The Right to Equality prevents discrimination on which grounds?

Correct answer: Religion, caste, gender, place of birth

Correct answer: A, religion, caste, gender, and place of birth. The constitutional principle of equality prohibits unfair discrimination on specified identity-based grounds, including religion, race, caste, sex, and place of birth; in school-level wording, gender is commonly used for sex. These grounds are important because they can be used to create inherited or irrelevant social disadvantage. Option A is correct because it lists protected grounds relevant to the Right to Equality. Option B is wrong because merit, effort, and discipline are generally relevant considerations when fairly assessing performance, though even such criteria must be applied lawfully and without hidden bias. Option C is wrong because punctuality, practice, and skill are not the prohibited identity grounds listed here. Option D is wrong because hobbies, interests, and sports are not the listed constitutional grounds. This does not mean every classification is illegal; a reasonable, lawful distinction may be permitted when it has a relevant purpose. Memory cue: remember the identity list—religion, caste, sex, place of birth—and check for unfair exclusion.