UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Bankers’ committees asked to report share of SC beneficiaries in jobs, loan subsidy schemes

Q1. With reference to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. While inquiring into a complaint, the NCSC can summon any person from any part of India and examine that person on oath.
  2. Because it has the powers of a civil court, the NCSC can pass a binding order directing a bank to sanction a loan to an SC applicant.
  3. The NCSC reports to the President on the working of SC safeguards, and its recommendations may be addressed to State governments as well as to the Union.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q2. With reference to the Stand-Up India scheme, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. An entrepreneur who belongs to neither the Scheduled Castes nor the Scheduled Tribes can be an individual borrower under the scheme only if she is a woman.
  2. The scheme's borrower target is set for each branch of a scheduled commercial bank, so it is not limited to branches in districts with a large SC or ST population.
  3. Assistance under the scheme comes as loans from banks, not as grants paid by the government to the entrepreneur.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q3. Consider the following facts: The NCSC told the Union government that, in bankers' committee review meetings, SLBC conveners do not present the percentage of Scheduled Caste beneficiaries for several credit and self-employment schemes. In response, all SLBCs and UTLBCs have been asked to report this share scheme-wise and bank-wise, and to share it regularly with the NCSC. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above?

  1. Until this direction, SLBC reviews did not let participants see whether a particular bank lagged behind others in reaching SC borrowers.
  2. SC borrowers have been receiving a smaller share of these schemes' loans than their share in the population.
  3. A strong SC share in one scheme can no longer hide a weak SC share in another scheme in the reviews.
  4. The direction creates a binding quota of loans reserved for SC borrowers under each of the flagged schemes.
  • A. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only