List-I (Constitutional Amendments)
(a) 77th Amendment
(b) 81st Amendment
(c) 82nd Amendment
(d) 85th Amendment
List-II (Reservations for SC & STs)
(i) “Consequential Seniority” in Reservation
(ii) Reservations in Promotion
(iii) Relaxation in Qualifying marks
(iv) Carry forward unfilled vacancies of SC & STs
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
(A) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(iii), (d)-(i)
(B) (a)-(i), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iii), (d)-(iv)
(C) (a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(ii)
(D) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)
The correct answer is (A) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(iii), (d)-(i).
Explanation
Here’s the correct matching of each constitutional amendment with its specific provision related to reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs):
- (a) 77th Amendment (1995) added Clause (4A) to Article 16, empowering the state to provide for (ii) Reservations in Promotion for SCs and STs in government jobs.
- (b) 81st Amendment (2000) added Clause (4B) to Article 16, which enabled the state to (iv) Carry forward unfilled vacancies of SCs & STs from one year to the next, treating them as a separate class of vacancies to bypass the 50% reservation ceiling for that specific backlog.
- (c) 82nd Amendment (2000) added a proviso to Article 335, allowing for the (iii) Relaxation in Qualifying marks and standards of evaluation for SCs and STs in matters of promotion and competitive examinations.
- (d) 85th Amendment (2001) amended Article 16(4A) to give the benefit of (i) “Consequential Seniority” to SC and ST employees promoted under the reservation policy, with retrospective effect from 1995.
Other Important Constitutional Amendments
📜 1st Amendment (1951)
- Empowered the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes and added the Ninth Schedule to protect land reform laws from judicial review.
📜 42nd Amendment (1976)
- Known as the “Mini-Constitution,” it added the words ‘Socialist,’ ‘Secular,’ and ‘Integrity’ to the Preamble and introduced the Fundamental Duties for citizens.
📜 61st Amendment (1989)
- Reduced the voting age for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections from 21 years to 18 years.
📜 73rd & 74th Amendments (1992)
- Granted constitutional status and protection to Panchayati Raj institutions (rural local governments) and Municipalities (urban local governments), respectively.
📜 86th Amendment (2002)
- Made elementary education a Fundamental Right under Article 21A for children in the age group of 6 to 14 years.
📜 101st Amendment (2016)
- Introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST), creating a unified indirect tax system for the entire country.
📜 103rd Amendment (2019)
- Provided for a maximum of 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in education and public employment.