Q1. Which Article of the Constitution of India mandates that there shall be a President of India?
Union Executive: President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Cabinet: RAS Prelims MCQs
100 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Union Executive cover the election and powers of the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. The electoral college, the oath, disputes over elections, the veto powers, ordinances and the nominal head principle are asked as articles, facts and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 100 questions
Q2. The executive power of the Union is vested in the President of India and is exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. This provision is explicitly mentioned in which Article?
Explanation
Article 53 stipulates that the executive power of the Union resides in the President. This authority is exercised either directly or through subordinate officers. While the President is the formal head, actual power is usually exercised through the Council of Ministers. This arrangement reflects the parliamentary democracy model where the head of state acts as a symbolic, nominal executive.
Q3. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Articles of the Constitution | Provisions related to the President |
|---|---|
| A. Article 54 | i. Oath or affirmation by the President |
| B. Article 55 | ii. Procedure for impeachment of the President |
| C. Article 60 | iii. Election of President |
| D. Article 61 | iv. Manner of election of President |
Explanation
The Constitution provides specific procedures for the President’s role and removal. Article 54 details the electoral college, while Article 55 describes the method of proportional representation. Article 60 outlines the oath administered by the Chief Justice. Article 61 establishes the process for impeachment on grounds of violating the Constitution, involving both Houses of Parliament through a special majority of total membership.
Q4. Who among the following administers the oath of office to the President of India?
Explanation
Article 60 mandates that every President takes an oath or affirmation before entering office. This ceremony is conducted by the Chief Justice of India. In the absence of the Chief Justice, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court performs this duty. The oath emphasizes preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution and the law of the land for the people.
Q5. Which of the following statements regarding the qualifications for election as President is incorrect?
Explanation
To be eligible for the presidency, a person must be an Indian citizen and at least thirty-five years old. A crucial requirement is being qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, the candidate must not hold any office of profit under the central or state governments or any other local authority.
Q6. Any dispute regarding the election of the President of India is inquired into and decided by:
Explanation
All doubts and disputes regarding the election of the President are inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court of India. Its decision is final. Such a petition can be filed by a candidate or twenty or more electors. Notably, the election cannot be challenged on the ground of any existing vacancy among the members of the presidential electoral college.
Q7. The following question consists of two statements -- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer the question by selecting the appropriate option:
Assertion (A): The President of India is bound to act in accordance with the advice tendered by the Council of Ministers.
Reason (R): The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 made it constitutionally mandatory for the President to accept the advice of the Council of Ministers.
Assertion (A): The President of India is bound to act in accordance with the advice tendered by the Council of Ministers.
Reason (R): The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 made it constitutionally mandatory for the President to accept the advice of the Council of Ministers.
Explanation
Article 74 provides for a Council of Ministers to aid and advise the President. The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 made this advice binding. Later, the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 granted the President the power to return the advice for reconsideration once. However, the President must act according to the advice tendered after such reconsideration is completed.
Q8. In the context of the Presidential Electoral College, the value of the vote of an MLA from the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly is:
Explanation
The value of an MLA’s vote in the Presidential election is calculated based on the state’s population and the number of elected assembly members. For Rajasthan, this value is fixed at 129. These values were determined using 1971 census data and will remain unchanged until the first census taken after 2026, ensuring uniformity and parity across different states.
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding the Impeachment of the President of India:
I. The impeachment charges can be initiated in either House of Parliament.
II. A 14 days’ advance notice must be given to the President, signed by one-fourth members of the House that framed the charges.
III. The resolution must be passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
I. The impeachment charges can be initiated in either House of Parliament.
II. A 14 days’ advance notice must be given to the President, signed by one-fourth members of the House that framed the charges.
III. The resolution must be passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
The impeachment of the President can be initiated in either House of Parliament for violating the Constitution. A fourteen-day notice signed by one-fourth of the total members of that House is mandatory. The resolution must be passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of the total membership of the House, rather than just those present and voting during the session.
Q10. The fundamental rationale behind the principle that the President is the nominal executive head while the Prime Minister is the real executive head stems from:
Explanation
India adopted the parliamentary system of government, which distinguishes between the head of state and the head of government. The President is the nominal executive who acts as a symbolic figurehead, while the Prime Minister leads the Council of Ministers and holds real executive power. This structure ensures that the executive remains accountable to the legislature through the collective responsibility mechanism.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) Article 52 |
| 2 | (b) Article 53 |
| 3 | (a) A-iii, B-iv, C-i, D-ii |
| 4 | (d) The Chief Justice of India |
| 5 | (c) He must be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. |
| 6 | (b) The Supreme Court of India |
| 7 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 8 | (a) 129 |
| 9 | (a) I and II only |
| 10 | (a) Adoption of the Parliamentary system of government |
Key facts from Union Executive: President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Article 52 provides for a President and Article 53 vests the executive power of the Union in him.
- The Chief Justice of India administers the oath to the President, and disputes about the election go to the Supreme Court.
- The value of the vote of an MLA of Rajasthan in the Presidential election is 129.
- The Vice President can act as President for up to six months; a Minister who is not a member of either House can serve up to six months.
- Giani Zail Singh used the pocket veto on the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill.
- The D. C. Wadhwa case (1987) was about repeated re-promulgation of ordinances.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Union Executive: President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Cabinet?
This page has 100 practice MCQs on Union Executive: President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Cabinet (Indian Polity and Governance). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who administers the oath to the President of India?
The Chief Justice of India, or in his absence the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also decides any dispute regarding the election of the President under Article 71.
Who used the pocket veto and on which bill?
President Giani Zail Singh used the pocket veto on the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, which Parliament had passed in 1986. He neither signed nor returned it, and the bill lapsed.
What did the D. C. Wadhwa case decide?
The Supreme Court held in 1987 that repeated re-promulgation of ordinances by the executive, without placing them before the Legislature, is a fraud on the Constitution and invalid. The case is the key authority on ordinance-making.