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English Language
Directions for questions 1 to 6:
Passage - I
Everything she wanted was here, at Carignano,
in Kasauli. Here, on the ridge of the mountain, in
this quiet house. It was the place, and the time
of life, that she had wanted and prepared for all
her Iife-as she realized on the first day at
Carignano, with a great, cool flowering of relief -
and at last she had it. She wanted no one and
nothing else. Whatever else came, or happened
here, would be an unwelcome intrusion and
distraction. This she tried to convey to the
plodding postman with a cold and piercing stare
from the height of the ridge onto his honest bull
back. Unfortunately, he did not look up at her on
the hilltop but stared stolidly down at the dust
piling onto his shoes as he plodded on. A bullockman,
an oafish ox, she thought bitterly. She
stepped backwards into the garden and the wind
suddenly billowed up and threw the pine branches
about as though to curtain her. She was grey,
tall and thin and her silk sari made a sweeping,
shivering sound and she fancied she could merge
with the pine trees and be mistaken for one. To
be a tree, no more and no less, was all she was
prepared to undertake
What pleased and satisfied her so, here at
Carignano, was its barrenness. This was the chief
virtue of all Kasauli of course-its starkness. It
had rocks, it had pines, it had light and air. In
every direction there was a sweeping view - to
the north, of the mountains, to the south, of the
plains. Occasionally an eagle swam through this
clear unobstructed mass of light and air, that was
all. And Carignano, her home on the ridge, had
no more than that. Why should it? The sun shone
on its white walls. Its windows were open the
ones facing north opened on to the blue waves
of the Himalayas flowing out and up to the line of
ice and snow sketched upon the sky, while those
that faced south looked down the plunging cliff
to the plain stretching out, flat and sere to the
blurred horizon.
Yes, there were some apricot trees close to the
house. There were clumps of iris that had
finished blooming. There was the kitchen with a
wing of smoke lifting out of its chimney and a
stack of wood outside its door. But these were
incidental, almost unimportant.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from “Fire
on the Mountain” by Anita Desai]
Q. 1 What does the protagonist’s preference for
“barrenness” and “starkness” at Carignano
suggest about her personality?
Q. 5 Which of the following statements are true about
the protagonist’s overall stale of mind In
Carignano?
Statement I: She experienced a sense of
constant restlessness and anguish. Statement II: She felt isolated and disconnected
from her environment. Statement III: She was content, fulfilled, and at
peace with her surroundings.
In the realm of contemporary literature, the
interplay between character and setting is a
nuanced dance that shapes the narrative’s
essence. The setting, often described with
painstaking detail, becomes more than a
backdrop; it becomes a character, influencing
the plot and character development.
Consider, for instance, the barren expanse of the
desert in Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake. The
arid landscape mirrors the sense of isolation felt
by the protagonist, Gogol, as he navigates his
identity crisis in a foreign land. The relentless
sun and vast sands are not mere descriptions;
they are the silent witnesses to his Inner turmoil.
On the other end of the literary spectrum, there
is Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. The
lush, vibrant Kerala backwaters are not just the
setting; they are a character woven into the fabric
of the story. The teeming, humid landscape
reflects the complex web of human relationships
and secrets that unravel in the narrative. This
interplay is not confined to contemporary
literature alone. In Shakespeare’s timeless
tragedy Macbeth, the eerie and foreboding setting
of the Scottish moors casts a dark shadow over
the characters’ actions. The moors, shrouded in
mist and mystery, serve as an ever-present omen
of the impending tragedy.
Q. 7 In contemporary literature, how is the relationship
between character and setting described in the
passage?
English literature is a vast and diverse field that
has left an indelible mark on the world of letters.
From the eloquent plays of William Shakespeare
to the complex novels of Jane Austen and the
profound poetry of William Wordsworth, English
literature offers a window into the human
experience. One of the luminaries of English
literature is William Shakespeare, often hailed
as the greatest playwright in the history of English
language. His works, including Hamlet, Macbeth,
and Romeo and Juliet, are celebrated for their
exploration of human nature, love, ambition, and
tragedy. His characters, such as the tormented
Hamlet and the star-crossed lovers Romeo and
Juliet, continue to captivate readers and
audiences worldwide.
The 19th century ushered in a new era of literary
giants, Jane Austen’s novels, such as Pride and
Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, provide
incisive social commentary through the lens of
wit and romance. Austen’s heroines, like
Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood remain
beloved literary figures known for their intelligence
and resilience. The Romantic era brought forth
poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor
Coleridge, who celebrated the beauty of nature
and the emotional intensity of the individual,
Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
and Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
are testament to the power of the written words
to evoke profound emotions and imagery. Moving
towards 20th century, English literature continued
to evolve. Virginia Woolf’s ground-breaking novel
Mrs. Dalloway explored the inner thoughts and
lives of its characters with a modernist narrative
style. Dystopian visions, as seen in George
Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four provided stark
warnings about the dangers of totalitarianism and
the erosion of individual freedom.
Today, English literature is a global phenomenon,
transcending borders and languages. Indian
authors like Arundhati Roy, with her novel The
God of Small Things, have won prestigious
International literary wards. The book not only
explores intricate family dynamics but also delves
into the broader socio-political landscape of India.
In summary, English literature is a testament to
the enduring power of storytelling and the written
word. It encompasses an array of authors,
themes, and styles that continue to captivate
and inspire readers across the world.
Q. 13 Who is often regarded as the greatest playwright
in the history of English language?
The crisis of justice that is the subject matter of
discussion in the media today is in fact the crisis
of “justice for the middle class”. The main
difference between India and the OECD
(Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development) countries is that whereas the
middle class in these countries has reasonable
access to justice, in India it does not. A vocal
and powerful middle class has emerged in India
since 1991. It is demanding reasonable access
to justice. Much of the judicial reform effort will
help meet this demand...
The question of justice for the poor is, however,
an altogether different challenge. No country in
the world has been able to secure justice for the
poor. Most of the jails of the richest countries
are filled with the poorest. The “masses” are more
often victims of the criminal justice system than
of crime. In India as well, jails are almost
exclusively filled with the poor. The civil justice
system is hardly accessible to them. They are
often victimised by lawyers, touts and court staff.
