal town, Kolleru Lake
though ancient, was never prominent Dhebar Lake (Jaisamand)
G because of the greater popularity of Situated in the state of Rajasthan,
Nainital. At present, it attracts a about 45 km to the east of Udaipur,
Situated in Andhra Pradesh, it is the
largest fresh water lake of India. It
is located between the deltas of the
E large number of the domestic and it is the largest artificial lake of India.
interna-tional tourists. It stretches over an area of about
Krishna and Godavari rivers in the
Krishna and Godavari districts. The
Bhoj Wetland 87 sq km. It was built in the 17th lake serves as a natural flood-
O century when Rana Jai Singh of
Located in the city of Bhopal (capital Udaipur built a marble dam across
of Madhya Pradesh), it consists of the Gomati River. This lake has
balancing reservoir for the two
rivers. The lake was an important
habitat for an estimated 20 million
G two lakes, namely the Upper Lake three islands; the Jaisamand Resort
and the Lower Lake. Being in the is located on the biggest island.
vicinity of the capital city, it is one of
residents and migratory birds Grey
or Spot-billed pelicans. The lake was
notified as a wildlife sanctuary in
R the highly polluted lakes of India.
Chandra Tal
Himayat Sagar 1999 under India’s Wild Life
Located at a distance of 20 km from Protection Act. It was declared a
the city of Hyderabad, it was named wetland of international importance
A It is a high altitude lake in Lahaul
and Spiti district of Himachal
Pradesh. It is about 4300 m above
after the youngest son of the seventh in 2002 under RAMSAR
Nizam, Himayat Ali Khan. It is an convention.
artificial lake constructed across the
P sea level. The Kunzam Pass, which
connects Lahaul and Spiti, is only
about 6 km from this lake.
Musi river in 1927.
Hussain Sagar
Loktak Lake
It is the largest fresh water lake in
north-east India. It is also called the
H Chembarambakkam Lake
It is located in the Chengalpattu
Hussain Sagar is in the city of only ‘Floating Lake’ in the world due
Hyderabad. It was built across a to the floating Phundis (floating
tributary of the Musi River by islands) on it. It was designated a
Y district of Tamil Nadu, about 40 km
south of Chennai. The Adyar River
originates from this lake. A part of
Hussain Shah Wali in 1562. Its wetland of inter-national importance
water is supplied to the city of under Ramsar Convention in 1990.
Hyderabad. It serves as a source of water for
the water supply of the Chennai
hydro-power  generation,  irrigation
metropolis is drawn from this lake. Kaliveli Lake and drinking. The lake is also a
Chilka Lake (Chilika Lake) It is a coastal lake in the district of source of livelihood for the rural
Situated in the state of Orissa, it is a Viluppuram in Tamil Nadu. It lies fishermen who live in the surrounding
brackish water coastal lake. It is the about 10 km to the north of areas and on Phundis (floating
largest coastal lake in India. The lake Pondicherry. The lake is one of the islands), which are actually
was formed due to the silting action largest wetlands in the peninsular heterogeneous mass of vegetation,
of the Mahanadi River which drains India. It is being encroached by soil and organic matter.
into the northern end of the lake. The agricultural fields. Its area is Nako Lake
area of the lake varies from 1175 sq shrinking fast.
km in the monsoon season to 900 sq Situated in the district of Kinnaur
Khajjiar Lake (Himachal Pradesh), it is a high
km in the dry season.
Located in the Chamba district of altitude lake. This lake is surrounded
Dal Lake
Himachal Pradesh, it is only 24 kms by willow and poplar trees. Near the
Dal is a famous lake in Srinagar. from the important hill station of lake there are four Buddhist temples.
Stretching over an area of 18 sq km, Dalhousie. Surrounded by the giant It is consid-ered a sacred lake.
it is divided by causeways into four deodar trees, it presents a panoramic Osman Sagar
basins; namely, Gagribal, Lokut Dal, view for the tourists.
Bod Dal and Nagin. It is well known It is an artificial lake in Hyderabad.
for  approxi-mately  five  hundred Khecheopalri Lake It was created by damming the Musi
houseboats. Apart from houseboats, It lies in West Sikkim. It is River in 1920 by the last Nizam of

322 Prelims Magic 2014

Hyderabad (Osman Ali Khan) for
providing a drinking water source to
Hyderabad. A guest house called
‘Sagar Mahal’ overlooking the lake,
now a heritage building, was the
summer resort of the erstwhile
Nizam.
pongong Tso
Situated in Ladakh, this lake lies at
a distance of five hours from the city
of Leh. The road traverses the third
highest pass in the world; the
Changla Pass. A special permit is
required to visit the lake. For security
reasons, no boating is allowed. There
is a small hotel and campsite, and
houses with primitive guestrooms in
the village.
Pulicat Lake
It is the second largest brackish
water lake on the Coromandal
Coast. It lies on the border of Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The
barrier island of Sriharikota
separates the lake from the Bay of
Bengal. The lake is 60 km long and
varies 0.5 to 18 km in width. It is the
habitat of numerous local and
migratory birds. Nearly 15,000
flamingos visit the lake every year,
along with pelicans, kingfishers,
herons, painted storks, spoonbills and
ducks.
Pushkar Lake
Situated in the district of Ajmer, it is
an artificial lake. The lake was
created in the 12th century when a
dam was built across the headwaters
of the Luni River. Thousands of
pilgrims come to bathe in the waters
of the lake during the festival of
Kaartika Poornima in November.
Renuka Lake Located below the summit of the
Situated in the Siarmaur District of Baralacha Pass, it is a high altitude
Himachal Pradesh, this lake has lake, 4980 m above sea level. This
been named after the goddess lake is the source of the Bhaga River,
Renuka. A Lion Safari and a zoo are one of the main branches of the
major attractions at Renuka. It is a Chenab River.
site for the annual fair in the month Tawa Reservoir
of November.
Located in Hoshingabad on the
River Narmada (M.P.), it was
Roopkund
Situated in Uttarakhand, it is a lake
around which 600 skeletons were
found at the edge of the lake. The
location is uninhabited and is located
at an altitude of about 5030 m. The
skeletons were discovered in 1942.
Radio-carbon dating suggest that
these people died in an epidemic.
Sambhar Lake
Situated about 70 km to the west of
Jaipur city, it is the largest salt lake
of India. On the eastern end, the lake
is divided by a 5 km long dam made
of stones. To the east of the dam
are salt evaporation ponds where salt
is being produced for more than a
thousand years. The water depth
varies from a few cm during the dry
season to about 3 m after the
monsoon rains. Sambhar has been
designated a Ramsar site
(recognised wetland) of international
importance. Thousands of Siberian
birds reach the lake during the winter
season.
Sasthamkotta Lake
It is a large fresh water lake in
Kerala state. It is located near
Sasthamkotta in Kollam District,
about 30 km from Kollam. It is a
great attraction for the tourists.
Satta or Sat Tal
It is the calm, quiet group of seven
lakes near Bhimtal town of the
Kumaun Division ofUttarakhand.
These lakes are situated at an
altitude of 1370 m above mean sea
level. These lakes are a paradise for
migratory birds.
Suraj Tal
Prelims Magic 2014
created as a result of the Tawa
Dam. It forms the western boundary
of Satpura National Park and Bori
Wild Life Sanctuary.
Tsongmo Lake
Situated in the state of Sikkim, about
40 km away from Gangtok, it is a
glaciated tam lake. It is oval shaped.
Being situated at an altitude of about G
3780 m, it remains frozen during the
winter season. It is a sacred lake for
the Buddhists and the Hindus. E
Veeranam Lake
It is located in Cuddalore District of O
Tamil Nadu. It is located 235 km
from Chennai. It is one of the water
reservoirs from where water is G
supplied to Chennai.
Vembanad Lake (Vembanad
Kayal or Vembanad Kol)
R
Covering an area of about 200 sq
km, it is the largest lake in Kerala.
A
The lake lies at sea level, and is
separated from the Arabian Sea by
a narrow barrier island. Several
P
rivers flow into the lake including the
Pamba and Periyar. The lake
surrounds the islands of Pallipuram
H
and Perumbalam.
Veeranpuzha Lake Y
Located in Cochin, it is the northern
extension of Vembanad Lake. It
attracts a large number of tourists
from different parts of the country
and abroad.
Vembanattu Lake
About 16 km from Kottayam is a
vast network of rivers and canals
forming Vembanattu Lake. An
enchanting picnic spot and a fast
developing back water tourism spot
providing boating, fishing and sight
seeing experiences that are truly
exhilarating. Kumarakom Bird
sanctuary is on the banks of
Vembanattu Lake.
Wular Lake
Situated in the Valley of Kashmir
between Sopore and Bandipore, it
is the largest fresh water lake in
323
 India. The lake was formed as a
result of tectonic activity during the
Pleistocene Period. Depending on
the season, the size of the lake varies
between 30 and 250 kilometres. The
River Jhelum feeds the lake, which
acts as a natural reservoir. The
Tulbul Project is a ‘navigation lock- tributary of the Krishna) in Belgaum tiresome.
G cum-controI structure’ at the mouth
of the Wular lake. It envisages
regulated water release from the
E natural storage in the lake to
maintain a minimum draught of 4.5
feet in the river up to Baramula
O during the lean winter months.
WATERFALLS OF INDIA
G Agaya Gangai Waterfall
Located in the Kolli Hills (Eastern
R Ghats, Tamil Nadu). It provides
serene solitude, and is a great
attraction in the Tamil Nadu tourism.
A The approach is, however, tortuous.
Ayyanar Waterfall
project has been constructed at this Thalaiyar Waterfall (Rat tail)
waterfall. Machhkund is an
important place for pil-gnmage. Also known as Rat-tail, it is located
near Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. With
Gokak Falls (53 m) an elevation of 297 ill, it is the highest
waterfall in Tamil Nadu State. The
They are located in the upper waterfall is, however, not connected
reaches of the Ghataprabha (a by road and the approach is
District of Karnataka. The waterfall
is about six km. away from Gokak, Vattaparai Waterfall
a nearby town. It is a great attraction Located at the Pazhayar River in the
for the domestic and international Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu,
tourists. it is a great attraction for tourists.
The surrounding area is proposed to
Jog Falls (253 m)
be developed into a Wildlife
Located on the Sharavathi River in Sanctuary.
the Shimoga District of Karnataka,
they are the highest untiered
Vazhachal Falls
waterfalls in India.Jog falls is one of Located in the Thrissur District of
the major attractions in Karnataka Kerala, these are one of the best
tourism. It is also called by waterfalls in India. They are a great
alternative names of Gerusoppe attraction for the domestic and
Falls, Gersoppa Falls andJogada international tourists.
Gundi.
Kiliyur Falls
Some of the other important
Waterfalls in India

P It is situated in the Virudhunagar

District of Tamil Nadu in the
Western Ghats. It gets water mainly
Kiliyur are the waterfalls in the
Chhattisgarh
Servarayan Hill of Eastern Ghats Teerathgarh.
(Tamil Nadu). Having an eleva-tion Madhya Pradesh
H during the winter monsoon rain. The
water from the falls is mainly used
for drinking purposes by the people
of about 100 m, it is a great attraction
in the tourism of Tamil Nadu. Dhunwadhar (Narmada River,
nearJabalpur).
Y of Rajapalayam. It is a famous tourist
spot for the people of neighbouring
districts.
Lodh Waterfalls (also known
as Buddha Ghagh Falls)
Himachal Pradesh
Bundla and Palani falls.
The Lodh Waterfalls are located on
Barakana Falls the Budh River about 40 km from Iharkhand
Situated in the Shimoga District of Ranchi). The falls, named Gautam Ghaghri, Hundru and Johna falls.
Karnataka, they are one of the Budha, also have a Buddha Temple Karnataka
highest  water  falls of  the  coun-try. there. Abbey Falls, Arisina Gundi Falls,
Currently, Barkamna Falls are the Shivasamudram Falls Hebbe Falls, lrupu Falls, Kalhatti
prime source of one of the hydro- Falls, Keppa Falls, Koosalli Falls,
electric projects of Kamataka. Shivasamudram Falls formerly
Kudumari Falls Kunchikal Falls,
known as the Cauvery Falls are the
Dudhsagar (Goa) Magod Falls, Mekedaatu Falls,
second highest waterfall in India. It Muthyala Falls, Sathodi Falls, Simsa
Dudhsagar (The Sea of Milk) is a is located 80 km from Mysore and Falls, Chunchi Falls, Unchalli Falls.
tiered water fall located in the upper 120 km from Bangalore. It is a major
reaches of Mandovi River in the attraction in Karnataka tourism.
Kerala
state of Goa. It is a great attraction Siruvani Waterfall Athirappilly Falls, Meenmutty Falls,
for the national and international Palaruvi Falls, SoochiPara Falls,
tourists. It is situated at the Siruvani River at Thusharagiri Falls.
a distance of about 40 km from
Duduma Waterfall (158 m) Maharashtra
Coimbatore in the Western Ghats.
Situated about 92 km from Koraput, It is one of the main water sources Chchai Falls, Gatha Falls, Keoti Falls,
it lies on the Machhkund River in of Coimbatore city. The panoramic Rajat Pratap Falls (M.P.), Kune
Orissa.  A  large  hydro-electric view of the dam and the falls is Falls, Marleshwar Falls, Pandavgat
enchanting. Fall.

324 Prelims Magic 2014

Meghalaya
Beodon Falls, Bishopftlls, Elephant
Falls (Shillong Peak), Kynrem Falls
(308 m), Langshiang Falls (341mI),
Margaret Falls, Nohkalikai Falls (338
m), Spread Eagle Falls, Sweet Falls
(97 m).
Mizoram
Vantawng Falls.
Orissa
Joranda Falls (151 m), Khandadhar
Falls near Buguda (246 m)
Tamil Nadu
Aintharuvi (fivefalls), Beman Falls
(Palani Hills), Bear Shola Falls
(Kotagiri), Chitraruvi Falls (Small
falis), Courtallam Falls, Elk Falls (in
Palni Hills National Park),
Fairy Falls (5 km from Kodaikanal),
Glen Falls in Palani Hills National
Park), Hogenakal Falls (20 m).
Kalikesam Falls (in Kanyakumari
District), Koraiyar Falls (in
Panchaimalai near Arumbavur),
Kovai
Kutralam Falls (at Siruvani 37 km
from Coimbatore), Kumbakkarai
Falls (in the foothills 8 km from
Periyakulam), Kuthiraiyar Falls (167
m).
Mangalam Aruvi Falls (in
Pachaimalai), Mayil Utha Falls,
Monkey Falls (near Coimbatore),
Mutyalamaduvu Waterfalls, Neptune
Falls (in Palani National Park).
Palaruvi Waterfalls, Pambar Falls (4
km from Kodaikanal), Pazhathotta
Aruvi Falls (Fruit Garden ‘ails or
Orchid Falls), Pazhaya Courtallam
Falls (Old Falls), Peraruvi Waterfalls
(Main Falls), Periyar Falls, Pudur
Megan Falls, Puli Aruvi (Tiger Falls),
Puthu Aruvi (New Falls- Milk Falls),
Pyakara Falls(Niilgiri).
Sengupathi Falls, Shenbaga Devi
Falls, Thenaruvi Falls (Honey Falls),
Shimsha Falls, Silver Cascade (8 km
from Kodaikanal), Skamba
Waterfalls (8 km from Kodaikanal),
Snake Falls (in Palani Hills
Nationalpark), Suruli waterfalls (123
km from Madurai).
Thakkam T7wotam Falls (near
Palani), Tirparappu Waterfalls (in
Kanyakumari District), Thiru-
moorthy Fails (about 20 km from
Udumalpet), Thoovannam Falls or
Dhuvanam Falls (near Amara-
vathinagar).
Vaideki Falls (about 30 km from
Coimbatore).
NATIONAL WATER
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
India has substantial water
resources potential, but the
availability of water in various parts
of the country is highly uneven. This
is because of the seasonal and
regional distribution of rainfall. Most
of the rain occurs during the summer
monsoon months. The rainfall during
the remaining part of the year is very
insignificant. Large areas in western,
central and southern parts of India
receive very low rainfall while the
northern and eastern regions receive
very high monsoon rains. In view of
uneven distribution of rainfall over
space and time, some parts of the
country suffer from fury of
recurring floods whereas some
others from the distress of chronic
droughts year after year. The
occurrence of recurring droughts
and floods in different parts of the
country not only resulted in immense
loss of life and money. This also led
to the concept of why not to store
floodwaters and transfer them to the
drought hit needy areas. The
concepts of “Garland Canal” and
“Ganga - Cauvery Link”, when
enunciated, were found to be too
expensive for a resource-strapped
India. This further led to an
alternative “National Perspective
Plan”(NPP), prepared jointly by
Ministry of Water Resources and
Central Water Commission, which
envisaged transfer of water from
surplus areas to deficit areas after
carrying out scientific studies and
investigations. The National Water
Development Agency (NWDA)
came into existence in July, 1982, to
give concrete shape to the proposals
of NPP.
Prelims Magic 2014
The primary task entrusted to
NWDA was:-
To promote scientific development
for optimum utilisation of water
resources in the country.
To carry out detailed surveys and
investigations of possible reservoir
sites and inter-connecting links in
order to establish feasibility of the
proposals of Peninsular Rivers
G
Development and Himalayan Rivers
Development Components forming
part of National Perspective for
E
Water Resources Development
prepared by the then Ministry of
Irrigation (now Ministry of Water
O
Resources) and Central Water
Commission.
To carry out detailed studies about
G
quantum of water in various
Peninsular River Systems and
Himalayan River Systems which can
R
be transferred to other basins /
States after meeting reasonable
needs of basin / States in the
A
foreseeable future.
·To prepare feasibility reports of
various components of the scheme
P
relating to Peninsular Rivers
Development and Himalayan Rivers
Development.
H
To prepare detailed project reports
of river link proposals under National Y
Perspective Plan for water
resources development after
concurrence of the concerned
States.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Rivers that pass through
Himachal Pradesh are
(a) Beas and Chenab only
(b) Beas and Ravi only
(c) Chenab, Ravi and satluj only
(d) Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Satluj and
Yamuna
Ans (d) CSE 2010
Q. Which one of the following
pairs is NOT correctly matched?
Dam/lake River
(a) Govind Sagar : Saltuj
(b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna
(c) Ukai Reservior : Tapi
(d) Wular Lake : Jehlum
Ans (b) CSE 2010
325
 To prepare pre–feasibility / feasibility Society may consider necessary,
reports of the intra – state links as incidental, supplementary or
may be proposed by the States.
To do all such other things the
14 Climate
G The climate of India defies  easy
generalisation, comprising a wide
E range of weather conditions across
a large geographic scale and varied
topography.India’s unique geography
O and geology strongly  influence  its
climate. The  mighty  Himalayas  in
the North the Thar Desert in the
G northwest and the Oceans on the
south play a vital role in influencing
the climate of India. The Himalayas
R prevent the cold polar winds blowing
from central Asia in the north during
winter. They obstruct the moisture
A bearing monsoon winds blowing
from the south during summer and
cause heavy rainfall to India. Here
P the Himalayas act not only as a
physical barrier but also a climatic
barrier. The triangular shape of India
H is responsible for diversion of
monsoon winds and causes
orographic rainfall over the entire
Y coastal area. Western Ghats and
Shillong plateau act as barriers here.
The coastal areas enjoy ‘equable
climate’ because of the moderating
influence of the sea breeze. Chennai
is an example for experiencing this
climate. The range of temperature
is not high in these areas, where as
the interior of the plateau and the
northern plains have a ‘continental
climate’ because their location is far
away from the influence of the seas.
Continental climate is characterised
by extreme conditions of very hot
summer and very cold winter for
example, Delhi experiences
continental climate.
The pressure belts and the wind
systems follow the apparent
movement of the sun. During
summer, the sun shines vertically
overhead in the Northern
Hemisphere. So, a low pressure
trough develops over the interior of
326 Prelims Magic 2014
conducive to the attainment of
above objectives.
 
the land mass and high pressure
crest forms in the Ocean. Winds
normally blow from high pressure to
low pressure trough. The velocity of
winds depends upon the pressure
gradient. The South East trade winds
originate in the ocean and blow over
hot land during summer. The
conditions are reversed during
winter.
In the upper layers of the
troposphere, there are strong
westerly winds concentrated in a
relatively narrow and shallow
stream known as ‘Jet streams’.
They are positioned in the
Troposphere. They blow from west
to east. Due to the obstruction
caused by the mighty Himalayas a
branch of these winds descends over
north western parts of India in winter
like jet streams. It plays an important
role in bringing the westerly winds
to India and causes rainfall in North
West India. Though the above
factors influence the climate of India
the unifying factors remains to be
the “monsoon winds”. The general
climate of India is described as
Tropical monsoon type. The word,
monsoon is derived from the Arabic
word “Mausim” meaning reversal of
winds.
TRADITIONAL INDIAN
SEASONS
In the Indian tradition, a year is
divided into six two-monthly
seasons. This cycle of seasons,
which the common people in north
and central India follow is based on
their practical experience and age-
old perception of weather
phenomena. However, this system
does not match with the seasons of
south India where there is little
variation in the seasons.
Seasons > Months >
Months
Vasanta Chaitra-Vaisakha
Mar-April
Grishma Jyaistha-Asadha
May-June
Varsha
July-Aug
Sravana-Bhadra
Sharada Asvina-Kartika
Sept-Oct
Hemanta Margashirsa-
Pausa Nov-Dec
Shishira Magha-Phalguna
Jan-Feb
Seasons
On the basis of the monsoon
variations, the meteorologists
recognize the four distinct seasons
in India such as:
1. Winter (December to February)
2. Summer (March to May)
3. SouthWestMonsoon.(June to
September)
4. North East Monsoon (October to
Nov)
Winter
(December to February)
During winter, the sun is overhead
in the Tropic of Capricorn. The land
mass becomes cold in North India
where the day mean temperature
remains below 21oC and the night
temperature is about 22 o C. No
obvious difference is found in the
temperature during day and night. In
the meantime high pressure
develops in the northwestern part of
India because of prevalence of low-
temperature. In contrast to this, a
low pressure area forms in the South
India, that is both in the Arabian Sea
and the Bay of Bengal.
Consequently the winds blow from
the high pressure area towards
South India. These winds are called
the ‘Retreating monsoon winds’
which blow from land to sea and do
not cause much rainfall. But these
winds absorb some moisture while
crossing the Bay of Bengal and gives
winter rainfall to Tamil Nadu and
South Andhra Pradesh. During this
period, a low pressure depression
originates over the Mediterranean
Sea and travel eastwards across
Iran and Pakistan and reach India.
These low pressure depressions are
called ‘Western disturbances’.
The Jet stream plays a dominant role
in bringing these disturbances to
India. These disturbances cause
rainfall in Punjab, Haryana and
Himachal Pradesh and snowfall in
the hills of Jammu and Kashmir. This
rainfall is very useful for the
cultivation of wheat.
Summer (March to May)
The summer season starts in March
and continues up to May. During this
season the sun’s rays are vertical
over the Tropic of Cancer. Therefore
the temperature is very high in the
northern parts of the India. At some
places in northwest India the day
temperature may be as high as 45oC
to 47oC. Low pressure conditions
prevail over northern part of India
because of this high temperature.
Strong hot winds blow during
daytime over northern and
northwest parts of India which is
called as ‘Loo winds’. Contrary to
this the Southern parts of India has
moderate weather conditions
because it lies nearer to sea. The
mean maximum temperature here
varies from 26o C to 30o C. High
pressure develops here due to low
temperature. Because of the
atmospheric pressure conditions, the
winds blow from south west to north
east direction in Arabian Sea and
Bay of Bengal. They bring pre
monsoon showers to the west
coastal areas during May. There are
a few thunder showers called
‘Mango showers’ which helps in
quick ripening of mangoes along the
coast of Kerala and Karnataka.
North Eastern part of India also
experiences local storms called ‘Nor
Westers’. These thunder storms
are also called as Kalbaisakhi
(Calamity of the month of Baisakh)
in Punjab.
South West Monsoon (June to
September)
After the summer season, rainy
season starts with the onset of the
south west monsoon. The high
temperature gives rise to low
pressure and by the end of May a
large area of low pressure is formed
over the North West part of the
country. At the same time, the
oceans become cool and a high
pressure area develops over the
oceans. Winds always blow from
high pressure to low pressure. These
winds are called the South East
Trade winds. When they cross the
equator, they get deflected and blow
as South West Monsoon. These
South West Monsoon winds are
moisture laden winds because it
originates from Indian ocean.When
it approaches the Southern part of
Kerala it rains with violent
thunderstorms indicating the onset
of the monsoon. The occurrence of
heavy rainfall all of a sudden with
violent thunder and lightning is often
termed as the ‘monsoon burst’.
The South West Monsoon is
normally divided into two branches
because of the peninsular shape of
the country. They are Arabian sea
branch and Bay of Bengal branch.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. High temperature and low
pressure over the Indian Sub-
Continent during the summer
season draws air from the Indian
Ocean leading to the in-blowing of
the
(a) Southeast Monsoon
(b) Southwest Monsoon
(c) Trade winds
(d) Westerlies
Ans. (b) CSE 2005
1. Arabian Sea Branch
The Arabian sea branch of monsoon
wind is more powerful and brings
heavier rainfall. Blowing from the
Arabian Sea it first strikes against
the Western Ghats. This moisture
laden wind is forced to ascend the
slopes, condenses and gives heavy
rainfall to western coastal regions.
Prelims Magic 2014
After crossing the Western Ghats it
looses much of its moisture and gives
very little rainfall to the eastern
slopes which lies in the rain shadow
region. Mumbai gets a heavy rainfall
of over 150 cms as it lies on the
windward side of Western Ghats
while Pune gets less than 50 cms of
rainfall as it lies on the leeward side
(rainshadow) of the Western Ghats.
The second branch of this wind blow
G
through the Vindhya – Satpura
ranges and strikes against the
Rajmahal hills and causes heavy
E
rainfall in the Chotanagpur Plateau
region. Another branch of this wind
moves towards Rajasthan here the
O
Aravalli Mountains stand parallel to
the direction of this wind. Hence it
is not able to strike against the
G
mountains and does not give any rain
to Rajasthan. This is the reason why
a part of Western Rajasthan remains
R
to be a desert. This wind then
reaches Himachal Pradesh and
combines with the Bay of Bengal
A
branch. It get obstructed by the
Shiwalik hills and gives a good
rainfall to the foot hills of this region.
P
2. Bay of Bengal Branch
This branch of monsoon, blowing
H
from the Bay of Bengal is ‘moisture
bearing winds’. It strikes against the
Kasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills. This
Y
moisture laden wind takes a sudden
rise over the funnel shaped hills and
causes heavy rainfall in Cherrapunji,
(Mousinram) which receives the
highest rainfall in India. A part of this
branch is deflected by the
Himalayas and move towards the
west giving rain to the Ganga plains.
As it moves further westwards, it
loses its moisture content and gives
scanty rainfall to Punjab and
Haryana. Finally these winds meet
the Arabian Sea branch of monsoon
winds at the foot hills of the
Himalayas and gives heavy rainfall
along the Siwaliks. Tamil Nadu
remains dry during this period
because it lies in the rain shadow
area of the Arabian Sea branch and
lies parallel to the Bay of Bengal
branch.
327
 North East Monsoon (October Ghats, the southern slopes of Khasi There are different schemes of
to November) and Jaintia hills, Assam and West classification of climate. Major
Bengal. They receive more than 200 climatic types of India based on
The SouthWest Monsoon begins to cm of rainfall. Koeppen’s scheme have been
retreat from the Northern India by described below: Koeppen based his
second week of September because Regions of heavy rainfall include scheme of Climatic classification on
of the apparent movement of the sun the middle Ganga Valley, the Western
monthly values of temperature and
towards tropic of Capricorn. The Ghats, eastern Maharashtra,
precipitation. He identified five major
land mass of India starts losing heat Madhya Pradesh and Odisha which
G and there is fall in the temperature. receive 100 to 200 cm of rainfall.
But the sea is still in warm condition.
climatic types, namely: (i) Tropical
climates, where mean monthly
High pressure develops over the Regions of Moderate rainfall temperature throughout the year is
E land and low pressure over the sea. include the upper Ganga Valley,
Therefore wind blows from high Eastern Rajasthan and Punjab,
over 18°C.
(ii) Dry climates, where precipitation
pressure to low pressure that is from Southern plateaus of Karnataka. is very low in comparison to
O land to sea. It is cold dry wind and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
gives no rainfall to land mass. But, which get 50 to100 cm of rainfall.
temperature, and hence, dry. If
dryness is less, it is semiarid (S); if it
when it crosses the Bay of Bengal, Regions of scanty rainfall include is more, the climate is arid (W).
G absorbs moisture and gives heavy Northern part of Kashmir, Western
rain to the Coromandal coast. So Rajasthan and Punjab and Deccan (iii) Warm temperate climates,
where mean temperature of the
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu get Plateau which receive less than 50
R good rainfall during winter. There are cm of rainfall.
frequent cyclones formed in the Bay
of Bengal and they cause damage The average rainfall in India is about
coldest month is between 18°C and
minus 3°C.
(iv) Cool temperate climates, where
A to life and property along the 125 cm. In India, 85% of the rain is
Coromandal coast. received from the Southwest
Monsoon. But the monsoon winds
mean temperature of the warmest
month is over 10°C, and mean
Distribution of Rainfall temperature of the coldest month is
P are highly erratic and the rainfall is
The amount of rainfall varies from also not uniform. Though rainfall is
place to place and from season to not uniform in India, it is a unifying
under minus 3°C.
(v) Ice climates, where mean

H season in our country. Based on the factor in the agricultural and other
amount of rainfall our country can activities of the people of India. All
be divided into following rainfall our activities revolve round the
temperature of the warmest month
is less than 10°C.

Y regions. monsoons. Hence monsoons play a

Regions of very heavy rainfall dominant role in the life and economy
include west coastal plains and of the people of India.
western slopes of the Western
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.The average annual temperature
of a meteorological station is 26°C,
its average annual rainfall is 63 cm
and the annual range of
temperature is 9° C. The station in
question is
(a) Allahabad (b) Chennai
(c) Cherrapunji (d) Kolkata
Ans (a) CSE 2002
Q Which one of the following is the
correct sequence of the given
Indian cities in the decreasing order
of their normal annual rainfall?
(a) Kochi - Kolkata -Delhi - Patna
(b) Kolkata - Kochi -Patna - Delhi
(c) Kochi - Kolkata -Patna - Delhi
(d) Kolkata - Kochi -Delhi - Patna
Ans (c) CSE 2005
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
Climatic Regions of India
codes given below the lists:
The whole of India has a monsoon List I (Climatic conditions)
type of climate. But the combination A. Madras is warmer than
of elements of the weather,
Calcutta
however, reveals many regional B. Snowfall in Himalayas
variations. These variations
C. Rainfall decreases
represent the subtypes of the D. Sutlej-Ganga Plain gets some
monsoon climate. It is on this basis
List II (Reasons)
that the climatic regions can be 1. North-East Monsoon
identified. A climatic region has a
2. Altitude
homogeneous climatic condition 3. Western depressions from West
which is the result of a combination
Bengal to Punjab
of factors. The January isotherm of 4. Distance from sea rain in winter
12°C is taken as a basis for dividing
5. Latitude
India into tropical and sub-tropical A B C D
zones. Temperature and rainfall are
(a) 1 2 4 5
two important elements which are (b) 4 5 1 3
considered to be decisive in all the
(c) 5 2 4 3
schemes of climatic classification. (d) 5 1 3 4
The classification of climate,
Ans (c) CSE 1997
however, is a complex exercise.

328 Prelims Magic 2014


15 Soils
Soil is the mixture of rock debris and
organic materials which develop on
the earth’s surface. The major
factors affecting the formation of
soil are relief, parent material,
climate, vegetation and other life-
forms and time. Besides these,
human activities also influence it to
a large extent. Components of the
soil are mineral particles, humus,
water and air. India has varied relief
features, landforms, climatic realms
and vegetation types. These have
contributed in the development of
various types of soils in India. On
the basis of genesis, colour,
composition and location, the soils
of India have been classified into
eight types.
1. Alluvial Soils
Widespread in the northern plains
and the river valleys, these soils
cover about 40 per cent of the total
area of the country. They are
depositional soils, transported and
deposited by rivers and streams.
They vary in nature from sandy
loam to clay. They are generally rich
in potash but poor in phosphorous.
In the Upper and Middle Ganga
plain, two different types of alluvial
soils have developed, viz. Khadar
and Bhangar. Khadar is the new
alluvium and is deposited by floods
annually, which enriches the soil by
depositing fine silts. Bhangar
represents a system of older
alluvium, deposited away from the
flood plains. Both the Khadar and
Bhangar soils contain calcareous
concretions (Kankars). The colour
of the alluvial soils varies from the
light grey to ash grey. Alluvial soils
are intensively cultivated.
2. Black Soil
Black soil covers most of the
Deccan Plateau which includes
parts of Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh
and some parts of Tamil Nadu. In
the upper reaches of the Godavari
and the Krishna, and the north
western part of the Deccan Plateau,
the black soil is very deep. These
soils are also known as the ‘Regur
Soil’ or the ‘Black Cotton Soil’. They
swell and become sticky when wet
and shrink when dried. So, during the
dry season, these soils develop wide
cracks. The colour of the soil ranges
from deep black to grey.
3. Red and Yellow Soil: It
develops on crystalline igneous rocks
in areas of low rainfall in the eastern
and southern part of the Deccan
Plateau. Along the piedmont zone of
the Western Ghats, long stretch of
area is occupied by red loamy soil.
Yellow and red soils are also found
in parts of Odisha and Chattisgarh
and in the southern parts of the
middle Ganga plain. The soil
develops a reddish colour due to a
wide diffusion of iron in crystalline
and metamorphic rocks. It looks
yellow when it occurs in a hydrated
form. The fine-grained red and
yellow soils are normally fertile,
whereas coarse-grained soils found
in dry upland areas are poor in
fertility. They are generally poor in
nitrogen, phosphorous and humus.
4. Laterite Soil
It develops in areas with high
temperature and high rainfall. These
are the result of intense leaching due
to tropical rains. With rain, lime and
silica are leached away, and soils rich
in iron oxide and aluminium
compound are left behind. Humus
content of the soil is removed fast
by bacteria that thrive well in high
temperature. These soils are poor in
organic matter, nitrogen, phosphate
and calcium, while iron oxide and
potash are in excess. Hence, laterites
are not suitable for cultivation;
however, application of manures and
fertilizers are required for making the
soils fertile for cultivation.
Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following
statements regarding laterite
soils of India are correct?
1. They are generally red in
colour. 
2. They are rich in nitrogen and
potash. 
3. They are well-developed in
Rajasthan and UP.
G
4. Tapioca and cashew nuts grow
well on these soils.
Select the correct answer using the
E
codes given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 3 only
O
Ans: C (CSE 2013)
Expl: Laterite soils are rich in iron
and aluminum but poor in nitrogen,
G
potash, potassium, lime and
organic matter. Laterite soil
commonly found in areas of high
R
altitude and heavy rainfall in
Karnataka, TN, MP, Bihar, Odisha,
Assam and Meghalaya.
A
more suitable for tree crops like
cashewnut. Laterite soils are widely
cut as bricks for use in house
P
construction. These soils have
mainly developed in the higher areas
of the peninsular plateau. The
H
laterite soils are commonly found in
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Madhya Pradesh and the hilly areas
Y
of Odisha and Assam.
5. Arid Soils
Arid soils range from red to brown
in colour. They are generally sandy
in structure and saline in nature. In
some areas, the salt content is so high
that common salt is obtained by
evaporating the saline water. Due to
the dry climate, high temperature and
accelerated evaporation, they lack
moisture and humus.Nitrogen is
insufficient and the phosphate
content is normal.
6. Saline Soils
They are also known as Usara soils.
Saline soils contain a larger
proportion of sodium, potassium and
magnesium, and thus, they are
infertile, and do not support any
vegetative growth. They have more
329
 salts, largely because of dry climate
and poor drainage. They occur in arid
and semi-arid regions, and in
waterlogged and swampy areas.
Saline soils are more widespread in
western Gujarat, deltas of the
eastern coast and in Sunderban
areas of West Bengal.
G 7. Peaty Soils
Found in the areas of heavy rainfall
E and high humidity, where there is a
good growth of vegetation. It occurs
widely in the northern part of Bihar,
O southern part of Uttarakhand and the
coastal areas of West Bengal,
Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
G 8. Forest Soils
Forest soils are formed in the forest
R areas where sufficient rainfall is
available. The soils vary in structure
and texture depending on the
A mountain environment where they
are formed. They are loamy and silty
on valley sides and coarse-grained
P in the upper slopes. In the snow-
bound areas of the Himalayas, they
experience denudation, and are
H acidic with low humus content. The
soils found in the lower valleys are
fertile.
Y SOIL EROSION &
CONSERVATION
The natural wearing away of land
surface by running water, winds,
waves etc. is a normal geological
process and is called Soil Removal.
This actually is soil erosion in a
natural environment undisturbed by
human activities. Normal erosion i.e.
soil removal helps soil formation and
its distribution through transportation
and deposition.
Wind and Water have been the most
active agents of soil erosion. Wind
erosion is soil-blowing while Water
erosion is soil-washing in nature.
Sheet Erosion is a uniform removal
of the topsoil layer over the entire
segment of the sloping area. In Rill-
Erosion, the run off tends to
concentrate within small but well-
defined streams of water in shape
330 Prelims Magic 2014
of tree-branches. This if not cubed
(by smoothening out the rills)
ultimately leads to Gully Erosion
leading to formation of deep ravines.
If the water flowing down the slopes
in streams is allowed to continue like
that, its velocity scoops out soils from
these streams forming gullies which
tend to spread and multiply over time
turning entire land, into ravines or
badland topography. The Chambal
ravines are a classical example of
this kind of uncontrolled erosion and
its socio-economic implications. In
India, there is very little area free
from the hazard of soil erosion. It is
estimated that out of 305.9 million
hectares of reported area, 145 million
hectares is in need of conservation
measures.
Causes of Soil Erosion
 Deforestation (felling and
clearing of forests)
 Overgrazing of pastures
 Shifting cultivation (makes
vegetation sparse)
 Faulty methods of cultivation i.e.
crops that need more moisture, in
arid areas would result into turning
the soil drier and less cohesive,
making it more susceptible for wind
erosion (will get swept away easily).
 Diversion of natural drainage
course by road or railway
embankment.
Effects of Soil Erosion
Reduction of Soil Fertility and in turn
productivity
• Heavy floods in rivers
• Lowering down of the sub soil
water level
• Accelerates aridity
• Lowers water tables
• Diminishes rainfall
• Silting of streams and water
courses
• Soil conservation measures
• Afforestation
• Erecting Dams and Barriers
• Over-grazing management
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Contour bunding is a method
of soil conservation used in
(a) desert margins, liable to strong
wind action
(b) low flat plains, close to stream
courses, liable to flooding
(c) scrublands, liable to spread of
weed growth
(d) None of the above
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: Contour Bunding is
associated with terracing, to check
the flow of water on a hill slope in
order to reduce soil erosion.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Assertion (A): The percentage of
net sown area in the total area of
Andhra Pradesh is less as
compared to that of West Bengal.
Reason (R): The soil of most of the
Andhra Pradesh is laterite.
In the context of above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct ?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
NOT the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans.(c) CSE 2006
Explanation:
Red Soils occupy over 66% of the
cultivated area in Andhra Pradesh
followed by Black Soils (25%),
alluvial loamy soils (5%), coastal
sands (3%) and laterite soils (1%).
The Percentage of Net sown area
in the total area of Andhra Pradesh
(38.94%) is less than West Bengal
(62.2%).
How was this topic asked in the CSE
When you travel in certain parts of
India, you will notice red soil. What
is the main reason for this colour?
(a) Abundance of magnesium
(b) Accumulated humus
(c) Presence of ferric oxides
(d) Abundance of phosphates
Ans (c) CSE 2010
Changes in Agricultural How was this topic asked in the CSE 4 types depending on the degree of
Practices With reference to soil conserva- wetness in the area and the
tions, consider the following dominant life form in the forest.
(a) Crop Rotation. practices: (1) Tropical moist evergreen
(b) Strip Cropping. 1. Crop rotation forests
2. Sand fences
(c) Seasonal Cover Cropping and 3. Terracing These are climatic climax forests
Green Manuring. 4. Wind breaks found commonly in areas having
Mechanical methods of soil
conservation (bold)
Which of the above are considered
appropriate methods for soil
annual rainfall above 250 cm and
temperature 25-30oC. These forests
are chiefly distributed on the western
G
conservation in India?
(a) Terrace cultivation and contour
farming
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
face of Western Ghats, Assam,
Cachar, parts of West Bengal, E
(b) Rill and Gully plugging and land (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
levelling - to reduce the velocity of
run off.
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans (d) CSE 2010
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The minimum land area
O
recommended for forest cover to
Thus, essentially the chief objectives
of soil conservation measures are:
infiltration in the soil;
3) decreasing the volume and
maintain proper ecological
balance in India is
G
1) protecting the earth’s surface velocity of the run off; (a) 25 % (b) 33%
from direct impact of rain drop;
2) increasing the rainwater
4) making the soil more erosion
resistant.
(c) 43 % (d) 53%
Ans. (b) CSE 1999
R
16 Natural Vegetation
Q. Open stunted forests with
bushes and small trees having
long roots and sharp thorns or
A
India is situated at tropical latitudes Type Area % of the
spines are commonly found in
(a) Eastern Orissa
(b) North-Eastern Tamil Nadu
P
and has diverse temperature and (000 sq. km) Geographical
rainfall regimes. The overall climate
of India is suitable for the growth of
forests. The climax formations of
Total Forest Cover 678.33 20.64
Area
(c) Siwaliks and Terai region
(d) Western Andhra Pradesh
Ans. (d) CSE 2002
H
Dense forests 51.29 1.58
Indian subcontinent have been
altered much due to human activities
in the last few thousand years.
Moderately
dense forests 339.28 10.32
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Y
Open forests 287.67 8.76 1. The forest cover in India
However, the remaining vegetation
shows that the natural vegetation of Total Tree cover 81.47 2.48 constitutes around 20% of its
India primarily consists of forests. Forest and Tree geographical area. Out of the total
The grasslands found in the region cover 757.01 23.03 forest cover, dense forest
are not natural plant formations but constitutes around 40%.
of Indian forests is by Champion 2. The National Forestry Action
have originated secondarily due to and Seth (1967) in which 16 major
destruction of natural forests in some Programme aims at bringing one-
types of forests have been third of the area of India under
places. Therefore, these represent
recognized. These 16 major types tree/forest cover.
various stages of seral
(successional) development due to can be grouped into 5 major Which of the statements given
the influence of a variety of biotic categories viz. moist tropical, dry above is/are correct?
influences. tropical, montane sub-tropical, (a) 1 only
temperate and alpine forests. (b) 2 only
FORESTS OF INDIA (c) Both 1 and 2
(A) MOIST TROPICAL
The most important factors (d) Neither 1 nor 2
influencing the physiognomy, species
FORESTS Ans. (b) CSE 2005
composition, phenology etc. of These forests are found in the areas Q. Which one of the following is
Indian forests are temperature, of quite high temperature and not essentially a species of the
rainfall, local edaphic and biotic rainfall. The forests are dense, Himalayan vegetation?
factors. These factors have been multi-layered and have many types (a) Juniper (b) Mahogany
used in the classification of Indian of trees, shrubs and lians. These (c) Silver fir (d) Spruce
forests. Most detailed classification forests are further categorized into Ans.(b) CSE 2008

Prelims Magic 2014 331

 Uttar Kannada (Karnataka,
Annamalai Hills and Kodagu in
Karnataka and Andman Islands.
The characteristic feature of these
forests is dense growth of very tall
trees having height of more than
45 m. Climbers, lians, epiphytes and
shrubs are abundant but herbs and
G grasses are rare in these forests.
The carpet layer of herbs and
grasses can not grow because very
E dense layer of leaf canopy of trees
does not allow enough light to reach
to the ground.
O Dominant trees in forests of west
coast are Dipterocarpus indica,
G Palaquim and Cellenia while  in
forests of Assam Diptercarpus
macrocarpus, D. turbinatus, Shorea
R assamica, Mesua ferrea and
Kayea are  the  dominant  trees.
Common subdominants in these
A forests are Mangifera, Eugenia,
Myristica, Pterospermum,
Polyalthia, Elaeocarpus, Schlechera,
P Artocarpus, Memeocylon,
Poeciloneuron, Cinnamomum,
Diospyros, Sapindus, Vitex,
H Holigarna, Alstonia, Hardwickia,
Spondias, Dendrocalamus, Calamus,
Bombax, Veteria, Calophyllum,
Y Pandanus, Cedrela, Tetrameles,
Strobilanthes, Emblica, Michelia,
Ixora, Hopea, Lagerstroemia,
several species of ferns and orchids.
(2) Tropical moist
semi-evergreen forests
These are also climatic climax
forests found commonly in areas of
annual rainfall 200-250 cm and
temperature 25-32oC.These forests
are chiefly distributed along the
Western Ghats, in upper parts of
Assam and Odisha and in Andman
Islands. These forests are more
developed in the northern India than
in southern India.
Characteristic feature of these
forests is dense growth of evergreen
trees intermixed with deciduous
trees that shed their leaves for very
brief period of relative dryness.
Average height of trees in these
forests is 25-35 m and shrubs are
332 Prelims Magic 2014
common. Forests have rich carpet of smaller trees and evergreen
layer of herbs, grasses ferns and shrubs.
orchids.
Dominant trees of these forests in
Dominant trees in these forests north India are Tectona grandis,
are Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea, Shorea robusta,
Ter m i n a l i a   a nd   S a l m a l i a   i n Salmella, and Dalbergia while  in
Andman Island; Artocarpus, south India only Tectona grandis
M i c h e l i a a n d   M a n g i f e r a   i n and Shorea sp. are  dominant.
Orissa;Schima wallichii,
Bauhinia, Phobe and Ammora in How was this topic asked in the CSE
Assam. In India, which type of forest
Common subdominants in these
forests are Mylia, Schleichera,
among the following occupies the
largest area?
(a) Montane Wet Temperate
Bambusa, Ixora, Calamus,
Sterculia, Webera, Strobilanthus,
Cedrela, Shorea, Actinodaphne,
Forest
(b) Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen
Forest
Garcinia,
Mallotus,
Dendrocalamus,
Lagerstroemia,
Vernonia,
Pelvetta,
(c) Tropical Moist Deciduous
Forest
(d) Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest
Elattaria, Pothos, Vitis, Garuga,
Albizzia and Dellenia. Common
Ans (c)
herbs and grasses in the ground Common subdominants in the
CSE 2010
(carpet)
Andropogon,
layer are Inula, forests are Cedrela, Albizzia,
Crotolaria, Terminalia, Adina, Melia,
Imperata, Leca, Desmodium, Sterculia, Grewia, Gariya,
Fambosa and Woodfordia.
(3) Tropical moist deciduous
Lagerstroemia,
Pongamia,
Cordia,
Bambusa,
forests Dendrocalamus, Chloris,
Tropical moist deciduous forests heteropogon,
spanning over 23.680 million  and Andropogon.
Mallotus, Anogeissus,
Cymbopogon
hectares, (37% of the total forest
area in India) occupies the largest (4) Littoral and swamp forests
area of forest in India. These forests These forests are found in wet
are found in the area having marshy areas, in river deltas, in saline
temperature of 25-30oC and quite or other swampy areas and along the
high annual rainfall of 150-200 cm sea coasts. They are chiefly
spread over most of the year but distributed in deltas of large rivers
periods of rain alternating with very on the eastern coast and in pockets
short periods of dryness. In several on the western coast (Tidal
areas, the forests have been forests), in saline swamps of
converted into open savannahs due Sundarban in West Bengal, coastal
to intensive biotic factors. These areas of Andhra and Odisha
forests are chiefly distributed in a (Mangrove forests) and in less
narrow belt along Himalayan saline or non-saline swampy pockets
foothills, on the eastern side of throughout the India.
Western Ghats, Chota Nagpur,
Khasi hills, in moist areas of Kerala, Chief characteristic of these forests
Karnataka, sothern Madhya is dominance of halophytic
Pradesh, parts of northern Uttar evergreen plants of varying height
Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. with varying density of plants in
different area.
Chief characteristic of these forests
is dominance of deciduous trees that Dominant plants of tidal and
remain leafless for one or two mangrove forests are Rhizophora,
months only along with lower story Bruguiera, Ceriops, Horitora,
Avicennia, Nipa, Sonneratia  Soymida,
and Acanthus. In less saline
swamps, dominant plants
are Ipomea, Phoenix, Phragmitis,
Casuarina, Manilkara and  are Bambusa, Lantana and grasses
Calophyllum. In other swamps, the
dominant plants areBarringtonia,
Syzygium, Myristica, Bischofia,
Trowia, Lagerstroemia, Sophora,
Pandanus, Entada and Premna.
(B) DRY TROPICAL FORESTS
These forests are found in the areas
where wet season is followed by a
relatively long period of dryness
during which trees remain leafless.
These forests are dominated by
smaller trees and shrubs and have
abundance of shrubs or sometimes
grasses. This category includes three
types of forests.
(1) Tropical dry deciduous
forests
These forests are found in areas
having temperature of 25-32oC and
annual rainfall of 75-125 cm along
with a dry season of about six
months. Distribution of these forests
in northern India is in areas of
Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and Odisha. In the southern
and central India, these forests are
distributed in dry areas of
Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka
and Madhya Pradesh.
Chief characteristic feature of the
forests is open canopy of small (10-
15 m high) trees and abundance of
shrubs.
Dominant species of the forests in
north India are Shorea robusta,
anogeissus, Terminalia,
Buchnnania, Somocarpus,
Carissa, Emblica, Madhuca,
Acacia, Aegle, Diospyros,
Bauhinia, Eugenia, Zyzyphus,
Lannea, Sterculia,
Dendrocalamus, Salmelia, Adina,
Grewia, Adathoda and Helicteres.
In south India, dominant plants
are Tectona grandis, Dalbergia,
Kydia, Terminalia, Pterospermum,
Dillenia, Acacia, Diospyros,
Anogeissus, Boswellia, Bauhinia,
Chloroxylon, Hardwickia,
Gymnosporia, Dominant plants in the forests
Zyzyphus, Dendrocalamus are Memecylon, Maba, Pavetta,
 and Holorrhena. Foronia, Terminalia, Ixora,
Subdominant species in these forests Sterculia, Mesua and Schleichora.
(C) MONTANE
like  Panicum, Andropogon SUBTROPICAL FORESTS
and Heteropogon.
These forests occur in the areas
(2) Tropical thorn forests where climate is cooler than tropical
These forests are found in the areas but warmer than temperate areas i.e. G
of high temperature of 27-30oC and on the hills between the altitudes of
very low annual rainfall of 20-60 cm 1000 m and 2000 m. The forests are
with long periods of dryness. These dominated by semi-xerophytic E
forests are distributed in western evergreen plants. This category
Rajasthan, parts of Maharashtra, includes three types of forests.
Madhya Pradesh and Tamilnadu. (1) Sub-tropical broad-leaved
O
Chief charateristic of such forests hill forests
is sparse distribution of small (8-10
m high) mostly thorny trees with These forests occur in relatively G
shrubs being more common than moist areas at lower altitudes on
trees. The plants in these forests
remain leafless for most of the year.
mountain ranges. Their chief
distribution is in eastern Himalayas R
They develop leaves only during the of West Bengal and Assam , hills of
brief rainy season when grasses and
herbs also become abundant.
Khasi, Nilgiri and Mahabaleshwar.
Chief characteristic feature of the
A
Dominant plants in these forests
are Acacia nilotica, A.
leucophloea, A. senegal, Prosopis
forests is dense growth of evergreen
broad-leaved trees with abundant
growth of climbers and epiphytic
P
spicigera, P. juliflora, Albizzia
and Capparis.
ferns and orchids.
Dominant trees in the forests of H
Common subdominant plants north are Quercus, Schima and
are Zyzyphus, Anogeissus,
Erythroxylon, Euphorbia, Cordia,
Castanopsis with  some  temperate
species. In the southern areas, Y
Randia, Balanites, Salvadora, dominants are Eugeniaand
Gymnosporis, Leptadenia, members of family Lauraceae.
Suaeda, Grewia, Gymnoma,
Common co-dominants and
Asparagus, Butea, Calotropis,
subdominants in the eastern
Adathoda, Madhuca, Salmelia,
Himalayas are Dalbergia sissoo,
Crotolaria, Tephrosia  and
Acacia, catachu, Sterospermum,
Indigophera.
Cedrela toona, Bauhinia,
(3) Tropical dry evergreen Anthocephalus cadamba,
forests Lagerstroemia parviflora, Albizzia
These forests are found in the areas procera, Salmella, Artocarpus
of relatively high temperature and chaplasha and Dendrocalamus. In
small rainfall available only during the western Himalayas, codominants
summers. The forests are distributed and subdominants are Shorea
in some parts of Tamilnadu and robusta, Dalbergia sissoo, Cedrela
Karnataka. toona, Ficus glomerulata,
Eugenia jambolina, Acacia
Chief characteristic features of the catachu, Butea monosperma,
forests are dense distribution of Carissa and Zizyphus. Other
mixed small evergreen and common plants in these forests of
deciduous trees of 10-15 m height, both north and south India
absence of bamboos and abundance are Actinodaphne, Randia,
of grasses. Glochidion, Terminalia, Olea,
Prelims Magic 2014 333
 Eleagnus, Murraya, Atylosia,
Ficus, Pittosporum, Sacco-
petalum, Carreya, Alnus, Betula,
Phobe, Cedrela, Garcinia  of 1800-3000 m in the cooler and
and Polulus. In the south,
Mangifera and Canthium a nd
climers like Piper trichostachyon,
Gnetum scandens and Smilax
G macrophylla are  also  common.
(2) Sub-tropical dry evergreen
forests
E These forests occur in areas having
quite low temperature and rainfall.
O The forests are distributed in the
lower altitudes of eastern and
western Himalayas.
G Chief characteristic feature of the
forests is presence of thorny
xerophytes and small-leaved
R evergreen plants.
Dominant plants in the forests
are Acacia modesta, Dodonea
A viscosa and Olea cuspidata.
(3) Sub-tropical pine forests
P These forests occur at middle
altitudes between 1500-2000 m in
Himalayas. They are distributed in
H western Himalayas from Kashmir
to Uttar Pradesh. In eastern
Himalayas, the forests occur in
Y Khasi Jayantia Hills of Assam.
Chief characteristics of the forests
in open formations of pine trees.
Dominant trees in the forests are P.
roxburghii and Pinus  khasiana.
(D) TEMPERATE FORESTS
These forests are found in the areas
having quite low temperature along
with comparatively high humidity
than the comparable areas of higher
latitudes. The cause of high humidity
is greater rainfall in Himalayas
except in parts of Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and
Kashmir where humidity is lower.
The forests occur mainly in the
Himalayas at altitudes 2000-4000 m.
The forests are generally dominated
by tall conifers or angiospermic
evergreen trees with abundance of
epiphytic mosses, lichens and ferns.
The category includes three types
of forests.
334 Prelims Magic 2014
(1) Wet temperate forests m high) conifers, oaks or their
mixture along with thin partly
These forests are found at altitudes deciduous undergrowth.
humid mountains. They are Dominant trees in the eastern
distributed in the eastern Himalayas Himalayas are Tsuga dumosa,
from eastern Nepal to Assam, in the Quercus lineata, Picea spinulosa,
western Himalayas from Kashmir Abies densa and Quercus
pachyphylla. In the western
to western Nepal and in Nilgiri Hills
of south India. Himalayas, dominants in lower zones
are Quercus incana, . dialata,
Chief characteristic feature of the Cedrus deodara, Pinus
forests in the Himalayas is dense
formation of evergreen,
wallichiana, Picea smithiana,
Abies pindrew, Cotoneaster,
semievergreen broad-leaved and Berberis and Spire while  in  the
coniferous trees of up to 25 m height.
In south India, these forests are
higher zones the dominants
are Quercus semicarpifolia and
termed Shola forests and  mostly Abies pindrew.
have 15-20 m high broad-leaved
trees with dense leaf canopy,
(3) Himalayan dry temperate
forests
abundant epiphytic flora and rich
herbaceous undergrowth. These forests occur in the regions
of Himalayas having very low
Dominant trees in the forests of rainfall. They are distributed in both
western Himalayas are angiosperms eastern and western Himalayas.
like Quercus, Betula, Acer, Ulmus,
Populus, Corylus, Caprinus etc. Chief characteristic feature of the
and conifers likeAbies, Picea, forests is dominance of evergreen
Cedrus etc.  In  eastern  Himalayas, oaks and conifers. Undergrowth is
dominants are Quercus, Acer, formed by scrubs.
Prunus, Ulmus, Eurya, Machilus, Dominant trees in the forests of
Symplocos, Mahonia, Begonia, comparatively drier western
Michelia, Thunbergia, Himalayas are Pinus gerardiana
Rhododendron, Arundinaria, and Quercus ilex. In the
Bucklandia, Pittosporum, comparatively wetter western
Loranthus, Tsug and, Abies. In the Himalayan region, the dominants
Nilgiri Hills, the dominants are Abies, Picea, Larix griffithia
are Rhododendron nilagiricum, and Juniperus wallichiana.
Hopea, Balanocarpus, Subdominant plants in these forests
Artocarpus, Artocarpus, are Daphne, Artemesia, Fraxinus,
Elaeocarpus, Pterocarpus, Alnus, Cannabis and Plectranthus.
Hardwickia, Myristica, Cordonia,
Salmalia, Mucuna and Dioscorea. (E) ALPINE FORESTS
In all the areas, the undergrowth is These forests are found in the
formed by members of Asteraceae, regions of Himalayas having
Rubiaceae, Acanthaceae and extremely low temperature and
Fabaceae. humidity. The forests are dominated
(2) Himalayan moist temperate by perennial and annual herbs and
forests grasses though some trees may also
be present in areas of relatively high
These forests are found at 1700- humidity. Abundant lichen flora is
3500 m altitude in eastern and characteristic feature of these
western Himalayas. These occur in forests. This category includes three
areas having annual rainfall above types of forests.
100 cm but relatively less than that
in areas of wet temperate forests. (1) Sub-alpine forests
Chief characteristic feature of the These forests are found in open
forests is presence of tall (up to 45 strands throughout the Himalayas
between the altitude 3500 m and the area, the Indian grasslands may be
tree line.
Chief characteristic feature of the
forests is presence of some
evergreen conifers and broad-leaved
trees along with prominent shrub
layer.
Dominant trees in the forests
are Abies spectabilis,
R ho do de n dron   a nd  B et u la .
Prominent shrubs in the forests
are Cotoneaster, Rosa, Smilax,
Loniceraand Strobilanthus.
(2) Moist alpine scrub forests
These forests are found in the dominant grass species into eight
Himalayas above the tree line up to major grass associations.
5500 m altitude in somewhat moist
areas.
Chief characteristic feature of the
forests is dominance of dwarf,
evergreen shrubby conifers and
broad-leaved trees along with
prominent shrub layer under them.
Dominant trees in the forests
are Juniperus and Rhododendron while
prominent shrubs are Thalictrum,
Lonicera, Saxifraga, Arenaria,
Bergia, Sedum andPrimula.
(3) Dry alpine forests
These forests are found in
comparatively more dry areas of
Himalayas upto 5500 m altitude.
Chief characteristic feature of the
forests is open formation of
xerophytic scrubs with many herbs
and grasses.
Dominant plants in the forests
are Juniperus, Caragana, Eurctia,
Salix and Myricaria.
GRASSLANDS OF INDIA
The grasslands of India are not of
primary origin. These have
originated secondarily in many areas
due to destruction of natural forests
by biotic interference, particularly
due to excessive grazing and land
clearing for agriculture. These
grasslands are maintained in various
seral (successional) stages by a
variety of biotic factors.
According to the dryness of the
categorized into three types.
1. Xerophilous grasslands: These
are found in semi-desert areas of
north and west India.
2. Mesophilous grasslands
(Savannahas):  These are found in
areas of Uttar Pradesh having moist
deciduous forests.
3.Hygrophilous grasslands (Wet
savannahas): These are found in
wet regions of India.
Whyte et al. (1954)  classified
Indian grasslands on the basis of
(1) Sehima-Dichanthium
 association
These grasslands develop on black
soil. They are found in some areas
of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh, south western Uttar
Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
Dominant grass species in the
grasslands are Sehima sulcatum, S.
nervosum,Dichanthium
annulatum,Chrysopogon
montanus and Themeda
quadrivalvia.
(2) Dichanthium-Cenchrus
association
These grasslands develop on sandy-
loam soils. They are found in Plains
of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,
Rajasthan, Saurashtra, eastern Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, eastern
Madhya Pradesh, coastal
Maharashtra and Tamilnadu.
Dominant species in these
grasslands are Dichanthium
annulatum and Cenchrus ciliaris.
(3) Phragmitis-Saccharum
association
These grasslands develop in marshy
areas. They are found in terai
regions of northern Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar, West Bengal, Sundarban
region of Bengal, Tamilnadu, and
Kaveri delta.
Prelims Magic 2014
Dominant species in these
grasslands are Phragmitis karka,,
Saccharum spontaneum, Imeerata
cylindrica  a nd  Bothriochlo
pertusa.
(4) Cymbopogon type
These grasslands develop on low
hills. They are found in Eastern
Ghats, Vidhyas, Satpura, Aravali and G
Chota Nagpur.
Dominant species in the grasslands
is Cymbopogon.
E
(5) Arundinella type
These grasslands develop on high
O
hills. They are found in Western
Ghats, Nilgiris and lower Himalayas
from Assam to Kashmir.
G
Dominant species in the grasslands
are Arundinella nepalensis, A. R
setosa and Themeda anthera.
(6) Bothriochloa type
These grasslands develop on paddy
A
tracts in areas of heavey rainfall in
Lonavala tract of Maharashtra. P
Dominant species in the grasslands
is Bothriochloa odorata.
(7) Deyeuxia-Arundinella
H
association
These grasslands develop in
Y
temperate areas of upper Himalayas
between 2100-3500 m altitudes.
Dominant species in the grasslands
are Deyeuxia, Arundinella,
Brachypodium, Bromus and
Festuca.
(8) Deschampsia-Deyeuxia
association
These grasslands develop in
temperate to alpine regions having
thin soil cover over rocky
substratum. They are found in
Kashmir and in Himalayas above
2600 m altitude.
Dominant species in the grasslands
are Deyeuxia, Deschampsia, Poa,
Stipa, Glycera and Festuca.
335
 Mangroves
Mangroves are trees and shrubs that
grow in saline coastal habitats in the
tropics and subtropics – mainly
between latitudes 25° N and 25° S.
Mangroves protect coastal areas
from erosion, storm surge (especially
G during hurricanes), and tsunamis.
The mangrove’s massive root
system is efficient at dissipating
E wave energy. Likewise, they slow
down tidal water enough that its
sediment is deposited as the tide
O comes in, leaving all except fine
particles when the tide ebbs. In this
way, mangroves build their own
G environment. Because of the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
R Q. If a tropical rain forest is
removed, it does not regenerate
quickly as compared to a tropical
A deciduous forest. This is because
(a) the soil of rain forest is deficient
in nutrients
P (b) propagules of the trees in a rain
forest have poor viability
(c) the rain forest species are
H slow-growing
(d) exotic species invade the fertile
soil of rain forest
Y Ans. (a) CSE 2011
Q. The 2004 Tsunami made people
realize that mangroves can serve
as a reliable safety hedge against
coastal calamities. How do
mangroves function as a safety
hedge?
(a) The mangrove swamps
separate the human settlements
from the sea by a wide zone in
which people neither live nor
venture out
(b) The mangroves provide both
food and medicines which people
are in need of after any natural
disaster
(c) The mangrove trees are tall
with dense canopies and serve as
an excellent shelter during a
cyclone or tsunami
(d) The mangrove trees do not get
uprooted by storms and tides
because of their extensive roots.
Ans. (d) CSE 2011
336 Prelims Magic 2014
uniqueness of mangrove ecosystems
and the protection against erosion
that they provide, they are often the
object of conservation programs
including national Biodiversity Action
Plans. The mangroves is particularly
prevalent in the deltas of large Asian
rivers. The Sundarbans is the largest
mangrove forest in the world,
located in the Ganga delta in
Bangladesh and West Bengal, India.
Sundari trees are abundant in
Sunderban delta. But it is facing
destruction and deforestation now.
The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
near Chidambaram, South India, by
the Bay of Bengal is the world’s
second largest mangrove forest.
Other significant mangroves include
the Bhitarkanika Mangroves in
Odisha, Achra Ratnagiri in
Maharashtra, Coondapur in
Karnataka, Vembanad in Kerala,
Godavari-Krishna mangroves, the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands and
the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. “Monoculture of commercially
viable trees is destroying the
unique natural profile of …….
Thoughtless exploitation of timber,
deforesting vast tracts for palm
cultivation, destruction of
mangroves illegal logging by tribals
and poaching only compound the
problem. Fresh water pockets are
fast drying up due to deforestation
and destruction of mangroves”.
The place referred to this quotation
is:
(a) Sunderbans
(b) Kerala coast
(c) Orissa coast
(d) Andaman & Nicobar Island
Ans. (a) CSE 1995
Q. Which one of the following
pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Teak : Jammu and
Kashmir
(b) Deodar : Madhya Pradesh
(c) Sandalwood : Kerala
(d) Sundari : West Bengal
Ans. (d) CSE 1997
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The alpine vegetation in the
western Himalayas is found only
up to a height of 3000 meters while
in the eastern Himalayas it is found
up to a height of 4000 meters. The
reason for this variation in the same
mountain range is that
(a) eastern Himalayas are higher
than western Himalayas
(b) eastern Himalayas are nearer
to the equator and sea coast than
western Himalayas
(c) eastern Himalayas get more
monsoon rainfall than the western
Himalayas
(d) eastern Himalayas rocks are
more fertile than the western
Himalayas rocks
Ans: (c) CSE 1995
Q.Given below are two statements,
one labelled as Assertion (A) and
the other labelled as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Mangroves are very
specialised forest eco-systems of
tropical and sub-tropical regions
bordering certain sea coasts.
Reason (R): They stabilise the
shoreline and act as bulwark
against encroachments by sea.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct ?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (b) CSE 1996
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List I (Mangrove) List II (State)
A. Achra Ratnagiri 1. Karnataka
B. Coondapur 2. Kerala
C. Pichavaram 3.Andhra Pradesh
4. Vembanad 4. Maharashtra
5. Tamil Nadu
A B C D
(a) 2 1 5 4
(b) 4 5 3 2
(c) 2 5 3 4
(d) 4 1 5 2
Ans (d) CSE 2002

17 Fauna
The Zoological Survey of India
(ZSI), with its headquarters in
Kolkata and 16 regional stations is
responsible for surveying the faunal
resources of India. Possessing a
tremendous diversity of climate and
physical conditions, India has great
variety of fauna numbering over
89,000 species. Of these, protista
number 2,577, mollusca 5,070,
anthropoda 68,389, amphibia 209,
mammalia 390, reptilia 456,
members of protochordata 119,
pisces 2,546, aves 1,232 and other
invertebrates 8,329. The mammals
include the majestic elephant, the
gaur or Indian bison–the largest of
existing bovines, the great Indian
rhinoceros, the gigantic wild sheep
of the Himalayas, the swamp deer,
the thamin spotted deer, nilgai, the
four-horned antelope, the Indian
antelope or black-buck – the only
representatives of these genera.
Among the cats, the tiger and lion
are the most magnificent of all; other
splendid creatures such as the
clouded leopard, the snow leopard,
the marbled cat, etc., are also found.
Many other species of mammals are
remarkable for their beauty,
colouring, grace and uniqueness.
Several birds, like pheasants, geese,
ducks, myanahs, parakeets, pigeons,
cranes, hornbills and sunbirds inhabit
forests and wetlands. Rivers and
lakes harbour crocodiles and
gharials, the latter being the only
representative of crocodilian order
in the world. The salt water
crocodile is found along the eastern
coast and in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. A project for
breeding crocodiles which started in
1974, has been instrumental in
saving the crocodile from extinction.
The great Himalayan range has a
very interesting variety of fauna that
includes the wild sheep and goats,
markhor, ibex, shrew and tapir. The
panda and the snow leopard are
found in the upper reaches of the
mountains. The Red Panda is found
in mountaneous band from Nepal
through NE India and Bhutan and
How was this topic asked in the CSE? into China, Laos and northern
Q. Consider the following Myanmar. Odisha coast is famous
statements: as a nesting place for the giant olive
1. Salt-water crocodile is found in ridley turtles from South America.
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Depletion of vegetative cover due
2. Shrew and tapir are found in the
Western Ghats of the Malabar
to expansion of agriculture, habitat
destruction, over-exploitation,
G
region. pollution, introduction of toxic
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
imbalance in community structure,
epidemics, floods, droughts and
E
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only cyclones, contribute to the loss of
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) CSE 2008
flora and fauna. More than 39
species of mammals, 72 species of
O
birds, 17 species of reptiles, three
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. In India, Red Panda is naturally
species of amphibians, two species
of fish and a large number of
G
butterflies, moth and beetles are
found in the Western Himalayas
only.
2. In India, Slow Loris lives in the
considered vulnerable and
endangered.
R
dense forests of the North East.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
Biodiversity Hotspots
According to the classification of
A
(a) 1 only Norman Biodiversity is not
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
distributed uniformly over the earth.
Some areas, particularly along the
P
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 tropics, are rich in species. Plant
Ans. (b) CSE 2007 diversity is the biological basis for
hotspot designation. To qualify as a
H
Q. The sea coast of which one of hotspot, a region must support 1,500
the following states has become
famous as a nesting place for the
giant Olive Ridley turtles from
endemic plant species, 0.5 percent
of the global total. Existing primary
Y
vegetation is the basis for assessing
South America? human impact in a region; to qualify
(a) Goa (b) Gujarat as a hotspot, a region must have lost
(c) Odisha (d) Tamil Nadu more than 70 percent of its original
Ans. (c) CSE 2002 habitat. Identification of hotspot
Q. Which one of the following is would help pin pointing priority areas
not a Biosphere Reserve? for conservation.
(a) Agasthyamalai There are 25 hotspots scattered in
(b) Nallamalai different parts of the world. Even
(c) Nilgiri though the 25 biodiversity hotspots
(d) Panchmarhi together represent 1.4 percent of the
Ans (b) CSE 2005 earth’s land area, they contain 44
Q. Out of all the Biosphere percent of all plant species and 35
Reserves in India, four have percent of all terrestrial vertebrate
recognized on the World Network species in the world. Each of these
by UNESCO. Which one of the hotspots is under severe pressure
following is not one of them? due to anthropogenic interventions
(a) Gulf of Mannar and has already lost at least 70
(b) Kanchejunga percent of its original natural
(c) Nanda Devi vegetation.
(d) Sunderbans
India is part of two hotspots- Indo-
Ans.(b) CSE 2009
Prelims Magic 2014 337
 Burma (earlier Eastern Himalayas)
and Western Ghats.
Of late, conservationists named nine
new ‘Biodiversity Hotspots’, making
the total to 34, which also include
the Himalayas.
NATIONAL FOREST POLICY,
Increasing the productivity of forests
to meet essential national needs.
National Parks of India
Name State
Encouraging efficient utilisation of 1. Anshi N ational Park Karnataka
forest produce and maximising 2. Balphakram Natio nal Park Meghalaya
substitution of wood.
3. Bandhavgarh Nati onal Madhya
Creating a massive people’s Park Pr adesh
movement with the involvement of 4. Bandipur N ational Park Karnataka

G 1988 BASIC OBJECTIVES

Maintenance of environmental
women, for achieving these
objectives and to minimise pressure
5. Bannerghatta N ational
Park Karnataka

stability through preservation and, on existing forests. 6. Vansda N ational Park Guj arat

E where necessary, restoration of the

ecological balance that has been
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following pairs:
7. Be tla Nat ional Park
8. Bhitar kanika Nati onal
Park
Jharkhand

Ori ssa
adversely disturbed by serious Protected area Well-known for
O depletion of the forests of the
country.
1. Bhiterkanika, Odisha : Salt
Water Crocodile
9. Blackbuck N ational Par k,
Velavadar
10. Buxa Tiger Res erve
Guj arat

West Bengal
2. Desert National Park : Great
G Conserving the natural heritage of
the country by preserving the
remaining natural forests with the
Indian Bustard Rajasthan
3. Eravikulam, Kerala : Hoolak
11. C ampbell Bay Nati onal
Park
12. C handoli Nat ional Park
Anda man and
Nicobar
Maharas htra
Gibbon
R vast variety of flora and fauna.
Checking soil erosion and denudation
Which of the pairs given above is/
are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
13. C orbett National Park

14. Dach igam National Par k

Ut tarakh and
Jammu and
Kashmir
in the catchment areas of rivers,
A lakes, and reservoirs.
Checking the extension of sand
(c) 2 only
Ans (b)
(d) 1, 2 and 3
CSE 2010
15. Des ert N ational Park
16. Dibru-Saik howa Nat ional
Park
Raj asthan

As sam
Q. Consider the following
P dunes in the desert areas of
Rajasthan and along the coastal
tracts.
programmes:
1. Afforestation and development
17. Dudhwa N ational Park
18. Eravikul am N ational
Park
Ut tar Prades h

Ker ala
of wastelands
H Increasing substantially the forest/
tree cover in the country through
2. Reforestation and replantation
in existing forests
3. Encouraging the wood
19. Fossi l Nati onal Park
Madhya
Pr adesh
Anda man and
massive afforestation and social 20. G alathea Nat ional Park

Y
Nicobar
forestry programmes. substitutes and supplying other
types of fuel 21. G angotri National Par k Ut tarakh and

Meeting the requirements of fuel- 4. Promotion of wide use of 22. G ir N ational Park Guj arat
wood, fodder, minor forest produce insecticides and pesticides to 23. G orumara Nat ional Park West Bengal
and small timber of the rural and tribal restrict the loss of forest area from 24. G ovi nd Pashu Vihar Ut tarakh and
populations. degradation caused by pests and 25. G reat Himalayan Hi machal
insects. N ational Park Pr adesh
How was this topic asked in the CSE? The National Forest Policy of 1988 26. G ugamal Nat ional Park Maharas htra
includes
Q. Which one of the following 27. G uindy Nati onal Park Tam il N adu
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 2 and 4
does not belong to biosphere (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 3 28. G ulf of Kac hchh Marine Guj arat
reserves set-up so far? Ans. (d) CSE 1996
N ational Park
(a) Great Nicobar 29. G ulf of Mannar Marine Tam il N adu
(b) Sunderbans Q. The Himalayan Range is very N ational Park

(c) Nanda Devi rich in species diversity. Which one 30. H emis National Pa rk Jam mu and
(d) Gulf of Kachchh among the following is the most Kashmir

Ans. (d) CSE 1995 appropriate reason for this 31. H azaribag N ational Park Jharkhand
phenomenon ? 32. Indira Gandhi N ational
(a) It has a high rainfall that Park (prev: Annamalai Tam il N adu
Q. Which one of the following supports luxuriant vegetative N ational Park)
regions of India is now regarded growth (b) It is a confluence of 33. Indravati Nat ional Park Chhatti sgarh
as an ‘ecological hot spot’? different biogeographical zones 34. Intanki Nati onal Park Nagaland
(a) Western Himalayas (c) Exotic and invasive species 35. K alesar National Par k Haryana
(b) Eastern Himalayas have not been introduced in this Madhya
(c) Western Ghats region (d) It has less human 36. K anha National Par k
Pr adesh
(d) Eastern Ghats interference 37. K anger Ghati N ational
Ans. (c) CSE 1996 Chhatti sgarh
Ans (b) CSE 2011 Park (K anger Vall ey)

338 Prelims Magic 2014

3 8 . K a su B ra h m a n a n d a A n d h ra 79. Saddle Peak National Andaman and (1,455.4 km²),  and  is  part  of  The
R ed d y N a ti o n a l P a rk P ra d e sh
3 9 . K a zir a n g a N a tio n a l Pa r k A ssa m
Park Nicobar Western Ghats World Heritage Site,
4 0 . K e ib u l L a mj a o N a tio n a l
Jammu and Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (6,000 + km²)
M a n ip u r 80. Salim Ali National Park
P a rk Kashmir under consideration by UNESCO.
4 1 . K e o la d eo N a tio n a l P a rk R a ja st h a n
81. Sanjay National Park Chhattisgarh Pathrakkadavu Hydroelectric
4 2 . K h a n g c h en d zo n g a
N a ti o n a l P a rk
S ik k im
Madhya
Project is proposed to be built a dam
82. Sanjay National Park on Kunthipuzha River near the Silent
J a m mu a n d Pradesh
4 3 . K ish t w a r N a tio n a l P a rk
K a sh mi r
83. Sanjay Gandhi National
Valley National Park.
4 4 . K u d re m u kh N a t io n a l
P a rk

4 5 . M a d h a v N a t io n a l P a rk
K a rn a ta ka

M a d h ya
P ra d e sh
Park a.k.a. Borivili National
Park, Mumbai
Maharashtra
G
84. Sariska National Park Rajasthan
4 6 . M a h a t ma G a n d h i M a rin e
N a ti o n a l P a rk ( p re v: W a n d u r
N a ti o n a l P a rk)
4 7 . M a h a v ir H a rin a
A ndam an and
N ico b a r

A n d h ra
85. Satpura National Park
Madhya
Pradesh
E
V a n a sth a li N a tio n a l P a rk P ra d e sh 86. Silent Valley National
4 8 . M a n a s N a tio n a l Pa r k
4 9 . M a t h ike tta n S h o l a
N a ti o n a l P a rk
A ssa m

K era la
Park
87. Sirohi National Park
Kerala

Manipur
O
G
5 0 . M i d d le B u t to n Is la n d A ndam an and 88. Simlipal National Park Orissa
N a ti o n a l P a rk N ico b a r
5 1 . M o l lem N a tio n a l P a rk G oa 89. Singalila National Park West Bengal
A ru n a c h a l 90. South Button Island Andaman and
5 2 . M o u l in g N a t io n a l P a rk

R
P ra d e sh
National Park Nicobar
5 3 . M o u n t A b u W il d life
R a ja st h a n
S a n ct u a ry 91. Sri Venkateswara Andhra
5 4 . M o u n t Ha r r iet N a tio n a l A ndam an and National Park Pradesh

A
P a rk N ico b a r
92. Sultanpur National Park Haryana
A n d h ra
5 5 . M r u g a va n i N a tio n a l P a rk P ra d e sh
93. Sundarbans National
5 6 . M u d u m a la i N a tio n a l P a rk T a mi l N a d u West Bengal
Park
5 7 . M u k u rth i N a tio n a l Pa r k

5 8. Mur len N ational P ark

5 9. Nagarho le Nat iona l P ark
T a mi l N a d u

M izoram
K arnataka
94. Tadoba National Park
95. Valley of Flowers
Maharashtra

Uttarakhand
P
National Park
6 0. Nam dap ha Nati ona l P ark

6 1. Nam er i N ati onal P ark

A runac hal
P rade sh
A ssam
96. Valmiki National Park

97. Van Vihar National Park

Bihar
Madhya
H
6 2. Nanda D ev i N ation al Pradesh
P ark
6 3. Nandan k anan Nationa l
P ark
U ttar akhan d

O riss a Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Y

6 3. Nav egao n N ationa l P ark
6 4. Ne ora V alle y N atio nal
P ark
6 5. Nok rek N ati onal P ark
6 6. North B u t ton Is lan d
N ati onal P a rk
6 7. O rang N ational Pa rk
6 8. P alani H ill s Nation a l
P ark
6 9. P anna N ational Pa rk
7 0. P enc h N ati onal P a rk,
Madhy a P ra de sh
7 1. P enc h N ati onal P a rk
7 2. P eri yar N ational P ark
7 3. P hawng pui B lue
Mount ain N ati onal P a rk
7 4. P in V alle y N ationa l P ark
7 5. R ajaji N ational P a rk
7 6. R ajiv Ga ndhi Natio n al
P ark( sam e a s N ager h ole)
7 7. R ani Jha ns i Mar in e
N ati onal P a rk
7 8. R antham bore N atio nal
P ark
National Park is also known as ‘Top
M aharashtra
Slip’. It lies in the Coimbatore
W est B enga l District of Tamil Nadu at the
M eghal aya southern part of the Nilgiri Biosphere
A ndam an a nd Reserve in the Anamalai Hills.
N icobar
A ssam
Chilka Lake is the first marine
sanctuary in India having within its
T ami l Nadu
bounds coral reefs, mollusca,
M adhya dolphins, tortoises, and various kinds
P rade sh
of sea birds. It is located in Orissa.
M adhya
P rade sh Silent Valley National Park is
M aharashtra located in the Nilgiri Hills, in South
K erala India. The park is one of the last
M izoram undisturbed tracts of South Western
H im ach al
Ghats montane rain forests and
P rade sh tropical moist evergreen forest in
U ttar akhan d India. Contiguous with the proposed
k arnatak a
Karimpuzha National Park
(225 km²) to the north and Mukurthi
A ndam an a nd
N icobar
National Park (78.46 km²) to the
north-east, it is the core of the Nilgiri
R ajast han
International Biosphere Reserve

Prelims Magic 2014 339


Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The boundaries of a National
Park are defined by legislation
2. A Biosphere Reserve is declared
to conserve a few specific species
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Match List-I with List-II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists:
List-I (National Park Wild-life
Sanctuary)
A. Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
Q. The first marine sanctuary in
India, having within its bounds coral
reefs, mollusca, dolphins, tortoises
and various kinds of sea birds, has
been established in
(a) Sunderbans (b) Chilka Lake

G of flora and fauna

3. In a Wildlife Sanctuary, limited
biotic interference is permitted.
B. Kangerghat National Park
C. Orang Sanctuary
D. Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary
(c) Gulf of Kachchh
(d) Lakshadweep
Ans. (b) CSE 1999

E Which of the statements given

above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
List-II (State)
1. Odisha 2. Assam
3. Chhattisgarh 4. Goa
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Silent Valley National Park is in
O (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (c) CSE 2010
5. Tripura

(a) 2
A B
1
C
5
D
3
the Nallamalai range.
2. Pathrakkadavu Hydroelectric
Q. Match List I (National Park/ Project is proposed to be built near
G Sanctuary) with List II (State) and
select the correct answer using the
(b) 4
(c) 2
(d) 4
3
3
1
2
5
2
1
1
3
the Silent Valley National Park.
3. The Kunthi river originates in
codes given below the lists Ans. (b) CSE 2005 Silent Valley’s rainforests.
R List I
A. Kanger Park Q. Which one of the following is
also known as Top Slip ?
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
B. Nagerhole National Park (a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 only
A C. Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary
D. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
(a) Simlipal National Park
(b) Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
(c) Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary
(c) 2 and 3
Ans. (c)
(d) 1, 2 and 3
CSE 2005
List II
P 1. Chhattisgarh
2. Haryana
(d) Indira Gandhi Wildlife
Sanctuary and National Park
Ans. (d) CSE 2007
Q. Consider the following pairs of
National Park and River flowing
through the Park
3. Himachal Pradesh
H 4. Karnataka

(a)
A
3
B
2
C
1
D
4
Q. Match List-I with List - II and
select the correct answer using the
code given below the lists
1. Corbett National Park: Ganga
2. Kaziranga : Manas
3. Silent Valley : Kaveri

Y (b)
(c)
(d)
1
3
1
4
4
2
3
1
3
2
2
4
List-I (National Park Wildlife
Sanctuary)
A. Chandra Prabha B. Karera
Which of the above pairs is/are
correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 only
Ans.(b) CSE 2004 C. Jaisamand D. Nahargarh (c) 1 and 3 (d) None
List-II (Nearby Town) Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Q. Match List 1 (Biosphere 1. Jaipur 2. Jhasni Expl: 1. Corbett National Park :
Reserve) with List II (States) and 3. Agra 4. Varanasi Rivers passing are River
select the correct answer using the 5. Udaipur Ramganga (West) and River Kosi
codes given below the lists : A B C D 2. Kaziranga National Park: Rivers
List I List II (a) 4 1 5 2 passing are Brahmaputra, Diphlu,
A. Similipal 1. Sikkim (b) 5 2 3 1 Mora Diphlu and Mora Dhansiri
B. Dehong Deband 2. Uttarakhand (b) 4 2 5 1 3. Silent Valley National Park:
C. Nokrek 3. Arunachal (c) 5 1 3 2 Rivers passing are Bharatha-
Pradesh puzha, River Kunthi
Ans. (c) CSE 2006
D. Kanchenjunga 4. Odisha
5. Meghalaya Q. Which one among the following
Q. Which one of the following is
A B C D has the maximum number of
located in the Bastar region?
(a) 1 3 5 4 National Parks?
(a) Bandhavgarh National Park
(b) 4 5 2 1 (a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(b) Dandeli Sanctuary
(c) 1 5 2 4 (b) Arunachal Pradesh
(c) Rajaji National Park
(d) 4 3 5 1 (c) Assam
(d) Indravati National Park
Ans: (d) CSE 2004 (d) Meghalaya
Ans. (d) CSE 2007
Ans. (a) CSE 2008

340 Prelims Magic 2014

 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
18 Irrigation Q. With reference to India, which
Sources of Irrigation Pradesh. Jamuna Canal, the Ganga one of the following statements is
Canal, Sirhind Canal are a few not correct?
1. Wells: It accounts for about 40% important perennial canals of these (a) About one-third of the area of
of the total irrigated area in the states. the country records more than 750
country. Well irrigation, is possible millimetres of annual rainfall
even in low rainfall areas, provided 3. Tank irrigation (b) The dominant source of
sufficient quantity of ground water
is available. Well irrigation is also
Tank irrigation is a very old system
of irrigation in India and is well suited
irrigation in the country is wells
(c) Alluvial soil is the predominant
G
within the reach of small farmers. type of soil in the northern plains
2. Canal irrigation
for farmers of Peninsular India. The
undulated topography of Peninsular
region forms large depressions to
of the country
(d) The mountain areas account for
E
Canal is also an important source of collect water which becomes tanks. about thirty percent of the surface
irrigation. India has one of the Since it involves a high rate of
world’s largest canal systems evoporation the tanks go dry very
area of the country
Ans. (a) CSE 2002
O
stretching over more than one lakh soon. Moreover it occupies large
km and serving more than 20 million areas of fertile land. Most of the tank
hectares. become shallow and the water
through the irrigation system. Micro-
irrigation systems can be automated
which reduces labour requirements.
G
Canals are of two types
A. Inundation canals
spreads over a long area. Therefore
wherever canal irrigation has been
introduced, tanks are reclaimed for
Improved production on marginal
land. On hilly terrain, micro-irrigation
R
B. Perennial canals systems can operate with no runoff
cultivation.
Canals taken out from rivers without Micro-Irrigation:
any regulating system are called irrigation refers to low-pressure
Micro-
and without interference from the
wind. The fields need not be levelled
A
“Inundation canals’. Punjab has got irrigation systems that spray, mist,
a large number of Inundation canals, sprinkle or drip. In irrigated
drawing water from Sutlej River. agriculture, micro-irrigation is
Based on Investments, the irrigation
systems can be classified into two
broad groups. They are
P
Perennial canals are taken off from used extensively for row crops,
perennial rivers or reservoirs with mulched crops,
the weir system to regulate the flow gardens, greenhouses and
orchards,
1. Minor irrigation
2. Medium and major irrigation
H
of water, which is maintained nurseries. In urban landscapes,
throughout the year. These canals micro-irrigation is widely used
either take off from barrages on with ornamental plantings.
Minor irrigation system works with
wells, tube wells, tanks etc. The main
advantage is that they require small
Y
perennial rivers, the water being Advantages of micro-irrigation investment and can be completed
nearly diverted into them, on large within a short period to effect
dams. Reservoirs may be necessary, Water savings. Conveyance loss is immediate agricultural productivity.
if the level and flow of water in the minimal. Evaporation, runoff and If quick returns are required from
river is weak. These canals are deep percolation are reduced as investment on irrigation,minor
found in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar compared to other traditional irrigation works are more suitable for
irrigation systems. A water supply the Indian farmers.
How was this topic asked in the CSE source with limited flow rates such
Q. With reference to micro- as small water wells or city/rural Irrigation projects with a culturable
irrigation, Which of the following water can be used. commandArea (CCA) between
statements is / are correct? 2000 and 10000 hectares are
l. Fertilizer/nutrient loss can be Energy savings. A smaller power classified as medium projects and
reduced. unit is required compared to sprinkler those with CCA of more than 10000
2. It is the only means of irrigation irrigation systems. hectares are as major projects.
in dry land farming. Weed and disease reduction. Major irrigation system involves a
3. In some areas of farming, Because of limited wetted area from huge investment and long period for
receding of ground water table can completion but they have large
non-spray type of micro-irrigation,
be checked. Select the irrigation capacity. This system
weed growth is inhibited and disease
correct answer using the codes offers a complete protection against
given below : incidences reduced.
famines and floods.Moreover these
(a) I only (b) II and III only Can be automated. Fertilizers and projects are multi purpose projects
(c) I and III only (d) I, II and III chemicals can be applied with water which are planned and executed by
Ans. (c) CSE 2011 Government of India.

Prelims Magic 2014 341

 MAJOR DAMS OF INDIA
Aliyar Dam was constructed during
the years 1959-1969 across Aliyar
river mainly for irriga-tion purposes.
It is located about 65 km from
Coimbatore and it is found on the
foothills of Valparai. The project was
G commissioned in September 2002 to
generate Hydro  Electric  Power.
Under this scheme, the irrigation
E discharges let down through river
slucies of the Aliyar Dam are
proposed to be utilized for power
O generation in a power house to be
located at the toe of the dam.
Almatti Dam is on the Krishna
G River in North Karnataka. The
annual energy design is 713 million
units. It was completed in July 2005.
R Almatti dam is the main reservoir of
the Upper Krishna project, an
irrigation project. The 290 MW
A power project is located on the right
toe of Almatti Dam. The Power
House has 5 units of 55 MW each
P and 1 unit of 15 MW.
Baglihar Dam, also known as
H Baglihar  Hydro-electric  Power
Project, is a run-of-the-river power
project on the Chenab River in the
Y southern Doda district of the Indian
administered state of Jammu and
Kashmir. This project was conceived
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Alamatti is on the river
(a) Godavari (b) Cauvery
(c) Krishna (d) Mahanadi
Ans. (c) CSE 1997
in 1992, approved in 1996 and
construction began in 1999. It will
have installed capacity of 900 MW
when complete. The first phase of
the Baglihar Dam was completed in
2004.
Banasura Sagar Dam, which
impounds the Karamanathodu
tributary of the Kabini River, is part
of the Indian Banasurasagar Project
consisting of a dam and a canal
project started in 1979. The goal of
the project is to support the
Kakkayam Hydro electric power
project and satisfy the demand for
342 Prelims Magic 2014
irrigation and drinking water in a Construction began in 1948 and was
region known to have water completed in 1963. The dam, at 741
shortages in seasonal dry periods. ft (226 m), is one of the highest
The Banasura Sagar Dam is located gravity dams in the world (compared
21 km from Kalpetta, in Wayanad to USA’s largest Hoover Dam at 732
Dis-trict  of  Kerala  in  the  Westernft). The 166 km 2 Gobindsagar
Ghats. It is the largest earthen dam Reservoir, named Guru Gobind
in India and the second largest in Singh, is created by this dam. The
Asia.
Bansagar or Ban Sagar Dam is a
dam provides irrigation to 10 million
acres (40,000 km2 ) of fields in
Punjab, Himachal Pradesh,
multipur-pose river valley project on
Son River situated in Ganga Basin
Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.
in Madhya Pradesh, India envisaging Bhira is a small village in state of
both irrigation and hydroelectric Maharashtra located about 150 km
power generation. The Bansagar from Mumbai. It has the third
Dam across Sone River is being hydropower plant installed by The
constructed at village Deolond in Tata Power Company Ltd. (TPCL)
Shahdol district on Rewa-Shahdol in 1927. Bhira power station with a
road, at a distance of 51.4 km from 6 x 25 MW generating units, along
Rewa. There was an agreement in with other hydro and thermal power
1973 between the State stations belonging to TPCL, forms
Governments of Madhya Pradesh, a vital link in sustaining the industrial
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the activity of Mumbai-Pune region of
construction of the Dam, according Maharashtra state.
to which States had to share the
Damanganga Irrigation Project -
expenditure in the ratio of 2:1:1. The
sharing of 4 maf water is also to be
done by the states in the same ratio.
Location: Dist. Valsad, Gujarat;
Purpose: Irrigation, water supply, and
power generation; River: Daman-
Bargi Dam is one of the first ganga
completed Dam out of the chain of
30 major dams to be constructed on
Farakkah Barrage. Completed in
1974-75, the Farakkah Barrage is
Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh,
India. The Narmada is the largest
river  in Madhya  Pradesh,  flow-ing
a dam on the Ganga River located
in West Bengal, roughly 10
kilometers (km) from the border with
towards the west and falling in the
Bangladesh. The dam was built to
Arabian Sea. Its total length is 1312
divert the Ganga River water into
km of which it covers 1072 km in
the Hoogly River during the dry
Madhya Pradesh. The height of the
season, from January to June, in
dam is 69 m and length 5.4 km. A
order to flush out the accumulating
lake of about 75 km in length and
silt which in the 1950s and 1960s was
4.5 km width, spreading over 267.97
a problem at the major port of
km2. In Jabalpur, Mandla and Seoni
Kolkata on the Hooghly River. This
districts is formed when the water
is the Longest Barrage in the world
is impounded up to the dam FRL of
and has recently been entered into
422.76 m.
the Guinness Book of World
Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity Records. The canal-carrying
dam across the Sutlej River, near the capacity of Farrakka is 75,000
border between Punjab and Cusecs. This barrage is constructed
Himachal Pradesh in northern India. by the Hindustan Constructions
The dam was part of the larger Limited Company.
multipurpose Bhakra Nangal Project
Girna Irrigation Project -
whose aims were to prevent floods
Location: Village: Panzan, Tal:
in the Sutlej-Beas river valley, to
Nandgaon, Dist: Nashik,
provide irrigation to adjoining states
Maharashtra Purpose: Irrigation;
and to provide hydro-electricity.
River: Girna & Pazan; Catchment
Area: 4729.34 KM2 the districts of Khandwa and Mangalam dam is constructed
Khargone in Madhya Pradesh. It across the river Cherukunnapuzha
Ghataprabha (Karnataka): A
envisages power generation of 1000 which is a tributary of Mangalam
project across Ghataprabha in
MW installed capacity (8x125). The river. A canal system for irrigation
Belgaum and Bijapur districts. It is
reservoir of 7.90 MAF live storage purpose was com-pleted and opened
a major irrigation project
capacity will be created. in 1966, in the Alathur taluk of
Hirakud Dam is built across the Palakkad district in Kerala.
Jaikwadi dam, also known as Nath
Mahanadi River, about 15 km from
Sagar is located near Paithan. It is Mattupatti Dam, near Munnar in
Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in
India. Built in 1956, the dam is the
world’s largest earthen dam. Behind
about 50 km from Aurangabad, built
on river Godavari and about 110 km
Idukki Dis-trict, is a storage masonry
dam built in the mountains of Kerala,
G
from Ahmednagar. Its area is 1300 to conserve water for hydro-
the dam extends a lake, 55 km long.
Hirakud Dam is one of the longest
dams in the world, about 16 mi (26
km2 . It supplies water to
Aurangabad City and generates
electricity. Mannar is located near
the  confluence  of  the  moun-tain
E
power. Jawai dam is a dam built streams of Muthirappuzha River,
km) in length. It was the first major
multipurpose river valley project
started after India’s independence.
across the Jawai river, a tributary of
Luni river. The dam is situated near
Chanduvarai River and Kundali
River.
O
Sumerpur town in Pali District of
Idukki Dam is built on the Periyar
River, in the ravine between the
Rajasthan state.
Kolkewadi Dam or Kolkiwadi
The Mettur Dam is a large dam in
India built in 1934. It was
constructed in a gorge, where the
G
Kuravan and Kurathi Hills in Kerala.
At 167.68 meters, it is one of the
highest arch dams in Asia. It started
Dam is a dam located in the Konkan
region of Maharashtra. The dam is
part of the Koyna Dam
River Kaveri enters the plains. The
dam is one of the oldest in India. It
provides irrigation facilities to Salem,
R
generating power on 4 October
1975. Technically, the dam type is a
con-crete  double,  curvature
hydroelectric project. It is located in
Kolkiwadi, three kilometres near the
village of Alore, near Chiplun.
Tiruchirappali and Thanjavur district
for 271,000 acres (1,100 km2) of
farm land. The total length of the
A
parabolic, thin arc dam. This dam
was constructed along with two
other dams at Cheruthony and
Kola Barrage is the fourth in the
series of Chambal Valley Projects,
dam is 1700 meters. The dam
creates Stanley Reservoir. The
Mettur Hydro Electrical power
P
located about 0.8 km up-stream of
How was this topic asked in the CSE? Kota City in Rajasthan. Water
Q. The canal-carrying capacity of released after power generation at
project is also quite large.
Mulshi is the name of a major dam
H
Farrakka is Gandhi Sagar dam, Rana Pratap on the Mula river located in the
(a) 75,000 Cusecs
(b) 70, 000 Cusecs
Sagar dam and Jawahar Sagar
Dams, is diverted by Kota Barrage
Taluka Mulshi administrative division
of the Pune district of Maharashtra
Y
(c) 40,000 Cusecs for irrigation in Rajasthan and in State. Water from the dam is used
(d) 35, 000 Cusecs Madhya Pradesh through canals on for irrigation as well as for producing
Ans. (a) CSE 1997 the left and the right sides of the electricity at the Bhira hydroelectric
Kulamavu. Together, the three dams river. The work on this dam was power plant, operated by Tata
have created an artificial lake that completed in 1960.The total, Power Company LTD. The station
is 60 km2 wide. catchment area of Kota Barrage is operates six 25MW Pelton turbines
27,332 km2 , of which the free and was established in 1927. It
Indira Sagar Project or ISP is a catchment area below Jawahar mostly supplies power to Mumbai.
multipurpose key Project of Madhya Sagar Dam is just 137 km2. The live
Pradesh on the Narmada River at storage is 99 Mm3. It is an earth fill Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry
Narmadanagar in District Khandwa dam with a concrete spillway. 50% dam built across Krishna River in
of Madhya Pradesh. The foundation of the water intercepted at Kota Nagarjuna Sagar, Andhra Pradesh.
stone of the project was laid by late Barrage has been agreed to be It is the world’s tallest masonry dam,
Smt Indira Gandhi, (Ex Prime diverted to Madhya Pradesh for at a height of 124 metres, and
Minister of India) on 23rd October irriga-tion. creates  a  reservoir  hold-ing  up  to
1984. The down stream projects of 11,472 million cubic metres. It is one
ISP are Omkareshwar, Maheshwar Maithan Dam is on Barakar river of the earliest irrigation and hydro-
and Sardar Sarovar Project. The near Dhanbad in Jharkand state. electric projects in India. The dam
Project envisages con-struction of a The dam was designed for flood provides irrigation water to the
92 m high and 653 m long concrete control and is the biggest reservoir Nalgonda District, Prakasam
gravity dam. It will provide Irrigation in the Damodar valley. It was the District, Khammam District and
in 1,230 square kilometres of land in first underground power stand in S.E Guntur District.
Asia.

Prelims Magic 2014 343

 The Narmada Dam Project, is a Ramganga (Uttar Pradesh): A Dam the 11th Plan. The project has been
project in-volving the construction of across Ramganga, a tributary of the accorded mega status. NTPC
a series of large hydroelectric dams Ganga river located in Garhwal secured the project through MoU
on the Narmada River. The project district. The Project has, besides route from Uttarakhand
was first conceived of in the 1940s reducing the intensity of Floods in government. The project is being set
by the country’s first Prime Minister, central and western Uttar Pradesh, up across River Dhauliganga in
Jawaharlal Nehru. Of the 30 large provided water for the Delhi Water Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It
dams planned on river Narmada, supply scheme. is located near Joshimath on
G Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is the
largest multipurpose project involved
in the construction. The multi-
The Sabarigiri hydro-electric
project originally commissioned in
Rishikesh-Badrinath Road and
involves construction of a barrage
at Tapovan, 15 km from Joshimath
1968 is located on the Pamba &
E pur-pose  project  will  irrigate  more
than 18,000 square kilometres - most
of it in drought prone areas like -
Kakki rivers in the Moozhiyar Dense
Forest 65 km east of Pathanamthitta
on  Joshimath--Malari    Road.  It  is
expected to generate 2558.37 million
kwh annually, in a normal year.
city in the Kerala.
O -Kutch and Saurashtra.
Panshet is a dam about 50 km Soliayar Dam is 15 krn from
Valparai, Tamil Nadu. The Solaiyar
Tawa Reservoir is a large reservoir
on the Tawa River in central India.
southwest of the city of Pune in It is located in Hoshangabad District
G western India. Along with two other
dams nearby (including
Dam is the second largest rock dam
in Asia and measures about 20 Km
in length. The Solaiyar dam is a vital
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Khadakwasla), it sup-plies drinking
Q. Where are Tapovan and
R water to the city of Pune.
Pamba Irrigation Project; Location:
reservoir under the Parambikulam
Aliyar Project and has a water
storage capacity of 160 ft.
Vishnugarh Hydroelectric Projects
located?
Kerala; Purpose: Irrigation; River: (a) Madhya Pradesh
A Pamba Srisailam Dam is a dam constructed
Ranjit Sagar Dam Project is a across the Krishna River at
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Uttarakhand
Hydroelectric Project constructed Srisailam in the Kurnool dis-trict in (d) Rajasthan
P on the river Ravi in the state of the state of Andhra Pradesh and is
Punjab. The other name of the one of the 12 largest hydroelectric
Ans. (c) CSE 2008
of Madhya Pradesh state. The
project is Thein Dam. The Project projects in the country. The dam was
H is situated near Pathankot city in the constructed in a deep gorge in the
Gurdaspur District of the state of Nallamala hills, 300 m (980 ft) above
reservoir was formed by the
construction of the Tawa Dam,
Punjab. The project is the biggest sea level. It is 512 m (1,680 ft) long, which began in 1958 and was
Y Hydroelectric Project in the state of 240.79 m (790.0 ft) high and has 12
Punjab. The project is used for both radial crest gates. Srisailam Dam
completed in 1978. Forty-four
villages were submerged by the
irriga-tion  purposes  and  for  the provides irrigation water for about reservoir.  Tawa  Res-ervoir  forms
generation of power (4xI50MW). 800 km2 (310 sq mi) in Kurnool the western boundary of Satpura
District and Cuddapah District, Na-tional  Park  and  Bori  Wildlife
Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric which are in the drought-prone Sanctuary.
Power Project, Satluj Jal Vidyut Rayalaseema region. Special
Nigam (formerly Nathpa Jhakri Tehri Dam is a major hydroelectric
permission is needed to go on to the project centered near Tehri Town in
Power Corporation Ltd) has run up
main dam. the state of Uttarakhand state.
all six 250MW units of the Nathpa
Jhakri Hydroelectric Power project. Tajewala is a dam located in Located on the Bhagirathi River, the
As a whole, Nathpa Jhakri boasts Yamuna Nagar District, in the state principal tributary of the sacred
the largest and longest headrace of Haryana. Completed in 1873, it River Ganga, the Tehri Dam has a
tunnel, largest desilting cham-bers, regulates the flow of the Yamuna for height of 855 feet (261 m), making
deepest and largest surge shaft, and irrigation in Uttar Pradesh and it the 5th tallest dam in the world.
the largest underground power Haryana through two canals the project has spurred concerns
complex. SJVN was originally a joint originating at this place namely about the environmental
venture between the central Western  Yamuna  Ca-nal  and consequences of locating a large
government, which provided most of Eastern Yamuna Canal, as well as dam in the fragile ecosystem of the
the project funding, and the state of the municipal water supply to Delhi. Himalayan foothills.
Himachal Pradesh. Other
collaborators include Jaiprakash Tapovan Vishnugarh hydro
Industries Ltd (JIL) of India, and the electric project- NTPC’s hydro
Cor-poration  also  involves  Italian project, 4x130 mw, will cost Rs 3,425
expertise. crore. It will be implemented during

344 Prelims Magic 2014

How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE? kilometres in the commands of the
Q. Which of the following pairs are right main canal and the left main
Q. On which one of the following
correctly matched? canal of the Kota Barrage. The
rivers is the Tehri Hydropower
Irrigation Project State Gandhi Sagar dam lies on the
Complex located?
1. Damanganga Gujarat Chambal in Neemuch District of
(a) Alaknanda (b) Bhagirathi
(c) Dhauliganga (d) Mandakini 2. Girna Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh.
Ans (b) CSE 2008 3. Pamba Kerala How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Select the correct answer using the
Ujani dam is built on Bhima River
(a tributary of Krishna) in
Maharashtra state. Ujani dam is
code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q. Gandhi Sagar Dam is a part of
which one of the following?
(a) Chambal Project
G
located in Village Ujjani in Madha (b) Kosi Project
Taluka (Solapur District). It has a
Ans.(d)
reservoir capacity of 1517 Giga Q. Which of the following pairs are
CSE 2008
(c) Damodar Valley Project
(d) Bhakra Nangal Project
E
Litres (GL). So it is one of the biggest correctly matched? Ans. (a) CSE 2005
reservoirs in the region supplying 1. Idukki:
water for drinking and irrigation in 2.
3.
Sabarigiri:
Ghatprabha:
Thermal power station
Hydro-electric project
Irrigation project
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Which one among the following
O
the Solapur district (Maharashtra)
and Bijapur dis-trict (Karnataka). It 4. Ramganga : Multipurpose Project
is the third largest reservoir in (a) 2, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
industries is the maximum
consumer of water in India? G
Maharashtra after Koyna (2800 GL, (c) 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2 (a) Engineering
on Koyna - Krishna) and Jayakwadi
(2171 GL, on Godavari)
Ans. (a) CSE 1996
1. They help to store water that can
(b) Paper and pulp
(e) Textiles
(d) Thermal power
R
Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai be utilised, when water is in greater
River near Andipatti, in the Theni demand both for agricultural and
district of Tamil Nadu. It provides domestic purposes.
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: Percentage of water
consumed by different sectors:
A
water for irrigation for the Madurai 2. They check floods and famines.
district and the Dindigul district as
well as drinking water to Madurai 3. Afforestation is undertaken in the
Thermal power plants87.87,
Engineering 5.05, Pulp and paper
2.26, Textiles 2.07, Steel 1.29,
P
and Andipatti. catchment areas of river, which
helps conservation of water, soil and
Wagur Dam project on the river wild life. Thus it keeps ecosystem
Waghur is located near the village intact.
Sugar 0.49, Fertilizer 0.18, Others
0.78 H
of Varadsim Taluka Bhusawal, Damodar valley project
District Jalgaon, Maharashtra. 4. Production of hydro electricity is
Waghur river from its source near also another purpose of these
Damodar Valley Corporation
(DVC) is the first multi-purpose river
Y
Ajanta flows through the Khandesh projects. It is a pollution free form
region. This major irrigation project of energy and is renewable energy. valley project constituted in
taken up by the Water resources 5. Development of fisheries yield independent India, in 1948, on the
Department of Maharshtra was income. river of Sorrow viz., Damodar. The
started in the year 1975. The main Damodar Valley Project redefines
purpose of the dam is to supply water 6. They attract tourists and develops an instance towards administering
to Jalgaon city and also for irriga-tion tourism industry. the water resources on scientific
purposes. 7. Soil conservation and land lines. Damodar, though a small river,
was called the ‘river of sorrow‘,
Walayar Dam is a dam in Palakkad reclamation are other purposes of because of ravaging floods it used
district of Kerala. This dam is these projects.
to induce. It streams from
constructed across the Walayar For all these above reasons multi
River which is a tributary of purpose river valley projects are Chotanagpur in south Bihar to West
Kalpathipuzha River. It was called the ‘new temples of modern Bengal, where it unites with the
completed and opened in 1964. It is India. We shall briefly learn about Hooghly. The valley has the biggest
one of the major sources of irrigation most important multi purpose deposit of ‘black gold‘, i.e. coal.
in the region. Iron-ore deposits of India can also
projects of India. be found in its environs. The DVC’s
What is a multipurpose project? Chambal Valley Project- Chambal main projects include four dams
A comprehensive river valley project meets the requirements of hydro-
power generation at Gandhi Sagar at Maithon, Panchet and Konar, with
which serves a number of purposes
dam, Rana Pratap Sagar dam and connected hydro-electric power
simultaneously is called a ‘Multi
purpose project’. Multi purpose Jawahar Sagar Dam and for annual stations (except at Konar), Thermal
projects serve the following purposes. irrigation of 5668.01 square Power Station at Bokaro ‘A’, Bokaro

Prelims Magic 2014 345

 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Damodar Valley Corporation is
the first multipurpose river valley
project of independent India.
2. Damodar Valley Corporation
includes thermal and gas power
G stations.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
E (a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
O (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) CSE 2004
G Q. The thermal power plant of
Bokaro is located in
(a) Bihar (b) Chattisgarh
R (c) Jharkhand (d) Odisha
Ans. (c) CSE 2003
‘B’, Chandrapura, Durgapura. Mejia
A and also one gas turbine station at
Maithon. A navigable canal has also
been constructed. The hydel power
P is fed into a common grid, in which
big thermal power stations furnish
majority of electricity for the
H maturing industrial complexes,
extending over south-east Bihar and
bordering parts of West Bengal. The
Y project waters half million hectares
of land in West Bengal and parts of
south-east Bihar.
The Bhakra - Nangal Project
India’s biggest multipurpose river
vally project is ‘Bhakra Nangal
Project’ It has been built at a
strategic point where two hills on
either side of the Sutlej are very close
to each other. It is the highest gravity
dam in the world. Its height is 226
metres from the river bed. The
canals taken out are 1100 kilometres
long. The ‘Nangal Power Plant’ on
the Sutlej produces electricity, and
serves the states of Himachal
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,
Rajasthan and New Delhi.The
6. The Omkareshwar Multi-
distributaries are 3400 kilometres in
purpose Project is proposed on the
length. It irrigates an area of 1.4
million hectares. Narmada River, near Village
Mandhta District Khandwa with an
The Indira Gandhi Canal Project installed capacity of 520 MW with
in Rajasthan is an aspirational
346 Prelims Magic 2014
strategy to fetch fresh areas under designed annual energy generation
irrigation, so that additional areas can of 1166 million units in initial stage
also be reared. The waters of Beas and annual irrigation of 2.83 Lac. Ha
and Ravi had to be channelised on a culturable Command Area
towards Satluj. The Pong Dam (CCA) of 1.47 Lac. Ha. Total
constructed on the Beas, Catchment Area at the Dam site is
accumulates 6,90,000 hectare- 64880 sq.km. Generation of power
metres of water. It has helped to at Omkareshwar Project is directly
reroute the waters of Beas into
Satluj, through a regularised manner,
so that Indira Gandhi or Rajasthan
related to the regulated release of
water from Indira Sagar Project;
Canal, the longest irrigational canal
in the world, can water Ganganagar,
Bikaner and Jaisalmer districts of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With which one of the following
rivers is the Omkareshwar Project
northwest Rajasthan. The central
canal is 468 kilometres in length.
Waters of Satluj, Beas and Ravi are
asso-ciated?
(a) Chambal
(c) Tapi
(b) Narmada
(d) Bhima
now being used by India to irrigate
its water-thirsty lands in the
northwestern parts of the country.
Ans.(b) CSE 2008
hence it is one of the beneficiary
projects of Indira Sagar Project.
4. The Hirakud project Project has been commissioned in
November 2007.
The Hirakud dam is the longest dam
in the world, built across
‘Mahanadhi’ river in Orissa. Three
7. The Nagarjunasagar project
The Nagarjunasagar project is built
canals across Mahanadhi delta on the river Krishna in Andhra
supply water for irrigation. The
project has greatly checked the
Pradesh. It irrigates 867000 hectares
of land.
disastrous floods, which occur lower
Mahanadhi every year.
5. The Kosi project
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using the
The Kosi project in Bihar has been
taken up in co-operation with Nepal.
codes given below the lists:
List I (Rivers) List II (Dams)
Its main aim is to control floods A. Cauvery 1. Alamatti
brought by the river Kosi in North B. Krishna 2. Mettur
Bihar. It has a capacity to irrigate C. Narmada 3. Gandhi Sagar
873000 hectares of land in Bihar.The D. Chambal 4. Sardar Sarovar
chief aim of this project is to control A B C D
floods. This project consists of three (a) 1 4 2 3
units i. a huge storage dam at (b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 2 1 3 4
Hanuman Nagar.
(d) 1 3 4 2
ii. Flood embankments Ans. (b) CSE 1999
iii. Three Irrigation canals and a
power house.
At Indo-Nepal border near
Hanuman Nagar, dam was built with
facilities of flood- control, Irrigation
and provision of hydroelectricity.

19 Agriculture
Indian agriculture is broadly a story
of success. It has done remarkably
well in terms of output growth,
despite weather and price shocks in
the past few years. India is the first
in the world in the production of milk,
pulses, jute and jute-like fibres,
second in rice, wheat, sugarcane,
groundnut, vegetables, fruits and
cotton production, and is a leading
producer of spices and plantation
crops as well as livestock, fisheries
and poultry.
The Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-
12) witnessed an average annual
growth of 3.6 per cent in the gross
domestic product (GDP) from
agriculture and allied sector against
a target of 4.0 per cent. While it may
appear that the performance of the
agriculture and allied sector has
fallen short of the target, production
has improved remarkably, growing
twice as fast as population. India’s
agricultural exports are booming at
a time when many other leading
producers are experiencing
difficulties. The better agricultural
performance is a result of: a)
farmers’ response to better prices;
b) continued technology gains; and
c) appropriate and timely policies
coming together. Yet India is at a
juncture where further reforms are
urgently required to achieve greater
efficiency and productivity in
agriculture for sustaining growth.
There is need to have stable and
consistent policies where markets
play a deserving role and private
investment in infrastructure is
stepped up. An efficient supply
chain that firmly establishes the
linkage between retail demand and
the farmer will be important.
Retionalization of agricultural
incentives and strengthening of food
price management will also help,
together with a predictable trade
policy for agriculture.
These initiatives need to be coupled
with skill development and better
research and development in this
sector along with improved delivery
of credit, seeds, risk management
tools, and other inputs ensuring
sustainable and climate-resilient
agricultural practices. Finally, while
the sharp increase in prices of food
articles, especially proteins, fruits
and vegetables, and the growing
foodgrains stocks in public sector
continue to be subjects of debate,
these may be the pointers towards
the need for both relative price shifts
responding to shifts in demand and
reconsidering traditional instruments
of food management.
Although agriculture, including allied
activities, accounted for only 14.1
per cent of the GDP at constant
(2004-5) prices in 2011-12, its role
in the country’s economy is much
bigger with its share in total
employment according to the 2001
census, continuing to be as high as
58.2 per cent. The declining share
of the agriculture and allied sector
in the country’s GDP is consistent
with normal development trajectory
of any economy, but fast agricultural
growth remains vital for jobs,
incomes, and the food security. The
growth target for agriculture in the
Twelfth Five Year Plan remains at
4 per cent, as in the Eleventh Five
Year Plan.
PERFORMANCE OF THE
AGRICULTURE SECTOR
Average annual growth of the
agriculture and allied sector during
the Eleventh Five year Plan at 3.6
per cent fell short of the 4 per cent
growth target. Realised growth,
however, has been much higher than
the average annual growth of 2.5
and 2.4 per cent achieved during the
Ninth and Tenth Plans, respectively.
Growth has also been reasonably
stable despite large weather shocks
during 2009 (deficient south west
monsoon), 2010-11 (drought/
deficient rainfall in some states), and
2012-13 (delayed and deficient
monsoon). An important reason for
this dynamism has been due to a
Prelims Magic 2014
step-up in the gross capital formation
(GCF) in this sector relative to GDP
of this sector, which has consistently
been improving from 16.1 per cent
in 2007-8 to 19.8 per cent in 2011-
12 (at constant 2004-5 prices).
Overall GCF in agriculture
(including the allied sector) almost
doubled in last 10 years and
registered
a compound average annual growth
G
of 8.1 per cent. Rate of growth of
GCF accelerated to 9.7 per cent in
the Eleventh Plan (2007-12)
E
compared to a growth of 2.7 per cent
during the Tenth Plan
(2002-07). Average annual growth
O
of private investment at 12.5 per
cent during Eleventh Plan (first four
years) was significantly higher as
G
against nearly stagnant investment
during the Tenth Plan.
Rainfall Distribution during
R
Monsoon 2012
The performance of Indian
agriculture is still heavily dependent
A
on rainfall and south west monsoon
(June to September), comprising 75
per cent of total annual rainfall,
P
substantially affects production and
productivity of agriculture. During
2012, south-west monsoon rainfall
H
over the country as a whole was 8
per cent less than the long period
aver age (LPA). The seasonal
Y
rainfall was 93 per cent of its LPA
over north-west India, 96 per cent
over central India, 90 per cent over
peninsular India, and 89 per cent
over north-east India. Out of a total
of 36 meteorological subdivisions in
the country, 23 received excess/
normal rainfall and in the remaining
13 subdivisions r ainfall was
deficient.
With more than half of the cultivated
area dependent on monsoon,
advance information about the
intensity and spread becomes very
important.
With the objective of improving
monsoon forecasts for the country
over all temporal scales (short to
medium and long term), the Earth
System Science Or ganization
(ESSO)/ Ministry of Earth Sciences
347
 has initiated the National Monsoon
Mission during the Twlefth Five
Year Plan with an estimated budget
of ‘ 400 crore. Under this Mission,
a dynamic framework for prediction
of monsoon over all time scales will
be implemented during the next five
years.
G Joint collaborative research projects
will also be undertaken with national
and international scientists involved
E in monsoon research. This is a
crucial step towards improving the
reliability of monsoon forecasts for
O appr opriate and timely policy
interventions to support farmers and
food management.
G CROP PRODUCTION
During the Eleventh Plan period,
food grains production in the country
R recorded an increasing trend, except
in 2009-10 when total food grains
production declined to 218.1 million
A tonnes due to severe drought
experienced in various parts of the
country. During 2011-12, total food
P grains production reached an all-
time high of 259.32 million tonnes.
However, the production of 2012-
H 13 kharif crops is likely to be
adversely affected by deficiency in
the south-west monsoon and the
Y resultant acreage losses. The
overall area coverage at 665.0 lakh
ha under foodgrains during kharif
2012- 13 shows a decline of 55.8
lakh ha compared to 720.86 lakh ha
during kharif 2011-12 (fourth AE) .
Output is expected to decline in all
major crops.
AREA, PRODUCTION, AND
YIELD OF AGRICULTURAL
CROPS
Ther e are limitations to the
expansion of area for cultivation.
Multiple cropping, improvement in
yield levels and shifts in area for
certain crops hold the key to the
long-term output growth. An
analysis of the all-India compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) in the
indices of area, production, and yield
of major agricultural crops during
the last three decades indicates
significant progr ess towards
increasing production, yield levels
and crop diversification.
348 Prelims Magic 2014
It is expected that fresh investment
will come for expansion, revival, and
setting up of brown field and green
field projects. Adequate provisions
are made in NIP-2012 to ensure the
long-term availability of gas required
for expansion and green field/brown
field projects. In the event of
increase in gas prices or fall in IPP,
provisions are made in the policy to
protect the interest of investors. It
has been decided to implement direct
cash transfer to the farmers in a
phased manner, which would help
target small, marginal, and other
farmers and bring more
transparency in subsidy
disbursement. Eleven districts have
been identified for piloting this across
10 states.
Under the Nutrient Based Subsidy
(NBS) scheme for phosphatic and
potassic (P&K) fertilizers
implemented in 2010, a fixed amount
of subsidy, decided on annual basis,
is provided to each grade of P&K
fertilizer, depending upon its nutrient
content. An additional subsidy is also
provided to secondary and micro-
nutr ients. Under this scheme,
manufactur ers/mar keters are
allowed to fix the maximum retail
price (MRP). Presently (as in
November 2012), farmers pay only
58 to 73 per cent of the delivered
cost of P&K fertilizers; the rest is
borne by the Government of India
in the form of subsidy. However, the
government continues to share a
substantial burden in the form of
fertilizer subsidy implemented in
areca nut, onion, and turmeric in
Karnataka; apple in Himachal
Pradesh; and potato in Uttar
Pradesh.
AGRICULTURAL
MARKETING
The role of the agriculture market is
to deliver agricultural produce from
the farmer to the consumer in the
most efficient way. Agriculture
markets are regulated in India
through the APMC Acts. According
to the provisions of the APMC Acts
of the states, every APMC is
authorized to collect market fees
from the buyers/traders in the
prescribed manner on the sale of
notified agricultural produce. The
relatively high incidence of
commission charges on agricultural
/horticultural produce renders their
marketing cost high, which is an
undesirable outcome. All this
suggests that a single point market
fee system is necessary for
facilitating free movement of
produce, bringing price stabilization,
and reducing price differences
between the producer and consumer
market segments. Another point to
be highlighted is that the cleaning,
grading, and packaging of
agricultural produce before sale by
the farmers have not been
popularized by these market
committees on a sufficient scale.
Nevertheless, there have been some
achievements in leading states like
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh and Gujarat since the
Model APMC Act 2003 has been
implimented in those states. Some
state governments have granted
licences to the private sector for
setting up of markets and direct
purchase from the farmers in order
to provide alternative marketing
channels. There is considerable
potential for agricultural markets to
be competitive. As the APMC was
created to protect the interests of
farmers it will be in the fitness of
things to give farmers the choice of
going to the
APMC or not. In the light of this,
the need is to pursue further reforms
in the state APMC Acts.
SALIENT FEATURES OF
INDIAN AGRICULTURE
1. Dependence on Monsoons
Indian agriculture has always been
dependent on the arrival of
monsoon which is highly unreliable
- both uncertain and irregular. The
large scale irrigation serves only one
third of crop area. The remaining
has to suffer the vagaries of
monsoon.
2. Variety of Crops
India’s vast relief, varying climatic
and soil conditions produce a variety
of crops. Both tropical, subtropical
and temperate crops like wheat and
barley are grown.
3. Preponderance of Food Crops
Since India has to feed a large
population, preponderance of food
crops over other crops is the most
important feature of Indian
agriculture. More than 2/3rd of the
total cropped area is taken up by
cultivation of food crops.
4. Seasonal Pattern
India has three main crop seasons
which are most influenced by the
changing seasons :
(a) Kharif
(b) Rabi
(c) Zaid
(a) Kharif season: Ground is
prepared  in April  -May  and  seeds
are sown in June on arrival of rain.
Harvesting is done in the beginning
of November. Major crops of this
season are rice, maize, jowar, bajra,
cotton, sesame, groundnut, pulses
and jute.
(b) Rabi season : The ground is
prepared by the end of October or
beginning of November and
harvesting takes place in March.
Major crops of this season are
wheat, barley, jowar, gram, oilseeds
and tobacco.
(c) Zaid season : It is the summer
cropping season in which crops like
rice, maize, groundnut, vegetables
and fruits are grown along with
pulses. This season is the period
between kharif harvest and rabi
sowing period; and between after
harvesting rabi before sowing kharif.
Cropped Area
The land resource utilization statistics
show that about 47% of the total
geographical area of the country is
net sown area i.e. the area under
cultivation. It has increased from
118.7 million hectare (1950-51) to
142 million hectare presently. The higher proportion of sown area is
gross cropped area (net cropped area sown more than once in the
+ area sown more than once) has same agriculture year. The
increased from 131.9 m.h. to about significance of intensity of cropping
190 m.h. The following important lies in the fact that expansion of Net
observations may be noted in this Sown Area (i.e. cultivated land) is
respect — not possible after a certain limit and
therefore, any increase in agriculture
(i) The increase in cropped area has production has to come from
resulted from
(a) improved irrigation
increasing the crop intensity and
productivity.
G
(b) improved agricultural inputs and The intensity of cropping is closely
methods correlated with the use of method E
of Double or Multiple Cropping, i.e.
(c) expansion of intensity of taking two or more harvests from the
cropping or increased use of multiple same piece of land during one
cropping
O
agriculture year. The major factor
(d) reclamation of more land for influencing crop intensity /multiple
agricultural purposes (which usually cropping are assured irrigation, use
G
comes at the expense of forests and of early maturing - high yielding plant
pastures, important resources— varieties, application of modern
cleared in face of increasing technological inputs like seeds,
R
population pressure). fertilisers, farm mechanisation and
(ii) The percentage of sown area to
total land area varies between
plant protection through use of
insecticides and pesticides. In the A
Ganga-Sutlej plain, multiple cropping
different parts of the country,
determined by topography, soil and
climate.  The Indo-  Gangetic  plains
is facilitated because of assured
irrigation through canals. On the P
other hand, in the eastern coastal
record the highest percentages, from
80 to 90, under cultivation while the
proportion is substantially lower in
region, double cropping is made
possible by prevalence of suitable H
temperature and rainfall from
mountainous or arid zones
sometimes going to 10% or even
lower.
retreating monsoon.
iv) The vast land area and high
Y
percentage of cultivable land/arable
iii) The percentage of area sown
land (47% of total geographic area
more than once during a year also
as compared to world average of
varies a lot with 11 % being the
32%) along with factors such as rich
national average though Punjab sows
soils, wide climatic range and a long
over 42% of its sown area -more
growing season has provided India
than once. This feature (of area
a long agronomic range where a
being sown more than once) is
variety of crops can be grown.
explained with the term ‘Intensity
of cropping’ and arises because of RAINBOWOF
the increased use of method of REVOLUTIONS
‘Multiple/Double Cropping’.
Title Associated with the production
Intensity of cropping can be
explained by the following formula: Green revolution: Agricultural
crops
Intensity of Cropping White revolution: Milk and Milk
= Gross Cropped Area x 100 Products
Net Sown Area Grey revolution: Eggs and Poultry
Golden revolution: Horticulture
Higher crop intensity index (i.e. Yellow revolution: Oil Seeds
percentage) shows higher intensifi- Blue revolution: Marine Products
cation of agriculture, meaning that a
Agricultural practices
Prelims Magic 2014 349
 How was this topic asked in the CSE? Commercial agriculture Two crops are raised on a farm at a
Q. Consider the following crops time. (e.g.)Wheat is cultivated along
It is the type of farming in which with mustard.
1.Cotton 2. Groundnut crops are raised on a larger scale
3. Rice 4.Wheat with the view of exporting them to 3. Multiple cropping patterns
Which of these are Kharif crops? other countries and earning money.
(a) 1 and 4 In multiple cropping, more than two
Wheat, cotton, sugar cane etc. are
(b) 2 and 3 only crops are raised on a farm
commercial crops. This type of
(c) 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously. (e.g.) Barely -
G (d) 2, 3 and 4
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
farming is practiced in Gujarat,
Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra.
mustard - wheat; Jowar - Bajra -
groundnut. Dual and multiple
Expl: Kharif : Rice, cotton, jute, Plantation agriculture cropping is practised with a view that
E juwar, bajra and tur
Rabi : Wheat, gram, mustard
It is the practice of farming in which
crops are cultivated on hundreds of
the soil nutrients are shared by the
crops in turn.

O How was this topic asked in the CSE?

Q. Consider the following crops:
hectares of land in a highly
specialised formon the lines of
factory organisation. Rubber, tea,
Compound annual growth rates of
area, production and yield (as %
1. Cotton 2. Groundnut
G 3. Maize 4. Mustard
Which of the above are Kharif
coffee, etc. are plantation crops.
This type of agriculture is developed
in hilly areas of north eastern areas,
per annum with Base T.E 1981-
82=100) to 2011-12 (base TE 93-
94 =100 % per annum)
crops ?
R (a) 1 and 2
(c) 3 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
West Bengal, Nilgiris, Anaimalai and
Cardamom hills in Peninsular India. Growth
rates
1990-91 200-01
to 1999-2000 to 2011-12
Agricultural practices in our country Dry farming
A may be classified on the basis of
availability of land, water, volume of
This is practised in dry areas of the
country such as Western, North
Rice
Area
Production 2.02
0.68 0.00
1.78
production and market. In India the
P following types of farming are
practised.
Western and Central India. Moisture
maintaining crops such as Gram and
Peas are raised in this practice of
Yield
Wheat
Area
1.34

1.72
1.78

1.35

H Subsistence agriculture
It is a type of agriculture in which
farming. It mainly depends on
irrigation.
Production 3.57
Yield
Coarse Cereals
1.83
2.61
1.24

Wet farming
Y crops grown are consumed by the
farmer and his familymembers.
They concentrate on cultivation of
It is a type of farming which mainly
Area -2.12
Production -0.02
Yield 1.82
-0.81
3.01
3.85
depends upon rains. It is prevalent
food crops only. Large scale Pulses
in the north, North eastern, Eastern
improvement has been made in Area -0.60 1.60
India and on the western slopes of
Indian agriculture after Production 0.59 3.69
the Western Ghats. Rice and Jute
independence. The farmers Yield 0.93 2.06
are grown in this type of farming. Sugarcane
intensively cultivate the available
land with high input of fertilizers, Cropping patterns Area -0.07 1.38
manures, high yielding variety of Production 2.73 2.07
The prudence of farmers decides the Yield 1.05 0.68
seeds, farm machineries and cropping patterns. Cropping patterns
irrigational facilities wherever Cotton
are the patterns in which agricultural Area 2.71 3.22
possible, with the aim of obtaining crops are raised. The following
maximum yield. So this type of Production 2.29 13.53
cropping patterns are prevalent in Yield -0.41 9.99
agriculture is also known as the India.
intensive subsistence agriculture. Nine Oilseeds
Normally this type of farming is 1. Unicropping pattern or Area 0.86 2.12
practised in great alluvial plain and Monoculture Production 1.63 3.36
deltaic regions along the east Yield 1.15 1.22
In this method, only one crop is
coast.Mainly staple food of Indians raised on an agricultural field at one
is cultivated through this agriculture Note: *Growth rates are based
time. (e.g.) Tea, coffee, sugarcane, Economic Survey 2012-13
pattern. Rice is the staple food of etc.
South Indians whereas wheat is of
North Indians. 2. Dual cropping (Double
cropping)

350 Prelims Magic 2014

FOOD CROPS
1. RICE (Kharif Crop)
India is the second largest producer
of rice in the world. About 23% of
gross cropped area of India is under
rice Cultivation. It is a tropical crop
which is grown well in alluvial plains
and river deltas. It requires a mean
monthly temperature of 24°C,
average rainfall of 150 cm and deep
fertile alluvial soil for its growth. In
areas of less rainfall particularly in
Punjab and Haryana, it is grown with
the help of irrigation. The major rice
lands are deltas, estuaries, flood
plains and coastal plains. Cheap
labour is required for sowing,
weeding, harvesting and other
processes. Drilling, dibbling and
transplanting are the different
methods of rice cultivation. Sugandh
5, Sukaradhan 1 are the hybrid
variety seeds, recommended for the
cultivation in the areas of Haryana,
Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and
upland hills of Himachal Pradesh
and Uttarakhand.
The rice producing states are West
Bengal, Punjab, Uttarpradesh, Bihar
and Odisha in North India and Tamil
Nadu andAndhra Pradesh in South
India. West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam states
are producing more than 75% of the
Rice in the river delta regions. Most
of the production is consumed
locally due to dense population.
There is little rice left for international
export. Rice is cultivated two to
three times a year intensively in the
deltas of theMahanadi, the Godavari,
the Krishna and the Kaveri.
> Rice is the most important crop loams are ideal for the cultivation of
of India and supports half of the rice. Even black lava soil is suitable
Indian population.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In India, during the last decade the lands, river valleys, flood pains,
total cultivated land for which one deltas and coastal plains. Rice does
of the following crops has not need aerated soils.
remained more or less stagnant?
(a) Rice (b) Oilseeds
(c) Pulses (d) Sugarcane
Ans (a) CSE 2010
> It is the staple food of the people
living in the northeast and southern
part of the country.
> It is tropical as well as sub-tropical
crop.
> It is a versatile crop and can be
grown in different parts of India so
long as the temperature and water
conditions are satisfactory. It can be
grown on different altitudes from the
hill terrace of Kashmir to lowland
areas of Kerala in South India.
> As it can be grown under varying
conditions, it has given rise to a large
number of varieties, differing in
quality. There are about 10,000
varieties of rice in the world out of
which about 4,000 types are grown
in India.
Types / Varieties
Rice is kharif crop in north India. In
the south, it can be grown throughout
the year if irrigation is available.
There are three types of rice grown
in different parts of India—
(a) Rice grown in well watered low
land plain areas is called wet or
lowland rice.
(b) Cultivation in which the hill slopes
are cut into terraces is called
terraced cultivation.
(c) The supply of water to hilly
regions is not as much as on the
plains, hence the rice grown in these
hilly regions is called dry or upland
rice.
Soils
Rice can be grown on a variety of
soils. Deep fertile clayey or friable
as this type of soil can easily be
puddle into mud and retains
moisture. Thus, this soil requirement
makes it essentially a crop of low
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
Prelims Magic 2014
- Rice requires an average
temperature of about 240C.
- It can be grown in the range of
16°C to 32°C temperatures with
about 16°C to 20°C during the
growing season and 18°C to 32°C
at the ripening stage.
It needs plenty of sunshine.
Rainfall G
- The average rainfall required is
about 150 cm to 200 cm. E
- It needs flooded fields during the
earlier part of its growing season.
- Slight rain before ripening helps
O
in increasing the size of the grain.
To sum up its geographical G
requirements, the rice crop needs
plenty of sunshine, heavy rainfall or
irrigated deep alluvial clayey soil and R
plenty of labour to work on the fields
as most of the farming involves
manual labour. A
Following methods of rice cultivation
are practised in India:
(1) Broadcasting Method : This
P
method involves sowing the seeds
by sprinkling them all over the field
by hand. This method is generally
H
used to sow inferior quality of seeds,
hence the yield is low. Y
(2) Dibbling : In this method seeds
are dropped at regular intervals in
the furrows made by the farmers
with the help of a plough.
(3) Drilling Method
- While using the plough, seeds are
dropped through a bamboo shaft
attached to it, in the furrows made
by the plough in a straight line.
- This method, though saving
wastage of seeds, is very time
consuming.
- It is mostly used in Tamil Nadu in
peninsular India.
- Sometimes seeds are soaked in
water for a few hours before
sowing. It helps in quick germination
especially where the soil is not moist
enough.
351
 (4) Transplantation How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
- This method is practiced in the Q. In which one of the following Q Directions:- The following items
areas of fertile soil, abundant rainfall, crops international trades is low in consist of two statements, one
plenty of sunshine and plenty of the context of total produce? labelled as ‘Assertion A’ and the
supply of labour. (a) Rice (b) Coffee other labelled as ‘Reason R’. You
- In this method, seeds are first sown (c) Rubber (d) Wheat are  to  examine  -these  two
in nurseries after soaking them in Ans. (a) CSE 1995 statements carefully and decide if
the Assertion A and the Reason R
G water for 24 hours. Harvesting
- After 4 weeks when the seedlings Harvesting of rice is done by hand.
are individually true and if so,
whether the Reason is a correct
are about 20cm tall, they are The cut-crop is left in the field to explanation of the Assertion.
E uprooted and are planted in the dry for a period of about 3-4 days.
flooded fields so that they can grow After that it is threshed and trampled
Assertion (A) : The eastern coast
of India produces more rice than
again. by bullocks to separate the kernel the western coast.
O - As this entire process is done by from the seed. The rice is then sent
hand, a lot of manual labour is for polishing. By polishing, the rice
Reason (R) : The eastern coast
receives more rainfall than the
may look better, but important western coast.
G required.
Advantages of transplantation
nutrients are lost in the process.
Hand pounded rice is thus
Select your answers to these items
using the codes given below and
(i) Lot of labour is required which is considered better and more mark your answer sheet
R easily available. nutritious. accordingly.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
(ii) When re-sowing, the weeds are Distribution of Rice Crop
the correct explanation of A
A removed. Rice is grown in varying degrees in
(iii) There is less wastage of seeds almost all parts of the country except
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
NOT the correct explanation of A
as in broadcasting. higher parts of Himalayas in the (c) A is true but R is false
P (5) Japanese Method of
extreme north.
Cultivation: This method includes Broadly speaking the premier rice
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) CSE 2003
Explanation : West Bengal, Odisha,
H - the use of less, but good quality
seeds;
producing areas are:
(1) Lower and Middle Ganga Plain.
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Assam states are producing more
than 75% of the Rice in the river
Y - sowing the seeds in raised nursery (2) Brahmaputra Valley
beds; (3) East and West Coastal Regions
delta regions. Statement R is
wrong. Because the 1000 mm
- transplanting the seedlings in rows (4) Parts of Peninsular Plateau, isohyet runs southwards from the
to make weeding and fertilizing especially Tamil Nadu Gujarat coast, roughly parallel to
easy; the rest of Western Ghats upto
Regions of Rice Cultivation Kanyakumari. The rainfall over
- It also involves much use of manure
to obtain higher yield; (a) West Bengal: West Bengal is the the peninsular region lying to the
largest producer of rice in India, east of this line drops abruptly to
- This method ensures three times constituting about 15% of the total below 600 mm, as it lies in the rain-
higher yields; hence it has been rice production area. Suitable shadow region. So, west coast
successfully adopted by many rice climatic conditions, regjon being receives more rainfall than east
cultivation regions in Asia. lower Ganga valley and large scale coast.
In most of the regions of India, rice alluvial soil enable the farmer to grow of land in this state is under
is grown twice or thrice, but in hilly three crops a year . cultivation. Tamil Nadu can have
regions only one crop is grown (b) Tamil Nadu: Although Tamil three crops a year. Thanjavur in the
because of severe weather Nadu produces only 9.32% rice of Cauvery delta is the second largest
conditions. India, the state has a distinction of producer in the country. Areas in
In northeast India,. the primitive giving a yield of 3000 kg/hectare, the north, where rice is grown with the
method of Jhooming (slash and burn) highest in whole of India. This is help of irrigation, are Punjab,
used to be practised for growing mainly due to the effect of Green Haryana and western Uttar
rice. But this method is wasteful and Revolution under which high yield Pradesh. Other states include Bihar,
causes a lot of damage to soil, hence variety (HVY) seeds, fertilizers and Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh in north
it is now forbidden. irrigation facilities have been made India and Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
available to the farmers. About 37% and Kerala in south India.

352 Prelims Magic 2014

2. WHEAT (Rabi Crop) deficiency. concerned, i.e., cool climate with
moderate rainfall, flat and well
- Wheat is the most important food Climatic Requirements drained plain areas, fertile friable
grain in India and is the staple food clayey loams and heavy inputs in the
of millions of Indians, particularly in Temperature
form of irrigation if required, high
the north and north-western parts of - Wheat is a crop of mid-latitudes yielding variety seeds, good quality
the country. (temperate regions) and requires a manure and if possible mechanized
- It is rich in proteins, vitamins and cool climate with moderate rainfall. farming.
carbohydrates and provides a
balanced diet.
-It needs an average temperature
between 10°C to 15°C at the time
Rainfall G
- Wheat needs 50 to 100 cm rainfall
- India is the fourth largest producer of sowing, but as the harvesting time
of wheat after Russia, USA and approaches higher temperatures are
China and accounts for 8.7% of required to help ripening. But sudden
during the growing season. Too
much rainfall is harmful for the crop E
rise of temperature is harmful. - and too little parches the grain.
world’s total production of wheat.
In India, winter temperature of north
-Wheat is a temperate crop. It is India provides more favourable
grown in winter and harvested in conditions.
In areas of less than 50 cm rainfall
irrigation is necessary. In fact, it can
O
be grown in areas with rainfall as
March / April, hence it is a rabi
crop. - In south and north-east,
temperature conditions are above
little as 20-25 cm if proper irrigation
is provided.
G
-Wheat grows well on level plains, 20°C even in winter, hence wheat
especially if the farming is cannot be grown there.
mechanized. In India, it is mainly
A little winter rain before ripening is
ideal and helps in increasing the yield. R
grown in flat alluvial plains of north RICE AND WHEAT - A Climatic Frost at flowering time and hail storm
India. Contrast From utility point of view,
rice and wheat are directly opposite.
at the time of ripening can cause
heavy damage to the wheat crop.
A
Types / Varieties Wheat being the staple crop of north
On the basis of geographical
and rice of northeast and south.
variations, two varieties of wheat are The reasons for the deep contrasts
Method of Cultivation
- Wheat is a rabi crop. Thus, the
P
grown in India : in climatic conditions are : field is prepared by end of
(a) The Normal Bread Variety - (i) Rice is a kharif crop.
November and crops are harvested
in March. Since the sowing is done
H
is grown on irrigated lands where the
Wheat is a rabi crop. following the rainy season, there is
soil is friable loam and clayey in
nature. It is mostly grown in Punjab, (ii) Rice needs average temperatures
between 20°C to 32°C. Wheat
enough moisture in the soil to help it
to grow in early stages.
Y
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
needs not more than 10°C to 15°C; Seeds are sown by broadcasting,
(b) Harder Variety, Macaroni
higher temperature is harmful for the dibbling and drilling methods.
Wheat - grows well on clayey black
plant.
soil in areas of high rainfall. It is Low temperature in October/
mostly grown in Madhya Pradesh, (iii) Isohyet of 100 cm marks the November and winter rains by the
Maharashtra and western Andhra boundary between the wheat westerly depressions are helpful for
Pradesh. growing areas on the one hand and its growth.
Soils rice growing areas on the other.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Wheat grows the best in well- (iv) Wheat needs 50 to 100 cm The lower Ganga plain is
drained, fertile, friable loamy, alluvial rainfall. characterised by humid climate
soils of clayey composition. It is Rice needs more than 100 cm with high temperature throughout
mostly grown in Indo-Gangetic rainfall on an average. the year. Which one among the
Plain. Wheat is sown in winter following pairs of crops is most
immediately after rain, hence it is (v) Wheat cultivation essentially suitable for this region?
easy to prepare the fields for sowing. involves extensive type of farming (a) Paddy and cotton
The deep soil provides the much which is highly mechanized and (b) Wheat and Jute
needed moisture to the wheat plants requires less labour as compared to (c) Paddy and Jute
in the early stages. Wheat can also rice. (d) wheat and cotton
be grown in black cotton soil in areas To sum up, wheat requires a Ans. (c) CSE 2011
of Madhya Pradesh and combination of factors, as far as
Maharashtra. It needs a lot of geographical requirements are
fertilizer to supplement the

Prelims Magic 2014 353

 Harvesting and a close network of canals a mild, cool and comparatively dry
supplemented by a large number of climate with 20°-25°C temperature.
The crop is harvested before the tube wells has helped Uttar Pradesh
summer heat begins in March and in being at the top position. - It is generally grown as a dry crop
the grain hardens and straw in the rabi season.
becomes brittle. Harvesting is. done - The rainfall in these areas ranges
Rainfall
by sickle and now by machines. between 50 to 100 cm during rainy
Warm and sunny weather helps in season. During winter it receives - It needs low to moderate rainfall
the ripening of the crop. However, rainfall between 3 to 7 cm. Hence, of 50-100 cm.
G hailstorms, frost and rain at the time irrigation becomes necessary.
of harvesting are harmful. However, it is noticed that wheat Method of Cultivation
grown in the drier parts of the
E A fungal disease called ‘Rust’ affects country with the help of irrigation is - It is sown between September and
the crop yield. Research work is of superior quality than wheat November and is harvested between
February and April.
going on to protect the crop against produced in rain-fed regions.
O this disease and to produce rust
resistant variety of wheat. Wheat is - As wheat is one season crop, is sown.
It matures in about 150 days after it

grown on about 17% of the cropped rotation of crops is important. It also

G land in India.
Area / States
increases the fertility of the soil and - The leaves turn to reddish brown
helps in supplementing the income from ‘green when it is ready for
of the farmer. The crops rotated harvesting. It is pulled out and kept

R Uttar Pradesh is the largest

producer of wheat in India
with wheat are mostly jowar and in the sun to dry. After that it is
bajra. thrashed by sticks or trampled by
bullocks to take out the seeds.
accounting for over 34% of the 3. PULSES (Rabi Crop)
A production. Pulses form an important part of
Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana Indian diet and are grown in the rabi crop.
- It is rotated as pure or mixed crop
with wheat, barley and mustard

P put together have earned the season.

distinction of being called ‘Granary - Pulses includes a number of crops - It is mostly sown in rows.
of India’. This has been possible due (dals), which provide the much - Severe cold and excessive rain are

H to the Green Revolution strategy in needed vegetable proteins to a large harmful to the crop.
early 60’s which is the main factor vegetarian population of India.
for increase in production. Uses
- Pulses are leguminous plants with
Y Supply of high yielding variety root nodules which have the capacity - Gram is used as dal, besan (flour),
(HYV) seeds, proper use of to fix and use atmospheric nitrogen roasted or cooked and for various
chemical fertilizers, an excellent in the soil and are rotated with other preparations that include sweets and
irrigation system provided by a close crops to maintain or restore soil savouries.
network of canals and effective pest fertility.
- Its green leaves are used as
control measures have contributed
- They serve as an excellent vegetable.
significantly to the increase in wheat
production. forage(food for cattle) and grain - Its grain is used to feed horses and
concentrates in the feed of cattle. cattle.
The states in order of production are
Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, - Though gram and tur (arhar) are Areas / States
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, the most important pulses; other
Gujarat and Maharashtra pulses such as urad (black gram), The most important producers of
moong (green gram), masoor gram are Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Wheat Production in Uttar (lentil), matar (peas) and moth are Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.
Pradesh also grown.
5. MAIZE (Rabi and Kharif Crop)
- Uttar Pradesh is the largest wheat 4. GRAM (Rabi Crop) - Maize is an inferior grain which is
producing state in India. Wheat is Gram accounts for nearly 37% of used both as food and fodder.
grown in almost every part of the the total production of pulses in India.
state but the western part of Uttar - Its grain provides food and is used
Pradesh is more suitable because of Climatic Requirements for obtaining starch and glucose.
its favourable climate. Temperature - Its stalk is used as fodder.
- Fine alluvial soil deposited by the
- Gram can be grown in a wide range - Maize is a tropical crop. It is also
mighty Ganga, its several tributaries
of climatic conditions, but it prefers known as corn.

