In India, Legal Services Authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens ? 1. Person with an annual income of less than ₹ 1,00,000 2. Transgender with an annual income of less than ₹ 2,00,000 3. Member of Other Backward Classes (OBC) with an annual income of less than ₹ 3,00,000 4. All Senior Citizens Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- (a) 1 and 2 only ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) 3 and 4 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1 and 4 only
Why the answer is (a)
• Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 lists who gets free legal aid: SC/ST members, women, children, persons with disability, industrial workmen, victims of trafficking, disaster or custody — and any person whose annual income is below the prescribed limit.
• Item 1 is accepted: Section 12(h) covers anyone whose income is below the ceiling set by the Central or State rules, and ₹1 lakh was the ceiling under many of these rules at the time.
• Item 2 is treated as correct in the key: transgender persons are covered by NALSA's schemes, with an income limit of ₹2 lakh under several State rules.
• Item 3 is wrong: OBC status by itself does not qualify; item 4 is wrong: senior citizens qualify only subject to the income ceiling, not all of them.
• Hence 1 and 2 only, option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) 3 and 4 only
- OBC status alone and blanket senior-citizen coverage are not criteria.
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- OBC status alone does not qualify.
- (d) 1 and 4 only
- Not all senior citizens qualify; income limits apply.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.