Ram temple ‘fraud’: SIT finds blatant SOP violations

With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements:

1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act as a Supreme Court judge by the Chief Justice of India with prior permission of the President of India.
2. A High Court in India has the power to review its own judgement as the Supreme Court does.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. 1 Only
2. B. 2 Only
3. C. Both 1 and 2
4. D. Neither 1 nor 2

Consider the following statements:
1. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is appointed by the Central Government.
2. Certain provisions in the Constitution of India give the Central Government the right to issue directions to the RBI in public interest.
3. The Governor of the RBI draws his power from the RBI Act.

Which of the above statements are correct?

1. A. 1 and 2 only
2. B. 2 and 3 only
3. C. 1 and 3 only
4. D. 1, 2 and 3

Ms. X is a mid-level civil service official working in the urban development department of a major city. Recently, she was involved in approving a contract for a public infrastructure project — a new community park. During the approval process, she received a piece of confidential information indicating that one of the shortlisted contractors had a history of poor workmanship and allegations of corruption in other cities, though nothing had been legally proven. The Head of the Department, Mr. Y, advised her not to disclose this information to the project committee or the public because it could delay the project and damage the city's reputation. However, Ms. X believed that withholding such information compromised transparency and public trust.

What amongst the following should Ms. X do now?

1. Immediately disclose the information to the project committee and the public
2. Recommend removing the contractor from the shortlist to protect the project's integrity
3. Propose a 'limited disclosure' to an oversight committee, while keeping the information confidential from the public for the time being

Select the answer using the code given below:

1. A. 1 and 2 only
2. B. 3 only
3. C. 2 and 3 only
4. D. 1, 2 and 3

Consider the following statements:

1. It is the Governor of the State who recognizes and declares any community of that State as a Scheduled Tribe.
2. A community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. 1 only
2. B. 2 only
3. C. Both 1 and 2
4. D. Neither 1 nor 2

Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a private service provider responsible for vaccine distribution was compromising on quality to make profits. Despite immense pressure to manage the issue due to vested interests, he raised his voice based on the principles of public administration which he learnt during various training programmes attended across his career. He reported the issue to the appropriate vigilance authority and halted the contract to ensure citizen welfare.

Which one among the following principles of public administration was most strongly demonstrated by Mr. X's actions?

1. A. Esprit de corps
2. B. Equity
3. C. Accountability
4. D. Delegation

With reference to India, consider the following:

I. The Inter-State Council
II. The National Security Council
III. Zonal Councils

How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the Constitution of India?

1. A. Only one
2. B. Only two
3. C. All the three
4. D. None

Consider the following statements:

With reference to the Constitution of India, if an area in a State is declared as Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule,
I. the State Government loses its executive power in such areas and a local body assumes total administration.
II. the Union Government can take over the total administration of such areas under certain circumstances on the recommendations of the Governor.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. I only
2. B. II only
3. C. Both I and II
4. D. Neither I nor II

How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?

1. A. One
2. B. Two
3. C. Three
4. D. Four

Consider the following statements :
1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
2. Once issued, the Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. 1 only
2. B. 2 Only
3. C. 1 and 2
4. D. None of the above

With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements:
1. Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President.
2. The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block.
3. The Chief Ministers of the concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. A. Only one
2. B. Only two
3. C. All three
4. D. None

Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.

Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could come into conflict with poor people’s needs in a country like India – Comment.

How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.

Discuss the evolution of collegium system in India. Critically examine the advantages and disadvantages of the system of appointment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India and that of the USA.

Indian Constitution has conferred the amending power on the ordinary legislative institutions with a few procedural hurdles. In view of this statement, examine the procedural and substantive limitations on the amending power of the Parliament to change the Constitution.

Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss.

The recent Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged financial irregularities at the Ram temple in Ayodhya primarily highlights issues related to the functioning of which of the following?

1. A. A constitutional body responsible for religious endowments.
2. B. A statutory body established for temple management.
3. C. A private trust managing public donations.
4. D. A government-owned corporation for infrastructure development.

According to the SIT probe findings regarding the Ram temple donation management, which of the following was NOT a stipulated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that was violated?

1. A. Retention of CCTV footage of donation counting for 180 days.
2. B. Deployment of security guards during the counting process.
3. C. Mandatory frisking of personnel entering and leaving counting rooms.
4. D. Public disclosure of daily donation amounts.

Consider the following statements regarding the Ram temple donation controversy: 1. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for donation counting were finalized after initial suspicions of mismanagement arose. 2. The SIT probe was initiated following allegations made by the Samajwadi Party chief. 3. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary initially dismissed the allegations of fraud. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. A. 1 and 2 only
2. B. 2 and 3 only
3. C. 1 and 3 only
4. D. 1, 2 and 3

The recent SIT probe into the alleged financial irregularities at the Ram temple in Ayodhya highlights critical issues of governance, transparency, and accountability in organizations managing significant public donations. Discuss the challenges in ensuring probity in such trusts and suggest measures to strengthen their oversight mechanisms.

Introduce the context of the Ram temple controversy, discuss challenges in ensuring probity in private trusts handling public funds, and suggest measures for stronger oversight and accountability.

The alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple, despite the existence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), raises serious questions about ethical conduct and the erosion of public trust. Analyze the ethical implications of such incidents and suggest how a strong culture of probity can be fostered within organizations handling public contributions.

Begin by outlining the ethical implications of financial mismanagement in public trusts, then discuss the factors that undermine probity, and finally propose strategies to cultivate a culture of ethical conduct and trust.