They are docket-excluded, a new type of
untouchability. The language and the logic—and
the colonial and feudal culture—of the judicial
system are alien to them. It rarely takes
cognisance of their needs and interests.
Their main concern, therefore, is to escape the
attention of the justice system, criminal and civil.
A landless Dalit person in the interior of Madhya
Pradesh once gave me an insightful definition of
a court from the perspective of the masses: “A
court is a place where you are forcibly taken by
the police to be punished; no one goes to a court.”
In contrast, many lawyers and judges colloquially
define a court as “a temple of justice where rights
are protected”.
These sharply divergent visions mean that justice
for one section is often injustice for another.
Protecting the livelihood of traditional taxi and
auto drivers from predatory pricing by corporate
app-based taxi providers by imaginatively using
the available tools of law to delay their incursion
would be seen by the rich and by sections of the
middle class as a failure of the judicial system,
and possibly as also resulting in a downgrading
of the “ease of doing business’ measure.
However, the masses would see such a judicial
intervention as strong evidence of a good justice
system. Although the conflict over competing
visions of the nation and conflicting demands
from social and economic segments have
confined judicial reform of judicial administration
mainly to “neutral” areas such as process reform,
procedural law, technology, planning and court
and case management, judge strength, and the
workload of judges, there has been considerable
improvement in these areas, and the judicial
system has improved its performance.
[Extracted, with edits, from “Justice and the Two
Ideas of India”, by G. Mohan Gopal, Frontline]
Q. 19 What is the central thesis of the above extract?
The crisis of justice that is the subject matter of
discussion in the media today is in fact the crisis
of “justice for the middle class”. The main
difference between India and the OECD
(Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development) countries is that whereas the
middle class in these countries has reasonable
access to justice, in India it does not. A vocal
and powerful middle class has emerged in India
since 1991. It is demanding reasonable access
to justice. Much of the judicial reform effort will
help meet this demand...
The question of justice for the poor is, however,
an altogether different challenge. No country in
the world has been able to secure justice for the
poor. Most of the jails of the richest countries
are filled with the poorest. The “masses” are more
often victims of the criminal justice system than
of crime. In India as well, jails are almost
exclusively filled with the poor. The civil justice
system is hardly accessible to them. They are
often victimised by lawyers, touts and court staff.
They are docket-excluded, a new type of
untouchability. The language and the logic—and
the colonial and feudal culture—of the judicial
system are alien to them. It rarely takes
cognisance of their needs and interests.
Their main concern, therefore, is to escape the
attention of the justice system, criminal and civil.
A landless Dalit person in the interior of Madhya
Pradesh once gave me an insightful definition of
a court from the perspective of the masses: “A
court is a place where you are forcibly taken by
the police to be punished; no one goes to a court.”
In contrast, many lawyers and judges colloquially
define a court as “a temple of justice where rights
are protected”.
These sharply divergent visions mean that justice
for one section is often injustice for another.
Protecting the livelihood of traditional taxi and
auto drivers from predatory pricing by corporate
app-based taxi providers by imaginatively using
the available tools of law to delay their incursion
would be seen by the rich and by sections of the
middle class as a failure of the judicial system,
and possibly as also resulting in a downgrading
of the “ease of doing business’ measure.
However, the masses would see such a judicial
intervention as strong evidence of a good justice
system. Although the conflict over competing
visions of the nation and conflicting demands
from social and economic segments have
confined judicial reform of judicial administration
mainly to “neutral” areas such as process reform,
procedural law, technology, planning and court
and case management, judge strength, and the
workload of judges, there has been considerable
improvement in these areas, and the judicial
system has improved its performance.
[Extracted, with edits, from “Justice and the Two
Ideas of India”, by G. Mohan Gopal, Frontline]
Q. 21 Which of the following words best describes the
experience of different segments of people with
the justice system as described in the third
paragraph?
The crisis of justice that is the subject matter of
discussion in the media today is in fact the crisis
of “justice for the middle class”. The main
difference between India and the OECD
(Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development) countries is that whereas the
middle class in these countries has reasonable
access to justice, in India it does not. A vocal
and powerful middle class has emerged in India
since 1991. It is demanding reasonable access
to justice. Much of the judicial reform effort will
help meet this demand...
The question of justice for the poor is, however,
an altogether different challenge. No country in
the world has been able to secure justice for the
poor. Most of the jails of the richest countries
are filled with the poorest. The “masses” are more
often victims of the criminal justice system than
of crime. In India as well, jails are almost
exclusively filled with the poor. The civil justice
system is hardly accessible to them. They are
often victimised by lawyers, touts and court staff.
They are docket-excluded, a new type of
untouchability. The language and the logic—and
the colonial and feudal culture—of the judicial
system are alien to them. It rarely takes
cognisance of their needs and interests.
Their main concern, therefore, is to escape the
attention of the justice system, criminal and civil.
A landless Dalit person in the interior of Madhya
Pradesh once gave me an insightful definition of
a court from the perspective of the masses: “A
court is a place where you are forcibly taken by
the police to be punished; no one goes to a court.”
In contrast, many lawyers and judges colloquially
define a court as “a temple of justice where rights
are protected”.
These sharply divergent visions mean that justice
for one section is often injustice for another.
Protecting the livelihood of traditional taxi and
auto drivers from predatory pricing by corporate
app-based taxi providers by imaginatively using
the available tools of law to delay their incursion
would be seen by the rich and by sections of the
middle class as a failure of the judicial system,
and possibly as also resulting in a downgrading
of the “ease of doing business’ measure.
However, the masses would see such a judicial
intervention as strong evidence of a good justice
system. Although the conflict over competing
visions of the nation and conflicting demands
from social and economic segments have
confined judicial reform of judicial administration
mainly to “neutral” areas such as process reform,
procedural law, technology, planning and court
and case management, judge strength, and the
workload of judges, there has been considerable
improvement in these areas, and the judicial
system has improved its performance.