354 Prelims Magic 2014

- It is grown in kharif season in
most parts of India.
In Tamil Nadu it is grown as a rabi
crop before the onset of rainy wet
season.
- Maize is used essentially as a food
- Maize can be grown at different crop in the form of chappatis,
altitudes from plains to the areas at roasted corns and popcorn.
2500 m above sea level. Well drained
plains are best suited for its growth.
-It is used in confectionary as corn
flour and cereal as corn flakes.
Soils
Since maize is grown in almost all
parts of the country and is used as a
rotation crop, it can be grown on a
variety of soils, from deep heavy
clays to light sandy soils. Fertile, well
drained alluvial soil or red loams free
from coarse material and rich in
nitrogen are best suited for maize
cultivation.
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
- Maize crop requires temperature
- Jowar, bajra and ragi are some
ranging between 21°C to 27°C
although it can tolerate temperature
up to 35°C.
of the millets grown in India.
Jowar is also known as sorghum.
- Frost is injurious to the crop.
Therefore, it can grow only in those
areas which have at least 4 to 5
frost-free months in a year.
Rainfall
- Maize is chiefly a rainfed kharif
crop.
- It requires rainfall ranging from 50
to 100 cm
- In areas of lesser rainfall, irrigation
is necessary. It cannot be grown in
areas where rain is more than 100
cm.
Method of Cultivation
-Maize is sown just before the onset
of monsoon and harvested after
retreat of monsoon. Sunshine after
showers is very useful to maize
crop.
- Cool and dry weather helps in
ripening. - Millets need about 50 to 120 cm
- The crop is harvested when the rainfall.
crop is nearly dry and does not
contain more than 20% moisture.
Maize corns are removed and dried
in the sun before selling.
U ses
- It makes excellent fodder for the
cattle.
6. MILLETS (Kharif Crop)
- Millets are warm weather grasses
grown in those inferior areas where
main food crops like wheat and rice
cannot be grown.
- They are grown in the kharif
season.
- The grain (round in shape) provides - Jowar is both kharif as well as
food for the poor, and stalk and stem rabi crop.
are used as fodder for the cattle.
Millets are hardy, drought and heat
resistant plants and therefore mostly
cultivated in the drier parts of the
monsoon lands, especially on the
Deccan Plateau where rainfall is
poor and unreliable.
- These are mostly grown in the plain
areas, but can be grown on uplands
up to 1200 m in height.
Soils
Millets do not have any special
requirement as far as soil is
concerned, but loamy, sandy and
clayey deep regur and alluvium are
best suited.
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
- Millets require temperatures
ranging from 26°C to 33°C.
Rainfall
Prelims Magic 2014
7. JOWAR (Rabi and Kharif
Crop)
- After wheat and rice, jowar is the
most popular food crop.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements :
1. Maharashtra has the highest
acreage under jowar in India.
G
2. Gujarat is the largest producer
of groundnut in India.
3. Rajasthan has the largest area
E
of cultivable wasteland in India.
4. Andhra Pradesh has the highest
per hectare yield of maize in India.
O
Which of these statements are
correct ?
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2 and 3
G
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (c) CSE 2000
R
Soils
A
Medium regur, clayey black soils are
suitable. Kharif jowar can be P
grown on light sandy soil whereas
rabi Jowar is best grown on black
regur soils. H
Climatic Requirements
Temperature Y
- Jowar requires temperature
ranging from 26°C to 33°C.
Rainfall
- Iowar needs rainfall from about
30 to 100 cm.
- It cannot grow where rainfall
exceeds 100 cm.
- Jowar is a rain-fed crop of dry
farming areas where irrigation is not
used.
- Both excessive rains and drought
conditions are harmful for the plant.
Uses
- Jowar is mainly used for making
roti
- The straw of the plant is used for
fodder for feeding cattle.
- In some areas it is raised only as
355
 cattle feed.
Areas / States
Maharashtra is the largest producer
of jowar, followed by Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and Gujarat.
G 8. BAJRA (Bull Rush Millet,
Kharif Crop) - Bajra is a kharif
E crop.
- This is used as food crop as well
as fodder for cattle in drier parts of
O the country.
- In certain areas it is used for
thatching the roof.
G - It is a rainfed crop, sown between
-It is sown as rotation or mixed May and August and harvested
crop.
R - It is rotated mostly with cotton,
jowar or ragi.
A Soils
It can be grown on a variety of soils,
P from poor light-sandy to black or red
or gravelly soil of upland areas.
Climatic Requirements
H Temperature
- The ideal temperature required for
Y this crop is 25°C to 35°C.
Rainfall
- It grows well where rainfall is less
than 100 cm.
- It is a rainfed crop and is seldom
irrigated.
- Bright sunshine after light showers
is very useful in early stages.
Uses
- It is used as a food crop, for
making roti and as fodder for cattle.
Areas / States
The crop is extensively grown in
Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Rajasthan is the largest producer of
bajra.
9. RAGI (Buck Wheat)
- Ragi is a kharif crop.
356 Prelims Magic 2014
- Ragi is another important millet Characteristics
mainly grown in drier parts of South
India and some parts of North India. 1. Cotton plant is small in size, about
1 to 1.5 m high, with large leaves
Soils and yellow flowers.
It requires red, light-black and sandy 2. The flowers develop into
soils as well as well-drained alluvial cottonseed pods. Inside a white
soils. fibrous substance covers the seed.
Climatic Requirements
These pods are known as ‘bolls’.
3. The cotton seeds (binola) ar-e
Temperature
- Its temperature requirement
ranges from 200C to 30°C.
used in the vanaspati industry. They
also make excellent fodder for milch
cattle as they improve the quality of
Rainfall
- It needs 50-100 cm rainfall.
milk.
4. Cotton is a tropical and subtropical
crop grown up to 400N latitude.
5.Cotton is a rabi as well as a kharif
crop.
between September and January.
Uses
Types / Varieties
Broadly speaking on the basis of
- It is mostly used for food and as
fodder for cattle.
length, strength and structure of its
fibre three varieties of cotton are
grown in India.
Areas / States
It is mostly grown on Deccan
Plateau.
(a) Long Staple Cotton - It has the
largest fibre whose length varies
from 24 to 27 mm. It is used to
Karnataka is the largest producer of
ragi. Tamil Nadu is the second
make fine quality cotton cloth.
Egyptian cotton of this variety is
largest producer. Other states that world-famous. In India, half of the
produces ragi are Maharashtra and
Uttar Pradesh.
cotton produced is of this variety.
States producing long stapled cotton
are Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra,
AGRO-FIBRES Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
1. COTTON (Rabi and Kharif (b) Medium Staple Cotton - It has
Crop) a length of 20 to 24 mm. Most of
the cotton producing states produce
- Cotton is one of the most important
this type of cotton, viz. Rajasthan,
fibre crops of India. It provides the
Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
basic raw material (cotton fibre) to
cotton textile industry. (c) Short Staple Cotton - is less than
19 mm long. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra
- India has been producing cotton
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and
from time immemorial.
Haryana are the main producers of
- Before Partition, Dacca’s Muslin this variety.
was known to be the finest in the
world and was in great demand. Soils
- India is still one of the main Cotton is grown on various types of
producers of cotton. soils, but it is mainly grown in deep
black soils (regur) of the Deccan,
- It ranks fourth in cotton production the Malwa Plateau and Gujarat, as
in the world, but only 10% of the these soils retain moisture. It also
world cotton output comes from grows well in light and alluvial soils
India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? its time of sowing and harvesting material, i.e., cotton. In India, it is
Q. Which one of the following differs in different parts of the mostly done by roller gins. After
areas of India produces largest country. separating, the lint is tied in bales and
amount of cotton? sent to the cotton mills for ripening
- Frost is the worst enemy of the
(a) North western India and and spinning into yarn.
crop.
Gangetic West Bengal Raw cotton known as kapas is sold
- In Punjab and Haryana it is sown
(b) North western and Western in primary markets where the
as a kharif crop in April/May and is
India dealers take up its ginning, baling and
(c) Western and Southern India
(d) Plains of Northern India
harvested in December / January,
before the frost can spoil the crop.
transport it to the main mills. The
price is fixed as per the type of yarn
G
Ans. (c) CSE 1996 - In peninsular India, since there is spun. To get a fair deal to the farmer,
Q. Consider the following
statements:
no fear of frost damaging the crop,
it is grown as rabi crop.
co-operative societies have been
formed by the Maharashtra
E
Government where the price is fixed
1. India is the original home of the
cotton plant.
2. India is the first country in the
- In Tamil Nadu it is grown both as
rabi as well as kharif crop. Here
rains occur during winter and cotton
for different grades of kapas.
The main purpose of the scheme
O
world to develop hybrid cotton
variety leading to increased
production.
is sown during October. The
irrigated crop is sown in January and
February.
is threefold
- to get fair price to the farmer
G
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) Only 1
- Mostly cotton is used as a rotation
crop with other kharif crops such
- to supply unadulterated raw
material to the consumers at fixed
price
R
as maize, jowar, sesame and
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
groundnut.
- Mostly the seeds are sown by the
- to guarantee purity of cotton
Uses
A
Ans. (c) CSE 2003 broadcasting method, but drilling
method is becoming more popular.
of Sutlej-Ganga Plains and red and Irrigated crops give better results.
- After ginning, oil is extracted from
the cotton seed and used for making
P
laterite soils of the Peninsular vanaspati, margarine and soap.
regions.
Climatic Requirements
- Cotton quickly absorbs the nutrients
of the soil, hence regular applications - The residue is used as cattle feed. H
of manure / fertilizers to the soil is Areas / States
Temperature very essential.
- Cotton plant needs mild, cool, Harvesting
India has the largest area under
cotton cultivation though it is not the
Y
preferably dry climate with 21°C to largest producer of cotton.
27°C temperature. Cotton bolls are ready for picking by
October. Less humidity in the air and Currently, it is grown over 6% of the
- It needs plenty of sunshine. warm temperature help in ripening net sown area - Punjab, Maharashtra,
Gujarat and Haryana in the north
- Warm days and cool nights are and bursting the cotton bolls.
and in Peninsular India- Tamil Nadu,
good for the development of the boll Picking is mostly done by hand. A
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are
and fibre in the first stage at the time lot of cheap and efficient labour is
the main producers of cotton
of fruition. required as it cannot be mechanized. production. India is the first country
Rainfall Normally, picking season continues in the world to develop hybrid cotton
for three months as the bolls keep named H-4 in Gujarat Agricultural
- Cotton plants need a moderate
maturing. The cotton plant is University.
rainfall of 50 cm to 80 cm, well
vulnerable to attack by pests and
distributed throughout the year. 2. JUTE
diseases like boll worms, boll weevils
- Stagnant water and excessive rain and wilts. Farmers can control it by Jute is called the “golden fibre of
both are harmful to the plant. regular use of proper pesticides/ India” because India earns valuable
Method of Cultivation insecticides and fungicides. foreign exchange by exporting Jute.
- Cotton takes 6 to 8 months to Processing Its fibre is used in manufacturing jute
mature. textiles and packing materials.
Ginning - After picking, the first
- Depending on its climatic conditions step is ginning in which the cotton Jute requires a high temperature of
fibre is separated from the raw 30°C and rainfall of more than 150
cm.Well drained fertile alluvial and

Prelims Magic 2014 357

 loamy soils are ideal for cultivation - India suffered a great setback in As jute is grown in the areas which
of jute. Cheap and skilled labour is production of jute as a result of are heavily populated, labour is
required to obtain the fibre by retting partition of the country in 1947 when readily available.
of the plant. ‘Retting’ is a about 75% of the jute producing area
Sowing: Jute is generally sown in
microbiological process, which went to Bangladesh (East Pakistan
February on lowlands and in March/
loosens the outer bark and makes it at that time). Fortunately, only
May on upland. Mostly seeds are
easier to remove fibres from the production of raw jute suffered as
either broadcast or sown by
stalk. Plant is dipped in stagnant most of the jute mills remained in
dropping in shallow furrows
G water for 2-3 weeks in order to
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
India.
Types / Varieties
(dibbling). Recently the thread
method of drilling has come into
Q. Which of the following pairs of There are two varieties of jute grown practice. Weeding is very important
E states and their important crops are in India -
correctly matched?
in the early stages of growth.
Harvesting: The jute plant is ready
O 1. Kerala : Tapioca
2. Maharashtra : Cotton
3. West Bengal : Jute
(a) One called white jute, is mostly for harvesting as soon as flowering
grown in deltas and lowlands. starts. Harvesting starts in July and
(b) The other variety called Toss jute continues till September. If the area
G 4. Gujarat : Groundnut
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4
cannot withstand flood, hence it is is flooded, the plants are uprooted,
grown only on uplands. It has otherwise cut to ground length. Part
branches only on top and the fibre of the crop is left in the field to
R Ans. (d) CSE 1996 in the inner bark is soft, long and develop the seed.

Q. Which one of the following is

strong. Processing : After harvesting, the
plants are tied into bundles after 2-3
A an important crop of the Barak Soils
Valley?
(a) Jute (b) Tea
days. These bundles are submerged
Light sandy or clayey loams are into water for retting and left there
considered to be best suited for for 2-3 weeks. Retting is a
P (c) Sugarcane (d) Cotton
Ans. (a)
growing jute. Hence, it grows well microbiological process. It loosens
CSE 1996 in the flood plains and river deltas
the bark and facilitates removal of
soften the outer bark. West Bengal, rich in alluvial soils. Since jute rapidly fibre from the stalk. A close watch
H Bihar, Assam, Odisha and exhausts the fertility of the soils, it is is kept and as soon as it is easy to
Meghalaya are the major producers necessary that the soils are separate the fibre from the stalk,
of jute. Barak Valley is a famous replenished annually by the silt laden retting is carried out. High
Y centre of jute cultivation. flood waters of the rivers. temperature quickens the process.
After retting is complete, the bark is
Next to cotton, jute is the second Climatic Requirements peeled from the plant and fibre is
important fibre crop of India. Temperature removed. After this, stripping, rinsing,
washing and cleaning is done. The
- It is in great demand because of - Jute is a tropical crop and requires
fibre is dried in the sun and pressed
its cheapness, softness, strength, high temperature between 24°C to into bales. All this has to be done by
length, lustre and uniformity of its 35°C. hand. Plenty of water is required for
fibre. retting.
Rainfall
- Because of versatile nature of its Yield: The yield of jute can be
colour it is called the ‘golden fibre’. - Jute needs high relative humidity increased by the use of improved
of 80% to 90% at the time of its seeds, application of fertilizer and
- It is used for a variety of articles growth.
such as gunny bags, ropes, better plant protection measures.’
upholstery strings, carpets, rugs, - It needs heavy rainfall of 170 cm Jute Cultivation in West
clothes, tarpaulins and decoration to 200 cm. Bengal
pieces. - Incessant and untimely rainfall as West Bengal is the largest producer
- It is also known as ‘Brown Paper well as prolonged drought conditions of jute. It accounts for more than
Bag’ of whole sale trade as until are injurious to the plant. 70% of India’s jute production.
recently its sacks were used for - Large quantity of water is needed
Favourable Conditions: Hot,
packing rice, wheat, sugar, pulses, not only to grow the crop, but also
humid climate and alluvial loamy soil
cement and fertilizers. for processing the crop after coupled with cheap abundant labour
- It is very important as a cash crop harvesting. provide the most favourable
as its products earn a lot of foreign conditions for growth of jute in West
exchange for India. Method of Cultivation Bengal. More than 80 uses have

358 Prelims Magic 2014

been found for jute products. It is a
major item of export and a principal
source of income to about 40 lakh
farmer families.
Areas / States
As seen earlier about 98% of total native only to Assam. The Tasar silk
jute of India is produced in just four rearings are conducted in nature on
states - West Bengal, Bihar, Assam the trees in the open. Tasar silk is
and Odisha.
Mesta is a substitute for jute plant. Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Odisha,
It has coarse fibre and is used to besides Maharashtra, West Bengal
make bags. It is tolerant of drought and Andhra Pradesh. Tasar culture
conditions, hence it can be grown is the main stay for many a tribal
where jute cannot be grown. Its community in India.
cultivation is done mainly in Bihar,
Assam and Odisha.
3. ANIMAL FIBRES
Wool and Silk are the two fibres
derived from animals.
WOOL
Wool in India is derived from sheep,
goats and camels. The production is
confined to north India as the grazing
is done on the slopes of the
Himalayas. Climate is the
determining factor and as the south
does not witness winter at all, the
production is confined to north India
alone.
Uses
Half of the wool is used in making
carpets and the rest is sent to woollen
industry for making garments.
Areas / States
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir and Rajasthan are the
major producers of wool. Pashmina
of Kashmir is world famous.
SILK
India is the second largest producer
of Silk after China. India is also the
largest consumer of silk in the
world.In India, mulberry silk is
produced mainly in the states of
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and West
Bengal, while the non-mulberry silks
(Tasar , Eri and Muga) are produced
in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Odisha
and north-eastern states. A majority
of the silk in India is produced in
Karnataka State. In the northeastern
state of Assam, three different types
of silk are produced, collectively
called Assam silk: Muga, Eri and Pat
silk. Muga, the golden silk, and Eri
are produced by silkworms that are
mainly produced in the states of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The discovery of Oak flora in
1966 added a new chapter to the
history of Indian Sericulture.
Which one of the following states
is the leading producer of Oak
tasar silk?
(a) Assam (b) Bihar
(c)
Ans.
Manipur
(b)
(d) Orissa
CSE 1998
Q. Consider the following
statements :
1. India is the only country in the
world producing all the five known
commercial varieties of silk.
2. India is the largest producer of
sugar in the world.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) CSE 2005
OIL SEEDS
Oil seeds constitute a very important
group of commercial crops in our
country. The oilseeds, in order of
importance in the country, are
groundnut, sesame, rapeseed and
mustard, linseed, safflower, castor,
sunflower and niger.
Economic Importance
(1) India has the largest area and
production of oilseeds.
(2) The major oil seeds occupy
nearly 20% of the net sown area.
(3) The oil extracted from oil seeds
constitutes an important part of our
Prelims Magic 2014
diet as edible oils. It is also used as
raw material for manufacturing
various items of economic
importance such as paints, varnishes,
soaps, cosmetic items, medicinal
items, lubricants, perfumes, etc.
(4) The residue or oil cake forms an
important part of cattle feed and
manure.
(5) The oil industry offers
G
employment to millions of people,
especially where oil extraction is
done manually.
E
Types / Varieties
Oilseeds can be put in two
O
categories
(a) Edible oilseeds - are groundnuts,
G
sesame, rapeseed, mustard,
sunflower and niger. Some of these
edible oilseeds are used for making
R
vegetable ghee (vanaspati).
(b) Non-edible oilseeds - are castor,
linseed, neem and mahua. These
A
cannot be used as part of our diet
and are only used for producing
industrial oils and other commercial
P
products.
4. EDIBLE OILSEEDS
H
GROUNDNUTS (Rabi and
Kharif Crop)
Y
- Groundnut is the most important
oilseed of India and accounts for
about half of the major seeds
produced in India.
- It is essentially a tropical and
subtropical crop.
- It is both a kharif and rabi crop,
but is grown as a kharif crop.
The groundnut plant are mainly of
two types
(a) The Bunch Type - These plants
grow vertically to a height of about
40 cm.
(b) The Runner Type - These grow
horizontally and spread out over a
large area. They are shorter. When
they flower, they bend the flower
stalk downward into the ground
where the seed pods grow and
mature.
359
 Soils
Well drained light sandy loams, red and have high calorie value.
and black soils are well suited for its
cultivation.
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
G - Since it is a tropical crop it grows
well with temperature ranging
between 200C to 25°C.
E - Warm and dry weather is important
at the ripening stage.
- The groundnut kernels are a very White seeds produce better quality
rich source of protein and vitamins oil, but black seeds contain more oil.
Soils It is grown in loamy soils. It
- It contains 40-50% oil which is also grows well on black soils. It can
mainly used in edible refined oil as be cultivated both on plains as well
well as hydrogenated ghee as on elevation upto 1300 m.
(vanaspati) form. Climatic Requirements
Uses
- The ground nut oil is used for
Temperature
-It needs temperature of about 21°C
manufacturing medicinal emulsions,
artificial leather, soap and oil
requisites.
to 23°C.
Rainfall

O Rainfall
-It needs a rainfall of 50-70 cm.
- Groundnut can be eaten raw, - It needs a rainfall of 45-50 cm.
roasted, salted or sweetened. Many - It cannot withstand frost, prolonged
sweets and savouries are made from drought and heavy rains.

G - Isohyet of 100 cm marks the upper

limit of groundnut cultivation.
it.
- After extraction of oil, the leftover
Method of Cultivation
The sesame plant grows to a height
- However, the rainfall should be residue is used as an important cattle of 0.5 to 1.5 m.
R well-distributed. feed.
Area / States Harvesting : The plant is harvested
- It responds better to irrigation. within four months when its leaves
A - It is highly susceptible to prolonged India is the largest producer of turn yellow. The plant is left upside-
drought, continuous rains, stagnant groundnut. Since it is primarily a down until the pods dry up. Then the
water and frost. rain-fed crop there are bound to be seeds are shaken out of it and dried
P Methods of Cultivation
fluctuations in its production. Andhra further. Sesame production
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are ­yearwise
Sowing: The seeds are sown in June the three main producers of Chief Characteristics
H and harvested in 3 to 4 months time groundnut in India and together they
before winter commences. Its pods account for nearly 60% of the total
- Sesame seeds are very rich in oil;
they contain about 40 - 50% oil.
grow underground; hence they are production.
Y known as groundnuts. Groundnut is
a leguminous crop and like pulses,
Andhra Pradesh is the largest
producer of groundnut with 30% of
- These seeds are a rich source of
protein and other nutrients.
has the property of fixing India’s total production. Tamil Nadu U ses
atmospheric nitrogen, thereby accounts for 15% of total production
increasing the fertility of the soil. and Gujarat produces about 15% of - Sesame oil is used for cooking
Therefore, it is used as a rotation the total production. India’s capacity purposes and pickles.
crop for millets as well as other crops
to export groundnut has reduced and - The oil is used for manufacturing
grown in that season. home consumption has increased perfumes and medicines. It is used
Harvesting : Groundnut pods are considerably because of rapid for cosmetic purposes as well.
harvested from October to population growth. - The til oil is used for making
December. When the pods are Groundnut production-yearwise sweetmeats mixed with sugar or
mature and ready for harvesting they gur.
are dug out and collected by hand. SESAME
Hence, it needs cheap and abundant Til or sesame or gingelly is both rabi - The oil cake is fed to milch cattle
manual labour. After these pods are and kharif crop and pigs .
collected they are dried in the sun. Area / States
Later, the pods are shelled and seeds - Sesame is a tropical crop.
are collected. On an average, the - It is grown as kharif crop in north India has the largest area under
production and is also the largest
seed kernel yields about 45% oil. Dry and as rabi crop in the south.
producer of sesame accounting for
and warm winter is needed at the
Types / Varieties 1/3rd of the world production. Since
time of ripening.
it is a rainfed crop, the fluctuation in
Chief Characteristics The seeds are of two varieties - production is evident. Sesamum is
white and black. widely grown in the country, but

360 Prelims Magic 2014

Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Method of Cultivation - It is also used for extractjon of
Maharashtra and Gujarat are the dyes.
main producers. They are mostly grown as rabi crop
in pure or mixed form with wheat, - Safflower production-yearwise.
SUNFLOWER (Kharif Crop) gram and barley, but harvested Areas / States
- Sunflower as an oilseed crop was earlier than wheat.
introduced recently. The main producers are
Harvesting : Rapeseed and Maharashtra, Karnataka and
-It can be grown on a variety of soils. Mustard take about 3 months to Andhra Pradesh.
mature. They are ready for
-It needs about 15°C to 25°C harvesting as soon as the crop begins
temperature in the early growth to turn yellow.
SOYABEAN G
- It is a subtropical crop.
period and warm and sunny weather
during flowering. Characteristics - It can be grown on a variety of
soils.
E
- It needs about 100 cm rainfall. -The oil content of these seeds is 25
- It takes 3-4 months to mature.
Uses
- 45 % and is mainly used as cooking
medium, preservative for pickles
- It needs mean temperature of 20
°C and rainfall about 100 cm.
O
and lubricants.
Sunflower is grown mainly for the Uses
preparation of cooking oil and
Uses
- It is mostly used in the far-eastern
G
vanaspati. -The leaves are used as vegetables countries like China, Japan and
especially sarson, which is very
- It is also used in manufacturing of popular in Punjab and Uttar
soaps and cosmetics.
Korea. Recently, because of its high
protein content, it has become
R
Pradesh. popular with Indian farmers.
- Its residue cake is used as cattle
feed.
-Its oil cake is used as an important
cattle feed and is also used as
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following crops
A
- Sunflower seeds production- manure.
yearwise
Area / States
of India?
1. Groundnut
2. Sesamum
P
Areas / States
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and
The states of Andhra Pradesh, Haryana are the major producers of
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu lead in this crop.
3. Pearl millet
Which of the statements given
above is/are predominantly rainfed
H
the production of sunflower.
RAPESEED AND MUSTARD
SAFFLOWER (Rabi Crop)
crop/crops?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3
Y
(Sarson and Rai; Rabi Crop) -It is a subtropical crop grown in
Ans (d) CSE 2012
- Rapeseed and mustard, both are rabi season along with wheat and Expl: Pearl Millet is Bajra
tropical crops. gram.
- Though oil content is only 28%, it
- They are grown in rabi season. -It is mainly grown for its seeds.
is a very useful crop.
- They both look alike. -It grows well on alluvial loams and
- It is used as a vegetable and beans
black soils.
Soils are used for making sauce which
-In some areas it grows under forms the basis of Chinese dishes.
They grow well on alluvial soils of irrigation.
Sutlej and Ganga plains. - The oil is used as salad oil, for
Characteristics making margarines and many other
Climatic Requirements edible items. Soyabean is used as
The oil content varies from 30 to
Temperature : 36%. It is yellow in colour. substitute for non-vegetarian foods.
- Rapeseed and Mustard seeds need Uses - It is also used for manufacturing
a cool climate with temperature other products like soaps, linoleum
ranging from l0°C-20°C. - It is mainly used as a cooking and lubricants.
medium.
- Very little quantity is grown on - Because of its rich nutrient value,
peninsular India. - It is mainly used in the these days it is mixed with wheat
manufacture of paints and varnishes flour for making chapattis, and its
Rainfall
because of its quick drying property. nuggets for making curries.
- They require rainfall of about 25
- The oil cake is fed to animals. Areas / States
to 40 cm.

Prelims Magic 2014 361

 The leading producers of soyabean -It is a subtropical crop.
are Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh.
5. NON-EDIBLE OILSEEDS It is sown in June as a kharif crop cushions.
LINSEED (Rabi Crop)
- It is a subtropical crop.
G - It is grown in the rabi season.
- It is sown in October/November
and harvested in March / April.
E Soils
for manufacturing tyres, tubes and
a large number of industrial products
- It is a kharif crop in the north and
like sports goods, insulating materials
rabi crop in the south.
for cables and wires, mattresses and
and is harvested in about 6 months. - First rubber plantations in India
Soils were set up in 1875 on the hilly
slopes of Kerala.
Castor seed is grown in red sandy
loams in peninsular India and on light - The principle source of rubber is
alluvial soils of Sutlej - Ganga Plains. the ‘hevea’ tree.
Climatic Requirements
Temperature
Soils
Deep well drained loamy and laterite

O Clay loams, deep black soil and

alluvial soils are the best for linseed - Castor seed thrives well in areas with
crop. temperature from 20° C to 25° C.
soils on the hill slopes at an elevation
ranging from 300 m to 450 m above
sea level provide best conditions for

G Climatic Requirements
Temperature
Rainfall
- It requires about 50-75 cm rainfall.
its growth.
The yields decline at higher
elevations and no rubber plantations
R - Linseed can be grown in a wide
range of temperature of about 15°C
- Almost the whole area of castor
seed production is rainfed, but it is
tolerant of drought conditions.
are found above 700 m elevation.
Climatic Requirements
to 30°C.
A Rainfall
- It cannot withstand frost.
Characteristics
Temperature
Rubber is a native plant of equatorial

P - A rainfall of about 45 cm to 75 cm
is sufficient. Castor seed contains about 50% oil.
- It is unfit for human or cattle
forest and thrives well in hot and wet
climate.
Characteristics - It needs a high temperature
H consumption as it is poisonous. But
- Linseed is grown for its unique its residue can be used as a fertilizer.
drying property.
ranging from 21 ° C to 35° C. It
should not fall below 20° C.
Uses Rainfall
Y - The flax plant from which it is
obtained is mainly grown for its fibre - Its oil is used for industrial
purposes only, such as lubricants in
- It needs heavy rainfall from 200
in European countries. cm to 400 cm.
various machines, hair oil, lighting,
- In India, it is mainly grown for its soap making and leather tanning. - It should be well distributed over
seed. the year.
- Its leaves are fed to silk worms.
- The seed contains about 30% to - Dry spell and low temperature are
47% oil. - Its stalk is used as fuel. very harmful for the crop.
Uses Areas / States Method of Cultivation: Planting
Linseed oil is used for manufacturing India ranks second largest producer (i) Propagation of rubber plant is
paints, varnishes, printing ink, oil of castor seeds after Brazil in the done in two ways -
cloth and waterproof fabrics. world. Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and
Rajasthan are the largest producers (a) By seeds -
Areas I States of castor seeds in India. (l) Good quality seeds are
It is widely grown in Northern 6. PLANTATION CROPS germinated before planting.
Plains, central India and peninsular (2) After germination, they are
India. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar RUBBER grown in the nurseries.
Pradesh and Maharashtra are the - Rubber is a natural gift of forests
main producers accounting for about with a unique quality of elasticity. (3) After they grow to a height of
3/4th of the total production. about 30 cm, they are transplanted
- It is a tropical plant. to  the  well-  prepared  land  and
CASTOR SEED (Rabi and planted in rows.
Kharif Crop) – - It has a lot of commercial value
as it is used as an eraser. It is used (4) The seedlings are usually

362 Prelims Magic 2014

transplanted in the months of June- the factory where the impurities are total rubber production and the rest
July. removed. of it comes from Karnataka and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
(b) By bud grafting method - Processing
Rubber Cultivation in Kerala
(I) A strip of bark of a good yielding After the latex or sap is collected
plant containing a bud is inserted from the rubber plant, it is sent to Since rubber is the native plant of
under the bark of a young seedling. the factory for processing. In the equatorial lands and needs hot and
wet climate, Kerala being near the
(2) Thereafter, the graft is left for factory, first acetic acid or formic
three to four weeks with a leaf over acid is mixed to coagulate or solidify
it for shade. the latex.
Equator and having similar climate
has the ideal condition for growing
rubber. Also, it has high temperature
G
After being processed the raw
(3) The tissue of the bud and
seedling become united. rubber is found to be of three types:
throughout the year. It gets heavy
rainfall which is not very well
distributed as in other countries. It
E
(4) The seedling stem is cut off as 1. Rubber Smoke Sheets
the grafted bud grows to form a new 2. Crepe Rubber
plant. 3. Hevea Crumb
gets its main rainfall from Southwest
Monsoon. It also gets a little rainfall
in October I November. Rubber is
O
(ii) The Rubber Institute of India has (1) Rubber Smoke Sheets : The
developed clones (saplings coagulated sap undergoes rolling
produced from one bud parent plant) process to squeeze out the water.
grown here on the well drained
loamy soils on the hill slopes at about
300 m height.
G
which are being distributed to small- These wet sheets are hung on
scale plantations. This way the reapers in shade to dry. After that
mother plant’s characteristics are they are sent to the smoke house
SUGARCANE (Kharif Crop)
Sugarcane is one of the most
R
passed on to a vast number of trees. where they are thoroughly dried at important cash crops of India.
a temperature of 43°C and 63°C.
(iii) Before transplantation, the cover Here, they turn yellow in colour. - It belongs to the bamboo family of A
crops and leguminous creepers are After this process these sheets are plants and is indigenous to India.
grown on the plantation. The packed in bales and sent for export.
saplings are planted between these
- It is the main source of gur,
khandsari and sugar.
P
creepers. These are helpful in (2) Crepe Rubber:
conserving the soil, adding humus After coagulation the wet slabs are
and nitrogen to the soil and keeping turned into sheets by passing through
- It is also used as fodder.
- It is a tropical crop grown in the
H
down the soil temperature during the machines. These sheets are also kharif season.
summer months. yellow in colour and are mainly used
(iv) Cover crops also give extra in making shoes.
Soils Y
income until the rubber tree reaches (3) Hevea Crumb: The hevea Sugarcane can be grown on a
maturity. variety of soils, but alluvial clayey
crumb is made by adding certain loams of the Indo-Ganga Plains are
Tapping chemicals to the latex. It is made in ideal for its growth. In South, it is
small pieces instead of big sheets. grown on black soil, brown or reddish
Tapping is the method by which the This way it is easy to transport more
loams and laterites.
milk-like juice of the rubber trees quantity. This type of rubber is more
called latex is collected. It is always popular. Therefore, sugarcane can grow on
done early in the morning because any type of soil as long as the soil
latex then flows freely. Latex is Competition in the Market can retain moisture. The soil should
obtained from the bark of the rubber Natural rubber faces stiff be rich in nitrogen, calcium and
tree. A cut is made at about 1 1/2 competition from synthetic rubber phosphorous. Acidic or alkaline soils
meters from the ground at an angle which is cheaper compared to are harmful for the plant. Sugarcane
of 30° to the horizontal. The cut natural rubber. Its raw materials are exhausts the fertility of the soil
(about 2 mm) is made deep enough chemicals like benzene and ethyl quickly and extensively. Therefore,
to sever the bark, but not to damage alcohol so it does not have to depend its cultivation requires a heavy dose
the cambium - a paper like skin on climate. of manure and fertilizers in order to
between the bark and the wood. The obtain high yields. Flat level plains
cut leads to a vertical groove where Areas / States or plateau regions are ideal for
a zinc spout is attached. Below the India ranks fifth among the major sugarcane cultivation as these
spout, coconut shell is used to collect rubber producing countries of the facilitate irrigation and transportation
the latex. After the latex is collected world. Kerala is the largest producer of the cane to the factory.
it is put in clean buckets and sent to of natural rubber, producing 92% of

Prelims Magic 2014 363

 Climatic Requirements Institute set up at Coimbatore in appear.
Tamil Nadu introduced a new How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Temperature’ method called ‘ratooning’. In this
Q. The correct sequence in
- Sugarcane needs an average method, after the first crop, the decreasing order of the four
temperature ranging from 20°C to sugarcane is cut leaving the root sugarcane producing States in
30°C. intact in the soil. The lower part of
the stem which is left in the soil is India is:
- Excessive temperature or very low well fertilized. The stem begins to (a) Maharashtra, U.P., Tamil Nadu,

G temperature and dry winds are grow again. Ratoon crop is the Andhra Pradesh
harmful for the plant. second or any other succession crop (b) U.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh
- Short cool, dry, winter season obtained from the root and left over (c) Maharashtra, U.P., Andhra
E during ripening and harvesting is in the field after the first crop.
ideal. Advantages of Ratooning
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
(d) U.P., Maharashtra, Andhra

O - Frost is injurious to the plant; hence - Crop need not be planted again.
harvesting should be done before the
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Ans.(b)
winter season, especially in the -Ratoons have relatively shorter Characteristics - Sugarcane juice
CSE 2000

G north.
Rainfall
maturation period.
- The method does not involve any
is extracted by crushing the cane.

extra expenditure; hence is cheaper -Bullocks or electronic equipment is

R - Sugarcane needs a rainfall of about as compared to re-planting the crop. used for extracting the juice.
75 cm to 120 cm.
Disadvantages of Ratooning
-As soon as the juice is extracted it
- It cannot stand water logging. is boiled without delay.
A - Productivity decreases with each - Lime is added to remove the
- It is a long duration crop and takes successive crop; hence only one or
about 15 to 18 months to mature two ratoon crops are normally impurities.

P depending on the geographic harvested.

conditions.
Uses
- The crop may be affected by - About 50% of the cane is used to
Methods of Cultivation
H various pests and diseases. make gur or jaggery by boiling and
Sowing : The ground is’ prepared So the sugarcane plant has to be 30% of the produce is used for
in advance by ploughing and protected against insects such as making white sugar.
Y harrowing (breaking up the soil). moth, termites, white flies and black Part of it is used to make khandsari
Adequate application of natural bugs. The sugarcane is also which is normally used in the north.
manure is essential before planting. vulnerable to fungal diseases like red
Sugarcane can be cultivated by rot, smut, rus and ratoon stunting. - Sugarcane juice is popular as a
seeds, but now this method has drink during summer as it is very
become obsolete. Processing : Soon after harvest nutritious and healthy as compared
sugarcane should be sent to the to synthetic drinks.
At present, a new ‘Sett’ method is factory within 48 hours or the
used. Sugarcane is a long bamboo sucrose content falls. That is why - Sugarcane production-yearwise
like stem with several joints. For most sugar factories are located Area / States
preparing the setts the sugarcane is near the sugarcane fields so as to
cut into several pieces at the joint. save on transportation. India has the largest area under
These are known as setts. These sugarcane cultivation in the world
setts are prepared from healthy and Harvesting and is the largest producer of
well-matured canes. They are The sugarcane is ready for sugarcane in the world. Tropical
planted in well prepared, matured harvesting when the new leaves stop varities of sugarcane are grown in
furrows at regular intervals. Weeds coming and leaves at the lower stem Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra
are cleared periodically and soil is begin to go yellow. In the north, Pradesh and Maharashtra, whereas
gathered around the plants. The harvesting is done before winter to subtropical varieties are common in
plant starts growing in about 2 protect it from frost. Uttarpradesh, Bihar, Haryana and
weeks. The plant needs enough Punjab. The sugarcane producing
moisture in the soil; therefore rainfall The sugarcane is cut at the ground states (in decreasing order are U.P.,
should be well distributed or irrigation level leaving just the root because Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
facility should be made available. sugar content is concentrated at the Pradesh. U.P. is the largest producing
lower stem. The sugarcane should state of Sugarcane in India. Mandya
Ratooning : Sugarcane Research be harvested before the flowers sugar factory, Karnataka is one of

364 Prelims Magic 2014

the biggest in India. It has a reasons are: deep, friable loams with porous
processing capacity of 5,000 tons of subsoil. Stagnant water is injurious
-In the South, the climatic conditions
cane per day. to its roots; hence sandy loams are
are ideal during summer with
the best. However, virgin forests soils
In 2005, the world’s largest producer reasonably high temperature and
rich in humus and iron content are
of sugar cane was Brazil, followed frost free winters coupled with
considered to be the best for tea
by India.On the basis of study of the maritime winds in coastal areas.
plantations. A large proportion of
conditions of growth, three distinct
-The black lava soil with their high phosphorous and potash imparts
belts of sugarcane cultivation are as
follows:
(i) In the North, the Sutlej-Ganga
fertility and retentivity are most
beneficial for the sugarcane crop.
special flavour to tea as in case of
Darjeeling tea. In order to increase
the yield, proper amount of
G
-Better methods, manure and
Plain from Punjab to Bihar accounts
for 50% of the production.
fertilizers are used for cultivation in
the South.
nitrogenous fertilizer such as
ammonium sulphate should be added
to the soil. However, regular tilling
E
(ii) In the South, the black soil belt
from Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu 7. BEVERAGES
along the eastern slope of the TEA
of the soil to remove the weeds is
essential. To avoid water logging, tea
is best grown on hill slopes where
O
Western Ghats Coastal Andhra
Pradesh and Krishna valley.
(iii)Uttar Pradesh is the largest
-Tea is the most important beverage
crop of India. It is considered a
water drains away easily. It grows
equally well in the valley if the
drainage is good. Hence, tea can be
G
stimulating yet cheap drink.
sugarcane producing state. In Uttar
Pradesh, cultivation is carried on -Tea bush is supposed to be
smaller units and irrigation from indigenous to China, but in 1823,
grown on various elevations, varying
from 600 meters to 1500 meters
above sea level.
R
canal and tube wells is more British Major Robert Brusce
prevalent. Bihar, Punjab and reported that indigenous tea bushes
Haryana are the other states in the grew wild on the hill slopes of upper
Climatic Requirements A
north which are the producers of Assam,. Temperature
sugarcane.
-Following this information, tea
In peninsular India - Maharashtra, plantations were set up in
— The ideal temperature for growth
of tea crop is 13°C to 35°C.
P
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Brahmaputra valley by the British in
Pradesh are the major sugarcane 1839.
growing areas.
- Temperature below 10°C and
above 35°C is harmful for the crop. H
-In the beginning tea plantations
Sugarcane Cultivation in North were confined to, upper Assam only,
India but later on they were set up in
- Alternative cool and warm waves
are very helpful for tea leaves. Y
Therefore, tea is a shade loving plant
In Northern Plains of India the lower Assam and Darjeeling. and develops more vigorously when
temperature ranges from 20°C to -Thereafter, tea plantations were set planted along with shady trees.
30°C. The fertile soil of the Ganga up in Nilgiri hills of south India.
Plain with a relatively high rainfall Rainfall
of 120 to 150 cm, provide ideal -Tea bush is a tropical and sub- Tea bush requires about 150 - 250
conditions for growing sugarcane. tropical plant.
cm annual rainfall, well distributed
In the dry areas, it is grown with Types / Varieties throughout the year.
irrigation. Uttar Pradesh has an There are mainly three varieties of - While prolonged dry spell is
excellent network of canals and tube tea available: harmful for tea, high humidity, heavy
wells. The dry winds or ‘loo’ in May dew and morning fog favour the
and June affect the normal growth (a) Black Tea
(b) Green Tea rapid development of young leaves.
of the sugarcane.
(c) Oolong Tea Method of Cultivation Sowing
Sugarcane Cultivation in
Green Tea and Oolong tea are more There are two methods that are
Peninsular India popular in China, Japan and Taiwan. mainly in use:
Though the area under sugarcane Black tea, after drying, is preferred
cultivation is less in peninsular India, in India, European countries and - Tea gardens are set up on the
the yield per hectare is much higher. Western countries. cleared hill slopes where shade trees
The average yield in North is 40 are planted in advance. Seeds are
tonnes per hectare whereas in South
Soils sown in the germination beds and
it is 80 tonnes per hectare. The Tea bush grows well in well-drained, after 9 months saplings are

Prelims Magic 2014 365

 transplanted to the garden. The operations, viz., colour and texture. Each brand will
garden is already weeded so that tea have its own characteristic flavour
Withering – The tea leaves when
bushes grow without any hindrance and the blend is a closely guarded
green contain lot of moisture. To
under the shade of trees. secret.
remove this moisture the leaves are
- Another method is to use cuttings spread over racks and air is passed Packing
from a good high yielding mother through them. After they become
plant instead of seeds. This method soft they are sent for rolling. The tea, as we see in the market,
is called clone planting as the new needs a lot of care while packing to
G plant also has the qualities of the
mother plant. These small cuttings
Rolling – gives the twist to the leaf,
breaks the leaf cells and natural juice
is exposed to the atmosphere for
protect its flavour. Thus, generally
plywood cases with a lining of
are planted in the nurseries where aluminium foil paper is used to keep
E special care is taken. After
sometime they are transplanted to
fermentation to set in. This gives the
characteristic flavour to tea.
the tea fresh and retain its flavour.
After packing, the tea chests are
the tea garden. Fermentation – After rolling, the marked and sent to the nearest port
O Use of manures and fertilizers is
essential. Oil cakes and green
tea leaves are spread out in special
trays on cement tables for
for export. Readymade tea packs,
tea bags and ice tea have recently
fermentation. During this process the come in as the latest products in the
G manures are generally used.
Harvesting - Plucking of Tea
tannin in tea is partly oxidized and
the tea leaf changes its colour to
market.
Areas / States
copper red.
R Leaves
Pruning of the tea plant is very Drying or Fixing - After
fermentation the tea leaves are put
Tea cultivation in India is highly
concentrated in a few selected
essential because of two reasons: regions. The two main areas known
A on a conveyer belt are passed
- The removal of the central stem through an oven at a very high
encourages the quick development temperature. This needs proper
for tea production in India are :
(1) North-East India

P of lateral branches and periodical supervision as

to grow more than about 40 cm. while low temperature will result in
excessive
pruning also does not allow the plant temperature will scorch the leaves
(2) South India
(1) North-East India

H This facilitates hand plucking which improper dying. After this process
is done mostly by women. - Pruning the tea leaves get back their normal
also helps in growing new shoots black colour and are ready for
(i) Assam Hill Region - is the
largest tea producing area in the
world. The conditions are most

Y bearing soft leaves in plenty. sorting.

Tea leaves are ready for plucking in Sorting- After drying, the leaves are
favourable with over 250 cm rainfall
and temperature above 20 o C.
Morning fog helps and frost never
about 3 to 4 years. Tea leaves sorted out in various grades with the
plucking is a very skilled job and is help of sifters with different size of occurs. Moreover, labour is
usually done by women. A skilled meshes. After sorting they are given available in plenty. Hence, hand
tea plucker can pluck almost 50 kg the brand names, denoting the size picking is made easy. Assam
of leaves per day. The women work of the leaves like peoke, broken produces the most popular tea that
their way along the tea bushes orange, dust, etc. is pungent in taste; it is strong and
plucking the tender leaves and used for blending the milder ones. It
tossing them into baskets tied at their The above five operations of produces over 40% of the tea in the
back. processing are part of the orthodox country. (ii)Brahmaputra Valley -
method. Lately CTC method has On both sides of this valley tea
The finest tea is obtained from the been adopted which consists of plantations are a common sight. With
young shoots comprising two leaves crushing, tearing and curling rainfall above 200 to 300 cm and high
and a bud known as fine plucking. processes, all done using one temperature with high humidity, the
Bud is an unopened leaf found machine. area provides ideal conditions for tea
between first and second leaf. cultivation. The cropping is done
Plucking should not be done below Blending from April to December. This tea is
this standard as it results in obtaining The plant is greatly affected by the in great demand all over the world
coarse tea. Tea crop is labour type of climate it is grown in. Thus and is used for blending because of
intensive and requires abundant by blending, the tea planter prepares its strong flavour and colour.
supply of cheap and skilled labour. his own brand to supply his
(iii) West Bengal - is the second
Processing customers on the basis of its flavour, largest producer. The entire tea of
West Bengal is grown in the three
Processing of black tea involves five

366 Prelims Magic 2014

northern districts of Darjeeling,
Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar. Here,
the tea is grown on Himalayan
slopes. Soils are red loams and
sandy loams and the annual rainfall
varies from 300 to 500 cm.
Darjeeling tea is famous for its
typical flavour, most popular brand
being ‘Green Lipton’. Inferior quality
is blended with Assam tea for
flavour and liquor. Tea is also grown
in Himachal Pradesh, Tripura,
Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
(2) South India
In south India, tea is produced in
Nilgiri, Cardamom, Palni and
Anamalai hills in Tamil Nadu, Kerala
and Karnataka states extending from
9°N to 14°N latitudes. Tea gardens
are located mostly between 300 to
1800 m altitude. The temperatures
are always high and rainfall exceeds
400 cm. There is never any fear of
frost and conditions are ideal. Hence,
productivity is higher though quality
is inferior. Most of the regions get
rain from both monsoons and rainfall
is well-distributed. Soils are mostly
red, yellow and laterite in origin. The
cropping season is on throughout the
year, but the best lot is produced
during December/January. Nilgiri
tea is famous for its fine taste and
flavour.
Importance of Tea in India
- India is the largest producer of tea and Kodagu hills (Coorg) of
in the world.
- Since it is a labour intensive
industry, it provides employment to
over a million workers.
- In this industry both the men and located at “Yercaud”.
women are employed as women are
temperamentally suited to the
plucking job and men take care of
loading, unloading, packing, etc.
- It earns a lot of foreign exchange
for the country.
COFFEE
Coffee is a beverage crop. Indian
coffee is known for its quality. It has
more demand in the international
market. UK is the major importer
of Indian Coffee. It requires warm
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Though coffee and tea both are
cultivated on hill slopes, there is
some difference between them
regarding their cultivation. In this
context, consider the following
statements:
1. Coffee plant requires a hot and
humid climate of tropical areas
whereas tea can be cultivated in
both tropical and subtropical areas.
2. Coffee is propagated by seeds
but tea is propagated by stem
cuttings only.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (c) CSE 2010
and humid conditions for its growth.
Temperature between 15° and 28°C
and rainfall between 150 and 200 cm
are favourable for coffee cultivation.
It grows well in the slope areas. In
general, coffee bushes are planted
under the shade of taller plants.
Arabica and Robusta are two
varieties of coffee grown in India.
Arabica is the better variety grown
in 60% of the coffee cultivation area.
Coffee cultivation is mainly confined
to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Kerala. Chickmangalur district
(south western part of Karnataka)
Karnataka and Nilgiri hills of Tamil
Nadu are the major areas of coffee
cultivation.Wynad of North Malabar
in Kerala also has many coffee
estates. A coffee research centre is
- Coffee is the second most
important beverage crop of India,
next to tea.
- While tea is more popular in the
north, coffee is a favourite drink of
south India.
- It is a native plant of Abyssinia
Plateau (Ethiopia) from where it was
brought to Arabia.
- From Arabia, in the 11 th century,
its seeds were brought to India by
Prelims Magic 2014
Babu Budan; thus first grown on the
Babu Budan hills of Karnataka.
- The British planters found the
coffee plantation very rewarding
and they set up large coffee estates
near Chikmagalur (Karnataka) in
1830.
Coffee plantations have now spread
over vast hill tracts of Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Nilgiris, Cardamom, Palni,
G
and Anaimalai hills.
- Indian coffee is well known for its
E
quality and is in much demand in the
international market. India exports
coffee to a large number of
O
countries including the UK and the
USA. Coffee is a strictly highland
tropical crop.
G
Types / Varieties
There are three varieties of coffee
R
grown in India :
1. Coffea Arabica
2. Coffea robust
A
3. Coffea liberica
P
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
H
1. Chikmagalur is well-known for
sugar production.
2. Mandya is well-known as a
Y
coffee-producing region.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 or 2
Ans. (d) CSE 2008
The first two varieties are generally
grown on a large commercial scale,
accounting for 49% and 51 %,
respectively.
Soils
Coffee crop needs well drained rich
friable loams containing a good deal
of humus and minerals like iron and
calcium. The soil must be properly
manured to retain and replenish
fertility and to increase productivity.
Therefore, lava soil, red soil and
367
 lateritic soils of Deccan plateau are height of 3 to 4 m so as to facilitate In Tamil Nadu, coffee is produced
best suited for coffee plantations. plucking. Pruning is essential, in the Nilgiri district. It is grown from
Coffea Arabica grows well at an especially for the branches which North Arcot to Tirunelveli. 15% of
altitude between 900 m to 1200 m. have borne fruit so that the next crop the production is from Tamil Nadu.
is grown on a fresh stem. Plucking
Climatic Requirements Karnataka produces nearly 60% of
takes place in October / November
the total coffee production. Mostly
Temperature when monsoon is just over. The
the coffee cultivation is found in the
sunny weather helps in drying the
districts of Kodagu, Chikmagalur,
G - Coffee require high temperature berries.
between 150C to 280C all the year
round. Coffea arabica ripens in October /
Shimoga, and Hassan in the Western
Ghats areas of southwest
November and coffee robusta in Karnataka.
E - It should be protected from direct January / February. Plucking can be
rays of the sun and hot dry winds. done several times. In Kamataka, Favourable conditions are:
Hence, it should be grown under plucking is done four times a year.
O shady trees.
Rainfall
Ripe berries are plucked by hand. It
has to be done very carefully. Each
- The coffee is grown at an altitude
of 800 -1500 m.

berry contains seeds (coffee beans). - Annual rainfall ranges from 125 -
G - It needs rainfall of about 125 to
200 cm and it should be well-
Processing : There are two
methods of processing the plucked
300 cm.
- Southwest monsoon gives it enough
distributed throughout the year. rainfall.
R Coffee plant cannot tolerate frost,
snowfall, very high temperature and
coffee berries.
Wet and Dry Methods - The coffee Generally the slopes are protected
processed by the wet method is from- direct rain, direct rays of the
A prolonged drought conditions. Dry
weather is necessary at the time of
ripening of coffee fruits. Stagnant
called parchment coffee or
plantation coffee. This is obtained by
sun and strong winds.
- Coffee is grown on rich loamy
pulping, fermenting, washing and laterite soil, rich in humus and iron
P water is very harmful. Therefore, this
crop is always grown on hill slopes
at an elevation from 600 to 1600 m
drying. It may be done by machines.
Coffee processed by dry process is
oxide.
To improve the coffee yield the
called Cherry or Native method. In
H above sea level.
this method the berries are dried in
Northern and eastern slopes of the sun. After that the covering is
government is trying to promote
coffee cultivation under national
policy of tribal development in such
western ghats are preferable as they removed. The seeds are then
Y are not exposed to direct sunlight and pounded to remove the outer
southwest monsoon winds. covering.
non-traditional areas like Andhra
Pradesh, Odisha and Andaman and
Nicobar islands.
Methods of Cultivation However, coffee gets its
characteristic flavour only after Also, introduction of high yielding
Sowing : Coffee plants are grown roasting. Roasting gives it a brown plants, improved techniques, good
on mountain terraced slopes so that colour and pleasant taste. Most quality manure and latest pest control
water does not stagnate. In the early people prefer freshly roasted and methods may improve the coffee
stage, it is grown under shady trees powdered coffee as it tastes better. production.
such as dalap, silver oak and
jackfruit which are planted one year Area / States
HORTICULTURE
before the seeds are sown. Under horticulture, flowers,
The restricted agro-c1imatic
The seeds are sown in nursery beds conditions have forced coffee vegetables and fruits are cultivated
in rows and after 45 days are plantations to confine themselves to intensively. A variety of tropical and
transplanted to the fields. Many fruit small areas in south India comprising temperate fruits and vegetables are
trees such as orange, cardamom and hilly areas around Nilgiris. Almost grown side by side with other food
pepper  vines  are  inter-planted  for entire production comes from the crops.
earning extra income. Honey bees three states, viz., Kamataka, Kerala Spices
are reared on coffee plants as they and Tamil Nada.
help to pollinate the flowers. In India about 60 kinds of spices are
In Kerala, Kozhikode, Malappuram, grown. The production of spices and
Harvesting : Coffee plant bears Kollam, Pal ghat and Kottayam are herbs is widely distributed in a
fruits after the third year and the chief coffee producing areas. number of Indian states. Southern
continues for 30 to 50 years. The Nearly 20% of the coffee comes states of Karnataka, Kerala, and
trees are pruned when they reach a from these places. Tamilnadu are one of the major

368 Prelims Magic 2014

areas producing quite a few spices,
states of Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh are also apt for growing
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List-I with List-II and
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists :
List I (Agricultural List II (Foremost
products) producer)
A. Cotton 1.Madhya
Pradesh
B. Gram 2. Gujarat
C. Black pepper 3. West Bengal
D. Pineapple 4. Kerala
and from sea level to 1500 MSL. It
is a plant of humid tropics, requiring
2000-3000 mm of rainfall, tropical
temperature and high relative
humidity with little variation in day
length throughout the year. Black
pepper does not tolerate excessive
heat and dryness.
Rainfall: Total rainfall and its
distribution play an important role in
black pepper cultivation and
productivity. An annual rainfall of
2000 mm with uniform distribution
is ideal. Rainfall of 70 mm received
Fifty percent shade boosts the
growth of black pepper cuttings in
the nursery.
Nursery Maintainence: Collection of
parental material for starting a
nursery should be from an area free
from the incidence of diseases,
Phytophthora foot rot and
nematodes. The vines selected
should be 5-10 year old and high
G
yielder.
The nursery should be kept hygienic:
Give periodical (once in 15 days)
E

(a) 2
A B
1
C
4
D
3
in 20 days during May-June is
sufficient for triggering off flushing
sprays with 1.0% Bordeaux mixture.
Drench the trenches also with 0.2%
copper oxychloride at least twice
O
(b) 2 1 3 4 and flowering processes in the plant.
(c) 1
(d) 1
2
2
4
3
3
4
But once the process is set off there
should be continuous shower until
during the south-west monsoons, the
first in May-June and the second in
August-September.
G
Ans. (a) CSE 1998 fruit ripening. Any dry spell even for
Q. Consider the following
statements:
a few day, within this critical period
of 16 weeks (flowering to fruit
Cardamom- It is cultivated and
grown in the forests of the Western
R
ripening) will result in low yield. Ghats in Southern India, where it
1. India ranks first in the world in
fruit production.
2. India ranks second in the world
Temperature: The crop tolerates
temperature between 10-40° C. The
grows wild. Indian Cardamom is
more aromatic and hence in huge
A
demand. The southern states of
in the export of tobacco.
Which of these statements is/are
correct ?
ideal temperature is 23-32° C with
an average of 28 degree c. Optimum
soil temperature for root growth is
Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu
are the major growing areas in India.
P
Kerala accounts for nearly 70% of
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) CSE 2003
26-28° C.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
the total production. India consumed
almost 95% of the spice production
H
Following are the characteristics and the remaining 5% is exported to
spices like Garlic, Mustard, Fennel,
Turmeric etc.
of an area in India:
(1) Hot and humid climate
countries including Saudi Arabia,
Japan etc.
Y
(2) Annual rainfall 200 cm Saffron- Kashmir is one of the
Black Pepper- It is one of the most (3) Hill slopes up to an altitude of biggest saffron producing area in
internationally traded spices. India is 1100 metres India. Sangla Valley in Himachal
one of the major countries exporting (4) Annual range of temperature Pradesh has the ideal agro-climatic
large volumes of international grade 15°C to 30°C conditions to grow saffron plants and
pepper to a number of countries. The Which one among the following thus is being explored as the next
Southern state of Kerala accounts crops are you most likely to find major Indian production centre for
for 90% of the total pepper in the area describe above? saffron.
production. Tamilnadu and (a) Mustard (b) Cotton
Karnataka are other major Indian (c) Pepper (d) Virginia tobacco Fruits- India is the second largest
production centres.Production Ans (c) CSE 2010 producer of Fruits after China, with
Centers in Kerala are Malabar a production of 4.04 million tonnes
and Tellicherry (Thalassery) Light: Black pepper is a day neutral of fruits from an area of 3.72 million
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a plant. Black pepper vines exposed hectares. A large variety of fruits
flowering vine in the family to direct solar radiation develop are grown in India, of which mango,
Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, physiological disorders even under banana, citrus, guava, grape,
which is usually dried and used as a favourable soil moisture conditions. pineapple and apple are the major
spice and seasoning. Black pepper vines kept under shade ones. Apart from these, fruits like
(7% incident light) remain green and papaya, sapota, annona, phalsa,
Climatic Requirements: Black healthy whereas those exposed to jackfruit, ber, pomegranate in
pepper grows successfully between sunlight turn yellow and develop tropical and sub tropical group and
20° North and 20° South of equator necrotic patches during summer. peach, pear, almond, walnut,

Prelims Magic 2014 369

 apricot and strawberry in the popular varieties of guava are pesticides contain active ingredients
temperate group are also grown in Allahabad Safeda, Lucknoe-49, of specific types of microorganisms,
a sizeable area. Although fruit is Nagpur Seedless, Dharwad etc. such as a fungus, bacterium or
grown throughout the country, the Bihar is the leading state in guava protozoan. Each active ingredient
major fruit growing states are production with 0.30 MT followed can be utilized to target a specific
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, by Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar type of pest. For example, some
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Pradesh. The other states where fungi can suppress certain weeds,
Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat . guava is grown widely Gujarat, while certain types of bacteria can
G Mango is the most important fruit
covering about 35 per cent of area
Karnataka, Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
Grapes occupies fifth position
amongst fruit crops with a
control different species of insect
larvae, such as mosquitoes, moths
or flies. The most commonly utilized
and accounting of 22 per cent total
E production of total fruits in the
country, which is highest in the world
production of 1.08 MT from an area
of 0.04 Million ha. The major
varieties of grapes grown in India
microbial pesticides come from
strains of the bacteria called Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt). The bacteria
with India’s share of about 54%.
O India has the richest collection of
mango cultivators. Major mango
are, Thomson Seedless, Sonaka,
Anab-e-Shahi, Perlette, Banglore
blue, Pusa seedless, Beauty seedless
strains manufacture different protein
mixes that can target specific insect
larvae and will not affect other
growing States are Uttar Pradesh,
G Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha,
West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
etc. Maharashtra occupies the first
position with a production of 0.68 MT
of grapes, followed by Karnataka.
organisms.
(v) Less mechanisation is used; (vi)
Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Less occurrence of pest incidence
R The main varieties of mango grown
in the country are Alphanso,
The other states growing grapes are
Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil
Nadu. The major pineapple
due to absence of fertilizers and
pesticides; (vii) Yields on par with
Dashehari, Langra, Fajli, Chausa, modern farming; (viii) Food fetches
A Totapuri, Neelum etc. Banana
comes next in rank occupying about
producing states in India are Assam,
West Bengal, Karnataka,
Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal
more price than that produced from
modern farming; and (ix) Is an
13 per cent of the total area and excellent method of sustainable
P accounting for about 34.2 per cent
of the total production of fruits.
Pradesh, Kerala and Bihar.The other
major fruits grown in the country are
Apple, Litchi, Papaya, and Sapota.
agriculture.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
India has first position in the world
H in banana production. While Tamil ORGANIC FARMING
Nadu leads other States with a
Organic farming is natural farming
Q.   Consider    the    following  
kinds of organisms :
1.  Bacteria 2.  Fungi
share of 19.00 per cent,
Y Maharashtra has highest
productivity of 58.60 metric tonnes
which is based on the principles of
no ploughing, no fertilizer or
prepared compost, no weeding or
3.  Flowering plants
Some species of which of the
above kinds of organisms are
against India’s average of 32.50 employed as bio pesticides?
tillage and no pest control but only
metric tonnes per ha. The other (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
sowing and harvesting and (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
major banana growing states are
increasing the fertility of soil through Ans.(d) CSE 2012
Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh
biological residues. In its developed
and Assam The main varieties of
form it seeks to rely on biological Problems of Organic Farming: (i)
banana are Dwarf Cavendish,
processes to obtain high quality and Land resources can move freely
Bhusaval Keli, Basrai, Poovan,
yields which are often as good as from organic farming to conventional
Harichhal, Nendran, Safed velchi
those achieved using modern farming but the movement is not
etc. Citrus fruits rank 3rd in area
agricultural techniques. free in the reverse direction; (ii) Loss
and production accounting for About
12 and 10.4 per cent of the total Advantages of Organic Farming: of initial crop, while changing over
area and production respectively. (i) Reduced pollution; ‘(ii) Less to organic farming, particularly, if
Lime, lemons, sweet oranges and energy is used; (iii) Since no done quickly; (iii) Biological controls
mandarin cover bulk of the area chemical pesticides, hormones and may have been weakened or
under these fruits and are grown fertilizers are used, residues from destroyed by chemicals, which may
mainly in Maharashtra, Andhra these substances are no longer a take three to four years for residues
Pradesh, Karnataka, North Eastern danger; (iv) Most nature friendly, to lose their effect; (iv) Farmers may
States, Punjab, Odisha and Madhya due to use of only bio-fertilisers. be afraid to enter new system of
Pradesh. Guava is the fourth most Biopesticides are certain types of farming without government
widely grown fruit crop in India. The pesticides derived from such natural support.
area under guava is about 0.15 materials as animals, plants, bacteria, Significance of Organic Farming:
Million ha producing 1.80 MT. The and certain minerals. Microbial The big challenge’ we are facing in

370 Prelims Magic 2014

agriculture today is the
unsustainability of present (modern)
system of agriculture. The nature
and extent of the unsustainability of
modern agriculture can be viewed
considering the following
consequences. Intensive cultivation
of land without conservation of soil
structure would lead ultimately to
expansion of deserts. Irrigation
without proper drainage would result
in soils getting alkaline or saline.
Indiscriminate use of pesticides,
fungicides and herbicides could
cause adverse changes in biological
balance as well as lead to an increase
in incidence of cancer and other
diseases through toxic residues
present in the grain or other edible
parts. Unscientific tapping of
underground water would lead to the
rapid exhaustion of this resource left
to us through ages of natural farming.
The rapid replacement of a number
of locally adapted varieties with one
or two high yielding varieties in large
contiguous area would result in
spread of serious diseases capable
of wiping out entire crops.
The aforementioned realities clearly
indicate the significance of organic
farming-the only way for sustainable
agriculture-as the only alternative to
unsustainable modern agriculture
practice. Organic farming promises
a better and balanced environment,
better food and higher living standard
to masses in India. It also promises
better long-term future of agriculture,
because of low-cost agricultural
development.
Animal husbandry
It is the art of rearing animals for
milk, skin, hide and horns and farm
works. India has a farming
ecosystem. Farming ecosystem
means the inter relationship and inter
dependence between the farm
animals and farmers. India is now
the largest producer of milk in the
world, which is largely due to White
revolution. The main aim is to
increase the milk production to meet
the growing demand of milk in the
country. Dairy Co-operatives have
been set up in rural India for rural
development. The best example of
such a unit is the Anand Dairy
Development Board in Gujarat. Of
late, poultry has started playing an
important role both in the farmers’
economy and the diet of the Indian
people. Poultry farms have been set
up all over the country. It looks into
the production of eggs and
poultrymeat through increased
availability of quality chicks and
support facilities such as storage,
marketing, balanced food, health
care and other infra structural
amenities.
The impact of globalisation on
Indian Agriculture
- Farmers have been exposed to the
new agricultural environment. -
More inputs of capital and advanced
technology has made the agricultural
sector a vibrant one.
- Every effort is made to the
efficiency of the human labour.
- Indian farmers get a steady national
market.
- In order to withstand the Global
competition India has to use its vast
potential of agriculture by adopting
modern technologies in farming. At
present we can say that India is in a
comfortable position in food
production. But in future India’s
population might increase to 1300
million approximately by the year
2020. At that time with efficient
management of natural resources
and by adopting modern technology
in farming, food supply will be
adequate to meet the increasing
demand.
Agriculture Research
Institutes
Indian Council of Agriculture
Research (ICAR)- N. Delhi
Central Arid Zone Research
Institute (CAZRI) – Jodhpur ,
Rajasthan
Central Inland Capture Fisheries
Research Institute (CICFRI) -
Prelims Magic 2014
Barrackpore, West Bengal
Central Institute for Research on
Goats (CIRG) - Makhdoom, P.O.
Farah Mathura-281 122, India.
Central Institute of Brackishwater
Aquaculture (CIBA) - Chennai,
Central Marine Fisheries Research
Institute (CMFRI) – Ernakulam,
Cochin,
G
Central Plantation Crops Research
Institute (CPCRI) - Kasaragod,
Kerala
E
Indian Institute of Soil Science
(IISS) - Bhopal - Madhya Pradesh
O
National Dairy Research Institute
(NDRI) – Karnal, Haryana G
National Research Centre on
Equines (NRCE) – Hisar, Haryana
Coconut Development Board -
R
Kochi, Kerala
Central Sheep Breeding Farm – A
Hissar, Haryana
National Institute of Agricultural
Extension Management –
P
Hyderabad
The Coffee Board of India -It’s H
headquarter is located at Bengaluru
The Rubber Board - It’s headquarter
is located at Kottayam
Y
The Tea Board of India- Its
headquarter is located at Kolkata
The Tobacco Board - Its head
quarters at Guntur in Andhra
Pradesh, India
KEYWORDS (for Agriculture)
Subsistence Farming - In this
method the farmers grow food for
their own survival.
Commercial Farming - In this type
of farming, the farmer produces
crops for the world market.
Plantation Farming - It means
producing planted trees or bushes
which give yield over a period of
time. It is labour intensive and
produces single crop which requires
heavy capital investment; for
example tea, coffee.
371
 Mixed Farming - In this method
there is a_ cultivation of arable crops How was this topic asked in the CSE?
and the rearing of livestock on the Q. Match the cities labelled as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the given map with
same farms. the names of the institutes I located in these cities and select the
Monoculture - Farming done correct answer using the codes given below the names of the institutes
exclusively to produce a single crop. :
Shifting Cultivation - In this
G method a patch of ground is cleared
and the ground cultivated for a few
years until the soil gets exhausted.
E Crop Rotation - It refers to
growing different crops on the same
field after the harvest of the previous
O crop; it is generally done to preserve
the minerals in the soil.
Name of institutes
G Rabi Season - Here the ground is
prepared and the seeds sown by the
end of October after the monsoons,
A.Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
B. Central Sheep Breeding Farm

R the crop is harvested in March, e.g.,

wheat.
C. National Dairy Research Institute
D. National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management
A B C D
Kharif Season - Here the ground
A is prepared in April and May, seeds
sown in the month of June, the crop
(a) 5
(b) 5
(c) 4
1
2
2
3
1
1
2
4
3
is harvested in November, e.g., rice.
P Green Revolution - It is the term
used to describe an effort to increase
(d) 1
Ans. (b)
2 3 4
CSE 2000

H food production in developing

countries.
Q.   Which  of  the  following  is  the  chief  characteristic  of  ‘mixed
farming’?
(a) Cultivation of both cash crops and food crops
Broadcasting Method - In this
Y method, the seeds are thrown or
scattered over the soil.
(b) Cultivation of two or more crops in the same field
(c) Rearing of animals and cultivation of crops together
(d) None of the above
Dibbling - It is the dropping of the Ans.(c) CSE 2012
seeds at regular intervals in the
furrows made by the plough. Q. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the
Drilling - In this method, the seeds codes given below the lists:
‘are dropped through bamboo shafts List-I List-II
attached to the plough. (Board) (Headquarters)
Coffee Board 1. Bengaluru
Transplantation Method - In this
Rubber Board 2. Guntur
method, the seeds are at first sown
Tea Board 3. Kottayam
in the nurseries and after 4-6 weeks
Tobacco Board 4. Kolkata
they are uprooted, tied into bundles
A B C D
and carried to other fields where they
(a) 2 4 3 1 (b) 1 3 4 2
are planted again.
(c) 2 3 4 1 (d) 1 4 3 2
Dry Crops - These are the drought Ans.(b) CSE 2008
resistant crops which can survive in
regions with less rainfall and poor The approximate representation of land use classification in India is
or inferior soils. (a) Net area sown 25%; forests 33%; other areas 42%
(b) Net area sown 58%; forest 17%; other areas 25%
(c) Net area sown 43%; forests 29%; other areas 28%
(d) Net area sown 47%; forests 23%; other areas 30%
Ans (d) CSE 2010

372 Prelims Magic 2014

 All India Land Use Classification
SL Classification Million Hectares
I Geographical Area 328.73
II Reporting Area for Land Utilisation Statistics (1 to 5)
1. Forests 68.75 (2.50%)
2. Not Available for Cultivation (A+B)
(A) Area under non-agricultural uses 22.45 (7.40%)

3.
(B) Barren and un-culturable land
Other Uncultivated Land Excluding Fallow Land (A+B+C)
19.09 (6.30%)
G
(A) Permanent pasture and other grazing land 11.04 (3.60%)
(B) Land under misc. Tree Crops and Grooves not included in Net Area Sown 3.57 (1.20%)
(C) Culturable Waste Land 13.94 (4.60%) E
4. Fallow Lands (A+B)
(A) Fallow Land other than Current Fallow
(B) Current Fallows
9.89 (3.20%)
13.33 (4.40%) O
5. Net Area Sown (6-7) 142.82 (46.80%)
6.
7.
Total Cropped Area (Gross Cropped Area)
Area Sown more than once
189.54
46.72 G
8. Cropping Intensity 132.70
III Net Irrigated Area
IV Gross Irrigated Area
55.14
73.28 R
A
P
Pulses: Pulses occupy 13% of total cropped area while 90% area under it is rainfed.

YEAR
AREA
(M.HECTS)
PRODUCTION
(M.TONNES)
YIELD
(KGS/HECT)
% COVERAGE
UNDER
H
IRRIGATION(K gs/Hect)

1970-71 22.54 11.82 524 8.8 Y

1971-72 22.15 11.09 501 8.8

1981-82 23.84 11.51 483 8.5

1991-92 22.54 12.02 533 10.7

1997-98 22.85 13.07 572 -

2001-2002 20.34 13.36 543 -

2005-2006 22.39 13.38 598 -

(Million Hects (Million Tonnes) (Kgs/Hect) Under Irrigation

Q. With reference to Indian agriculture, which one of the following

statements is correct?
(a) About 90 percent of the area under pulses in India is rain fed
(b) The share of pulses in the gross cropped area at the national level
has doubled in the last two decades
(c) India accounts for about 15 percent of the total area under rice in the
world
(d) Rice occupies about 34 percent of the gross cropped area of India
Ans.(a) CSE 2002

Prelims Magic 2014 373

 State-Wise Details Of
Net Irrigated Area (NIA), Net Sown Area (NSA) And Percentage Of NIA To NSA (in thousand hectares)
Sl. States Net Sown Net Irrg Area % of NIA. To
No. Area(NSA) (NIA) NSA
1. Andhra Pradesh 11115 4528 40.73
2. Arunachal Pradesh 164 42 25.61
3. Assam 2734 170 6.22

G 4.
5
Bihar
Chhittisgarh
7437
4763
3625
984
48.74
20.66
6 Goa 141 23 16.31
E 7
8
Gujarat
Haryana
9443
3526
2979
2958
31.55
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
83.90 Q Consider the following
9 Himachal Pradesh 555 126 22.70
statements:
O 10
11
Jammu & Kashmir
Karnataka
748
10410
311
2643
41.58
Assertion (A): The percentage of
net sown area in the total area of
25.40 Andhra Pradesh is less as

G 12
13
14
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
2206
14664
17636
381
4135
2959
17.27 compared to that of West Bengal.
28.20 Reason (R): The soil of most of
16.78 the Andhra Pradesh is laterite.

R 15
16
Manipur
Meghalaya
140
230
65
54
46.43 In the context of above two
23.48 statements, which one of the
17 Mizoram 94 9 9.57 following is correct?
A 18
19
Nagaland
Orissa
300
5829
72
1933
24.00 (a) Both A and R are true and R is
33.16 the correct explanation of A
20 Punjab 4264 3602 84.47 (b) Both A and R are true but R is
P 21
22
Rajasthan
Sikkim
15865
95
4907
17
31.00 NOT the correct explanation of A
17.89
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
23 Tamil Nadu 5303 2888 54.50
H 24
25
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
280
17612
37
12814
13.21
72.76
Ans. (c) CSE 2006

Y 26 West Bengal
Total States
5417
140971
2354
54616
43.45
38.74
Total Uts 130 66 50.77
Grand Total 141101 54682 38.75

Graphite - Rampa Chodavaram, E.

20 Minerals of India
India is endowed with significant
mineral    resources. India produces
89 minerals out of which 4 are fuel
minerals, 11 metallic, 52 non-metallic
and 22 minor minerals. The metallic
production is accounted for by iron-
ore, copper-ore, chromite and/or zinc
concentrates, gold, manganese ore,
bauxite, lead concentrates. Amongst
the non-metallic minerals, more than
90 percent of the aggregate value is
shared by limestone, magnesite,
dolomite, barytes, kaolin, gypsum,
apatite & phosphorite, steatite and
fluorite. India has a large number of
economically useful minerals and
they constitute one-quarter of the
world’s known mineral resources.
Nickel ore is found in Cuttack in
Bihar and Mayurbanj in Odisha.
Ileminite reserves are in Kerala
and along the east and the west
coastal beaches.
Chromite deposits are found in
Bihar, Cuttack district in Odisha,
Krishna District in Andhra and
Mysore and Hassan District in
Karnataka.
Silimanite reserves are in
Sonapahar of Meghalaya and in
Pipra in M. P.
Godavari District in Andhra
Pradesh.
The Panna diamond belt is the only
diamond producing area in the
country, which covers the districts
of Panna, Chatarpur and Satna in
Madya Pradesh, as well as some
parts of Banda in Uttar Pradesh.
Majhagawan area in Panna district
is rich in Diamond reserves. Large
reserves of diamond-bearing
Kimberlite traits have been
discovered in Payalikhand and
Behradin in Raipur district and
Tokapal in Bastar.
Asbestos is found in A.P.,
Rajasthan and Karnataka.
Salt - Salt lakes of Sambhar in

374 Prelims Magic 2014

Jaipur, Dindwana, Phalodi and Chhattisgarh region is as well How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Pachbhadra in Jodhpur of Rajasthan. known for its rich cultural heritage Q. Which of the following subjects
The beach sands in Kollam are rich as for its abundant deposits of natural are found in the beach sands of
in heavy minerals like Monozite, resources. A variety of mineral many parts of Kerala ?
Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon and resources are fond in this region, 1. Ilmenite 2. Zircon
Silimanite. diamond, gold, iron-ore, coal, 3. Sillimanite 4. Tungsten
corundum, bauxite, dolomite, lime, tin, Select the correct answer using the
India has particularly large reserves granite to name a few. Deposits of
code given below:
of thorium. India is believed to cumberlite pipe found in Pailikhand
possess approx 300,000 metric and Deobhog area and gold deposits
tonnes of thorium i.e. possessing in Sonakhan area of Raipur district
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only G
(c) 3 and 4 only
25% of the world’s thorium reserves. have evoked investor interest. High
The IAEA report mentions that India quality iron-ore deposits are found
possesses two thirds (67%) of global in the Bailadila hill ranges as well as
(d) 1 and 2 only
Ans. (b) CSE 2006 E
reserves of monazite, the primary in Dalhi-Rajhara. Abundant deposits
thorium ore. The coastal belt of of lime stone are found in the
Karunagappally, Kerala, is known districts of Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg
Q.Consider the following
statements :
1. Balaghat is known for its
O
for high background radiation (HBR) and Bastar facilitating the growth of
from thorium-containing monazite several large cement plants in the
sand.
diamond mines.
2. Majhgawan is known for its
manganese deposits.
G
area.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
R
Q. Match List-I with List-II and Q. Match List I with List II and (b) 2 only
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists :
select the correct answer using the
codes given below the lists :
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
A
List I (Minerals) List II Ans. (d) CSE 2007

A. Graphite
(Mining area)
1 . Bellary
List I
(Minerals)
List II
(Typical areas
of occurrence) Q. In which one of the following
P
B. Lead 2. Didwana districts, have large reserves of
C. Salt
D. Silver
3. Rampa
4. Zawar
A. Coal
B. Gold
C. Mica
1. Bhandara
2. Karanpura
3. Hutti
diamond-bearing kimberlite been
discovered in the recent past ? H
A B C D (a) Hoshangabad (b) Raipur
(a) 3
(b) 1
4
4
1
2
2
3
D. Manganese 4. Nellore
A B C D
(c) Sambalpur
Ans. (b)
(d) Warangal
CSE 2007 Y
(c) 3 1 4 2 (a) 1 3 2 4
(d) 2 3 1 4 (b) 2 3 4 1 Q. In which one of the following
(c) 3 4 2 1 States are Namchik - Namphuk
Ans: (b) CSE 1998
(d) 2 1 4 3 Coalfields located?
Ans. (b) CSE 1997 (a) Arunachal Pradesh
Q. Match List I (Ores) with List (b) Meghalaya
II (States where they are mined) (c) Manipur
and select the correct answer Q. Match List I (Minerals) with
(d) Mizoram
using the codes given below the List II (Location) and select the
Ans.(a) CSE 2008
lists : correct answer using the codes
List I List II given below the lists: Q. Which of the following minerals
A. Manganese 1. Madhya List I List II are found in a natural way in the
Pradesh A. Coal 1. Giridih State of Chhattisgarh?
B. Nickel 2. Odisha B. Copper 2. Jayamkondam l. Bauxite 2. Dolomite
C. Lead-zinc 3. Rajasthan C. Manganese 3. Alwar 3. Iron ore 4. Tin
D. Asbestos 4. Andhra D. Lignite 4. Dharwad Select the correct answer using the
Pradesh code given below:
A B C D A B C D (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (c) 2 and 4 only
(a) 1 3 2 4 (a) 1 4 3 2 (b) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 4 3 2 1 (b) 2 3 4 1 Ans. (d) CSE 2008
(c) 1 2 3 4 (c) 1 3 4 2
(d) 4 2 3 1 (d) 2 4 3 1
Ans: (c) CSE 1996 Ans.(c) CSE 2004

Prelims Magic 2014 375

 How was this topic asked in the CSE? Mineral Resources of India
Q. Consider the following
West Bengal (Ran iganj , Burdwan, Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum,
statements Jalpaigudi, Darjeeling) Jharkhand (Jharia, Giridih, Kharhawadi,
1. India does not have any deposits Bo karo, Hazaribagh, Karnapura, Rampur, Palamau), Odisha
Orissa (Rampur,
of Thorium Hindgir, Talcher, Sambhal), Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh
2. Kerala’s monazite sands contain (Rewa, Pench valley, Umaria, Korba, Sohagpur, Mand river area,
Kanha valley, Betul), etc. Important coalfields in North East ern
Uranium 1 Coal
Region are Namchik-Namphuk Coalfields in Arunachal Pradesh,
Which of the above statements is/
G
Makum coalfiel d i n Assam, West Darrangiri, Langrin, Sij u and
are correct? Bapung coalfields in Meghalaya.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Power sector is the largest consumer of coal in India followed by
steel industry, cement indus try, etc. Lignite - Jayamkondam, Neyveli
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
E Ans.(d) CSE 2008
Q. With reference to the mineral
(Tamil Nadu)

Odisha, Maharashtra (Nagp ur, Bhandara, Ratnagiri ), Madhya Pradesh

Orissa,
(Balaghat, Chhindawara), Karnataka (associated with Dharwar rocks -

O resources of India, consider the

following pairs:
Mineral 90% Natural sources in
2 Manganese Keonjhar, Bonai, Kal ahandi), Andhra Pradesh (Kadur, Garibadi ).
Large producers of Manganese ore are Orissa (33.3%), Madh ya
Pradesh (21.1%), M aharashtra and Karnataka.
1. Copper Jharkhand
G 2. Nickel
3. Tungsten
Odisha
Kerala
3 Copper
Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat), Raj asthan (Khetri, Jhunjhunu and
Alwar), Jharkhand (Singhbhum, Masobani, Surda), Karnataka
(Chit radurg, Hussan)
Which of the pairs given above is/
R are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only
4 Mica
Jharkhand (Hazaribagh, Gi ridi h, Kodarma, Bihar (Gaya, Bhagalpur),
Andhra Pradesh (Guntur, Vizag, Kurnool , Nellore and Krishna
distri ct), Rajasthan (Bhilwara, Udaipur, Jaipur)
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
A
Assam (Di gboi, Naharkatiya, Badarpur, Masi npur and Pallharia),
Ans (b) CSE 2010 Gujarat (Ankleshwar, Khambat, Kalol ), Mumbai High, Bassein
5 Petroleum
(south of Mumbai High), etc. Recently oi l has been discov ered in
How was this topic asked in the CSE? Cauvery basin, Krishna and Godawari basin, Kharmbat basin, etc.

P Q. Consider the following

statements: 
1. Natural gas occurs in the
There are 1 8 refi neries in India, 16 i n public sector, one in joint
sect or and one in private sector. Public sect or refineries are located at
Digboi, Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Barauni, Haldia, Koyali , Mathura,
6 Oil Refineries
Gondwana beds.
H 2. Mica occurs in abundance in
Kodarma.
Kochi, Chennai, Vish akhapatnam, Mumbai (2), Panipat , Narimanam,
Numanigarh and Tati paka. Joint sect or refinery is at Mang alore. The
private sector refinery of Rel iance Limited is at Jamnagar.
3. Dharwars are famous for
Y petroleum.
Which of the statements given
India posses ses Haematit e, a very high-grade iron ore. In Madhya
Pradesh (Bailadila, Jabalpur, Dal hi-Rajhara), Goa (Nort h Goa),
Karnataka (Bababudan hills , Chikmagal ur, Hospet), Jharkhand
(Singhbhum, Naomundi), Andhra Pradesh, Odisha Orissa India is the fifth
above is/are correct? 7 Iron
largest exporter of Iron ore in the world. Japan is the biggest b uyer
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only accounting for about 3/ 4th of India's total exports. Major port s
(c) 2 and 3 (d) None handling iron ore export are Vishakhapatnam, Paradi p, Marmagao
Ans: b (CSE 2013) and Mangalore.
Expl: Gondwana coal may contain Ch ief ore for producing aluminium. In Odisha
Orissa (Kalahandi, Koraput,
Coal bed methane not Natural gas Sundargarh, Bol angir, Sambalpur), Jharkhand (Lohardaga, Gumla),
8 Bauxite
and koderma is mica capital of Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur, Mandla, Shahdol, Katni, Balaghat),
India Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu

Karnataka (Kolar, Hutti, Raichur), Andhra Pradesh (Ramgiri and

How
Howwas
wasthis
thistopic
topicasked
askedin
inthe
theCSE?
CSE? 9 Gold
Yeppamanna goldfields i n Chittor and Anantapur districts
Q. Which of the following is / are
the characteristic/ characteristics Rajasthan (Zawar mines near Udaipur), Andhra Pradesh (Karnataka,
(Mysore,
of Indian coal? Ch itradurg), Karnat aka (Kolar m ines ) Lead and Zinc are produced
more in Rajasthan. Followed by Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West
1. High ash content 10 Silver, Zinc and Lead Bengal. Almost all Zi nc is produced in Rajast han. Silver ore - Bell ary
2. Low sulphur content distri ct in Karnataka, Baramu la i n J & K, Almora in U.P., Cuddapah,
3.  Low ash fusion temperature Guntur Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below. Jharkhand (Jaduguda), Rajasth an (Ajmer), Andhra Prad esh (Nell ore,
11 Uraniu m
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only Nal gonda), Karnat aka (Gulbarga)
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
12 Thorium Kerala coast (From Monazite sand), rocks of Aravallis in Rajasthan
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Indian Coal has high ash
fusion temperature of about
1,500 C

376 Prelims Magic 2014


21 Energy
TYPES OF ENERGY
Non-Renewable Energy:
Petroleum, Natural Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy: Solar Energy,
Hydroelectric Energy, Wind Energy,
Nuclear Energy, Tidal Energy,
Hydrogen Energy, Wood Energy,
Energy from Biomass or Bio-fuel,
Chemical Energy and Geothermal
Energy.
SOURCES OF ENERGY IN
INDIA
The various energy resources used
in India include fossil fuels
providing petroleum and natural gas
and coal mining that  cater  to  the
coal energy demands in India.
The sun is the source for solar
energy that is converted to electrical
energy using solar panels.
The vast water resources in  and
around India are utilized by
conversion of the kinetic energy
from the flowing water as in
waterfalls and the dams built on
various rivers into electric energy.
The energy of the tides and tidal
waves is also utilized for electrical
energy harvesting.
The usage of wind energy comes in
the form of windmills and huge wind
energy farms for generation of
usable energy forms by
transformation of the kinetic energy
of the wind into energy units.
Other sources of energy in India
include biomass energy by
burning bio-fuels available in large
quantities owing to the huge domestic
cattle population in India.
Energy is also derived from the
vast timber resources  of  the
country. This forms the wood energy.
Nuclear energy or atomic energy
from radioactive materials has
been developed into a vast industry
in itself.
Geothermal energy is an unlimited
natural energy source that utilizes
the steam from hot water
springs that acts as energy
boosters to drive turbines of power
plants.
The various chemicals are used for
chemical energy generation used in
batteries.
Even the hydrogen available  in
large quantities in the environment
has been captured and utilized as an
energy source by reacting hydrogen
with oxygen.
The Ministry of Power (MoP) is
coordinated by Central Electricity
Authority (CEA) in all technical and
economic aspects. Along with the
CEA, other subsidiary organizations
of the MoP are:
National Thermal Power
Corporation (NTPC)
National Hydro Electric Corporation
(NHEC)
Power Finance Corporation of India
(PFCI)
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Ltd
North Eastern Electric Power
Corporation (NEEPC)
Rural Electrification Corporation
(REC)
Damodar Valley Corporation
(DVC)
Bhakra Beas Management Board
(BBMB)
Tehri Hydro Development
Corporation (THDC)
Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd
(Power Grid India)
Power Generation in India
1. Thermal - 80,902.45 MW
2. Hydro - 30,935.63 MW
3. Wind - 3,811.01 MW
4. Nuclear - 2,770.00 MW
Total - 1,18,419.09 MW.
Prelims Magic 2014
Power Trading Corporation (PTC)
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
OIL & GAS COMPANIES IN
INDIA
Public Sector Undertakings (PSU’s):
ONGC - Oil & Natural Gas Corp
(exploration and production)
OIL - Oil India Limited (exploration
G
& production)
IOC - Indian Oil Corporation E
(refining & marketing)
BPCL - Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (refining and
O
marketing)
HPCL - Hindustan Petroleum
G
(refining & marketing)
GSPC - Gujarat State Petroleum
Corp
R
Private Oil & Gas companies in
India
A
RIL - Reliance Industries Limited
(Indian Oil & gas company) P
ESSAR (Indian Oil & Gas company)
Cairns Energy India H
BG energy
Niko (upstream exploration & Y
production)
Chevron Oil Limited
Shell Oil
BP
Total (downstream exploration &
production, chemicals)
An achievement that deserves
mention here is that five of the
Indian oil & gas companies are listed
in Global Fortune 500.
Most of India’s crude oil reserves
are located offshore, west of the
country, and onshore in the northeast,
although substantial newly-
discovered reserves are located
offshore in the Bay of Bengal and
in Rajasthan state. India’s largest oil
field is the offshore Mumbai High
field, located north-west of Mumbai
377
 and operated by ONGC. Another of
India’s large oil fields is the Krishna-
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding power sector
in India:
1. The installed capacity of power
G generation is around 95000 MW.
2. Nuclear plants contribute nearly
15% of total power generation.
E 3. Hydroelectricity plants contribute
nearly 40% of total power
generation.
O 4. Thermal plants at present
account for nearly 80% of total
power generation.
G Which of these statements is/are
correct ?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
R (c) 3 and 4
Ans (a)
(d) 1 and 4
CSE 2001
Godavari basin, located in the Bay
A of Bengal. Block D6 in the Krishna-
Godavari basin, operated by Reliance
Industries, could account for as
P much as 40 percent of India’s
current domestic hydrocarbon output
when production peaks. Oil
H production from this block began in
September 2008. The Rawa
offshore block, with great potential
Y for oil, is located in Krishna-Godavari
basin.
Major petro-rocks areas are
Upper Assam Basin
West Bengal Basin
Western Himalayan Basin
Rajasthan- Saurashtra – Kutch
Basin
Northern Gujarat Basin
Coastal T.N., Andhra, Kerala
Andaman Nicobar Coastal region
Combay region in Bombay.
COAL is  the  most  important  and
abundant fossil fuel in India. It
accounts for 55% of the country’s
energy need. The country’s
industrial heritage was built upon
indigenous coal. India has a long
history of commercial coal mining
covering nearly 220 years starting
from 1774 by M/s Sumner and
Heatly of East India Company in the
Raniganj Coalfield along the Western
378 Prelims Magic 2014
bank of river Damodar. However,
for about a century the growth of
Indian coal mining remained sluggish
for want of demand but the
introduction of steam locomotives in
1853 gave a fillip to it. Within a short
span, production rose to an annual
average of 1 million tonne (mt) and
India could produce 6.12 mts. per
year by 1900 and 18 mts per year
by 1920. The production got a
sudden boost from the First World
War but went through a slump in the
early thirties. The production
reached a level of 29 mts. by 1942
and 30 mts. by 1946.
With the advent of Independence,
the country embarked upon the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Rawa offshore block, with
great potential for oil, is located in
(a) Krishna-Godavari basin
(b) Cauvery basin
(c) Mahanadi basin
(d) Polar-Pennar basin
Ans. (a) CSE 1999
Q. Despite having large reserves
of coal, why does India import
millions of tonnes of coal?
1. It is the policy of India to save
its own coal reserves for future,
and import it from other countries
for the present use.
2. Most  of  the  power  plants  in
India are coal-based and they are
not able to get sufficient supplies
of coal from within the country.
3. Steel  companies  need  large
quantity of coking coal which has
to be imported.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d)1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) CSE2012
5-year development plans. At the
beginning of the 1st  Plan,  annual
production went upto 33 mts. During
the 1st Plan period itself, the need for
increasing coal production efficiently
by systematic and scientific
development of the coal industry was
being felt. Setting up of the National
Coal Development Corporation
(NCDC), a Government of India
Undertaking in 1956 with the
collieries owned by the railways as
its nucleus was the first major step
towards planned development of
Indian Coal Industry. Along with the
Singareni Collieries Company Ltd.
(SCCL) which was already in
operation since 1945 and which
became a Government company
under the control of Government of
Andhra Pradesh in 1956, India thus
had two Government coal companies
in the fifties. SCCL is now a joint
undertaking of Government of
Andhra Pradesh and Government of
India sharing its equity in 51:49 ratio.
Coking coal is being imported by
Steel Authority of India Limited
(SAIL) and other Steel sector
manufacturing mainly to bridge the
gap between the requirement and
indigenous availability and to
improve the quality of overall blend
for technological reasons. Coal
based power plants, cement plants,
captive power plants, sponge iron
plants, industrial consumers and coal
traders are importing non-coking
coal on consideration of transport
logistic and commercial prudence as
well as against export entitlements.
Coke is imported mainly by Pig-Iron
manufacturers and Iron & Steel
sector consumers using mini-blast
furnace.
Commercial primary energy
consumption in India has grown by
about 700% in the last four decades.
The current per capita commercial
primary energy consumption in India
is about 350 kgoe/year which is well
below that of developed countries.
Driven by the rising population,
expanding economy and a quest for
improved quality of life, energy
usage in India is expected to rise in
the coming years. Considering the
limited reserve potentiality of
petroleum & natural gas, eco-
conservation restriction on hydel
project and geo-political perception
of nuclear power, coal will continue
to occupy centre-stage of India ‘s
energy scenario.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? With hard coal reserves around 246 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
billion tonnes, of which 92 billion
Q. Match items in the List-I with tonnes are proven, Indian coal offers Q. Consider the following
List-II and select the correct a unique ecofriendly fuel source to statements:
answer using the codes given domestic energy market for the next At the present level of technology
below the lists: century and beyond. Hard coal available in India, solar energy can
List-I List-II (State) deposit spread over 27 major be conveniently used to
(Power Station) coalfields, are mainly confined to 1.Supply hot water to residential
buildings
A. Kothagudem 1. Andhra

B. Raichur
Pradesh
2. Gujarat
eastern and south central parts of
the the country. The lignite reserves
stand at a level around 36 billion
2.Supply water for minor irrigation
projects
G
3. Provide street lighting
C. Mettur 3. Karnataka
D. Wanakbori 4. Tamil Nadu
A B C D
tonnes, of which 90 % occur in the
southern State of Tamil Nadu. 4. Electrify a cluster of villages and
small towns
E
Mettur Thermal Power Station (a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct
(a) 4
(b) 1
(c) 4
2
3
3
1
4
1
3
2
2
has the responsibilities to generate
and transmit electricity for the whole
(b) 2 and 4 are correct
(c) 1 and 3 are correct
O
Tamil nadu. The most of the power (d) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
(d) 1
Ans.(b)
2 4 3
CSE 2005
Explanation: Wanakbori Power
produced are consumed by the
company near to it.
Ans.(a) CSE 1996
merely 0.4% compared to other
G
Station- This Power Station is
located near Dam on the bank of
Mahi River in Kheda District. It is
Nuclear Power Plants
Currently, seventeen nuclear power
energy resources.The amount of
solar energy produced in India in
2007 was less than 1% of the total
R
reactors produce 4,120.00 MW
a Coal Based Power Station.
There are seven units of 210 MW
each with a total installed capacity
(2.9% of total installed base).
The projects under construction are:
energy demand. The grid-interactive
solar power as of December 2010
was merely 10 MW. Government-
A
of 1470 MW.

Powe r station State

T otal
capac ity
The planned projects are:
The Indian nuclear power industry
funded solar energy in India only
accounted for approximately
6.4 MW-yr  of  power  as  of
P
Kaiga
Kakrapa r
Karna taka
Gujar at
(MW)
660
440
is expected to undergo a significant
expansion in the coming years
thanks in part to the passing of The
2005.However, India is ranked
number one in terms of solar energy
production per watt installed, with an
H
Kalpakkam
Narora
Ta mil Na du 440
Utt ar Pra desh 440
Indo-US nuclear deal. This
agreement will allow India to carry
out trade of nuclear fuel and
insolation of 1,700 to 1,900 kilowatt
hours per kilowatt peak (kWh/
KWp). 25.1 MW was added in 2010
Y
Rawa tbha ta R aj astha n 740 technologies with other countries and 468.3 MW in 2011. By May
Tarapur M aha ra shtra 1400 and significantly enhance its power 2012 the installed grid connected
Tot al 4120 generation capacity. When the photovoltaics had increased to over
agreement goes through, India is 979 MW, and India expects to install
T otal
Powe r station State c apac ity expected to generate an additional an additional 10,000 MW by 2017,
(MW ) 25,000 MW of nuclear power by and a total of 20,000 MW by 2022
K aiga K arna ta ka 220 2020, bringing total estimated nuclear
power generation to 45,000 MW. Applications
Ra wa tbha ta R aj astha n 440
K udankula m Ta mil Na du 2000 Solar Energy-India is both densely The National Solar Mission, which
K alpa kkam Ta mil Na du 500 populated and has high solar aims to install 20,000 MW capacity
insolation, providing an ideal of solar  energy by  2020,  has
Tot al 3160
combination for solar power in India. commissioned 89% of its allotted
Total Much of the country does not have capacity in its first stage. Under the
P owe r station State cap aci ty
(M W) an electrical grid, so one of the first National Solar mission, 11 projects
K akr apa r G uja rat 1280 applications of solar power has been of 50.50 MW capacity (48 MW
for water pumping. Some large PV+ 2.5 MW ST) under migration
Ra wa tbha ta R aj astha n 1280
projects have been proposed, and a scheme, 26 projects of 130 MW
K udankula m T amil Na du 2400 35,000 km2 area of the Thar Desert capacity under Batch-I and 69
Jai tapur M aha ra shtra 6400 has been set aside for solar power projects totalling 88.80 MW of small
K aiga K a rna ta ka 9240 projects, sufficient to generate 700 capacity power projects (RPSSGP
T ot al 20600
to 2,100 gigawatts. The amount of Programme) have been
solar energy produced in India is commissioned. In all, a total capacity

Prelims Magic 2014 379

 of over 1759.43 MW Grid connected to make electricity, wind mills for MW), West Bengal (1.1 MW) and
Solar Power Projects have been mechanical power, wind pumps for other states (3.20 MW). It is
commissioned in the country as on pumping water or drainage. The estimated that 6,000 MW of
31.05.2013. A total capacity of development of wind power in additional wind power capacity will
252.50 MW off-grid Solar Power India began in the 1990s, and has be installed in India by 2012. Wind
Projects have been sanctioned and significantly increased in the last few power accounts for 6% of India’s
60 MW have been commissioned.. years. A combination of domestic total installed power capacity, and it
policy support for wind power and generates 1.6% of the country’s
Water pumping- Solar PV water the rise of Suzlon (a leading global
G pumping systems are used for wind turbine manufacturer) have led
irrigation and drinking water. India to become the country with the
power. Suzlon operates what was
once Asia’s largest wind farm, the
Vankusawade Wind Park (201
E Harvest processing- Solar driers are fifth largest installed wind power
used to dry harvests before storage. capacity in the world.
MW), near the Koyna reservoir in
Satara district of Maharashtra.
Solar water heaters- Bangalore has As of 31, March 2009 the installed
O the largest deployment of rooftop capacity of wind power in India was
10,254 MW, mainly spread across
solar water heaters in India that will How was this topic asked in the CSE?
generate energy equivalent to 200 Tamil Nadu (Muppandal, Tirunelveli
G MW everyday and will be the district )(4301.63 MW), Maharashtra
(1942.25 MW), Gujarat (Samana in
country’s first grid connected utility
Q. For which one of the following,
is Satara well known?
scale project soon. Rajkot district )(1565.61 MW), (a) Thermal power plant
R Wind power is the conversion of
wind energy into a useful form of
Karnataka (1340.23 MW),
Rajasthan (738.5 MW), Madhya
(b) Wind energy plant
(c) Hydro-electric plant
Pradesh (212.8 MW), Andhra (d) Nuclear power plant
A energy, such as using wind turbines
Pradesh (122.45 MW), Kerala (26.5 Ans. (b) CSE 2005

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and

22 Industries
P The Industrial Revolution of Europe
H brought about changes in the modern
manufacturing industries.
In India modern cotton textile
Y industry was started in Bombay
(Mumbai) in 1854. The two major
world wars encouraged industries
like sugar, cement, chemical, iron and
steel and also other consumer
industries. Launching of Five Year
Plan gave new impetus and vigour
to Indian industries. The new
industrial policy was announced in
1991, according to which the
government decided to do away with
the industrial licencing for all
industries except 15 industries. This
has led to phenomenal growth of
industries in India.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES IN
INDIA
1. Textile Industry: The first
organized cotton textile mill was
established in Calcutta (Kolkatta) in
1818. But a modern cotton textile mill
was later established in Mumbai in
1854. The SwadeshiMovement
which voiced against the import of
Tamil Nadu.
‘Mumbai is called Manchester
of India’. It has 63 mills out of
British manufactured cloth, helped
the growth of the textile
manufacturing industry in India.
Maharashtra’s total of 122 mills.
‘Gujarat’ is the second largest
producer of cotton textiles.
Over the years most of the mills
were located in the states of
Maharashtra and Gujarat due to the
Ahmedabad is the main centre.
Other centres are Vadodara, Surat,
Porbandar, Bhavnagar, etc. Most of
vailability of cotton, humid climate,
the textile mills in Ahmedabad
improved transport facilities and
produce cloth at a marginal rate
favourable market etc. Today these
which as an extensive market in
How was this topic asked in the CSE india. Compared toMumbai, land is
cheaper in Ahmedabad. Availability
Tamil Nadu is a leading producer
of raw material, improved transport
of mill-made cotton yarn in the
and communication facilities, hydel
country. What could be the reason?
power, cheap and skilled labour are
1. Black cotton soil is the
the other reasons for the
predominant type of soil in the
development of textile industries in
State.
Ahmedabad. Kolkatta, Howrah,
2. Rich pool of skilled labour is
Murshidabad, Hooghly are the
available
important centres of textile mills in
Which of the above/is are the
West Bengal. Kanpur, Varanasi,
correct reasons?
Agra, Bareily, Aligarh, Muradabad
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
are the textile centres of
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Uttarpradesh. Amongst the southern
Ans (b) CSE 2010
states, Tamil Nadu is an important
industries are decentralised and cotton textile producer, thanks to
spread throughout the country. They availability of rich skilled labourers.
are also concentrated inWest Bengal, Coimbatore is the most important

380 Prelims Magic 2014

How was this topic asked in the CSE? Varanasi, Pune, Mysore, Bangalore, for the manufacture of paper, pulp,
Salem, Arani and Kanchipuram, cardboard and the fuel.Molasses is
Q. For which one of the following
Karnataka is famous for silkworm a thick dark syrup got from raw
items, is Tirupur well-known as a
rearing. India exports exclusively silk sugar and is used in the manufacture
huge exporter to many parts of the
fabrics like scarves, dress-materials of industrial alcohol. It is also helpful
world?
and sarees. The principal buyers of in the development of subsidiary and
(a) Gems & Jewellery
Indian silk are West Germany, byproduct industries like fruit
(b) Leather goods
Singapore, USA, UK, Russia, Saudi canning, confectionary, pharmaceu-
(c) Knitted garments
(d) Handicrafts
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
Arabia and Kuwait.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
tical and manufacturing of insulation
board etc. G
6. Automobile Industry
centre. Chennai, Madurai,
Tirunelveli, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, etc.
Q. Consider the following
statements :
1. Molasses is a by-product of
The first automobile industry was
established at the Premier
E
are the other centres. Kanpur is
called as - Manchester of Uttar
Pradesh Coimbatore is called as -
sugar production process.
2. Bagasse obtained in the sugar
mills is used as a fuel in the boilers
Automobiles Ltd. at Kurla (Mumbai)
in 1947 and the HindustanMotors
Ltd. at Uttarpara (Kolkata) in 1948.
O
Manchester of Tamil Nadu.
2. Jute Industry: The jute industry
is concerned mainly with the
to generate steam for the sugar
factories.
3. Sugar can only be produced
Motor Cycles are manufactured at
Faridabad, Haryana and Mysore.
While Scooters are manufactured at
G
production of gunny bags or sacks,
gunny cloth, coarse carpets, rugs,
waterproof covers, tarpaulins and
from sugarcane as the raw
material.
Which of these statements are
Lucknow, Satara, Akudi (Pune),
Panki (Kanpur) and Odhav
(Ahmedabad). The cars produced at
R
canvas. The first jute mill in India
was established at ‘Rishra’ near
Kolkata in 1855 by the English men
correct ?
(a) 1 and 2
(c) 1 and 3
(b) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Haryana, Kolkata, Mumbai and
Chennai are Maruti, Ambassador,
Fiat, Ford and Hyundai etc. The
A
George Aukland. Most of the Jute
mills of India are centralised in
Ans. (a)
‘Hooghly Basin’ of the West 5. Sugar Industry
CSE 2003 Indian auto industry is set to take a
big leap in the near future. P
7. Electronics Industry
Bengal.
3. Woollen Textile Industry
The Sugar Industry is the raw
material oriented industry and
The centres are at Hyderabad, Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Kanpur,
H
The modern woollen textile industry located in the midst of sugarcane
was first started in Kanpur in 1876 producing area. India is the fourth
which was followed by Dhariwal in major sugar producing country in the
Pune, Lucknow, Jaipur, Coimbatore,
etc. India can now boast as the
leading exporter of electronic
Y
Punjab in 1881, Mumbai in 1882 and world. The first three countries are goods.It covers a wide range of
Bangalore in 1886. The industry Russia, Brazil and Cuba. Sugar products including television,
concentrated mainly in Punjab, industry employs more than 3.25 lakh transistor, telephone, cellular phones,
Hariyana, Maharashtra, Uttar workers, besides creating extensive computers and varied equipments for
Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka,West indirect employment and income for posts and telegraph, defence,
Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and 25 million cultivators of sugarcane. railway and meterological
Kashmir. Kashmir woollen products It is also an important source of departments.
are prepared from the fine quality excise duty for the central
wool. Tirupur is well-known as a government. Uttarpradesh, Bihar, 8. Software industry
huge exporter of knitted garments. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the ‘Bangalore’ is known as the IT
There are more than 10,000 hoisiery major producers of sugar cane. The Capital of India as it is the head
units manufacturing a variety of major areas of sugar industry are quarters of many IT companies in
products like, sweaters, pullovers, found in the states of Uttar Pradesh, India. Highly skilled human
shawls, caps, socks, gloves, mufflers, Bihar, Haryana and Punjab in North resources coupled with world class
etc. India and Maharashtra, Karnataka, quality have transformed India into
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh of a global powerhouse in the
4. Silk Industry the southern India. Jaggery, Information Technology (IT)
India is one of the large producers Kandasari and crystal sugar are the software services and solutions
of raw silk. ‘Sericulture’ is the three products of the sugar industry. sectors. Software and services
process of rearing silkworm The Bagasse and Molasses are the main exports are expected to account for
chief silk weaving centres are by products of sugar industry. The more than 50 per cent of the turn
Srinagar, Amritsar, Murshidabad, crushed cane or Bagasses is used over of the IT industry. India has a

Prelims Magic 2014 381

 large base of English speaking,
skilled man power resource with
experience on state-of-the-art
hardware and software platforms.
Steel plants in India
The following are the premier steel
plants operating in India:
G Salem Steel Plant at Tamil Nadu - a
premier producer of stainless steel
Bhilai Steel Plant at Chattisgarh
E Durgapur Steel Plant at West Bengal
TISCO, Jamshedpur
Hindustan Steel Limited, Durgapur
O Hindustan Steel Limited, Bhilai
Alloy Steel Plants at West Bengal
Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant
G in Karnataka - VSL Bhadravati is
the only Iron and Steel plant situated
outside the coal producing area. So,
R the energy requirement can be met
by Hydro-electric power from
Mahatma Gandhi H.E.P.
A Rourkela Steel Plant at Odisha -
located in Sundargarh district was
set up in collaboration with the
P German Firm Krupps and Demag
and was commissioned in 1959.
Bokaro Steel Plant at Jharkhand:
H India is the Eighth largest steel
producing country in the world.
382 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Local supply of coal is not Q. Which one of the following
available to statements is NOT correct?
(a) TISCO, Jamshedpur (a) India is the second largest
(b) VSL, Bhadravati producer of nitrogenous fertilizers
(c) HSL, Durgapur in the world
(d) HSL, Bhilai (b) India is the ninth largest steel
Ans. (b) CSE 1996 producing country in the world
Explanation:
VSL Bhadravati is the only Iron
(c) India is the second largest
producer of silk in the world
and Steel plant situated outside the (d) India ranks third in the world in
coal producing area. So, the energy
requirement can be met by Hydro-
coal production
Ans. (a & b) CSE 2003
electric power from Mahatma Explanation: India is the third
Gandhi H.E.P.
Q. Which one of the following
largest producer of nitrogenous
fertilizers in the world after U.S.A.
and China.
statements is not correct?
(a) Rourkela Steel Plant, the first
integrated steel plant in the Public
India is the Eighth largest steel
producing country in the world.
Sector of India was set up with the
Soviet Union collaboration
(b) Salem Steel Plant is a premier
producer of stainless steel in India
(c) Maharashtra Elektrosmelt Ltd.
is a subsidiary of the Steel Authority
of India Ltd.
(d) Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is a
unit of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam
Ltd.
Ans. (a) CSE 2005
(Odisha)
(Odisha)
 G
E
O
G
R
A
P
H
Y
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List-I with List-II and A. Pearl fishing 1. Pune A B C D
select the correct answer using the B. Automobiles 2. Tuticorin (a) 3 1 4 2
codes given below the lists : C. Ship building 3. Pinjore (b) 2 4 1 3
List I (Places) List II (Industries) D.Engineeringgoods 4. Marmagao (c) 3 4 1 2
A. Jamnagar 1. Aluminium A B C D (d) 2 1 4 3
B. Hospet 2.Woollen Textile (a) 2 1 4 3 Ans. (b) CSE 2007
C. Korba 3. Fertilizers (b) 2 1 3 4
D. Haldia 4. Cement (c) 1 2 4 3 Q. HINDALCO, an aluminium
5. Iron and Steel (d) 1 2 3 4 factory located at Renukut owes
A B C D Ans. (a) CSE 1999 its site basically to
(a) 4 3 1 2 (a) proximity of raw materials
(b) 2 5 1 3 Q. Match List-I with List-II and (b) abundant supply of power
(c) 4 5 2 1 select the correct answer using the (c) efficient transport network
(d) 2 1 4 3 code given below the lists: (d) proximity to the market
Ans. (b) CSE 1998 List-I (Aluminium Company) Ans. (b) CSE 2002
A. BALCO B. HINDALCO Q. Which one among the following
Q. Match List I with List II and C. I AC D. NALCO has the largest shipyard in India ?
select the correct answer using the List-II (Location) (a) Kolkata (b) Kochi
codes given below the lists: 1. Hirakud 2. Korba (c) Mumbai (d) Visakhapatnam
List I (Industries) List II (Centres) 3. Koraput 4. Renukoot Ans. (b) CSE 2003

Prelims Magic 2014 383

 Paper Industry
Paper industry in India is the 15th
largest paper industry in the world.
Paper industry is primarily
dependent upon forest-based raw
materials. The first paper mill in
India was set up at Sreerampur,
West Bengal, in the year 1812. Now,
G the paper industry is categorized as
forest-based, agro-based and others
(waste paper, secondary fibre, bast
E fibers and market pulp). Important
areas are Titagarh, Raniganj,
O Barakpur; Yamunanagar, Faridabad
in Haryana; Guwahati, Nowgong in
Assam; and Ballarpur, Kalyan,
Khopali, Naihati in Maharashtra.
G Cement:
India is the world’s second largest
R producer of cement after China. The
market size of the industry is
expected to grow from 223.4 MTPA
A during FY12 to 550 MTPA by FY20.
As all the raw materials are weight
losing so the industry is preffered
P near source regions. Important
plants are Jamul, Satna,Katni in
Madhya Pradesh; Lakhri, Sawai-
H Madhopur, Chittorgarh in Rajasthan;
Ranavar, Sikka, Dwarka, Porbander
in Gujarat; Tirunelveli in Kerala;
Y Churk, Dalla in Uttar Pradesh are
the important centres of cement
industry.
23 Population
India’s population has jumped to 1.21
billion, showing an increase by more
than 181 million during the 2001-2011
decade, according to the provisional
data of Census 2011 which was
released on 31 March 2011.Though
the country’s population is almost
equal to the combined population of
the U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Japan put together
[1214.3 million], the silver lining is
that 2001-2011 is the first decade
The percentage decadal growth
with the exception of 1911-1921
rates of the six most populous States
which has actually added lesser
have declined during 2001-2011 as
population compared to the previous
compared to 1991-2001. The graph
decade.
of population growth in U.P. shows
Of the total provisional population of a decline from 25.85 per cent to
1210.2 million, the number of males 20.09 per cent, in Maharashtra from
384 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE? The Indian demographic history
Q. Which of the following places can be divided into the following
are known for paper manufacturing four phases :
industry ? 1. Period of stagnant growth rate
1. Yamunanagar 2. Guwahati - Before 1921.
3. Shahabad 4. Ballarpur 2. Period of steady growth rate -
Choose the correct answer using 1921-1951.
the codes given below: 3. Period of rapid growth rate -
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4
1951-1981.
4. Period of declining growth
Ans.(b) CSE 1997 rate - After 1981.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. According to the 1991 census,
Q. Match List I (Hazardous
industries using child labour leading
to the filing of a public interest
the highest percentage of
population in India is to be found in
the age group of
petition in the Supreme Court) with
List II (Located at) and select the
correct answer using the codes
(a) 60 years and above
(b) 35 to 55 years
(c) 25 to 34 years
given below the lists :
List I
A. Glass Industry
List II
1. Moradabad
(d) 5 to 14 years
Ans. (d) CSE 1995
B. Brassware Industry 2. Marakpur
C. Slate Industry 3. Ferozabad
D. Handmade Carpet 4. Mirzapur
Q. The population growth rate in
Kerala is the lowest among major
Indian states. Which one of the
Industry
(a) 3
A B
1
C
2
D
4
following is the most widely
accepted reason for this?
(a) Kerala has made the highest
(b) 1
(c) 3
(d) 1
3
1
3
4
4
2
2
2
4
investment in family planning
(b) Kerala has the highest literacy
rate in India
Ans.(a) CSE 1997 (c) Kerala has invested heavily in
promoting literacy and public health
and placed high priority on social
policies
(d) The population pyramid in
Kerala has relatively fewer women
was pegged at 623.7 million and the in the reproductive age group
population of females stood at 586.5 Ans.(c) CSE 1999
million. The percentage growth in
2001-2011 was 17.64 – males 17.19 Q. Consider the following
and females 18.12. India’s population statements:
accounts for world’s 17.5 per cent 1. Areawise, Chattisgarh is larger
population. The population of India than West Bengal.
as recorded at each decennial 2. According to the Population
census from 1901 has grown steadily 2001 Census, population of West
except for a decrease during Bengal is larger than that of
1911-21. Chhattisgarh.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Among the following, which one Q. Consider the following Q. As per the 1991 Census, which
has the minimum population on the statements: one of the following states has a
basis of data of Census of India, 1. India is the second country in lower population density than the
2001? the world to adopt a National other three?
(a) Chandigarh (b) Mizoram Family Planning Programme. (a) Sikkim (b) Nagaland
(c) Puducherry (d) Sikkim 2. The National Population Policy (c) Meghalaya (d) Manipur
Ans.(d) CSE 2008 of India 2000 seeks to achieve Ans. (a) CSE 1996
Q. India’s population growth during
the 20th century can be classified
replacement level of fertility by
2010 with a population of 111
Note: Population density of the
north east states
G
crores. Assam – 286 Tripura- 263
into four distinct phases. Match
List I with List II and select the
correct answer using the codes
3. Kerala is the first State in India
to achieve replacement level of
Manipur- 82 Meghalaya – 79
Nagaland – 73 Sikkim – 57
E
given below the lists : fertility. Mijoram – 33
List I (Period) List II (Phase)
A. 1901-1921 1. Steady growth
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(List of all states in the Economy
Section)
O
B. 1921-1951 2. Rapid high growth (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
C. 1951-1981 3. Stagnant growth
D. 1981-2001 4. High growth with
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
Q. Which amongst the following
States has the highest population
G
definite signs of density as per Census-2001?
A
slowdown
B C D
Q. As per India’s National
Population Policy, 2000, by which
one of the following years is it our
(a) Kerala
(b) Madhya Pradesh
R
(a) 3 1 4 2 (c) Uttar Pradesh
(b)
(c)
(d)
1
3
1
3
1
3
2
2
4
4
4
2
long-term  objective  to  achieve
population stabilization?
(a) 2025 (b) 2035
(d)West Bengal
Ans. (d) CSE 2003
A
Ans. (c) CSE 2002
Q. According to Census 2001,
(c) 2045
Ans.(c)
(d) 2055
CSE 2008
Q. Which one among the following
States of India has the lowest
P
which one of the following Indian for contraception, health care density of population ?
States has the maximum population
in India after Uttar Pradesh ?
infrastructure, and health personnel,
and to provide integrated service
(a) Himachal Pradesh
(b) Meghalaya
H
(a) West Bengal delivery for basic reproductive and (c) Arunachal Pradesh
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Bihar
child health care. The medium-term
objective is to bring the TFR to
(d) Sikkim
Ans. (c) CSE 2007
Y
(d) Tamil Nadu replacement levels by 2010, through
Ans. (b) CSE 2005 vigorous implementation of inter- The population density has gone up
sectoral operational strategies. The from 267 persons in 1991 to 324 per
Q. What is the approximate sq km in 2001.In 1901 it was 77
percentage of persons above 65 long-term objective is to achieve a
stable population by 2045, at a level persons. The density has increased
years of age in India’s current
population? consistent with the requirements of by 21.3% in 2001 as compared to
(a) 14-15% (b) 11-12% sustainable economic growth, social 1991.
(c) 8-9% (d) 5-6% development, and environmental SEX RATIO
Ans. (d) CSE 2008 protection.
22.73 per cent to 15.99 per cent, Sex ratio, defined as the number of
DENSITY females per thousand males is an
Bihar from 28.62 per cent to 25.07
per cent, West Bengal from 17.77 One of the important indices of important social indicator to measure
per cent to 13.93 per cent, Andhra population concentration is the the extent of prevailing equality
Pradesh from 14.59 per cent to density of population. It is defined between males and females in a
11.10 per cent and Madhya Pradesh as the number of persons per sq km. society at a given point of time. The
from 24.26 per cent to 20.30 per The population density of India in sex ratio in the country had always
cent. 2001 was 324 per sq km. West remained unfavourable to females.
Bengal is the most thickly populated It was 972 at the beginning of the
National Population Policy 2000 20th century and thereafter showed
state with a population density of 903
OBJECTIVES in 2001. Bihar is now the second continuous decline until 1941.
The immediate objective of the NPP highest densely populated state Overall sex ratio at the national level
2000 is to address the unmet needs pushing Kerala to the third place. has increased by 7 points to reach

Prelims Magic 2014 385

 940 at Census 2011 as against 933
in Census 2001. This is the highest
sex ratio recorded since Census 1971
and a lower than 1961. Increase in
sex ratio is observed in 29 States/
UTs. Three major States (J&K,
Bihar & Gujarat) have shown
decline in sex ratio as compared to
933 for all religions and Hindu
population sex-ratio is 931.
Causes of declining sex ratio.
1. More males are born than
females.
2. More females dies at infancy and
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the correct sequence
of the descending order of the
following States in respect of
female literacy rates as per the
1991 census ?
1. Mizoram 2. Kerala

G Census 2001. Kerala with 1084 has

the highest sex ratio followed by
Puducherry with 1038, Daman &
during the reproductive period
(Death rate of a female child is
higher)
3. Goa 4. Nagaland
Choose the correct answer using
the codes given below:
Diu has the lowest sex ratio of 618.
E Child sex ratio (0-6 years) is 914.
Increasing trend in the child sex ratio
LITERACY
For the purpose of census 2001, a
(a) 2, 3, 1, 4 (b) 2, 1, 3, 4
(c) 2, 3, 4, 1 (d) 1, 2, 4, 3
Ans. (b) CSE 1997
(0-6) seen in Punjab, Haryana,
O Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil
Nadu, Mizoram and A&N Islands.
person aged seven and above, who
can both read and write with
understanding in any language, is
Litracy rate male (descending)
Kerala
Lakshadweep
In all remaining 27 States/UTs, the
G child sex ratio show decline over
Census 2001. Mizoram has the
treated as literate. A person, who
can only read but cannot write, is
not literate. In the censuses prior to
Mizoram
Pondicherry
Litracy rate female (descending)
highest child sex ratio (0-6 years) of
R 971 followed by Meghalaya with
970. Haryana is at the bottom with
1991, children below five years of
age were necessarily treated as
illiterates. Literacy rate has gone up
Kerala
Mizoram
Lakshadweep
ratio of 830 followed by Punjab with
A 846. from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04
per cent in 2011 showing an increase
The Christian population has the of 9.21 percentage points.
Chandigarh
Goa
Andaman and Nicobar
highest sex-ratio of 1009 females Percentage growth in literacy during
P per thousand males in the 2001 2001-2011 is 38.82; males : 31.98%
census followed by other religions & females: 49.10%. Literates
Delhi

Q. Which one among the following

and persuasions 992, Buddhist 953
H and Jains 940.Sex ratio among Sikh
constitute 74 per cent of the total
population is 893 which is lowest population aged seven and above
States has the highest female
literacy rate as per the Census
2001?
among the different religious and illiterates form 26 per cent.
Y communities.Sex -ratio among Religion -wise Literacy rate (2001)
Muslim Population is 936 which is among Jains is the highest at 94.1%
(a) Chattisgarh
(b)Madhya Pradesh
(c) Orissa
just above the national average of followed by Christians 80.3% and
(d) Rajasthan
How was this topic asked in the CSE? Buddhists 72.7%. Hindus and Sikhs Ans. (a) CSE 2003
Q. According to the latest census have marginally higher literacy rate
figures sex ratio in India is than the national average. Muslims
Q. Consider the following
(a) declining (b) stable have literacy rate of 59.1%.The
statements
(c) increasing (d) fluctuating lowest literacy has been recorded for
1. According to the Census 2001,
Ans. (c) CSE 1997 other religions and persuasions at
Kerala has the smallest gap in male
47%.
Q. Consider the following and female literacy rates among
statements: SCHEDULED TRIBES the 28 states of India (Delhi and
Assertion (A) : According to Pondicherry not included).
statistics, more female children are The concept of ‘original inhabitant’ 2. According to the Census 2001,
born each year than male children is directly related to the initial Rajasthan has literacy rate above
in India. peopling of India, which, due to the the national average literacy rate.
Reason (R): In India, the death rate debate on topics such as the Indo- Which of the statements given
of a male child is higher than that Aryan migration hypothesis, has above is/are correct?
of the female child. been a contentious area of research (a) 1 only
(a) Both A and R are true and R is and discourse. Some anthropologists (b) 2 only
the correct explanation of A hypothesize that the region was (c) Both 1 and 2
(b) Both A and R are true but R is settled by multiple human migrations (d) Neither 1 nor 2
NOT the correct explanation of A over tens of millennia, which makes Ans. (d) CSE 2006
(c) A is true but R is false it even harder to select certain
(d) A is false but R is true groups as being truly aboriginal. One
Ans. (c) CSE 1999

386 Prelims Magic 2014

narrative, largely based on genetic
research, describes Negritos, similar
to the Andamanese adivasis of
today, as the first humans to colonize
India, likely 30-65 thousand years
before present (kybp). Some
anthropologists theorize that these
settlers were displaced by invading
Austro-Asiatic-speaking Australoid
people (who largely shared skin
pigmentation and physiognomy with
the Negritos, but had straight rather
than kinky hair), and adivasi tribes
such as the Irulas trace their origins
to that displacement. The Oraon
adivasi tribe of eastern India and the
Korku tribe of western India are
considered to be examples of groups
of Australoid origin. Subsequent to
the Australoids, some anthropologists
and geneticists theorize that
Caucasoids (including both
Dravidians and Indo-Aryans) and
Mongoloids (Sino-Tibetans)
immigrated into India: the Dravidians
possibly from Iran, the Indo-Aryans
possibly from the Central Asian
steppes and the Tibeto-Burmans
possibly from the Himalayan and
north-eastern borders of the
subcontinent. The Oraon adivasis
are classified as an Australoid group.
Khasis and Nicobarese are
considered to be Mongoloid groups
and the Munda and Santals are
Australoid groups. The Bhils and
Gonds are frequently classified as
Australoid groups.
The latest figures put the number of
persons belonging to Scheduled
Tribes in India at 104 million which
is 8.6% of the total population.
There were about 60 major tribal
groups accounting for about 80% of
the total tribal population of India in
1991.There were over 100 medium
tribal groups and 130 minor tribal
groups. About 60 others were
numerically insignificant.
STs are largest in MP followed by
Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and
Jharkhand. The ST formed the
largest proportion of the total
population in Lakshadeep, Mizoram
and Nagaland.
Of the total Scheduled Tribe
Population (8.43 crores), more than
50% of them are distributed in
Middle and East Indian States viz.,
Madhya Pradesh (1.2 crore),
Jharkhand (0.7 crore), Chattisgarh
(0.66 crore), Odisha (0.8 crore),
West Bengal (0.44 crore),
Maharashtra (0.85 crore). The total
S.T. population of NE India (7 states)
is 1.163 crores only.
The decadal population growth
between the census years 1981-
1991 in tribal population has been
higher at 31.64% than that for the
entire population at 23.51%
however during the census years
1991-2001 it has been 24.45%
against the growth rate of 22.66%
for the entire population.
Karnataka has witnessed highest
growth rate of 80.82% followed by
Nagaland 67.23%.The lowest
growth rate as per 2001 census was
recorded in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands at 10.08% followed by
Himachal Pradesh at 12.02%.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following pairs:
      Tribe                  State
1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim
2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh
3. Dongaria Kondh : Odisha
4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu
Which of the above pairs are
correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: The Karbis are the principal
tribal community in the Karbi
Anglong district  of Assam,  a
district administered as per the
provisions of the Sixth Schedule of
the Constitution of India, having an
autonomous district of their own
since 17 November 1951 Bonda
are the most primitive tribal groups
in Odisha. (Not Tamil Nadu)
According to Census 2011, the
Bonda tribe has a population of
less than 12,000.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the Indian context, the term
‘De-notified tribes’ refers to :
(a) tribes which are aboriginals
(b) nomadic tribes
(c) tribes practising shifting
cultivation
(d) tribes which were earlier
classified as criminal tribes
Ans. (d) CSE 1996
G
The sex-ratio among STs stands at
977 per 1000 males. In all states E
except AP and Tamil Nadu and
Uttarakhand the ST sex-ratio as per
2001 census was more women O
centric.
The literacy rate for STs increased
from 29.62% to 47.10%. The female
G
literacy rate among tribals increased
from 18.19% to 34.76% in 2001.
Denotified tribes (DNTs) are the
R
tribes that were originally listed
under the Criminal Tribes Act of
1871, as Criminal Tribes and
A
“addicted to the systematic
commission of non-bailable
offences.” Once a tribe became
P
“notified” as criminal, all its members
were required to register with the
local magistrate, failing which they
H
would be charged with a crime under
the Indian Penal Code. The Criminal
Tribes Act of 1952 repealed the
Y
notification, i.e. ‘de-notified’ the tribal
communities.
Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) are
Scheduled Tribes known for their
declining or stagnant population, low
levels of literacy, pre-agricultural
technology, primarily belonging to the
hunting and gathering stage, and
extreme backwardness. There are
75 PTGs spread over 15 states and
UT’s. Examples are Kol of Madhya
Pradesh, Munda of Chhotanagpur,
Korba of Kodagu.
There are 5 primitive tribal groups
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
(Given below in the order: Tribes >
Race >Islands)
Onges > Negroid> Little Nicobar
Sentinelese > Negroid> Sentinel
Island
387
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
pairs of primitive tribes and places
of their inhabitation is NOT
correctly matched ?
(a) Buksa : Pauri-Garhwal
(b) Kol : Jabalpur
(c) Munda : Chhotanagpur
G (d) Korba : Kodagu
Ans. (a) CSE 2000
Q. In which one of the following
E Union Territories, do the people of
the Onge tribe live ?
(a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
O (b) Dadra and Nagar Haveli
(c) Daman and Diu
(d) Lakshadweep
G Ans. (a) CSE 2004
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
R Q. The tribal population in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
belongs to the
A (a) Australoid race (b) Caucasoid race
(c) Mongoloid race (d) Negroid race
Ans. (d) CSE 1997
P Q.Which one of the following pairs
of states and tribes is not correct
H match?
(a) Assam:
(b) Nagaland:
Miri
Konyak
Y (c) Arunachal Pradesh: Apatani
(d) Madhya Pradesh: Lambada
Ans. (d) CSE 1999
Note: Lambada in Nilgiri Hills in
Tamilnadu not in Madhya Pradesh.
Q. Where do the Sahariya tribals,
who were recently in the news,
live?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Assam
(c) Rajasthan (d) Orissa
Ans. (c) CSE 2005
Q. Which one of the following
statements is not correct?
(a) There is no definition of the
Scheduled Tribe in the Constitution
of India
(b) North-East India accounts for
a little over half of the country’s
tribal population
(c) The people known as Todas live
in the Nilgiri area
(d) Lotha is a language spoken in
Nagaland
Ans.(b) CSE 2005
388 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In which one of the following
places is the Shompen tribe found?
(a) Nilgiri Hills (b) Nicobar Islands
(c) Spiti Valley (d) Lakshadweep
Ans.(b) CSE 2009
Q.
Among the Indian states shown
labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough
outline map given, the correct
sequence of descending order of
percent of scheduled tribe
population to their total population
is
(a) 1, 3, 2, 4
(c) 3, 1, 4, 2
(b) 3, 1, 2, 4
(d) 1, 3, 4, 2
Ans. (b) CSE 1998
Jarawa> Negroid> Middle and
South Andaman
Andamanese > Negroid> Strait
Island
Shompen > Mongoloid> Great
Nicobar
Nicobarese > Monogoloid> Great
Nicobar
Some Tribes and their states
Assam- Chakma, Khasi, Jaintia,
Lakher , Mikir , Kachari, Kuki
Bihar - Bedia , Binjhia , Birhor ,
Gond, Ho , Khond , Korwa , Munda,
Oraon, Santal
Gujarat - Barda , Bhil, Koli, Rabari
Madhya Pradesh- Agariya , Andh ,
Baiga, Damor, Kol
Manipur - Aimol , Anal , Angami
Naga
Meghalaya - Chakma Dimasa,
Kachari , Khasi, Jaintia, Syteng,
Pnar, War, Bhoi, Lyngngam
Nagaland - Angami , Ao , Kachari ,
Konyak , Kuki , Rengma
Rajasthan - Bhil Garasia, Damor,
Garasia, Kathodi, Sahariya
Tripura – Darlong, Tipra, Riang ,
Jamatia
Mizoram - . Lusai , Chakma ,
Dimasa
Arunachal Pradesh - Abor , Apatani
, Dafla , Khampti
Karnataka – Todas
Andaman & Nicobar – Jarwar,
Anges, Santineles, Sham- Pens.
They belong to the Negroid race.
SCHEDULED CASTES
According to 2001 census the
population of Scheduled Castes in
India was 166.6 million which is
16.2% of the total population of the
country. The SCs are largest in UP,
Maharashtra, Bihar and West
Bengal. The highest proportion of
scheduled caste population was in
Punjab while the lowest is in
Nagaland. 
RELIGIOUS GROUPS
According to 2001 census at the
national level of 1028 million
population, 828 million are Hindus
(80.5%) followed by 138million
(13.4%) Muslims and 24 million
(2.3%) Christians, 19 million (1.9%)
Sikhs- Punjab and neighbouring
district, 8 million (0.8%) Buddhists -
Maharashtra and 4.2 million (0.4%)
are Jains - Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The largest number of Buddhists is
found in Maharashtra. These are
Neo-Buddhists who embraced this
religion after large scale conversion
under the influence of the movement
launched by Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
Five religious communities, i.e.,
Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
Buddhists and Zoroastrians have
been notified as minorities as per the
provisions under the “National
Commission for Minorities”, which
was set up as a Statutory body in
1993. The smallest religious minority
in India are the Zoroastrians
concentrated in Maharashtra.
There are 6.6 million belonging to How was this topic asked in the CSE? S ta t e H o use h
o ld size
other religions and persuasions
including tribal religions which are Q. Consider the decadal Census T am il N ad u 3 .5
data given below: An d h r a Pr ad e sh 3 .9
not part of the six main religions.
Decadal population (in millions) Go a 4 .2
About 7 lakh (0.7 million) persons Year Population Ke r ala , T r ip u ra 4 .3
have not stated their religion. 1961 10.7 Na g a lan d , O r issa , Sikk i m ,
4 .5
The adjusted growth rate of Hindu 1971 14.3 W e st Be n g a l

population has come down from 1981 16.2 Hi m ac h al Pr ad e sh , K ar n a tak a 4 .6

22.8% in 1981-1991 to 20.0% in

1991-2001.Similar trends are
1991 18.9
The above data refer to which one
of the ‘Population by Religion’
As sam , G u ja r at, M ah a ra sh tr a
Ar u n a ch a l Pr a d esh , M i zo r am ,
Ch a ttisg a r h , M ad h y a Pr ad e sh ,
4 .7
4 .8 G
observed among Buddhists which 5

declined from 36% in 1981-1991 to
23.2% during 1991-2001.The
Muslim growth rate has declined
from 32.9% during 1981-1991 to
29.3% during 1991-2001 while for
Christians it would increase from
17% to 22.1% during 1991-2001.
The population of Christians was
10.7 million in 1961 (2.4%), 19.6
million in 1991 (2.34%). Jain
population also has registered
growth rate of 26.0% against very
low growth rate of 4.6% during
1981-1991.
As per 2001 census the Parsi
population in the country is 69,601
with 33,949 males and 35,652
females as against their population
of 76,382 in 1991 census. There is
visible decline of Zoroastrian
population.
CHILD POPULATION
The child population according to
2001 census stands at 15.9%.Muslim
population records the highest
proportion of population in the age-
group 0-6 at 18.7% followed by
Other Religions and Persuasions
18%.The lowest proportion of
population in this age-group is seen
among the Jains at 10.6% preceded
by Sikhs at 12.8%. The other
religious communities have returned
lower proportion in this age-group
compared to national average.
Number of persons in each house
This is a list of the States of India
ranked in order of number of persons
in each house.
Indian Languages
The northern Indian languages
evolved from the Indo-European
Groups ?
(a) Sikhs (b) Jains
(c) Christians (d) Buddhists
Ans. (c) CSE 2001
Q. Consider the following
statements about the minorities in
India :
1. The Government of India has
notified five communities, namely,
Muslims, Sikhs, Christians,
Buddhists and Zoroastrians as
Minorities.
2. The National Commission for
Minorities was given statutory
status in 1993.
3. The smallest religious minority
in India are the Zoroastrians.
4. The Constitution of India
recognizes and protects religious
and linguistic minorities.
Which of these statements are
correct ?
(a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans. (*) CSE 2001
Explanation : All the statements are
correct.
Q. The largest number of
Buddhists is found in
(a) Bihar
(b) Karnataka
(c) Maharashtra
(d)Uttar Pradesh
Ans. (c) CSE 2001
Q. Which one of the following
statements is not correct?
(a) The largest Buddhist monastery
in India is in Assam
(b) The language Konyak is spoken
in Nagaland
(c) The largest river island in the
world is in Assam
(d) Sikkim is the least - populated
State of the Indian Union
Ans. (a) CSE 2004
E
Ut tar a k h an d , M a n ip ur
M eg h a la y a 5 .1
Pu n ja b , Ra ja sth an 5 .2
O
Ha r y an a 5 .3
Bih a r,J h ar k h an d 5 .4
Jam m u an d K a sh m ir , U tta r
5 .7
Pr ad e sh
family. The Dravidian languages of
South India had a history
G
independent of Sanskrit. The major
Dravidian languages are Telugu ,
Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.
R
The Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-
Burman languages of North-East
India also have long independent
A
histories. Khasi and Nicobarese
languages belongs to Monkhmer
branch of Austric languages.
P
Ladakhi belongs to Sino-Tibetan
family. H
Urbanization
Urban agglomerations, with over
five million population are called
Y
Mega cities. These are six - Greater
Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai,
Bangalore and Hyderabad. Delhi is
N.C.T. and remaining cities are state
capitals.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. As per the 1991 Census, the
average size of households in terms
of number of persons per
household in respect of the given
states follows the sequence
(highest first, lowest last) :
(a) Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu
(b) Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Gujarat, Kerala
(c) Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar
Pradesh, West Bengal
(d) Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Ans. (d) CSE 1996

Prelims Magic 2014 389

 How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE? How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following Q. Consider the following Q. Which of the following are
statements: statements about the mega cities of among  the  million--plus  cities  in
As per 2001 Census India : India on the basis
1. the two States with the lowest 1. Population of each megacity is of data of the Census, 2001?
sex ratio are Haryana and Punjab more than 5 million. 1. Ludhiana 2. Kochi
2. the two States with the lowest 2. All the megacities are 3. Surat 4. Nagpur
population per sq km of area are Select the correct answer using the
G Meghalaya and Mizoram
3. Kerala has both the highest
importance sea ports.
3. Megacities are either national or
state capitals.
code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
literacy rate and sex ratio (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
E Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
Which of these statements are
correct ?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(a) 3 only (b) 2 and 3 Ans. (d) CSE 2008
O (c) 1 and 2
Ans.(d)
(d) 1 and 3
CSE 2004
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 3
Q. Which one of the following
languages belongs to the Austric
group ?
G Q. Which one of the following is
the correct statement on the basis
of Census-2001?
Ans. (d) CSE 2000
(a) Marathi
(c) Khasi
(b) Ladakhi
(d) Tamil
Ans. (c) CSE 1998
R (a) Bihar has the highest
percentage of the Scheduled
Castes of its population 24 Transport
A (b) The decadal growth of
population of India (1991-2001) has
been below 20%
RAILWAYS South Central: Secunderabad
(c) Mizoram is the Indian State with South-Eastern: Kolkata
P the least population
(d) Pondicherry has the highest sex
From a very modest beginning in
1853, when the first train steamed
off from Mumbai to Thane, a
Western:
Mumbai
Church Gate,
ratio among the Union Territories distance of 34 kilometres Indian
H Ans. (d) CSE 2005 Railways have grown into a vast
network of 7,800 stations spread
East Central
Railway: Hajipur
Q. Consider the following over a route length of 65,000
Y statements :
1. Sikkim has the minimum area
kilometres with a fleet of 9,549
locomotives, 59,713 passenger
East Coast
Railway: Bhubaneshwar
among the 28 Indian States (Delhi service vehicles, 6,230 other North Central
and Pondicherry not included). coaching vehicles and 2,39,281 Railway: Allahabad
2. Chandigarh has the highest freight wagons as on 31st March, North-Western
literacy rate among Pondicherry, 2013. Indian Railway network is the Railway: Jaipur
NCT of Delhi and other Union largest in Asia and fourth largest in
Territories. the world. South-East
3. Maharashtra has the highest Central Railway: Bilaspur
population after Uttar Pradesh ‘Indrail pass’ - a travel as-you-please
among the 28 Indian States (Delhi ticket has been issued and sold only South-Western
and Pondicherry not included). to foreign nationals and Indians living Railway: Hubli
Which of the statements given abroad holding valid passport. West Central
above is/are correct? Zonal Railways Headquarters Railway: Jabalpur
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 only (d) 3 only Central: Mumbai CST
Ans. (d) CSE 2006 Eastern: Kolkata How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
Q. Amongst the following States, Northern: New Delhi pairs is not correctly matched?
which one has the highest North-Eastern: Gorakhpur Railway Zone Headquarters
percentage of rural population to (a) North Eastern Railway: Gorakhpur
its total population (on the basis of North-East
Frontier: Maligaon (b) South Eastern Railway: Bhubaneshwar
the Census, 2001)? (c) Eastern Railway: Kolkata
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Bihar (Guwahati)
(d) South East Central Railway:Bilaspur
(c) Orissa (d) Uttar Pradesh Southern: Chennai Ans. (b) CSE 2006
Ans. (a) CSE 2008

390 Prelims Magic 2014

The Konkan Railway is a railway
line which runs along the Konkan
coast of India. It was constructed
and is operated by the Konkan
Railway Corporation. It runs from
Mangalore in Karnataka to Mumbai
through Goa, along the west coast
of India and Western Ghats. The
total length of the track is about 760
km. Until the Konkan Railway
started its operations, the two
important port cities Mangalore and
Mumbai were not directly connected
by the railway network. Even though
economic reasons provided a strong
need to connect these two cities, the
region through which the railway
track passed was geographically
very tough and would be an
engineering challenge. Due to the
uneven terrain of the region, railway
lines were not laid for many years.
on July 19, 1990, the Konkan
Railway Corporation Limited
(KRCL) was incorporated as a
public limited company under the
Companies Act, 1956, with its
headquarters at CBD Belapur in
Navi Mumbai and E. Sreedharan, a
senior railway official, as its first
Chairman and Managing Director.
ROADS
The country’s road network consists
of National Highways, State
Highways, major / other district
roads and village/rural roads.
National Highways are only 1.94%
of the total length of roads, carries SHIPPING
40-45% of the total traffic across the
length and breadth of the country. Shipping plays an important role in
Goa has the high density (153.8 km)
of surfaced roads.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following sets
of states stands to benefit the most (a) The total length is about 760 km
from the Konkan Railway?
(a) Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Kerala
(b) M.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala
(c) Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa,
Maharashtra
(d) Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Tamil Nadu
Ans. (a) CSE 1998
The National Highways have further
been classified depending upon the
carriageway width of the Highway.
Generally, a lane has a width of 3.75
m in case of single lane and 3.5 m
per lane in case of multilane National
Highways. The break-up of National
Highways in terms of width is as
under:
Single Lane 32%
Double/Intermediate Lane 56%
Four Lane/Six lane/Eight Lane 12%
The Central Government is
responsible for development and
maintenance of the National
Highways system. The total length
of the network, as of today, is 79,243
km. The Ministry is carrying out
development and maintenance work
of National Highways through three
agencies, viz. National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI), State
Public Works Departments (PWDs)
and Border Road Organisation
(BRO).
To promote inter-state facilities and
also to assist the State Governments
in their economic development
through construction of road bridges
of Inter-state and Economic
Importance, Central Government
provides 100% grant for inter-state
connectivity projects and 50% grant
for projects of economic importance.
This fund is also provided from the
CRF.
How was thisone
Q. Which topicofasked
the in the CSE?
following
statements is not true of the
Konkan Railway ?
(b) It runs through the states of
Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and
Kerala
(c) It is the only rail route that cuts
across the Western Ghats
(d) The Konkan Railway
Construction Company which
came into being raised money
through Public Issues
Ans. (b) CSE 1999
Prelims Magic 2014
merchandise trade. The fortunes of
the former depend on the growth of
the latter and the prospects of the
latter depend on the efficiency of the
former. About 95 per cent of India’s
trade by volume and 68 per cent in
terms of value is transported by sea.
As on 31 January 2013, India had a
fleet strength of 1158 ships with GT
of 10.45 million, with the public-
sector Shipping Corporation of India
G
having the largest share of 32.60 per
cent. Of this, 356 ships with 9.37
million GT cater to India’s overseas
E
trade and the rest to coastal trade.
The gross for eign exchange
earnings/ savings of Indian ships in
O
2011-12 were Rs 10,666.45 crore.
Despite one the largest merchant
shipping fleets among developing
G
countries, India ranks 18th among
the 35 flags of registration with the
largest registered dead weight
R
tonnage (DWT) with a share of only
1.05 per cent in total world DWT as
on 1 January 2012. Leaving aside
A
flags of convenience, Hong Kong
has the highest DWT, with a share
of 7.6 per cent, while China’s share
P
is 3.79 per cent. In 2011 as per
UNCTAD, India was ranked 8th
among developing countries in terms
H
of container ship operations with
9.95 million twenty foot equivalent
units of container (TEUs), with a
Y
world share of 1.74 per cent. India
is one of the major ship-breaking
destinations. In 2011, with a world
share of 28.7 per cent (in terms of
DWT) it topped the list of ship
scrapping nations, scrapping 203
ships of 13.87 million DWT as per
ISL Shipping Statistics and Market
Review September/October 2012.
India is also one of the major
countries supplying seafarers.
PORTS
The coastline of India is dotted with
12 Major Ports and about 200 Non-
major Ports. The Major Ports are
under the purview of the central
while the Non-major Ports come
under the jurisdiction of the
respective State Governments. The
391
 Important National Highways
NH Total
No Route Length in State (km) Length
1 Delhi - Indo-Pak Border Delhi (22), Haryana (180), Punjab (254) 456
1A Jal andhar Uri Punjab (108), Himachal Pradesh (14),Jammu & Kashmir (541) 663
Batote - Doda - Kist war - Symthan pass -
1B Khanbal Jammu & Kashmir (274) 274

G 1C
1D
Domel - Kat ra
Srinagar - Karg il - Leh
Jammu & Kashmir (8)
Jammu & Kashmir (422)
8
422

E 2
Delhi - Mathura - Agra - Kanpur - Allahabad -
Varanasi –
Mohania - Barhi -Palsit - Dankuni
Delhi (12), Haryana (74), Uttar
Prades h(752), Bihar (202), Jharkhand (190), West Ben gal (235)
1465

O
2A Sikandra - Bhognipu r Uttar Pradesh (25) 25
Agra - Gwal ior - Shivpuri - Indore - Dhule - Uttar Pradesh (26), Rajasthan (32), Madhya
3 1161
Nasik - Than e - Mumbai Prades h (712), Maharashtra (391)

G 4
Junct ion with NH 3 near Thane - Pune -
Belgaum - Hubli - Dav angere -Bangalore -
Kolar - Chittoor - Ranipet - Chennai
Maharashtra (371), Karnataka (658), Andhra Pradesh (83), Tamil
Nadu (123)
1235

4A Belgau m - Anmod - Ponda - Panaji Karnataka (82), Goa (71) 153

R 5
Junct ion with NH 6 near Baharagora - Cut tack -
Bhubaneswar - Visakhapatnam- Vij ayawada - Orissa (488), Andhra Pradesh (1000), Tamil Nadu (45) 1533
Guntur - Nellore - Chennai

A 5A
Junct ion with NH 5 near Hari daspur -
Paradip Port
Orissa(77) 77

Hazira - Surat - Dhule - Akol a - Amravati -

P 6 Nagpur - Raipur - Sambalpur -Baharagora -

Kolkata
Maharashtra (813), Chat tisgarh (314),Oriss a (462), J harkhand (22),
West Ben gal(161), Gujarat (177)
1949

Varanasi - Man gawan - Rewa - Jabalpur -

H 7
Lakhnadon - Nagpur - Hyderabad -Kurnool -
Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri -
Uttar Pradesh (128), Madhya
Prades h(504), Mah arasht ra (232), Andhra
Salem - Namakk al -Karur - Dindigul - M adurai - Prades h(753), Karnat aka (125), Tamil Nadu (627)
2369
Virudunagar - Tirunelveli - Kanyakumari ; It is

Y 8
the longest highway.
Delhi - Jaipur - Ajmer - Udaipur - Ahmedabad -
Vadodara - Surat - Mumbai
Delhi (13), Haryana (101), Rajasthan (688),Guj arat (498), Maharas
htra (128)
1428

Pune - Solapur - Hyderab ad - Vijayawada -

9 Maharashtra (336), Karnataka (75), Andhra Pradesh (430) 841
Machill ipat nam
10 Delhi - Fazilka - Indo-Pak Border Delhi (18), Haryana (313), Punjab (72) 403
11 Agra - Jaipur - Bikaner Uttar Pradesh (51), Rajasthan (531) 582
Jabalpur - Bhopal - Khilchipur - Akl era -
12 Jhal awar - Kota - Bundi - Devli - Tonk -Jaipur Madhya Pradesh (490), Rajasthan (400) 890

12A Jabalpur - M andla - Chilpi - Simga near Rai pur - Madhya Pradesh (152), Chhatisgarh (128),Uttar Pradesh (55) 333
Jhansi
13 Solapur - Chitradurga - Shimoga - Mangalore Maharashtra (43), Karnataka (648) 691
14 Beawar - Sirohi - Radhanpur Rajasthan (310), Gujarat (140) 450
Pathankot - Amrit sar - Bhat inda - Gang anagar -
15 Punjab (350), Rajas than (906), Gujarat (270) 1526
Bikaner - Jaisal mer - Barmer -Samakhiali
Nizamabad - Man cherial - Bhopalpatnam -
16 Andhra Pradesh (220), Maharasht ra (30),Chattisgarh (210) 460
Jagdalpur
Panvel - Mahad - Panaji - Karwar - Udupi -
Suratkal - Mangalore - Cannanore -Kozhikode -
17 Ferokh - Pud u - Ponnani - Chavakkad - Junct ion Maharashtra (482), Goa (139), Karnataka(280), Kerala (368) 1269
with NH 47 n earEdapal ly

392 Prelims Magic 2014

19 Ghazipur - Balia - Patna Bihar (120), Uttar Pradesh (120) 240
20 Pathankot - Mandi Punjab (10), Himachal Pradesh (210) 220
Junction with NH 22 near Chandigarh - Ropar -
21 Chandigarh (24), Punjab (67), Himachal Pradesh (232) 323
Bilaspur - Mandi - Kulu - Manali
21A Pinjore - Nalagarh - Swarghat Haryana (16), Himachal Pradesh (49) 65
Ambala - Kalka - Shimla - Narkanda - Rampur -
22 Haryana (30), Punjab (31), Himachal Pradesh (398) 459
Indo China Border nearShipkila

