365 previous year UPSC Prelims Polity questions are on this page, from 1996 to 2025, across 30 exam years and 29 chapters. Parliament is the largest chapter, followed by Miscellaneous, Fundamental Rights and the Higher Judiciary. Filter by chapter to practise one topic, or by year to see how a single paper treated Polity. Every option opens with its correct answer and a full explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 161–170 of 365 questions
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UPSC 2014Polity · Salient Features of the Constitution
Q161. Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection?
Explanation
Tenth Schedule added by 52nd Amendment Act deals with the provisions as to disqualification on grounds of defection. On the basis of a petition by any other member, a legislator may be removed from office on the grounds of defection by the Presiding officer of a legislature. The Chairman or Speaker of that House is tasked with making the final determination regarding disqualification due to defection.
UPSC 2014Polity · Directive Principles of State Policy
Q162. In the Constitution of India, promotion of international peace and security is included in the
Explanation
Article 51 is clear in dealing with the international peace and security and for achieving the same it directs the State to focus on:
Maintaining just and honourable relations with the nations. Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations. Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.
UPSC 2014Polity · Systems of Government
Q163. Consider the following statements: A Constitutional Government is one which: 1. Places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of State Authority. 2. Places effective restrictions on the Authority of the State in the interest of individual liberty. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
A constitutional government is one that operates within the framework of a Constitution. The principle of constitutionalism emphasizes limiting the power of the state to ensure it remains fair and accountable, preventing any form of autocratic rule.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of State Authority" is not characteristic of a Constitutional Government. One of the fundamental principles of a constitutional government is to protect individual rights and freedoms and not to restrict them unnecessarily in favor of state authority.
Statement 2 is correct: A constitutional government limits the authority of the state to prevent it from infringing on individual rights and freedoms. This is achieved through mechanisms such as constitutional checks and balances, the separation of powers, and the judicial review of government actions.
UPSC 2014Polity · President
Q164. Consider the following statements: 1. The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business. 2. All executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Prime Minister. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The executive organ of government is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws and policies enacted by the legislature. It is typically headed by the President or Prime Minister and includes various government departments and agencies.
Statement 1 is correct: India follows a Parliamentary type of Government in which the President is the constitutional head of the state. He is the Executive head of India. Article 77(3) of the Indian Constitution says that the President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 77(1) of the Indian Constitution lays down all executive action of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President.
Exam tip:
S2 aligns with Function-person/organisation/ministry match trap as its easy to manipulate to make it false. Is it PM or President?
UPSC 2014Polity · Parliament
Q165. Consider the following statements regarding a No-Confidence Motion in India: 1. There is no mention of a No-Confidence Motion in the Constitution of India. 2. A motion of No-Confidence can be introduced in the Lok Sabha only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Constitution of India does not explicitly mention the No-Confidence Motion. The Constitution provides the framework for parliamentary procedures but leaves the details of the procedures, including the No-Confidence Motion, to the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha. The motion of No Confidence is a part of parliamentary practice that allows the Lok Sabha to hold the government accountable by voting whether or not they have confidence in the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
Statement 2 is correct: A No-Confidence Motion can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of Parliament). According to the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, the motion requires the support of at least 50 members to be introduced. The Rajya Sabha (the Upper House) does not have the provision to introduce a No-Confidence Motion against the government. A No-Confidence Motion is a tool used to test the majority support for the government.
Additional insight:
No-Confidence motion need not state the reasons for its adoption in the Lok Sabha. It can be moved against the entire council of ministers only. If it is passed in the Lok Sabha, the council of ministers must resign from office. The First no-confidence motion was moved during the third Lok Sabha in 1963 when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. Lok Sabha’s Rule 198 mentions the procedure for a motion of no-confidence. So a no-confidence motion can only be passed in Lok Sabha as Rule 198 allows any member of the House to give a written notice. In case there are 50 MPs in favour, a date for discussing the motion is assigned. If at all during the debate and the eventual vote, which has to take place within 10 days of the notice, majority of the members vote in favour of the motion then the motion is passed and the government in power has to vacate the office. According to most parliamentary procedures, a minimum of six months should pass between the introduction of two no-confidence motions.
UPSC 2014Polity · Parliament
Q166. Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?
