Model Answers For Mains
Trace the salient sequences of events in popular revolt that took place in February 1946 in the then Royal Indian Navy and bring out its significance in the freedom struggle. Do you agree with the views that the sailors who took part in this revolt were some of the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle?
(Civil Services Mains 2011, 250 words)The sequences of the events of RIN revolt can be traced in three stages. The first stage started with the protest against the British Raj by the ratings of Royal Indian Navy; in the second stage the people of the city and region around joined the revolt. While in the third stage the solidarity for the revolt was seen from across the country.
The RIN revolt started in February 1946, when naval ratings of HMIS Talwar struck work at Bombay. The surcharged political milieu of the country in the background of Quit India Movement coupled with the racial discrimination and substandard quality of the food were the immediate cause of the revolt. After Bombay, the ratings of Calcutta and Karachi too revolted. In the second stage, the people of these cites joined the revolt with the ratings and meetings, processions and rampant in the effected cites to show sympathy towards the rating. In the third stage the solidarity was displayed by the students and people from different part of the country in the support of the revolt.
Significance of the revolt
The revolt was the direct challenge to the British Empire. The revolt in the armed forces of the British Raj had a huge psychological liberating effect on the minds of the people. It galvanized the already surcharged political atmosphere of the country and it was clear that roots of British empire in India were shaking.
Apart from this the revolt displayed a great example of the Hindu Muslim unity and also has the connotations of the class struggle and communist ideology.
Since Congress and Muslim League did not officially supported the revolt and various contemporary historians gave much emphasis on the “militancy” factor in the revolt. As a result the sailors who took part in the revolt remained to be the unsung hero of the freedom struggle.
Bring out the salient features of the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and the implication of its amendment in 2003
(Civil Services Exam 2011, 250 words)
Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act (PCPNDT), 1994 was enacted to check the declining sex ratio and to prevent female feticide through sex selective abortions.
The main purpose of enacting the act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques and prevent the misuse of medical diagnostic technique for sex selective abortions. Offences under this act include conducting or helping in the conduct of prenatal diagnostic technique in the unregistered units, sex selection on a man or woman, conducting PND test for any purpose other than the one mentioned in the act, sale, distribution, supply, renting etc. of any ultra sound machine or any other equipment capable of detecting sex of the foetus.
The amendments of 2003 have made this act further stringent and effective. Amendment of the act mainly covered to bring the technology of pre conception sex selection within the ambit of the act. The amendment has enlarged the scope of the techniques that were earlier covered under the Act. The amendment puts the ultrasound techniques within the ambit of this act. The provisions for more stringent punishments have been made through the amendment. The Amendment has also regulated the distribution of the ultrasound machines by allowing their sales only to the registered bodies. The Act empowered appropriate authorities with the power of civil court for search, seizure and sealing the machines and equipments of the violators.
Although the Act was made stringent by the Amendment in the year 2003, but the recent data of Census 2011 clearly reflects that the issue is much more complex and a lot needs to be done not only from the legal perspective but also from the socio-economic and cultural perspectives as well to tackle the issue.
‘The exercise of executive clemency is not a privilege but is based on several principles, and discretion has to be exercised in public consideration.’ Analyse this statement in the context of judicial powers of the President of India.
The executive Clemency under Article 72 is a matter of discretion and yet subject to certain standards. It is not a matter of privilege as the President cannot arbitrarily exercise it for the benefit of the convict only and its exercise must be bona fide. Moreover this power is exercised by the Executive with the aid and advice of the council of ministers and is subject to judicial review.
It is a matter of performance of official duty. It is vested in the President not for the benefit of the convict only, but for the welfare of the people. The basic tenet behind executive clemency is not to overrule the punishment awarded through a judgment but the convict gets benefit of a liberalized policy of State pardon.
The Constitution has given this power to the Executive because founding fathers of the constitution were aware of the fact that there are issues which are often alien and irrelevant to judicial process like: morality, public good, social and political considerations etc.
Recently the executive Clemency was in news because of the cases related to Afzal Guru and mercy plea of those, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and Tamil Nadu assembly’s passage of a resolution over it.
However tendencies like politicization of the Clemency and using Clemency as a vehicle to gain political mileage must be avoided so that the exercise of this power remains to be bona fide, without delays and for the welfare of the country.
Discuss the extent, causes, and implications of ‘nutrition transition’ said to be underway in India.
“Nutrition Transition” refers to the increased consumption of unhealthy foods which results into prevalence of overweight and obesity in a society. Nutrition transition is malnutrition ensuing not merely from a need for food, but the need for high-quality nourishment. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have been substituted by foods heavy in added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.
Extent in India: Obesity has acquired epidemic proportions in India with 5 per cent of the population suffering from it. The women in urban areas in India suffer from obesity and overweight in much higher proportion. As per a survey 12% women are overweight and 2% obese.
Causes: Various factors which have contribute to the growth of ‘nutrition transition’ are rapid urbanization, change in lifestyle especially in urban areas, upward shift in the income level of the households, prevalence of consumption culture, availability of imported food from the industrialized countries, lucrative marketing of junk food in the public media etc.
Implications: In India bulk of the population is malnourished and the governmental spending on the public health are very low, thus nutrition transition can have severe implications on the productivity, national income and growth rate of the country. The nutritional transition is also the major cause of prevalence of non-communicable disease e.g. diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease, renal disease etc.
Essentially all that is contained in the part IV-A of the constitution is first a codification of tasks integral to Indian way of life. Critically examine this statement.
(Civil Services, 2011- 250 words)
The Part IV-A of the constitution contain the Fundamental Duties, which were incorporated by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment act. Although these duties are not enforceable in a court of law yet they carry the ethical and moral connotations that are required for smooth functioning of the plural democracy like India.
Many of these duties reflect the ethos of Indian tradition, culture, customs, mores and practices. The duties include practices such as to abjure violence, to develop scientific tempo, to preserve the rich heritage and culture, to protect and improve the environment and to promote spirit of brotherhood. These practices are professed by various Indian religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism etc. Various great Indian rulers like Ashoka and Akbar have also adopted the similar tenets. Thus the Fundamental duties codify the tenets which various Indian religion, philosophies and great rulers had envisaged since time immemorial.
However it is ironical that despite of the fact that Fundamental duties are present in the constitution and the crux of these duties professed from time immemorial, the ground realities are entirely different. There are various instances in day to day life where citizens act exactly opposite to what is expected as Fundamental Duties. For instance there are rampant cases of communal frenzy, there are instances of citizens polluting the environment especially the rivers in the guise of religion, a bulk of population is still in the grip of various superstitious practices, and there are instances where the unscrupulous groups tend to dismantle the harmony in the society. All these are exactly opposite to the Fundamental duties that constitution of India expects from the citizens.
