UPSC Prelims 2018 — practice paper

These names refer to major cyber incidents from 2017. WannaCry and Petya/NotPetya were ransomware outbreaks that rapidly spread across Windows systems. EternalBlue is the SMBv1 exploit (linked to the MS17-010 vulnerability) leaked from the NSA’s toolset and used by these attacks for self-propagation across networks. Hence, they are related to cyber attacks.

Statement 1 is correct: the Forest Rights Act, 2006 defines “critical wildlife habitat” in Section 2(b) (MoTA FRARulesBook, Sec. 2(b)). Statement 2 is correct: in 2015, the Baiga community of Baigachak (Dindori, Madhya Pradesh) became the first in India to receive habitat rights under the FRA. Statement 3 is incorrect: habitat rights for PVTGs are recognized through the state-level process—Gram Sabha, Sub-Divisional and District Level Committees—with the District Level Committee ensuring such rights (Rule 12B), and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal agency (Sec. 11); the MoEFCC does not “decide and declare” habitat rights. Hence, only 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 is correct: since the Ninth Schedule (Article 31B) is part of the Constitution, only Parliament can add laws to it by a constitutional amendment under Article 368. ([georgia-international-journal.scholasticahq.com](https://georgia-international-journal.scholasticahq.com/article/3453-declarations-of-unconstitutionality-in-india-and-the-u-k-comparing-the-space-for-political-response.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Statement 2 is incorrect: in I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (11 January 2007), the Supreme Court held that laws placed in the Ninth Schedule after April 24, 1973 (the Kesavananda Bharati date) are open to judicial review on the ‘basic structure’ test; hence courts can examine and strike them down if they damage the basic structure. ([indiankanoon.org](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1906027/?utm_source=openai))