Q601. In which year was the Inter-State Council formally established for the first time on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission?
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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Q602. Consider the following duties:
I. Inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States.
II. Investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest.
III. Making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better co-ordination of policy and action.
IV. Adjudicating legal disputes over inter-state river waters.
Which of the above are explicitly mentioned under Article 263 for the Inter-State Council?
I. Inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States.
II. Investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest.
III. Making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better co-ordination of policy and action.
IV. Adjudicating legal disputes over inter-state river waters.
Which of the above are explicitly mentioned under Article 263 for the Inter-State Council?
Explanation
Article 263 specifies that the Inter-State Council’s duties include inquiring into disputes between states and investigating subjects of common interest to the Union and States. It is also tasked with making recommendations for better policy coordination. However, the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes is excluded from its mandate, as that function is specifically governed by Article 262 through specialized tribunals.
Q603. Match the bodies in List-I with their characteristic features in List-II:
| Bodies/Councils | Characteristic Features |
|---|---|
| A. Inter-State Council | i. Extraconstitutional body formed by an executive resolution replacing the Planning Commission. |
| B. Zonal Councils | ii. Statutory bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. |
| C. NITI Aayog | iii. Constitutional body established under Article 263. |
| D. National Development Council | iv. Extraconstitutional body traditionally associated with approving Five Year Plans. |
Explanation
The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body established under Article 263. Zonal Councils are statutory bodies created by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. NITI Aayog is an extra-constitutional body formed via an executive resolution to replace the Planning Commission. The National Development Council is another extra-constitutional body that was traditionally responsible for approving the nation’s Five Year Plans and developmental strategies.
Q604. Article 275 of the Constitution provides for ‘Statutory Grants’. These grants are given by the Union to:
Explanation
Statutory grants under Article 275 are provided by the Union to specific states that the Parliament determines to be in need of financial assistance. These grants are charged to the Consolidated Fund of India and are not distributed equally to all states. They often target specific regional needs, such as the welfare of Scheduled Tribes or improving administration in tribal areas within those states.
Q605. Consider the following components of central taxation:
I. Corporation Tax
II. Customs Duties
III. Surcharges on certain taxes
IV. Cesses levied for specific purposes
V. Income Tax
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct regarding items that form part of the divisible pool of taxes shared between the Centre and the States according to current constitutional provisions?
I. Corporation Tax
II. Customs Duties
III. Surcharges on certain taxes
IV. Cesses levied for specific purposes
V. Income Tax
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct regarding items that form part of the divisible pool of taxes shared between the Centre and the States according to current constitutional provisions?
Explanation
The divisible pool of taxes includes major sources like Corporation Tax, Customs Duties, and Income Tax, which are shared between the Union and States. However, surcharges and cesses levied for specific purposes are typically excluded from this sharing arrangement and belong solely to the Union. This distinction ensures that while general tax revenues are distributed, the Union retains specific-purpose funds for national projects.
Q606. Which of the following statements regarding the borrowing powers of the States under Article 293 is incorrect?
Explanation
Under Article 293, states can borrow only within India and against their own Consolidated Funds. A critical restriction is that a state cannot raise any new loan without the consent of the Union Government if there is any part of a previous central loan still outstanding. This ensures fiscal discipline and prevents states from accumulating unsustainable debt that could impact the national economy.
Q607. The ‘Discretionary Grants’ provided by the Union Government to the States under Article 282 of the Constitution are primarily meant for:
Explanation
Article 282 allows both the Union and the States to make grants for any public purpose, even if the subject matter falls outside their respective legislative competences. These discretionary grants were historically used for financing various developmental plans. This provision offers financial flexibility, enabling the Union to support diverse social and economic projects in the states that are not covered by mandatory tax devolutions.
Q608. Arrange the following Articles related to Centre- State financial relations in ascending numerical order:
I. Statutory Grants
II. Finance Commission
III. Taxes levied by Union but collected and appropriated by States
IV. Borrowing by States
I. Statutory Grants
II. Finance Commission
III. Taxes levied by Union but collected and appropriated by States
IV. Borrowing by States
Explanation
The constitutional articles for financial relations follow a specific numerical sequence. Article 268 deals with taxes levied by the Union but collected by states. Article 275 provides for statutory grants to states in need. Article 280 establishes the Finance Commission to recommend tax distribution. Finally, Article 293 outlines the borrowing powers and limitations of the states, completing the fiscal framework of the federation.
Q609. Which of the following taxes is NOT levied by the Union but collected and appropriated by the States (Article 268)?
Explanation
Article 268 specifies certain taxes, like stamp duties on bills of exchange and excise duties on medicinal preparations, that the Union levies but the States collect and keep. Taxes on agricultural income, however, are entirely within the jurisdiction of the State List. States possess the exclusive power to both levy and collect taxes on agricultural income, making it a direct revenue source for regional governments.
Q610. Under Article 280 of the Constitution, the Finance Commission consists of:
Explanation
According to Article 280, the Finance Commission is a quasi-judicial body consisting of a Chairman and four other members. All members are appointed by the President of India. The Constitution empowers Parliament to determine the qualifications and the manner of selection for these members, ensuring the commission possesses the necessary expertise in economics, public affairs, and government finance to fulfill its duties.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 601 | (c) 1990 |
| 602 | (d) I, II and III only |
| 603 | (b) A-iii, B-ii, C-i, D-iv |
| 604 | (d) States specifically identified as requiring financial assistance. |
| 605 | (a) I, II and V only |
| 606 | (c) Unilateral borrowing by States despite outstanding Central loans. |
| 607 | (a) Any public purpose regardless of Union legislative competence. |
| 608 | (a) III, I, II, IV |
| 609 | (c) Taxes on agricultural income |
| 610 | (d) A Chairman and four other members appointed by the President. |
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.