UPSC CSE Prelims
Social Issues Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Social Issues
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Consider the following statements :
Statement-I :India's public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care.
Statement-II: Under India's decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
Both statements are individually correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I. The curative focus of India's public healthcare system stems from historical policy priorities and resource allocation patterns, not from the constitutional decentralization of health services.
✅ Statement-I – Correct: India's public healthcare system has historically emphasized curative care through hospitals and dispensaries, while preventive, promotive, and rehabilitative services receive limited budgetary and infrastructural support.
✅ Statement-II – Correct: Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, 'Public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries' fall under the State List (Entry 6), making States primarily responsible for organizing and delivering health services.
Relationship: The decentralized administrative structure (Statement-II) describes the constitutional framework for health governance but does not cause or explain the curative-heavy approach (Statement-I). The latter is a result of policy choices, funding models, and infrastructure development priorities rather than federalism itself.
With reference to the casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements:
- All casual workers are entitled for Employees Provident Fund coverage.
- All casual workers are entitled for regular working hours and overtime payment.
- The government can by a notification specify that an establishment or industry shall pay wages only through its bank account.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 3 — 2 and 3 only
This question tests knowledge of labor laws and rights applicable to casual workers in India. Statement 1 is incorrect as EPF coverage is not automatic for all casual workers, while statements 2 and 3 are correct based on Supreme Court rulings and payment of wages regulations.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Not all casual workers are automatically entitled to Employees Provident Fund coverage. EPF coverage applies to establishments with 20 or more employees, and casual workers must have rendered continuous service (at least 240 days in a year or 206 days for 5-day week offices) to qualify for regularization and EPF benefits.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The Supreme Court has ruled that casual workers are entitled to regular working hours and overtime payment as they fall within the definition of 'employee' under various labor laws including the EPF Act, which defines employees broadly to include those engaged directly or indirectly in an establishment's work.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Under the Payment of Wages Act and related regulations, the government can issue notifications mandating that specific establishments or industries must pay wages only through bank accounts to ensure transparency and prevent exploitation.
📝 Short Notes: Rights of Casual Workers in India
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| EPF Coverage | Applicable to establishments with 20+ employees; casual workers need 240 days (206 for 5-day week) continuous service for regularization and EPF benefits |
| Working Hours & Overtime | Casual workers entitled to normal working hours and overtime payment as per labor laws; SC has affirmed their status as 'employees' |
| Wage Payment | Government can mandate payment through bank accounts under Payment of Wages Act for transparency |
| Regularization Scheme | Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and Regularization) Scheme, 1993 provides for temporary status and eventual regularization |
| Definition of Employee | Section 2(f) of EPF Act defines 'employee' broadly to include those engaged directly or indirectly in establishment's work |
With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013 consider the following statements:
- The families coming under the category of 'below poverty line (BPL)' only are eligible to receive subsidised grains.
- The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
- Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a take-home ration' of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 only
The National Food Security Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately 67% of India's population, not just BPL families. The Act mandates that the eldest woman aged 18 years or above in a household be designated as the head for ration card issuance. However, pregnant and lactating mothers are entitled to a take-home ration of 600 calories (not 1600) per day along with a maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000.
✅ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The NFSA covers about 67% of the population (75% rural and 50% urban), identified through SECC methodology, not just BPL families. Beneficiaries include both Priority Households and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Section 3(5) of the NFSA mandates that the eldest woman in the household aged 18 years or above shall be the head of the household for issuing ration cards, ensuring women's empowerment in food security.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Under Section 4 of the NFSA, pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a take-home ration of 600 calories per day (not 1600) during pregnancy and six months after childbirth, along with a maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000.
📝 Short Notes: National Food Security Act, 2013
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Up to 75% of rural population and 50% of urban population (approximately 67% overall) |
| Foodgrain Allocation | Priority Households: 5 kg per person per month; AAY: 35 kg per household per month |
| Prices | Rice: Rs 3/kg, Wheat: Rs 2/kg, Coarse grains: Rs 1/kg |
| Maternity Entitlements | 600 calories take-home ration + Rs 6,000 maternity benefit for 6 months |
| Household Head | Eldest woman aged 18 years or above |
| Grievance Redressal | District and State level mechanisms; State Food Commissions |
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Which of the following is/are the indicator/indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index Report?
- Undernourishment
- Child stunting
- Child mortality
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is computed using four indicators that measure multidimensional hunger: Undernourishment (share of population with insufficient caloric intake), Child Stunting (children under 5 with low height for age, reflecting chronic undernutrition), Child Wasting (children under 5 with low weight for height, reflecting acute undernutrition), and Child Mortality (deaths before fifth birthday).
The question asks about three indicators — Undernourishment, Child Stunting, and Child Mortality — all of which are used by IFPRI (now published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe) in GHI computation, making all three statements correct.