[Extracted, with edits, from “Justice and the Two
Ideas of India”, by G. Mohan Gopal, Frontline]
Q. 22 Which of the following statements is the author
most likely to agree with?
The crisis of justice that is the subject matter of
discussion in the media today is in fact the crisis
of “justice for the middle class”. The main
difference between India and the OECD
(Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development) countries is that whereas the
middle class in these countries has reasonable
access to justice, in India it does not. A vocal
and powerful middle class has emerged in India
since 1991. It is demanding reasonable access
to justice. Much of the judicial reform effort will
help meet this demand...
The question of justice for the poor is, however,
an altogether different challenge. No country in
the world has been able to secure justice for the
poor. Most of the jails of the richest countries
are filled with the poorest. The “masses” are more
often victims of the criminal justice system than
of crime. In India as well, jails are almost
exclusively filled with the poor. The civil justice
system is hardly accessible to them. They are
often victimised by lawyers, touts and court staff.
They are docket-excluded, a new type of
untouchability. The language and the logic—and
the colonial and feudal culture—of the judicial
system are alien to them. It rarely takes
cognisance of their needs and interests.
Their main concern, therefore, is to escape the
attention of the justice system, criminal and civil.
A landless Dalit person in the interior of Madhya
Pradesh once gave me an insightful definition of
a court from the perspective of the masses: “A
court is a place where you are forcibly taken by
the police to be punished; no one goes to a court.”
In contrast, many lawyers and judges colloquially
define a court as “a temple of justice where rights
are protected”.
These sharply divergent visions mean that justice
for one section is often injustice for another.
Protecting the livelihood of traditional taxi and
auto drivers from predatory pricing by corporate
app-based taxi providers by imaginatively using
the available tools of law to delay their incursion
would be seen by the rich and by sections of the
middle class as a failure of the judicial system,
and possibly as also resulting in a downgrading
of the “ease of doing business’ measure.
However, the masses would see such a judicial
intervention as strong evidence of a good justice
system. Although the conflict over competing
visions of the nation and conflicting demands
from social and economic segments have
confined judicial reform of judicial administration
mainly to “neutral” areas such as process reform,
procedural law, technology, planning and court
and case management, judge strength, and the
workload of judges, there has been considerable
improvement in these areas, and the judicial
system has improved its performance.
[Extracted, with edits, from “Justice and the Two
Ideas of India”, by G. Mohan Gopal, Frontline]
Q. 24 What makes reform of judicial administration a
‘neutral’ area?
On 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into
a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have
equality and in social and economic structure,
continue to deny the principle of one man one
value. How long shall we continue to live this life
of contradictions? How long shall we continue to
deny equality in our social and economic life? If
we continue to deny it for long, we will do so
only by putting our political democracy in peril.
We must remove this contradiction at the earliest
possible moment else those who suffer from
inequality will blow up the structure of democracy,
which this Constituent Assembly has so
laboriously built up.
I feel that the Constitution is workable, it is flexible
and it is strong enough to hold the country
together both in peacetime and in wartime.
Indeed, if I may say so, if things go wrong under
the new Constitution, the reason will not be that
we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to
say is that man was vile?
The third thing we must do is not be content with
mere political democracy. We must note that our political democracy cannot last unless there
lies at the base of social democracy. What does
social democracy mean? It means a way of life,
which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity
as the principles of life.
... however, good a Constitution may be, it is
sure to turn out bad because those who are called
to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However, bad
a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good
if those who are called to work it, happen to be a
good lot. The working of a Constitution does not
depend wholly upon the nature of the
Constitution.
[Excerpts from Dr. Ambedkar’s address to the
Constituent Assembly, 25 November 1949]
Q. 25 What is the life of contradiction referred to here?
On 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into
a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have
equality and in social and economic structure,
continue to deny the principle of one man one
value. How long shall we continue to live this life
of contradictions? How long shall we continue to
deny equality in our social and economic life? If
we continue to deny it for long, we will do so
only by putting our political democracy in peril.
We must remove this contradiction at the earliest
possible moment else those who suffer from
inequality will blow up the structure of democracy,
which this Constituent Assembly has so
laboriously built up.
I feel that the Constitution is workable, it is flexible
and it is strong enough to hold the country
together both in peacetime and in wartime.
Indeed, if I may say so, if things go wrong under
the new Constitution, the reason will not be that
we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to
say is that man was vile?
The third thing we must do is not be content with
mere political democracy. We must note that our political democracy cannot last unless there
lies at the base of social democracy. What does
social democracy mean? It means a way of life,
which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity
as the principles of life.
... however, good a Constitution may be, it is
sure to turn out bad because those who are called
to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However, bad
a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good
if those who are called to work it, happen to be a
good lot. The working of a Constitution does not
depend wholly upon the nature of the
Constitution.
[Excerpts from Dr. Ambedkar’s address to the
Constituent Assembly, 25 November 1949]
On 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into
a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have
equality and in social and economic structure,
continue to deny the principle of one man one
value. How long shall we continue to live this life
of contradictions? How long shall we continue to
deny equality in our social and economic life? If
we continue to deny it for long, we will do so
only by putting our political democracy in peril.
We must remove this contradiction at the earliest
possible moment else those who suffer from
inequality will blow up the structure of democracy,
which this Constituent Assembly has so
laboriously built up.
I feel that the Constitution is workable, it is flexible
and it is strong enough to hold the country
together both in peacetime and in wartime.
Indeed, if I may say so, if things go wrong under
the new Constitution, the reason will not be that
we had a bad Constitution. What we will have to
say is that man was vile?
The third thing we must do is not be content with
mere political democracy. We must note that our political democracy cannot last unless there
lies at the base of social democracy. What does
social democracy mean? It means a way of life,
which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity
as the principles of life.
... however, good a Constitution may be, it is
sure to turn out bad because those who are called
to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However, bad
a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good
if those who are called to work it, happen to be a
good lot. The working of a Constitution does not
depend wholly upon the nature of the
Constitution.
[Excerpts from Dr. Ambedkar’s address to the
Constituent Assembly, 25 November 1949]
Q. 29 When does a bad Constitution turnout to be
good?