23
Chas - Bokaro - Ranchi - Rourkela - Talcher -
Junction with NH 42
Jharkhand (250), Orissa (209) 459 G
24 Delhi - Moradabad - Bareilly - Lucknow Delhi (7), Uttar Pradesh (431) 438
25 Lucknow - Kanpur - Jhansi - Shivpuri Uttar Pradesh (270), Madhya Pradesh (82) 352 E
26 Jhansi - Lakhnadon Uttar Pradesh (128), Madhya Pradesh (268 ) 396
27 Allahabad - Mangawan
Junction with NH 31 Near Barauni -
Uttar Pradesh (43), Madhya Pradesh (5 0) 93
O
28 Muzaffarpur - Pipra - Kothi - Gorakhpur - Bihar (259), Uttar Pradesh (311) 570
Lucknow
Junction with NH 2 near Barhi - Bakhtiarpur -
G
Mokameh - Purnea - Dalkhola -Siliguri - Sevok -
31
Cooch Behar- North Salmara - Nalbari -
Charali - AmingaonJunction with NH 37
Bihar (393), West Bengal (366), Assam(322),Jharkhand (44) 1125
R
31A Sevok - Gangtok West Bengal (30), Sikkim (62) 92

31C
Near Galgalia - Bagdogra - Chalsa - Nagrakata -
Goyerkata - Dalgaon -Hasimara - Rajabhat
West Bengal (142), Assam (93) 235
A
Khawa - Kochgaon - Sidili - Junction with NH

32
31 near Bijni
Junction with NH 2 near Gobindpur - Dhanbad -
Jharkhand (107), West Bengal (72) 179
P
Chas - Jamshedpur
36
39
Nowgong - Dimapur (Manipur Road) Assam (167), Nagaland (3)
Numaligarh - Imphal - Palel - Indo Burma Border Assam (115), Nagland (110), Manipur (211)
170
436
H
43
Raipur - Jagdalpur - Vizianagaram Junction
with NH 5 near Natavalasa
Chattisgarh (316), Orissa (152), Andhra Pradesh (83) 551 Y
44 Shillong - Passi - Badarpur - Agartala - Sabroom Meghalaya (184), Assam (111), Tripura(335) 630
44A Aizawl - Manu Mizoram (165), Tripura (65) 230
Villupuram - Pondicherry - Chidambaram -
45A Tamil Nadu (147), Pondicherry (43) 190
Nagapattinam
Salem - Erode - Coimbatore - Palghat - Trichur -
47 Ernakulam - Quilon -Trivandrum - Nagercoil - Tamil Nadu (224), Kerala (416) 640
Kanyakumari
49 Cochin - Madurai - Dhanushkodi Tamil Nadu (290), Kerala (150) 440
50 Nasik - Junction with NH 4 near Pune Maharashtra (192) 192
51 Paikan - Tura - Dalu Assam (22), Meghalaya (127) 149
52 Baihata - Saikhoaghat Assam (540), Arunachal Pradesh (310) 850
52A Banderdewa - Itanagar - Gohpur Assam (15), Arunachal Pradesh (42) 57
Junction with NH 44 near Badarpur - Jirighat -
53 Assam (100), Manipur (220) 320
Silchar - Imphal
54 Dabaka - Lumding - Silchar - Aizwal - Tuipang Assam (335), Mizoram (515) 850
Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut - Haridwar -
58 Uttar Pradesh (165), Uttarakhand (373) 538
Badrinath - Mana Pass
59 Ahmedabad - Godhra - Dhar - Indore Gujarat (211), Madhya Pradesh (139) 350
59A Indore - Betul Madhya Pradesh (264) 264

Prelims Magic 2014 393

 Balasore - Kharagpur — Ran iganj - Siuri -
60 Orissa (57), West Bengal (389) 446
Moregram (junction at NH 34 )
61 Kohima - Wokha - Mokokchung - Jhanji Nagaland (2 20), Assam (20) 240
62 Damra - Baghmara - Dalu Assam (5), Meghalaya (190) 195
63 Ankola - Hubli - Hospet - Gooty Karnataka (370), Andhra Pradesh (62) 432
Chandigarh - Rajpura - Patiala - Sangrur -
64 Punjab (256) 256
Bhatinda - Dabwali

G 65
Ambala - Kaith al - Hissar - Fatehpur - Jodhpur -
Pali
Haryana (240), Rajast han (450) 690

E 66

69
Pondy - Tindivanam - Gingee -
Thiru vannamalai - Krishnagiri
Nagpur - Obedullaganj
Pondicherry (6), Tamil Nadu (208)

Maharashtra (55), Madhya Pradesh (295)

214

350

O 70
Jalandhar - Hoshiarpur - Hamirpur - Dharmapur -
Mandi
Himachal Pradesh (120), Punj ab (50) 170

71 Jalandhar - Moga - Sangrur - Rohtak - Bawal Punjab (130), Haryana (177 ) 307
G 71A Rohtak - Panipat
Ambala - Nahan - Paonta Sahib - Dehradu n -
Haryana (72) 72

72 Haryana (50), Himachal Pradesh (50), Uttar Prad esh (100) 200
R 72A
Haridwar
Chhutmalpur - Biharigarh - Dehradun Uttarakhand (15), Uttar Pradesh (30) 45
Roorkee - Saharanpur - Yamuna Nagar - Saha -
A 73

74
Panchkula
Haridwar - Nagina - Kashipur - Kichha -
Haryana (108), Uttar Pradesh (59),Uttarakhand (21)

Uttar Pradesh (147), Uttarakhand (15 3)

188

300
Pilibhit - Bareilly
P 75
Gwalior - Jhansi - Chhatarpur - Rewa - Renukut -
Garhwa - Dalton ganj - Ranchi
Madhya Pradesh (600), Uttar Pradesh(110), Jharkhand (245) 955

H 76
Pindwara - Udaipur - Mangalwar - Kota -
Shivpuri - Jhansi - Banda - Allahabad
Madhya Pradesh (60), Uttar Pradesh (4 67),Rajasthan (480) 1007

77 Hajipur - Sitamarhi - Sonbarsa Bihar (142) 142

Y 78
Katni - Shahdol - Ambikapur - Jashpurnagar -
Gumla
Madhya Pradesh (178), Chatti sgarh (356),Jharkhand (25) 559

Ajmer - Nasirabad - Neemuch - Mandsaur -

79 Madhya Pradesh (280), Rajasthan (220) 500
Indore
79A Kishangarh(NH 8) - Nasirabad(NH 79) Rajasthan (35) 35
80 Mokameh - Rajmahal - Farrakka Bihar (200), Jharkhand (100), West Bengal (10) 310
81 Kora - Katihar - Malda Bihar (45), West Bengal (55) 100
86 Kanpur - Chhatarpur - Sagar - Bhopal - Dewas Uttar Pradesh (180), Madhya Pradesh (494 ) 674
87 Rampur - Pantnagar - Haldwani - Nainital Uttar Pradesh (32), Uttarakhand (51) 83
98 Patna - Aurangabad - Rajhara Bihar (156), Jharkhand (51) 207
113 Nimbahera - Bari - Pratapgarh - Zalod - Dahod Rajasthan (200), Gujarat (40) 240
119 Pauri - Najibabad - Meerut Uttarakhand (135), Uttar Pradesh (12 5) 260
Aizwal - Churachandpur - Imphal - Ukhrul -
150 Manipur (523), Mizoram (141), Nagaland(36) 700
Jessami - Kohima
153 Ledo - Lekhapani - Indo-Myanmar - Border Assam (20), Arunachal Pradesh (40) 60
154 Dhaleswar - Bairabi - Kanpui Assam (110), Mizoram (70) 180
Tuensang - Shamator - Meluri - Kiphire -
155 Nagaland (3 42) 342
Pfutsero
Raipur - Bilas pur - Raigarh - Kanaktora -
200 Jharsuguda - Kochinda - Deog arh -Talcher - Orissa (440), Chhattisgarh (300) 740
Chandikhole

394 Prelims Magic 2014

 201 Borigumma - Bolangir - B argarh Orissa (310) 310
Hyd erabad – Warangal - Venkat apuram -
202 Andhra P radesh (244), Chattis garh (36) 280
Bhopalpat nam
203 Bhubaneswar - Puri Orissa (59) 59
204 Ratnagi ri - Kolhapur Maharashtra (126) 126
205 Anantpur - Ren igunta - C hennai Andhra P radesh (360), Tam il Nadu (82) 442
206 Tumkur - S himoga - Honnavar Karnataka (363) 363
207 Hosur - Sarjapur - Devanhall i - Nelamangala
Kollam - kundara - kottarakkara - P unal ur -
Karnataka (135), Tamil Nadu (20 ) 155
G
208 Thenmala -Aryankavu - Sengottai -Tenkasi - Kerala (81), Tami l Nadu (125) 206

219
Rajapalayam - Thirumangalam(Madurai)
Madanapall e - Ku ppam - Kri shnagi ri Andhra P radesh (128), Tam il Nadu (22) 150
E
Kollam - Kott arakkara - Adoor - Kottayam -
220 Pampad y - P onkunnam -Kanj irappalli -
Mundakayam - P eermade - Vandiperi yar -
Kumily - Theni
Kerala (210), Tam il Nadu (55) 265 O
221 Vijaywada - Bhadrachalam - Jagdalpur
Kalyan - Ahmednagar - Ti sgaon - Pathardi -
Andhra P radesh (155), Chhattis garh (174) 329
G
222 Kharwandi - Balam Yelam - Jategaon - Kambi - Maharashtra (550), Andhra Pradesh (60) 610
Maj algaon - Pathri - M anwat - P arbhani -
Nanded - Nirmal R
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The national highway from
Amritsar to Calcutta via Delhi is
Q. With reference to Indian
transport systems, consider the
Q. Which among the following
National Highway routes is the
A
numbered
(a) 1
(c) 4
(b) 2
(d) 8
following statements:
1. Indian railway system is the
largest in the world.
longest ?
(a) Agra - Mumbai
(b) Chennai - Thane
P
Ans. (b) CSE 1995

Q. What is the correct sequence

2. National Highways cater to 45
percent of the total road transport
demand.
(c) Kolkata - Hajira
(d) Pune - Machilipatnam
Ans. (c) CSE 2004
H
of the following Indian states in
descending order of their length of
surface roads per 100 km2 of their
3. Among the states, Kerala has
the highest density of surface road.
4. National Highway No. 7 is the
Q Which one of the following
National Highways passes through
Y
area ? longest in the country. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and
1. Haryana 2. Maharashtra Which of these statements are Orissa ?
3. Punjab 4. Tamil Nadu correct ? (a) NH4 (b) NH 5
(a) 4, 3, 2, 1 (b) 4, 3, 1, 2 (a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3 (c) NH6 (d) NH 7
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2 (d) 3, 4, 2, 1 (c) 2 and 3 (d) 2 and 4 Ans. (c) CSE 2007
Ans. (d) CSE 1998 Ans. (d) CSE 2002
12 Major Ports (including the Port growing) 7. Karwar port of Karnataka
of Ennore which is a corporate port 4. Marmugao (naval base also) 8. Veraval port of Gujarat
set up under the Indian Companies 5. Mangalore (exports Kudremukh
Act, 1956) are evenly spread out on iron-ore) Eastern Coast
the Eastern and Western coast. 1. Kolkata - Haldia Hugli(riverine
Gujarat has the longest coast line. 6. Cochin (natural Harbour); Kochi
(Cochin) Shipyard Limited is port)
Maharashtra has 53 ports which is 2. Paradip (exports raw iron to
highest in any country. designed to construct ships of size
upto 1,10,000 DWT and repair ships Japan)
Western Coast up to 1,25,000 DWT. It is the only 3. Vishakhapatnam (deepest port)
shipyard with ISO-9001 4. Chennai (oldest and artificial)
1. Kandla (Child of partition) – Tidal 5. Ennore (most modern in private
accreditation for ship building, ship-
Port; Kandla handles the highest hands)
repair and marine engineering
tonnage of import cargo. 6. Tuticorin (southern most)
training in India. It is the the largest
2. Mumbai (busiest and biggest) shipyard in India. 7. Kakinada port, Andhra Pradesh.
3. Jawahar Lal Nehru (fastest

Prelims Magic 2014 395

 On July 2008, Navayuga Group, one River as National Waterways have How was this topic asked in the CSE?
of India’s leading infrastructure already been introduced in the
Parliament. Q. Which one of the following
developers, has unveiled the
statements is correct?
country’s largest private sector port
in Krishnapatnam in Nellore district
CIVIL AVIATION (a) Alliance Air is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Indian Airlines
of Andhra Pradesh, some 180 km The Ministry of Civil Aviation is
(b) The Airports Authority of India
from Chennai. responsible for the formulation of
manages seven of the country’s
INLAND WATER national policies and programmes for
G TRANSPORT development and regulation of civil
aviation and for devising and
international airports
(c) The Airports Authority of India
is the regulatory organisation for
India has about 14,500 km of implementing schemes for orderly
E navigable waterways which
comprise rivers, canals, backwaters,
growth and expansion of civil air
transport. There are a large number
enforcing civil air regulations in
India
(d) It is the function of Directorate
creeks, etc. About 50 million tonnes
O of cargo corresponding to 2.82 billion
tonne km was transported in 2005-
of companies providing passenger
transport and cargo handling services
in the country. The Air Transport
General of Civil Aviation to plan and
construct runways and terminal
buildings and to provide air safety
06 by Inland Water Transport
G (IWT). Its operations are currently
restricted to a few stretches in the
Companies are both in the public
sector and in the private sector. In
the public sector, there are National
services
Ans. (a) CSE 2003
Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly Rivers, How was this topic asked in the CSE?
R the Brahmaputra, the Barak River,
the rivers in Goa, the backwaters in
Aviation Company of India Limited
(NACIL), Air India Charters
Limited and Alliance Air.
Q. Which one of the following ports
of India handles the highest
Kerala, inland waters in Mumbai and
tonnage of import cargo?
A the deltaic regions of the Godavari-
Krishna rivers. Besides the
The Airports Authority of India
(AAI) manages 126 air ports,
(a) Calcutta (b) Kandla
(c) Mumbai (d) Visakhapatnam
organised operations by mechanised including 11 international, 86 Ans. (b) CSE 2000
P vessels, country boats of various
capacities also operate in various
domestic airports and 29 civil
enclaves at defence air fields. AAI Q. In which one of the following
rivers and canals. plans, develops constructs and States has India’s largest private
H National Waterways : The Ganga maintains runways, taxiways, apron,
between Allahabad – Haldia (1620 terminal building etc. Director
sector sea port been commissioned
recently?
km) the Sadiya- Dhubri stretch of General of Civil Aviation is the (a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Karnataka
Y river Brahmaputra (891 km) and the regulatory body for enforcing Civil
Kollam-Kottapuram stretch of West air regulations in India.
(c) Kerala
Ans.(a)
(d) Tamil Nadu
CSE 2009
Coast Canal along with Since last few years, aviation
Q. In India, the ports are
Champakara and Udyogmandal industry in India is growing by leaps
categorized as major and non-
Canals (205 km) in Kerala have so and bounds. In order to meet the major ports. Which one of the
far been declared as National growing demand for infrastructure following is a non-major port?
Waterways and are being developed at the airports, Airports Authority of (a) Kochi (Cochin)
for navigation by IWAI. Bills for India has decided to modernize and (b) Dahej
declaration of 3 more waterways develop 35 non-metro airports by (c) Paradip
viz. Talcher- Darmra stretch of providing world class infrastructure (d) New Mangalore
canals; Kakainada-Puducherry facilities at these airports. Ans. (b) CSE 2009
stretch of canals etc. and the Barak

396 Prelims Magic 2014

 INDIAN POLITY
CONTENT
1. National Symbols .. 398
2. Indian Constitution .. 399
3
4.
Making of The Constitution
Sources of The Constitution
.. 403
.. 405
P
5.
6.
7.
Preamble
Citizenship
Fundamental Rights
.. 406
.. 406
.. 407
O
8.
9.
Fundamental Duties
Directive Principles of State Policy
.. 411
.. 411 L
10. The Union Executive .. 415
11.
12.
Powers and Functions of the President
Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers
.. 417
.. 420
I
13.
14.
15.
Ministries/Departments of the Government
Comptroller and Auditor – General
Attorney General of India
.. 424
.. 431
.. 432
T
16.
17.
Union Legislature
Legislative Procedure
.. 432
.. 441 Y
18. Parliamentary Committees .. 422
19. Judiciary .. 448
20. The State Executive .. 458
21. State Legislature .. 460
22. Constitutional Amendment .. 462
23. Amendment Bills .. 466
24. Schedules of The Constitution .. 469
25. Oaths or Affirmations .. 471
26. Election Commission .. 472
27. Election Methods .. 478
28. The Minorities Commission .. 479
29. Emergency Provisions .. 480
30. Union Territories .. 481
31. Administrative Tribunals .. 482
32. Local Governments .. 482
33. Constitutional Bodies & Extra - Constitutional Bodies .. 492
34. National Development Council .. 493
35. Human Rights Commissions .. 494
36. Finance Commission .. 496
37. Lokpal & Lokayuktas .. 498
38. Table of Precedence .. 499
39. India’s Foreign Policy .. 501
40. Subjects of Union, State and Concurrent Lists .. 502
41. The Constitution of India Important Articles .. 506
42. Rights Issus .. 515
43. Public Policies .. 525

Prelims Magic 2014 397


1 NATIONAL SYMBOLS
NATIONAL FLAG
The National flag is a horizontal
tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria)
at the top, white in the middle and
dark green at the bottom in equal
proportion. The ratio of width of the
P flag to its length is two to three. In
the centre of the white band is a
navy-blue wheel which represents
O the chakra. Its design is that of the
wheel which appears on the abacus
of the Sarnath Lion Capital of
L Ashoka. Its diameter approximates
to the width of the white band and
it has 24 spokes. The National Flag
I was originally designed by Pingali
Venkayya- freedom fighter from
Andhra Pradesh. During the
T National conference of Indian
National congress at Kakinada, he
suggested that we should have a
Y flag of our own. Gandhiji liked this
idea and said it would be good if he
could come up with a design. Later
he submitted the basic design
before Mahatma Gandhi, who
approved the same with minor
modifications. The design of the
National Flag was adopted by the
Constituent Assembly of India on 22
July 1947.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the number of spokes
in the Dharmachakra in the
National Flag of India?
(a) 16 (b) 18
(c) 22 (d) 24
Ans: (d) (CSE 2008)
Apart from non-statutory
instructions issued by the
Government from time to time,
display of the National Flag is
governed by the provisions of the
Emblems and Names (Prevention
of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (No.
12 of 1950) and the Prevention of
Insults to National Honour Act,
1971 (No. 69 of 1971). The Flag
Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to
bring together all such laws,
conventions, practices and
398 Prelims Magic 2014
instructions for the guidance and
benefit of all concerned.
The Flag Code of India, 2002, has
taken effect from 26 January 2002
and supercedes the ‘Flag Code—
Indias’ as it existed. As per the
provisions of the Flag Code of India,
2002, there shall be no restriction
on the display of the National Flag
by members of general public,
private organisations, educational
institutions, etc., except to the extent
provided in the Emblems and
Names (Prevention of Improper
Use) Act, 1950 and the Prevention
of Insults to National Honour Act,
1971 and any other law enacted on
the subject.
STATE EMBLEM
The state emblem is an adaptation
from the Sarnath Lion Capital of
Ashoka. In the original, there are
four lions, standing back to back,
mounted on an abacus with a frieze
carrying sculptures in high relief of
an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull
and a lion separated by intervening
wheels over a bell-shaped lotus.
Carved out of a single block of
polished sandstone, the Capital is
crowned by the Wheel of the Law
(Dharma Chakra). In the state
emblem, adopted by the
Government of India on 26 January
1950, only three lions are visible, the
fourth being hidden from view. The
wheel appears in relief in the centre
of the abacus with a bull on right
and a horse on left and the outlines
of other wheels on extreme right
and left. The bell-shaped lotus has
been omitted. The words
Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka
Upanishad, meaning ‘Truth Alone
Triumphs’, are inscribed below the
abacus in Devanagari script.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
The song Jana-gana-mana,
composed originally in Bengali by
Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted
in its Hindi version by the
Constituent Assembly as the
National Anthem of India on 24
January 1950. It was first sung on
27 December 1911 at the Kolkata
“Nobody has got a right to tinker
with the National Anthem”
stated the Supreme Court on 25th
May 2009. The Supreme Court
came down heavily on Ram
Gopal Varma’s distortion of
National Anthem in his film
‘Rann’ saying it gives a ‘totally
negative sense’ with every line
of national anthem has been
proved wrong.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
No one can be compelled to sing
the National Anthem since:
1. it will be violative of the Right
to freedom of speech and
expression
2. it will be violative of the Right
to freedom of conscience and
practise and propagation of
religion
3. there is no legal provision
obliging anyone to sing the
National Anthem
(a) 1 and 2 are correct
(b) 2 and 3 are correct
(c) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
(d) None is correct
Ans. (a) (CSE 1996)
Note: Silence can be included in
the ambit of freedom of speech
and expression under Art. 19(1)
a. Option 3 is also correct
because there is no legal provision
to oblige anyone to sing the
National Anthem. 1 and 3 seems
to be correct but no such
combination is given in the options.
Session of the Indian National
Congress.
NATIONAL SONG
The National song Vande
Mataram, composed in sanskrit
by Bankimchandra Chatterji, has an
equal status with Jana-gana-
mana. Bankin Chandra composed
the song Vande Mataram in an
inspired moment, Rabindranath
sang it by setting a glorious tune to
it.The first political occasion when
it was sung was the 1896 session of
the Indian National Congress.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
statements is NOT correct?
(a) The National Song Vande
Mataram was composed by
Bankimchandra Chatterji originally
in Bengali
(b) The National Calendar of India
based on Saka era has its 1st
Chaitra on 22nd March normally
and 21st March in a leap year
(c) The design of the National Flag
of India was adopted by the
Constituent Assembly on 22nd July,
1947
(d) The song ‘Jana-gana-mana’,
composed originally in Bengali by
Rabindranath Tagore was adopted
in its Hindi version by the
Constituent Assembly on 24th
January, 1950 as the National
Anthem of India
Ans. (a) CSE 2003)
NATIONAL CALENDAR
The national calendar based on the
Saka Era, with Chaitra as its first
month and a normal year of 365 days
was adopted from 22 March 1957
along with the Gregorian calendar
for the following official purposes:
(i) Gazette of India, (ii) news
broadcast by All India Radio, (iii)
calendars issued by the Government
of India and (iv) Government
communications addressed to the
members of the public. Dates of the
national calendar have a permanent
correspondence with dates of the
Gregorian calendar, 1 Chaitra
falling on 22 March normally and on
21 March in leap year.
NATIONAL ANIMAL:
The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris.
NATIONAL BIRD:
The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus.
NATIONAL FLOWER:
Lotus (Nelumbo Nucipera Gaertn).
NATIONALTREE:
The Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis)
NATIONAL FRUIT:
Mango (Manigifera indica)
2 INDIAN CONSTITUTION
A Constitution is a body of rules and
principles on the basis of which the
government of a country is
organized and functions. It is the
fundamental law of the land. It
determines such matters as the
composition, powers and procedure
of the Legislature, Executive and
Judiciary, the appointment of
officers, and the structure of offices
which authorize, express and
mediate the exercise of power.
The British came to India in 1600
as traders, in the form of East India
Company (first titled “ The
Governor and Company Merchants
of London trading into the East
Indies”), which had the exclusive
right of trading in India under a
charter granted by Queen Elizabeth
I. In 1765, the Company, which till
now had purely trading functions
obtained the ‘diwani’ (i.e., rights
over revenue and civil justice) of
Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. This
started its career as a territorial
power. It continued to rule India till
1858.
The Revolt of 1857 convinced the
British government of the necessity
of taking over the administration of
India directly in its own hands.
Therefore, by the Government of
India Act of 1858, the administration
of India was transferred from the
hands of the Company to the British
Crown. This rule continued until
India was granted independence on
August 15, 1947.
The Indian Independence Act, 1947
finished the rule of the British
Crown in India, dividing it into two
independent states namely Indian
Union and Pakistan, and the power
to rule was handed over to their
respective governments.
With Independence came the need
of a Constitution. A Constituent
Assembly was formed for this
purpose in 1946 and on January 26,
1950, the Constitution came into
being. However, various features of
the Indian Constitution and polity
have their roots in the British rule.
Prelims Magic 2014
They are explained here in a
chronological order:
Regulating Act of 1773
It was the first step taken by the
British Government to control and
regulate the affairs of the East India
Company in India; (b) it recognised,
for the first time, the political and
P
administrative functions of the
Company; and (c) it laid the
foundations of central adminis- O
tration in India.
It designated the Governor of
Bengal as the ‘Governor-General of
L
Bengal’ and created an Executive
Council of four members to assist
him. The first such Governor- I
General was Lord Warren Hastings.
It made the governors of Bombay
and Madras presidencies
T
subordinate to the governor-general
of Bengal, unlike earlier, when the
three presidencies were independent
Y
of one another.
It provided for the establishment of
a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774)
comprising one chief justice and
three other judges.
It strengthened the control of the
British Government over the
Company by requiring the Court of
Directors (governing body of the
Company) to report on its revenue,
civil, and military affairs in India.
Pitt’s India Act, 1784
In August 1784, the parliament
passed the East India Company Act
or the Pitt’s India Act on the motion
of the Prime Minister, Younger Pitt.
By this act the commercial and
political activities of the Company
were separated.
For the supervision of civil, military
and revenue matters, a Board of
Control consisting of six members
was set up in England.
This Act gave the British
Government a measure of control
over the Company’s affairs. In fact,
the Company became a subordinate
department of the state.
It established a system of dual
government in India.
399
 The Act of 1786
In 1786 Pitt brought another Bill in
Parliament relating to India in a bid
to prevail upon Cornwallis to accept
the Governor-General ship of
Bengal. Cornwallis wanted to have
the powers of both the Governor-
General and the Commander-in-
Chief. The new Act conceded this
P demand and also gave him the
power to override his Council in
extraordinary cases but on his own
O responsibility.
Charter Act, 1813
By this Act, the Company’s
L monopoly over trade was abolished
in India but its monopoly over trade
with China and trade in tea
I continued. This made the Company
more of an administrative body. The
Commander-in-Chief was not to be
T a member of the Governor-
General’s Council. The Company
was given a further period of twenty
Y years to possess Indian territories
and revenue without prejudice to the
sovereignty of the British Crown.
The constitutional position of the
British territories in India was thus
explicitly defined for the first time.
Separate accounts were to be kept
regarding commercial transactions
and territorial revenues. The power
of superintendence and direction of
the Board of Control was not only
defined but also enlarged
considerably. It was also laid down
that the Company should spend one
lakh rupees every year on the
education of Indians in the British
territories of India. Further, Christian
missionaries were also permitted to
come to India and preach their
religion.
Charter Act of 1833
It made the Governor-General of
Bengal as the Governor-General of
India and vested in him all civil and
military powers. Thus, the act
created, for the first time, a
Government of India having
authority over the entire territorial
area possessed by the British in
India. Lord William Bentick was the
first governor­general of India.
It deprived the governor of Bombay
and Madras of their legislative
400 Prelims Magic 2014
powers. The Governor-General of
India was given exclusive legislative
powers for the entire British India.
The laws made under the previous
acts were called as Regulations
while laws made under this act were
called as Acts.
The Executive Council of the
Governor-General was enlarged by
the addition of the fourth member
for legislative purposes. With it
began the Indian legislature.
It ended the activities of the East
India Company as a commercial
body, which became a purely
administrative body. It provided that
the company’s territories in India
were held by it ‘in trust for His
Majesty, His heirs and successors’.
All restrictions on European
immigration into India and
acquisition by them land and
property in India were removed,
legalizing European Colonization.
A new province, North Western
Province was created which
included the district of Agra and
Western Awadh.
Lord Macaulay was the first law
member in the Council of the
Governor-General. He did a useful
work by codifying the laws in India.
But the opening of the services to
all persons on merit remained only
an ideal.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
provisions was not made in the
Charter Act of 1833?
(a) The trading activities of the East
India Company were to be abolished
(b) The designation of the supreme
authority was to be changed as the
Governor-General of India in
Council
(c) All law-making powers to be
conferred on Governor-General in
Council
(d) An Indian was to be appointed
as a Law Member in the Governor-
General’s Council
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
Explanation: The Charter of 1833
did not provide that an Indian was
to be appointed as a law member in
the Governor-General Council. It
provided for a law member, not
Indian.
Charter Act, 1853
This was the last of the Charter
Acts.
The Indian Civil Service was opened
for all. For the first time, the
legislature was given the right to
frame its own rules of procedure.
The system of competitive
examination was introduced for the
civil services. The covenanted civil
service was thus thrown open to the
Indians also. Accordingly, the
Macaulay Committee (the
Committee on the Indian Civil
Service) was appointed in 1854.
Government of India Act of 1858
This significant Act was enacted in
the wake of the Revolt of 1857. The
act known as the Act for the Good
Government of India, abolished
the East India Company, and
transferred the powers of
government, territories and
revenues to the British Crown.
It provided that India henceforth
was to be governed by, and in the
name of, Her Majesty.
It changed the designation of the
Governor-General of India to that
of Vice­roy of India. He (viceroy)
was the direct representative of the
British Crown in India. He was
bound to obey the instructions of the
Secretary of State. Lord Canning
thus became the first Viceroy of
India.
It ended the system of double
government, introduced by Pitt’s
Act, by abolishing the Board of
Control and Court of Directors.
It created a new office, Secretary
of State for India, vested with
complete authority and control over
Indian administration. The secretary
of state was a member of the British
cabinet and was responsible
ultimately to the British Parliament.
The Act marked an important step
in the constitution history of India.
It is said that it removed some of
the contradictions, fictions and
myths created by the Pitt’s India
Act.
Indian Councils Act of 1861
Seeds of Parliamentary system
sown in India. It introduced for the
first time the representative
institutions in India by associating
Indians with the law making
process. It provided that the
Governor General’s Executive
Council should have some Indians
as the non-official members while
transacting the legislative
businesses.
In 1862 Lord Canning, the then
viceroy nominated three Indians to
his legislative council –The Raja of
Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala,
and Sir Dinakar Rao. It introduced
the process of de-centralisation by
restoring the legislative powers to
the Bombay and Madras
presidencies.
It also provided for the
establishment of new legislative
councils for Bengal, NWFP, and
Punjab. It accorded the statutory
recognition to the portfolio system.
Portfolio System: The Act
empowered the governor-general to
make rules for more convenient
transaction of business in the
Council. This power was used by
Lord Canning to introduce the
portfolio system in the Government
of India. Up to that time
theoretically it was the rule that the
government of India was
government by entire body of the
executive council. As a result all the
official papers had to be brought to
the notice of the members of the
council. By the provisions declared
by the council Act of 1861, Canning
divided the government between the
members of the Council. In this way
the foundations of the Cabinet
government in India were
established.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
Acts of British India strengthened
the Viceroy’s authority over his
executive council by substituting
“portfolio” or departmental
system for corporate functioning?
(a) Indian Councils Act, 1861
(b) Government of India Act 1858
(c) Indian Councils Act1892
(d) Indian Councils Act1909
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Indian Councils Act, 1892
Introduced the principle of elections
but in an indirect manner.
Enlarged the functions of the
Legislative Councils and gave them
the power of discussing the Budget
and addressing questions to the
Executive, but they were not given
the power of voting.
Indian Councils Act, 1909
This act is also known as Morley-
Minto reforms. The then Secretary
of State for India, Lord Morley, and
the then Viceroy, Lord Minto, jointly
worked out certain constitutional
reform proposals during the years
1906-1908. It is the most short-lived
of all of the Britain’s constitutional
experiments in India because its’
duration was just 10 years.
It changed the name of the Central
Legislative Council to the Imperial
Legislative Council. The number of
members of the Legislative Council
at the centre was increased from
sixteen to sixty.
> The powers of the Legislative
Councils were also enhanced. It was
believed that the Government had
consulted the moderate leaders,
Gopal Krishna Gokhale before
introducing these reforms.
Therefore, the All India Congress
expressed its satisfaction over them
in 1908. The Act certainly marked
the zenith of the ‘policy of
association’ or the ‘policy of the
benevolent despotism,’ pursued by
the English in India. With this reform
Act the Indians experienced the
parliamentary system
government.
The Act did not produce territorial
representative system in India. It
introduced a system of communal
rep­resentation for Muslims by
accepting the concept of ‘separate
electorate’. Under this, the Muslim
members were to be elected only
by Muslim voters. Thus, the Act
‘legalised communalism’ and Lord
Minto came to be known
as the Father of Communal
Electorate.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The most short-lived of all of
the Britain’s constitutional
experiments in India was the:
(a) Indian Councils Act of 1861
(b) Indian Councils Act of 1892
(c) Indian Councils Act of 1909
(d) Government of India Act of 1919
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
Government of India Act, 1919 P
Based on what are popularly known
as the ‘Montague- Chelmsford
Reforms’, the act introduced
diarchy in the provinces, which was
O
a substantial step towards transfer
of power to the Indian people. (Mr.
E.S. Montagu was the Secretary of
L
State for India and Lord
CHELMSFORD was the Viceroy) I
The Central subjects were
demarcated and separated from
those of the Provincial subjects. T
The scheme of dual governance,
‘Dyarchy’, was introduced in the
Provinces.
Y
The Act introduced, for the first
time, bicameralism and direct
elections in the country.
The Act also required that the three
of the six members of the Governor-
General’s Council (other than the
Commander - in-Chief) were to be
Indians.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Montagu-Chelmsford Report
formed the basis of:
(a) The Indian Councils Act, 1909
(b) The Government of India Act, 1919
of
(c) The Government of India Act, 1935
(d) The Indian Independence Act, 1947
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2004)
Government of India Act of 1935
The Act provided for the
establishment of an All-India
Federation consisting of the
Provinces and the Princely States
as the units.
The Act divided the powers
between Center and the units in
terms of three lists, namely the
Federal List, the Provincial List and
Prelims Magic 2014 401
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Some of the main features of the
Government of India Act 1935
were the:
1. Abolition of diarchy in the
Governor’s provinces
P 2. Power of the Governors to veto
legislative ion and to legislate on
their own
O 3. Abolition of the principle of
communal representation
Which of the statements given
L above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(c) 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 2
(d) 1, 2 and 3
I Ans. (b) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation: The communal
representation persisted in the Act
T of 1935. Rest 1 and 2 are correct.
Q. Consider the following
Y statements:
The government of India Act, 1935
provided for:
1. The provincial autonomy.
2. The establishment of Federal
court.
3. All India Federation at the
centre.
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
not a feature of the Government
of India of 1935?
(a) Dyarchy at the Centre as well
as in the provinces
(b) A bicameral legislature
(c) Provincial autonomy
(d) An All-India Federation
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation: The Act of 1935
provided autonomy to the
provinces. The dyarchy at the
centre as well as in the provinces
was implemented by the Act of
1919 not by 1935.
402 Prelims Magic 2014
the Concurrent List. The residuary
powers were vested with the
Governor-General.
The Act abolished the Dyarchy in
the Provinces and introduced
‘Provincial Autonomy’
It provided for the adoption of
Dyarchy at the Centre and
introduced bicameralism in 6 out of
11 Provinces.
INDIAN INDEPENDENCE
ACT OF 1947
It ended the British rule in India and
declared India as an independent
and sovereign state from August 15,
1947.
It provided for the partition of India
and creation of two independent
dominions of India and Pakistan
with the right to secede from the
British Commonwealth.
It abolished the office of viceroy and
provided, for each dominion, a
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Charter Act, 1853
abolished East India Company’s
monopoly of Indian trade.
2.Under the Government of India
Act, 1858 the British Parliament
abolished the East India Company
altogether and undertook the
responsibility of ruling India
directly. . (d) 1 4
Which of the statement(s) given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 Only (b) 2 Only
(c) Both I and 2 (d) Neither I nor 2
Ans: (b). (2006, CSE)
Q. In which one of the following
provinces was a Congress ministry
not formed under the Act of 1935?
(a) Bihar (b) Madras
(c) Orissa (d) Punjab
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
Explanation: In Punjab, Sir
Sikander Hyat Khan of National
unionist party formed the
Government. Congress found
absolute majority in five provinces.
governor-general, who was to be
appointed by the British King on the
advice of the domin­ion cabinet. His
Majesty’s Government in Britain
was to have no responsibility with
respect to the Government of India
or Pakistan.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II
(Provisions) and select the correct
answer using the codes given
below the lists:
List I
A.Charter Act,1813
B. Regulating Act
C. Act of 1858
D. Pitt’s India Act
LIST-II
1. Set up a Board of Control in
Britain to fully regulate the East
India
2.Company’s trade monopoly in
India was ended
3. The power to govern was
transferred from the East India
Company to the British Crown
4. The Company’s directors were
asked to present to the British
government all correspondence
and documents pertaining to the
administration of the company
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 1 3 4 2
(c) 2 3 4 1
3 2
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Explanation: The Charter of
1813 ended the company’s trade
monopoly except tea and trade
with China. The Regulating of
1773 asked the company’s
directors to present to the British
government all correspondence
and documents pertaining to
administration of Company, Act
1858 transferred the power to
govern from East India Company
to British Crown and Pitt’s India
Act to set up a board of control in
Britain to fully regulate the affairs
of East India Company.
It empowered the Constituent
Assemblies of the two dominions to
frame and. adopt any constitution
for their respective na­tions and to
repeal any act of the British
Parliament, including the
Independence act itself.
It empowered the Constituent
Assemblies of both the dominions
to legislate for their respective
territories till the new consti­tutions
were drafted and enforced. No Act
of the British Parliament passed
after August 15, 1947 was to extend
to either of the new dominions
unless it was extended thereto by a
law of the legisla­ture of the
dominion.
It dropped the title of Emperor of
India from the royal titles of the king
of England.
MAKING OF THE
3 CONSTITUTION
The Constituent Assembly was
constituted in November 1946 under
the scheme formulated by the
Cabinet Mission Plan.
Swaraj Party in 1934, mooted the
idea of a constituent assembly
representing class to frame a
constitution for India. Congress
supported this demand in Tejpur
conference in 1936. Muslim League
demanded two constituent
assemblies, 1 for India and one for
Pakistan in 1940.
The total strength of the Constituent
As­sembly was to be 389. Of these,
296 seats were to be allotted to
British India and 93 seats to the
Princely States. Out of 296 seats
allotted to the British India, 292
members were to be drawn from
the eleven governors’ provinces and
four from the four chief
commissioners’ prov­inces, one
from each.
Elections for the 296 seats assigned
to the British Indian Provinces were
completed by July- August 1946.
At the stroke of midnight of 14-15
August, 1947, the British rule came
to an end and power was
transferred to the two new
independent Dominions of India and
Pakistan.
Lord Mountbatten became the first
governor-general of the new
Dominion of India. Jawaharlal
Nehru was sworn in as the first
Prime Minister of Independent
India.
A special session of the Constituent
Assembly was held at midnight on
August 14-15, 1947 in connection
with the transfer of power. The
Constituent Assembly became the
Parliament of the Indian Dominion
and continued in that capacity till the
first general elections in 1952.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Indian
History, the Members of the
Constituent Assembly from the
Provinces were
(a) directly elected by the people
of those Provinces
(b) nominated by the Indian
National Congress and the Muslim
League
(c) elected by the Provincial
Legislative Assemblies
(d) selected by the Government for
their expertise in constitutional
matters
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
Expl: Seats in constitutional
assembly, allocated to each British
province were to be decided
among the three principal
communities – Muslims, Sikh and
General. The representatives of
each community were to be
elected by the members of that
community in the provincial
legislative assembly and voting
was to be done by the method of
proportional representation by the
means of single transferable vote
Prelims Magic 2014
The Congress won 208 seats
including all the general seats except
nine and the Muslim league won 73
seats and independent and other
won 15 seats.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following first
mooted the idea of a constituent
assembly to frame a constitution
for India·?
(a) Swaraj Party in 1934
P
(b) Congress Party in 1936
(c) Muslims League in 1942
(d) All parties Conference in 1946
O
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
The Constituent Assembly elected
for undivided India which had met
L
for the first time on 9th December
1946 was convened to meet on 14th
August 1947 and became the
I
Sovereign Constituent Assembly for
divided India now called the
Dominion of India.
T
The Muslim League had joined the
Interim Government but abstained
Y
from sending its representatives to
the Constituent Assembly which
was an integral part of the Cabinet
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The members of the
Constituent Assembly which
drafted the Constitution of India
were:
(a) Nominated by the British
Parliament
(b) Nominated by the Governor
General
(c) Elected by the Legislative
Assemblies of various provinces
(d) Elected by the Indian National
Congress and Muslim League
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
Plan. After partition members
representing Bengal, Punjab, Sind
NWFP, Baluchistan and the Sylhet
district of Assam ceased to be
members of the Constituent
Assembly. In the process Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar who had been elected
from Bengal lost his seat. He was
later elected by Bombay Legislative
Congress Party.
403
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. B.R. Ambedkar was elected
to the Constituent Assembly from:
(a) West Bengal
(b) the Bombay President
(c) the then Madhya Bharat
(d) Punjab
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
P The interim government
The interim government of India
existed from September 2, 1946 to
O August 15, 1947 with the purpose
of transitioning India from British
Raj to independence. The interim
L government was formed from the
newly­elected C onstituent
Assembly of India. The Viceroy’s
I executive council served as the
executive branch of the interim
government. Although originally
T headed by the Viceroy of India, it
was transformed into a council of
ministers with the powers of a prime
Y minister bestowed on the vice
president of the council, which was
held by Jawaharlal Nehru. With the
exception of the viceroy, who would
hold only a ceremonial position, and
the commander-in-chief of
the British Indian Army, all members
would be Indians.
Vallabhbhai Patel held the second-
most powerful position in the
council, heading the Department of
Home Affairs, Department of
Information and Broadcasting. Sikh
leader Baldev Singh was
responsible for the Department of
D e f en c e a n d C R a j a g o p a l a ­
chari was named to head
the Department of Education. Asaf
Ali, headed the Department of
Railways and Transport. Jagjivan
Ram headed the Department of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the interim government
formed in 1946, the Vice-President
of the Executive Council was:
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru
(b) Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
(c) C. Rajagopalachari
(d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
404 Prelims Magic 2014
IMPORTANT COMMITTEES and Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar
OF THECONSTITUENT headed the Department of
Commerce. The League nominated
ASSEMBLY AND THEIR
CHAIRMEN a Scheduled Caste Hindu politician
Jogendra Nath Mandal to lead
Name of the Committee Chairman
the Department of Law. So, when
Committee on Rajendra Prasad
the Constituent Assembly re-
the Rules of Procedure
assembled on October 31, 1947,
Steering Committee Rajendra Prasad
there were 299 members—229
Finance and Staff
Committee
Credential Committee
Rajendra Prasad
Alladi Krishna
from the Provinces and 70 from the
States.
House Committee
swami Ayyar
B. Pattabhi
Sitaramayya
The Assembly included all important
personalities of India at that time,
with the exception of Ma­hatma
Order of Business
Committee
Ad hoc Committee on
K.M. Munsi
Rajendra Prasad
Gandhi and M. A. Jinnah.
The objective resolution was moved
by Nehru on the 9th December
the National Flag
Committee on the
Functions of the
G.V. Mavalankar
1946. On the advice of Dr. Jayakar
and Dr. Ambedkar the assembly
waited for 6 weeks, before passing
Constituent Assembly
States Committee
Advisory Committee
Jawaharlal Nehru
Vallabhbhai Patel
the resolution on 22nd January 1947,
for the Muslim League and the
representatives of Indian States to
on Fundamental Rights,
Minorities and Tribal
and Excluded Areas
join.
> The Constitutional Adviser to the
Minorities Sub-Committee H.C. Mookherjee Assembly Sir B.N. Rau prepared a
Fundamental Rights J.B. Kripalani draft Constitution in October 1947.
Sub-Committee It contained 243 Articles and 13
North-East Frontier Gopinath Schedules. A Drafting Committee
Tribal Areas Bardoloi was elected by the Constituent
and Assam Exluded & Assembly on 29th August 1947. It
Partially Excluded Areas elected Dr. B. R. Ambedkar to be
Sub-Committee its President. The Constitution as
Excluded and Partially A.V. Thakkar prepared by the Drafting Committee
Excluded was circulated on 21-2-1948. This
Areas (Other than those formed the basis of discussion in and
in Assam) Sub-Committee outside the Constituent Assembly.
Union Powers Committee Jawaharlal Nehru It contained 315 Articles and 8
Union Constitution Jawaharlal Nehru Schedules and was introduced on
Committee November 4, 1948 by Dr.
Drafting Committee B.R. Ambedkar Ambedkar. The total number of
amendments to the Draft
Labour. Rajendra Prasad headed Constitution tabled was 7,635. 2,473
the Department of Food and amendments were actually moved
Agriculture and John Mathai in the Assembly.
headed the Department of
Out of 299 members 284 ap­pended
Industries and Supplies.
their signatures to the Constitution
Upon the Muslim League joining the as finally adopted on 26th
interim government, the second November, 1949.
highest-ranking League
politician Liaquat Ali Khan became When the Constituent Assembly
the head of the Department of first met on December 9, 1946, J.B.
Finance. Abdur Rab Nishtar headed Kripalani, the then Congress
the Departments of Posts and Air President, proposed the name of Dr
Sachhidanand Sinha, the oldest
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following was
the chairman of the Union
Constitution Committee of the
Constituent Assembly
(a) B. R. Ambedkar
(b) J. B. Kripalani
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)
Explanation: Union Constitution
Committee: Jawaharlal Nehru,
Chairman - S.P. Mukherjee
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad - V. T.
Krishnamachari
Govind Ballabh Pant - K.M.
Panikkar
Jagjivan Ram - N.G. Ayyangar
B. R. Ambedkar - P. Govinda
Menon
A.K. Ayyar - M.A. Srinivasan
K.M. Munshi - B.H. Zaidi
K.T. Shah
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Which one of the following
statements is correct?
(a) The Constituent Assembly of
India was elected by the Provincial
Assemblies in the year 1946
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru, M. A.
Jinnah and Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel were members of the
Constituent Assembly of India
(c) The First Session of the
Constituent Assembly of India was
held in January, 1947
(d) The Constitution of India was
adopted on 26th January, 1950
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation : The Constituent
Assembly of India was elected by
the provincial assemblies in 1946
with each member representing 10
lakh people. Constituent assembly
was the outcome of the Cabinet
mission plan.
member of the Assembly, for the
post of the provisional President.
Later, on December 11, Dr
Rajendra Prasad was elected as the
permanent President of the
Constituent Assembly and T.T.
Krishnamachari and H.C.
Mookherjee as its Vice Presi­dents
unanimously. The historic objective
resolution was moved in the
Constituent Assembly by Jawaharlal
Nehru on 13th December 1946.
Members of Drafting Committee
1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
2. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
3. K.M. Munshi
4. N. Gopalswami Ayyangar
5. Syed Moh. Sadullah
6. N. Madhav Rao (nominated in
place of B.L. Mitra)
7. D. P. Khaitan (in 1948,T.T.
Krishnamachari was appointed)
4 SOURCES OF THECONSTITUTION
1) Government of India Act
1935 - The federal scheme, Office
of the Governor, Role of federal
judiciary, Emergency provisions and
Public Service Commissions.
2) British Constitution -
Parliamentary Government, Rule of
Law, Single citizenship, Cabinet
system, Legislative procedures,
Prerogative Writs, Parliamentary
Privileges, Bicameralism.
3) US Constitution - Fundamental
Rights, Independent judiciary,
Judicial review, Procedure for the
removal of the judges of the
Supreme Court and High courts,
Post of Vice President.
Impeachment of the President.
4) Canadian Constitution -
Federation with a strong centre,
Residuary powers in the centre.
Appointment of State Governors by
the Center. Advisory jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court.
5) Irish Constitution - Directive
Principles of State Policy, The
method of the presidential election,
Nomination of members to Rajya
Sabha
6) Weimar Constitution of
Germany - Emergency powers to
be enjoyed by the Union,
Suspension of Fundamental Rights
during emergency.
Prelims Magic 2014
The manner in which the Constituent
Assembly arrrived at decisions was
that of consensus, defined by Austin
as “ the manner of making decisions
by unanimity or near unanimity”.
Some constitutional experts believe
that, “ accomodaton” would be a
better word than “consensus” to
describe the procedure adopted in
the constituent Assembly, as most
of the decisions were those of the
P
congress party. The Constitution as
adopted on November 26, 1949,
contained a Preamble, 395 Articles
O
and 8 Schedules. The Preamble was
enacted after the entire Constitution
was already enacted.
L
I
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer:
T
List I (Item in the Indian
Constitution)
A. Directive Principles of State
Y
Policy
B. Fundamental Rights
C. Concurrent List in Union-State
Relations
D. India as a Union of States with
greater powers to the Union
List II (Country from which it was
derived)
1. Australia 2. Canada
3. Ireland 4. United Kingdom
5. United States of America
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 5 4 1 2
(b) 3 5 2 1
(c) 5 4 2 1
(d) 3 5 1 2
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
7) Australian Constitution -
Principle of co-operative
federalism, Freedom of inter-state
trade and commerce, Idea of
concurrent list, Joint sitting of the
parliament.
8) Constitution of South Africa -
Procedure for amendment of the
Constitution, Election of members
of the Rajya Sabha
9) French Constitution: Republic
405
 and the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity in the Preamble.
10) Soviet Union (Now Russia): Fundamental Duties and ideal of Justice
(Social, economic and political) in the preamble.
5 PREAMBLE
The Preamble is regarded as a
prelude to Constitution. It is the
P summary of the Constitution; it gives
a bird eye view of the entire
Constitution. It also contains the
O philosophy of the Constitution.
The Preamble of the Indian
L Constitution reads:
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
having solemnly resolved to
I constitute India into a
SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST
SECULAR DEMOCRATIC
T REPUBLIC and to secure to all
its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and
Y political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression,
belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of
opportunity; and to promote
among them all;
FRATERNITY assuring the
dignity of the individual and the
unity and integrity of the Nation;
6 CITIZENSHIP
The Constitution of India provides
for a single citizenship for the whole
of India. The Citizenship Act, 1955,
deals with matters relating to
acquisition, determination and
termination of Indian citizenship
after the commencement of the
Constitution.
Acquisition: A person can acquire
citizenship of India in five ways.
I. Citizenship by Birth A person
born in India on or after January
1950 is treated as citizen of India
by birth.
2. Citizenship by Descent A
person who was residing outside
India on or after 26 January 1950 is
406 Prelims Magic 2014
IN OUR CONSTITUENT
ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day
of November, 1949, do hereby
ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE
TO OURSELVES THIS
CONSTITUTION.”
(Note: underlined words were added
by the 42nd Amendment of 1976)
The Preamble to the Indian
Constitution is based on the
‘Objectives Resolution’, drafted and
moved by Pandit Nehru, and
adopted by the Constituent
Assembly. In the words of Pandit
Nehru, the Objectives Resolution
was “something more than a
resolution. It is a declaration, a firm
resolve, a pledge, an undertaking and
for all of us a dedication”. The ideal
embodied in the Objectives
Resolution is faithfully reflected in
the Preamble to the Constitution.
According to N. A. Palkhivala, an
eminent jurist and constitutional
expert, the Preamble is the ‘identity
treated as a citizen of India by
descent if his father was citizen of
India at the time of his birth.
3. Citizenship by Registration
The following categories of persons
can be registered as citizens of India
on application by the prescribed
.authority: (a) persons .of Indian
origin who are ordinarily resident in
India for five years before filing of
application for registration; b)
persons of Indian origin who are
ordinarily resident in any country or
place outside India; (c) women who
are married to citizens of India; (d)
minor children of persons who are
citizens of India; and (e) persons of
full age and capacity who are
card of the Constitution.’
The Preamble is non-justiciable in
nature.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the following quotation,
“WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
having solemnly resolved to
constitute India into a Sovereign
Socialist secular Democratic
Republic and to secure to all its
citizens :
JUSTICE, social, economic and
political; LIBERTY of thought,
expression, belief faith and
worship;
EQUALITY of status and of
opportunity: and to promote
among them all; FRATERNITY
assuring the dignity of the
Individual and the unity and the
integrity of the National
In our Constituent Assembly this
‘X’ do hereby adopt, enact and
give to ourselves
Constitution.”, ‘X’ stands for:
this
(a) twenty-sixth day of January, 1950
(b) twenty-sixth day of November, 1949
(c) twenty-sixth day of January, 1949
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
Explanation : The X stands for
26th day of November, 1949.
citizens of Commonwealth countries
or the Republic of Ireland.
4. Citizenship by Naturalisation
A person can acquire citizenship of
India through naturalisation if he (a)
belongs to a country where the
citizens of India are allowed to
become subjects or citizens of that
country by naturalisation; (b)
renounces the citizenship of his
country and intimates the
renunciation to the government of
India; (c) has been residing in India
or serving the government for 12
months before the date of making
application for naturalisation; (d)
possesses a good character; ( e)
possesses workable knowledge of
an Indian language; (f) intends to
reside in India or to serve under the
Government of India after
naturalisation. However, the
Government of India can waive any
or all of the above conditions in case
of a person who has rendered
distinguished service in the cause of
philosophy, science, art, literature,
world peace and the like.
5. By Incorporation of Territory
If any new territory is added to
India, the Government of India can
specify the persons of the territory
who shall be citizens of India by
reasons of their connection with
that territory.
Termination Citizenship can be
terminated in three ways:
(a) A citizen may voluntarily
renounce his citizenship by making
necessary declaration to this effect
in the prescribed form. Usually
citizenship is re­nounced by a citizen
who wants to become the na­tional
to another country.
(b) the citizenship can be terminated
if a person volun­tarily acquires the
citizenship of any other country by
naturalisation, registration or
otherwise.
(c) The Central Government can
deprive a naturalised citizen of his
citizenship, if it is satisfied that the
citizenship was acquired by fraud,
false represen­tation or
concealment of material facts; or if
the person shows disloyalty towards
the Indian Con­stitution or indulges
in trade with enemy countries during
7 FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Part-III of the Indian Constitution
deals with Fundamental Rights. The
fundamental rights as enumerated
in the Indian constitution are as
follows:
(1) Right to equality,
(2) Right to freedom of speech and
expression,
(3) Right against exploitation,
(4) Right to freedom of religion,
(5) Cultural and educational rights,
(6) Right to constitutional remedies.
war; or if the person has been
sentenced to imprisonment for a
period of two years or more within
five years of his registration of
naturalisation; or if he has been
continuously resid­ing out of India
for more than seven years.
In 1986, the Citizens’hip Act was
amended and acquisition of
citizenship by persons coming to
India as refugees from Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka and other countries’ was
made difficult. It provided that
persons born in India (a) on or after
January 26, 1950 but prior to 26
November 1986, (b) on or after the
commencement of the Amending
Act, 1986, shall be citizens of India
by right only if either of their parents
is a citizen of India at the time of
his birth. It increased the period for
acquisition of citizenship through
registration from six months to five
years.
Single Citizenship: Another
notable feature of the Indian
citizenship is that the Constitution
recognises only one citizenship, viz.,
that of India. There is no separate
state citizenship as in other federal
countries. This implies that every
citizen has same rights, privileges
and immunities, no matter in what
state he resides.
Dual Citizenship for People of
Indian Origin (PIOs) In
December 2003 a new law was
passed which permits the people of
1. Right to Equality
(Articles 14 -18):
This right provides for equality
before the law. This right prohibits
any discrimination against any citizen
on grounds of religion, race, caste,
sex or place of birth etc. It aims at
mitigating cruder forms of social
inequality.
According to Article 14, - ‘the state
shall not deny to any person equality
before the law within the territory
of India’.
Prelims Magic 2014
Indian origin residing in 16 countries
viz. Australia, Canada, Finland,
France, Greece, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, The Netherlands, New
Zealand, Portugal, Cyprus, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK and United States,
to have dual citizenship status. This
will enable them to participate in the
economic activities and acquire real
estate. However, these citizens
shall not be permitted to cast their
P
vote or get elected to the
legislatures or occupy any
constitutional office.
O
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
L
statements:
1. Article 371 A to 371 I were
inserted in the Constitution of India
I
to meet regional demands of
Nagaland, Assam, Manipur,
Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram,
T
Arunachal Pradesh and Goa.
2. Constitution of India and the
United States of America envisage
Y
a dual policy (The Union and the
States) but a single citizenship.
3. A naturalized citizen of India can
never be deprived of his
citizenship.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 3 only (d) 1 only
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
Article 15 states that no citizen can
be subjected to any discrimination
on the ground of race, religion, sex,
or place of birth in such matter as
access to places of public
entertainment, use of public wells,
tanks, roads etc.
Article 16 states equal opportunities
in matters of employment or
appointment to any office under the
state. No citizen shall be
discriminated on grounds of religion,
race, caste, sex, place of birth or
residence in respect of any
employment or office under the
state.
407
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the Indian Constitution, the
Right to equality is granted by five
Articles. They are:
(a) Article 16 to Article 20
(b) Article 15 to Article 19
(c) Article 14 to Article 18
(d) Article 13 to Article 17
P Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
According to Article 17, -
“Untouchability is abolished and its
O practice in any form is forbidden.
The enforcement of any disability
arising out of untouchability shall be
L an offence punishable in
accordance with law”.
I According to Article 18 - “No title,
not being a military or academic
distinction shall be conferred upon
T by the state”. Citizens of India are
prohibited from accepting titles from
foreign states without the
Y permission of the president of India.
In the year 1951, the first
amendment to the constitution
provided that the right to equality will
not prevent the state from making
special provision for the
advancement of any socially or
educationally backward classes of
citizens or for the Scheduled Castes
or Tribes. In fact, originally the
reservation was for 10 years (1950-
1960). But consequently continued
by successive government every 10
years.
2. Right to Freedom
(Articles 19 to 22):
The usual liberties of an individual
are embodied in Article 19 which
lays down that all citizens shall have
the right:
a. To freedom of speech and
expression;
b. To assemble peacefully and
without arms;
c. To form associations or unions;
d. To move freely throughout the
territory of India;
e. To reside and settle in any part
of the territory of India;
408 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Prohibition of discrimination on
grounds of religion etc. (Article 15
of the Constitution of India) is a
Fundamental Rights classifiable
under:
(a) the Right to Freedom of
Religion
(b) the Right against Exploitation
(c) the Cultural and Educational
Rights
(d) the Right to Equality .
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Explanation : Right to equality is
covered from Art. 14 to 18. So this
fundamental right is classified as
right to equality.
Q. Match List I (Articles of the
Constitution of India) with List II
(Provision) and select the correct
answer using the codes given
below the lists:
List I
A. Article 14
B. Article 15
C. Article 16
D. Articles 17
List II
1. The State shall not discriminate
against any citizen on grounds only
of religion, race, caste, sex, place
of birth or any of term
2. The State shall not deny to any
person equality before the law or
the equal protection of laws within
the territory of India
3. ‘Untouchability’ is abolished
and its practice in any form is
forbidden
4. There shall be equality of
opportunity for all citizens in
matters relating to employment or
appointment to any office under
the State Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 1 3 magistrate.
(b) 3 1 4 2
(c) 2 1 4 3 of preventive detention in the case
(d) 3 4 1 2 of enemy aliens and even citizens,
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
g. To practice any profession or to
carry on any occupation, trade or
business.
However, in the interests of morality,
decency, public order and security
of the state these rights can be
restricted. The state has the right to
make laws relating to slander,
defamation, libel and contempt of
court. These restrictions are
imposed to check abuse of freedom.
Article 20 provides that:
1. No person shall be convicted of
an offence except for a definite
violation of law in force at that time;
2. It also provides that no
punishment greater than provided by
the law at the time of commission
of the offence is inflicted;
3. No person shall be prosecuted
and punished for the same offence
twice; and
Article 21 says that “No person shall
be deprived of his life or personal
liberty except according to the
procedure established by law.” This
particular article is very important
for the very fact that it attaches
great prominence to the life of a
person. Every one has a right to life.
Even, committing suicide is an
offence punishable under law. Also
this right cannot be suspended
during emergencies. Such is the
importance of right to life
Article 22 lays down that:
(i) No person who is arrested shall
be detained in custody without being
informed of the charge and be given
chance to defend himself.
(ii) Every person who is arrested
and detained must be produced
before the magistrate within 24
hours of his arrest and can’t be
detained in custody longer than that
without the authority of a
The state, however has the power
such detentions do not enjoy
safeguards against arbitrary arrest.
3. Right Against Exploitation
(Articles 23 - 24): According to
Article 23, “traffic in human beings”
and “beggary” and other forms of
“forced labour” are prohibited and
any violation of the provision shall
be an offence punishable in
accordance with the law.
Article 24 provides that “no children
below the age of 14 years shall be
employed at work in any factory or
mine or in any hazardous
employment”. The state must make
provision for “poor houses” or
“work houses” for providing suitable
work to children coming from very
poor families to enable them to earn
their livelihood.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which Article of the
Constitution of India says, ‘No
child below the age of fourteen
years shall be employed to work
in any factory or mine or engaged
in any other hazardous
employment’?
(a) Article 24 (b) Article 45
(c) Article 330 (d) Article 368
Ans.(a) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation: It is a ‘Fundamental
Right’ i.e. Right Against
Exploitation (Art. 24) Part-III of
Constitution of India.
4. Right to Freedom of
Religion (Articles 25 - 28):
Article 25 aims at the establishment
of the secular character of Indian
policy. According to this article, all
persons are equally entitled to
freedom of conscience and the right
to profess, practice religion subject
to public order, morality and health.
Positively, this right safeguards the
free exercise of religion by
everybody subject to public order,
morality and health; and negatively,
it prohibits the state from compelling
by law any person to practice any
particular creed or religion.
Article 26 provides for every
religious section thereof shall have
the right
(i) to establish and maintain
institutions for religious and
charitable purposes;
(ii) to manage its own affairs in
religion,
(iii) to own and acquire movable and
immovable property; and (iv) to
administer such laws in accordance
with law.
Article 27 provides that, no person
shall be compelled to pay any taxes
which would be spent for the
promotion or maintenance of any
particular religion or religions
denomination. The state can’t make
any specific special provision for the
development of any particular
Religion.
Article 28 states that:
(i). No religious instruction shall be
provided in any educational
institution wholly maintained out of
state funds.
(ii). No person attending any
educational institution recognised by
the state or receiving aid out of the
state funds can be forced to take
part in any religious instruction or
that may be imparted in such
institution that or to attend any
religious worship may be conducted
in such institution unless consented
by the guardian.
5. Cultural and Educational
Rights (Articles 29 to 30):
Article 29 states that, -
(i) Any citizen residing in the
territory of India having a distinct
language, script or culture of its own
has the right to conserve it.
(ii) No citizen be denied admission
into any educational institution
maintained by the state or receiving
aid out of state funds on grounds of
religion, race, caste, language or any
of them.
Article 30 provides that -
(i) All minorities whether based on
religion or languages shall have the
right to establish and administer
educational institutions of their
choice.
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(ii) The state shall not discriminate
in granting aid to educational
institutions on the ground that it is
under the management of a minority
whether based on religion or
language.
However, the Supreme Court has
ruled that a state government can
make learning of its regional
language compulsory even in
linguistic minority schools in order
P
to strengthen national integration
and bridge the gap between different
cultural segments in society.
O
6. Right to Constitutional
Remedies (Articles 32 - 32 A): L
This provision is extraordinary
because it gives meaning and
fulfilment to the other fundamental
I
rights guaranteed by the
constitution. Referring to the
provision, Dr. Ambedkar said, - “If
T
I was asked to name anyone
particular article in this constitution
without which this constitution could
Y
be a nullity, I could not refer to any
other article except this one, it is the
soul of the constitution and the very
heart of it.”
Article 32 states that, -
(i) A citizen may move Supreme
Court by appropriate proceedings
for the enforcement of rights
conferred by the constitution.
(ii) The Supreme Court has the
power to issue Writs in the nature
of habeas corpus, mandamus,
prohibition, quo warranto and
certiorari, which ever may be
appropriate for the enforcement of
any of rights conferred by the
constitution.
(iii) The right guaranteed by the
article shall not be suspended
except or otherwise provided by the
constitution.
In case of violation of fundamental
rights individual has the right to
move the Supreme Court by an
appropriate method and the
supreme court has the power to
issue writs, as mentioned above,
409
 which may be appropriate for
enforcement of any of the
fundamental rights.
Article 32 is a remedial right for the
enforcement of the fundamental
rights guaranteed by the constitution
and this right has also been made
fundamental by its incorporation in
P the part III of the constitution. Thus,
the supreme court is made the
protector and guarantee of the
O fundamental rights.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
L rights was described by Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar as the heart and soul
of the Constitution?
I (a) Right to freedom of religion
(b) Right to property
(c) Right to equality
T (d) Right to Constitutional remedies
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2002)
Y Five forms of Writs
Habeas Corpus (Produce the
person in body and soul):
This writ protects the personal
liberty of a citizen. It provides a
remedy for a person who has been
wrongly detained or restricted. The
courts can order the authorities to
produce before it a person who has
been detained or arrested for the
purpose of determining the legality
of his detention.
Mandamus (We command):
It is an order to a public body or
person to do what is his duty,
provided it is a public duty affecting
the rights of the individual. It is
mainly used for public purpose and
for the enforcement of public duties.
This writ is aimed at correcting the
acts of omission on part of
authorities which violate the
fundamental rights of the citizens.
Prohibition: This is a judicial writ
issued by a court of superior
jurisdiction and directed to the
inferior court or tribunal preventing
it from acting without proper
jurisdiction. The writ of prohibition
is need at an earlier stage to prevent
410 Prelims Magic 2014
the wrong action of the authorities
i.e., it is a preventive step.
Certiorari: This writ is an order
commonly issued by a superior court
to withdraw a case if a court or
tribunal is acting without jurisdiction
or in excess of it or in violation of
the principles of natural justice. By
this writ the superior court prevents
the lower courts from exceeding
their limit.
Quo Warranto: This writ prevent
the illegal assumption of any public
office or usurpation of any public
office till the matter is finally decided
by the court. If a person acts in an
office in which he is not entitled to
act, an injunction may be granted
restraining him from further acting.
Right to Property
The Constitution of India originally
provided for the fundamental Right
to Property. But the right created
lot of hindrances in the
implementation of socio­economic
reforms. The Government of India
wanted to go ahead with economic
planning in order to establish a
socialist pattern of society. Several
cases were filed in ­the courts of
law to protect private property as
against social and economic
reforms. The 44th Amendment,
therefore deleted this right from Part
III of the Constitution (i.e., the
chapter on fundamental rights). It
has been made a legal right in the
Constitution itself under Article
300A.
FR available to both citizens
and foreigners (except enemy
aliens)
1. Equality before law and equal
protection of of laws (Article14)
2. Protection in respect of conviction
for Offences (Article 20)
3. Protection of life and personal
liberty (Article 21).
4. Right to elementary education
(Article 21).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Article 301 pertains to the right
to property.
2. Right to property is a legal right
but not a Fundamental Right.
3. Article 300 A was inserted in the
constitution of India by the
congress government at the center
by the 44 th constitutional
Amendment.
Which of the statement given above
is/are correct?
(a) 2 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
Ans. (a)
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(CSE, 2005)
Explanation: Article 301 relates to
Freedom of Trade, Commerce and
intercourse.
44th Amendment 1978 inserted
300A to make Right to property a
legal right. But the Government was
of the Janta party and not of the
Congress.
Q. Match List I (Article of Indian
Constitution) with List II
(Provisions) and select the correct
answer using the codes given below
the lists:
List I (Article of Indian Constitution)
A. Article 16 (2) B. Article 29 (2)
C. Article 30 (I) D. Article 300 (A)
List II (Provisions)
1. No person shall be deprived of
his property save by the authority
of law
2. No person can be discriminated
against in the matter of public
appointment on the ground of race,
religious or caste
3. All minorities whether based on
religion or language shall have to
establish and administer educational
institutions of their choice
4. No citizen shall be denied
admission into any educational
institution maintained by the State,
or receiving State aid, on grounds
of religion, race, caste, language or
any of them
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 3 1 2 4
(c) 2 1 3 4
(d) 3 4 2 1
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
5. Protection against arrest and
detention incertain cases (Article
22)
6. Prohibition of traffic in human
beings and forced labour (Article
23.)
7. Prohibition of employment of
children in fac­tories etc., (Article
24).
8. Freedom of conscience and free
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. A British citizen staying in India cannot claim right to:
(a) Freedom of trade and profession
(b) Equality before the Law
(c) Protection of life and personal liberty
(d) Freedom of religion
Ans. (a)
Explanation: A British citizen can’t claim the freedom of trade and
profession
8 FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES
Article 51 ‘A’ contained in Part IV
A (Ins. by the Constitution (Forty-
second Amendment) Act, 1976) of
the Constitution deals with
Fundamental Duties. According to
Article 51A. It shall be the duty of
every citizen of India:
(a) to abide by the Constitution and
respect its ideals and institutions, the
National Flag and the National
Anthem;
(b) to cherish and follow the noble
ideals which inspired our national
struggle for freedom;
(c) to uphold and protect the
sovereignty, unity and integrity of
India;
(d) to defend the country and render
national service when called upon
to do so;
(e) to promote harmony and the
spirit of common brotherhood
amongst all the people of India
transcending religious, linguistic and
regional or sectional diversities; to
renounce practices derogatory to
the dignity of women;
(f) to value and preserve the rich
profession, practice and propagation
of religion (Article 25).
9. Freedom to manage religious
affairs (Article 26).
10. Freedom from payment of taxes
for promotion of any religion (Article
27).
11. Freedom from attending religious
instruction or worship in .certain
educational institutions (Article 28).
(CSE, 1999)
heritage of our composite culture;
(g) to protect and improve the
natural environment including
forests, lakes, rivers and wild life,
and to
have compassion for living
creatures;
(h) to develop the scientific temper,
humanism and the spirit of inquiry
and reform;
(i) to safeguard public property and
to abjure violence;
(j) to strive towards excellence in
all spheres of individual and
collective activity so that the nation
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF
9 STATE POLICY
Part IV of the Indian Constitution
lists certain Directive Principles
from Articles 36 to 51, with the aim
of ensuring a just and equitable
socio-economic order (to establish
the social and economic
democracy).
Directive Principles are non-
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How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Under the Constitution of India,
which one of the following is not a
fundamental duty?
(a) To vote in public elections
(b) To develop the scientific temper
(c) To safeguard public property
(d) To abide by the Constitution :
and respect its ideals
Ans (a) CSE 2011 P
Q. Which of the following is/are
among the Fundamental Duties of
citizens laid down in the Indian
O
Constitution?
1. To preserve the rich heritage of
our composite culture
L
2. To protect the weaker sections
from social injustice
3. To develop the scientific temper
I
and spirit of inquiry
4. To strive towards excellence in
all spheres of individual and
T
collective activity.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below:
Y
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans (c) CSE 2012
constantly rises to higher levels of
endeavour and achievement;
(k) who is a parent or guardian to
provide opportunities for education
to his child or, as the case may be,
ward between the age of six and
fourteen years. (Ins. by the
Constitution (Eighty-sixth
Amendment) Act, 2002)
justiciable, as they cannot be legally
enforced. Fundamental Rights are
justiciable, as they can be enforced
by the courts.
In the words of Dr. Ambedkar, “The
directive principles are like
instruments of instructions which
were issued to the Governor in
411
 General and Governors of colonies
and to those of India by the British
Government under the 1935 Act
under the Draft Constitution. It is
proposed to issue such instructions
to the president and governors. The
text of these instruments of the
instructions shall be found in
scheduled IV to the Constitution of
P India. It is not the intention of the
framers of the constitution to
prescribe any rigid programme for
O the attainment of the ideal of
economic democracy. But the
framers desired to prescribe that
L every government shall try to bring
about economic democracy.”
I Article 38. The State shall strive
to promote the welfare of the
people and to minimize the
inequalities in income, and
T endeavour to eliminate inequalities
in status, facilities and opportunities,
not only amongst individuals but also
Y amongst groups of people residing
in different areas or engaged in
different vocations.
Article 39. The State shall, in
particular, direct its policy towards
securing—
(a) that the citizens, men and
women equally, have the right to an
adequate means of livelihood;
(b) that the ownership and control
of the material resources of the
community are so distributed as best
to subserve the common good;
(c) that the operation of the
economic system does not result in
the concentration of wealth and
means of production to the common
detriment;
(d) that there is equal pay for equal
work for both men and women;
(e) that the health and strength of
workers, men and women, and the
tender age of children are not
abused and that citizens are not
forced by economic necessity to
enter avocations unsuited to their
age or strength;
(f) that children are given
opportunities and facilities to develop
412 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. According to the Constitution
of India, which of the following are
fundamental for the governance of
the country?
(a) Fundamental Rights
(b) Fundamental Duties
(c) Directive Principles of State
Policy
(d) Fundamental Rights and
Fundamental Duties
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
in a healthy manner and in
conditions of freedom and dignity
and that childhood and youth are
protected against exploitation. and
against moral and material
abandonment.
Article 39A. The State shall
secure that the operation of the legal
system promotes justice, on a basis
of equal opportunity, and shall, in
particular, provide free legal aid, by
suitable legislation or schemes or in
any other way, to ensure that
opportunities for securing justice are
not denied to any citizen by reason
of economic or other disabilities.
Article 40. The State shall take
steps to organise village panchayats.
Article 41. The State shall, make
effective provision for securing the
right to work, to education and to
public assistance in cases of
unemployment, old age, sickness
and disablement, and in other cases
of undeserved want.
Article 42. The State shall make
provision for securing just and
humane conditions of work and for
maternity relief.
Article 43. The State shall
endeavour to secure, by suitable
legislation or economic organisation
or in any other way, to all workers,
agricultural, industrial or otherwise,
work, a living wage, conditions of
work ensuring a decent standard of
life and full enjoyment of leisure and
social and cultural opportunities and,
in particular, the State shall
endeavour to promote cottage
industries on an individual or
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following is/are
included in the Directive Principles
of State Policy?
1. Prohibition of traffic in human
beings and forced labour.
2. Prohibition of consumption
except for medicinal purposes of
intoxicating drinks and of other
drugs which are injurious to health
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below:
Codes:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE 2008)
Explanation: Prohibition of
traffic in human being and forced
labour is mentioned in Article 23
in Indian Constitution. It is not a
Directive Principle but a
fundamental right.
Prohibition of consumption except
for medicinal purposes of
intoxicating drinks and of other
drugs which are injurious to health
is a Directive Principle.
Q. The purpose of the inclusion of
Directive Principles of State Policy
in the Indian Constitution is to
establish:
(a) Political democracy
(b) Social democracy
(c) Gandhian democracy
(d) Social and economic
democracy
Ans. (d) (CSE 2002)
co-operative basis in rural areas.
Article 43A. The State shall take
steps, by suitable legislation or in any
other way, to secure the participation
of workers in the management of
undertakings, establishments or
other organisations engaged in any
industry.
Article 44. The State shall
endeavour to secure for the citizens
a uniform civil code throughout the
territory of India.
Article 45. The State shall
endeavour to provide, within a
period of ten years from the
commencement of this Constitution,
for free and compulsory education
for all children until they complete
the age of fourteen years.
Article 46. The State shall promote
with special care the educational
and economic interests of the
weaker sections of the people, and,
in particular, of the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes,
and shall protect them from social
injustice and all forms of exploitation.
Article 47. The State shall regard
the raising of the level of nutrition
and the standard of living of its
people and the improvement of
public health as among its primary
duties and, in particular, the State
shall endeavour to bring about
prohibition of the consumption
except for medicinal purposes of
intoxicating drinks and of drugs
which are injurious to health.
Article 48. The State shall
endeavour to organise agriculture
and animal husbandry on modern
and scientific lines and shall, in
particular, take steps for preserving
and improving the breeds, and
prohibiting the slaughter, of cows
and calves and other milch and
draught cattle.
Article 48A. The State shall
endeavour to protect and improve
the environment and to safeguard
the forestsand wild life of the
country.
Article 49. It shall be the obligation
of the State to protect every
monument or place or object of
artistic or historic interest, declared
by or under law made by
Parliament]to be of national
importance, from spoliation,
disfigurement, destruction, removal,
disposal or export, as the case may
be.
Article 50. The State shall take
steps to separate the judiciary from
the executive in the public services
of the State.
Article 51. The State shall
endeavour to
(a) promote international peace and
security;
(b) maintain just and honourable
relations between nations;
(c) foster respect for international
law and treaty
obligations in the dealings of
organized peoples with one another;
and
(d) encourage settlement of
international disputes by arbitration.
Directive Principles of State Policy
have been grouped into four
categories. These are: (1) The
Principles establishing a Welfare
and Socialist State (2) the Gandhian
principles, (3) Principles and
Policies relating to international
peace and security and (4)
miscellaneous.
1 The economic and social
Principles
The state shall endeavour to achieve
Social and Economic welfare of the
people by:
(1) providing adequate means of
livelihood for both men and women.
(2) reorganizing the economic
system in a way to avoid
concentration of wealth in few
hands.
(3) securing equal pay for equal
work for both men and women.
(4) securing suitable employment
and healthy working conditions for
men, women and children.
(5) guarding the children against
exploitation and moral degradation.
(6) making effective provisions for
securing the right to work, education
and public assistance in case of
unemployment, old age, sickness
and disablement.
(7) making provisions for securing
just and humane conditions of work
and for maternity relief.
(8) taking steps to secure the
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participation of workers in the
management of undertakings etc.
(9) promoting education and
economic interests of working
sections of the people especially the
SCs and STs.
(10) securing for all the workers
reasonable leisure and cultural
opportunities. P
(11) making efforts to raise the
standard of living and public health. O
(12) providing early childhood care
and education to all children until
they complete the age of 6 years.
L
2. The Gandhian Principles
There are certain principles, based
I
on the ideals advocated by Mahatma
Gandhi. These T
Principles are as follows : -
(1) To organize village Panchayats. Y
(2) To promote cottage industries in
rural areas.
(3) To prohibit intoxicating drinks and
drugs that are injurious to health.
(4) To preserve and improve the
breeds of the cattle and prohibit
slaughter of cows, calves and other
milch and drought animals.
3. Directive Principles of State
Policy Relating To Interna-
tional Peace And Security:
India should render active
cooperation for world peace and
security and for that the state
shall endeavour to : -
(1) promote international peace
and security.
(2) maintain just and honourable
relations between nations.
(3) foster respect for international
laws and treaty obligations.
(4) encourage settlements of
international disputes by mutual
agreement.
413
 4. Miscellaneous
The Directive Principles in this
category call upon the state : -
(1) To secure for all Indians a
uniform civil code.
(2) To protect historical monuments.
(3) To save environment from
P pollution and protect wild life.
(4) To make arrangements for
O disbursement of free legal justice
through suitable legislation.
Directives in other parts of
L the Constitution
The Constitution contains directives
I in places other than Part IV. These
directives are equally important.
Article 335 states that in making
T appointments to services and posts
in the government the claims of
Scheduled Castes and Tribes shall
Y be taken into consideration,
consistently with the maintenance of
efficiency of administration. Article
350A enjoins the State and every
local authority to provide facilities
for instruction in the mother-tongue
at the primary stage for linguistic
minorities. Article 351 says that it
shall be the duty of Union to
promote the spread of Hindi
language, to develop it and to secure
its enrichment.
Difference between
Fundamental Rights and
Directive Principles of State
Policy
Fundamental Rights and Directive
Principles of State Policy differ in
the following respects:
i) Fundamental Rights constitute
limitations upon State action.
Directive Principles are in the nature
of instruments of instruction to the
government of the day to perform
certain functions and to achieve
certain goals.
ii) Fundamental Rights are justiciable
but Directive Principles are non-
justiciable. That is, the former can
be enforced in the court of law, not
414 Prelims Magic 2014
so the Directive Principles.
iii) Directive Principles require to be
implemented by a law of Parliament
or State Legislature. But
Fundamental Rights are available to
the citizens directly and in the form
in which they are contained in the
Constitution.
iv) Fundamental Rights are negative
in character as they impose
restrictions on the government while
Directive Principles are positive in
nature as they require the State to
strive and achieve certain goals.
v) The main objective of
Fundamental Rights is to establish
political democracy by guaranteeing
equality, liberty, religious freedom
and cultural rights. On the contrary,
Directive Principles aim at realising
social, political and economic justice
and the establishment of a welfare
state. In other words, their objective
is economic democracy.
vi) In case of conflict between
Fundamental Rights and Directive
Principles, the former get
precedence. That is, Directive
Principles cannot be implemented
by violating the Fundamental Rights.
However, as long as there is no
infringement of any Fundamental
Right, there can be no objection to
the State acting in accordance with
the Directive Principles:
It is evident that there is a close
relationship between Directive
Principles and Fundamental Rights.
The relationship between them have
been explained by Justice Hegde
and Justice Mukerjee thus: “The
Fundamental Rights and Directive
Principles constitute the
‘conscience’ of our Constitution.
The purpose of Fundamental Rights
is to create an egalitarian society.
The purpose of the Directive
Principles is bringing about a non-
violent social revolution Without
faithfully implementing the Directive
Principles, it is not possible to
achieve the welfare State
contemplated by the Constitution”.
Fundamental Rights and the
Directive Principles of State
Policy: Question of priority
The question of priority between the
two has been a controversial point
in the constitutional functioning in
India; in this respect, the following
points can be mentioned-
1. The Supreme Court in the Case
of State of Madras vs. Champakam
Doroirajan in 1951 ruled that the
fundamental rights shall get priority
over Directive Principles of State
Policy in the situation of conflict
between the two.
2. The 25th Amendment Act 1971
inserted Article 31 C in the
Constitution which reads that the
law enacted to give effect to the
Principles given in Article 39 shall
not be declared invalid on the ground
that such law violates any of the
rights available under Article 14, 19
and 31.
3. The scope of Article 31 C was
further extended by 42nd
Amendment Act 1976 which
provides that a law enacted with the
purpose of giving effect to any of
the principles of Part IV shall not
be challenged on the ground that it
violates any of the rights provided
under Articles 14,19 and 31.
4. The Supreme Court again ruled
in Minerva Mills Case, 1980 that
Article 31 C can protect only those
laws vis-a-vis fundamental rights
which are enacted to give effect to
the principles outlined in Article 39
(b), (c). Thus, the Court has resisted
the extension of the scope of Article
31 C which was introduced by 42nd
Amendment Act, 1976. The Court
also ruled that there is a very
delicate balance between the
fundamental rights and the I C
Directive Principles and the Courts
should adopt a harmonious
interpretation between the two. In
the view of the Court, ordinarily, the
Directive Principles should not be
given priority over the fundamental
rights. In brief, this is the present
status of relationship between the
two.
Champakam Case
The Directive Principles have to
conform to and run subsidiary to the
Chapter on Fundamental Rights. In
the Kerala Education Bill case the
Supreme Court adopted the
harmonious interpretation rule in
1959. It observed that the principle
of harmonious construction should
be adopted and attempt be made to
give effect to both Fundamental
Rights and Directive Principles of
State Policy. In Kesavanand the
Court again clearly came out in
favour of no superiority. It
enunciated two principles:
(1) Both Fundamental Rights and
Directive Principles of State Policy
are equally fundamental though
Directive Principles of State Policy
are not directly enforceable by
courts.
(2) Fundamental Rights and
Directive Principles of State Policy
are complementary
supplementary to each other.
and
Minerva Mills Case
In Minerva Mills the court
reiterated that harmony and balance
between Fundamental Rights and
Directive Principles of State Policy
is an essential feature of the basic
structure of the Constitution. As a
result of Minerva Mills even after
insertion of Art. 31-C, DPs have no
primacy over Fundamental Right.
The Supreme Court has revised its
views expressed in earlier decisions
conferring superiority on
Fundamental Rights. Both
10 THE UNION EXECUTIVE
The Union executive consists of the
President, the Vice-President and
the Council of Ministers with the
Prime Minister as the head to aid
and advise the President.
PRESIDENT
Position: The president is a nominal
executive and discharges his duties
as constitutional head of the state,
though the day to day administration
Fundamental Rights and Directive
Principles of State Policy are on the
same level. In case of an apparent
conflict it is for the court to resolve
it in exercise of its power of judicial
review.
Sanjeev Coke case
In Sanjeev Coke case the Supreme
Court took the view that the effect
of the Courts opinion in Minerva
Mills case is that Art. 31-C exists in
the form in which it was before the
42nd Amendment. It protects only
those laws which seek to implement
Art. 39(b) and (c). In Property
Owners Association Vs State of
Maharashtra a Bench of the
Supreme Court has opined the
Sanjeev
reconsideration.
Coke requires
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Consider the following
provisions under the Directive
Principles of State Policy as
enshrined in the Constitution of
India :
1. Securing for citizens of India a
uniform civil code
2. Organizing village Panchayats
3. Promoting cottage industries
in rural areas
4. Securing for all the workers
reasonable leisure and cultural
opportunities
Which of the above are the
Gandhian Principles that are
reflected in the Directive
Principles of State Policy?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (b) CSE 2012
is run by the real executive
comprising of the Prime minister
and the Council of ministers, it is
carried out in the name of the
President. The 44th amendment to
the constitution curtailed the powers
of the President and made him to
act on the advice of the Council of
ministers.
Election: The President is elected
by members of an electoral college
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consisting of elected members of
both Houses of Parliament and
Legislative Assemblies of the states
in accordance with the system of
proportional representation by
means of single transferable vote.
To secure uniformity among state
inter se as well as parity between
the states, as a whole, and the Union,
suitable weightage is given to each
vote. It is calculated on the basis of
P
the formula given below:
Value of the vote of an ML A =
Value of the vote of an MLA =
State Population
× Number of State MLAs
O
1000
Value of the vote of an MP = L
Total vote value of all MLAs
Total Members of Parliament I
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following are/is
stated in the Constitution of India?
T
1. The President shall not be a
member of either House of
Parliament
Y
2. The Parliament shall consist of
the President and two Houses
Choose the correct answer from
the codes given below:
(a) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) Both 1 and 2
(c) 1 alone
(d) 2 alone
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
Qualifications:
Must be a citizen of India
Must have attained the age of 35
years
Must have attained all qualifications
that of a member of Lok sabha.
Should not hold an office of profit -
national, state or local.
Should not be of unsound mind or
an insolvent or bankrupt
Should abide by the constitution.
Shall not be a member of either
house of parliament or of a house
of a legislature of any state.
Tenure: His term of office is five
years and he is eligible for re-
415
 election. But as a matter of
convention, no president can contest
for a third term, though the
constitution has not laid down any
such rule. Dr. Babu Rajendra
Prasad was the only President to
hold the office thrice. If the office
of the President falls vacant due to
resignation, death or removal, the
P Vice president will take over the
responsibility till the new President
takes over.
O Removal: His removal from office
is to be in accordance with
L procedure prescribed in Article 61
of the Constitution. He may, by
writing under his hand addressed to
I the Vice-President, resign his office.
The President may be removed from
office by the process called
T ‘Impeachment’ on grounds of
proven misbehavior and
inefficiency. The motion for
Y impeachment can be initiated in
either house of parliament.
However, before impeaching the
President a 14 days advance notice
must be given of the said cause
endorsed and signed by not less than
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
In the electoral college for
Presidential Election in India,
1. the value of the vote of an
elected Member of Legislative
Assembly equals
StatePopulation
NumberofElectedMLAsoftheState x100
2. the value of the vote of an
elected Member of Parliament
equals. Total value of the votes of
all elected MLAs divided by Total
number of elected MPs
3. there were more than 5000
members in the latest elections
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) Only 2
(c) 1 and 3 (d) Only 3
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
Explanation : In point (1) it should
be 1000 in place of 100. Drop
point (1) and (3).
416 Prelims Magic 2014
¼ of the members of the house. If
the motion of impeachment is taken
up by Lok sabha, Rajya sabha will
sit in judgement and vice versa. If
the motion is sustained by a 2/3
majority of members present and
voting, the President stands
impeached and shall demit office.
It is interesting to note that none of
the Presidents of India was
removed from office by an
impeachment motion. Though
impeachment motion was initiated
against V V Giri and Neelam
Sanjeeva Reddy (1979), it was
eventually taken back.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the Presidential election in
India, every elected member of
the Legislative Assembly of a
State shall have as many votes as
there are multiples of one
thousands in the quotient obtained
by dividing the population of the
State by the total number of the
elected members of the Assembly.
As at present (1997) the
expression “population” here
means the population as
ascertained by the:
(a) 1991 Census (b) 1981 Census
(c) 1971 Census (d) 1961 Census
Ans. (c) (CSE. 1997)
Explanation: At present, the
expression population here means
the population as ascertained by
the 1971 Census. The 13 th
Presidential election held in 2007
also was based on 1971 census.
Emoluments: The salary of the
President is determined by
Parliament from time to time. At
present, the President of India
draws a salary of Rs. 1,50,000/- per
month and a pension of Rs.
5,00,000/- annum. [President’s
Pension and Emoluments
(Amendment) Act 1998 (amended
in 2008)]. The President is also
entitled to rent-free accommodation,
free electricity, transport, telephone,
staff and other facilities. The salary
and other benefits of the President
of India is charged on the
Consolidated Fund of India (CFI),
under the Article 267 of the
constitution, comprising a small
corpus (fund) of Rs. 50 crores added
from time to time.
Oath: According to Article 60,
Every President and every person
acting as President or discharging
the functions of the President shall,
before entering upon his office,
make and subscribe in the presence
of the Chief Justice of India or, in
his absence, the senior-most Judge
of the Supreme Court available, an
oath or affirmation in the following
form, that is to say— “I, A.B., do
swear in the name of God/
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
part of the Electoral College for
the election of the president of
India but does not form part of the
forum for his impeachment?
(a) Lok Sabha
(b) Rajya Sabha
(c) State Legislative Councils
(d) State Legislative Assemblies
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation: Members of Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha can
impeach the President of India as
mentioned in Art. 61 of the
Constitution. Members of State
Legislative Assemblies do not
participate in the process of
impeachment though they have
voting power in the president
election.
solemnly affirm that I will
faithfully execute the office of
President (or discharge the
functions of the President) of
India and will to the best of my
ability preserve, protect defend
the Constitution and the law and
that I will devote myself to the
service and well-being of the
people of India”.
Disputes related to the election of
the President and the Vice
President:
(i) All the disputes arising from and
related to the elections of the
President and the Vice­ President
shall be decided by the Supreme
Court of India and the decision of
the Court shall be final.
(ii) If there is any vacancy in the
Electoral Colleges of the President
or the Vice-President, their elections
can riot be challenged on this ground.
(iii) If the election of the President
or the Vice-President is declared null
and void by the Supreme Court, the
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF
11
THE PRESIDENT
In the Parliamentary government
the position of the President is that
of a respectful figure-head,
representing the honour and dignity
of the people of India. Similar to the
Queen of England he ‘doth no
wrong’, (the President does not
make any mistake). For the simple
reason that the real powers are
vested in the hands of Council of
ministers headed by the Prime
minister. The powers and functions
of the President are as follows:
1. Executive Functions: Article
53 clearly states that “the executive
powers of the State must be vested
in the hands of the President”
(i) All accords and agreements
carried out on behalf of the
Government of India is done in the
name of the President.
(ii) The President has the power to
call for any information from the
government.
(iii) The President appoints the
Prime minister and the Council of
ministers on recommendation of the
Prime Minister.
(iv) The highest constitutional
functionaries such as Comptroller
and Auditor General (CAG), Chief
Election Commissioner (CEC),
Chief Vigilance Commissioner
(CVC) are appointed by the
President.
(v) The member of the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC),
National Human Right Commission
acts done and the functions
performed before the decision of the
Court by the President or the Vice-
President as the case may be, shall
not be held illegal or unconstitutional.
(iv) Parliament shall have power to
regulate by law other, matters
related with the office of the
President or the Vice-President.
(NHRC), Backward Class
Commission (BCC) and National
Commission for Women (NCW)
are appointed by the President.
(vi) The President enjoys the power
of removing highest constitutional
functionaries.
(vii) The President can call for
reports from Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes Commission,
Linguistic Minorities Commission
(LMC), Backward Class
Commission (BCC) and other
commissions.
2. Legislative Functions:
The legislative functions are detailed
below:
(i) To summon, to prorogue, to
dissolve the Parliament.
(ii) The President enjoys the power
to address the Parliament. It is
normally done after general
elections or the first session of the
year. It is generally called
“Presidential speech”. This
inaugural speech outlines the
objectives and priorities of the
government. Traditionally, this
speech is prepared by the cabinet
but read by the President.
(iii) In passing the bills, if a dead lock
arises due to non-agreement
between two houses of the
parliament, the President may call
for joint session of both the houses.
(iv) He can cause certain reports
and statements to be laid before the
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Parliament such as the report of the
Comptroller and Auditor General, or
the Report of the Finance
Commission
(v) The President may address Lok
sabha or Rajya sabha or both any
time and also may send a message
to both the houses of parliament to
look into a bill.
(vi) In the considered view of the P
President, if he is satisfied that the
Anglo-Indian community is not
adequately represented, he may
nominate 12 members to Rajya
O
Sabha and 2 members to Lok sabha.
(vii) Prior permission of the
L
President is essential while dealing
with bills relating to formation of
new states, alteration of boundaries
I
and some special bills like the
finance bills.
(viii) Article 123. (1) If at any time,
T
except when both Houses of
Parliament are in session, the
President is satisfied that
Y
circumstances exist which render it
necessary for him to take immediate
action, he may promulgate such
Ordinances as the circumstances
appear to him to require.
(2) An Ordinance promulgated
under this article shall have the same
force and effect as an Act of
Parliament, but every such
Ordinance— (a) shall be laid before
both Houses of Parliament and shall
cease to operate at the expiration
of six weeks from the reassembly
of Parliament, or, if before the
expiration of that period resolutions
disapproving it are passed by both
Houses, upon the passing of the
second of those resolutions; and
(b) may be withdrawn at any time
by the President.
Explanation.—Where the Houses
of Parliament are summoned to
reassemble on different dates, the
period of six weeks shall be
reckoned from the later of those
dates for the purposes of this clause.
(3) If and so far as an Ordinance
under this article makes any
417
 provision which Parliament would
not under
(ix) No bill can become a law
without the assent of the President.
He enjoys the power to withhold a
bill. This power is called ‘Veto
power’. However he cannot refuse
his assent for finance bills. But he
P can withhold assent for a non money
bill. But if the same is resubmitted
for signature even without changes,
O he cannot refuse to sign it.
For example, President A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam returned the Representation
L of the People (amendment)
Ordinance, 2002 for reconsideration
as it raised many constitutional
I points. The ordinance was
considered unconstitutional because
it was violative of the fundamental
T rights.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Y Q. Under which Article of the
Indian Constitution did the
President give his assent to the
ordinance on electoral reforms
when it was sent back to him by
the Union Cabinet without making
any changes (in the year 2002)?
(a) Article 121 (b) Article 122
(c) Article 123 (d) Article 124
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
Q. According to the Constitution
of India, it is the duty of the
President of India to cause to be
laid before the Parliament which
of the following?
1. The Recommendations of the
Union Finance Commission
2. The Report of the Public
Accounts Committee
3. The Report of the Comptroller
and Auditor General
4. The Report of the National
Commission for Scheduled Castes
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (c) CSE 2012
418 Prelims Magic 2014
(x) The President enjoys the power
of issuing Ordinance when the
parliament is not in session. It will
have the same power and effect
similar to that of a law made by the
Parliament provided the same is
ratified by the Parliament within 6
weeks of its passage. Other wise
it ceases to be a law and is
considered null and void or zero.
3. Financial powers:
The following are the financial
functions of the President.
(i) It is the constitutional obligation
of President to see that the annual
income-expenditure statement-
Budget is placed before the
Parliament for approval.
(ii) Financial bills cannot be
presented in the Parliament without
the consent of the President.
(iii) The recommendation of the
Finance Commissions and the
Planning Commission are placed
before the Parliament on orders of
the President.
(iv) The members of the Finance
Commission and Planning
Commission are appointed by the
President.
4. Judicial Powers:
(i) The President enjoys the power
of pardoning the sentence of a
person declared an offender by the
Supreme Court. He is so powerful
that he can reduce, change or
altogether cancel the punishment.
This power is called Presidential
Pardon. This is provided to ensure
against any miscarriage of justice
(Article 72).
For instance, the President A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam refused to grant
pardon or clemency to Dhananjoy
Chaterjee who was given death
sentence by the Supreme Court.
But, President K R Narayan granted
pardon to Dhanu, one of the
accused in Rajiv Gandhi’s
assassination.
(iii) The judges of the Supreme
Court and High court are appointed
by the President in consultation with
the Chief Justice of India.
(iv) The President is entitled to legal
advice on matters relating to the
constitutional clarity of bills.
However it is not binding on the
President to accept it.
5. Military Powers:
The following are the military
powers of the President.
(i) President is the Supreme
Commander of the Armed forces.
(ii) President has the power to
declare war or peace, but
parliamentary approval is essential
for such a decision.
(iii) The President can raise funds
for training and preservation of
armed forces with prior approval of
the Parliament.
(iv) The Chiefs of Army, Navy, and
Air force are appointed by the
President.
6. Diplomatic Powers:
The diplomatic powers of the
President are purely symbolic in
nature.
(i) The President represents the
country in international affairs. His
visits are of courtesy nature aimed
at strengthening bilateral relations;
he does not sign any treaties or
agreements.
(ij) The ambassadors representing
the country abroad are appointed by
the President.
(iii) The foreign ambassadors are
received by the President. No
person can be considered an
ambassador unless he is given the
‘Letter of Accreditation’ by the
President.
7. Emergency Powers:
The emergency powers of the
President are enumerated in the
constitution from Article 352 to
Article 360. The President may
declare emergency under three
circumstances:
(i) The President may declare
internal emergency under Article
352, if, in his opinion, there is a threat
to India’s security due to war or
external aggression.
(ii) The President may impose
‘President’s Rule’ under Article 356
if he is convinced that in that
particular state the law and order
has completely deteriorated and it
cannot be governed as per the
constitution. Though the President’s
rule is imposed on the
recommendation of the governor of
the concerned state, it is not
compulsory.
(iii) If the President is convinced
that the financial stability and
prestige of the nation is at risk, he
may impose financial emergency
under Article 360.
However, the imposition of internal
and financial emergency should be
placed before Parliament and its
consent taken within 2 months of
declaration of emergency, otherwise
it is considered invalid.
VICE-PRESIDENT
The Vice-President is elected by
members of an electoral college
consisting of members of both
Houses of Parliament in accordance
with the system of proportional
representation by means of single
transferable vote. He must be a
citizen of India, not less than 35
years of age and eligible for election
as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
His term of office is five years and
he is eligible for re-election. His
removal from office is to be in
accordance with procedure
prescribed in Article 67 b which
says Vice-President may be
removed from his office by a
resolution of the Rajyasabha passed
by a majority of all the then
members and agreed to by the
Loksabha; but no resolution for the
purpose of this clause shall be
moved unless at least fourteen days’
notice has been given of the intention
to move the resolution.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Consider the following
statements:
1. The Chairman and the Deputy
Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are
not the members of that House.
2. While the nominated members
of the two Houses of the
Parliament have no voting right in
the presidential election, they have
the right to vote in the election of
the Vice President.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: Chairman is not member but
deputy chairman is a member
PRESIDENTS OF INDIA
Dr Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963)
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975)
Dr Zakir Hussain (1897-1969)
Varahagiri Venkatagiri (1884-1980)
Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah
Varahagiri Venkatagiri (1884-1980)
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905-1977)
B.D. Jatti (1913-2002)
(Acting)
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1913-1996)
Giani Zail Singh (1916-1994)
R. Venkataraman (b-1910)
Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918 -1999)
K.R. Narayanan (1920-1925)
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (b-1931)
Smt. Pratibha Patil (b-1934)
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee
VICE-PRESIDENTS OF INDIA
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975)
Dr Zakir Hussain (1897-1969)
Varahagiri Venkatagiri (1884-1980)
Gopal Swarup Pathak (1896-1982)
B.D. Jatti (1913-2002)
Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah (1905-1992)
R. Venkataraman (b-1910)
Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918-1999)
K.R. Narayanan (1920-1925)
Krishan Kant (1927-2002)
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (b-1923)
Mohammed Hamid Ansari (b-1937)
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Functions of the Vice-Presi-
dent
The Vice-President has no functions
to perform. By virtue of his office,
he is the Chairman of the Rajya
Sabha. Hence the normal function
of the Vice-President is to preside
over the Rajya Sabha but under
certain eventualities the Vice-
President either- P
(a) acts as President or
(b) discharges the functions of the
President
O
The Vice-President acts as
President when there is a vacancy L
in the office of the President. The
Vacancy may occur by reasons of
death, resignation, removal by
impeachment or otherwise. He
I
discharges the functions of the
T
26 January 1950-13 May 1962
13 May 1962-13 May 1967
Y
13 May 1967-3 May 1969
3 May 1969-20 July1969(Acting)
20 July 1969-24 August 1969 (Acting)
24 August 1969-24 August 1974
24 August 1974-11 February1977
11 February 1977-25 July 1977
25 July 1977-25 July 1982
25 July 1982-25 July 1987
25 July 1987-25 July 1992
25 July 1992-25 July 1997
25 July 1997-25 July 2002
25 July 2002-25 July 2007
25 July 2007-25 July 2012
25 July 2012 onwards
1952-1962
1962-1967
1967-1969
1969-1974
1974-1979
1979-1984
1984-1987
1987-1992
1992-1997
1997-2002
2002-2007
2007-onwards
419
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The resolution for removing the
Vice-President of India can be
moved in the:
(a) Lok Sabha alone
(b) Either House of Parliament
(c) Joint Sitting of Parliament
(d) Rajya Sabha alone
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
P President when the President is
unable to perform his functions.
O This may be by the reason of the
absence of the President from India
or illness or some other cause.
L The Constitution does not contain
any provision which prescribes the
method by which it may be
I determined whether the President
is unable to discharge his duties.
When Dr. Rajendra Prasad went for
T a State visit to U.S.S.R. in 1960, the
Vice-President Dr. Radhakrishnan
discharged the duties of the
Y President. In 1961 Dr. Rajendra
Prasad took seriously ill. It was at
his suggestion that the Vice-
President discharged the functions
of the President until such time the
President resumed his duties.
Vacancy in both the Offices
A situation may arise when the
offices of both the President and the
Vice-President fall vacant by reason
of death, resignation, removal or
otherwise. Article 70 empowers the
Parliament to make provisions for
such contingencies. The Parliament
has enacted the President
(Discharge of Function) Act, 1969
to provide for such simultaneous
vacancies. In fact, when President
Dr. Zakir Hussain died in May 1969,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following have
held the office of the Vice-
President of India?
1. Mohammad Hidayatullah
2. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
3. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
4. Shankar Dayal Sharma Codes:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (b) (2008)
420 Prelims Magic 2014
Vice-President V.V. Giri was acting
as the President. Soon after Shri
V.V. Giri resigned from his office.
Thus vacancies occurred in both the
offices at the same time. The
Parliament enacted the above
mentioned act to take care of the
situation. Under this act when both
the posts are vacant the Chief
Justice of India acts as President.
In the absence of Chief Justice of
India the senior-most judge of the
Supreme Court of the India
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Prime Minister of India,
at the time of his/her appointment
(a) need not necessarily be a
member of one of the Houses of
the Parliament but must become
a member of one of the” Houses
within six months
(b) need not necessarily be a
member of one of the Houses of
the Parliament but must become
a member of the Lok Sabha within
six months
(c) must be a member of one of
the Houses of the Parliament
(d) must be a member of the Lok
Sabha
Ans (a) CSE 2012
PRIME MINISTER AND THE
12 COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Though all the executive powers are
vested in the President, in practice,
it is exercised by the Council of
ministers headed by the Prime
minister.
Council of Ministers: According
to Article 74, “There shall be a
Council of Ministers with the Prime
Minister at the head to aid and
advise the President who shall, in
the exercise of his functions, act in
accordance with such advice.”
Provided that the President may
require the Council of Ministers to
reconsider such advice, either
generally or otherwise, and the
President shall act in accordance
with the advice tendered after such
available shall discharge the function
until a new President is elected.
Chief Justice M. Hidayatullah
discharged the functions of the
President from 20th July 1969 to
24th August 1969.
Term of office
The Vice-President holds office for
a term of 5 years from the date he
assumes charge of his office. The
office of Vice-President may fall
vacant before the expiration of the
term-
(a) By resignation. He can resign
his office any time by writing
address to the President.
(b) By removal from his office. The
Vice-President may be removed
from his office by a resolution of
the Rajya Sabha passed by a
majority of all the members and
agreed to by the Lok Sabha.
(c) By death. A Vice-President is
eligible for re-election. The first
Vice-President of Independent
India Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan
served for two consecutive terms.
Emoluments
The Vice-President is entitled to a
monthly salary of Rs 1.25 lakh.
reconsideration. The question
whether any, and if so what, advice
was tendered by Ministers to the
President shall not be inquired into
in any court.
The Government of India consists
of a number of ministries /
departments for its administration;
each Ministry is assigned to a
Minister who runs it with the
assistance of a Secretary in charge
of the particular Ministry. The
Ministries are created and assigned
by the President on the advice of
the Prime Minister under Article 77
of the Constitution.
Ministers may be chosen from
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Union
Government consider the following
statements:
1. The Ministries/Departments of
the Government of India are
created by the Prime Minister on
the advice of the Cabinet
Secretary.
2. Each of the Ministries is
assigned to a Minister by the
President of India on the advice
of the Prime Minister.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
Q.Which one of the following
Constitutional Amendments states
that the total number of Ministers,
including the Prime Minister, in the
Council of Ministers shall not
exceed fifteen percent of the total
number of members of the House
of the People?
(a) 90th (b) 91st
(c) 92nd (d) 93rd
Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
members of either house and as per
Article 88, every Minister shall
have the right to speak in, and
otherwise to take part in the
proceedings of, either House, any
joint sitting of the Houses, and any
committee of Parliament of which
he may be named a member, but
shall not by virtue of this article be
entitled to vote.
There is no bar to the appointment
of a person from outside the
parliament as a minister. But he
cannot continue as minister for more
than 6 months unless he secures a
seat in either house of the
parliament (by election or
nomination) in the mean time.
The total number of Ministers,
including the Prime Minister, in the
Council of Ministers shall not
exceed fifteen per cent of the total
number of members of the House
of the People (with effect from
1January2004). (Clause 1(A) of
Article75 –inserted by the
Constitution (Ninety-first
Amendment) Act, 2003)
Minister’s Collective Respon-
sibility:
According to Article 75(3) of the
Constitution, The Council of
Ministers shall be collectively
responsible to the House of the
People (Loksabha). The council of
ministers has to resign as soon as it
loses the confidence of Lok Sabha.
Even a vote of no confidence
against a single minister by the Lok
Sabha is taken as a vote of no
confidence against the entire council
of ministers and entails its
resignation. The ministers are
expected not to express their
differences in public. If a member
of the council of ministers does not
agree with its decision, he should
tender his resignation. In addition to
the collective responsibility, each
minister is also individually
responsible for his department and
can be removed from his office by
the President (on the advice of
Prime Minister) even if he enjoys
the confidence of the Lok Sabha.
Cabinet: The Cabinet referred to
as the ‘wheel within a wheel’, ‘the
magnet of policy’ is the most
powerful decision making organ of
the government. The Cabinet
normally meets once in a week
though it can meet whenever
necessary, under the chairmanship
of the Prime minister. All decisions
are taken based on debate and
dialogue. The cabinet being the
highest decision making body, all
ministers must abide by its decisions.
In case of difference of opinion on
a cabinet decision a minister must
quit his post; he is not allowed to
criticize the cabinet decisions, being
a party to it.
Formally the constitution does not
identify any distinction between
rankings of ministries. But
informally-following the English
Prelims Magic 2014
pattern- there are three grading viz.,-
Cabinet ministers, Ministers of State
and Deputy Ministers. The ministers
of cabinet rank hold independent
charge of a department and are
considered as superior to ministers
of other ranks. The Ministers of
State can either hold independent
charge of a department or be
attached to a minister of cabinet
rank. The deputy ministers generally
P
do not hold separate charge of a
department and are attached to
cabinet or state ministers. The State
O
Ministers and Deputy Ministers are
not invited for cabinet meeting. In
the present Council of Ministers no
L
Deputy Ministers are there.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN I
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
AND CABINET
1.Council of Minis­ters is a bigger
T
body consisting of 60 to 70
members. On the other hand the
Cabinet has only 15 to 20
Y
mem­bers.
2.All policy decisions are taken by
the Cabinet and the Council of
Ministers merely implements those
decisions.
3.The Constitution vests all the
powers in the Council of Ministers,
but actually these powers are
exercised by the Cabinet.
4.The Cabinet determines the
functions to be performed by the
various ministers.
5. The Council of Ministers is
collectively responsible to the Lok
Sabha and the Cabinet enforces this
respon­sibility.
6. The Council of Ministers as a
body seldom meets to discharge its
responsibilities. On the other hand
the Cabinet holds weekly meetings
to discharge the government work.
8. Throughout the Constitution the
term Council of Ministers has been
used. Only in Article 352 the term
Cabinet has been used, and that too
was added by the 44th Amendment.
This Article stipulates that the
421
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Council of Ministers in the
Centre shall be collectively
responsible to the Parliament.
2. The Union Ministers shall hold
the office during the pleasure of
the President of India.
P 3. The Prime Minister shall
communicate to the President
about the proposals for legislation.
O Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
L (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: b. (CSE 2013)
Expl: Statement 1 is wrong.
I Article 75(3) states that the council
of ministers is collectively
responsible to the House of People
T (Lok Sabha).
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Y Q. In the context of India, which
of the following principles is/are
implied institutionally in the
parliamentary government?
1. Members of the Cabinet are
Members of the Parliament.
2. Ministers hold the office till they
enjoy confidence in the
Parliament.
3. Cabinet is headed by the Head
of the State.
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: PM who head the cabinet
is the head of the government.
President is the head of the state.
President can make a declaration
of National Emergency only on the
written recommendation of the
Cabinet.
PRIME MINISTER
The Prime Minister: Article 75,
insists that the Prime Minister shall
be appointed by the President and
the other Ministers shall be
appointed by the President on the
advice of the Prime Minister.
422 Prelims Magic 2014
Prime minister is “the key stone of
the cabinet arch.” Article 74 of the
constitution states that “there shall
be a Council of ministers headed by
the Prime Minister for the Union of
India”. Summarizing the role of
Prime Minister, V R Krishna Iyer
says, “The Prime Minister is the
main spring of nation’s major internal
and external policies”. The Prime
minister is elected by the members
of the majority party in Lok sabha.
In case no party enjoys majority it
is left to the discretion of the
President to pick the Prime minister,
who in his opinion will prove majority
in a stipulated time. Traditionally, the
Prime minister should be from
Loksabha. Dr B. R. Ambedkar
compares the powers of Prime
minister to that of the President of
U.S.A.
The Prime Minister theoretically
holds office during the pleasure of
the President. But the Prime
Minister actually stays in office as
long as he enjoys the confidence of
the Parliament. The normal term is
five years but it is automatically
reduced if the house is dissolved
earlier. After losing the majority in
lower house Prime Minister resigns.
This is conventional, not explicitly
mentioned in the constitution.
The powers and function of the
Prime minister are detailed below:
Formation of Ministry: Prime
minister enjoys the authority to pick
and choose his ministry and
allocating responsibilities (portfolios)
to ministers because he is
responsible for efficiency and
performance of the government.
Chairman of the Cabinet: The
cabinet meetings are held under the
chairmanship of the Prime
minister. The Prime minister has the
authority to decide the matters to
be taken up by the cabinet and may
accept or reject proposals.
Leader of the Government: All
major decisions and announcements
of the government are made by the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. If the Prime Minister of India
belonged to the Upper House of
Parliament:
(a) he will not be able to vote in
his favour in the event of a no-
confidence motion
(b) he will not be able to speak on
the budget in the Lower House
(c) he can make statements only
in the Upper House
(d) he has to become a member
of the Lower House within six
months after being sworn in as the
Prime Minister
Which of the above statement/s
is/are correct
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1997)
Explanation: Article 75 of the
Constitution says that the council
of ministers shall be collectively
responsible to the Loksabha.
Therefore no confidence motion
can be moved in Lower House
only. Upper house has nothing to
do with. If P.M. is the member of
Upper House, he will not be able
to vote in his favour in the event
of non-confidence motion.
Q. Which one of the following is
not explicitly stated in the
Constitution of India but followed
as a convention?
(a) The Finance Minister is to be
a Member of the Lower House
(b) The Prime Minister has to
resign if he loses majority in the
Lower House
(c) All the parts of India are to be
represented in the Councils of
Ministers
(d) In the event of both the
President and the Vice- President
demitting office simultaneously
before the end of the tenure the
Speaker of the Lower House of
the Parliament will officiate as the
President
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1995)
Prime minister. It is the responsibility
of the Prime minister to ensure that
all bills brought before Lok sabha
for approval are passed. The Prime
minister, as leader of the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Which one of the following
statements is correct?
The Prime Minister of India:
(a) Is free to choose his minister
only from among those who are
members of either House of the
Parliament
(b) Can choose his cabinet
colleagues after due counselling
by the President of India in this
regard
(c) Has full discretion in the choice
of persons who are to serve as
ministers in his cabinet
(d) Has only limited power in the
choice of his cabinet colleagues
because of the discretionary
powers vested with the President
of India
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
government has to defend policies
and programmes of the government
both in and out of parliament. For
example, when economic reforms
programme was taken up by P. V.
Narasimha Rao government in
1991, it was severely criticized as a
sell out. But the Prime minister
defended his government and
successfully carried out reforms
programme.
Co-ordination and Supervision:
In running the administrative
machinery Prime minister will have
to encounter numerous problems
ranging from routine to serious.
Under the circumstances it is
essential to integrate different
departments and see that they work
smoothly and the ability of the
Prime minister is tested on this
count. A Prime minister should not
only pick a team but also retain it
as a team till the end of the term.
Whenever problems arise between
departments, he has to mediate and
sort it out amicably through dialogue
and goodwill,
The Prime minister acts as a link
between President and Parliament
in a parliamentary government. The
Prime minister is duty bound to keep
the President informed about the
decisions taken by the government. Special Powers: The foreign
Also the President himself can call affairs, national security and on
economic matters Prime minister
for any information from the
enjoys a special position. As the
government (Article78).
whole world watches and listens to
The Lok sabha exists as long as his words with attention he has a
Prime minister wishes because even special place. For example,
before the expiry of 5 years term, Panchasheel agreement with China
Prime minister may seek the was singularly due to Nehru’s
dissolution of Lok sabha. The Lok
sabha is dissolved if deep
differences surface within the
efforts. Similarly Lal Bahadur
Shastri was instrumental in signing
Tashkent agreement, Mrs. Gandhi
P
in Indo Soviet Treaty of Friendship
government or within the ruling
party or the government loses a
motion of no confidence. For
and Rajiv Gandhi in signing Indo Sri
Lankan agreement.
O
example, Prime Minister Vajpayee
recommended dissolution of the 12th
Lok Sabha because he lost a Motion
Prime Minister can recommend to
the President, with the concurrence
of other cabinet ministers, to
L
proclaim a state of emergency on
of No Confidence.
Power of Appointment: Though
grounds of war, external aggression
or armed rebellion. He advises the
I
civil, military, judicial and diplomatic President about imposition of
appointments are made by the
President it is based on the
presidential rule in the states on
grounds of breakdown of T
recommendation of the Prime constitutional machinery or
minister. The highest constitutional
position such as the Chief Election
imposition of an emergency due to
financial instability. Y
Commissioner (CEC), Chief CABINET SECRETARIAT
Vigilance Commissioner (CVC),
Comptroller and Auditor General The Cabinet Secretariat is under the
direct charge of the Prime Minister.
(CAG), the Judges of the Supreme
The administrative head of the
Court and the High courts, the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary
Chiefs of army, navy, and air force, who is also the ex-officio Chairman
the diplomats etc., are appointed on of the Civil Services Board. The
the advice of the Prime minister.
PRIME MINISTERS OF INDIA
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) 15 August 1947-27 May 1964
Gulzari Lal Nanda (1898-1997) 27 May 1964-9 June 1964
(Acting)
Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904-1966) 9 June 1964-11 January 1966
Gulzari Lal Nanda (1898-1997) 11 January 1966-24 January 1966
(Acting)
Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) 24 January1966-24 March 1977
Morarji Desai (1896-1995) 24 March 1977-28 July 1979
Charan Singh (1902-1987) 28 July 1979-14 January 1980
Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) 14 January 1980-31 October 1984
Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991) 31 October 1984-1 December 1989
Vishwanath Pratap Singh (1931-2008) 2 Dec 1989-10 November 1990
Chandra Shekhar (1927-2007) 10 November 1990-21 June 1991
P.V. Narasimha Rao (1921-2004) 21 June 1991-16 May 1996
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (b-1926) 16 May 1996-01 June 1996
H.D. Deve Gowda (b-1933) 01 June 1996-21 April 1997
I.K. Gujral (b-1933) 21 April 1997-18 March 1998
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (b-1926) 19 March 1998 -13 October 1999
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (b-1926) 13 October 1999 - 22 May 2004
Dr. Manmohan Singh (b-1932) 22 May 2004 - till date
Prelims Magic 2014 423
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Union
Government, consider the
following statements:
1. The Constitution of India
provides that all Cabinet Ministers
shall be compulsorily the sitting
members of Lok Sabha only.
2. The Union Cabinet Secretariat
P operates under the direction of the
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Which of the statements given
O above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
L Ans. (d) 2009
Explanation: Article 75 (1) of the
Constitution of India reads: “The
I Prime Minister shall be appointed
by the President and the other
Ministers shall be appointed by the
T President on the advice of the
Prime Minister.” While the Prime
Minister usually is a member of
Y the Lok Sabha, ministers are
drawn from both Houses of
Parliament. A person other than a
member of Parliament may also
be appointed as a minister, but he
has to vacate the office after six
months unless, in the meanwhile,
he manages to get himself elected
to either of the two houses.
The Cabinet Secretariat is under
the direct charge of the Prime
Minister. The administrative head
of the Secretariat is the Cabinet
Secretary who is also the ex-
officio Chairman of the Civil
Services Board. The Cabinet
Secretariat is responsible for the
administration of the Govt. of
India Rules, 1961. It facilitates
smooth transaction of business in
Ministries Departments. It assists
in decision-making in Government
by ensuring Inter-Ministerial
coordination, ironing out
differences and evolving
consensus. It ensures that the
President, the Vice-President and
Ministers are kept informed. It
helps in the Management of major
crisis situations in the country.
424 Prelims Magic 2014
Secretariat assists in decision-
making in Government by ensuring
Inter-Ministerial coordination,
ironing out differences amongst
Ministries/Departments and
evolving consensus through the
instrumentality of the standing and
ad hoc Committees of Secretaries.
The Cabinet Secretariat ensures that
the President, the Vice-President
and Ministers are kept informed of
the major activities of all Ministries/
Departments by means of monthly
summary of their activities.
Management of major crisis
13
MINISTRIES/DEPARTMENTS
OF THE GOVERNMENT
The Government consists of a
number of Ministries/Departments,
number and character varying from
time to time on factors such as
volume of work importance
attached to certain items, changes
of orientation, political expediency,
etc. On 15 August 1947, the number
of Ministries at the Centre was 18.
LIST OF THE MINISTRIES/
DEPARTMENTS
1. Ministry of Agriculture
(i) Department of Agriculture and
Cooperation
(ii) Department of Agricultural
Research and Education
(iii) Department of Animal Hus-
bandry, Dairying and fisheries
2. Ministry of Chemicals and
Fertilizers
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Union
Government, consider the
following statements:
1. The no. of Ministries at the
Centre on 15th August 1947 was
18.
2. The number of Ministries at the
Centre at present is 36.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2009)
situations in the country and
coordinating activities of various
Ministries in such a situation is also
one of the functions of the Cabinet
Secretariat. The Cabinet
Secretariat is seen as a useful
mechanism by the departments for
promoting inter-Ministerial
coordination since the Cabinet
Secretary is also the head of the civil
services. The Secretaries felt it
necessary to keep the Cabinet
Secretary informed of developments
from time to time.
(i) Department of Chemicals and
Petro-Chemicals
(ii) Department of Fertilizers
3. Ministry of Civil Aviation
4. Ministry of Coal
5. Ministry of Commerce and
Industry
(i) Department of Commerce
(ii) Department of Industrial Policy
and Promotion
6. Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology
(i) Department of
Telecommunications
(ii) Department of Post
(iii) Department of Information
Technology
7. Ministry of Consumer Affairs,
Food and Public Distribution
(i) Department of Consumer Affairs
(ii) Department of Food and Public
Distribution
8. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
9. Ministry of Culture
Attached Offices:
Archaeological Survey of India,
New Delhi,
Central Secretariat Library,
National Archives of India, New
Delhi
Subordinate Offices:
Anthropological Survey of India,
Kolkata,
Central Reference Library,
Kolkata,
National Library, Kolkata,
National Gallery of Modern Arts,
New Delhi,
National Museum, New Delhi,
National Research Laboratory for
Conservation of Cultural Property,
Lucknow.
Autonomous Bodies
Allahabad Museum, Allahabad
The Asiatic Society, Kolkata
Centre for Cultural Resources and
Training, New Delhi
Central Institute of Buddhist
Studies,Leh
Central Institute of Higher Tibetan
Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi
Delhi Public Library, Delhi
Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti,
New Delhi
Indian Museum, Kolkata
Indira Gandhi National Centre For
The Arts, New Delhi
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav
Sangrahalaya, Bhopal
Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai
Khuda Baksh Oriental Public
Library, Patna
Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute
of Asian Studies, Calcutta
National Council of Science
Museums, Kolkata
National Museum Institute of
History of Art Conservation and
Museum, New Delhi
National School of Drama, New
Delhi
Nava Nalanda Maha Vihara,
Nalanda, Bihar
Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library, New Delhi
Rampur Raza Library, Rampur
Raja Rammohan Roy Library
Foundation, Kolkata
Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
Sangeet Natak Akademi, New
Delhi
Thanjavur Mah Serfoji’s Saraswathi
Mahal Lib, Thanjavur
Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata
10. Ministry of Defence
(i) Department of Defence
(ii) Department of Defence
Production and Supplies
(iii) Department of Defence
Research and Development
11. Ministry of Development of
North-Eastern Region
12. Ministry of Earth Sciences
13. Ministry of Environment and
Forests
14. Ministry of External Affairs
15. Ministry of Finance
(i) Department of Economic Affairs
(ii) Department of Expenditure
(iii) Department of Revenue
(iv) Department of Disinvestment
(v) Department of Financial
Services
16. Ministry of Food Processing
Industries
17. Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare
(i) Department of Health and family
welfare
(ii) Department of Ayurveda, Yoga-
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
18. Ministry of Heavy Industries
and Public Enterprises
(i) Department of Heavy Industries
(ii) Department of Public
Enterprises
19. Ministry of Home Affairs
(i) Department of Internal Security
(ii) Department of States
(iii) Department of Official
Language
(iv) Department of Home
(v) Department of Jammu and
Kashmir Affairs
(vi) Department of Border
Management
20. Ministry of Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation
21. Ministry of Human Resource
Development
(i) Department of School Education
and Literacy
Prelims Magic 2014
(ii) Department of Higher Education
22. Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting
23. Ministry of Labour and
Employment
24. Ministry of Law and Justice
(i) Department of Legal Affairs
(ii) Legislative Department
(iii) Department of Justice
25. Ministry of Mines
P
26. Ministry of Minority Affairs
27. Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy
O
28. Ministry of Overseas Indians
Affairs L
29. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
30. Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs
I
31. Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances and Pensions
(i) Department of Personnel and
T
Training
(ii) Department of Administrative
Reforms and Public Grievances
Y
(iii) Department of Pensions and
Pensioners’ Welfare
32. Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas
33. Ministry of Planning
34. Ministry of Power
35. Ministry of Railways
36. Ministry of Shipping, Road
Transport and
Attached Offices
(a) Central Intelligent Bureau
(b) Central Bureau of Investigation
(c) National Academy of
Administration.
(d) Secretariat Training school.
(e) Office of the Registar – General
Placements
(f) Central Reserve Police
(g) Border security force
Subordinate Offices
1. National Police Academy
2. Directorate of Police wireless.
3. National five service college.
4. National civil defence college
5. Indo Tibetian border office.
425
 6. Regional office of Hindi
Teaching Scheme.
7. Civil Emergency Force.
8. Central Establishment Board.
9. Emergency Relief Board.
10. Regional Registration Office
11. Advisory Committee for Union
Territories
P How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Under the administration of
which one of the following is the
O Department of Atomic Energy?
(a) Prime Minister’s Office
(b) Cabinet Secretariat
L (c) Ministry of Power
(d)Ministry of Science and
Technology
I Ans. (a) (CSE, 2009)
Q. Under which one of the
T Ministries of the Government of
India does the Food and Nutrition
Board work?
(a) Ministry of Agriculture
Y (b) Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare
(c) Ministry of Human Resource
Development
(d) Ministry of Rural Development
Ans. None (CSE 2005)
Explanation: The Food & Nutrition
Board (FNB), set up in 1964, is
an attached office of the Ministry
of Women & Child Development
and has a countrywide set up.
Originally with Ministry of Food,
the FNB was shifted to Ministry
of Women and Child Development
(then Department of WCD) in
1993.
Q. The Archaeological Survey of
India is an attached office of the
Department/Ministry of:
(a) Culture
(b) Tourism
(c) Science and Technology
(d) Human Resource
Development
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2004)
Q. Survey of India is under the
Ministry of:
(a) Defence
(b) Environment and Forests
(c) Home Affairs
(d) Science and Technology
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
426 Prelims Magic 2014
(i) Department of Shipping
(ii) Department of Road Transport
and Highways
37. Ministry of Rural Development
(i) Department of Rural Develop-
ment
(ii) Department of Land Resources
(iii) Department of Drinking Water
Supply
38. Ministry of Science and
Technology
(i) Department of Science and
Technology: Scientific Services
functioning under this department:
Survey of India and National Atlas
and Thematic Mapping Organi-
sation (NATMO)
(ii) Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research
(iii) Department of Bio-Technology
39. Ministry of Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises
40. Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment
41. Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation
42. Ministry of Steel
43. Ministry of Textiles
44. Ministry of Tourism
45. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
46. Ministry of Urban Development
47. Ministry of Water Resources
48. Ministry of Woman and Child
Development
49. Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports
50. Prime Minister’s Office
(i) Department of Atomic Energy
(ii) Department of Space
(iii) Cabinet Secretariat
SOME IMPORTANT
MINISTRIES
PMO
The Prime Minister of India is
the Head of the Union (Federal)
Government, as distinct from the
President of India, who is the Head
of State. Since India has adopted
the Westminster model of
constitutional democracy, it is the
Prime Minister who oversees the
day-to-day functioning of the Union
(Federal) Government of India.
The Prime Minister’s Office,
popularly known as the
‘PMO’, is located at
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi,
India-110 101.
The PMO provides secretarial
assistance to the Prime Minister. It
is headed by the Principal Secretary
to Prime Minister. The PMO
includes the anti-corruption unit and
the public wing dealing with
grievances.
The subject-matter of files required
to be submitted to the Prime
Minister depends on whether he is
holding direct charge of the Ministry
or whether there is a Cabinet
Minister or Minister of State
(Independent Charge) in charge of
the Ministry.
In the case of the latter, most
matters are dealt with by the
Cabinet Minister / Minister of State-
in-charge. Only important policy
issues, which the Minister
concerned feels should be submitted
to the Prime Minister for orders or
information, are received in the
PMO.
In cases where the Prime Minister
is the Minister-in-charge, all matters
requiring Ministerial approval not
delegated to the Minister of State /
Deputy Minister, if any, are
submitted for orders. The Prime
Minister has traditionally been the
Minister-in-charge of the
Departments of Space, Atomic
Energy, and Ministry of Personnel,
Public Grievances and Pensions.
Since the Prime Minister is
Chairman of the Planning
Commission, relevant files are
forwarded to the PMO for his
comments and clearance.
Some of the important matters that
require the Prime Minister ’s
personal attention include the
following:
(a) Important defence-related
issues;
(b) Decorations, both civilian and
defence, where Presidential
approval is required;
(c) All important policy issues;
(d) Proposals for appointment of
Indian Heads of Missions abroad
and requests for grant of agreement
for foreign Heads of Missions
posted to India;
(e) All important decisions relating
to the Cabinet Secretariat;
(f) Appointments to State
Administrative Tribunals and the
Central Administrative Tribunal,
UPSC, Election Commission,
Appointment of members of
statutory/constitutional Committees,
Commissions attached to various
Ministries;
(g) All policy matters relating to the
administration of the Civil Services
and administrative reforms;
(h) Special Packages announced by
the Prime Minister for States are
monitored in the PMO and
periodical reports submitted to Prime
Minister; and
(i) All judicial appointments for
which Presidential approval is
required.
Parliament Questions
Parliament Questions relating to the
Ministries and Departments of
which Prime Minister is the
Minister-in-charge are answered by
a MOS nominated for the purpose
or by Prime Minister himself.
PM’s Funds
The Prime  Minister’s  National
Relief Fund (PMNRF) and
the National Defence Fund (NDF)
are operated directly from the
PMO. In pursuance of an appeal
by the then Prime Minister, Pt.
Jawaharlal Nehru in January, 1948,
the Prime Minister’s National Relief
Fund (PMNRF) was established
with public contributions to assist
displaced persons from
Pakistan. The resources of the
PMNRF are now utilized primarily
to render immediate relief to
families of those killed in natural
calamities like floods, cyclones and
earthquakes, etc. and to the victims
of the major accidents and
riots. Assistance from PMNRF is
also rendered for medical treatment
like heart surgeries, kidney
transplantation, cancer treatment,
etc. The fund consists entirely of
public contributions and does not get
any budgetary support. The corpus
of the fund is invested with banks
in fixed deposits. Disbursements are
made with the approval of the Prime
Minister.
National Defence Fund: The
National Defence Fund was set up
to take charge of voluntary
donations in cash and kind received
for promotion of the national
defence effort, and to decide on
their utilisation. The Fund is used for
the welfare of the members of the
Armed Forces (including Para
Military Forces) and their
dependents. The Fund is
administered by an Executive
Committee, with PM as
Chairperson, and Defence, Finance
and Home Ministers as Members.
Finance Minister is the Treasurer of
the Fund and the Joint Secretary,
PMO dealing with the subject is
Secretary of the Executive
Committee. Accounts of the Fund
are kept with the Reserve Bank of
India. The fund is entirely
dependent on voluntary
contributions from the public and
does not get any budgetary support.
Ministry of Defence
The responsibility for national
defence rests with the Cabinet. This
is discharged through the Ministry
of Defence, which provides the
Prelims Magic 2014
policy framework and wherewithal
to the Armed Forces to discharge
their responsibilities in the context
of the defence of the country. The
Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister)
is the head of the Ministry of
Defence. The principal task of the
Defence Ministry is to obtain policy
directions of the Government on all
defence and security related
matters and communicate them for
P
implementation to the Services
Headquarters, Inter-Services
Organisations, Production
O
Establishments and Research and
Development Organisations.
The principal functions of all
L
the Departments are as
follows: I
(i) The Department of Defence
deals with the Integrated Defence
Staff (IDS) and three Services and
T
various Inter-Service Organi-
sations. It is also responsible for the
Defence Budget, establishment
Y
matters, defence policy, matters
relating to Parliament, defence co-
operation with foreign countries and
co-ordination of all defence related
activities.
(ii) The Department of Defence
Production The Department of
Defence Production is headed by a
Secretary and deals with matters
pertaining to defence production,
indigenisation of imported stores,
equipment and spares, planning and
control of departmental production
units of the Ordnance Factory
Board and Defence Public Sector
Undertakings (DPSUs).
(iii) The Department of Defence
Research The Department of
Defence Research and
Development is headed by a
Secretary, who is the Scientific
Adviser to the Raksha Mantri. Its
function is to advise the Government
on scientific aspects of military
equipment and logistics and the
formulation of research, design and
development plans for equipment
required by the Services.
427
 (iv) The Department of Ex­
Servicemen Welfare is headed by
a Secretary and deals with all
resettlement, welfare and
pensionary matters of Ex-
Servicemen.
Ministry of Finance
The Ministry of Finance is an
P important ministry within
the Government of India. It
concerns itself with taxation,
O financial legislation, financial
institutions, capital markets,
center and state finances, and
L the Union Budget.
The Union Finance Ministry of India
I comprises five departments:
Department of Economic
Affairs
T DEA is the nodal agency of the
Union Government to formulate and
Y monitor country’s economic policies
and programmes having a bearing
on domestic and international
aspects of economic management.
A principal responsibility of this
Department is the preparation of
the Union Budget annually
(excluding the Railway Budget ).
Other main functions include:
Formulation and monitoring of
macroeconomic policies, including
issues relating to fiscal policy and
public finance, inflation, public debt
management and the functioning of
Capital Market including Stock
Exchanges. In this context, it looks
at ways and means to raise internal
resources through taxation, market
borrowings and mobilization of small
savings;
Monitoring and raising of external
resources through multilateral and
bilateral Official Development
Assistance, sovereign borrowings
abroad, foreign investments and
monitoring foreign exchange
resources including balance of
payments;
Production of bank notes and coins
of various denominations, postal
stationery, postal stamps; and Cadre
428 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Which one of the following is
responsible for the preparation and
presentation of Union Budget to
the Parliament?
(a) Department of Revenue
(b) Department of Economic
Affairs
(c) Department of Financial
Services
(d) Department of Expenditure
Ans (b) CSE 2010
management, career planning and
training of the Indian Economic
Service (IES).
Department of Expenditure
The Department of Expenditure is
the nodal Department for
overseeing the public financial
management system in the Central
Government and matters connected
with State finances. The principal
activities of the Department include
pre-sanction appraisal of major
schemes/projects (both Plan and
non-Plan expenditure), handling the
bulk of the Central budgetary
resources transferred to States,
implementation of the
recommendations of the Finance
and Central Pay Commissions,
overseeing the expenditure
management in the Central
Ministries/Departments through the
interface with the Financial Advisors
and the administration of the
Financial Rules / Regulations /
Orders through monitoring of Audit
comment s/obs er va tions,
preparation of Central Government
Accounts, managing the financial
aspects of personnel management
in the Central Government, assisting
Central Ministries/Departments in
controlling the costs and prices of
public services, assisting
organizational re-engineering
through review of staffing patterns
and O&M studies and reviewing
systems and procedures to optimize
outputs and outcomes of public
expenditure. The Department is
also coordinating matters
concerning the Ministry of Finance
including Parliament-related work of
the Ministry. The Department has
under its administrative control the
National Institute of Financial
Management (NIFM), Faridabad.
The business allocated to the
Department of Expenditure is
carried out through its Establishment
Division, Plan Finance- I and II
Divisions, Finance Commission
Division, Staff Inspection Unit, Cost
Accounts Branch, Controller
General of Accounts and the
Central Pension Accounting office.
Department of Revenue
The Department of Revenue
functions under the overall direction
and control of the Secretary
(Revenue). It exercises control in
respect of matters relating to all the
Direct and Indirect Union Taxes
through two statutory Boards
namely, the Central Board of Direct
Taxes (CBDT) and the Central
Board of Excise and Customs
(CBEC). Each Board is headed by
a Chairman who is also ex-officio
Special Secretary to the
Government of India (Addl.
Secretary level). Matters relating to
the levy and collection of all Direct
taxes are looked after by the CBDT
whereas those relating to levy and
collection of Customs and Central
Excise duties and other Indirect
taxes fall within the purview of the
CBEC. The two Boards were
constituted under the Central Board
of Revenue Act, 1963. At present,
the CBDT has six Members and the
CBEC has five Members. The
Members are also ex-officio
Additional Secretaries to the
Government of India.
Department of Financial
Services
The Department of Financial
Services was created on 28th June,
2007 by merging the erstwhile
Banking and Insurance Divisions.
Broadly, the functions of the
Department are split into those
relating to banking, insurance and
pension reforms.
The department fulfils its
vision through:-
Policy support to the Public Sector
Banks (PSBs), Public Sector
Insurance Companies and
Development Financial Institutions
(DFIs) i.e. NABARD, SIDBI,
IIFCL, EXIM Bank, IDFC, NHB
and IWRFC, IIBI through policy
guidelines, legislative and other
administrative changes.
Monitoring the performance of the
PSBs, Public Sector Insurance
Companies and DFIs
Policy formulation in respect of
Non-Banking Financial Companies,
private banks and foreign banks
Support to regulatory authorities i.e.
RBI, IRDA, PFRDA, NHB and
NABARD
Department of Disinvestments
Initially set up as an independent
ministry (The Ministry of
Disinvestment) in December 1999,
The Department of Disinvestments
came into existence in May 2004
when the ministry was turned into
a department of the Ministry of
Finance. The department took up all
the functions of the erstwhile
ministry which broadly was
responsible for systematic policy
approach to disinvestment
a nd p r iva tisa tionof P ub lic
Sector Units (PSUs).
Ministry of Home Affairs
The Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA)discharges multifarious
functions, important among them
being the maintenance of Internal
Security. Ministry of Home Affairs
extends manpower and financial
support, guidance and expertise to
the State Governments for the
maintenance of security, peace and
harmony without trampling upon the
constitutional rights of the States.
The sub ordinate offices are under
the control of ministry of home
affairs. The ministry of home affairs
deals with matters belonging to
maintenance of peace and public
tranquility and administration of the
public services. It consist of one
secretariat seven attached offices
and eleven sub ordinate offices.
Distinction between attached
office’s and sub ordinate office’s.
Attached offices are responsible for
providing executive directions
required in the implementations of
the policies laid down by the
ministry to which they are attached.
They also serve as repository of
technical informations and advice on
technical aspects of questions dealt
with by them. The sub-ordinate
offices functions as field
establishment or the agencies
responsible for the detailed
execution of the decisions of the
govt. The organisations of the
attached office’s differs from the
that of the ministers and the
department.
The head of the attached office is a
technical officer called the registar,
director general, director of chief
engineer. Some office’s are headed
by additional secretary, joint
secretary while some office’s are
headed by deputy secretaries.
(The above details have to be
transferred to the ministry of home
affairs on page no. 313). There is a
repetition of matter on page numbers
310, 311, 312, 313.
Please refer to page no 350 and 120
amendment have been carried out
and the latest amendment number
120 refers to the judicial appointment
commissions.
All constitutional amendment of
pages 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351,
352 will have to be arranged in
sequential order
Under the Government of India
(Allocation of Business) Rules,
1961, the Ministry of Home Affairs
has the following constituent
Departments.
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Department of Border
Management
Department of Border Manage-
ment, dealing with management of
borders, including coastal borders.
Department of Internal Security
Department of Internal Security,
dealing with police, law and order
and rehabilitation.
Department of J & K Affairs
P
Department of Jammu & Kashmir
(J&K) Affairs, dealing with the O
constitutional provisions in respect
of the State of Jammu & Kashmir
and all other matters relating to the
State excluding those with which
L
the Ministry of External Affairs is
concerned. I
Department of Home
Dealing with the notification of
assumption of office by the
T
President and Vice President,
notification of appointment of the
Prime Minister and other Ministers,
Y
etc.
Department of Official
Language
Dealing with the implementation of
the provisions of the Constitution
relating to official languages and the
provisions of the Official Languages
Act, 1963.
Department of States
Dealing with Centre-State relations,
Inter-State relations, Union
Territories and Freedom Fighters’
pension.
Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology
Departments
Department of Information
Technology (DIT)
Department of Posts
Department of Telecommunications
(DOT)
Attached Offices
National Informatics Centre (NIC)
Standardisation, Testing and Quality
Cerification (STQC)
429
 Autonomous Bodies
Centre for Development of
Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
Centre for Development of
Telematics (C-DOT)
Centre for Liquid Crystal Research
(CLCR)
P Centre for Materials for Electronics
Technology (C-MET)
Education and Research Network
O (ERNET)
Electronics and Computer Software
Export Promotion Council (ESC)
L MIT Accreditation of Computer
Courses (DOEACC)
I Society for Applied Microwave
Electronic Engineering and
Research (SAMEER)
T Software Technology Parks of India
(STPI)
Y Ministry of Corporate Affairs
The Ministry is primarily concerned
with administration of the
Companies Act, 1956, other allied
Acts and rules & regulations framed
there-under mainly for regulating the
functioning of the corporate sector
in accordance with law. The
Ministry is also responsible for
administering the Competition Act,
2002 which will eventually replace
the Monopolies and Restrictive
Trade Practices Act, 1969 under
which the Monopolies and
Restrictive Trade Practices
Commission(MRTPC) is
functioning. Besides, it exercises
supervision over the three
professional bodies, namely, Institute
of Chartered Accountants of
India(ICAI), Institute of Company
Secretaries of India(ICSI) and the
Institute of Cost and Works
Accountants of India (ICWAI)
which are constituted under three
separate Acts of the Parliament for
proper and orderly growth of the
professions concerned. The
Ministry also has the responsibility
of carrying out the functions of the
Central Government relating to
administration of Partnership Act,
1932, the Companies (Donations to
430 Prelims Magic 2014
National Funds) Act, 1951 and
Societies Registration Act, 1980.
Ministry of Environment &
Forests
The Ministry of Environment &
Forests (MoEF) is the nodal agency
in the administrative structure of the
Central Government for the
planning, promotion, co-ordination
and overseeing the implementation
of India’s environmental and
forestry policies and programmes.
The primary concerns of the
Ministry are implementation of
policies and programmes relating to
conservation of the country’s
natural resources including its lakes
and rivers, its biodiversity, forests
and wildlife, ensuring the welfare of
animals, and the prevention and
abatement of pollution. While
implementing these policies and
programmes, the Ministry is guided
by the principle of sustainable
development and enhancement of
human well-being.
The Ministry also serves as the
nodal agency in the country for the
United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), South Asia
Co-operative Environment
Programme (SACEP), International
Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) and for
the follow-up of the United Nations
Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED). The
Ministry is also entrusted with issues
relating to multilateral bodies such
as the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD), Global
Environment Facility (GEF) and of
regional bodies like Economic and
Social Council for Asia and Pacific
(ESCAP) and South Asian
Association for Regional Co-
operation (SAARC) on matters
pertaining to the environment.
The broad objectives of the Ministry
are:
Conservation and survey of flora,
fauna, forests and wildlife
Prevention and control of pollution
Afforestation and regeneration of
degraded areas
Protection of the environment and
Ensuring the welfare of animals
These objectives are well supported
by a set of legislative and regulatory
measures, aimed at the
preservation, conservation and
protection of the environment.
Besides the legislative measures,
the National Conservation Strategy
and Policy Statement on
Environment and Development,
1992; National Forest Policy,
1988; Policy Statement on
Abatement of Pollution, 1992; and
the National Environment Policy,
2006 also guide the Ministry’s work.
Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) is the foreign ministry
of India. It is the Indian govern­
ment agency responsible for
the foreign relations of India.
The Minister of External Affairs
holds cabinet rank as a member of
the Council of Ministers. The
Minister of External Affairs
oversees the Indian Foreign
Service, the foreign service of India.
Ministry of Rural Development
This Ministry has been acting as a
catalyst effecting the change in rural
areas through the implementation of
wide spectrum of programmes
which are aimed at poverty
alleviation, employment generation,
infrastructure development and
social security. Over the years, with
the experience gained, in the
implementation of the programmes
and in response to the felt needs of
the poor, several programmes have
been modified and new
programmes have been introduced.
This Ministry’s main objective is to
alleviate rural poverty and ensure
improved quality of life for the rural
population especially those below
the poverty line.
The Ministry consists of the
following three Departments:
1. Department of Rural Develop­
ment
2. Department of Land Resources
3. Department of Drinking Water
Supply

