Consider the following statements : Statement-I : The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration. Statement-II : Article 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term 'efficiency of administration'. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Why the answer is (c)
• Article 335 says the claims of SCs and STs shall be taken into consideration 'consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration' in appointments.
• Statement-I is correct: in Indra Sawhney (1992), M. Nagaraj (2006) and Jarnail Singh (2018) the Supreme Court held that reservation under Article 16(4), including in promotions, is subject to the efficiency requirement of Article 335.
• Statement-II is incorrect: the Constitution nowhere defines 'efficiency of administration'; the Court in B.K. Pavitra II (2019) observed that the term must be read in an inclusive sense, not as a bar to reservation.
• Hence Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect, option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation…
- Statement-II is wrong: Article 335 does not define the term.
- (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct…
- Statement-II is wrong, so both cannot be correct.
- (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
- Statement-I is correct: courts have read Article 335 as a limit on Article 16(4).
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.