Consider the following statements :
Statement-I :
The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration.
Statement-II :
Article 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term 'efficiency of administration'.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Show answer
Answer: C. Statement-I is correct: in cases like Indra Sawhney (1992) and M. Nagaraj (2006), the Supreme Court held that reservations under Article 16(4) must be balanced with efficiency of administration under Article 335. Statement-II is wrong: Article 335 only mentions efficiency; it does not define it. So I is correct, II is incorrect.
Watch for: Article 335 uses the phrase, but using a term is not defining it.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because Statement-II is false.
- B. Wrong because Statement-II is false.
- D. Wrong because Statement-I is true.
Source to check: Constitution of India, Articles 16(4) and 335; Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992); M. Nagaraj v. Union of India (2006)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.