Chat with us
General Studies 2024 GS Paper II 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Distinguish

GS Paper II — Q2

Explain and distinguish between Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals. Whether they entertain civil as well as criminal cases ?…

Explain and distinguish between Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals. Whether they entertain civil as well as criminal cases ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

लोक अदालत तथा मध्यस्थता अधिकरण की व्याख्या कीजिए तथा उनमें अंतर स्पष्ट कीजिए। क्या वे दीवानी तथा आपराधिक दोनों प्रकृति के मामलों पर विचार करते हैं ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में लिखिए)

Q2 of the 2024 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper II, as printed
The question as printed in the 2024 General Studies paper
Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2024 General Studies questions

Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals are vital Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in India differing in foundation and procedure.

Legal Basis and Nature: Lok Adalats, constituted under Section 19 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, resolve disputes through statutory conciliation and compromise. Conversely, Arbitration Tribunals, governed by the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (amended 2015/2019), provide private adjudication based on contractual agreements.

Procedure and Awards: Lok Adalats are informal, charge no court fees, and issue awards deemed as civil court decrees under Section 21, carrying no appeal. Arbitration entails formal proceedings by party-appointed arbitrators, yielding binding awards enforceable under Section 36 and challengeable only under Section 34.

Jurisdiction over Civil and Criminal Cases: Lok Adalats entertain both civil disputes and compoundable criminal offences under Section 320 CrPC. In contrast, Arbitration Tribunals strictly handle civil and commercial matters, possessing no criminal jurisdiction whatsoever.

Together, they serve complementary roles in enhancing access to justice and decongesting formal courts.

What "Distinguish" is asking you to do

Name the property that separates the items and say which side holds it. Distinguish is marked exactly as differentiate is, with no difference in expectation, but its stems more often line up three terms rather than two — gender equality, gender equity and empowerment — and every pair in the set has to be separated.

Structure that answers it

The category they all sit in → the property dividing the first pair → the second pair → the third → why the boundary matters in practice

Where marks are lost

Separating the two obviously different items and leaving the middle term unplaced. A description of each side from which the line must be inferred is marked as description, not as a distinction.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 Paper 2: Institutions & Governance. compare: paired headings or table > key differences > significance > conclusion Full marks: Clear distinction with statutory basis and precise jurisdictional limits for both.

Key points expected

  • Lok Adalat: statutory body under Legal Services Authority Act, 1987
  • Arbitration: private mechanism under Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
  • Lok Adalat: handles civil and compoundable criminal cases
  • Arbitration: limited to civil/commercial disputes, no criminal jurisdiction

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Distinguish Lok Adalats from Arbitration Tribunals and specify their jurisdiction over civil/criminal cases. 10 marks · 150 words

    compare— paired headings or table → key differences → significance → conclusion

    Must cover

    • Lok Adalat: statutory body under Legal Services Authority Act, 1987
    • Arbitration: private mechanism under Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
    • Lok Adalat: handles civil and compoundable criminal cases
    • Arbitration: limited to civil/commercial disputes, no criminal jurisdiction

    Loses marks

    • Confusing Lok Adalat with regular courts
    • Claiming Arbitration handles criminal cases
    • Reciting definitions without distinguishing features

    Earns more

    • Lok Adalat: non-binding until signed, no fee, speed
    • Arbitration: binding award, party autonomy, confidentiality
    • Lok Adalat: public interest, statutory mandate
    • Arbitration: private contract, specialized expertise

    Extra mark

    • Cite Section 21 of Legal Services Authority Act, 1987
    • Cite Section 7 of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996

Practice this exact question

Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.

Evaluate my answer →

More from General Studies 2024 GS Paper II