Q541. What is the fundamental difference in the writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (Article 32) and the High Courts (Article 226)?
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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Q542. Given below are two statements, one labelled as
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Article 32 is a basic feature of the Constitution and cannot be curtailed even by an amendment.
Reason (R): Article 32 provides a guaranteed remedy for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and is itself a Fundamental Right. In the context of the above, which one of the following is correct?
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Article 32 is a basic feature of the Constitution and cannot be curtailed even by an amendment.
Reason (R): Article 32 provides a guaranteed remedy for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and is itself a Fundamental Right. In the context of the above, which one of the following is correct?
Explanation
Article 32 is considered the heart and soul of the Constitution because it provides a guaranteed remedy for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights. Since it is itself a Fundamental Right, it cannot be taken away even by a constitutional amendment. The Supreme Court has affirmed that this right to move the court for constitutional remedies is an essential basic feature.
Q543. Consider the following statements regarding Judicial Activism in India:
I. It involves the judiciary stepping into the domains of the executive and the legislature.
II. It is often justified by the failure of the executive and legislative branches to act on critical issues.
III. It relies heavily on the mechanism of Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
IV. It was officially incorporated into the Constitution via the 42nd Amendment.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. It involves the judiciary stepping into the domains of the executive and the legislature.
II. It is often justified by the failure of the executive and legislative branches to act on critical issues.
III. It relies heavily on the mechanism of Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
IV. It was officially incorporated into the Constitution via the 42nd Amendment.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Judicial activism involves the judiciary taking a proactive role to ensure justice, often by stepping into legislative or executive domains when they fail to act. It relies significantly on Public Interest Litigation to address broad social issues. However, it was never officially incorporated into the Constitution via the 42nd Amendment or any other amendment; it evolved through judicial practice and interpretation.
Q544. Find the odd one out among the following writs:
Explanation
Mandamus, Prohibition, and Certiorari are constitutional writs specifically mentioned in Articles 32 and 226 for the enforcement of rights. An injunction, however, is a general equitable remedy or a civil court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing specific acts. It is not categorized as one of the five prerogative writs derived from the English common law tradition.
Q545. Which principle of Judicial Restraint prevents the courts from ruling on an issue unless it is absolutely necessary to resolve an actual dispute?
Explanation
The Doctrine of Mootness is a principle of judicial restraint where a court declines to decide a case because the issues involved are no longer live or have already been resolved. Courts avoid ruling on abstract or hypothetical questions where a judgment would have no practical effect on the parties involved. This ensures that judicial resources are focused on actual, ongoing disputes.
Q546. Consider the following statements regarding the powers of the Supreme Court:
I. It can grant special leave to appeal from any court or tribunal in India.
II. It has the power to review any judgment pronounced or order made by it.
III. The President can refer a matter of public importance to it for an opinion.
IV. It can issue writs for the enforcement of fundamental rights.
V. It can advise the Governor of a state on constitutional matters.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. It can grant special leave to appeal from any court or tribunal in India.
II. It has the power to review any judgment pronounced or order made by it.
III. The President can refer a matter of public importance to it for an opinion.
IV. It can issue writs for the enforcement of fundamental rights.
V. It can advise the Governor of a state on constitutional matters.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Judicial independence is maintained through various constitutional safeguards. These include restrictions on discussing judicial conduct in Parliament and providing a secure tenure. While salaries are generally protected, they can be varied during a financial emergency. Furthermore, the court has the power to punish for contempt and its jurisdiction over fundamental rights cannot be curtailed by ordinary legislative actions. However, it does not advise the Governor of a state; constitutional advice to the Governor is typically provided by the state’s Advocate General.
Q547. If a law enacted by a State Legislature violates a Fundamental Right, which of the following actions best illustrates the concept of Judicial Review?
Explanation
Judicial review is best illustrated when a court examines a law’s constitutionality and strikes it down if it violates fundamental rights. If a State Legislature enacts a law that infringes upon these rights, the High Court or Supreme Court can declare it void. This judicial act ensures that legislative powers are exercised within the boundaries defined by the Constitution of India.
Q548. Which of the following sequences represents the correct hierarchy of appellate courts in India for civil cases (from lowest to highest)?
Explanation
In the Indian judicial hierarchy for civil cases, the legal journey typically begins at the subordinate or District Court level. If a party is dissatisfied with the District Court’s verdict, they can appeal to the High Court of the respective state. Finally, the Supreme Court of India serves as the ultimate and highest court of appeal for any further legal challenges.
Q549. "Justice delayed is justice denied." In the context of the Indian Judiciary, which of the following is an oft-cited reason for judicial delays leading to judicial activism?
Explanation
A major challenge facing the Indian judiciary is the massive backlog of cases and numerous vacancies in judicial positions across all levels. These factors contribute significantly to delays in the delivery of justice. Such systemic inefficiencies often prompt the judiciary to adopt an activist role to address urgent social issues that might otherwise remain unresolved for many years in the regular system.
Q550. Which among the following is not an example of a writ issued under Article 32?
Explanation
Article 32 empowers the Supreme Court to issue five specific types of writs: Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto. These are prerogative writs intended for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights. An injunction is a different type of court order, usually issued in civil litigation to maintain the status quo or prevent a specific action, and is not a writ.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 541 | (d) The Supreme Court can issue writs only for fundamental rights, whereas High Courts can issue for other rights. |
| 542 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 543 | (a) I, II and III only |
| 544 | (a) Injunction |
| 545 | (d) Doctrine of Mootness |
| 546 | (a) I, II, III and IV only |
| 547 | (c) The High Court striking down the law as unconstitutional. |
| 548 | (a) District Court High Court Supreme Court |
| 549 | (a) Huge pendency of cases and judicial vacancies |
| 550 | (a) Injunction |
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.