UPSC Mains PYQs on Parliament and State Legislatures (GS Paper 2)
Every UPSC Mains question on Parliament and State Legislatures between 2013 and 2025 is listed below, newest year first, with the marks it carried. Filter by microtheme to see one idea across all the years.
By Team MaargX UPSC · UPSC Mains 2013-2025
Short answer: UPSC has asked 13 questions on Parliament and State Legislatures (syllabus item 6 of GS Paper 2) between 2013 and 2025, worth 162.5 marks in all, about 1.4 questions a year. The most-asked microthemes are Parliamentary Committees (4), Bicameralism (3), Presiding Officers (3), Role of MPs (2). The busiest year was 2023 (2 questions, 25 marks).
UPSC syllabus, GS Paper 2, item 6: Parliament and State Legislatures (structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges; issues therein)
Find Questions by GS Paper, Syllabus Topic and Microtheme
Step 1 paper → Step 2 syllabus topic → Step 3 subject → Step 4 microtheme. Each step opens after the one before it.
Parliament and State Legislatures: questions year-wise with marks
2023 2 questions · 25 marks
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Explain the structure of the Parliamentary Committee system. How far have the financial committees helped in the institutionalization of Indian Parliament?
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Discuss the role of Presiding Officers of state legislatures in maintaining order and impartiality in conducting legislative work and in facilitating best democratic practices.
2022 1 question · 10 marks
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Discuss the role of the Vice-President of India as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
2021 2 questions · 30 marks
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Explain the constitutional provisions under which Legislative Councils are established. Review the working and current status of Legislative Councils with suitable illustrations.
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Do Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees keep the administration on its toes and inspire reverence for parliamentary control? Evaluate the working of such committees with suitable examples.
2020 2 questions · 25 marks
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Rajya Sabha has been transformed from a 'useless stepney tyre' to the most useful supporting organ in past few decades. Highlight the factors as well as the areas in which this transformation could be visible.
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'Once a Speaker, Always a Speaker'! Do you think this practice should be adopted to impart objectivity to the office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha? What could be its implications for the robust functioning of parliamentary business in India?
2019 1 question · 15 marks
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Individual Parliamentarian's role as the national lawmaker is on a decline, which in turn, has adversely impacted the quality of debates and their outcome. Discuss.
2018 1 question · 10 marks
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Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role or the Estimates Committee.
2017 2 questions · 25 marks
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The Indian Constitution has provisions for holding joint session of the two houses of the Parliament. Enumerate the occasions when this would normally happen and also the occasions when it cannot, with reasons thereof.
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Discuss the role of Public Accounts Committee in establishing accountability of the government to the people.
2014 1 question · 12.5 marks
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The 'Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and its Members' as envisaged in Article 105 of the Constitution leave room for a large number of uncodified and unenumerated privileges to continue. Assess the reasons for the absence of legal codification of the 'parliamentary privileges'. How can this problem be addressed?
2013 1 question · 10 marks
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The role of individual MPs (Members of Parliament) has diminished over the years and as a result healthy constructive debates on policy issues are not usually witnessed. How far can this be attributed to the anti-defection law, which was legislated but with a different intention?
No question matches these choices. Try another year or microtheme, or reset.
Parliament and State Legislatures at a Glance
| Syllabus item | GS Paper 2, item 6 (Polity) |
|---|---|
| Questions asked | 13 (2013-2025), about 1.4 a year |
| Total marks | 162.5 marks |
| Last five years | 5 questions, 65 marks (2021-2025) |
| Usual weight | 15 marks (6 questions) |
| Directive words | Discuss (5), Explain (2), Evaluate (1), Highlight (1) |
| Busiest year | 2023 (2 questions, 25 marks) |
Year-Wise Summary
| Year | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2022 | 1 | 10 marks |
| 2021 | 2 | 30 marks |
| 2020 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2019 | 1 | 15 marks |
| 2018 | 1 | 10 marks |
| 2017 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2014 | 1 | 12.5 marks |
| 2013 | 1 | 10 marks |
| Total | 13 | 162.5 marks |
Microthemes in Parliament and State Legislatures
These are the ideas inside this topic, most asked first. Select one to see all its questions year-wise with marks.
