1. Which one of the following best defines the term ‘State?
(a) A community of persons permanently occupying a definite territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government
(b) A politically organized people of a definite territory and possessing an authority to govern them, maintain law and order, protect their natural rights, and safeguard their means of sustenance
(c) A number of persons who have been living in a definite territory for a very long time with their own culture, tradition, and government
(d) A society permanently living in a definite territory with a central authority, an executive responsible to the central authority, and an independent judiciary
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2021]
Ans. (a) A community of persons permanently occupying a definite territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government
- A state is a group of people living in a certain area who are mostly independent of outside control and have their own government that most of the people obey.
- Political Science focuses heavily on the concept of a ‘State’. The following are the building blocks that make up a State:
- People, i.e. the community of persons permanently living there.
- Government
- Territory: Demarcated boundary that separates one state from the other.
- Sovereignty: It has an independent say in all domestic and external decision-making.
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2. Which one is the most prominent element of a state?
(a) Flag
(b) Capital
(c) Sovereignty
(d) Head of State
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]
Ans. (c) Sovereignty
- India didn’t become a state until 1947 because it lacked one of the four essential elements:
- Sovereignty. The other three elements, Population, Territory, and Government, were all present, but Sovereignty was missing due to British control.
- Sovereignty is the most important of the four elements.
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3. With reference to the Sovereignty of India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
2. The sovereignty of India is curtailed due to its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Codes :
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 & 2 both
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (a) 1 only
- The word ‘Sovereign’ means that India is its own country and not controlled by any other nation.
- In 1947, India announced that it would stay in the Commonwealth of Nations and accepted the British monarch as its leader, but this did not affect India’s independence in any way.
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4. “The State is everywhere: it leaves hardly a gap.” This statement explains the concept of
(a) Welfare State
(b) Communist State
(c) Democratic State
(d) Police State
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
Ans. (a) Welfare State
- The government is involved in almost every aspect of life, which is what a welfare state is all about.
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5. The Constitution of India provides which type of governance system?
(a) Democratic
(b) Presidential
(c) Parliamentary
(d) Semi-democratic
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]
Ans. (c) Parliamentary
- In India, we have two types of systems for governing – Parliamentary and Presidential.
- India follows the Parliamentary system, which is based on the same system of government used in the United Kingdom.
- In a Parliamentary system, the executive branch gets its authority from the Legislature and must answer to them.
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6. Which unitary elements are found in the Indian Federal System?
i. Written Constitution
ii. Rigid Constitution
iii. Supremacy of the Constitution
iv. Appointment of Governor
v. Decentralisation of Powers
vi. President’s approval of state bills
vii. Constitutional Crisis
viii. One Supreme Court
(a) i iii vii
(b) ii v viii
(c) i ii v
(d) iv vi vii
(e) None of the above
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) – 2017]
Ans. (d) iv vi vii
- The Constitution of India is like most federations, with two governments, power divided between them, a written document, and a rigid structure.
- It also has a lot of unitary features, like a powerful central government, one Constitution, one Citizenship, a flexible Constitution, a shared Judiciary, Governors appointed by the center, services that are used everywhere in India, and special emergency powers.
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7. Which One of the following in Indian polity is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character?
(a) The independence of the judiciary is safeguarded.
(b) The Union Legislature has elected representatives from constituent units.
(c) The Union Cabinet can have elected representatives from regional parties
(d) The Fundamental Rights are enforceable by Courts of Law.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2021]
Ans. (a) The independence of the judiciary is safeguarded.
- The Constitution of India has all the typical parts of a federation, such as two governments, a splitting up of power, a written Constitution, a rigid Constitution, an independent court system, and two legislative bodies.
- Additionally, India’s Constitution also has quite a few features that are more like a unitary system, like a powerful central government, a single Constitution, single Citizenship, a flexible Constitution, a unified court system, Governors appointed by the center, national services, and an emergency provision.
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8. Which one of the following characteristics is not true for a unitary form of Government?
(a) Swift decision
(b) Flexible
(c) Ideal for large countries
(d) Uniformity of laws
(e) None of the above /More than one of the above
[65th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2019]
Ans. (c) Ideal for large countries
- Characteristics of a unitary form of Government are –
- Strong Centre
- Single Constitution
- Flexibility of the Constitution
- Emergency provisions
- Single Citizenship
- Integrated judiciary
- All-India Services
- Integrated Audit Machinery
- Parliament’s Authority over State List
- Appointment of Governor
- Integrated Election machinery
- Veto over State Bills
- It’s not always the best idea for big countries, it just depends on what they want to do. So the answer is (c).
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9. Which of the following is not a feature of good governance?