The 18th G20 Summit, in which the heads of
states and governments will meet, on September
9 and 10 will be held in India’s national capital
New Delhi. Over 25 world leaders along with other
delegates are going to attend this mega event.
One of the largest multilateral summits, the G20
Summit presents a significant diplomatic
opportunity for India, which will convene with the
adoption of a joint declaration by all the member
states.
India assumed the G20 Presidency on December
1 last year. The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi
is scheduled to be held on September 9-10.
.....
The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19
countries .... and the European Union. The G20
members represent around 85% of the global
GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about
two-thirds of the world population.
.....
World leaders from several countries and
institutions will mark their presence at the event.
They include US President Joe Biden, UK Prime
Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese, Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel
Macron.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has
opted out of the summit and foreign minister
Sergei Lavrov will represent the country in his
place. Chinese President Xi Jinping has also
decided to skip the event and will send country’s
Premier Li Qiang instead, according to sources.
.....
The G20 Summit 2023 is being held under the
theme – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One Earth.
One Family. One Future) – centered around the
value of all life including human, animal, plant,
and microorganisms and their
interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in
the wider universe.
India’s presidency of the summit holds
significance as it aims to become a voice for the
‘less developed’ global South in a world
dominated by developed nations of the West. It
is also likely to take up the issue of border
tension with China, India, for its part, may
attempt to straighten out its diplomatic intricacies
with the West after it faced challenges due to
the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from “India
gears up for G20 Summit; Check event venue,
guest list, special invitees”, Hindustan Times]
Q. 31 The Group of Twenty (G20) is a forum for
__________, Select the correct option.
Q. 32 The G20 Summit is hosted by the incumbent
‘Presidency’. The G20 Presidency is responsible
for bringing together the G20 agenda in
consultation with other members and in response
to developments in the global economy. Which
country will hold the Presidency in 2024?
Q. 34 At every G20 Summit, the host country invites
countries and institutions that are not members
of the G20. Which among the following denotes
the correct list of countries being G20 invitees to
the Summit held in New Delhi in September
2023?
On the evening of the 10th, General Dyer arrived
at Amritsar, and the Deputy-Commissioner
handed over the civil power to him. He issued a
proclamation by word of mouth that no meetings
should be held. Two days later, after there had
been no sort of riot, nor murder. General Dyer
heard that a meeting was to be held at the
Jallianwala Bagh. He proceeded there with about
fifty troops, half British, half Indian, and a certain
number of Ghurkas, armed with their kukris. The
Jallianwala Bagh is an open space, half a mile
square, which has one entry wide enough for
three persons. The troops got in and lined up on
a mound of debris. The walls, seven feet high,
and the surrounding houses enclosed the people.
There were, too, three alleys through which the
people might have been able to pass. Within
thirty seconds of the troops getting in, General
Dyer gave orders to fire, and the crowd of people,
estimated at anything from 5,000 to 20,000, who
were sitting on the ground peacefully listening to
the mob oratory, were fired on. The result of the
troops’ fire into the mass of people we do not
know. But we do know that Dyer’s own estimate
of the casualties resulting from ten minutes
continual individual firing, was 400 to 500 killed
and 1,500 wounded. The people were not able to
escape. They were people who had not offered
any violence and who had not been warned. These
people were shot down. After ten minutes, the
ammunition was exhausted and the troops
marched off, and they left 1,500 wounded there.
There were men lying there for two days, dying
of thirst, eating the ground, bleeding to death
and nobody to look after them. Those who lived
nearby came and carried away some of the
wounded from the heap of dead and dying, but
the unfortunate country people died there
miserably of their wounds. This is what is done
in 1919 in British India...
Centuries hence you will find Indian children
brought up to this spot, just as they visit now the
Cawnpore Well, and you can imagine the feelings
of these Indians for generations over this terrible
business.
[Col. Wedgwood. MP, speaking in the British
Parliament, 22 December 1919]
Today, India has become the fourth country in
the world to touch the surface of the moon. This
success becomes even greater when we look at
the place from where India had started its journey.
There was a time when India did not have the
required technology and there was no support
either. We used to be among the ‘Third World’
countries, standing in the third row. Today, India
has become the fifth largest economy in the world.
Today, from trade to technology, India is among
the countries standing in the first row. In this
journey from third row to first row, institutions
like ISRO have played a major role. Today, you
have taken ‘Make in India’ to the moon.
I have seen the photo in which our moon lander
has firmly set its foot on the moon like Angad.
On one hand is the confidence of Vikram while
on the other hand is the bravery of Pragyan. Our
Pragyan is continuously leaving its footprints on
the moon. The pictures taken from different
cameras, which have just been released, and I
have had the privilege of seeing, are indeed
amazing. For the first time, since the beginning
of human civilization, for the first time in the
history of lakhs of years on the earth, man is
looking at the pictures of that place with his own
eyes. India has done the work of showing these
pictures to the world! All the scientists like you
have done it. Today, the whole world is
acknowledging the significance of India’s
scientific spirit, our technology and our scientific
temperament. Chandrayaan Maha Abhiyan is a
success not only for India but for the entire
humanity.
[Extracted from the Speech made by the Prime
Minister of India Shri. Narendra Modi on the
occasion of the landing of Chandrayaan 3 on 26th
August 2023]
Q. 41 In what did India become the fourth country in
the world?
