The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 added 10 Fundamental Duties to the Indian Constitution.
The 86th Amendment Act of 2002 later added the 11th fundamental duty to the list.
The Swaran Singh Committee suggested the adoption of Fundamental Duties in 1976 after they were deemed necessary amid the internal problems of 1975–1977.
The Fundamental Duties are covered by Article 51A of Part-IV A of the Indian Constitution.
The basic requirements imposed by the 42nd Amendment Act of the Constitution in 1976 offer the legislature more ability to uphold these commitments in regard to the fundamental rights, in addition to promoting and producing culture.
Additional Information
The importance of fundamental duties:
They serve as a reminder to Indian citizens of their obligations to society, their fellow citizens, and the country.
They caution people to avoid engaging in anti-social and anti-national behavior.
They motivate others and instill a sense of devotion and discipline in them.
They assist the courts in reviewing and determining whether the statute is constitutional.
There are 11 Fundamental Duties:
To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag, and the National Anthem.
To cherish and follow the noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom.
To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.
To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic, and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
To value and preserve the rich heritage of the country’s composite culture.
To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.
To develop scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
To safeguard public property and to abjure violence.
To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavor and achievement.
To provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the ages of six and fourteen years (added by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002)
The correct answer is Elected and nominated members of the Parliament.
Key Points
As per Article 66 of the Indian Constitution, the Vice-President of the country is elected by members of an electoral college that comprises of members of both the Houses of Parliament.
Right after the President, it is the Vice-President and it is the second-highest Constitutional position in India.
The President of India is responsible for various appointments- Chief Justice and Judges of High Court and Supreme Court, Governor of States, Attorney General, Officers of All India Services, and Chairman and members of UPSC.
Member of state Legislature is not eligible to take part in the election of Vice President of India.
Though Rajya Sabha represents states in the Union Government.
The Vice President is elected by indirect election by the Electoral College of both houses.
Vice President is ex-officio Chairmen of Rajya Sabha.
The vice president holds office for 5 years.
Additional Information
Election:
The Vice-President, like the president, is elected not directly by the people but by the method of indirect election.
He is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament.
Thus, this Electoral College is different from the electoral college for the election of the President in the following two respects:
It consists of both elected and nominated members of the Parliament (in the case of the president, only elected members).
It does not include the members of the state legislative assemblies (in the case of the President, the elected members of the state legislative assemblies are included).
Qualifications
To be eligible for election as Vice-President, a person should fulfil the following qualifications: 1. He should be a citizen of India. 2. He should have completed 35 years of age. Hence, statement a is incorrect. 3. He should be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. 4. He should not hold any office of profit under the Union government or any state government or any local authority or any other public authority.
But, a sitting President or Vice-President of the Union, the governor of any state and a minister for the Union or any state is not deemed to hold any office of profit and hence qualified for being a candidate for Vice-President.
Further, the nomination of a candidate for election to the office of Vice-President must be subscribed by at least 20 electors as proposers and 20 electors as seconders.
Every candidate has to make a security deposit of ₹15,000 in the Reserve Bank of India.
Conditions of Office
The Constitution lays down the following two conditions of the Vice-President’s office:
He should not be a member of either House of Parliament or a House of the state legislature.
If any such person is elected Vice-President, he is deemed to have vacated his seat in that House on the date on which he enters upon his office as Vice-President.
The human heart is split into four distinct chambers: the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle.
The right side of the heart, which includes the right atrium and right ventricle, primarily handles deoxygenated blood.
Deoxygenated blood is received by the right atrium from the superior and inferior vena cava, the two main veins that carry blood from the body back to the heart.
From the right atrium, this deoxygenated blood is pumped into the right ventricle. The right ventricle then contracts, pushing the blood into the pulmonary arteries.
These pulmonary arteries lead to the lungs where gas exchange occurs – oxygen is absorbed into the blood, and carbon dioxide (a waste product) is expelled from the blood.
The oxygenated blood returns to the heart from the lungs via the pulmonary veins and enters the left atrium before being pumped to the rest of the body.
Thus, the purpose of the right side of the heart is to receive deoxygenated blood, send it to the lungs for oxygenation, and then transfer it to the left side of the heart, from where oxygen-rich blood is sent to the entire body.
The right heart works in a low pressure system compared to the left heart. This is because the right heart pumps blood to the nearby lungs, while the left heart must pump blood to the entire body. It’s also why the muscle walls of the right side of the heart are typically thinner than those of the left side.
Hemoglobin shows the maximum affinity with Carbon Monoxide (CO).
Selective Binding: Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that enables the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues. It also helps in the removal of carbon dioxide. However, when it comes to binding, Hemoglobin shows the highest affinity for Carbon Monoxide (CO), more than oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), or ammonia (NH3).
Affinity: The binding affinity of hemoglobin for CO is approximately 200-250 times greater than its affinity for oxygen. This is because CO’s molecular configuration allows it to bind to the oxygen-carrying site on the hemoglobin molecule more securely than oxygen.
CO Poisoning: This high affinity is the reason why CO poisoning can be deadly. When CO binds to hemoglobin, it forms carboxyhemoglobin, impacting the blood’s ability to transport oxygen. This results in a deficiency of oxygen reaching the body’s tissues and organs, which can be fatal.
Symptoms of CO Poisoning: Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, chest pain, and confusion. These symptoms result from the body’s tissues and organs not getting enough oxygen because of CO’s high affinity for hemoglobin.