(a) Accountability
(b) Transparency
(c) Rule of Law
(d) Red Tapism
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
Ans. (d) Red Tapism
- Red Tapism is when too many rules get in the way of making decisions.
- This is not a sign of good governance.
- Good governance, however, includes being accountable, being open about decisions, and following the law.
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10. Which one of the following is not a feature of the Indian Constitution?
(a) Parliamentary Government
(b) Presidential Government
(c) Independence of Judiciary
(d) Federal Government
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015]
Ans. (b) Presidential Government
- India does not use a Presidential type of government.
- This means that the leader of the country is not the same person as the leader of the government.
- For example, in the United States, the President is the leader of both the country and the government.
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11. Out of the following statements, choose the one that brings out the principle underlying the Cabinet form of Government:
(a) An arrangement for minimizing the criticism against the Government whose responsibilities are complex and hard to carry out to the satisfaction of all.
(b) A mechanism for speeding up the activities of the Government whose responsibilities are increasing day by day.
(c) A mechanism of parliamentary democracy for ensuring collective responsibility of the Government to the people.
(d) A device for strengthening the hands of the head of the Government whose hold over the people is in a state of decline.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (c) A mechanism of parliamentary democracy for ensuring collective responsibility of the Government to the people.
- The Indian Constitution does not have a President as the head of government.
- It does have a Parliament, an independent court system, and a system of government that divides power between different states.
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12. In which report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission Barriers to Good Governance in India have been identified?
(a) ‘Ethics in Governance’
(b) ‘Citizen-Centric Administration: The Heart of Governance’
(c) ‘Promoting E-Governance’
(d) ‘Local Governance’
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
Ans. (b) Citizen-Centric Administration: The Heart of Governance’
- In Report 12, the second Administrative Reforms Commission looked at problems with governance in India and outlined what needs to be in place for good governance.
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13. There is parliamentary system of Government in India because the
(a) Lok Sabha is elected directly by the people
(b) Parliament can amend the Constitution
(c) Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved
(d) Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2015]
Ans. (d) Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha
- In a parliamentary system of government, the people in charge of making decisions are elected by the legislature and must answer to it.
- This means that the executive (council of ministers) must be responsible for the people’s house (Lok Sabha).
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14. The main advantage of the parliamentary form of government is that
(a) the executive and legislature work independently
(b) it provides continuity of policy and is more efficient.
(c) the executive remains responsible to the legislature
(d) the head of the government cannot be changed without an election.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (c) the executive remains responsible to the legislature
- The parliamentary form of Government has a major benefit: the executive branch answers to the Legislature.
- This means that the Government is more accountable since the Executive gets its authority from the Legislature.
- Therefore, option (c) is the right answer.
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15. In the context of India, which of the following principles is/are implied institutionally in the Parliamentary Government?
1. Members of the Cabinet are the Members of the Parliament.
2. Ministers hold the office till they enjoy confidence in the Parliament.
3. The Cabinet is headed by the Head of the State.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) Only 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) All of these
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2013]
Ans. (a) 1 and 2
- In a Parliamentary System, the Union Council of Ministers has the power to make decisions.
- The Council of Ministers is answerable to the House of the People in Parliament.
- Ministers who don’t belong to either House of Parliament for 6 months cannot stay a Minister, according to Article 75(5).
- Article 75(3) states that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the House of the People.
- Statements 1 and 2 are true, but statement 3 is wrong because the Prime Minister, not the President, is the leader of the Cabinet.
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16. In a Parliamentary system of Government –
(a) Judiciary controls Executive
(b) Executive controls Judiciary
(c) Executive controls Legislature
(d) Legislature controls Executive
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2010]
Ans. (d) Legislature controls Executive
- In a type of government where Parliament is in charge, the Executive branch is managed by the Legislature.
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17. A Parliamentary System of Government is one in
which :
(a) all political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
(b) The government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
(c) The government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
(d) The government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before the completion of a fixed term
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (b) The government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
- In a Parliamentary System of government, people in the executive branch are chosen from the legislative branch and have to answer to it.
- This system of government is also called the Cabinet form of government.
- The government is responsible to the people and will stay in power as long as they have the support of most of the people in the legislative branch.
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18. We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model?
1. As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited.
2. In India, matters related to the constitutionality of the Amendment of an Act of the Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2021]
Ans. (c) Both 1 and 2
- The principle of Parliamentary sovereignty in the UK means that Parliament has the highest legal power and can make or end any law.
- Usually, the courts cannot challenge its laws and no Parliament can pass laws that future Parliaments can’t change.
- In India, the power of Parliament to make laws is limited by the Constitution.
