1. Tele-Law: Video-conferencing based pre-litigation legal advice through Common Service Centres
2. National Judicial Data Grid: Door-to-door legal assistance in aspirational blocks
3. e-Sewa Kendras: Support for litigants facing the digital divide in court complexes
4. Gram Nyayalayas: Female-led mediation at Gram Panchayat level
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Statement 1 – Correct: Tele-Law provides pre-litigation legal advice to disadvantaged sections through video conferencing at Common Service Centres. It is meant to improve early legal access before disputes move into formal litigation.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: Door-to-door legal assistance in aspirational blocks is associated with Nyaya Sahayaks, not the National Judicial Data Grid. NJDG is a digital database that provides transparency regarding case status, orders, judgments and pendency.
Statement 3 – Correct: e-Sewa Kendras were established in court complexes to assist litigants who face technological or digital access barriers. They help bridge the digital divide in the justice system.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: Female-led mediation at Gram Panchayat level refers to Nari Adalats, not Gram Nyayalayas. Gram Nyayalayas are grassroots courts under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 for affordable and speedy rural justice.
Reason (R): Article 39A requires the State to provide free legal aid and ensure that justice is not denied due to economic or other disabilities.
Assertion (A) – Correct: Access to justice in India is treated as a fundamental right derived from Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. This reflects the link between equality before law, fair procedure and meaningful legal access.
Reason (R) – Correct: Article 39A requires the State to provide free legal aid and to ensure that justice is not denied because of economic or other disabilities. This is the principal constitutional mandate for promoting access to justice.
Why R explains A – Correctly: The Reason explains the operational constitutional basis for making access to justice real and effective. While Articles 14 and 21 ground the right, Article 39A provides the affirmative state obligation that supports that right in practice.
Option (a) – Incorrect: This describes Nari Adalats, not LADCS. Nari Adalats use female-led mediation at the Gram Panchayat level.
Option (b) – Incorrect: This refers to Nyaya Bandhu, which connects pro bono advocates with eligible beneficiaries. LADCS is a structured defence representation mechanism, not only a digital platform.
Option (c) – Correct: LADCS is a public defender model implemented by NALSA. It engages full-time lawyers in over 680 districts to provide free legal representation in criminal matters.
Option (d) – Incorrect: This describes Gram Nyayalayas under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. They are rural justice institutions, not a defence counsel system.
Access to Justice in India
- Articles 14 and 21: Access to justice is derived from the guarantees of equality before law and protection of life and personal liberty.
- Article 39A: It directs the State to provide free legal aid and ensure that justice is not denied because of economic or other disabilities.
- NALSA: The National Legal Services Authority, created under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, is the apex body for overseeing legal aid programmes.
- Four-tier structure: Legal aid institutions function at the National, State, District, and Taluk levels.
- LADCS: The Legal Aid Defence Counsel System is NALSA’s public defender model, under which full-time lawyers provide free criminal legal representation in over 680 districts.
- Gram Nyayalayas: Established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, these mobile courts aim to deliver speedy and affordable justice in rural areas.
- Fast Track Special Courts: Since 2019, over 770 such courts have been operationalised for rape and POCSO Act cases through time-bound trials.
- e-Courts Mission Mode Project: Now in Phase III, with an outlay of ₹7,210 crore, it is the central pillar of judicial digital reform.
- Tele-Law Programme: It connects disadvantaged persons with panel lawyers for pre-litigation advice through video conferencing at 2.5 lakh Common Service Centres.
- NJDG: The National Judicial Data Grid hosts over 34 crore orders and judgments and provides transparency on case status and pendency.
- e-Sewa Kendras: More than 1,900 centres in court complexes assist litigants who face digital barriers.
- Virtual and Hybrid Courts: Video conferencing has enabled hearings in over 3.9 crore cases, while virtual courts handle millions of traffic challan matters.
- Language translation: The Supreme Court has translated over 80,000 judgments into 18 regional languages to improve linguistic accessibility.
- Lok Adalats: They are an important ADR mechanism for amicable settlement of disputes, especially at the pre-litigation stage.
- Case disposal: Since 2021, National Lok Adalats have disposed of over 33 crore pre-litigation cases.
- Nyaya Bandhu: This pro bono platform connects over 10,000 registered advocates with eligible beneficiaries for free legal services.
- Nari Adalats: Under Mission Shakti, these female-led mediation forums at the Gram Panchayat level address domestic and gender-based violence disputes.
- Legal Literacy Clubs: Established in over 100 law colleges, they promote legal awareness and a pro bono culture among students.
- Scheme: Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice is a 2021–2026 scheme aimed at ensuring Ease of Justice.
- Tele-Law: It provides pre-litigation legal support.
- Nyaya Bandhu: It expands access to pro bono legal services.