COMPTROLLER AND
14 AUDITOR - GENERAL
Comptroller and Auditor-General
(CAG) is appointed by the
President. The CAG is a guardian
of public finances of the union
government. CAG acts as custodian
and trustee of the public money. He
ensures regularity of expenditure
and looks into the wisdom of the
expenditure. Every year the CAG
of India submits a report relating to
the accounts of the Union to the
President who places the same
before the Parliament.
His office has been created by the
Constitution. Generally, a person
with long administrative experience
and knowledge of accounts is
appointed to this office. He holds
office for a term of six years or till
he attains the age of 65 years.
However, he can relinquish office
earlier. The President can also
remove him from office before the
expiry of his term on grounds of
proved misbehaviour and incapacity.
The President issues orders for
removal of CAG only on the
recommendation of the two houses
of Parliament. Procedure and
grounds for his removal from office
are the same as for a Supreme
Court Judge. He is not eligible for
further office under the Union or a
State Government after he ceases
to hold his office. The President on
advice of Comptroller and Auditor-
General prescribes the form in
which accounts of the Union and
states are to be kept. His reports
on accounts of the Union and states
are submitted to the President and
respective governors which are
placed before Parliament and state
legislatures. The Comptroller and
Auditor General was receiving a
monthly salary of Rs 9,000 till 1998
when it was increased to 30,000. In
2009 it is again increased to Rs
90000. In addition to this, he is
entitled to free official
accommodation, medical benefits
and other allowances. He is entitled
to pension after retirement. The
duties and functions of the CAG as
laid down by the Parliament and the
Constitution are:
1. He audits the accounts related to
all expenditure from the
Consolidated Fund of India,
consolidated fund of each state and
consolidated fund of each union
territory having a Legislative
Assembly.
2. He audits all expenditure from the
Contingency Fund of India and the
Public Account of India as well as
the contingency fund of each state
and the public account of each
state.
3.He audits all trading,
manufacturing, profit and loss
accounts, balance sheets and other
subsidiary accounts kept by any
department of the Central
Government and state governments.
4. He audits the receipts and
expenditure of the Centre and each
state to satisfy himself that the rules
and procedures in that behalf are
designed to secure an collection and
proper allocation of revenue.
5. He audits the receipts and
expenditure of the following:
(a) All bodies and authorities
substantially financed from the
Central or state revenues;
(b) Government companies; and
(c) Other corporations and bodies,
when so required by related laws.
6. He audits all transactions of the
Central and state governments
related to debt, sinking funds,
deposits, advances, suspense
accounts and remittance business,
He also audits receipts, stock
accounts and others, with approval
of the President, or when required
by the President.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
duties is not performed by
Comptroller and Auditor general of
India?
(a) To audit and report on all
expenditure from the Consolidated
Fund of India
(b) To audit and report on all
expenditure from the Contingency
Funds and Public Accounts
P
(c) To audit and report on all
trading, manufacturing, profit and
loss accounts
O
(d) To control the receipt and issue
of public money, and to ensure that
the public revenue is lodged in the
L
exchequer
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2001) I
Q. In India, other than ensuring
that public funds are used
efficiently and for intended
T
purpose, what is the importance of
the office of the Comptroller and
Auditor General (CAG)?
Y
1. CAG exercises exchequer
control on behalf of the
Parliament when the President of
India declares national emergency/
financial emergency.
2. CAG reports on the execution
of projects or programmes by the
ministries are discussed by the
Public Accounts Committee.
3. Information from CAG reports
can be used by investigating
agencies to press charges against
those who have violated the law
while managing public finances.
4. While dealing with the audit
and accounting of government
companies, CAG has certain
judicial powers for prosecuting
those who violate the law.
Which of the statements
given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (c) CSE 2012
431
 7. He audits the accounts of any
other authority when requested by
the President or Governor. For
example, the audit of local bodies.
8. He advises the President with
regard to prescription of the form
in which the accounts of the Centre
and the states shall be kept (Article
P 150).
9. He submits his audit reports
relating to the accounts of the
O Centre to President, who shall, in
turn, place them before both the
L 15 ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA
Attorney General is the highest legal
I officer of the union government and
renders legal assistance to it.
Attorney General is appointed by
T the President and holds office during
his pleasure. Qualifications
prescribed for Attorney General is
Y the same as that of a judge of the
Supreme Court. The Attorney
General is entitled to audience in all
courts in the country and can take
part in the proceedings of
Parliament and its committees.
However, he is not given the right
to vote. Attorney General is the
chief legal adviser of the
Government of India and gives
advice on all such legal matters
which may be referred or assigned
to him by the President.
16 UNION LEGISLATURE
Legislature of the Union which is
called Parliament consists of
President and two Houses, known
as Council of States (Rajya Sabha)
and House of the People (Lok
Sabha). Part V, Chapter III and
IV, Articles 79 to 123 deals with
the Union Parliament. Article 79
expressly states that “there shall be
a Parliament for the union of India.
The constitution of India clearly
states that the Parliament shall meet
twice in a year and there should not
be a gap of 6 months between two
432 Prelims Magic 2014
Houses of Parliament (Article 151).
10. He submits his audit reports
relating to the accounts of a state
to governor, who shall, in turn, place
them before the state legislature
(Article 151).
11. He ascertains and certifies the
net proceeds of any tax or duty
(Article 279). His certificate is final.
The ‘net proceeds’ means the
proceeds of a tax or a duty minus
the cost of collection.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements about the Attorney
General of India:
(a) He is appointed by the
President of India
(b) He must have the same
qualifications as are required for
a judge of the Supreme Court
(c) He must be a member of either
House of Parliament
(d) He can be removed by
impeachment by Parliament
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
sittings (Article 85). The parliament
meets in three sessions: the Budget
session (February-May), the
Monsoon session July-
September) and the winter session
(November/December). The
deliberations take place in Hindi and
English but the members are free
to speak in their mother tongue also.
The Parliament exercises control
over the executive through asking
questions and supplementary
questions, moving motions of
12. He acts as a guide, friend and
philosopher of the Public Accounts
Committee of the Parliament.
13. He compiles and maintains the
accounts of state governments. In
1976, he was relieved of his
responsibilities with regard to the
compilation and maintenance of
accounts of the Central Government
due to the separation of accounts
from audit, that is, departmentali-
zation of accounts.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Attorney General of India can
1. take part in the proceedings of
the Lok Sabha
2. be a member of a committee of
the Lok Sabha
3. speak in the Lok Sabha
4. vote in the Lok Sabha
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3 only
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
Expl: He has the right to speak
and to take part in the proceedings
of both the Houses of Parliament
or their joint sittings and in any
committee of the Parliament of
which he may be named a
member, but without the right to
vote.
adjournment, discussing and passing
resolutions, discussing and passing
censure motion or vote of no-
confidence.
RAJYA SABHA
The Constitution provides that the
Rajya Sabha shall consist of 12
members to be nominated by the
President from amongst persons
having special knowledge or
practical experience in respect of
such matters as literature, science,
art and social service; and not more
than 238 representatives of the
States and of the Union Territories.
Elections to the Rajya Sabha are
indirect; members representing
States are elected by elected
members of legislative assemblies
of the States in accordance with the
system of proportional
representation by means of the
single transferable vote, and those
representing Union Territories are
chosen in such manner as
Parliament may by law prescribe.
Rajya Sabha is a permanent house.
It means the Rajya Sabha is not
subject to dissolution; one-third of
its members retire every second
year. Rajya Sabha, at present, has
245 seats. Of these, 233 members
represent the States and the Union
Territories and 12 members are
nominated by the President.
Qualifications: To become a
member of Rajyasabha one:
1. Must be a citizen of India.
2. Should have attained the age of
30 years.
3. Owe allegiance to the
constitution.
4. Must not hold any office of profit
under the government - national,
regional or local.
5. Should not be insolvent or man
of unsound mind.
6. Must not have acquired the
citizenship of a foreign state.
Salary (Emoluments):
A member of Raja sabha is entitled
to a salary, The salaries of the
members of parliament is governed
by Salary, Allowances and Pensions
of MPs Act, 1954. The efforts are
on to appoint an independent pay
commission for MPs. as determined
by the parliament from time to time.
They are also entitled to a pension
on a graduated scale for each six-
year term as member of the House.
A member of Rajya sabha enjoys
rent-free accommodation, free
electricity, transport and
communication (telephone) facilities
etc.
Immunities: How was this topic asked in the CSE?
The members enjoy immunity from
arrest, to stand witness in any case
and importantly the freedom of
speech ensures that anything said
in the House is not liable for
proceeding in a court of law.
The Presiding Officer: The
presiding officer of the Rajya sabha
is the Vice-President who acts as
P
the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya
sabha. He holds office for a period
of 5 years and salaries and
O
allowances are as determined by the
parliament and charged on the
Consolidated Fund of India, a
Q. Which one of the following will
L
corpus of 50 crore which is
enhanced from time to time. When
the Chairman acts as the President
fit in the place marked ‘X’?
(a) Ministers who are not members
of Parliament but who have to get
I
of India, the Deputy Chairman shall
perform the duties of the Chairman.
The Chairman may be removed
themselves elected to either House
of Parliament within six months
after assuming office
T
from office only if he is removed
from the office of the Vice-
president.
(b) Not more than 20 nominated
members
(c) Not more than 20 represen-
Y
LOK SABHA tative of Union Territories
(d) The Attorney General who has
The Lok Sabha is composed of the right to speak and take part in
representatives of people chosen by
the proceedings of either House
direct election on the basis of adult
of Parliament
suffrage (suffrage = the right to
vote). The maximum strength of the Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
House envisaged by the Constitution
is now 552 (530 members to How was this topic asked in the CSE?
represent the States, 20 members
to represent the Union Territories Q. Which one of the following
and not more than two members of statements is correct?
the Anglo-Indian community to be (a) Only the Rajya Sabha and not
nominated by the President, if, in his the Lok Sabha can have
opinion, that community is not nominated members
adequately represented in the (b) There is a constitutional
House). The total elective provision for nominating two
membership of the Lok Sabha is members belonging to the Anglo-
distributed among the States in such Indian community to the Rajya
a way that the ratio between the Sabha
number of seats allotted to each (c) There is no constitutional bar
State and the population of the State for a nominated member to be
is, as far as practicable, the same appointed as a Union minister.
for all States. The Lok Sabha at (d) A nominated member can vote
present consists of 545 members. both in the Presidential and Vice
Of these, 530 members are directly
Presidential elections
elected from the States and 13 from Ans. (c) (CSE, 2003)
Union Territories while two are
nominated by the President to
represent the Anglo-Indian
Prelims Magic 2014 433
 community. Following the
Constitution 84th Amendment Act,
2001 the total number of existing
seats as allocated to various States
in the Lok Sabha on the basis of the
1971 census shall remain unaltered
till the first census to be taken after
the year 2026.
The term of the Lok Sabha, unless
P dissolved earlier is five years from
the date appointed for its first
meeting. However, while a
O Proclamation of Emergency is in
operation, this period may be
extended by Parliament by law for
L a period not exceeding one year at
a time and not extending in any
case, beyond a period of six months
I after the Proclamation has ceased
to operate. Fourteen Lok Sabhas
have been constituted so far.
T Qualifications: To be eligible for
membership of the Lok Sabha a
person,
Y 1. Must be a citizen of India.
2. Must have attained the age of 25
years.
3. Must be eligible as a voter from
one of the Lok sabha constituencies.
4. Must owe allegiance to the
constitution.
5. Should posses all qualifications
that are required for a member of
parliament.
6. Must not be holding an office of
profit under the government
national, regional or local.
7. Should not be an un discharged
insolvent.
8. Must not be a man of unsound
mind.
9. Must not have acquired a foreign
citizenship.
Term: They are elected for a period
of 5 years. Original idea was to
have a term of 4 years but the
Drafting Committee of the
constitution reasoned that in case of
4 years term, the first year is spent
in understanding the procedures and
the last year is reserved for election
activities leaving only two years to
work, which is too short, hence 5
years. However, normal term may
be extended by an act of parliament
when Proclamation of emergency
is in operation but not beyond a
434 Prelims Magic 2014
period of one year and not beyond
six months after Proclamation of
emergency ceases to operate.
Removal:
A member of Lok Sabha may
himself resign his seat by addressing
his resignation to the speaker. A Lok
sabha member loses his seat if he
gets selected as a member of Rajya
sabha or elected for the state
legislature. The seat of a member
may be declared vacant if he
absents himself from all meetings
of the house for a period of 60 days
without permission of the house.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The term of the Lok Sabha:
(a) Cannot be extended under any
circumstances
(b) Can be extended by six months
at a time
(c) Can be extended by one year
at a time during the proclamation
of emergency
(d) Can be extended for two years
at a time during the proclamation
of emergency
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
Salary:
A member of Lok Sabha gets a
salary as determined by parliament
from time to time. At present, the
basic salary of the memebers of Lok
Sabha is Rs. 50,000/- per month
[Revised in August 2010] Besides
salary, an MP gets an allowance of
Rs.1,000 for each day the
Parliament is in session or for taking
part in House committee
meetings. A member is also entitled
to a constituency allowance of
Rs.20,000 per month and an office
expense allowance of Rs.20,000
per month. These perks too have
also been doubled.
They are also entitled to pension.
The salaries may be increased by
an act of parliament. They are also
entitled certain benefits such as rent
free accommodation, basic
furnishing, free electricity; transport
and communication facilities, etc.
Immunities:
The members of Lok sabha enjoy
certain immunities such as freedom
from arrest in case of civil cases,
during a period of 40 days before
and after a sitting of parliament.
However, this is not applicable in
criminal cases or cases under the
law of preventive detention.
Speaker:
The presiding officer of Lok sabha
is the Speaker who is elected from
among the members along with the
Deputy Speaker and stays in
office till the life of the House i.e.,
5 years. His primary task is to
protect the dignity and decorum of
the House and to see that the
proceedings of the House are
conduced in an orderly and a
focussed manner. He is the principal
spokesperson of the House and
must be impartial and even handed
in dealing as the custodian of the
House. In order to ensure
impartiality, speaker resigns his party
membership on election. The
Deputy speaker discharges the duty
when the office of the speaker falls
vacant due to resignation, death or
removal by a 2/3 majority of the
total membership of the House or
in the absence of the speaker.
Salary of the speaker is determined
by parliament from time to time.
Whenever, the office of the Speaker
or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant
the House elects a member to fill
the vacancy. After every general
election the Lok Sabha elects the
Speaker on the day fixed by the
President (Rule 7). The election of
Deputy Speaker takes place on the
day fixed by the Speaker. On the
dissolution of the Lok Sabha the
Speaker does not vacate his office.
He continues in office until
immediately before the first meeting
of the new Lok Sabha elected after
dissolution. The office of the
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker
may terminate earlier in the following
circumstances:
(a) Ceasing to be a member of the
Lok Sabha.
(b) The Speaker may resign his
office by writing under his hand
addressed to the Deputy Speaker.
The Deputy Speaker can resign in
like manner addressing his
resignation to the Speaker.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Regarding the office of the Lok
Sabha Speaker, consider the
following statements:
1. He/She holds the office during
the pleasure of the President.
2. He/She need not be a member
of the House at the time of his/her
election but has to become a
member of the House within six
months from the date of his/her
election.
3. If he/she intends to resign, the
letter of his/her resignation has
to be addressed to the Deputy
Speaker.
Which of the statements given
above is /are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None
Ans: (b) CSE 2012
(c) May be removed from his office
by a resolution passed by a majority
of all the then members of the
House.
Removal of Speaker
Before moving a resolution for the
removal of Speaker 14 days notice
has to be given of the intention to
move the resolution.
While any resolution for the removal
of the Speaker is under
consideration, he shall not preside
but he shall have the right to speak
and otherwise to take part in the
proceedings. He is also entitled to
vote on the resolution in the first
instance. But he will not be able to
exercise his casting vote in the case
of equality of votes. (Art.96). The
Speaker may be removed if the Lok
Sabha passes a resolution by a
majority of the total members of the
House-not by ordinary majority.
Panel of Presiding Officers
The Speaker presides over the
meetings of the House. In his
absence or when the office of the
Speaker is vacant the Deputy
Speaker presides over the Lok
Sabha. The Lok Sabha in its Rules
of procedure (Rule 9) prepares a
panel of maximum 10 members,
anyone of whom presides, elected
members, depending upon the
availability, in the absence of the
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
While presiding over a sitting the
Deputy Speaker or other members
has the same power as the Speaker.
Speaker Protem
After each general election the
President nominates the senior most
member elected as Speaker
Protem. He performs the duties of
office of the Speaker till the house
elects one. Usually the only duty
performed by the Speaker Protem
is to administer oath to the newly
Duties and functions of
Speaker
The Speaker is the Chief officer of
the Lok Sabha. There is a separate
secretarial staff to assist him,
popularly known as the Lok Sabha
Secretariat.
1. To preside and conduct the
proceedings: The Speaker presides
over the sittings of the Lok Sabha
and controls it’s working. He is
responsible for upholding the dignity
and the privileges of the House.
When a point of order· is raised or
any question involving the
interpretation of the rules and the
precedents of Lok Sabha is raised
the Speaker has to interpret the rule
and give his ruling. The rulings given
by a previous Speaker are regarded
as precedents and are generally
followed.
It is not subject to annual vote in
the Parliament. The Speaker can be
removed, only by a resolution which
must be supported by a majority of
all the then members of the House.
He cannot be removed by a
Prelims Magic 2014
resolution passed by a majority of
the members present and voting.
Hence, there is a security of tenure
for the Speaker. The speaker may
conduct the proceedings in an
impartial manner without remaining
in constant fear of being removed.
2. Casting Vote: Article 100
provides that the Speaker shall not
vote in the first instance, in other
words when a question is before the
P
House and a division is called the
members may vote for or against
the motion (or may abstain from
O
voting). The Speaker cannot
participate at this stage. If after
counting votes it is found that the
L
votes in favour and against are equal
then, the speaker is entitled to cast
his vote. Such vote is called casting
I
vote. Thus, the Speaker is entitled
to vote only when there is a tie.
Under the rules of some companies
T
and societies the presiding officers
votes in the first instance and also
casts a second vote in case of
Y
equality of votes. The second vote
is called the casting vote. But the
Speaker shall cast vote only once
and that too in case of equality. The
purpose of giving a casting vote is
to resolve a dead lock.
3. Quorum: The Quorum to
constitute a meeting of the Lok
Sabha is 1/10 of the total number of
members. If the quorum is not
complete it is the duty of the Speaker
to adjourn the House or to suspend
the meeting until there is quorum.
4. Joint Sittings: The Speaker also
presides over the joint sittings of the
two Houses of Parliament.
5. Money Bill: When a Money Bill
is transmitted to Rajya Sabha after
being passed by Lok Sabha the
Speaker makes an endorsement on
the Bill to certify that it is a Money
Bill. He again certifies the Money
Bill when it is presented to the
President for assent. On the
question whether a Bill is a Money
Bill or not, the decision of the
Speaker is final. If a Bill contains
an endorsement that it is a Money
435
 Bill then a!! those provisions which
are applicable to Money Bill apply
to it.
Independence and
Impartiality
The following provisions ensure the
independence and impartiality of the
office of the Speaker:
P 1. He is provided with a security of
tenure. He can be removed only by
O a resolution passed by the Lok
Sabha by an absolute majority (i.e,
a majority of the total members of
L the House) and not by an ordinary
majority (i.e, a majority of the
members present and voting in the
I House). This motion of removal can
be considered and discussed only
when it has the support of at least
T 50 members.
2. His salaries and allowances are
fixed by Parliament. They are
Y charged on the Consolidated Fund
of India and thus are not subject to
the annual vote of Parliament.
3. His powers of regulating
procedure or conducting business or
maintaining order in the House are
not subject to the jurisdiction of any
Court.
4. His work and conduct cannot be
discussed and criticised in the Lok
Sabha except on a substantive
motion.
5. He cannot vote in the first
instance. He can only exercise a
casting vote in the event of a tie.
This makes the position of Speaker
impartial.
Deputy Speaker
The Deputy Speaker is a member
of the Lok Sabha who is elected by
the House as Deputy Speaker. He
is elected after the election of the
Speaker has taken place. In the 11
th and subsequent Lok Sabha there
has been a consensus that the post
of Deputy Speaker should be given
to the nominee of the opposition
party. During earlier years both the
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker
436 Prelims Magic 2014
List of Speakers
G.V. Mavlankar May 15, 1952 - February 27,1956
M. A. Ayyangar March 8, 1956 - April 16, 1962
Sardar Hukam Singh April 17, 1962 - March 16,1967
N. Sanjiva Reddy March 17, 1967 - July 19, 1969
G. S. Dhillon August 8, 1969 - December 1,1975
Bali Ram Bhagat January 15, 1976 - March 25,1977
N. Sanjiva Reddy March 26, 1977 - July 13, 1977
K.S. Hegde
Balram Jakhar
July 21, 1977 - January 21,1980
January 22, 1980 - December 18, 1989
Rabi Ray December 19, 1989 - July 9,1991
Shivraj Patil
P.A. Sangma
July 10, 1991 - May 22, 1996
May 25, 1996 -March 23,1998
G.M.C. Balayogi March 24, 1998 - March 3,2002
Manohar Joshi
Somnath Chatterjee
May 10, 2002 - June 2, 2004
June 4, 2004 - May 30, 2009
Mira Kumar May 30, 2009 - present
were members of the ruling party.
The Deputy Speaker can resign his
interpreting the Rules of procedure.
No member can speak in the House
office by addressing his resignation
to the Speaker. His office will fall
vacant if he ceases to be a member
without the permission of the
speaker and it is the speaker who
fixes the time limit for speech He
of the Lok Sabha. He may be
removed from his office by a
resolution passed by a majority of
presides over the Joint sittings of the
parliament. During discussions, the
all then members of the Lok Sabha. members must address the Chair.
The Deputy Speaker presides over In case of a tie, speaker has the
right to cast a vote power with
the House when the office of the
Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is respect to a subject falling within the
sphere exclusively reserved for the
absent from a sitting. He also
discharges all the functions and States.
performs all the duties attached to Powers
the office of the Speaker when the
office of the Speaker is vacant. The Parliament is also vested with
When the Deputy Speaker presides powers to impeach the President
over the House he is not entitled to and to remove the Judges of
cast vote in the first instance but Supreme Court and High Courts,
will have a casting vote in case of the Chief Election Commissioner
equality of votes. While presiding and the Comptroller and Auditor
over the House the Deputy Speaker General in accordance with the
has to maintain order and interpret procedure laid down in the
rules – Constitution. All legislation require
consent of both the Houses of
All orders of the house are executed Parliament. In the case of money
through the Speaker bills, however, the will of the Lok
Communication from the President Sabha prevails. Delegated
is made known through the Speaker. legislation is also subject to review
and control by Parliament. Besides
It is the power of the speaker to the power to legislate, the
declare whether a bill is Money bill Constitution vests in Parliament the
or not. power to initiate amendment of the
Speaker ’s decisions cannot be Constitution.
questioned in a court of law. 1. The Parliament legislates on
subjects included in the union and
He enjoys the authority of
concurrent lists. It can also legislate
on subjects included in the state list,
(a) if the Rajya Sabha passess a
resolution by two­third majority that
it is in the national interest that
Parliament should legislate on the
state subject;
(b) if the legislatures of two or more
states recommend to Parliament to
legislate;
(c) for the implementation of treaties
and agreements with foreign
powers; and
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Parliament can make any
law for whole or any part of India
for implementing international
treaties
(a) with the consent of all the
States
(b) with the consent of the majority
of States
(c) with the consent of the States
concerned
(d) without the consent of any
State
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
(d) during the proclamation of
emergency on account of threat to
the security of India or a
break­down of constitutional
machinery in the state. The power
to legislate on residuary subjects
also vests with Parliament.
2. The Parliament exercises
complete control over the union
finances. No taxes can be
levied or expenditure incurred
without its approval.
3. The Parliament exercises
complete control over the executive.
The council of ministers, which is
the real executive, is accountable to
Parliament and stays in office as
long as it enjoys the confidence of
Parliament. If the Parliament
expresses lack of confidence in the
council of ministers, it has to resign.
The Parliament exercises control
over government in numerous ways
through questions, supplementary
questions, resolutions, and so on.
Actually, on account of rigid party
discipline, the members of
Parliament do not exercise any real
control over the council of ministers
as they readily endorse its policies
and actions.
4. The Parliament plays a major role
in the amendment of the
Constitution. Major portions of the
Constitution can be amended by the
Parliament alone by a simple or two-
third majority. Only in respect of a
limited numbers of provision can the
amendments be carried out by
Parliament with the approval of the
legislatures of a majority of states.
5. The Parliament elects the Vice-
President and can initiate
impeachment proceedings against
the President of India.
6. The Parliament recommends the
creation of new All India Services.
7. The Parliament reserves the right
to recommend removal of a judge
of the Supreme Court and High
Courts to the President.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following are the
methods of Parliamentary control
over public finance in India?
1. Placing Annual Financial
Statement before the Parliament
2. Withdrawal of moneys from
Consolidated Fund of India only
after passing the Appropriation
Bill
3. Provisions of supplementary
grants and vote-on-account
4. A periodic or at least a mid-year
review of programme of the
Government against
macroeconomic forecasts and
expenditure by a Parliamentary
Budget Office
5. Introducing Finance Bill in the
Parliament
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below :
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans: (b) CSE 2012
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Speaker of Lok Sabha has
the power to adjourn the House
sine die but, on prorogation, it is
only the President who can
summon the House
2. Unless sooner dissolved or
there is an extension of the term,
there is an automatic dissolution
P
of the Lok Sabha by efflux of time,
at the end of the period of five
years, even if no formal order of
O
dissolution is issued by the
President
3. The Speaker of Lok Sabha
L
continues in office even after the
dissolution of the House and until
immediately before the first
I
meeting of the House
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
T
(a) 1 and 2
(c) 1 and 3
Ans. (b)
(b) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(CSE 2004)
Y
Q. Who among the following was
never the Lok Sabha Speaker?
(a) K.V.K Sundaram
(b) G. S. Dhillon
(c) Baliram Bhagat
(d) Hukum Singh
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2004)
8. Parliament’s approval is essential
for the continuance of proclamation
of emergency made by the
President.
Special Powers of Lok Sabha
1. All money bills can originate only
in the Lok Sabha.
2. The final authority with regard to
passage of a money bill rests
with the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha
can make certain recommendations
with regard to money bill, but it is
up to the Lok Sabha to accept the
same or not. Hence it can be said
that Lok Sabha enjoys exclusive
power with regard to money bill.
3. No Confidence Motion: The Lok
Sabha enjoys exclusive power to
437
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who was the speaker of the
First Lok Sabha?
(a)Hukum Singh
(b) G. V. Mavalankar
(c) K. M. Munshi
(d) U. N. Dhebar
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001)
P Explanation: Speaker, himself
can summon the house after it has
been adjourned sine-die. So drop
O point No. (1).
Q. The Parliament can make any
L law for the whole or any part of
India for implementing Inter-
national treaties:
I (a) with the consent of all the State
(b) with the consent of the majority
of States
T (c) with the consent of the States
concerned
(d) without the consent of any
Y State
Ans. (d) (CSE 2000)
Q. When the annual Union Budget
is not passed by the Lok Sabha,
(a) the Budget is modified and
presented again(b) the Budget is
referred to the Rajya Sabha for
suggestions
(c) the Union Finance Minister is
asked to resign
(d) the Prime Minister submits the
resignation of Council of Ministers
Ans. (d) (CSE 2011)
Explanation: The Prime Minister
and the Council of Ministers are
jointly accountable to the Lok
Sabha. If policy statement like
Annual Budget fails, it is
tantamount to loss of confidence
of the Parliament for the
government.
pass a no confidence against the
Council of Ministers and oust it
from office before the expiry of it’s
term.
The most powerful weapon that
enables the Parliament to ensure
executive accountability is the no-
confidence motion. As long as the
government has the support of its
438 Prelims Magic 2014
party or coalition of parties that have
a majority in the Lok Sabha, the
power of the House to dismiss the
government is fictional rather than
real. However, after 1989, several
governments have been forced to
resign due to lack of confidence of
the house. Each of these
governments lost the confidence of
the Lok Sabha because they failed
to retain the support of their coalition
partners.
Special Powers of Rajya Sabha
(i) Resolution for the removal of the
Vice-President of India can
originate only in the Rajya Sabha.
After the resolution is passed by
majority of the members of Rajya
Sabha it is sent to the Lok Sabha
for approval.
(ii) The resolution for the creation
of new All India Services can be
initiated only in the Rajya Sabha.
Only after the Rajya Sabha passes
a resolution to this effect by a
special majority, viz two-thirds
majority of members present and
voting, the Parliament can enact
necessary law to this effect.
(iii) Legislation on any subject of the
State list can originate only in the
Rajya Sabha. However, before
doing so the Rajya Sabha has to
satisfy itself that it is necessary or
expedient in national interest to do
so.
LEADERS OF OPPOSITION
IN PARLIAMENT
In keeping with their important role,
the Leaders of Opposition in the
Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha are
accorded statutory recognition.
Salary and other suitable facilities
are extended to them through a
separate legislation brought into
force on 1 November 1977.
Secretary General The Secretary
General, who acts as an adviser to
the Speaker of Lok Sabha, and the
members of Parliament with regard
to Parliamentary matters and
procedures, is appointed by the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Rajya Sabha alone has the
power to declare that it would be
in national interest for the
Parliament to legislate with respect
to a matter in the State List.
2. Resolutions approving the
proclamation of Emergency are
passed only by the Lok Sabha.
Which of the statement(s) given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2006)
Speaker of Lok Sabha. Usually the
Secretary General is picked up from
amongst persons who have served
Parliament in various capacities in
the Secretariat. He holds office till
he attains the age of 60 years. His
actions cannot be criticised in or
outside the House. He is
answerable only to the Speaker.
Similar position is available for
Rajyasabha also.
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
IN PARLIAMENT
The Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs is entrusted with the
responsibility of coordinating,
planning and arranging Government
Business in both Houses of
Parliament. In the discharge of this
function, he is assisted by his
Ministers of State. The Minister
also keeps close and constant
contact with the presiding officers,
the leaders as well as chief whips
and whips of various parties and
groups in both the Houses of
Parliament.
CONSULTATIVECOMMITTEES:
The Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs constitutes Consultative
Committees of Members of both the
Houses of Parliament, which are
attached to various Ministries, and
arranges meetings thereof. The
Minister/Minister of State in-charge
of the Ministry concerned acts as
the chairman of the Consultative
Committee of that Ministry. The
main purpose of these Committees
is to provide a forum for informal
discussions between the
Government and Members of
Parliament on policies and
programmes of the Government and
the manner of their implementation.
Meetings of these Committees are
held both during the session and
inter-session period of Parliament.
After the constitution of the 14th
Lok Sabha, 32 Consultative
Committees attached to various
Ministries were constituted. Besides
this, 16 Informal Consultative
Committees of the sixteen Railway
Zones have also been constituted.
Unlike the Consultative Committees
attached to the Ministries, meetings,
of these Informal Consultative
Committees are to be arranged
during Session periods only.
NOMINATION OF MEMBERS OF
PARLIAMENT ON GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEES / BODIES: The
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
nominates Members of Parliament
on Committees, Councils, Boards
and Commissions, etc., set-up by
the Government of India in various
Ministries. (except in case of
statutory or other bodies where the
statute or the bye-laws framed
thereunder provides that the
Member of Parliament to be
appointed thereon will be nominated
by the Presiding Officers of the
respective Houses or will be elected
by the Lok Sabha or the Rajya
Sabha, as the case may be). The
Members are nominated on such
Bodies keeping in view their
aptitude and special interest in the
subject.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Consultative Committee of
Members of Parliament for
Railway Zones is constituted by
the:
(a) President of India
(b) Ministry of Railways
(c) Ministry of Parliament Affairs
(d) Ministry of Transport
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
Parliament @60
On May 13, 2012, the Indian
Parliament completed 60 years
since its first sitting. To mark the
occasion, a special sitting of both
Houses was organised on the day.
There has been a noticeable shift in
the age profile of MPs in Lok
Sabha. The percentage of older
MPs has increased significantly. In
1952, only 20 per cent of MPs were
56 years or older. In 2009, this figure
had increased to 43 per cent. In the
1st Lok Sabha, there was no MP
over the age of 70. This number has
risen to 7 per cent in the current Lok
Sabha.The number of MPs below
40 has decreased from 26 per cent
in 1952 to 14 per cent in the current
Lok Sabha. Women MPs are
younger than their male
counterparts. At the beginning of the
15th Lok Sabha, the average age
of women MPs was 47 while the
average age of male MPs was 54
years. There were no women MPs
over 70 years of age. Women
constitute 11 per cent of the 15th
Lok Sabha. In comparison, only 5
per cent of MPs in the 1st Lok
Sabha were women. The 1st Lok
Sabha passed an average of 72 Bills
each year. This has decreased to
40 Bills a year in the 15th Lok
Sabha. Parliament passed 118 Bills
in 1976. This was the highest
number of Bills passed by
Parliament in a single year. The
lowest number of Bills was 18 that
was in 2004.
Power, Privileges and Immunities
of Parliament and its Members
Article 105 deals with the power,
privileges and immunities of
Parliament and its members.
Likewise Art. 194 deals with the
power, privileges and immunities of
the State Legislature and its
members. Originally, sub article (3)
of these Articles made reference to
the privileges of the House of
Commons of the English Parliament
and of its members and committees
at the commencement of the
Prelims Magic 2014
Constitution. By these references
the Parliament and the State
Legislature were granted the same
powers and privileges as were
available to the British Parliament
and its members. By the
Constitution 44th Amendment Act
the reference to British Parliament
has been deleted. The same sub
article [i.e. Art. 105(3)] empowers
the Parliament and State Legislature
P
to define by law their power,
privileges and immunities, etc.
Historically if a person has to
O
ascertain the powers and privileges
of the Parliament immediately after
26th January, 1950, he has to find
L
out what were the powers and
privileges of the British Parliament.
After 1979 in order to ascertain the
I
power and privileges one has to
delve into the records of the
Parliament since its inception.
T
Article 105(3) contains a suggestion
to the Parliament to enact a law
defining the power, privileges and
Y
immunities of the Houses. If such a
law is enacted the existence of
powers, privileges etc. would be
easily ascertainable from the Act
itself. Neither the Parliament nor
any of the 28 State Legislature have
codified their privileges.
Classification of Privileges
The powers and privileges of
Houses of Parliament may be
classified into two­
(1) Those which belong to the
Houses collectively.
(2) Those which are enjoyed by the
members individually.
Collective Privileges
The privileges of the .Houses
collectively are-
(a) Freedom of debates and
proceedings. The right was
gradually established in England.
Ultimately Art. (9) of the Bill of
Rights, 1688 declared that freedom
of speech and debate or proceeding
in Parliament are not to be
439
 impeached or questioned in any
court. The Tudor despots had tried
to curtail debates in the Commons.
The Commons even today assert
this right by reading a Bill for the
first time at the beginning of every
session before the Queen’s speech
is taken for consideration.
(b) The right to publish debates and
P proceedings and the right to restrain
others from publishing.
O In India the Parliament has
amended the Constitution and
inserted Art. 361A. Earlier
L Parliament had enacted a law for
protecting publication of its
proceedings. This law was replaced
in 1976, during the infamous
I emergency. As a result of its repeal
no protection was available to
persons who were faithfully
T reproducing in any court in respect
of the publication of substantially
true report of any proceeding of
Y either House of Parliament or the
State Legislature.
(c) The Privilege of excluding
strangers from the House. Originally
the power to exclude was a
measure to protect itself. The
House can always make its sitting
a secret session. Chapter 25 of the
Lok Sabha Rules and Rule 265 of
Rajya Sabha expressly contain the
power to order withdrawal of
strangers.
(d) The right to regulate its internal
matters and to decide matters
arising within the walls.
(e) The right to punish members and
outsiders for breach of privilege.
Each house claims such power. It
includes the power to admonish,
reprimand and imprison. The editor
of Blitz weekly was called to bar of
the House (Lok Sabha) and
reprimanded for having published
an article which was derogatory to
the dignity of the member of the
House. Smt. Indira Gandhi was
expelled from the House (Lok
Sabha) and her seat was rendered
vacant on 19-12-1978 because her
previous conduct had brought
disrepute to the House. In 1990 a
former minister K.K. Tiwari was
440 Prelims Magic 2014
reprimanded by the Rajya Sabha.
(f) The privilege of committing for
contempt by a general warrant. In
Keshav Singh’s case the court
recognized that the Legislature has
the power to commit for contempt
by a general non speaking warrant.
From this Presidential reference it
is clear that in a case of conflict
between the fundamental rights and
the privileges of the legislature,
harmonious construction is required.
General rights must yield to the
special privileges of the legislature.
(g) Prohibition to courts to inquire
into proceedings of Parliament (Art.
122).
(h) Right of the House to receive
immediate information of the arrest,
detention, conviction, imprisonment
and release of a member.
(i) Prohibition of arrest and service
of legal process within the precincts
of the House without the permission
of the Speaker.
j) Evidence tendered before a
Parliamentary Committee and its
report and proceedings cannot
be disclosed or published by anyone
until they have been laid on the table
of the House.
Privileges of individual
members
The privileges enjoyed by the
members individually are the
followings;
(a) Freedom from civil arrest-This
privilege has been incorporated in
the Civil Procedure Code.
Section 135A of the code exempts
a member from arrest during the
continuance of a meeting of the
house or any of its committee of
which he is a member and during a
period of 40 days before or after
such meeting or sitting. This
privilege is only from civil arrest.
There is no privilege of exemption
from arrest in a criminal case or
under a law of preventive detention.
(b) Freedom from attendance as a
witness-A member cannot be
summoned without the leave of the
House to give evidence while the
House is in session.
(c) Freedom of Speech-there is
complete immunity for anything
spoken in the House.
Resolutions, and other motions,
moved in the House are also
immune from any proceedings in
any court. This applies to a
committee of the House also.
The Constitution restricts this
freedom of speech in a small
measure. Article 121 states that no
discussion shall take place in the
Parliament with respect to the
conduct of any judge of the
Supreme Court or of a High Court
in the discharge of his duties. But it
would not apply when a judge is
being impeached.
But this freedom is controlled by the
House by its own rules and by the
Presiding officer. For example, Rule
238 of the Rajya Sabha and Rule
352 of the Lok Sabha Rules impose
certain restrictions. The Rules lay
down that a member shall not reflect
upon the conduct of a person in high
authority, use treasonable, seditious
or defamatory words or make a
personal charge against a member.
In P. V. Narasimha Rao v. State
the Supreme Court considered the
implications of Art. 105(2). Shri
Narasimha Rao was charged under
the Indian Penal Code and the
Prevention of the Corruption Act for
entering into a conspiracy and
bribing some members of
Parliament to induce them to vote
against the motion of no confidence
at a time when he was a Prime
Minister. The Supreme Court was
divided in the interpretation of Art.
105(2) and by a majority of 3:2 held
that the activity of bribe taking by
an M.P. is in respect of anything said
or any vote given by him in
Parliament and so he cannot be
prosecuted in a court of Law. The
majority expressed the view that in
case after accepting the bribe he
does not actively cast the vote he
may be prosecuted because then
there would be nexus between the
vote and the bribe.

17 LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE
A. Ordinary Bills
A bill in order to become a law has
to follow a fixed procedure. A bill,
other than a Money bill, can originate
in either house of the parliament
before it goes to the President for
assent. Non-money bill goes
through three readings, involving five
stages, in both the houses, before
becoming a Law. A Bill may be
moved by a private member called
a Private Member bill or by a
minister representing
Government called a Public bill. It
the
is also called as Government bill.
The First Reading: A minister or
a member can introduce a bill with
the permission of the Speaker. No
formal debate or no speeches
relating to contents of Bill are made
at this stage. After the bill has been
introduced, it is immediately
published in the Gazette of the
Government of India. Now, the First
reading of the bill is complete.
The Second Reading: At this
stage, concerned minister provides
details such as the purpose,
objectives and background of the bill
in general as well as specifics
relating to various clauses, schedules
and amendments take place. No
corrections or amendments can be
made at this stage and after detailed
discussion the bill is put to vote.
The Committee Stage: At this
stage, the bill is submitted to a
Committee and the names of the
members of the Committee are
published. The date of submission
of the report is also decided at this
stage. Headed by a chairman it
examines the Bill and its provisions
and discusses it clause by clause.
In the process, it may ask for
relevant information and suggest its
own changes and modifications.
And now, the report and the bill are
published in the Gazette.
The Report Stage: Based on
recommendations made by the
Committee, the bill goes through
detailed discussions. Changes can
be suggested at this stage and the
Report Stage is the last chance for
the members to make any
amendments to the bill.
The Third Reading: This is the
formalization stage of the bill where
general discussions about the bill
concerned take place. At this stage,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Indian
Parliament, which one of the
following is not correct?
(a) The Appropriation Bill must be
passed by both the Houses of
Parliament before it can be
enacted into law
(b) No money shall be withdrawn
from the Consolidated Fund of
India except under the
appropriation made by the
Appropriation Act
(c) Finance Bill is required for
proposing new taxes but no another
Bill/Act is required for making
changes in the rates of taxes which
are already under operation
(d) No Money Bill can be
introduced except on the
recommendation of the President
Ans. (a) (CSE 2004)
Q. Which one of the following
statements about a Money Bill is
not correct?
(a) A Money Bill can be tabled in
either House of Parliament
(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha is
the final authority to decide
whether a Bill is a Money Bill or
not
(c) The Rajya Sabha must return
a Money Bill passed by the Lok
Sabha and send it for consideration
within 14 days
(d) The President cannot return a
Money Bill to the Lok Sabha for
reconsideration
Ans. (a) (CSE 2000)
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What will follow if a Money
Bill is substantially amended by the
Rajya Sabha?
(a) The Lok Sabha may still
proceed with the Bill, accepting or
not accepting the recommen-
dations of the Rajya Sabha
(b) The Lok Sabha cannot
consider the Bill further
(c) The Lok Sabha may send the
P
Bill to the Rajya Sabha for
reconsideration
(d) The President may call a joint
O
sitting for passing the Bill
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Rajya Sabha cannot amend
L
or reject a money bill. The Lok
Sabha can either accept or reject
all or any of recommendation of
I
the Rajya Sabha. In both cases,
the money bill is deemed to have
passed by the two houses.
T
no formal amendments can be
made except informal changes.
Then the bill is put to vote. Though
Y
the bill is open for rejection, even at
this stage, it is not normally resorted
to.
After completing five stages in the
House from which it originated, say
Rajya sabha, it goes to the Lok
sabha and has to undergo the same
procedure. After getting passed in
both the houses, it goes for the
assent of the President. In case the
other house rejects the bill altogether,
the president may call for a Joint
sitting of the parliament to resolve
the dead lock (Article 108).
B. Money Bill A money bill deals
with the imposition or abolition of
tax, borrowing of money by the
Government of India, custody and
maintenance of the Consolidated
Fund or Contingency Fund or the
Public Accounts of India and the
audit of the accounts of the union
and state. The final decision,
whether a bill is a money bill or not,
rests with the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha. The procedure for the
passage of a money bill is quite
different from the procedure for
441
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The joint sitting of the two
houses of the Parliament in India
is sanctioned under Article 108 of
the Constitution
2. The first joint sitting of Lok
P Sabha and Rajya Sabha was held
in the year 1961
3. The second joint sitting of the
O two Houses of Indian Parliament
was held to pass the Banking
Service Commission (Repeal)
L Bill
Which of these statements is
correct?
I (a) 1 and 2
(c) 1 and 3
Ans. (d)
(b) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(CSE 2003)
T Q. A deadlock between the Lok
Sabha and the Rajya Sabha calls
for a joint sitting of the Parliament
Y during the passage of
1. Ordinary Legislation
2. Money Bill
3. Constitution Amendment Bill
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below :
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a) (CSE 2012)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Chairman of the
Committee on Public Accounts is
appointed by the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha.
2. The Committee on Public
Accounts comprises Members of
Lok Sabha, Members of Rajya
Sabha and a few eminent persons
of industry and trade.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2007)
442 Prelims Magic 2014
enactment of an ordinary bill. A
money bill can originate only in the
Lok Sabha on the recommendation
of the President. After a money bill
has been passed by the Lok Sabha,
it is send to the Rajya Sabha. The
Rajya Sabha is given 14 days to
make its recommendations. If it fails
to make recommendations within
this period, the bill is considered to
have been passed by both houses
and is send to the President for his
assent. If the Rajya Sabha returns
the bill within 14 days with its
recommendations, it is up to the Lok
Sabha to accept or reject the
recommendations. Even if the Lok
Sabha does not accept the
recommendations of the Rajya
Sabha, the bill is deemed to have
been passed by both houses in the
form in which it was send to the
Rajya Sabha. Thus, with regard to
money bills, the final authority rests
with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha can delay its enactment for
a maximum period of 14 days.
Joint sessions of the two
houses: (Article 108) The
President can call joint sessions of
the two houses if a bill passed by
one house is rejected by the other
18 PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES
The work done by the Parliament
in modern times is not only varied
and complex in nature, but also
considerable in volume. The time at
its disposal is limited. It cannot,
therefore, give close consideration
to all the legislative and other
matters that come up before it. A
good deal of its business is,
therefore, transacted in Committees
of the House, known as
Parliamentary Committees.
Parliamentary Committee means a
Committee which is appointed or
elected by the House or nominated
by the Speaker and which works
under the direction of the Speaker
and presents its report to the House
or to the Speaker and the
house or if the amendments
proposed to a bill by one house are
not acceptable to the other, or if the
other house does not take any action
on a bill remitted to it for six months.
The joint session of Parliament is
presided over by the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha and a decision is taken
by majority of the total members
present. Since the inauguration of
the constitution, joint sessions of the
two Houses have been called only
three times in 1961, 1978 and
2002.The first joint sitting was held
on 6 May 1961, in which Dowry
Prohibition Bill 1960 was passed.
The second joint sitting was held on
16 May 1978 to pass the Banking
Service Commission (Repeal) Bill
1977. The last joint session of the
two Houses was called on March
26, 2002 to pass the Prevention of
Terrorism Bill.
The procedure for joint sitting as
prescribed by article 108, is confined
to bills for ordinary legislation and
does not extend to a bill for
amendment of the constitution,
which is governed by Article 368(2)
and must be passed by each house
separately, by the special majority.
Secretariat for which is provided by
the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
By their nature, Parliamentary
Committees are of two kinds:
Standing Committees and Ad hoc
Committees. Standing Committees
are permanent and regular
committees which are constituted
from time to time in pursuance of
the provisions of an Act of
Parliament or Rules of Procedure
and Conduct of Business
in Lok Sabha. The work of these
Committees is of continuous nature.
The Financial Committees,
Departmentally Related Standing
Committees and some other
Committees come under the
category of Standing Committees.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In what way does the Indian
Parliament exercise control over
the administration?
1.Through Parliamentary Committees
2.Through Consultative Committees of
various ministries
3. By making the administrators
send periodic reports
4. By compelling the executive to
issue writs
Ans. (a) (CSE 2001)
Ad hoc Committees are appointed
for a specific purpose and they
cease to exist when they finish the
task assigned to them and submit a
report. The principal Ad hoc
Committees are the Select and Joint
Committees on Bills. Railway
Convention Committee, Joint
Committee on Food Management in
Parliament House Complex etc also
comes under the category of ad hoc
Committees.
Broadly, the Parliamentary
Committees may be classified into
the following categories:
A. Financial Committees
B. Departmentally Related
Standing Committees;
C. Other Parliamentary Standing
Committees; and
D. Ad hoc Committees.
A. Financial Committees
Estimates Committee: No. of
Members: 30, Tenure: 1year,
Members Elected by
the Lok Sabha, The Estimates
Committee reports on ‘what
economies, improvements in
organisation, efficiency or
administrative reform consistent
with policy underlying the estimates’
may be effected. It also examines
whether the money is well laid out
within limits of the policy implied in
the estimates and suggests the form
in which estimates shall be
presented to Parliament.
Public Accounts Committee:
No. of Members: 22(15LS+7RS),
Tenure: 1year, Members: Elected by
the two House(s), The Public
Accounts Committee scrutinizes
appropriation and finance accounts
of Government and reports of the
Comptroller and Auditor-General. It
ensures that public money is spent
in accordance with Parliament’s
decision and calls attention to cases
of waste, extravagance, loss or
nugatory expenditure.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The Parliamentary Committee on
Public Accounts
1. consists of not more than 25
Members of the Lok Sabha
2. scrutinizes appropriation and
finance accounts of the
Government
3. examines the report of the
Comptroller and Auditor General
of India
Which of the statements given
above is / are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(e) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: Total 22 members 15 from
loksabha and 7 from Raja sabha
Committee on Public Under-
takings: No. of Members:
22(15LS+7RS), Tenure: 1year,
Members: Elected by the two
House(s). The Committee on
Public Undertakings examines
reports of the Comptroller and
Auditor-General, if any. It also
examines whether public
undertakings are being run
efficiently and managed in
accordance with sound business
principles and prudent commercial
practices.
B. Departmentally Related
Standing Committees
There are 24 Departmentally
Related Standing Committees
covering under their jurisdiction all
the Ministries/ Departments of the
Government of India. Each of
this Committee consists 31
Members - 21 from Lok Sabha and
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10 from Rajya Sabha to be
nominated by the
Speaker Lok Sabha and
Chair man Rajya Sabha,
respectively. The term of Office of
these Committees shall not exceed
one year. The names of the 24
Committees are as under: -
1. Committee on Commerce
2. Committee on Home Affairs P
3. Committee on Human Resource
Development
4. Committee on Industry
O
5. Committee on Science &
Technology and Environment &
L
Forests
6. Committee on Transport, Tourism
and Culture
I
7. Committee on Health and Family
Welfare T
8. Committee on Personnel, Public
Grievances, Law and Justice
9. Committee on Agriculture
Y
10. Committee on Information
Technology
11. Committee on Defence
12. Committee on Energy
13. Committee on External Affairs
14. Committee on Finance
15. Committee on Food, Consumer
Affairs and Public Distribution
16. Committee on Labour
17. Committee on Petroleum and
Natural Gas
18. Committee on Railways
19. Committee on Urban
Development
20. Committee on Water Resources
21. Committee on Chemicals and
Fertilizers
22. Committee on Rural
Development
23. Committee on Coal and Steel
24. Committee on Social Justice and
Empowerment
C. Other Standing Committees
443
 1. Business Advisory Committee.
No. of Members: 15 Tenure: Not
fixed. Can continue in office till
reconstituted. Members Nominated
by the Speaker
2. Committee of Privileges No. of
Members: 15 Tenure: Not fixed. Can
continue in office till reconstituted
Members Nominated by the
P Speaker
3. Committee on Absence of
O Members from the Sittings of the
House. No. of Members: 15 Tenure:
1 year Members Nominated by the
L Speaker
4. Committee on Empowerment of
Women No. of Members: 30 ( 20
I LS+ 10 RS) Tenure: 1 year
Members Nominated by the
Speaker, LokSabha and
T Chairman, RajyaSabha
5. Committee on Government
Y Assurances No. of Members: 15
Tenure: 1 year Members
Nominated by the Speaker
6. Committee on Papers Laid on
the Table No. of Members: 15
Tenure: 1 year Members
Nominated by the Speaker
7. Petitions Committee No. of
Members: 15 Tenure: Not fixed.
Can continue in office till
reconstituted Members Nominated
by the Speaker
8. Committee on Private Members’
Bills and Resolutions No. of
Members: 15 Tenure: 1 year
Members Nominated by the
Speaker
9. Committee on Subordinate
Legislation No. of Members: 15
Tenure: 1 year Members
Nominated by the Speaker
10. General Purposes Committee
No. of Members: Not fixed Tenure:
Not fixed. Membership is ex-officio.
11. House Committee No. of
Members: 12 Tenure: 1 year
Members Nominated by the
Speaker
12. Joint Committee on Offices of
444 Prelims Magic 2014
Profit. No. of Members: 15 (10 LS
+ 5 RS) Tenure: For the duration of
one Lok Sabha Members elected by
the two House(s).
13. Joint Committee on Salaries and
Allowances of MPs. No. of
Members: 15 ( 10 LS + 5 RS)
Tenure: 1 year Members nominated
by the Speaker, LokSabha and
Chairman, RajyaSabha.
14. Library Committee No. of
Members: 9 (6 LS + 3 RS) Tenure:1
year Members nominated by the
Spea ker, LokSabha and
Chairman, RajyaSabha
15. Rules Committee No. of
Members: 15 Tenure: Not fixed. Can
continue in office till reconstituted.
Members nominated by the
Speaker.
D. Ad hoc Committee
1. Railway Convention Committee
Members: 18 (12 LS + 6 RS)
Tenure: For the duration of one
Lok Sabha Members nominated by
the Speaker.
2. Committee on Provision of
Computers
to MPs Members: 16 Tenure: For
the duration of one Lok Sabha
Members nominated by the
Speaker.
3.Committee on MP Local Area
Development Scheme Members: 24
Tenure: 1 year Members nominated
by the Speaker.
4. Committee on Ethics Members:
15 Tenure: Not fixed. Can continue
in office till reconstituted. Members
nominated by the Speaker.
5.Committee on Food Management
in PH Complex Members: 15 (10
LS + 5 RS) Tenure: 1 year Members
nominated by the Speaker,
Lok Sabha and Chairman, Rajya
Sabha.
6. Committee on Installation of
Portraits/Statutes of National
Leaders and Parliamentarians
Members: 10 (7 LS + 3 RS ) Tenure:
For the duration of one Lok Sabha
Members nominated by the
Speaker, Lok Sabha and Chairman,
Rajya Sabha.
7. Joint Committee on Security in
PH Complex Members: 10 (7 LS
+ 3 RS) Tenure: 1 year Members
nominated by the Speaker,
Lok Sabha and Chairman, Rajya
Sabha.
A Minister is not eligible for election
or nomination to the financial
Committees, DRSCs and
Committees on (1) Empowerment
of Women (2) Government
Assurances (3) Petitions (4)
Subordinate Legislation (5) Welfare
of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes.
The general procedure of working
of the Committees is governed by
the General Rules No. 253 to 286
of the Rules of Procedure and
Conduct of Business in LokSabha,
the General Directions No. 48 to
73A of the Directions by the
Speaker relating to Parliamentary
Committees, internal rules specific
to the Committees and other
relevant Parliamentary Conventions
and Practices.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. While members of the Rajya
Sabha are associated with
Committees on Public Accounts
and Public Undertakings,
members of Committee on
Estimates are drawn entirely from
Lok Sabha
2. The Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs works under the overall
direction of Cabinet Committee on
Parliamentary Affairs.
3. The Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs nominates Members of
Parliament on Committees,
Councils, Board and Commissions
etc. set up by the Government of
India in the various ministries.
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
Joint Parliamentary Committee
(JPC)
Mandated to inquire into a specific
subject, a JPC is constituted either
through a motion adopted by one
House and concurred by the other,
or, through communication between
the presiding officers of the two
Houses. The members are either
elected by the Houses or nominated
by the presiding officers. As in the
case of other parliamentary
committees, they are drawn from
different groups. The strength of a
JPC may vary. For instance, one
JPC comprised 15 members, while
two others had 30 members each.
The Lok Sabha share is double than
that of the Rajya Sabha.
What happens if the term of a
Lok Sabha expires before a JPC
completes its work?
When a committee is unable to
complete its work before the expiry
of its term or before the dissolution
of the Lok Sabha, it reports that fact
to the House. In such cases, any
preliminary report, memorandum or
note that may have been prepared
by the committee is made available
to the succeeding committee.
What are the powers of a JPC?
A JPC can obtain evidence of
experts, public bodies, associations,
individuals or interested parties suo
motu or on requests made by them.
If a witness fails to appear before a
JPC in response to summons, his
conduct constitutes a contempt of
the House.
The JPC can take oral and written
evidence or call for documents in
connection with a matter under its
consideration. The proceedings of
parliamentary committees are
confidential, but in the case of the
joint committee which went into
“Irregularities in Securities and
Banking Transactions”, the
committee decided that considering
the widespread public interest in the
matter, the chairman should brief
the press about deliberations of the
committees.
Ministers are not generally called by
the committees to give evidence.
However, in case of the
Irregularities in Securities and
Banking Transactions probe again,
an exception was made, with the
JPC, with the permission of the
Speaker, seeking information on
certain points from ministers and
calling Ministers of Finance and
Health and Family Welfare.
The government may withhold or
decline to produce a document if it
is considered prejudicial to the
safety or interest of State. The
Speaker has the final word on any
dispute over calling for evidence
against a person or production of a
document.
How many JPCs have been there
till date? What have been their
findings? Has anyone been
convicted by them?
There have been only five
investigative JPCs so far.
The first was instituted to inquire into
the Bofors contract on a motion
moved by then defence minister K
C Pant in the Lok Sabha on August
6, 1987. The Rajya Sabha endorsed
it a week later. The committee,
headed by B Shankaranand, held 50
sittings and gave its report on April
26, 1988. Opposition parties
boycotted the committee on the
ground that it was packed with
Congress members. The JPC report
was tabled in Parliament, but it was
rejected by the Opposition.
The second investigative JPC,
headed by former Union minister
and senior Congress leader Ram
Niwas Mirdha, was set up to probe
Irregularities in Securities and
Banking Transactions in the
aftermath of the Harshad Mehta
scandal. The motion was moved by
then minister for parliamentary
affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad in the
Lok Sabha on August 6, 1992. The
Rajya Sabha concurred with it the
next day. The recommendations of
the JPC were neither accepted in
full nor implemented.
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The third investigative JPC was
assigned to probe the market scam.
Then parliamentary affairs minister
Pramod Mahajan piloted a motion
in the Lok Sabha on April 26, 2001,
to put it in place. Senior BJP
member Lt Gen Prakash Mani
Tripathi (retd) was named the
chairman. The committee held 105
sittings and gave its report on
December 19, 2002. The committee
recommended sweeping changes in
P
stock market regulations. However,
many of these recommendations
were diluted later.
O
The last JPC was set up in August
2003 to look into pesticide residues
L
in soft drinks, fruit juice and other
beverages and to set safety
standards. The committee, headed
I
by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, held
17 sittings and submitted its report
to Parliament on February 4, 2004.
T
The report confirmed that soft
drinks did have pesticide residues
and recommended stringent norms
Y
for drinking water.
A 30-member joint parliamentary
committee (JPC) was finally set up
on March 4, 2011 to probe the 2G
spectrum allocation issue. Senior
Congress member P C Chacko was
made the chairman of the Joint
Parliamentary Committee. Though
the Opposition forced the to cave
in to their demand, it’s actually the
latter which appears to have scored
a victory. This is the fifth JPC to
set up in India’s parliamentary
history and the first to be constituted
after the UPA came to power in
May 2004. The leader of the House
Pranab Mukherjee moved a motion
in the Lok Sabha for setting up of
the JPC to look into the telecom
policy pursued from 1998 to 2009,
including the allocation and pricing
of licences and spectrum. The
motion was adopted after an
acrimonious debate lasting four
hours. The JPC, consisting of 20
members from Lok Sabha and 10
from Rajya Sabha, was constituted
on March 4, 2011 to look into the
entire gamut of policy prescriptions
445
 in the telecom sector from 1998 to
2009.
Important Parliamentary
Terms
“Act” - A Bill passed by
both Houses of Parliament and
assented to by the President.
P “Ad hoc Committee”- A
Committee constituted by the House
or by the Chairman/speaker or by
O the presiding officers of both the
Houses jointly to consider and
report on specific matter and
L becomes functus officio as soon as
the task is completed.
“Adjournment of Debate” -
I Adjournment on a motion adopted
by the House, of the debate on a
Motion/ Resolution/ Bill on which
T the House is then engaged until a
future day or sine die as specified
in the motion.
Y ‘Adjournment motion’-The
primary object of an adjournment
motion is to draw the attention of
the House to a recent matter of
urgent public importance having
serious consequences and in regard
to which a motion or a resolution
with proper notice will be too late.
The matter proposed to be raised
should be of such a character that
something very grave which affects
the whole country and its security
has happened and the House is
required to pay its attention
immediately by interrupting the
normal business of the House.
The adjournment motion is thus an
extraordinary procedure which, if
admitted, leads to setting aside the
normal business of the House for
discussing a definite matter of
urgent public importance.
The subject matter of the motion
must have a direct or indirect
relation to the conduct or default on
the part of the Union Government
and must precisely pin-point the
failure of the Government of India
in the performance of its duties in
accordance with the provisions of
446 Prelims Magic 2014
the Constitution and Law. A matter
which falls within the jurisdiction of
a State Government is inadmissible,
but a matter concerning the
constitutional developments in a
State or atrocities on the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes and
other weaker sections of the society
which bring the Union Government
into picture may be considered for
admission on merits. The refusal to
give his consent is in the absolute
discretion of the Chair and he is not
bound to give any reasons therefor.
“Adjournment of the sitting of the
House” - Termination of the sitting
of the House which meets again at
the time appointed for the next
sitting.
“Adjournment sine die” -
Termination of a sitting of the House
without any definite date being fixed
for the next sitting.
“Appropriation Bill” - A Money
Bill passed annually (or at various
times of the year) providing for the
withdrawal or appropriation from
and out of the Consolidated Fund
of India, of monies, voted by Lok
Sabha and monies charged on the
Consolidated Fund for the services
of a financial year or a part of a
financial year.
“Ballot” - A process to
determine inter se priority of more
than one notice through a draw of
lot.
“Bill” - The draft of a legislative
proposal put in the proper form
which, when passed by both Houses
of Parliament and assented to by
the President becomes an Act.
“Budget” - Annual financial
statement of the estimated receipts
and expenditure of the Government
of India in respect of a financial
year.
“Calling Attention” - A procedure
whereby a Member calls the
attention of a Minister to a matter
of urgent public importance , the
Minister makes a brief statement
thereon and thereafter the
Members seek clarifications.
“Casting Vote” - The vote cast by
the Chairman, or speaker, in the case
of an equality of votes on a matter.
“Crossing the floor” - Passing
between the member addressing the
House and the Chair which is
considered breach of Parliamentary
etiquette.
“Demand for Grants” -
Earmarking of budgetary allocation
for meeting the plan and non-plan
expenditure of a Ministry/
Department.
“Division” - The mode of arriving
at a decision on a proposed measure
or question before the House by
recording votes for or against it.
“Draw of lot” - A method applied
to determine the relative
precedence of private members’
Bills and Resolutions, notices of
questions, half-an-hour discussions
or any other notice given by more
than one member simultaneously for
being taken up on the same day.
“Expunction” - Deletion of words,
phrases or expressions from the
proceedings or records by an order
of the chair for being defamatory
or indecent or unparliamentary or
undignified.
“Finance Bill” - A Bill ordinarily
introduced every year to give effect
to the financial proposals of the
Government of India for the
following financial year and includes
a Bill to give effect to supplementary
financial proposals for any period.
“Half-an-Hour Discussion” - A
Member with the permission of the
Chairman may raise a discussion on
a matter of sufficient public
importance which has been the
subject of a recent oral or written
question and the answer to which
needs elucidation on a matter of
fact.
“Leader of the Council” - The
Prime Minister, if he is a member
of the Council or a Minister who is
a member of the Council and is
nominated by the Prime Minister to
function as the Leader of the
Council.
“Leader of the Opposition” - A
Member of the House, who is, for
the time being, the leader in that
House of the Party in opposition to
the Government having the greatest
numerical strength.
“Legislative Business”
Introduction, consideration and
- Parliament assembled together.
passing of a bill, piloted by a Minister
or a Private Member, in the House.
“List of Business” - A list of items
of business scheduled to be taken
up on a particular day of the sittings
in the order in which they stand on
it.
“Lobby” - The covered corridor
immediately adjoining the Chamber
and co-terminus with it.
“Maiden Speech” - The first
speech of a member after his
election/nomination in the House.
“Matters raised with permission”
- Immediately after the Question
Hour and laying of papers, a
Member may raise an issue of
urgent public importance with the
prior permission of the Chairman.
“Member in charge of the Bill” -
The Minister/Private Member who
has introduced the government/
Private Members’ Bill.
“Memorandum of business” - It
is meant for the use of the Chair to
help him while calling the items
listed in the Agenda paper of the
day.
“Message” - A communication
from the President to a House or
Houses of Parliament under articles
86(2) and 111 of the Constitution and
a communication sent from one
House of Parliament to the other
House.
“Motion” - A formal proposal
made to the House by a Minister or
a member that the House do
something, order something to be
done or express an opinion with
regard to some matter, and is so
phrased that, if adopted, it will
purport to express the judgment or
will of the House.
“Motion of Thanks” - A formal
motion moved in the House,
expressing its gratitude to the
President for the Address delivered
by him/her under article 87(1) of the
Constitution to both Houses of
“Naming a Member” - The
drawing of attention of the House
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Speaker can ask a
member of the House to stop
speaking and let another member
speak. This phenomenon is known
as:
(a) decorum
(b) crossing the floor
(c) interpellation
(d) yielding the floor
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2000)
Q. In the Parliament of
India, the purpose of an
adjournment motion is
(a) to allow a discussion on a
definite matter of urgent public
importance
(b) to let opposition members
collect information from the
ministers
(c) to allow a reduction of specific
amount in demand for grant
(d) to postpone the proceedings to
check the inappropriate or violent
behaviour on the part of some
members
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2012)
by the Chairman to the conduct of
a member who disregards the
authority of the Chair or abuses the
Rules of the House by persistently
and willfully obstructing the business
thereof, with a view to action being
taken to suspend him from the
service of the House for a period
not exceeding the remainder of the
session.
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“Ordinance” - A law made by the
President in exercise of the powers
vested in him under article 123 of
the Constitution.
“Panel of Vice-Chairmen” - A
panel of six members of Rajya
Sabha nominated by the Chairman,
any one of whom may preside over
the House in the absence of the
Chairman and the Deputy Chairman
when so requested by the
P
Chairman, or in his absence, by the
Deputy Chairman. O
“Papers laid on the Table” - The
papers or documents laid on the
Table of the House for purpose of L
bringing them on the record of the
House by a Minister or by a private
member or by the Secretary- I
General with the permission of the
Chairman in pursuance of the
provisions of the Constitution or the T
Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha
or an Act of Parliament and the
Rules and Regulations made
thereunder.
Y
“Personal explanation” - A
Member or a Minister against whom
comments or criticism of a personal
nature are made on the floor of the
House is entitled to make, with the
consent of the Chairman, personal
explanation in his defence.
“Point of Order” - A point relating
to the interpretation or enforcement
of the Rules of Procedure or such
articles of the Constitution as
regulate the business of the House
raised in the House and submitted
for the decision of the Chair.
“Precincts of Rajya Sabha” - This
includes the Chamber, the Lobbies,
the Galleries and such other places
as the Chairman may from time to
time specify.
“Private Members’ Resolution” -
A resolution, on a matter of general
public interest, a Member, other than
a Minister, on a day allotted for
Private Members Resolutions
which is in the form of a declaration
of opinion by the House or in such
other form as the Chair may
consider appropriate.
447
 “Prorogation” - The termination of
a session by an order made by the
President.
“Putting the Question” - When
debate on a question is closed, the
Chairman, rising from the Chair,
states or reads the question to the
House, beginning with “The
question is, that”.
P “Question Chart” - A chart
circulated to members, along with
O the Summons for a Session, which
indicates the dates for answering
questions and the last date for
L receiving notices of questions
pertaining to various Ministries/
Departments.
I “Question Hour” - The first hour
of a sitting of the House allotted for
asking and answering of questions.
T “Question of Privilege” - A
question involving a breach of
Y privilege either of a member or of
the House or of a Committee
thereof or contempt of the House.
“Quorum” - The minimum number
of members required to be present
at a sitting of the House or a
Committee for valid transaction of
its business, which is one-tenth of
the total number of members of the
House, as provided under article
100(3) of the Constitution.
“Roll of Members” - A register in
which newly elected members sign,
after making and subscribing the
oath or affirmation and before
taking their seats for the first time
in the House.
“Session” - A session comprises the
period commencing from the date
and time mentioned in the order of
the President summoning the house
and ending with the day on which
the President prorogues it.
“Short Duration Discussion” -
For raising a discussion on a matter
of urgent public importance for
which a notice has to be given by a
Member supported by two other
Members specifying clearly and
precisely the matter to be raised.
448 Prelims Magic 2014
“Short Notice Question” - A
question relating to a matter of
urgent public importance asked for
oral answer by a Member with
shorter notice than fifteen clear
days by giving the reasons for
asking the question with short
notice.
“Special Mention” - A procedure
available to a Member who wishes
to mention a matter of public
importance in the House by reading
out from the text not exceeding 250
words.
“Starred Question” - A question to
which a member wishes to have an
oral answer on the floor of the
House and which is distinguished by
an asterisk.
“Statutory Resolution” - A
resolution in pursuance of a provision
in the Constitution or an Act of
Parliament.
“Subordinate Legislation” - Rules,
regulations, orders, schemes, bye-
laws, etc. having the force of law,
framed by the Executive or other
subordinate authority in pursuance
of the power conferred on it by the
Constitution or delegated to it by an
Act of Parliament.
“Supplementary question” - A
Question asked by any member
when called by the Chairman for the
purpose of further elucidating any
JUDICIARY
19
At the apex of the entire judicial
system exists Supreme Court of
India with a High Court for each
State or group of States, and under
High Courts; there is a hierarchy of
subordinate courts. Panchayat
courts also function in some States
under various names like Nyaya
Panchayat, Panchayat Adalat,
Gram Kachehri, etc., to decide civil
and criminal disputes of petty and
local nature. Different State laws
provide for jurisdiction of these
courts.
matter of fact regarding which an
answer has been given during the
question hour.
“Table of the House” - The Table
just in front of the desk of the
Secretary-General below the
Chairman’s Chair, on which papers
which are required to be laid on the
Table of the House, are deemed to
be placed.
“Unstarred Question” - A question
which is not called for oral answer
in the House and the written answer
to such a question is deemed to have
been laid on the Table.
“Valedictory remarks” - It is
customary in every Session for the
Chair to make the Valedictory
remarks at the end of Session
thanking Members and leaders of
parties and groups for their
cooperation in the conduct of
business of the House.
“Whips” - Members drawn from
the party in power and the parties/
groups in opposition to perform
specified functions and form vital
links in the internal organization of
a party inside Parliament.
“Yielding the floor” - The speaker
can stop a member of Parliament
from speaking and let another
member speak. This phenomenon
is known as yielding the floor.
Each state is divided into judicial
districts presided over by a district
and sessions judge, who is the
principal civil court of original
jurisdiction and can try all offences
including those punishable with
death. He is the highest judicial
authority in a district. Below him,
there are courts of civil jurisdiction,
known in different states as munsifs,
sub-judges, civil judges and the like.
Similarly, criminal judiciary
comprises chief judicial magistrate
and judicial magistrates of first and
second class.
SUPREME COURT
The Supreme Court of India
consists of 26 Judges (including the
Chief Justice of India). The judges
hold office until they attain the age
of 65 years. The Supreme Court of
India has original jurisdiction in any
dispute arising: (a) between the
Government of India and one or
more States; or (b) between the
Government of India and any State
or States on the one side and one or
more states on the other; or (c)
between two or more States. An
appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court
from any judgment, decree or final
order of a High Court in the territory
of India, whether in a civil, criminal
or other proceeding.
Appointment:
The President of India appoints the
judges of the Supreme Court on the
advice of the council of ministers in
consultation with the Chief Justice
of India. Article 124, which deals
with the appointment of judges,
makes it obligatory on the part of
the President of India to consult the
Chief Justice of India. In appointing
the Chief Justice of India, the
President shall, besides the advice
of the council of ministers, consult
the judges of the Supreme court and
the High courts if he considers it
necessary. But, neither the
Constitution nor the law provides for
Chief Justice’s recommendation as
to his successor. It is a practice
sanctioned by convention. Normally,
the Chief Justice of India is
appointed from among the senior
most judges of the Supreme Court.
Qualifications:
According to Article 124(3) of the
Constitution, A person shall not be
qualified for appointment as a Judge
of the Supreme Court unless he is a
citizen of India and -
(a) has been for at least five years
a Judge of a High Court or of two
or more such Courts in succession;
or
(b) has been for at least ten years
an advocate of a High Court or of
two or more such Courts in
succession; or
(c) is, in the opinion of the President,
a distinguished jurist.
Terms of Office:
The constitution does not prescribe
any fixed age or term for a judge of
the Supreme Court. In India, like in
the USA a judge of the Supreme
Court stays in office based on good
behaviour. However, a judge of the
Supreme Court retires at the age of
65 years. He may retire from office
before he attains the age of 65 years
by addressing his resignation to the
President.
Salary:
The salary and allowances of a
judge of the Supreme Court is
determined by a law of the
Parliament from time to time and is
not votable and is charged on the
Consolidated Fund of India (CFI),
a corpus of 50 crores which is
enhanced from time to time. At
present, the Judges and the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court draw
a salary of Rs. 90,000/- and 1,00,000/
- per month respectively [Supreme
Court and High Court (Service
Rules) Amendment Act, 2008].
Removal:
A judge of the Supreme Court can
be removed from office on charges
on ‘proven misbehaviour ’ or
‘incapacity’ (Article 124). He may
be removed on the above grounds
as follows:
1. A motion of removal addressed
to the President signed at least by
100 members of the Lok sabha or
50 members of the Rajya sabha is
given to the Speaker or Chairman.
2. The motion is to be investigated
by a committee consisting of 3
members (2 Supreme court judges
and one distinguished jurist)
3. If the committee consisting of 3
members (2 Supreme court judges
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the provision to
safeguard the autonomy of the
Supreme Court of India?
1. While appointing the Supreme
Court Judges, the President of
India has to consult the Chief
Justice of India.
2. The Supreme Court Judges can
be removed by the Chief Justice
of India only.
P
3. The salaries of the Judges are
charged on the Consolidated Fund
of India to which the legislature
O
does not have to vote.
4. All appointments of officers and
staffs of the Supreme Court of
L
India are made by the Government
only after consulting the Chief
Justice of India.
I
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
T
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Y
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2012)
and one distinguished jurist) finds the
judge guilty, the motion as well as
the report of the committee is taken
up for consideration in the house
where the motion originates.
4. If the motion is passed in each
house by a majority of the total
membership of that House and by
a majority of not less than two thirds
of the members of that House
present and voting the address is
presented to the President.
5. If the President gives his order
for removal, the judge stands
removed.
POWER AND FUNCTIONS
OF THE SUPREME COURT
The following are the powers and
functions of the Supreme Court:
1. Defender of the Federation:
The constitution vests the power of
settling the disputes and problems
between the centre and the states.
In order to prevent the conflict of
power between the two, the
449
 Supreme Court interprets the laws,
which help in maintaining the unity
of the federation. According to
Article 131of the Constitution, the
Supreme Court shall, to the
exclusion of any other court, have
original jurisdiction in any dispute—
(a) Between the Government of
P India and one or more States; or
(b) Between the Government of
India and any State or States on one
O side and one or more other States
on the other; or
L (c) Between two or more States,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
I Q. Which of the following are
included in the original jurisdiction
of the Supreme Court?
1. A dispute between the
T Government of India and one or
more States
Y 2. A dispute regarding elections to
either House of the Parliament or
that of Legislature of a State
3. A dispute between the
Government of India and a Union
Territory
4. A dispute between two or more
States
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below :
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2012)
2. Appellate Jurisdiction:
The Supreme Court is the highest
court in India. Under Appellate
jurisdiction, the Supreme Court only
takes up such cases that come on
appeal. It has no power to take up
such cases, which it is not asked to
take up. The appellate jurisdiction
can be studied under the following
three heads:
Article 133 (1) An appeal shall lie
to the Supreme Court from any
judgment, decree or final order in a
civil proceeding of a High Court in
the territory of India, if the High
Court certifies that the case involves
a substantial question of law of
general importance; and that in the
450 Prelims Magic 2014
opinion of the High Court the said
question needs to be decided by the
Supreme Court.
With regard to criminal matters,
[Article134. (1)] an appeal shall
lie to the Supreme Court from any
judgment, final order or sentence in
a criminal proceeding of a High
Court in the territory of India if the
High Court— (a) has on appeal
reversed an order of acquittal of an
accused person and sentenced him
to death; or (b) has withdrawn for
trial before itself any case from any
court subordinate to its authority and
has in such trial convicted the
accused person and sentenced him
to death; or (c) certifies under
article 134A that the case is a fit
one for appeal to the Supreme
Court:
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The power of the Supreme
Court of India to decide disputes
between the Centre and the State
falls under its:
(a) Advisory jurisdiction
(b) Appellate jurisdiction
(c) Original jurisdiction
(d) Constitutional jurisdiction
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
3. Guardian of the Constitution:
The Supreme Court enjoys the
privilege of protecting the
constitution against violation of its
provision either by the government
or by the people. It is the
responsibility of the Supreme Court
to see that the laws of the
constitution are respected and
adhered to by all in India. By acting
as the watch tower of the
constitution, it checks against the
violation of laws.
As guardian of the constitution, the
Supreme Court also exercises the
power of interpreting the contents
of the constitution. Any matter
relating to technical interpretation of
details or definitions of terms in the
constitution is the sole prerogative
of the Supreme Court. The
supremacy of the constitution was
underlined by the Supreme Court in
Ms Jayalalitha’s appointment as the
Chief minister, when she was
convicted. A five judge constitution
bench declared, “We are not
concerned with the mandate of the
people. The constitution is supreme.
That is what we are interpreting, not
the people’s mandate.”
4. Enforcement of Fundamen-
tal Rights:
The Supreme Court is empowered
by the constitution to act as the
protector and guarantor of the
fundamental rights. Under Article
32, the Supreme Court enjoys the
power of issuing constitutional writs,
also called as writ jurisdiction, for
the enforcement of fundamental
rights. The writs may be against the
government or individuals. (SEE the
chapter on Fundamental Rights for
more details about writs)
Conferment on the Supreme
Court of powers to issue certain
writs:
As per the Article 139, Parliament
may by law confer on the Supreme
Court power to issue directions,
orders or writs, including writs in the
nature of habeas corpus,
mandamus, prohibition, quo
warranto and certiorari, or any of
them, for any purposes other than
those mentioned in clause (2) of
article 32.
5. Special Leave Jurisdiction:
Article 136 confers a special power
in the hands of the Supreme Court
to grant special leave to appeal from
any judgment, decree, determination,
sentence or order in any cause or
matter passed or made by any court
or tribunal in the territory of India.
The decision is entirely left to the
discretion of the Supreme Court.
However this clause shall not apply
to any judgment, determination,
sentence or order passed or made
by any court or tribunal constituted
by or under any law relating to the
Armed Forces. This power,
however, is to be used only under
exceptional circumstances like
matters involving general public
interest or in cases of grave injustice
or cases in which no appeal is
otherwise provided by law.
6. Advisory Jurisdiction:
Article 143 confers the power of
advisory opinion. In order to break
authoritative opinion, the President
of India may seek the advisory
opinion of the Supreme Court on the
matter which is, in his opinion,
important and necessary such as
disputes arising out of treaty of
agreement. However, the advice of
the Supreme Court is purely
advisory in nature and it is up to the
executive to accept it or not. The
Supreme Court may decline to give
advisory opinion if it finds
unnecessary. Former President
R.Venkatraman sought the advice
of the Supreme Court on whether
whether a temple existed at the
spot, where Babri Masjid was built
at Ayodhya, the Court refused to
give its advice on the question.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Consider the following statements:
The Supreme Court of India
tenders advice to the President of
India on matters of Law or fact
1. On its own initiative (on any
matter of larger public interest)
2. If he seeks such an advice
3. Only if the matters relate to the
Fundamental Rights of the citizens.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) 3 (d) 1 and 2
Ans (b) (CSE 2010)
7. Power of Judicial Review:
The supremacy of the Supreme
Court as the guardian of the
constitution is emphasised by the
power of judicial review. The
Supreme Court has the power of
declaring a law made by the
legislature or an executive action as
ultra vires (intra vires) or ‘null and
void’ or ‘unconstitutional’ if it is not
in tune with the provisions of the
constitution or violative of the
fundamental law of the land. This
acts as an effective check on both
the legislature and the executive as
any decision made or action taken
whimsically without regard to the
constitution is declared invalid.
8. The Court of Records:
Article 129says that the Supreme
Court shall be a court of record and
shall have all the powers of such a
court including the power to punish
for contempt of itself.
The proceedings and judgments of
the Supreme Court are kept
preserved to be made use of in
future cases and judgments,
whenever necessary by the lower
courts. Those decisions are
authoritative records on law whose
validity can not be questioned in any
court. The court of records also has
the power to correct its own clerical
errors.
The Supreme Court enjoys the
authority of imposing fine or
imprisonment for violating the
orders of the court (Article 129)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Supreme Court of India
tenders advice to the President on
a matter of law or fact:
(a) on its own initiative
(b) only if he seeks such advice
(c) only if the matter relates to the
Fundamental Rights of citizens
(d) only if the issue poses a threat
to the unity and integrity of the
country
Ans. (b) (CSE 2001)
Q. Under which Article of the
Indian Constitution did the
President make a reference to the
Supreme Court to seek the Court’s
opinion on the Constitutional
validity of the Election
Commission’s decision on
deferring the Gujarat Assembly
Elections (in the year 2002)?
(a) Article 142 (b) Article 143
(c) Article 144 (d) Article 145
Ans. (b) (CSE 2003)
Prelims Magic 2014
9. Self-correcting Court:
The Supreme Court has the power
of correcting its own judgments.
This is to ensure any loss or
damage, physical, emotional or
material, that may be caused to any
person seeking justice. To put it in
legal terms, this is to ensure against
‘miscarriage of justice’.
10. Miscellaneous functions:
P
The Supreme Court has the power
of regulating the practice and O
procedure of the court. It appoints
its own clerical establishment and
exercises supervision over lower L
courts. The Supreme Court decides
matters relating to the election of
the President and Vice-president. I
The Supreme Court if satisfied, may
withdraw a case on its own or on
appeal pending before one or more T
High courts on a matter involving
substantial question of law of
general importance. The Supreme Y
Court, if necessary, can transfer
any case pending before any High
court to any other High court.
The powers and functions of the
Supreme court is well summed up
by Y. V. Chandrachud, the former
Chief Justice of India. He says that
the Supreme Court has acted as “a
bulwark against all usurpation and
exercise of excessive powers”.
Enlargement of the jurisdiction
of the Supreme Court. Article
138. (1) The Supreme Court shall
have such further jurisdiction and
powers with respect to any of the
matters in the Union List as
Parliament may by law confer.
Article 138(2) The Supreme Court
shall have such further jurisdiction
and powers with respect to any
matter as the Government of India
and the Government of any State
may by special agreement confer,
if Parliament by law provides for the
exercise of such jurisdiction and
powers by the Supreme Court.
451
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The power to enlarge the
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
of India with respect to any matter
included in the Union List of
Legislative Powers rests with:
(a) The President of India
(b) The Chief Justice of India
(c) The Parliament
P (d) The Union Ministry of Law,
Justice and Company Affairs
Ans. (c) (CSE 2003)
O Officers and servants and the
expenses of the Supreme Court.
(Article146) Appointments of
L officers and servants of the
Supreme Court shall be made by the
Chief Justice of India or such other
I Judge or officer of the Court as he
may direct: Provided that the
President may by rule require that
T in such cases as may be specified
in the rule, no person not already
attached to the Court shall be
Y appointed to any office connected
with the Court, save after
consultation with the Union Public
Service Commission.
The administrative expenses of the
Supreme Court, including all
salaries, allowances and pensions
payable to or in respect of the
officers and servants of the Court,
shall be charged upon the
Consolidated Fund of India, and any
fees or other moneys taken by the
Court shall form part of that Fund.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.Consider the following
statements:
1. The Parliament cannot enlarge
the jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court of India as its jurisdiction is
limited to that conferred by the
constitution.
2. The officers and servants of the
Supreme Court and High Courts
are appointed by the concerned
Chief Justice and the adminis-
trative expenses are charged on
the consolidated fund of India.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2005)
452 Prelims Magic 2014
Supreme Court Registry
The Registry of the Supreme Court
is headed by the Registrar General
who is assisted in his work by three
Registrars, four Additional
Registrars, twelve Joint Registrars
etc. Article 146 of the Constitution
deals with the appointments of
officers and servants of the
Supreme Court Registry.
Public Interest Litigation
Prior to the 1980s, only the
aggrieved party could approach the
courts for justice. However, post
1980s, the apex court has devised
an innovative way wherein a person
or a civil society group could
approach the supreme court seeking
legal remedies in cases where public
interest is at stake. Justice P. N.
Bhagwati (CJI) and Justice V. R.
Krishna Iyer were among the first
judges to admit PIL’s in the court.
Public Interest Litigation is not
defined in any statute or act. It has
been interpreted by judges to
consider the intent of public
at large. Although, the main and only
focus of such litigation is only
‘Public Interest’ there are various
areas where a Public Interest
Litigation can be filed.
The concept of public interest
litigation rests on the principle that
any member of public can initiate
legal proceedings on behalf of an
aggrieved person, especially a poor
person who is unable to move the
court on his own. Such proceedings
can be initiated in either the High
Court or the Supreme Court for the
enforcement of the constitutional or
legal rights of a person or group of
persons.
A PIL may be filed like a writ
petition. However, in the past the
SC has treated even letters
addressed to the court as PIL. In
People’s Democratic Union vs.
Union of India, a letter addressed
by the petitioner organization
seeking a direction against the
respondents for ensuring
observance of the provisions of
labour laws in relation to workmen
employed in the construction work
of projects connected with the
Asian games was entertained as a
PIL.The SC has encouraged the
filing of PIL for tackling issues
related to environment, human rights
etc.
Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer a judge
of the Supreme Court of India
(1973-1980) is considered as one of
the progenitors of Public Interest
Litigation (PIL) in the Indian judicial
system. It may also be noted that
the key role in enunciating the
principle of public interest litigation
was played by Justice J. Bhagwati.
He did not insist on the observance
of procedural technicalities and
even treated ordinary letters from
public minded individuals as writ
petitions.
It is well known that several scams
like the Hawala Scam, Urea Scam,
Fodder Scam in Bihar, St. Kitts
Scam, Ayurvedic Medicine Scam
and Illegal Allotment of Govemment
Houses and Petrol Pumps, etc.,
came to light only through public
interest litigation.
Can a Letter Explaining
Certain Facts to the Chief
Justice be treated as a PIL?
In early 1990’s have there been
instances, where judges have
treated a post card containing facts,
as a Public Interest Litigation For
example a letter alleging the illegal
limestone quarrying which
devastated the fragile environment
in the Himalayan foothills around
Mussoorie, was treated as a PIL.
Present Scenario:
In the past, many people have tried
to misuse the privilege of PIL’s and
thus now the Court generally
requires a detailed narration of facts
and complaint & then decides
whether to issue notice and call the
opposite party. However, as there
is no statute laying down rules and
regulations for a PIL; the Court can
treat a letter as a Public Interest
Litigation, The letter should bring the
true & clear facts, and if the matter
is really an urgent one, the court can
treat it is a PIL. But still it depends
upon facts and circumstances, and
court has the entire discretion.
HIGH COURTS
High Court stands at the head of
the State’s Judicial Administration.
Each High Court comprises a Chief
Justice and such other Judges as
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who was the Chief Justice of
India when Public Interest
Litigation (PIL) was introduced to
the Indian Judicial System?
(a) M. Hidayatullah
(b) A.M. Ahmadi
(c) A. S. Anand
(d) P. N. Bhagwati
Ans. (d) (CSE 2006)
Q. The concept of public Interest
litigation originated in:
(a)United Kingdom
(b) Australia
(c)The United States
(d) Canada
Ans. (c) (CSE 1997)
Explanation: The concept of PIL
originated in USA. It has
developed recently in India. PIL
means to bring justice to the door
step to the citizens of country. It
is a liberalised procedure.
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer was
the Chief Justice of India.
2. Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer is
considered as one of the
progenitors of Public Interest
Litigation (PIL) in the Indian
judicial system.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE 1999)
Explanation: Justice Krishna Iyer
never became the Chief Justice
of India.
the President may, from time to
time, appoint.
The Chief Justice of a High Court
is appointed by the President in
consultation with the Chief Justice
of India and the Governor of the
state. The procedure for appointing
of the High Courts judges is the
same except
recommendation
that
for
appointment of Judges in the High
the
the
Court is initiated by the Chief Justice
of the High Court concerned. They
hold office up to 62 years of age.
The total sanctioned strength of
Judges and additional judges in
different High Courts is 678 against
which 587 Judges were in position
as on 26 June 2006.
Power of High Courts to issue
certain writs. (Article 226) Every
High Court shall have power,
throughout the territories in relation
to which it exercises jurisdiction, to
issue to any person or authority,
including in appropriate cases, any
Government, within those territories
directions, orders or writs, including
writs in the nature of
habeascorpus, mandamus,
prohibition, quo warranto and
certiorari, or any of them, for the
enforcement of any of the
Fundamental rights.
Power of superintendence over
all courts by the High Court.
(Article 227) Every High Court
shall have superintendence over all
courts and tribunals throughout the
territories in relation to which it
exercises jurisdiction. The High
Court may— (a) call for returns
from such courts; (b) make and
issue general rules and prescribe
forms for regulating the practice and
proceedings of such courts; and (c)
prescribe forms in which books,
entries and accounts shall be kept
by the officers of any such courts.
Nothing in this article shall be
deemed to confer on a High Court
powers of superintendence over any
court or tribunal constituted by or
under any law relating to the Armed
Forces.
Prelims Magic 2014
Qualification: To be eligible for
appointment as a judge, one must
be a citizen of India and should have
held a judicial office in India for 10
years or must have practiced as an
advocate of a High Court or two or
more such courts in succession for
a similar period.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following P
statements:
1. A person who has held office
as a permanent Judge of a High O
Court cannot plead or act in any
court or before any authority in
India except of the Supreme L
Court.
2. A person is not qualified for
appointment as a Judge of a High I
Court in India unless he has for at
least five years held a judicial
office in the territory of India. T
Which of the statement(s) given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Y
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) (CSE 2006)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The mode of removal of a
Judge of a High Court in India is
same as that of removal of a Judge
of the Supreme Court.
2. After retirement from the office,
a permanent Judge of a High
Court cannot plead or act in any
court or before any authority in
India.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2007)
Q. The salaries and allowances of
the Judges of the High Court are
charged to the:
(a) Consolidated Fund of India
(b) Consolidated Fund of the State
(c) Contingency Fund of India
(d) Contingency Fund of the State
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
453
 Jurisdiction of different State High Courts
There are 24 High Courts in the country, three having jurisdiction over more than
one State. Among the Union Territories, Delhi alone has a High Court of its own.
Other six Union Territories come under jurisdiction of different State High Courts.
Name of High Court
1. Allahabad
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Bombay
P 4. Kolkata
5. Delhi
6. Guwahati
O 7. Gujarat
8. Himachal Pradesh
L 9. J&K
10. Karnataka
11. Kerala
I 12. Madhya Pradesh
13. Chennai
14. Orissa
15. Patna
T 16. Punjab & Haryana
17. Rajasthan
18. Sikkim
Y 19. Bilaspur
20. Nainital
21. Ranchi
22. Tripura
23. Meghalaya
24. Manipur
Administrative Expenditure:
The administrative expenses of a
High Court, including all salaries,
allowances and pensions payable to
or in respect of the officers and
servants of the Court, shall be
charged upon the Consolidated
Fund of the State, and any fees or
other monies taken by the Court
shall form part of that Fund.
Salary: The salary of judges of the
High court is determined by the
parliament from time to time. The
salary and allowances of a judge
can not be changed during his term
of office to his disadvantage
(Article 221). At present, the Judges
and the Chief Justice of the High
Court draw a salary of Rs. 80,000/
- and 90,000/- per month
respectively [Supreme Court and
High Court (Service Rules)
Amendment Act, 2008.
Removal: A judge of the High court
is removed from his office in the
454 Prelims Magic 2014
authority in a district. Below him,
there are courts of civil jurisdiction,
known in different states as munsifs,
sub-judges, civil judges and the like.
Similarly, criminal judiciary
Territorial jurisdiction comprises chief judicial magistrate
Uttar Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
and judicial magistrates of first and
Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra and Nagar second class.
Haveli, Daman and Diu
West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar
Delhi
District and Sessions Judge: When
the judge decides civil cases he is
called the District Judge and when
Assam, Nagaland,
Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh
Gujarat
Himachal Pradesh
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. How many High Courts in
India have jurisdiction over more
J&K
Karnataka
Kerala, Lakshadweep
than one State (Union Territories
not included)?
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5
Madhya Pradesh
Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
Orissa
Ans. (a) (CSE 2008)
Bihar Q. Which one of the following
Chandigarh
Rajasthan
High Courts has the Territorial
Jurisdiction over Andaman and
Sikkim
Nicobar Islands?
Chhattisgarh
Uttarakhand
Jharkhand
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Calcutta
(c) Madras (d) Orissa
Tripura, Ans. (b) (CSE 2003)
Meghalaya
Manipur, he deals with criminal cases he is
called the Session Judge.
Designations of courts connote their
similar way as that of the judge of
functions. These courts deal with all
the Supreme Court. (Article 217).
disputes of civil or criminal nature
Restriction on practice after as per the powers conferred on
being a permanent Judge. them. These courts have been
Article 220 insists: No person who, derived principally from two
after the commencement of this important codes prescribing
Constitution, has held office as a procedures, i.e., the Code of Civil
permanent Judge of a High Court Procedure, 1908 and the Code of
shall plead or act in any court or Criminal Procedure, 1973 and
before any authority in India except further strengthened by local
the Supreme Court and the other statutes. As per direction of
High Courts. Supreme Court in WP (Civil) 1022/
SUBORDINATE COURTS 1989 in the All India Judges
Association case, a uniform
The structure and functions of designation has been brought about
subordinate courts are more or less in the subordinate judiciary’s judicial
uniform throughout the country. officers all over the country viz.,
Each state is divided into judicial District or Additional District Judge,
districts presided over by a district Civil Judge (Senior Division) and
and sessions judge, who is the Civil Judge (Junior Division) on the
principal civil court of original civil side and on criminal side,
jurisdiction and can try all offences Sessions Judge, Additional Sessions
including those punishable with Judge, Chief Judicial Magistrate
death. He is the highest judicial and Judicial Magistrate, etc., as laid
down in the Cr.P.C. Appropriate
adjustment, if any, has been made
in existing posts by indicating their
equivalent with any of these
categories by all State
Governments/UT Administrations.
Under Article 235 of the
Constitution of India, the
administrative control over the
members of subordinate judicial
service vests with the High Court
concerned.
Under Article 233. (1)
Appointments (and the posting and
promotion also) of district judges in
any State shall be made by the
Governor of the State in consultation
with the High Court concerned. (2)
A person not already in the service
of the Union or of the State shall
only be eligible to be appointed a
district judge if he has been for not
less than seven years an advocate
or a pleader and is recommended
by the High Court for appointment.
Under Article 234. Appointments of
persons other than district judges to
the judicial service of a State shall
be made by the Governor of the
State in accordance with rules made
by him in that behalf after
consultation with the State Public
Service Commission and with the
High Court exercising jurisdiction in
relation to such State.
Further in exercise of powers
conferred under proviso to Article
309 read with Article 233 and 234
of the Constitution, the State
Government shall frame rules and
regulations in consultation with the
High Court exercising jurisdiction in
relation to such State. The members
of the State Judicial Services are
governed by these rules and
regulations.
Under Article 236 (a) the
expression “district judge” includes
judge of a city civil court, additional
district judge, joint district judge,
assistant district judge, chief judge
of a small cause court, chief
presidency magistrate, additional
chief presidency magistrate,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Assertion (A): In India, every
State has a High Court in its
territory.
Reason (R): The Constitution of
India provides a High Court in
each State.
Codes:
(a) Both ‘A’ and ‘R’ are
individually true and ‘R’ is the
correct explanation of ‘A’.
(b) Both ‘A’ and ‘R’ are
individually true but ‘R’ is not the
correct explanation of ‘A’.
(c) ‘A’ is true but ‘R’ is false.
(d) ‘A’ is false but ‘R’ is true.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2007)
Explanation : Statement ‘A’ is
incorrect. In India there are 28
States and 7 UTs but only 21 High
Courts are there.
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding the High
Courts in India:
1. There are eighteen High Courts
in the country
2. Three of them have jurisdiction
over more than one state
3. No Union Territory has High
Court of its own
4. Judges of the High Court hold
office till the age of 62
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 4 only
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Assertion (A): In India, every
State has a High Court in its
territory.
Reason (R) : The Constitution of
India provides a High Court in
each State.
Codes:
(a) Both ‘A’ and ‘R’ are
individually true and ‘R’ is the
correct explanation of ‘A’.
(b) Both ‘A’ and ‘R’ are
individually true but ‘R’ is not the
correct explanation of ‘A’.
(c) ‘A’ is true but ‘R’ is false.
(d) ‘A’ is false but ‘R’ is true.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2002)
Explanation : Statement ‘A’ is
incorrect. In India there are 28
States and 7 UTs but only 21 High
Courts are there.
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. There are 25 High Courts in
India.
2. Punjab, Haryana and the Union
Territory of Chandigarh have a
common High Court.
3. National Capital Territory of
Delhi has a High Court of its own. P
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2 O
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 3 only
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2005)
Explanation : Statement (1) is not L
correct. There are 21 high courts
in India, not 25. Statement (2) and
(3) are correct so there is no need I
to explain them further.
sessions judge, additional sessions
judge and assistant
T
sessions Judge; and (b) the
expression “judicial service” means Y
a service consisting exclusively of
persons intended to fill the post of
district judge and other civil judicial
posts inferior to the post of district
judge.
LOK ADALATS: Lok Adalat is a
forum where the disputes/cases
pending in the court of law or at pre-
litigation stage are settled/
compromised amicably. The Lok
Adalat has been given statutory
status under the Legal Services
Authorities Act, 1987. Under this
Act, an award made by a Lok
Adalat is deemed to be a decree of
a civil court and is final and binding
on all parties and no appeal lies
against thereto before any court.
Lok Adalats are being organized by
the Legal Services Authorities/
Committees u/s 19 of the Legal
Services Authorities Act, 1987.
Matters such as Matrimonial/
Family disputes. Criminal
(Compoundable Offences) cases,
Land Acquisition Cases, Labour
Disputes, Workmen’s
Compensation cases, Bank
Recovery cases, Pension cases,
Housing Board and slum clearance
455
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. According to the Constitution of
India the term ‘district judge’ shall
not include:
(a) Chief presidency magistrate
(b) Sessions judges
(c) Tribunal judge
(d) Chief Judge of a small cause
court
P Ans. (c) (CSE 1996)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
O 1. The highest criminal court of the
district is the Court of District and
Session Judge
L 2. The District Judge is appointed
by the Governor in consultation
with the High Courts
I 3. A person to be eligible for
appointment as a District Judge
should be an advocate or a pleader
of seven years’ standing or more,
T or an officer in judicial service of
the Union or the State
4. When the Sessions Judge
Y awards death sentence; it must be
confirmed by the High Court before
it is carried out.
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2004)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Lok Adalats,
consider the following statements:
1. An award made by a Lok
Adalat is deemed to be a decree
of a civil court and no appeal lies
against thereto before any court.
2. Matrimonial/Family disputes are
not covered under Lok Adalat.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2009)
Q. Consider the following:
1. Disputes with mobile cellular
companies
2. Motor accident cases
3. Pension cases
For which of the above are Lok
Adalats held?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Ans. (c) (CSE 2005)
456 Prelims Magic 2014
cases & Housing Finance cases.
Consumer Grievance cases,
Electricity matters, disputes relating
to Telephone Bills, Municipal
matters including House Tax cases.
Disputes with Cellular Companies
etc. are being taken up in Lok
Adalats.
Family Courts
The Family Courts Act, 1984
provides for establishment of Family
Courts by the State Governments
in consultation with the High Courts
with a view to promote conciliation
and secure speedy settlement of
disputes relating to marriage and
family affairs and for matters
connected therewith. Under
Section 3(1)(a) of the Family Courts
Act, it is mandatory for the State
Governments to set up a Family
Court for every area in the State
comprising a city or a town whose
population exceeds one million. In
other areas of the States, the Family
Courts may be set up if the State
Governments deems it necessary.
Following are the matters which can
be filed in the Family Courts-
1. Decree for nullity of marriage
2. Restitution of Conjugal rights
3. Judicial Separation
4. Divorce
5. Declaration of marital status of
any person
6. Matrimonial property matters
7. Claim of maintenance
8. Guardianship
9. Custody of children
10. Access of children
11. Application for injunction in
matrimonial matters.
A scheme of Central financial
assistance was started in 2002-03
for setting of Family Courts. As per
the scheme Rs. 10 lakhs per court
are provided by the Department of
Justice for setting up of Family
Courts with equal matching share
from States. Under Non-Plan,
funds to the tune of Rs. 5 lakh per
court are provided for running
expenditure of the Family Court.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to Lok Adalats,
which of the following statements
is correct?
(a) Lok Adakats have the
jurisdiction to settle the matters at
pre-litigative stage and not those
matters pending before any court.
(b) Lok Adalats can deal with
maters which are civil and not
criminal in nature
(c) Every Lok Adalat consists of
either serving or retired judicial
officers only and not any other
person
(d) None of the statements given
above is correct
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
The Parliamentary Committee on
Empowerment of Women has
recommended that Family Courts
may be set up in each district. All
the State Governments/UT
Administrations have been
requested to set up Family Courts
in each district.
Nyaya Panchayat
A Nyaya Panchayat is a system of
dispute resolution at village level
in India. There shall be constituted
a Nyaya Panchayat for every
Village Panchayat area or a group
of Village Panchayat areas
depending on the population and
area, as may be notified by the State
Government. Every Nyaya
Panchayat shall consist of five
Panchas who shall be elected by
the voters enrolled in the voter’s list
of that Village Panchayat or group
of Village Panchayats, in the
manner to be prescribed by the
State Government.
Fundamental Duties of Nyaya
Panchayats: (1) All Panchas shall,
on the assumption of office, affirm
their faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India and in
particular, shall adhere and follow
Part IVA of the Constitution relating
to Fundamental Duties.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Panch
to discharge the functions assigned
under this law in a fair and judicious
manner without fear or favour,
affection or ill-will.
(3) The Panch shall be vigilant in
maintaining communal harmony and
desist from taking any action which
may directly or indirectly foment,
provoke, promote, enhance, or
sustain any disharmony.
‘FAST TRACK COURTS’
The eleventh Finance Commission
recommended a scheme for
creation of 1734 Fast Track Courts
in the country for disposal of long
pending Sessions and other cases.
The Ministry of Finance sanctioned
an amount of Rs. 502.90 crores as
“special problem and upgradation
grant” for judicial administration.
The scheme was for a period of 5
years. The Finance Commission
Division (FCD), Ministry of Finance
released funds directly to the state
Governments under the scheme of
Fast Track Courts. It is the primary
responsibility of the State
Governments to establish these
courts in consultation with the
concerned High Courts.
The FTCs were established to
expeditiously dispose of long
pending cases in the Sessions
Courts and long pending cases of
undertrial prisoners.
In the last 10 years, all the fast track
courts have been able to dispose
28.38 lakh cases out of 35.02 lakh
cases transferred to them.
A total of 1,743 fast track courts
were set up in 2000-01 following a
recommendation by the Eleventh
Finance Commission, which had
mooted the idea for expeditious
disposal of long-pending criminal
cases.
The ministry of finance had
subsequently sanctioned an amount
of Rs.502.90 crore for
establishment of 1,743 fast track
courts, which were originally
proposed to be set up for a period
of five years till 2005.
Later in 2005, The United
Progressive Alliance-I government
sanctioned a sum of Rs.509 crore
for sustaining the 1,562 fast track
courts that existed March 31, 2005
The scheme of the fast track courts
was approved for a further period
of one year till March 31, 2011.
Following the extension of the
scheme, all the 1,562 fast track
courts established across the
country will be given a central
assistance at the rate of Rs.4.80
lakh per court for another year. It
was decided that there will be no
central funding for Fast Track
Courts beyond 31.3.2011.
PROVISION OF LEGAL AID
If a person belongs to the poor
section of the society having annual
income of less than Rs. 18,000/- or
belongs to Scheduled Caste or
Scheduled Tribe, a victim of natural
calamity, is a woman or a child or a
mentally ill or otherwise disabled
person or an industrial workman, or
is in custody including custody in
protective home, he/she is entitled
to get free legal aid from the
Supreme Court Legal Aid
Committee. The aid so granted by
the Committee includes cost of
preparation of the matter and all
applications connected therewith, in
addition to providing an Advocate
for preparing and arguing the case.
Any person desirous of availing
legal service through the Committee
has to make an application to the
Secretary and hand over all
necessary documents concerning
his case to it. The Committee after
ascertaining the eligibility of the
person provides necessary legal aid
to him/her.
Persons belonging to middle income
group i.e. with income above Rs.
18,000/- but under Rs. 1,20,000/- per
annum are eligible to get legal aid
from the Supreme Court Middle
Income Group Society, on nominal
payments.
AMICUS CURIAE
If a petition is received from the jail
or in any other criminal matter if the
accused is unrepresented then an
Advocate is appointed as amicus
curiae by the Court to defend and
Prelims Magic 2014
argue the case of the accused. In
civil matters also the Court can
appoint an Advocate as amicus
curiae if it thinks it necessary in
case of an unrepresented party; the
Court can also appoint amicus
curiae in any matter of general public
importance or in which the interest
of the public at large is involved.
National Green Tribunal (NGT)
The National Green Tribunal has
P
been established on 18.10.2010
under the National Green Tribunal
Act 2010 for effective and
O
expeditious disposal of cases relating
to environmental protection and
conservation of forests and other
L
natural resources including
enforcement of any legal right
relating to environment and giving
I
relief and compensation for
damages to persons and property
and for matters connected therewith
T
or incidental thereto. And whereas
in the judicial pronouncement in
India, the right to healthy Y
environment has been construed as
part of the right to life under article
21 of the Constitution. National
Green Tribunal is a specialized body
equipped with the necessary
expertise to handle environmental
disputes involving multi-disciplinary
issues. The Tribunal shall not be
bound by the procedure laid down
under the Code of Civil Procedure,
1908, but shall be guided by
principles of natural justice.
The Tribunal’s dedicated jurisdiction
in environmental matters shall
provide speedy environmental
justice and help reduce the burden
of litigation in the higher courts. The
Tribunal is mandated to make and
endeavour for disposal of
applications or appeals finally within
6 months of filing of the same.
Initially, the NGT is proposed to be
set up at five places of sittings and
will follow circuit procedure for
making itself more accessible. New
Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting
of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune,
Kolkata and Chennai shall be the
other 4 place of sitting of the
Tribunal.
457
 How was this topic asked in the CSE All Governors while discharging
such constitutional functions as
Q. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was enacted in consonance appointment of Chief Minister of a
with which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India? State or sending a report to President
1.Right to healthy environment, construed as a part of Right to life under about failure of constitutional
Article 21 machinery in a State or in respect
2. Provision of grants for raising the level of administration in the of matters relating to assent to a Bill
Scheduled Areas for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes under Article 275(1) passed by legislature, exercise their
3. Powers and functions of Gram Sabha as mentioned under Article own judgement.
P 243(A)
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
Given below are the important
powers and functions of the

O (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a) CSE 2012
Governor:
Legislative functions

L 20 THE STATE EXECUTIVE

(i) To summon the session, to
prorogue the session or dissolve the
legislature.

I The system of government in States

closely resembles that of the Union.
State executive consists of
T Governor and Council of Ministers
with Chief Minister as its head. And
for every state, there is a legislature
Y which consists of Governor and one
House or, two Houses as the case
may be.
GOVERNOR
What the President is to the nation
the Governor is to states. The
Governor of a State is appointed by
the President for a term of five
years and holds office during his
pleasure. Only Indian citizens above
35 years of age are eligible for
appointment to this office.
Executive power of the State is
vested in Governor.
Council of Ministers with Chief
Minister as head aids and advises
Governor in exercise of his functions
except in so far as he is by or under
the Constitution required to exercise
his functions or any of them in his
discretion. In respect of Nagaland,
Governor has special responsibility
under Article 371 A of the
Constitution with respect to law and
order and even though it is
necessary for him to consult Council
of Ministers in matters relating to
law and order, he can exercise his
individual judgement as to the action
to be taken.
Similarly, in respect of Arunachal
Pradesh, Governor has special
responsibility under Article 371H of
the Constitution with respect to law
and order and in discharge of his
functions in relation thereto.
Governor shall, after consulting
Council of Ministers, exercise his
individual judgement as to the action
to be taken. These are, however,
temporary provisions if President, on
receipt of a report from Governor
or otherwise is satisfied that it is no
longer necessary for Governor to
have special responsibility with
respect to law and order, he may so
direct by an order.
Likewise, in the Sixth Schedule
which applies to tribal areas of
Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and
Mizoram as specified in Para 20 of
that Schedule, discretionary powers
are given to Governor in matters
relating to sharing of royalties
between district council and state
government. Sixth Schedule vests
additional discretionary powers in
Governors of Mizoram and Tripura
in almost all their functions (except
approving regulations for levy of
taxes and money lending by non-
tribals by district councils) since
December 1998. In Sikkim,
Governor has been given special
responsibility for peace and social
and economic advancement of
different sections of population.
(ii) The Governor enjoys the power
to address the legislature. It is
normally done after general
elections or the first session of the
year. That is called “Governor’s
speech”. This inaugural speech
outlines the objectives and priorities
of the government. Traditionally this
speech is prepared by the cabinet
but read by the Governor.
(iii) In passing the bills, if a dead lock
arises due to non-agreement
between two houses of the
legislature, the Governor may call
for joint session of both the houses.
(iv) The Governor may address
either House of the state legislature
or both any time and also may send
a message to both the houses to
settle an unsettled bill. But, however
no governor so far has neither
addressed the house nor sent
messages.
(v) In the view of the Governor if
the Anglo-Indian community is not
adequately represented, he may
nominate member to Legislative
Assembly.
(vi) Governor must seek prior
permission of the President while
dealing with bills relating to
formation of new states, alteration
of state boundaries and some special
bills like the finance bills.
(vii) No bills can become a law
without the assent of the Governor.

458 Prelims Magic 2014

He enjoys the power of to withhold
a bill -this power is called ‘Veto
power: However he can’t refuse his
assent for finance bills. But he can
withhold assent for non-money bills.
But if the same is resubmitted for
signature, even without changes, he
cannot refuse.
(viii) The Governor enjoys the
power of issuing Ordinance when
the legislature is not in session. It
will have the same power and effect
similar to that of a law made by the
state legislature provided the same
is ratified by the legislature within 6
weeks of its passage, other wise it
ceases to be a law and is considered
null and void.
Executive Functions
The Governor is the administrative
head of the state and orders are
executed in his name. Article 154
clearly states that “the executive
powers of the state must be vested
in the hands of the Governor”.
(i). All accords and agreements
carried out on behalf of the
government of state is done in the
name of the Governor.
(ii). The Governor has the power to
call for any information from the
government.
(iii). The Governor appoints the
Chief Minister and the council of
ministers on the recommendation of
the Chief Minister.
(iv). The member of the State Public
Service Commission (SPSC),
Backward Classes Commission are
appointed by the Governor.
Financial powers:
(i) It is the constitutional obligation
of the Governor to see that the
annual income expenditure
statement - the budget is placed
before state legislature for approval.
(ij) Financial bills cannot be
presented in state legislature without
the consent of the Governor.
(iii) The recommendations of the
state finance commissions and the
planning commission are placed
before the legislature on orders of
the Governor.
(iv) The members of the Finance
Commission and Planning
Commission are appointed by the
Governor.
Judicial Powers:
(i) The judicial powers of the
Governor extends till the will of the
state legislature extends.
(ii) The Governor enjoys the power
of pardoning the sentence of a
person declared an offender by the
High Court. He is so powerful that
he can reduce change or altogether
cancel the punishment. This power
is called Governor’s pardon. This
is provided to ensure against any
miscarriage of justice. However, the
Governor has no power to pardon a
person if the case is pending with
the Supreme Court.
(iii) The judges of the High court
are appointed by ‘the President in
consultation with the Governor and
the Chief Justice of the high court.
(iv) The Governor is entitled to legal
advice on matters relating to the
constitutional clarity of bills.
However it is not binding on the
Governor to accept it
Discretionary Powers:
As first citizen of the state, the
Governor has the responsibility of
conducting the administrative
machinery as per the provisions
enshrined in the constitution. Article
163 vests the Governor with
discretionary power that cannot be
questioned in any court of law.
Though the powers are
discretionary, the constitution
expects it to be used with common
sense, restraint and a sense of
justice. The discretionary powers of
the Governor are as follows:
(i) In appointing the Chief Minister
if no party enjoys majority it is left
to the discretion of the Governor to
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Article 156 of the Constitution
of India provides that a Governor
shall hold office for a term of five
year from the date on which he
enters upon his office. Which of
the following can be deduced from
this?
1. No Governor can be removed
from office till the completion of
his term
P
2. No Governor can continue in
office beyond a period of five
years Codes:
O
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither
Ans. (d) (CSE 1995)
L
Explanation: Governor as per the
Art. 156 holds the office by during
the pleasure of the president. He
I
can be removed from his office
any time by President. Hence
statement 1 is false. Statement 2
T
is also incorrect because he can
continue till his successor steps in. Y
call any person to form the
government and prove his majority.
(ii) On the recommendation of the
Chief Minister, Governor can sack
a minister (Article164).
(iii) If the Governor believes that the
government has lost majority or if
the Chief Minister having lost
majority does not resign or if the
government is using unethical means
for political gains, under these
circumstances he can dissolve the
Council of ministers. (Article 174).
(iv) The Governor can return a bill
back to legislature for re-
consideration.
(v) The Governor can reserve
certain bills passed by the state
legislature for consideration of the
President (Article 200).
(vi) Before issuing an ordinance, the
Governor can receive directions
from the President.
(vii) If the Governor is satisfied that
a situation has arisen in which the
government cannot be run
according to provision of the
459
 constitution he may request the
President to take over the state
administration under Article 356.
This is called ‘President’s rule’. The
report sent by the Governor to
President must be kept confidential
from the Council of ministers.
CHIEF MINISTER AND
P THE COUNCIL OF MINIS-
TERS
O According to Article 163. (1) of the
Indian Constitution, there shall be a
council of Ministers with the Chief
L Minister at the head to aid and
advise the Governor in the exercise
of his functions. The Chief Minister
I shall be appointed by the Governor
and the other Ministers shall be
appointed by the Governor on the
T advice of the Chief Minister, and the
Ministers shall hold office during the
pleasure of the Governor. (Article
Y 164. (1))
The total number of Ministers,
including the Chief Minister, in the
Council of Ministers in a State shall
not exceed fifteen percent of the
total number of members of the
Legislative Assembly of that State:
Provided that the number of
Ministers, including the Chief
Minister in a State shall not be less
than twelve. (Ins. by the
Constitution (Ninety-first
Amendment) Act, 2003) The
Council of Ministers shall be
collectively responsible to the
Legislative Assembly of the State.
The Chief Minister of any state has
been divested with several
functions. Besides carrying on the
many functions; the Chief Minister
also has many roles to play in order
to maintain proper governance of
the state. His roles and functions can
be classified into a number of
categories:
The Chief Minister is the leader of
the Council of Ministers of the State,
and, therefore, he is the Chief
adviser to the Governor. He is the
link between the Governor and the
Council of Ministers; he
460 Prelims Magic 2014
communicates the decisions of the
Council of Ministers to the
Governor. If the Governor has any
advice or suggestion to offer to the
Council of Ministers, the Chief
Minister brings that to the notice of
the ministers and takes decisions
accordingly. The Chief Minister is
also the leader of the State
Legislature and the leader of the
Party which is in power.
Regarding the functions of the Chief
Minister it can also be said that the
chief minister is the chief
spokesman of the government and
its policies. He communicates the
government policies with the help
of the press and other media
exposure. The Chief Minister keeps
the people aware of the affairs of
the State.
The Chief Minister has other
functions to perform. He keeps a
close watch on the financial matters
of the State including the
preparation of budget, decides basic
priorities, takes keen interest in
planning and development works,
attends the meetings of the National
Development Council, Zonal
Council etc.
Position of the Chief Minister
The Chief Minister is the pivot of
the State Executive in the real sense
and its chief architect. He is a link
between the State government and
the Union government. It is the
Chief Minister who maintains the
link between the State
Governments and the Union
Governments. He maintains the
relation between the State
Legislature, the Council of
Ministers and the Governor.
21 STATE LEGISLATURE
STATE LEGISLATURE
For every state, there is a legislature
which consists of Governor and one
House or two Houses as the case
may be. In Bihar, Jammu and
Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Constitutional Limitations of
the Chief Minister
There are certain constitutional
limitations. The Chief Minister has
to function under the threat of the
following constitutional limitations:
(a)The discretionary powers of the
Governor: Under Article 164(i), the
Ministers shall hold office during
the pleasure of the Governor. The
Governor, under Article 163, can
exercise his power in his discretion
without seeking the advice of the
Council of Ministers.
(b) Failure of the Constitutional
Machinery: On the basis of the
report submitted by the Governor or
on the basis of the report received
from other sources, the President
can dissolve the Council of
Ministers of a State under Article
356 on the ground of the failure of
the constitutional machinery in the
State.
(c)Absolute Majority in the
Legislative Assembly: The
enjoyment of the confidence of the
Legislative Assembly is a condition
for the proper discharge of
functions as Chief Minister. Unless
the Chief Minister is always backed
by a stable majority in the Assembly,
he cannot go ahead taking the
confidence of the Legislative
Assembly/or granted.
(d) Distribution of limited Power to
States: The Constitution of India
assigns limited power to the States
as specified in the State List in the
Seventh Schedule. This limited
power assigned to the State
imposes restriction in becoming a
real head by the Chief Minister.
AP and Uttar Pradesh, there are
two Houses known as legislative
council and legislative assembly. In
the remaining states, there is only
one House known as legislative
assembly. Parliament may, by law,
provide for abolition of an existing
legislative council or for creation of
one where it does not exist, if
proposal is supported by a resolution
of the legislative assembly
concerned.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
States of India does not have a
Legislative Council so far even
though the Constitution (Seventh
Amendment) Act, 1956 provides
for it ?
(a) Maharashtra (b) Bihar
(c) Karnataka (d) Madhya
Pradesh
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Qualifications to become a
member:
1. Must be a citizen of India.
2. Must have attained the age of 30
years.
3. Should have all other
qualifications as prescribed by
parliament or by law.
4. Must owe allegiance to the
constitution.
5. Must not be holding an office of
profit under the government
national, regional or local.
6. Should not be an undischarged
insolvent.
7. Must not be of unsound mind.
8. Should not have acquired the
citizenship of a foreign state.
The Chairman and the Deputy
Chairman:
The Chairman and the Deputy
Chairman shoulder the responsibility
of transacting business of the
House. They are elected from
among the members of the House.
It is the responsibility of the
Chairman to maintain dignity and
order of the House ensuring smooth,
impartial and a focused debate. The
Deputy Chairman presides the
house in absence of the Chairman,
due to resignation, removal, death
or incapacity. Both Chairman and
Deputy Chairman are subjected to
removal by a majority decision of parliament or by law.
the house.
4. Must owe allegiance to the
The upper house, Legislative constitution.
council-Vidhan Parishad- has
5. Must not be holding an office of
limited legislative powers, and was
profit under the government -
primarily intended for consultation
national, regional or local.
and cannot hold up legislation passed
by the lower house, Legislative 6. Should not be an undischarged
Assembly­the Vidhan Sabha for
more than a few months.
The Legislative Assembly is
insolvent.
7. Must not be of unsound mind. P
composed of members directly
elected from individual
constituencies while the upper
8. Should not have acquired the
citizenship of a foreign state. O
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
house, the Legislative Council
consists of members indirectly
elected by the Lower House,
Q. Who among the following have
the right to vote in the elections to
L
members nominated for by the State
government, and members elected
from specially designated teacher’s
both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha?
(a) Elected members of the Lower
I
and graduate’s constituencies.
The basis of the composition of the
House of the Parliament
(b) Elected members of the Upper
House of the Parliament
T
Council is as follows:
The total number of members in the
Legislative Council should not
(c) Elected members of the Upper
House of the State Legislature
(d) Elected members of the Lower
Y
exceed one-third of the total number House of the State Legislature
of members in the Legislative Ans. (a) (CSE 1995)
Assembly. But, in any case, it Explanation : Elected member of
should not be less than forty. lower house i.e. Legislative
Assembly have the right to vote in
Legislative Assembly (Vidhan
the elections to both Lok Sabha and
Sabha) of a state consists of not
Rajya Sabha. In addition, they vote
more than 500 and not less than 60
for the election of President of
members (Legislative Assembly of
India also.
Sikkim has 32 members vide Article
371F of the Constitution) chosen by Term
direct election from territorial
A member of Vidhana Sabha is
constituencies in the state.
elected for a period of 5 years. It
Demarcation of territorial
was increased to 6 years by the 42nd
constituencies is to be done in such
Amendment in 1976 but
a manner that the ratio between
subsequently reduced to 5 years by
population of each constituency and
the 44th Amendment in 1978. The
number of seats allotted to it, as far
term of the House may be extended
as practicable, is the same
in case of proclamation of
throughout the state. Term of an
emergency by the president, but
assembly is five years unless it is
that shall not exceed one year at a
dissolved earlier.
time.
Qualifications: Speaker
1. Must be a citizen of India.
The Vidhana Sabha is presided over
2. Must have attained the age of 25 by the Speaker who is elected along
years. with the Deputy speaker from
among members of the House. He
3. Should have all other
stays in office till the expiry of the
qualifications as prescribed by
House i.e., 5 years. He is vested
Prelims Magic 2014 461
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The Constitution of India provides
that
1. The Legislative Assembly of
each State shall consist of not
more than 450 members chosen
P by direct election from territorial
constituencies in the State.
2. A person shall not be qualified
O to be chosen to fill a seat in the
Legislative Assembly of a State if
he/she is less than 25 years of age.
L Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
I (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
T Ans. (b) (CSE 2008)
with the authority of conducting the
deliberations of the house in an
Y orderly manner. The speaker of
Vidhana sabha does all the functions
of that of the Speaker of the Lok
sabha except presiding the joint
sittings of the state legislature
because there is no provision for
joint sittings in the state legislature.
The Deputy speaker discharges the
duties of the Speaker in his absence
arising out of resignation, death,
removal or incapacity.
Powers and Functions
State legislature has exclusive
powers over subjects enumerated
in List II of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution and concurrent
powers over those enumerated in
List III. Financial powers of
legislature include authorisation of
all expenditure, taxation and
borrowing by the state government.
Legislative assembly alone has
power to originate money bills.
Legislative council can make only
recommendations in respect of
changes it considers necessary
within a period of fourteen days of
the receipt of money bills from
Assembly. Assembly can accept or
reject these recommendations.
462 Prelims Magic 2014
Control over Executive
State legislatures, apart from
exercising the usual power of
financial control, use all normal
parliamentary devices like questions,
discussions, debates, adjournments
and no-confidence motions and
resolutions to keep a watch over
day-to-day work of the executive.
They also have their committees on
estimates and public accounts to
ensure that grants sanctioned by
legislature are properly utilised.
The Advocate-General for the
State
The Governor of each State shall
appoint a person who is qualified to
be appointed a Judge of a High
Court to be Advocate-General for
the State (Article 165. (1)) It shall
be the duty of the Advocate-General
to give advice to the Government
of the State upon such legal
matters, and to perform such other
duties of a legal character, as may
from time to time be referred or
22 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
PART XX (Article 368) details the
procedure for Amendment of the
Constitution. An amendment of the
Constitution may be initiated only by
the introduction of a Bill for the
purpose in either House of
Parliament, and when the Bill is
passed in each House by a majority
of the total membership of that
House and by a majority of not less
than two-thirds of the members of
that House present and voting, it
shall be presented to the President
who shall give his assent to the Bill
and thereupon the Constitution shall
stand amended in accordance with
the terms of the Bill. It may be noted
that provisions which affect the
federal character of the
Constitution can be amended only
with the approval of the states. A
notable feature of the amendment
procedure in India is that the
initiative rests with the Centre and
assigned to him by the Governor,
and to discharge the functions
conferred on him by or under this
Constitution or any other law for the
time being in force.
(2) The Advocate-General shall hold
office during the pleasure of the
Governor, and shall receive such
Remuneration as the Governor may
determine.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Advocate General of a
State in India is appointed by the
President of India upon the
recommendation of the Governor
of the concerned State.
2. As provided in Civil Procedure
Code, High Courts have original,
appellate and advisory jurisdiction
at the State level.
Which of the above statements is/
are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) (CSE 2001)
the states cannot initiate any
amendments. The Constitution lays
down three different procedures for
the amendment of various provisions
of the Constitution.
1. Provisions relating to the creation
of new states, reconstitution of
existing states, creation or abolition
of upper chambers in the state
legisla­ture (Legislative Council),
etc can be amended by the
Parliament by simple majority.
2. Provisions concerning election of
the President, powers of the union
and state executive, union judiciary,
High Courts, representation of
states in Parliament, amendment
procedure, etc can be amended by
Parliament by a two-third majority
and also require the approval of the
legislatures of majority of the
states.
3. But a major portion of the
Constitution can be amended by a
two-third majority in Parliament.
This must also be the clear-cut
majority of the total membership of
each house.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following
Bills must be passed by each
House of the Indian Parliamentary
separately by special majority?
(a) Ordinary Bill
(b) Money Bill
(c) Finance Bill
(d) Constitution Amendment Bill
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
Explanation: All the constitutional
amendment except of Articles 5,
6 and 239 A are amended by
special majority of the both Houses
of Parliament. These amendments
must be affected by a majority of
the total members of each house
of Parliament as well as by a
majority of not less than 2/3 of the
members of that house present
and voting.
Important Constitutional
Amendments
Amendment Objective: First
Amendment Act 1951 Added Ninth
Schedule. To fully secure the
constitutional validity of zamindari
abolition laws and to place
reasonable restriction on freedom of
speech.
Seventh Amendment 1956
Reorganization of states on
linguistic lines, abolition of Class A,
B, C, D states and introduction of
Union Territories.
Eighth Amendment 1959
Extended special provisions for
reservations of seats for SCs, STs
and Anglo-Indian in Lok Sabha and
Leg. Assemblies for a period of 10
years from1960 to 1970.
The Ninth Amendment 1960
Gave effect to transfer certain
territories to Pakistan following the
1958 Indo-Pak agreement.
The Tenth Amendment 1961
Incorporated Dadra & Nagar
Haveli as a UT.
Twelfth Amendment 1962
Incorporated Goa, Daman & Diu as
a UT.
Thirteenth Amendment 1962
Created Nagaland as a State.
Fourteenth Amendment 1963
Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and
Yanam, the former French
territories were included in the 1
schedules as UT of Pondicherry.
Eighteenth Amendment 1966
Reorganised Punjab into Punjab,
Haryana and UT
Chandigarh.Twenty
Amendment 1967Included Sindhi as
first
the Fifteenth Regional language.
Twenty second Amendment 1969
Created a sub-state of Meghalaya
with in Assam. Twenty third
Amendment 1969 Extended the
reservation of seats for SC/ST and
nomination of Anglo-Indians for a
further period of 10 years (till 1980).
Twenty sixth Amendment 1971
Abolished the titles and special
privileges of former rulers of
princely states.Twenty seventh
Amendment 1971 Established
Manipur and Tripura as States and
Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh as
UTs.
Thirty first Amendment 1973
Increased the elective Strength of
LS from 525 to 545. The upper limit
of representatives of States went up
from 500 to 525.
Thirty sixth Amendments 1975
Made Sikkim a State
Thirty eight Amendment 1975
emergencies.
Provided that the President can
make a declaration of emergency,
and the promulgation of ordinances
by the President, Governors and the
Administrative Heads of Uts would
be final and could not be challenged
in any court. It also authorised the
President to declare different kinds
of emergencies.
Thirty ninth Amendment 1975
Placed beyond challenge in courts,
the election to Parliament of a
person holding the office of PM or
Speaker and election of the
President and Prime Minister.
Fortieth Amendment) Act, 1976
Provided for vesting in the Union
of all mines, minerals and other
things of value lying in the ocean
within the territorial waters or the
P
continental shelf or the exclusive
economic zone of India. It further
provided that all other resources of
O
the exclusive economic zone of
India shall also vest in the Union.
Forty-second Amendment) Act,
L
of
1976 These amendments were
mainly for purpose of giving effect
to the recommendations of Swaran
I
Singh Committee. Some of the
important amendments made are for
the purpose of spelling out expressly
T
the high ideals of socialism,
secularism and the integrity of the
nation, to make the Directive
Y
Principles more comprehensive and
giving them precedence over those
Fundamental Rights which have
been allowed to be relied upon to
frustrate socio-economic reforms.
The amendment Act also inserted
a new chapter on the Fundamental
Duties of citizens. Provided for a
requirement as to the minimum
number of judges for determining
question as to the constitutional
validity of law and for a special
majority of not less than two-third
for declaring any law to be
constitutionally invalid. Creation of
Administrative and other tribunals.
Certain modifications in the writ
jurisdiction of High Courts under
Article 226 were also made.
Forty fourth Amendment 1978
The Right to Property was deleted
from Part III. Article 352 was
amended to provide ‘Armed
Rebellion’ as one of the
circumstances for declaration of
emergency. It provided
constitutional protection to
publication of proceedings of
parliament and state legislatures.
Authorized the president to refer
Prelims Magic 2014 463
 back a matter to the council of
ministers for reconsideration, but
made it binding on him to act on the
advice tendered after such
reconsideration.
Forty fifth Amendment 1985
Extended reservation for SC/ST by
another 10 years (till 1990)
P Fifty second Amendment 1985
Added the Tenth Schedule
(regarding anti-defection)
O Fifty third Amendment 1986
Mizoram was made a state
L Fifty fifth Amendment 1986
Conferred state hood to Arunchal
Pradesh
I Fifty sixth Amendment 1987
Hindi version of the Constitution of
India was accepted for all purposes.
T The UT of Goa, Daman and Diu
was divided and Goa was made a
State. Daman and Diu remained as
Y a UT.
Sixty first Amendment 1989
Reduced the voting age from 21 to
18 years for the LS as well as
Assemblies
Sixty first Amendment 1989 Also
extended reservation of seats for
SC/ST till 2000 AD.
Sixty-ninth Amendment Act,
1991 According the status of
National Capital Territory to Delhi
Seventy first Amendment 1992
Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were
included in the VIII Schedule.
Seventy third Amendment 1993
Article 40 of the Constitution which
enshrines one of the Directive
Principles of State Policy lays down
that the State shall take steps to
organise village panchayats and
endow them with such powers and
authority as may be necessary to
enable them to function as units of
self-government. In the light of the
above, a new Part IX relating to the
Panchayats has been inserted in the
Constitution to provide for among
other things, Gram Sabha in a village
or group of villages; constitution of
464 Prelims Magic 2014
Panchayats at village and other level
or levels; direct elections to all seats
in Panchayats at the village and
intermediate level, if any and to the
offices of Chairpersons of
Panchayats at such levels;
reservation of seats for the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes in proportion to their
population for membership of
Panchayats and office of
Chairpersons in Panchayats at each
level; reservation of not less than
one-third of the seats for women;
fixing tenure of five years for
Panchayats and holding elections
within a period of six months in the
event of supersession of any
Panchayat.
Seventy Fourth Amendment
1993 (Nagarpalika Bill) Provides
for, among other things, constitution
of three types of municipalities,
reservation of seats in every
municipality for the SC and ST,
women and the backward classes.
Seventy-fifth Amendment Act,
1994 Establishment of state level
Rent Tribunals
Eightieth Amendment Act, 2000
Accepting the recommendations of
the Tenth Finance Commission
Eighty second Amendment 2000
Reinstaled the provision of
reservation of SC and STs in
matters related to promotion.
Besides, the qualifying marks for
passing an examination for them
has also been lowered.
Eighty-third Amendment Act,
2000 No reservations for
Scheduled Castes in Panchayats in
Arunachal Pradesh
Eighty fourth Amendment 2001
Extended freeze on Lok Sabha and
State Assembly seats till 2026.
Eighty sixth Amendment 2002
Makes education a fundamental
right for children in the age group
of 6 - 14 years.
Eighty seventh Amendment
2003 Made the 2001 census the
basis for delimitation of
constituencies of the Lower House
of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and State
assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas)
Ninetieth Amendment Act,
2003 In Article 332 of the
Consitution, in clause (6), the
following proviso inserted, namely :
‘‘Provided that for elections to the
Legislative Assembly of the State
of Assam, the representation of the
Scheduled Tribes and non-
Scheduled Tribes in the
constituencies included in the
Bodoland Territorial Areas District,
so notified, and existing prior to the
constitution of the Bodoland
Territorial Areas District, shall be
maintained’’.
Ninety first Amendment 2003
Amended the Anti - Defection Law
and also made a provision that the
number of ministers in the Central
& State Govts cannot be more than
15% of the strength of Lok Sabha
& respected Vidhan Sabha.
Ninety second Amendment 2003
Bodo, Maithili, Santhali and Dogri
added into the VIII Schedule.
Ninety Third Amendment 2005
Amending Artice 15 of the
Constitution, by inserting clause (5)
that says: “Nothing in this article or
in sub-clause (g) of clause (1) of
article 19 shall prevent the State
from making any special provision,
by law, for the advancement of any
socially and educationally backward
classes of citizens or for the
Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled
Tribes in so far as such special
provisions relate to their admission
to educational institutions including
private educational institutions,
whether aided or unaided by the
State, other than the minority
educational institutions referred to
in clause (1) of article 30”.
Ninety Fourth AmendmentIn
article 164 of the constitution, in
clause (1), in the proviso, for the
word “Bihar” the words”
Chattisgarh, Jharkhand” shall be
substituted.
Ninety Fifth Amendment Act
2009 was passed by Rajya Sabha
on the 3rd August, 2009 & Lok
Sabha on the 4th August, 2009 and
ratified by the legislatures of not less
than one-half of the states, and
assented to on 18 Jan., 2010.
Through this amendment article 334
of the Constitution, for the words
"sixty years", the words "seventy
years" shall be substituted.
This article has sought to extend the
reservation of seats for SCs and STs
in the Lok Sabha and state
assemblies by another 10 years. The
time period of 60 years under article
334 of the constitution was to lapse
on January 25, 2010 and this bill
extends the reservation beyond
January 25, 2010.
Ninety-Sixth Amendment Act,
2011. Amend schedule 8.
Substituted “Odia” for “Oriya”
Came into force on 23-09-2011
(Date of Assent)
Ninety-Seventh Amendment
Act, 2011 Amend Art 19 and added
Part IXB. Added the words “or co-
operative societies” after the word
“or unions” in Article 19(l)(c) and
insertion of article 43B i.e,
Promotion of Co-operative
Societies and added Part-IXB i.e,
THE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIE-
TIES. Came into force on
12-01-2012.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The 73rd Constitution
Amendment Act, 1992 refers to
the:
(a) generation of gainful employ-
ment for the unemployed and the
under employed men and women
in rural area
(b) generation of employment for
the able bodied adults who are in
need and desirous of work during
the lean agricultural reason
(c) laying the foundation for strong
and vibrant Panchayati Raj
Institutions in the country
(d) guarantee of right to life, liberty
and security of person equality
before law and equal protection
without discrimination
Ans. (c) (CSE 2000)
Ninety-Eighth Amendment Act, How was this topic asked in the CSE?
2013: To insert Article 371J in the
Constitution, to empower the Q. Match List I with List II and
Governor of Karnataka to take select the correct answer using the
steps to develop the Hyderabad- codes given below the lists :
Karnataka Region. The Act is in List I (Amendments to the
force from 2 January 2013. Constitution)
How was this topic asked in the CSE? A. The Constitution (sixty-ninth
Amendment) Act, 1991
Q. Which one of the following
amendments to the Indian
Constitution empowers the
B. The Constitution (Seventy-fifth
Amendment) Act, 1994
C. The Constitution (Eightieth
P
President to send back any matter
for reconsideration by the Council
of Ministers?
Amendment) Act, 2000
D. The Constitution (Eighty-third
Amendment) Act, 2000
O
(a) 39th (b) 40th
(c) 42nd
Ans. (d)
(d) 44th
(CSE 2002)
List II
1. Establishment of state level
L
Rent Tribunals
Q. Which one of the following
was not proposed by the 73rd
Constitutional Amendment in the
2. No reservations for Scheduled
Castes in Panchayats in Arunachal
I
area of Panchayati Raj? Pradesh
(a) Thirty per-cent seats in all
elected rural local bodies
3. Constitution of Panchayats in
Villages or at other local level
T
(b) The States will constitute their 4. Acceptingthe recommen-
Finance Commissions to allocate
resources to Panchayati Raj
dations of the Tenth Finance
Commission
Y
institutions 5. According the status of National
(c) The Panchayati Raj elected Capital Territory to Delhi
functionaries will be disqualified to Codes:
hold their offices if they have more A B C D
than two children (a) 5 1 4 2
(d) The elections will be held in (b) 1 5 3 4
six months time if Panchayati Raj
(c) 5 1 3 4
bodies are superceded or dissolved
(d) 1 5 4 2
by the State government.
Ans. (c) (CSE 1997) Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Ninth Schedule to the
Indian Constitution was added by:
(a) First Amendment
(b) Eighth Amendment
(c) Ninth Amendment How was this topic asked in the CSE?
(d) Forty Second Amendment Q. Consider the following
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2003) statements:
Q. Which of the following An amendment to the Constitution
Constitutional Amendments are of India can be initiated by the:
related to raising the number of 1. Lok Sabha
Members of Lok Sabha to be 2. Rajya Sabha
elected from the States? 3. State Legislature
(a) 6th and 22nd (b) 13th and 38th 4. President
(c) 7th and 31st (d) 11th and 42nd Which of the above statements is/
Ans. (c) (CSE 2003) are correct?
Explanation: Asked Constitutional (a) 1 alone (b) 1, 2 and 3
Amendments are 7th Amendment (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2
Act 1956 and 31st Amendment Ans.(d) (CSE, 1999)
Act 1983.
Prelims Magic 2014 465

23 AMENDMENT BILLS
120th Amendment Bill
• The Bill seeks to enable equal
participation of Judiciary and
Executive, make the appointment
process more accountable and
P ensure greater transparency and
objectivity in the appointments to the
higher judiciary.
O • The Constitution (One Hundred
and Twentieth Amendment) Bill,
L 2013 was introduced in the Rajya
Sabha on August 24, 2013 by the
Minister of Law and Justice, Mr.
I Kapil Sibal.
• Pursuant to a review of
constitutional provisions providing
T for the appointment and transfer of
Judges, and relevant Supreme Court
decisions on the matter, the need for
Y a broad based Judicial Appointment
Commission, for making
recommendations for selection of
judges was felt.
• The Bill proposes to insert a new
Article 124A, and amend Article
124(2) (a).
• The proposed Article 124 A
contains two clauses; Clause (1)
provides for a Commission, to be
known as the Judicial Appointments
Commission. Article 124A(2)
enables Parliament to make a law
that provides the manner of
selection for appointment as Chief
justice of India and other Judges of
the Supreme Court, Chief justices
and other judges of the High Courts.
• Furthermore, Article 124A (2)
enables that law to lay down the
following features of the
Commission: (i) the composition, (ii)
the appointment, qualifications,
conditions of service and tenure of
the Chairperson and Members, (iii)
the functions, (iv) procedure to be
followed, (v) other necessary
matters.
• Consequently, the Bill amends
Article 124 (2) (a) of the
466 Prelims Magic 2014
Constitution, providing for
appointment of Judges to the higher
judiciary, by the President, after
consultation with Judges of the
Supreme Court and High Courts in
the states.
The Constitution (119th
Amendment) Bill, 2013
The United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) government is edging closer
to achieving a consensus on the
Constitution (119th) Amendment
Bill, 2013, that seeks to ratify the
contentious land boundary
agreement with Bangladesh.
The Constitution (118th
Amendment) Bill, 2012
(Insertion of new article 371J)
The Constitution 118th Amendment
Bill, 2012 was introduced in the Lok
Sabha on September 7, 2012 by the
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr.
Sushil Kumar Shinde. The Bill was
referred to the Standing Committee
on Home Affairs (Chairperson: Mr.
M. Venkaiah Naidu), which is
scheduled to submit its report by the
first week of the Winter Session of
the Parliament.
A resolution to make special
provisions for the Hyderabad-
Karnataka Region was passed by
the Legislative Assembly and
Legislative Council of Karnataka in
March 2012. The resolution aims to
establish an institutional mechanism
to develop the region and promote
inclusive growth. It aims to reduce
inter-region and inter-district
disparity in the State of Karnataka.
This Bill was introduced in
Parliament to give effect to this
resolution.
The Bill seeks to insert Article 371
J in the Constitution to empower the
Governor of Karnataka to take steps
to develop the Hyderabad-
Karnataka Region. As per the
Statements of Objects and Reasons
of the Bill, this Region includes the
districts of Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur,
Koppal, Yadgir and Bellary.
The President may allow the
Governor to take the following steps
for development of the region: (i)
setting up a development board for
the Region; (ii) ensure equitable
allocation of funds for development
of the Region; and (iii) provide for
reservation in educational and
vocational training institutions, and
state government positions in the
Region for persons from the Region.
This. bill became The Constitution
(Ninety-Eighth Amendment) Act,
2012, when it received the assent
of the President on the 1st January,
2013.
The Constitution (117th
Amendment) Bill, 2012
The Constitution (One Hundred
Seventeenth Amendment) Bill, 2012
was introduced in the Rajya Sabha
on September 5, 2012 by Mr. V
Narayansamy, Minister of State for
Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions.
In 1992, the Supreme Court in the
case of Indira Sawhney v Union of
India had held reservations in
promotions to be unconstitutional. .
Subsequently in 1995, the central
government had amended the
Constitution and inserted Article
16(4A). This provided for
reservation in promotions for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes which in the opinion of the
state are not adequately represented
in the services.
In 2006, the Supreme Court in the
case of M. Nagraj V Union of India
upheld the constitutional validity of
the amendment. While upholding the
validity of the amendment, the court
held that before framing any law on
this issue, the state will have to
satisfy the test of; (a) backward-
ness of the particular SC and ST
group; (b) inadequate representation
of the said group; and (c) efficiency
of administration.
In April 2012, the Supreme Court
struck down the UP Government
Seniority Rules which provided for
reservations in promotions. The
court held that the state government
had not undertaken any exercise to
identify whether there was
backwardness and inadequate
representation of Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes in the state
government. In light of the recent
judgment of the Supreme Court, the
central government has introduced
the present Bill amending the
Constitution. The Bill seeks to
substitute Article 16( 4A) of the
Constitution of India, The Bill
provides that all the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes
notified in the Constitutional shall be
deemed to be backward.
Article 335 of the Constitution states
that the claims of the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes have
to be balanced with maintaining
efficiency in administration. The Bill
states that provision of the
amendment shall override the
provision of Article 355.
ONE HUNDRED AND
SIXTEENTH AMENDMENT)
BILL, 2011:
The Constitution (one hundred and
sixteenth Amendment) Bill 2011.
seeks to provide, for: (a) insertion
of Articles 323 C and 323 D in the
proposed Part XIVB of the
Constitution. (b) setting up the
institution of Lokpal for the Union
with powers of superintendence and
direction relating to holding a
preliminary inquiry causing
investigation to be made and
prosectuion of offences in respect
of complaints made to them under
any law for the prevention of
corruption made by the Parliament
as an autonomous and independent
body. (c) Appointment of
chairperson and such number of
members, their conditions of service
and tenure, as Parliament may by
law determine. (d) Similar
dispensation for the institution of
Lokayuktas at the level of the
States.
115th Amendment) bill, 2011:
Insertion of new article 246A.
Special provision with respect to
goods and services tax. Insertion of
new article 2 6 9 A . Levy and
collection of goods and services tax
in course of inter State trade or
commerce .
114th Amendment) bill, 2010:
This bill proposed to increase the age
of retirement of Judges and
additional or acting Judges of High
Courts from sixty-two years to
sixty-five years.
113th Amendment Bill: The latest
amendment bill is Constitution (One
Hundred and Thirteenth
Amendment) Bill, 2010 which was
introduced on March 15, 2010. The
Current Status of this bill is :
PASSED (97th Amendment Act)
Background: The Government of
Orissa had forwarded to the Central
Government in December 2008, the
Resolution passed by the Legislative
Assembly of Orissa on 28th August,
2008 that, inter alia, the name of the
language specified as “Oriya”, in the
Eighth Schedule of Constitution be
changed as “Odia” and translation
of the word “Odia” in Hindi
language should be revised as “ –“
accordingly and authorised the
Government of Orissa to place the
matter before Government of India
for change of name of the State and
change of language of the State and
change of their Hindi translations.
The Constitution (One Hundred and
Thirteenth Amendment) Bill, 2010
seeks to change of name of the
language mentioned in the Eighth
Schedule of the Constitution of India,
from ‘Oriya’ to ‘Odia’.
(Please note that the bill that
seeks to change the name of
Orissa to Odisha is Orissa
(Alteration of Name) Act, 2010. )
112th Amendment Bill:
The Constitution (112 th
Amendment) Bill was introduced in
the Lok Sabha on November 24,
2009 and this bill seeks to seeks to
Prelims Magic 2014
amend many clauses of Article 243T
of the Constitution, providing for
reservation of seats for Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes and
also for the women in Urban local
Bodies.
Current Status (Till: March 2010)
:This Bill has been approved and
now has been referred to the
Departmenta lly-rela ted
Parliamentary Standing committee
P
on Urban Development for
examination and report in March
2010.
O
Parliamentary Standing committee
on Urban Development now invites L
suggestions the same bill. The
committee is headed by Mr. Sharad
Yadav. The memoranda containing I
views of the individuals/
organizations interested in the
subject matter of the Bill, and also T
to hear oral evidence on the subject
are invited.
Background: The Constitution
Y
(112th Amendment) Bill 2009 to
provide for 50% reservation of
women in Urban Local Bodies.
Through this Bill the Government of
India seeks to increase the
representation of women in Urban
Local Bodies (ULBs) from the
present level of one-third to 50
percent which would also include
enhancement of reservation for
women upto 50 percent in seats
reserved for Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes, and 50 percent
reservations for women in the posts
of Chairpersons. This would result
in increased representation of
women in ULBs and is likely to yield
significant benefits in terms of
higher priority to women’s issues in
critical areas of urban Governance
and service delivery such as water
supply, sanitation, solid waste
management, education and health,
etc.
Article 243T:
Article 243T of the Constitution
provides that a minimum of one-third
of the total number of seats filled
467
 by direct elections in every
Municipality shall be reserved for
women.
The seats may be allotted by rotation
to different constituencies in a
Municipality.
Also, a minimum of one-third seats
shall be reserved for SC/ST women
P within the seats reserved for SC/
STs in a Municipality.
O Offices of Chairpersons in
Municipality shall be reserved for
SC/STs and women in a manner to
L be prescribed the state legislatures.
The reservation of SC/STs shall be
in proportion to the population of SC/
I STs in the state.
111th Amendment Bill:
T The Constitution (One Hundred and
Eleventh Amendment) Bill, 2009
was introduced in the Lok Sabha on
Y November 30, 2009 by Sh. Sharad
Pawar , Minister of Agriculture,
Consumer Affairs and Public
Distribution System.
Background:The Bill adds a new
Directive Principles of State Policy
stating that the “State shall
endeavour to promote voluntary
formation, autonomous functioning,
democratic control and professional
management of co-operative
societies.”
It further inserts a new part IX B in
the Constitution (adding Articles
243ZH through 243ZT), which
outlines certain guidelines for
running co-operative societies.
110th Amendment Bill:
The Constitution (One Hundred and
Tenth Amendment) Bill, 2009 was
introduced in the Lok Sabha on
November 26, 2009 by the Minister
of Panchayati Raj, Shri C.P. Joshi.
Background: Article 243D of the
Constitution provides that a
minimum of one-third of the total
number of seats filled by direct
elections in the Panchayats shall be
reserved for women. The seats may
be allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a Panchayat.
468 Prelims Magic 2014
Offices of Chairpersons in
Panchayats shall be reserved for
SC/STs and women in a manner to
be prescribed the state legislatures.
The reservation shall be in
proportion to the population of SC/
STs in the state. Also, a minimum
of one-third seats shall be reserved
for women among the total number
of offices of Chairpersons in the
Panchayats.
The Bill seeks to amend the article
243D to enhance the quantum of
reservation for women from one-
third to one-half of the total seats in
the Panchayats. Similar reservation
shall be provided among the total
number of offices of Chairpersons.
Current Status:
The bill is pending . The Bill was
referred to the Department related
Standing Committee on Rural
Development (Chairperson: Smt
Sumitra Mahajan), which has to
submit its report.
109th Amendment Bill:
Passed -95th Amendment Act 2009
108th Amendment Bill:
Constitution (108th Amendment)
Bill or Women’s Reservation Bill
has been the most highlighted
amendment bills of recent times.
This bill was introduced in Rajya
Sabha on May 6, 2008 and passed
in Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010.
Background: Constitution (108th
Amendment) Bill 2008 seeks to
reserve one-third of all seats for
women in Lok Sabha and the state
legislative assemblies. The allocation
of the reserve seats to be
determined by an authority or as
prescribed by the parliament. Seats
may be allotted by rotation.
The bill also seeks to reserve one-
third of SC & ST seats for women
of those classes.
The bill further says that the
reservation shall cease to exist in 15
years from the commencement of
the act.
107th Amendment Bill:
The Constitution (One Hundred and
Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2007 had
been introduced in Lok Sabha on
November 30, 2007. The Sixth
Schedule to the Constitution
(Amendment) Bill, 2007 was also
introduced with the same bill.
Current Position: This bill got
lapsed.
These bills sought to amend the
Constitution to include Gorkha Hill
Council, Darjeeling in the Sixth
Schedule
What is Sixth Schedule? Sixth
Schedule Articles 244 and 275
provides for the creation of
autonomous District Councils in
certain tribal areas of the North-
Eastern states viz.
Assam,meghalaya,tripura,mizoram.
The Bill sought to form a District
Council for the hill areas of
Darjeeling in West Bengal called the
Gorkha Hill Council, Darjeeling
(GHC). All District Councils have
the power to make laws on a range
of subjects such as the allotment of
land, use of water course, and
inheritance of property. The GHC
has the power to make laws on 45
additional subjects such as
agriculture, education and transport.
The Constitution (One Hundred
and Sixth) Amendment Bill,2006
proposes to insert a new part IX B
in the Constitutionwhich provides
for incorporation, regulation and
winding up of co-operative
Societies.Lapsed
The Constitution (One Hundred
and Fifth) Amendment Bill,
Seeks to provide for tribal ministers
in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and
Madhya Pradesh, while excluding
Bihar from the mandatory provision.
The Constitution (One Hundred
and Fourth) Amendment Bill,
Providing reservation for the socially
and educationally backward classes,
besides the Scheduled Castes and
the Scheduled Tribes, in private
unaided educational institutions.
Passed
The Constitution (One Hundred
and Third) Amendment Bill,
Proposes to establish a new
National Commission for Minorities,
with a constitutional status, in order
to inspire greater confidence
towards the effectiveness of the
Commission. Lapsed
The Constitution (One Hundred
and Second) Amendment
Bill,2003 Bill provides for repealing
articles 239 AA and 239AB and
modification in article 54 of the
Constitution and enabling provisions
for exercising power by Central
Government under entry No.1 & 2
of the State List in relation to the
whole State of Delhi.
The Constitution (One Hundred
and First) Amendment Bill, 2003
To bring the Essential Commodities
(Amendment) Act, 2003 within the
purview of the Ninth Schedule to
the Constitution for giving necessary
protection of article 31 B of the
Constitution.
The Constitution (One
Hundredth) Amendment Bill,
2003 To include Bodo Language in
the Eighth Schedule of the
Constitution.
The Constitution (Ninety
Nineth) Amendment Bill, 2003
Seeks to protect the rights of non-
tribal and the existing representation
of scheduled tribes and the non-
scheduled tribes in the Assam
Assembly form the Bodoland
Territorial Council Area.
(Amendment of article 332) The
Constitution (Ninety Eighth)
Amendment Bill, 2003 To set up
a National Judicial Commission for
drafting the code of conduct and
trial of errant judges. Amendment
of articles 124, 217, 222 and 231 and
insertion of new Chapter IVA.
The Constitution (Ninety
Seventh) Amendment Bill, 2003
Restricts the size of the Council of
Ministers at the Centre and in States
to 10 % of the total strength of the
Loksabha and State Assemblies
respectively. The Bill also does
away with the concept of split from
anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule
to the Constitution) and also
provides that a person disqualified
under the anti-defection law shall not
be appointed as a Minister nor hold
any remunerative political post.
The Constitution (Ninety Sixth)
Amendment Bill, 2003 To make
the 2001 census the basis for
delimitation of constituencies of the
Lower House of Parliament and
State assemblies. (Amendment of
articles 81, 82, 170 and 330)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the 104th Constitution
Amendment Bill related to?
(a) Abolition of Legislative
Councils in certain states.
(b) Introduction of dual citizenship
for persons of Indian origin living
outside India.
(c) Providing quota to socially and
educationally backward classes in
private educational institutions.
(d) Providing quota for religious
minorities in the services under the
central Government.
Ans. (c) (CSE 2006)
Explanation: 104th Constitution
Amendment Bill is related to
provide quota to socially and
educationally backward classes in
private educational institutions.
24 SCHEDULES OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Original Constitution had 8
schedules. Today our constitution
has 12 Schedules.
9th Schedule was added by the First
Constitutional Amendment Act
1951.
10th Schedule was added by the 35th
Constitutional Amendment Act
1974. This schedule laid down the
terms and conditions of the
“associate status” of Sikkim.
However it was removed from the
Constitution in 1975 after the 36th
Prelims Magic 2014
The Constitution (Ninety Fifth)
Amendment Bill, 2003:
To empower both the center and the
states to levy and appropriate tax
on services. Insertion of new article
268A, amendment of article 270 and
amendment of Seventh Schedule.
Note: When Constitution
amendment bills are introduced,
they are consecutively numbered.
Some bills lapse, while some may P
not be taken up for consideration.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
O
statements
1. An amendment to the
Constitution of India can be
L
initiated by an introduction of a bill
in the Lok Sabha only.
2. If such an amendment seeks to I
make changes in the federal
character of the Constitution, the
amendment also requires to be
ratified by the legislature of all the
T
States of India.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
Y
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: An amendment of the
Constitution can be initiated by
introduction of a bill in either
house of the Parliament. If the bill
seeks to amends the Federal
provisions of the Constitution, it
must also be ratified by the
legislatures of half of the states
by a simple majority.
Amendment Act admitted Sikkimg
as a full-fledged state of India. A
new 10 th Schedule containing
provisions on the ground of
defection was added by the 52nd
Amendment Act in 1985.
11th Schedule was added by the 73rd
Constitutional Amendment Act
1992.
12th Schedule was added by the 74th
Constitutional Amendment Act
1992.
469
 There are twelve schedules to
Constitution of India, which are
given below:
First Schedule: This schedule is
about the States and Union
Territories of India.
Second Schedule: In this Schedule,
provisions made to the President
P and the Governors of States,
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of
the House of the People, the
O Chairman and the Deputy Chairman
of the Council of States, the
Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of
the Legislative Assembly, the
L Chairman and the Deputy Chairman
of the Legislative Council of a State,
the Judges of the Supreme Court
I and of the High Courts and the
Comptroller and Auditor-General of
India.
T Third Schedule: Forms of Oaths
or Affirmations are mentioned in
Y this Schedule.
Fourth Schedule: This Schedule
specifies the allocation of seats in
the Council of States.
Fifth Schedule: Provisions as to
the Administration and Control of
Scheduled Areas and Scheduled
Tribes are mentioned in this
Schedule. The amendment of the
schedule is also included in the Part
D of the Schedule.
Sixth Schedule: This Schedule
deals with the provisions as to the
Administration of Tribal Areas in the
States of Assam, Meghalaya,
Tripura and Mizoram.
Seventh Schedule: The List I or
the Union List, List II or the State
List and List III or the Concurrent
List are included in this Schedule.
Eighth Schedule
The 22 languages selected as the
official languages of India are
mentioned in this Schedule.
Ninth Schedule
Validation of certain Acts and
Regulations is dealt with in this
Schedule.
Tenth Schedule
470 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. If a new state of the Indian
Union is to be created, which one
of the following schedules of the
Constitution must be amended?
(a) First (b) Second
(c) Third (d) Fifth
Ans. (a) (CSE 2001)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Ninth Schedule to the
Indian Constitution was added by:
(a) First Amendment
(b) Eighth Amendment
(c) Ninth Amendment
(d) Forty Second Amendment
Ans. (a) (CSE 2003)
Q. Which Schedule of Constitution
of India contains special provisions
for the administration and control
of Scheduled Areas in several
States?
(a) Third (b) Fifth
(c) Seventh
Ans. (b)
(d) Ninth
(CSE 2008)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The constitution of India has 40
parts.
2. There are 390 Articles in the
constitution of India in all.
3. Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and
Twelfth schedules were added to
the Constitution of India by the
Constitution (Amendment) Acts.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)
Provisions as to disqualification on
ground of defection for the
Members of Parliament and
Members of the State Legislatures
are mentioned in this Schedule.
Eleventh Schedule: This Schedule
talks about the powers, authority and
responsibilities of Panchayats
Twelfth Schedule: Specifies the
powers, authority and respon-
sibilities of Municipalities.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following
provisions of the Constitution of
India have a bearing on
Education?
1. Directive Principles of State
Policy
2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below:
(a)1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans: (c) CSE 2012
Q. Which one of the following
statements correctly describes the
Fourth Schedule of the
Constitution of India?
(a) It lists the distribution of
powers between the Union and the
states
(b) It contains the languages listed
in the Constitution
(c) It contains the languages listed
in the Constitution
(d) It allocates seats in the Council
of States
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Which one of the following
schedules of the Indian
Constitution lists the names of
states and specifies their
territories?
(a) First (b) Second
(c) Third (d) Fourth
Ans. (a) (CSE 2003)
Q. Which one of the following
statements correctly describes the
Fourth Schedule of the
Constitution of India?
(a) It contains the scheme of the
distribution of powers between the
Union and the States
(b) It contains the languages listed
in the Constitution
(c) It contains the provisions
regarding the administration of
tribal areas
(d) It allocates seats in the Council
of States
Ans. (d) (CSE 2004)

25 OATHS OR AFFIRMATIONS
1. Oath or Affirmation by the
President
“I, A. B., do swear in the name of
God/ solemnly affirm that I will
faithfully execute the office of the
President (or discharge the
functions of the President) of India
and will to the best of my ability
preserve, protect, and defend the
constitution and the law and that I
will devote myself to the service and
well being of the people of India”
2. Oath or Affirmation by the
Vice-President
“I, A. B., do swear in the name of
God/ solemnly affirm that I will bear
true faith and allegiance to the
constitution of India as by law
established and that I will faithfully
discharge the duty upon which I am
about to enter.”
3. Oath of office for a Minister for
the Union:
“I, A. B., do swear in the name of
God/ solemnly affirm that I will bear
true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India as by law
established, that I will uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India,
that I will faithfully and
conscientiously discharge my duties
as a Minister for the Union and that
I will do right to all manner of people
in accordance with the Constitution
and the law, without fear or favour,
affection or ill-will.”
4. Oath of secrecy for a Minister
for the Union:
“I, A.B., do swear in the name of
God/ solemnly affirm that I will not
directly or indirectly communicate
or reveal to any person or persons
any matter which shall be brought
under my consideration or shall
become known to me as a Minister
for the Union except as may be
required for the due discharge of my
duties as such Minister.”
5. Oath or affirmation to be made
by a candidate for election to
Parliament:
“I, A.B., having been nominated as
a candidate to fill a seat in the
Council of States (or the House of
the People) do swear in the name
of God/ solemnly affirm that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India as by law
established and that I will uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India.”
6. Oath or affirmation to be made
by a Member of Parliament:
“I, A.B., having been elected (or
nominated) a member of the
Council of States (or the House of
the People) do swear in the name
of God/ solemnly affirm that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India as by law
established, that I will uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India
and that I will faithfully discharge
the duty upon which I am about to
enter.”
7. Oath or affirmation to be made
by the Judges of the Supreme Court
and the Comptroller and Auditor-
General of India:
“I, A.B., having been appointed
Chief Justice (or a Judge) of the
Supreme Court of India (or
Comptroller and Auditor-General of
India) do swear in the name of God/
solemnly affirm that I will bear true
faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India as by law
established, 1[that I will uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India,]
that I will duly and faithfully and to
the best of my ability, knowledge and
judgment perform the duties of my
office without fear or favour,
affection or ill-will and that I will
uphold the Constitution and the
laws.”
8. Ooath of office for a Minister for
a State:
“I, A.B., do swear in the name of
God/solemnly affirm that I will bear
Prelims Magic 2014
true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of India as by law
established, that I will uphold the
sovereignty and integrity of India,]
that I will faithfully and
conscientiously discharge my duties
as a Minister for the State of
..........and that I will do right to all
manner of people in accordance
with the Constitution and the law
without fear or favour, affection or
P
ill-will.”
9. Oath of secrecy for a Minister
for a State:
O
“I, A.B., do swear in the name of
God/solemnly affirm that I will not L
directly or indirectly communicate
or reveal to any person or persons
any matter which shall be brought I
under my consideration or shall
become known to me as a Minister
for the State of ....................except T
as may be required for the due
discharge of my duties as such
Minister.” Y
10. Oath or affirmation to be made
by a candidate for election to the
Legislature of a State:
“I, A.B., having been nominated as
a candidate to fill a seat in the
Legislative Assembly (or
Legislative Council), do swear in the
name of God/solemnly affirm that
I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of India as by
law established and that I will uphold
the sovereignty and integrity of
India.”
11. Oath or affirmation to be made
by a member of the Legislature of
a State:
“I, A.B., having been elected (or
nominated) a member of the
Legislative Assembly (or
Legislative Council), do swear in the
name of God/solemnly affirm that
I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the Constitution of India as by
law established, that I will uphold
the sovereignty and integrity of
India and that I will faithfully
discharge the duty upon which I am
about to enter.”
471
 12. Oath or affirmation to be made
by the Judges of a High Court:
“I, A.B., having been appointed
Chief Justice (or a Judge) of the
High Court at (or of) ..........do
swear in the name of God/solemnly
affirm that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the Constitution of
P How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Match List I with List II and Codes:
O select the correct answer:
List I
(a) 3
(b) 4
(Functionaries)
L A. President of India
B. Judges of Supreme Court
(c) 3
(d) 4
Ans. (c)
India as by law established, that I misbehaviour or incapacity in the
will uphold the sovereignty and like manner and on the like grounds
integrity of India, that I will duly and as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
faithfully and to the best of my
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
ability, knowledge and judgment
perform the duties of my office Q. Which one among the
without fear or favour, affection or following commission was set up
ill-will and that I will uphold the in pursuance of a definite
Constitution and the laws.” provision under an Article of the
Constitution of India?
(a) University Grants Commission
(b) National Human Rights
A B
4
3
C
1
2
D
2
1
Commission
(c) Election Commission
(d) Central Vigilance Commission
4
3
2
1
1
2
(CSE 1997)
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2008)

C. Members of Parliament Main functions

I D. Minister for the Union
List II
Explanation: President of India -
Faith and Allegiance to the
Constitution of India.
The Election Commission shall have
the power of superintendence,

T (Oaths or affirmations)
1. Secrecy of information
2. Faithful Discharge of duties
Judges of Supreme Court -
Upholding the Constitution and the
law.
direction and conduct of all elections
to Parliament and the State
Legislatures and of elections to the

Y 3. Faith and Allegiance to the

Constitution of India
4. Upholding the Constitution and
the law
26 ELECTION COMMISSION
A Constitutional Body
Article 324 the Constitution provides
for an independent Election
Commission to ensure free and fair
elections to the Parliament, the State
Legislatures and the offices of
President and Vice-President.
Election Commission of India is a
permanent Constitutional Body. The
Election Commission was
established in accordance with the
Constitution on 26th January 1950.
The Commission celebrated its
Golden Jubilee in 2001. The Election
Commission consists of a Chief
Election Commissioner and such
Commissioners as the President
may from time to time appoint. At
present, Election Commission is a
multi-member body consisting of
one Chief Election Commissioners
and two other Election
Commissioners who enjoy equal
status and have equal power.
Members of Parliament - Faithful
discharge of duties.
Minister for the union - Secrecy
of Information
For the first time two additional
Commissioners were appointed on
16th October 1989 but they had a
very short tenure till 1st January
1990. Later, on 1st October 1993
two additional Election
Commissioners were appointed. The
concept of multi-member
Commission has been in operation
since then, with decision making
power by majority vote.
Appointment & Tenure of
Commissioners
The President appoints Chief
Election Commissioner and Election
Commissioners. They have tenure
of six years, or up to the age of 65
years, whichever is earlier. They
enjoy the same status and receive
salary and perks as available to
Judges of the Supreme Court of
India. They can be removed by the
President on grounds of proved
offices of the President and Vice-
President. In this regard their main
functions are as follows:
(i) The preparation of electoral rolls
before each general election and
registration of all eligible voters.
(ii) The delimitation of constituencies
(iii) The recognition of various
political parties and allotment of
election symbols to these parties.
(iv) Preparation of code of conduct
for the political parties.
(v) Keeping voters list up to date at
all times.
(vi) The preparation of roster for
central broadcasts and telecasts by
various political parties, etc.
(vii) The conduct of polls.
(viii) The Election Commissioner
has not only the power of holding
elections but also to cancel it and
order re-poll of it if rigged. It is also
the responsibility of the Election
Commission to hold by-elections.
(ix) To notify the dates and
schedules of elections so that
nomination papers are filled and
properly scrutinized before the
elections.

