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 291–300 of 365 questions
Browse Polity chaptersBrowse by year
UPSC 2003Polity · Parliament
Q291. The power to enlarge the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India with respect to any matter included in the Union List of Legislative Powers rests with:
Explanation
According to Article 138(1) of the Constitution of India, Parliament has the power to confer additional jurisdiction on the Supreme Court in matters included in the Union List. This means that if the Parliament deems it necessary, it can pass a law to grant the Supreme Court the authority to hear and decide on specific matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the union list. Also under article 138(2) the Supreme Court shall have such further jurisdiction and powers with respect to any matter as the Government of India and the Government of any State may confer by special agreement.
UPSC 2003Polity · Parliament
Q292. Which one of the following statements is correct?
Explanation
Statement (a) is incorrect: Under article 80(1) (a), The President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha from people who have special knowledge or practical experience in art, literature, science and social service. Before 2020 2 members were nominated from the Anglo-Indian community in Lok Sabha by the President. Statement (b) is incorrect: Before 2020, the President under article 331 nominated two members from the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha (and not Rajya Sabha) if the community was not adequately represented. This provision was abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019, which came into effect in January 2020. Statement (c) is correct: A nominated member of either Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha has mostly the same rights and privileges as an elected member, including the right to be appointed as a Union minister. However, nominated members cannot vote in Presidential elections. Statement (d) is incorrect: Under article 55, only elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories participate in the Presidential election.Therefore nominated members cannot vote in the Presidential election. However, both elected and nominated members can vote in Vice Presidential elections.
UPSC 2003Polity · Parliament
Q293. Consider the following statements: 1. The joint sitting of the two houses of the Parliament in India is sanctioned under Article 108 of the Constitution. 2. The first joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha was held in the year 1961. 3. The second joint sitting of the two Houses of Indian Parliament was held to pass the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill. Which of these statements is correct?
Explanation
Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the constitution to resolve a deadlock between the two houses over the passage of a bill.
Statement 1 is correct: Article 108 of the Indian Constitution provides for a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament if after a bill is passed by one House and transmitted to the other House - The other House rejects this bill, or The Houses do not agree on the amendments made to the bill, or More than six months elapse with the bill being received by the other House without it being passed.
Statement 2 is correct: The First Joint sitting was held in May, 1961 in which Dowry Prohibition Bill 1960 was passed
Statement 3 is correct: The second joint sitting of the two Houses of the Indian Parliament was held to pass the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill. The Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha but was rejected by the Rajya Sabha. As a result, a joint sitting was convened to resolve the deadlock, and the Bill was passed.
UPSC 2003Polity · Parliament
Q294. Which one of the following Bills must be passed by each House of the Indian Parliamentary separately by special majority?
Explanation
According to Article 368 of the Indian Constitution, an amendment to the Constitution can be initiated only by introducing a Bill in either House of Parliament. The Bill must be passed in each House by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting (Special Majority). Once both Houses pass the Bill, it is presented to the President, who must give assent. Upon the President’s assent, the Constitution stands amended in accordance with the terms of the Bill.
UPSC 2003Polity · Parliament
Q295. Consider the following statements: 1. While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, members of Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from the Lok Sabha 2. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs works under the overall direction of Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs 3. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament on Committees, Councils, Board and Commissions etc. set up by the Government of India in the various ministries. Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: For the Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, 15 members are elected from the Lok Sabha and 7 members from the Rajya Sabha. In the case of the Committee on Estimates, all the 30 members are elected from the Lok Sabha.
Statement 2 is correct: The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs renders secretarial assistance to the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which recommends prorogation of both the Houses of the Parliament and the Government’s stand on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions.
Statement 3 is correct: The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is responsible for nominating Members of Parliament (MPs) to various committees, councils, boards, and commissions established by the Government of India across different ministries.
UPSC 2003Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q296. Which one of the following High Courts has the Territorial Jurisdiction over Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
Explanation
In India, a High Court (HC) can have jurisdiction over more than one state or Union Territory. This means that a High Court may serve as the judiciary for multiple states and Union Territories.
Option (b) is correct: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India, come under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata High Court. This arrangement is due to the geographical and administrative placement of the islands under the jurisdiction of West Bengal.
UPSC 2003Polity · Constitutional Bodies
Q297. Consider the following statements: The function(s) of the Finance commission is/are: 1. to allow the withdrawal of the money out of the Consolidated Fund of India 2. to allocate between the States the shares of proceeds of taxes 3. to consider applications for grants-in-aid from States 4. to supervise and report on whether the Union and State governments are levying taxes in accordance with the budgetary provisions Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
The Finance Commission of India primarily deals with the distribution of financial resources between the Union and the States.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Finance Commission does not authorize withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund of India. This function falls under the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
Statement 2 is correct: One of the key roles of the Finance Commission is to determine the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States, ensuring an equitable allocation of resources.
Statement 3 is correct: The Finance Commission considers applications for grants-in-aid from States. These grants help supplement the financial resources of states, particularly those in need.
Statement 4 is incorrect: The Commission does not supervise or report on tax compliance by the Union or State governments. Its primary focus is on reviewing financial relations and making recommendations on revenue sharing and grants.
UPSC 2003Polity · Schedules
Q298. The Ninth Schedule to the Indian Constitution was added by:
Explanation
The Ninth Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains laws initially intended to be exempt from judicial review, especially regarding their compatibility with fundamental rights. However, judicial review is permissible if such laws violate the basic structure of the Constitution. The Ninth Schedule was introduced to protect land reform laws and other social justice legislation from being challenged in courts. It was added through the First Amendment to the Constitution in 1951.
UPSC 2003Polity · Schedules
Q299. Which one of the following schedules of the Indian Constitution lists the names of states and specifies their territories?
Explanation
Option (a) is correct: The First Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the names of states and specifies their territories. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect: The Second Schedule contains provisions regarding the salaries and allowances of various constitutional office holders. The Third Schedule lists the forms of oaths and affirmations for constitutional offices. Fourth Schedule details the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha among the states and union territories.
UPSC 2003Polity · Miscellaneous
Q300. Survey of India is under the ministry of:
Explanation
Survey of India, the oldest scientific department under the Department of Science & Technology, was established in 1767. As the principal mapping agency, it ensures India’s domain is accurately mapped, providing base maps for development and resource utilization to support the country’s progress and security. The Department of Science & Technology which operates under the Ministry of Science and Technology, promotes science and technology in India, from high-end research and cutting-edge technology development to addressing the technological needs of the common man through skill development.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
291
2003
(c) The Parliament
292
2003
(c) There is no constitutional bar for a nominated member to be appointed as a Union minister.
293
2003
(d) 1, 2 and 3
294
2003
(d) Constitution Amendment Bill
295
2003
(d) 1, 2 and 3
296
2003
(b) Kolkata
297
2003
(b) 2 and 3
298
2003
(a) First Amendment
299
2003
(a) First
300
2003
(d) Science and Technology
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.
