Under which one of the following Sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Rules, 1995 has 'Material for Annual Report' been provided?
- (a)Section 18
- (b)Section 20
- (c)Section 22
- (d)Section 24
The commission cancelled this question and awarded marks to all candidates, so no option is treated as correct. Use it only to learn the topic. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 created special offences called 'atrocities' and set up special courts; the Rules, 1995 framed under it lay down the machinery to work the Act, and one part of that machinery is an annual report to the Centre on the measures taken to prevent atrocities. A likely reason the item was voided is its wording: the 1995 Rules number their provisions as 'Rules', not 'Sections', while it is the parent Act that is divided into 'Sections' — so it is unclear which numbering the options refer to, leaving no single defensible key.
- (a)Section 18 — Not scored — the item was cancelled and marks were given to all, so no option is treated as correct.
- (b)Section 20 — Not scored — the item was cancelled and marks were given to all, so no option is treated as correct.
- (c)Section 22 — Not scored — the item was cancelled and marks were given to all, so no option is treated as correct.
- (d)Section 24 — Not scored — the item was cancelled and marks were given to all, so no option is treated as correct.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 grows out of the Constitution's safeguards for SCs and STs — Article 17 (abolition of untouchability) and Articles 338/338A (the National Commissions for SCs and STs). The Act defines special offences ('atrocities') and provides Special Courts; the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 supply the working detail, including relief to victims, vigilance and monitoring committees, and the duty of the State to furnish material for an annual report on measures taken.
A common source of confusion — and, here, the flaw that voided the item — is treating the Act and its Rules as one numbering. The Act is split into Sections; the Rules are split into Rules. When a question mixes 'Section' with 'Rules, 1995', the reference becomes ambiguous.
- The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is of 1989; its implementing Rules are of 1995.
- The 1995 Rules require the State Government to furnish material for an annual report on measures taken against atrocities — a monitoring safeguard.
- Constitutional backbone: Article 17 (untouchability abolished), Article 338 (National Commission for SCs), Article 338A (National Commission for STs).
- This 2018 item was cancelled by the commission and marks were awarded to all candidates.
- Mixing the Act's 'Sections' with the Rules' 'Rules' — they are numbered separately
- Confusing the 1989 Atrocities Act with the 1955 Protection of Civil Rights Act
MPPSC often drills the exact section/rule number of the SC/ST Act and Rules; UPSC prefers the constitutional and administrative framework and the reporting mechanism. Anchor: 1989 Act, 1995 Rules, Articles 338/338A.
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
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 4 only
- (c) 1, 3 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
Same idea — the annual-report / reporting safeguard for Scheduled Castes, here the President laying the National Commission for SCs report (Article 338(6)) before Parliament.
Under which Article of the Constitution of India has the National Commission for Scheduled Castes been constituted?
- (a) Article 332
- (b) Article 338
- (c) Article 342
- (d) Article 328
Answer(b) Article 338
Same framework — the constitutional machinery protecting Scheduled Castes that sits alongside the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and its 1995 Rules.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Rules framed to implement the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act belong to which year?
- (a)1989
- (b)1995
- (c)2016
- (d)2018
Answer(b) 1995 — the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 implement the 1989 Act.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Under the Constitution, whose duty is it to lay the annual report of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes before Parliament?
- (a)The President
- (b)The Prime Minister
- (c)The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
- (d)The Chief Justice of India
Answer(a) The President — under Article 338(6) the report is laid before each House of Parliament.