472 Prelims Magic 2014

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements with reference to India:
1. The Chief Election
Commission and other Election
Commissioners enjoy equal
powers but receive unequal
salaries
2. The Chief Election
Commissioner is entitled to the
same salary as is provided to a
judge of the Supreme Court
3. The Chief
Commissioner shall not be
Election
removed from his office except in
like manner and on like grounds
as a judge of the Supreme Court
4. The term of office of the
Election Commissioner is five
years from the date he assumes
his office or till the day he attains
the age of 62 years, whichever is
earlier
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (b) (CSE 2002)
Explanation: Chief Election
Commissioner and Election
commissioner receive equal
salaries also. The age of
retirement is 65 years. Drop point
(1) and (4).
(x) To request the President of India
or the Governors of the States for
requisitioning as much staff as
necessary for conducting elections.
(xi) Under the Peoples
Representation Act the Election
Commission also has the power to
disqualify a candidature.
Electoral Process in India
1. Delimitation of Constituencies:
This is the first step in the conduct
of elections. This task in India has
been assigned to Delimitation
Commission which is appointed by
the President after every census.
Generally, while delimiting the
constituencies the Commission tries
to ensure that population in each
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following tasks:
1. Superintendence, direction and
conduct of free and fair elections
2. Preparation of electoral rolls for
all elections to the Parliament, state
Legislatures and the Office of the
President and the Vice-President
3. Giving recognition to political,
parties and allotting election
symbols to political parties and
individuals contesting the election.
4. Proclamation of final verdict in
the centre of election disputes.
Which of the above are the
functions of the Election
Commission of India ?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 3
Ans. (a)
(d) 1, 2 and 4
(CSE 2004)
Explanation: Option 4 is not true
because Election commission is
not the authority to proclaim final
verdict in the centre of election
dispute. It goes to judiciary (High
court).
constituency is approximately equal.
The decision of the Delimitation
Commission is final and cannot be
challenged in any court.
Delimitation Commission:
Under Article 82 of the Constitution,
the Parliament by law enacts a
Delimitation Act after every census.
This delimitation Commission
demarcates the boundaries of the
Parliamentary Constituencies as per
provisions of the Delimitation Act.
The present delimitation of
constituencies has been done on the
basis of 2001 census figures under
the provisions of Delimitation Act,
2002. Notwithstanding the above,
the Constitution of India was
specifically amended in 2002 not to
have delimitation of constituencies
till the first census after 2026. Thus,
the present Constituencies carved
out on the basis of 2001 census shall
continue to be in operation till the
first census after 2026.
2. Preparation of Electoral
Rolls: The electoral rolls are
prepared and updated by the
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Election Commission. Only those
voters whose names appear on the
electoral roll are permitted to take
part in the elections. All eligible
voters are permitted to get their
names enrolled in the Electoral list
during the notified period. The
voters are also permitted to file
objections against the presence of
names of certain voters in the
Electoral List, who have either died
P
or left the constituencies. Various
forms useful for registration as
voter, corrections, change in address
O
etc.
Form-6: For inclusion of names in
electoral rolls
L
Form-7: For any objection on
inclusion of names I
Form-8: For correction of entries in
the Electoral Rolls T
3. Notification of Elections: The
elections are notified by the Election
Commission on the Y
recommendation of the President
After a communication is received
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
correct in respect of the
commencement of the election
process in India?
(a) The recommendation for
election is made by the government
and the notification for election is
issued by the Election Commission
(b) The recommendation for
election is made by the Election
Commission and the notification
for election is issued by the Home
Ministry at the Centre and Home
Departments in the States
(c) The recommendation for
election is made by the Election
Commission and the notification
for election is issued by the
President and Governors of the
States concerned
(d) Both the exercises of making
a recommenda­tion for election
and that of issuing a notification in
respect of it are done by the
Election Commission
Ans. (a) (CSE 1995)
473
 by the Election Commission from
the President it holds consultations
with the Central and State
Governments concerned and
announces the election schedule.
The Election schedule contains the
dates for filling nomination papers,
scrutiny of nomination papers, and
withdrawal of names by the
P candidates.
4. Appointment of Returning
O officers: The Election Commission
appoints Returning Officers for the
various constituencies.
L 5. Filing of Nomination papers:
The candidates have to file their
nomination papers with the
I Returning Officers of their
respective constituencies in the
prescribed form by the stipulated
T date The nomination paper must be
proposed and seconded by
prescribed number of voters.
Y Further, it must also contain the
consent of the candidate who
wishes to contest.
Independent Candidate
Generally, the candidates who wish
to contest are sponsored by
different political parties and contest
election with the election symbol
allotted to that party. The candidates
not sponsored by any political party
can contest election as independent
candidates. While filing their
nominations they have to apply for
allotment of some symbol out of the
list of symbols released by the
election Commission.
Security Deposit
Every candidate has to make a
deposit of Rs. 10,000/- for Lok
Sabha election and 5,000/- for
Rajya Sabha or Vidhan Sabha
elections, except for candidates
from the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes who pay half of
these amounts. The deposit is
returned if the candidate receives
more than one-sixth of the total
number of valid votes polled in the
constituency. Nominations must
be supported at least by one
474 Prelims Magic 2014
registered elector of the
constituency, in the case of a
candidate sponsored by a
registered Party and by ten
registered electors from the
constituency in the case of other
candidates. Returning Officers,
appointed by the Election
Commission, are put in charge to
receive nominations of candidates
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the case of election to the
Lok Sabha, the amount of Security
deposited for general category
candidates and SC/ST category
candidates respectively is:
(a) Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 2,500
(b) Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 2,500
(c) Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 5,000
(d) Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 7,500
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
Q. If in an election to a State
Legislative Assembly the
candidate who is declared elected
loses his deposit, it means that:
(a) the polling was very poor
(b) the election was for a multi-
member constituency
(c) the elected candidate’s victory
over his nearest rival was very
marginal
(d) a very large number of
candidates contested the election
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Explanation: When a very large
number of candidates contest the
election, the votes get distributed,
a situation may arise where the
contestants may get less than 10%
votes and may win the election.
Hence the winner will lose the
deposit.
in each constituency, and oversee
the formalities of the election.
6. Scrutiny of Nomination
papers:
On the allotted date all the
nomination papers filed by the
candidates are scrutinized by the
Returning officers in the presence
of the candidates. This scrutiny is
made to ensure that the nomination
papers have been properly filled; the
candidates possess prescribed
qualifications for contesting
elections; and other rules and
regulations compiled with.
7. Withdrawal of Nomination:
The candidates whose names have
been cleared by the Returning
Officer can voluntarily withdraw by
the stipulated date. For this purpose
the candidate concerned has to
submit an application to the
Returning Officer. The security of
all such candidates is returned.
8. Election Campaign:
As part of the campaign all political
parties issues an Election Manifesto
which outlines its policies,
programmes and promises. The
various candidates also make use
of posters, public meetings, press
messages, personal appeals, and
hand bills. They also undertake door
to door canvassing and adopt other
methods to impress the voters.
9. Polling of Votes:
Several polling stations are put up
in each constituency. Each polling
station is under the charge of a
Presiding Officer who is assisted by
several Polling Officers. The voters
cast their votes at the allotted polling
station. The candidates contesting
the election or their nominated
polling agents are permitted to sit in
the room where the polling takes
place. The polling officer makes a
mark with indelible ink on his first
finger just below the nail. A voter
records his preference for a
candidate through Electronic Voting
Machine (EVM). After the
polling,the sealed EVMs are sent to
the office of the Returning Officer.
10. Counting of Votes and
Results:
On the date of counting the ballot
are opened by the Returning Officer
and his Staff in presence of the
candidates and their agents and the
votes are counted. The invalid votes
are not taken into account. A
NOTA Button on Electronic Voting Machines
candidate who secures more valid
votes than all other candidates is
declared elected. The
announcement of the result is made
by the Returning Officer and
necessary intimation is sent to the
Election Commission. The
Commission compiles the complete
list of Members elected and issues
an appropriate Notification for the
due Constitution of the House. The
entire process takes between 5 to 8
weeks for the national elections, 4
to 5 weeks for separate elections
only for Legislative Assemblies.
11. Electoral Disputes:
The election result of a candidate
can be challenged by a defeated
candidate or a voter or group of
voters. For this purpose, an election
petition has to be filed before the
High Court within a stipulated
period. The petition can be
preferred on the grounds of
electoral malpractices or
irregularities in the conduct of
elections.
Who can vote? The democratic
system in India is based on the
principle of universal adult suffrage;
that any citizen over the age of 18
can vote in an election (before 1989
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. A college student desires to get
elected to the Municipal Council
of his city. The validity of his
nomination would depend on the
important condition, among others,
that :
(a) he obtains permission from the
principal of his college
(b) he is a member of a political
party
(c) his name figures in the voters’
list
(d) he files a declaration owing
allegiance to the Constitution of
India
Ans. (c) (CSE 2000)
Explanation: Under the given
condition the important condition
which should be fulfilled is that the
name of candidate should figure
in the voter’s list
NOTA Button on Electronic Voting Machines
On direction of the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of
India has ordered on 13 October 2013 the Chief Electoral
Officers of all States and Union territories to provide for None
of the Above (NOTA) option in electronic voting machines
(EVMs) and ballot papers.
The None of the Above option will be provided at the bottom of
the panel on the EVMs or as the last row in the ballot paper P
after all the candidates have been listed with their respective
symbols in the same language used to list the candidates.
O
The NOTA votes will be counted and indicated in the final result
chart. The Election Commission of India clarified that in the
extreme case of the NOTA option polling more votes than any L
of the candidates in the fray, the candidate who gets the
maximum number of votes will be declared the winner.
the age limit was 21). The right to representation in the Lok Sabha in
I
vote is irrespective of caste, creed,
religion or gender. Those who are
deemed unsound of mind, and
proportion to its population as per
census figures. In Lok Sabha there
is reservation of seats for
T
people convicted of certain criminal
offences are not allowed to vote.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. Here also census figures
are taken into account. Allocation
Y
Only those people with their names
of seats for Scheduled Castes and
on the electoral roll are allowed to
Tribes in the Lok Sabha are made
vote. The electoral roll is normally on the basis of proportion of
revised every year to add the names
Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the
of those who are to turn 18 on the State concerned to that of the total
1st January of that year or have
population, vide provision contained
moved into a constituency and to in Article 330 of the Constitution of
remove the names of those who India read with Section 3 of the R.
have died or moved out of a P. Act, 1950. There are currently
constituency. The updating of the 84 seats reserved for the scheduled
Electoral Roll only stops during an castes and 47 reserved for the
election campaign, after the scheduled tribes in the Lok Sabha.
nominations for candidates have
closed. The following States and Union
Territories have one seat each in the
Who can stand for Election: Any Lok Sabha Mizoram, Nagaland,
Indian citizen who is registered as Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar
a voter and is over 25 years of age Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and
is allowed to contest elections to the Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu,
Lok Sabha or State Legislative Lakshadweep, Pondicherry
Assemblies. For the Rajya Sabha
the age limit is 30 years. Candidates Political Parties & the Commission
for the Rajya Sabha and Vidhan
Political parties are registered with
Sabha should be a resident of the
the Election Commission under the
same state as the constituency from
law. The Commission ensures inner
which they wish to contest.
party democracy in their functioning
Allocation of seats of the Lok by insisting upon them to hold their
Sabha: Population is the basis of organizational elections at periodic
allocation of seats of the Lok Sabha. intervals. Political Parties so
As far as possible, every State gets registered with it are granted
Prelims Magic 2014 475
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Given below are two
statements, one labelled as
Assertion (A) and the other
labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The reservation of
thirty-three per-cent of seats for
women in Parliament and
P State Legislature does not require
Constitutional amendment.
Reason (R): Political parties
O contesting elections can allocate
thirty-three percent of seats they
contest to women candidates
L without any Constitutional
amendment.
In the context of the above two
I statements which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R
T is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
Y (c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) (CSE 1997)
Explanation: The reservation of
33% seats for the women in
Parliament and State Legislature
require a constitutional
amendment. So (A) as an
individual statement is false.
Political parties contesting
elections can allocate thirty-three
percent of seats (for that matter
any percentage, even 100%) they
contest to women candidates
without any Constitutional
amendment
recognition at the State and National
levels by the Election Commission
on the basis of their poll
performance at general elections
according to criteria prescribed by
it. The Commission, as a part of its
quasi-judicial jurisdiction, also settles
disputes between the splinter groups
of such recognised parties.
Election Commission ensures a level
playing field for the political parties
in election fray, through strict
observance by them of a Model
Code of Conduct evolved with the
consensus of political parties.
476 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements about the recent
amendments to the elections law
by the Representation of the
People (Amendment) Act 1996 :
1. Any conviction for the offence
of insulting the Indian National flag
or the Constitution of Indian shall
entail disqualification for contesting
elections to Parliament and State
Legislatures for six year from the
date of conviction
2. There is an increase in the
security deposit which a candidate
has to make to contest the election
to the Lok Sabha
3. A candidate cannot now stand
for election from more than one
Parliament Constituency.
4. No election will now be
countermanded on the death of a
contesting candidate
Which of the above statements are
correct?
(a) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (b) (CSE 1999)
Explanation: Under the
Amendment Representation of
People Amendment Act, 1996, no
such provision as mentioned in
point (3) has been made. Drop
point (3) and choose the correct
answer.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
the largest (area-wise) Lok Sabha
Constituency?
(a) Kangra (b) Ladakh
(c) Kachchh (d) Bhilwara
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2008)
5 LARGEST CONSTITUENCIES (AREA WISE)
STATE/UTNAME
JAMMU & KASHMIR
RAJASTHAN
GUJARAT
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The Commission holds periodical
consultations with the political
parties on matters connected with
the conduct of elections; compliance
of Model Code of Conduct and new
measures proposed to be introduced
by the Commission on election
related matters.
POLITICAL PARTIES
All the political parties have to get
themselves registered with the
Election Commission. This
registration can be cancelled by the
Election Commission in case of
failure of the political parties to
observe the model code of conduct.
The commission can also withdraw
recognition from parties if they fail
to follow the lawful directions and
instructions of the Commission,
regarding free, fair and peaceful
elections. There are, broadly
speaking, two types of political
parties in India-national and
regional.
NATIONAL PARTY
If a political party is treated as a
recognised political party in four or
more States, it shall be known as a
‘National Party’ throughout the
whole of India. However it is subject
to change depending upon the
performance of the party. According
to the Election Symbol Registration
and Allotment Act, 1968 a political
party to be considered a National
party must secure 6% of the valid
votes polled or 1/25 of the total seats
in a state in four or more states.
PCNAME AREA(sq.km)
Ladakh 173266.37
Barmer 71601.24
Kutch 41644.55
ArunachalWest 40572.29
ArunachalEast 39749.64
 SMALLESTCONSTITUENCIES ( AREAWISE)
STATE/UTNAME
NCT OF DELHI
MAHARASHTRA
MAHARASHTRA
WESTBENGAL
NCT OF DELHI
According to the Election
Commission, the following parties
are recognised as National Parties
at present (2005). They are:
1. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
2. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
3. Communist Party of India (CPI)
4. Communist Party of India
(Marxist) (CPI-M)
5. Indian National Congress (lNC)
6. Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP)
REGIONAL PARTY
A political party which is restricted
to a particular state, its culture,
customs, and interests is called a
regional party. No academic
endeavour to analyse or evaluate
the dynamics of India politics today
can be valid if it ignores what may
be described as the regional
perspective and fails to take
adequate account of the increasingly
critical role played by the regional
political parties. The regional
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to the
Delimitation Commission, consider
the following statements :
1. The orders of the Delimitation
Commission cannot be challenged
in a Court of Law.
2. When the orders of the
Delimitation Commission are laid
before the Lok Sabha or State
Legislative Assembly, they cannot
effect any modifications in the
orders.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) (CSE 2012)
PCNAME AREA(sq.km)
DelhiSadar 28.09
Mumbai South Central 18.31
Mumbai South 13.73
Calcutta North West 13.23
ChandniChowk 10.59
political parties may be called
‘grievance groups’, for their aim is
to thrive on the exploitation of local
discontent of the people.
According to the Election Symbol,
Registration and Allotment Act,
1968 a political party to be
considered as a recognized party in
a state must secure 4% of the valid
votes polled or 1/25 of the total seats
in a state . If a political party is
treated as a recognised political
party in less than four States, it
should be known as a ‘State Party’
in the State or States in which it is
so recognized. However it is subject
to change depending upon the
performance of the party.
Delimitation commission or
Boundary commission of India
is a Commission established
by Government of India under the
provisions of the Delimitation
Commission Act. The main task of
the commission is to redraw the
boundaries of the various
assembly and Lok Sabha
constituencies based on a
recent census. The representation
from each state is not changed
during this exercise. However, the
number of SC and ST seats in a
state are changed in accordance
with the census.
The Commission is a powerful body
whose orders cannot be challenged
in a court of law. The orders are
laid before the Lok Sabha and the
respective State Legislative
Assemblies. However, modifica-
tions are not permitted. Delimitation
commissions have been set up four
times in the past - In 1952, 1963,
1973 and 2002 under Delimitation
Commission acts of 1952, 1962,
Prelims Magic 2014
1972 and 2002. The government had
suspended delimitation in 1976 until
after the 2001 census so that
states’ family planning
programmes would not affect their
political representation in the Lok
Sabha. This had led to wide
discrepancies in the size of
constituencies, with the largest
having over three million electors,
and the smallest less than 50,000. P
The recent delimitation commission
was set up on 12 July 2002 after
the 2001 census with Justice Kuldip O
Singh, a retired Judge of
the Supreme Court of India as its
Chairperson. The Commission has
submitted its recommendations. On
L
December 2007, the Supreme Court
of India on a petition issued notice
to the central government for non
I
implementation. On 4 January 2008,
the Cabinet Committee on
Political Affairs” decided to
T
implement the order from the
Delimitation commission . The
recommendations of the delimitation
Y
commission was approved by
the President, Pratibha Patil on 19
February 2008. This means that all
future elections in India for states
covered by the commission will be
held under the newly formed
consistencies.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding the political
parties in India:
1. The Representation of the
People Act, 1951 provides for the
registration of political parties
2. Registration of political parties
is carried out by the Election
Commission
3. A national level political party is
one which is recognized in four or
more states
4. During the 1999 general
elections, there were six national
and 48 state level parties
recognised by the Election
commission
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2001)
477

27 ELECTION METHODS
A. Single-winner Method:
Single-winner systems can be
classified based on their ballot
type. One vote systems are those
in which a voter picks one choice
at a time. In ranked voting
P systems, each voter ranks the
candidates in order of preference.
In rated voting systems, voters give
O a score to each candidate.
One vote system:
L The most prevalent single-winner
voting method, by far,
is plurality (also called “first­past­
I the-post”, “relative majority”, or
“winner-take-all”), in which each
voter votes for one choice, and the
T choice that receives the most votes
wins, even if it receives less than a
majority of votes. Runoff methods
Y hold multiple rounds of plurality
voting to ensure that the winner is
elected by a majority. Top-two
runoff voting, the second most
common method used in elections,
holds a runoff election between the
two highest polling options if there
is no absolute majority (50% plus
one). In elimination runoff elections,
the weakest candidate(s) are
eliminated until there is a majority.
A primary election process is also
used as a two round runoff voting
system. The two candidates or
choices with the most votes in the
open primary ballot progress to the
general election. The difference
between a runoff and an open
primary is that a winner is never
chosen in the primary, while the first
round of a runoff can result in a
winner if one candidate has over
50% of the vote.
Random ballot is a method in which
each voter votes for one option, and
a single ballot is selected at random
to determine the winner. This is
mostly used as a tiebreaker for
other methods.
Ranked voting methods:
Also known as preferential
478 Prelims Magic 2014
voting methods, these methods
allow each voter to rank the
candidates in order of preference.
The most common ranked voting
method is instant-runoff voting
(IRV), also known as the
“alternative vote”
simply preferential voting, which
or
uses voters’ preferences to simulate
an elimination runoff election
without multiple voting events. As
the votes are tallied, the option with
the fewest first-choice votes is
eliminated. In successive rounds of
counting, the next preferred choice
still available from each eliminated
ballot is transferred to candidates
not yet eliminated. The least
preferred option is eliminated in each
round of counting until there is a
majority winner, with all ballots being
considered in every round of
counting. The Borda count is a
simple ranked voting method in
which the options receive points
based on their position on each
ballot. A class of similar methods is
called positional voting systems.
Other ranked methods include
Coombs’ method, Supplementary
voting, Bucklin voting, and
Condorcet method.
Rated voting methods:
Rated ballots allow even more
flexibility than ranked ballots, but
few methods are designed to use
them. Each voter gives a score to
each option; the allowable scores
could be numeric (for example, from
0 to 100) or could be “grades” like
A/B/C/D/F.
Rated ballots can be used for ranked
voting methods, as long as the
ranked method allows tied rankings.
Some ranked methods assume that
all the rankings on a ballot are
distinct, but many voters would be
likely to give multiple candidates the
same rating on a rated ballot.
Range voting:
In range voting, voters give numeric
ratings to each option, and the option
with the highest total score wins.
Approval voting:
Approval voting, where voters may
vote for as many candidates as they
like, can be seen as an instance of
range voting where the allowable
ratings are 0 and 1.
B. Multiple-winner voting
method
A vote with multiple winners, such
as the election of a legislature, has
different practical effects than a
single-winner vote. Often,
participants in a multiple winner
election are more concerned with
the overall composition of the
legislature than exactly which
candidates get elected. For this
reason, many multiple-winner
systems aim for proportional
representation, which means that if
a given party (or any other political
grouping) gets X% of the vote, it
should also get approximately X%
of the seats in the legislature. Not
all multiple-winner voting systems
are proportional.
Many multiple-winner voting
methods are simple extensions of
single-winner methods, without an
explicit goal of producing a
proportional result. Two similar
plurality-based methods with
multiple winners are the Single Non-
Transferable Vote or SNTV
method, where the voter votes for
only one option, and cumulative
voting.
Proportional methods
Truly proportional methods make
some guarantee of proportionality
by making each winning option
represent approximately the same
number of voters. This number is
called a quota. For example, if the
quota is 1000 voters, then each
elected candidate reflects the
opinions of 1000 voters, within a
margin of error. This can be
measured using the Gallagher Index.
Most proportional systems in use
are based on party-list proportional
representation, in which voters vote
for parties instead of for individual
candidates. For each quota of votes
a party receives, one of their
candidates wins a seat on the
legislature. The methods differ in
how the quota is determined or,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Proportional representation is
not necessary in a country where:
(a) There are no reserved
constituencies
(b) A two-party system has
developed
(c) The first-past-post system
prevails
(d) There is a fusion of presidential
and Parliamentary forms of
government
Ans. (b) (CSE 1997)
Explanation: This is not followed
as a rule but a derived condition.
equivalently, how the proportions of
votes are rounded off to match the
number of seats.
Semi-proportional methods
An alternative method called
Cumulative voting (CV) is a semi-
28 THE MINORITIES COMMISSION
The Minorities Commission,
established in 1978 under a
Government resolution, was
brought under parliamentary
legislation fourteen years later as
the National Commission for
Minorities.
The National Commission for
Minorities Act, 1992 was passed by
the parliament with the intention of
providing protection to the minority
community. Under this act the
National Commission for Minorities
was constituted on 17th May 1993
with a statutory status replacing the
previous commission.
Five religious communities, viz;
Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
proportional voting system in which
each voter has n votes, where n is
the number of seats to be elected.
Voters can distribute portions of their
vote between a set of candidates,
fully upon one candidate, or a
mixture. It is considered
a proportional system in allowing
a united coalition representing a m/
(n+1) fraction of the voters to be
guaranteed to elect m seats of an n-
seat election.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the table given below
providing some details of the
results of the election to the
Karnataka State Legislature
Assembly held in December 1994:
Political
Party
Percentage of Number of
Popular Votes Seats
Janta Dal
Congress
obtained
36
31
secured
116
35
BJP 20.4 40
In terms of electoral analysis, the
voter-seat distortion is to be
explained as the result of the
adoption of the:
(a) Hare system
(b) Cumulative vote system
(c) First-past-the post system
(d) Plural vote system
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1995)
Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis)
have been notified as minority
communities by the Union
Government. Andhra Pradesh,
Assam , Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi ,
Jharkhand,Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Manipur,
Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu,
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal have also set up
State Minorities Commissions in
their respective States. Their offices
are located in the State
capitals. The functions of these
Commissions, inter-alia, are to
safeguard and protect the interests
of minorities provided in the
Constitution and laws enacted by
Parliament and the State
Legislatures.
Prelims Magic 2014
Though the Constitution of India
does not define the word ‘Minority’
and only refers to ‘Minorities’ and
speaks of those ‘based on religion
or language’, the rights of the
minorities have been spelt out in the
Constitution in detail. Different
provisions provided in the
Constitution are as under:-
(i) right of ‘any section of the
citizens’ to ‘conserve’ its ‘distinct
P
language, script or culture’; [Article
29(1)] O
(ii) restriction on denial of admission
to any citizen, to any educational
institution maintained or aided by the L
State, ‘on grounds only of religion,
race, caste, language or any of
them’; [Article 29(2)] I
(iii) right of all Religious and
Linguistic Minorities to establish and
administer educational institutions of
T
their choice;[Article 30(1)]
(iv) freedom of Minority-managed Y
educational institutions from
discrimination in the matter of
receiving aid from the
State;[Article30(2)]
(v) special provision relating to the
language spoken by a section of the
population of any State;[Article
347]
(vi) provision for facilities for
instruction
in mother-tongue at primary
stage;[350 A]
(vii) provision for a Special Officer
for Linguistic Minorities and his
duties; and
[Article 350 B]
(viii) Sikh community’s right of
‘wearing and carrying of kirpans;
[Explanation 1 below Article 25]
Religious Communities
(Source: Census of India
2001)
Hindu : 827,578,868
Muslim : 138,188,240
Christian : 24,080,016
479
 Sikh : 19,215,730
Buddhist : l7,955,207
Jain : 4,225,053
Other Religious Communities
6,639,626.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
P statements about the minorities
India:
1. The Government of India has
O notified five communities, namely,
Muslims, Sikhs, Christians,
Buddhists and Zoroastrians as
L Minorities
2. The National Commission for
Minorities was given statutory
I status in 1993
3. The smallest religious minority
in India are the Zoroastrians
T 4. The Constitution of India
recognizes and protects religious
and linguistic minorities
Y Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2001)
Q. Given below are two
statements, one labelled as
Assertion (A) and the other
labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A): The word minority
is not defined in the Constitution
of India.
Reason (R): The Minorities
Commission is not a constitutional
body.
In the context of the above two
statements, which one of the
following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1996)
Explanation: Here both Assertion
and Reason are true independently.
But there is no causal relationship
between the Assertion and
Reason.
480 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In India, if a religious sect/
community is given the status of a
national Minority, what special
advantages it is entitled to?
I. It can establish and administer
exclusive educational institutions.
II. The President of India.
automatically nominates a
representative of the community
to Lok Sabha; III. It can derive
benefits from the Prime Minister’s
15-Point Programme. Which of
the statements given above is/are
correct ?
(a) I only (b) II and III only
(c) I and III only (d) I, II and III
Ans. (c) (CSE 2011)
29 EMERGENCY PROVISIONS
Part XVIII (352-360) of the Indian
Constitution deals with emergency
provisions. Though several
members of the Constituent
Assembly bitterly criticised the
emergency provisions, Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar, the Chairman of the
Drafting Committee justified these
provisions. He said “these
overriding powers are not the
normal feature of the Constitution.
Their use and operation are
expressly confined to emergencies”.
Three types of emergencies are
envisaged in the Constitution:
(i) National Emergency:
Emergency due to War,
External Aggression or Armed
Rebellion:
Article 352 empowers the President
to proclaim emergency if he is
satisfied that India’s security is
threatened due to war, external
aggression or armed rebellion, or if
there is an imminent danger of such
threat. The proclamation is issued
only on a written recommendation
of the Union Cabinet. Each House
of Parliament must approve of the
proclamation within one month.
Also, Parliament can extend
emergency by six months at a time.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Constitution of India
recognises:
(a) Only religious minorities
(b) Only linguistic minorities
(c) Religious and linguistic
minorities
(d) Religious, linguistic and ethnic
minorities
Ans. (c) (CSE 1999)
Explanation: Though the term
minority is nowhere defined in the
Constitution, it recognises
Religious Minorities and Linguistic
Minorities.
In emergency the federal structure
is virtually transformed into a
unitary one and state government
comes under complete control of the
Union Government and. Parliament
can make laws on any subject in
the State List too. The executive
power of the Union extends to the
giving of directions to a State as to
the manner in which the executive
power of the State would be
exercised. The President gets the
power to suspend any provision
relating to the distribution of taxes
between Union and States and
grant-in-aids to States. The
Fundamental Rights under Art. 19
get automatically suspended.
Other fundamental rights can be
suspended by subsequent orders of
the President. Emergency under
Article 352 has been declared three
times so far: in 1962 (During
Chinese Attack), 1971 (During Pak
Attack) and 1975 (internal
disturbance).
The provisions of Article 352 were
made more stringent by the
Constitution (Forty-fourth
Amendment) Act 1978 which came
into effect from 20 June 1979. This
was done after the experience of
emergency declared on 25 June
1975 on grounds of internal
disturbance. To prevent the misuse
of emergency provisions, the words
armed rebellion were substituted for
internal disturbance and a written
communication of decision by the
Union Cabinet was made an
essential precondition for issue of
proclamation by the President and
the entire procedure for emergency
provisions was streamlined to
ensure dependence on approval of
Parliament, particularly of the Lok
Sabha.
(ii) Failure of Constitutional
Machinery in States:
Article 356 of the Constitution
permits the President to make a
proclamation of emergency if he is
satisfied on the receipt of a report
from the Governor or otherwise that
a situation has arisen in which the
government of the state cannot be
carried on in accordance with the
provisions of the Constitution. The
continuance of such an emergency
beyond one year is possible only if
emergency under Article. 352 is in
operation or the Election
Commission certifies that there are
difficulties in holding Assembly
elections. Maximum duration of the
emergency can be three years. In
this kind of emergency, the States
lose much of their autonomy in
legislative and executive matters.
30 UNION TERRITORIES
Union Territories are administrated
by the President acting to such
extent, as he thinks fit, through an
Administrator appointed by him.
Administrators of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, Delhi and
Puducherry are designated as
Lieutenant Governors. The
Governor of Punjab is concurrently
the Administrator of Chandigarh.
The Administrator of Dadra and
Nagar Haveli is concurrently the
Administrator of Daman and Diu.
Lakshadweep has a separate
Administrator.
After such a proclamation state
legislature is suspended and
executive authority of the State is
assumed by the President. It is aptly
called “ President’s Rule” This type
of emergency has been declared
nearly 100 times and in practically
all the states.
(iii) Financial Emergency: Under
Article 360 the President can
declare financial emergency if he
is satisfied that the financial stability
or credit of India or of any of its
parts is in danger.
EFFECTS: (i) the union executive
can give directions to any state to
observe such canons of financial
propriety as may be specified in the
directions; (ii) the President can ask
.the states to reduce the salaries and
allowances of all or any class of
persons serving in connection with
affairs of the state; (iii) the
President can ask the states to
reserve all Money Bills passed by
the State Legislature for his
consideration; (iv) the President can
issue directions for the reduction of
salaries and allowances of persons
serving in connection with the
affairs of the Union, including the
Judge of the Supreme Court and
High Court. This type of emergency
has not been declared in India so
far. Such an emergency ordinarily
remains in force for a period of two
months unless it is approved by the
The National Capital Territory of
Delhi and Union Territory of
Puducherry each has a legislative
assembly and council of ministers.
Legislative assembly of Union
Territory of Puducherry may make
laws with respect to matters
enumerated in List II or List III in
the Seventh Schedule of the
Constitution in so far as these
matters are applicable in relation to
the Union Territory. The legislative
assembly of National Capital
Territory of Delhi has also these
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two houses of Parliament before the
expiry of that period. If the
proclamation of financial
emergency is approved by both the
houses of Parliament it remains in
operation for six months at a time.
The maximum period for which a
financial emergency can remain in
operation is three years.
How was this topic asked in the CSE? P
Q. Consider the following
statements in respect of financial
emergency under Article 360 of
O
the Constitution of India:
1. A proclamation of financial
emergency issued shall cease to
L
operate at the expiration of two
months, unless, before the
expiration of that period, it has been
I
approved by the resolutions of both
Houses of Parliament.
2. If any proclamation of financial
T
emergency is in operation, it is
competent for the President of
India to issue directions for the
Y
reduction of salaries and
allowances of all or any class of
persons, serving in connection with
the affairs of the Union but
excluding the Judges of the
Supreme Court and the High
Courts.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) (CSE 2008)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The Governor of Punjab is
concurrently the Administrator of
Chandigarh
2. The Governor of Kerala is
concurrently the Administrator of
Lakshadweep
Which of the above statements is/
are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a) (CSE, 2009)
481
 powers with the exceptions that
Entries 1, 2 and 18 of the List II are
not within the legislative
competence of the legislative
assembly. Certain categories of
Bills, however, require the prior
approval of the Central Government
for introduction in the legislative
P 31 ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS
O Central Administrative
Tribunal: Article 323-A of the
Constitution empowers Central
L Government to set-up by an Act of
Parliament, Administrative Tribunals
for adjudication of disputes and
I complaints with respect to
recruitment and conditions of
service of persons appointed to the
T public service and posts in
connection with the affairs of the
Union and the States.
Y Central Administrative Tribunal was
set up in 1985 during Rajiv Gandhi’s
tenure. Today, it has 17 regular
benches, 15 of which operate at the
principal seats of High Courts and
the remaining two at Jaipur and
Lucknow. These Benches also hold
circuit sittings at other seats of High
Courts.
The tribunal consists of a Chairman,
Vice-Chairman and Members. The
Members are drawn, both from
judicial as well as administrative
streams so as to give the Tribunal
the benefit of expertise both in legal
and administrative spheres.
The Administrative Tribunals
exercise jurisdiction only in relation
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
32
MUNICIPALITIES
Municipal bodies have a long history
in India. The first such Municipal
Corporation was set-up in the
former Presidency Town of
Madras in 1688; and was followed
by similar corporations in the then
Bombay and Calcutta in 1726. The
Constitution of India has made
482 Prelims Magic 2014
assembly. Some Bills, passed by the
legislative assembly of the Union
Territory of Puducherry and
National Capital Territory of Delhi
are required to be reserved for
consideration and assent of the
President.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Central Administrative Tribunal
(CAT) was set up during the Prime
Ministership of Lal Bahadur
Shastri.
2. The Members of CAT are
drawn from both judicial and
administrative streams.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
to the service matters of the litigants
covered by the Act. The procedural
simplicity of the Act can be
appreciated from the fact that the
aggrieved person can also appear
before it personally. The
Government can present its case
through its departmental officers or
legal practitioners. Thus, the
objective of the Tribunal is to provide
for speedy and inexpensive justice
to the litigants. The appeals against
the orders of an Administrative
Tribunal shall lie before the Division
Bench of the High Court concerned.
detailed provisions for ensuring
protection of democracy in
Parliament and in the state
legislatures.
However, Constitution did not make
the local self-government in urban
areas a clear-cut constitutional
obligation. There is no specific
reference to Municipalities except
the implicity in Entry 5 of the State
List, which places the subject of
local self-as a responsibility of the
states.
In order to provide for a common
framework for urban local bodies
and help to strengthen the
functioning of the bodies as effective
democratic units of self-
government,
Parliament enacted the Constitution
(74th Amendment) Act, 1992
(known as Nagarpalika Act) relating
to municipalities in 1992. The Act
received the assent of the President
on 20 April 1993. The Government
of India notified 1 June 1993 as the
date from which the said Act came
into force. A new part IX-A relating
to the Municipalities has been
incorporated in the Constitution to
provide for among other things,
constitution of three types of
Municipalities, i.e., Nagar
Panchayats for areas in transition
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In India, the first Municipal
Corporation was set up in which
one among the following?
(a) Calcutta (b) Madras
(c) Bombay (d) Delhi
Ans. (b) (CSE 2009)
from a rural area to urban area,
Municipal Councils for smaller
urban areas and Municipal
Corporation for large urban areas,
fixed duration of municipalities,
appointment of state election
commission, appointment of state
finance commission and constitution
of metropolitan and district planning
committees.
Panchayati Raj
In 1956, the National Development
council appointed a committee
under the chairmanship of
Balwantrai G. Mehta to suggest
measures for the better working of
the Community Development
Programme and the National
Extension Service. The committee
submitted its report in 1957 and its
recommendations were approved
by the NDC in January, 1958. This
paved the way for launching of
Panchayati Raj Institutions
throughout the country.
THREE-TIER SYSTEM:
The three-tier system of Panchyati
Raj was first adopted by Rajasthan
on October 2, 1959, This was
followed by Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Gradually, the Panchayati Raj
system was adopted by most states
even though the system differed in
matters of detail. The three-tier
system of local self-government
envisages panchayat at the village
level Panchayat Samitis at the block
level and Zilla Parishad at the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Panchayat Raj was first
introduced in India in October
1959 in
(a) Rajasthan (b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Kerala (d) Karnataka
Ans. (a) (CSE 1998)
district level. Each tier is organically
linked to the next tier through the
system of indirect elections.
However, elections to panchayats
at the village level are direct.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. What is the system of
governance in the Panchayati
Raj set up?
(a) Single tier structure of local
self government at the village
level
(b) Two tier system of local self
government at the village and
block levels
(c) Three tier structure of local
self government at the village,
block and district levels
(d) Four tier system of local self
government at the village block,
district and state levels
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1996)
Village Panchayat is the lowest
rung of the three­­tier system, and
consists of the elected
representatives of the people.
Membership usually varies from 5
to 31. Seats are also reserved for
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes, women, etc. The chairman
of the panchayat is known as the
sarpanch, who is elected by
members of the panchayat from
among themselves. Some
panchayats also have an upa-
sarpanch. The panchayat is
accountable for all its actions to the
Gram Sabha, the general body of
villagers.
Block / Panchayat Samiti is
consisting of indirectly elected
members of village panchayats’
under the block, comprising 20 to
60 villages. The Panchayat Samiti
is known by different names in
different states such as Janpad
Panchayat, Taluka Panchayat,
AnchalPanchayat, etc. The
Panchayat Samiti elect its own
chairman from amongst its members
who is known as the Pradhan.
The main function of the Panchayat
Samiti is to coordinate the working
of the various panchayats under its
jurisdiction. The chief sources of
income of the Panchayat Samiti are
grants and loans provided by the
state government/Zilla Parishad, for
the implementation of various
schemes. In addition, it gets a share
of the cess of land revenue from
the Gram Panchayat and Zilla
Parishad. The Panchayat Samiti is
responsible for its working to Gram
Panchayats as well as Gram
Sabhas.
Zilla Parishad also known as the
District Panchayat, consists of
representatives of the Panchayat
Samiti under its jurisdiction, local
members of the state legislature,
members of Parliament
representing a part or whole of the
district, coopted members
representing Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes, women, etc.,
representatives of cooperative
bodies, district level officers of the
medical, public health, public works,
engineering, agriculture, education,
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veterinary and other development
departments. The Zilla Parishad
elects its own chairman from
amongst its members who is known
as the Pradhan.
Panchayati Raj Under the
73rd Constitutional Amend-
ment
This act has added a new Part-IX
to the Constitution of India. It is
P
entitled as ‘The Panchayats’ and
consists of provisions from Articles
243 to 243(o). In addition, the act
O
has also added a new Eleventh.
Schedule to the Constitution. It
contains 29 functional items of the
L
panchayats. The act has given a
practical shape to Article 40 of the
Constitution which says that, ‘The
I
State shall take steps to organise
village panchayats and endow them
with such powers and authority as
T
may be necessary to enable them
to function as units of self-
government. This article forms a
Y
part of the Directive Principles of
State Policy.
The act gives a constitutional status
to the Panchayati raj institutions. It
has brought them under the purview
of the justiciable part of the
Constitution. In other words, the
state governments are under
constitutional obligation to adopt the
new panchayati raj system in
accordance with the provisions of
the act. Consequently, neither the
formation of panchayats nor the
holding of elections at regular
intervals depend on the will of the
state government any more.
The provisions of the act can be
grouped into two categories-
compulsory and voluntary. The
compulsory (mandatory or
obligatory) provisions of the act
have to be included in the state laws
creating the new panchayati raj
system. The voluntary provisions, on
the other hand, may be included at
the direction of the states. Thus the
voluntary provisions of the act
ensures the right of the states to
take local factors like geographical,
483
 political-administrative and others,
into consideration while adopting the
new panchayati raj system. ln other
words the act does not disturb the
constitutional balance between the
Centre and the states In the Indian
federal system. Though it is a
central law on a state subject (i.e.,
local government), the act does not
P encroach upon the jurisdiction of the
states, which are given adequate
discretionary powers with regard to
O the panchayats.
The act is a significant landmark in
L the evolution of grass root
democratic institutions in the
country. It transfers the
I representative democracy into
participatory democracy. It is a
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
T Q. If a Panchayat is dissolved,
elections are to be held within:
(a) 1 month (b) 3 months
Y (c) 6 months (d) 1 year
Ans. (c) (CSE 2009)
revolutionary concept to build
democracy at the grass root level
in the country.
Major Features of the Act
A brief description of the 73 rd
constitution Amendment act and its
major features has been outlined
below:
Gram Sabha
A Gram Sabha may exercise such
powers and perform such functions
at the village level as the Legislature
of a State may, by law, provide.
(Article 243A)
Constitution of Panchayats
(1) There shall be constituted in
every state, Panchayats at the
village; intermediate and district
levels.
(2) Panchayats at the inter-mediate
level may not be constituted in a state
having a population not exceeding
twenty lakh.(Article 243B)
Composition of Panchayats
484 Prelims Magic 2014
(1) The Legislature of a State may,
by law, make provisions with
respect to the composition of
Panchayats. But the ratio between
the population of the territorial area
of a Panchayat at any level and the
number of seats in such Panchayat
to be filled by election shall; as far
as practicable, be the same
throughout the state.
(2) All the seats in a Panchayat shall
be filled by persons chosen by
direct election from territorial
consti-tuencies in the Panchayat
area. Each Panchayat area shall be
divided into territorial constituencies
in such a manner that the ratio
between the population of each
constituency and the number of
seats allotted to if shall, as far as
practicable, be the same throughout
the Panchayat area.
(3) The Legislature of a State may,
by law, provide for the
representation-
(a) of the chairpersons of the
Panchayats at the village level, in
the Panchayats at the inter­mediate
level, or in the case of a state not
having Panchayats at the
intermediate level, in the
Panchayats at the district level.
(b) of the chairpersons of the
Panchayats at the intermediate
level, in the Panchayats at the
district level.
(c) of the members of the House of
the People and members of the
Legislative Assembly of the state
representing constituencies which
comprise wholly or partly a
Panchayat area at a level other than
the village level, in such panchayat;
(d) of the members of the council
of States and the members of the
Legislative Council of the State,
where they are registered as
electors within-
(i) a Panchayat area at the
intermediate level, in Panchayat at
the intermediate level;
(ii) a Panchayat area at the district
level, in Panchayat at the district
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In which one of the following
areas does the State Government
not have control over its local
bodies?
(a) Citizens’ grievances
(b) Financial matters
(c) Legislation
(d) Personnel matters
Ans. (a) (CSE 2001)
Explanation: Citizen’s grievances
is the area where state Govt. does
not have control over its local
bodies.
Q. Which one of the following
was not proposed by the 73rd
Constitutional Amendment in the
area of Panchayati Raj?
(a) Thirty percent seats in all
elected rural local bodies
(b) The States will constitute their
Finance Commissions to allocate
resources to Panchayati Raj
institutions
(c) The Panchayati Raj elected
functionaries will be disqualified to
hold their offices if they have more
than two children
(d) The elections will be held in
six months time if Panchayati Raj
bodies are superceded or dissolved
by the State government.
Ans. (c) (CSE 1997)
Explanation: The Panchayati Raj
elected functionaries will be
disqualified to hold their office if
they have more than 2 children.
No such condition has been
mentioned in 73rd Amendment
Act. Now Haryana is in the
process of applying the same
norm.
level.
(4) The chairperson of a Panchayat
and other members of a Panchayat
whether or not chosen by direct
election from territorial
constituencies in the Panchayat
area shall have the right to vote in
the meetings of the Panchayats.
(5) (a) The chairperson of a
Panchayat at the village level shall
be elected in such manner as the
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the new Panchayati Raj Bill
enacted in 1993, there are several
fresh provisions deviating from the
past. Which one of the following
is not one such provision ?
(a) A number of added
responsibilities in the area of
agriculture rural development,
primary education and social
forestry among others
(b) Elections being made
mandatory for all posts at the time
they are due
(c) A statutory representation for
women in the panchayats, up to a
third of the strength
(d) Regular remuneration to the
panchayat members, so as to
ensure their punctuality and
accountability
Ans. (d) (CSE 1999)
Q. The Constitution (Seventy-
Third Amendment) Act, 1992,
which aims at promoting the
Panchayati Raj Institutions in the
country, provides for which
of the following ? 1 .
Constitution of District Planning
Committees.
2. State Election Commissions to
conduct all panchayat elections.
3. Establishment of State Finance
Commissions.
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below:
(a) I only
(b) I and II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I, II and III
Ans. (c) (CSE 2011)
Note: Establishment of State
Finance Commissions- inserted by
74th Amendment
Legislature of a state may, by law
provide.
(b) The chairperson of a Panchayat
at the intermediate level or district
level shall be elected by, and from
amongst the elected members there
of (Article 243C)
Reservation of Seats
(1) Seats shall be reserved for- (a)
the Scheduled Castes; and (b) the
Scheduled Tribes; in every
Panchayat and the number of seats.
So reserved shall been the same
proportion to the total number of
seats as the population of the
Scheduled Castes in that Panchayat
area or of the Scheduled Tribes in
that Panchayat area bears to the
total population of that area and such
seats may be allotted by rotation to
different constituencies in a
Panchayat.
(2) Not less than one-third of the
total number of seats reserved
under clause (I) shall be reserved
for women belonging to Scheduled
Castes or, as the case may be, the
Scheduled Tribes.
(3) Not less than one-third (including
the number of seats reserved for
women belonging to the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribe/of
the total number of seats to be filled
by direct election in every
Panchayat shall be reserved for
women and such seats may be
allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a Panchayat.
(4) The offices of the chairpersons
in the Panchayats at the village or
any other level shall be reserved as
the Legislature of the State may
provide which shall be like the
provisions of clause (3).
(5) The reservation of seats under
clauses (1) and (2) and the
reservation of offices of
chairpersons (other than the
reservation for women) under
clause (4) shall cease to have effect
on the expiration of the period
specified in article 334.
(6) The Legislature of a State may
provide for reservation of seats in
any Panchayat or offices of chair-
persons in the Panchayat at any
level in favour of backward class
of citizens. (Article 2430)
Duration of Panchayats
(1) Every Panchayat unless sooner
dissolved under any law for the time
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being in force, shall continue for five
years from the date appointed for
its first meeting.
(2) No amendment of any law for
the time being in force shall have
the effect of causing dissolution of
Panchayat at any level, which is
functioning immediately before such
amendment, till the expiration of its
duration specified in clause (I). P
(3) An election to constitute a
Panchayat shall be completed
(a) before the expiry of its duration
O
specified in clause
(b) before the expiration of a period L
of six months from the date of its
dissolution.
If the remainder period after
I
dissolution is less than six months, it
shall not be necessary to hold any
election for the remaining period.
T
(4) A Panchayat constituted upon
the dissolution of a Panchayat Y
before the expiry of its duration shall
continue only for the remainder of
the period.
Disqualifications for membership
(1) A person shall be disqualified for
being chosen as a member of a
Panchayat-
(a) If he is so disqualified by or under
any law for the time being in force
for the purpose of elections to the
Legislature of the State concerned.
But if he has attained the age of
twenty one years, he will not be
disqualified on the ground that he
has not attained the age of twenty
five years.
(b) if he is so disqualified by or under
any law made by the Legislature of
the State.
(2) The determination of
disqualification matter be done in
such manner as the Legislature of
a State may by law, provide (Article
243F)
Powers authority and responsi-
bilities of Panchayats
485
 The Legislature of a State may, by
law, endow the Panchayats with
such powers and authority as may
be necessary to enable them to
function as institutions of self-
government with respect to -
(a) the preparation of plans for
economic development and social
P justice;
(b) the implementation of schemes
for economic development and
O social justice as may be entrusted
to them including those in relation
to the matters listed in the Eleventh
L Schedule.
(Article 243 G)
I Powers to impose taxes by, and
Funds of, the Panchayats The
Legislature of a State may, by law-
T (a) Authorize a Panchayat to levy,
collect and appropriate such taxes,
Y duties, tolls and fees in accordance
with such procedure and subject to
such limits;
(b) Assign to a Panchayat such
taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied
and collected by the state
Government for such purposes and
subject to such conditions and limits;
(c) Provide for making such grants-
in-aid to the Panchayats from the
consolidated fund of the State; and
(d) Provide for constitution of such
funds for crediting all moneys
received, respectively by or on
behalf of the Panchayats and also
for the withdrawal of such moneys
there from, as may be specified in
the law. (Article 243H)
Constitution of Finance Com-
mission to review financial
position
(1) The Governor of a State shall
as soon as may be within one year
from the commencement of the
Constitution (Seventy-third
Amendment) Act, 1992, and
thereafter at the expiration of every
five years, constitute a Finance
Commission to review the financial
486 Prelims Magic 2014
position of the panchayats and to
make recommendation to the
Governor as to—
(a) Principles which should govern
(i) the distribution between the State
and the Panchayats of the net
proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls
and fees leviable by the State, which
may be divided between them under
this Part and the allocations
between the Panchayats at all
levels of their respective shares of
such proceeds; (ii) the determination
of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees
which may be assigned to,
appropriated by, the Panchayats;
(iii) the grants-in-aid to the
Panchayats from the consolidated
Fund of the State;
(b) The measures needed to
improve the financial position of the
Panchayats;
(c) Any other mater referred to the
State Finance Commission by the
Governor in the interests of sound
finance of the Panchayats.
(2) The legislature of a State may,
by law, provide for the composition
of the Commission, the
qualifications which shall be
requisite for appointment as
members there of and the manner
in which they shall be selected.
(3) The Commission shall determine
their procedure and shall have such
powers in the performance of their
functions as the Legislature of the
State may, by law, confer on them.
(4) The Governor shall cause every
recommendation made by the
commission under this article
together with an explanatory
memorandum as to the action taken
thereon to be laid before the
Legislature of the State.(Article
243 I).
Audit of accounts of Panchayats
The Legislature of State may, by
law, make provisions with respect
to the maintenance of accounts by
the Panchayats and the auditing of
such accounts. (Article 243 J)
Elections to the Panchayats
(1) The superintence, direction and
control of the preparation of
electoral rolls for, and the conduct
of, all elections to the Panchayats
shall be vested in a state Election
Commission consisting of a State
Election Commissioner to be
appointed by the Governor.
(2) Subject to the provisions of any
law made by the Legislature of a
State, the conditions of service and
tenure of office of the State Election
Commissioner shall be such as the
Governor may by rule determine:
Provided that the State Election
Commissioner shall not be removed
from his office except in like manner
and on the like grounds as a Judge
of a High Court and the conditions
of service of the State Election
Commissioner shall not be varied to
his disadvantage after his
appointment.
(3) The Governor of a State shall,
when so requested by the State
Election Commission, make
avaiIable to the State Election
Commission such staff as may be
necessary for the discharge of the
functions conferred on the State
Election Commission by clause (1).
(4) Subject to the provisions of this
constitution, the Legislature of a
State may, by law, make provision
with respect to all matters relating
to, or in connection with, elections
to the Panchayats. (Article 243 K)
Application to Union Territories
The provisions of this part shall
apply to the union territories and
shall, in their application to a Union
Territory, have effect as if the
references to the Governor of a
State were references to the
Administrator of the Union Territory
appointed under article 239 and
references to the Legislature or the
Legislative Assembly of a State
were references, in relation to a
Union Territory having a Legislative
Assembly, to that Legislative
Assembly.
Provided that the President may, by
public notification, direct that the
provisions of this part shall apply to
any union territory or part thereof
subject to such exceptions and
modifications as he may specify in
the notification. (Article 243 L)
Part not to apply to certain ar-
eas
(1) Nothing in this part shall apply
to the Scheduled Areas referred to
in clause 0, and the tribal areas
referred to in clause (2) of article
244.
(2) Nothing in this part shall apply
to-
(a) the states of Nagaland,
Meghalaya and Mizoram;
(b) the hill areas in the state of
Manipur for which District Councils
exist under any law for the time
being in force.
(3) Nothing in this part-
(a) relating to Panchayats at the
district level shall apply to the hill
areas of the District of Darjeeling
in the State of West Bengal for
which Darjeeling Gorbha Hill council
exists under any law for the time
being in force;
(b) shall be construed to affect the
functions and powers of the
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
constituted under such law.
(4) Notwithstanding anything in this
constitution-
(a) the Legislature of a State
referred to in sub clause (a) of
clause (2) may, by law, extend this
part to that state, except the areas,
if any, referred to in clause (1), if
the Legislative Assembly of that
state passes a resolution to that
effect by a majority of the total
membership of that House and by
a majority of not less than two-third
of the members of that House
present and voting;
(b) Parliament may, by law, extend
the provisions of this part to the
scheduled Areas and the tribal areas
referred to in clause (1) subject to
such exceptions and modifications
as may be specified in such law,
and no such law shall be deemed to
be an amendment of this constitution
for the purpose of article
368.(Article 243 M)
Continuance of existing laws
and Panchayats
Nothwithstanding anything in this
part, any provision of any law
relating to Panchayats in force in a
State immediately before the
commencement of the constitution
(seventy-third Amendment) Act,
1992, which is inconsistent with the
provisions of this part, shall continue
to be in force until amended or
repealed by a competent Legislature
or other competent authority or until
the expiration of one year from such
commencement, whichever is
earlier:
Provided that all the Panchayats
existing immediately before such
commencement shall continue till
the expiration of their duration,
unless sooner dissolved by a
resolution passed to that effect by
the Legisla-tive Assembly of that
State or, in the case of a state having
a Legislative Council, by each
House of the Legislative of that
State (Article 243 N)
Bar to interference by courts in
electoral matters
Notwithstanding anything in
this constitution-
(a) the validity of any law relating
to the delimitation of constituencies
or the allotment of seats to such
constituencies, made or purporting
to be made under article 243 K, shall
not be called in question in any court;
(b) no election to any Panchayat
shall be called in question except by
an election petition presented to
such authority and in such manner
as is provided for by or under any
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law made by the Legislature of a
State. (Article 243-O)
Present Scenario
At present, there are about 3 million
elected representatives at all levels
of the panchayat one-third of which
are women. These members
represent more than 2.4 lakh Gram
Panchayats, about 6,000
intermediate level tiers and more
P
than 500 district panchayats .
Spread over the length and breadth
of the country, the new panchayats
O
cover about 96 per cent of India’s
more than 5.8 lakh villages and
nearly 99.6 per cent of rural
L
population. This is the largest
experiment in decentralisation of
governance in the history of
I
humanity.
T h e C on s t i t u t io n vis u a l is es
panchayats as institutions of self-
T
governance. However, giving due
consideration to the federal structure
of our polity, most of the financial
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powers and authorities to be
endowed on panchayats have been
left at the discretion of concerned
state legislatures. Consequently, the
powers and functions vested in
PRIs vary from state to state. These
provisions combine representative
and direct democracy into a synergy
and are expected to result in an
extension and deepening
of democracy in India. Hence,
panchayats have journeyed from an
institution within the culture of India
to attain constitutional status.
74th Amendment Act of 1992
This act has added a new Part IX-
A to the Constitutional of India. It is
entitled as ‘The Municipalities’ and
consists of provisions from Articles
243-P to 243-ZG. In addition, the act
has also added a new Twelfth
Schedule to the Constitution. It
contains eighteen functional items
of municipalities.
The act gave constitutional status
to the municipalities. It has brought
them under the purview of
487
 justiciable part of the Constitution.
In other words, state governments
are under constitutional obligation to
adopt the new sys-tem of
municipalities in accordance with
the provisions of the act.
The act aims at revitalising and
strengthening the urban
P governments so that they function
effectively as units of local
government.
O Salient Features: The salient
features of the act are:
L Constitution of Municipalities
(1) There shall be constituted in
every state, in according with the
I provision of this part-
(a) a Nagar Panchayat (by
T whatever name called) for a
transitional area, that is to say, an
area in transition from a rural area
Y to an urban area;
(b) a Municipal Council for a smaller
urban area; and (c) a Municipal
corporation for a larger urban area,
Provided that a Municipality under
this clause may not be constituted
in such urban area or part thereof
as the Governor may, haying regard
to the size of the area and the
municipal services being provided or
proposed to be provided by an
industrial establishment in that area
and such other factors as he may
deem fit, by public notification,
specify to be an industrial township.
(2) In this article, ‘a transitional area’
‘a smaller urban area’ or ‘a larger
urban area’ means such area as the
Governor may, having regard to the
population of the area, the density
of the population therein, the
revenue generated for local
administration, the percentage of
employment in non-agricultural
activities, the economic importance
or such other factors as he may
deem fit, specify by public
notification for the purpose of this
part. (Article 243 Q)
488 Prelims Magic 2014
Composition of Municipalities
(1) Except as provided in clause (2),
all the seats in a Municipality shall
be filled by persons chosen by
direct election from the territorial
constituencies in the Municipal area
and for this purpose each Municipal
area shall be divided into territorial
constituencies to be known as
wards.
(2) Legislature of a State may, by
law, provide­
(a) for the representation in a
Municipality of-
(i) persons having special knowledge
or experience in Municipal
administration;
(ii) the members of the House of
the people and the members of the
Legislative Assembly of the state
representing constituencies which
comprise wholly or partly the
Municipal area;
(iii) the members of the Council of
States and the members of the
Legislative council of the state
registered as electors within the
Municipal area;
(iv) the chairpersons of the
committees constituted under clause
(5) of article 243 S :
Provided that the persons referred
to in paragraph (i) shall not have the
right to vote in the meeting of the
Municipality;
(b) the manner of election of the
chairperson of a Municipality.
(Article 243 R) Constitution and
composition of wards
committees etc.
(1) There shall be constituted Ward
Committees, consisting of one or
more wards, within the territorial
area of a municipality having a
population of three lakh or more.
(2) The Legislature of a State may,
by law make provision with respect
to -
(a) the composition and the
territorial area of a ward committee;
(b) the manner in which seats in a
wards committee shall be filled.
(3) A member of a Municipality
representing a ward within the
territorial area of wards committee
shall be a member of that
committee.
(4) where a ward committee
consists of-
(a) one ward, the member
representing that ward in the
municipality; or
(b) two or more wards, one of the
members representing such wards
in the Municipality elected by the
members of the ward committee,
shall be the chairperson of that
committee.
(5) Nothing in this article shall be
deemed to prevent the Legislature
of a State from making any:
provision for the constitution of
committees in addition to the wards
committees. (Art. 243 S)
Reservation of seats
(1) Seats shall be reserved for the
Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes in every
municipality and the number of
seats so reserved shall bear, as
nearly as may be, the same
proportion to the total number of
seats to be filled by direct election
in that municipality as the population
of the Scheduled Castes in the
Municipal area or of the Scheduled
Tribes in the Municipal area bears
to the total population of that area
and such seats may be allotted by
rotation to different constituencies
in a Municipality.
(2) Not less than one-third of the
total number of seats reserved
under clause (1) shall be reserved
for women belonging to the
Scheduled Castes, or as the case
may be, the Scheduled Tribes.
(3) Not less one-third (including the
number of seats reserved for
women belonging to the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes)
of the total number of seats to be
filled by direct election in every
municipality shall be reserved for
women and such seats may be
allotted by rotation to different
constituencies in a municipality.
(4) The offices of chairpersons in
the Municipalities shall be reserved
for the Scheduled Castes, the
Scheduled Tribes and women in
such manner as the Legislature of
a State may, by law, provide.
(5) The reservation of seats under
clause (1) and (2) and the
reservation of offices of
chairpersons (other than the
reservation for women) under
clause (3) shall cease to have effect
on the expiration of the period
specified in article 334.
(6) Nothing in this part shall prevent
the Legislature of a state from
making any provision for reservation
of seats in any municipality or
offices of chairpersons in the
Municipalities in favour of
backward class of citizens. (Article
243 T)
Duration of Municipalities etc
(1) Every Municipality, unless
sooner dissolved under any law for
the time being in force, shall
continue for five years from the date
appointed for its first meeting and
no longer.
Provided that a Municipality shall be
given a reasonable opportunity of
being heard before its dissolution.
(2) No amendment of any law for
the time being in force shall have
the effect of causing dissolution of
a Municipality at any level, which is
functioning immediately before such
amendment, till the Expiration of its
duration specified in clause (I).
(3) An election to constitute a
Municipality shall be completed-
(a) before the expiry of its duration
specified in clause (1);
(b) before the expiration of a period
of six months from the date of its
dissolution:
Provided that where the remainder
of the period for which the dissolved
Municipality would have continued
is less than six months, it shall not
be necessary to hold any election
under this clause for constituting the
Municipality for such period.
(4) A Municipality constituted upon
the dissolution of a Municipality
before the expiration of its duration
shall continue only for the remainder
of the period for which the dissolved
Municipality would have continued
under clause (I) had it not been so
and dissolved. (Article 243 U)
Disqualification for membership
(1) A person shall be disqualified for
being chosen as, and for being, a
member of a Municipality­
(a) if he is so disqualified by or
under any law for the time being in
force for the purposes of elections
to the Legislature of the State
concerned.
Provided that no person shall be
disqualified on the ground that he is
less than twenty five years of age,
if he has attained the age of twenty
one years;
(b) if he is so disqualified by or
under any law made by the
Legislature of the State.
(2) If any question arises as whether
a member of a Municipality has
become subject to any of the
disqualifications mentioned in
clause (I), the question shall be
referred for the decision of such
authority and in such manner as the
Legislature of a State may, by law,
provide. (Article 243 V)
Powers, authority and
responsibilities of Municipalities etc.
Subject to the provisions of this
constitution, the Legislature of a
State may, by Iaw endow-
(a) the Municipalities with such
powers and authority as may be
necessary to enable them to
functions as institutions of self-
government and such law may
contain provisions for the devolution
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of powers and responsibilities upon
Municipalities, subject to such
conditions as may be specified
therein, with respect to—
(i) the preparation of plans for
economic development and social
justice;
(ii) the performance of functions and
the implementation of schemes as
may be entrusted to them including P
those in relation to the matters listed
in the Twelfth Schedule;
(b) the committees with such powers
O
and authority as may be necessary
to enable them to carry out the
responsibilities conferred upon them
L
including those in relation to the
matters listed in the Twelfth
Schedule. (Article 243 W)
I
Power to impose taxes by, and
Funds of, the Municipalities T
The Legislature of a State may, by
law- (a) authorize a Municipality
to levy, collect and appropriate such
Y
taxes and duties, tolls and fees in
accordance with such procedure
and subject to such limits;
(b) assign to a Municipality such
taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied
and collected by the state
Government for such purposes and
subject to such conditions and limits;
(c) provide for making such grants-
in-aid to the Municipalities from the
Consolidated Fund of the State, and
(d) provide for constitution of such
Funds for crediting all moneys
received, respectively, by or on
behalf of the Municipalities and also
for the withdrawal of such money
there from, as may be specified by
law. (Article 243 X)
State Finance Commission
(1) The Finance Commission shall
also review the financial position of
the Municipalities and make
recommendations to the Governor
as to -
(a) the principles which should
govern-
(i) the distribution of between the
489
 State and the Municipalities of the
net proceeds of the taxes duties tolls
and fees leviable by the State, which
may be divided between them under
this part and the allocation between
the Municipalities at all levels of their
respective shares of such proceeds;
(ii) the determination of the taxes,
P duties, tolls and fees which may be
assigned to, or appropriated by the
Municipalities;
O (iii) the grants-in-aid to the
Municipalities from the Consolidated
Fund of the State;
L (b) the measures needed to improve
the financial position of the
I Municipalities;
(c) any other matter referred to the
Finance Commission by the
T Governor in the interests of sound
finance of the Municipalities.
(2) The Governor shall cause every
Y recommendation made by the
Commission under this article
together with an explanatory
memorandum as to the action taken
thereon to be laid before the
Legislature of the State. (Article
243 Y)
Audit of accounts of Municipali-
ties
The Legislature of a State may, by
law, make provisions with respect
to the maintenance of accounts by
the Municipalities and the auditing
of such accounts. (Article 243 Z)
Elections to the Municipalities
(1) The superintendence, direction
and control of the preparation of
electrol rolls for, and the conduct of,
all elections to the Municipalities
shall be vested in the State Election
Commission referred to in article
243K.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this
Constitution, the legislature of a
State may, by law, make provision
with respect to all matters relating
to, or in connection with, elections
to the Municipalities. (Articles 243
ZA)
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Application to Union Territories
The provisions of this part shall
apply to the Union Territories and
shall, in their application to a Union
Territory, have effect as if the
reference to the Governor of a State
were references to the
Administrator of the Union Territory
appointed under article 239 and
references to the Legislature or the
Legislative Assembly of a State
were references in relation to a
Union Territory having a Legislative
Assembly, to that Legislative
Assembly.
Provided that the President may, by
public notification, direct that the
provisions of this part shall apply to
any Union Territory or part thereof
subject to such exceptions and
modifications as he may specify in
the notification. (Article 243 ZB)
Committee for District Plan-
ning (Art 243 ZD)
(1) There shall be constituted in
every state at the district level a
District Planning Committee to
consolidate the plans prepared by
the Panchayats and the
Municipalities in the district and to
prepare a draft development plan
for the district as a whole.
(2) The Legislature of a State may,
by law, make provision with respect
to (a) the composition of the District
Planning Committees; (b) the
manner in which the seats in such
committee shall be filled.
Provided that not less than two-third
of the total number of members of
such committee shall be elected by,
and from amongst, the elected
members of the Panchayat at the
district level and of the Municipalities
in the district in proportion to the
ratio between the population of the
rural areas and of the urban areas
in the district.
(c) the functions relating to district
planning which may be assigned to
such committee;
(d) the manner in which the
chairpersons of such committees
shall be chosen.
(3) Every District Planning
Committee shall, in preparing the
draft development plan-
(a) have regard to-(i) matters of
common interest between the
Panchayats and the Municipalities
including spatial planning, sharing of
water and other physical and natural
resources, the integrated
development of infrastructure and
environ-mental conservation;
(ii) the extent and type of available
resources whether financial or
otherwise;
(b) consult such institutions and
organisations as the Governor may,
by order, specify.
(4) The chair person of every
District Planning Committee shall
forward the development plans, as
recommended by such Committee,
to the Government of the State.
(Article 243 ZD)
Committee for Metropolitan
Planning
(1) There shall be constituted in
every Metropolitan Planning
Committee to prepare a draft
development plan for the
Metropolitan area as a whole.
(2) The Legislature of a State be
may by law, make provision with
respect to
(a) The composition of the
Metropolitan Planning Committees;
(b) The manner in which the to
seats in such committees shall be
filled:
Provided that not less than two-third
of the members of such committee
shall be elected by and from
amongst, the elected members of
the Municipalities and Chair persons
of the Panchayats in
the Metropolitan area in proportion
to the ratio n between the
population of the Municipalities and
of the Panchayats in that area;
(c) the representation in such
Committees of the Government of
India and the Government of the
State and of such organisations and
Institutions as may be deemed
necessary for carrying out the
functions assigned to such
committees;
(d) the functions relating to planning
and co-ordination for the
Metropolitan area which may be
assigned to such committees;
(e) the manner in which the
chairpersons of such committees
shall be chosen.
(3) Every Metropolitan Planning
Committee shall, in preparing the
draft development plan-
(a) have regard to- (i) the plans
prepared by the Municipalities and
the Panchayats in the Metropolitan
area;
(ii) matters of common interest
between the Municipalities arid the
Panchayats, including spatial
planning of the area, sharing of
water and other physical and natural
resources, the integrated
development of infra-structure and
environmental conservation;
(iii) the overall objectives and
priorities set by the Government of
India and the Government of the
State;
(iv) the extent and nature of
investments likely to be made in the
Metropolitan area by agencies of
the Government of India and of the
Government of the State and other
available resources whether
financial or otherwise; (b)
consult such institutions am
organisations as the Governor may
by order, specify.
(4) The Chairperson of even
Metropolitan Planning Committee
shall forward the development
plan as recommended by such
committee, to the Government of the
State. (Article 243 ZE)
Continuance of existing laws
and Municipalities
Notwithstanding anything in this
part, any provision of any law
relating to Municipalities in force in
a State immediately before the
commencement of the constitution
(seventy fourth amendment) Act,
1992 which is inconsistent with the
provisions of this part, shall continue
to be in force until amended or
repealed by a competent Legislature
other competent authority or until the
expiration of one year from such
commencement, whichever is
earlier.
Provided that all the Municipalities
existing immediately before such
commencement shall continue till
the expiration of their duration
unless sooner dissolved by a
resolution: passed to that effect by
the Legislative Assembly of that
state or, in the case of a state
having a Legislative Council, by
each House of the Legislative of
that state. (Article 243 ZF)
Bar to interference by courts
in electoral matters
1 Notwithstanding anything in this
constitution- (a) the validity of
any law relating to the delimitation
of constituencies or the allotment
seats to such constituencies, made
or purporting to be made under
article 2432A shall not be called in
question in any court,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements In India, a Metropolitan
Planning Committee
I.is constituted under the·
provisions of the Constitution of
India.
II. prepares the draft development
plans for metropolitan area.
III. has the sole responsibility far
implementing Government
sponsored schemes in, the
metropolitan area.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) I and II only (b) II only
(c) I and III only (d) I, II and III
Ans. (a) (CSE 2011)
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How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Government enacted the
Panchayat Extension to
Scheduled
Areas (PESA) Act in 1996.
Which one of the following is not
identified as its objective?
(a) To provide self-governance
(b) To recognize traditional rights
(c) To create autonomous regions
in tribal areas
P
(d) To free tribal people from
exploitation
Ans:c (CSE 2013)
O
(b) no election to any Municipality
shall be called in question except by
an election petition presented to
L
such authority and in such manner
as is provided for by or [under any
law If made by the Legislature of a
I
state. (Article 243ZG)
The Provisions of the
T
Panchayats (Extension to the
Scheduled Areas) Act, provide for
the extension of the provisions of
Y
Part IX of the Constitution relating
to the Panchayats to the Scheduled
Areas. Major provisions are:
1. Every village shall have a Gram
Sabha consisting of persons whose
names are included in the electoral
rolls for the Panchayat at the village
level;
2.Every Gram Sabha shall be
competent to safeguard and
preserve the traditions and customs
of the people, their cultural identity,
community resources and the
customary mode of dispute
resolution;
3. Every Gram Sabha shall approve
of the plans, programmes and
projects for social and economic
development before such plans,
programmes and projects are taken
up for implementation by the
Panchayat at the village level; AND
be responsible for the identification
or selection of persons as
beneficiaries under the poverty
alleviation and other programmes;
4. Every Panchayat at the village
level shall be required to obtain from
491
 the Gram Sabha a certification of
utilisation of funds by that
Panchayat for the plans,
programmes and projects
5.The Gram Sabha or the
Panchayats at the appropriate level
shall be consulted before making the
acquisition of land in the Scheduled
Areas for development projects and
P before re-settling or rehabilitating
persons affected by such projects
in the Scheduled Areas; the actual
O planning and implementation of the
projects in the Scheduled Areas
shall be coordinated at the State
L level;
6. Planning and management of
minor water bodies in the Scheduled
I Areas shall be entrusted to
Panchayats at the appropriate level;
7. The recommendations of the
T Gram Sabha or the Panchayats at
the appropriate level shall be made
mandatory prior to grant of
Y prospecting licence or mining lease
for minor minerals in the Scheduled
Areas;
8. The prior recommendation of the
Gram Sabha or the Panchayats at
the appropriate level shall be made
mandatory for grant of concession
for the exploitation of minor
minerals by auction;
9. While endowing Panchayats in
the Scheduled Areas with such
powers and authority as may be
necessary to enable them to
function as institutions of self-
government, a State Legislature
shall ensure that the Panchayats at
the appropriate level and the Gram
Sabha are endowed specifically
with-
(i) the power to enforce prohibition
or to regulate or restrict the sale and
consumption of any intoxicant;
(ii) the ownership of minor forest
produce;
(iii) the power to prevent alienation
of land in the Scheduled Areas and
to take appropriate action to restore
any unlawfully alienated land of a
Scheduled Tribe;
(iv) the power to manage village
markets by whatever name called;
(v) the power to exercise control
492 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Under the Scheduled Tribes
and Other Traditional Forest
Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the
authority to initiate the process for
determining the nature and extent
of individual or community forest
rights or both?
(a) State Forest Department
(b) District Collector/Deputy
Commissioner
(c) Tahsildar /Block Development
Officer / Mandal Revenue
Officer
(d) Gram Sabha
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: Under the Forest Rights
Act, 2006, the Gram Sabha has
been assigned-To initiate the
process for determining the nature
and extent of individual or
community forest rights or both
that may be given.
over money lending to the Scheduled
Tribes;
(vi) the power to exercise control
over institutions and functionaries in
all social sectors;
(vii) the power to control over local
plans and resources for such plans
including tribal sub-plans;
the State Legislations that may
endow Panchayats with powers and
authority as may be necessary to
enable them to function as
institutions of self-government shall
contain safeguards to ensure that
Panchayats at the higher level do not
assume the powers and authority of
any Panchayat at the lower level or
of the Gram Sabha;
CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES &
33
EXTRA - CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES
1. The Planning Commission
The Planning Commission was set
up by a Resolution of the
Government of India in March 1950
in pursuance of declared objectives
of the Government to promote a
rapid rise in the standard of living of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In which one of the following
areas does the State Government
not have control over its local
bodies?
(a) Citizens’ grievances
(b) Financial matters
(c) Legislation
(d) Personnel matters
Ans. (a) (CSE 2001)
Explanation: Citizen’s grievances
is the area where state Govt. does
not have control over its local
bodies.
Q. In the areas covered
under the Panchayat (Extension
to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996,
what is the role/power of Gram
Sabha?
1. Gram Sabha has the power to
prevent alienation of land in the
Scheduled Areas.
2. Gram Sabha has the ownership
of minor forest produce.
3. Recommendation of Gram
Sabha is required for granting
prospecting licence or mining lease
for any mineral in the Scheduled
Areas.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (b) CSE 2012
the State Legislature shall
endeavour to follow the pattern of
the Sixth Schedule to the
Constitution while designing the
administrative arrangements in the
Panchayats at district levels in the
Scheduled Areas.
the people by efficient exploitation
of the resources of the country,
increasing production and offering
opportunities to all for employment
in the service of the community.
The economy of India is based in
part on planning through its five-year
plans, which are developed,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following bodies
does not/do not find mention in the
Constitution?
1. National Development Council
2. Planning Commission
3. Zonal Councils
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 (CSE 2013)
executed and monitored by the
Planning Commission. The tenth
plan completed its term in March
2007 and the eleventh plan is
currently underway. Prior to the
fourth plan, the allocation of state
resources was based on schematic
patterns rather than a transparent
and objective mechanism, which led
to the adoption of the Gadgil formula
in 1969. Revised versions of the
formula have been used since then
to determine the allocation of
central assistance for state
plans.The Planning Commission
was charged with the responsibility
of making assessment of all
resources of the country,
augmenting deficient resources,
formulating plans for the most
effective and balanced utilisation of
resources and determining priorities.
34 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
This National Development
Council was formed in 1952, as an
adjunct to the Planning Commission,
to associate the States in the
formulation of the Plans, consisting
of the Prime Minister and the Chief
Ministers of States. Its main
objectives are, to secure cooperation
of states in the execution of the
Plan, to strengthen and mobilise the
efforts and resources of the nation
in support of the Plan, to promote
common economic policies in all
vital spheres, to ensure balanced
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first
Chairman of the Planning
Commission.
Composition: The Prime Minister
is the Chairman of the Planning
Commission, which works under the
overall guidance of the National
Development Council. The Deputy
Chairman and the full time
Members of the Commission, as a
composite body, provide advice and
guidance to the subject Divisions for
the formulation of Five Year Plans,
Annual Plans, State Plans,
Monitoring Plan Programmes,
Projects and Schemes. The
Planning Commission functions
through several Divisions, each
headed by a Senior Officer.
Functions
The 1950 resolution setting up the
Planning Commission outlined its
functions as to:
(a) Make an assessment of the
material, capital and human
resources of the country, including
technical personnel, and investigate
the possibilities of augmenting such
of these resources as are found to
be deficient in relation to the
nation’s requirement;
(b) Formulate a Plan for the most
effective and balanced utilisation of
country’s resources;
and rapid development of all parts
of the country.
Members
1. Prime minister of India (as its
chairman head).
2. All Union cabinet ministers
(since 1967)
3. Chief Ministers of all states.
4. Chief ministers/administrators of
all union territories.
5. Members of the Planning
Commission.
Prelims Magic 2014
(c) On a determination of priorities,
define the stages in which the Plan
should be carried out and propose
the allocation of resources for the
due completion of each stage;
(d) Indicate the factors which are
tending to retard economic
development, and determine the
conditions which, in view of the
current social and political situation,
should be established for the
P
successful execution of the Plan;
(e) Determine the nature of the O
machinery which will be necessary
for securing the successful
implementation of each stage of the L
Plan in all its aspects;
(f) Appraise from time to time the
progress achieved in the execution
I
of each stage of the Plan and
recommend the adjustments of
policy and measures that such
T
appraisal may show to be necessary;
and Y
(g) Make such interim or ancillary
recommendations as appear to it to
be appropriate either for facilitating
the discharge of the duties assigned
to it, or on a consideration of
prevailing economic conditions,
current policies, measures and
development programmes or on an
examination of such specific
problems as may be referred to it
for advice by Central or State
Governments.
6. The secretary of the Planning
Commission acts as the secretary
to the NDC.
7. Administrative and other
assistance for its work are being by
the Planning Commission.
FUNCTIONS
1. To prescribe guidelines for
preparation of the national Plan.
2. To consider the national Plan as
prepared by the Planning
Commission.
493
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Five Year Plan in India is finally
approved by:
(a) Union Cabinet
(b) President on the advice of
Prime Minister
(c) Planning Commission
(d) National Development Council
Ans. (d) (CSE 2002)
P Answer based on the given
options
O Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The highest deciding body for
L planning in India is the Planning
Commission of India
2. The Secretary of the Planning
I Commission of India is also the
Secretary of
Development Council
National
3. The Constitution includes
T economic and social planning in the
Concurrent List in the Seventh
Schedule of the Constitution of
Y India
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 2 only (d) 3 only
Ans. (b) (CSE 2004)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1.National Development Council
is an organ of the Planning
Commission.
2.The Economic and Social
Planning is kept in the Concurrent
List in the Constitution of India.
3.The Constitution of India
prescribes that Panchayats should
be assigned the task of preparation
of plans for economic
development and social justice.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: NDC is not an organ of
planning commission
494 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Who among the following
constitute the National
Development Council?
1. The Prime Minister
2. The Chairman, Finance
Commission
3. Ministers of the Union Cabinet
4. Chief Ministers of the States
Select the correct answer using the
3. To make an assessment of the
resources which are required for
implementing the Plan and to
suggest measures for augmenting
them.
4. To consider important questions
of social and economic policy
affecting national development.
5. To review the working of the
national Plan from time to time.
6. To recommend measures for
achievement of the aims and targets
set out in the national Plan.
The Draft Five-Year Plan prepared
by the Planning Commission is first
submitted to the Union cabinet.
35 HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONS
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
the institutional arrangements
through which human rights issues
could be addressed in their entirety
in a more focused manner; and to
look into allegations of excesses,
independently of the government, in
a manner that would underline the
gover­nment’s commitment to
protect human rights; and To
complement and strengthen the
efforts that have already been
made in this direction.
COMPOSITION OF THE
COMMISSION:
The commission consists of a
chairman and four members. The
chairman should be a retired chief
justice of India and other members
should be a serving or retired judge
of the Supreme Court, a serving or
codes given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: b (CSE 2013)
Expl: NDC is not an ‘organ’ of
planning commission. It is an
advisory body that approves the
Five year plans
After its approval, it is placed before
the NDC, for its acceptance. Then,
the Plan is presented to the
Parliament. With its approval, it
emerges as the official Plan and
published in the official gazette.
Therefore, the NDC is the highest
body, below the Parliament,
responsible for policy matters with
regard to planning for social and
economic development. However,
it is listed as an advisory body to
the Planning Commission and its
recommendations are not binding.
It makes its recommendations to the
Central and state governments and
should meet at least twice every
year.
retired chief justice of a high court
and two persons having knowledge
or practical experience with respect
to human rights. In addition to these
full-time members, the commission
also has four ex-officio members -
the chairmen of the National
Commission for Minorities, the
National Commission for SCs, the
National Commission for STs and
the National Commission for
Women.
APPOINTMENT: The chairman
and members are appointed by the
president on the recommendations
of a six-member committee
consisting of the prime minister as
its head, the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the
Rajya Sabha, leaders of the
Opposition in both the Houses of
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The primary function of the
Finance Commission in India is to
(a) distribute revenue between the
Centre and the States
(b) prepare the Annual Budget
(c) advise the President on
financial matters
(d) allocate funds to various
ministries of the Union and State
Governments
Ans. (a) (CSE 2000)
Q. Which one of the following
authorities recommends the
principles governing the grants-in-
aid of the revenues to the states
out of the Consolidated Fund of
India?
(a) Finance Commission
(b) Inter-State Council
(c) Union Ministry of Finance
(d) Public Accounts Committee
Ans. (a) (CSE 2002)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The function (s) of the Finance
commission is/are:
1. to allow the withdrawal of the
money out of the Consolidated
Fund of India
2. to allocate between the States
and the shares of proceeds of
taxes
3. to consider applications for
grants-in-aid from States
4. to supervise and report on
whether the Union and State
governments are levying taxes in
accordance with the budgetary
provisions
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
Parliament and the Central home
minister. Further, a sitting judge of
the Supreme Court or a sitting chief
justice of a high court can be
appointed only after consultation
with the chief justice of lndia.
TENURE: The chairman and
members hold office for a term of
five years or until they attain the age
of 70 years, whichever is earlier. Court or the high court concerned
After their tenure, the chairman and for the necessary directions, orders
members are not eligible for further or writs.
employment under the Central or a
From the above, it is clear that the
state government.
functions of the commission are
REMOVAL: The president can mainly recommendatory in nature.
remove the chairman or any It has no power to punish the
member from the office under the violators of human rights, nor to
following circumstances: (a) If he
is adjudged an insolvent; or (b) If
he engages, during his term of
award any relief to the victim. Its’
recommendations are not binding on
the concerned government or
P
office, in any paid employment
outside the duties of his office; or
(c) If he is unfit to continue in office
authority.
STATE HUMAN RIGHTS
O
COMMISSION
by reason of infirmity of mind or
body; or State Human Rights Commission L
(d) If he is of unsound mind and can inquire into violation of human
stand so declared by a competent
court; or (e) If he is convicted and
rights only in respect of subjects
mentioned in the State List and the I
sentenced to imprisonment for an Concurrent List. However, if any
offence.
In addition to these, the president
such case is already being inquired
into by the National Human Rights T
Commission or any other Statutory
can also remove the chairman or any
member on the ground of proved
misbehaviour or incapacity.
Commission, then the State Human
Rights Commission does not inquire Y
into that case.
However, in these cases, the
president has to refer the matter to The State Human Rights
the Supreme Court for an inquiry. Commission
FUNCTIONING:
consists of a chairperson and two
The commission is not empowered members. The chairperson should
to inquire into any matter after the a retired Chief Justice of a High
expiry of one year from the date on Court and members should be
which the act constituting violation serving or retired judge of a High
of human rights is alleged to have Court or a District Judge in the state
been committed. The commission with a minimum of seven years
may take any of the following steps experience as district Judge and a
during or upon the completion of an person having knowledge practical
inquiry: experience with respect to human
rights. The chairperson and
(a) it may recommend to the members are appointed the
concerned government or authority
Governor.
to make payment of compensation
or damages to the victim;
(b) it may recommend to the
concerned government or authority
the initiation of proceedings for
prosecution or any other action
against the guilty public servant;
(c) it may recommend to the
concerned government or authority
for the grant of immediate interim
relief to the victim;
(d) it may approach the Supreme
Prelims Magic 2014 495

36 FINANCE COMMISSION
Finance Commission
The Finance Commission is
constituted by the President under
article 280 of the Constitution,
mainly to give its recommendations
P on distribution of tax revenues
between the Union and the States
and amongst the States themselves.
O Two distinctive features of the
Commission’s work involve
redressing the vertical imbalances
L between the taxation powers and
expenditure responsibilities of the
centre and the States respectively
I and equalization of all public services
across the States.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The primary function of the
Finance Commission in India is to
(a) distribute revenue between the
Centre and the States
(b) prepare the Annual Budget
(c) advise the President on
financial matters
(d) allocate funds to various
ministries of the Union and State
Governments
Ans. (a) (CSE 2000)
Q. Which one of the following
authorities recommends the
principles governing the grants-in-
aid of the revenues to the states
Finance Commission are
implemented as under:­
Those to be implemented by an
order of the President: The
recommendations relating to
distribution of Union Taxes and
Duties and Grants-in-aid fall in this
category.
Those to be implemented by
executive orders:
The recommendations in respect of
sharing of Profit Petroleum, Debt
Relief, Mode of Central Assistance,
etc. are implemented by executive
orders.
Functions of the Finance
Commission
It is the duty of the Commission to

T The First Finance Commission was

constituted vide Presidential Order
dated 22.11.1951 under the
out of the Consolidated Fund of
India?
(a) Finance Commission
make recommendations to the
President as to—·the distribution
between the Union and the States

Y chairmanship of Shri K.C. Neogy

on 6th April, 1952. Thirteen Finance
Commissions have been appointed
so far at intervals of every five
years.
Most federal systems resolve the
vertical and horizontal imbalances
through mechanisms similar to the
Finance Commission. For example
Australia and Canada. The Finance
Commission is appointed by the
President under Article 280 of the
Constitution. As per the provisions
contained in the Finance
Commission [Miscellaneous
Provisions] Act, 1951 and The
Finance Commission (Salaries
& Allowances) Rules, 1951, the
Chairman of the Commission is
selected from among persons who
have had experience in public
affairs, and the four other members
are selected from among persons
who—
(a) are, or have been, or are qualified
to be appointed as Judges of a High
Court; or
(b) have special knowledge of the
finances and accounts of
Government; or
(c) have had wide experience in
(b) Inter-State Council
(c) Union Ministry of Finance
(d) Public Accounts Committee
Ans. (a) (CSE 2002)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
The function (s) of the Finance
commission is/are:
1. to allow the withdrawal of the
money out of the Consolidated
Fund of India
2. to allocate between the States
and the shares of proceeds of
taxes
3. to consider applications for
grants-in-aid from States
4. to supervise and report on
whether the Union and State
governments are levying taxes in
accordance with the budgetary
provisions
Which of these statements is/are
correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
financial matters and
administration; or
(d) have special knowledge of
economics
The recommendations of the
of the net proceeds of taxes which
are to be, or may be, divided
between them and the allocation
between the States of the respective
shares of such proceeds;
• the principles which should
govern the grants-in-aid of the
revenues of the States out of the
Consolidated Fund of India;
• the measures needed to
augment the Consolidated Fund of
a State to supplement the resources
of the Panchayats in the State on
the basis of the recommendations
made by the Finance Commission
of the State;
• the measures needed to
augment the Consolidated Fund of
a State to supplement the resources
of the Municipalities in the State on
the basis of the recommendations
made by the Finance Commission
of the State; ·any other matter
referred to the Commission by the
President in the interests of sound
finance.
in
The Commission determines its
procedure and have such powers in
the performance of their functions
as Parliament may by law confer
on them.

496 Prelims Magic 2014

Composition of the Thirteenth
Finance Commission
The Thirteenth Finance Commission
has been set up under the
Chairmanship of Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar
[former Union Finance Secretary
and Advisor to the Finance
Minister].
Major Recommen-dations of
13th Finance Commission
1. The share of states in the net
proceeds of the shareable Central
taxes should be 32%. This is 1.5%
higher then the recommendation of
12th Finance Commission.
2. Revenue deficit to be
progressively reduced and
eliminated, followed by revenue
surplus by 2013-14.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Who of the following shall
cause recommendation made by
the Finance Commission to be laid
before each House of Parliament?
(a) The President of India
(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha
(c) The Prime Minister of India
(d) The Union Finance Minister
Ans (a) CSE 2010
Q.With reference to the Finance
Commission of India, which of the
following statements is correct?
(a) It encourages the inflow of
foreign capital for infrastructure
development
(b) It facilitates the proper
distribution of finances among the
Public Sector Undertakings
(c) It ensures transparency in
financial administration
(d) None of the statements
(a), (b) and (c) given above is
correct in this context
Ans (d) CSE 2011
3. Fiscal deficit to be reduced to
3% of the GDP by 2014-15.
4. A target of 68% of GDP for the
combined debt of centre and states.
5. The Medium Term Fiscal
Plan(MTFP)should be reformed
and made the statement of
commitment rather then a the financial position of the
statement of intent. Panchayats;
6. FRBM Act need to be amended (c) any other matter referred to the
to mention the nature of shocks Finance Commission by the
which shall require targets Governor in the interests of sound
relaxation. finance of the Panchayats.
7. Both centre and states should (2) The Legislature of a State may,
conclude ‘Grand Bargain’ to by law, provide for the composition
implement the model Goods and
Services Act(GST).To incentivise
of the Commission, the
qualifications which shall be P
the states, the commission requisite for appointment as
recommended a sanction of the
grant of Rs 50000 crore.
members thereof and the manner
in which they shall be selected. O
8. Initiatives to reduce the number
of Central Sponsored
Schemes(CSS)and to restore the
(3) The Commission shall determine
their procedure and shall have such
powers in the performance of their
L
predominance of formula based plan
grants.
functions as the Legislature of the
State may, by law, confer on them. I
9. States need to address the (4) The Governor shall cause every
problem of losses in the power
sector in time bound manner.
recommendation made by the
Commission under this article T
together with an explanatory
State Finance Commission
The Governor of a State shall, as
memorandum as to the action taken
thereon to be laid before the Y
soon as may be within one year Legislature of the State.
from the commencement of the
Constitution (Seventy-third How was this topic asked in the CSE
Amendment) Act, 1992, and
Which one of the following
thereafter at the expiration of every authorities makes recommen-
fifth year,constitute a Finance dation to the Governor of a State
Commission to review the financial as to the principles for determining
position of the Panchayats and to the taxes and duties which may be
make recommendations to the appropriated by Panchayats in
Governor as to— that particular State?
(a) District Planning Committees
(a) the principles which should
(b) State Finance Commission
govern—(i) the distribution between
(c) Finance Ministry of that State
the State and the Panchayats of the
(d) Panchayati Raj Ministry of that
net proceeds of the taxes, duties,
State
tolls and fees leviable by the State,
Ans (b) CSE 2010
which may be divided between them
under this Part and the allocation
between the Panchayats at all
levels of their respective shares of
such proceeds;
(ii) the determination of the taxes,
duties, tolls and fees which may be
assigned to, or appropriated by, the
Panchayats;
(iii) the grants-in-aid to the
Panchayats from the Consolidated
Fund of the State;
(b) the measures needed to improve
Prelims Magic 2014 497

37 LOKPAL & LOKAYUKTAS
The Administrative Reforms
Commission (ARC) of India (1966-
1970) recommended the setting up
of two special authorities designated
‘Lokpal’ and ‘lokayukta’ for the
P redressal of citizens’ grievances.
The Lokpal would deal with
complaints against ministers and
O secretaries at Central and state
levels, and the lokayukta (one in the
Centre and one in every state)
L would deal with complaints against
other specified higher officials.
According to the ARC, the Lokpal
I would be appointed by the president
after consultation with the Chief
Justice of India, the Speaker of the
T Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the
Rajya sabha.
The Government of India accepted
Y the recommendations of ARC in this
regard. Since 1968 (during the
Congress Government headed by
Indira Gandhi.) eight official
attempts have been made to bring
about legislation on this subject. The
last attempt was in August 2001, by
the NDA government headed by A
B Vajpayee. However, none of the
bills mentioned above were passed
by the Parliament due to one or the
other reasons. Hence, the institution
of Lokpal has not come into
existence in our country yet.
Lokpal Bill, 2011
The Lokpal Bill, 2011, was
introduced in the Lok Sabha on
August 4, 2011 by Shri V.
Narayanaswamy, Union Minister of
State, Personnel, and Public
Grievances & Pensions.
The Bill provides for establishment
of the Lokpal for inquiring into
complaints of corruption against
certain public servants.
The members of the Lokpal shall
be appointed by the President on
the basis of the recommendations
of the Selection Committee.
498 Prelims Magic 2014
The Selection Committee shall
comprise of the Prime Minister,
Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Leaders
of the Opposition in both houses, a
Union Cabinet Minister nominated
by the Prime Minister, one sitting
judge of the Supreme Court, and
one sitting Chief Justice of the High
Courts both nominated by the Chief
Justice of India, an eminent jurist
nominated by the central
government and a person of
eminence in public life with
knowledge of public administration,
policy making, anti-corruption policy,
vigilance and finance.
The Lokpal shall consist of one
chairperson and upto eight other
members. The Chairperson shall be
a present or former judge of the
Supreme Court. Fifty percent of
the other members shall be judicial
members (judges of the Supreme
Court and Chief Justices of the High
Court). A non-judicial member is
required to have 25 years’
experience in anti-corruption policy,
public administration, vigilance and
finance.
A Lokpal can enquire into offences
under the Prevention of Corruption
Act, 1988 (PCA) committed by:
(a) the PM once he has demitted
the office,
(b) current and former Union
Ministers,
(c) current and former MPs,
(d) group A officers and above,
(e) persons of equivalent ranks in
public sector undertakings and other
government bodies,
(f) officers of organizations having
an annual income above a specified
amount receiving funds from the
government or the public.
The Lokpal shall be constituted of
two wings: the Investigation Wing
and the Prosecution Wing.
The central government is required
to constitute Special Courts to hear
cases referred to it by the Lokpal
under this Bill. The Lokpal shall
recommend the number of such
courts.
A complaint against the specified
officials may be made to the Lokpal
for actions committed within seven
years of the date of complaint. The
Lokpal can ask the Investigation
Wing to conduct preliminary
investigation of any offence alleged
to be committed under the PCA.
The Lokpal shall provide the
accused with copies of the
complaint and secure him a hearing.
In case a prima facie case is made
out it may then conduct a public
inquiry.
If the inquiry concludes that an
offence was committed, the Lokpal
may recommend disciplinary action
to the competent authority. It can
also file a case before the Special
Court through its Prosecution Wing.
The competent authority shall within
30 days of receipt of the
recommendation initiate disciplinary
proceedings and inform the Lokpal
of the action proposed or taken.
The Bill removes the requirement
of sanction for initiating investigation
and prosecution. ƒ The preliminary
investigation or inquiry has to be
completed within a maximum period
of three months.
The following inquiry by the Lokpal
is to be completed within a
maximum period of one year. The
trial before the Special Court is to
be completed within a maximum
timeframe of two years.
The penalty for filing false and
frivolous complaints is imprisonment
for a minimum of two years to a
maximum of five years and a fine
of Rs 25,000 upto Rs 2 lakh.
The Lokpal may be removed by an
order of the President on the basis
of the report of the Supreme Court
on a reference by the President. A
reference to the Supreme Court
may be made by (a) the President,
(b) the President on the basis of a
petition signed by 100 Members of
the Parliament and (c) the President
if he is satisfied on the basis of a
petition by a citizen.
The idea of Lokpal emanated from
the office of Ombudsman prevalent
in Scandinavian countries.
The first legislative attempt at
Lokpal in India fell after the bill was
passed in the 4th Lok Sabha in 1969
but could not get through in Rajya
Sabha.
Subsequently, Lokpal bills were
introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989,
1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008.
LOKAYUKTAS
The institution of Lokayukta was
established first in Maharashtra in
1971. Although Orissa had passed
an Act in 1970, it came into force
only in 1983.
The structure of the Lokayukta is
not same in all the states. Some
States like Rajasthan, Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
have created the Lokayukta as well
as Upa-Lokayukta, while some
others like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and
Himachal Pradesh have created
only the Lokayukta. There are still
other states like Punjab and Orissa
that have designated officials as
Lokpal. The lokayukta and
upalokayukta are appointed by the
governor of the state. While
appointing, the governor in most of
the states consults (a) the chief
justice of the state high court, and
(b) the leader of Opposition in the
state legislative assembly.
In most of the states, the term of
office fixed for lokayukta is of 5
years duration or 65 years of age,
whichever is earlier. He is not
eligible for reappointment for a
second term. There is no uniformity
regarding the jurisdiction of
lokayukta in all the states.
The following points can be
noted in this regard:
The chief minister is included within
the jurisdiction of lokayukta in the
states of Himachal Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Gujarat, while he is excluded from
the purview of lokayukta in the
states of Maharashtra, Uttar
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and
Orissa.
Ministers and higher civil servants
are included in the purview of
lokayukta in almost all the states.
Maharashtra has included former
ministers and civil servants too.
Members of state legislatures are
included in the purview of lokayukta
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which of the following are the
States in which the Lok Ayukta
Act includes the Chief Minister in
its ambit?
(a) West Bengal and Kerala
(b) Gujarat and Maharashtra
(c) Madhya Pradesh and Orissa
(d) Rajasthan and Karnataka
Ans. (See the previous page)
(CSE, 1995)
38 TABLE OF PRECEDENCE
The Table of Precedence is related
to the rank and order of the officials
of the Union and State
Governments. The present
notification on this subject was
issued on 26 July, 1979. This
notification superseded all the
previous notifications and was also
amended many times.
The updated version of the Table,
containing all the amendments made
therein so far (2009), is given below:
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Prime Minister
4. Governors of states within their
respective states
5. Former presidents
5A. Deputy Prime Minister
6. Chief Justice of India
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in the States of Andhra Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar
Pradesh and Assam.
The authorities of the local bodies,
corporations, companies and
societies are included in the
jurisdiction of the lokayukta in most
of the states.
Investigations : The lokayukta can
initiate investigations either on the
basis of a complaint received from
P
the citizen against unfair
administrative action or suo moto.
But suo moto power is not in the
O
States of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh and Assam.
Scope of Cases Covered
L
The lokayukta can consider the
cases of’ grievances’ as well as
I
‘allegations’ in the States of
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
Assam, Bihar and Kamataka. But,
T
in Himachal Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, the
job of lokayuktas is confined to Y
investigating allegations (corruption)
and not grievances (mal
administration).
Speaker of Lok Sabha
7. Cabinet Ministers of the Union
Chief Ministers of States within their
respective States
Deputy Chairman, Planning
Commission Former Prime
Ministers
Leaders of Opposition in Rajya
Sabha and Lok Sabha
7A. Holders of Bharat Ratna
decoration
8. Ambassadors Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary and High
Commissioners of Commonwealth
countries accredited to India
Chief Ministers of States outside
their respective States
Governors of States outside their
respective States
9. Judges of Supreme Court
499
 9A. Chairperson, Union Public
Service Commission Chief Election
Commissioner
Comptroller & Auditor General of
India
10. Deputy Chairman, Rajya
Sabha Deputy Chief Ministers of
States Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha
18. Cabinet Ministers in States Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
outside their respective States Tribes
Chairmen and Speakers of State Members, Minorities Commission
Legislatures outside their respective
Members, National Commission for
States
Scheduled Castes
Chairman, Monopolies and
Members, National Commission for
Restrictive Trade Practices
Scheduled Tribes
Commission

P Members of
Commission
the Planning
O Ministers of State of the Union (and
any other Minister in the Ministry
of pefence for defence matters)
L 11. Attorney General of India
Cabinet Secretary
Lieutenant Governors within their
I respective Union Territories
12. Chiefs of Staff holding the rank
Deputy Chairmen and Deputy
Speakers of State
Officers of the rank of full General
or equivalent rank
Secretaries to the Government of
Legislatures within their respective
States
India (including officers holding this
office ex-officio) Secretary,
Ministers of State in States within Minorities Commission
their respective States
Ministers of Union Territories and
Secretary, Scheduled Castes
Commission Secretary, Scheduled
Executive Councilors, Delhi, within Tribes Commission Secretary to the
their respective Union Territories
Speakers of Legislative Assemblies
President
Secretary to the Prime Minister

T of full General or equivalent rank

13. Envoys Extraordinary and
Ministers Plenipotentiary accredited
Y to India
14. Chairmen and Speakers of
State Legislatures within their
respective States
Chief Justices of High Courts within
their respective jurisdictions
15. Cabinet Ministers in States
within their respective States
Chief Ministers of Union Territories
and Chief Executive Councillor,
Delhi within their respective Union
Territories
Deputy Ministers of the Union
16. Officiating Chiefs of Staff
holding the rank of Lieutenant
General or equivalent rank
17. Chairman, Central Adminis-
trative Tribunal Chairman,
Minorities Commission
Chairperson, National Commission
for Scheduled Castes
Chairperson, National Commission
for Scheduled Tribes
Chief Justices of High Courts
outside their respective jurisdictions
Judges of High Courts within their
respective jurisdictions
in Union Territories and Chairman
of Delhi Metropolitan Council within
their respective Union Territories
19. Chief Commissioners of Union
Territories not having Councils of
Ministers, within their respective
Union Territories
Deputy Ministers in States within
their respective States
Deputy Speakers of Legislative
Assemblies in Union Territories and
Deputy Chairman of Metropolitan
Council, Delhi, within their
respective Union Territories
20. Deputy Chairmen and Deputy
Speakers of State Legislatures,
outside their respective States
Ministers of State in States outside
their respective States
Judges of High Courts outside their
respective jurisdictions
21. Members of Parliament
22. Deputy Ministers in States
outside their respective States
Army Commanders I Vice-Chief of
the Army Staff or equivalent in other
services
Chief Secretaries to State
Governments within their respective
States
Commissioner for Linguistic
Minorities Commissioner for
Secretary, Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha
Solicitor General
Vice-Chairman, Central Adminis-
trative Tribunal
24. Officers of the rank of
Lieutenant General or equivalent
rank
25. Additional Secretaries to the
Government of India
Additional Solicitor General
Advocate Generals of States
Chairman, Tariff Commission
Charged’ Affairs and Acting High
Commissioners a pied and ad
interim
Chief Ministers of Union Territories
and Chief Executive Councillor,
Delhi, outside their respective Union
Territories
Chief Secretaries of State
Governments outside their
respective States
Deputy Comptroller and Auditor
General Deputy Speakers of
Legislative Assemblies in Union
Territories and Deputy Chairman,
Delhi Metropolitan Council, outside
their respective Union Territories
Director, Central Bureau of
Investigation Director General,
Border Security Force Director

500 Prelims Magic 2014

How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following
functionaries:
1. Cabinet Secretary
2. Chief Election Commissioner
3. Union Cabinet Minister
4. Chief Justice of India
Their correct sequence in the
Order of Precedence is:
(a) 3, 4, 2, 1
(c) 4, 3, 2, 1
(b) 4, 3, 1, 2
(d) 3, 4, 1, 2
Ans. (c) (CSE 2000)
Explanation: The correct order
of Precedence is Chief Justice of
India—Union Cabinet Minister—
Chief Election Commission—
Cabinet Secretary.
Q. As per Indian Protocol, who
among the following ranks highest
in the order of precedence?
(a) Deputy Prime Minister
(b) Former President
(c) Governor of a State within his
State
(d) Speaker of Lok Sabha
Ans. (c) (CSE 2003)
Explanation: Correct sequence
in descending order is Governor
­former president—Dy P.M.—
Speaker of Lok Sabha.
39 INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY
The foundations of India’s foreign
policy were laid during the freedom
movement when our leaders, even
when fighting for independence,
were engaged with the great
causes of the time. The principles
of India’s foreign policy, that
emerged then, have stood the test
of time: a belief in friendly relations
with all countries of the world, the
resolution of conflicts by peaceful
means, the sovereign equality of all
states, independence of thought and
action as manifested in the principles
of Non-alignment, and equity in the
conduct of international
relations. Jawaharlal Nehru, the
first Prime Minister of India,
Main features of India’s foreign
policy: Promotion of World Peace,
Anti-Colonialism, Anti-Imperialism,
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Which one of the following is
the correct sequence in the
descending order of precedence in
the warrant of precedence?
(a) Attorney General of India—
Judges of the Supreme Court—
Members of Parliament—
­Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
(b) Judges of the Supreme
Court—Deputy Chairman of
Rajya Sabha—Attorney General
of India—Members of Parliament
(c) Attorney General of India—
Deputy Chairman of Rajya
Sabha—Judges of the Supreme
Court—Members of Parliament
(d) Judges of the Supreme
Court—Attorney General of
India—Deputy Chairman of Rajya
Sabha—Members of Parliament
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation: The descending
order is : Judges of Supreme
Court—(09)—Deputy Chairman
of Rajya Sabha—(10)­—Attorney
General—(11)—Members of
Parliament (21).
Anti-Racialism, Panch Sheel, Non-
Alignment, Good Neighbourhood,
Regional Co-operation, Role in the
Common Wealth and Anti-
Terrorism
Panch Sheel: India and China are
neighbours in Asia. There existed
historical and traditional relations
between these two countries for
several centuries. After China
became a Communist State in 1949,
India moved closer with her. There
was the visit of Nehru to China and
China’s Prime Minister Chou-En-
Lai to India. Both countries had
entered into an agreement in 1954
on the basis of Five Principles,
called the Panch Sheel. They were:
1. Mutual respect for each others’
territorial integrity and sovereignty,
2. Mutual non-aggression,
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General, Central Reserve Police
Director, Intelligence Bureau
Lieutenant Governors outside their
respective Union Territories
Members, Central Administrative
Tribunal Members, Monopolies and
Restrictive Trade Practices
Commission
Members, Union Public Service
Commission Ministers of Union
P
Territories and Executive
Councillors, Delhi, outside their
respective Union Territories
O
Principal Staff Officers of the
Armed Forces of the rank of Major L
General or equivalent rank
Speakers of Legislative Assemblies
in Union Territories and Chairman I
of Delhi Metropolitan Council,
outside their respective Union
Territories T
26. Joint Secretaries to the
Government of India and officers
of equivalent rank.
Y
Officers of the rank of Major-
General or equivalent rank
3. Mutual non-interference in each
others internal matters, 4 Equality
and mutual benefits, and 5. Peaceful
Coexistence. These principles were
accepted by as many as 29 Afro-
Asian countries which took part in
the Bandung Conference held in
Indonesia in 1955. Even now these
principles are relevant in good
neighbourly relations.
Non-Alignment: Jawaharlal
Nehru made it the basic concept of
India’s foreign policy. After the
Second World War, the United
States and the former Soviet Union
(Russia) had been engaged in Cold
War, Arms-race, building of nuclear
weapons and forming military blocs.
The Capitalist United States backed
the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO) and the South
East Asia Treaty Organisation
(SEATO). Communist Russia
backed the Warsaw Pact countries
in the West and Communist China
501
 in the East. It created a great threat
to world security and peace. India
did not want to join in any of the
blocs. She did not want to ally with
any country. This is known as non-
alignment. It does not mean
neutrality. It means independent
course of action in international
issues. India wanted the newly
P independent African and Asian
countries to follow this policy.
O There was good support for this
policy in the Bandung Conference.
Countries which accepted this
meeting. The first Secretary General Sri Lanka, and (7) Maldives are the
of NAM was Josip Broz Tito from 7 members now. The aim of this
1961 to 1964. Former Indian Association is to help each other in
President Giani Zail Singh, held the the social, economic and cultural
post of 9th Secretary General of fields. It has no political agenda.
NAM from 1983 to 1986. Mohamed
Role in Commonwealth: The
Hussein Tantawi of Egypt is the
former colonies of England formed
current (from 2011) Secretary
the commonwealth. India became
General of NAM. N. Sanjeeva
Reddy also became the Secretary
General of NAM in 1983, but for a
a member of it. Commonwealth
countries cooperate in the fields of
education, science, technology and
brief period only.
Regional Co-operation through
SAARC: India believes in regional
culture. India did not want to cut off
her relations with these countries.

How was this topic asked in the CSE?

L policy came closer. It became a
movement, called the Non-
Alignment Movement (NAM).
co-operation. Bangladesh came
forward to work with India. The
South Asian countries formed an
Q. Among the following
Presidents of India, who was also

I India’s Nehru, Yugoslavia’s Tito,

Indonesia’s Sukarno and Egypt’s
Nasser became the chief exponents
association called, the South Asian
Association for Regional Co-
operation (SAARC). Its first
the Secretary General of Non-
Aligned Movement for some
period?

T of this policy. They conducted the

first conference of NAM at
Belgrade in Yugoslavia in 1961. The
meeting was held at Dacca in
Bangladesh in December 1985.
Kathmandu, capital of Nepal,
(a) Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(b) Varahagiri Venkatagiri
(c) Giani Zail Singh

Y second conference was held at

Cairo in Egypt in 1964. At this
conference Lal Bahadur Shastri
spelt out this policy’s positive
programme. They are (1) Nuclear
Disarmament, (2) Peaceful
settlement of border disputes, (3)
Freedom from foreign domination,
aggression, subversion and racial
discrimination, (4) Speeding up of
economic development through
international co-operation and (5)
Full support for the United Nations
and its programme for ‘peace and
development.’
The non-aligned countries acted as
a third bloc in the U.N.O. The
developing countries of Asia, Africa
and Latin America which supported
the reasonable arguments of the
non-aligned countries came to be
known as Third World Countries.
About 12 summits have been
conducted by NAM in the 20th
Century. Today there are 118
countries as members of this
movement. This movement is still
relevant in the multi-polarised world
to protect peace and security.
Between summits, the Non-Aligned
Movement is run by the Secretary
general elected at last summit
became its headquarters from 1986.
(1) India, (2) Bangladesh, (3)
Pakistan, (4) Nepal, (5) Bhutan, (6)
SUBJECTS OF UNION, STATE
40
AND CONCURRENT LISTS
The constitutional provisions in India
on the subject of distribution of
legislative powers between the
Union and the States are spread out
over several articles (articles 245-
254). However, the most important
of those provisions – i.e, the basic
one – is that contained in articles
245-246.
Article 245 provides, inter alia, that
(subject to the provisions of the
Constitution).
(i) Parliament may make laws for
the whole or any part of the territory
of India and
(ii) the legislature of a State may
make laws for the whole or any part
of the State.
Thus, article 245 sets out the limits
of the legislative powers of the
Union and the States from
the geographical (or territorial)
(d) Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma
Ans. (c) (CSE 2009)
angle. From the point of view of the
subject matter of legislation, it is
article 246 which is important.
Article 246 reads as under:
1. Parliament has exclusive power
to make laws with respect to any
of the matters enumerated in List 1
of the Seventh Schedule (the “Union
List”).
2. Parliament, and subject to clause
(1), the Legislature of any State also,
shall have power to make laws with
respect to any of the matters
enumerated in List III in the Seventh
Schedule (the “Concurrent List”).
3. The Legislature of any State has
exclusive power to make laws for
such State or any part thereof with
respect to any of the matters
enumerated in List II in the Seventh
Schedule (the “State List”).
4. Parliament has power to make

502 Prelims Magic 2014

laws with respect to any matter for
any part of the territory of India not
included in a State, not withstanding
that such matter is a matter
enumerated in the State List”.
UNION LIST (List-I)
1. Defence of India
2. Naval, military and air forces; any
other armed forces of the Union
2A. Deployment of any armed
force of the Union in any state in
aid of the civil power
3. Cantonment areas and local self-
government in such areas
4. Naval, military and air force
works
5. Arms, firearms, ammunition, and
explosives
6. Atomic energy and mineral
resources necessary for its
production
7. Defence industries
8. Central Bureau of Intelligence
and investigation
9. Preventive detention for reasons
connected with defence, foreign
affairs, or the security of India
10. Foreign affairs
11. Diplomatic, consular and trade
representation
12. United Nations Organisation
13. International conferences,
associations and other bodies
14. Treaties, agreements and
conventions with foreign countries
is.
15. War and peace
16. Foreign jurisdiction
17. Citizenship, naturalisation and
aliens
18. Extradition
19. Passports and visas
20. Pilgrimages to places outside
India
21. Piracies and crimes committed
on the high seas or in the air and
offences against the law of nations.
22. Railways
23. National highways
24. Shipping and navigation on
national waterways
25. Maritime shipping and
navigation
26. Lighthouses for the safety of
shipping and aircraft
27. Major ports
28. Port quarantine, seaman and
marine hospitals
29. Airways; aircraft and air
navigation; provision of aerodromes
30.Carriage of passengers and
goods by railway, sea, air or national
waterways
31. Posts and telegraphs;
telephones, wireless, broadcasting
and other like forms of
communication
32. Property of the Union
33. (Omitted)
34. Courts of wards for the estates
of rulers of Indian states
35. Public debt of the Union
36. Currency, coinage and legal
tender; foreign exchange
37. Foreign loans
38. Reserve Bank of India
39. Post office savings bank
40. Lotteries organised by the Union
or state
41. Trade and commerce with
foreign countries
42. Inter-state trade and commerce
43. Trading corporations, including
banking, insurance and financial
corporations but not including co-
operative societies
44. Corporations, whether trading or
not, with objects not confined to one
state Banking
45. Bills of exchange, cheques,
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promissory notes and other like
instruments
47. Insurance
48. Stock exchange and futures
markets
49. Patents, inventions and designs;
copyright; trade-marks and
merchandise marks
50. Establishment of standards of P
weight and measure
51. Establishment of standards of
quality for goods to be exported out
O
of India or transported from one
state to another L
52. Industries, the control of which
by the Union is in the public interest
53. Oil fields and mineral oil
I
resources; petroleum and petroleum
products; other liquids and
substances which are inflammable
T
54. Regulation of mines and mineral
development in the public interest Y
56. Regulation of labour and safety
in mines and oil fields Regulation and
development of inter-state rivers
and river valleys
57. Fishing and fisheries beyond
territorial waters
58. Manufacture, supply and
distribution
of salt by Union and other agencies
59. Cultivation and manufacture of
opium and its export
60. Sanctioning of cinematograph
films for exhibition
61. Industrial disputes concerning
Union employees
62. National Library, the Indian
Museum, the Imperial War
Museum, the Victoria Memorial and
the Indian War Memorial, and any
other like institution of national
importance
63. Benaras Hindu University, the
Aligarh Muslim University and the
Delhi University; any other
institution of national importance
503
 64. Scientific or technical education
institutions of national importance
65. Union agencies and institutions
for training, research or detection
of crime
66. Standards in institutions for
higher education or research and
scientific and technical institutions
P 67. Ancient and historical
monuments and records, and
archaeological sites and remains of
O national importance
68. The Survey of India, the
L Geological, Botanical, Zoological
and Anthropological Surveys of
India; Meteorological organisations
I 69. Census
70. Union Public Services; All-India
T Services; Union Public Service
Commission
71. Union pensions
Y 72. Elections to Parliament, the
legislatures of states and the offices
of President and Vice-President;
the Election Commission
73. Salaries and allowances of
members and presiding officers of
Parliament
74. Powers, privileges and
immunities of each House of
Parliament and of the members and
the committees of each House
75.Emoluments and service
conditions of the president,
governors, the ministers for the
Union and the Comptroller and
Auditor General
76.Audit of the accounts of the
Union and of the states
77. Organisation, jurisdiction and
powers of the Supreme Court
78. Organisation of the high courts
80. Extension of the jurisdiction of
a high court Extension of the
powers and jurisdiction of members
of a police force belonging to any
state to any area outside that state
81. Inter-state migration; inter-state
quarantine
504 Prelims Magic 2014
82. Taxes on income other than
agricultural income
83. Duties of customs including
export duties
84. Duties of excise on tobacco and
other goods except alcoholic liquors
for human consumption and opium,
Indian hamp and other narcotic
dtugs and narcotics, but including
medicinal and toilet preparations
containing alcohol
85. Corporation tax
86. Taxes on the capital value of the
assets (exclu­sive of agricultural
land) of individuals and companies;
taxes on the capital of companies
87. Estate duty in respect of property
other than agricultural land
88. Duties in respect of succession
to property other than agricultural
land
89. Terminal taxes on goods or
passengers, carried by railway, sea
or air; taxes on railway fares and
freights
90. Taxes other than stamp duties
on transactions in stock exchanges
and futures markets
91. Rates of stamp duty in respect
of bills of exchange, cheques,
promissory notes, bills of lading,
letters of credit, policies of
insurance, transfer of shares,
debentures, proxies and receipts
92. Taxes on the sale or purchase
of newspapers and on
advertisements published therein
92A. Taxes on the sale or purchase
of goods other than newspapers,
where such sale or purchase takes
place in the course of inter-state
trade or commerce
92B. Taxes on the consignment of
goods in the course of inter-state
trade or commerce
92C. Taxes on services
93. Offences against laws with
respect to any of tbe matters in this
list
94. Inquiries, surveys and statistics
for the purpose of any of the matters
in this list
95. Jurisdiction and powers of all
courts (except the Supreme Court)
with respect to any of the matters
in this list; admiralty jurisdiction
96. Fees in respect of any of the
matters in this list, but not including
fees taken in any court
97. Any other matter not
enumerated in List II or List III
including any tax not mentioned in
either of those lists
STATE LIST (LIST-II)
1. Public order
2. Police
3. Officers and servants of the high
court
4.Prisons, reformatories, borstal
institutions and other such
institutions
5. Local government
6. Public health and sanitation
7. Pilgrimages, other than
pilgrimages to places out­side India
8. Intoxicating liquors
9. Relief of the disabled and
unemployable
10. Burials and burial grounds
11. (Omitted)
12. Libraries, museums and other
similar institutions; ancient and
historical monuments and records
other than those of national
importance
13. Communications, that is, roads,
bridges, ferries and other means of
communication not specified in
List I
14. Agriculture, including agricultural
education and research
15. Preservation of stock and
prevention of animal diseases
16. Pounds and the prevention of
cattle trespass
17. Water, that is, water supplies,
irrigation and ca­nals, drainage and
embankments, water storage and
water power
18. Land, that is, right in or over land,
land tenures and the collection of
rents
19. (Omitted)
20 (Omitted)
21. Fisheries
22. Courts of wards
23. Regulation of mines and mineral
development
24. Industries
25. Gas and gas-works
26. Trade and commerce within the
state
27. Production, supply and
distribution of goods
28. Markets and fairs
29. (Omitted)
30. Money-lending and money-
lenders; relief of agricultural
indebtedness
31. Inns and inn-keepers
32. Corporation, other than those
specified in List I, and universities;
unincorporated trading, literacy,
scientific, religious and other
societies and associations; co-
operative societies
33. Theaters and dramatic
performances; cinemas; sports,
entertainments and amusements
34. Betting and gambling
35. Works, lands and buildings of the
state
36. (Omitted)
37. Elections to the legislature of the
state
38. Salaries and allowances of
members and presiding officers of
the legislature of the state
39. Powers, privileges and
immunities of the legislature of the
state and of the members and the
committees thereof
40. Salaries and allowances of
ministers for the state
41. States public services; State
Public Service Commission
42. State pensions
43. Public debt of the state
44. Treasure trove
45. Land revenue, including
maintenance of land records
46. Taxes on agricultural income
47. Duties in respect of succession
to agricultural land
48. Estate duty in respect of
agricultural land
49. Taxes on lands and buildings
50. Taxes on mineral rights
51. Duties of excise on alcoholic
liquors for human consumption;
opium, Indian hemp and other
narcotic drugs and narcotics, but not
including medicinal and toilet
preparations containing alcohol
52. Taxes on the entry of goods into
a local area
53. Taxes on the consumption or
sale of electricity
54. Taxes on the sale or purchase
of goods other than newspapers
55. Taxes on advertisements other
than advertisements published in the
newspapers and advertisements
broadcast by radio or television
56. Taxes on goods and passengers
carried by road or on inland
waterways
57. Taxes on vehicles
58. Taxes on animals and boats
59. Tolls
60. Taxes on professions, trades,
callings and employments
61. Captivation taxes
62. Taxes on luxuries, including
taxes on entertainments,
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amusements, betting and gambling
63. Rates of stamp duty in respect
of documents other than those
specified in List I
64. Offences against laws with
respect to any of the matters in this
list
65. Jurisdiction and powers of all
courts, except the Supreme Court,
with respect to any of the matters
P
in this list
66. Fees in respect of any of the O
matters in this list, but not including
fees taken in any court
CONCURRENT LIST
L
(LIST-III)
1. Criminal Law, including all
I
matters included in the Indian Penal
Code
2. Criminal procedure, including all
T
matters included in the Code of
Criminal Procedure Y
3. Preventive detention for reasons
connected with the security of a
state, the maintenance of public
order, or the maintenance of supplies
and services essential to the
community
4. Removal from one state to
another state of prisoners and
accused persons
5. Marriage and divorce; infants
and minors; adoption; wills, intestacy
and succession; joint family and
partition
6. Transfer of property other than
agricultural land; registration of
deeds and documents
7. Contracts
8. Actionable wrongs
9. Bankruptcy and insolvency
10. Trust and Trustees
11. Administrators-general and
official trustees
11A. Administration of justice;
constitution and organisation of all
courts, except the Supreme Court
and the high courts
505
 12. Evidence and oaths; recognition
of laws, public acts and records, and
judicial proceedings
13. Civil procedure, including all
matters included in the Code of Civil
Procedure
14. Contempt of court, but not
including contempt of the Supreme
P Court
15. Vagrancy; nomadic and
migratory tribes
O 16. Lunacy and mental deficiency
17. Prevention of cruelty to animals
L 17A. Forests
17B. Protection of wild animals and
I birds
18. Adulteration of foodstuffs and
T other goods
19. Drugs and poisons
Y 20. Economic and social planning
20A. Population control and family
planning
21. Commercial and industrial
monopolies, combines and trusts
22. Trade unions; industrial and
labour disputes
23. Social security and social
insurance; employment and
unemployment
24. Welfare of labour including
conditions of work, provident funds,
employers’ liability, workmen’s
compensation, invalidity and old age
pensions and maternity benefits
25. Education, including technical
education, medical education and
universities
26. Legal, medical and other
professions
27. Relief and rehabilitation of
persons
28. Charitable institutions, religious
endowments and religious
institutions
29. Infectious or contagious
diseases or pests affecting men,
animals or plants
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30. Vital statistics including
registration of births and deaths
31. Ports other than major ports
32. Shipping and navigation on
inland waterways
33. Trade and commerce in, and the
production, supply and distribution
of, foodstuffs, including edible
oilseeds and oils; cattle fodder; raw
cotton, and cotton seeds; and raw
jute
33A. Weights and measures except
establishment of standards
34. Price control
35. Mechanically propelled vehicles
including the principles on which
taxes on such vehicles are to be
levied
36. Factories
37. Boilers
38. Electricity
39. Newspapers, books and printing
presses
40. Archaeological sites and remains
other than those of national
importance
41. Evacuee property (including
agricultural land)
42. Acquisition and requisitioning of
property
43. Recovery in a state of claims in
respect of taxes and other public
demands
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
41
IMPORTANT ARTICLES
The original Constitution contained
as many as 395 articles and 8
schedules (to which additions were
made by subsequent amendments)
Even after the repeal of several
provisions it still (in 2008) contains
444 articles and 12 schedules.
PREAMBLE
PART I: THE UNION AND
ITS TERRITORY
44. Stamp duties other than duties
or fees collected by means of
judicial stamps, but not including
rates of stamp duty
45. Inquiries and statistics for the
purposes of any of the matters
specified in List II or List III
46. Jurisdiction and powers of all
courts, except the Supreme Court’,
with respect to any of the mat­ters
in this list
47. Fees in respect of any of the
matters in this list, but not including
fees taken in any court
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q.With reference to the
Constitution of India, which one
of the following pairs is not
correctly matched?
(a) Forests:
(b) Stock Exchange:
Concurrent List
Concurrent List
(c) Post Office Savings:
Union List Bank
(d) Public Health: State List
Ans (b) (CSE 2004)
Q. Which one of the following
subjects is under the Union List in
the Seventh Schedule of the
Constitution of India?
(a) Regulation of labour
(b) Agriculture and safety in mines
and oil fields
(c) Fisheries
(d) Public health
Ans. (a) (CSE 2006)
1. Name and territory of the Union
2. Admission or establishment of
new States
3. Formation of new States and
alteration of areas, boundaries or
names of existing States
PART II: CITIZENSHIP
5. Citizenship at the commence-
ment of the Constitution
6. Rights of citizenship of certain
persons who have migrated to India
from Pakistan
7. Rights of citizenship of certain
migrants to Pakistan
8. Rights of citizenship of certain
persons of Indian origin residing
outside India
9. Persons voluntarily acquiring
citizenship of a foreign State not to
be citizens
10. Continuance of the rights of
citizenship
11. Parliament to regulate the right
of citizenship by law
PART III: FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS
Right to Equality
14. Equality before law
15. Prohibition of discrimination on
grounds of religion, race, caste, sex
or place of birth
16. Equality of opportunity in
matters of public employment
17. Abolition of Untouchability
18. Abolition of titles
Right to Freedom
19. Protection of certain rights
regarding freedom of speech, etc.
20. Protection in respect of
conviction for offences
21. Protection of life and personal
liberty
21A. Right to education
22. Protection against arrest and
detention in certain cases
Right against Exploitation
23. Prohibition of traffic in human
beings and forced labour
24. Prohibition of employment of
children in factories, etc.
Right to Freedom of Religion
25. Freedom of conscience and free
profession, practice and propagation
of religion
26. Freedom to manage religious
affairs
27. Freedom as to payment of taxes
for promotion of any particular
religion
28. Freedom as to attendance at
religious instruction or religious
worship in certain educational
institutions
Cultural and Educational Rights
29. Protection of interests of
minorities
30. Right of minorities to establish
and administer educational
institutions
Right to Constitutional Remedies
32. Remedies for enforcement of
rights conferred by this Part
33. Power of Parliament to modify
the rights conferred by this Part in
their application to Forces, etc.
34. Restriction on rights conferred
by this Part while martial law is in
force in any area
35. Legislation to give effect to the
provisions of this Part
PART IV: DIRECTIVE
PRINCIPLES OF STATE
POLICY
38. State to secure a social order
for the promotion of welfare of the
people
39. Certain principles of policy to
be followed by the State
39A. Equal justice and free legal
aid
40. Organisation of village
panchayats
41. Right to work, to education and
to public assistance in certain cases
42. Provision for just and humane
conditions of work and maternity
relief
43. Living wage, etc., for workers
43A. Participation of workers in
management of industries
44. Uniform civil code for the
citizens
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45. Provision for free and
compulsory education for children
46. Promotion of educational and
economic interests of Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other
weaker sections
47. Duty of the State to raise the
level of nutrition and the standard
of living and to improve public health
48. Organisation of agriculture and
P
animal husbandry
48A. Protection and improvement O
of environment and safeguarding of
forests and wild life
49. Protection of monuments and
L
places and objects of national
importance I
50. Separation of judiciary from
executive
51. Promotion of international peace
T
and security
PART IVA: Y
51A. Fundamental duties
PART V: THE UNION
52. The President of India
53. Executive power of the Union
54. Election of President
55. Manner of election of President
56. Term of office of President
57. Eligibility for re-election
58. Qualifications for election as
President
59. Conditions of President’s office
60. Oath or affirmation by the
President
61. Procedure for impeachment of
the President
62. Time of holding election to fill
vacancy in the office of President
and the term of office of person
elected to fill casual vacancy
63. The Vice-President of India
64. The Vice-President to be ex
officio Chairman of the Council of
65. The Vice-President to act as
507
 President or to discharge his
functions during casual vacancies in
the office, or during the absence, of
66. Election of Vice-President
67. Term of office of Vice-President
68. Time of holding election to fill
vacancy in the office of Vice-
P President and the term of office of
person elected to fill casual vacancy
69. Oath or affirmation by the Vice-
O President
70. Discharge of President’s
L functions in other contingencies
71. Matters relating to, or connected
with, the election of a President or
I Vice-President
72. Power of President to grant
pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit
T or commute sentences in certain
cases
Y 73. Extent of executive power of
the Union
74. Council of Ministers to aid and
advise President
76. Attorney-General for India
88. Rights of Ministers and 105. Powers, privileges, etc., of the
Attorney-General as respects Houses of Parliament and of the
Houses members and committees thereof
89. The Chairman and Deputy 106. Salaries and allowances of
Chairman of the Council of States members
90. Vacation and resignation of, and Legislative Procedure
removal from, the office of Deputy
107. Provisions as to introduction
Chairman
91. Power of the Deputy Chairman
or other person to perform the duties
and passing of Bills
108. Joint sitting of both Houses in
certain cases
of the office of, or to act as,
Chairman 109. Special procedure in respect
of Money Bills
92. The Chairman or the Deputy
Chairman not to preside while a
resolution for his removal from
110. Definition of “Money Bills”
111. Assent to Bills
office is under consideration
93. The Speaker and Deputy
Speaker of the House of the People
Procedure in Financial Matters
112. Annual financial statement
94. Vacation and resignation of, and
removal from, the offices of
113. Procedure in Parliament with
respect to estimates
Speaker and Deputy Speaker
95. Power of the Deputy Speaker
or other person to perform the duties
114. Appropriation Bills
115. Supplementary, additional or
excess grants
of the office of, or to act as, Speaker
116. Votes on account, votes of
96. The Speaker or the Deputy
Speaker not to preside while a credit and exceptional grants

77. Conduct of business of the resolution for his removal from 117. Special provisions as to
Government of India office is under consideration financial Bills

78. Duties of Prime Minister as
respects the furnishing of
information to the President, etc.
79. Constitution of Parliament
80. Composition of the Council of
States
81. Composition of the House of the
People
82. Readjustment after each census
83. Duration of Houses of
Parliament
84. Qualification for membership of
Parliament
85. Sessions of Parliament,
prorogation and dissolution
86. Right of President to address
and send messages to Houses
87. Special address by the President
97. Salaries and allowances of the
Chairman and Deputy Chairman
and the Speaker and Deputy
Speaker
98. Secretariat of Parliament
99. Oath or affirmation by members
100. Voting in Houses, power of
Houses to act not withstanding
vacancies and quorum
101. Vacation of seats
102. Disqualifications for
membership
103. Decision on questions as to
disqualifications of members
104. Penalty for sitting and voting
before making oath or affirmation
under article 99 or when not qualified
or when disqualified
Powers, Privileges and Immunities
of Parliament and its Members
Procedure Generally
118. Rules of procedure
119. Regulation by law of
procedure in Parliament in relation
to financial business
120. Language to be used in
Parliament
121. Restriction on discussion in
Parliament
122. Courts not to inquire into
proceedings of Parliament
123. Power of President to
promulgate Ordinances during
recess of Parliament
124. Establishment and constitution
of Supreme Court
125. Salaries, etc., of Judges
126. Appointment of acting Chief
Justice