On 7th October 2023, an armed conflict broke
out between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian
militants from the Gaza Strip[o] after the latter
launched a multi-pronged invasion of southern
Israel. After clearing Hamas militants, the Israeli
military retaliated by conducting an extensive
aerial bombardment campaign on Gazan targets
and followed up with a large- scale ground
invasion of Gaza. More than 1,400 Israelis,
mostly civilians, and more than 10,000
Palestinians have been killed in the fighting. Over
240 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken
hostage and brought into the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas-led attack began in the morning of
7th October, as Palestinian militants in Gaza
launched a barrage of over 5,000 rockets against
Israeli cities and kibbutzim while some 3,000
Palestinian militants breached the Gaza-Israel
barrier. Over 1,000 Israeli civilians were killed in
more than a dozen massacres, including the
Re’im music festival massacre, and military
bases were attacked. Over 200 civilians and
Israeli soldiers were captured or abducted and
taken to the Gaza Strip. At least 44 countries,
mostly from the Western world characterized the
massacres of civilians as terrorism. Hamas
declared that the invasion was carried out in
response to the “desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque”
the Gaza Strip blockade, the construction of Israeli
settlements, and Israeli settler violence against
Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel declared a state of war on 8th October,
and its response to the attack has seen the most
significant military escalation in the region since
the Yom Kippur War. The current hostilities
constitute the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict,
which is part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian
conflict. In 2023, before the offensive started, an
uptick in Israeli–Palestinian violence saw at least
247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis, and two foreigners
killed. According to the Gaza Health Ministry,
as of 6 November, over 10,000 Palestinians had
been killed, including 79 UNRWA staff. Israel
dropped a total of 6,000 bombs during the first
six days of the conflict–nearly double the number
of bombs dropped by the American-led CJTF–
OIR in one month during the War against the
Islamic State. There has been widespread killing
of civilians, and human rights groups and a panel
of United Nations special rapporteurs have
accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes.
Q. 47 What was the reason for Hamas-led Palestinian
militants’ attack on Israel?
The Editors Guild of India has expressed concern
over the “draconian provisions” of the Press and
Registration of Periodicals (PRP) Bill, 2023, that
can have an adverse impact on freedom of the
press.
The Guild added: “Editors Guild of India would
like the proposed bill to ensure that publishing of
news in India remains free of encumbrances and
intrusive checks on publishers by the Registrar,
and that the primary emphasis of the Registrar
and the PRP remains ‘registration’ and not
‘regulation’, as the latter has the potential of
restricting freedom of the press.”
“In the definitions section, the term ‘specified
authority’ gives power to government agencies
beyond the Press Registrar, to conduct the
functions of the Registrar, which could even
include police and other law enforcement
agencies. Given the intrusive, expansive, and
vague nature of powers that the bill in any case
allows to the Press Registrar, the power to further
delegate this power to other government agencies
including law enforcement agencies is deeply
distressing,” the Guild said.
The statement says sections 4(1) and 11 (4) allow
the Registrar to deny the right to bring out a
periodical and cancel the certificate of registration
of a periodical to persons convicted of “terrorist
act or unlawful activity” or “for having done anything
against the security of the State”.
“Interestingly, the PRB Act, 1867, had no such
provisions. Given the liberal and arbitrary use of
UAPA (which is the basis for defining “terrorist
act’ and ‘unlawful activity’), as well as other
criminal laws, including sedition, against
journalists and media organisations to suppress
freedom of speech, the Guild is deeply concerned
by the introduction of these new provisions, and
the way they can be misused to deny the right
to bring out news publications to persons who
are critical of governments.” it said.
Among the other worrisome provisions listed by
the Guild is Section 6(b), which gives power to
the Press Registrar (as well as any other
“specified authority”) to enter the premises of a
periodical to “inspect or take copies of the
relevant records or documents or ask any
questions necessary for obtaining any information
required to be furnished”.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions from “Editors
Guild of India expresses concern over draconian
provisions of the Press and Registration of
Periodicals Bills, 2023” published in The
Telegraph dated 07-08-2023]
Q. 53 The PRP Bill defines “newspaper” to mean a
periodical of loose-folded sheets usually printed
on newsprint and brought out daily or at least
once in a week, containing information on current
events, public news or comments on public
news. Who among the following is covered by
the definition of newspaper?
Q. 56 The PRP Bill defines “specified authority” to
mean a District Magistrate or Collector or such
other officer as the State Government or, as the
case may be. Union territory Administration may,
by notification, specify. The PRP Bill is criticised
by Editors Guild of India because:
Q. 57 Freedom of press is not specifically guaranteed
under the Constitution of India but is implied in
Article 19(1)(a) i.e. Freedom of Speech and
Expression. Therefore, freedom of press is part
of fundamental rights.
Q. 58 PRP Bill denies the right to publish periodicals
to a person who has been found to have
committed a terrorist act and has been convicted
by a competent Court in India.
Which of the following is most appropriate reason?
The Indian legal system places a significant
emphasis on protecting the rights and welfare of
children. The Juvenile Justice (Care and
Protection of Children) Act. 2015. is a vital piece
of legislation in this regard. It is designed to
ensure that children in conflict with the law receive
special care, protection, and treatment, with the
ultimate goal of their rehabilitation and
reintegration into society.
One of the key provisions of the Act is the
establishment of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)
at the district level. These boards consist of a
Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate of
the first class and two social workers, at least
one of whom should be a woman. The primary
function of the JJB is to determine the age of the
juvenile, the circumstances in which the offense
was committed, and whether the juvenile should
be sent to a special home or released on
probation.
The Act makes a clear distinction between a “child
in conflict with the law” and a “child in need of
care and protection.” A child in conflict with the
law is one who has committed an offense, while
a child in need of care and protection is a child
who is vulnerable or at risk and requires special
care and support.
The Act introduces a unique approach to dealing
with children who are in conflict with the law. For
children between the ages of 16 and 18, who
have committed heinous offenses, they can be
tried as adults, subject to a preliminary
assessment by the Juvenile Justice Board This
assessment considers the child’s mental and
physical capacity to commit such an offense. If
the board determines that the child should be
tried as an adult, the case is transferred to the
regular criminal courts.
The Act also places restrictions on the
publication of information that could lead to the
identification of a juvenile offender. This is done
to protect the privacy and future prospects of the
child.
Q. 59 What is the primary objective of the Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act,
2015?
In India, the legal landscape surrounding online
defamation is a subject of significant interest and
debate. With the rise of social media, and online
platforms, cases of online defamation have
become increasingly common. Defamation refers
to making false statements about someone that
harm their reputation. Online defamation includes
defamatory statements made on the internet,
including social media, blogs, forums, and other
online platforms.