- Parliamentary Committees 4 · 50 marks
- Bicameralism 3 · 45 marks
- Presiding Officers 3 · 30 marks
- Role of MPs 2 · 25 marks
- Parliamentary Privileges 1 · 12.5 marks
Other Topics in GS Paper 2
- 01. Indian Constitution: Evolution and Features 18 · 235 marks
- 02. Union and States: Federal Structure 16 · 195 marks
- 03. Separation of Powers and Dispute Redressal 10 · 117.5 marks
- 04. Devolution to Local Levels 8 · 97.5 marks
- 05. Comparison with Other Constitutions 9 · 115 marks
- 07. Executive, Judiciary and Pressure Groups 17 · 197.5 marks
- 08. Representation of the People's Act 11 · 137.5 marks
- 09. Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies 23 · 282.5 marks
- 10. Government Policies and Interventions 9 · 112.5 marks
- 11. NGOs, SHGs and the Development Industry 14 · 177.5 marks
- 12. Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections 9 · 110 marks
- 13. Health, Education and Human Resources 18 · 215 marks
- 14. Poverty and Hunger 10 · 127.5 marks
- 15. Transparency, Accountability and E-Governance 18 · 215 marks
- 16. Role of Civil Services 5 · 60 marks
- 17. India and Its Neighbourhood 7 · 75 marks
- 18. Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings 19 · 230 marks
- 19. Policies of Other Countries and Indian Diaspora 16 · 195 marks
- 20. International Institutions and Agencies 15 · 187.5 marks
How to Use Mains PYQs Topic Wise
- Start with the microthemes. Open a topic and read its microtheme list. The ones with the most questions are the ideas UPSC returns to.
- Read the demand words. Note how questions begin: discuss, examine, critically analyse, comment. Each asks for a different answer structure.
- Write by marks. A 10-mark question needs a tight answer of about 150 words, and a 15-mark question about 250 words.
- Cover all years of a microtheme. Write the oldest and the latest question on the same microtheme, and see how the angle changed.
- Revise and rewrite. Revise the topic from the notes, and write the same question again after a week.
For the method in full, read the Mains answer writing strategy. The official papers are on our UPSC PYQs page.
Questions are shown as printed in the UPSC Civil Services (Main) General Studies papers of 2013-2025. The grouping into topics and microthemes is by Team MaargX UPSC. Check any wording against the official paper on upsc.gov.in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UPSC Mains questions have been asked on Parliament and State Legislatures?
13 questions on Parliament and State Legislatures appeared in UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 between 2013 and 2025, worth 162.5 marks in all. That is about 1.4 questions a year. Every one of them is listed on this page, year-wise with its marks.
Which Parliament and State Legislatures microthemes does UPSC ask most often?
The most-asked microthemes in Parliament and State Legislatures are Parliamentary Committees (4), Bicameralism (3), Presiding Officers (3), Role of MPs (2). The number in brackets is how many questions each has had since 2013. Use the microtheme filter to see all of them together, year by year, with marks.
In which year was Parliament and State Legislatures asked the most in UPSC Mains?
The busiest year for Parliament and State Legislatures was 2023 (2 questions, 25 marks). The lightest was 2022 (1 questions, 10 marks). Treat these swings as noise: UPSC does not repeat a fixed pattern, so cover the whole topic.
How many marks do Parliament and State Legislatures questions carry?
Of the 13 questions on Parliament and State Legislatures, 6 of 15 marks, 1 of 12.5 marks, 6 of 10 marks. Plan your word limit by marks: 10-marker answers run to about 150 words and 15-marker answers to about 250 words.
What kind of questions does UPSC ask on Parliament and State Legislatures?
The directive words in the 13 questions on Parliament and State Legislatures are Discuss (5), Explain (2), Evaluate (1), Highlight (1). Match your answer to the word: discuss and examine want both sides with a conclusion, while comment and critically analyse want a reasoned stand.
Is Parliament and State Legislatures important for UPSC Mains?
In the last five years (2021-2025) UPSC asked 5 questions on Parliament and State Legislatures, worth 65 marks. In the first five years (2013-2017) it asked 4, worth 47.5 marks.
Which GS paper does Parliament and State Legislatures belong to?
Parliament and State Legislatures belongs to UPSC Mains GS Paper 2, titled Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations. The questions on this page are all from that paper.
How should I use these Parliament and State Legislatures PYQs?
Read the microtheme list first, then pick one and write two or three answers in the time limit. Compare each with what the question demands (discuss, examine, critically analyse). Revise the topic from the Maarg Manthan notes and write the same question again after a week.
Official Sources
These are the primary sources behind this page. Rules, dates and papers can change, so confirm them on the official pages.
- UPSC: Previous Year Question Papers
- UPSC: Previous Year Question Papers (Archives)
- UPSC: Revised Syllabus and Scheme
- UPSC: Civil Services Examination Rules