Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution
Ready to check the official UPSC Answer Key?
Click any option above to test yourself under exam conditions, or reveal the explanation directly.
Correct Answer: Option (C) — Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference VerifiedStatement-I is correct: In landmark cases including Indra Sawhney (1992) and M. Nagaraj (2006), the Supreme Court held that Article 335 operates as a limitation on affirmative action policies framed under Article 16(4), ensuring that the overall efficiency of administration is maintained.
Statement-II is incorrect: Article 335 states that the claims of SCs and STs shall be taken into consideration consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, but it does NOT define what constitutes 'efficiency of administration'. Its meaning has been elaborated through judicial interpretation (e.g., B.K. Pavitra (II) v. Union of India, 2019).
The Constitution avoids acting as a dictionary; terms like 'efficiency of administration', 'martial law', 'office of profit', or 'violation of Constitution' are not explicitly defined in the text of the Constitution.
Practice Full-Length & Sectional Prelims Mocks on this Interface
50 simulated tests in the APT Prelims Test Series (₹1,493) or 1-on-1 Mentorship with Avinash Sir.