Irreversible Binding: Once CO has bound to hemoglobin, it doesn’t easily dissociate, meaning it keeps the hemoglobin molecule from being available to transport oxygen over an extended period.
Protection against CO Exposure: Measures to protect against CO exposure include installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes, ensuring regular maintenance of heating systems and other appliances that can produce CO, and avoiding running engines or motors in poorly ventilated areas.
Treatment for CO Poisoning: Treatment involves immediate removal from the CO source and increasing the oxygen concentration the victim breathes. This can be done using high flow oxygen through a mask or by using hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where the victim is placed in a pressurized chamber of 100% oxygen. These methods help speed up the replacement of carboxyhemoglobin with oxyhemoglobin in the blood.
According to Article 169 of the Constitution of India, the Parliament of India can create or abolish the State Legislative Council of a state by a simple majority if that state’s legislature passes a resolution for that with a special majority.
The State Legislative Council can neither form nor dissolve a state government.
The State Legislative Council also have no role in the passing of money bills.
Important Points
Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad):
Legislative Council is the upper house of the state.
A member of a legislative council is referred to as an MLC.
The Constitution of India does not mandate states to form a Legislative Council.
What is the difference between the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council?
The term of the Legislative Assembly is five years unless it is dissolved earlier at the request of the chief minister. The tenure of the members of the council is six years and a third of the members of the House retire after every two years.
The Legislative Assembly is the lower house, much like the Lok Sabha of the Parliament. Legislative Council is the upper house in the state and like the Rajya Sabha, it is a permanent House.
How is the Legislative Council created?
The members of the Council are either nominated by the Governor of the state or are indirectly elected.
One-third of the members of this House are elected by the Legislative Assembly.
One-third are elected by the local bodies like a municipality or other local authorities.
One-twelfth of the members are elected by graduates.
One-twelfth of the members are elected by teachers.
One-sixth of the members are nominated by the Governor.
The legislative Council elects its Chairman, who plays the role of presiding officer and Deputy Chairman from amongst its members.
Eligibility criteria:
An Indian citizen who is at least 30 years of age (a person cannot simultaneously be a Member of Parliament and State legislature).
Additional Information
How many legislative councils are there in India?
As of January 2020, six out of 28 states have a legislative council. The states with bicameral legislature include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. These states have both the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly.
Celebrated every year on April 22, World Earth Day is an annual event, where the world unites to serve a day dedicated to environmental protection and raising awareness regarding the challenges facing our planet.
In 1970, Earth Day originated from the vision of Gaylord Nelson, a US senator, and Denis Hayes, a Harvard student, both deeply disturbed by the environmental damage they witnessed, including the devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
It aimed to engage the public and elevate environmental issues. Its immediate success was evident with a massive turnout of 20 million people across the US.
By 1990, Earth Day had transcended national borders, becoming a truly global event, uniting over a billion people of all ages in nearly 200 countries.
This year’s Earth Day theme, “Planet vs. Plastics,” brings attention to the serious issue of plastic pollution and how it harms nature.
The first clear expression of nationalism came with the French Revolution in 1789.
France, as you would remember, was a full-fledged territorial state in 1789 under the rule of an absolute monarch.
The political and constitutional changes that came in the wake of the French Revolution led to the transfer of sovereignty from the monarchy to a body of French citizens.
The revolution proclaimed that it was the people who would henceforth constitute the nation and shape its destiny.
Additional Information
From the very beginning, the French revolutionaries introduced various measures and practices that could create a sense of collective identity amongst the French people.
The ideas of la Patrie (the fatherland) and le citoyen (the citizen) emphasized the notion of a united community enjoying equal rights under a constitution.
A new French flag, the tricolor, was chosen to replace the former royal standard. The Estates-General was elected by the body of active citizens and renamed the National Assembly.
New hymns were composed, oaths taken and martyrs commemorated, all in the name of the nation.
A centralized administrative system was put in place and it formulated uniform laws for all citizens within its territory. Internal customs duties and dues were abolished and a uniform system of weights and measures was adopted.
Regional dialects were discouraged and French, as it was spoken and written in Paris, became the common language of the nation.
The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GOMMBRE) is located on the southeastern coast of India, extending from Rameswaram in the north to Thoothukudi in the south.
GOMMBRE is India’s first Marine Biosphere Reserve, covering approximately an area of 10,500 km² with 21 islands.
The reserve is biologically one of the richest coastal regions in the world, hosting about 3,600 species of flora and fauna.
Krusadai Island, located in the Gulf of Mannar, is referred to as the “Biological Paradise” due to its considerable species diversity.
The Gulf of Mannar is rich in seaweeds, seagrass, coral reef, pearl bank, sacred chank beds, fin and shellfish resources, mangroves, and a number of endemic and endangered species, including the Dugong dugong, commonly referred to as the sea cow.
Utkal Day, also known as Odisha Day or Utkala Dibasa, is celebrated on 1st April in the Indian state of Odisha.
It commemorates the historic formation of the state on April 1, 1936, when Odisha became a separate state carved out of the then Bihar and Orissa province from the erstwhile Madras Presidency.
After years of struggle, Odisha was officially separated from the united Bihar and Orissa provinces, allowing the Oriya-speaking population to preserve and promote their distinct cultural identity, language, and traditions.
This milestone marked a significant moment in Odisha’s journey towards autonomy and self-expression.
Utkal Day goes beyond mere statehood celebration; it serves as a tribute to Odisha’s rich heritage and vibrant culture developed over centuries.