Salient Features of the Constitution: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Polity)
13 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on the salient features of the Constitution are collected here, from 2005 to 2022. UPSC keeps returning to three themes: how Indian federalism differs from the classical federal model, how parliamentary government works, and what particular Schedules do. The explanations separate true features from near-miss options.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
UPSC 2014Polity · Salient Features of the Constitution
Q11. 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 2013Polity · Salient Features of the Constitution
Q12. In the context of India, which of the following principles is/are, implied institutionally in the parliamentary government? 1. Members of the Cabinet are Members of the Parliament. 2. Ministers hold the office till they enjoy confidence in the Parliament. 3. The Cabinet is headed by the Head of the State. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Parliamentary System entails that the Executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and legislations. The Constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government, both at the Centre and in the States. The Parliamentary Government is also known as Cabinet Government/Responsible Government/Westminster Model. Some of its features are included in the details of statements analysis are as follows:
Statement 1 is correct: In the Parliamentary System of Government members of the Cabinet are members of the Parliament.
Statement 2 is correct: The ministers in the Parliament hold the office till they enjoy the confidence of the Parliament.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Head of the state is President and he/she does not head the cabinet, he is considered to be the nominal executive. The head of Govt(PM) heads the cabinet.
UPSC 2005Polity · Salient Features of the Constitution
Q13. Consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution of India has 20 parts. 2. There are 390 Articles in the Constitution of India in all. 3. Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules were added to the Constitution of India by the Constitution (Amendment) Acts. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Constitution of India originally had 22 parts, though with amendments, it now has 25 parts. Thus, the statement that the Constitution has 20 parts is incorrect.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: Originally, the Constitution had 395 Articles, but due to amendments, the number of Articles has increased to 448.
Statement 3 is correct:
Schedule
Added by
Purpose
Ninth
First Amendment Act (1951)
Protects certain laws (mainly land reforms) from judicial review.
Tenth
Fifty-Second Amendment Act (1985)
Deals with disqualification of legislators on grounds of defection (Anti-Defection Law).
Eleventh
Seventy-Third Amendment Act (1992)
Defines powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayati Raj institutions.
Twelfth
Seventy-Fourth Amendment Act (1992)
Lists functions and responsibilities of municipalities.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
11
2014
(d) Tenth Schedule
12
2013
(a) 1 and 2 only
13
2005
(c) 3 only
What UPSC has tested in Salient Features of the Constitution
The Ninth Schedule was added by the First Amendment (1951), during Jawaharlal Nehru’s prime ministership.
The Tenth Schedule contains the anti-defection provisions; it was added in 1985.
Under the Fifth Schedule, laws can restrict the transfer of tribal land to non-tribals; Fifth and Sixth Schedules together protect Scheduled Tribes.
An independent judiciary is a federal feature; India’s federation is not the result of an agreement among the units.
In a parliamentary system the executive stays responsible to the legislature, which is the main advantage of the form.
The Constitution does not list the basic structure; the doctrine was developed by the Supreme Court.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Salient Features of the Constitution?
This page covers 13 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Salient Features of the Constitution (Polity), asked from 2005 to 2022. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which Schedule contains the anti-defection provisions?
The Tenth Schedule. It was added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985 and lays down the grounds on which a legislator is disqualified for defection, with the Presiding Officer deciding such cases.
Which Schedule was added by the First Amendment?
The Ninth Schedule, in 1951. It protects listed laws, mainly land reform laws, from challenge. Laws placed in it after 24 April 1973 can be reviewed by courts if they violate the basic structure.
Under which Schedule can transfer of tribal land be declared null and void?
The Fifth Schedule, which governs Scheduled Areas. The Governor can regulate or prohibit transfer of land by or among members of Scheduled Tribes in such areas, and can modify laws made by Parliament or the State.
Does the Constitution define its basic structure?
No. The basic structure doctrine was laid down by the Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973). The Constitution neither defines nor lists it, so a statement that it does is incorrect.