One critical aspect of online defamation is
determining the liability of intermediaries, such
as social media platforms or websites, for
defamatory content posted by users. Section 79
of the Information Technology Act, 2000, provides
a safe harbor for intermediaries, stating that they
are not liable for third-party content if they act as
intermediaries and follow due diligence in
removing or disabling access to the content once
notified.
However, determining whether an intermediary
has fulfilled its due diligence obligations can be
complex. The Indian judiciary has been actively
interpreting this provision One significant case
is the Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, in which
the Supreme Court clarified that intermediaries
are required to act upon a valid court order or
government directive for content removal, not
upon private complaints.
The court also emphasized that the
intermediaries should not take a proactive role
in monitoring content, as this could potentially
infringe on free speech. While the law provides a
safe harbor, it does not absolve intermediaries
from their responsibilities.
Online defamation cases often involve a balancing
act between the right to freedom of expression
and the right to reputation. The Indian legal
system requires a careful examination of the
content, context, and intent of the statements
to determine whether they qualify as defamatory.
Additionally the plaintiff in an online defamation
case must prove that the statement was false,
damaging to their reputation, and made with a
degree of fault, such as negligence or actual
malice.
Q. 68 According to the Supreme Court in the Shreya
Singhal v. Union of India case, under what
circumstances should intermediaries act in
response to content removal?
The Supreme Court on September 1 held that a
child born of a void or voidable marriage can inherit
the parent’s share in a joint Hindu family property.
A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of
India D.Y. Chandrachud however clarified that
such a child would not be entitled to rights in or
to the property of any other person in the family.
A voidable marriage is one that is made invalid
by the husband or wife through a decree. A void
marriage is Invalid at its very inception.
Chief Justice Chandrachud said the first step to
the inheritance of a child from a void or voidable
marriage would be to ascertain the exact share
of his parent in the ancestral property. This could
be done by means of conducting a “notional
partition” of the ancestral property and calculating
how much of the property the parent would have
got immediately before his death. Once the share
of the deceased parent in the property is
ascertained through such a notional partition, his
heirs, including his children by means of void or
voidable marriage, would be entitled to their
portions in the share.
The Chief Justice said that Section 16 of the
Hindu Marriage Act has statutorily conferred
legitimacy to children born out of void or voidable
marriages. In fact, Chief Justice Chandrachud
pointed out that Section 16(3) stipulates that
children from void and voidable marriages would
have a right to their parents’ property. The court
said the intent of granting legitimacy to such
children in the Hindu Marriage Act should also
be reflected in the Hindu Succession Act, which
governs inheritance. Children from void or
voidable marriages come within the ambit of
“legitimate kinship’ and cannot be regarded as
Illegitimate by the Hindu Succession Act when
it comes to inheritance.
The case before the three-judge Bench was
focused on an amended provision in the Hindu
Marriage Act, Section 16(3). The case was
referred to a larger Bench in 2011 after a Division
Bench of the apex court refused to follow past
precedents and championed the cause of children
born out of illegitimate marriages.
“With changing social norms of legitimacy in
every society, including ours, what was
illegitimate in the past may be legitimate today.
The concept of legitimacy stems from social
consensus, in the shaping of which various social
groups play a vital role,” Justice Ganguly, who
authored the 2011 judgment, had observe.
During the hearings on the reference, Chief
Justice Chandrachud had agreed with the Division
Bench’s findings that children from void and
voidable marriages had rights over the property,
whether self-acquired or ancestral, of their
parents.
[Extracted with edits and revisions from “Children
from void, voidable marriages entitled to parents’
share in ancestral property: Supreme Court”, by
Krishnadas Rajagopal, The Hindu, https://
Q. 72 Ashima and Ashok got married to each other in
a traditional Hindu ceremony in Kolkata, after
which they both moved to the USA, where Ashok
had a job. In the USA, they had a child, whom
they named Gogol. Many years later, Ashima
found that Ashok was already married to Sushma
before their wedding in Kolkata. Ashok and
Sushma also had a child from their marriage,
Arpita, who was older than Gogol by 4 years.
Ashok explained to Ashima that although he had
no intention of cheating on her, he had to keep
his marriage to Sushma a secret since his
parents would have never agreed as Sushma
belonged to a different caste. Ashima is shocked
to learn that her marriage to Ashok is void as per
Hindu marriage laws since Ashok was already
married before their wedding. She is trying to
explore possibilities so that Gogol doesn’t lose
his inheritance from his father’s side of the family.
Based on your reading of the passage, what do
you think is the correct position with respect to
Gogol’s inheritance rights?
Q. 73 In the above fact scenario, consider a property
that was purchased by Ashok from his own
earnings in the USA, thereby not making it part
of ancestral property but instead falling in the
category of self-acquired property. Upon Ashok’s
death, who would have inheritance rights over
the said property?
Q. 74 Based on your reading of the passage, how did
the Hindu Marriage Act influence the outcome of
the case on inheritance? Select one option from
below:
Q. 75 12-year-old Kausalya was married off to 23-yearold
Dashrath in her maternal home in Uttar
Pradesh. She completed her education after her
marriage and went on to get a job as a teacher
at a government school. Dashrath’s family,
however, was opposed to her taking up a job
outside the house and insisted that she should
stay at home and look after her 2 sons, Ram
and Lakshman. Kausalya, however, was very
excited about starting her new job and sought
advice from her younger sister, Vershini. who was
training to be a lawyer. Vershini advises her that
since she was married before she turned 18, her
marriage was voidable and she could get it
annulled. Kausalya, who was not very happy in
her marriage, considers this option but is worried
that her sons may lose their inheritance. Select
the option that denotes correctly the status of
Ram and Lakshman to inherit their father’s
ancestral property.
Q. 76 Ajay is married to 2 women. Diya and Riya, and
both don’t know of each other. He was married
to Diya first, when they were both around 23
years of age and studying together in college.
They have no children. He later got married to
Riya in a temple and she had no idea about his
first marriage with Diya. Ajay and Riya have 2
children Raj and Rani. One day, Riya found out
about Diya from one of Ajay’s college friends.
