Q321. Who was the first President of India to exercise the Pocket Veto, and concerning which bill?
Indian Polity and Governance: RAS Prelims MCQs
944 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on Indian polity and governance are on this page, in 12 chapters. They cover the framing of the Constitution, the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, the Directive Principles, the Union executive, Parliament and the judiciary, Union-State relations, emergency provisions, local government, constitutional bodies, public policy and the vigilance and accountability institutions. Each question has an answer and an explanation.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
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Q322. The following question consists of two statements -- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer the question by selecting the appropriate option:
Assertion (A): The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Reason (R): The Vice-President is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha alone.
Assertion (A): The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Reason (R): The Vice-President is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha alone.
Explanation
The Vice-President serves as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, performing duties similar to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. However, the Vice-President is not elected by the Rajya Sabha alone. Instead, the electoral college consists of members from both Houses of Parliament, including both elected and nominated members. This distinguishes the vice-presidential election from the presidential election’s college.
Q323. Which of the following is an exception to the rule that the President must act on the advice of the Council of Ministers?
Explanation
Although the President generally acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, certain situations allow for individual discretion. A primary example is the appointment of the Prime Minister when no single party or coalition enjoys a clear majority in the Lok Sabha. In such cases, the President must use personal judgment to invite a leader capable of providing a stable government.
Q324. Consider the following situations regarding the situational discretion of the President of India:
I. Appointment of the Prime Minister when no party has a clear majority.
II. Dismissal of the Council of Ministers when it cannot prove the confidence of the Lok Sabha.
III. Dissolution of the Lok Sabha if the Council of Ministers has lost its majority.
Which of the above statements represents the discretionary powers of the President?
I. Appointment of the Prime Minister when no party has a clear majority.
II. Dismissal of the Council of Ministers when it cannot prove the confidence of the Lok Sabha.
III. Dissolution of the Lok Sabha if the Council of Ministers has lost its majority.
Which of the above statements represents the discretionary powers of the President?
Explanation
The President of India possesses situational discretion in specific political circumstances. This includes appointing the Prime Minister during a hung Parliament, dismissing the Council of Ministers if they lose the confidence of the Lok Sabha, and dissolving the Lok Sabha if the ministry loses its majority. These powers are crucial for maintaining constitutional order when the standard parliamentary processes face a deadlock.
Q325. Regarding the Ordinance making power of the President under Article 123, which of the following statements is incorrect?
Explanation
The President’s ordinance-making power under Article 123 is co-extensive with the legislative power of Parliament. Ordinances can only be issued on subjects where Parliament has the authority to make laws. During normal times, this excludes the State List. Furthermore, an ordinance can only be promulgated when at least one House of Parliament is not in session and immediate action is required.
Q326. In the D.C. Wadhwa case (1987), the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment concerning:
Explanation
In the D.C. Wadhwa case of 1987, the Supreme Court addressed the frequent repromulgation of ordinances by the executive without placing them before the legislature. The Court ruled that such practice constitutes a fraud on the Constitution and is subversive of the democratic process. It emphasized that ordinance power is meant for emergencies and cannot be used as a legislative substitute.
Q327. Article 66 of the Constitution of India deals with the election of the Vice President. The Electoral College for this election consists of:
Explanation
The electoral college for the Vice-President is different from that of the President. It consists of all members of both Houses of Parliament, encompassing both elected and nominated members. Unlike the presidential election, members of the state legislative assemblies do not participate. The election is conducted through a secret ballot using the system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote.
Q328. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Constitutional Articles | Provisions concerning the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers |
|---|---|
| A. Article 74 | i. Duties of Prime Minister in respect to furnishing information to the President |
| B. Article 75 | ii. Council of Ministers to aid and advise the President |
| C. Article 78 | iii. Other provisions as to Ministers, including collective responsibility |
| D. Article 352 | iv. Mention of the word ‘Cabinet’ |
Explanation
Article 74 establishes the Council of Ministers to advise the President. Article 75 outlines the appointment of ministers and their collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha. Article 78 specifies the Prime Minister’s duty to inform the President about administrative and legislative matters. Article 352 is notable as the only place where the term ‘Cabinet’ is explicitly mentioned in the Indian Constitution text.
Q329. Which of the following is NOT an essential qualification for a person to be eligible for election as Vice-President?
Explanation
To be eligible for the Vice-Presidency, a person must be an Indian citizen, at least thirty-five years old, and not hold an office of profit. A specific requirement is that the candidate must be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. This differs from the President, who must be qualified for election to the Lok Sabha instead.
Q330. Consider the following Cabinet Committees and their usual Chairpersons:
I. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet - Prime Minister
II. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs - Prime Minister
III. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs - Prime Minister
IV. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation - Minister of Home Affairs
Which of the above pair(s) is/are correctly matched?
I. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet - Prime Minister
II. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs - Prime Minister
III. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs - Prime Minister
IV. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation - Minister of Home Affairs
Which of the above pair(s) is/are correctly matched?
Explanation
Cabinet Committees are extra-constitutional bodies that handle specific areas of governance. The Prime Minister usually chairs the most powerful committees, such as the Appointments Committee, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, and the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs. The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation is typically chaired by the Home Minister. These committees help reduce the workload of the Union Cabinet.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 321 | (a) Giani Zail Singh; Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill |
| 322 | (c) A is true but R is false. |
| 323 | (b) Appointing the Prime Minister when no party has a clear majority in the House |
| 324 | (d) I, II and III |
| 325 | (d) The President can promulgate ordinances on State List subjects during normal times. |
| 326 | (a) The frequent repromulgation of ordinances by the executive |
| 327 | (b) Elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament |
| 328 | (a) A-ii, B-iii, C-i, D-iv |
| 329 | (a) He must be qualified for election to the Lok Sabha |
| 330 | (d) I, II, III and IV |
Key facts from Indian Polity and Governance
- The RPSC syllabus lists the Indian Constitution, the political system and governance, with public policy, vigilance and accountability bodies as part of the paper.
- Article-number questions are the commonest: for example Article 356 for President’s Rule, Article 324 for the Election Commission and Article 243K for the State Election Commission.
- Statement and assertion-reason questions test exceptions, so learn each provision with its limits.
- Questions on bodies ask for appointing authority, removing authority, tenure and the body to which the report goes.
- The Rajasthan-specific part of polity is on a separate page, with its own 8 chapters.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Indian Polity and Governance?
This page has 944 practice MCQs on Indian Polity and Governance. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the Indian polity set cover?
Twelve chapters: framing of the Constitution, Preamble and citizenship; Fundamental Rights; DPSP and Fundamental Duties; Union executive; Parliament; Union judiciary; Union-State relations; emergency provisions; local government; constitutional and statutory bodies; public policy and citizen charter; and vigilance and accountability.
Is polity part of the RAS Prelims syllabus?
Yes. The RPSC syllabus for General Knowledge includes the Indian Constitution, political system and governance, together with the political and administrative system of Rajasthan, which is covered on the separate Rajasthan polity page.
How should I revise polity for RAS Prelims?
Make a table of articles, bodies and amendments. Attempt each chapter, read the explanation for every miss and note the article number and the exception. Repeat the chapter after a few days, as polity facts are easy to confuse.