UPSC Prelims 2024 Q81: Indian Polity – Social Justice & Vulnerable Sections
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act) 2023 - Statement Analysis
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Provisions will come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha | FALSE | The Act will NOT necessarily come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha. Implementation requires completion of delimitation of constituencies and conduct of Census first. Since Census has been delayed and delimitation follows Census, the Act is unlikely to be implemented before the 19th or later Lok Sabha. |
| 2 | This will be in force for 15 years after becoming an Act | TRUE | The reservation for women under this Act is initially for 15 years from the date of commencement. Parliament can extend it beyond 15 years by law. |
| 3 | There are provisions for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes Women within the quota reserved for Scheduled Castes | TRUE | The Act provides that within the seats reserved for women, a sub-reservation will exist for SC/ST women within the overall SC/ST reserved quota. |
Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false - implementation requires Census and delimitation to be completed first, which is not tied to a specific Lok Sabha number.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false (implementation not guaranteed from 18th Lok Sabha - needs Census + delimitation). Statements 2 and 3 are both correct.
- (c) CORRECT. Statement 2 (15 years duration) and Statement 3 (sub-reservation for SC/ST women within women's quota) are both correct. Statement 1 is false.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is correct (15 years), not only Statement 3. Both 2 and 3 are correct statements about the Act.
Key point
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Effective AFTER Census + delimitation (not necessarily 18th Lok Sabha). Duration: 15 years (extendable). Sub-reservation for SC/ST women within women's quota.
Remember
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam reserves 33% seats for women for 15 years and includes a sub-reservation for SC/ST women. It will come into effect only after the next Census and delimitation - not automatically from the 18th Lok Sabha.
Common mistakes
- Thinking the Act will definitely come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha - it requires a fresh Census and delimitation exercise first, which has not yet been completed.
- Not knowing the 15-year duration - the reservation is not permanent from the start but is for 15 years, subject to parliamentary extension.
- Missing the SC/ST women sub-reservation - within the seats reserved for women, SC/ST women have a sub-quota within the overall SC/ST reserved seats.
Exam tip
Nari Shakti Vandan: 33% for women + sub-quota for SC/ST women. Needs Census + delimitation before taking effect. Valid for 15 years. The 18th Lok Sabha election (2024) happened WITHOUT this reservation because Census/delimitation was not done.
Sources
- The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam)
- Ministry of Law and Justice - Women's Reservation Act 2023