Q41. The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, which placed a ceiling on the size of the Council of Ministers, amended which Article of the Constitution?
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 41–50 of 100 questions
Q42. Arrange the following actions in the conventional order they occur when a general election results in a hung assembly:
I. The President invites the leader of the single largest party to form the government.
II. The appointed Prime Minister is asked to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha.
III. The newly appointed Prime Minister is administered the oath of office and secrecy.
I. The President invites the leader of the single largest party to form the government.
II. The appointed Prime Minister is asked to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha.
III. The newly appointed Prime Minister is administered the oath of office and secrecy.
Explanation
In a hung assembly, the President first invites the leader of the single largest party or coalition to form the government. The leader then takes the oath of office and secrecy to become the Prime Minister. Finally, the newly appointed Prime Minister is given a specific timeframe, usually one month, to prove their majority by seeking a vote of confidence.
Q43. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer:
| Dignitary | Type of Majority required for Removal |
|---|---|
| A. President of India | i. Effective majority in Rajya Sabha and simple majority in Lok Sabha |
| B. Vice President of India | ii. Two-thirds majority of total membership in both Houses |
| C. Speaker of Lok Sabha | iii. Special majority (two-thirds present and voting + absolute majority) in both Houses |
| D. Supreme Court Judge | iv. Effective majority in Lok Sabha |
Explanation
Different constitutional offices require specific majorities for removal. The President is removed by a two-thirds majority of total membership. The Vice-President requires an effective majority in the Rajya Sabha and a simple majority in the Lok Sabha. The Speaker is removed by an effective majority in the Lok Sabha. Supreme Court judges are removed by a special majority in both Houses.
Q44. Find the odd one out concerning the powers of the Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Vice President) and the Speaker of Lok Sabha:
Explanation
Both the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha maintain order, exercise casting votes, and adjourn for lack of quorum. However, a significant difference is that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, being the Vice- President, cannot preside over a joint sitting of Parliament. This duty falls to the Speaker or, in their absence, the Deputy Speaker.
Q45. Which of the following describes the doctrine of ‘Collective Responsibility’ enshrined in Article 75 of the Constitution?
Explanation
Article 75 states that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. This means they function as a single unit and sink or swim together. If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the government, the entire ministry must resign. This principle ensures the executive remains accountable to the lower house, which directly represents the people’s mandate.
Q46. The principle of ‘Individual Responsibility’ implies that:
Explanation
Individual responsibility is enshrined in Article 75, which states that ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President. In practice, this means the President can remove a minister on the advice of the Prime Minister. This power allows the Prime Minister to ensure cabinet harmony and dismiss a minister who deviates from the government’s policy or fails to perform adequately.
Q47. The following question consists of two statements -- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer the question by selecting the appropriate option:
Assertion (A): The Attorney General of India has the right to speak and take part in the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament.
Reason (R): The Attorney General of India is a member of the Union Cabinet.
Assertion (A): The Attorney General of India has the right to speak and take part in the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament.
Reason (R): The Attorney General of India is a member of the Union Cabinet.
Explanation
The Attorney General has the right to speak and participate in the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament and their committees. However, the Attorney General does not have the right to vote. Furthermore, the Attorney General is not a member of the Union Cabinet. Legal advice within the cabinet is typically provided by the Law Minister, who is a political appointee.
Q48. Who among the following is considered the highest law officer in India?
Explanation
The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer in the country. Appointed by the President under Article 76, the Attorney General provides legal advice to the Union Government and performs other legal duties assigned by the President. This official has the right of audience in all courts across India and can participate in parliamentary proceedings without voting rights.
Q49. Consider the following statements regarding the collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers in India:
I. When the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion, all ministers must resign, including those from the Rajya Sabha.
II. A minister who disagrees with a Cabinet decision must either accept it or resign.
III. The President can remove the entire Council of Ministers on the advice of the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
I. When the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion, all ministers must resign, including those from the Rajya Sabha.
II. A minister who disagrees with a Cabinet decision must either accept it or resign.
III. The President can remove the entire Council of Ministers on the advice of the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Collective responsibility means that all ministers, regardless of their house of membership, must resign if the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion. Additionally, ministers must publicly support cabinet decisions or resign if they disagree. The President’s power to remove ministers is based on the Prime Minister’s advice, not on a recommendation from the Rajya Sabha, ensuring necessary executive unity.
Q50. The term ‘Cabinet’ is mentioned in the Indian Constitution in which Article?
Explanation
The word ‘Cabinet’ was not originally in the Constitution. It was inserted into Article 352 by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978. It specifies that the President can proclaim a National Emergency only after receiving a written communication of the decision from the Union Cabinet. Elsewhere, the Constitution uses the broader term ‘Council of Ministers’ to describe the executive branch.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 41 | (b) Article 75 |
| 42 | (b) I, III, II |
| 43 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 44 | (b) Presiding over the joint sitting of Parliament |
| 45 | (c) The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. |
| 46 | (d) Ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President. |
| 47 | (c) A is true but R is false. |
| 48 | (b) The Attorney General of India |
| 49 | (a) I and II only |
| 50 | (a) Article 352 |
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.