India – A Welfare State — Important Questions

Organization of village panchayats

The organization of village panchayats reflects Gandhian thought, particularly his belief in 'Gram Swaraj' or village self-rule. Gandhi believed that true democracy should start from the village level with local self-governance. Option A relates to international relations principles, option C is a miscellaneous principle about institutional separation, and option D is an environmental principle added later through constitutional amendment. These don't directly reflect Gandhi's core philosophy of grassroots democracy.

Gender equality in wages

The 'equal pay for equal work' principle specifically aims to eliminate gender-based wage discrimination, ensuring that men and women receive the same compensation for performing the same work. This promotes gender equality in the workplace and economic empowerment of women. Option A is too general and doesn't capture the specific equality aspect. Option C is about working hours, not wages. Option D misrepresents the principle as it's about fair compensation, not government control over all wages.

86th Amendment

The 86th Constitutional Amendment (2002) made free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years a fundamental right under Article 21A. This amendment was a significant step in implementing the Directive Principle about education. The 42nd Amendment dealt with environmental protection and other issues. The 73rd Amendment established Panchayati Raj institutions, and the 74th Amendment dealt with urban local bodies, making options A, C, and D incorrect.

Providing rural employment guarantee

MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) primarily aims to provide employment guarantee to rural households, ensuring at least 100 days of employment per year. This implements the Directive Principle of securing right to work for citizens. Option A is incorrect as MGNREGA focuses on rural, not urban areas. Option C is too narrow as it's about overall rural employment, not just highways. Option D is incorrect as it's about employment guarantee, not industrial promotion.