Communalism, Regionalism and Secularism — Practice Questions
UPSC-pattern practice questions on communalism, regionalism and secularism: Articles 3 and 25–28, States reorganisation and Mains frameworks.
Questions
These are original UPSC-pattern practice questions. Attempt each one before revealing the answer.
With reference to the stages of communalism described by historian Bipan Chandra, consider the following statements:
- In the first stage, people who follow the same religion are believed to have common secular interests.
- Liberal communalism holds that the interests of different religious communities are mutually hostile.
- Extreme communalism holds that the interests of different religious communities are mutually incompatible and antagonistic.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect — liberal communalism (stage 2) holds that the secular interests of different communities are divergent; hostility marks the third, extreme stage.
Answer: C
With reference to Article 3 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
- Parliament may by law form a new State by separation of territory from any State.
- The Bill must be referred by the President to the legislature of the affected State for its views, but Parliament is not bound by those views.
- A law made under Article 3 is deemed to be an amendment of the Constitution under Article 368.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect — Article 4 says laws under Articles 2 and 3 are not amendments for the purposes of Article 368; they pass by simple majority.
Answer: A
Consider the following pairs:
| State | Year of formation as a State |
|---|---|
| 1. Andhra State | 1953 |
| 2. Haryana | 1966 |
| 3. Mizoram | 1972 |
| 4. Jharkhand | 2014 |
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Solution
- Andhra State — 1 October 1953: correct.
- Haryana — 1966: correct.
- Mizoram — became a State in 1987 (it was a Union Territory from 1972): incorrect.
- Jharkhand — 2000; 2014 is Telangana: incorrect.
Answer: B
Which of the following are features of the Indian Constitution that reflect its secular character?
- No religious instruction in educational institutions wholly maintained out of State funds
- The State may make laws providing for social welfare and reform
- Religious denominations may manage their own affairs in matters of religion
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Solution
All three: Article 28(1), Article 25(2)(b) and Article 26. Together they show principled distance — no State-funded religious instruction, room for reform, and autonomy for denominations.
Answer: D
Mains
Discuss the factors that sustain communalism in contemporary India. Suggest measures to counter it, with reference to the role of digital media.
Solution
Introduction: Communalism, in Bipan Chandra’s terms, moves from a belief in shared community interests to the view that communities’ interests are hostile. Its colonial roots lie in separate electorates (1909) and the Partition.
Body:
- Factors: political mobilisation on religious lines; economic competition and unemployment; residential segregation; historical and religious disputes; slow justice after violence; hate speech and misinformation amplified online.
- Digital dimension: viral rumours have preceded mob violence; echo chambers deepen stereotypes.
- Measures: impartial, professional policing and police reforms; time-bound trials; enforcement of hate-speech laws and the Tehseen Poonawalla (2018) guidelines; platform accountability and fact-checking; digital literacy; inter-community civic engagement; value education built on Article 51A(e) and fraternity.
Conclusion: Communalism is countered not only by law but by trust — built through fair institutions, shared civic spaces and inclusive development.
Domicile-based reservation in private-sector jobs has been justified as regional justice and criticised as a threat to the unity of the national labour market. Examine.
Solution
Introduction: Some States have enacted laws reserving private jobs for local residents, such as Haryana’s 2020 Act (75% of jobs paying up to Rs 30,000 a month), which the Punjab and Haryana High Court struck down in November 2023.
Body:
- Arguments for: local unemployment and skill gaps; land and resources given to industry should benefit locals; regional disparities; social tensions over migration; precedent of local preference in some public employment.
- Arguments against: Articles 14, 15, 16 and 19(1)(d), (e) — equality, no discrimination by place of birth, freedom to move and reside; only Parliament can prescribe residence for public jobs (Article 16(3)); burdens on industry and investment; retaliatory protectionism across States; harm to migrants who are themselves citizens.
- Sociological angle: sons-of-the-soil sentiment (Myron Weiner) rises when job growth is slow.
- Better alternatives: skilling of local youth linked to industry; incentives rather than mandates for local hiring; balanced regional development; portable welfare for migrants.
Conclusion: Local aspirations are legitimate, but the remedy lies in jobs and skills, not in fragmenting a single citizenship and labour market that the Constitution guarantees.