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127. Appointment of ad hoc judges
128. Attendance of retired Judges
at sittings of the Supreme Court
129. Supreme Court to be a court
of record
130. Seat of Supreme Court
131. Original jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court
132. Appellate jurisdiction of
Supreme Court in appeals from
High Courts in certain cases
133. Appellate jurisdiction of
Supreme Court in appeals from
High Courts in regard to Civil
matters
134. Appellate jurisdiction of
Supreme Court in regard to criminal
matters
134A. Certificate for appeal to the
Supreme Court
135. Jurisdiction and powers of the
Federal Court under existing law to
be exercisable by the Supreme
Court
136. Special leave to appeal by the
Supreme Court
137. Review of judgments or orders
by the Supreme Court
138. Enlargement of the jurisdiction
of the Supreme Court
139. Conferment on the Supreme
Court of powers to issue certain
writs
139A. Transfer of certain cases
140. Ancillary powers of Supreme
Court
141. Law declared by Supreme
Court to be binding on all courts
142. Enforcement of decrees and
orders of Supreme Court and orders
as to discovery, etc.
143. Power of President to consult
Supreme Court
144. Civil and judicial authorities to
act in aid of the Supreme Court
146. Officers and servants and the
expenses of the Supreme Court
148. Comptroller and Auditor-
General of India
149. Duties and powers of the
Comptroller and Auditor-General
150. Form of accounts of the Union
and of the States
151. Audit reports
PART VI: THE STATES
153. Governors of States
154. Executive power of State
155. Appointment of Governor
156. Term of office of Governor
157. Qualifications for appointment
as Governor
158. Conditions of Governor ’s
office
159. Oath or affirmation by the
Governor
160. Discharge of the functions of
the Governor in certain
contingencies
161. Power of Governor to grant
pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit
or commute sentences in certain
cases
162. Extent of executive power of
State
Council of Ministers
163. Council of Ministers to aid and
advise Governor
164. Other provisions as to
Ministers
The Advocate-General for the State
165. Advocate-General for the
State
Conduct of Government Business
166. Conduct of business of the
Government of a State
167. Duties of Chief Minister as
respects the furnishing of
information to Governor, etc.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE
168. Constitution of Legislatures in
States
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169. Abolition or creation of
Legislative Councils in States
170. Composition of the Legislative
Assemblies
171. Composition of the Legislative
Councils
172. Duration of State Legislatures
173. Qualification for membership
of the State Legislature P
174. Sessions of the State
Legislature, prorogation and
dissolution
O
175. Right of Governor to address
and send messages to the House or L
Houses
176. Special address by the
Governor
I
177. Rights of Ministers and
Advocate-General as respects the
Houses
T
Officers of the State Legislature
178. The Speaker and Deputy
Y
Speaker of the Legislative
Assembly
179. Vacation and resignation of,
and removal from, the offices of
Speaker and Deputy Speaker
180. Power of the Deputy Speaker
or other person to perform the duties
of the office of, or to act as, Speaker
181. The Speaker or the Deputy
Speaker not to preside while a
resolution for his removal from
office is under consideration
182. The Chairman and Deputy
Chairman of the Legislative Council
183. Vacation and resignation of,
and removal from, the offices of
Chairman and Deputy Chairman
184. Power of the Deputy
Chairman or other person to
perform the duties of the office of,
or to act as, Chairman
185. The Chairman or the Deputy
Chairman not to preside while a
resolution for his removal from
office is under consideration
509
 186. Salaries and allowances of the
Speaker and Deputy Speaker and
the Chairman and Deputy Chairman
187. Secretariat of State
Legislature
Conduct of Business
188. Oath or affirmation by
P members
189. Voting in Houses, power of
Houses to act notwithstanding
O vacancies and quorum
Disqualifications of Members
L 190. Vacation of seats
191. Disqualifications for
membership
I 192. Decision on questions as to
disqualifications of members
T 193. Penalty for sitting and voting
before making oath or affirmation
under article 188 or when not
Y qualified or when disqualified
Powers, Privileges and Immunities
of State Legislatures and their
Members
194. Powers, privileges, etc., of the
Houses of Legislatures and of the
members and committees thereof
195. Salaries and allowances of
members
Legislative Procedure
196. Provisions as to introduction
and passing of Bills
197. Restriction on powers of
Legislative Council as to Bills other
than Money Bills
198. Special procedure in respect
of Money Bills
199. Definition of “Money Bills”
200. Assent to Bills
201. Bills reserved for consideration
Procedure in Financial Matters
202. Annual financial statement
203. Procedure in Legislature with
respect to estimates
204. Appropriation Bills
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205. Supplementary, additional or
excess grants
206. Votes on account, votes of
credit and exceptional grants
207. Special provisions as to
financial Bills
Procedure Generally
208. Rules of procedure
209. Regulation by law of
procedure in the Legislature of the
State in relation to financial business
210. Language to be used in the
Legislature
211. Restriction on discussion in the
Legislature
212. Courts not to inquire into
proceedings of the Legislature
LEGISLATIVE POWER OF
THE GOVERNOR
213. Power of Governor to
promulgate Ordinances during
recess of Legislature.
THE HIGH COURTS IN THE
STATES
214. High Courts for States
215. High Courts to be courts of
record
216. Constitution of High Courts
217. Appointment and conditions of
the office of a Judge of a High Court
218. Application of certain
provisions relating to Supreme
Court to High Courts
219. Oath or affirmation by Judges
of High Courts
220. Restriction on practice after
being a permanent Judge
221. Salaries, etc., of Judges
222. Transfer of a Judge from one
High Court to another
223. Appointment of acting Chief
Justice
224. Appointment of additional and
acting Judges
224A. Appointment of retired
Judges at sittings of High Courts
225. Jurisdiction of existing High
Courts
226. Power of High Courts to issue
certain writs
227. Power of superintendence
over all courts by the High Court
228. Transfer of certain cases to
High Court
229. Officers and servants and the
expenses of High Courts
230. Extension of jurisdiction of
High Courts to Union territories
231. Establishment of a common
High Court for two or more States
SUBORDINATE COURTS
233. Appointment of district judges
233A. Validation of appointments
of, and judgments, etc., delivered by,
certain district judges
234. Recruitment of persons other
than district judges to the judicial
service
235. Control over subordinate
courts
236. Interpretation
237. Application of the provisions
of this Chapter to certain class or
classes of magistrates
PART VII: THE STATES IN
PART B OF THE FIRST
SCHEDULE
PART VIII: THE UNION
TERRITORIES
239. Administration of Union
territories
239A. Creation of local
Legislatures or Council of Ministers
or both for certain Union territories
239AA. Special provisions with
respect to Delhi
239AB. Provision in case of failure
of constitutional machinery
239B. Power of administrator to
promulgate Ordinances during
recess of Legislature
240. Power of President to make
regulations for certain Union
territories
241. High Courts for Union
territories
PART IX: THE PANCHAYATS
243. Definitions
243A. Gram Sabha
243B. Constitution of Panchayats
243C. Composition of Panchayats
243D. Reservation of seats
243E. Duration of Panchayats, etc.
243F. Disqualifications for
membership
243G. Powers, authority and
responsibilities of Panchayats
243H. Powers to impose taxes by,
and Funds of, the Panchayats
243-I. Constitution of Finance
Commission to review financial
position
243J. Audit of accounts of
Pachayats
243K. Elections to the Panchayats
243L. Application to Union
territories
243M. Part not to apply to certain
areas
243N. Continuance of existing laws
and Panchayats
243-O. Bar to interference by
courts in electoral matters
PART IXA:
THE MUNICIPALITIES
243P. Definitions
243Q. Constitution of Municipalities
243R. Composition of Municipalities
243S. Constitution and composition
of Wards Committees, etc.
243T. Reservation of seats
243U. Duration of Municipalities,
etc.
243V. Disqualifications for
membership
243W. Powers, authority and
responsibilities of Municipalities, etc.
243X. Power to impose taxes by,
and Funds of, the Municipalities
243Y. Finance Commission
243Z. Audit of accounts of
Municipalities
243ZA. Elections
Municipalities
to
243ZB. Application to Union
territories
243ZC. Part not to apply to certain
areas
243ZD. Committee for district
planning
243ZE. Committee
Metropolitan planning
243ZF. Continuance of existing
laws and Municipalities
243ZG. Bar to interference by
Courts in electoral matters
PART X: THE SCHEDULED
AND TRIBAL AREAS
244. Administration of Scheduled
Areas and Tribal Areas
244A. Formation of an autonomous
State comprising certain tribal areas
in Assam and creation of local
Legislature or Council of Ministers
or both
PART XI:
RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE UNION AND THE
STATES LEGISLATIVE
RELATIONS
245. Extent of laws made by
Parliament and by the Legislatures
of
246. Subject-matter of laws made
by Parliament and by the
Legislatures of States
247. Power of Parliament to
provide for the establishment of
certain additional courts
248. Residuary powers
legislation
249. Power of Parliament to
legislate with respect to a matter in
the State List in the national interest
250. Power of Parliament to
legislate with respect to any matter
in the State List if a Proclamation
of Emergency is in operation
251. Inconsistency between laws
made by Parliament under articles
the 249 and 250 and laws made by the
Legislatures of States P
252. Power of Parliament to
legislate for two or more States by
consent and adoption of such
O
legislation by any other State
253. Legislation for giving effect to
international agreements
L
for
254. Inconsistency between laws
made by Parliament and laws made
I
by the Legislatures of States
255. Requirements as to
recommendations and previous
T
sanctions to be regarded as matters
of procedure only Y
ADMINISTRATIVE
RELATIONS
General
256. Obligation of States and the
Union
257. Control of the Union over
States in certain cases
258. Power of the Union to confer
powers, etc., on States in certain
cases
258A. Power of the States to
entrust functions to the Union
260. Jurisdiction of the Union in
relation to territories outside India
261. Public acts, records and
judicial proceedings
262. Adjudication of disputes
relating to waters of inter-State
rivers or river valleys
263. Provisions with respect to an
inter-State Council
PART XII
of FINANCE, PROPERTY,
CONTRACTS AND SUITS
265. Taxes not to be imposed save
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 by authority of law
266. Consolidated Funds and public
accounts of India and of the States
267. Contingency Fund
268. Duties levied by the Union but
collected and appropriated by the
States
P 268A. Service tax levied by Union
and collected and appropriated by
the Union and the States
O 269. Taxes levied and collected by
the Union but assigned to the States
L 270. Taxes levied and distributed
between the Union and the States
271. Surcharge on certain duties
I and taxes for purposes of the Union
273. Grants in lieu of export duty
T on jute and jute products
274. Prior recommendation of
President required to Bills affecting
Y taxation in which States are
interested
275. Grants from the Union to
certain States
276. Taxes on professions, trades,
callings and employments
279. Calculation of “net proceeds”,
etc.
280. Finance Commission
281. Recommendations of the
Finance Commission
282. Expenditure defrayable by the
Union or a State out of its revenues
283. Custody, etc., of Consolidated
Funds, Contingency Funds and
moneys credited to the public
accounts
284. Custody of suitors’ deposits
and other moneys received by public
servants and courts
285. Exemption of property of the
Union from State taxation.
286. Restrictions as to imposition
of tax on the sale or purchase of
goods
287. Exemption from taxes on
electricity
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288. Exemption from taxation by PART XIV
States in respect of water or
309. Recruitment and conditions of
electricity in certain cases
service of persons serving the Union
289. Exemption of property and or a State
income of a State from Union
310. Tenure of office of persons
taxation
serving the Union or a State
290. Adjustment in respect of 311. Dismissal, removal or
certain expenses and pensions
290A. Annual payment to certain
Devaswom Funds
reduction in rank of persons
employed in civil capacities under
the Union or a State
292. Borrowing by the Government
of India
312. All-India services
312A. Power of Parliament to vary
or revoke conditions of service of
293. Borrowing by States
294. Succession to property, assets,
officers of certain services
315. Public Service Commissions
rights, liabilities and obligations in
certain cases
295. Succession to property, assets,
for the Union and for the States
316. Appointment and term of
rights, liabilities and obligations in office of members
other cases
296. Property accruing by escheat
317. Removal and suspension of a
member of a Public Service
or lapse or as bona vacantia
297. Things of value within
Commission
318. Power to make regulations as
territorial waters or continental shelf to conditions of service of members
and staff of the Commission
and resources of the exclusive
economic zone to vest in the Union 319. Prohibition as to the holding
of offices by members of
298. Power to carry on trade, etc.
Commission on ceasing to be such
300A. {RIGHT TO PROPERTY} members
Persons not to be deprived of
320. Functions of Public Service
property save by authority of law
Commissions
PART XIII
321. Power to extend functions of
301. Freedom of trade, commerce Public Service Commissions
and intercourse
322. Expenses of Public Service
302. Power of Parliament to impose Commissions
restrictions on trade, commerce and
intercourse 323. Reports of Public Service
Commissions
303. Restrictions on the legislative
PART XIVA
powers of the Union and of the
States with regard to trade and 323A. Administrative tribunals
commerce
323B. Tribunals for other matters
304. Restrictions on trade,
PART XV ELECTIONS
commerce and intercourse among
States 324. Superintendence, direction and
control of elections to be vested in
305. Saving of existing laws and
laws providing for State monopolies an Election Commission
325. No person to be ineligible for
307. Appointment of authority for
inclusion in, or to claim to be included
carrying out the purposes of articles
301 to 304 in a special, electoral roll on grounds
of religion, race, caste or sex
326. Elections to the House of the
People and to the Legislative
Assemblies of States to be on the
basis of adult suffrage
327. Power of Parliament to make
provision with respect to elections
to Legislatures
328. Power of Legislature of a State
to make provision with respect to
elections to such Legislature
329. Bar to interference by courts
in electoral matters
PART XV
1. Special Provisions relating to SCs,
STs, OBCs AND Anglo indians
330. Reservation of seats for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes in the House of the People
331. Representation of the Anglo-
Indian community in the House of
the People
332. Reservation of seats for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes in the Legislative Assemblies
of the States
333. Representation of the Anglo-
Indian community in the Legislative
Assemblies of the States
334. Reservation of seats and
special representation to cease
after sixty years
335. Claims of Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes to services
and posts
336. Special provision for Anglo-
Indian community in certain
services
337. Special provision with respect
to educational grants for the benefit
of Anglo-Indian Community
338. National Commission for
Scheduled Castes
338A. National Commission for
Scheduled Tribes
339. Control of the Union over the
Administration of Scheduled Areas
and the welfare of Scheduled Tribes
340. Appointment of a Commission
to investigate the conditions of
backward classes
341. Scheduled Castes
342. Scheduled Tribes
PART XVII OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE
343. Official language of the Union
344. Commission and Committee of
Parliament on official language
345. Official language or languages
of a State
346. Official language for
communication between one State
and another or between a State and
the Union
347. Special provision relating to
language spoken by a section of the
population of a State
348. Language to be used in the
Supreme Court and in the High
Courts and for Acts, Bills, etc.
349. Special procedure for
enactment of certain laws relating
to language
350. Language to be used in
representations for redress of
grievances
350A. Facilities for instruction in
mother-tongue at primary stage
350B. Special Officer for linguistic
minorities
351. Directive for development of
the Hindi language
PART XVIII EMERGENCY
PROVISIONS
352. Proclamation of Emergency
353. Effect of Proclamation of
Emergency
354. Application of provisions
relating to distribution of revenues
while a Proclamation of Emergency
is in operation
355. Duty of the Union to protect
States against external aggression
and internal disturbance.
356. Provisions in case of failure
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of constitutional machinery in
States
357. Exercise of legislative powers
under Proclamation issued under
article 356
358. Suspension of provisions of
article 19 during emergencies.
359. Suspension of the enforcement
of the rights conferred by Part III
during emergencies
P
360. Provisions as to financial
emergency O
PART XIX MISCELLANEOUS
361. Protection of President and L
Governors and Rajpramukhs
361A. Protection of publication of
proceedings of Parliament and State
I
Legislatures
361B. Disqualification for
appointment on remunerative
T
political post
363. Bar to interference by courts
Y
in disputes arising out of certain
treaties, agreements, etc.
363A. Recognition granted to
Rulers of Indian States to cease and
privy purses to be abolished
364. Special provisions as to major
ports and aerodromes
365. Effect of failure to comply
with, or to give effect to, directions
given by the Union
366. Definitions
367. Interpretation
PART XX AMENDMENT OF
THE CONSTITUTION
368. Power of Parliament to amend
the Constitution and procedure
therefor
PART XXI TEMPORARY,
TRANSITIONAL AND
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
369. Temporary power to
Parliament to make laws with
respect to certain matters in the
State List as if they were matters
in the Concurrent List
513
 370. Temporary provisions with
respect to the State of Jammu and
Kashmir
371. Special provision with respect
to the States of Maharashtra and
Gujarat
371A. Special provision with
respect to the State of Nagaland
P 371B. Special provision with
respect to the State of Assam
O 371C. Special provision with
respect to the State of Manipur
L 371D. Special provisions with
respect to the State of Andhra
Pradesh
I 371E. Establishment of Central
University in Andhra Pradesh
371F. Special provisions with
T respect to the State of Sikkim
371G. Special provision with
Y respect to the State of Mizoram
371H. Special provision with
respect to the State of Arunachal
Pradesh
371-I. Special provision with
respect to the State of Goa
372. Continuance in force of
existing laws and their adaptation
372A. Power of the President to
adapt laws
373. Power of President to make
order in respect of persons under
preventive detention in certain cases
374. Provisions as to Judges of the
Federal Court and proceedings
pending in the Federal Court or
before His Majesty in Council
375. Courts, authorities and officers
to continue to function subject to the
provisions of the Constitution
376. Provisions as to Judges of High
Courts
377. Provisions as to Comptroller
and Auditor-General of India
378. Provisions as to Public Service
Commissions
378A. Special provision as to
514 Prelims Magic 2014
duration of Andhra Pradesh How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Legislative Assembly
Q. Match List I with List II and
392. Power of the President to select the correct answer using the
remove difficulties codes given below the lists:
List I (Article of the Constitution)
394A. Authoritative text in the Hindi
A. Article 54 B. Article 75
language
C. Article 155 D. Article 164
How was this topic asked in the CSE? List II (Content)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Election of the President of India
2. Appointment of the Prime
Minister
1. Part IX of the Constitution of
India provisions for Panchayats
and was inserted by the
3. Appointment of the Governor of
a State
4. Appointment of the Chief
constitution (Amendment) Act
1992.
2. Part IX A of the Constitution of
Minister and Council of Ministers
of a State
5. Composition of Legislative
India contains provisions for Assemblies Codes:
municipalities and the Article 243
Q envisages two types of (a) 1
A B
2
C
3
D
4
municipalities ­ a Municipal Council (b) 1 2 4 5
and a Municipal Corporation for
every State.
(c) 2
(d) 2
1
1
3
4
5
3
Which of the statements given Ans. (a) (CSE 2001)
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
Q. Which one of the following
Articles of the Indian Constitution
(b) 2 only provides that ‘It shall be the duty
(c) both 1 and 2 of the Union to protect every State
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 against external aggression and
Ans. (a) (CSE 2005) internal disturbance’?
(a) Article 215 (b) Article 275
Q. Which Article of the (c) Article 325 (d) Article 355
Constitution provides that it shall Ans. (d) (CSE 2003)
be the endeavour of every state Q. Which one of the following
to provide adequate facility for Articles of the Constitution of India
instruction in the mother tongue at says that the executive power of
the primary stage of education? every State shall be so exercise
(a) Article 349 as not to impede or prejudice the
(b) Article 350 exercise of the executive power
(c) Article 350-A of the Union?
(d) Article 351 (a) Article 257 (b) Article 258
Ans. (c) (CSE 2001) (c) Article 355 (d) Article 358
Ans. (a) (CSE 2004)

42 RIGHTS ISSUE
HUMAN RIGHTS
Human rights are commonly
understood as “inalienable
fundamental rights to which a
person is inherently entitled simply
because she or he is a human
being.” Human rights are rights
inherent to all human beings,
whatever our nationality, place of
residence, sex, national or ethnic
origin, colour, religion, language, or
any other status. We are all equally
entitled to our human rights without
discrimination. These rights are all
interrelated, interdependent and
indivisible.
Universal human rights are often
expressed and guaranteed by law,
in the forms of treaties, customary
international law , general principles
and other sources of international
law. International human rights law
lays down obligations of
Governments to act in certain ways
or to refrain from certain acts, in
order to promote and protect human
rights and fundamental freedoms of
individuals or groups.
Human rights are thus conceived
as universal (applicable every
where) and egalitarian (the same
for everyone). These rights may
exist as natural rights or as legal
rights, in both national and
international law.
Some important landmarks in
the evolution of human rights
up to recent times are:
Magna Carta (1215) (it is the first
landmark document)
• The English Bill of Rights (1689)
• French declaration of Rights of
Man and of Citizen (1789)
• The American Bill of Rights
(1791)
• The Abolition of Sati Act (1833)
• The International Slavery
Convention (1926): The Members
of League of Nations agreed on to
a definition of slavery and pledged
themselves to complete abolition of
slavery in all forms. India is a
signatory.
• The Charter of the United
Nations (signed on 26th June 1945):
According to Article 56 of the
Charter, all member states must
provide their nationals with a higher
standard of living, and with
opportunities
development.
for social
• The UN Declaration of Human
Rights
• The Geneva Red Cross
Convention (1949) and Protocols
(1977)
• The Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees (1951)
• The International Convention on
Elimination of all Forms of Racial
Discrimination (CERD - 1965).
• The International Covenant on
Economic, Social, Cultural Rights
(1966)
• The International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (1966)
• The Convention on elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (1979)
• The Convention Against Torture
(1984)
• International Convention on
Rights of Child (1989)
• The Earth Summit at Rio (1992)
• The World conference on Human
Rights at Vienna (1993)
• The Human Rights Protection
Act of Government of India (1993)
UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS
The Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) is a
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declaration adopted by the United
Nations General Assembly (10
December 1948 at Palais de
Chaillot, Paris). The Declaration
arose directly from the experience
of the Second World War and
represents the first global
expression of rights to which all
human beings are inherently
entitled. It consists of 30 articles
which have been elaborated in
P
subsequent international treaties,
regional human rights instruments,
national constitutions and laws.
O
The International Bill of Human
Rights consists of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights,
L
the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, and the International
I
Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and its two Optional
Protocols. In 1966 the General
T
Assembly adopted the two detailed
Covenants, which complete the
International Bill of Human Rights;
Y
and in 1976, after the Covenants
had been ratified by a sufficient
number of individual nations, the Bill
took on the force of international
law. UDHR has 30 Articles as
follows:
Article 1.
• All human beings are born free
and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and
conscience and should act towards
one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.
Article 2.
• Everyone is entitled to all the
rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of
any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other
opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be
made on the basis of the political,
jurisdictional or international status
of the country or territory to which
a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-
governing or under any other
515
 limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
• Everyone has the right to life,
liberty and security of person.
Article 4.
• No one shall be held in slavery
or servitude; slavery and the slave
P trade shall be prohibited in all their
forms.
O Article 5.
• No one shall be subjected to
torture or to cruel, inhuman or
L degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
I • Everyone has the right to
recognition everywhere as a person
before the law.
T Article 7.
• All are equal before the law and
Y are entitled without any
discrimination to equal protection of
the law. All are entitled to equal
protection against any discrimination
in violation of this Declaration and
against any incitement to such
discrimination.
Article 8.
• Everyone has the right to an
effective remedy by the competent
national tribunals for acts violating
the fundamental rights granted him
by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
• No one shall be subjected to
arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
• Everyone is entitled in full
equality to a fair and public hearing
by an independent and impartial
tribunal, in the determination of his
rights and obligations and of any
criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal
offence has the right to be
presumed innocent until proved
guilty according to law in a public
516 Prelims Magic 2014
trial at which he has had all the
guarantees necessary for his
defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of
any penal offence on account of any
act or omission which did not
constitute a penal offence, under
national or international law, at the
time when it was committed. Nor
shall a heavier penalty be imposed
than the one that was applicable at
the time the penal offence was
committed.
Article 12.
• No one shall be subjected to
arbitrary interference with his
privacy, family, home or
correspondence, nor to attacks upon
his honour and reputation. Everyone
has the right to the protection of the
law against such interference or
attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to
freedom of movement and
residence within the borders of each
state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave
any country, including his own, and
to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek
and to enjoy in other countries
asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in
the case of prosecutions genuinely
arising from non-political crimes or
from acts contrary to the purposes
and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a
nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily
deprived of his nationality nor denied
the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age,
without any limitation due to race,
nationality or religion, have the right
to marry and to found a family. They
are entitled to equal rights as to
marriage, during marriage and at its
dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into
only with the free and full consent
of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and
fundamental group unit of society
and is entitled to protection by
society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own
property alone as well as in
association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily
deprived of his property.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom
of thought, conscience and religion;
this right includes freedom to
change his religion or belief, and
freedom, either alone or in
community with others and in public
or private, to manifest his religion
or belief in teaching, practice,
worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom
of opinion and expression; this right
includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek,
receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to
freedom of peaceful assembly and
association.
(2) No one may be compelled to
belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take
part in the government of his
country, directly or through freely
chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal
access to public service in his
country.
(3) The will of the people shall be
the basis of the authority of
government; this will shall be
expressed in periodic and genuine
elections which shall be by universal
and equal suffrage and shall be held
by secret vote or by equivalent free
voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society,
has the right to social security and
is entitled to realization, through
national effort and international co-
operation and in accordance with
the organization and resources of
each State, of the economic, social
and cultural rights indispensable for
his dignity and the free development
of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work,
to free choice of employment, to
just and favourable conditions of
work and to protection against
unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any
discrimination, has the right to equal
pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the
right to just and favourable
remuneration ensuring for himself
and his family an existence worthy
of human dignity, and supplemented,
if necessary, by other means of
social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form
and to join trade unions for the
protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and
leisure, including reasonable
limitation of working hours and
periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a
standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of himself and
of his family, including food, clothing,
housing and medical care and
necessary social services, and the
right to security in the event of Article 29.
unemployment, sickness, disability,
(1) Everyone has duties to the
widowhood, old age or other lack
community in which alone the free
of livelihood in circumstances
and full development of his
beyond his control.
personality is possible.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are
(2) In the exercise of his rights and
entitled to special care and
freedoms, everyone shall be subject
assistance. All children, whether
only to such limitations as are
born in or out of wedlock, shall
enjoy the same social protection.
determined by law solely for the
purpose of securing due recognition P
Article 26. and respect for the rights and
(1) Everyone has the right to
education. Education shall be free,
freedoms of others and of meeting
the just requirements of morality, O
public order and the general welfare
at least in the elementary and
fundamental stages. Elementary
education shall be compulsory.
in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may
L
Technical and professional
education shall be made generally
available and higher education shall
in no case be exercised contrary to
the purposes and principles of the
United Nations.
I
be equally accessible to all on the
basis of merit.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be
T
(2) Education shall be directed to
the full development of the human
personality and to the strengthening
interpreted as implying for any State,
group or person any right to engage
in any activity or to perform any act
Y
of respect for human rights and
aimed at the destruction of any of
fundamental freedoms. It shall
the rights and freedoms set forth
promote understanding, tolerance
herein.
and friendship among all nations,
racial or religious groups, and shall ............................................................
further the activities of the United
Nations for the maintenance of SEE CHAPTER 35 OF
peace. POLITY SECTION IN THIS
BOOK FOR INFO ON
(3) Parents have a prior right to
HUMAN RIGHTS
choose the kind of education that
COMMISSION
shall be given to their children.
..................................................
Article 27.
Chronology of events regarding
(1) Everyone has the right freely to
human rights in India
participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts and to  1829 – The practice
of sati was formally abolished
share in scientific advancement and
its benefits. by Governor General William
Bentick after years of campaigning
(2) Everyone has the right to the by Hindu reform movements such
protection of the moral and material as the Brahmo Samaj of Ram
interests resulting from any Mohan Royagainst this orthodox
scientific, literary or artistic Hindu funeral custom of self-
production of which he is the author. immolation of widows after the
Article 28. death of their husbands.
 1929 – Child Marriage
Everyone is entitled to a social and
Restraint Act, prohibiting marriage
international order in which the
of minors under 14 years of age is
rights and freedoms set forth in this
passed.
Declaration can be fully realized.
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  1950 – The Constitution of
India establishes a during communal riots in Meerut.
sovereign democratic republic with
universal adult franchise. Part 3 of
the Constitution contains a Bill of
Fundamental Rights enforceable by
the Supreme Court and the High
Courts. It also provides for
reservations for previously
P disadvantaged sections in education,
employment
representation.
and political
O  1952 – Criminal Tribes
Acts repealed by government,
former “criminal tribes” categorized
L as “denotified” and Habitual
Offenders Act (1952) enacted.
I  1955 – Reform of family law
concerning Hindus gives more rights
to Hindu women.
T  1958 -Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act, 1958-
Y  1973 – Supreme Court of
India rules in Kesavananda
Bharati case that the basic
structure of the Constitution
(including many fundamental rights)
is unalterable by a constitutional
amendment.
 1975–77 – State of Emergency
in India – extensive rights violations
take place.
 1978 – SC rules in Menaka
Gandhi v. Union of India that the
right to life under Article 21 of the
Constitution cannot be suspended
even in an emergency.
 1978-Jammu and Kashmir
Public Safety Act, 1978
 1984 – Operation Blue
Star and the subsequent 1984 Anti­
Sikh riots
 1985-6 – The Shah Bano case,
where the Supreme Court
recognised the Muslim woman’s
right to maintenance upon divorce,
sparks protests from Muslim clergy.
To nullify the decision of the
Supreme Court, the Rajiv
Gandhi government enacted The
Muslim Women (Protection of
Rights on Divorce) Act 1986
518 Prelims Magic 2014
 1987­ Hashimpura massacre
 1989 – Scheduled Caste and
Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989 is passed.
 1 9 8 9– p r es ent – K a s hmir i
insurgency sees ethnic
cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits,
desecrating Hindu temples, killing of
Hindus and Sikhs, and abductions
of foreign tourists and government
functionaries.
 1992 – A constitutional
amendment establishes Local Self-
Government (Panchayati Raj) as a
third tier of governance at the village
level, with one-third of the seats
reserved for women. Reservations
were provided for scheduled castes
and tribes as well.
 1993 – National Human Rights
Commission is established under
the Protection of Human Rights
Act.
 2001 – Supreme Court passes
extensive orders to implement the
right to food.
 2002 – Violence in Gujarat,
chiefly targeting its Muslim minority,
claims many lives.
 2005 – A powerful Right to
Information Act is passed to give
citizen’s access to information held
by public authorities.
 2005 – National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act
(NREGA) guarantees universal
right to employment.
 2006 – Supreme Court orders
police reforms in response to the
poor human rights record of Indian
police.
 2009 – Delhi High Court
declares that Section 377 of the
Indian Penal Code, which outlaws
a range of unspecified “unnatural”
sex acts, is unconstitutional when
applied to homosexual acts between
private consenting individuals,
effectively decriminalising
homosexual relationships in
India.[11] See also: Homosexuality in
India
Right to Education
The passing of the Right of Children
to Free and Compulsory Education
(RTE) Act 2009 marks a historic
moment for the children of India.
This Act serves as a building block
to ensure that every child has his or
her right (as an entitlement) to get
a quality elementary education, and
that the State, with the help of
families and communities, fulfils this
obligation.
Few countries in the world have
such a national provision to ensure
both free and child-centred, child-
friendly education.
What is the Right to Education
Act? 
All children between the ages of 6
and 14 shall have the right to free
and compulsory elementary
education at a neighbourhood
school. There is no direct (school
fees) or indirect cost (uniforms,
textbooks, mid-day meals,
transportation) to be borne by the
child or the parents to obtain
elementary education. The
government will provide schooling
free-of-cost until a child’s
elementary education is completed.
What does this mean for
schools across the country?
Right to Education Act, 2009,
mandates 25 per cent free seats to
the poor in government aided and
private unaided schools uniformly
across the country. However this
will not be applicable to private
minority institutions that get no aid
from the government. Government
schools will have no quota. These
schools have to admit all.
Schools will have to implement the
25% reservation at the entry level
of the school. States will have to
bear the cost of this.
How will the poor students be
selected?
Poor students from neighbourhood
areas have to be admitted, based on
a lottery system.
What are problems with the Act
and its implementation?
Many activists feel, that exempting
private minority schools from
admitting poor students is the biggest
drawback as many private schools
will exploit this. Bachpan Bachao
Andolan, an NGO, conducted a
study across 9 states last year to
understand the impact of the Right
to Education Act and discovered
some disturbing trends.The names
of a large number of students were
enrolled but they were not in
schools. Bodies which are to
implement the Right to Education
Act haven’t even been set up in
many states.
How will RTE be financed and
implemented ?
This Act serves as a building block
to ensure that every child has his or
her right (as an entitlement) to get
a quality elementary education, and
that the State, with the help of
families and communities, fulfils this
obligation.
Few countries in the world have
such a national provision to ensure
both free and child-centred, child-
friendly education.
Central and state governments shall
share financial responsibility for
RTE. The central government shall
prepare estimates of expenditures.
State governments will be provided
a percentage of these costs.
The central government may
request the Finance Commission to
consider providing additional
resources to a state in order to carry
out the provisions of RTE.
The state government shall be
responsible for providing the
remaining funds needed to
implement. There will be a funding
gap which needs to be supported by
partners from civil society,
development agencies, corporate
organisations and citizens of the
country.
What are the key issues for
achieving RTE?
The RTE Act will be in force from
1 April. Draft Model Rules have
been shared with states, which are
required to formulate their state
rules and have them notified as early
as possible.
RTE provides a ripe platform to
reach the unreached, with specific
provisions for disadvantaged groups,
such as child labourers, migrant
children, children with special needs,
or those who have a “disadvantage
owing to social, cultural economical,
geographical, linguistic, gender or
such other factor.” RTE focuses on
the quality of teaching and learning,
which requires accelerated efforts
and substantial reforms:
• Creative and sustained initiatives
are crucial to train more than one
million new and untrained teachers
within the next five years and to
reinforce the skills of in-service
teachers to ensure child-friendly
education.
• Families and communities also
have a large role to play to ensure
child-friendly education for each and
every one of the estimated 190
million girls and boys in India who
should be in elementary school
today.
• Disparities must be eliminated to
assure quality with equity. Investing
in preschool is a key strategy in
meeting goals.
• Bringing eight million out-of-
school children into classes at the
age appropriate level with the
support to stay in school and
succeed poses a major challenge
necessitating flexible, innovative
approaches.
What is the mechanism
available if RTE is violated?
The National Commission for the
Protection of Child Rights shall
review the safeguards for rights
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provided under this Act, investigate
complaints and have the powers of
a civil court in trying cases.
States should constitute a State
Commission for the Protection of
Child Rights (SCPCR) or the Right
to Education Protection Authority
(REPA) within six months of 1
April. Any person wishing to file a
grievance must submit a written
complaint to the local authority.
P
Appeals will be decided by the
SCPCR/REPA. Prosecution f O
offences requires the sanction of an
officer authorised by the appropriate
government. L
RIGHT TO FOOD
It all began on 16th April 2001,
I
when PUCL submitted a “writ
petition” to the Supreme Court
asking three questions:
T
(1) Starvation deaths have become
National phenomena while we have
surplus stock of food grains in
Y
government godowns. Does the
Right to life mean that people who
are starving and who are poor to
buy grains free of cost by the state
from the surplus stock lying with
State particularly when it is lying
unused and rotting.
(2) Does the Right to Life under
Article 21 including Right to Food.
(3) Does the Right to Food which
has been upheld by the apex court
imply that the
State has a duty to provide food
especially in situations of drought to
people who are drought effected
and are not in a position to purchase
for.
As a result of ongoing proceedings,
the Supreme Court ordered
government agencies to identify the
needy within their jurisdictions and
assure that they receive adequate
food.
The Schemes which in a way
ensure Right to Food are:
• Sampurna Gramin Yojana
519
 • Mid Day Meal Scheme
• Integrated Child Development
Scheme
• National Benefit Maternity
Scheme for BPL pregnant women
• National Old age pension
scheme for people 65+ age
P •
•
Annapurna Scheme
Antyodaya Scheme
O •
•
National Family Benefit Scheme
PDS for BPL and APL families
L • As a party to international
covenant on Economic, Social,
Cultural Rights and Convention on
I Rights of child, India has committed
itself to honoring the right to
adequate food.
T The draft Food Security Bill has
been released by the government
recently. Major’ provisions of the bill
Y are :-
Part-I: Food entitlements and
Operational framework
 35 kg per household per month
grain of rice/wheat/millet at Rs.3/
2/1 per kg for priority groups
 20 kg at (at most) half of MSP
for general group Universalisation
of ICDS as per Supreme Court
Order recently
 Nutrition take home rations for
children under three and pregnant
and lactating women
 Cooked midday meals up to
class 8th in government and
government aided schools
 Daily free cooked meals for
destitute persons
 Portable entitlements for
migrants
Part-2: Grievance Redressal
 Swift fines for violation of Act
 Duty to fine when irregularities
are found
 Compensation in case of any
loss of entitlements
 At district level, there will be a
520 Prelims Magic 2014
GRO, i.e. Grievance Redressal
Officer.
 He will be an independent
officer to investigate fine and
compensate.
 Recruited by Objective National
Selection process by Union Public
Service Commission with non
extendable term five years.
RIGHT TO HEALTH
Right to health is a fundamental part
of our human rights and of our
understanding of a life in dignity. The
right to the enjoyment of the highest
attainable standard of physical and
mental health, to give its full name,
is not new.
Internationally, it was just articulated
in 1946 constitution of WHO whose
preamble defines health as a state
of complete physical, mental and
social well being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
The UDHR has also mentioned
health as a part of right to an
adequate standard of living.
Health was recognized as a human
right in 1966 in international
covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights.
Key aspects of right to health
are:
(a) Right to health is an inclusive
right including
- Safe drinking water, safe food,
nutrition
- Adequate housing and sanitation
- Health related education and
information
- Gender Equality
(b) Right to Health contains
freedoms like
- Right to be free from non
consensual medical treatment
- Forced sterilization
- Free from torture or punishment
(c) Right to Health contains
entitlements like
- A system providing equality of
opportunity for all to enjoy highest
attainable level of health
Right to prevention, treatment and
disease control - Access to
essential medicines
- Maternal and child, reproductive
health
- Participation of population in health
related decision making at national
and community levels.
(d) Health services to be provided
to all without discrimination.
(e) All services, goods and facilities
must be available accessible,
acceptable and of good quality.
Some International human
rights treaties recognizing right
to health are:
(i) 1965 - International· Convention
on Elimination of all form of Racial
Discrimination under Article 5 (e)
(iv).
(ii) 1966 - International covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights.
(iii) 1979- Convention on Elimination
of all forms of discrimination against
women.
(iv) 1989 - Convention of Rights of
Child.
(v) 1990 - International Convention
on Protection of Rights of all
Migrant
Workers and Members of their
families.
(vi) 2006 - Convention on
Rights of persons with disabilities.
(vii) Declaration of Alma-Aka
1978 affirms to the crucial role of
primary health
care and addresses the man health
problems in community, providing
promoting preventive, curative and
rehabilitative services.
Under Indian Constitution, Article
47 articulates the duty of the State
to raise the levels of nutrition and
standard of living and to improve
public health.
The convention on elimination of all
Forms of discrimination against
women advocates the parties to
take all appropriate measures in field
of health care to ensure to women
appropriate services in connection
with pregnancy, confinement and
post natal period, granting free
services where necessary, as well
as adequate nutrition during
pregnancy and lactation. The
convention advocates members to
enact laws to protect women for
abuse and by providing appropriate
physical and mental health services
and India’s Domestic Violence Act
of 2005 is a movement in this
direction.
The· Government of India provides
Right of access to health facilities
on a non­discriminatory basis under
National Rural Health Mission. It
provides access to shelter under
Indira Awaas Yojna, sanitation
under Total Sanitation Campaign
and adequate supply of drinking
water under Bharat Nirman. For
access of minimum food, food
security bill is on anvil.
National Rural Health Mission is a
Scheme to provide Universal
Health Care in India. It was
launched in 2005 and aims to
revitalize the public sector in health
by increasing funding, integration of
vertical health and family welfare
programs, employment of female
accredited social health activists in
every village, decentralized health
planning, community involvement
and providing united funds to health
facilities.
Jananani Suraksha Yojana launched
in 2005 aims to encourage women
to deliver in government health
facilities by providing financial
incentives. It is a conditional cash
transfer scheme which has largest
number of beneficiaries in world.
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana
launched in 2007 by Labour Ministry
to provide insurance coverage for
treatment in hospital to families
Below Poverty Line. The eligible
families get a Smart Card that
allows the members coverage up to
a limit at either or private hospital.
75% insurance premium yearly is
contributed by government 25% by
State Government. It includes
cashless or hospital, coverage of
pre-existing disease transportation
cost.
The Jan Anushadhi Program is a
PPP which aim at setting up
pharmacies in every district to
provide quality generic drugs and
surgical products at affordable
prices to the people.
The government drafted the first
National Health Bill in 2009 with a
view to provide for protection and
fulfillment of rights in relation to
health and well being, health equity
and justice, including those related
to all, underlying determinants of
health as well as healthcare and for
achieving goal by health for all. The
legislation goes beyond delivery of
health care services to endorsing
health care rights of every
individual. It envisages
• Integrated National Health
System for:—
• Integrating private and public
health care delivery.
• Creating Universal health care
fund and reduce the cost of health
care.
• Promote evidence based health
care practices.
• Promote rational use of drugs
and technology.
• Create a decentralized
governance structure that responds
to local needs and is accountable.
CONSUMER RIGHTS
Consumer rights were recognized
broadly in many ancient Hindu,
Islamic and Christian religious
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scriptures; however, no literary
work formalized them into a concise
set until the 1960s. Consumer rights
in India and the modern world owe
their origin to the consumer
revolution of the pre-60s in the
United States of America.
On March 15, 1962, US President
John F Kennedy made a historical
speech about consumer rights as he
introduced ‘The Consumer Bill of
P
Rights’ in the US Congress. Ever
since, countries all over the world
have celebrated March 15 as the
O
Consumers’ Day. However, in India
December 24 is celebrated as the
National Consumer Day since the
L
Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was
enacted on this day by the Indian
Parliament.
I
Kennedy strongly believed that it is
vital to United States’ National T
Interest to ensure the welfare of the
consumers, as it is the consumer
who fundamentally drives the Y
economy. He formulated four rights
for consumers, namely the right to
safety, right to choose, right to
information and right to be heard
which, in 1985, was accepted by the
United Nations (UN). The UN
added to this list the right to basic
needs, right to representation, right
to consumer education, and right to
healthy environment.
In the Consumer Protection Act,
1986 of India, the following six
consumer rights have been
recognized.
Right to Safety
As stated in the Consumer
Protection Act 1986, this consumer
right is defined as the ‘right to be
protected against marketing of
goods and services which are
hazardous to life and property’.
Specifically significant in areas such
as healthcare, food processing and
pharmaceuticals, this right spans
across any domain that could have
a serious impact on the consumers’
health or well being such as
Automobiles, Travel, Domestic
521
 Appliances, Housing etc. Violation
of this right is almost always the
cause of medical malpractice
lawsuits in India. Every year, it is
estimated that thousands, if not,
millions of Indian citizens are killed
or severely hurt by unscrupulous
practices by hospitals, doctors,
pharmacies and the automobile
P industry. Yet the Indian government,
renowned for its callousness, fails
to acknowledge this fact or to make
O a feeble attempt at maintaining
statistics of these mishaps. Indian
government is required to have
L world class product testing facilities
to test drugs, cars, food, and any
other consumable that could
I potentially be life threatening. It is
not a coincidence that Tata Nano
sells in India for half of what it would
T cost in an industrially developed
country; this being a classic case of
need for a cheap product
Y outweighing the need for safety of
self and family. In developed
countries such as the United States,
stalwart agencies oversee the
safety of consumer products; the
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) for food and drugs, the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) for
automobiles and the Consumer
Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) for all other consumer
products, just to name a few. This
right requires each product that
could potentially endanger our lives
to be marketed only after sufficient
and complete independent
verification and validation. With
respect to empowering this right
completely and adequately, India is
about 50 years away.
Right to Information
This consumer right is defined as
the ‘the right to be informed about
the quality, quantity, potency, purity,
standard and price of goods or
services, as the case may be so as
to protect the consumer against
unfair trade practices’ in the
Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
In the Indian market place,
522 Prelims Magic 2014
consumers get consumer
information through two popular, yet
unreliable means, namely
advertising and word of mouth. Due
to this, the consumers in India
seldom have accurate and complete
information to assess the true value,
suitability, safety or reliability of any
product. Mostly we find out hidden
costs, lack of suitability, safety
hazards and quality problems only
after we have purchased the
product. Another right again
trumpeted by our government on
paper, this right should ideally
ensure that all consumable products
are labeled in a standard manner
which contains the cost, the
ingredients, quantity,
instructions on how to safely
and
consume the product.
Unfortunately, even the medicines
in India do not follow a standard
labeling convention. Unit price
publishing standards need to be
established for consumer market
places where costs are shown in
standard units such as per kilogram,
or per liter. We, as consumers,
should be informed in a precise yet
accurate manner of the costs
involved when availing a loan. For
benefit to the society from this right,
advertisers should be held against
the product standards in the
advertisements, pharmaceuticals
need to disclose potential side
effects about their drugs, and
manufacturers should be required to
publish reports from independent
product testing laboratories
regarding the comparison of the
quality of their products with
competitive products, just to name
a few. Consumerdaddy is a website
meant to empower the consumers
with the right to information. We do
not seek or expect any support from
the government of India in this
mission; yet, we ethically,
systematically and fearlessly
dissipate consumer satisfaction
information to the general public in
India. Without websites like
Consumerdaddy.com we believe
Indian citizens are about 25 years
away from being fully empowered
by this right.
Right to Choose
Consumer Protection Act 1986
defines this right as ‘the right to be
assured, wherever possible, to have
access to a variety of goods and
services at competitive prices’.
Competition, invariably, is the best
regulator of a market place.
Existence of oligopolies, cartels and
monopolies are counterproductive
to consumerism. How often have
you noticed a conglomerate of
companies that lobby the
government to compromise
consumer rights? Our natural
resources, telecommunications,
liquor industry, airlines have all been
controlled by a mafia at some point.
Coming from a socialistic
background, tolerance of
monopolistic market forces are
ingrained in the blood of Indian
Consumers. It is not very often we
can say we are going to switch the
power company, when we have a
blackout at home! Interestingly,
even micro markets such as the fish
vendors in particular cities have
known to collude to drain the
bargaining power of the consumers.
In any size, any form, or any span,
collusion of companies selling a
similar type of product is unethical,
less illegal. We estimate that India
has about 20 years more of stride
to empower our citizens fully in this
right.
Right to be Heard
According to the Consumer
Protection Act 1986, ‘the right to be
heard and to be assured that
consumer’s interests will receive
due consideration at appropriate
forums’ is referred to as the right to
be heard. This right is supposed to
empower Indian consumers to
fearlessly voice their complaints and
concerns against products and
companies to ensure their issues are
handled efficiently and
expeditiously. However, to date the
Government of India has not created
a single outlet for the consumers to
be heard or their opinions to be
voiced. There are several websites
that strive to do this, and the
underlying mission of
Consumerdaddy is to ensure that the
voices of the consumers are heard
by the corporate world. At the
Consumerdaddy.com website,
consumers can upload criticisms and
file complaints. Each criticism filed
will slightly lower the overall score
of the product being criticized, and
each complaint will be
independently evaluated by an
investigator from
Consumerdaddy.com website.
the
Consumerdaddy.com gives the
consumers the benefit of doubt
always, in that their voice is heard
over that of the company. We, at
Consumerdaddy.com, strongly
believe that a consumer is always
right, and that customer is king. If a
consumer makes an allegation about
a product, the onus is on the dealer,
manufacturer or supplying company
to disprove that the allegation is
false. In other words, the consumer
is heard, and the burden of proof
rests with the company. Feeble
attempts have been made by the
government to empower our citizens
with this right, and we believe we
have 10-15 years more to go on this
route.
Right to Redressal
The right ‘to seek redressal against
unfair trade practices or restrictive
trade practices or unscrupulous
exploitation of consumers’ is
defined as the right to redressal in
the Consumer Protection Act 1986.
The Indian Government has been
slightly more successful with respect
to this right. Consumer courts such
as District Consumer Disputes
Redressal Forums at the district
level, State Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commissions and
National Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commissions have been
established through the consumer
protection act. Each of these
consumer grievance redressal
agencies has fiduciary and
geographical jurisdictions to address
consumer cases between
consumers and businesses.
Consumer cases less than 20 lakhs
are heard in the district consumer
forum, between 20 lakhs and one
crore are heard in the state
consumer court and cases more than
one crore are heard in the national
consumer court. On paper these
sound nice; but hold on before you
rejoice. Once started as the
guardians of consumer protection
and consumer rights in India, these
courts have today been rendered
ineffective due to bureaucratic
sabotages, callousness of the
government, clogged cases and
decadent infrastructure. Very few
of the district forums have officials
appointed in a timely manner, and
most of them are non-operational
due to lack of funding and
infrastructure. Estimates put the
open legal cases in India at 20-30
million, which will approximately
take 320 years to close. With the
legal system in this manner
compromised, consumer cases that
form mere civil litigations will be
pushed down the bottom of the
priority list. We estimate that India
is 10 years behind in effectively
ensuring this right to every Indian
consumer.
Right to Consumer Education
The right of each Indian citizen to
be educated on matters related to
consumer protection and about his/
her rights is the last right given by
the Consumer Protection Act 1986.
This right simply ensures that the
consumers in India have access to
informational programs and
materials that would enable them to
make better purchasing decisions.
Consumer education may mean
both formal education through
school and college curriculums and
also consumer awareness
campaigns run by both
governmental and non
governmental agencies (NGO).
Consumer NGOs, with little support
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from the Indian government,
primarily undertake the ardent task
of ensuring this consumer right
around the country. India is 20 years
away from ensuring this right
empowers the common citizen
consumer.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
ACT, 1986 - AT A GLANCE
> Enacted to provide for the better P
protection of the interest of
consumer
> Act applies to whole of India
O
except Jammu and Kashmir
> Chapter I, II and IV came into L
force on 15.4.1987. Chapter III
came into force on 1.7.1987
> The act was amended in 2002 and
I
the amendments came into force
w.e.f. 15th March 2003. T
WHAT IS A COMPLAINT?
“Complaint” means any allegation
in writing made by a compliant that:
Y
I. An unfair trade practice or a
restrictive trade practice has been
adopted by any trader or service
provider;
II. The goods bought by him or
agreed to be bought by him suffer
from one or more defects ;
III. The services hired or availed of
or agreed to be hired or availed off
by him suffer from deficiency in any
respect;
IV. A trader or service provider as
the case may be has charged for
the goods or for the services
mentioned in the complaint, a price
in excess of the price
a. fixed by or under any law for the
time being in force;
b. displayed on the goods or any
package containing such goods;
c. displayed on the price list
exhibited by him by or under any
law for the time being in force;
d. agreed between the parties .
V. Goods which will be hazardous
523
 to life and safety when used are
being offered for sale to the public
a. In contravention of any standards
relating to safety of such goods as
required to be compiled with, by or
under any law for the time being in
force;
b. If the trader could have known
P with due diligence that the goods so
offered are unsafe to the public;
O VI. Service which are hazardous or
likely t be hazardous to the life and
safety of the public when used, are
L being offered by the service provider
which such person could have
known with due diligence to be
I injurious to life and safety.
WHO IS A CONSUMER ?
T > Any person who buys goods or
avails services for consideration
> Consideration may be fully paid,
Y partially paid or fully promised to be
paid or partially promised to be paid
> Any body who uses the goods or
services with the consent of the
consumer
> Legal heir of consumer in case
death of consumer
> Does not include any person who
buys goods for resale or commercial
purpose and services for
commercial purpose
> However any person who buys
goods for commercial use but
exclusively for his livelihood by
means of self employment is a
consumer.
WHAT IS A DEFECT ?
Fault, Imperfection , Shortcoming In
the: Quality ,Quantity ,Potency
,Purity Or Standards which is
required to be maintained by or
under any law for the time being in
force
WHAT IS A DEFICIENCY ?
Fault, Imperfection , Shortcoming
Or Inadequacy In the Quality ,
Standard and Manner of
performance which is required to be
524 Prelims Magic 2014
maintained by or under any law for
the time being in force.
WHAT IS A SERVICE?
“Service” means service of any
description, which is made available
to potential users and includes, but
not limited to the provisions of the
facilities in connection with
1) banking 2) financing 3) insurance
4) transport 5) processing 6) supply
of electrical or other energy 7)
boarding or lodging or both 8) house
construction
9) entertainment 10) amusement or
11) the purveying or new or other
information
But does not include the rendering
of any service free of charge or
under a contract of personal service
CONSUMER DISPUTE
REDRESSAL AGENCIES
1)A Consumer Dispute Redressal
Forum at the District level.
2)A Consumer Dispute Redressal
Commission at the State level.
3)A National Consumer Dispute
Redressal Commission at national
level.
JURISDICTION
District Forum: Where the value
of goods or services and the
compensation, if any claimed does
not exceed Rs 20 Lakhs
State Commission: Above 20
lakhs and below 1 crore
National Commission: Above 1
crore
FILING OF COMPLAINTS
A complaint may be filed by
a) The consumer to whom the goods
are sold or services are provided
b) Any recognised consumer
association
c) One or more consumers with
same interest
d) The central government or state
government
Amount of fee for filing
When the value of goods/ services
and compensation is up to 1 lakh
rupees amount of fee is Rs 100
When the value of goods/ services
and compensation is above 1 lakh
and up to 5 lakh rupees amount of
fee is Rs 200
When the value of goods/ services
and compensation is above 5 lakh
and up to 10 lakh rupees amount of
fee is Rs 400
POWER OF CIVIL COURT
TO DISTRICT FORUM
The District Forum shall have the
powers of Civil Courtwhile trying a
suit in respect of the following
matters ;
a) The summoning and enforcing
attendance of any defendant or
witness and examining the witness
on oath.
b) The discovery and production of
any document or other material
object producible as evidence.
c) The reception of evidence on
affidavit
d) The requisition of the report of
the concerned analysis or test from
the appropriate laboratory of from
any other relevant source.
e) Any other matter which may be
prescribed.
RELIEF TO THE COM-
PLAINANT ?
IF THE COMPLAINT IS
PROVED THE FORUM
SHALL ORDER
a) to remove defect pointed out by
the appropriate laboratory from the
goods in question;
b) to replace the goods with new
goods of similar description which
shall be free from any defect;
c) to return to the complainant the
price, or , as the case may be, the
charges paid by the complainant;
d) to pay such amount as may be
awarded by it as compensation to
the consumer for any loss or injury
suffered by the consumer due to
negligence of the opposite party;
e) To remove the defect in goods
or deficiency in the services in
question.
f) to discontinue the unfair trade
practice or the restrictive trade
practice or not to repeat them;
g) not to offer hazardous goods for
sale;
h)to withdraw the hazardous goods
from being offered for sale;
ha) to cease manufacture of
hazardous goods and to desist from
offering services which are
hazardous in nature;
hb) to pay such sum as may be
determined by it, if it is of the opinion
that loss or injury has been suffered
by a large number of consumers
who are not identifiable
conveniently.
hc) to issue corrective
advertisements to neutralize the
effect of misleading advertisement
at the cost of the opposite party
responsible for issuing such
misleading advertisement;
i) To provide for adequate cost to
parties.
APPEAL
> shall be filed within thirty days.
> Delay in filing appeal may be
condoned if there is sufficient cause.
LIMITATION PERIOD
Within two years from the date on
which the cause of action has
arisen.
DISMISSAL OF FRIVOLOUS OR
VEXATIOUSCOMPLAINTS
> Where a complaint instituted
before the District Forum, the State
Commission or the National
Commission, is found to be frivolous
or vexatious, it shall, for reasons to
be recorded in writing, dismiss the
complaint and make an order that
the complainant shall pay to the
opposite party such Cost, not
exceeding ten thousand rupees, as
may specified in the order.
PENALTIES
Where a trader or a person against
whom a complaint is made (or the
complainant) fails or omits to
comply with any order made by the
District Forum, the State
Commission or the National
Commission, such trader or person
(or complainant) shall be punishable
with imprisonment for a term which
shall not be less than one month but
which may extend to three years or
with fine which shall not be less than
two thousand rupees but which may
extend to ten thousand rupees, or
with both.
43 PUBLIC POLICIES
The major areas in which Public
Policies have been formulated by the
Government of India are in
1. Agriculture
2. Chemicals and Fertilizers
3. Commerce
4. Communication and Informa-
tion Technology
5. Education
6. Environment
7. Finance
8. Health and Family Welfare
9. Mines and Minerals
10. Electricity and Power
11. Social Justice and Empower-
ment
12. Telecommunications
13. Water Resources
14. Urban Development
15. Urban Housing, and
16. Tourism
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. With reference to consumers’
rights/ privileges under the
provisions of law in India, which
of the following statements is/are
correct?
1. Consumers are empowered to
take samples for food testing.
2. When a consumer files a
complaint in any consumer forum,
no fee is required to be paid.
P
3. In case of death of a consumer,
his/her legal heir can file a
complaint in the consumer forum
O
on his/her behalf.
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
L
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans (c) CSE 2010
I
T
Y
Let us now have a look at the major
policies undertaken by the
Government in the last few years
in the above fields:-
1. AGRICULTURE
Major Policies are -
• National Policy for Farmers, 2007
Agriculture Pricing Policy
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana or
National Agriculture Development
Programme
• Agriculture Policy: A Vision for
2020
NATIONAL POLICY FOR
FARMERS, 2007
The importance of agriculture in the
socio-economic fabric· of India can
be realized from the fact that the
livelihood of majority of country’s
population depends on agriculture.
The income levels are determined
by the overall production, supported
by reasonable levels of yield and
prices realized by the farmers.
525
 The aim of this policy is to stimulate
attitudes and actions which should
result in assessing agricultural
progress in terms of improvement
in the income of farm families, not
only to meet their consumption
requirements but also to enhance
their capacity to invest in farm
related activities.
P The major goals of National Policy
for Farmers are:
O (1) To improve economic viability
of farming· by substantially
increasing the net income of
L farmers and to ensure that
agriculture progress is measured by
advances made in this income.
I (2) To protect and improve land,
water, biodiversity and genetic
T resources essential for sustained
increase in the productivity,
profitability and stability of major
Y farming systems by creating an
economic stake in conservation.
(3) To develop support services
including provision for seeds,
irrigation, power,
machinery and implements,
fertilizers, and credit at affordable
prices in adequate quantity for the
farmers.
(4) To strengthen the bio-security
of crops, farm animals, fish and
forest trees for
safeguarding the livelihood and
income security of farmer families
and the health and trade security of
the nation.
(5) To provide appropriate price and
trade policy mechanisms to enhance
farmers’ income.
(6) To complete unfinished agenda
in land reforms and to initiate
comprehensive asset and Aquarian
reforms.
(7) To mainstream the human and
gender dimension in all farm policies
and programmes.
(8) To pay explicit attention to
sustainable rural livelihood.
526 Prelims Magic 2014
(9) To make India a global hub in
outsourcing the production and
supply of inputs needed for
sustainable agriculture, products and
processes developed through
biotechnology and Information and
Communication Technology (ICT).
The policy has defined a “Farmer”
as a person actively engaged in the
economic and/or livelihood activity
of growing crops and producing
other primary agricultural
commodities and will include all
agricultural operational holders,
cultivators, agricultural labourers,
sharecroppers, tenets, poultry rears,
planting labourers and also persons
engaged in sericulture, vermiculture,
agro-forestry. The term also includes
tribal families engaged in shifting
cultivation and in the collection, use
and sale of minor and non timber
forest produce.
The purpose of asset reforms in the
policy is to ensure that every farmer
household in villages possesses and/
or has access to productive assets
like land, livestock, fishpond,
homestead farm and/or income
through an enterprise and or market
driven skills, so that the household
income is increased on a sustainable
basis.
Considering recent land acquisitions
of farmlands by the governments
and handing over it to private firms
in the name of public interest, the
policy advocates preservation and
conservation of prime farmland
except under exceptional
circumstances, provided that the
agencies that are provided with
agricultural land for non-agricultural
products should compensate for
treatment of and full development
of wasteland elsewhere. It also
advocates the states to earmark land
with low biological potential for
acquisition for non agricultural
development activities.
The policy advocates that existing
ponds be renovated and a water
literacy movement be launched for
sustainable use of ground water. It
advocates symbiotic interaction and
convergence of efforts of initiatives
to promote water use efficiency and
conservation measures.
Policy advocates a Drought Code
be introduced identifying the action
needed to minimize the impact of
adverse monsoons and to maximize
the benefits of a good season. Same
way, a flood code be introduced to
mitigate distress, take care of needs
of farmers immediately after floods
and help convert flood-free seasons
into major agricultural production
periods.
Protection of plant varieties and
Farmers’ Rights Act of 2001 and
Biological Diversity Act of 2002
are· enacted to protect the bio-
resources for farmers and ensure
their sustainable use with equitable
sharing of benefits.
To fight climate change, the policy
advocates that experienced farmers
be trained as “Climate Managers”
in art of managing drought, flood and
aberrant monsoons.
Article 243G of Constitution
entrusts panchayats with the
responsibility for agriculture and
extension. It must be made sure that
steps are taken to strengthen and
accord centrality to panchayats in
addressing the problems of farmers.
AGRICULTURE PRICING
POLICY OF INDIA
The role of the government in
providing a system of just and
remunerative prices to farmers is
quite important. A remunerative
price for agriculture products
ensures that
• Farmers are not forced to sell at
below cost prices in times of a
slump.
• Agriculture prices do not get out
of control in a year of crop failure.
• Prices that maximize long run
growth of the economy prevails.
The basic theme of the price policy
is that the prices should be
conducive for higher production,
investments and growth. The
instruments of agriculture price
policy are:
Minimum Support Price
Public Distribution System
In 1965, the Government of India
constituted the Agriculture Price
Commission.
The aim of the Commission was to
advice the government on the price
policy of agricultural commodities
with a view to evolving a balanced
and integrated price structure in the
perspective of overall needs of the
economy and with due regard to the
interests of producers and
consumers.
It has been made clear that the
concern for consumer interests
should not be allowed to take away
the farmers’ incentive to adopt
improved technology and make
necessary investments for the
purpose.
The MSP is announced each year
by the Government is calculated by
Commission for Agriculture Costs
and Prices after taking into account
cost of production, changes in
output price parity, inter-crop price
parity, international market price
situation and effects on cost of
living. Of all factors, the cost of
production is the most tangible
factor and it takes into account all
operational and fixed costs. The
Government offers Price Support
System (PSS) of commodities for
which SMP are fixed. After this, the
goods are sold under PDS at Issue
Price which is the price at which
goods are sold through PDS outlets.
RASHTRIYA KRISHI
VIKAS YOJANA
• Yojana is as per the resolution
passed by the National
Development Council.
• It aims to re-orient current
agricultural development strategies
and meet the needs of farmers.
• It had set up a target of growth
of 4% of the agriculture in the 11th
Plan period for 2007-2012.
• The main objective of the
Scheme is to incentivise the State
Government to increase the outright
investments in agriculture to achieve
the 4% growth rate.
• The District and States have to
come up with Agriculture Plans to
increase the share of expenditure
in agriculture.
• All the planning, approval and
execution is done by State
Government. At State· level, there
will be State level Sanctioning
Committees headed by Chief
Secretary to approve RKVY
projects.
• The Centre will provide 100%
central assistance wherein
• Stream-1 will have 75% funds
for specific State and District
Projects; and
• Stream-2· will have 25% funds
to strengthen existing state sector
schemes and filling gap in
resources.
• Nodal department is the State
Agriculture Department.
• Main activities to be undertaken
are Integrated Food Crop
Development including cereals,
millets, pulses; Agricultural
mechanization and development of
market infrastructure; Integrated
Pest Management, etc.
AGRICULTURE POLICY-
VISION FOR 2020
The vision document says that
agriculture policy must accelerate
all round development and -
economic viability of agriculture in
comprehensive terms. In national
seniority setting, focus should be on:
• Investments in agriculture,
structural adjustment and impact on
poor.
• Conservation of natural
resources and environment
protection.
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• Revolution in informatics and
communication and the opportunity
of linking farmers, extension
workers and scientists with national
and international databases.
• It advocates a clear long term
vision where inter sectoral linkages
are explicit.
• Need is to spell out new
approaches and new institutions free P
from the shackles of bureaucratic
and self help framework.
• There is a need to develop a
O
consensus on investment themes,
priorities and policies. There is a
need for a clear vision on incentive
L
framework and risk management.
• Attention should be given to
balanced use of nutrients.
I
Phosphorous deficiency is now
most widespread soil fertility
problem in both irrigated and
T
unirrigated areas.
• Because the agriculture in India Y
is still dependent upon monsoon,
there is a severe need for
watershed management, hybrid
technology and small farm
mechanization to be carried out as
a three pronged strategy.
• Accelerated investment are
needed to facilitate agriculture and
rural development through
• Productivity increasing varieties
of crops
• Yield increasing and
environment friendly production o
Improved institutional credit support.
• The above measures shall ensure
sustainable agriculture in India.
(2) CHEMICALS AND
FERTILISERS
Major Policies are:
• National Drug Policy, 1986
• National Pharmaceutical Policy,
2002
• Modifications in Drug Policy
NATIONAL DRUG POLICY
The Goal of “Health for All” to be
527
 achieved by year 2000 through
comprehensive universal health care
requires an accelerated
development of inputs of health
care. including essential and life
saving drugs and vaccines. The
report of Hathi Committee in 1975
is an important landmark as it
emphasized the achievement of self
P sufficiency in medicines and of
abundant availability at reasonable
prices of essential machines.
O The Policy objectives are:
(1) Ensuring abundant availability,
L at reasonable prices, of essential life
saving and prophylactic medicines
of good quality.
I (2) Strengthening the system of
quality control over the drug system
production and promoting rational
T use of drugs in the country.
(3) Creating an environment
Y conducive to channelising new
investment into the pharmacy
industry, to encouraging cost-
effective production with economic
sizes and to introducing new
technologies and new drugs.
(4) Strengthening the indigenous
capability for production of drugs.
The policy ensures proper
dispensing and use, of drugs and
guidelines have been laid down for
packaging instructions. Policy
advocates colour coding of packs
would be insisted upon to
differentiate products according to
degree of hazard.
The policy advocated setting up of
infrastructural facilities for quality
control.
Also, to maintain quality
consciousness in drug
manufacturing, certification scheme
has to be initiated.
The policy advocated principle of
selectivity is a basic approach to
drug pricing. It is of the view that
more selectivity in the system of
price regulation with a view to
ensuring fair prices of drugs and
formulations would be desirable.
528 Prelims Magic 2014
The Policy recommends -
• Stimulation of production of
drugs and formulations which are
essential to the needs of large
majority.
• Make price control system less
cumbersome but more effective, by
reducing span of control.
• Ensure reasonable returns to
producers of essential drugs, while
at same time restricting undue
increase in their price.
Modification in Drug Policy
Keeping in view the need to
encourage more investment in this
important sector to achieve future
demands likely to be placed in order
to meet the growing needs of the
country as well as to promote
exports, it was proposed to treat
companies with foreign equity up to
51 % on par with wholly Indian
companies:
The modified policy says that
keeping in mind the levels of
technology already available in the
country, it is necessary to consider
proposals involving foreign equity
participation above 51 % on merits
of each case.
• The Policy advocates a National
Drug Authority be setup by an Act
of Parliament
to
• Develop, define basic
appropriate standards relating to
manufacture, import, supply,
promotion and use of drugs.
• Monitor standard practices in
drug promotion and use.
• Enforce standard Quality
measures.
• Approve and register pharma
products for use in India.
Policy also advocates an urgent
need to upgrade drug testing
facilities in the country. It also
advocates strengthening of
Ayurvedic, Unani, Sidha,
Homeopathy and traditional systems
of medicines.
NATIONAL PHARMACEU-
TICAL POLICY
The objectives of the Policy are -
• Ensuring abundant availability at
reasonable prices within the country
of good quality essential
pharmaceuticals
consumption.
of mass
• Strengthening the indigenous
capacity and capability for cost
effective quality production and
exports of pharmaceuticals by
reducing barriers to trade in the
pharma sector.
• Strengthening the system of
quality control over drug
pharmaceutical production and
distribution to make quality an
essential attribute of Indian pharma
industry and promoting rational use
of pharma.
• Encouraging R&D in pharmacy
in a manner compatible with the
country’s needs and with particular
focus on diseases endemic to India
by creating an environment
conducive to channelising a higher
level of investment into R&D In
pharmacy in India.
• Creating an incentive framework
for pharma industry which promotes
new investment into pharma and
encourages introduction of new
technologies and new drugs.
(3) COMMERCE
Major Policies are:
• Consolidated FDI Policy, 2010
• National Employment Policy,
2008
• National Manufacturing Policy,
2011
CONSOLIDATED FDI
POLlCY, 2010
• Investment is understood as
financial contribution to the capital
of an enterprise or purchase of
shares in enterprise.
• Foreign Investment is
investment in an enterprise by a
Non-Resident irrespective of
whether this involves new capital or
re-investment of earnings. It is of 2
kinds viz. (1) FDI; (2) Foreign
Portfolio Investment.
• FDI is a category of cross
border investment made by a
resident in one economy with the
objective of establishing a ‘lasting
interest’ in an enterprise that is
resident in an economy other than
that of direct investor. The
motivation of direct investor is long
term strategic relationship and to
ensure significant degree of
influence by direct investor in
management of investment
enterprise. FDI supplements
domestic capital and technology.
In India, FDI is a transaction on
“Capital Account” and is regulated
under FEMA, 1999. The policy
allows any non-resident entity (other
than a citizen of Pakistan) to invest
in India. The policy allows entities
into which FDI can be made and
they are:
(a) FDI in Micro and Small
Enterprises
(b) FDI in Partnership or
Proprietary concerns (provided
proprietor is not engaged in
agriculture or print media sector).
(c) FDI in Trusts
The Policy prohibits certain
investments in India like
(a) Retail Trading (except single
brand product retail)
(b) Lottery business
(c) Gambling and betting including
casinos
(d) Business of Chit Fund
(e) Nidhi Company
(f) Trading in Transferable
Development Rights
(g) Manufacturing of Cigars and
tobacco
substitutes
(h) Atomic Energy and Railway
Transport (other than
Mass Rapid Transport) - System
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT
POLICY (DRAFT PAPER)
The policy aims to achieve the goal
of decent and remunerative work
for all women and men seeking such
work, in conditions of freedom,
equity, security and human dignity.
The objective is to provide a
framework towards the goal of
achieving remunerative and decent
employment for all women .and men
in labour force. More specifically, it
aims to achieve:
(a) Accelerated employment growth
in organized sector;
and
(b) Improving the quality of jobs in
unorganized sector.
Policy to ensure not only more jobs
are created but, jobs that are decent
and ensure minimum wages, safe
working conditions and basic social
security are created. Key areas are:
(a) Level of Wages; and (b)
Minimum Wages.
Policy must be based on
consideration that development must
be regionally balanced and
environmentally sustainable.
Supportive structures and an
enabling environment need to be
created to ensure that not only
productive employment
opportunities increase but also there
is an increase in participation of
women in mainstream economic and
social activities.
Focus should be on informal
segment and provide for strategies
specifically needed to ensure quality
employment growth of informal
sector.
The policy should also focus on
strengthening capacities of self
employed to improve their earnings
and turn their work from a survival
strategy into productive employment
with rising income levels.
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Public expenditure on activities with
high potential for increasing
employment creating capacity such
as irrigation and transport
infrastructure should get highest
priority.
Labour intensive sectors like Micro,
Small Enterprises should be
provided with strong technology and
skill support through a package of
extension services.
P
A system of Employment Impact
Assessment needs to be developed O
and made a pre-condition of all
major macro economic initiatives.
NATIONAL MANUFAC-
L
TURING POLICY
It aims to increase the share of
I
manufacturing in the economy to
22% from existing 16% so that it
contributes 25% of GDP by 2022.
T
It aims to create 100 Million jobs in
next ten years. Y
It advocates National Manufactu-
ring Investment Zones which will
offer clearing facilities. The Delhi-
Mumbai Industrial Corridor is
anchored in National Policy
framework.
There are easy norms of exit for
National Manufacturing Investment
Zones.
The Policy provides for a 20 day
compensation for every year of
services from old norm of 15 days.
Compensation can be a jobless
insurance policy or a common
sinking fund set up for all units
which can be dipped into in case of
a particular unit shuts shop.
Exemption for Small and Medium
Enterprises from Long Term Capital
Gains if sale proceeds of a
residential property is reinvested in
equity of a new startup company.
(4) COMMUNICATIONS
AND INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
The major policies are:
529
 • National Broadband Policy 2004
• National Policy on Information
Technology, 2011
• National Policy on Electronics,
2011
NATIONAL BROADBAND
POLICY
P Recognising the potential of
ubiquitous Broadband services in
growth of GDP and enhancement
O in quality of life through societal
applications including tele
education, tele-medicine, e-
L governance as well as employment
generation by way of high speed
access, to information and web
I based communication, the Indian
Government has formulated a policy
to accelerate the growth of
T broadband services.
Demand for Broadband is
Y conditioned and driven by Internet
and PC penetration.
It is recognized that the current level
of Internet and Broadband access
in the country is low as compared
to many asian countries.
Presently, an always on-high speed
Internet access at 128 kbps is
considered as broadband. The
Government envisions an
accelerated growth in Internet
penetration and PC as the success
of Broadband would largely be-
dependent on their speed.
The Policy defines Broadband as an
always on data connection that is
able to support interactive services
including Internet access and has the
capability on the minimum download
speed of 256 kbps to an individual
subscriber from the point of
presence of the service provider
intending to provide Broadband
services where multiple such
individual Broadband connections
are aggregated and the subscriber
is able to access these interactive
devices including the Internet
through the POP.
The Policy envisages an estimated
530 Prelims Magic 2014
growth for the Broadband and
Internet Subscribers below:
Year Internet Broadband
Subscribers Subscribers
2005 6 million 3 million
2007 18 million, 9 million
2010 40 million 20 million
The policy visualizes creation of
infrastructure through various
access technologies which can
contribute to growth and can
mutually coexist.
Various access technologies under
the policy are:
(a) Optical Fibre Technology:
Under this technology, the policy
envisages the spread
of optical fibre networks keeping in
view the long term perspective.
(b) Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
on Copper Loop: Recognising that
last mile copper loop is not a
bottleneck facility for provision of
broadband services, the policy
advocates that access providers
shall be free to enter into mutually
agreed commercial arrangements
for utilization of available copper loop
for expansion of broadband. The
owner of local loop will be free to
decide the areas in which
investment is to be made to upgrade
the infrastructure for Broadband.
(c) Cable TV Network: It can be
used as franchisee network of
service provider for provisioning
Broadband.
(d) Satellite Media: Here, Very Small
Apertare Terminals (VSAT) and
Direct to Home (DTH) services
would be encouraged for penetration
of Broadband and Internet Services
with added advantage to serve
remote and inaccessible areas. To
keep pace with technological
advances, the clause of Satellite
Media will be reviewed periodically.
(e) Terrestrial Wireless: Its an
another upcoming technology
platform for broadband if the policy
has decided to delicence 2.40-2.48
GHz band for low power outdoor
use on non-protection, non-
interference and non exclusive
basis. To accelerate penetration of
Broadband and Intercourse, 5.15-
5.35 GHz be delicensed for indoor
use of low power WiFi Systems.
NATIONAL POLICY ON
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY, 2011
Information Technology is a key
driver of an increasingly
knowledgeable based global
economy. A knowledge based
economy is now a sin qua non for
leadership. Given its current global
position in IT and ITES, India is well
positioned to enhance and leverage
the IT capabilities towards this end.
India aspires to become a
knowledge economy with a global
role.
The National Policy on IT focuses
on application of technology-
enabled approaches to overcome
monumental developmental
challenges in education, health, skill
development, financial inclusion,
governance, etc.
The policy seeks to achieve twin
goals i.e. (a) Bringing full power of
ICT within the reach of whole India;
and (b) Harnessing the capability
and human resources of whole
India to enable India to emerge as
global hub of IT/ITES by 2020.
The vision of the policy is to
strengthen and enhance India’s
position as global IT hub and to use
IT as an engine for rapid, inclusive
and sustainable growth in the
national economy and transform
India into a knowledge and service
society and ensure a secure cyber
space to facilitate trust and enable
sustained growth of ICT.
The objectives are to increase
revenue of IT and ITES to 300
USD Billion by 2020 and expand
exports to 200 million USD and gain
significant global market share in
cloud based technologies and
services and mobile based value
added services. It envisages a pool
of 10 million additional skilled
manpower in ICT and to make one
individual in every household e-
literate.
The stratagies are:
Make requisite policy changes to
make India a preferred destination
to establish and operate IT/ITES
enterprises including a stable tax
regime.
• Formulate fiscal and other
policies to attract investment in IT
industry in Tier-II and Tier-III cities
for expanding the base of IT and
creating employment opportunities.
• Set up centres of Excellence in
institutes of higher learning so as to
produce at least 3000 Ph D’s in ICT
by 2020.
• Encourage ICT based Green
technologies.
• Leverage ICT including Mobile
Technology to enable outreach of
secure and interoperable financial
and banking services.
• Undertake implementation of
Mission Mode Projects in PDS and
Health, Education and Financial
Services.
• Create, establish and operate
Information Security Assurance
Framework.
NATIONAL POLICY ON
ELECTRONICS
The Policy has a vision to transfer
India into a global hub for
Electronics System Design and
Manufacturing so as to meet the
growing domestic and Global
Demand. It aims to create a globally
competitive electronics Design and
manufacturing industry to meet the
country’s needs and serve
International Market.
The Mission is
• To promote indigenous
manufacturing in the entire value
chain of Electronics System Design
and Manufacturing (ESDM) for
economic development.
• To develop capacities for
manufacture of strategic electronics
in India and promote a viable and
sustainable ecosystem of R&D,
design and innovation in Electronics.
Major objectives are:
• Create an ecosystem for a
globally competitive ESDM and
achieve a turnover of 400 billion
USD by 2020 with an investment
of 100 billion USD’ and employment
to 28 million people at various levels.
• Achieve global leadership in chip
design and achieve a turnover of 55
billion by 2020.
• Increase in exports of ESDN to
80 Billion USD by 2020 and develop
an accurate security ecosystem in
ESDM for its strategic use.
• Become a global leader in
creating Intellectual Property in
ESDM sector by increasing fund
flow for R&D.
• Expedite adoption of best
practices in e-waste management.
• Create specialized governance
structures within the Government to
cater to specific needs of ESDM
including high velocity of
technological and business model
changes.
Strategies are:
• To facilitate setting up of
Semiconductor Water Tab facilities
and its ecosystem for design and
chip fabrication.
• Provide Preferential, Market
Access for domestically made
electronic products.
• Set up 200 Electronic
Manufacturing Clusters with world
class logistics and infrastructure and
assistance to setting up of Greenfier
clusters and upgradation of
Brownfield clusters.
• Provide 10 year stable tax
regime for ESDM sector.
• Extend Manpower Develop-
ment Programme for very large
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scale integration chip design to
include larger number of colleges
and students leveraging the National
Knowledge Network.
• Set up a “Fund of Funds” to
create need based “Daughter
Funds” for various innovation and
manufacturing stages.
• Encourage electronics in
creating hybrid branches like P
avionics, encourage electronics in
LED Technology, Medical
Electronics, Solar Photo Voltaics, O
Broadcasting.
(5) EDUCATION L
The major policies are:
• National Policy on Education,
1968
I
• National Policy on Education,
1986 T
• National Programme of Action
• Education for All - Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyaan
Y
NATIONAL POLICY ON
EDUCATION, 1968
This is the first comprehensive
policy which aimed at promoting:
• National Progress
• Creating a common sense of
citizenship and culture
• Strengthening national
Integration
• Cultivation of Moral values
• Gave specific attention to
Science and Technology
It introduced a common structure
of education where the focus was
on elementary education.
Elementary Education was defined
as education from Standard 1st to
Standard 8th covering population of
age group 6-14. The two stages are:
(a) Primary education - upto 5th
standard and 6-11 years of age; and
(b) Upper Primary Education ­from
6th to 8th standard and 11-14 years
of age.
531
 NATIONAL EDUCATION
POLICY 1986
This policy was outlined in a mega
document titled “Challenge of
Education”, and gave a detailed
baseline of the problems faced by
different sectors of education.
It advocated “National System of
P Education” which implies that up to
a given level, irrespective of creed,
caste, sex, students have the access
O to education of a comparable
quality.
L It also built upon the so called 10 +
2 + 3 structure of education. For the
10 + 2
I system, the break up was:
 5 years of primary education;
T  3 years of upper primary
education; and
 2 years of high school.
Y This new policy had a thrust on
education for equality. Education
was decided to be an agent of basic
change in the status of women.
It was expected that National
System of Education envisaged
would play a positive, interventionist
role in women empowerment.
The centralized theme of the policy
revolved on development of
Scheduled Castes (SC) in
equalization with non-SC population
at all stages and levels of education
in all areas and in all four cases i.e.
- Rural Males
- Rural Females
- Urban Males
- Urban Females
The new thrust area in elementary
education was to emphasize on two
factors i.e.
(a) Universal Enrolment and
retention up to the age of 14.
(b) Substantial Improvement in
quality of education.
The policy placed highest priority to:
• Education on minorities
532 Prelims Magic 2014
• Children dropping out of school
and adopted an array of meticulously
formulated strategies based on
• Micro Planning
• Grass root level application
• Children retention at school
• education development and
Full coordination with non formal
education
The strategy adopted for
implementation was entrusted upon
Programme of Action. So, now let
us see what is the Programme of
Action and try to understand it and
link it to the policy.
NATIONAL PROGRAMME
OF ACTION
The Programme of Action (POA)
was meant to provide an indication
of nature of activities needed to
implement policy directives.
• 23 Task Forces were constituted
and assigned specific subjects like
• Content and Process of school
education
• Education for SC/ST and
Minorities
• Teacher training and
Management of Education
• Rural Universities and Institutes
• Exam reform and Evaluation
Process
• Secondary Education and
Navodaya Vidyalayas
Adult and Continuing Education
The strategy recommended by
PAO was
(a) Better deal for teachers with
accountable systems.
(b) Improved student services and
observance of acceptable norms of
behaviour
(c) Creation of a system of
performance appraisals.
(d) Evolving a long term plan and
management perspective for
education and
integration of development and
manpower needs.
(e) Pre-eminence to NGOs and
Voluntary Organisations.
It advocated establishment of a
Central Advisory Board of
Education to play a vital role in
determine changes required to
improve the system from time to
time. At district level, it advocated
District Board of Education to
manage education up to higher
secondary level.
SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAAN
It was launched in 2001 as a flagship
programme for Universalisation of
elementary education. The goal is
universal access and retention and
bridging of gender and social gaps
in elementary education. The goals
are:
• Enrolment of all children in
schools under “Back to School”
mission mode by 2005.
• Retention of all kids till upper
primary by 2010.
• Bridging of gender and social
gaps in enrolment, retention and
learning.
• E:nsuring significant enhance-
ment in learning achievement levels
of children at primary and upper
primary stages.
The out of school children are to be
brought into the fold of elementary
education through two components
Le.
(a) Education Guarantee Scheme
(EGS): The aim is to set up an
educational facility in habitation
without a primary school in 1 km.
and any habitation with 25 “Out of
School” kids in age group 6-14 and
(15 in hilly areas) to have an EGS
Centre.
(b) Alternative and Innovation in
Education Scheme.
We must keep in mind that EGS is
like a transitory facility till a primary
school replaces the centre in 2 years
period of its establishment.
(6) ENVIRONMENT
Policy Statement on Environ-
ment and Development
A good environmental sense has
been one of the fundamental
features of India’s ancient
philosophy. The Indian Constitution
has laid a new important trail in the
section on Directive Principles on
State Policy, by assigning the duty
for the state and all the citizens
through article 48A and Article 51-
A(g) which state that “State shall
endeavour to protect and improve
the environment and safeguard
forests and wildlife in the country.”
In recognition to environmental
problems, the policy outlines certain
important legal tools enacted by the
government like:
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• Environment (Protection) Act,
1986
• Public Liability Insurance Act,
1981
• Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification (recent one in 2011)
• The statement also talks of
certain conservation measures for
Forests and Wildlife like:
• Formulation of National Wildlife
Plan
• National Forestry Action Plan
• Eco development plans for
sanctuaries
The primary purpose of the policy
statement is to include and reinforce
our traditional ethos and to build up
a conservation society living in
harmony with Nature and making
frugal and efficient use of resources
guided by the best available scientific
knowledge. The agenda for action
in this regard includes:
• Ensuring sustainable and
equitable use of resources for
meeting the basic needs of the
present and future generations
without causing damage to the
environment.
• Prevent and control future
deterioration in land, water, air.
• Take steps for restoration of
ecologically degraded area and for
environmental
• Improvement in rural and urban
settlements.
• Ensure development projects
minimize adverse consequences.
Protect the scenic landscapes,
biomes and ecosystems.
• To carry out the agenda, the
instruments for action include:
• Ensuring that projects above
certain size require compulsory
environmental clearance.
• Incorporation of environmental
safeguards and protection measures
in planning policies.
• Elicit people’s participation in
environmental improvement.
• Create a separate cadre for
environmental management.
It details out steps for sustainable
use of land and water which should
include:
Classification of land for designated
uses (ex: green areas)
• Protection of land near water
bodies and prevention
construction.
• Recently, in February 2012,
Mail Today newspaper has exposed
illegal farmhouses being constructed
on the fragile banks of Yamuna
River.
• Restoration and reclamation of
degraded areas and building up of
network for assessment and
monitoring of soil and water quality.
Action for conservation of
biodiversity must be directed to
Intensification of surveys and
inventorisation of biological
resources in different parts of the
country including island
ecosystems.
• Conservation of biodiversity
through National Parks, Marine
Reserves, Biosphere Reserves.
• Full and correct rehabilitation of
rural tribals displaced due to creation
of biosphere reserves and national
parks, etc.
(7) FINANCE
P
NATIONAL SKILL
DEVELOPMENT POLICY O
The vision for National Skill
Development Initiative in India
includes: L
(a) Scale of ambition is a need for
increasing capacity and capability of
skill development
I
with a target based approach of
creating 500 million skilled workers T
by 2022.
(b) High Inclusivity is reduce
divisions such as male/female and
Y
rural/urban and
organized/unorganized and focus on
harnessing inclusivity.
(c) Dynamic and Demand based
system planning - as per demands
of employment sectors.
The following operational strategies
will be adopted:
(a) Innovation will be the key
of element.
(b)National Vocational Qualification
Framework will be created and will
permit
individuals who have any skill to
convert the skill into a certification,
degree or diploma on testing.
(c) The skill acquisition for the poor
and needy persons will be made
bankable with bank finance.
(d) Extensive partnerships will be
forged with all stakeholders.
(e) Availability of public institutions
above the high school level, after
class hours for skill development by
the private sector, without disturbing
Prelims Magic 2014 533
 normal working will be explored.
The core operating principles will be
• Creation of useful PPP and
private investment.
• State level skill development
missions be formed.
• Focus will be on modular
P courses, open architecture and short
term courses.
• Focus is going to be on funding
O candidates than colleges through
structured scholarships and skill
L vouchers.
• Scope of the policy will also
focus on adult learning, retraining to
I retired employees and life long
learning.
Institutional arrangements will be
T (a) Prime Minister National
Council on Skill Development.
Y (b) National Skill Development Co-
ordination Board.
(c) National Skill Development
Corporation as a non-profit
company under
Companies Act 1956.
Innovative approaches and
mechanisms will be encouraged
through private sector participation
in skill development.
(8) HEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
The major policies are:
National Nutrition Policy
National Health Policy of 2002
National Population Policy of 2000
NATIONAL NUTRITION
POLICY
Widespread poverty resulting in
chronic and persistent hunger is the
single biggest scourge of developing
world today. The physical
expression of this continuously re-
enacted tragedy is the condition of
under-nutrition which manifests
itself among large sections of poor,
particularly women and children.
534 Prelims Magic 2014
Under nutrition is a condition
resulting from inadequate intake of
food resulting in deterioration of
physical growth and health. This
under-nutrition
• Reduces the capacity to work
• Reduces productivity amongst
adults
• Enhances, mortality
morbidity amongst children
and
The major nutrition problems of
India can be classified as follows:
(1) Under nutrition resulting in
• Protein energy malnutrition
• Iron deficiency
•
•
Iodine deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency
• Low Birth Weight Children
(2) Seasonal dimensions of nutrition
(3) Natural calamities and landless
are most vulnerable
(4)Market Distortion and
Disinformation
(5)Urbanisation causing slum
proliferation
The strategy for nutrition has to be
in the form of a policy instrument.
Nutrition is a multi-sectoral issue
and needs to be tackled at various
levels. Nutrition affects
development as much as
development affects nutrition. It is
important to tackle the problem of
nutrition both through direct nutrition
intervention for specially vulnerable
groups as well as through various
development policy instruments
which will create conditions for
improved nutrition.
• The policy advocates direct
intervention for specially vulnerable
groups through:
• Expanding safety nets under the
existing Integrated Child
Development Scheme (ICDS).
• Close involvement of mothers in
ICDS
• Intensification of ICDS on
coverage of adolescent girls and
providing them with a safe
motherhood and iron
supplementation in the body.
• Fortification of food items with
nutrients like salt with iodine and iron
and distribution of iodised salt.
• Popularisation of low cost
nutritious foods.
• Policies for effecting income
transfers so as to improve the
entitlements package of the rural
and urban poor
• Implementing land reforms to
improve vulnerability poor and
landless
• Strengthening nutritional
surveillance amongst women,
adolescent. Pregnant and lactating
women.
• Special emphasis be placed on
strict enforcements to ensure equal
remuneration for women.
• Extensive communication to
promote sound feeding practices,
which are culturally acceptable and
based on local habits.
A National Nutrition Council be
constituted in the Planning
Commission with Prime Minister as
its Chairman. The Council should be
the highest body for overseeing the
implementation of the policy based
on latest nutritional surveillance
feedback.
A National Nutrition Monitoring
Board be set up to help as a
mechanism for generating nation
wide disaggregated data within a
short period for use by centre and
state and this would ensure
monitoring and surveillance and
development of reliable data base.
NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY
The attempt of the policy is to
maximize the broad based
availability of health services to the
citizenry of the country on the basis
of realistic considerations of
capacity.
The main objectives of the Policy
are:
- Achieve an acceptable standard
of good health amongst general
population of the country.
- Approach is to increase access to
decentralized public health systems.
- Importance to be given to achieve
equitable access to health services
across social and geographical
expanse of the country.
The policy aims to achieve the goals
by 2015 (from 2000).
• Eradication of Polio
• Elimination of Leprosy
• Elimination of Kala Azar
• Elimination of lymphatic
Filariasis
• Achieve Zero level of growth of
AIDS
• Reduce mortality by 50% on
account of TB, Malaria, Water
borne diseases
• Establish Integrated System of
Surveillance, National Health
Accounts and Health Statistics.
• Increase health expenditure to
2% of GDP.
To meet the objectives of reducing
various types of inequities and
imbalances ­inter regional and
between economic classes - the
most cost effective method would
be to increase sectoral outlays in
primary health. An allocation of
55% of total public health
investment for primary health is
advocated by the policy.
The policy envisages a key role by
the Central Government to design
programmes in participation with
States. The policy recommends
convergence of existing health
programmes and implementation be
effected through autonomous bodies
at State and district levels.
The policy advocates that Chief
Medical Officer of the district
should have the flexibility of
allocating rural health staff between
the programmes depending upon the
local needs.
The Policy envisages a Primary
health System for providing
essential drugs under central
funding through decentralized health
systems.
Policy advocates in service training
of the public health personnel, at the
level of medical officers as well as
paramedics.
The states should simplify the
recruitment procedures and rules
for contract employment in order to
provide trained medical manpower
in under served areas.
In the area of public health, an
improved standard of governance is
a pre­requisite for the success of
any health policy.
NATIONAL POPULATION
POLICY
The Policy offers commitment of
the government towards voluntary
and informed choice and consent of
citizens while availing health care
services and provides a framework
for advancing goals and strategies
during 2000-2010 decade.
The objective is to:
- Address unmet needs for
contraception, health care
infrastructure and health
personnel.
- To provide integrated service
delivery for basic reproductive and
child health care.
- Long term objective is to bring
about a stable population by 2045.
The Policy aims to achieve the
following:
• Making school education upto the
age of 14 years free and compulsory
and reduce dropouts to below 20%.
• Reduce Infant Mortality Rate to
below 30 per 1000 live births.
Reduce Maternal Mortality Rate to
below 100 per 100,000 live births.
• Promote delayed marriage for
girls, not before 18 and preferably
after 20 years of age.
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• Achieve 100% registration of
birth, deaths, marriage and
pregnancy. Prevent and control
communicable diseases.
• Integrate Indian System of
Medicine, in provisions of
reproductive and child health.
• Achieve Universal Immunization.
The Policy promotes P
• Decentralised Planning of
Health Schemes
• Convergence of Service
O
Delivery at village levels
• Empowerment of women for L
Improved Health and Nutrition.
• Mainstreaming Indian System of
Medicine and Homeopathy.
I
• Family Welfare linked Health
Insurance Plans for couples
undergoing sterilisation.
T
• Rewarding Panchayats who
show exemplary performance in
Y
small family norms.
• Provide wider basket of choices
in contraception through innovative
social marketing schemes.
(9) MINES AND MINERALS
NATIONAL MINERAL
POLICY
The Management of minerals is the
responsibility of the Centre and the
State under separate entries in List-
I and List-II of the Constitution.
The objectives of the mineral policy
in respect of minerals shall be:
(a) Exploration of mineral wealth -
In Land; and Off Shore Areas
(b) Develop mineral resources
taking into account national and
strategic considerations and supply
requirements.
(c) Promotion of linkages for
smooth and uninterrupted
development of mineral industry.
(d) Ensure minimisation of adverse
effects of mineral development on
forests, environment and ecology.
535
 The policy details out the strategy
for development of minerals. The
guiding principle in the strategy is
economic cost.
The following points are discussed
in the policy as a part of policy
strategy for mineral development.
• Conservation of Minerals
P through a positive concept leading
to augmentation of resource base
through improved mining methods.
O • Take up studies for fixation of
productivity norms and goals to
L promote productivity of men,
machines and to improve
consumption norms of fuel and
I materials.
• Strengthening of Mineral
Processing Labs of Indian Bureau
T of Mines for· development of
processes for benefication and
mineral and elemental analysis of
Y ores.
• Important conservation measure
advocated is recycling of metallic
scrap.
• Strengthening of indigenous
industry for manufacture of mining
equipment and machinery is
envisaged.
• To improve competitive edge of
national mining industry, emphasis
should be on mechanisation,
computerisation and automisation.
• Policy accords priority to
induction of foreign technology and
foreign participation in exploration
and mining of high value minerals.
• Efforts should be made to
promote collection of small deposits
which are scattered all over the
country and preference should be
given to Scheduled Tribes in
exploration in the Scheduled Areas.
• Rehabilitation of displaced
persons adequately.
(10) ELECTRICITY AND
POWER
The Major policies are:
- National Electricity Policy, 2003
536 Prelims Magic 2014
- Rural Electrification Policy
NATIONAL ELECTRICITY
POLICY
• Electricity is an essential
requirement of our life. It is
recognised as a basic human need.
The government has unveiled a
National Policy aiming at
• Access to Electricity by all
households in five years.
• Availability of power demand to
be met by 2012.
• Supply of reliable and quality
power of specified standards in an
efficient manner.
• Per capita availability of power
and electricity to be increased to
over 1000 units by 2012.
• Minimum lifeline consumption of
1 unit/household/day as a merit good
by 2012.
Protection of consumer interests.
The Central Electricity Authority will
prepare a short term perspective
plan of five years while giving 15
years of perspective timeline which
shall include
- Short term and long term demand
forecast for different regions.
- Capacity additions in generation
and transmission keeping in view
economic viability.
- Fuel choices based on economy,
energy security and environmental
considerations.
The policy envisages a Rural
Electrification Distribution
Backbone with at least 33/11 KV
sub-station in every block to
distribute power in every village
settlement.
To promote energy generation, the
Electricity Act of 2003 is in place
which has done away with the
requirement of a techno-economic
clearance for thermal generation
projects.
To promote hydroelectricity, debt
financing of longer tenure would be
made available for hydro projects.
For thermal generation, economics
of generation of supply of electricity
should_ be the basis for choices of
fuel from among the options
available. Policy advocates new
generation stations be located near
load centres or pithead locations.
Policy advocates Central
Government to develop a
Nationwide Grid for providing
adequate infrastructure for inter-
state transmission of power and
ensure supply from surplus to deficit
regions.
Policy advocates setting up of coal
washeries to ensure environmental
protection by use of coal in thermal
electricity.
RURAL
ELECTRIFICATION
POLICY
Rural Electrification (RE) is viewed
as a key for accelerating rural
development. The Central
Government in 2005 launched Rajiv
Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana
(RGGVY) with a goal to electrify
all unelectrified villages and hamlets
by providing access to electricity to
all households in next five years.
The policy aims at:
- Provision of access to electricity
to all households by 2009.
- Quality and Reliable power supply
at reasonable rates.
- Minimum lifeline consumption of
one unit per household per day as a
good by 2012.
The policy aims to achieve the goals
by providing grid connectivity upto
33/11 KV. Where grid connectivity
is not possible, isolated lighting
technologies like’ Photovoltaic cells
and solar PV will be used.
Rural Electrification plan to be
formulated by each State which shall
detail the electrification delivery
mechanisms, fuel availability and
number of unelectrified villages. The
plans will be linked to District
Development Plans.
The Policy envisages:
- Rural Electricity Distribution
Backbone (33/11 KV).
- Provision of distribution
transformers of appropriate
capacity.
- Decentralised Distributed
Generation and Supply.
- Creation of Village Electrification
Infrastructure to cover entire gamut
of rural
development including Irrigation
pump sets, small and medium
industries, Khadi and ‘village
Industries, Cold Chains, Health
Care and Education and IT.
- Electrification of rural BPL
households under Kutir Jyoti
Programme.
- Rural Electrification Corporation
is the designated nodal agency for
implementation.
- A village will be classified
electrified if it will have Distribution
Transformer and Distribution Lines
in minimum one Dalit Basti or
hamlet; Electricity is provided in
public places of basti; and atleast
10% of total households in village
are electrified.
The Gram Panchayat will issue the
certificate “Electrified” on 31st
March each year..
(11) SOCIAL JUSTICE AND
EMPOWERMENT
- National Policy on Older Persons
- National Policy for Empowerment
of Women
NATIONAL POLICY ON
OLDER PERSONS
Demographic aging, which is a
global phenomena has hit India as
well.
Projections indicate that beyond
2016, India will have 198 million
persons in 60+ age group by 2016
and it is going to be 326 million in
2050.
Well being of older persons has been
mandated in the Constitution under
article 41 which has directed that
the State shall within limits of its.
economic activity, capacity and
development, make effective
provisions for securing the rights of
public assistance in cases of old age.
The right to equality provision
equally applies to older persons as
well. Social security has been made
concurrent responsibility of Centre
and State.
The goal of the policy is well being
of older persons and aims to
strengthen their legitimate place in,
society and help older persons to live
the last phase of their life with
purpose, dignity and peace.
Policy recognises affirmative action
in favour of elderly and it tries to
ensure that rights of elderly are not
violated and they get opportunities
and equitable share in development
benefits, different sectors of
development, programmes and
administrative actions which reflect
sensitivity in older persons living in
rural areas.
Policy accords special attention to
women is older females so that they
do not become victims of triple
neglect and discrimination on
account of gender, widowhood and
age.
Policy views the life cycle as a
continuum, of which post 60 phase
of life is an integral part. It does not
view age 60 as cut off point for
beginning a life of dependency. It
considers 60+ as a phase when the
individual should have the choices
and opportunities to lead an active,
creative, productive and satisfying
life.
Policy views an age integrated
society and endeavours to
strengthen integration between
generations, facilitate two way
Prelims Magic 2014
flows and interacts, strengthen
bonds between the young and the
old.
Policy believes that older persons
are a valuable resource and not just
consumers and producers of goods
and services. Opportunities and
facilities need to be provided to them
so that they can contribute to the
family and society. P
• A great anxiety in old age relates
to financial insecurity. The policy
advocates: O
• Regular revision of monthly
pension so that inflation does not
deflate the real purchasing power.
L
• Coverage of PDS beyond 60+
age group. I
• Settlement of pension, PF,
Gratuity is made promptly. T
• Widows to be given special
consideration in matter of settlement
of benefits accruing to them on Y
demise of husband.
• Considerable expansion of base
of pension funds. Promotion of pre-
retirement counselling programmes.
• The primary health care system
needs to be strengthened and
oriented in a manner that it is able
to meet health care needs of poor
older persons.
• Policy advises the government
to formulate health insurance
packages catering to different
income segments of population.
• Policy suggests establishment of
geriatric wards in public hospitals to
ensure speedy delivery of health
service to elderly.
• Older persons and their families
will be given access to educational
material on nutritional needs in old
age. The concept of healthy aging
will be promoted.
• Preference will be given to older
persons who apply for flats made
by government on ground floor.
• Policy will identify vulnerable
among older persons like poor,
537
 disabled, infirm and chronically sick
and those without family support
and provide welfare to them on the
basis of priority, A welfare fund for
older persons will be set up and the
contributions to the fund will be -
given tax relief.
NATIONAL POLICY ON
P WOMEN EMPLOYMENT
The principle of gender equality is
enshrined in the Constitution in its
O Preamble, Fundamental Rights,
Fundamental Duties and DPSP.
From the 5th Five Year Plan (1974-
L 78), a shift in the approach to
women’s issues from welfare to
development is marked.
I The Policy seeks to
• Create an environment through
T positive economic and social policies
for full development of women to
enable them to realise their full
Y potential.
• The de-jure and de-facto
enjoyment of all human rights and
fundamental freedom by women on
equal basis with men in all spheres.
• Elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women and
changing societal attitudes and
community practices by active
participation of both men and
women
• Mainstreaming gender
perspective in development process.
The policy prescriptions are:
(a) Creation of a legal system more
sensitive and responsive to women’s
needs and specially in cases of
domestic violence and personal
assault.
(b) Policy, in full participation with
all stakeholders, aims to encourage
changes in personal laws relating to
marriage, divorce, maintenance,
guardianship to eliminate
discrimination against women.
The policy advocates affirmative
actions like reservations in
government and women friendly
policies to encourage them to
538 Prelims Magic 2014
participate in the developmental
process. In order to enhance
women’s access to credit for
consumption and production, the
establishment of micro credit
mechanisms and micro finance
institutions will be given priority. The
SHG-Bank Linkage Programme is
a step in this direction. The crucial
role played by women in electronics,
information technology, food
processing and agro industry and
textiles has been crucial to the
development of these sectors.
Comprehensive support and social
security will be given.
Policy advocates gender
mainstreaming in educational
institutions and bringing women and
girl child to learn and grow. Even
when we see the advertisement of
sarva shiksha abhiyaan on the TV
or newspapers, a girl child is always
depicted on the advertisement to
address sex stereotypes in our
society. Policy advocates
convergence of aims of this policy
with National Nutrition Policy as we
have seen in the Nutrition Policy as
to how it accorded priority to
women’s nutrition. The policy
advocates that women who are at
the helm of affairs at rural level be
selected to campaign for
environment protection. Policy
advocates the women to playa major
role in promoting programmes of
non conventional energy resources.
Policy accords special attention to
be given to deal with trafficking in
women and girls. It advocates
strengthening of institutions dealing
with rehabilitation of victims of
violence. Policy advocates:
• Measurable goals be achieved by
2010
• Identification and commitment of
resources.
• Responsibilities for implemen-
tation of action points.
• Introduction of Gender
Development Indices and Gender
perspective in budgeting process.
(12) TELECOMMUNICATION
NATIONAL TELECOM
POLICY 2011
The Draft Policy aims are:
• Affordable, reliable and secure
telecom and broadband across the
country.
• Increase in rural teledensity from
35 to 100 by 2020.
• Broadband on Demand and 600
Million connections by 2020.
• Efforts towards Right to
Broadband Additional 300 MHz
spectrum by 2017 and another 200
MHz by 2020 to be made available.
• Seamless voice,. data,
multimedia and Broadcasting
services on converged networks.
• 80% Telecom Sector demand
through domestic manufacturing
with a value addition of 65% by
2020.
• Creation of an investor friendly
environment for attracting additional
investments in the sector apart from
generating manifold employment
opportunities.
• Strive to create one Nation - One
Licence across services and service
areas.
• Achieve One Nation - Full
Mobile number portability and one
Nation-free roaming.
• Reposition of mobile phone from
a mere communication device to an
instrument of empowerment.
• Optimise transmission of
services to consumers irrespective
of their devices or locations by fixed
mobile convergence thus making
available valuable spectrum for
other wireless services.
• Achieve substantial transition to
new internet Protocol (IPV 6) in a
phased, time bound manner by 2020.
• Revise existing broadband speed
of 256 kbps to 512 kbps by 2011 and
to 2 mbps by 2015 and higher
speeds of 100 mbps thereafter.
• Delink spectrum in respect of all
future licences. Spectrum shall be
made available at price through
market related processes. An
appropriate EXIT policy for licences
to be framed and prepare road map
for spectrum availability every five
years. Need is to enact a Spectrum
Act to deal with spectrum licencing.
• Telecom to be recognised as
Infrastructure Sector.
• Telecom Finance Corporation
be created as a vehicle to mobilise
and channelize financing for telecom
projects.
(13) WATER RESOURCES
THE NATIONAL WATER
POLICY OF 2002
Water is a part of a larger ecological
system and is a prime natural
resource, a basic human need and
a precious national asset. A number
of issues and challenges have
emerged in development and
management of water resources
and the policy addresses them
adequately.
The policy suggestions are:
• Establishment of a standardised
National Information System for
water related data.
• Establishment of standards for
coding, classification, processing of
data, methods for collection.
• The Planning of water resources
have to be done taking into account
hydrological unit as a drainage basin
as a whole for sub-basin.
• Efforts to be made to conserve
water in the catchments and
promotion of watershed
management.
• Establishment of appropriate
river basin organisations for planned
development and management of
river basins.
The policy accords water allocation
priorities as
• Drinking water
• Irrigation
• Hydro-Power
• Ecology
• Agro and non Agro Industries
Navigation and other uses.
Economic evaluation of a project is
a must in hilly areas specially in
cases of hydropower development.
Drainage system should form an
integral part of any irrigation project
from planning stage. Also
involvement and participation of
beneficiaries be encouraged.
Ground water projects should be
developed for both quality and
availability of ground water
resource. Over exploitation of
ground water be avoided.
Close integration of water use and
land use policies is advocated for
sustainable irrigation.
A participative approach to water
management is advocated and the
policy advices use of Gram Sabha
and Gram Panchayats be actively
involved in operation, maintenance
and management of water
infrastructure.
Coastal states should come up with
coastal land management plans.
The policy advocates intensified
research into:
• Hydrometeorology
• Snow and lake hydrology
• Water quality
• Water conservation, harvesting
• Evaporation and seepage losses
• Recycling and re-use
• Crop and cropping systems
• Soils and material research
• Use of static ground water as a
crisis management measure
The success of National Water
Policy will depend upon evolving and
maintaining a national consensus
and commitment of its objectives.
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(14) URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL URBAN
SANITATION POLICY
Sanitation is defined as safe
management of human excreta,
including safe treatment, disposal
and associated hygiene related
practices. P
The vision for the policy is all Indian
cities and towns be totally sanitised,
healthy and liveable and ensure and
O
sustain good public health and
environmental outcomes for all
citizens with a special focus on
L
hygienic and affordable sanitation
facilities for urban poor and women.
The goals of the National Urban
I
Sanitation Policy is to transform
Urban India into - Community driven T
- Totally Sanitised
- Healthy liveable cities and towns Y
Specific Goals are:
(a) Awareness Generation and
Behaviour Change
• Awareness.about sanitation
• Sustained behavioural change
for healthy sanitation practices
(b) Open Defecation Free Cities
• Promoting household access to
safe sanitation and proper disposal
arrangements.
• Promote community planned
and managed toilets.
• Availability and 100% upkeep
and management of Public
Sanitation facilities.
(c) Integrated City Wide Sanitation
• Proper sanitation for poor and
unserved settlements.
• 100% effective and safe disposal
of excreta and liquid wastes.
(d) Proper operation and
maintenance of all sanitary
installations
The States will have to prepare a
539
 state Level Sanitation Strategy Plan
and identified cities will come up
with city sanitation plans to
implement the above strategies.
(15) URBAN HOUSING
NATIONAL URBAN HOUS-
ING AND HABITAT POLICY
P The Policy aims to establish
sustainable housing all over India.
Broad Policy aims are:
O • Encourage States to update their
Master Plans and Zoning Plans and
L adequately
• provide housing and basic
services for urban poor.
I • Promote balanced urban-rural
planning by following Regional
T Planning approach.
• Planning of Mass Rapid Transit
Systems at city Metropolitan
Y Planning Area.
• Accelerate pace of development
of housing.
• Concept of ‘green’ and
‘intelligent’ buildings be introduced.
• Shift to a demand driven
approach from subsidy based
housing schemes to lost recovery-
cum-subsidy schemes for housing.
• Facilitating accessibility to
housing for the economically
540 Prelims Magic 2014
Weaker Sections and Low Income • Creation of Tourism Advisory
Groups. Council with key stakeholders to
act as a “think tank”.
• Special efforts for SC, ST,
Minorities, OBC, Disabled persons, • Prepare basis for adoption of
slum dwellers, street vendors. Tourism Satellite Account System
based on SN3 protocol for national
• Establishing a MIS in Housing
accounts.
Sector.
• Plan, implement and
(16) TOURISM
NATIONAL TOURISM
professionally manage an integrated
communications strategy called
National Tourism Awareness
POLICY 2002
The Policy outlines five key strategic
Campaign.
• Computerisation of issuance of
objectives which need to be
achieved. They are:
> Positioning and maintaining
visas by Embassies.
• Visa on place arrival.
• Creation of Special Tourism
tourism development as a national
priority activity. Police Force for deployment at
major tourist destinations.
> Enhancing and maintaining the
competitiveness of India as a
tourism destination.
• Develops sustainable beach and
coastal tourism and develop
positions of Kochi and Andaman
> Improving India’s existing tourism
products and expanding these to
meet new market requirements.
and Nicobar Islands
• Promote and develop village
tourism as primary tourism
> Creation of World Class
products.
Infrastructure.
• Promote adventure tourism in
> Developing sustained and
Himalayas and holistic healing and
effective marketing plans and
rejuvenation centres all over India .
programmes.
• Special Tourist trains, Tourist
The Policy aims at:
Metas will help.
• Providing effective linkages and
close coordination between
departments.
 ECONOMY
CONTENT E
1.
2.
National income concepts
Planning in India
542
546
C
3.
4.
Industry
Public finance
551
563
O
5. Demographics 574 N
6. Banking in India 582
7. Capital market 606 O
8. Foreign trade 622
9. Foreign capital 637 M
10. Social sector initiatives
11. Agriculture
652
668
Y
12. Power sector in India 674
13. World economic co-operation 675
14. Inflation & deflation 684
15. Poverty and unemployment 695
16. Sustainable development 700
17. Financial inclusion 708
18. Terminology 718

Prelims Magic 2014 541


1 NATIONAL INCOME CONCEPTS
1. National Income is the money
value of all final goods and services
produced in a country during a year.
National income is treated as an
index of the economic activity of a
E nation. If national income declines,
the government will cut down the
taxes so that citizens will have more
C income to spend.
2. Gross National Product
O (GNP) is the total value of output
(goods and services) produced and
income received in a year by
N domestic residents of a country. It
includes profits earned from capital
invested abroad. The gross national
O product at factor cost is the
difference between gross national
product and net indirect taxes.
M Gross national income is the sum
total of compensation of employees,
operating surplus, mixed income,
Y depreciation and net factor income
from abroad.
3. Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) is the total value of output
(goods and services) produced by
the factors of production located
within the country’s boundary in a
year. The factors of production may
be owned by any one – citizens or
foreigners.
GNP – Net income earned from
abroad = GDP
The Indian economy grew at its
slowest pace in four years at 4.4%
in the first quarter (Q1, or April-
June) of the current fiscal year
2013-14, compared with 4.8%
during the preceding quarter
(January-March) of the last fiscal,
belying hopes of the economy
having bottomed out.
4. Net National Product (NNP)
is arrived at by making some
adjustment, with regard to
depreciation, in GNP. Net National
Product at factor cost is also called
national income. Net National
542 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The national income of a
country for a given period is equal
to the
(a) total value of goods and
services produced by the nationals
(b) sum of total consumption and
investment expenditure
(c) sum of personal income of all
individuals
(d) money value of final goods and
services produced
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. National Income is:
(a) Net National Product at
market price
(b) Net National Product at factor
cost
(c) Net Domestic Product at
market price +
(d) Net Domestic Product at
factor cost
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
Q. The term National Income
represents:
(a) gross national product at
market prices minus depreciation
(b) gross national product at
market prices minus depreciation
plus net factor income from
abroad
(c) gross national product at
market prices minus depreciation
and indirect taxes plus subsidies
(d) gross national product at
market prices minus net factor
income from abroad
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
Product at factor cost is equal to
sum total of value added at factor
cost or net domestic product at
factor cost plus net factor income
from abroad.
NNP at Market Price – Net
Indirect taxes = NNP at Factor
Cost
5. Net domestic product (NDP)
is also arrived at from GDP by
making adjustment with regard to
depreciation in the same way has
described above. (NDP is
calculated by deducting depreciation
from GDP). GDP – Depreciation
= NDP
6. Per capita Income
Per capita Income means how
much an individual earns, of the
yearly income that is generated in
the country through productive
activities. It means the share of
each individual when the income
from the productive activities is
divided equally among the citizens.
Per capita income is reported in
units of currency. Per capita income
reflects the gross national product
of a country. Per capita income is
also a measure of the enonomic
welfarity a population of a nation
when compared with other
countries. It is expressed in terms
of commonly used international
currency such as Euro, Dollars
because these cur rencies are
widely known.
Per capita income (or) output per
person is an indicator to show
the living standards of people in
a country. Real Per Capita Income
is the most appropriate measure of
a country’s economic growth. If
real PCI increases, it is considered
to be an improvement in the overall
living standard of people. PCI is
arrived at by dividing the NDP at
factor cost by the size of
population. It is also arrived at by
making some adjustment with GDP.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The most appropriate measure
of a country’s economic growth
is its:
(a) Gross Domestic Product
(b) Net Domestic Product
(c) Net National Product
(d) Per Capita Real Income
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2001)
Per Capita Income In India
India’s per capita income is found
by the Atlas method and by
employing official exchange rates
for conversion. Further, this Atlas
method of calculating the per capita
income of India is not determined
by using purchasing power parity,
which essentially adjusts exchange
rates for purchasing power of
currencies.
Economists have been giving
considerable importance to the
performance of states vis a vis each
other in terms of per capita income.
It has been observed that those
states that were more open and
better adapted to economic
liberalization have overall shown
faster rate of growth.
The per capita income in real terms
(at 2004-05 prices) during 2012-13
is likely to attain a level of
Rs.39,143 as compared to the First
Revised Estimate for the year 2011-
12 of Rs. 38,037. The growth rate
in per capita income is estimated at
2.9 per cent during 2012-13, as
against the previous year's estimate
of 4.7 per cent.
Delhi's average per capita income,
at more than Rs 2 lakh per year in
2012-13, is the highest in India,
according to the the Delhi Human
Development Report 2013.
The per capita income of people in
Delhi at current prices without
factoring in inflation has been
estimated at Rs. 2,01,083 which is
a rise of Rs. 27,397 from Rs
1,73,686 in 2011-12, according to
Delhi Government statistics. The
national average has been worked
out at around Rs 61,564.
Need for the Study of National
Income
A national income measure serves
various purposes regarding
economy, production, tr ade,
consumption, policy formulation,
etc. The following are some such
needs.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q.In the context of Indian
economy, consider the following
statements:
I.The growth rate of GDP has
steadily increased in the last five
years
II.The growth rate in per capita
income has steadily increased in
the last five years.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) I only (b) II only
(c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II
Ans: (b) (CSE 2011)
Expl: The growth rate in GDP has
not increased steadily but has gone
down and came up, several times.
Whereas growth rate of per
capita has been steadily increasing
in last five year.
1. To measure the size of the
economy and level of country’s
economic performance.
2. To trace the trend or speed of
the economic growth in relation to
previous year(s) as well as to other
countries.
3. To know the structure and
composition of the national income
in terms of various sectors and the
periodical variations in them.
4. To make projection about the
future development trend of the
economy.
5. To help government formulate
suitable development plans and
policies to increase growth rates.
6. To fix various development
targets for different sectors of the
economy on the basis of the earlier
performance.
7. To help business firms in
forecasting future demand for their
products.
8. To make international
comparison of people’s living
standards.
Calculating National Income
There are various methods for
calculating the national income such
Prelims Magic 2014
as production method, income
method, expenditure method etc.
Production Method:
The production method gives us
national income or national product
based on the final value of the
produce and the origin of the
produce in terms of the industry.
All producing units are classified
sector wise.
E
Primary sector is divided into
agriculture, fisher ies, animal C
husbandry.
Secondary sector consists of
manufacturing.
O
Tertiary sector is divided into trade,
transport, communication, banking, N
insurance etc.
Income Method: Different
factors of production are paid for
O
their productive services rendered
to an organization. The various
incomes that includes in these
M
methods are wages, income of self
employed, interest, profit, dividend,
rents, and surplus of public sector
Y
and net flow of income from
abroad.
Expenditure Method: The
various sectors –the household
sector, the government sector, the
business sector, either spend their
income on consumer goods and
services or they save a part of their
income. These can be categorized
as private consumption
expenditure, private investment,
public consumption, public
investment etc.
National Income calculation in
India: The first attempt to calculate
national income of India was made
by Dada Bai Naoroji in 1867-68.
He had ascertained the per capita
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The per capita income in India
was Rs. 20 in 1867-68 was
ascertained for the first time by
(a) M.G. Ranade (b) Sir W. Hunter
(c) R. C. Dutta (d) Dabadhai Naoroji
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2000)
543
 income in his book ‘Poverty and un-
British rule in India’. This was
followed by several other attempts.
The first scientific attempt was
made by Prof.V.K.R.V.Rao in
1931-32. But it was not a
satisfactory attempt. The first
official attempt was made by
Prof.P.C.Mahalanobis in 1948- 49.
E The final report was submitted in
1954. Today national income is
calculated and published by the
C Central Statistical Organisation.
Trends in National Income
O Growth
NNP and Per capita Income: As
per the data released by the Central
N Statistical Organisation (CSO)
during the last 30 years period
(1950-51 to 1980-81) the annual
O rate of growth of national income
(1999-00=100) was of the order of
3.5% and that of per capita income
M was merely 1.4%. Calculated at
current prices, the annual rate of
growth of NNP was of the order of
Y 9.0% and that of per capita income
was 6.7%. During 1980-81 and
1990-91 NNP showed a growth
rate of 5.2% per annum and the per
capita NNP (at 1999-00 price)
improved on an average by 3.0%
per annum. During 2000-01 and
2007-08 NNP growth rate rose
further to 7.7% and per capita NNP
grew at the rate of 6.0% per annum
(at 1999-00 price)
Trends in share of Public Sector:
The share of public sector in Gross
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. With reference to Indian
economy, consider the following
statements:
1.The Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) has increased by four
times in the last 10 years
2.The percentage share of Public
Sector in GDP has declined in the
last 10 years.
Which of the statements given
above is/correct?
(a)1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (b) CSE 2010
544 Prelims Magic 2014
Domestic Product (GDP) was
14.9% in 1970-71, it rose to 25.9%
in 1993-94 and declined to 23.0 %
in 2005-06.
Urban and Rural: As against
62.4% of the total NDP being
contributed by the rural sector in
1970-71, its share in NDP declined
to 54.3% in 1993-94.
Average annual growth rate of rural
GDP which was 2.3% during 1970-
80 improved to 4.8% during 1980-
93. It rose further to 5.0% in 2007-
08 and declined to 4.3% in 2008-09
Share of Organised and
Unorganised sector in NDP: The
share of the organized sector has
risen from 30% in 1980-81 to 42%
in 2004-05.
Difficulties in Calculation of
National Income
In India there are various difficulties
in calculating the national incomes
.The most severe one is the finding
of reliable data. Most of the time, it
is based on assumptions. Soon after
independence the National Income
Committee was formed to collect
data and estimate National Income.
The two major problems which
remain in the calculation of National
Income are:
Most of the data is not from the
current year.
Even if current data are available
then values are underreported.
Obstacles in High Growth of
National Income of India
Even if the Indian economy grows
faster than the BRIC countries and
G 6, the benefits of the growth
would not be evenly distributed.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The new GDP series released
by the CSO in February, 1999 is
with reference to base price of:
(a) 1991-92 (b) 1992-93
(c) 1993-94 (d) 1994-95
Ans. (c) (CSE 2000)
Expl: Present (2011) base price
is that of 2004-05
India’s progress in education cannot
be termed as satisfactory. In terms
of higher education it has achieved
tremendous success, but its
unsatisfactory performance in
primary education and secondary
education has been a major obstacle
to growth. Similarly India’s
healthcare system is in a less than
desirable state. Governments’
spending on public health has not
been up to the required levels.
PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES
OF ANNUAL NATIONAL
INCOME, 2012-13
The Central Statistics Office
(CSO), Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation, has
released on 31 May 2013,
the  provisional  estimates  of
national income for the financial
year 2012-13 and the quarterly
estimates of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) for the fourth
quarter (January-March) of 2012-
13, both at constant (2004-05) and
current prices.
The advance estimates of national
income for the year 2012-13 were
released on 7 th  February,  2013.
These estimates have now been
revised incorporating latest
estimates of agricultural production,
index of industrial production and
performance of key sectors like,
railways, transport other than
railways, communication, banking
and insurance and government
expenditure.  The  salient  features
of these estimates are detailed
below:
a. Estimates at constant (2004-
05) prices
Gross Domestic Product  GDP at
factor cost at constant (2004-
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The growth rate of per capita
income at current prices is higher
than that of per capita income at
constant prices, because the latter
takes into account the rate of:
(a) growth of population
(b) increase in price level
(c) growth of money supply
(d) increase in the wage rate
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2000)
05)  prices  in  the  year  2012-13  is
now estimated at Rs. 55,05, 437
crore (as against Rs. 55,03,476
crore estimated earlier on
7th  February,  2013),  showing  a
growth rate of 5.0 percent over the
First Revised Estimates of GDP for
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q Since 1980, the share of the
tertiary sector in the total GDP of
India has:
(a) shown an increasing trend
(b) shown a decreasing trend
(c) remained constant
(d) been fluctuating
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Q. Which one of the following is
the correct sequence in the
decreasing order of contribution
of different sectors to the Gross
Domestic Product of India?
(a) Service - Industry - Agriculture
(b) Service - Agriculture - Industry
(c) Industry - Service -
Agriculture
(d) Industry - Agriculture - Service
Ans. (a) (CSE 2007)
Q. Since 1980, the share of the
tertiary sector in the total GDP of
India has:
(a) shown an increasing trend
(b) shown a decreasing trend
(c) remained constant
(d) been fluctuating
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Q. With reference to the Indian
economy, consider the following
activities:
1. Agriculture, Forestry and
Fishing
2. Manufacturing
3. Trade, Hotels, Transport and
Communication
4. Financing, Insurance, Real
Estate and Business services
The decreasing or der of the
contribution of these sectors to
the Gross Domestic Pr oduct
(GDP) at factor cost at constant
prices (2000-01) is:
(a) 3, 1, 2, 4 (b) 1, 3, 4, 2
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2 (d) 1, 3, 2, 4
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2002)
the year 2011-12 of Rs. 52, 43,582
crore, released on 31 th  January
2013.                 growth of the sector is revised
In the agriculture sector, the third
advance estimates of crop
production released by the Ministry
of Agriculture showed
a slight  upward revision  as
compared to their second advance
estimates in the production of rice
(104.22 million Tonnes from 101.80
million Tonnes),  wheat  (93.62
million Tonnes from  92.30
million Tonnes)  and  sugarcane
(336.15 million Tonnes from 334.5
million Tonnes) for the year 2012-
13. Due to this revision in the
production, ‘agriculture, forestry
and fishing’ sector in 2012-13 has
shown a growth rate of 1.9 percent,
as against the growth rate of 1.8
percent in the Advance
Estimates.   
In the case of ‘mining and
quarrying’, the Index of Industrial
Production of Mining (IIP-Mining)
registered a decline of 2.5 percent
during 2012-13, as against the
decline of 1.5 percent during April-
November, 2012, which was used
in the Advance
Estimates. Production  of  coal  and
crude oil registered growth rates of
3.3 percent and (-) 0.6 percent in
2012-13 whereas during April to
December, 2012, the growth rates
were 5.7 percent and (-) 0.4
percent. The  growth  of  ‘mining
&quarrying’ is now estimated at (-
) 0.6 percent, as against the
Advance Estimate growth of 0.4
percent.      2013), during 2012-13, as against
Similarly, the IIP of manufacturing
registered a growth rate of 1.2
percent during 2012-13, as against
the projected growth rate of 1.9
percent for April-March, 2012-13
for the Advance Estimates. Due to
this, the growth of ‘manufacturing’
sector is now estimated at 1.0
percent, as against the Advance
Estimate growth of 1.9 percent.       Income
The key indicators of construction
sector, namely, cement and
consumption of finished steel
registered growth of 5.6 percent and
3.3 percent, respectively in 2012-13
as against 6.1 percent and 3.9
Prelims Magic 2014
percent, respectively during April-
December 2012. Consequently, the
downward to 4.3 percent as against
5.9 percent in the Advance
Estimates.   
The key indicators of banking, namely,
aggregate bank deposits and bank
credits have shown higher growth of
14.3 percent and 14.2 percent,
respectively during 2012-13 over the
corresponding period in 2011-12, as
E
compared to growth of 11.1 percent
and 15.2 percent
as on  December 2012. Indicators of
C
Railways sector, namely, Net
Tonne Kilometer s a nd
passenger Kilometers have have shown
O
growth of 0.3 and 2.4
percent respectively  during 2012-13
.The Trade, hotels and transport
N
sector have registered a growth of
6.4 percent in 2012-13 as against
5.2  percent in the advance estimate
O
released in February,2013 as the
private corporate sector registered
significant growth in the Trade, hotels M
and restaurent sector in 2012-13.    
The sector ‘community, social and
personal services’ has shown a
growth of 6.6 percent in the revised
Y
estimates, as against the growth
rate of 6.8 percent in the advance
estimates. 
Gross National Income    
The Gross National Income (GNI)
at factor cost at 2004-05 prices is
now estimated at Rs. 54,49,104
crore (as compared to Rs. 54,47,169
crore estimated on 7 th  February
the previous year’s First Revised
Estimate of Rs. 51,96,848 crore. In
terms of growth rates, the gross
national income is estimated to have
risen by 4.9 percent during 2012-
13, in comparison to the growth rate
of 6.4 percent in 2011-12.  
Per Capita Net National
    
The per capita net national income
in real terms (at 2004-05 prices)
during 2012-13 is estimated to have
attained a level of Rs. 39,168 (as
against Rs. 39,143 estimated on
7th February, 2013), as compared to
545
 the First Revised Estimates for the
year 2011-12 of Rs. 38,037. The
growth rate in per capita income is
estimated at 3.0 percent during
2012-13 as against 4.7 percent
during 2011-12.
(b) Estimates at current prices  2011-12 of Rs. 61,564 showing a
Gross Domestic Product    national income went up by 18%,
E  GDP  at  factor  cost  at  current
prices in the year 2012-13 is
estimated at Rs. 94,61,013 crore,
C showing a growth rate of 13.3
percent over the First Revised
Estimates of GDP for the year
2011-12 of Rs. 83,53 ,495 crore,
O released on 31th January 2013. 
Gross National Income
The GNI at factor cost at current
N prices is now estimated at Rs
93,61,113 crore during 2012-13, as
compared to Rs. 82,76 ,665 crore
O during 2011-12, showing a rise of
13.1 percent.
M 2 PLANNING IN INDIA
Y Indian economy is based on the
concept of planning. This is carried
through her five-year plans,
developed, executed and monitored
by the Planning Commission. With
the Prime Minister as the ex-officio
Chairman, the commission has a
nominated Deputy Chairman, who
has rank of a Cabinet Minister.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia is
currently the Deputy Chairman of
the Commission.
The Planning Commission was set
up by a Resolution of the
Government of India in March 1950
in pursuance of declared objectives
of the Government to promote a
rapid rise in the standard of living
of the people by efficient
exploitation of the resources of the
country, increasing production and
offering opportunities to all for
employment in the service of the
community. T he Planning
Commission was charged with the
responsibility of making assessment
of all resources of the country,
augmenting deficient resources,
546 Prelims Magic 2014
Per Capita Net National
Income
The per capita income at current
prices during 2012-13 is estimated
to have attained a level of Rs.
68,757 as compared to the First
Revised Estimates for the year
rise of 11.7 percent.
National Income at Current
Price and Constant Price
When the value of goods and
services is found out by multiplying
the quantity produced during one
year by the prices prevailing in
that year, we call it National
income at Current Prices. On the
other hand, when the value of
goods and services is calculated
by multiplying the quantity during
one year with prices of the base
year, we call it National Income
at Constant Prices.
formulating plans for the most
effective and balanced utilisation of
resources and determining
priorities. Jawaharlal Nehru was
the first Chairman of the Planning
Commission. The eleventh plan
completed its term in March 2012
and the twelfth plan is currently
underway.
Objectives of all the Five Year’s
Plans:
1st Plan (1951-56)
The first five year plan was
presented by Jawaharlal Nehru in
1951. The First Five Year Plan was
initiated at the end of the turmoil of
partition of the country. It gave
importance to agriculture, irrigation
and power projects to decrease the
country’s reliance on food grain
imports, resolve the food crisis and
ease the raw material problem
especially in jute and cotton. Nearly
45% of the resources were
designated for agriculture, while
industry got a modest 4.9%.The
focus was to maximize the output
from agriculture, which would then
provide the impetus for industrial
growth.
Though the first plan was
formulated hurriedly, it succeeded
in fulfilling the targets. Agriculture
production increased dramatically,
per capita income by 11% and per
capita consumption by 9%
2nd Plan (1956-61)
The second five year plan was
initiated in a climate of economic
prosperity, industry gained in
prominence.Agricultur e
programmes were formulated to
meet the raw material needs of
industry, besides covering the food
needs of the increasing population.
The Industrial Policy of 1956 was
socialistic in nature.
Its main aims were (i) an increase
of 25 per cent in the national
income; (ii) rapid industrialisation
with particular emphasis on the
development of basic and heavy
industries; (iii) large expansion of
employment opportunities; and (iv)
reduction of inequalities in income
and wealth and a more even
distribution of economic power. The
Plan aimed at increasing the rate
of investment from about seven per
cent of the national income to 11
per cent by 1960- 61. It laid
emphasis on industrialisation,
increased production of iron and
steel, heavy chemicals including
nitr ogenous fertilizers and
development of heavy engineering
and machine building industry.
In comparison to First Five Year
plan, the Second Five Year Plan
was a moderate success.
Unfavorable monsoon in 1957-58
and 1959-60 impacted agricultural
production and also the Suez crisis
blocked International Trading
increasing commodity prices.
3rd Plan (1961-66)
While formulating the third plan, it
was realized that agriculture
production was the destabilizing
factor in economic growth. Hence
agriculture was given due
importance. Also allotment for
power sector was increased to
14.6% of the total Public Sector
outlay.
Its immediate objectives were to: (i)
secure an increase in the national
income of over five per cent per
annum and at the same time ensure
a pattern of investment which could
sustain this rate of growth in the
subsequent Plan periods; (ii)
achieve self-sufficiency in food
grains and increase agricultural
production to meet the requirements
of industry and exports; (iii) expand
basic industries like steel, chemicals,
fuel and power and establish
machine building capacity so that
the requir ements of fur ther
industrialisation could be met within
a period of about 10 years mainly
from the country’s own resources;
(iv) fully utilize the manpower
resources of the country and ensure
a substantial expansion in
employment opportunities; and (v)
establish progressively greater
equality of opportunity and bring
about reduction in disparities of
income and wealth and a more even
distribution of economic power.
In short the emphasis was on
becoming self reliant in agriculture
and industry. The objective of
import substitution was seen as
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding Indian
Planning:
1. The Second Five-Year Plan
emphasized on the establishment
of heavy industries.
2. The Third Five-Year Plan
introduced the concept of import
substitution as a strategy for
industrialization.
Which of the statements given
above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2009)
sacrosanct. The plan aimed to
increase national income by 30%
and agriculture production by 30%.
The wars with China in 1962 and
Pakistan in 1965 and bad monsoon
in almost all the years, meant the
actual performance was way short
of the target.
PLAN HOLIDAYS (1966-69)
ANNUAL PLANS
The situation created by the Indo-
Pakistan conflict in 1965, two
successive years of severe drought,
devaluation of the currency, general
rise in prices and erosion of
resources available for Plan
purposes delayed the finalisation of
the Fourth Five Year Plan. Instead,
between 1966 and 1969, three
Annual Plans were formulated
within the framework of the draft
outline of the Fourth Plan.
4th Plan (1969-74)
At the time of initiating the fourth
plan it was realized that GDP
growth and rapid growth of capital
accumulation alone would not help
improve standard of living or to
become economically self-reliant.
Importance was given to providing
benefits to the marginalized section
of the society through employment
and education.
Disbursement to agricultural sector
was increased to 23.3% .Family
planning programme was given a big
stimulus.
The achievements of the fourth plan
were below targets. Agriculture
growth was just at 2.8% and green
revolution did not perform as
expected. Industry too grew at
3.9%.
5th Plan (1974-79)
As a result of inflationary pressures
faced during the fourth plan, the fifth
plan focused on checking inflation.
Several new economic and non-
economic variables such as
nutritional requirements, health,
family planning etc were
incorporated in the planning
process. Investment mix was also
formulated based on demand
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estimated for final domestic
consumption. Industry got the
highest allocation of 24.3% and the
plan forecasted a growth rate of
5.5% in national income. In 1978
the newly elected Mor arji
Desai government  rejected  the
plan, and discontinued it in the
fourth year itself.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. During which Five Year Plan
was the Emergency clamped,
E
new elections took place and the
Janata Party was elected?
(a) Third (b) Fourth
C
(c) Fifth (d) Sixth
Ans. (c)
6th Plan (1978-83)
(CSE, 2009) O
The Janata government moved
away from big industry approach to N
development, instead sought to
achieve higher production targets
with an aim to provide employment
opportunities to the marginalized
O
section of the society through small
industries. But the plan lacked the
political will.
M
The Congress government returning
office in 1980 formulated a new
Y
plan with a strategy to lay equal
focus on infrastr ucture and
agriculture. It reposed faith in
Mohalanobis modd of industrial
development.
The Sixth Plan for the first time
recognized that the success of the
Mahalanobis heavy industrialization
strategy in raising the savings rate
of the country had created a
situation where excess capacities
were becoming evident in certain
industries. A shift in the pattern of
industrialization with lower
emphasis on heavy industries and
more on infrastructure begins here.
The plan achieved a growth of 5.5%
pa.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. In the context of India’s Five
Year Plans, a shift in the pattern
of industrialization, with lower
emphasis on heavy industries and
more on infrastructure begins in
(a) Fourth Plan (b) Sixth Plan
(c) Eighth Plan (d) Tenth Plan
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2010)
547
 7th Plan (1985-90)
The first three years of the seventh
plan saw severe drought conditions,
despite which the food grain
production rose by 3.2%.Special
programmes like Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana were introduced. Sectors
like welfare, education, health,
family planning, employment etc got
E a larger disbursement.
PLAN HOLIDAYS AGAIN!
C ANNUAL PLANS (1990-920)
The Eighth Five-Year Plan could not
take off due to the fast-changing
O political situation at the Centre. The
new Government, which assumed
power at the Centre in June 1991,
N decided that the Eighth Five-Year
Plan would commence on 1 April
1992 and that 1990-91 and 1991-92
O should be treated as separate
Annual Plans. Formulated within
the framework of the Approach to
M the Eighth Five-Year Plan, the basic
thrust of these Annual Plans was
on maximisation of employment and
Y social transformation.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The Sixth and the Eighth Five
Year Plans covered the period
1980-1985 and 1992-1997
respectively. The Seventh Five
Year Plan covered the period:
(a) 1987-1992 (b) 1986-1991
(c) 1985-1990 (d) 1988-1994
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1997)
8th Plan (1992-97)
From imper ative planning to
indicative planning.
The eighth plan was initiated just
after a severe balance of payment
crisis, which was intensified by the
Gulf war in 1990.Several structural
modification policies were brought
in to put the country in a path of
high growth rate. They were
devaluation of rupee, dismantling of
license prerequisite reducing trade
barriers and privatisation.
Modernization of  industries  and
Human Resources Development
were a major highlight of the Eighth
Plan. Under this plan, the gradual
opening of the Indian economy was
548 Prelims Magic 2014
under taken to correct the
burgeoning BOP deficit and foreign
debt. Meanwhile India became a
member of the World Trade
Organization on 1 January 1995.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which one of the following
Five year plans recognised human
development as the core of all
development efforts?
(a) The Third Five Year Plan
(b) The Fifth Five Year Plan
(c) The Sixth Five Year Plan
(d) The Eighth Five Year Plan
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
This plan incorporated Rao and
Manmohan model of Economic
development. The major objectives
included, containing population
growth, pover ty reduction,
employment generation,
strengthening the infrastructure,
Institutional building, Human
Resource development,
Involvement of Panchayat raj,
Nagarapalikas, N.G.OSand
Decentralisation and peoples
participation. Energy was given
prority with 26.6% of the outlay.
The plan targeted
targeted an annual growth rate of
5.6% in GDP and at the same time
keeping inflation under control. An
average annual growth rate of 6.7%
against the target 5.6% was
achieved.
The Eighth Five Year Plan was
different from the earlier ones,
because it had a considerably larger
outlay compared to the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. What is the annual rate aimed
at in the Eighth Five Year Plan?
(a) 5.6% (b) 6%
(c) 6.5% (d) 7%
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
earlier plan. As there is double
increment in planning outlay, In
Seventh Five Year Plan it was
Rs. 1,80,000 crore but in Eighth five
Year Plan it was increased upto
Rs. 4,34,100 crore. The total
expenditure during the entire Eighth
Plan stood at Rs 4,95,669 crore [by
taking 1996-97 (RE) as actual] at
current prices as against envisaged
total public sector outlay of Rs
4,34,100 crore (1991-92 prices)
resulting in a 14.2 per cent increase
in nominal terms.
Public sector outlay for the Eighth
Plan was placed at Rs.434,100
crores, at” 1991-92 prices. Of this,
investment would be Rs.361,100
crore, the rest Rs.73,100 being
current outlays. Public sector
investment would amount to 45.2
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The Eighth Five Year Plan is
different from the earliest ones.
The critical difference lies in the
fact that:
(a) it has a considerably larger
outlay compared to the earlier
plans
(b) it has a major thrust on
agricultural and rural development
(c) considerable emphasis is
placed on infrastruc-ture growth
(d) industrial licensing has been
abolished
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
percent of aggregate compared to
47.8 percent as originally envisaged
and 45.7 percent as realised in the
Seventh Plan. This outlay in public
sector during the Eighth Plan would
amount to 141 percent increase and
at comparable prices to about 32
percent increase over the Seventh
Plan Outlay in public sector. The
public sector plan outlay was to be
financed, given the BCR (Balance
from current revenue)of Rs.35,005
crore, and contribution of public
enterprises at Rs. 148,140 crore,
both including ARM, and net MCR
of Rs. 202,255 crore and deficit
financing of Rs.20,000 crore and
external resources of Rs.28,700
crore. Thus, financing is to come
from domestic sources to the extent
of 92.2 percent. Deficit financing
would be contained at 4.6 percent
of total public sector resources and
at 0.58 percent of GDP.
9th Plan (1997-2002)
It was observed in the eighth plan
that, even though the economy
performed well, the gains did not
percolate to the weaker sections of
the society. The ninth plan
therefore laid greater impetus on
increasing agricultural and rural
incomes and alleviate the conditions
of the marginal farmer and landless
laborers.
10th Plan (2002-2007)
The aim of the tenth plan was to
make the Indian economy the
fastest growing economy in the
world, with a growth target of
10%.It wanted to bring in investor
friendly market reforms and create
a friendly environment for growth.
It sought active participation by the
private sector and increased FDI’s
in the financial sector.
Emphasis was laid on corporate
transparency and improving the
infrastructure.
It sought to reduce poverty ratio by
5 percentage points by 2007and
increase in literacy rates to 75 per
cent by the end of the plan.
Increase in forest and tree cover
to 25 per cent by 2007 and all
villages to have sustained access to
potable drinking water.
11th Plan (2007-2012) The
eleventh plan has the following
objectives:
Income & Poverty
Accelerate GDP growth  from  8%
to 10% and then maintain at 10%
in the 12th Plan in order to double
per capita income by 2016-17
Increase agricultural GDP growth
rate to 4% per year to ensure a
broader spread of benefits
Create 70 million new work
opportunities.
Reduce educated unemployment to
below 5%.
Raise real wage rate of unskilled
workers by 20 percent.
Reduce the headcount ratio of
consumption poverty by 10
percentage points.
Education
Reduce dropout rates of children
from elementary school from
52.2% in 2003-04 to 20% by 2011-
12
Develop minimum standards of
educational attainment in
elementary school, and by regular
testing monitor effectiveness of
education to ensure quality
Increase literacy  rate for  persons
of age 7 years or above to 85%
Lower gender gap in literacy to 10
percentage points
Increase the percentage of each
cohort going to higher education
from the present 10% to 15% by
the end of the plan
Health
Reduce infant mortality  rate to 28
and maternal mortality ratio to 1 per
1000 live births
Reduce Total Fertility Rate to 2.1
Provide clean drinking water for all
by 2009 and ensure that there are
no slip-backs
R edu ce  ma l nu t r i t i on   a mo ng
children of age group 0-3 to half its
present level
Reduce anaemia among  women
and girls by 50% by the end of the
plan
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Inclusive growth as enunciated
in the Eleventh Five Year Plan
does not include one of the
following:
(a)Reduction of poverty
(b)Extension of employment
opportunities
(c) Strengthening of capital market
(d)Reduction of gender inequality
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2010)
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Women and Children
Raise the sex ratio for age group
0-6 to 935 by 2011-12 and to 950
by 2016-17
Ensure that at least 33 percent of
the direct and indirect beneficiaries
of all government schemes are
women and girl children
Ensure that all children enjoy a safe
childhood, without any compulsion
E
to work
Infrastructure
C
Ensure electricity connection to all
villages and BPL households by
2009 and round-the-clock power.
O
Ensure all-weather road connection
to all habitations with population
N
1000 and above (500 in hilly and
tribal areas) by 2009, and ensure
coverage of all significant
O
habitations by 2015
Connect every village by telephone
by November 2007 and provide
M
broadband connectivity to all
villages by 2012 Y
Provide homestead sites to all by
2012 and step up the pace of house
construction for rural poor to cover
all the poor by 2016-17
Environment
Increase forest and tree cover by
5 percentage points.
Attain WHO standards  of  air
quality in all major cities by 2011-
12.
Treat all urban waste water by
2011-12 to clean river waters.
Increase energy efficiency by 20
percentage points by 2016-17.
Performance
India’s growth rate during the 11th
Five Year Plan (2007-12) remained
below the target due to domestic
factors as well as the uncertain
global economic
environment. Among  domestic
factors, the tightening of monetary
policy between March 2010 and
October 2011 in order to
549
 control inflation resulted in the
slowing down of investment and
growth, particularly in the industrial
sector. The growth rate during the
five year period remained at 8 per
cent average annually, against the
targeted 9 per cent, Infrastructure
bottlenecks, especially with large
projects also contributed to the
E slowdown. Global  factors  include
two world economic crisis, one in
2008 and other in Euro-zone crisis
C of 2012 resulting in sluggish growth
in several industrialised economies.
12th Plan
O National planning is a process of
setting national targets, and
N preparing programmes and policies
that will
help achieve those targets. The
O policies and programmes must be
consistent with each other, ensure
optimal use of national resources
M both financial and real, and be based
on an understanding of the
response of the economy to these
Y interventions. This exercise has
become more complex over time for
several reasons. First, the setting of
targets is not just a technocratic
process. It must reflect the
aspirations of an increasingly aware
public and a vocal civil society to
command the broadest possible
social and political support. Second,
the strategies outlined by the plan
must reflect the growing complexity
and maturity of the economy,
including its growing integration with
the rest of the world, and the
changing role of the public and
private sectors. Finally, plan
strategies are only as good as our
ability to implement them and
therefore implementation capability
is very important.
The Twelfth Five Year Plan has
been formulated keeping all these
factors in mind.
Highlights of 12th Five Year Plan
(2012-17):
> Average growth target has been
set at 8.2 percent
550 Prelims Magic 2014
> Growth rate has been lowered to
8.2 percent from the 9.0 percent
projected earlier in view adverse
domestic and global situation.
> Ar eas of main thrust are-
infrastructure, health and education
> Growth rate has been lowered to
8.2 percent from the 9.0 percent
projected earlier in view adverse
domestic and global situation.
> The commission had accepted
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s
suggestion that direct cash transfer
of subsidies in food, fertilizers and
petroleum be made by the end of
the 12th Plan period
> After the cabinet clearance, the
plan for its final approval would be
placed before the National
Development Council (NDC),
which has all chief ministers and
cabinet ministers as members and
is headed by the Prime Minister
> Agriculture in the current plan
period grew at 3.3 percent,
compared to 2.4 percent during the
10th plan period. The growth target
for manufacturing sector has been
pegged at 10 percent
> During the 11th Plan period, the
average annual growth was 7.9
percent
> A full Planning Commission
chair ed by Pr ime Minister
Manmohan Singh on September 15
endorsed the document which has
fixed the total plan size at Rs.47.7
lakh crore
> The 12th Plan seeks to achieve 4
percent agriculture sector growth
during the five-year period
> On poverty alleviation, the
commission plans to bring down the
poverty ratio by 10 percent. At
present, the poverty is around 30 per
cent of the population.
> According to commission Deputy
Chairperson Montek Singh
Ahluwalia, health and education
sectors are major thrust areas and
the outlays for these in the plan have
been raised.
> The outlay on health would
include increased spending in
related areas of drinking water and
sanitation.
Agriculture
Agriculture in the current plan
period has grown at 3.3 percent,
compared to 2.4 percent during the
10th plan period. The growth target
for manufacturing sector has been
pegged at 10 percent.
Infrastructure
The document stresses the
importance of infrastructure
development, especially in the
power sector, and
removal of bottlenecks for high
growth and inclusiveness. It also
sets targets for various economic
and social sectors relating to poverty
alleviation, infant mortality,
enrolment ratio and job creation.
Poverty
On poverty alleviation, the
commission plans to bring down the
poverty ratio by 10 percent. At
present, the poverty is around 30 per
cent of the population.
Health and Education
According to commission Deputy
Chairperson Montek Singh
Ahluwalia, health and education
sectors are major thrust areas and
the outlays for these in the plan have
been raised.
The outlay on health would include
increased spending in related areas
of drinking water and sanitation.
The commission had accepted the
suggestion that direct cash transfer
of subsidies in food, fertilizers and
petroleum be made by the end of
the 12th Plan period. Direct cash
transfers would bring down the
government’s subsidy burden as the
money would go directly to the
“genuine” beneficiaries and “plug
leakages” in the implementation of
these schemes.

3 INDUSTRY
India has large, medium and small
industrial units of production in
almost all branches of the industry.
Since the time of the independence
in 1947, a significant feature of the
Indian economy has been the rapid
growth of the small industry sector.
The small industr y sector is
considered to have a major role in
the Indian economy due to its 40
percent share in the national
industrial output along with an 80
percent share in industrial
employment and nearly 35 percent
share in exports. The small scale
industries sector has been assigned
an important role in the
industrialization of the country by
the previous and cur rent
governments of India. In earlier
days Industrial development in India
to an extent is constrained by the
lack of saving to invest, lack of
technology and Infrastructure, skill,
and limited purchasing power of the
people.
Industry accounts for 27.6% of the
GDP and employ 17% of the total
workforce.   Economic reforms led
to privatisation of certain public
sector industries, opened up sectors
hitherto reserved for the public
sector and led to an expansion in
the production of fast-moving
consumer goods. Business services
(information technology,
 information  technology  enabled
services, business  pr ocess
outsourcing) are among the fastest
growing sectors. The growth in
the IT sector is attributed to
increased specialization, and an
availability of a large pool of highly
skilled, educated and fluent English-
speaking workers, on the supply
side, matched on the demand side
by an increased demand from
foreign consumers interested in
India’s service exports, or those
looking to outsource their
oper ations.  India’s services
exports in June 2013 stood at
$12.35 billion. The services sector
contributes about 55 per cent to the
country’s gross domestic product.
During April-July period of financial
year 2013-14, the cumulative
services receipt (exports) has
amounted to $50.93 billion.Total
services outgo or imports stood at
$27.20 billion during the first four
months of the current financial year.
Classification of industries
Small-scale industry: A small
scale industrial unit is one which
makes a capital investment of Rs.
1 crore in plant and machinery. In
other words, the industries which
are organised on a small scale and
produce goods with the help of
small machines, hired labour and
power are called as small scale
industries.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Industrial development in India, to
an extent, is constrained by:
1. lack of adequate
entrepreneurship and leadership in
business
2. lack of savings to invest
3. lack of technology, skills and
infrastructure
4. limited purchasing power
among the larger masses
Which of the above statements are
correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 4
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
Cottage industries: A cottage
industry is one which is carried on
mainly in a house with the help of
the members of the family and with
the help of simple and hand-
operated tools. Cottage industries
are household industries and depend
on local resources,
Agro-industries: Industries which
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produce goods by using agricultural
raw-materials are called agro-
industries.
Ancillary industries: Industries
which produce spare parts,
components etc., required by the
large industries are called ancillary
industries.
Medium scale industries: The
units involving fixed capital E
investments of more than Rs.2
crore but less than Rs.10 crore are
medium scale industries. On the C
basis of the number of workers
employed those industrial units
which employ up to 300 workers O
are classified as medium units.
Large scale industries: The
industrial units involving fixed
N
capital investment of more than
Rs.10 crore are known as large
scale industries.
O
Manufacturing industries: Any
industry which is engaged in the M
conversion of raw materials into
finished goods fit for human
consumption with the help of men Y
and machines is generally known as
manufacturing industry.
Service industries: Any industry
producing or supplying a service as
distinct from goods is known as
service industry.
Small-Scale Industry
The traditional small industries
include khadi and handloom, village
industries, handicrafts, sericulture,
coir, etc. Modern small industries
manufacture a wide variety of
goods from simple items to
sophisticated items such as
television sets, electronics control
system, various engineering
products, particularly as ancillaries
to large industries. The traditional
small industries are highly labor-
intensive, while the modern small
industries use highly sophisticated
machinery and equipment. The term
small-scale industries is mostly
used to represent modern small
industries. The SSIs manufacture
551
 many items which include rubber
products, plastic products, chemical
products, glass and ceramics,
mechanical engineering items,
hardware, electrical items,
transport equipment, electronic
components and equipments,
automobile parts, bicycle parts,
instr uments, sports goods,
E stationery items and clocks and
watches.
C Since Independence, the growth and
development of the small-scale
sector has been favored by the GoI
O on the following grounds: (1)
generation of employment
oppor tunities by SSIs, (2)
N mobilization of capital and
entrepreneurship skills, (3) regional
dispersal of industries and (4)
managed by entrepreneurs who are 4. Small businesses are largely local
caught up in the day-to-day matters in operation; however the market
of production and management of for its products may be local,
their units and find it difficult to keep regional or even international.
themselves abreast of the various
5. The capital investment in the
technological developments. In
small sector is generally low and the
addition, the GoI has provided
time taken for pr oduction to
protection to the SSIs from
commence is also less. As a result
competition from local large
enterprises and imports through
many policy measures. Therefore
of short gestation period the units
give quick returns and consequently
the pace of economic development
there is no threat to their markets.
The government also gives capital
subsidies, excise concessions and
quickens.
6. Small scale industries promote a
backward technology subsidies to regional dispersion of industries and
the SSIs. All of these reduce any
incentive for the small industrial
economic activities and performed
better in export of manufacture
units to constantly upgrade their product than large scale which is
technology or for technological
innovation.
about 40% of manufactured goods.
PROBLEMS OF SMALL

O equitable distribution of national

income. The policies pursued by the
GoI over the years have helped in
Today this sector accounts for 95
percent of the industrial units,
provides nearly 80 percent of
BUSINESS
Small entrepreneurs face many
problems like the following:
M the growth of the SSIs to a
considerable extent. The
contribution of India’s small scale
manufacturing employment and
contributes around 35 percent of
exports. It produces 7500 items and
1. The small entrepreneurs find it
extremely difficult to obtain credit

Y sector to the gross turnover in the

manufacturing sector since 1992
has been of the order of 40 percent.
The contribution of SSI in total
export is 34%.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following factors
regarding an industry
1. Capital investment
2. Business turnover
3. Labour force
4. Power consumption
Which of these determine the
nature and size of the industry?
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 2 and 3
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
Explanation: The factors which
determine the nature and size of
the industry ar e: (i) Capital
investment (ii) Labour force and
(iii) Power consumption
The existence of a huge number of
small industrial units manufacturing
a variety of products makes
technological modernization a
difficult task in India. Small
industrial units in India are mostly
provides employment to more than
195 lakh persons. It is a well-
recognised fact that a vibrant small-
scale sector holds the key to
economic prosperity in an economy
like India.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The contribution of India’s
small scale sector to the gross
turnover in the manufacturing
sector since 1992 has been of the
order of:
(a) 40% (b) 34%
(c) 30% (d) 45%
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1997)
Salient characteristics of small-
scale industry
1. In most small businesses the
owners themselves are managers
and so they can operate
independently.
2. Since most small businesses are
a one-man show they can respond
quickly to environmental trends.
3. Small businesses create more
jobs than big businesses.
because of lack of collateral
security. This acts as a big handicap,
especially in the initial stages, in
most of their operations like their
ability to hire the best workers or
to purchase the latest machinery
and equipment or to acquire
sophisticated technology.
2. Poor availability of power and
other infrastructure- though
infrastructural bottlenecks are
problems for big businesses too, yet
they can overcome these problems
to some extent because of their
financial strength e.g. generating
their own power, or even
influencing the government in
framing its policies sometimes.
3. Most small businesses use old
technologies because they cannot
afford better. As a result the quality
of their goods is inferior and the cost
of production is higher than in case
of other big ventures. This has
acted as a serious handicap
especially after opening up of the
economy when they have had to
compete with imported goods.

