UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Need to balance faith, health in firecracker policy, says SC

Q1. With reference to the freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The right to practise religion is subject not only to public order, morality and health but also to the other provisions of Part III.
  2. The State may make a law regulating a secular activity associated with religious practice even where public order, morality or health is not in issue.
  3. A restriction on grounds of health can be applied only to those religious practices that a court has first held to be non-essential to the religion.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The State may restrict the bursting of firecrackers during a religious festival on the ground of public health without amending the Constitution.
  2. The freedom of conscience and the right to practise religion under Article 25 are available to all persons and not only to citizens of India.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Fireworks of different colours are produced by including compounds of different metal elements in their formulations.
  2. Each metal element, when heated, emits light at its own characteristic set of wavelengths.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q4. Consider the following assertion: Restrictions on firecrackers alone are unlikely to bring Delhi-NCR's air quality in October–November within acceptable limits. Which of the following statements support the above assertion?

  1. Smoke from crop-residue burning in adjoining States adds to the region's pollutant load in the same season.
  2. Low temperatures, stagnant winds and inversion conditions in these months trap pollutants from all sources, not just fireworks.
  3. Firecrackers are one of several episodic emission events that aggravate an existing pollution load in the region.
  4. Firecracker regulations laid down by the Supreme Court bind all States and not only Delhi-NCR.
  • A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only