Instructions: –
1. Attempt all the questions.
2. Once you have completed all the questions of a particular section click on the submit button for scores and explanations then move to the next sections.
3. For each correct answer, you receive 1 mark. For this mock, there is no negative marking.
English Language
‘Language is medicine,’ state the authors who explore precisely this nexus in The Oxford Handbook of Endangered Languages (2018). Collectively, these authors are involved in documenting, teaching, researching and maintaining a diverse array of languages across what is now North America. Their striking observation, informed in many cases by scholarship in the authors’ own communities, crystallises the central claim of a small but growing body of research that insists that the declining health of a community’s language does not merely occur alongside sickness in a community but is itself the root of this sickness. If true, the opposite holds as well: namely, that strengthening the use of Indigenous languages offers a path towards physical and emotional healing for their speakers. As the language advocate X̱ʼunei Lance Twitchell put it in the opening to his Tlingit learners’ guide: ‘The Tlingit language is medicinal in its importance to Tlingit people.’ The title of his textbook puts matters more plainly:
Haa Wsineix̱ Haa Yoo X̱ʼatángi – Our Language Saved Us (2016). At a time when minority languages around the world face continuing pressures from dominant cultures to assimilate – something we witnessed clearly during the COVID-19 pandemics, when vital medical information was literally unavailable across the United States’ big cities in numerous languages spoken by minority groups – what can these perspectives tell us about how we define wellness? What might they add to our understanding of where the tongue ends and the body (corporeal and politic) begins?
Legal Reasoning
The contract is formed by a process of communication between the individuals. A contract is a legal agreement between two or more parties that creates obligations that are enforceable or otherwise recognized by law. Unforeseen or supervening events, i.e., occurrences that are unexpected or cannot be predicted in advance by either party and ultimately discharge the parties from their contractual responsibilities, may have an impact on the execution of these obligations.
When parties join into contracts, it imposes a contractual obligation on them to perform the terms of the agreement. However, contract fulfillment is frequently rendered impossible owing to unanticipated circumstances. The contract is considered to be frustrating in such instances. When the fulfillment of a contract becomes impossible due to unforeseen circumstances, the contract is said to be frustrated. The concept of frustration is a “doctrine” of a unique circumstance of contract discharge due to an inability to perform it.
The term frustration has been elaborated under the Black Law dictionary as “The prevention or hindering of the attainment of a goal, such as contractual performance”.
Any layperson would tell you that the word “frustration” means, among other things, “defeated” and “exasperated.” Nevertheless, this phrase is frequently used in contracts and agreements between parties. Transactions that were unsuccessful or could not be completed for some unanticipated reason are referred to as being frustrating. The general rule of contracts states that the parties to a contract have to fulfill their obligations under the contract, and in case of a breach, the party breaching the contract has to compensate the other for the damages caused. The Doctrine of Frustration is an exception to this rule.
The idea of frustration has emerged as one of the most fundamental concepts in contract law to address broken agreements.
Section 56 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 governs the Agreement to Perform Impossible Acts in India. An agreement to do an impossibility is void in and of itself, per Section 56. Furthermore, it specifies that when a contract to perform an act is rendered impossible or rendered unlawful due to an occurrence that the promisor cannot control, the entire contract is rendered void.
Section 56 is also based on the adage “les non cogitadimpossibilia” which essentially states that the law will not force or compel a man to do something that he cannot conceivably do in a humanitarian manner.
● Force Majeure clause: The Latin phrase “casus fortuitous” refers to unavoidable events, and such clauses in a contract are sometimes referred to as force majeure clauses. This provision is intended to relieve the party from any approaching uncertainty that may affect the contract’s performance or from any unanticipated incident over which the parties have no control.
The following grounds need to be fulfilled in order to pass the test for Doctrine of Frustration:
● Impossibility of performance: The Doctrine of Frustration arises from the impossibility to complete an activity. But the principle cannot be limited to physical impossibilities.
● Destruction of subject matter: The Doctrine of Frustration applies when there is the destruction of the subject matter of contract.
● Death or incapacity of a party: If the contract demands the personal performance of the parties, the death or incapacity of the party will make the contract void because the contract cannot be performed anymore.
● Frustration by legal or government intervention: Where a law is promulgated after a formation of a contract, making the performance impossible, then the contract becomes void.
● The frustration of contract due to change of circumstances: This situation occurs when there is no physical impossibility of performance of the contract, but due to a change in circumstances, the main reason for which the contract was formed is defeated. The changed circumstances dissolve the contract, and the parties are absolved from the performance of the contract.
● The Intervention of War: The intervention of war makes the performance of contract difficult, thereby making the contract void.
Logical Reasoning
The Goods and services tax (GST) council will meet today to discuss exemption on GST on powdered millets, extending concessional rate of 18% GST on vehicles purchased by visually impaired persons and taxability on corporate guarantee and bank guarantee given by the directors and promoters of the companies.