552 Prelims Magic 2014

4. The small entrepreneur cannot
supply standardized goods of high
quality and as a result cannot
compete with products of large
companies or MNCs. They usually
do not have a brand name or loyalty,
as there are hardly any funds for
advertising or sales promotion. All
these increase their marketing
woes.
5. Usually the entrepreneur has to
perform a multitude of diverse
functions invariably without having
any exposur e to professional
education or formal training. The
large sector on the other hand can
hire the best qualified and trained
people.
6. Seven out of 10 small businesses
usually fall sick and die within 3to5
years. Main causes for this are a
wrong choice of product, poor
managerial skills, lack of experience,
poor quality of products because of
the use of old technologies, etc.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
statements:
Small-scale industries are, in most
cases, not as efficient and
competitive as the large-scale
ones. Yet the Government
provides preferential treatment
and reservations in a range of
products to the small firms
because small-scale industries:
1. provide higher employment on
a per unit capital deployment basis
2. promote a regional dispersion
of industries and economical
activities
3. have performed better in
export of manufactured products
than the large scale ones
4. provide jobs to low-skill
workers, who otherwise may not
find employment avenues
elsewhere
Which of the above statements
are correct?
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1999)
7. Apart from the above-mentioned
problems the small entrepreneur has
weak bargaining power to deal with
suppliers and financial institutions,
has to face bureaucratic red tapism
and is unable to invest in R & D.
After the opening up of the
economy the small sector has been
finding it extremely difficult to
compete with the high quality goods
available in the market.
New Industrial Policy 1991
The New Industrial Policy was
declared in July, 1991 with the
major aim of loosening the barriers
to entry for private firms to
encourage competition in the
industrial sector. The industrial
policy acted to consolidate the
earlier gains and to build further by
correcting the distortions that might
have crept in the Industrial structure
developed in the earlier decades. It
also aims to sustain growth in the
productivity and
employment and to attain
gainful
international competitiveness. The
specific reforms related to the
restructuring of public sector
enterprises are as follows.
(i) To encourage private
participation in the economy. The
areas of industry reserved for the
public sector has been considerably
reduced from 17 to 3. In particular,
telecommunication, power, air
transport, petroleum, sectors were
opened for private sector.
(ii) The disinvestment of shares of
some public sector enterprises in
order to raise the resources and to
encourage private participation in
the public sector enterprises.
(iii) Public enterprises which are
sick, would be referred to the Board
of Industr ial and Financial
Reconstruction for rehabilitation or
reformulation.
(iv) An improvement of
performance and accountability has
to be ensured through new rules and
only potentially viable public sector
under takings (PSUs) can be
revived.
Prelims Magic 2014
(v) Budgetary support to sick public
sector industries will be reduced
drastically.
(vi) Only potentially viable PSUs
can be revived and others will be
closed down.
In 1998-99, two more sectors were
removed from the exclusive public
sector domain and subsequently
only 3 sectors have been left under E
the public sector domain leaving the
rest open for private and foreign
investments. Thus the Industrial C
Policy of 1991 has dismantled the
industrial controls, regulations in a
significant way to restructure the O
public sector and to promote private
sector.
Industrial licensing
N
The Industrial Policy Resolution of
1948 marked the beginning of the O
evolution of the Indian Industrial
Policy. With the introduction of the
New Industrial Policy (NIP) in M
1991, a substantial programme of
deregulation has been undertaken.
Industrial licensing has been Y
abolished for most items. Now the
Industrial licensing is required in the
following cases only:
A. For manufacture of an item
under compulsory licensing, or
B. When an item reserved for small
scale sector is intended to be
manufactured by an undertaking.
Presently Industrial licensing is
required only for the following 5
industries r elated to secur ity,
strategic and environmental
concerns:
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The number of industries for
which industrial licensing is
required has now been reduced
to:
(a) 15 (b) 6
(c) 35 (d) 20
Ans. (b) (CSE, 1997)
(i) distillation and brewing of
alcoholic drinks
(ii) cigars and cigarettes of tobacco
553
 and manufactured tobacco
substitutes;
(iii) electronic aerospace and
defence equipments all types;
(iv) industrial explosives including
detonating fuses, safety fuses, gun
powder, nitrocellulose and matches;
(v) Specifies hazardous chemicals
E i.e. (i) Hydrocyanic acid and its
derivatives, (ii) Phosgene and its
derivatives and (iii) Isocyanates &
C disocyanates of hydrocarbon, or
else where specified (example
Methyl isocyanate)
O Industries not covered under
compulsory licensing are required
to file an Industrial Entrepreneurs
N (Memorandum (IEM) to
Secretarial for industrial Assistance
(SIA), provided the value of
O investment on plant and machinery
of such unit is above Rs. 10 crore.
M A significant number of industries
had earlier been reserved for public
sector. The policy has been
liberalised progressively and
Y presently the areas reserved for the
public sector are : (a) atomic
energy; (b) the substances
specified in the schedule to the
notification of the Government of
India in the Department of Atomic
Energy number S.O.212(E), dated
the 15th March, 1995, and (c)
railway transport.
The Government continues to
provide protection to the small scale
sector, thr ough the policy of
reserving of items for exclusive
manufacture in the small scale
sector. Recently Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises Development
(MSMED) Act, 2006 has been
enacted by the Government. In this
Act investment limit for Micro
Enterprises, Small Enterprises and
Medium Enterprises have been
prescribed as Rs. 10 Lakh, Rs. 5
crore and 10 crore respectively,
Industrial undertakings other than
the small scale industrial
undertakings engaged in the
manufacture of items reserved for
exclusive manufacture in the small
scale sector are required to obtain
554 Prelims Magic 2014
an industrial license and undertaken
export obligation of 50 percent of
their annual production. However,
the condition of licensing is not
applicable to such industrial
undertakings operating under 100%
Export Oriented Under takings
Scheme, the Export Processing.
Industrial Finance
Finance is the backbone of
industrial development. Industrial
finance is available under two broad
sources viz. external and internal
sour ces. Internal sources of
industrial finance consist of funds
mobilized from own sources as in
the case of small scale units, paid-
up capital in the form of equity
shares subscription as in the case
of large units, own surpluses and
reserve funds of industries. External
sources of industrial finance include
raising of borrowed finance from
sources such as public deposits,
equity capital, debenture issues and
availing loans from commercial
banks and other financial
institutions.
Following are some of the financial
institutions in India. Primarily set up
to finance industries department.
1. Industrial Finance Corporation of
India (IFCI)
2. Industrial Development Bank of
India (IDBI)
3. Industrial Credit and Investment
Corporation of India (ICICI)
4. Industrial Investment Bank of
India (IIBI)
5. National Small Industries
Corporation (NSIC)
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS
The Department of Industrial Policy
& Promotion is administering the
following legislations related to the
intellectual property rights:
a) The Patents Act, 1970 (amended
in 1999, 2002 and 2005) through the
Patent Offices at Kolkata (HQ),
Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.
b) The Designs Act, 2000 through
the Patent Offices at Kolkata (HQ),
Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.
c) The Trade Marks Act, 1999
through the trade Marks Registry
at Mumbai (HQ) Chennai, Delhi,
Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
d) The Geographical Indications of
Goods (Registration & Protection)
Act, 1999 through the Geographical
Indications Registry at Chennai.
Biodiversity Act and Plant Varieties
and Protection of Farmer’s Rights
Act and Copyrights Act amendment
1999.
These legislations comply with
India’s international obligations on
one hand while balancing the rights
with necessary safeguards for
protecting public interest on the
other.
EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES’
GROWTH
The Eight Core Industries have a
combined weight of 37.90% in the
Index of Industrial Production
(IIP).  The  combined  Indexof  Eight
Core Industries stands at 156.2 in
September, 2013,which
was8.0%highercompared to the index
of September, 2012.
Coal: Coal production (weight:
4.38%) increased by 12.5%
inSeptember, 2013 over September,
2012. The cumulative index for coal
during April to September, 2013-14
increased by 2.3% over
corresponding period of previous year.
Crude Oil: Crude Oil production
(weight: 5.22%) increased by 0.6%
in September,2013  over  September,
2012.However, its cumulative index
during April to September, 2013-14
moderated by 1.3% over the
corresponding period of previous year.
Natural Gas: The Natural Gas
production (weight: 1.71%) declined
by 14.1% in September, 2013 over
September, 2012. Its cumulative
index during April  to  September,
2013-14 declined by16.5% over the
corresponding period of previous
year. 
Petroleum Refinery Products (0.93%
of Crude Throughput): Petroleum
refinery production (weight: 5.94%)
registered a growth of 8.0% in
September, 2013 over September,
2012,and its cumulative growth during
April to September, 2013-14was5.3%
over the previous year.
Fertilizers: Fertilizer
production (weight:1.25%)registered
a growth of 5.3% in
September,2013over September, 2012
and it registered a cumulative growth
of 2.5% during April
toSeptember,2013-14over the
corresponding period of previous year.
Steel (Alloy + Non-Alloy) : Steel
production (weight: 6.68%) recorded
a growth rate of 6.6%
inSeptember,2013over September,
2012.The cumulative growth during
April to September, 2013-14 was
4.5%over the corresponding period of
previous year.
Cement: Cement production (weight:
2.41%) increased by 11.5% in
September, 2013over September,
2012 and its cumulative growth during
April to September, 2013-14 was
4.5% over the corresponding period
of previous year.
Electricity:Electricity generation
(weight: 10.32%)increased by 12.6%
growth in September,2013 over the
period of September, 2012 and it
registered a cumulative growth of
5.4%during April to September, 2013-
14 over the corresponding period of
previous year.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q.    In  India,   in   the   overall   Development
Index   of  Industrial  Production,
the Indices of Eight Core
Industries have a combined
weight of 37-90%. Which of the
following are among those Eight
Core Industries?
1. Cement
2. Fertilizers
3. Natural gas
4. Refinery products
5. Textiles
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 5 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans (c) (CSE 2012)
Industrial Sector
After recovering to a growth of 9.2
percent in 2009-10 and 2010-11,
growth of value added in industrial
sector, comprising manufacturing,
mining, electricity and construction
sectors, slowed to 3.5 percent in
2011-12 and to 3.1 percent in 2012-
13.  negative in Q1 of 2012-13, before
The manufacturing sector, the most
dominant sector within industry,
also witnessed a decline in growth
to 2.7 percent in 2011-12 and 1.9
percent in 2012-13 compared to
11.3 percent and 9.7 percent in
2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively.
The growth in electricity sector in
2012-13 has also moderated. The
growth of the mining sector in 2012-
13 is estimated at 0.4 percent,
though it showed an improvement
over a negative growth of 0.63
percent recorded in 2011-12.
India is one of the top ten
manufacturing countries though its
share in total manufacturing value
added (MVA) is only about 1.8
percent. The growth rate of world
MVA had declined from 5.4 percent
in First quarter of 2011-12 to 2.2
percent in second quarter of 2012-
13. The latest competitive industrial
performance index (CIP) compiled
by the United Nations Industrial
Organization
(UNIDO), ranks India 42nd out of
118 countries the same as in 2005.
The initiatives taken for boosting the
manufacturing sector included
National Manufacturing Policy
(NMP), DMIC Project, FDI Policy
initiatives and setting up of the e-
Biz Project to promote ease of
doing business.
The index of industrial production
(IIP) with 2004-5 as base is the
leading indicator for industrial
performance in the country.
Compiled on a monthly basis, the
current IIP series based on 399
products/ product groups is
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aggregated into three broad groups
of mining, manufacturing, and
electricity. The IIP as an index
shows both the level of production
and growth. Overall industrial
performance, as reflected by the
IIP continued to moderate from Q1
of 2011-12 with growth turning
improving to 2.1 per cent in Q3 of
2012-13. The Mining sector
E
production has contracted in the last
six quarters. The contraction in the
current year was largely because
C
of decline in natural gas and crude
petroleum output. Manufacturing,
which is the dominant sector in
O
industry, also witnessed
deceleration in growth, as did the
electricity sector. There was,
N
however, a sharp pick-up in growth
in October 2012 with manufacturing
growth improving to 9.8 per cent,
O
the highest recorded since June,
2011. Growth, however, turned
negative in November and
M
December, 2012 and was placed at
(-) 0.8 per cent and (-) 0.6 per cent
respectively.
Y
Services Sector
The Centre for Monitoring Indian
Economy’s (CMIE) analysis of the
sector-wise performance of
services activities based on firm-
level data show that the
performance of sectors such as
transport logistics, aviation and
construction in the year 2012-13 is
subdued in comparison to with the
previous year.
High negative PAT (profit after tax)
in hotel sector continued. The health
services and telecom sectors were
projected to have rebounded in the
year 2012-13. Overall the year
2013-14 is projected to be better for
most of the sectors, except retail
trading, which is projected to have
negative growth in profitability.
FDI in multibrand retail trading has
been permitted subject to specified
conditions. 
555
 The IT and ITeS sector has started
facing competition from many
developing countries. While the EU
has the highest share in computer
and information services exports,
followed by India and the USA,
many new competitors like China,
Israel and the Philippines have
emerged in recent years.
E domestic barriers and regulations.
Between 2005 and 2011, the annual Domestic regulations in strict WTO
average growth of computer terms include licensing
services was 69 percent in the requirements, licensing procedures,
Philippines, 28 percent in Sri Lanka, qualification requirements,
59 percent in Ukraine, 27 percent qualification procedures, and
in the Russian Federation, 37 technical standards but here other
percent in Argentina and 35 percent restrictions and barriers are also
in Costa Rica. considered. 
One major issue in services is the

Important Industries in India

C Industry Location
Aircraft Industry Bangalore and Kanpur
O Aluminium Alwaye (Kerala), Asansol (West Bengal), Belur (Kamataka), Hirakud
(Orissa), Renukoot (UP), Muri (Jharkhand), Korba (Chhattisgarh)
Automobiles Mumbai, Bumpur (West Bengal), Kolkata, Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) and
N Chennai
Cement Rupnarainpur (West Bengal), Rajpura (Punjab) Bhadravati (Kamataka), Churk
(UP), Dalmianagar (Bihar), Gwalior, Kymor and Katni (MP), Okha (Gujarat),
O Coir goods
Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan), Sahabad (Kamataka), Surajpur (Punjab)
Alleppey, Kollam(Kerala)
Cotton textiles Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu),
M Indore (MP), Kanpur(UP), Ludhiana and Amritsar (Punjab), Chennai, Madurai
(Tamil Nadu) Nagpur and Sholapur (Maharashtra)
Cycles Ludhiana
Y D.D.T
Glass items
Alwaye (Kerala) and Delhi
(a) Bangles [Firozabad (UP) and Belgaum (Kamataka)];
(b) Lampware
[Kolkata, Naini (UP)] (c) Thermos flask [Faridabd (Haryana)]; (d) Glass
bottles [Amritsar (Punjab)]; (e) Glass lenses [Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh)];
(j) Glass sheets [Bahjoi, Balawali, Ghaziabad, Jaunpur (MP), Bangalore,
Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai]
Fertilizer Nangal (Punjab), Sindri (Jharkhand), Gorakhpur (UP), Nahorkatiya
(Assam), Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) Rourkela (Orissa), Trombay (Maharashtra)
Hosiery goods Amritsar, Ludhiana, Tirupur and Kanpur
Jute goods Kolkata, Gorakhpur and Kanpur
Lac Jhalda, Kossipore (West Bengal), Mirzapur (UP), Bareilly (UP)
Leather goods Kanpur, Agra (UP), Batanagar (West Bengal), Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai
and Delhi
Locomotives Chittaranjan (West Bengal), Varanasi (UP), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand)
Match box Ahmedabad, Bareilly (UP), Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Raipur
(Chhattisgarh), Srinagar
Paper Bhadravati (Kamataka), Dalmianagar, Jagadhari (Haryana), Lucknow and
Saharanpur (UP), Rajahmundry and Sirpur (Andhra Pradesh), Titagarh
(West Bengal), Brajrajnagar (Orissa), Dandeli (Kamataka), Amalai (MP),
Ahmedgarh and Malerkotla (Punjab), Nepanagar (Madhya Pradesh). In
Nepanagar, newsprint paper is produced.
Penicilin Pimpri (Maharashtra)
Rail coaches Perambur (Tamil Nadu), Pune (Maharashtra), Kapurthala
Resin industry Bareilly (UP), Nahan (Himachal Pradesh)
Rubber goods Ambapur (Tamil Nadu), Mumbai, Trivandrum, Bareilly (UP)
Salt Kutch (Gujarat), Sambhar lake (Rajasthan)
Sewing machines Kolkata, Delhi, Ludhiana
Shipbuilding Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata

556 Prelims Magic 2014

Silk
Sugar
Sports material
Tanks
Telephone
Watches
An indicative list of some important
domestic regulations in India which
need to be examined for suitable
policy reforms in the services
sector include Trade and Transport
services, Construction,
Accountancy services, Legal
services and Education Services.
CENTRAL PUBLIC SECTOR
ENTERPRISES
The PSUs, both at the Central and
state levels, play a prominent role
in the industrialisation and economic
development of India. The
macr oeconomic objectives of
Central PSUs have been derived
from the Industrial Policy
Resolutions and the Five Year
Plans. The state level public sectors
enterprises or state PSUs were
established because of the rising
need for public utilities in the states.
These PSUs have also contributed
substantially towards infrastructure
development in India because PSUs
prominently operate in the areas of
public utilities such as railways, post
and telegraph, ports, airports and
power. The infrastructure sectors
in India are dominated by PSUs and
department-owned enterprises.
Different types of public
enterprises
Central public sector enterprises
(CPSEs) are the firms owned and
controlled by the govenment. There
are three broad types of PSU’s-
Departmental Organisation, Public
Corporation and Govenment
Company. A government company
one in which the government or of
other CPSEs is 51% or more
shares.
Public sector banks (PSBs) are
banks where the direct holding of
Bangalore, Bhagalpur (Bihar), Srinagar
Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Rampur, Moradabad, Bijor, Saharanpur, Meerut,
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Gaya (Bihar), Zira, Jagraon
Agra and Meerut (UP), Batalla and Jalandhar (Punjab), Delhi
Avadi (Tamil Nadu)
Bangalore, Naini and Rai Bareilli (UP)
Jalahalli (Bangalore), Pinjore (Haryana)
the Central/state government or
other PSBs is 51% or more
State-level public enterpr ises
(SLPEs) are companies where the
direct holding of the state
government or other SLPEs is 51%
or more
DISINVESTMENT IN PSUS
DISINVESTMENT POLICY
The present disinvestment policy
has been articulated in the recent
President’s addresses to Joint
Sessions of Parliament and the
Finance Minister ’s recent
Parliament Budget Speeches.
The salient features of the Policy
are:
(i) Citizens have every right to own
part of the shares of Public Sector
Undertakings
(ii)Public Sector Undertakings are
the wealth of the Nation and this
wealth should rest in the hands of
the people
(iii)While pursuing disinvestment,
Government has to retain majority
shareholding, i.e. at least 51% and
management control of the Public
Sector Undertakings
Approach for Disinvestment
On 5th November  2009,  Govern-
ment approved the following action
plan for disinvestment in profit
making government companies:
(i) Already listed profitable CPSEs
(not meeting mandatory
shareholding of 10%) are to be
made compliant by ‘Offer for Sale’
by Government or by the CPSEs
through issue of fresh shares or a
combination of both
(ii) Unlisted CPSEs with no
accumulated losses and having
Prelims Magic 2014
(Punjab)
earned net profit in three preceding
consecutive years are to be listed
(iii) Follow-on public offers would
E
be considered taking into
consideration the needs for capital
investment of CPSE, on a case by
C
case basis, and Government could
simultaneously or independently
offer a por tion of its equity
O
shareholding
(iv) In all cases of disinvestment,
the Government would retain at
N
least 51% equity and the
management control O
(v) All cases of disinvestment are
to be decided on a case by case
basis M
(vi) The Department of Dis-
investment is to identify CPSEs in
consultation with respective
Y
administrative Ministries and submit
proposal to Government in cases
requiring Offer for Sale of
Government equity
National Investment Fund
On 27 Januar y 2005, the
Gover nment had decided to
constitute a ‘National Investment
Fund’ (NIF) into which the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Why is the Government of
India dis-investing its equity in the
Central Public ‘Sector Enterprises
(CPSEs) ?
1. The Government intends to use
the revenue earned from the
dis-investment mainly to pay back
the external debt.
2. The Government no longer
intends to retain the management
control of the CPSEs.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) I only (b) II only
(c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II
Ans (d) CSE 2011
557
 realization from sale of minority
shareholding of the Government in
profitable CPSEs would be
channelised. The Fund would be
maintained outside the Consolidated
Fund of India. The income from the
Fund would be used for the
following broad investment
objectives:-
E (a) Investment in social sector
projects which promote education,
C health care and employment;
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to the National
O Investment Fund to which the
disinvestment proceeds are
routed, consider the following
N statements:
1. The assets in the National
Investment Fund are managed by
O the Union Ministry of Finance.
2. The National Investment Fund
is to be maintained within the
M Consolidated Fund of India.
3. Certain Assets Management
Companies are appointed as the
Y fund managers.
4. A certain proportion of annual
income is used for financing select
social sectors
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 3 only
Ans (C) CSE 2010
(b) Capital investment in selected
profitable and revivable Public
Sector Enterprises that yield
adequate returns in order to enlarge
their capital base to finance
expansion/ diversification
Salient features of NIF:
The Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs in January 2013
approved the following:
(i) The disinvestment proceeds with
effect from the fiscal year 2013-14
will be credited to the existing
“public account” under the head
National Investment Fund (NIF),
and they would remain there until
withdrawn/invested for the
approved purposes.
558 Prelims Magic 2014
(ii) The NIF will be used for the
following purposes:
(a) Subscribing to the shares being
issued by the Central Public Sector
Enterprise (CPSE) including Public
Sector Banks (PSBs) and Public
Sector Insurance Companies, on
rights basis so as to ensure that 51
percent ownership of the
Government is not diluted.
(b) Preferential allotment of shares
of the CPSE to promoters as per
Securities and Exchange Board of
India SEBI (Issue of Capital and
Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2009 so that
Government shareholding does not
go down below 51 percent, in all
cases where the CPSE is going to
raise fresh equity to meet
its capex programme.
(c) Recapitaliztion of  PSBs  and
Public Sector Insurance Companies.
(iii) Fund Managers presently
managing the NIF will stand
discharged of their responsibility
from the date the funds and the
interest income are transferred to
the fund.
Fund Managers of NIF
The following Public Sector Mutual
Funds have been appointed initially
as Fund Managers to manage the
funds of NIF under the
‘discretionary mode’ of the
Portfolio Management Scheme
which is governed by SEBI
guidelines.
i) UTI Asset Management
Company Ltd.
ii) SBI Funds Management
Company (Pvt.) Ltd.
iii) LIC Mutual Fund Asset
Management Company Ltd.
Use of Disinvestment Proceeds
The income from the Fund is to be
used for the following broad
investment objectives:
(a) 75% to finance selected social
sector schemes, which promote
education, health and employment
(b)25% to meet the capital
investment requirements of
profitable and revivable CPSEs that
yield adequate returns, in order to
enlarge their capital base to finance
expansion/diversification 
However, in view of the difficult
economic situation caused by the
global slowdown of 2008-09 and a
severe drought that was likely to
adversely affect the 11th Plan
growth performance,
Government, in November 2009,
the
decided to give a one-time
exemption to utilization of proceeds
from disinvestment of CPSEs for a
period of three years – from April
2009 to March 2012 – i.e.
disinvestment proceeds during this
period would be available in full for
meeting the capital expenditure
requirements of selected social
sector programmes decided by the
Planning Commission/Department
of Expenditur e. Now as the
Country is facing very difficult
economic conditions due to
Continued financial/economic
problems in Europe, impacting the
economic growth in India, higher
subsidy burden relating to
petroleum, food and fertilizers, high
Interest r ate impacting the
manufacturing sector, affecting
excise collection, falling revenue
collection, the exemption cited
above has been extended upto
March 2013.
Accordingly, from April 2009, the
disinvestment proceeds are being
routed through NIF to be used in
full for funding capital expenditure
under the social sector programmes
of the Government, namely:-
(i) Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme 
(ii) Indira Awas Yojana
(iii) Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyuti-
karan Yojana
(iv) Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission
(v) Accelerated Irrigation Benefits
Programme 
(vi) Accelerated Power Develop-
ment Reform Programme
Total receipts from all transactions
of disinvestment from 1991-92 till
30 June 2011 is Rs 1,00,883.47
Crore. Budgeted receipt for the
year 2010-11 was Rs 40000 Crore
and actual receipt was 22,762.96
cror e. Total disinvestments
proceeds from CPSE Public Offers
in the Current Financial Year is Rs.
1144.55 crore (as on 25 May 2012)
Maharatna Status
The Central Public Sector
Enterprises fulfilling the following
criteria are eligible to be considered
for grant of Maharatna status: -
Having Navratna Status
Listed on Indian stock exchange
with minimum prescribed public
shar eholding under SEBI
regulations
An average annual turnover of
more than Rs. 25,000 crore during
the last 3 years
An average annual net worth of
more than Rs. 15,000 crore during
the last 3 years
An average annual net profit after
tax of mor e than Rs.
5,000 crore during the last 3 years
Significant global presence or
international operations
List of Maharatna, Navratna and
Miniratna CPSEs (as on May,
2012)
Maharatna CPSEs
1. Coal India Limited
2. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
3. NTPC Limited
4. Oil & Natural Gas Corporation
Limited
5. Steel Authority of India Limited
Navratna CPSEs
1. Bharat Electronics Limited
2. Bhar at Heavy Electr ical
Limited
3. Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Limited
4. GAIL (India) Limited
5. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
6. Hindustan Petr oleum
Corporation Limited
7. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam
Limited
8. National Aluminium Company
Limited
9. NMDC Limited
10. Neyveli Lignite Corporation
Limited
11. Oil India Limited
12. Power Finance Corporation
Limited
13. Power Grid Corporation of
India Limited
14. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited
15. Rural Electrification Corpo-
ration Limited
16. Shipping Corporation of India
Limited
Miniratna Category - I CPSEs
1. Airports Authority of India
2. Antrix Corporation Limited
3. Balmer Lawrie & Co. Limited
4. Bharat Dynamics Limited
5. BEML Limited
6. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
7. Bridge & Roof Company
(India) Limited
8. Central Warehousing
Corporation
9. Central Coalfields Limited
10. Chennai Petroleum
Corporation Limited
11. Cochin Shipyard Limited
12. Container Corporation of India
Limited
13. Dredging Corporation of India
Limited
14. Engineers India Limited
15. Ennore Port Limited
16. Garden Reach Shipbuilders &
Engineers Limited
17. Goa Shipyard Limited
18. Hindustan Copper Limited
19. HLL Lifecare Limited
20. Hindustan Newsprint Limited
Prelims Magic 2014
21. Hindustan Paper Corporation
Limited
22. Housing & Urban Develop-
ment Corporation Limited
23. India Tourism Development
Corporation Limited
24. Indian Railway Catering &
Tourism Corporation Limited
25. IRCON International Limited
26. KIOCL Limited
E
27. Mazagaon Dock Limited
28. Mahanadi Coalfields Limited C
29. Manganese Ore (India) Limited
30. Mangalore Refinery &
Petrochemical Limited
O
31. Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
32. MMTC Limited N
33. MSTC Limited
34. National Fertilizers Limited
35. National Seeds Corporation
O
Limited
36. NHPC Limited M
37. Northern Coalfields Limited
38. Numaligarh Refinery Limited
39. ONGC Videsh Limited
Y
40. Pawan Hans Helicopters
Limited
41. Projects & Development India
Limited
42. Railtel Corporation of India
Limited
43. Rashtriya Chemicals &
Fertilizers Limited
44. RITES Limited
45. SJVN Limited
46. Security Printing and Minting
Corporation of India Limited
47. South Easter n Coalfields
Limited
48. State Trading Corporation of
India Limited
49. T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
Consultants India Limited
50. THDC India Limited
51. Western Coalfields Limited
52. WAPCOS Limited
Miniratna Category-II CPSEs
53. Bharat Pumps & Compressors
559
 Limited
54. Broadcast Engineering
Consultants (I) Limited
55. Central Mine Planning &
Design Institute Limited
56. Ed.CIL (India) Limited
57. Engineering Projects (India)
Limited
E 58. FCI Aravali Gypsum &
Minerals India Limited
C 59. Ferro Scrap Nigam Limited
60. HMT (International) Limited
61. HSCC (India) Limited
O 62. India Trade Promotion
Organisation
N 63. Indian Medicines
Phar maceuticals Corporation
Limited
&
O 64. M E C O N Limited
65. National Film Development
Corporation Limited
M 66. National Small Industries
Corporation Limited
67. P E C Limited
Y 68. Rajasthan Electronics &
Instruments Limited
Revival of Sick Units
The Board for Reconstruction of
Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE)
has made recommendations for
revival of 59 Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs).
The Government has approved
revival of 43 CPSEs. The remaining
cases are under examination/
process by the concerned
administrative Ministries /
Departments.
The Government had approved, on
the recommendations of BRPSE, a
scheme for attracting top
managerial talent to sick CPSEs. It
provides for considering extension
of tenure upto 65 years of Chief
Executives and Functional
Directors, who have contributed to
the turnaround of the sick CPSE
and a lump-sum incentive upto
maximum of Rs. 10 lakh out of the
profits of the CPSE. On the basis
560 Prelims Magic 2014
of recommendations of BRPSE, the
Department of Public Enterprises is
in the process of formulating a
policy for enhancement of age of
superannuation from 58 to 60 years
for employees of sick and loss
making CPSEs.
The above information was given
by the Minister for Heavy
Industries & Public Enterprises Shri
Praful Patel in a written reply in the
Lok Sabha 10 May 2012.
Social Responsibility Funds in
PSUs Department of Public
Enterprises has issued Guidelines on
Corporate Social Responsibility for
Central Public Sector Enterprises
(CPSEs) in April, 2010 which,
mention the expenditure range for
Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) in a financial year as a
percentage of net profit of the
previous year. Expenditure range
for CSR in a financial year is 3-5%
of the net profit of previous year in
case of CPSEs having profit less
than Rs. 100 crores; 2-3% ( subject
to minimum of Rs. 3 crores) in case
the profit ranges from Rs. 100
crores to Rs. 500 crores and 0.5-
2% in case of CPSEs having a net
profit of more than Rs. 500 crores
in the previous year. The CSR
budget has to be fixed for each
financial year and the funds would
be non-lapsable.Under these
guidelines, the long-term CSR Plan
is to match with the long-term
Business Plan of the Organization.
The activities under CSR ar to be
selected in such a manner that the
benefits reach the smallest unit i.e.,
village, panchayat, block or district
depending upon the operations and
resource capability of the company.
Setting Up of NIMZ
Gover nment has granted in-
principle approval to five National
Investment and Manufacturing
Zones (NIMZs) outside the Delhi
Mumbai Industrial Cor ridor
(DMIC) region. The state
governments have to acquire the
necessary land before any projects
can be considered in these
zones. Eight  zones  have  been
announced as NIMZ along the
Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor
(DMIC). The Government has
received nine proposals for setting
up of NIMZ outside the Delhi-
Mumbai Industrial Corridor region.
These are:(i) Nagpur in
Maharashtr a; (ii) Tumkur in
Karnataka; (iii) Chittoor in Andhra
Pradesh (iv) Medak in Andhra
Pradesh (v) Prakasa in Andhra
Pradesh; (vi) Auraiya in Uttar
Pradesh; (vii) Jhansi in Uttar
Pradesh; (viii) Mandal-Bencharaji
SIR in Gujarat and (ix) Kochi-
Palakkad in Kerala. The National
Manufacturing Policy aims to
enhance the shar e of
manufacturing in the GDP to 25%;
to create 100 million jobs over a
decade or so; to impart the
necessary skill sets to make the
youth employable; to increase
domestic value addition and
technological depth
manufacturing while ensuring
in
environmental sustainability.
Government has taken steps to
implement the policy wherever
orders/notifications/ instructions
were required at the level of the
Central Government. The National
Manufacturing Policy provides an
enabling policy framework to
strengthen manufacturing activity in
the country. The implementation of
the policy on ground has to be done
at the level of the state
governments. The policy is based
on this principle and the state
governments have been
encouraged to adopt the
instrumentalities provided in the
policy.
 Indian Cottage Industry How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Match list I with list II and
Name of Industry States and Cities select the correct answer by using
1. Sarees and Dhotis Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, the code given below the lists:
Varanasi, Karnataka List I List II
(Aluminium Company)
2. Prints Murshidabad, Farrukhabad, Jaipur, Mumbai,
(Location)
Karnataka
A. BALCO 1. Hirakud
3. Carpets, rugs Mirzapur, Bhadohi, ellora, Kashmir, Jaipur, B. HINDALCO 2. Korba

4. Silk Sarees
Bangalore
Bangalore, Kanjivaram, Karnataka
C. Indian Aluminium
Company 3. Koraput
E
D. NALCO 4. Renukoot
5. Tassar, Silk
6. Patola Silk
Sambalpur, Ahmedabad
Baroda Codes:
A B C D
C
7. Brass utensils Moradabad (with engraving and polishing) (a) 3 1 4 2
8. Brass wares/
metal wares Jaipur, Kashmir, Varanasi, Madurai, Tanjore
(b) 2
(c) 3
4
4
1
1
3
2
O
(d) 2 1 4 3
9. Ivory Works Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan Ans. (b) (CSE, 2007) N
Name
Public Sector Industrial Undertakings & Location
1. Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd
Location
Rasayani (Maharashtra)
O
2. Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (a)Antibiotics Plant (IDPL) in Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) (b) Synthetic

3. Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd

Drug Project in Hyderabad (c) Surgical Instruments Plantin Chennai
Pimpri (Maharashtra)
M
4. Hindustan Insecticides Ltd
5. Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd
Alwaye (Kerala) and Delhi
Sindri (Jharkhand); Trombay (Maharashtra); Gorakhpur
(W. Bengal)
Y
6. Heavy Water Plants Neyveli (Tamil Nadu); Nahorkatiya (Assam); Roukela (Orissa);
Trombay (Maharashtra)
7. Bharat Dynamics Ltd Hyderabad
8. Bharat Electronics Ltd Jalahalli (Karnataka); Ghaziabad (UP)
9. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd Ranipur (UP); Ramachandrapuram (AP);Tiruchirapalli (TN);
Bhopal
10. Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Ltd Visakhapatnam (AP)
11. Central Machine Tools Bangalore
12. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works Chittaranjan (WB)
13. Cochin Shipyard Kochi
14. Diesel Locomotive Works Marwadeeh, Varanasi (UP)
15. Garden Reach Workshop Ltd Kolkata
16. Heavy Electricals Ltd Bangalore
17. Heavy Electricals (India) Ltd Bhopal
18. Heavy Engineering Corp. Ltd Ranchi
19. Heavy Machine Building Plant Ranchi
20. Heavy Vehicles Factory Avadi (Tamil Nadu)
21. Hindustan Cables Factory Rupnarainpur (WB)
22. Hindustan Shipyard Jalahalli (Karnataka) near Bangalore;
Pinjore (Haryana); Hyderabad (AP); Kalamassery (Kerala)
23. Hindustan Shipyard Visakhapatnam and Kochi
24. Indian Telephone Industries Bangalore; Naini (UP); Rai-Bareilli (UP); Mankapur (Gonda, UP);
25. Instrumentation Ltd Kota (Rajasthan); Palghat (Kerala)
26. Integral Coach Factory Perambur (Tamil Nadu); Kotkapur (Punjab)
27.Machine Tool Corporation of India Ajmer (Rajasthan)
28. Machine Tools Prototype Factory Ambamath, Mumbai

Prelims Magic 2014 561

 29. Mazagon Docks Ltd Mumbai
30. Mining and Allied Machinery Durgapur Corporation Ltd
31. Nahan Foundry Sirmur (HP)
32. National Instruments Factory Kolkata
33. Praga Tools Corporation Hyderabad
34. Triveni Structural Limited Naini (HP)
35. Tungabhadra Steel Products Ltd Tungabhadra (Kamataka)
36 NALCO Koraput –Orissa (Mines and Refinary)

E 36. National Mineral Development

37. Hindustan Zinc Limited
38. Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd
Hyderabad Corporation
Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Korba (MP); Ratnagiri (Mah)

C 39. Hindustan Copper Ltd

40. Bharat Coking Coal Ltd

Agnigudala (AP); Dariba (Rajasthan); Malanjkhand (MP) Rakha
(Jharkhand)
Dhanbad (Jharkhand)

O 41. Bharat Gold Mines Ltd

42. Coal Mines Authority Ltd
43. Neyveli Lignite Corporation
Kolar (Kama taka)
Kolkata
Neyveli (Tamil Nadu)

N 44. Zinc Smelter

45. National Newsprint and
Paper Mills Ltd
Zawar (Rajasthan)

Nepanagar (MP)

O 46. Indian Refineries Ltd

47. Cochin Oil Refinery
48. KoyaJi Oil Refinery
Barauni (Bihar); Noonmati (assam)
Kochi (Kerala)
Koyali (Gujarat)

M 49. Hindustan Steel Ltd

50. Hindustan Steel Ltd
51. Hindustan Steel Ltd
Bhilai (MP)
Durgapur (WB)
Rourkela (Orissa)

Y 52. Bakaro Steel Ltd

53. India Explosives Factory
54. Hindustan Photo Films
55. Hindustan Aluminium
Bokaro (Jharkhand)
Gomia in Hazaribagh (Jharkhand)
Ootacamund (Tamil Nadu) Manufacturing Co Ltd
Renukoot near Mirzapur in UP
Corporation Limited (HINDALCO)

Towns associated with Industries Surat: Textiles

Agra : Shoe and leather goods Jamshedpur: Iron and steel
Ahmedabad: Cotton textiles goods
Alwaye: Rare Earths Factory Jharia: Coal
Ambernath: Machine Tolls Katni: Cement
Prototype Factory (near Mumbai) Khetri: Copper
Bangalore: Cotton textiles, toys, Ludhiana: Hosiery, sewing
carpets, motors, aircraft, machines, cycles
telephone and machines tools Trombay: Uranium, thorium
Bareilly: Resin industry, wood factory
work Moradabad: Utensils, calico
Bhilai: Steel plant factory
Bokaro: Steel plant Mysore: Silk
Mumbai: Cotton textile, film Neyveli: Lignite
Chittaranjan: Locomotives Perambur:Railway coach
Delhi: Textile, DDT factory
Dhariwal: Woollen goods Pimpri: Penicillin factory
Durgapur: Steel Plant Rana Pratap Sagar: Atomic
Firozabad: Glass and bangles Power station
Gwalior: Pottery and textiles Raniganj: Coal mining
Jaipur: Embroidery, pottery, Rourkela: Steel, fertilizers
brassware Singhbhum: Copper
Tiruchirapalli: Cigars
Titagarh: Paper
Tirupur: Knitted garments
Trombay: Atomic power station
Visakhapatnam: Shipbuilding
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. For which one of the following
items, is Tirupur well known as a
huge exporter to many parts of
the world?
(a) Gems and Jewellery
(b) Leather goods
(c) Knitted garments
(d) Handicrafts
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2005)

562 Prelims Magic 2014


4 PUBLIC FINANCE
Public finance is the study of the
financial operations of the
government. It is concerned with
the income and expenditure of
public authorities and with the
adjustment of the one to the other.
Fiscal policy
The expenditure and revenue
measures or instruments employed
by the state to influence the general
level of economic activity is known
as fiscal policy. In other words,
changes in taxes and expenditures
which aim at full employment and
price level stability and other
objectives is fiscal policy.
Objectives
1. To mobilize adequate resources.
2. To pr omote pr ivate sector
development.
3. To arrange an optimum utilization
of resources.
4. To increase rate of capital
formation.
5. To control inflationary pressures.
6. To r emove poverty and
unemployment.
7. To attain objective of socialistic
pattern of society.
8. To reduce regional disparities.
9. To reduce the incidence of
inequality.
Government Accounts
Accounting policies and procedures
are designed to compile accounts
fulfilling legal/procedural
requirements that govern financial
control. Accounts are an integral
part of financial management of
activities. On the basis of accounts,
the Government determines the
shape of its monetary and fiscal
policies.
STRUCTURE OF ACCOUNTS
AND FLOW OF FUNDS
The accounts of Government are
kept in three parts:-
1. Consolidated Funds of India
2. Contingency Funds of India
3. Public Account
CONSOLIDATED FUND OF
INDIA
All revenues received by the
Government by way of taxes like
Income Tax, Centr al Excise,
Customs and other receipts flowing
to the Government in connection
with the conduct of Government
business i.e. Non-Tax Revenues are
credited into the Consolidated Fund
constituted under Article 266 (1) of
the Constitution of India. Similarly,
all loans raised by the Government
by issue of Public notifications,
treasury bills (internal debt) and
loans obtained fr om for eign
governments and international
institutions (external debt) are
credited into this fund. All
expenditure of the government is
incurred from this fund and no
amount can be withdrawn from the
Fund without authorization from the
Parliament.
CONTINGENCY FUND OF
INDIA
The Contingency Fund of India
records the transactions connected
with Contingency Fund set by the
Government of India under Article
267 of the Constitution of India. The
corpus of this fund is Rs. 50 crores.
Advances from the fund are made
for the purposes of meeting
unforeseen expenditure which are
resumed to the Fund to the full
extent as soon as Parliament
authorizes additional expenditure.
Thus, this fund acts more or less
like an imprest account of
Government of India and is held on
behalf of President by the
Secretary to the Government of
India, Ministry of Finance,
Department of Economic Affairs.
Prelims Magic 2014
PUBLIC ACCOUNT
In the Public Account constituted
under Article 266 (2) of the
Constitution, the transactions relate
to debt other than those included in
the Consolidated Fund of India. The
transactions under Debt, Deposits
and Advances in this part are those
in respect of which Government
incurs a liability to repay the money
E
received or has a claim to recover
the amounts paid. The transactions
relating to ‘Remittance’ and
C
‘Suspense’ shall embrace all
adjusting heads. The initial debits or
credits to these heads will be
O
cleared eventually by corresponding
receipts or payments. The receipts
under Public Account do not
N
constitute normal receipts of
Gover nment. Parliamentary
authorization for payments from the
O
Public Account is therefore not
required.
BUDGET
M
An estimate of anticipated
revenues and proposed
Y
expenditures for the ensuing year
is called budget. It is also known as
‘the annual financial statement”.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The authorization for the
withdrawal of funds from the
Consolidated Fund of India must
come from
(a) The President of India .
(b) The Parliament of India
(c) The Prime Minister of India
(d) The Union Finance Minister
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2011)
Q. All revenues received by the
Union Government by way of
taxes and other receipts for the
conduct of Government business
are credited to the
(a) Contingency Fund of India
(b) Public Account
(c) Consolidated Fund of India
(d) Deposits and Advances Fund
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2011)
563
 Types of budget
1. Balanced budget à Revenue =
expenditure
2. Surplus budget à Revenue >
expenditure
3. Deficit budget à Expenditure >
Revenue
E Public Revenue
At present the Central Government
C gets its revenue from three main
sources. They are: 1. Tax revenues,
2. Non-tax revenues and 3. Capital
O receipts.
1. TAX REVENUES
N Tax r evenue is the revenue
collected from taxes. Tax revenues
account for the largest part i.e.,
O above 75 percent of the total
revenues of the central government.
The total Tax Revenues of the
M central government was just Rs 375
crore in 1950-51 but it rose to Rs
Rs 9390 crore in 1980-81 and Rs
Y 133,660 crore in 2001-02. In the
2013-14 budget the Gross Tax
Revenue estimated is Rs 1235870
crore. The central government
mobilises its tax revenues from two
main sources. They are: a) Direct
taxes and b) Indirect taxes.
Different sources of tax revenues
of the central government are
explained below:
A. DIRECT TAXES:
Taxes levied on the income and
wealth of the people is called direct
taxes. They include personal
income tax, corporation tax, wealth
tax, gift tax, estate duty, interest tax,
expenditure tax, etc.
i. Income tax:
Income tax which is known as
personal income tax is a tax levied
by the central government on the
incomes of individuals, Hindu
undivided families and unregistered
firms and associations. The budget
2010-11 has raised the income tax
limit in the case of:
Income up to Rs.2 lakh: Nil
564 Prelims Magic 2014
Rs.200001 to Rs.5 lakh:
10 %
Rs.500001 to Rs.10 lakh: 20 %
Income above Rs.10 lakh: 30%
For very senior citizens (Aged 80
and above) no tax upto Rs 5 lakh.
The 2013-14 budget expects a
revenue of Rs 247639.00 from taxes
on income.
The central government collects the
income tax and used to share the
proceeds with the states on the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which one of the following
statements regarding the levying,
collecting and distribution of
Income Tax is correct?
(a) The Union levies, collects and
distributes the proceeds of
income tax between itself and the
states
(b) The Union levies, collects and
keeps all the proceeds of income
tax to itself
(c) The Union levies and collects
the tax but all the proceeds are
distributed among the states
(d) Only the surcharge levied on
income tax is shared between the
Union and the states
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
Explanation: This arrangement
was changed since 2000-01
basis of the recommendations of the
Finance Commission. This
arrangement was changed since
2000-01 on the recommendation of
the Eleventh Finance Commission
such that now states are given a
share in overall tax receipts of the
central government.
ii. Corporate tax:
Corporate tax is levied on the
incomes of registered companies
and corporations. It is levied at a
flat rate and at present the rate is
30 percent of the net profit. It is
the single largest revenue-yielding
tax in the country. It is expected to
yield Rs Rs 419520 crore in 2013-
14 (budget) reflecting the growing
industrialization in the country.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Corporate tax:
(a) is levied and appropriated by
the States
(b) is levied by the Union and
collected and appropriated by the
States
(c) is levied by the Union and
shared by the Union and the States
(d) is levied by the Union and
belongs to it exclusively
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
iii. Wealth tax: Wealth tax is levied
on the excess of net wealth over
exemption of individuals, Hindu
undivided families and companies.
It was first introduced in 1957 on
the recommendations of Prof.
Kaldor. Not all wealth holders are
taxed. Wealth below Rs 15 lakh is
exempted. It is not a very important
source of revenue for the central
government and the 2013-14 budget
expects to collect Rs 950 crore
from the wealth tax.
iv. Gift tax:
Gift tax is levied on all donations
and gifts except the ones given by
the charitable institutions,
government companies and private
companies. It was first introduced
in 1958. Gift tax is progressive in
nature. Revenue-yielding was less
that Rs 10 crore a year and finally
in his budget speech for the year
1998-99 Mr Yashwant Sinha
abolished the gift tax on the ground
of its ridiculously low yield. Gifts are
now clubbed with income in the
hands of the beneficiaries.
v. Death duty or Estate duty:
Death Duty or Estate Duty was
levied by the central government on
the property of a person passed on
to his heirs after his death. It was
first introduced in India in 1953. As
the tax yield was too low while the
cost of collection was relatively
high, it was abolished in March
1985, when VP Singh was the
Finance minister.
vi. Interest tax: It is the tax levied
on the gross interest earned by
commercial banks on loans and
advances made by them. It was first
introduced in 1974. Abolished in
2000-2001 budget.
vii. Expenditure tax:
This is another tax levied by the
central government. It was dropped
later.
viii. Fringe benefit tax: Fringe
Benefit Tax (FBT) is fundamentally
a tax that an employer has to pay
in lieu of the benefits that are given
to his/her employees. It was an
attempt to comprehensively levy
tax on those benefits, which evaded
the taxman. The tax at 30 percent
on the value of such fringe benefits
like entertainment, conveyance,
tour and travel, use of hotel, gifts,
boarding and loading facilities is
payable by the employer. The list
of benefits encompassed a wide
range of pr ivileges, services,
facilities or amenities which were
directly or indirectly given by an
employer to current or former
employees, be it something simple
like telephone reimbursements, free
or concessional tickets or even
contributions by the employer to a
superannuation fund. FBT was
introduced as a part of the Finance
Bill of 2005 and was set at 30% of
the cost of the benefits given by the
company, apart from the surcharge
and education cess that also needed
to be paid. This tax needed to be
paid by the employer in addition to
the income tax, irrespective of
whether the company had an
income-tax liability or not. However
the Budget presented by the finance
minister in July 2009, scrapped the
FBT, giving sizeable relief to
employers. In lieu of FBT, pre-
requisite tax has been introduced
w.e.f. 2009-10.
ix. Banking cash transaction tax
(BCTT):
This tax at 0.1 percent is introduced
on withdrawal of cash from bank
on a single day of Rs. 25,000 or
more by individuals or HUF and Rs.
1 lakh by persons other than
individuals and HUF. Cash
withdrawals from savings account
and purchase of DD for cash is
exempt from BCTT. The
government had introduced 0.1 per
cent BCCT in 2005 on cash
withdrawals of more than Rs 50,000
(individuals) and Rs 1,00,000 for
others in a single day from non-
savings bank account maintained
with any scheduled bank. The tax
has been withdrawn from April 1
2008 following an announcement
made by the then Finance Minister
P Chidambaram in his budget
speech for 2008-09
x. Securities transaction tax
(STT):
Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is
the tax payable on the value of
taxable securities transaction. STT
was introduced in India by the 2004
budget and is applicable with effect
from 1st October 2004. Taxable
transactions include purchase
and Sale of securities through a
recognised stock exchange in India.
STT is not applicable on off-market
transactions. STT is applicable at
different rates depending upon the
security (whether equity or
derivative) and the transaction
(whether purchase or sell). Note
that Service Tax, Surcharge and
Education Cess are not applicable
on STT.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Consider the following
statements:
In India, taxes on transactions in
Stock Exchanges and Futures
Markets are
1.Levied by the Union
2.Collected by the states
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 Only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Prelims Magic 2014
b. Indirect taxes:
The taxes levied on the goods and
services are called indirect taxes.
Revenue from indirect taxation is
the most important source or income
for the central government. The
principal indirect taxes levied by the
union government are customs
duties and excise duties. Indirect
taxes bring largest amount of
revenue to the central government.
E
i. Central excise duties:
Central excise duties are the taxes
C
levied on commodities which are
produced within the country. But
commodities on which state
O
governments impose excise duties
such as liquor, drugs, etc., are
exempted fr om central excise
N
duties. Sugar, cotton, match box,
kerosene, paper, petrol, tea, coffee,
tobacco, cigarettes, motor spirit,
O
cement, tyres, fan, electric bulb,
etc., are the goods which yield the
most by way of excise duties.
M
Central excise duties are the 2nd
largest source of revenue to the
central government. The revenue
Y
mobilised from central excise duties
has risen from about Rs 70 crore in
1950-51 to Rs 171996 crore in
2012-13. The budget estimates for
2013-14 anticipate gross excise tax
collection at Rs 197554 crore. In the
last few years, the excise duty rates
have been rationalized and
generally reduced.
ii. Customs duties:
Customs duties are the taxes levied
on commodities imported into India
(Import duties) or those exported
from India (Export duties). Import
duties are more important than
export duties, as export duties
almost have been removed.
Customs duties constitute the fourth
most important source of revenue
to the central government. The
revenue from customs duties in
1950-51 was just about Rs 70
crores and in 2012-13 was Rs.
164859 crore. The 2013-14 budget
anticipates a gross customes tax
collection of Rs 187,308 crores.
565
 iii. Service tax:
Various services are brought under
the tax net by the central
government and it was introduced
in 1994-95. They include banking,
insurance, telecom, transport, real
estate, etc and at present there are
81 services coming under the
E service tax net. . The revenue
mobilised from this source during
1994-95 was Rs. 407 crore and in
C 2012-13 it rose to Rs 132697 crores.
The 2013-14 budget expects the
service tax to yield Rs 180 141
O crore.
iv. Other taxes and duties:
N The central government is getting
about 1 percent revenue from other
taxes and duties.
O v. Taxes of the union territories:
The taxes levied and collected from
M union territories is another source
of revenue to the central
government. But this revenue has
Y to be spent in the respective union
territories.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In India, the tax proceeds of
which one of the following as a
percentage of gross tax revenue
has significantly declined in the last
five years?
(a) Service tax
(b) Personal income tax
(c) Excise duty
(d) Corporation tax
Ans (c) (CSE 2010)
2. NON-TAX REVENUE:
The union government gets revenue
from other sources as well. They
are collectively called as non-tax
revenues. In 1950-51, non-tax
revenue of the center amounted to
Rs 49 cror es and in 2012-13
collection from non-tax revenue
was 129713crore. In 2013-14
budget expects Rs 172 252 crore
in this account.
566 Prelims Magic 2014
The sources of non-tax revenue are
explained below.
i. Interest receipts:
The major source of non-tax
revenue (i.e., 70 percent) is interest
receipts. These are receipts from
central loans to state governments,
union territories, railways, tele-
communication departments, etc. In
2012-13 it accounted for Rs. 16595
crore and 2013-14 budget expects
Rs 17764 crore. As per the Twelfth
Finance Commission (TFC) Award
(2005-06 to 2009-10) under which
(i) all Central Loans contracted by
States till 31.3.2004 and outstanding
as on 31.3.2005 are required to be
rescheduled into fresh loans for 20
years carrying 7.5% interest subject
to the condition that the State
Government concerned enacts
Fiscal Responsibility Legislation and
(ii) fresh loans are to be raised
directly by the State/UT
Governments except loans under
Externally Aided Projects. So far,
twenty-six States have passed such
legislation and debt of all the
twenty-six States have been
consolidated
ii) Dividends and Profits:
This Section comprises of dividends
and profits from public sector
enterprises. It also includes surplus
of the Reserve Bank of India that
is transferred to Government.
In 2012-13 Rs 55443 Crore was the
collection, and in 2013-14 budget the
estimate is Rs 73866 Crore.
iii. Incomes from currency and
mint:
The union government of India
earns revenue from currency and
mint. a) Currency, Coinage and
Mint:- Profits from circulation of
coins represents the difference
between the face value of coins
and the cost charged.
(b) Other Fiscal Services:- The
receipts mainly relate to
contributions by Reserve Bank of
India towards EFF charges payable
to the International Monetary Fund,
remunerations, etc. received from
IMF and penalties, etc. realised
against economic offences.
iv. Administrative revenue:
The central government from its
day-to-day administration and
various economic, social, general
and fiscal services gets sizable
revenue by way of fees, licence
fees, fines and penalties, special
assessments, etc. For example, the
receipts of 'Public Ser vice
Commission' that repr esent
examination fees etc. of the Union
Public Service Commission and
Staff Selection Commission.
v) Social Services Revenue:
The receipts under 'Education,
Sports, Art and Culture' mainly
relate to tuition and other fees and
entry fees at museums and the
ancient monuments.'Medical'
receipts include contributions for
Centr al Gover nment Health
Scheme and charges realized from
patients for hospital and dispensary
services etc. Public Health receipts
include service fees, sale proceeds
of Sera and vaccine etc.
vi) Economic Services:
Agriculture and Allied Activities,
Energy, Petroleum, etc are coming
under this category.
Agriculture and Allied
Activities:
This sub-sector accommodates
receipts from agricultural farms,
commercial crops,
horticultur e, plant protection
services, fees from agricultural
education, fees for quality control
and grading of agricultural products
etc. Sale proceeds of inputs like
seeds, fertilizers, machinery, etc.
received as aid from for eign
countries and organizations are also
accounted for under it.
Energy: Under this head receipts
generate from different section like
'Power, Petroleum, Coal and Lignite
and New & Renewable Energy'
are accounted for. The head
'Power' records receipt of Central
Electricity Authority under the
Electricity (Supply) Act. Under the
Head 'Petroleum' the estimates
include receipts from Royalty on
off-shore crude oil and gas
production profit petroleum and
license fee for the right to exclusive
exploration of oil and gas in a
particular region.
vii) Railway Revenue
As per Railway Budget, receipts
are comprising of (i) miscellaneous
receipts, (ii) commercial lines, and
(iii) strategic lines. As it is a
commercial receipt, the net impact
on Non Tax Revenue is nil.
viii) Grants-in-Aid Contributions:
The estimates are in respect of
Grant assistance, in cash and kind
from external sources.
ix) Non-Tax Revenue of Union
Territories:.The receipts of the
Union Territories (without
legislature) mainly relate to
administrative services; sale of
timber and forest produce mainly in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
receipts from Chandigarh Transport
Undertaking and receipts from
Shipping; Tourism and Power.
The revenue mobilised from tax and
non-tax sources is called Revenue
Receipts and it constitutes the most
important part of Central Budget.
3. CAPITAL RECEIPTS:
When revenue mobilised through
tax and non-tax sources is
insufficient to meet its expenditures,
the central government will try to
mobilise income through capital
receipts. The examples of such
capital receipts are: i. Internal and
external borrowings, ii. Small
savings, iii. Provident fund, iv. Loan
recovery, v. Public deposits, etc, In
1950-51, the total capital receipts
was Rs. 130 crores. It went up to
Rs. 564148 crore in 2012-13. The
2013-14 budget estimates Rs
608967 crore in this account.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following taxes:
1. Corporate tax
2. Customs duty
3. Wealth tax
4. Excise duty
Which of these is/are indirect
taxes?
(a) 1 only
(c) 1 and 3
(b) 2 and 4
(d) 2 and 3
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Consider the following
1. Fringe Benefit Tax
2. Interest Tax
3. Securities Transaction Tax
Which of the above is/are Direct
Tax/Taxes?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2009)
Given below are some of the
Capital Receipts items:
1. Recoveries from State
Governments.
2. Recoveries from Union
Territories (with Legislature): The
recoveries are in respect of loans
advanced to the Union Territory of
Pondicherry and NCT of Delhi.
3. Repayment by Others:.
These include loan repayments by
parties other than States and Union
Territory Governments,viz. foreign
Governments, industrial and
commercial enterprises and
financial institutions in the public
sector, municipalities, port trusts,
private sector companies and
institutions, cooperatives etc.
4. Miscellaneous capital
receipts: In 2010-11, proceeds of
Rs22,144.79 crore on account of
disinvestment of part of government
equity in Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs) in Satluj Jal
Vidyut Nigam Ltd , Engineers India
Ltd., Coal India Ltd., Power Grid
Corporation of India Ltd.,
Manganese Ore India Ltd. and
Shipping Corporation of India have
Prelims Magic 2014
been estimated. Government has
constituted a ‘National Investment
Fund’ (NIF) into which the
proceeds from disinvestment of
Government equity in select CPSEs
is channelized. The funds so
credited to NIF will be withdrawn
and used for part funding the Social
Sector schemes namely, Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme, Indira Awas
E
Yojana , Rajiv Gandhi Gramin
Vidyutikaran Yojana, Jawaharlal
Nehru National Urban Renewal
C
Mission, Restructured -
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits
Progr amme and Acceler ated
O
Power Development Programme
as grants in aid for creation of
capital assets.
N
5. Market loans:. Government of
India raises its market loans under
the Scheme of Sale of Dated
O
Government Securities by Auction
from 1992-93. These auctions are
conducted by the Reserve Bank of
M
India, as debt manager to the
Central Government. Apart from
Fixed Coupon Securities,
Y
Gover nment has also issued
Floating Rate Bonds (FRB) on
which the coupon rate, payable
semi-annually, are reset semi-
annually by adding a ‘spread’,
determined in the auction, on the
variable base rate calculated as the
average of the implicit yields at cut
off prices of 182 days Treasury Bills
in the three preceding auctions.
Since 2002-03, Central Government
has been announcing half-yearly
Indicative Market Borrowing
Calendar based on its core
borrowing requirements.
6. Short term borrowings (364/
182/91 days treasury bills):.The
Treasury bills offer short-term
investment opportunity to financial
institutions, banks, etc. Primarily,
these are issued under the normal
auction programme of the
Government and also provide
option for non-competitive bids.
The amount for weekly auction of
91-days treasury bill and fortnightly
567
 auction of 182-days and 364-days
treasury bills is notified in indicative
quar terly calendar. Central
Government also issues 14 days.
Intermediate Treasury Bills for
deployment of short term cash
surpluses by State Governments.
7. Cash Management Bills:
E Cash Management Bills are issued
to meet the temporary cash flow
mismatches of the Government.
C The Cash Management Bills are
non-standard, discounted
instruments issued for maturities
O less than 91 days, and are issued
when necessary.
8. National small savings fund
N Small Savings Schemes:. The small
savings schemes currently in force
are: Post Office Savings Account,
O Post Office Time Deposits (1, 2, 3
& 5 years), Post Office Recurring
Deposit, Post Office Monthly
M Income Account, Senior Citizens
Savings Scheme, National Savings
Certificate (VIII-Issue), Kisan
Y Vikas Patra and Public Provident
Fund.
VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT)
VAT is the indirect tax on the
consumption of the goods, paid by
its original producers upon the
change in goods or upon the transfer
of the goods to its ultimate
consumers. It is based on the value
of the goods, added by the
transferor. It is the tax in relation to
the difference of the value added
by the transferor and not just a
profit.
Thus, value added tax falls on the
value added at each stage. As for
example, the raw materials after
necessary processing have been
converted into final goods and these
manufactur ed goods are then
channelled through wholesale and
retail outlets for reaching the final
consumers. At all these stages,
some element of value addition
takes place and value added tax is
levied on the value added at each
stage.
568 Prelims Magic 2014
A full-fledged VAT was initiated
first in Brazil in mid 1960s, then in
European countries in 1970s and
subsequently introduced in about
130 countries, including several
federal countries. In Asia, it has
been introduced by a large number
of countries from China to Sri
Lanka. Even in India, there has
been a VAT system introduced by
the Government of India for about
last ten years in respect of Central
excise duties. At the State-level, the
VAT system as decided by the State
Gover nments, would now be
introduced in terms of Entry 54 of
the State List of the Constitution.
The first preliminary discussion on
State-level VAT took place in a
meeting of Chief Ministers
convened by Dr. Manmohan Singh,
the then Union Finance Minister in
1995. At present, it has been
regarded as world’s fastest
growing tax and it has already been
implemented in more than 125
countries. The Government of India
has implemented VAT since April
1, 2005
Introduction of State VAT is the
most significant tax reform
measure at the State level. The
State VAT has replaced the earlier
Sales Tax systems of the States.
VAT, being a ‘tax on sale or
purchase of goods within a State’
is a State subject, is a State Subject
by virtue of Entry 54 of List II
(State List) of the Seventh
Schedule of the Constitution of
India. The Government of India
has constituted an Empowered
Committee of State Finance
Ministers (EC) to deliberate upon
and decide all issues concerning
Sales Tax Reforms/ State VAT. The
State VAT has been introduced by
all the States/UTs except Uttar
Pradesh. Since Sales Tax/VAT is a
State subject, the Central
Government has been playing the
role of a facilitator for successful
implementation of VAT. Some of
the steps taken by the Central
Government in this regard are as
follows :
a) A package for payment of
compensation to States for any
revenue loss on account of
introduction of VAT has been
implemented.
b) Technical and financial support
is being provided to North Eastern/
Specialcategory States to enable
them to take up VAT
computerisation.
c) Financial support has been
provided to the Empowered
Committee as well as the States for
undertaking VAT related publicity
and awareness campaigns.
d) 50% funding is being provided
to the EC for implementation of the
TINXSYS Project for tracking of
inter-State transactions.
The experience with implementation
of VAT has been very encouraging
so far. The new System has been
received well by all the stake-
holders. The transition to the new
system has been quite smooth. The
introduction of state-level VAT had
led to improved performance in
terms of the states’ own tax effort
collectively. VAT collections by
states have shown an average
increase of 23 per cent in 2011-12
over the previous fiscal. Only Delhi
and West Bengal reported less than
20 per cent collection of the levy.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which one of the following is
not a feature of “Value Added
Tax” ?
(a) It is a multi-point destination
based system of taxation
(b) It is a tax levied on value
addition at each stage of
transaction in the production-
distribution chain (c) It is a
tax on the final consumption of
goods or services and must
ultimately be borne by the
consumer (d) It is basically a
subject of the Central Govern-
ment and the State Governments
are only a facilitator for its
successful implementation
Ans (d) (CSE 2011)
Minimum Alternative Tax
The concept of Minimum Alternate
Tax (MAT) was introduced in the
direct tax system to make sure that
companies having large profits and
declaring substantial dividends to
shareholders but who were not
contributing to the Govt by way of
corporate tax, by taking advantage
of the various incentives and
exemptions provided in the Income-
tax Act, pay a fixed percentage of
book profit as minimum alternate
tax. The Minimum Alternative Tax
(MAT) was initially introduced in
the budget of the Government of
India for the year 1996-97.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The Minimum Alternative Tax
(MAT) was introduced in the
Budget of the Government of
India for the year:
(a) 1991-92 (b) 1992-93
(c) 1995-96
Ans. (d)
(d) 1996-97
(CSE, 1997)
DIRECT TAXES CODE (DTC)
The Direct Taxes Code Bill, 2010
introduced in Parliament, seeks to
consolidate and amend the laws
relating to alldirect taxes, that is
income-tax, dividend distribution tax,
and wealth tax so as to establish an
economically efficient, effective,
and equitable direct tax system
which will facilitate voluntary
compliance and help increase the
tax to GDP ratio. The salient
features of the DTC are:
1. It consolidates and integrates all
direct tax laws and replaces both
the Income Tax Act 1961 and the
Wealth Tax Act 1957 with a single
legislation.
2. It simplifies the language of the
legislation. The use of direct, active
speech, expressing only a single
point through one sub-section and
rearranging the provisions into a
rational structure will assist a
layperson to understand the
provisions of the DTC.
3. It indicates stability in direct tax
rates. Currently, the rates of tax
for a particular year are stipulated
in the Finance Act for that relevant
year. Therefore, even if there is
no change proposed in the rates of
tax, the Finance Bill has still to be
passed indicating the same rates of
tax. Under the Code, all rates of
taxes are proposed to be prescribed
in Schedules to the Code, thereby
obviating the need for an annual
finance bill, if no change in the tax
rate is pr oposed. The Code
proposes a corporate tax rate of 30
per cent against the cur rent
effective rate of 33.2 per cent and
raises the exemption limit as well
as broadens the tax slabs for
personal income tax.
4. It strengthens taxation provisions
for international transactions. In the
context of a globalized economy, it
has become necessary to provide a
stable framework for taxation of
international transactions and global
capital. This has been reflected in
the new pr ovisions. The new
provisions with regar d to
international taxation are:
a. Advance Pricing Agreements for
International Transactions—This
will bring in certainty in transfer-
pricing issues as any taxpayer can
enter into an agreement with the tax
administration, which will be valid
for a period up to five years,
regarding the manner in which the
taxpayer would compute arm’s
length price in respect of the
taxpayer ’s international
transactions.
b. Alignment of concept of
residence (of a Company) with
India’s tax treaties by introduction
of concept of ‘place of effective
management’ instead of ‘wholly
controlled’ in India.
c. Controlled Foreign Company
Regulations—This is a provision
which will assist in taxation of
profits of a foreign company in the
hands of resident share- holders
who may have incorporated such a
company in low tax jurisdictions and
Prelims Magic 2014
are accumulating passive income
(i.e. interest, dividends, capital
gains, etc.) in the company without
repatriating the income to India.
d. Branch Profit Tax on Foreign
Companies–-Currently, foreign
companies are taxed at the rate of
42.2 per cent (inclusive of
surcharge and cess) while domestic
companies are taxed at the rate of
33.2 per cent (inclusive of
E
surcharge and cess) plus a dividend
distribution tax at the rate of 16.6
per cent when they distribute
C
dividend from accumulated profits.
It is proposed to equate the tax rate
of foreign companies with that of
O
domestic companies by prescribing
the rate at 30 per cent and levying
a branch profit tax (in lieu of
N
dividend distribution tax) at the rate
of 15 per cent. This will provide tax
neutrality between a branch and a
O
subsidiary of a foreign company in
India. M
e. Taxation of assets held abroad
under wealth tax—It is proposed to
include certain assets of residents Y
which are held abroad, such as
deposits in bank accounts in the
case of individuals and interest in a
foreign trust or in a controlled
foreign corporation. This will
create a reporting requirement
mechanism for assets held abroad.
5. Phasing out Profit-linked Tax
Incentives and Replacing them by
Investment-linked Incentives—It
has been observed that profit-linked
deductions ar e inherently
discriminatory, prone to misuse by
shifting of profits from non-exempt
to exempt entity or by reporting
higher profits in exempt income
entity, and also lead to high level of
litigation and revenue foregone.
They also impede the Government’s
efforts to give a moderate tax rate
to other taxpayers as the higher
taxes paid by others by implication
cross-subsidize the lower tax rates
of the profit-linked deduction
sectors.
Such profit-linked deductions are
569
 being phased out of the Income Tax
Act and have also been dropped in
the DTC.
They are being replaced by
investment-linked deductions for
specified sectors. Investment-linked
incentives are calibrated to the
levels of creation of productive
E capacity and therefore are superior
instr uments. Profit-linked
deductions currently being availed
of have been protected for the
C unexpired period in the DTC.
6. Rationalization of Tax Incentives
O for Savings—In order to focus
savings incentives on long-term
savings for social security of the
N taxpayer during his non-working
life, deduction of up to Rs 1 lakh
has been provided for investments
O in approved provident funds,
superannuation funds, and pension
funds.
M 7. General Anti Avoidance Rule to
Curb Aggressive Tax Planning—
Direct tax rates have been
Y moderated over the last decade and
are in line with international norms.
A general anti-avoidance rule
assists the tax administration in
deterring aggressive tax avoidance
in a globalized economy. Such
general anti-avoidance r ules
already form a part of the tax
legislation in a number of G-20
countries.
8. Taxation of Non-pr ofit
Organizations: It is proposed to tax
non-profit organizations set up for
charitable purposes on their surplus
(at the rate of 15 per cent), after
allowing for accumulation of a
specified proportion for creation of
assets or for long-term projects, a
further carry forward for receipts
of the last month of the year, and
also after a basic exemption limit
of Rs 1 lakh. Donations to these
non-profit organizations will be
eligible for tax deduction in the
hands of the donor.
‘GOODS AND SERVICE TAX’
(GST)
The Union Finance Minister (FM)
570 Prelims Magic 2014
on 22 March 2011, introduced a
Constitution Amendment Bill (the
Bill) in the Lok Sabha to enable the
implementation of ‘Goods and
Service Tax’ (GST), an indirect tax
regime that would subsume levies
like excise, service tax and sales
tax.
The Bill seeks to amend the
Constitution to authorise both the
Centre and the States to levy taxes
on supply of goods and services.
This Bill is a culmination of three
Draft Amendment Bills circulated
by the Central Government – the
First Draft dated 21 July 2010, the
Second Draft dated 11 August 2010
and the Third Draft dated 28
January 2011.
Highlights of the Bill and the
way forward
The Bill in its current form closely
resembles the Second Draft as
compared to the Third Draft.
The key areas of dispute that
emerged with the earlier drafts of
the Amendment Bill were the
provisions contained in Articles
279A and 279B.
GST Council: The proposed
Article 279A empowers the
President of India to constitute a
GST Council which would examine
issues relating to GST and make
recommendations.
? The Bill provides that the GST
Council would consist of the Union
Finance Minister as the
Chairperson, with the Union
Minister of State (Revenue) and the
Finance/ Taxation Ministers of the
State Governments as Members.
? The quorum for the meetings of
the GST Council shall be one third
of the total number of members,
and a decision can be taken only
with the consensus of all members
present.
GST Dispute Settlement
Authority (DSA) The newly
proposed Article 279B provides for
establishment by the Parliament of
a DSA to adjudicate any dispute that
results in a loss of revenue to a
State or the Centre. The powers of
DSA shall be laid out in the Act to
be passed by the Parliament. The
manner in which the DSA shall be
constituted is specified in detail in
this Article, with the fur ther
stipulation that it would be headed
by a retired Judge of the Supreme
Court or a Chief Justice of any High
Court.
How will GST benefit the
economy?
It will simplify India's tax structure,
broaden the tax base, and create a
common market across states. This
will lead to increased compliance
and increase India's tax-to-gross
domestic product ratio. According
to a report by the National Council
of Applied Economic Research,
GST is expected to increase eco-
nomic growth by between 0.9 per
cent and 1.7 per cent. Exports are
expected to increase by between 3.2
per cent and 6.3 per cent, while
imports will likely rise 2.4-4.7 per
cent, the study found.
What's the roadmap for GST?
Now, there are hopes that the GST
regime will come into effect by 1
April 2014.
Budget deficits
1. Revenue deficit:
it equals the difference between the
revenue receipts and the revenue
expenditure. Revenue deficit =
Total revenue receipts - Total
revenue expenditure
2. Budget deficit:
it occurs when total expenditure
exceeds total receipts. When the
expenditure becomes more than
revenues, then the budgetary
exercise is considered a failure as
there is shortage of funds. Such a
situation is said to be a ‘Budget
Deficit’. Budget deficit = Total
receipts - Total expenditure.
3. Fiscal deficit:
Fiscal deficit is an economic
phenomenon, where the
government’s total expenditure
surpasses the revenue generated.
It is the difference between the
government's total receipts
(excluding borrowing) and total
expenditure. Fiscal deficit gives the
signal to the government about the
total borrowing requirements from
all sources.
It equals revenue receipts plus non-
debt capital receipts minus total
expenditure. Every government
raises resources for funding its
expenditure. The major sources for
funds are taxes and borrowings.
Borrowings could be from the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), from
the public by selling bonds to
financial institutions, banks and even
foreign institutions. T hese
borrowings constitute public debt
and fiscal deficit is a measure of
borrowings by the government in a
financial year.
4. Primary deficit:
it equals the gap between the govt’s
total income and expenditure after
excluding interest earnings and
payments.
Primary Deficit = Fiscal Deficit
minus interest cost of the Public
Debt.
Suggested measures to reduce
Fiscal Deficitinclude rationalization
of expenditure, augmentation in
revenue, disinvestment of public
sector undertaking, enhancing the
efficiency of funds spent on various
flagship programs like NREGA
among others.
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In India, deficit financing is
used for raising resources for
(a) economic development
(b) redemption of public debt
(c) adjusting the balance of
payments
(d) reducing the foreign debt
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In the context of governance,
consider the following:
1. Encouraging Foreign Direct
Investment inflows
2. Privatisation of higher
educational institutions
3. Down-sizing of bureaucracy
4. Selling / offloading the shares
of Public-Sector Undertakings
Which of the above can be used
as measures to control the fiscal
deficit in India?
(a) 1,2and3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 3 and 4 only
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using
the codes given below the lists:
List I (Term)
A. Fiscal deficit
B. Budget deficit
C. Revenue deficit
D. Primary deficit
List II (Explanation)
1. Excess of Total Expenditure
over Total Receipts
2. Excess
Expenditure
of Revenue
3. Excess of Total Expenditure
over Total Receipts less
borrowings
4. Excess of Total Expenditure
over Total Receipts less
borrowings and Interest Payments
Codes:
A B C D discipline.
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 4 3 2 1 The FRBM Rules impose limits on
(c) 1 3 2 4
(d) 3 1 4 2 it will be the duty of the Union
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Assertion (A): Fiscal deficit is
greater than budgetary deficit.
Reason (R): Fiscal deficit is the
borrowing from the Reserve Bank
of India plus other liabilities of the
Government to meet its
expenditure.
(a) Both A and R are true and R
is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is
not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1999)
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FRBMA
The persistent fiscal deficits, and the
steadily growing Debt/GDP ratio,
constitute the most important
challenges affecting India’s growth
prospects. In response to this
challenge, Parliament passed the
Fiscal Responsibility and Budget
Management (FRBM) Act in 2003,
which came into force on 5th July
2004. The first objective of the Act
E
is to make the Government
responsible to “ensure
intergenerational equity in fiscal
C
management” implying that
borrowings are nothing but deferred
taxation and the governments living
O
beyond their means leave a burden
of debt on future generations. The
three planks of strategy in-built in
N
the FRBM Act were:
1. Limits on government borrowing
under a time bound programme to
O
altogether eliminate revenue deficit
and bring down fiscal deficit to
prudent limits.
M
2. Bringing a medium term
perspective in Budget planning
through the introduction of certain
Y
statements to accompany the
budget document, and
3. Improving transparency in the
fiscal operations of the government
in order to avoid any window
dressing in meeting the deficit
targets as well as improving fiscal
fiscal and revenue deficit. Hence,
government to stick to the deficit
targets.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which one of the following
statements is correct?
Fiscal Responsibility and Budget
Management Act (FRBMA)
concerns:
(a) Fiscal Deficit only
(b) Revenue deficit only
(c) Both fiscal deficit and revenue
deficit
(d) Neither fiscal deficit nor
revenue deficit
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2006)
571
 FRBM Act - Rules Notified: As
part of amendments to the FRBM
Act, 2003, carried out as part of the
Finance Bill, 2012 the fiscal deficit
targets adopted in the roadmap
formed the basis of the new FRBM
Rules notified. Accordingly,
government laid down that the fiscal
deficit will be contained within 5.3
E per cent in 2012-13, with gradual
reduction of 0.5 per cent to achieve
4.8 per cent in the year 2013-14 and
C followed by 0.6 per cent reduction
in subsequent years to achieve the
target of 3.0 per cent level in 2016-
O 17. Further, the target of Revenue
deficit have been reset to bring it
down to below 2.0 per cent by
N 2015-16 and to eliminate Effective
Revenue Deficit in the same time
period.
O Kelkar Committee Report
M The Report of the Task Force on
the Implementation of the Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget
Y Management (FRBM) Act, 2003
(‘the Second Committee Report’)
was presented in July 2004 and is
popularly known as the Kelkar
Committee Report. It aimed at
reducing fiscal deficits within the
country.
The Task Force on Direct Taxes
headed by Mr Vijay Kelkar
submitted its first report in 2003
(‘the First Committee Report’)
which recommended changes
needed on direct taxation.
Both Reports sought to encourage
voluntary compliance of tax laws as
its fundamental objective, which
was anticipated to be achieved once
the tax laws were simplified.
The First Committee Report
recommended that the transitory
arrangement of benefit of tax
exemption under Sections 10A and
10B of the Income Tax Act (‘the
Act’) either be withdrawn totally or
be continued only for taxpayers
engaged in manufacturing
software.
572 Prelims Magic 2014
One of significant recommendations
of the First Committee Report was
removal of the rebates provided
under Section 88 of the Act. The
then Government in their budget for
the financial year 2005–06 scrapped
all sub-sections of Section 88 of the
Act and clubbed such provisions
under Section 80C of the Act. All
the avenues that were eligible for
the benefits under ex-post section
were brought under the ambit of
Section 80C as it exists today.
Both the Committee Reports made
the right recommendations but
failed to appreciate fully the wide
contours of the proposals, which
have either been incorporated or
not in the scheme of the Indian tax
laws.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which of the following is not
a recommendation of the task
force on direct taxes under the
chairmanship of Dr. Vijay L.
Kelkar in the year 2002?
(a) Abolition of Wealth Tax
(b) Increase in the exemption
limit of personal income to Rs.
1.20 lakh for widows
(c) Elimination of standard
deduction
(d) Exemption from tax on
dividends and capital gains from
the listed equity
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation : Dr. V.L. Kelkar
Committee recommended higher
exemption limit of Rs. 1.50 Lakh
for widows and senior citizens
(not Rs. 1.20 lakh)
Q. The Kelkar proposals which
were in the news recently were
the:
(a) recommendations for reforms
in the power sector
(b) recommendations for tax
reforms
(c) guidelines for the privatization
of public sector undertakings
(d) guidelines for reducing
vehicular pollution and the
promotion of CNG use
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
Public Expenditure
Classification: i) Plan expenditure
and non-plan expenditure. ii)
Revenue expenditure and capital
expenditure.
Plan Expenditures
a. Central plan schemes (i)
Economic services (ii) Social
services (iii) General services
b. Central assistance to state plans.
c. Central assistance to union
territory plans.
Non-plan expenditure
i) Civil expenditure
ii)
iii)
iv)
Defence expenditure
Interest payments
Subsidies
v)
vi)
Grant-in-aid
Loans and advances
Public debt
Public debt refers to all types of
borrowings by the government from
among the institutions, organizations
and the public
Components: (i) Internal debt
(ii) external debt (iii) Other liabilities
1. Internal debt: Internal debt
comprises of all borrowings and
market loans which were formerly
called permanent or funded debt. It
consists of all internal borrowings
and market loans. It includes
treasury bills issued by the
Government of India to the Reserve
Bank, State Governments,
Commercial Banks and other
parties.
2. External debt: External debt
includes loans taken by the
Government of India against the
non-negotiable, non-interest bearing
securities issued to international
financial institutions like the IMF,
IBRD, IDA, ADB, etc. Besides
these, the loans taken by the
Government of India from friendly
countries are also included. External
debt also includes loans taken from
the IMF Trust Fund.
India's external debt stock stood at
$390 billion by the end of March
2013, against $345.5 billion a year
before, the latest finance ministry
report India's External debt: A
Status Report 2012-13 suggested.
The external debt to GDP went up
to 21.2% against 19.7% the
previous year. The rise is mainly due
to increase in shortterm debt,
commercial borrowings and non-
resident Indian deposits.
A country is said to be in a debt trap
if it has to borrow to make interest
payment on outstanding loans.
3. Other outstanding liabilities:
This includes all outstanding
liabilities against the various small
savings schemes, public provident
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following:
1. Market borrowing
2. Treasury bills
3. Special securities issued to
RBI
Which of these is/are compo-
nents(s) of internal debt?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 only
Ans. (d)
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(CSE, 2001)
Q. A country is said to be in a
debt trap if:
(a) it has to abide by the
conditionalities imposed by the
IMF
(b)it has to borrow to make
interest payments on outstanding
loans
(c) it has been refused loans or
aid by creditors abroad
(d) the World Bank charges a
very high rate of interest, on
outstanding as well as new loans
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Q. India’s external debt
increased from US $ 91,158
million as at the end of March
2000 to US $ 100,225 million as
at the end of March 2001 due to
increase in:
(a) multilateral and bilateral debt
(b) rupee debt
(c) commercial borrowings
(d) borrowings from International
Monetary Fund
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
fund and state provident fund
contributions, income tax annuity
deposit schemes, interest bearing
reserve funds of the departments
of Railways, Post and Telegraphs,
etc.
Causes for the growth of public
debt
1. Development plans
2. Removal of temporary deficit
3. Limits of taxation
4. Control of inflation
5. Low taxable capacity
6. Higher government interference
7. Higher defence expenditure
8. Burden of interest payments
9. Meeting emergencies
10. Populist schemes
Public finance Glossary
Ad-Valorem Duties :- Defined as
those duties that are established as
a certain percentage of the price of
the product.
Appropriation Bill :- It is a bill
that authorizes payment and
appropriation of expenses from the
Consolidated Fund. This bill is
introduced only after the general
discussion on budget proposals and
the completion of voting on grants.
The procedure to pass the bill in
parliament is like other money bills.
Bill :- It is a well drafted legislative
proposal that later becomes an Act
on being approved by both the Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Budget Estimates :– These are
assessment of expenditure by the
government for a year. This also
includes the estimate of Revenue
Deficit and Fiscal Deficit for the
year.
Capital Budget :- This budget
comprises of loans & advances that
are granted to Union & State
territory by the Union government,
corporations, government
companies and other parties. Capital
budget also includes capital receipts
and payments by the government.
Capital Expenditure :- The total
expenditure by the government on
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acquiring any asset that may include
investment in shares, machinery,
building or land. The scope of
capital expenditure extends to
payments, advancements or loans
that are approved or sanctioned to
the State governments, union
territories, public sector
undertakings by the Central
government.
Capital Gains: Profits or gains
E
arising from the transfer of a capital
asset made in a previous year are
taxable as capital gains under the C
head “Capital Gains”. The
important ingredients for capital
gains are, therefore, existence of a
capital asset, transfer of such
O
capital asset and profits or gains that
arise from such transfer. N
Countervailing Duties :- These
duties are imposed on all imports
inorder to thwart any kind of unfair
O
trading practices carried out by the
foreign countries.
Consolidated Fund :- This fund
M
is made of the revenues that are
received by Government plus the
loans that were raised by the
Y
government as well as the receipts
from recoveries of loans granted by
it.
Contingency Fund :- The fund
that is used by the government in
order to meet the unforeseen
expenditure or incase to meet
emergencies. The contingency fund
is generally used when the
government cannot wait for long
for the parliament to authorise the
expenses on the expenditure.
CENVAT :- This tax is imposed on
most of the goods and reduce the
cascading effect of indirect taxes
on finished products.
Current Account Deficit :- This
deficit is determined on finding the
difference between the nation’s
exports and imports.
Disinvestment :- Government
makes a number of investment in
public sector undertakings. But
when it dilutes its stake in these
undertakings, it is defined as
disinvestment.
573
 Finance Bill :- It is a bill that is
presented to the Parliament by the
government. This bill is
government’s plan for imposing
new taxes beyond the period. The
plans may include continuation of
present tax structur e or
modifications in the it. The finance
bill seeks approval from the
E Parliament.
Monetised Deficit :- This deficit
is the help extended to the Central
C government’s borrowing
programme by the Reserve Bank
of India.
O National Debt :- The term National
Debt is the amount borrowed the
N central government. This debt is
taken in order to finance the budget
deficits.
O Peak Rate:- The term peak rate
is common in Indian Budget and
refers to the maximum rate of
M customs duty which is applied on
any item.
Performance Budget :- The
Y completed form of varied activities
of various departments and
ministries is termed as Performance
Budget.
Progressive Tax: - Progressive
tax is a tax where the wealthy have
to give more income tax as
compared to the poor. It is a process
by which the proportion of personal
income paid by a rich person in
taxes is higher than that paid by a
poor person. A progressive tax
structure is therefore tends to
improve income redistribution. On
the other hand in case of regressive
5 DEMOGRAPHICS
POPULATION
India’s total population stands at
1.21 billion, which is 17.7 per cent
more than the last decade, and
population growth of females was
higher than that of males.
According to the final census data
released in April 2013, India’s total
574 Prelims Magic 2014
tax the ratio of taxe to income
decreases as income increase.
Subsidies:- The Central
Government extends monetary aid
either to a group of individuals or
individual in order to enhance their
business skills.
Twin Deficits:- Deficits that
include both the government budget
deficit and BOP deficit.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. A redistribution of income in a
country can be best brought about
through:
(a) progressive taxation combined
with progressive expenditure
(b) progressive taxation combined
with regressive expenditure
(c) regressive taxation combined
with regressive expenditure
(d) regressive taxation combined
with progressive expenditure
Ans. (b) (CSE 2003)
Q. Under which of the following
circumstances may ‘capital gains’
arise? 
1.  When  there  is  an  increase  in
the sales of a product
2. When there is a natural increase
in the value of the property owned
3. When you purchase a painting
and there is a growth in its value
due to increase in its popularity
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 1 only     (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only     (d) 1, 2 and 3
(CSE 2012)
Note: As per the defenition, none
of the answewrs are correct.
population as on March 1, 2011 was
1,210,726,932 or 1.21 billion - an
increase of 181.96 million persons
in absolute number of population
during 2001-11.
There was an increase of 90.97
million males and increase of 90.99
million females.
India’s population grew by 17.7 per
cent during 2001-11, against 21.5
per cent in the previous decade.
Among the major states, highest
growth in population has been
recorded in Bihar (25.4 per cent)
while 14 states and Union
Territories have recorded
population growth above 20 per
cent.
Altogether, 833.5 million persons
live in rural areas as per Census
2011, which was more than two-
third of the total population, while
377.1 million persons live in urban
areas.
Urban proportion has gone up from
17.3 per cent in 1951 to 31.2 per
cent in 2011. Empowered Action
Group (EAG) states have lower
urban proportion (21.1 per cent) in
comparison to non EAG states (39.7
per cent).
Highest pr oportion of urban
population is in NCT Delhi (97.5 per
cent). Top five states in share of
urban population are Goa (62.2 per
cent), Mizoram (52.1 per cent),
Tamil Nadu (48.4 per cent), Kerala
(47.7 per cent) and Maharashtra
(45.2 per cent).
Literacy rate in India in 2011 has
increased by 8 per cent to 73 per
cent in comparison to 64.8 per cent
in 2001.
While male literacy rate stands at
80.9 per cent - which is 5.6 per cent
more than the previous census, the
female literacy rate stands at 64.6
per cent - an increase of 10.9 per
cent than 2001.
The highest increase took place in
Dadra and Nagar Haveli by 18.6
points (from 57.6 per cent to 76.2
per cent), Bihar by 14.8 points (from
47.0 per cent to 61.8 per cent),
Tripura by 14.0 points (from 73.2
per cent to 87.2 per cent).
Improvement in female literacy is
higher than males in all states and
UTs, except Mizoram (where it is
same in both males and females)
during 2001-11.
The gap between literacy rate in
urban and rural areas is steadily
declining in every census. Gender
gap in literacy rate is steadily
declining in every census. In
Census 2011, the gap stands at 16.3
points.
Top five states and UTs, where
literacy rate is the highest, are
Kerala (94 per cent), Lakshadweep
(91.8 per cent), Mizoram (91.3 per
cent), Goa (88.7 per cent) and
Tripura (87.2).
The bottom five states and UTs are
Bihar (61.8 per cent), Arunachal
Pradesh (65.4 per cent), Rajasthan
(66.1 per cent), Jharkhand (66.4 per
cent) and Andhra Pradesh (67 per
cent).
The density of population in the
country has also increased from
325 in 2001 to 382 in 2011 in per sq
km. Among the major states, Bihar
occupies the first position with a
density of 1106, surpassing West
Bengal which occupied the first
position during 2001.
Delhi (11,320) turns out to be the
most densely inhabited followed by
Chandigarh (9,258), among all
states and UTs, both in 2001 and
2011 Census. The minimum
population density works out in
Arunachal Pradesh (17) for both
2001 and 2011 Census.
The Census data pegs the
population of Scheduled Castes at
16.6 per cent and Scheduled Tribes
at 8.6 per cent, together forming a
quarter of the total population. The
data comes out at a time when
political parties are busy drawing up
gameplan for the 2014 general
elections. In the period 2001-11, the
SCs grew by 20.8 per cent and STs
by 23.7 per cent. The highest SC
population, 31.9 per cent of the
state’s total number, is in Punjab.
Lakshadweep has the highest
proportion of STs at 94.8 per cent.
At 51.9 per cent, Himachal
Pradesh has the highest work
participation rate and Delhi, at 33.3
per cent, is among the states with
lowest rates. Cultivators and
agricultural labourers (54.6 per
cent) form over half the working
population.
The study of human resources is
important as it is an important
determinant of economic
Development The term population
refers to the whole number of
people or inhabitants in a country
or r egion. The basic factors
determining population growth are
1.Birth Rate: Higher the birth rate,
higher will be the growth of
population. The birth rate depends
on the following factors:
i) the age of marriage
ii) the rapidity of child birth
iii) social customs and beliefs and
iv) Illiteracy and ignorance about
controlling births.
2. Death Rate: Lower the death
rate, higher will be the population
growth and vice versa. High death
rates may be due to hunger,
starvation, malnutrition, epidemics,
lack of proper medical and sanitary
facilities.
3. Migration: Out-migration will
reduce population growth while in-
migr ation will increase the
population growth.
Population Explosion: Population
explosion means the alarming and
rapid rate of increase in population.
Causes of Population Explosion are:
1. High Birth Rate 2. Low Death
Rate 3. Early Marriage 4. Social
and Religious reasons 5. Poverty 6.
Standard of living 7. Illiteracy
India is facing the situation of
population explosion. Although we
need more labour supply for our
economic development, it is also
true that if our population keeps on
rising, the process of economic
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development will be affected.
National Population Policy 2000
The National Population Policy
(NPP) 2000 has the immediate
objective of addressing the unmet
needs of contraception, health
infrastructure, health personnel and
integrating service delivery for basic
reproductive and child health care.
It also lays emphasis on the medium
E
term objective of bringing total
fertility rates to replacement level
by 2010. A Total Fertility Rate of
C
2.1 is known as replacement level
fertility. The policy’s long term
objective is to stabilise population
O
by 2045.A National Commission on
population presided over by the
Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of
N
all States and other dignitaries as
the members has been constituted
to oversee and review the policy
O
(NPP-2000) implementation.
Similar to the National Commission,
State Level Commissions presided
M
over by the respective State Chief
Ministers have also been set up with
the same objective of ensuring
Y
implementation of the policies.
Measures to achieve a stable
population
The National Population Policy has
listed the following measures to
achieve a stable population by
2045.
1. Reduction of infant mortality
rate (IMR) below 30 per 1,00,000
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the Following
statements.
1. Between Census 1951 and
Census 2001, the density of the
population if India has increased
more than three times.
2. Between Census 1951 and
Census 2001 the annual growth
rate (exponential) of the
population of India has doubled.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2009)
575
 live births.
2. Reduction of maternal mortality
rate (MMR) to below 100 per 1,
00,000 live births
3. Universal immunization
4. To achieve 80 percent deliveries
in regular dispensaries, hospitals
E and medical institutions with trained
staff.
5. Access to information, containing
C AIDS, prevention and control of
communicable diseases
O 6. Incentive to adopt two-child
small family norm
7. Strict enforcement of Child
N Marriage Restraint Act and Pre-
Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act
8. Raising the age of marriage of
O girls from 18 to 20
9. A special reward for women who
M marry after 21
DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND
Y The demographic dividend is  a
rise in the rate of economic growth
due to a rising share of working age
people in a population. Countries
with a large and expanding
workforce and relatively few people
of dependent age (under 15 or over
64) can reap “demographic
dividend.
India is and will remain for some
time one of the youngest countries
in the world. A third of India’s
population was below 15 years of
age in 2000 and close to 20 per cent
were young people in the 15-24 age
group. The population in the 15-24
age group grew from around 175
million in 1995 to 190 million in 2000
and 210 million in 2005, increasing
by an average of 3.1 million a year
between 1995 and 2000 and 5
million between 2000 and 2005.
No country is better poised to take
advantage of the demographic
dividend than India. In 2020, the
average age in India will be only 29
years, compared with 37 in China
and the United States, 45 in western
576 Prelims Magic 2014
Europe, and 48 in Japan. Moreover,
70 percent of Indians will be of
working age in 2025, up from 61
percent now. Also by 2025, the
proportion of children younger than
15 will fall to 23 percent of India’s
total population, from 34 percent
today, while the share of people
older than 65 will remain around just
5 percent. China’s demographics
are not as rosy as India’s, because
the government’s policies to limit
population growth will have created
an abnormally large cohort of
people over age 60 by 2040. Other
emerging nations, such as Pakistan,
Indonesia, and certain countries in
Latin America and Africa, will
produce much larger workforces in
the coming years. But their
demographic dividends may be
inhibited by political and social
instability that impedes efforts to put
this young population to productive
use; a country with massive
numbers of unemployed young
people and no constructive
economic outlet for their dynamism
is headed for trouble.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. India is regarded as a country
with “Demographic Dividend”.
This is due to
(a) Its high population in the age
group below 15 years’
(b) Its high population in the age
group of 15-64 years
(c) Its high population in the age
group above 65 years
(d) Its high total population’
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2011)
Q. To obtain full benefits of
dividend, what should India do?
(a) Promoting skill development
(b) Introducing more social
security schemes
(c) Reducing infant mortality rate
(d) Privatization of higher
education
Ans: a (CSE 2013)
Expl: Economic Survey and 12th
FYP advocates to promote skill
development To obtain full benefits
of demographics dividend
This trend is seen as significant on
the grounds that what matters is not
the size of the population, but its age
structure. A population “bulge” in
the working age groups, however
large the total population, is seen as
an inevitable advantage
characterised as a “demographic
dividend”. A nation’s population can
be divided into those in the labour
force (say, the 15-64 age group)
and those outside it.
Young, unencumbered workers
spur entrepreneurship and
innovation, enabling significant
gains in productivity, savings, and
capital inflows. As fresh ideas
flourish, governments can focus on
improving infrastructure and helping
to fund such critical technologies as
intelligent transportation systems,
smart utility grids, and renewable
energy. The World Health
Organization (WHO) estimates that
the demographic dividend can
increase a country’s GDP growth
by as much as a third.
Human Development Index
The Human Development Index
(HDI) is an index used to rank
countries by level of “human
development”, which usually also
implies whether a countr y is
developed, developing, or
underdeveloped. The HDI is being
used since 1990 by the United
Nations Development Programme
for its annual Human Development
Reports.
The human development index
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Human Development Index
comprises literacy rates, life
expectancy at birth and
(a) Gross National Product per
head in the US dollars
(b) Gross Domestic Product per
head at real purchasing power
(c) Gross National Product in US
dollars
(d) National Income per head in
US dollars
Ans: (b) (CSE, 1997)
(HDI) measures the average
achievements in a country in three
basic dimensions:
a long and healthy life, as measured
by life expectancy at birth;
access to knowledge, as measured
by the adult literacy rate and the
combined gross enrolment (sic)
ratio in education; and a decent
standard of living, as measured by
GDP per capita in purchasing power
parity(PPP) US dollars.
These three dimensions are
time. The human development
index trends tell an important story
in that respect. Between 1980 and
2007 India’s HDI rose by 1.33%
annually from 0.427 to 0.612 today.
HDI scores in all regions have
increased progressively over the
years although all have experienced
periods of slower growth or even
reversals.
India ranks 136 in human
development index 2013
important to institutionalise a
participatory process that can adjust
the political balance by providing a
platform for excluded citizens to
demand accountability and redress
of inequities, ranging from systemic
discrimination to unfair and unjust
exclusion.”
There is a word of appreciation for
India for its policies on internal
conflicts. “India has shown that
E
while policing may be more

In another sign that India has much

standardized to values between 0
and 1, and the simple average is
taken to arrive at the overall HDI
value in the range 0 to 1. Countries
are then ranked on the basis of this
value with a rank of 1 representing
the highest HDI value.
Each year since 1990 the Human
Development Report has published
the human development index
(HDI) which looks beyond GDP to
a broader definition of well-being.
The HDI provides a composite
measure of three dimensions of
human development: living a long
and healthy life (measured by life
expectancy), being educated
(measured by adult literacy and
gross enrolment in education) and
having a decent standard of living
(measured by purchasing power
parity, PPP, income). The index is
not in any sense a comprehensive
measure of human development. It
does not, for example, include
important indicators such as gender
or income inequality nor more
difficult to measure concepts like
respect for human rights and
political freedoms. What it does
provide is a broadened prism for
viewing human progress and the
complex relationship between
income and well-being.
Of the components of the HDI, only
income and gross enrolment are
somewhat responsive to short term
policy changes. For that reason, it
is important to examine changes in
the human development index over
effective in curbing violence in the
short term, redistribution and overall
C
development are better strategies to
catching up to do, the Human
Development Report 2013 released
by the United Nations Development
prevent and contain civil unrest in
the medium term,” the report says,
O
referring to Operation Green Hunt
Programme (UNDP),  ranked  the
country at a low 136 among 186
countries on its human development
launched against Maoists, which
has come under sharp criticism from
N
human rights activists within the
index (HDI)  —  a  composite
measure of life expectancy, access
to education and income levels.
country. The other initiatives that
have been lauded are the right to
O
education and the rural employment
The report released March 2013
placed India at the near-bottom of
countries which have reached
guarantee scheme that provides up
to 100 days of unskilled manual
M
labour to eligible poor at a statutory
‘medium development’.
On the positive side, India’s HDI
value went up from 0.345 to 0.554
minimum wage. “This initiative [the
job guarantee scheme] is promising
Y
because it provides access to
between 1980 and 2012, an
income and some insurance for the
increase of 61 per cent or an
poor against the vagaries of
average annual increase of 1.5 per
seasonal work and affords
cent.
individual the self-respect and
Life expectancy at birth increased
empowerment associated with
by 10.5 years, mean years of
work.”
schooling by 2.5 year s and
Despite India’s progress, its HDI of
expected years of schooling by 4.4
0.554 is below the average of 0.64
years.
for countries in the medium human
Importantly, the gross national
development group, and of 0.558 for
income (GNI) per capita went up
countries in South Asia. From South
273 per cent, the report says.
Asia, countries which are close to
Interestingly, the report notes that
India’s HDI rank and population
social movements and the specific
size are Bangladesh and Pakistan
issues media highlight do not
with HDIs ranked 146 each. But
always result in political
the report points out that the ranking
transformations benefiting the
masks inequality in the distribution
broader society.
of human development across the
Citing the example of Anna
population.
Hazar e’s “movement” against
Even on the Gender Inequality
corruption, which pressured the
Index — inequalities in reproductive
government for change, the report
health, empowerment and
says critics, however, point out that
economic activity — India has been
such a campaign can favour policies
ranked 132nd among the 148
that may not be supported by a
wider electorate. “Thus, it is

Prelims Magic 2014 577

 countries for which data is
available. In India, only 10.9 per
cent of the parliamentary seats are
held by women, and 26.6 per cent
of adult women have reached a
secondary or higher level of
education, compared with 50.4 per
cent of their male counterparts. For
every 100,000 live births, 200
E women die of causes related to
pregnancy, and female participation
in the labour market is 29 per cent,
C compared with 80.7 per cent for
men.
As for the Multidimensional
O Pover ty Index (MPI), which
identifies multiple deprivations in the
same household in education, health
N and living standard, India’s value
averages out at 0.283, a little above
Bangladesh’s and Pakistan’s. The
O figures for evaluating MPI have
been drawn from the 2005-06
survey, according to which 53.7 per
M cent of the population lived in
multidimensional poverty, while an
additional 16.4 per cent were
Y vulnerable to multiple deprivations.
Indian Human Development
Report
On October 21, 2011, the Planning
Commission released the second
India Human Development Report
(HDR) 2011, which records
controversial claims and a few
surprises on income, education,
health, literacy and sanitation. The
last India-specific report had come
out in 2000.
The report claims that poverty,
unemployment and child labour are
declining, inter-State disparities are
getting narrower and that the
improved Human Development
Index has been driven by strides
made in education. It does concede,
however, that the absolute number
of the poor (27 per cent according
to the report) stood at 302 million,
compared to 320 million in 1973.
Sixty per cent of the poor are still
concentrated in Bihar, it holds.
578 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Indian Human Development
Report does not give for each
sample village:
(a) Infrastructure and Amenities
Index
(b) Education Related Index
(c) Health Related Index
(d) Unemployment Related Index
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2000)
Prepared by the Institute of Applied
Manpower Research of the
Commission, the report claims that
between 2000 and 2007, the
Human Development Index rose by
21 per cent, higher than 17 per cent
recorded by China during the same
period and the 18 per cent
estimated by the Global Human
Development Report, 2010.
The top five slots, states the report,
were occupied by Kerala, Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Punjab
(same as in the last India HDR
2000). Haryana slipped two places
from 7 to 9 while Jammu and
Kashmir and Uttarakhand improved
a notch to finish 9th and 14th,
respectively.
For the six lowest HDI states Bihar,
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and
Assam HDI improvement has been
considerably above the national
average.
Education (mainly primary level
enrolment of 96 pc) is the big gain
for India. There has been an
improvement of 28.5 per cent in
Education Index between 1999 and
2008. Health Index rose by just 13
pc over the period of study.
Gujarat fares poorly on hunger
index, ranked 13th out of 17. The
eight poor States (Bihar, UP, MP,
Orissa, Rajasthan, Jharkhand,
Uttrakhand, Chhattisgarh) which
are home to 48 percent of all SCs,
52 pc of all STs and 44 pc of all
Muslims, have posted HDI
improvements across groups and
States doing well are doing so
across board.
The Human Poverty Index
(HPI)
The Human Development Report
1997 introduced a human poverty
index (HPI) in an attempt to bring
together in a composite index the
different features of deprivation in
the quality of life to arrive at an
aggregate judgment on the extent
of poverty in a community. Rather
than measure poverty by income,
the HPI uses indicators of the most
basic dimensions of deprivation: a
short life, lack of basic education
and lack of access to public and
private resources. The HPI
concentrates on the deprivation in
the three essential elements of
human life already reflected in the
HDI: longevity, knowledge and a
decent standard of living. The HPI
is derived separately for developing
countries (HPI-1) and a group of
select high-income OECD countries
(HPI-2) to better reflect socio-
economic differences and also the
widely different measures of
deprivation in the two groups.
The first deprivation relates to
survival: the likeliness of death at
a relatively early age and is
represented by the probability of not
surviving to ages 40 and 60
respectively for the HPI-1 and
HPI-2.
The second dimension relates to
knowledge: being excluded from
the world of reading and
communication and is measured by
the percentage of adults who are
illiterate.
The third aspect relates to a decent
standard of living, in particular,
overall economic provisioning.
For the HPI-1, it is measured by the
unweighted average of the
percentage of the population
without access to safe water and
the percentage of underweight
children for their age. For the HPI-
2, the third dimension is measured
by the percentage of the population
below the income poverty line (50%
of median household disposable
income).
In addition to the three indicators
mentioned above, the HPI-2 also
includes social exclusion, which is
The fourth dimension of the
HPI-2. It is represented by the rate
of long term unemployment of
Human Development Report 2007/
2008 for more details on the
computation of the HPI.
The Human Poverty Index (HPI-
1), focusing on the proportion of
people below certain threshold
levels in each of the dimensions of
the HDI, is estimated at 28 per cent
for India, placing the country in the
88th slot among 135 countries for
which the index has been
calculated. It is also instructive to
note that India’s gender-related
development index (GDI) capturing
the inequalities in achievement
between women and men, at 0.594
should be compared to its HDI
value of 0.612.
India’s GDI value is 97.1 per cent
of its HDI value, though out of the
155 countries with both HDI and
GDI values, 138 countries have “a
better ratio than India’s”.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Human Poverty Index was
intr oduced in the Human
Development Report of the year:
(a) 1994 (b) 1995
(c) 1996 (d) 1997
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1998)
With effect from 2010 Human
Development Report, HPI has been
replaced by Multi-Dimesional
Poverty Index (MPI).
World Development Report
The World Bank’s annual World
Development Report provides an
extr aordinar y window on
development economics. Each
year, the r eport focuses on a
specific aspect of development.
WDR 2014 The World
Development Report (WDR) 2014
examines how improving risk
management can lead to larger
gains in development and poverty
reduction. It will argue that
improving risk management is
crucial to reduce the negative
impacts of shocks and hazards, but
also to enable people to pursue new
opportunities for growth and
prosperity. Risk management is also
a shared responsibility that requires
the active participation of different
economic and social systems, as
well as the State.
WDR 2013: Focusses on Jobs will
help explain and analyze the
connection between jobs and
important dimensions of economic
and social development. The Report
will provide analytical tools to
identify the obstacles to sustained
job creation and examine
differences in the nature of jobs,
which in turn affects the potential
of jobs to raise living standards,
increase aggregate productivity, and
enhance social cohesion.
WDR 2012: Gender Equality
and Development will focus on
the evolution of gender equality
across the world in the context of
the development process. For key
dimensions of gender equality,
including women's and men's
endowments of human and physical
capital, their access to economic
opportunities and their ability to
shape their lives, the report will
show that although many women
around the world still continue to
struggle with gender-based
disadvantages, much has changed
for the better and at a much more
rapid pace than ever before.
WDR 2011 Conflict and
Development  distance, and division are essential
Violent conflict is a major
development challenge: conflict
causes human misery, destroys
communities and infrastructure, and
can cripple economic prospects.
Prelims Magic 2014
Poverty rates in conflict-affected
countries are averaging 54 percent,
compared with 22 percent for low-
income countries as a whole. The
goal of this World Development
Report is to contribute concrete,
practical suggestions to the debate
on how to address and overcome
violent conflict and fragility.
WDR 2010: Development and E
Climate Change. The main
message of the report is that a
“climate-smart” world is possible if
C
we act now, act together, and act
differently. Developing countries
can shift to lower-carbon paths
O
while promoting development and
reducing poverty, but this depends
on financial and technical
N
assistance from high-income
countries, saysWDR 2010. High-
income countries also need to act
O
quickly to reduce their carbon
footprints and boost development of
alternative energy sources to help
M
tackle climate change. If they act
now, a ‘climate-smart’ world is
feasible, and the costs for getting
Y
ther e will be high but still
manageable. 
WDR 2009: Reshaping
Economic Geography
Places do well when they promote
transformations along the
dimensions of economic geography:
higher densities as cities grow;
shorter distances as workers and
businesses migrate closer to density;
and fewer divisions as nations lower
their economic borders and enter
world markets to take advantage of
scale and trade in specialized
products. WDR 2009 concludes that
the transformations along these
three dimensions of density,
for development and should be
encouraged.
WDR 2008: Agriculture for
Development
In the 21st century, agriculture
579
 continues to be a fundamental
instr ument for sustainable
development and poverty reduction.
WDR 2008 concludes that
agriculture alone will not be enough
to massively reduce poverty, but it
is an essential component of
effective development strategies
for most developing countries.
E WDR 2007: Development and
the Next Generation
C Developing countries which invest
in better education, healthcare, and
O job training for their record numbers
of young people between the ages
of 12 and 24 years of age, could
N produce surging economic growth
and sharply reduced poverty,
according to this report.
O WDR 2006:
Equity and Development
M Inequality of opportunity, both within
and among nations, sustains
extreme deprivation, results in
Y wasted human potential and often
weakens prospects for overall
prosperity and economic growth,
concludes this report.
WDR 2005:
A Better Investment Climate
for Everyone
Accelerating growth and poverty
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The theme of the World
Development Report 2001 is:
(a) from plan to market
(b) knowledge for development
(c) attacking poverty
(d) the state in the changing world
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2001)
Q. “World Development Report”
is an annual publication of:
(a) United Nations Development
Programme
(b) International Bank of
Reconstruction and Development
(c) World Trade Organisation
(d) International Monetary Fund
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
580 Prelims Magic 2014
reduction requires governments to
reduce the policy risks, costs, and
barriers to competition facing firms
of all types - from farmers and
micr o-entrepreneurs to local
manufacturing companies and
multinationals - concludes this
report.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. According to the World
Development Report, low income
economics are those for which the
per capita GNP in 1994 was:
(a) US $ 925 or less
(b) US $ 825 or less
(c) US $ 725 or less
(d) US $ 525 or less
Ans. (c) (CSE, 1998)
Q. Match List I with List II and
select the correct answer using
the codes given below the lists:
List-I
A. UN Development Programme
B. National Council of applied
economic Research
C.Indira Gandhi Institute of
Development Research
D. World Bank
List-II
1. UN India Human Development
Report
2. India Development Report
3. World Development Report
4. Human Development Report
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 4 1 2 3
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 2 3 4 1
(d) 2 1 4 3
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2000)
Explanation:(i)Development
Programme-Human Develop-
ment report.
(ii) National Council of applied
economic Research UN India
Human Development Report.
(iv) Indira Gandhi Institute of
Development Research - India
Development Report.
(v) World Bank - World
Development Report.
WDR 2004: Making Services Work
for Poor People
WDR 2003: Sustainable
Development in a Dynamic World
WDR 2002: Building Institutions
for Markets
WDR 2000-2001: Attacking
Poverty
WDR 1999-2000: Entering the
21st Century
WDR 1998-1999: Knowledge for
Development
WDR 1997  The State in a
Changing World
WDR 1996  From Plan to
Market
WDR 1995  Workers in  an
Integrating World
WDR 1994  Infrastructure  for
Development
WDR 1993 Investing  in  Health
WDR 1992  Development  and
the Environment
WDR 1991  The  Challenge  of
Development
WDR 1990 Poverty
Grouping Countries by Their
Level of Development
Different organizations use
different criteria to group countries
by their level of development. The
World Bank, for instance, has
grouped countries according to
2008 GNI per capita, using the
World Bank Atlas method. The
groups are: low income, $975 or
less; lower middle  income, $976  -
$3,855; upper middle income, $3,856
- $11,905; and high income, $11
DEMOGRAPHY-GLOSSARY
Age-Sex Structure 
The composition of a population as
determined by the number or
proportion of males and females in
each age category. The age-sex
structure of a population is the
cumulative result of past trends in
fertility, mortality, and migration.
Information on age-sex composition
is essential for the description and
analysis of many other types of
demographic data. See also
population pyramid.
Aging of Population A process in
which the proportions of adults and
elderly increase in a population,
while the proportions of children and
adolescents decrease. This process
results in a rise in the median age
of the population. Aging occurs
when fertility rates decline while life
expectancy remains constant or
improves at the older ages.
Antinatalist Policy The  policy  of
a government, society, or social
group to slow population growth by
attempting to limit the number of
births.
Baby Boom A  dramatic  increase
in fertility rates and in the absolute
number of births in the United
States, Canada, Australia, and New
Zealand during the period following
World War II (1947-1961).
Baby Bust A rapid decline in U.S.
fertility rates to record-low levels
during the period immediately after
the baby boom.
Balancing Equation A  basic
demographic formula used to
estimate total population change
between two points in time — or to
estimate any unknown component
of population change, provided that
the other components are known.
The balancing equation includes all
components of population change:
births, deaths, immigration,
emigration, in-migration, and out-
migration.
Dependency Ratio The  ratio  of
the economically dependent part of
the population to the productive
part; arbitrarily defined as the ratio
of the elderly (ages 65 and older)
plus the young (under age 15) to the
population in the working ages
(ages 15-64).
Depopulation The  state  of
population decline.
Demographic transition (DT)
refers to the transition from high
birth and death rates to low birth
and death r ates as a country
develops from a pre-industrial to an
industrialized economic system. In
stage-I, pre-industrial society, death
rates and birth rates are high and
roughly in balance. In stage-II, that
of a developing country, the death
rates drop rapidly due to
improvements in food supply and
sanitation, which increase life spans
and reduce disease. In stage three,
birth rates fall due to access to
contraception, increases in wages,
urbanization, a r eduction in
subsistence agriculture, an increase
in the status and education of
women, a reduction in the value of
children’s work, an increase in
parental investment in the education
of children and other social
changes. During stage four there
are both low birth rates and low
death rates. Birth rates may drop
to well below replacement level as
has happened in countries like
Germany, Italy, and Japan, leading
to a shrinking population, a threat
to many industries that rely on
population growth.
Doubling time:Doubling time is the
number of years it will take to double
the present population given its
present rate of growth. This time is
approximated by dividing “70” by
the percent rate of increase. For
example, at a rate of growth of 0.5%
it would take 140 years to double
the population of The United States
(i.e. 70/0.5 = 140). Guatemala
would double its population in 70/
2.9 = 24 yrs! This calculation is only
approximate and is used as a rough
guide in comparing population
change. One crucial assumption in
the method is that growth starts at
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
specific stages of demographic
transition associated with
economic development:
1.  Low birthrate with low death
rate
2.  High birthrate with high death
rate
3. High birthrate with low death
rate
Select the correct order of the
above stages using the codes
given below :
(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 2, 1, 3
(c) 2, 3, 1 (d) 3, 2, 1
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2012)
Prelims Magic 2014
the r ate given and remains
unchanged throughout the time
period (so, it is open-ended
exponential growth and not
complete logistical S-shaped
change). 
Fertility: The total  fertility rate is
the average number of children that
would be born to a woman during
her lifetime if she were to pass
through her childbearing years
E
conforming the age-specific fertility
rates of the year in which she
turned fifteen. Fertility in 1998 in C
Guatemala and The United States
was 4.8 and 2.1 per woman,
respectively. Fertility across the
world is correlated with a number
O
of factors. These include: age of
marriage; female literacy; childhood
mortality. We can also state more
N
subjectively that there exist in
different societies values and norms
that support childbearing and these
O
may be stronger in some societies
than in others. Indirectly, the desire
to have a male child may also force
M
the issue in parts of South and East
Asia. Contraceptive use is highly
correlated with fertility decrease but
Y
this is more likely an effect of
decisions taken to limit fertility that
reflect positive changes in the
previous factors listed. Religious
affiliation has no clear relationship
with fertility. Among Christians,
religiosity (church-going) is more of
a factor than whether or not one is
nominally Protestant or Catholic.
Fertility refers to numbers of
children being born and is related
to social behaviors and personal
decisions. This should not be
confused with fecundity, which
refers to the biological capability and
capacity of bearing children. In
common discourse the former term
is often confused with the latter.
Gross Reproduction Rate
(GRR):
The average number of daughters
that would be born alive to a woman
(or group of women) during her
lifetime if she passed through her
childbearing years conforming to
the age-specific fertility rates of a
given year. See also net
581
 reproduction rate and total fertility
rate.
Natural change  in  population:
Natural change in population is the
difference between births and
deaths. It does not include the
effects of migration. Including the
effects of migration (both in and
E out) would give us Total Change.
The difference between natural and
total change can be important in
C countries that are experiencing
significant migration and one should
be careful when reading data to be
sure which they represent.
O Old Population 
A population with a relatively high
N proportion of middle-age and elderly
persons, a high median age, and
thus a lower growth potential.
O Prenatal Mortality Rate 
The number of fetal deaths after 28
M weeks of pregnancy (late fetal
deaths) plus the number of deaths
to infants under 7 days of age per
Y 1,000 live births.
Population momentum:
Population momentum refers to the
tendency for population growth to
continue beyond the time that
replacement-level fertility has been
achieved because of a relatively
6 BANKING IN INDIA
Indian Banking Sector
Banking in India has its origin as
early as the vedic period. It is
believed that the transition from
money lending to banking must have
occurred even before Manu, the
great Hindu Jurist, who has devoted
a section of his work to deposits and
advances and laid down rules
relating to rates of interest. During
the Mogul period, the indigenous
bankers played a very important
role in lending money and financing
foreign tr ade and commerce.
During the days of the East India
Company, it was the turn of the
582 Prelims Magic 2014
high concentration of people in the
childbearing years. Population
momentum occurs towards the end
of Stage Three of the Demographic
Transition.
Population Pyramid 
A hozizontal drawn bar chart,
arranged vertically, that shows the
distribution of a population by age
and sex. By convention, the younger
ages are at the bottom, with males
on the left and females on the right.
Push-Pull Hypothesis 
A migration theory that suggests
that circumstances at the place of
origin (such as poverty and
unemployment) repel or push
people out of that place to other
places that exert a positive
attraction or pull (such as a high
standard of living or job
opportunities).
Stable Population 
A population with an unchanging
rate of growth and an unchanging
age composition as a result of age-
specific birth and death rates that
have remained constant over a
sufficient period of time.
Survival Rate 
The proportion of persons in a
specified group (age, sex, or health
agency houses to carry on the
banking business.
The first bank in India, though
conservative, was established in
1786. From 1786 till today, the
journey of Indian Banking System
can be segregated into three distinct
phases. They are as mentioned
below:
>Early phase from 1786 to 1969 of
Indian Banks
>Nationalisation of Indian Banks
and up to 1991 prior to Indian
banking sector Reforms.
status) alive at the beginning of an
interval (such as a five-year period)
who survive to the end of the
interval.
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 
The average number of children that
would be born alive to a woman (or
group of women) during her lifetime
if she were to pass through her
childbearing years conforming to
the age-specific fertility rates of a
given year. This rate is sometimes
stated as the number of children
women are having today. See also
gross reproduction rate and net
reproduction rate.
Young Population 
A population with a relatively high
proportion of children, adolescents,
and young adults; a low median age;
and thus a high growth potential.
Zero population growth 
A population in equilibrium, with a
growth rate of zero, achieved when
births plus immigration equal deaths
plus emigration.
>New phase of Indian Banking
System with the advent of Indian
Financial & Banking Sector
Reforms after 1991.
PHASE-1
The General Bank of India was set
up in the year 1786. Next came
Bank of Hindustan and Bengal
Bank. The East India Company
established Bank of Bengal (1809),
Bank of Bombay (1840) and Bank
of Madras (1843) as independent
units and called it Presidency
Banks. These three banks were
amalgamated in 1920 and Imperial
Bank of India was established
which started as private
shareholders banks, mostly
Europeans shareholders.
The first entirely Indian bank, the
Oudh Commercial Bank, was
established in 1881 in Faizabad, but
failed in 1958.In 1865 Allahabad
Bank was established and Punjab
National Bank Ltd. was set up in
1894 with headquarters at Lahore.
Between 1906 and 1913, Bank of
India,Central Bank of India, Bank
of Baroda, Canara Bank, Indian
Bank, and Bank of Mysore were
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. In India, the first Bank of
limited liability managed by
Indians and founded in 1881 was:
(a) Hindustan Commercial Bank
(b) Oudh Commercial Bank
(c) Punjab National Bank
(d) Punjab and Sind Bank
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
set up. Reserve Bank of India came
in 1935.
During the first phase the growth
was very slow and banks also
experienced periodic failures
between 1913 and 1948. There
were approximately 1100 banks,
mostly small. To streamline the
functioning and activities of
commercial banks, the Government
of India came up with The
Banking Companies  Act,  1949
which was later changed to Banking
Regulation Act 1949 as per
amending Act of 1965 (Act No. 23
of 1965). Reserve Bank of
India was  vested  with  extensive
power s for the supervision
of banking  in  india as  the  Central
Banking Authority.
During those day’s public has lesser
confidence in the banks. As an
aftermath deposit mobilisation was
slow. Abreast of it the savings bank
facility provided by the Postal
department was comparatively
safer. Mor eover, funds were
largely given to traders.
Government took major steps in this
Indian Banking Sector Reform after
independence. In 1955, it
nationalized Imperial Bank of India
with extensive banking facilities on
a large scale especially in rural and
semi-urban areas. It formed State
Bank of India to act as the principal
agent of RBI and to handle banking
transactions of the Union and State
Governments all over the country.
Seven banks forming subsidiary
of State  Bank  of  India was
nationalized in 1960 on 19th July,
1969, major process of
nationalisation was carried out. It
was the effort of the then Prime
Minister of India, Mrs. Indira
Gandhi. 14 major commercial banks
in the country was nationalised.
Second phase of nationalisation
Indian Banking Sector Reform was
carried out in 1980 with seven more
banks. This step brought 80% of the
banking segment  in  India  under
Government ownership.
The following are the steps taken
by the Government of India to
Regulate Banking Institutions in the
Country:
1949: Enactment of Banking
Regulation Act.
1955: Nationalisation of State
Bank of India.
1959: Nationalisation of SBI
subsidiaries.
1961: Insurance cover extended to
deposits.
1969: Nationalisation of 14 major
banks.
1971: Creation of credit guarantee
corporation.
1975: Creation of regional rural
banks.
1980: Nationalisation of seven
banks with deposits over 200 core.
After the nationalisation of banks,
the branches of the public sector
bank India rose to approximately
800% in deposits and advances took
a huge jump by 11,000%.
Banking in the sunshine of
Government ownership gave the
public implicit faith and immense
confidence about the sustainability
of these institutions.
Prelims Magic 2014
This phase has introduced many
more products and facilities in the
banking sector  in  its  reforms
measure. In 1991, under the
chairmanship of M Narasimham, a
committee was set up by his name
which worked for the liberalization
of banking practices.
The country is flooded with foreign
banks and their ATM stations.
Efforts are being put to give a
E
satisfactory service
customers. Phone  banking and net
to
banking is  introduced.  The  entire
C
system became more convenient
and swift. Time is given more
importance than money.
O
The financial system of India has
shown a great deal of resilience. It N
is sheltered from any cr isis
triggered by any external
macroeconomics shock as other O
East Asian Countries suffered. This
is all due to a flexible exchange rate
regime, the foreign reserves are M
high, the capital account is not yet
fully convertible, and banks and
their customers have limited foreign Y
exchange exposure.
Types of Banks
On the basis of functions, the
banking institutions in India may be
divided into the following 5 types:
1. Central Bank (RBI)
2. Commercial Banks : (i) Public
Sector Banks (ii) Private Sector
Banks (iii) Foreign Banks
3. Development Banks
4. Co-operative Banks: (i) Primary
Credit Societies (ii) Central Co-
operative Banks (iii) State Co-
operative Banks
5. Specialised Banks: IFCI, (EXIM
Bank SIDBI, NABARD NHB:
Let’s discuss about the above 5
categories of banks in detail:
1. RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
The Reserve Bank of India is the
central bank of the country. Central
banks are a relatively recent
583
 innovation and most central banks,
as we know them today, were
established around the early
twentieth century. The Reserve
Bank of India was set up on the
basis of the recommendations of the
Hilton Young Commission. The
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
(II of 1934) provides the statutory
E basis of the functioning of the Bank,
which commenced operations on
April 1, 1935.
C The Reserve Bank of India is the
central bank of the country. Central
O banks are a relatively recent
innovation and most central banks,
as we know them today, were
N established around the early
twentieth century.The Reserve
Bank of India was set up on the
O basis of the recommendations of the
Hilton Young Commission. The
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
M (II of 1934) provides the statutory
basis of the functioning of the Bank,
which commenced operations on
Y April 1, 1935. The Bank was
constituted to regulate the issue of
banknotes· Maintain reserves with
a view to securing monetary
stability and· To operate the credit
and currency system of the country
to its advantage.The Bank began its
operations by taking over from the
Government the functions so far
being performed by the Controller
of Currency and from the Imperial
Bank of India, the management of
Government accounts and public
debt. The existing currency offices
at Calcutta, Bombay, Madras,
Rangoon, Karachi, Lahore and
Cawnpore (Kanpur) became
branches of the Issue Department.
Offices of the Banking Department
were established in Calcutta,
Bombay, Madras, Delhi and
Rangoon.Burma (Myanmar)
seceded from the Indian Union in
1937 but the Reserve Bank
continued to act as the Central
Bank for Burma till Japanese
Occupation of Burma and later upto
April, 1947. After the partition of
India, the Reserve Bank served as
584 Prelims Magic 2014
the central bank of Pakistan upto
June 1948 when the State Bank of
Pakistan commenced operations.
The Bank, which was originally set
up as a shareholder’s bank, was
nationalised in 1949.An interesting
feature of the Reserve Bank of
India was that at its very inception,
the Bank was seen as playing a
special role in the context of
development, especially
Agriculture. When India
commenced its plan endeavours, the
development role of the Bank came
into focus, especially in the sixties
when the Reserve Bank, in many
ways, pioneered the concept and
practise of using finance to catalyse
development. The Bank was also
instrumental in institutional
development and helped set up
institutions like the Deposit
Insurance and Credit Guarantee
Corporation of India, the Unit Trust
of India, the Industrial Development
Bank of India, the National Bank
of Agriculture and Rural
Development, the Discount and
Finance House of India etc. to build
the financial infrastructure of the
country.With liberalisation, the
Bank’s focus has shifted back to
core central banking functions like
Monetary Policy, Bank Supervision
and Regulation, and Overseeing the
Payments System and onto
developing the financial markets.
MAIN FUNCTIONS
1. Monetary Authority:
Controller of Credit:As the
central bank of the country, the
Reserve Bank undertakes the
responsibility of controlling credit in
order to ensure internal price
stability and promote economic
growth. Through this function, the
Reserve Bank attempts to achieve
price stability in the country and
avoids inflationary and deflationary
tendencies in the country. Price
stability is essential for economic
development. The Reserve Bank
regulates the money supply in
accordance with the changing
requirements of the economy. The
Reserve Bank makes extensive use
of various quantitative and
qualitative techniques to effectively
control and regulate credit in the
country.
2. Custodian of Exchange
Reserves: The Reserve Bank is
the custodian of India’s foreign
exchange reserves. It maintains and
stabilises the external value of the
rupee, administer s exchange
controls and other restrictions
imposed by the government, and
manages the foreign exchange
reserves. Initially, the stability of
exchange rate was maintained
through selling and purchasing
sterling at fixed rates. But after
India became a member of the
international Monetary Fund (IMF)
in 1947, the rupee was delinked
with sterling and became a
multilaterally convertible currency.
Therefore the Reserve Bank now
sells and buys foreign currencies,
and not sterling alone, in order to
achieve the objective of exchange
stability. The Reserve Bank fixes
the selling and buying rates of
foreign currencies. All Indian
remittances to foreign countries
and foreign remittances to India are
made through the Reserve Bank.
3. Issuer of currency: The
Reserve Bank has the monopoly of
note issue in the country. It has the
sole right to issue currency notes
of all denominations except one-
rupee notes. One-rupee notes are
issued by the Ministry of Finance
of the Government of India. The
Reserve Bank acts as the only
source of legal tender because even
the one-rupee notes are circulated
through it. The Reserve Bank has
a separate Issue Department, which
is entrusted with the job of issuing
currency notes. The Reserve Bank
has adopted minimum reserve
system of note issue. Since 1957, it
maintains gold and foreign
exchange reserves of Rs. 200 crore,
of which at least Rs. 115 crore
should be in gold.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The accounting year of the
Reserve Bank of India is:
(a) April-March
(b) July-June
(c) October-September
(d) January-December
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1998)
4. Developmental role Besides
the traditional central banking
functions, the Reserve Bank also
performs a variety of promotional
and developmental functions:(a) By
encouraging the commercial banks
to expand their branches in the
semi-urban and rural areas, the
Reserve Bank helps (i) to reduce
the dependence of the people in
these areas on the defective
unorganised sector of indigenous
bankers and money lenders, and (ii)
to develop the banking habits of the
people(b) By establishing the
Deposit Insurance Corporation, the
Reserve Bank helps to develop the
banking system of the country,
instills confidence of the depositors
and avoids bank failures,(c)
Through the institutions like Unit
Trust of India, the (Reserve Bank
helps to mobilise savings in the
country,(d) Since its inception, the
Reserve Bank has been mating
efforts to promote institutional
agricultural credit by developing
cooperative credit institutions.(e)
The Reserve Bank also helps to
promote the process of
industrialisation in the country by
setting up specialised institutions for
industrial finance,(f) it also
undertakes measures for developing
bill market in the country.
5. Banker to Government: The
Reserve Bank acts as the banker,
agent and adviser to Government
of India:(a) It maintains and
operates government deposits,(b) It
collects and makes payments on
behalf of the government,(c) It helps
the government to float new loans
and manages the public debt,(d) It
sells for the Central Government
treasury bills of 91 days duration,(e)
It makes ‘Ways and Means’
advances to the Central and State
Governments for periods not
exceeding three months,(f) It
provides development finance to the
government for carrying out five
year plans,(g) It undertakes foreign
exchange transactions on behalf of
the Central Government,(h) It acts
as the agent of the Government of
India in the latter’s dealings with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF),
the World Bank, and other
international financial institutions, (i)
It advises the government on all
financial matters such as loan
operations, investments, agricultural
and industrial finance, banking,
planning, economic development,
etc.
6. Banker’s Bank:The Reserve
Bank acts as the banker’s bank in
the following respects:(a) Every
Bank is under the statutory
obligation to keep a certain minimum
of cash reserves with the Reserve
Bank. The pur pose of these
reserves is to enable the Reserve
Bank to extend financial assistance
to the scheduled banks in times of
emergency and thus to act as the
lender of the last resort. According
to the Banking Regulation Act,
1949, all scheduled banks are
required to maintain with the
Reser ve Bank minimum cash
reserves of 5% of their demand
liabilities and 2% of their time
liabilities. The Reserve Bank
(Amendment) Act, 1956
empowered the Reserve Bank to
raise the cash reserve ratio to 20%
in the case of demand deposits and
to 8% in case of time deposits. Due
to the difficulty of classifying
deposits into demand and time
categories, the amendment to the
Banking Regulation Act in
September 1972 changed the
provision of reserves to 3% of
aggregate deposit liabilities, which
can be raised to 15% if the Reserve
Bank considers it necessary,(b) The
Reserve Bank provide financial
assistance to the scheduled banks
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by discounting their eligible bilk and
through loans and advances against
approved securities,(c) Under the
Banking Regulation Act,1949 and
its various amendments, the
Reserve Bank has been given
extensive powers of supervision
and control over the banking
system. These regulatory powers
relate to the licensing of banks and
their branch expansion; liquidity of E
assets of the banks; management
and methods of working of the
banks; amalgamation, C
reconstruction and liquidation of
banks; inspection of banks; etc.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
O
Q. The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) acts as a bankers’ bank.
This would imply which of the
N
following?
1. Other     banks      retain   
their    deposits with the RBI.
O
2. The RBI lends  funds  to   the 
commercial banks in times of
need.
M
3. T he  RBI  advises  the
commercial banks on monetary
matters.
Y
Select the correct answer using
the codes given below:
(a) 2 and 3 only  (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only  (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (a) CSE 2012
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. The Reserve Bank of India
regulates the commercial banks in
matters of
1. liquidity of assets
2. branch expansion
3. merger of banks
4. winding-up of banks
Select the correct answer using the
codes given below.
(a) 1 and 4 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: RBI is planning to de-
regulate the commercial banks in
matter of branch expansion
585
 7. Ordinary Banking Functions:
The Reserve Bank also performs
various ordinary banking
functions:(a), It accepts deposits
from the central government, state
governments and even private
individuals without interest,(b) It
buys, sells and rediscounts the bills
of exchange and promissory notes
E of the scheduled banks without
restrictions,(c) It grants loans and
advances to the central government,
C state governments, local authorities,
scheduled banks and state
cooperative banks, repayable within
O 90 days,(d) It buys and sells
securities of the Government of
India and foreign securities,(e) It
N buys from and sells to the scheduled
banks foreign exchange for a
minimum amount of Rs. 1 lakh,(f)
O It can borrow from any scheduled
bank in India or from any foreign
bank,(g) It can open an account in
M the World Bank or in some foreign
central bank.(h) It accepts
valuables, securities, etc., for
Y keeping them in safe custody.(i) It
buys and sells gold and silver.
8. Miscellaneous Functions:In
addition to central banking and
ordinary banking functions, the
Reser ve Bank performs the
following miscellaneous functions:
(a) Banker’s Training College has
been set up to extend training
facilities to supervisory staff of
commercial banks. Arrangements
have been made to impart training
lo the cooperative personnel, (b)
The Reserve Bank collects and
publishes statistical information
relating to banking, finance, credit,
currency, agricultural and industrial
production, etc. It also publishes the
results of various studies and
review of economic situation of the
country in its monthly bulletins and
periodicals.
9. Forbidden Business:Being the
central bank of the country, the
Reserve Bank: (a) Should not
compete with member banks and
(b) Should keep its assets in liquid
form to meet any situation of
586 Prelims Magic 2014
economic crisis.
Therefore, the Reserve Bank has
been forbidden to do certain types
of business: (a) It can neither
participate in, nor directly provide
financial assistance to any business,
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The National Housing Bank
was set up in India as a wholly-
owned subsidiary of which one of
the following?
(a) State Bank of India
(b) Reserve Bank of India
(c) ICICI Bank
(d) Life Insurance Corporation of
India
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2007)
Q. Consider the following
statements regarding Reserve
Bank of India:
1. It is a banker to the Central
Government
2. It formulates and administers
monetary policy
3. It acts as an agent of the
Government in respect of India
4. It handles the borrowing
programme of Government of
India
Which of these statements are
correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (d) 3 and 4
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2001)
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. The National Housing Bank the
apex institution of housing finance
in India, was set up as a wholly-
owned subsidiary of the Reserve
Bank of India
2. T he Small Industries
Development Bank of India was
established as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the industrial
development Bank of India
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2004)
trade or industry,(b) It can neither
buy its own shares not those of
other banks or commercial and
industrial undertakings,(c) It cannot
grant unsecur ed loans and
advances,(d) It cannot give loans
against mortgage security,(e) It
cannot give interest on deposits.(f)
It cannot draw or accept bills not
payable on demand,(g) It cannot
purchase immovable property
except for its own offices.
CREDIT CONTROL
FUNCTIONS OF RBI
The RBI adopts two methods to
control credit in modern times for
regulating bank advances. They are
as follows:-
(A) Quantitative or General
Credit Control
This method aims to regulate the
amount of bank advance. This
method includes:
(1) Bank Rate
(2) Open Market Operation
(3) Variables Reserves Ratio
(1) Bank Rate: It  is  the  rate  at
which central bank discounts the
securities of commercial banks or
advance loans to commer cial
banks. This rate is the minimum and
it affects both cost and availability
of credit. Bank rate is different from
market rate. Market rate is the rate
of discount prevailing in the money
mar ket among other lending
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Reserve Bank of India was
nationalized on 26 January, 1950
2. The borrowing programme of
the Government of India is
handled by the Department of
Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
 How was this topic asked in the CSE?
An increase in the Bank Rate
generally indicates that the
(a) market rate of interest is likely
to fall
(b) Central Bank is no longer
making loans to commercial banks
(c) Central Bank is following an
easy money policy
(d) Central Bank is following a
tight money policy
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
institutions. Generally bank rate is
higher than the market r ate.
If the bank rate  is  changed  all  the
other rates normally change at the
same direction. A central bank
control credit by manipulating the
bank rate. If the central
bank raise the bank rate to control
credit, the market discount rate and
other lending rates in the money will
go up. The cost of credit goes up
and demand for credit goes down.
As a result, the volume of bank
loans and advances is curtailed.
Thus raise in bank rate will contract
credit.
(2) Open Market Operation: It
refers to buying and selling of
Government securities by the
central bank in the open market.
this method of credit control
become very popular after the 1st
World War. During inflation, the
bank will securities and during
depr ession, it will purchase
secur ities fr om the public
and financial institutions. The RBI
is empowered to buy and sell
government securities from the
public and financial institutions. The
RBI is empowered to buy and sell
government securities, treasury bills
and other approved securities. The
central bank uses the weapon to
overcome seasonal stringency in
funds during the slack season.
When the central bank sells
securities, they are purchased by
the commercial banks and private
individuals. So money supply is
reduced in the economy and there
is contraction in credit.
When the securities are purchased
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. In the context of Indian
economy,‘Open Market Opera-
tions’ refers to
(a) borrowing by scheduled banks
from the RBI
(b) lending by commercial banks
to industry and trade
(c) purchase and sale of
government securities by the RBI
(d) None of the above
Ans: c (CSE 2013)
by the central bank, money goes to
the commercial banks and the
customers. SO money supply is
increased in the economy and there
is more demand for credit.
Thus open market operation is one
of the superior instrument of credit
control. But for achieving an ideal
result both Bank Rate and Open
Market Operation must be used
simultaneously.
( 3 ) Variable  Res erv e  Rat io  
(VRR): This is a new method of
credit control adopted by central
bank. Commercial banks keep cash
reserves with the central bank to
maintain for the purpose of liquidity
and also to provide the means for
credit control. The cash reserve is
also called minimum legal reserve
requirement. The percentage of
this ratio can be changed legally by
the central bank. The credit creation
of commercial banks depends on
the value of cash reserves. If the
value of reserve ratio increase and
other things remain constant, the
power of credit creation by the
commercial bank is decreased and
vice versa. Thus by varying the
reserve ratio,
the lending capacity of commercial
banks can be affected.
(B) Qualitative or Selective
Control Method:  installment purchase of specific
It is also known as qualitative credit
control. This  method  is  used  to
control the flow of credit to
particular sectors of the economy.
The direction of credit is regulated
by the central bank. This method is
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used as a complementary to
quantitative credit control
discourage the flow of credit to
unpr oductive sectors and
speculative activities and also to
attain price stability. The main
instruments used for this purpose
are:
(1) Varying margin requirements
for certain bank: While  lending
commercial banks accept securities,
E
deduct a certain margin from the
market value of the security. This
margin is fixed by the central bank
C
and adjust according to the
requirements. This method affect
the demand for credit rather than
O
the quantity and cost of credit. This
method is very effective to control
supply of credit for speculative
N
dealing in the stock exchange
market. It also helps for checking
inflation when the margin is raised.
O
If the margin is fixed as 30%, the
commercial banks can lend up to
70% of the market value of security.
M
This method has been used by RBI
since 1956 with suitable
modifications from time to time as
Y
per the demand and supply of
commodities.
(2) Regulation of consumer’s
credit: Apart  from  trade  and
industry a great amount of credit is
given to the consumer s for
purchasing durable goods also. RBI
seeks to control such credit in the
following ways:
(a) by regulating the minimum down
payments on specific goods.
(b) by  fixing  the  coverage  of
selective consumers durable goods.
(c) by  regulating  the  maximum
maturities on all installment credit
and 
(d) by  fixing  exemption  costs  of
goods.
(3) Control through Directives: 
Under this system, the central bank
can issue directives for the credit
control. There may be a written or
587
 oral voluntary agreement between
the central bank and commercial
banks in this regard. Sometimes the
commercial banks do not follow
these directives of the RBI.
(4) Rationing of credit: The
amount of credit to be granted is
fixed by the central bank. Credit is
business enterprises. Now-a-days
some of the commercial banks are
also providing housing loan on a
long-term basis to individuals. There
are also many
other functions of commercial
banks, which are discussed later in
this lesson.
a huge jump by 11,000%.
1955 : Nationalisation of State Bank
of India.
1959: Nationalisation of SBI
subsidiaries.
1969: Nationalisation of 14 major
banks.