Explanation
The Estimates Committee was set up in 1950, on the recommendation of John Mathai. It consists of 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha and it is the largest committee. These members are elected by the Lok Sabha every year from amongst its own members, according to the principles of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The minister cannot be the members of the estimates committee. The chairman of the committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members and he is invariably from the ruling party. Its function is to examine the budget and also suggest economies of public expenditure. It also suggests an alternative policy of bringing policy of economies.
UPSC 2014Polity · Parliament
Q167. Which of the following is/are the function/ functions of the Cabinet Secretariat? 1. Preparation of agenda for Cabinet Meetings 2. Secretariat assistance to Cabinet Committees 3. Allocation of financial resources to the Ministries Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: A cabinet secretary is appointed for a fixed period of time, usually two years. A Cabinet Secretary holds the responsibility of preparation of agenda for Cabinet Meetings.
Statement 2 is correct: The Prime Minister has direct control over the cabinet secretariat. The Cabinet Secretary is the administrative head of the secretariat. It also gives secretariat assistance to the Cabinet Committees.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Cabinet Secretariat facilitates government decision-making by providing interministerial coordination. However, the Ministry of Finance is entrusted with the allocation of financial resources to the Ministries.
UPSC 2014Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q168. The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in
Explanation
Article 124(1) of the Indian Constitution mandates the establishment of the Supreme Court, consisting of the Chief Justice of India and such other judges as Parliament may prescribe from time to time.
Option (b) is correct: The power to increase the number of Supreme Court judges lies with Parliament. Under the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2019, the number of judges was increased by three, bringing the total number of judges, including the Chief Justice, to 34, up from 31.
UPSC 2014Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q169. The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its:
Explanation
According to Article 131, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over disputes between two or more states. It also handles disputes between the Central Government and one or more states, or between different states and the Centre. The Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction is exclusive in such federal disputes, meaning only the Court can resolve these matters. This ensures that conflicts between the Government of India and states are directly addressed by the Supreme Court.
UPSC 2014Polity · Governor
Q170. Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State? 1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s rule 2. Appointing the Ministers 3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration of the President of India 4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Under Article 356, President’s Rule is imposed if the President, upon receipt of the report from the Governor of the State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. This comes under the discretionary power of the Governor.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 164 (1) states that Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.
Statement 3 is correct: As per Article 200 the Governor of a state can use his legislative power to reserve the bill for the consideration of the President.
Statement 4 is incorrect: Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government does not come under Governor’s discretionary power. In the Nabam Rebia judgement (2016), the Supreme Court held that the exercise of Governor’s discretion under Article 163 is limited and his choice of action should not be arbitrary or fanciful.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
161
2014
(d) Tenth Schedule
162
2014
(b) Directive Principles of State Policy
163
2014
(b) 2 only
164
2014
(a) 1 only
165
2014
(c) Both 1 and 2
166
2014
(b) The committee on Estimates
167
2014
(c) 1 and 2 only
168
2014
(b) The Parliament
169
2014
(c) original jurisdiction
170
2014
(b) 1 and 3 only
What UPSC has tested in Polity
Parliament, Fundamental Rights, the Higher Judiciary and Local Government together account for the largest share of Polity questions in this set.
Recent papers test statements about institutions: the Governor, the President’s ordinance and pardoning powers, Lokpal, Scheduled Areas and the Speaker’s office.
Older papers lean on single-fact recall: which Article, which Amendment, which Schedule.
The 2025 paper’s Polity questions fall in Parliament, President, Governor, Constitutional Amendment, Schedules, Centre-State Relations, Local Government and non-constitutional bodies.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Polity?
This page covers 365 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Polity, asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which Polity chapters has UPSC asked about most?
In this set, Parliament has the most questions, followed by the Miscellaneous group, Fundamental Rights, the Higher Judiciary, Local Government, the Directive Principles and the constitutional bodies. Small chapters such as Citizenship and Judicial Review have only one question each.
How do I practise Polity PYQs chapter by chapter?
Use the Chapter filter on this page, or open a chapter link such as Preamble or Parliament. Each chapter page gives its own questions, answer key and the facts UPSC has tested, so you can finish one topic before moving to the next.
Does this page include the 2025 UPSC Prelims paper?
Yes. The 2025 paper’s Polity questions are included, and you can open them alone with the Year filter set to 2025. They cover Parliament, the President’s powers, the Governor, Schedules, Panchayats, Lokpal and Centre-State bodies.
Are cancelled or disputed UPSC questions included?
No. Questions UPSC cancelled, and questions where the available answer key is disputed, are left out so that every question here has a single correct answer with an explanation you can rely on.
