UGC-NET (NTA) Human Rights and Duties, SEPTEMBER-2024

Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, introduced by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, enlists the Fundamental Duties of every citizen.
The duties are arranged in a specific sequence. The relevant duties in the question appear in the following order in the Constitution:
A. Respect the National Flag and National Anthem (Article 51A(a))- This duty obligates every citizen to respect the ideals and symbols of the nation, including the Constitution, the National Flag, and the National Anthem.
B. Cherish the ideals of the National Freedom Struggle (Article 51A(b)) - Citizens are to uphold the noble values and sacrifices that led to India's independence.
C. Uphold Sovereignty and Integrity of India (Article 51A(c)) - Citizens must protect India's unity and integrity.
D. Defend the country when called upon (Article 51A(d)) - Every citizen is expected to stand for the defense of the nation whenever the situation demands.
Hence, the correct sequence in Article 51A is (a), (b), (c), (d) i.e., A, B, C, D.

India has implemented several preventive detention laws, both enacted and repealed, in response to national security concerns. Their chronological order of coming into force is:
A. Preventive Detention Act - 1950: The first preventive detention law after independence; allowed detention without trial for up to 12 months. Repealed in 1969.
B. Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) - 1971: Introduced during Indira Gandhi's tenure, especially used during Emergency. It was repealed in 1977.
D. National Security Act (NSA) – 1980: Still in force. It allows the government to detain a person to prevent him from acting in a manner prejudicial to national security.
C. Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) - 2002: Enacted after the 2001 Parliament attack. Provided broader powers for arrest and detention. Repealed in 2004 due to concerns of misuse.
Hence, the correct chronological order is 1950 → 1971 1980 2002, i.e., A, B, D, C.

The Acts related to women's rights and protection have been passed in different decades to address specific social issues. Their chronological order is:
B. Dowry Prohibition Act - 1961: First major post-independence legislation to combat the menace of dowry and its implications on women.
C. Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act - 1986: Enacted to prohibit depiction of women in indecent or derogatory forms in advertisements, publications, etc.
D. Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act - 1994: Enacted to stop female foeticide and ban sex-selective abortions. It mandates registration of ultrasound clinics and penalizes violations.
A. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act - 2005: A civil law offering remedies to women facing domestic violence in all forms: physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and economic abuse.
Thus, the correct timeline is 1961 → 1986 → 1994 2005, i.e., B, C, D, A.

The United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development (1986) highlights that development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural, and political process. The provisions mentioned in the question appear in the following order:
B. All human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and interdependent - Article 6(2): Establishes the foundational concept that all rights civil, political, economic, social, cultural - are interlinked.
D. All human beings have a responsibility for development, individually and collectively - Article 2(2): Assigns the duty of development to both individuals and the collective global community.
A. States have the duty to cooperate with each other in ensuring development - Article 3(3): Emphasizes international cooperation for equitable global development.
C. Sustained action is required to promote rapid development of developing countries - Article 4(2): Urges special focus on development of the Global South to ensure fairness.
Correct order per appearance in the Declaration: 6(2) → 2(2) →3(3) → 4(2), i.e., B, D, A, С.

The chronological adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of these major human rights conventions is:
D. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) - Adopted in 1966, came into force in 1976: Recognizes rights such as right to work, education, health, and adequate standard of living.
B. Convention on the Rights of the Child - 1989: One of the most universally accepted human rights conventions; defines civil, political, social, and economic rights of children.
C. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families - 1990: Ensures dignity and equality for migrant workers and their families regardless of their legal status.
A. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - 2006: Ensures full and equal human rights for people with disabilities and promotes accessibility and inclusion.
Thus, the adoption timeline is 1966 → 1989 → 1990→ 2006, i.e., D, B, C, А.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides comprehensive measures to ensure inclusive education for children with disabilities. The Act promotes the rights of such children to study in mainstream schools and participate equally in society. The relevant provisions are:
B. Establish adequate number of teacher training institutions - The Act mandates states to set up institutions to train teachers in inclusive education and disability awareness.
C. Train professionals and staff to support inclusive education - Capacity-building of school staff is emphasized so that children with disabilities are supported in regular schools.
D. Establish adequate number of resource centres - Resource centres are to be created to provide support services like counseling, assistive devices, and learning materials to educational institutions.
A is not correct as the Act does not specifically mandate a biennial survey of school-going children. Thus, the correct set of provisions is B, C, and D only.

Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) guarantees the right of everyone to benefit from scientific progress and its applications. It includes:
• The right to enjoy the benefits of scientific advancement.
• The freedom for scientific research and creative activity.
• The obligation of states to respect the freedom indispensable for scientific research.
The other options refer to different articles in the ICESCR:
• Right to social insurance - Article 9
• Right to education - Article 13
•  Right to highest attainable standard of mental health - Article 12 Hence, only Option D correctly reflects the content of Article 15.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has the following key features:
A. Set up in 1959 - It became operational under the European Convention on Human Rights (1950).
B. Can rule on state applications and individual applications - ECHR hears complaints of civil and political rights violations under the Convention.
C. Based in Strasbourg, France - The ECHR is located in Strasbourg and is part of the Council of Europe.
D is incorrect - Individuals can directly apply to the Court after exhausting all domestic remedies. This is one of the landmark features of the ECHR. Hence, the correct statements are A, B, and C only.

Article 13 of the ICESCR deals with the right to education and outlines a comprehensive framework based on four interrelated elements, commonly known as the "4 A's framework" developed by UN Special Rapporteur Katarina Tomasevski. These are:
• Availability Functioning educational institutions and programs must be available in sufficient quantity.
• Accessibility - Education must be accessible to all, without discrimination.
• Acceptability - Education must be relevant, culturally appropriate, and of good quality.
• Adaptability - Education must be flexible to adapt to the needs of changing societies and communities.
All four components are reflected in General Comment No. 13 (1999) on the right to education under Article 13. Hence, the correct answer is E only: Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Adaptability.