E rationed by limiting the amount

available to each commercial bank.
The RBI can also restrict the
C discounting of bills. Credit can also
be rationed by the fixation of ceiling
for loans and advances.
O (5) Direct Action: It is an extreme
step taken by the RBI. It involves
refusal by RBI to extend credit
N facilities, denial of permission to
open new branches etc. RBI also
gives wide publicity about the erring
O banks to create awareness amongst
the public.
M (6) Moral suasion: RBI  uses
persuasion to influence lending
activities of banks. It sends letters
Y to banks periodically, advising them
to follow sound pr inciples of
banking. Discussions are held by
the RBI with banks to control the
flow of credit to the desired sectors.
Subsidiaries: Fully owned:  Canara Bank
National Housing Bank (NHB),
Deposit Insurance and Credit
Guar anteeCor poration of
India(DICGC), Bharatiya  Reserve
Bank Note Mudran Private
Limited(BRBNMPL)
Majority stake: National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD)
The Reserve Bank of India has
recently divested its stake in State
Bank of India to the Government
of India.
2. Commercial Banks
Commercial Banks are banking
institutions that accept deposits and
grant short-term loans and
advances to their customers. In
addition to giving short-term loans,
commercial banks also give
medium-term and long-term loan to
Types of Commercial banks:
Commercial banks are of three
1980: Nationalisation of seven
banks with deposits over 200
types i.e., Public sector banks, crores.
Private sector banks and Foreign
banks.
Nationalised Banks are:
State Bank of India
(i) Public Sector Banks: These
are banks where majority stake is
held by the Government of India or
State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur
State Bank of Hyderabad
Reserve Bank of India.
The nationalization of banks in India
State Bank of Indore
took place in 1969 by Mrs. Indira State Bank of Mysore
Gandhi the then prime minister. It
nationalized 14 banks then. These
banks were mostly owned by
State Bank of Patiala
State Bank of Saurashtra
businessmen and even managed by
them.
State Bank of Travancore
Allahabad Bank
Before the steps of nationalization
of Indian banks, only State Bank of
India (SBI)  was  nationalized.  It
Bank of Baroda
Bank of India
took place in July 1955 under the
SBI Act of 1955. Nationalization of Bank of Maharashtra
Seven State Banks of India (formed
subsidiary) took place on 19th July,
1960. Central Bank of India
The State  Bank  of India is  India’s Corporation Bank
largest commercial bank and is
Dena Bank
ranked one of the top five banks
worldwide. It serves 90 million Indian Overseas Bank
customers through a network of
9,000 branches and it offers — Indian Bank
either directly or through Oriental Bank of Commerce
subsidiaries — a wide range of
banking services. Punjab National Bank
The second phase of nationalization Punjab and Sind Bank
of Indian banks took place in the Syndicate Bank
year 1980. Seven more banks were
nationalized with deposits over 200 Union Bank of India
Crores. Till this year, approximately United Bank of India
80% of the banking segment in
India was under Gover nment UCO Bank
ownership. Other Public Sector-Indian
After the nationalization of banks Banks: IDBI Bank Limited
in India, the branches of the public (ii) Private Sectors Banks: In
sector banks rose to approximately case of private sector banks
800% in deposits and advances took

588 Prelims Magic 2014

majority of share capital of the bank
is held by private individuals. These
banks are registered as companies
with limited liability. Given below
are the private sector scheduled
banks in India :
Bank of Rajasthan Ltd.
Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd.
Federal Bank Ltd.
Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank Ltd.
Karnataka Bank Ltd.
Karur Vysya Bank Ltd.
City Union Bank Ltd.
Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd.
Nainital Bank Ltd.
Ratnakar Bank Ltd.
South Indian Bank Ltd.
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Ltd.
ING Vysya Bank Ltd.
ICICI Bank Limited
Axis Bank Ltd.
IndusInd Bank Ltd
Yes Bank Ltd.
SBI Commercial and International
Bank Ltd.
HDFC Bank Ltd.
Development Credit Bank Limited
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.,
(iii) Foreign Banks: These banks
are registered and have their
headquarters in a foreign country
but operate their branches in our
country. The number of foreign
banks operating in our country has
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Which one of the following
Indian banks is not a nationalized
bank?
(a) Corporation Bank
(b) Dena Bank
(c) Federal Bank
(d) Vijaya Bank
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2006)
increased since the financial sector Standard Chartered Bank
reforms of 1991.
State Bank of Mauritius
Scheduled Foreign Banks in
Sberbank
India: 
The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V.
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank Ltd.
UBS AG
American Express Banking Corp.
United Overseas Bank Ltd
Arab Bangladesh Bank Ltd.
Antwerp Diamond Bank NV
Functions of Commercial
Banks E
Bank Internasional Indonesia
The functions of a commercial
Bank of America
Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait
banks are divided into two
categories:
C
B.S.C.
Bank of Ceylon
i) Primary functions, and
ii) Secondary functions including
O
agency functions.
Bank of Nova Scotia
Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi –UFJ
The primary functions of a
commercial bank include:
N
Ltd.
Barclays Bank Plc.
a) Accepting deposits: The most
important activity of a commercial
O
BNP Paribas bank is to mobilize deposits from the
Citibank N.A. public. People who have surplus
income and savings find it
M
Credit Agr icole Corporate & convenient to deposit the amounts
Investment Bank
Chinatrust Commercial Bank
with banks. Depending upon the
nature of deposits, funds deposited
Y
with bank also earn interest. Thus,
Credit Suisse A.G deposits with the bank grow along
Commonwealth Bank of Australia with the interest earned. If the rate
of interest is higher, public are
DBS Bank Ltd motivated to deposit more funds
with the bank. There is also safety
Deutsche Bank,
of funds deposited with the bank.
First Rand Bank Ltd
b) Grant of loans and advances:
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking The second important function of a
Corporation Ltd. commercial bank is to grant loans
Industrial & Commercial Bank of and advances. Such loans and
China advances are given to members of
the public and to the business
JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. community at a higher rate of
JSC VTB Bank interest than allowed by banks on
various deposit accounts. The rate
Krung Thai Bank Plc of interest charged on loans and
Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd. advances varies depending upon the
purpose, period and the mode of
Mashreqbank 
repayment. The difference between
Oman International Bank SAOG the rate of interest allowed on
deposits and the rate charged on the
Shinhan Bank
Loans is the main source of a
Societe Generale bank’s income.
Sonali Bank Besides the primary functions of
accepting deposits and lending
Prelims Magic 2014 589
 money, banks perform a number of
other functions which are called
secondary functions. These are as
follows :
a) Issuing letters of credit, travelers’
cheques, circular notes etc.
b) Undertaking safe custody of
valuables, important documents,
E and securities by providing safe
deposit vaults or lockers;
C c) Providing customers with
facilities of foreign exchange.
d) Transferring money from one
O place to another; and from one
branch to another branch of the
bank.
N e) Standing guarantee on behalf of
its customers, for making payments
O for purchase of goods, machinery,
vehicles etc.
f) Collecting and supplying business
M information;
g) Issuing demand drafts and pay
orders; and,
Y h) Providing reports on the credit
worthiness of customers.
Different modes of Acceptance
of Deposits
Banks receive money from the
public by way of deposits. The
following types of deposits are
usually received by banks:
i) Current Deposit: Also called
‘demand deposit’, current deposit
can be withdrawn by the depositor
at any time by cheques.
Businessmen generally open
curr ent accounts with banks.
Current accounts do not carry any
interest as the amount deposited in
these accounts is repayable on
demand without any restriction. The
Reserve bank of India prohibits
payment of interest on current
accounts or on deposits up to 14
Days or less except where prior
sanction has been obtained. Banks
usually charge a small amount
known as incidental charges on
current deposit accounts depending
590 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Consider the following statements:
The functions of commercial
banks in India include
1. Purchase and sale of shares and
securities on behalf of customers
2. Acting as executors and
trustees of wills.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
on the number of transaction.
Banks cannot accept interest free
deposits other than in current
account.
Savings deposit/Savings Bank
Accounts: Savings deposit account
is meant for individuals who wish
to deposit small amounts out of their
curr ent income. It helps in
safeguarding their future and also
earning interest on the savings. A
saving account can be opened with
or without cheque book facility.
Ther e are r estrictions on the
withdrawals from this account.
Savings account holders are also
allowed to deposit cheques, drafts,
dividend warrants, etc. drawn in
their favour for collection by the
bank. Banks can pay interest on
savings bank accounts at quarterly
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Consider the following liquid
assets:
1.Demand deposits with the
banks
2.Time deposits with the banks
3.Savings deposits with the banks
4.Currency
The correct sequence of these
assets in the decreasing order of
Liquidity is
(a) 1-4-3-2
(b) 4-3-2-1
(c) 2-3-1-4
(d) 4-1-3-2
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Expl: Currency is most liquid and
time deposit is least liquid
or longer rests. The rate of interest
to be allowed on Savings deposit is
decided by the banks themselves
and governed by the broader rules
lay down by the Reserve Bank of
India from time to time.
Fixed deposit: The term ‘Fixed
deposit’ means deposit repayable
after the expiry of a specified
period. Since it is repayable only
after a fixed period of time, which
is to be determined at the time of
opening of the account, it is also
known as time deposit. Fixed
deposits are most useful for a
commercial bank. Since they are
repayable only after a fixed period,
the bank may invest these funds
more profitably by lending at higher
rates of interest and for relatively
longer periods. The rate of interest
on fixed deposits depends upon the
period of deposits. The longer the
period, the higher is the rate of
interest offered. The rate of interest
to be allowed on fixed deposits is
governed by rules laid down by the
Reserve Bank of India. Interest on
term deposits is payable at quarterly
or longer rests. In case of monthly
deposit schemes, as per banking
practice, the interest is calculated
for the quarter and may be paid
monthly at the discounted value.
Recurring Deposits: Under this
type of deposit, the depositor is
required to deposit a fixed amount
of money every month for a specific
period of time. Each installment
may vary from Rs.5/- to Rs.500/-
or more per month and the period
of account may vary from 12
months to 10 years. After the
completion of the specified period,
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In India, the interest rate on
savings accounts in all the
nationalized commercial banks is
fixed by
(a) Union Ministry of Finance
(b) Union Finance Commission
(c) Indian Bank’s Association
(d) None of the above
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
the customer gets back all his
deposits along with the cumulative
interest accrued on the deposits.
Miscellaneous Deposits: Banks
have introduced several deposit
schemes to attract deposits from
different types of people, like Home
Construction deposit scheme,
Sickness Benefit deposit scheme,
Children Gift plan, Old age pension
scheme, Mini deposit scheme, etc.
3. Development Banks
Business often requires medium and
long-term capital for purchase of
machinery and equipment, for using
latest technology, or for expansion
and modernization. Such financial
assistance is provided by
Development Banks. They also
undertake other development
measures like subscribing to the
shares and debentures issued by
companies, in case of under
subscription of the issue by the
public.
DEVELOPMENT BANKS
 Industrial Development
Bank of India (IDBI), established
in 1964.
Main function: Providing finance
to large and medium scale industrial
units.
 Industrial Finance
Corporation of India (IFCI),
established in 1991.
Main function: Providing term
loans in Indian and for eign
currencies, underwriting of issues
of shares and debentures.
 Small Industries
Development Bank of India
(SIDBI), established in 1989.
Main function: Providing
assistance to small scale industries
though state finance corporations,
state industrial development
corporations, commercial banks,
etc.
 Export-Import Bank of
India (Exim Bank) was established
in 1982.
Main function: Coordinating the
working of institutions engaged in
financing export and import trade.
 National Housing Bank
(NHB) started operations in 1988.
Main function: Development of
housing finance in the country.
 NABARD was established in
1982.
Main function: To serve as an
apex refinancing agency for
institutions engaged in providing
agricultural finance to develop
credit delivery system to coordinate
rural financing activities.
4. Co-operative Banks: There
are three types of co-operative
banks operating in our country.
They are primary credit societies,
central co-operative banks and
state co-operative banks. These
banks are organized at three levels,
village or town level, district level
and state level.
(i) Primary Credit Societies:
These are formed at the village or
town level with borrower and non-
borrower members residing in one
locality. The operations of each
society are restricted to a small
area so that the members know
each other and are able to watch
over the activities of all members
to prevent frauds.
(ii) Central Co-operative
Banks: These banks operate at
the district level having some of the
primary credit societies belonging to
the same district as their members.
These banks provide loans to their
members (i.e., primary credit
societies) and function as a link
between the primary credit
societies and state co-operative
banks.
(iii) State Co-operative Banks:
These are the apex (highest level)
co-operative banks in all the states
of the country. They mobilise funds
and help in its proper channelisation
among various sectors. The money
reaches the individual borrowers
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. In India, which of the following
have the highest share in the
disbursement of credit to
agriculture and allied activities?
(a) Commercial Banks
(b) Cooperative Banks
(c) Regional Rural Banks
(d) Microfinance Institutions
Ans (a) (CSE 2011) E
from the state co-operative banks
through the central co-operative
banks and the primary cr edit C
societies.
5. Specialised Banks O
There are some banks, which cater
to the requirements and provide
overall support for setting up
business in specific areas of activity.
N
EXIM Bank, SIDBI and
NABARD are examples of such
banks. They engage themselves in
O
some specific area or activity and
thus, are called specialised banks.
Let us know about them.
M
i. Export Import Bank of India
(EXIM Bank): If you want to set
Y
up a business for expor ting
products abroad or importing
products from foreign countries for
sale in our country, EXIM bank can
provide you the required support
and assistance. The bank grants
loans to exporters and importers
and also provides information about
the international market. It gives
guidance about the opportunities for
export or import, the risks involved
in it and the competition to be faced,
etc.
ii. Small Industries Develop-
ment Bank of India (SIDBI): If
you want to establish a small-scale
business unit or industry, loan on
easy terms can be available through
SIDBI. It also finances
modernisation of small-scale
industrial units, use of new
technology and market activities.
The aim and focus of SIDBI is to
promote, finance and develop small-
scale industries.
591
 iii. National Bank for
Agricultural and Rural
Development (NABARD): It is
a central or apex institution for
financing agricultural and rural
sectors. If a person is engaged in
agriculture or other activities like
handloom weaving, fishing, etc.
NABARD can provide credit, both
E short-term and long-term, through
regional rural banks. It provides
financial assistance, especially, to
C co-operative credit, in the field of
agriculture, small-scale industries,
cottage and village industries
O handicrafts and allied economic
activities in rural areas.
ing organizations being operated in
different states of India. They have
been created to serve the rural ar-
eas with banking and financial ser-
vices. However, RRB's may have
branches set up for urban operations
and there area of operation may in-
clude urban areas too.
The main purpose of RRB's is to
mobilize financial resources from
rural / semi-urban areas and grant
loans and advances mostly to small
and marginal farmers, agricultural
laborers and rural artisans. The area
of operation of RRBs is limited to
the area as notified by Government
of India covering one or more dis-
tion 25 RRBs have been merged in
January 2013 into 10 RRBs this
counts 67 RRBs till 1st week of June
2013. On 31 March 2006, there
were 133 RRBs (post-merger) cov-
ering 525 districts with a network
of 14,494 branches. On RRBs
were originally conceived as low
cost institutions having a rural ethos,
local feel and pro poor focus. How-
ever, within a very short time, most
banks were making losses. The
original assumptions as to the low
cost nature of these institutions were
belied.This may be again merged in
near future.At present there are 67
RRB's in India.

N Regional Rural Banks

Regional Rural Banks are the bank-
tricts in the State. RRB's also per-
form a variety of different func-
tions.
Land Development Banks

How was this topic asked in the CSE? Land Development Banks in India
O Q. Which of the following grants/
grant direct credit assistance to
RRB's perform various functions in
following heads
are of quasi-commercial type. Al-
though they are all registered under
rural households ? the Co-operative Societies Act, they
M 1. Regional Rural Banks
2. National Bank for Agriculture
• Providing banking facilities to
rural and semi-urban areas.
are associations of borrowers as
well as non-borrowers organised on
and Rural Development the principle of limited liability.
Y 3. Land Development Banks
Select the correct answer using the
• Carrying out government opera-
tions like disbursement of wages of
The borrowing capacity of a mem-
codes given below: ber is generally determined accord-
MGNREGA workers, distribution
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only ing to the number of shares he holds
of pensions etc.
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 in the bank, though each member
Ans: c (CSE 2013) has only one vote according to co-
• Providing Para-Banking facili-
Expl: NABARD doesn’t give operative principle, irrespective of
ties like locker facilities, debit and
“direct” credit assistance. It
credit cards. the number of shares he holds.
provides credit via intermediaries
Currently, RRB's are going through
such as Microfinance companies, Banking Ombudsman Scheme
a process of merger and consolida-
cooperative society, RRB.
The Banking
Ombudsman
Agricultural Credit By Different Agencies In India Scheme enables an
Cooperative Commercial Regional expeditious and
Year Others Total inexpensive forum
Banks Banks Rural Banks
to bank customers
1975-76 1186 [70.7] 405 [24.1] 004 [0.2] 082 [4.9] 1677 [100]
1983-84 2938 [55.7] 1885 [35.7] 263 [5.0] 185 [3.5] 5271 [100]
for resolution of
1993-94 10107 [61.3] 5400 [32.7] 977 [5.9] 000 [00] 16484 [100] complaints relating
2001-02 23524 [37.9] 33587 [54.1] 4854 [7.8] 080 [0.1] 62045 [100] to certain services
2002-03 23636 [34.0] 39774 [57.1] 6070 [8.7] 080 [0.1] 69560 [100] rendered by banks.
2003-04 26875 [30.9] 52441 [60.3] 7581 [8.7] 087 [0.1] 86984 [100] The Banking
2004-05 31231 [24.9] 81484 [65.0] 12404 [9.9] 190 [0.1] 125309[100]
2005-06 39404 [21.8] 125477[69.5] 15223 [8.4] 382 [0.2] 180486[100]
Ombudsman
2006-07 42480 [18.5] 166485[72.6] 20435 [8.9] 000 [00] 229400[100] Scheme is
2007-08 48258 [18.9] 181088[71.1] 25312 [9.9] 000 [00] 254658[100] introduced under
2008-09 45966 [15.2] 228951[75.8] 26765 [8.8] 226 [0.1] 301908[100] Section 35 A of the
2009-10 57500 [15.7] 274963[74.9] 34456 [9.4] 000 [00] 366919[100] Banking Regulation
2010-11 78121 [17] 345877[74] 44293[9] - 468291
2011-12 87963 [17] 368616[72] 54450[11] - 511029
Act, 1949 by RBI
with effect from
All figures in Rs Crores. Figures in parentheses indicate % share in total

592 Prelims Magic 2014

1995. The Banking Ombudsman is
a senior official appointed by the
Reserve Bank of India to redress
customer complaints against
deficiency in certain banking
services. As on date, fifteen
Banking Ombudsmen have been
appointed with their offices located
mostly in state capitals. All
Scheduled Commercial Banks,
Regional Rur al Banks and
Scheduled Primary
Co-operative Banks are covered
under the Scheme.
Grounds of complaints: The
Banking Ombudsman can receive
and consider any complaint relating
to the following deficiency in
banking services (including internet
banking):
non-payment or inordinate delay in
the payment or collection of
cheques, drafts, bills etc.;
non-acceptance, without sufficient
cause, of small denomination notes
tendered for any purpose, and for
charging of commission in respect
thereof;
non-acceptance, without sufficient
cause, of coins tendered and for
charging of commission in respect
thereof;
non-payment or delay in payment
of inward remittances ;
failure to issue or delay in issue of
drafts, pay orders or bankers’
cheques;
non-adherence to prescr ibed
working hours;
failure to provide or delay in
providing a banking facility (other
than loans and advances) promised
in writing by a bank or its direct
selling agents;
delays, non-credit of proceeds to
parties accounts, non-payment of
deposit or non-observance of the
Reserve Bank directives, if any,
applicable to rate of interest on
deposits in any savings,current or
other account maintained with a
bank;
complaints from Non-Resident to loans and advances
Indians having accounts in India in
·non-observance of Reserve Bank
relation to their remittances from
Directives on interest rates;
abroad, deposits and other bank-
related matters; delays in sanction, disbursement or
non-observance of prescribed time
refusal to open deposit accounts
schedule for disposal of loan
without any valid reason for refusal;
applications;
levying of charges without adequate
prior notice to the customer;
non-adherence by the bank or its
non-acceptance of application for
loans without furnishing valid
reasons to the applicant; and
E
subsidiaries to the instructions of
Reserve Bank on ATM/Debit card
operations or credit card
non-adherence to the provisions of
the fair practices code for lenders C
as adopted by the bank or Code of
operations; 
non-disbursement or delay in
Bank’s Commitment to Customers,
as the case may be; O
disbursement of pension (to the
non-observance of any other
extent the grievance can be
attributed to the action on the part
direction or instruction of the
Reserve Bank as may be specified
N
of the bank concerned, but not with
by the Reserve Bank for this
regard to its employees);
refusal to accept or delay in
purpose from time to time. O
The Banking Ombudsman may also
accepting payment towards taxes,
as required by Reserve Bank/
Government;
deal with such other matter as may
be specified by the Reserve Bank M
from time to time.
refusal to issue or delay in issuing,
or failure to service or delay in
Filing of complaint: One can file
a complaint before the Banking
Y
servicing or redemption of
Ombudsman if the reply is not
Government securities;
received from the bank within a
forced closure of deposit accounts period of one month after the bank
without due notice or without concerned has received one s
sufficient reason; representation, or the bank rejects
the complaint, or if the complainant
refusal to close or delay in closing
is not satisfied with the reply given
the accounts;
by the bank. complaint will not be
non-adherence to the fair practices considered if:
code as adopted by the bank or
a. One has not approached his bank
non-adherence to the provisions of
for redressal of his grievance first.
the Code of Bank s Commitments
to Customers issued by Banking b. One has not made the complaint
Codes and Standards Board of India within one year from the date one
and as adopted by the bank ; has received the reply of the bank
or if no reply is received if it is more
non-observance of Reserve Bank
than one year and one month from
guidelines on engagement of
the date of representation to the
recovery agents by banks; and
bank.
·any other matter relating to the
c. T he subject matter of the
violation of the directives issued by
complaint is pending for disposal /
the Reserve Bank in relation to has already been dealt with at any
banking or other services.
other forum like court of law,
A customer can also lodge a consumer court etc.
complaint on the following grounds d. Frivolous or vexatious.
of deficiency in service with respect
Prelims Magic 2014 593
 e. T he institution complained
against is not covered under the
scheme.
f. T he subject matter of the
complaint is not within the ambit of
the Banking Ombudsman.
g. If the complaint is for the same
subject matter that was settled
E through the office of the Banking
Ombudsman in any previous
proceedings.
C procedure for filing the
complaint: One can file a complaint
with the Banking Ombudsman
O simply by writing on a plain paper.
One can also file it online or by
sending an email to the Banking
N Ombudsman. There is a form along
with details of the scheme in the
RBI website. However, it is not
O necessary to use this format. One
may lodge his/ her complaint at the
office of the Banking Ombudsman
M under whose jurisdiction, the bank
branch complained against is
situated.  India
Y For complaints relating to credit
cards and other types of services
with centralized operations,
complaints may be filed before the
Banking Ombudsman within whose
territorial jurisdiction the billing
address of the customer is located.
The Banking Ombudsman does not
char ge any fee for filing and
resolving customers’ complaints.
The amount, if any, to be paid by
the bank to the complainant by way
of compensation for any loss
suffered by the complainant is
limited to the amount arising directly
out of the act or omission of the
bank or Rs 10 lakhs, whichever is
lower.
Mental agony and harassment:
The Banking Ombudsman may
award compensation not exceeding
Rs 1 lakh to the complainant only
in the case of complaints relating
to credit card operations for mental
agony and har assment. The
Banking Ombudsman will take into
account the loss of the complainant
594 Prelims Magic 2014
s time, expenses incurred by the
complainant, harassment and
mental anguish suffered by the
complainant while passing such
award.
Details required in the
application: The complaint should
have the name and address of the
complainant, the name and address
of the branch or office of the bank
against which the complaint is
made, facts giving rise to the
complaint supported by documents,
if any, the nature and extent of the
loss caused to the complainant, the
relief sought from the Banking
Ombudsman and a declaration
about the compliance of conditions
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to the institution of
Banking Ombudsman in India,
which one of the statements in not
correct?
(a) The Banking Ombudsman is
appointed by the Reserve Bank of
(b) The Banking Ombudsman can
consider complaints from Non-
Resident Indians having accounts
in India
(c) The orders passed by the
Banking Ombudsman are final
and binding on the parties
concerned
(d) The service provided by the
Banking Ombudsman is free of
any fee
Ans (c) (CSE 2010)
which are required to be complied
with by the complainant.
The Banking Ombudsman may
reject a complaint at any stage if it
appears to him that a complaint
made to him is:
not on the grounds of complaint
referred to above compensation
sought from the Banking
Ombudsman is beyond Rs 10 lakh
requires consideration of elaborate
documentary and oral evidence and
the proceedings before the Banking
Ombudsman are not appropriate for
adjudication of such complaint
without any sufficient causethat it
is not pursued by the complainant
with reasonable diligence in the
opinion of the Banking Ombudsman
there is no loss or damage or
inconvenience caused to the
complainant.
Appeal
If one is not satisfied with the
decision passed by the Banking
Ombudsman, one can approach the
appellate authority against the
Banking Ombudsmen’s decision.
Appellate Authority is vested with
a Deputy Governor of the RBI.
One can also explore any other
recourse and/or remedies available
to him/her as per the law.
The bank also has the option to file
an appeal before the appellate
authority under the scheme.
The appellate authority may
i. dismiss the appeal; or
ii. allow the appeal and set aside the
award; or
iii. send the matter to the Banking
Ombudsman for fresh disposal in
accordance with such directions as
the appellate authority may consider
necessary or proper; or
iv. modify the award and pass such
directions as may be necessary to
give effect to the modified award;
or
v. pass any other order as it may
deem fit.
Non-Banking Financial
Company (NBFC)
A Non-Banking Financial Company
(NBFC) is a company registered
under the Companies Act, 1956 and
is engaged in the business of loans
and advances, acquisition of shares/
stock/bonds/debentures/securities
issued by Government or local
authority or other securities of like
marketable nature, leasing, hire-
purchase, insurance business, chit
business but does not include any
institution whose principal business
is that of agriculture activity,
industrial activity, sale/purchase/
construction of immovable
property. A non-banking institution
which is a company and which has
its principal business of receiving
deposits under any scheme or
arrangement or any other manner,
or lending in any manner is also a
How was this topic asked in the CSE
With reference to the Non-
banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) in India, consider the
following statements:
1.They cannot engage in the
acquisition of securities issued by
the government.
2.They cannot accept demand
deposits like Savings Account.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans (b) (CSE 2010)
non-banking financial company
(Residuary non-banking company).
NBFCs are doing functions akin to
that of banks; however there are a
few differences:
(i) an NBFC cannot accept demand
deposits;  AFC would be defined as any
(ii) an NBFC is not a part of the
payment and settlement system and
as such an NBFC cannot issue
cheques drawn on itself; and
(iii) deposit insurance facility of
Deposit Insurance and Credit
Guarantee Corporation is not
available for NBFC depositors
unlike in case of banks.
In terms of Section 45-IA of the
RBI Act, 1934, it is mandatory that
every NBFC should be registered
with RBI to commence or carry on
any business of non-banking
financial institution as defined in
clause (a) of Section 45 I of the RBI
Act, 1934.
However, to obviate dual regulation,
certain categories of NBFCs which
are regulated by other regulators are
exempted from the requirement of
registration with RBI viz. Venture
Capital Fund/Merchant Banking
companies/Stock broking
companies registered with SEBI,
Insurance Company holding a valid
Certificate of Registration issued by
IRDA, Nidhi companies as notified
under Section 620A of the
Companies Act, 1956, Chit
companies as defined in clause (b)
of Section 2 of the Chit Funds Act,
1982 or Housing Finance
Companies regulated by National
Housing Bank.
Originally, NBFCs registered with
RBI were classified as:
(i) equipment leasing company;
(ii) hire-purchase company;
(iii) loan company;
(iv) investment company.
However, with effect from
December 6, 2006 the above
NBFCs registered with RBI have
been reclassified as
(i) Asset Finance Company (AFC)
(ii) Investment Company (IC)
(iii) Loan Company (LC)
company which is a financial
institution carrying on as its principal
business the financing of physical
assets supporting productive/
economic activity, such as
automobiles, tractors, lathe
machines, generator sets, earth
moving and material handling
equipments, moving on own power
and general purpose industrial
machines. Principal business for
this purpose is defined as aggregate
of financing real/physical assets
supporting economic activity and
income arising therefrom is not less
than 60% of its total assets and total
income respectively.
The above type of companies may
be further classified into those
accepting deposits or those not
accepting deposits.
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All NBFCs are not entitled to
accept public deposits. Only those
NBFCs holding a valid Certificate
of Registration with authorisation to
accept Public Deposits can accept/
hold public deposits. NBFCs
authorised to accept/hold public
deposits besides having minimum
stipulated Net Owned Fund (NOF)
should also comply with the
Directions such as investing part of
E
the funds in liquid assets, maintain
reserves, rating etc. issued by the
Bank. 
C
Some of the important regulations
relating to acceptance of deposits
by NBFCs are as under:
O
i. The NBFCs are allowed to
accept/renew public deposits for a
N
minimum period of 12 months and
maximum period of 60 months.
They cannot accept deposits
O
repayable on demand.
ii.NBFCs cannot offer interest rates
higher than the ceiling rate
M
prescribed by RBI from time to
time. The present ceiling is 12.5 per
cent per annum. The interest may
Y
be paid or compounded at rests not
shorter than monthly rests.
iii. NBFCs cannot offer gifts/
incentives or any other additional
benefit to the depositors.
iv. NBFCs (except certain AFCs)
should have minimum investment
grade credit rating.
v. The deposits with NBFCs are not
insured.
vi. The repayment of deposits by
NBFCs is not guaranteed by RBI.
vii. Certain mandatory disclosures
are to be made about the company
in the Application Form issued by
the company soliciting deposits.
Effective from April 24, 2004,
NBFCs cannot accept deposits
from NRIs except deposits by debit
to NRO account of NRI provided
such amount does not represent
inward remittance or transfer from
NRE/FCNR (B) account.
595
 However, the existing NRI deposits
can be renewed.
‘owned fund’ and ‘net owned fund’
in relation to NBFCs
‘Owned Fund’ means aggregate of
the paid-up equity capital and free
reserves as disclosed in the latest
balance sheet of the company after
E deducting therefrom accumulated
balance of loss, deferred revenue
expenditure and other intangible
C assets.
’Net Owned Fund’ is the amount
O as arrived at above minus the
amount of investments of such
company in shares of its
N subsidiaries, companies in the same
group and all other NBFCs and the
book value of debentures, bonds,
O outstanding loans and advances
made to and deposits with
subsidiaries and companies in the
M same group, to the extent it exceeds
10% of the owned fund.
Financial Inclusion
Y Despite the expansion of the
banking network in India since
independence, a sizeable proportion
of the households, especially in rural
areas, still do not have a bank
account. Considerable efforts have
to be made to reach these unbanked
regions and population. Financial
Inclusion implies providing financial
services viz., access to payments
and remittance facilities, savings,
loans and insurance services at
affordable cost to those who are
excluded from the formal financial
system.
Financial Inclusion Statistics
National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO) data reveal
that 45.9 million farmer households
in the country (or 51.4% of the
total) do not access credit, either
from institutional or non institutional
sources. Further, despite the vast
network of bank branches, only
27% of total farm households are
indebted to formal sources; of
which one-third also borrow from
596 Prelims Magic 2014
informal sources. Farm households
not accessing credit from formal
sources as a proportion to total
farm households is especially high
at 95.91%, 81.26% and 77.59% in
the North Eastern, Eastern and
Central Regions respectively. Thus,
apart from the fact that exclusion
in general is large, it also varies
widely across regions, social groups
and asset holdings. The poorer the
group, the greater is the exclusion.
Initiatives taken by the RBI
The Lead Bank Scheme introduced
by the RBI in 1969 is the earliest
attempt by the RBI to foster
financial inclusion. Under the
scheme, designated banks are made
key instruments for local
development and entrusted with the
responsibility of identifying growth
centres, assessing deposit potential
and credit gaps and evolving a
coordinated approach for credit
deployment in each district, in
concert with other banks and other
agencies. As at March 2009, there
were 26 banks, mostly in the public
sector, which have been assigned
lead responsibility in 622 districts of
the country. The RBI’s recent
measures to promote financial
inclusion includes: advising banks to
open ‘no frills’ accounts,
intr oduction of Business
Correspondent (BC)/ Business
Facilitator (BF) model and adoption
of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) solutions for
achieving greater outreach.
Basic banking ‘no-frills’ account
To achieve the objective of greater
financial inclusion, all banks have
been advised by the RBI to make
available a basic banking ‘no-frills’
account either with ‘nil’ or very low
minimum balances. They have also
been advised to keep the
transaction charges low, which
would make such accounts
accessible to vast sections of
population. The nature and number
of transactions in such accounts
could be restricted by the banks, but
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The basic aim of Lead Bank
Scheme is that
(a) big banks should try to open
offices in each district
(b) there  should  be  stiff
competition among the various
nationalized banks
(c) individual banks should adopt
particular districts for intensive
development
(d) all the banks should make
intensive effor ts to mobilize
deposit
Ans (c) (CSE 2012)
such restrictions must be made
known to the customer in advance
in a transparent manner. The
growth of such deposits should be
encouraged with affor dable
infrastructure and low operational
costs through the use of appropriate
technology.
Use of Business Facilitators and
Correspondents
With the objective of ensuring a
greater financial inclusion and
increasing the outreach of the
banking sector, the RBI has
introduced business facilitators and
business correspondent models to
enable banks to use the services of
NGOs, Self Help Groups (SHGs)
and micro finance institutions as
intermediaries in providing financial
and banking services. T hese
intermediaries serve as the
facilitators /correspondents of the
banks.
In the business facilitator model,
these intermediaries help the banks
facilitate services such as
identification of borrowers,
collection and preliminary
processing of loan applications,
creating awareness about savings
and other products, processing and
submission of applications to banks
and post-sanction monitoring.
In addition to activities which the
intermediaries can engage in the
business facilitator model, the scope
of activities under the business
correspondent’s models include
disbursal of small value credit,
recovery of principal/collection of
interest, collection of small value
deposits, receipt and delivery of
small value remittances etc.
As the engagement of
inter mediaries as business
facilitators/correspondents involves
a significant reputational, legal and
operational risks, banks need to give
due consideration to those risks.
The bank’s arrangement with the
business correspondents should:
• Specify the suitable limits on cash
holding by intermediaries, as also
limits on individual customer
payments and receipts.
Require that the transactions are
accounted for and reflected in the
bank’s books by the end of the day
or next working day.
• Require all agreements/contracts
with the customer to clearly specify
that the bank is responsible to the
customer for acts of omission and
commission of the business
facilitator / correspondent.
Banks pay reasonable commission/
fees to the Business Facilitators/
Corr espondents. The banks’
agreement with them however
should specifically prohibit them
from charging any fees to the
customers for the services rendered
by them on behalf of the banks.
Adoption of technology
To give an impetus to financial
inclusion, the RBI has formulated
a scheme to accelerate the pace of
adoption of the biometric access/
smar t card based Electr onic
Benefit Transfer (EBT)
mechanism by the banks and roll
out the EBT system in the States
that are ready to adopt the scheme.
As per the scheme, RBI would
partially reimburse the banks, for a
limited period, the cost of opening
accounts with biometric access/
smart cards. Through these
accounts, payment of social
security benefits, National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act
(NREGA) payments and payments
under other government benefit
programmes would be routed.
The potential of information
technology (IT) in extending
banking services to under-served
markets in rural and semi-urban
areas is enormous. The use of
Smart Card technology, mobile
ATMs, coverage of rural post
offices under electronic payments
networks - all could contribute to
providing financial services to more
people and thereby serve financial
inclusion. India is experiencing an
explosion in the use of mobile
communication technology, and this
could be exploited by the financial
sector for spreading the banking
habit. Mobile phone users belong to
all strata of society, spread across
urban, semi-urban and rural areas.
However, while encouraging the
spread of cost-effective banking
through mobile communications, it
has to be ensured that essential
security features are maintained.
Micro Credit
Micro Credit is defined as provision
of credit and other financial services
and products of very small amount
to the poor in rural, semi-urban and
urban areas for enabling them to
raise their income levels. Micro
Credit Institutions (MCIs) are those
which provide these facilities.
Banks are allowed to devise
appr opriate loan and savings
products and the related terms and
conditions including size of the loan,
unit cost, unit size, maturity period,
grace period, margins, etc. Such
credit covers not only consumption
and production loans for various
farm and nonfarm activities of the
poor but also includes their other
credit needs such as housing and
shelter improvements.
Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
As stated earlier, despite the
expansion of the banking sector, the
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rural poor —particularly the
marginal farmers and landless
labourers—depend to a very large
degree on the moneylenders for
credit. Several studies have shown
that Self Help Savings and Credit
Groups have the potential to bring
together the banks and the rural
poor.
A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a
registered or unregistered group of
E
15-20 people who voluntarily join
together to save small amounts
regularly. These pooled savings are
C
used to make interest bearing loans
to group members. In addition to
inculcating the habit of thrift, SHG
O
activity develops among its
members the capacity to handle
resources. When the group matures
N
and stabilizes, it gets linked to the
banks under a SHG-banks linkage
program and banks start providing
O
credit to SHGs. Note that banks
provides credit to SHGs and not to
individuals belonging to the SHG. It
M
is the SHGs who pass on the loans
to the individuals. Thus, the SHGs
become responsible for repayment
Y
to the banks.
The group members use collective
wisdom and peer pressure to ensure
proper end-use of credit and timely
repayment thereof. Peer pressure
acts as an effective substitute for
collaterals. What are the
advantages of financing through
SHGs? An economically poor
individual gains strength as part of
a group. Besides, financing through
SHGs reduces transaction costs for
both lenders and borrowers. While
lenders have to handle only a single
SHG account instead of a large
number of small-sized individual
accounts, borrowers as part of a
SHG cut down expenses on travel
for completing paper work and on
the loss of workdays in availing
loans.
Since 1991-92, the National Bank
for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) has
been encouraging banks to extend
597
 micro credit loans to SHGs. The
scheme was then extended to
RRBs and co-operative banks.
More than 90 per cent of the groups
linked with banks are exclusive
women’s groups.
While the SHG-bank linkage
programme has emerged as the
E dominant micro finance
dispensation model in India, other
models too have evolved. For
C example, micro finance delivery
through microfinance institutions
(MFIs) has also emerged as an
O important delivery channel.
Insurance Sector
N Insurance is a central subject in
India, in which life and general
insurance is yet a booming sector
O with huge possibilities for different
global companies, as life insurance
premiums account to 2.5% and
M gener al insur ance premiums
account to 0.65% of India’s GDP.
Since 1999, when the government
Y opened up the insurance sector by
allowing private companies to solicit
insurance and also allowing FDI up
to 26%, the insurance sector has
been a booming market. However,
the largest life-insurance company
in India is still owned by the
government.
The history of Insurance in India
dates back to 1818, when Oriental
Life Insurance Company was
established by Europeans in
Kolkata to cater to their
requirements. Nevertheless, there
was discrimination among the life
of foreigners and Indians, as higher
premiums were charged from the
latter. In 1870, Indians took a sigh
of relief when Bombay Mutual Life
Assurance Society, the first Indian
insurance company covered Indian
lives at normal rates. Onset of the
20th century brought a drastic
change in the Insurance sector.
The first two decades of the
twentieth century saw lot of growth
in insurance business. From 44
companies with total business-in-
598 Prelims Magic 2014
force as Rs.22.44 crore, it rose to
176 companies with total business-
in-force as Rs.298 crore in 1938.
During the mushrooming of
insurance companies many
financially unsound concerns were
also floated which failed miserably.
The Insurance Act 1938 was the
first legislation governing not only
life insurance but also non-life
insurance to provide strict state
control over insurance business.
The demand for nationalization of
life insurance industry was made
repeatedly in the past but it gathered
momentum in 1944 when a bill to
amend the Life Insurance Act 1938
was introduced in the Legislative
Assembly. However, it was much
later on the 19th of January, 1956,
that life insurance in India was
nationalized. About 154 Indian
insurance companies, 16 non-Indian
companies and 75 provident were
operating in India at the time of
nationalization. Nationalization was
accomplished in two stages; initially
the management of the companies
was taken over by means of an
Ordinance, and later, the ownership
too by means of a comprehensive
bill. The Parliament of India passed
the Life Insurance Corporation Act
on the 19th of June 1956, and the
Life Insurance Corporation of India
was created on 1st September,
1956, with the objective of
spreading life insurance much more
widely and in particular to the rural
areas with a view to reach all
insurable persons in the country,
providing them adequate financial
cover at a reasonable cost.
In 1912, the Govt. of India passed
two acts - the Life Insurance
Companies Act, and the Provident
Fund Act - to regulate the insurance
business. National Insur ance
Company Ltd, founded in 1906, is
the oldest existing insur ance
company in India. Earlier, the
Insurance sector had only two state
insurers - Life Insurers i.e. Life
Insurance Corporation of India
(LIC), and General Insurers i.e.
General Insurance Corporation of
India (GIC). In December 2000,
these subsidiaries were de-linked
from parent company and were
declared independent insurance
companies: Oriental Insurance
Company Limited, New India
Assur ance Company Limited,
National Insurance Company
Limited and United India Insurance
Company Limited.
Some of the important milestones
in the life insurance business in India
are:
1818: Oriental Life Insur ance
Company, the first life insurance
company on Indian soil started
functioning.
1870: Bombay Mutual Life
Assurance Society, the first Indian
life insurance company started its
business.
1912: The Indian Life Assurance
Companies Act enacted as the first
statute to regulate the life insurance
business.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
statements:
1. Life Insurance Corporation of
India is the oldest insurance
company in India.
2. National Insurance Company
Limited was nationalized in the
year 1972 and made a subsidiary
of General Insurance Corporation
of India.
3. Headquarters of United Indian
Insurance Company Limited are
located at Chennai.
Which of the statements given
above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 and 3 only
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2006)
Explanation: Oriental Life
Insurance Company, Calcutta
(Kolkata) is the oldest insurance
company in India (1818). Life
Insurance Corporation of India
was created in the year of 1956.
1928: The Indian Insurance
Companies Act enacted to enable
the government to collect statistical
information about both life and non-
life insurance businesses.
1938: Earlier legislation consoli-
dated and amended to by the
Insurance Act with the objective of
protecting the interests of the
insuring public.
1956: 245 Indian and foreign
insurers and provident societies
were taken over by the central
government and nationalised. LIC
formed by an Act of Parliament,
viz. LIC Act, 1956, with a capital
contribution of Rs. 5 crore from the
Government of India.
The General insurance business in
India, on the other hand, can trace
its roots to the Triton Insurance
Company Ltd., the first general
insurance company established in
the year 1850 in Calcutta by the
British.
Some of the important milestones
in the general insurance business in
India are:
1907: The Indian Mercantile
Insurance Ltd. set up, the first
company to transact all classes of
general insurance business.
1957: General Insurance Council,
a wing of the Insurance Association
of India, frames a code of conduct
for ensuring fair conduct and sound
business practices.
1968: The Insurance Act amended
to regulate investments and set
minimum solvency margins and the
Tariff Advisory Committee set up.
1972: The General Insur ance
Business
(Nationalisation) Act, 1972
nationalised the general insurance
business in India with effect from
1st January 1973.
107 insurers amalgamated and
grouped into four companies viz.
the National Insurance Company
Ltd., the New India Assurance
Company Ltd., the Oriental
Insurance Company Ltd. and the
United India Insurance Company
Ltd. GIC incorporated as a
company.
Banking Glossary
Anytime Banking: With introduction
of ATMs, Tele-Banking and internet
banking, customers can conduct
their business anytime of the day
and night. The ‘Banking Hours’ is
not a constraint for transacting
banking business.
Anywhere Banking: Refer s to
banking not only by ATMs, Tele-
Banking and internet banking, but
also to core banking solutions
brought in by banks where customer
can deposit his money, cheques and
also withdraw money from any
branch connected with the system.
All major banks in India have
brought in core banking in their
operations to make banking truly
anywhere banking.
ATM: ATMs are Automatic Teller
Machines, which do the job of a
teller in a bank through Computer
Network. ATMs are located on the
branch premises or off branch
premises. ATMs are useful to
dispense cash, receive cash, accept
cheques, give balances in the
accounts and also give mini-
statements to the customers.
Bank Ombudsman: 
Bank Ombudsman is the authority
to look into complaints against
Banks in the main areas of
collection of cheque / bills, issue of
demand drafts, non-adherence to
prescribed hours of working, failure
to honour guarantee / letter of credit
commitments, operations in deposit
accounts and also in the areas of
loans and advances where banks
flout directions / instructions of RBI.
This Scheme was announced in
1995 and is functioning with new
guidelines from 2007. This scheme
covers all scheduled banks, the
RRBs and co-operative banks.
Prelims Magic 2014
Bancassurance: Bancassurance
refers to the distribution of
insur ance products and the
insurance policies of insurance
companies which may be life
policies or non-life policies like home
insurance - car insurance, medi-
policies and others, by banks as
corporate agents through their
branches located in different parts
of the country by charging a fee.
E
Banker’s Lien : Bankers lien is a
special right of lien exercised by the
bankers, who can retain goods
C
bailed to them as a security for
general balance of account.
Bankers can have this right in the
O
absence of a contract to the
contrary. N
Banking: Accepting  for  the
purpose of lending or investment of
deposits of money from Public, O
Repayable on demand or otherwise
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. The lowering of Bank Rate by
M
the Reserve Bank of India leads
to (a) More liquidity in the market
(b) Less liquidity in the market
Y
(c) No change in the liquidity in
the market (d) Mobilization of
more deposits by commercial
banks
Ans (a) (CSE 2011)
and withdrawable by cheques,
drafts, order, etc.
Bank rate:  Bank Rate is the rate
at which central bank of the
country  (in India it is RBI)  allows
finance to commercial banks. Bank
Rate is a tool, which central
bank uses for short-term purposes.
Any upward revision in Bank Rate
by central bank is an indication that
banks should also increase deposit
rates as well as Prime Lending
Rate. Thus any revision in the Bank
rate indicates could mean more or
less interest on your deposits and
also an increase or decrease in your
EMI. In simple words we can say:
Bank Rate is the rate at which
central bank (RBI) lends money to
other banks or financial
599
 institutions.   If the bank rate goes
up, long-term interest rates also tend
to move up, and vice-versa. Thus,
it can said that in case bank rate is
hiked,  in all likelihood banks will
hikes their own lending rates to
ensure and they continue to make
a profit.
E Basel-II: The  Committee  on
Banking Regulations
Supervisory Practices, popularity
and
C known as Basel Committee,
submitted its revised version of
norms in June, 2004. Under the
O revised accor d the capital
requirement is to be calculated for
credit, market and operational risks.
N The minimum requirement continues
to be 8% of capital fund (Tier I &
II Capital) Tier II shall continue to
O be not more than 100% of Tier I
Capital.
Brick & Mortar Banking : Brick
M and Mortar Banking refers to
traditional system of banking done
only in a fixed branch premises
Y made of brick and mortar. Now
there are banking channels like
ATM, Internet Banking,tele banking
etc.
Business of Banking : Accepting
deposits, borrowing money, lending
money, investing, dealing in bills,
dealing in Foreign Exchange, Hiring
Lockers, Opening Safe Custody
Accounts, Issuing Letters of Credit,
Traveller’s Cheques, doing Mutual
Fund business, Insurance Business,
acting as Trustee or doing any other
business which Central Government
may notify in the official Gazette.
Bouncing of a cheque : Where an
account does not have sufficient
balance to honour the cheque
issued by the customer , the cheque
is returned by the bank with the
reason “funds insufficient” or
“Exceeds arrangement”.This is
known as ‘Bouncing of a cheque’ .
Certificate of Deposit:  customers, like Saraswat Co-
Certificate of Deposits are
negotiable receipts in bearer form
which can be freely traded among
600 Prelims Magic 2014
investors. This is also a money
market instrument,issued for a
period ranging from 7 days to f one
year .The minimum deposit amount
is Rs. 1 lakh and they are
transferable by endorsement and
delivery.
Cheque: Cheque  is  a  Bill  of
Exchange drawn on a specified
banker ordering the banker to pay
a certain sum of money to the
drawer of cheque or another
person. Money is generally
withdrawn by clients by cheques.
Cheque is always payable on
demand.
Cheque Truncation: Cheque
truncation, truncates or stops the
flow of cheques through the
banking system. Gener ally
truncation takes place at the
collecting branch, which sends the
electronic image of the cheques to
the paying branch through the
clearing house and stores the paper
cheques with it.
Collecting Banker: Also  called
receiving banker, who collects on
instruments like a cheque, draft or
bill of exchange, lodged with
himself for the cr edit of his
customer’s account.
Consumer Protection Act : It  is
implemented from 1987 to enforce
consumer rights through a simple
legal procedure. Banks also are
covered under the Act. A consumer
can file complaint for deficiency of
service with Consumer District
Forum for amounts upto Rs.20 Lacs
in District Court, and for amounts
above Rs.20 Lacs to Rs.1 Crore in
State Commission and for amounts
above Rs.1 Crore in National
Commission.  mean?
Co-operative Bank : An
association of persons who
collectively own and operate a bank
for the benefit of consumers /
operative Bank or Abhyudaya Co-
operative Bank and other such
banks.
Co-operative Society : When  an
association of persons collectively
own and operate a unit for the
benefit of those using its services
like Apna Bazar Co-operative
Society or Sahakar Bhandar or a
Co-operative Housing Society.
Core Banking Solutions (CBS)
: Core Banking Solutions is a buzz
word in Indian banking at present,
where branches of the bank are
connected to a central host and the
customers of connected branches
can do banking at any breach with
core banking facility.
Creditworthiness: It is the
capacity of a borrower to repay the
loan / advance in time alongwith
interest as per agreed terms.
Crossing of Cheques: Crossing
refers to drawing two parallel lines
across the face of the cheque.A
crossed cheque cannot be paid in
cash across the counter, and is to
be paid through a bank either by
transfer, collection or clearing.A
general crossing means that cheque
can be paid through any bank and a
special crossing, where the name
of a bank is indicated on the
cheque, can be paid only through
the named bank.
CRR:  CRR means Cash Reserve
Ratio.  Banks in India are required
to hold a certain proportion of their
deposits in the form of cash.
However, actually Banks don’t hold
these as cash with themselves, but
deposit such case with Reserve
How was this topic asked in the CSE
When the Reserve Bank of India
announces an increase of the
Cash Reserve Ratio, what does it
(a)The commercial banks will
have less money to lend
(b)The Reserve Bank of India will
have less money to lend
(c)The Union government will
have less money to lend
(d)The commercial banks will
have more money to lend
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
Bank of India (RBI) / currency
chests, which is considered
as equivalent to  holding cash  with
them. This minimum ratio (that is
the part of the total deposits to be
held as cash) is stipulated by the
RBI and is known as the CRR
or Cash  Reserve  Ratio.   Thus,
When a bank’s deposits increase by
Rs100, and if the cash reserve ratio
is 9%, the banks will have to hold
additional Rs 9 with RBI and Bank
will be able to use only Rs 91 for
investments and lending / credit
purpose. Therefore, higher the
ratio (i.e. CRR), the lower is the
amount that banks will be able to
use for lending and investment.
This power of RBI to reduce the
lendable amount by increasing the
CRR,  makes it an instrument in the
hands of a central bank through
which it can control the amount that
banks lend. Thus, it is a tool used
by RBI to control liquidity in
the banking system. RBI uses CRR
either to drain excess liquidity or to
release funds needed for the
economy from time to time.
Increase in CRR means that banks
have less funds available and
money is sucked out of
circulation. Thus  we  can  say  that
this serves duel purposes i.e. it not
only ensures that a portion of bank
deposits is totally risk-free, but also
enables RBI to control liquidity in
the system, and thereby, inflation by
tying the hands of the banks in
lending money.
CRAR (Capital to Risk
Weighted Assets Ratio): Capital
to risk weighted assets ratio is
arrived at by dividing the capital of
the bank with aggregated risk
weighted assets for credit risk,
market risk and operational risk.
The higher the CRAR of a bank the
better capitalized it is.
Current Account: Curr ent
account with a bank can be opened
generally for business purpose.
Ther e are no restrictions on
withdrawals in this type of account.
No interest is paid in this type of
account.
Customer: A  person  who Debtor : A person who takes some
maintains any type of account with money on loan from another person.
a bank is a bank customer.
Consumer Protection Act has a Demand Deposits : Deposits
wider definition for consumer as the which are withdrawn on demand by
one who purchases any service for customers.E.g. savings bank and
a fee like purchasing a demand draft current account deposits.
or a pay order. The term customer Demat Account : Demat Account
is defined differently by Laws, concept has revolutionized the
softwares and countries.
Debit Card: A plastic card issued
capital market of India. When a
depository company takes paper E
by banks to customers to withdraw shar es from an investor and
money electronically from their
accounts. When you purchase
converts them in electronic form
through the concerned company, it C
things on the basis of Debit Card is called Dematerialization of
the amount due is debited
immediately to the account. Many
banks issue Debit-Cum-ATM
Shares. These converted Share
Certificates in Electronic form are O
kept in a Demat Account by the
Cards.
Debtor : A person who takes some
Depository Company, like a bank
keeps money in a deposit account. N
money on loan from another person. Investor can withdraw the shares
Demand Deposits : Deposits
which are withdrawn on demand by
or purchase more shares through
this demat Account. O
customers.E.g. savings bank and Dishonour of Cheque : Non-
current account deposits. payment of a cheque by the paying
banker with a return memo giving
M
Demat Account : Demat Account reasons for the non-payment.
concept has revolutionized the
capital market of India. When a Doubtful Asset: An asset would
Y
depository company takes paper be classified as doubtful if it has
shar es from an investor and remained in the substandard
converts them in electronic form category for a period of 12 months.
through the concerned company, it A loan classified as doubtful has all
is called Dematerialization of the weaknesses inherent in assets
Shares. These converted Share that were classified as substandard,
Certificates in Electronic form are with the added characteristic that
kept in a Demat Account by the the weaknesses make collection or
Depository Company, like a bank liquidation in full, - on the basis of
keeps money in a deposit account. currently known facts, conditions
Investor can withdraw the shares and values - highly questionable and
or purchase more shares through improbable.
this demat Account.
E-Banking : E-Banking  or
Dishonour of Cheque : Non- electronic banking is a form of
payment of a cheque by the paying banking wher e funds are
banker with a return memo giving transferred through exchange of
reasons for the non-payment. electronic signals between banks
and financial institution and
Debit Card : A plastic card issued customers ATMs, Credit Cards,
by banks to customers to withdraw Debit Cards, International Cards,
money electronically from their Internet Banking and new fund
accounts. When you purchase transfer devices like SWIFT, RTGS
things on the basis of Debit Card belong to this category.
the amount due is debited
immediately to the account . Many EFT-(Electronic Fund Transfer)
banks issue Debit-Cum-ATM : EFT  is  a  device  to  facilitate
automatic transmission and
Cards.
Prelims Magic 2014 601
 processing of messages as well as
funds from one bank branch to
another bank branch and even from
one branch of a bank to a branch
of another bank. EFT allows
transfer of funds electronically with
debit and credit to relative accounts.
Either or Survivor : Refers  to
operation of the account opened in
E two names with a bank. It means
that any one of the account holders
have powers to withdraw money
C from the account, issue cheques,
give stop payment instructions etc.
In the event of death of one of the
O account holder, the surviving
account holder gets all the powers
of operation.
N Electronic Commerce
(E-Commerce): 
O E-Commerce is the paper less
commerce where the exchange of
business takes place by Electronic
M means.
Endorsement: 
Y When a Negotiable Instrument
contains, on the back of the
instrument an endorsement, signed
by the holder or payee of an order
instrument, transferring the title to
the other person, it is called
endorsement.
Endorsement in Blank : Where
the name of the endorsee or
transferee is not mentioned on the
instrument.
Endorsement in Full : Where the
name of the endorsee or transferee
appears on the instrument while
making endorsement.
Execution of Documents:  contracted amount to the
Execution of documents is done by
putting signature of the person, or
affixing his thumb impression or
putting signature with stamp or
affixing common seal of the
company on the documents with or
without signatures of directors as
per articles of association of the
company.
Factoring: Business  of  buying
trade debts at a discount and
602 Prelims Magic 2014
making a profit when debt is realized
and also taking over collection of
trade debts at agreed prices.
Foreign Banks:  Holder in due course: A  person
Banks incorporated outside India
but operating in India and regulated
by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI),. e..g., Bar clays Bank,
HSBC, Citibank, Standard
Chartered Bank, etc.
Forfaiting: In  International  Trade
when an exporter finds it difficult
to realize money from the importer,
he sells the right to receive money
at a discount to a forfaiter, who
undertakes inherent political and
commercial risks to finance the
exporter, of course with assumption
of a profit in the venture.
Forgery: When  a  material
alteration is made on a document
or a Negotiable Instrument like a
cheque, to change the mandate of
the drawer, with intention to
defraud.
Garnishee Order: When a Court
directs a bank to attach the funds
to the credit of customer’s account
under provisions of Section 60 of
the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
General Lien: A  r ight  of  the
creditors to retain possession of all
goods given in security to him by
the debtor for any outstanding debt.
Guarantee : A contract between
guarantor and beneficiary to ensure
performance of a promise or
discharge the liability of a third
person. If promise is broken or not
performed, the guarantor pays
beneficiary.
Holder : Holder means any person
entitled in his own name to the
possession of the cheque, bill of
exchange or promissory note and
who is entitled to receive or recover
the amount due on it from the
parties. For example, if I give a
cheque to my friend to withdraw
money from my bank,he becomes
holder of that cheque. Even if he
loses the cheque, he continues to
be holder. Finder cannot become
the holder.
who r eceives a Negotiable
Instrument for value, before it was
due and in good faith, without notice
of any defect in it, he is called holder
in due course as per Negotiable
Instrument Act. In the earlier
example if my friend lends some
money to me on the basis of the
cheque, which I have given to him
for encashment, he becomes holder-
in-due course.
Hypothecation: Charge  against
property for an amount of debt
wher e neither ownership nor
possession is passed to the creditor.
In pledge, possession of property is
passed on to the lender but in
hypothecation, the property remains
with the borrower in trust for the
lender.
Identification: When  a  person
provides a document to a bank or
is being identified by a person, who
is known to the bank, it is called
identification. Banks ask for
identification before paying an order
cheque or a demand draft across
the counter.
Indemnifier: When  a  person
indemnifies or guarantees to make
good any loss caused to the lender
from his actions or others’ actions.
Indemnity: Indemnity is a bond
where the indemnifier undertakes
to reimburse the beneficiary from
any loss arising due to his actions
or third party actions.
Insolvent: Insolvent  is  a  person
who is unable to pay his debts as
they mature, as his liabilities are
more than the assets . Civil Courts
declare such persons insolvent.
Banks do not open accounts of
insolvent persons as they cannot
enter into contract as per law.
Interest Warrant: When  cheque
is given by a company or an
organization in payment of interest
on deposit , it is called interest
warrant. Interest warrant has all the
characteristics of a cheque.
International Banking: involves
more than two nations or countries.
If an Indian Bank has branches in
different countries like State Bank
of India, it is said to do International
Banking.
Introduction: Banks are careful in
opening any account for a customer
as the prospective customer has to
be introduced by an existing account
holder or a staff member or by any
other person known to the bank for
opening of account. If bank does
not take introduction, it will amount
to negligence and will not get
protection under law.
JHF Account: Joint Hindu Family
Account is account of a firm whose
business is carried out by Karta of
the Joint family, acting for all the
family members.. The family
members have common ancestor
and generally maintain a common
residence and are subject to
common social, economic and
religious regulations.
Joint Account: When  two  or
more individuals jointly open an
account with a bank.
Karta: Manager  of  a  Hindu
Undivided Family (HUF) who
handles the family business. He is
usually the eldest male member of
the undivided family.
Kiosk Banking: Doing  banking
from a cubicle from which food,
newspapers, tickets etc. are also
sold.
KYC Norms: Know  your
customer norms are imposed by
R.B.I. on banks and other financial
institutions to ensure that they
know their customers and to ensure
that customers deal only in
legitimate banking operations and
not in money laundering or frauds.
Law of Limitation: Limitation Act
of 1963 fixes the limitation period
of debts and obligations including
banks loans and advances. If the
period fixed for particular debt or
loan expires, one can not file a suit
for is recovery, but the fact of the
debt or loan is not denied. It is said
that law of limitation bars the
remedy but does not extinguish the
right.
Lease Financing: Financing  for
the business of renting houses or
lands for a specified period of time
and also hiring out of an asset for
the duration of its economic life.
Leasing of a car or heavy
machinery for a specific period at
specific price is an example.
Letter of Credit: A  document
issued by importers bank to its
branch or agent abroad authorizing
the payment of a specified sum to
a person named in Letter of Credit
(usually exporter from abroad).
Letters of Credit are covered by
rules framed under Uniform
Customs and Practices of
Documentary Credits framed by
International Chamber
Commerce in Paris.
of
Limited Companies Accounts:  contract but as per Negotiable
Accounts of companies
incorporated uder the Companies
Act, 1956. A company may be
private or public. Liability of the
shareholders of a company is
generally limited to the face value
of shares held by them.
Loss Asset: A loss asset is one
where loss has been identified by
the bank or internal or external
auditors or the RBI inspection but
the amount has not been written off
wholly. In other words, such an
asset is considered uncollectible and
of such little value that its
continuance as a bankable asset is
not warranted although there may
be some salvage or recovery value.
Mandate: Written authority issued
by a customer to another person to
act on his behalf, to sign cheques
or to operate a bank account.
Material Alteration: Alteration in
an instrument so as to alter the
Prelims Magic 2014
character of an instrument for
example when date, amount, name
of the payee are altered or making
a cheque payable to bearer from an
order one or opening the crossing
on a cheque.
Merchant Banking: When  a
bank provides to a customer various
types of financial services like
accepting bills arising out of trade,
arranging and providing
E
underwriting, new issues, providing
advice, information or assistance on
starting new business, acquisitions,
C
mergers and foreign exchange.
Micro Finance: Micro  Finance O
aims at alleviation of poverty and
empowerment of weaker sections
in India. In micro finance, very N
small amounts are given as credit
to poor in rural, semi-urban and
urban areas to enable them to raise O
their income levels and improve
living standards.
Minor Accounts : A  minor  is  a
M
person who has not attained legal
age of 18 years. As per Contract
Act a minor cannot enter into a
Y
Instrument Act, a minor can draw,
negotiate, endorse, receive
payment on a Negotiable
Instrument so as to bind all the
persons, except himself. In order to
boost their deposits many banks
open minor accounts with some
restrictions.
Mobile Banking : With  the  help
of M-Banking or mobile banking
customer can check his bank
balance, order a demand draft, stop
payment of a cheque, request for a
cheque book and have information
about latest interest rates.
Money Laundering : When  a
customer uses banking channels to
cover up his suspicious and
unlawful financial activities, it is
called money laundering.
Money Market : Money market
is not an organized market like
Bombay Stock Exchange but is an
informal network of banks, financial
603
 institutions who deal in money
market instruments of short term
like CP, CD and Treasury bills of
Government.
Moratorium: R.B.I.  imposes
moratorium on operations of a bank;
if the affairs of the bank are not
conducted as per banking norms.
E After moratorium R.B.I. and
Government explore the options of
safeguarding the interests of
C depositors by way of change in
management, amalgamation or take
over or by other means.
O Mortgage : Transfer of an interest
in specific immovable property for
the purpose of offering a security
N for taking a loan or advance from
another. It may be existing or future
debt or performance of an
O agreement which may create
monetary obligation for the
transferor (mortgagor).
M NABARD : National  Bank  for
Agriculture & Rural Development
Y was setup in 1982 under the Act of
1981. NABARD finances and
regulates rural financing and also is
responsible for development
agriculture and rural industries.
Non Performing Assets (NPA):
An asset, including a leased asset,
becomes non performing when it
ceases to generate income for the
bank.
Net NPA: Gross NPA – (Balance
in Interest Suspense account +
DICGC/ECGC claims received and
held pending adjustment + Part
payment received and kept in
suspense account + Total provisions
held).
Negotiation : In  the  context  of
banking, negotiation means an act
of transferring or assigning a money
instrument from one person to
another person in the course of
business.
Non-Fund Based Limits : Non-
Fund Based Limits are those type
of limits where banker does not
part with the funds but may have
to part with funds in case of default
604 Prelims Magic 2014
by the borrowers, like guarantees,
letter of credit and acceptance
facility.
Non-Resident : A  person  who  is
not a resident of India is a non-
resident.  plastic money as like money they
Non-Resident Accounts : Accounts
of non-resident Indian citizens
opened and maintained as per
R.B.I. Rules.
Notary Public : A Lawyer who is
authorized by Government to certify
copies of documents .
NPA Account : If  interest  and
instalments and other bank dues are
not paid in any loan account within
a specified time limit, it is being
treated as non-performing assets of
a bank.
Off Balance Sheet Items : Those
items which affect the financial
position of a business concern, but
do not appear in the Balance Sheet
E,g guarantees, letters of credit .
The mention “off Balance Sheet
items” is often found in Auditors
Reports or Directors Reports.
Off Balance Sheet Exposure:
Off-Balance Sheet exposures refer
to the business activities of a bank
that generally do not involve
booking assets (loans) and taking
deposits. Off-balance sheet
activities normally generate fees,
but produce liabilities or assets that
are deferred or contingent and thus,
do not appear on the institution’s
balance sheet until and unless they
become actual assets or liabilities.
Online Banking: Banking through
internet site of the bank which is
made interactive.
Pass Book: A  record  of  all  debit
and credit entries in a customer’s
account. Generally all banks issue
pass books to Savings Bank/Current
Account Holders.
Personal Identification Number
(PIN): Personal  Identification
Number is a number which an ATM
card holder has to key in before he
is authorized to do any banking
transaction in a ATM .
Plastic Money : Credit  Cards,
Debit Cards, ATM Cards and
International Cards are considered
can enable us to get goods and
services.
Pledge : A bailment of goods as
security for payment of a debt or
performance of a promise, e.g
pledge of stock by a borrower to a
banker for a credit limit. Pledge can
be made in movable goods only.
Post-Dated Cheque : A  Cheque
which bears the date which is
subsequent to the date when it is
drawn. For example, a cheque
drawn on 8th of February, 2007
bears the date of 12th February,
2007.
Power of Attorney: It  is  a
document executed by one person
- Donor or Principal, in favour of
another person , Donee or Agent -
to act on behalf of the former,
strictly as per authority given in the
document.
Premature Withdrawals : Term
deposits like Fixed Deposits, Call
Deposits, Short Deposits and
Recurring Deposits have to mature
on a particular day. When these
deposits are sought to be withdrawn
before maturity , it is premature
withdrawal.
Prime Lending Rate (PLR): The
rate at which banks lend to their
best (prime) customers.
Priority Sector Advances: consist
of loans and advances to
Agriculture, Small Scale Industry,
Small Road and Water Transport
How was this topic asked in the CSE?
Q. Priority Sector Lending by
banks in India constitutes the
lending to
(a) agriculture
(b) micro and small enterprises
(c) weaker sections
(d) All of the above
Ans: d (CSE 2013)
Operators, Retail Trade, Small
Business with limits on investment
in equipments, professional and self
employed persons, state sponsored
organisations for lending to SC/ST,
Educational Loans, Housing
Finance up to certain limits, self-
help groups and consumption loans.
Promissory Note: Promissory
Note is a promise / undertaking
given by one person in writing to
another person, to pay to that
person , a certain sum of money on
demand or on a future day.
Provisioning: Provisioning is
made for the likely loss in the profit
and loss account while finalizing
accounts of banks. All banks
aresupposed to make assets
classification . and make
appropriate provisions for likely
losses in their balance sheets.
Public Sector Bank : A bank fully
or partly owned by the Government.
Rescheduling of Payment: 
Rearranging the repayment of a
debt over a longer period than
originally agreed upon due to
financial difficulties of the
borrower.
Repo (Repurchase) rate is  the
rate at which the RBI lends shot-
term money to the banks. When the
repo rate increases borrowing from
RBI becomes more expensive.
Therefore, we can say that in
case, RBI  wants  to  make  it  more
expensive for the banks to borrow
money, it increases the repo rate;
similarly, if it wants to make it
cheaper for banks to borrow
money, it reduces the repo rate.
Reverse Repo rate is the rate at
which banks park their short-term
excess liquidity with the RBI. The
RBI uses this tool when it feels there
is too much money floating in the
banking system. An increase in the
reverse repo rate means that the
RBI will borrow money from the
banks at a higher rate of interest.
As a result, banks would prefer to
keep their money with the RBI
Thus, we can conclude that Repo
Rate signifies the rate at which
liquidity is injected in the banking
system by RBI, whereas Reverse
repo rate signifies the rate at which
the central bank absorbs liquidity
from the banks.
Restrictive Endorsement:
Wher e endorser desires that
instrument is to be paid to particular
person only, he restricts further
negotiation or transfer by such
words as “Pay to Ashok only”. Now
Ashok cannot negotiate the
instrument further.
Restructuring: A restructured
account is one where the bank,
grants to the borrower concessions
that the bank would not otherwise
consider. Restructuring would
normally involve modification of
terms of the advances/securities,
which would generally include,
among others, alteration of
repayment period/ repayable
amount/ the amount of installments
and rate of interest. It is a
mechanism to nurture an otherwise
viable unit, which has been
adversely impacted, back to health.
Right of Appropriation : As  per
Section 59 of the Indian Contract
Act, 1972 while making the
payment, a debtor has the right to
direct his creditor to appropriate
such amount against discharge of
some particular debt. If the debtor
does not do so, the banker can
appropriate the payment to any debt
of his customer.
Right of Set-Off : When a banker
combines two accounts in the name
of the same customer and adjusts
the debit balance in one account
with the credit balance in other
account, it is called right of set-off.
For example, debit balance of
Rs.50,000/- in overdraft account
can be set off against credit balance
of Rs.75,000/- in the Savings Bank
Account of the same customer,
leaving a balance of Rs.25,000/-
credit in the savings account.
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Safe Custody : When  articles  of
value like jewellery, boxes, shares,
debentures, Government bonds,
Wills or other documents or articles
are given to a bank for safe keeping
in its safe vault,it is called safe
custody.. Bank charges a fee from
its clients for such safe custody.
Savings Bank Account : All
banks in India are having the facility
of opening savings bank account
E
with a nominal balance. This
account is used for personal
purposes and not for business
C
purpose and there are certain
restrictions on withdrawals from
this type of account. Account
O
holder gets nominal interest in this
account. N
SCHEDULED BANKS:
Scheduled Banks are those banks
which are included in the second
O
schedule of the RBI Act, 1934.
These Bank shall fulfil following
conditions: a) At least Rs. 5 lakh as
M
capital b) Any activity of the bank
shall not be derogatory to the
interest of the depositors. Those
Y
banks which are not included in the
second schedule are known as non-
scheduled banks.
Substandard Assets:
A substandard asset would be one,
which has remained NPA for a
period less than or equal to 12
months. Such an asset will have
well defined credit weaknesses that
jeopardize the liquidation of the debt
and are characterised by the distinct
possibility that the banks will sustain
some loss, if deficiencies are not
corrected.
SLR: SLR stands for Statutory
Liquidity Ratio. This term is used
by bankers and indicates the
minimum percentage of deposits
that the bank has to maintain in form
of gold, cash or other approved
securities.   Thus,  we  can  say  that
it is ratio of cash and some other
approved to liabilities (deposits) It
regulates the credit growth in India.
Every bank is required to maintain
605
 at the close of business every day,
a minimum proportion of their Net
Demand and Time Liabilities as
liquid assets in the form of cash, gold
and un-encumbered approved
securities. The ratio of liquid assets
to demand and time liabilities is
known as Statutory Liquidity Ratio
(SLR). Present SLR is 24%.
E (Reduced w.e.f. 8/11/2008, from
earlier 25%) RBI is empowered to
increase this ratio up to 40%. An
C increase in SLR also restricts the
bank’s leverage position to pump
more money into the economy.
O How was this topic asked in the CSE
Which of the following terms
N indicates a mechanism used by
commercial banks for providing
credit to the government?
O (a) Cash Credit Ratio
(b) Debt Service Obligation
(c) Liquidity Adjustment Facility
M (d) Statutory Liquidity Ratio
Ans (d) (CSE 2010)
Y Teaser Loan
An adjustable-rate mortgage loan
in which the borrower pays a very
low initial interest rate, which
increases after a few years. Teaser
loans try to entice borrowers by
offering an artificially low rate and
small down payments, claiming that
borr owers should be able to
refinance before the increases
occur.
Teaser loans are considered an
aspect of subprime lending, as they
are usually offered to low-income
home buyers. Unfortunately, when
these borrowers try to refinance
the loan before the rate increases,
most will not qualify for standard
mortgages. This leaves borrowers
with increased monthly payments,
which many cannot afford. This
method of loaning is considered
risky, as default rates are high.
Teaser loan rates are special home
loan rates that are called so, as the
banks attract customers by offering
them lower rates of interest in the
606 Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Why is the offering of “teaser
loans” by commercial banks cause
of economic concern ?
I. The teaser loans are considered
to be an aspect of sub-prime
lending and banks may be
exposed to the risk of defaulters
in future.
II. In India, the teaser loans are
mostly given to inexperienced
entr epreneur s to set up
manufacturing or export units.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) I only (b) II only
(c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II
Ans (a) (CSE 2011)
initial years and then, in the longer
run, the rates are shifted from fixed
to floating rates or the market-
adjusted rates.
In the months that followed the
collapse of Lehman Brothers, the
Indian Banks’ Association, nudged
by the government , formulated a
scheme where interest rates for
loans up to 5 lakh and loans up to
20 lakh were available at
discounted rates of 8.5% and
9.25%, respectively, for the first five
years. This was a limited period
scheme, which was part of the
stimulus measures announced by
the government.
7 CAPITAL MARKET
Capital markets are financial mar-
kets for the buying and selling of
long-term debt- or equity-backed
securities. These markets channel
the wealth of savers to those who
can put it to long-term productive
use, such as companies or govern-
ments making long-term invest-
ments.
Primary and Secondary market:
Primary mar ket refers to the
system of raising new capital by
selling new shares and debentures
by companies. On the other hand,
the secondary market refers to that
Teller : Teller  is  a  staff  member
of a bank who accepts deposits,
cashes cheques and performs other
banking services for the public.
Underwriting : is an agreement
by the underwriter to buy on a fixed
date and at a fixed rate, the
unsubscribed portion of shares or
debentures or other issues.
Underwriter gets commission for
this agreement.
Universal Banking : When
Banks and Financial Institutions are
allowed to undertake all types of
activities related to banking like
acceptance of deposits, granting of
advances, investment, issue of
credit cards, project finance,
venture capital finance, foreign
exchange business, insurance etc.
it is called Universal Banking.
Virtual Banking : Virtual banking
is also called internet banking,
through which financial and banking
services are accessed via internet’s
world wide web. It is called virtual
banking because an internet bank
has no boundaries of brick and
mortar and it exists only on the
internet.
Wholesale Banking : Wholesale
banking is different from Retail
Banking as its focus is on providing
for financial needs of industry and
institutional clients.
market which deals with securities
already issued by companies. It is
an old issues market and the stock
exchange is the centre of its
activity. Primary market is the new
issue market.
Stock Exchanges
The history of stock exchanges can
be traced to 12th century France,
when the first brokers are believed
to have developed, trading in debt
and government securities.
Unofficial share markets existed
across Europe through the 1600s,
where brokers would meet outside
or in coffee houses to make trades.
The Amsterdam Stock Exchange,
created in 1602, became the first
official stock exchange when it
began trading shares of the Dutch
East India Company. These were
the first company shares ever
issued. Today, stock exchanges
operate around the world, and they
have become highly regulated
institutions. Investors wanting to buy
and sell shares must do so through
a share broker, who pays to own a
seat on the exchange. Companies
with shares traded on an exchange
are said to be ‘listed’ and they must
meet specific criteria, which varies
across exchanges. Most stock
exchanges began as floor
exchanges, where traders made
deals face-to-face. The largest
stock exchange in the world is the
New York Stock Exchange.
There are 22 stock exchanges in
India of which the Bombay Stock
Exchange is the oldest. The
regulatory agency which oversees
the functioning of stock markets is
the Securities and Exchange Board
of India (SEBI), which is located in
Bombay. Bombay Stock Exchange
is the oldest stock exchange in Asia
with a rich heritage, now spanning
three centuries in its 133 years of
existence. What is now popularly
known as BSE was established as
“The Native Share & Stock
Brokers’ Association” in 1875.
BSE is the first stock exchange in
the country which obtained
permanent recognition (in 1956)
from the Government of India under
the Securities Contr acts
(Regulation) Act 1956. BSE’s
pivotal and pre-eminent role in the
development of the Indian capital
market is widely recognized. It
migrated from the open outcry
system to an online screen-based
order driven trading system in 1995.
Earlier an Association of Persons
(AOP), BSE is now a corporatised
and demutualised entity
incorporated under the provisions of
the Companies Act, 1956, pursuant
to the BSE (Corporatisation and
Demutualisation) Scheme, 2005
notified by the Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
With demutualisation, BSE has two
of world’s best exchanges,
Deutsche Börse and Singapore
Exchange, as its strategic partners.
Today, BSE is the world’s number
1 exchange in terms of the number
of listed companies and the world’s
5th in transaction numbers. The
market capitalization as on
December 31, 2007 stood at USD
1.79 trillion. An investor can choose
from more than 4,700 listed
companies, which for easy
reference, are classified into A, B,
S, T and Z groups.
SENSEX: The BSE Index,
SENSEX, is India’s first stock
market index that enjoys an iconic
stature, and is tracked worldwide.
It is an index of 30 stocks
representing 12 major sectors. Due
to its wide acceptance amongst the
Indian investors; SENSEX is
regarded as the pulse of the Indian
stock market. First compiled in
1986, SENSEX is a basket of 30
constituent stocks representing a
sample of large, liquid and
representative companies. The base
year of SENSEX is 1978-79 and the
base value is 100.
SENSEX is calculated using a
‘Market Capitali-zation-Weighted’
methodology. As per this
methodology, the level of index at
any point of time reflects the total
market value of 30 component
stocks relative to a base period. The
market capitalization of a company
is determined by multiplying the
price of its stock by the number of
shares issued by the company. An
index of a set of combined
variables, (such as price and
number of shares), is commonly
referred as a ‘Composite Index’ by
statisticians.
NIFTY: The National Stock
Exchange (NSE) is associated with
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NIFTY and it is also calculated by
the same methodology but with two
key differences. Base year is 1995
and base value is 1000. NIFTY is
calculated based on 50 stocks.
Everything else remains the same
as SENSEX in NIFTY Index
calculation as well.
Stock Exchanges in India are:
1. Jaipur Stock Exchange Ltd,
2.Kanara Stock Exchange Ltd,
E
3.Ludhiana Stock Exchange
Association Ltd, 4. Madras Stock
Exchange, 5.Madhya Pr adesh
C
Stock Exchange Ltd., 6.Mangalore
Stock Exchange Limited, 7. Meerut
Stock Exchange Ltd. 8. Mumbai
O
Stock Exchange, 9.National Stock
Exchange India, 10. OTC Exchange
of India,11.Pune Stock Exchange
N
Ltd. 12. Uttar pr adesh Stock
Exchange Association,13.Vadodara
Stock Exchange Ltd, 14. hmedabad O
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following
M
statements:
1. Sensex is based on 50 of the
most important stocks available on
Y
the Bombay stock Exchange
(BSE).
2. For calculating the Sensex, all
the stock are assigned proportional
weightage.
3. New York Stock Exchange is
the oldest stock exchange in the
world.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) none
Ans. (B) (CSE, 2005)
Q. Among the following major
stock exchanges of India, the
exchange which recorded highest
turnover during the year 2000-01
is:
(a) Bombay Stock Exchange
(b) Calcutta Stock Exchange
(c) Delhi Stock Exchange
(d) National Stock Exchange
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Explanation: The stock
exchange which recorded highest
turnover during the year 2000-01
is Bombay Stock Exchange.
607
 How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. A rise in ‘SENSEX’ means:
(a) a rise in prices of shares of all
companies registered with
Bombay Stock Exchange
(b) a rise in prices of shares of all
companies registered with
National Stock Exchange
(c) an overall rise in prices of
E shares of group up companies
registered with Bombay Stock
Exchange
C (d) a rise in prices of shares of all
companies belonging to a group
of companies registered with
O Bombay Stock Exchange
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2000)
N Stock Exchange Association Ltd,
15. Bangalore Stock Exchange,
16.Bhubaneshwar Stock Exchange
O Association., 17. Calcutta Stock
Exchange, 18. Cochin Stock
Exchnage Ltd, 19. Coimbatore
M Stock Exchange, 20.Delhi Stock
Exchange Association, 21.
Guwahati Stock Exchange Ltd, 22.
Hyderabad Stock Exchange Ltd.
Y Mutual Funds
Mutual funds are investment
companies that pool money from
investors at large and offer to sell
and buy back its shar es on a
Financial Institution & Date of Starting
Imperial Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India,
Industrial Finance Corporation of India
State Bank of India,
ICICI - 5 Jan,
Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)
Unit Trust of India,
IDBI,
IDBI - 1 July,
General Insurance Corporation (GIC)
Regional Rural Banks,
Risk Capital and Technology Finance Corporation Ltd.
Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (HDFC)
NABARD,
EXIM Bank,
NABARD - 19 July,
National Housing Bank
Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd.
Technology Development & Information Co.of India Ltd.
SIDBI
608 Prelims Magic 2014
continuous basis and use the capital
thus raised to invest in securities of
different companies. Mutual funds
have an upper hand in terms of
diversity and liquidity at lower cost
in comparison to bonds and stocks.
The popularity of mutual funds may
be relatively new but not their origin
which dates back to 18th century.
Holland saw the origination of
mutual funds in 1774 as investment
trusts before spreading to Anglo-
Saxon countries in its current form
by 1868. Mutual funds can be either
or both of open ended and closed
ended investment companies
depending on their fund
management pattern. An open-end
fund offers to sell its shares (units)
continuously to investors either in
retail or in bulk without a limit on
the number as opposed to a closed-
end fund. Closed end funds have
limited number of shares.
Mutual funds have diversified
investments spread in calculated
proportions amongst securities of
various economic sectors. Mutual
funds get their earnings in two
ways. First is the most organic way,
which is the dividend they get on
the securities they hold. Second is
by the redemption of their shares
1921
1935
1948
1955
1955
1956
1964
1964
1964
1972
1975
1975
1977
1982
1982
1982
1988
1988
1989
1990
by investors will be at a discount to
the current NAVs (net asset
values).
The mutual fund industry in India
started in 1963 with the formation
of Unit Trust of India, at the
initiative of the Government of India
and Reserve Bank of India. In 1978
UTI was de-linked from the RBI
and the Industrial Development
Bank of India (IDBI) took over the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Consider the following:
1. Industrial Finance Corporation
of India
2. Industrial Credit and
Investment Corporation of India
3. Industrial Development Bank
of India
4. Unit Trust of India
The correct sequence in which the
above were established is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (b) 1, 3, 3, 4
(c) 4, 3, 2, 1 (d) 1, 4, 3, 2
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1995)
Q. Consider the following
financial institutions of India:
1. Industrial Finance Corporation
of India (IFCI)
2. Industrial Credit and Investment
Corporation of India (ICICI)
3. Industrial Development Bank of
India (IDBI)
4. National Bank for Agriculture
and Rural Development
(NABARD)
The correct chronological
sequence of the establishment of
these institutions is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (b) 2, 3, 4, 1
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2 (d) 4, 1, 2, 3
Ans. (a) (CSE, 2002)
Q. Which one of the following is
the largest mutual fund
organisation in India?
(a) SBI Mutual Fund
(b) GIC Mutual Fund
(c) Ind Bank Mutual Fund
(d) Unit Trust of India
Ans. (d) (CSE, 1995)
Explanation: As in 1995
regulatory and administrative
control in place of RBI. The first
scheme launched by UTI was Unit
Scheme 1964. At the end of 1988
UTI had Rs.6,700 crores of assets
under management. 1987 marked
the entry of non- UTI, public sector
mutual funds set up by public sector
banks and Life Insur ance
Corporation of India (LIC) and
General Insurance Corporation of
India (GIC). SBI Mutual Fund was
the first non- UTI Mutual Fund
established in June 1987 followed
by Canbank Mutual Fund (Dec 87),
Punjab National Bank Mutual Fund
(Aug 89), Indian Bank Mutual Fund
(Nov 89), Bank of India (Jun 90),
Bank of Baroda Mutual Fund (Oct
92). LIC established its mutual fund
in June 1989 while GIC had set up
its mutual fund in December 1990.
The country's 44 fund houses
together had an average AUM
(Asset Under Management) of Rs
8,16,400 crore at the end of fiscal
year ended March 31, 2013 In the
past fiscal, Reliance Mutual Fund'
assets have grown by Rs 16,468
crore amounting to 21 per cent to
Rs 94,580 crore, while that of
HDFC MF has increased by Rs
11,842 crore translating to a 13 per
cent growth at Rs 1,01,720 crore.
Capital market Glossary
All or None (AON) Order: An
order with this condition should be
matched either with the entire order
quantity or none at all.
Arbitrage: The business of taking
advantage of difference in price of
a security traded on two or more
stock exchanges, by buying in one
and selling in the other (or vice
versa). Quite simply it means you
try to buy something cheap in one
place, to make a profit selling it
somewhere else. Given the speed
at which the financial markets now
oper ate, in practice the
simultaneous purchase of foreign
exchange, securities, commodities
or any other financial instrument in
one market and the sale in another
at a higher price.
American Depository Receipt
(ADR): An ADR is issued by a
U.S. Bank, consisting of a bundle
of shares of a foreign corporation
that are being held in custody
overseas. ADR’s are listed on
either the NYSE, AMEX, or
NASDAQ.
American Depository Share
(ADS): A share issued under
deposit agreement that represents
an underlying security in the
issuer’s home country. ADS is the
actual share trading while ADR
represents a bundle of ADSs.
At best: An instruction from the
client to the broker authorising him
to use his discretion and try to
execute an order at the best possible
price. An ‘at best’ order is valid only
for the day it is placed.
Averaging: The process of
gradually buying more and more
securities in a declining market (or
selling in a rising market) in order
to level out the purchase (or sale)
price
Arbitration: Settlement of claims
differences or disputes between one
member and another and between
a member and his clients, authorised
clerks, sub-brokers etc., through
appointed arbitrators.
Bearer Security: This is a bond
or a share for which there is no
other proof of ownership than the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In the parlance of financial
investments, the term ‘bear ’
denotes
(a) An investor who feels that the
price of a particular security is
going to fall
(b) An investor who expects the
price of particular shares to rise
(c) A shareholder or a bond holder
who has an interest in a company,
financial or otherwise
(d) Any lender whether by making
a loan or buying a bond
Ans (a) (CSE 2010)
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physical possession of the security.
No official record or register of
ownership is kept, the owner is the
“bearer” of the share or bond
certificate. This means that these
certificates are easily tr aded
without formality.
Bears: These stock market
investors are pessimists, they
expect share prices or any other
type of investment to fall. In a ‘bear
E
market’ the general sentiment is
that prices are going to go lower and
majority of dealers will sell as
C
quickly as possible for fear of
holding shares which diminish in
value. Bears, like ‘bulls’ drive the
O
market.
Basis Point (BP): The smallest N
measure used in quoting yields on
fixed income securities. One basis
point is one percent of one percent, O
or 0.01%.
Bear Market: A prolonged period
of falling securities prices in a stock
M
market.
Bond: A debt security, or an IOU, Y
issued by a company or government
agency is called a bond. A bond
investor lends money to the issuer
and, in exchange, the issuer
promises to repay the loan amount
on a specified maturity date; the
issuer usually pays the bondholder
periodic interest payments over the
period of the loan.
Badla: Badla involves carrying
forward of a transaction from one
settlement period to the next. The
carry-forward is done at the making
up price, which is usually the closing
price of the last day of settlement.
A badla transaction attracts the
following payments / charges :
(a) ‘margin money’ specified by the
stock exchange board; and
(b) contango or badla charges
(interest charges) determined on
the basis of demand and supply
forces.
Bargain: Transaction between two
609
 members of the exchange. The
terms “dealings” and “contracts”
also have identical meanings.
Blue Chips: Blue Chips are shares
of large, well established and
financially sound companies with
an impressive records of earnings
and dividends. Generally, Blue Chip
E shares provide low to moderate
current yield and moderate to high
capital gains yield. The price
C volatility of such shares is moderate.
Bonus Share: A free allotment of
shar es made in pr oportion to
O existing shares out of accumulated
reserves. A bonus share does not
constitute additional wealth to
N shareholders. It merely signifies
recapitalization of reserves into
equity capital. However, the
O expectation of bonus shares has a
bullish impact on market sentiment
and causes share prices to go up.
M Book Closure: Dates between
which a company keeps its register
Y of members closed for updating
prior to payment of dividends or
issue of new shares or debentures.
Bull: A bull is one who expects a
rise in price so that he can later sell
at a higher price. A rising market
with abundance of buyers and few
sellers. Bull markets are
characterized by optimism, investor
confidence and expectations that
strong results will continue.
Base Price: This is the price of a
security at the beginning of the
trading day which is used to
deter mine the Day Minimum/
Maximum and the Operational
ranges for that day.
Buyer: The trading member who
has placed the or der for the
purchase of the securities
Bid and offer : Bid is the price at
which the market maker buys from
the investor and offer is the price
at which he offers to sell the stock
to the investor. The offer is higher
than the bid.
610 Prelims Magic 2014
Brokerage: Brokerage is the
commission charged by the broker.
The maximum brokerage
chargeable is determined by SEBI.
Basket Trading: Basket trading
is a facility by which investors are
in a position to buy/sell all 30 scrips
of Sensex in the proportion of
current weights in the Sensex, in
one go.
Beta: It is a standard measure of
risk for an individual stock. It is the
sensitivity of the movement of the
past share price of a stock to the
movement of the market as a
whole. The beta of the market is
taken as 1. A benchmark index (the
Sensex, for instance) is taken as the
proxy for the market.
Stocks with betas greater than 1
tend to amplify the movement of the
market. If a stock has a beta of
1.20, it means that if the market has
moved by 1%, the stock price would
have moved by an extra 1.2%.
Bid: This is the highest price at
which an investor is willing to buy
a stock . Practically speaking, this
is the available price at which an
investor can sell shares.
Bad delivery: When physical share
certificates along with transfer
deeds are delivered in the market
there are certain details to be filled
in the transfer deed. Any improper
execution of these details result in
a bad delivery. A bad delivery may
pertain to the transfer deed or the
shar e certificate, and maybe
because of the transfer deed being
torn, mutilated, overwritten,
defaced etc.
Buy limit order: An order of
buying a security with a condition
that order will not be executed
above the specific mentioned price.
Buy on close: An order of buying
a stock, but only at the end of the
trading day. Security will be bought
in the closing price range.
Breakout: When the price of a
stock surpasses its initial high
(resistance level) or falls below the
initial low (support level), it is
termed as break out in technical
analysis.
Book building refers  to  the
process of generating, capturing
and recording investor demand for
shar es during an IPO (or
ot her securities during
their issuance process)  in  order  to
support efficient price discovery.
Usually, the issuer appoints a
major investment  bank to  act  as  a
major securities  under  writer 
or book  runner.The  whole  book
building process is done on-line.
Book runner: Institution that
arranges and manages the book
building process for the new public
issue.
Beneficial owner: The actual
owner of the security, irrespective
of who is holding the security.
Best ask: The lowest price at
which a stock is quoted to be sold.
Best bid: The highest price quoted
for a particular stock to be bought.
Bid/Ask spread: The difference
between the ask price and bid price.
Bourse: The floor of a Stock
Exchange.
Cash Settlement: Payment for
transactions on the due date as
distinct from carry forward (Badla)
from one settlement period to the
next.
Clearing Days or Settlement
Days: Dates fixed in advance by
the exchange for the first and last
business days of each clearance.
The intervening period is called
settlement period.
Clearing House: Each Exchange
maintains a clearing house to act as
the central agency for effecting
delivery and settlement of contracts
between all members. The days on
which members pay or receive the
amounts due to them are called pay-
in or pay-out days respectively.
Corner: A situation where by an
individual or a group acquires such
control on a security that it cannot
be obtained or delivered for
performance of existing contracts
except at exorbitant prices. In such
situations, the Governing Board
may intervene to regulate or even
prohibit further dealings in that
security.
Correction: Temporary reversal
of trend in share prices. This could
be a reaction (a decrease following
a consistent rise in prices) or a rally
(an increase following a consistent
fall in prices).
Crisis: Reckless heavy short-sales
leading to unduly depressed prices.
In such a situation, the Governing
Board may prohibit short sales, fix
minimum prices below which sells
or purchases are not permitted and
limit further dealings only to closing
out of existing contracts.
Cum: Means “with”. A cum price
includes the right to any recently
declared dividend (CD) or right
share (CR) or bonus share (CB).
Closing Price : The trade price of
a security at the end of a trading
day. Based on the closing price of
the security, the base price at the
beginning of the next trading day is
calculated.
Counterparty: When a trading
member enters an order, any other
trading member with an order on
the opposite side is referred to as
the counterparty.
Carry forward trading: Trading
where the settlement of trades is
postponed on the stock exchange
until a future settlement period
involving payment of interest on the
account. It refers to the trading in
which the settlement is postponed
to the next account period on
payment of contango charges
(known as ‘vyaj badla’) in which
the buyer pays interest on borrowed
funds or the backwardation charges
(a.k.a ‘unda badla’) in which the
short seller pays a charge for
borrowing securities.
Clearing: Clearing refers to the
process by which mutual
indebtedness among members is
settled. The clearing corporation
matches the final buyers and sellers
through multilateral netting. The
members of the clearing
corporation also known as clearing
members settle their dues with the
clearing house that is operated by
the clearing corporation. The
clearing corporation is the legal
counter-party to both legs of every
trade.
Company objection: An investor
sends the certificate along with the
transfer deed to the company for
transfer. In certain cases the
registration is rejected if the shares
are fake, forged or stolen or if there
is a signature difference etc;. In
such cases the company returns the
shares along with a letter which is
termed as a company objection.
Call Option: This is the right, but
not the obligation, to purchase
shares at a specified price at a
specified date in the future. See
Options.For this privilege, the buyer
pays a premium which would be a
fraction of the price of the
underlying security. You are
gambling that the share price will
rise above the option price. If this
happens you can buy the shares and
sell them immediately for a profit.If
the share price does not rise above
your option price, you do not
exercise the option and it expires -
all you have lost is the initial
payment made to purchase the
option.
Call: The demand by a company
or any other issuer of shares for
payment. It may be the demand for
full payment on the due date, such
as, for example, with a rights issue.
It may, alternatively, be the demand
for a further payment when the total
amount is payable by
instalments.The calls are usually
made several months apart by call
letter and the shares are said to be
paid-up when the final call has
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been paid. A call by a company
should not be confused with a call
option.
Capital Adequacy: The test of a
securities business’s ability to meet
its financial obligation.Capital
adequacy rules mean that a bank/
financial institution has to have
enough money to conduct its
business E
Capitalization: The total value of
the company in the stockmarket.
This value is arr ived at by C
multiplying the number of shares in
issue by the company’s share price.
This market capitalization obviously O
fluctuates as the share price moves
up and down.It’s an important
figure - if your company is worth N
£2 billion, you’ll have more
credibility with bankers and other
companies you want to take over O
than if you’re a little minnow with
hardly any value.
Capitalization Issue: Money from
M
a company’s reserves is converted
into issued capital, which is then
distributed to shareholders in place
Y
of a cash dividend. This is also
known as a Scrip Issue.
Call Risk: The risk that bonds will
be redeemed (or “called”) before
maturity. This possibility increases
during periods of falling interest
rates.
Capital Appreciation: An
incr ease in the value of an
investment, measured by the
increase in a fund unit’s value from
the time of purchase to the time of
redemption.
Capital Gain: The amount by
which an investment’s selling price
exceeds its purchase price.
Capital Market: A market where
debt or equity securities are traded.
Commercial Paper: Debt
instruments issued by r ated
corporations to meet their short-
term financing needs. Such
instruments are unsecured and have
maturities ranging from 15 to 365
611
 days. CPs are issued at a discount
which is the interest rate it carries.
Commission: A fee charged by a
broker or distributor for his/her
service in facilitating a transaction.
Coupon: Interest rate on a debt
security that the issuer promises to
pay to the holder until maturity.
E Usually expressed as a percentage
of the face value
Consideration: Consideration is
C the total purchase or sale amount
associated with a transaction. The
amount you ‘pay’ or ‘receive’. It
O may also be the basis for working
out the commission, taxes and any
other charges you are asked to pay.
N Contract: On any securities
market this is the agreement
O between a buyer and a seller buy
or sell securities. The written
agreement between the seller and
M the buyer to transfer ownership of
the property from the former to the
latter.It is a legally binding
Y agreement for sale.In two identical
parts, one signed by seller and one
by purchaser. When the two parts
are exchanged (exchange of
contracts) both parties are
committed to the transaction.
Convertible: Any security is
described as convertible when it
carries the right or option for the
holder to at some stage convert it
in for another form of security at a
fixed price. Convertibles are often
bonds or loan stock (but sometimes
preference shares) which carry the
right to be converted into ordinary
shares at some date in the future at
a previously specified price.
Corporate Bonds: A corporate
bond is an IOU issued by a public
company, such as HLL,ITC,
TELCO etc. When you invest in a
corporate bond, you are lending
money to the company. In return
you will receive interest at a fixed
rate and the promise that your
capital will be repaid at a certain
date in the future. The guarantee
that our capital will be returned is
612 Prelims Magic 2014
only as good as the company you
are lending money to. While HLL,
ITC, TELCO are considered ‘good
risks’ by investment pundits
because they are blue chip
companies, other smaller companies
are likely to be a less good risk.
Correction: A correction is a term
to describe a downward movement
in share prices. In other words, a
shake out or even a crash or mini-
cash. Stockbroker s and fund
managers like the term correction,
perhaps because they believe if
they use the term crash or ‘heavy
fall’, it’ll cause panic. Whatever you
decide to call a downward jolt in
share prices, if you lose money, it
may be described as a correction,
but you’ll feel pretty sick all the
same!
Clearing : Clearing refers to the
process by which all transactions
between members is settled through
multilateral netting.
Cum-bonus : The share is
described as cum-bonus when a
potential purchaser is entitled to
receive the current bonus.
Cum-rights : The share is
described as cum-rights when a
potential purchaser is entitled to
receive the current rights.
Carry Over Margin : The amount
to be paid by operators to the stock
exchange to carry over their
transactions from one settlement
period to another.
Cash Settlement: Payment for
transactions on the due date as
distinct from carry-forward (badla)
from one settlement period to the
next.
Capital loss: The negative
difference between the selling price
of the stock and purchase price of
the stock.
Cash markets: The markets
where securities (assets) have to be
delivered immediately.
Capital Asset Pricing Model
(CAPM): A model describing the
relationship between r isk and
expected return, and serves as a
model for the pricing of risky
securities. CAPM says that the
expected return of a security or a
portfolio equals the rate on a risk-
free security plus a risk premium.
If this expected return does not
meet or beat required return then
the investment should not be
undertaken.
Circuit breaker : When a stock
price increases or decreases by a
certain percentage in a single day
it hits the circuit breaker. Once the
stock hits the circuit breaker, trading
in the stock above (or below) that
price is not allowed for that
particular day.
Custodial fees: The fees charged
by the custodian for keeping the
securities.
Cumulative preference share:
Preference shares whose dividends
will get accumulated, if the issuer
does not make timely dividend
payments.
Convertible preference shares:
Preference shares that can be
converted into equity shares at the
option of the holder.
Counter-party risk: It is the risk
that the other party to a contract
may not fulfill the terms of a
contract.
Deep Discount Bond : It is loan
instrument differ ent from an
ordinary debenture which is usually
offered at its face value and earns
periodic interest till redemption and
is r edeemed with or without
premium. Deep discount bond is
offered at a discount and fetches
no periodic interest and is redeemed
at the face value
Dividend: This is the income you
receive as a shareholder from a
company. When you buy an
ordinary share in a company, you
become a shareholder (an owner of
the business) and to that extent you
will have certain entitlements
including the right to receive
dividend payments as set by the
board of directors and approved by
the shareholders (sometimes called
members.)A dividend is a cut of the
profits earned by the business for
the year. T his pay-out is not
guaranteed and where it exists at
all, the amount you’ll receive will
vary from company to company and
year to year.
Day Trading: Day trading is the
buying and selling of stocks during
the trading day by individuals known
as day traders on their own
account. The aim is to make a profit
on the day and have no open
positions at the close of the trading
session, the day.
Debenture: A document indicating
a loan raised by a company, carrying
a fixed rate of interest and which is
secured on the assets of the
company. Debentures are fixed
interest securities in return for long-
term loans, they tend to be dated
for redemption between ten and
forty years after the date of issue.
They may be secured by a floating
charge on the company’s assets or
they may be tied to specific, named
assets. Debenture interest has to be
paid by a company whether it
makes a profit or not - if the
debenture holders do not get paid
they can legally force the company
into liquidation to realise their claims
on the company’s assets.
Debenture holders of a company
are its creditors because company
has to pay them the fixed rate of
interest.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Debenture holders of a
company are its:
(a) shareholders (b) creditors
(c) debtors (d) directors
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2003)
Derivatives: Instruments derived
from securities or physical markets.
The most common types of
derivatives that ordinary investors
are likely to come across are futures
, options , warrants and convertible
bonds.
Delivery: A transaction may be for
“spot delivery” (delivery and
payment on the same or next day)
“hand-delivery” (delivery and
payment on the date stipulated by
the exchange, normally within two
weeks of the contract date), special
delivery (delivery and payment
beyond fourteen days limit subject
to the exact date being specified at
the time of contract and authorized
by the exchange) or “clearing”
(clearance and settlement through
the clearing house).
Day Minimum/Maximum range
: The minimum/maximum price
range for a security on a trading day.
Buy orders outside the Maximum
of the range and sell orders outside
the Minimum of the range are not
allowed to be entered into the
system. It is calculated as a
percentage of the Base price.
Day order: A day order, as the
name suggests, is an order which
is valid for the day on which it is
entered. If the order is not matched
during the day, at the end of the
trading day the order gets cancelled
automatically
Dealer: A user belonging to a
Trading Member. Dealers can
participate in the
market on behalf of the Trading
Member.
Disclosed Quantity (DQ): A
dealer can enter such an order in
the system wherein only a fraction
of the order quantity is disclosed to
the market. If an order has an
undisclosed quantity, then it trades
in quantities of the disclosed
quantity.
Demat trading: Demat trading is
trading of shares that are in the
electronic form or dematerialised
shares. Dematerialisation is the
process by which shares in the
physical form are cancelled and
credit in the form of electronic
balances are maintained on highly
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secure systems at the depository
Date of payment: Date on which
dividend cheques are mailed.
Deferred taxes: Amount allocated
during an accounting period to
cover tax liabilities that have not yet
been paid and also may not have
accrued. For instance, a heavy
adver tisement expenditure
capitalized may give significant tax E
break.
Delivery price: The price fixed by
the clearing house at which
C
deliveries on futures are to take
place. In practice, at this price
contracts are settled by payment or
O
receipt of the difference.
Delivery date: The date on which N
forward or futures contract for sale
falls due.
Dividend yield: Annual dividend
O
paid on a share of a company
divided by current share price of
that company.
M
Diversification: Investing in a
basket of shares with different risk- Y
reward profile and correlation so as
to minimize unsystematic risk.
Discounted payback period:
Period in which future discounted
cash in- flows equal the initial
outflow.
Discount factor :Expected rate of
return by which, future cash flows
are deflated. The discount rate is
annual rate and deflating future
cash flow takes place in a
compounded manner.
Downgrade: Refers to lowering of
ratings for a share by analysts,
intermediaries or investors.
DV : Disclosed Value (DV) orders
allows the user to disclose only a
portion of the order value to the
market. For example, an order of
Rs. 1000 lakhs with a disclosed
value condition of Rs. 200 lakhs will
mean that Rs. 200 lakhs is released
into the market. After this is traded,
another Rs. 200 lakhs is released
and so on till the full order is
613
 exhausted. Every time a fresh lot
of the disclosed value is released it
is time-stamped (becomes an active
order) again at the time of its
release into the market and not the
time at which the original DV order
was placed.
Ex: Means “without”. A price so
E quoted excludes recently declared
dividend right or bonus shares.
Ex-bonus : The share is described
C as ex-bonus when a potential
purchaser is not entitled to receive
the current bonus, the right to which
O remains with the seller.
Ex-rights: The share is described
N as ex-rights when a potential
purchaser is not entitled to receive
the current rights, the right of which
O remains with the seller.
Earnings Per Share (EPS): It is
the most important measure of how
M well (or otherwise) the board of
directors are doing for the
shareholders. This measure
Y expresses how much the company
is earning for every share held. The
calculation is ‘pre-tax profit divided
by the number of shares in issue’.
Earnings per share is more
important than the overall reported
profit figure ! The reason is that
EPS provides a better measure of
profitability.
Eurobond: A Eurobond is a
medium or long-term interest-
bear ing bond created in the
international capital markets. A
Eurobond is denominated in a
currency other than that of the
place where it is being issued.
Eurobonds are only issued by major
borrowers, such as governments,
other public bodies or large
multinational companies.
Ex Dividend: This is a share sold
without the right to receive the
declared dividend payment which is
marked as due to those
shareholders who are on the share
register at a pre-announced
date.The stock market authorities
usually specify the date on which a
614 Prelims Magic 2014
share will begin trading ex div. The
share price invariably drops when
the share goes ex dividend, taking
the known income of the dividend
out of the share price.
Ex Coupon: A stock or bond sold
without the right of receipt of the
next due interest payment.
ESOP: Employee Stock Option
Plan is a trust established by a
company to allot some of its paid-
up equity capital to its employees
over a period of time. They are
used to reward employees.
Exercise price: The pre-
determined price at which the
underlying future or options
contract may be bought or sold.
Exercising the option: The act
of buying or selling the underlying
asset via the option contract.
Efficient capital market :A
market in which all the players have
all the material information at their
disposal at the same time.
Final Dividend: This is the
dividend paid by a company to its
shareholders out of profits at the
end of the financial year.
A motion to pay a final dividend
must be appr oved at the
shareholder ’s Annual General
Meeting (AGM) - where they have
the option of accepting the dividend
recommended by the directors or
of reducing it - they cannot vote to
increase it!
Flotation: The first occasion on
which a public company’s shares
are offered widely to investors on
the market. Flotations are often
referred to as new issues although
it is possible for companies already
in the stockmarket to issue new
shares.
Futures: A contract for the
purchase and sale of a commodity,
financial instrument,currency or
index at a fixed price at a fixed date
in the future. Futures contracts
were originally invented to allow
those who regularly buy and sell
goods/ securities/currenciesto
protect themselves against future
changes in the price of those goods.
In other words, the futures markets
evolved to allow producers or
consumers to hedge their risk.
Firm Price: It is the price quoted
by a market-maker at which he is
committed to deal with a broker or
other market-maker. The only
occasion in which a market-maker
may vary from offering a firm price
is when the Stock Exchange has
declared a fast market.
Financial risk: Shareholders risk
resulting from the use of debt. Debt
causes financial risk by increase of
the variability of shareholders return
and threatening the solvency of the
firm.
Forward trading : Forward
trading refers to trading where
contracts traded today are settled
at some future date at pr ices
decided today. Thus a contract to
buy dollars at Rs.42 per dollar after
3 months is a forward contract. The
price is fixed today but the
settlement will be after 3 months.
Floating Stock: The fraction of the
paid-up equity capital of a company
which normally participates in day
to day trading.
Forward Purchase: A forward
purchase is when one agrees to
purchase shares at a future period
at a certain price. He does this in
the belief that the prices will fall in
future.
Foreign Institutional Investor
(FII): An overseas institutional
investor permitted under Securities
and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) guidelines to trade in Indian
bourses.
Freeze: Orders entered into the
system with price outside the
Operational range and orders with
quantity greater than the Order
Quantity Freeze percentage is sent
to the Exchange for approval. Such
orders are not reflected in the books
and are ‘frozen’ till the Exchange
approves them.
Fully Paid Shares: Fully paid
shares are those shares which have
been fully paid for (the face value).
Good Till Cancelled (GTC)
orders : A Good Till Cancelled
(GTC) order remains in the system
until it is cancelled by the user. It
will therefore be able to span
trading days if it does not get
matched. The Exchange may
however set an upper limit to the
number of working days an order
can stay in the trading system. At
the end of this period, GTC orders
are cancelled automatically from
the system.
Forward Markets Commission:
The Forward Markets Commission
is a statutory body set up under
Forward Contracts (Regulation)
Act, 1952 and functions under the
administrative control of the
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food
and Public Distribution. The
Commission regulates forward
markets in commodities through the
recognized as sociations,
recommends to the Government the
grant/withdrawal of recognition to
the associations organizing forward
trading in commodities and makes
recommendations for the general
improvement of the functioning of
forward markets in the country.
Ref:website of Ministry of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
In India, which of the following is
regulated by the For ward
Markets Commission?
(a) Currency Futures Trading
(b) Commodities Futures Trading
(c) Equity Futures Trading
(d) Both Commodities Futures and
Financial Futures Trading
Ans (d) CSE 2010
Good Till Date (GTD) orders:
A Good Till Day (GTD) order
allows the user to specify the
number of days up to which the
order should stay in the trading
system. At the end of this period,
the order gets flushed out from the
system if it is not traded or is not
cancelled by the trading member.
Governing Board: A stock
exchange functions under the
direction and supervision of its
Governing Board. It generally
consists of a specified number of
elected members, a whole time
Executive Director and
representatives of the Government,
SEBI, and public. The size and
structure of the board varies from
exchange to exchange.
Gap: When the market opens
above or below the previous day’s
close the price on a bar chart will
show a “gap”. This may then be
“closed” if the market trades at
prices between the opening level
and the previous day’s close.
Gilts: Gilts, sometimes referred to
as Government bonds are those
used by the Government to raise
money from large financial
institutions like pension funds and
from private investors. Money is
needed by the Government because
the Treasury so often finds that its
expenses exceed its income. Gilts
are sometimes referred to as ‘gilt
edged securities’ or ‘bonds’ or
‘fixed interest securities’. In any
event, gilts are issued by the
Treasury and in nearly all cases, the
investor hands over his cash and
then receives a fixed rate of interest
for the life of the gilt. When the gilt
matures, its capital value is repaid
at par value.Gilts are bought at their
par value or at face value.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Gilt-edged:
(a) bullion market
(b)market of Government
securities
(c) market of guns
(d) market of pure metals
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2000)
Global Depositary Receipt
(GDR): These are negotiable
certificates which prove ownership
of a company’s shares.They are
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marketed internationally, mainly to
financial institutions. GDRs allow
purchasers to gain exposure to
companies which are listed on
foreign markets without having to
purchase the shares directly in the
market in which they are listed.
Grey market: Trading in shares
outside a recognized market.This
has come to mean trading in shares
ahead of their issue on the
E
stockmarket.
Growth stock Investing : C
Growth stock investing focuses on
well-managed companies whose
earnings and dividends are O
expected to grow faster than both
inflation and the overall economy.
The real test for a growth company N
is its ability to sustain earnings
momentum even during economic
slowdowns. Such companies will O
provide long-term growth of
capital, preserving the investor’s
purchasing power against erosion M
from rising prices.
Good Delivery: A share
certificate together with its transfer
Y
form which meets all the
requirements of transfer, e.g.,
unmutilated certificate, the
necessary endorsements, signature
of the transferor tallying with what
is registered with the company, etc.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Hawala transactions relate to
payments:
(a) received in rupees against
overseas currencies and vice versa
without going through the official
channels
(b) received for sale/transfer of
shares without going through the
established stock exchanges
(c) received as commission for
services rendered to overseas
investors/buyers/seller s in
assisting them to get over the red
tape and/or in getting preferential
treatment
(d) made to political parties or to
individuals for meeting election
expenses
Ans. (a) (CSE, 1996)
615
 The buying broker is obliged to
accept such a delivery.
Growth Fund: A mutual fund
which invests only in equity shares
which offer chances of good capital
growth, rather than current income.
Hawala: Hawala transaction is
related to the payments received in
E rupees against overseas currencies
and vice-versa without going
through the official channels. This
C type of money generates black
money in the economy.
O Hedging: Offsetting or guarding
against investment risk. A perfect
hedge is a no-risk-no gain
N precaution. A conservative strategy
for reduction of risk through futures,
options or some other derivative, by
O opening an opposite position to that
already held in the underlying
market. Taking positions in
M securities so that each offsets the
other.
Holding Period Return (HPR) :
Y The rate of return for the period of
holding of an investment.
Holder: The buyer of an option.
Initiator : The Initiator is the
trading member who starts the
auction. The Initiator can be a
buyer or a seller.
Insider trading : Trading on
information which is not really
available to the general public.
Trading in a Company’s shares by
a connected person having non-
public, price sensitive information,
such as expansion plans, financial
results, takeover bids, etc., by virtue
of his association with that
Company, is called insider trading.
Illiquid: An investment is said to
be illiquid if it cannot easily be
turned back into cash quickly and
at a low cost.
Shares in smaller companies are
more likely to be illiquid than those
in larger companies; they will be
less easy to sell and you are likely
to find that the spread or difference
between the buying and selling
616 Prelims Magic 2014
price is much wider.So, in other
words blue chip shares are more
liquid than unquoted companies.
Insider: Someone who trades a
security on the back of knowledge
which is not available to the world
at large and who, thereby, makes a
profit.
Issuing house: This is a member
of the Issuing Houses Association,
responsible for sponsoring the issue
of a new security on the Stock
Exchange or an over the counter
market.The definition has also
spread to include any merchant
bank or dealer in securities which
is involved in such an issue.The
issuing house will have been closely
involved in the process leading up
to the flotation and will have advised
the company on its timing, pricing,
etc.
Issued Share Capital: This is the
total number of shares a company
has made publicly available
multiplied by the total nominal value
of the shares.
Immediate or Cancel (IOC) : An
Immediate or Cancel (IOC) order
allows a user to buy or sell a security
as soon as the order is released into
the market, failing which the order
is removed from the market. There
could be a partial match for such
an order resulting in one or more
trades, in which case the balance
order will be removed from the
market.
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. What is IndoNext which was
launched in January, 2005?
(a) A new scheme to promote
Indian tourism.
(b) A new scheme to promote
export of Indian handicrafts.
(c) An association of the Non-
Resident Indians to organize
Bhartiya Divas every year in India.
(d) An alternative trading platform
being promoted by the Mumbai
Stock Exchange and Regional
Stock Exchanges.
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2005)
Inactive Shares : Shares which
are seldom bought and sold in the
stock exchange, although they are
listed. A share which is transacted
less than four times a year may be
called inactive or dead. It is quite
difficult to find a buyer or a seller
for such shares. The Spread
between buying and selling prices
can be large.
IndoNext: IndoNext is an
alternative trading platform being
promoted by the Mumbai Stock
Exchange and Regional Stock
exchanges.
Jumbo certificate: A jumbo share
certificate is a single composite
shar e certificate formed by
consolidating/aggregating a large
number of market lots. This is
issued by the company in favour of
the custodian of the shares and is
used to reduce the problems of
multiple share certificates for large
trades.
Jobbers: Member brokers of a
stock exchange who specialise in
buying and selling of specific
securities from and to fellow
members. Jobbers do not have any
direct contact with the public, but
they render a useful function of
imparting liquidity to the market. A
jobber quotes his ‘bid’ price (the
price at which he is willing to buy)
and ‘ask’ price (the price at which
he is willing to sell ).
Jobber’s Spread: The difference
between the price at which a jobber
is prepared to sell and the price at
which he is prepared to buy. A large
difference reflects an imbalance
between supply and demand.
Kerb Dealings: Transactions
done among members after the
closing of the official trading hours.
Long position: A position in which
a person’s interest in a particular
series of options is as a net holder,
meaning that the number of
contracts bought is more than the
number of contracts sold. It is
similar for the futures contracts. A
bull position in a security.
Listed Company: A public limited
company which satisfies certain
listings conditions and signs a listing
agreement wit the stock exchange
for trading in it securities. One
important listing condition is that
25% of its issued capital should be
offered to the public.
Limit order: Is an order for which
the price (limit price) has been
specified at the time of making the
order entry. A limit order describes
the instruction an investor gives to
his broker setting out how much
he’s prepared to pay for shares (or
any other asset for that matter).
LIBOR: LIBOR stands for
London Inter Bank Offer Rate. It’s
the rate of interest at which banks
offer to lend money to one another
in the so-called wholesale money
markets in the City of London.
Money can be borrowed overnight
or for a period of in excess of five
years.
LIBID : Banks also offer to
borrow money in the wholesale
money markets. The rate is called
the London Inter Bank Bid Rate
(LIBID).
Market maker: Market makers
are players in the stockmarket who
trade as principals and may actively
try to encourage/discourage trading
by changing the prices they quote
to tempt buyers and sellers into the
market.
Member Firm: A member firm is
a tr ading firm which has
membership of the stock
exchange.The firm is permitted to
deal in shares on behalf of its clients
or on behalf of the firm itself.
Market order: Is an order for
which no price has been specified
at order entry.
Matching: When a buy and a sell
order satisfies the price - time
priority, they can result in a trade.
This process is called as matching.
The match can be full or partial
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. In the context of Indian news
in recent times, what is MCX -
SX?
(a) A kind of supercomputer
(b) Title of Moon Impact Probe
(c) Stock Exchange
(d) Nuclear - Powered submarine
Ans. (c) (CSE, 2009)
depending on the order conditions.
MCX-SX: MCX-SX is a
subsidiary of Multi Commodity
Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) and
operates under the regulatory
framework of Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
and Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
It was inaugurated on 6th October
2008 and went live the next day. It
leverages the illustrious lineage of
MCX and draws on all its strengths
as India’s No.1 commodity
exchange. MCX-SX provides a
host of benefits to a wide range of
financial market participants,
including hedgers (i.e. exporters,
importers, corporates, and banks),
investors, and arbitrageurs.
Minimum Fill (MF) Order: This
is one of the special conditions
wher e a minimum quantity is
specified for an order. The quantity
of the trade involving an order with
a MF attribute should at least be this
minimum quantity specified.
Market lot : Market lot is the
minimum number of shares of a
particular security that must be
transacted on the Exchange.
Multiples of the market lot may also
be transacted.
Members: The membership of the
exchange consists of such number
of members as the exchange in
general meeting may from time to
time determine. According to the
stock exchange rules, no person
shall be a member if he is less than
21 years or is not an Indian citizen
or has been adjudged bankrupt or
proved an insolvent or has been
compounded by this creditors or has
been convicted of an offence
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involving fraud or dishonesty or is
engaged as principal or employee
in any business other than that of
securities.
Moorat Trading: Auspicious
trading on Diwali day during
specified hours.
Market capitalization: Market
capitalisation is the market value of
the equity of a company.Simply put, E
it is the number of outstanding
shares multiplied by the market
price of the company. The total C
market value at the current stock
exchange list prices of the total
number of equity shares issued by O
company It is also the currency
which can be used in case of
acquisitions (in terms of stock N
swaps).
MF: Minimum Fill (MF) orders
allow the user to specify the
O
minimum amount by which an order
should be filled. For example, an
order of Rs. 1000 lakhs with
M
Minimum Fill Rs. 200 lakhs will
require that each trade be for at
least Rs. 200 lakhs. This could result
Y
in a partial match or a maximum of
5 possible trades of Rs. 200 lakhs
each and a minimum of one trade
of Rs.1000 lakhs.
Market risk: This arises
whenever one invests in a specific
market. This is the risk that every
business operating in that market
must bear - and is thus not avoidable
by diversification. The only way to
evade market risk is by moving to
alternate forms of investment or
exiting that specific market.
Nominal Value: The nominal value
is the face value of share. If the
face value of a share is Rs. 10 then
it may also be stated that its nominal
value is Rs. 10.
Non-Cleared Securities: Shares
traded directly between brokers,
and not cleared through the stock
exchange clearing house. Also
called non-specified Securities, B-
group Securities, or Cash Shares.
617
 Nasdaq : National Association of
Securities Dealer s Automatic
Quotation SystemAn American
stock exchange. It’s also known as
the technology heaven for
companies in that category.
Negotiated Trade : Two Trading
members can negotiate a trade
E outside the system. However this
trade is accepted by the system only
if Control approves. Both the
C parties enter each side of their trade
in the system specifying each
other’s identity.
O Normal Market: The orders
entered in the system for normal
trade matching depends primarily
N on a price/time priority. These
orders can be Regular Lot, Special
Terms, Stop Loss orders or
O Negotiated Trade entries. Each
order must be equal to or be a
multiple of the regular lot for that
M security.
No-delivery period: Whenever a
Y book closure or record date is
announced by a company, the
Exchange sets a no-delivery period
for that security. During this period,
trading is permitted in that security.
However, these trades are settled
only after the no-delivery period is
over. This is done to ensure that
investor’s entitlement for corporate
benefits is clearly determined.
Odd Lot market : The market in
which odd lot orders are recorded.
Odd Lot orders have a quantity less
than one regular lot. A number of
shares that are less than the market
lot are known as odd lots. These
shares are illiquid in nature, as they
cannot be transacted on the
Exchange.
Open : A time period in the trading
day for the different markets that
the exchange deals in. Order entry,
matching, inquiries and other
functions at the workstation will be
allowed during this period.
Operational range: The price
range for a security on a trading day
such that buy orders outside the
618 Prelims Magic 2014
Maximum of the range and sell
orders outside the Minimum of the
range causes a price freeze and are
sent to the Exchange for approval.
It is calculated as a percentage of
the Base price.
Order: A buy or a sell offer/bid for
any of the Capital Market securities
entered by the dealer in the system.
The system generates a unique
order number for each order entry.
Order Quantity Freeze
percentage : A percentage of the
outstanding quantity of a security is
ascertained. An order with quantity
exceeding this percentage causes
a freeze and is sent to the Exchange
for approval.
One For One: This is meant to
denote that in a bonus issue
declared a bonus share has been
given for every share held. In effect
the share capital of the company
doubles. Other terms commonly
used to denote the proportion of
bonus shares issued are two for
three, three for five and the like.
Options: The holder of an option
contract has the right but not the
obligation to buy (call option) or sell
(put option) a specific quantity of a
given asset at a specified price at
or before a specified date in the
future. The purchaser pays a non-
refundable, one time fee (option
premium) to the seller (writer) to
acquire this right. If the holder
chooses to exercise the right to buy
or sell the asset, the writer of the
option has to deliver or take delivery
of the asset. The potential loss to
the option writer is therefore
unlimited.
Order Driven Trading: In an
order driven system, only different
types of orders supply liquidity to
the market without the intervention
of a market maker or jobber. Order
execution follows a strict price time,
priority unlike a quote driven system,
where preference is given to jobber
orders at the expense of public
orders. This reduces the problems
of high spreads, monopoly power
and market manipulation. Orders
which are allowed into the system
are conditional upon price (market
and limit orders), time (GTD, GTC,
etc.), quantitity (AON, MF, etc.)
and other special conditions such as
IOC, etc.
Over The
(OTC)Trading: A secondary
Counter
market in which shares are bought
and sold to the general public by
jobbers and brokers outside an
organised market place. Generally,
the OTC market consists of
geographically diffused dealers.
Oversubscribed : A company
may offer for sale a certain number
of shares. If applications are
received for shares in excess of the
number offered, the issue is termed
as oversubscribed.
Panic Selling: A condition of the
stock market in which not only
inexperienced investors, but also
sturdy bulls, take fright and start
selling. It may be caused by sudden
unfavourable news or rumour, or a
Random Walk by shares
downwards, or simply, in bear
market conditions, the absence of
financial institutions from the
market.
Pari Passu: This is a Latin term
and it means, “having equal rights”.
When shares (bonus or otherwise)
are issued pari passu with existing
shares it means that the new shares
would be equal to and have identical
rights with the existing shares.
Passed Dividend: A company is
termed to have “passed dividend”
if it has not declared its usual annual
dividend. P/E Ratio or Price-
Earnings Ratio: An indicator of how
highly a share is valued in the
market. Arrived at by dividing the
price or a share by the earnings per
share (EPS).
Premium: The price of an option
(call or put) contract, determined in
the competitive market place, which
the buyer (holder) of the option pays
to its seller (writer) for the rights
granted to the former by the option
contract.
Participant : An entity responsible
for the settlement of a trade is
deemed to be a participant. Every
order in the trading system has a
participant associated with it.
Pre-Open : A time period in the
trading day for the Normal market.
Trading members are allowed to
enter orders during this period.
These orders in the system take
part in the algorithm for the
calculation of the opening price
during this period.
Price Time Priority: All orders
received on the system are sorted
with the best priced order getting
the first priority for matching i.e. the
best buy order matches the best sell
order. Within similar priced orders,
they are sorted on time i.e. the one
that came in early gets priority over
the later one.
Pay-in: Pay-in day is the designated
day on which the securities or funds
are paid in by the members to the
clearing house of the Exchange.
Pay-out : Pay-out day is the
designated day on which securities
and funds are paid out to the
members by the clearing house of
the Exchange.
Price band : Price bands set te
upper and lower limit within which
a security price can fluctuate on a
given day/settlement. In case of
intr a-day, the pr ice band is
determined over the closing price
of the previous day and in the case
of intra-settlement, the price bands
are determined over the closing
price of the last day of the previous
settlement cycle. Orders outside
these price bands will not be
executed by the system.
Price rigging: When persons
acting In concert with each other
collude to artificially increase or
decrease the prices of a security,
that process is called price rigging.
Portfolio: The group name for the
entire collection of investments
belonging to an investor or held by
a financial organization such as a
bank, pension fund or investment
trust.The idea of a portfolio is that
you should invest in a diversifed
selection of investments. Don’t
have all your eggs in one basket
Price sensitive information:
Price sensitive information is
information about a company’s
trading or other affairs which
would, if generally known, be
expected to have an influence on
its share price.
Primary market: a place where
money is raised by companies to pay
for expansion or pay off existing
investors.In the futures markets, the
primary market is the main
underlying market for the financial
instrument on which the futures
contract is based.
Print/Report Circuit:
This is a virtual circuit through
which the system can download
report data to all workstations. In
this mode, the system does not
await the response from the
workstations.
P/E Ratio or Price-Earnings
Ratio: An indicator of how highly a
share is valued in the market.
Arrived at by dividing the price or
a share by the earnings per share
(EPS).
Put Option: The right to sell stock
at an agreed price at or before a
stated future time. Contrast this will
call options.
Price risk: It arises from the
variability of prices of shares in the
market. The share prices can move
either way and ar e extremely
volatile. The risk arising from the
fact that your portfolio value may
decrease or increase is the price
risk.
Quote Driven Trading: This is a
trading system where a market
maker offers two-way quotes for
each security. A buy quote and a
Prelims Magic 2014
sell quote are provided by the
market maker. Thus the price at
which a trade will be executed is
known at the time of placing the
order.
Regular Lot Order: The minimum
quantity of an order entered into the
Normal, Spot and Auction markets.
The order that does not carry any
special conditions (Minimum Fill, All
or None) is treated as a regular lot
E
order.
Record date: Record date is the C
date on which the beneficial
ownership of an investor is entered
into the register of members. Such O
a member is entitled to get all the
corporate benefits.
Rights Issues: The issues of new
N
shares to existing shareholders in a
fixed ratio to those already held at
a price which is generally below the
O
market price of the old shares.
The issue of additional equity shares M
to the existing shareholders on a
pre-emptive basis. Typically, the
subscription price of a rights issue Y
is significantly below the market
price of the old shares.
Real Return: The rate return
earned on an investment after
adjusting for the rate of inflation.
Rolling Settlement: This is the
system by which shares are bought,
sold and paid for. Rolling Settlements
is a mechanism of settling trades.
In Rolling Settlements, trades done
on a single day are settled
separately from the trades of other
day on Trade day + 5 days. As such
netting of trades is done only for the
day and not for multiple days. As
such, in Rolling Settlement,
settlement is carried out on a daily
basis.
Real Interest Rate: Curr ent
interest rate less the rate of inflation.
Repos: Short- term money market
instrument; transaction where one
party agrees to sell a security to
another party for cash. The seller
agrees to repurchase the security
619
 later.
Short Position: A position in which
a person’s interest in a particular
series of options is as a net seller
(writer) meaning that the number
of contracts sold exceeds the
number of contracts bought. It is
similar in case of futures contracts.
E Short Sale: A Short sale occurs
when a person believing that the
prices of shares will fall, sells shares
C that he does not own with the
intention of purchasing the shares
at lower price at the time delivery
O has to be made. This is also known
as forward sale.
N Slump: The bottom of a trade cycle
when prices and employment are
at their lowest, reflected in the
downward movement of share
O prices, Recovery from a slump is
often slow.
M Spot: Spot purchase or sale implies
that the deal is for immediate cash
and the shares are to be delivered
Y immediately.
Spreads: Options and futures
transactions involving two or more
series of the underlying asset.
Stag: A stag is an investor or
speculator who subscribes to a new
issue with the intention of selling
them soon after allotment to realise
a quick profit.
Strike Price: also called exercise
price. The price for which the
underlying stock index or other
asset may be purchased (in the
case of a call) or sold (in the case
of a put) by the option buyer
(holder) upon exercise of the option
contract.
Secondary Market: The market
in existing securities provided by the
Stock Exchange.The secondary
market, by providing a method of
buying and selling securities,
overcomes the basic mis-match
between the needs of savers/
investors who provide new money
and the requirements of capital
raisers/borrowers.
620 Prelims Magic 2014
Settlement: The payment of cash
for securities and, conversely, the
delivery of securities against
payment - the conclusion of a
securities transaction by delivery.
Settlement is the payment or receipt
of an outstanding due at the end of
the settlement period.
Settlement Day: The day on
which bought securities are due for
delivery to the buyer and the
appropriate consideration to the
seller.
Share certificate: This is a legal
document which can be used as
proof of ownership of a
shareholding. But with 30,000 plus
share transactions a day going
through the London stockmarket in
the early 1990’s, a lot of paper was
being
generated. A more efficient way of
handling share settlements is to do
it electronically as happens in many
other countries.
Security : Securities are traded in
the Capital Market. Shares and
Debentures are some examples of
securities.
Seller: The trading member who
has placed the order for selling the
security.
Special Terms: The dealer can
place an order that carries special
conditions and restrictions
regarding the way the order value
can be matched. These terms are
called Special Terms. The typical
special terms are Minimum Fill and
All or None.
Spot market: Orders that have
spot settlement are entered into the
Spot market.
Stop Loss: The dealer can enter a
regular lot or a special term order
with a ‘trigger’ price. Such orders
are called Stop Loss orders. The
stop loss orders are not taken for
matching unless the trigger price is
either reached or if it is surpassed
by the last traded price for the
security. Once the market price
reaches or surpasses the trigger
price, the ‘stop loss’ attribute is
removed and the order is taken up
for regular matching process.
Settlement guarantee:
Settlement guarantee is the
guarantee provided by the clearing
corporation for settlement of all
trades. This implies that the trade
will be settled even if one of the
parties to the trade viz; the buyer
or the seller defaults. This prevents
a cascading effect in the market
due to the default of one party. The
clearing corporation has set up a
settlement guarantee fund through
contributions from the members
which is used for this purpose.
Splitting/Consolidation: The
process of splitting shares that have
a high face value into shares of a
lower face value is known as
splitting. For e.g: A share with a
face value of Rs 100/- may be split
into ten shares of Rs 10/- each. The
reverse process of combining
shares that have a low face value
into one share of higher value is
known as consolidation.
Spot trading: A market in which
securities are traded for immediate
delivery, as distinct from a forward
market. Spot in this context means
‘immediately effective’, so that
spot price is the price for immediate
delivery. The actual delivery of
securities takes place either on the
same day of the contract or on the
next day. Trading by delivery of
shares and payment for the same
on the date of purchase or on the
next day.
Stop transfer : The instruction
given by a registered holder of
shares to the company to stop the
transfer of shares as a result of theft,
loss etc,. This is done in order that
the shares are not unlawfully
transferred in the event of loss or
theft of the share certificates.
Settlement Period: For
administrative convenience, the
stock exchange divides the year
into a number of settlement periods
each of gener ally one week
duration. The first and the last day
trading of each settlement period
are fixed in advance and so are
settlement days for delivery and
payment.
Specified Shares: For the purpose
of trading, a security is categorised
either as a ‘specified’ shares or a
‘non-specified’ shares. This is done
by stock exchange authorities.
Stamp Duty: The ad valorem duty
of 1/2 per cent payable by buyers
for transfer of shares in their name.
share swap : An arrangement by
which shares of one company are
swapped for another in a specified
ratio
stock option : An option given to
a per son to buy stock at a
predetermined price at a future date
Screen Based Trading: Screen
based trading uses modern
telecommunications and computer
technology to combine information
transmission with trading in
financial assets. Trading members
are connected to the Exchange from
their workstations to the central
computer located at the Exchange
via satellite using VSATs (Very
Small Aperture Terminals). Buy and
sell orders from the brokers reach
the central computer located at NSE
and are matched by the computer.
Solicitor: A Solicitor is the auction
participant who is on the opposite
side of the Initiator’s order. If the
Initiator is a buyer then the solicitor
will enter sell orders for the same
security.
Stock split: Splits are about as
exciting as getting change for a
Rs100 note. Depending upon the
split ratio one share of a company
is split into the decided number. This
is done by reducing the face value
of the scrip. Stock splits are
expected to improve liquidity in a
stock.
Trade: When a buy order matches
with a sell order following the price-
time priority logic, a trade takes
place. The system generates a
unique trade number for each trade.
Turnover Limit: This indicates the
aggregate trade value limit on a
daily basis set for a trading member.
The Exchange sets the limit for
each trading member of the Capital
Market. The trade value for both
buy and sell for a day are
accumulated and the total is
checked against this upper limit
after every potential trade match.
Trade guarantee: Trade
guarantee is the guarantee provided
by the clearing corporation for all
trades that are executed on the
Exchange. In contrast the
settlement guarantee guarantees
the settlement of trade after
multilateral netting.
Trading for delivery: Trading
conducted with an intention to
deliver shares as opposed to taking
up a position and squaring off within
the settlement.
Transfer deed: A transfer deed is
a form that is prescribed by the
Registar of Companies for effecting
share transfer and is valid for a
specified period. This transfer deed
is the instrument that accompanies
the share certificate while
registering a transfer with a
company. The transfer deed must
be duly stamped and signed by or
on behalf of the transferor and be
complete in all respects.
Time Conditions: DAY - A day
order, as the name suggests is an
order which is valid for the day on
which it is entered. If the order is
not matched during the day, the
order gets cancelled automatically
at the end of the trading day.
1. GTC - A Good Till Cancelled
(GTC) order remains in the system
until it is cancelled by the user. It
will therefore be able to span
trading days if it does not get
matched. The Exchange may
however set an upper limit to the
Prelims Magic 2014
number of working days an order
can stay in the trading system. At
the end of this period, GTC orders
are cancelled automatically from
the system.
2. GTD - A Good Till Day (GTD)
order allows the user to specify the
number of days up to which the
order should stay in the trading
system. At the end of this period,
the order gets flushed out from the
E
system if it is not traded or is not
cancelled by the trading member. C
3. IOC - An Immediate or Cancel
(IOC) order allows a user to buy
or sell a security as soon as the O
order is released into the market,
failing which the order is removed
from the market. There could be a N
partial match for such an order
resulting in one or more trades, in
which case the balance order will O
be removed from the market.
All reference to days in the trading
system
M
would refer to working days. Thus,
each day is counted on a working Y
day basis i.e. intervening holidays
are not considered. The days
counted are inclusive of the day on
which the order is placed. However,
for Repo term, days are counted on
a calendar basis.
Trader Workstation: A dealer can
participate in the Capital Market
only from the trader workstation,
where the trading functions are
available.
Trading Member: It refers to a
member of the BSE/NSE who is
authorised to place orders in the
Capital Market System. The term
Broker or Brokerage house is also
used to convey the same meaning.
Transmission: Transmission is the
lawful process by which the
owner ship of securities is
transferred to the legal heir/s of the
deceased.
Unit of Trading: The minimum
number of shares of a company
which are accepted for normal
621
 trading on the stock exchange. All
transactions are generally done in
multiple of trading units. Odd lots
are generally traded at a small
discount.
Unquoted Shares: Shares in some
companies, often smaller ones, are
not traded on any stock exchange.
Companies are not quoted (or listed)
E because either: they do not wish to
be and prefer to run their businesses
in relative privacy, orThey do not
C meet the listing requirements, such
as minimum market capitalisation.
In other words they are too small
O to join a stockmarket.
User: A person is recognised as a
N user of the Capital Market system,
when he or she possess a valid user
identifier and password, both of
O which are essential requirements
for accessing the system.
Underwrite: Under writing is
M effectively a guarantee wherein the
underwriter (usually a bank, broker
or financial institution) agrees to
Y purchase a certain number of shares
in the event the issue is under-
subscribed for a certain fee.
Volatility: The rate by which the
price of a security fluctuates in
changing market conditions.
Volume of Trading: The total
number of shares which change
hands in a particular company’s
securities. It is the sum of either
purchases or sales which
necessarily equal. This information
is useful in explaining and
interpreting fluctuations in share
prices.
8 FOREIGN TRADE
Foreign trade or International trade
is the trade between different
nations of the world. It is the
exchange of goods and services
between different sover eign
nations. It is a passage across
political frontiers. In international
622 Prelims Magic 2014
Volume Conditions : 1. DV -
Disclosed Value (DV) orders allow
the user to disclose only a portion
of the order value to the market.
For example, an order of Rs. 1000
lakhs with a disclosed value
condition of Rs. 200 lakhs will mean
that Rs. 200 lakhs is released into
the market. After this is traded,
another Rs. 200 lakhs is released
and so on till the full order is
exhausted. Every time a fresh lot
of the disclosed value is released, it
is time-stamped (becomes an active
order) again at the time of its
release into the market and not the
time at which the original DV order
was placed.
2. MF - Minimum Fill (MF) orders
allow the user to specify the
minimum amount by which an order
should be filled.
3. AON - All Or None order allows
the user to avoid multiple trades i.e.
partial match against one order.
However, if the full order cannot be
matched at the same time, it stays
as an outstanding order (passive
order) in the market till cancelled
or till it is fully matched at the same
time.
Variation Margin: Payment made
in order to restore or maintain initial
margin on adverse positions
resulting from price movements in
futures/options transactions
undertaken.
Wash Sale: In a wash sale, the
seller repurchases the security
immediately. The purpose of a
wash sale, which is not a genuine
sale, is merely to establish a record
trade, different countries engage in
the exchange of goods and services
among them. Today international
trade is considered the ‘engine of
growth’.
Its advantages are as follows:
of sale for tax purposes or for
misleading others by creating a
false impression of rise or fall in
prices.
Warning Quantity Percentage: It
refers to a percentage which
reflects the quantity outstanding on
a certain security. An order with
quantity exceeding this percentage
causes the system to force the
dealer to confirm the entered order.
Watered: A company that has
issued shares in excess of the real
value of the business is said to have
watered its capital. It is in effect
similar to the deficit financing done
by some governments.
Yield: Yield is the annual return you
receive from holding a stock, share
or unit trust - it is expressed as a
percentage of its price.In the case
of shares, the yield is calculated by
expr essing the dividend as a
percentage of the cost of the
investment.
Yield Curve: A graph depicting
yield vis-a-vis maturity. If short-
term rates are lower than long-term
rates, it is a positive yield curve, if
short-term rates are higher, it is a
negative or inverted yield curve. If
there is isn’t much difference, it is
a flat yield curve.
Yield To Maturity (YTM): The
yield earned by a bond if held to
maturity.
Zero Coupon Bond: A bond
issued at a discount which accrues
interest that is paid in full at maturity.
1.Import of necessary goods.
2.Maintaining stability in the prices
of goods.
3. Industrial development.
4. Meeting emergencies.
5. Advantage of mobility of capital.
6. Expansion of market for goods.
7. International co-operation.
8. Achievement of specialisation in
production.
9. Efficient use of resources.
10.Technology transfer.
11.Control of monopoly.
12. Maximisation of production, etc.
FOREIGN TRADE OF INDIA
Foreign trade has been playing an
important role in the economic
development of our country. As a
developing nation India has to
depend much on foreign trade and
thereby avail all the advantages
provided by foreign trade. India is
importing all the goods required for
development and other necessities.
It exports a large variety of goods
as well.
India’s exports registered a growth
of 13.5% in October 2013 to $27. 3
billion from $24. 0 billion in
corresponding month of last year.
This is the fourth straight month of
double-digit growth in exports and
pace of growth in October 2013 is
the highest in last 24 months.
Cumulative value of exports for the
first seven months of FY 14 (Apr-
Oct) were valued at $179. 4 billion
as against $138. 7 billion, registering
a year on year growth of 6.3%.
Imports during October 2013 were
valued at $37.8 billion, a negative
growth of 14.5% over the level of
imports valued at $44. 2 billion in
October 2012. Oil imports in
October 2013 were valued at $15.
2 billion, 1.7% higher than $15. 0
billion in the corresponding period
last year. Provisional data showed
that gold import increased to $1.4
billion in October 2013 from
unrevised $800 million a month
earlier, a growth of 71%. However,
the good thing is that October 2013
gold import is still 80% lower in value
terms against the gold import of the
same period last year.
FEATURES OF INDIA’S
FOREIGN TRADE
FOREIGN trade has played a
crucial role in India’s economy
growing at almost three times the
growth of GDP during the last four
years. India’s exports cover a wide
range of items including engineering
goods, ores and minerals, chemicals
and related products, gems and
jewelery and of late, petroleum
products. Imports have increased
substantially, bulk of which comprise
items like petroleum and crude
products, fertilizers, precious and
semi-precious stones for export
production, and capital goods, raw
mater ials, consumables and
intermediates for industrial
production and technological
upgradation.
1. Increase in volume:
The most important feature of
India’s foreign trade is the increase
in value or volume of trade over the
years. In 1950-51 the total value of
our foreign trade (including imports
and exports) was only Rs. 1,214
cror e. This has increased to
22,09,270 crore by 2009-10.
Prelims Magic 2014
2. Change in direction of trade:
After 1960-61 there was a
significant change in the direction
of India’s foreign trade. Before the
60s India depended mainly on
Britain for its trade transactions.
Gradually importance of Britain
declined and now India has trade
links with America, Germany,
France, Belgium, Russia, Iran, Iraq,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other
E
developing nations of Asia and
Africa. C
3.Change in composition of
trade:
After independence there is a
O
considerable change in the
composition of our foreign trade.
Before independence we were
N
exporting primary goods and
importing finished goods. Now we
are exporting finished goods and
O
services and importing capital
goods. M
4.Diverse exports:
Before independence our country
used to export primary goods.
Y
The traditional goods such as jute
products, cotton and other raw
materials formed our exports. But
after independence owing to
economic changes and rapid
economic development, India
started expor ting finished
unconventional goods. T hese
include engineering goods, motor
vehicles and spare parts, ready
made garments, handicraft goods,
etc.
623
 5. Government intervention:
In recent years, Government
involvement is more in international
trade. The government now is
committed to make the best use of
precious foreign exchange and has
implemented the policy of export-
promotion, import- substitution and
E state trading, etc.
6. Trade agreements :
C The Government has entered into
bilateral and multilateral trade
agreements with various nations.
O By this it is possible to increase
exports and import essential goods
and services. Such trade
N agreements are mutually beneficial.
7. Export promotion:
O The Government is giving
encouragement for exports in the
form of tax concessions, subsidies,
M market system, transport facility,
providing r esources, rebates,
publicity, etc.
Y 8. W.T.O membership:
India has liberalized its economic
system. The foreign trade sector is
also liberalised. Globalisation is
given much emphasis. In January
1, 1995 India joined the World Trade
Organisation which has come into
existence as replacement to GATT.
This organisation includes 153
countries.
9. Deterioration in terms of
trade:
The most alarming development of
India’s for eign trade is the
deterioration in terms of trade.
From 1950-51 to the present day
trade terms have been subjected to
great fluctuations.
COMPOSITION OF
EXPORTS
(Based on Date released on 05 Jul 2013)
Great changes in the sectoral
composition of India’s export
basket seen in the 2000s decade
have accelerated in the beginning
of this decade.
624 Prelims Magic 2014
While the share of petroleum crude
and products increased by 11.8
percentage points during the 10-
year period from 2000-1 to 2009-
10, it further increased by 4.8
percentage points from 2009-10 to
the first half of 2011-12.
The share of the other two sectors,
i.e. manufactures and primary
products fell almost proportionately
by 11.6 and 1.1 percentage points
respectively during 2000-1 to 2009-
10 and 1.4 and 2.2 percentage
points from 2009-10 to the first half
of 2011-12.
The inter-sectoral composition
changes within manufactures
exports have also been great with
the biggest losers being labour-
intensive manufactures like textiles,
leather and leather manufactures,
and handicrafts from 23.6, 4.4, and
2.8 per cent respectively in 2000-1
to 8.7, 1.6, and 0.3 per cent in the
first half of 2011-12.
The biggest gainer is the engineering
goods sector with its share
increasing from 15.7 per cent in
2000-1 to 22.2 percent in the first
half of 2011-12.
Another sector is electronics, the
share of which increased from 2.5
per cent to 3.5 per cent in 2010-11,
but fell to 2.9 per cent in the first
half of 2011-12.
While the share of chemicals and
related products incr eased
marginally from 10.4 per cent to
11.6 per cent, that of gems and
jewellery fell marginally from 16.6
per cent to 16.1 per cent during
2000-1 to the first half of 2011-12 .
A point to be noted is that most of
the petroleum exports of India are
refined exports and qualify for the
category of manufactures. Similarly
ther e are many items in the
agricultural and allied sector like
marine exports and processed foods
which are manufactured items.
If these are included under the
definition of manufactures, then the
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Assertion (A): For the first
time, India had no trade deficit in
the year 2002-03.
Reason (R): For the first time,
India’s exports crossed worth $ 50
billion in the year 2002-03.
(a) Both A and R are individually
true and R is the cor rect
explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually
true but R is not the correct
explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2004)
Explanation : Reason is correct
but Assertion is not correct.
share of manufactures in total
exports has not fallen.
Export growth was high in 2010-
11 and the first half of 2011-12 in
case of agriculture and allied
products due to export growth in
cereals, meat preparations, oil
meals, and coffee.
Among manufactured exports,
engineering goods, gems and
jewellery, and chemicals and
related products registered high
growth, while textiles export
growth was moderate.
Export growth of petroleum, crude,
and products was also very high
due to the high prices of crude oil
and also due to increase in refining
capacity.
Ores and minerals is the only item
with negative growth in the first half
of 2011-12 due to a ban on export
of iron ore by the state
governments of Karnataka and
Odisha.
The compositional change from
2000-1 to the first half of 2011-12
can also be seen in the destination-
wise exports of major items. While
the gain in share of petroleum,
crude and products in India’s export
to the EU has been higher than to
US with an increase of around 17
percentage points, the decrease in
share of manufactured goods in
India’s exports to the EU is also high
at around 13.7 percentage points.
However, there has been a dramatic
rise in the share of petroleum, crude
and products in India’s exports to
China.
The share of ores & minerals has
started falling in India’s exports to
China since 2008-09 reaching 30
per cent in the first half of 2011-12
resulting in rise in shar e of
manufactured goods.
Among manufactures, the fall in
share of textiles to EU and US and
‘Others’ from 2000-1 to the first
half of 2011-12 has been more or
less the same at above 10
percentage points.
There has been a rise in share of
India’s exports of engineering goods
to all the four markets. While there
has been a big jump in the share of
this item in India’s export to China
in 2010-11 and then moderation, in
the case of the other three markets,
the share is at a uniform 21-22
per cent range in the first half of
2011-12.
While the share of gems and
jewellery exports to the US and EU
markets have fallen, it has
increased in the case of ‘Others’.
China’s share is insignificant in this
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. Among the following
commodities imported by India
during the year 2000-01, which
one was the highest in terms of
rupee value?
(a) Edible oil
(b) Fertilizers
(c) Organic and inorganic
chemicals
(d) Pearls, precious and semi-
precious stones
Ans. (d) (CSE, 2003)
Explanation: During 2000-01,
the commodity which was
imported most in terms of value is
Pearls, precious and semi-
precious stones. That was 8.3
percent of total imports.
item. The share of chemicals and
related products in India’s exports
registered a near 10 percentage
point increase to the US market and
around 3.5 percentage point
increase to the EU market
DIRECTION OF INDIA’S
EXPORTS
After independence the direction of
India’s exports has undergone rapid
changes. The changes in the export
sector are as follows:
i. Large outlets for exports:
After independence the number of
countries importing goods from
India has been increasing
significantly. Before independence,
Britain had a major share. But now
India is exporting goods to
developed nations such as America,
Japan, Russia, West and Eastern
European countries and also various
countries of Asia and Africa.
ii. Large exports to few
countries:
Though the number of countries of
our exports has increased, major
part of exports go to a few
countries. Nearly half of our
exports are made to Asia and other
oceanic countries (54%). The
second most important source of
export is European Region (21.6%)
and thir d important source is
American countries (15%).
iii. Various outlets for various
goods:
As large number of countries are
buying goods from India, we have
opportunities to export goods to
such countries depending upon their
requirements. India is exporting
engineering goods, ready made
garments, precious stones, etc. to
the OECD countries and Tea,
leather goods to the East European
countries.
Highlights of Annual
Supplement (2013-14) to the
Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14
Prelims Magic 2014
How was this topic asked in the CSE
Q. In terms of value, which one
of the following commodities
accounted for the lar gest
agricultural exports by India during
the three year period from 1997-
1998 to 1999-2000?
(a) Cereals (b) Marine products
(c) Spices (d) Tea
Ans. (b) (CSE, 2002)
Explanation : In the period 1997-
E
98 to 2000 the India made target
agricultural export of marine
products. In the said period the
C
value of said exports amounted to
Rs 6000 cr ore year. In this
connection it is be noted that the
O
export of tea and spices obtained
second and third position
respectively.
N
1. Measures to revive
investors’ interest in SEZs.
O
1.1 A package of measures has
been formulated to revive investors’ M
interest in SEZs and to boost
exports. The salient features of the
package are:-
Y
(i) In view of the acute difficulties
in aggregating large tracts of
uncultivable land for setting up
SEZs, while ensuring vacancy and
contiguity, we have decided to
reduce the Minimum Land Area
Requirement by half. For Multi-
product SEZ from 1000 hectares
to 500 hectares and for Sector-
specific SEZ from existing 100
hectares to 50 hectares.
(ii) To provide greater flexibility in
utilizing land tracts falling between
50-450 hectares, it has been
decided to introduce a Graded
Scale for Minimum Land Criteria
which would permit a SEZ an
additional sect or for each
contiguous 50 hectare parcel of
land. This will also bring about
more efficient use of t he
infrastructure facilities created in
such an SEZ.
625
 (iii) Further flexibility to set up
additional units in a sector specific
SEZ is being provided by
int roducing Sect oral broad-
banding to encompass similar /
related areas under the same sector.
(iv) On the issues relating to
Vacancy of Land, while the existing
E policy allows for parcels of land
with pre-existing structures not in
commercial use to be considered
C as vacant land for the purpose of
notifying an SEZ, it has now been
O decided that additions to such pre-
existing structures and activities
being undertaken after notification
N would be eligible for duty benefits
similar to any other activity in the
SEZ.
O 1.2 IT Exports constitute a very
significant part of India’s exports
and IT SEZs have a major
M contribution in it. Exports from IT
SEZs during financial year 2012-
Y 13 have exceeded Rs.
1.40 lakh crore registering  a
growth of over 70% over the
previous year’s exports. We have
specifically addressed issues to
boost growth of this very important
sector and also to give a fillip to
employment and growth in Tier-II
and Tier-III cities.
(i) The present requirement of 10
hectares of minimum land area has
been done away with. Now there
would be no minimum land
requirement for setting up an IT/
ITES SEZ. Only the minimum built
up area criteria would be r
square meters and for remaining
cities only 25,000 square meters
built up area norm will be
applicable.
1.3 The present SEZ Framework
does not include an Exit Policy for
the units and feedback was that this
was perceived as a great
disadvantage. It has now been
decided to permit transfer of
ownership of SEZ units, including
sale.
2. Zero Duty Export
Promotion Capital Goods
(EPCG) Scheme
2.1 Foreign Trade Policy has two
variants under this scheme, namely,
Zero Duty EPCG for few sectors
and 3% Duty EPCG for all sectors.
During the last announcement on
5th June, 2012, a new Post Export
EPCG Scheme was also
announced which was notified on
18 February, 2013 by the CBEC.
Based on the request of all
stakeholders, Government has
decided to harmonize Zero Duty
EPCG and 3% EPCG Scheme into
one scheme which will be a Zero
Duty EPCG Scheme covering all
sectors.
2.2 Following are the salient
features of the Zero Duty EPCG
Scheme:-
(i) Authorization holders will have
export obligation of 6 times the
duty saved amount. The export
obligation has to be completed in
a period of 6 years.
benefit of Zero duty EPCG
Scheme.
(v) The import of motor cars,
SUVs, all purpose vehicles for
hotels, travel agents, or tour
transport operators and companies
owning/operating golf resorts will
not allowed under the new Zero
Duty EPCG Scheme.
2.3 Reduced EO for Domestic
Sourcing of Capital Goods
The quantum of specific Export
Obligation (EO) in the case of
domestic sourcing of capital goods
under EPCG authorizations has
been reduced by 10%. This would
promote domestic manufacturing
of capital goods.
2.4 Reduced EO for units in the
State of Jammu & Kashmir
In order to encourage
manufacturing activity in the State
of Jammu & Kashmir, it has been
decided to reduce the specific
export obligation (EO) to 25% of
the normal export obligation.
Earlier, this benefit was announced
on 5th June, 2012 in respect of
units located in North Eastern
Region and Sikkim. This provision
is now being extended to J&K.
3. Widening of Interest
Subvention Scheme
3.1 At present, 2% interest
subvention scheme is available to
certain specific sectors like
Handicrafts, Handlooms, Carpets,
Readymade Garments, Processed
Agricultural Products, Sports