She wants to divorce Ajay but finds out that her
marriage to him is void since he was already
married at that time. At a loss, she goes to a
lawyer to find out about the rights of her children
to inherit property. Which is the most legally
sound advice that the lawyer could give to her?
Q. 77 In the above scenario, Riya wants to know if there
is any way in which the judgment can come to
her aid while inheriting property owned by Ajay.
What would the correct position of law?
Q. 78 Srimati’s first marriage was void due to being
within the prohibited degree of relationship.
Dhanalakshmi, who is the daughter of Srimati
from her first marriage confronts her mother once
she finds her identity, demanding her share in
her mother’s ancestral property. Srimati,
however, subsequently married Dhrupad and has
2 daughters with him- Ira and Shira and is not
interested in giving any property to Dhanalakshmi.
Dhanalakshmi decides to assert her right in a
court of law. How would Dhanalakshmi’s share
be determined?
There are some advantages of the Digital
Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), 2023.
For instance, I for the first time, personal data
belonging to or identifying children will have to
be classified separately, with such data carrying
a greater degree of security and privacy. The law
also seeks to reduce the rate and impact of data
breaches targeting Indian businesses. The Digital
Personal Data Protection law, however, goes a
step beyond by imposing penalties for cases
where data is breached as a result of a lack of
implementation of adequate security controls.
However, it could be said that the law isn’t
balanced, because it provides wide exemptions
to the processing of personal data to the
government. For instance, data can be
processed “in the Interest of prevention,
detection, investigation or prosecution of any
offence ... in India.” These kinds of exemptions
are dangerous as they stand to legitimise
widespread and unwarranted collection of data
under the guise that such collection and
processing may ultimately be useful for preventing
or deterring a crime.
Security agencies will have significant authority
to collect and retain any data whatsoever, as is
typically the case with exemptions relating to
the maintenance of sovereignty, integrity, security
of the state, preservation of public order,
prevention of offences, and incitement to commit
offences. The law also exempts processing of
personal data held outside of India. The
government is also exempt from being required
to delete any data that it possesses, regardless
of the purpose it may have been collected for, on
the request of an individual, or by way of a
prescribed data retention period.
The government is not bound by purpose
limitations, allowing data collected for one
specified purpose be used for a new, incompatible
purpose, which stands in contrast to the
regulations imposed on businesses.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions from “Digital
Personal Data Protection Law Raises Questions
About Consistency with Right to Privacy Ruling”
published in The Wire dated 22-08-2023]
Q. 79 Mr. Lal was suffering from a rare disease and the
data relating of that was collected by the
government. Suppose the DPDPA, 2023 provides
exemptions for the government relating to data
deemed “necessary for research, archiving or
statistical purposes” if the personal data is not
to be used to take any decision specific to a
data principal and such processing is carried on
in accordance with such standards as may be
prescribed.
Q. 80 Suppose the DPDPA, 2023 provided exemption
for the processing of personal data for the purpose
of ascertaining the financial position of any person
who has defaulted in payment of amount due on
loan taken from a nationalised bank. Mr. X
Commits a default in repayment of EMI of loan
taken from a nationalized bank.
Q. 81 Suppose Mr. Y, a citizen of India, is working in
an MNC in New Zealand since 2021. The MNC
has obtained personal details of the employee
for the purpose of recovering the amount of
indemnity bond if Mr. Y left the job within three
years of joining.
Q. 82 If personal data is defined as any data about an
individual who is identifiable by or in relation to
such data, which of the following shall be
classified as the personal data?
Q. 83 In which of the following cases, the access to
personal data shall be granted and the person
whose data is accessed and processed cannot
claim personal data protection?
Imagine you have just been appointed as a
consultant for a manufacturing company that is
experiencing a decline in its production
efficiency. The company produces a wide range
of products, and the management is concerned
about the overall output. Your task is to identify
the root causes of this decline and recommend
solutions.
As you begin your investigation, you gather
information and observe the following:
• The company recently introduced a new
production system that is more automated but
requires highly specialized operators.
• The workforce has reported a lack of motivation
and job satisfaction, which has led to increased
absenteeism.
• There have been several breakdowns in the new
machinery, leading to production delays and
quality issues.
• The company’s competitors have adopted similar
automation technologies and are experiencing
increased productivity.
• Customer complaints about product quality have
increased in recent months.
Q. 85 Based on the information provided, which of the
following is a potential root cause of the decline
in production efficiency?
Words remain an enigma, their presence within
human sphere Is a unique mystery. They form
the intricate tapestry that convinces us of our
existence, blurring lines between fact and fiction.
An engagement with words is the most
captivating, enchanting, and sometimes daunting
encounter with the world. A word, a symbolic
entity formed from the ethereal, exists neither
as animate nor inanimate, yet pulsates with life.
It can emanate warmth or coldness, absorb
emotions, or stand as dry as a rock. Words can
provoke smiles and elicit joy. They are like glowworms,
momentarily dispelling the surrounding
darkness and act as life-saving rafts amid the
tumultuous ocean waves. Words grant us the
ability to explore the universe, and “to see a world
in a grain of sand,” as William Blake noted. They
impart a semantic existence to the lifeless, and
bestow aesthetic form upon the formless.
Scriptures say the word is the world. I say the
world within the word is the abode of faith.
In a world where aspirations for upward mobility
are fervent, the opportunities for achieving such
dreams remain limited. When one generation
falls short, the mantle of ambition passes to the
next, embedding within it a heavy burden of
responsibility. Failing to meet these expectations
can lead to profound sorrow, and in the direst
cases, even to suicide. It’s in this landscape that
coaching institutes assume a significant role,
cultivating an atmosphere of uncertainty among
students and parents. A stark discrepancy
emerges between preparation for board
examinations and competitive tests, amplifying
the inequalities that plague the education
system. The coaching industry’s massive
marketing campaigns further exacerbate the
situation, with some strategies veering into
ethical grey areas. The tests themselves,
designed to be more challenging than
standardised exams, set the stage for feelings
of inadequacy and self-doubt when not
conquered. Our educational system is tailored
to gauge an individual’s merit through
examinations. Eminent thinker Michael J Sandel
dubs this system the “tyranny of merit”, a
sentiment echoed by the Supreme Court of India.