- The Judiciary has the power to stop any action of the Legislature and the Executive if it goes against the Constitution.
- The Chief Justice of India can set up a Constitution bench with at least 5 judges to decide important constitutional questions.
- In a case. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct.
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19. In a Presidential Government, all the executive powers are vested in –
(a) President
(b) Cabinet
(c) Legislature
(d) Upper House
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]
Ans. (a) President
- In a Presidential form of Government, the President holds all the executive power and is the leader of the state and the Government.
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20. The cardinal features of the political system in India are –
1. It is a democratic republic.
2. It has a Parliamentary form of government.
3. The supreme power vests in the People of India.
4. It provides for a unified authority.
Select the correct answer from the code given below :
Code :
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 2,3 and 4
(d) All the four
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2009]
Ans. (b) 1, 2 and 3
- India is a democratic republic, where the people have the ultimate power.
- It follows a Parliamentary system but there is a separation of Union and State powers.
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21. Consider the following statements:
1. India is a democratic polity.
2. India is a sovereign state.
3. India has a democratic society.
4. India is a welfare state.
Which of the above statements are true?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]
Ans. (d)1, 2, 3 and 4
- The Indian Constitution states that India is a free, socialist, non-religious, democratic country.
- The creator of the Indian Constitution made it so that the government would look out for its citizens.
- Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
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22. Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian polity?
(a) A Government following the Constitution
(b) Democratic Government
(c) Rule of Law
(d) Authoritarian Government
[U.P.P.C.S (Mains) 2011]
Ans. (d) Authoritarian Government
- In India, the law is in charge. It is a democracy, which means it is not controlled by one person or group.
- Every 5 years, the people of India vote for someone to be their leader and they will follow the rules of the Constitution.
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23. ‘Welfare State’ aims to
(a) Secure maximum welfare of maximum numbers
(b) Management of welfare of weaker sections
(c) Provide health facilities
(d) None of above
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2009]
Ans. (b) Management of welfare of weaker sections
- The Government is responsible for ensuring the social and economic well-being of its citizens through equal opportunities and fair distribution of resources.
- It also provides support to those who cannot access the basic needs for a good life.
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24. Which one of the following is not the Philosophy of the Constitution of India?
(a) Welfare State
(b) Socialist State
(c) Political Equality
(d) Communist State
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Mains) 2015]
Ans. (d) Communist State
- The Preamble of the Constitution reflects the ideas and values of the Constitution. India is a democratic republic which promises fair opportunities and status to everyone.
- The Preamble of the Constitution sets a goal of making India a socialist state.
- To give everyone equal power, India has adopted the idea of ‘Adult Franchise’.
- The Constitution of India does not support communism.
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25. Which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) The Constitution of India is Presidential
(b) India is a titular monarchy
(c) India is an aristocracy
(d) India is a Parliamentary Democracy
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]
Ans. (d) India is a Parliamentary Democracy
- The main beliefs and goals of the Constitution are seen in the Preamble.
- India is a democracy that wants everyone to have the same chances and status.
- The Preamble states that a socialist state is a goal for India.
- To make sure everyone has the same political rights, India adopted an ‘Adult Franchise’.
- A communist state is not the same as the Constitution of India.
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26. What is the main source of Political Power in India?
(a) The People
(b) The Constitution
(c) The Parliament
(d) The President
[Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2007]
Ans. (a) The People
- The Indian Constitution begins with “We the People of India…” which means the people of India are the ones in control of political power.
- India is a democracy, meaning the people and their elected officials have the highest authority.
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27. Which one of the following is a basic feature of the Presidential Government?
(a) Rigid Constitution
(b) Single Executive
(c) Supremacy of the Legislature
(d) Residual Powers of the States
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]
Ans. (b) Single Executive
- In a Presidential Government, the power is in the hands of one leader.
- It is a system where power is concentrated in one person.
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28. Which of the following is correct?
The main features of a Presidential form of Government is/are –
(a) The Head of the Executive is the President.
(b) The President appoints his Council of Ministers.
(c) The President cannot dissolve the Legislature.
(d) All of the above.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2014]
Ans. (d) All of the above.
- In a Presidential form of Government, the President is in charge of the state and holds executive power.
- They also choose a Council of Ministers and cannot dissolve the Legislature.
- Option (d) is the correct answer.
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29. The Democracy of India is based on the fact that –
(a) The Constitution is written
(b) Fundamental rights have been provided
(c) The public enjoys the right to choose and change the Government
(d) Directive principles of state policy have been provided here
[39thB.P.S.C. (Pre) 1994]
Ans. (c) The public enjoys the right to choose and change the Government
- In India, people get to vote and choose their own government representatives, making them the highest power in the country.