While no major changes are proposed in GST on goods, the fitment committee is expected to exempt five services supplied to government authorities including water supply, public health, sanitation, solid waste management and slum improvement and upgradation project, an official aware of the discussions.
The council is also expected to relax the eligibility criteria on the Appellate tribunals being set up, giving more time to taxpayers to file tax appeals in the tribunal and enabling the provision of one man company in the GST registration form, the official added.
The council is likely to issue detailed clarification in terms of GST on certain services, including applicability of taxation of re supply of electricity by housing societies, GST on service on the process of making malt from barley and on renting of bus services.
The fitment committee is also learnt to bring all services provided by Indian Railways, under forward charge mechanism, a move which may save India railways Rs 1,300 crore annually, the official said.
The council is also expected to come up with detailed clarification regarding the place of services in case of advertisement service, data centre and co-location service and services provided through mail and courier. The issue has been a reason for the large number of litigation for corporates
The council is also likely to discuss and review GST on services for government related constructions which are not for sale, including like bridges, roads, industrial units.
The council is considering exemption of GST on horticulture services given on contract to maintain public-park, lawn and public garden where value of goods is less than 25%.
Quantitative Techniques
Directions: Study the data carefully and answer the following questions:
A contractor taken contract to construct five buildings (S, T, U, V, and W). He hired some workers, and they worked either in day shift or in night shift. Number of workers required in day shifts to construct buildings S, T, U, V, and Ware (2m – 8), (2n – 6), (2a – 10), 2b, and 4c2, respectively and number of workers required in night shifts to construct same buildings S, T, U, V, and W are (2m + 8), (2n + 6), (2a + 10), (2b + 16), and 4d2, respectively. The number of days required by workers to construct the buildings S, T, U, V, and W in day shift are 8 day, 10 days, 60 days, 44 days, and 66 days more than number of days required by workers to construct the buildings S, T, U, V, and W in night shift, respectively. (2n – 18) days and (4a + 68) days were taken by worker in night shift to construct building T and building U, respectively and ratio of number of days taken by worker in day shift to that in night shift to complete the buildings S, V, and W are 8: 7, 4: 3, and 36: 25, respectively.
Also learn: CLAT Previous Year Question Papers
General Knowledge
A recent study published in Nature Water has illuminated pressing concerns regarding water security in four critical river basins: the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, and Congo. This research underscores the intricate interplay between governance, environmental management, and the sustainability of water resources, revealing that systemic deficiencies in these areas are exacerbating the risks to water availability. As global water demands escalate, particularly in the context of climate change and population growth, the findings of this study are not only timely but essential for policymakers and stakeholders across these regions. The Ganges and Indus river basins are particularly emblematic of the challenges faced by South Asia, where water resources are increasingly contested. In these regions, the study identifies governance failures—characterized by weak institutional frameworks, lack of transparency, and insufficient stakeholder engagement—as significant impediments to effective water management. The complex political landscape, which includes transboundary water issues, further complicates the ability of states to collaboratively
manage shared water resources. For instance, the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over the Indus River have historically hindered cooperative efforts to ensure sustainable water use.
Similarly, the Brahmaputra River basin, which traverses multiple countries including India, Bangladesh, and China, faces a confluence of environmental and geopolitical pressures. The study highlights how inadequate infrastructure and inefficient water allocation practices exacerbate vulnerabilities, particularly for rural communities that rely heavily on these waterways for their livelihoods. Moreover, rapid urbanization and industrialization in adjacent regions compound these challenges, leading to pollution and over-extraction of water resources. In contrast, the Congo River basin presents a different set of challenges, primarily stemming from political instability and inadequate governance structures. The study reveals that the exploitation of natural resources, often with little regard for environmental sustainability, has led to significant ecological degradation, which in turn threatens water quality and availability. The implications of this degradation are particularly dire for the millions who depend on the Congo River for drinking water, agriculture, and fishing, emphasizing the need for a concerted effort to integrate environmental considerations into governance frameworks.
A key finding of the study is that poor environmental management practices—ranging from deforestation to unregulated mining—are critically undermining the integrity of these river systems. The degradation of watersheds not only diminishes water quality but also disrupts the natural hydrological cycles that are vital for replenishing these vital resources. This calls for a paradigm shift in how water security is conceptualized, advocating for an integrated approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of governance, environmental stewardship, and community resilience. The research further posits that effective water management must embrace participatory governance models, where local communities play an active role in decision-making processes. Such inclusivity is paramount, as it not only enhances the legitimacy of governance structures but also harnesses indigenous knowledge that can contribute to sustainable practices. Furthermore, the study advocates for the adoption of innovative technologies and practices that promote water conservation and efficiency, particularly in agricultural sectors, which are major consumers of water.