Upholding the OBC reservation judgment, the
Court called for a deeper evaluation of the “idea
of merit”, highlighting its nuanced nature. Merit
as a concept remains shrouded in
misunderstanding and often goes unexamined
within school curriculum. Adapting to new living
arrangements, sourcing nourishing meals battling
isolation, and grappling with commutes form the
backdrop against, which education unfolds. For
marginalized communities and gender minorities,
these hurdles are often amplified. Social media
algorithms exacerbate mental health concerns,
sowing loneliness and impeding attention spans
and creativity. Technology emerges as a potential
equaliser in this landscape. Online platforms now
offer preparation opportunities from the comfort
of one’s home. Government-curated or marketdriven
content could usher in a new era of
accessibility.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions from “Kota
suicides: Coaching institutes manufacture
insecurity – moving beyond the tyranny of merit
might help” authored by Akash Kumar and
published in The Indian Express dated
September 2, 2023.]
Q. 97 AS per the author, which one of the following is
not likely leading to suicide among the students?
Students have been abuzz over how artificial
intelligence tools can do their homework and
programmers over how these can increase their
productivity or take away their jobs. As much as
digitization has transformed the country in recent
years, there is a widespread feeling that at some
point around the horizon, AI shall rejig everything
in even more fundamental, fantastic, and
frightening ways. This is why deciding how the
coming changes should be regulated is very
important. TRAI has made a strong case for an
independent statutory authority to ensure the
responsible development and use of AI in the
country, a global agency along similar lines shall
likely be pitched at the G20 leaders’ summit,
and interestingly even American MNC Microsoft
has floated a blueprint for AI governance in India.
The great size and diversity of its “data points”
make India of great interest to all developers of
AI technologies.
But India is only at their receiving end, nowhere
close to the US and China’s advances. Although
lately, it is becoming obvious how much state
censorship is encumbering China’s Large
Language Modeling, the country is still very much
in the game with PhDs in fields related to Al,
investments in Al chip hardware design, and
domestic generative models like Wu Dao. The
scientific accomplishments of India’s
Chandrayaan mission have seen it being wooed
for various international space collaborations.
This promises spinoff technological benefits
across Indian industry and is also geostrategically
useful. Likewise, it is only with
sufficient Al prowess that India shall really get to
play at the high table of global rulemaking for Al.
Knowing how much Indians’ future shall be
shaped by generative Al needs matching efforts
to create indigenous models. In this and at this
stage, a proactive government role is key, rather
than just waiting on some large corporation to
do the needful. Missing this bus will after all be
even more costly than missing the chip research
one. Plus, GOI alone can push academia
industry collaborations with the necessary weight
and urgency. This does not let other institutions
off the hook. A US judge has rejected the
copyright for an Al-generated artwork. Indian
courts should start engaging with the broader
issue of non-human agency rather than wait for
precedence to be set elsewhere. Indian schools
need to think beyond the ban-ChatGPT mindset.
Let us lead instead of only being led.
[Extracted from “First, get the tech: Unless India
develops domestic AI heft, it wouldn’t play any
meaningful part in global regulatory efforts”, Times
of India]
Q. 103 Which of the following is the author most likely
to agree with?
Q. 105 Based only on the author’s statement that “Indian
courts should start engaging with the broader
issue of non- human agency rather that wait for
precedence to be set elsewhere”, which of the
following would the author be most likely to agree
with?
Q. 107 Based on the author’s arguments, which of the
following would result in weakening, rather than
strengthening India’s position at the forefront of
generative Al?
Q. 108 The author states that, “Missing this bus will after
all be even more costly than missing the chip
research one.” For this statement to be true, with
which of the following statements about chip
research must the author most likely agree?
A survey was conducted about the population of
a particular region having working population of
three lacs and Information was collected about
self-employed persons, casual wage workers,
regular salaries employees of both urban and
rural areas of the region. Self-employment is a
key source of income in both rural and urban
areas but it is more prevalent in rural areas (56%
of the rural population) than in urban areas (40%
of the urban population). Rural population was
48% of the total population. Regular salaried
workers in urban areas were 48% of the urban
population whereas in rural areas, regular salaried
workers constituted 12% of the rural population.
During the survey, the casual wage workers were
found to be more common in rural areas than in
urban areas. Casual wage workers in rural areas
were 32% of the rural population whereas it was
12% of the urban population in urban areas.
Based on the above Information, answer the
following questions.
Q. 109 By what percentage the number of sell-employed
workers in rural areas Is more than the number
of self-employed workers In urban areas?
Q. 111 If urban population of the region increased from
52% to 56% and percentage of self employed in
urban region remains same, then number of selfemployed
people in urban areas are:
Q. 114 If 60% of the total working population of the region
were self-employed in rural areas and 40% of
total population were self-employed in urban
areas, then what is the ratio of rural self-employed
to urban self-employed?
Automobiles are the most preferred mode of
transport because they allow us to cover large
distance quickly. Resultantly, vehicles have been
developed that run on diesel, petrol and even on
electricity, which is a remarkable innovative
development. During a survey about the
percentage wise distribution of cars in four
different states, the information regarding ratio
between the diesel engine cars, petrol engine
cars and electric cars was collected. Total
number of cars for which data was collected was
8000. Of these, State 1 had 15% of the total
cars in the ratio of 3 : 4 : 1 (diesel, petrol and
electric); State 2 had 20% of the total cars in the
ratio of 5 : 3 : 2 (diesel, petrol and electric); State
3 had 30% of the total cars in the ratio of 4 : 5 :
3 (diesel, petrol and electric), and; State 4 had
35% of the total cars in the ratio of 7 : 5 : 2
(diesel, petrol and electric).
Based on the above information, answer the
following questions.
Q. 115 If 45% of the electric cars in State 4 are air
conditioned (AC) and remaining are non-AC, what
is the number of non-AC cars?