- Legal literacy and awareness: It seeks to sensitise citizens about their rights and remedies.
- Nyaya Sahayaks: Since 2024, these community-based facilitators have been providing door-to-door legal assistance in 500 aspirational blocks.
- Broader objective: India’s access to justice framework combines legal aid, digital platforms, ADR, community mediation, and legal awareness.
- Core aim: It seeks to make justice more affordable, accessible, speedy, transparent, and inclusive.
1. The Indian Ocean Conference was launched as an intergovernmental initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
2. The Indian Ocean Region accounts for about one-third of the global population.
3. MAHASAGAR was presented as a framework exclusively for maritime disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
4. The 9th Indian Ocean Conference concluded in Mauritius.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 – Incorrect: The IOC began in 2016 through India Foundation in association with regional think tanks and institutions. It is not an intergovernmental initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Indian Ocean Region hosts around 40% of the global population. Hence, describing it as accounting for about one-third is not accurate in this context.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: MAHASAGAR was framed as India’s 2025 maritime doctrine for holistic regional advancement. It cannot be reduced to an exclusively HADR-oriented framework.
Statement 4 – Correct: The 9th Indian Ocean Conference was held in Mauritius.
9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC 2026)
- Event: The 9th Indian Ocean Conference was held in Mauritius from April 10 to 12, 2026.
- Theme: The conference was centred on “Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance”.
- Organisers: It was organised by the India Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Mauritius and the Government of India.
- Host country: Mauritius hosted the conference.
- Dates: The event took place from April 10 to 12, 2026.
- Inaugural address: It was delivered by Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius.
- Keynote speaker: Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, delivered the keynote address.
- Participation: The conference saw participation of ministers and senior leaders from over 25 countries and more than 200 delegates from 33 nations.
- Track 1.5 platform: The conference functioned as a Track 1.5 diplomatic platform, bringing together official representatives and non-official experts.
- Purpose: It aimed to generate policy dialogue on governance, security, sustainability, and cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
- Regional governance: The conference stressed cooperative frameworks and shared responsibility for Indian Ocean governance.
- Maritime security: Deliberations focused on piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and terrorism.
- Blue economy: It highlighted sustainable fisheries, renewable ocean energy, and protection of marine biodiversity.
- Climate resilience: Special attention was given to the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States.
- Rules-based order: The conference emphasised adherence to UNCLOS as the basis for maritime order and dispute management.
- SAGAR: Dr. S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region.
- MAHASAGAR: He also referred to MAHASAGAR as India’s 2025 maritime doctrine for broader regional advancement.
- Resilient supply chains: India underlined the need to reduce over-concentration in manufacturing in order to avoid global disruptions.
- Future host announcement: India announced that it will host the 10th Indian Ocean Conference in 2027.
- Extra-regional competition: Discussions acknowledged increasing competition from powers outside the region.
- Strategic chokepoints: Concerns were raised about militarisation around chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb.
- Strategic autonomy: Leaders stressed that smaller littoral states should retain strategic autonomy and avoid entanglement in major power rivalries.
1. It is a directive issued by a political party to ensure that its members attend and vote according to the party line.
2. It is expressly provided for in the Constitution of India.
3. A one-line whip ordinarily allows party members to abstain from voting.
4. A three-line whip is generally issued on important occasions such as a no-confidence motion.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: A whip is a direction issued by a political party to ensure that its members attend the House and vote in accordance with the party line. It is an instrument of party discipline in the legislature.
Statement 2 – Incorrect: The whip is based on the conventions of parliamentary government. It is not expressly laid down in the Constitution in the manner suggested in the statement.
Statement 3 – Correct: A one-line whip is generally a mild direction. It is usually issued to inform party members of a vote and allows them to abstain.
Statement 4 – Correct: A three-line whip is the strictest form and is used on important occasions. It requires members to adhere to the party line, such as during a no-confidence motion.
1. Under the anti-defection law, a member may be disqualified for voting contrary to a direction issued by the political party.
2. A member may also be disqualified for abstaining from voting contrary to such direction.
3. The power to decide such disqualification rests with the Election Commission of India.
4. Defiance of a whip automatically results in immediate loss of membership without any decision by the Presiding Officer.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 – Correct: The anti-defection law permits disqualification where a member votes in the House contrary to a direction issued by the political party. This is one of the recognized grounds linked to defiance of whip.
Statement 2 – Correct: Disqualification may also arise where a member abstains from voting contrary to the direction of the political party. The law covers both contrary voting and contrary abstention.
Statement 3 – Incorrect: The source refers to disqualification under the anti-defection law through the Speaker or the Chairperson, not the Election Commission. Hence this statement is incorrect.
Statement 4 – Incorrect: Defiance of a whip does not itself produce automatic and immediate loss of membership. A decision by the competent Presiding Officer is necessary.