- People have the freedom to change who is in charge whenever there is an election.
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30. Democracy’s superior virtue lies in the fact that it calls into activity
(a) The intelligence and character of ordinary men and women.
(b) The methods for strengthening executive leadership
(c) A superior individual with dynamism and vision
(d) A band of dedicated party workers.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (a) The intelligence and character of ordinary men and women.
- In a democracy, the people in charge of the government must choose the right person to represent them.
- Participating in the process helps to raise awareness and give people the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
- The success of democracy depends on the quality of the decisions made by the people.
- Democracy works because it relies on the intelligence and values of ordinary people.
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31. Which one of the following determines that the Indian Constitution is Federal?
(a) Written and non-flexible Constitution
(b) Free Judiciary
(c) Residuary powers are vested in the centre/union
(d) Distribution of powers between union and states.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1994]
Ans. (d) Distribution of powers between union and states.
- The democratic Governments are divided into two categories – Unitary and Federal.
- Unitary Governments put all the powers in the hands of a Central authority with the States being subordinate to it.
- In contrast, Federal Governments have a power distribution between the Centre and the States, with the States not being subordinate.
- India has a Federal Constitution, which is outlined in the 7th Schedule.
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32. Indian Constitution is –
(a) Rigid
(b) Flexible
(c) Neither rigid nor flexible
(d) Partly rigid and partly flexible
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]
Ans. (d) Partly rigid and partly flexible
- The Constitution of India is a mix of flexibility and rigidity because it is not completely rigid or completely flexible.
- Some of its rules can be changed with a simple majority, but some require a two-thirds majority vote under Article 368.
- Even after the two-thirds majority, some of these rules must be approved by at least half of the State Legislatures.
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33. The Parliamentary form of Government was first introduced in which country?
(a) Great Britain (UK)
(b) Belgium
(c) France
(d) Switzerland
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]
Ans. (a) Great Britain (UK)
- The idea of a Parliamentary government started in the United Kingdom.
- Professor Pushpesh Pant talked about the UK is the birthplace of Parliamentary government in his well-known book “Vishwa Itihas”.
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34. Which one of the following statements is correct regarding parliamentary form of government?
(a) The Legislature is responsible to the judiciary
(b) The Legislature is responsible to the Executive
(c) The Legislature and the Executive are independent
(d) The president is responsible to the Judiciary
(e) None of the above/More than one of the above
[65th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2019]
Ans. (e) None of the above/More than one of the above
- The characteristics of a parliamentary system of government are:
- The executive is responsible to the legislature.
- Majority Party rule.
- Collective Responsibility
- Nominal and Real Executives
- Political Homogeneity
- Double membership
- Leadership of Prime Minister
- Dissolution of lower House
- Secrecy of procedure
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35. Which one of the following points differentiates the Indian Parliamentary system and British Parliamentary System?
(a) Collective Responsibility
(b) Judicial Review
(c) Bicameral Legislature
(d) Real and nominal Executive
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2010]
Ans. (b) Judicial Review
- Without a written Constitution, the British Parliament has absolute power, but the Indian Parliament is limited by the Constitution of India.
- The Supreme Court has the power to make sure laws passed by the Indian Parliament follow the Constitution of India.
- If it finds that a law does not follow the Constitution, it can decide that the law is not valid.
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36. Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the code given at the end:
Assertion(A): The Constitution of India provides for a federal system.
Reason(R): It has created a very strong center.
Code:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) (A) is true (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1995]
Ans. (b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said that our Constitution can be either federal or unitary, depending on the circumstances.
- Normally, it is designed to work as a federal system.
- But during emergencies, it functions like a unitary system.
- Both statements A and R are true, but R does not fully explain A.
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37. Which of the following is not a federal feature of the Indian Constitution?
(a) Distribution of power between Centre and States
(b) Entirely written Constitution
(c) Single Citizenship
(d) Independent Judiciary
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2015]
Ans. (c) Single Citizenship
- The Indian Constitution has both federal and unitary features.
- Its federal features include things like having a written constitution, a rigid constitution, splitting powers between states and the center, an independent judiciary, and a bicameral legislature.
- On the other hand, it also has unitary characteristics such as single citizenship, the President appointing Governors, the ability to declare an emergency, and Parliament being able to implement agreements.
- Thus, option (c) is not a federal feature from the given options.
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38. Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism?
(a) There is an independent judiciary in India.
(b) Powers have been clearly divided between the Centre and the States.
(c) The federating units have been given unequal representation in the Rajya Sabha
(d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units.
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units.
- The Indian Constitution, sharing of power between different levels of government, the importance of the Constitution, the independence of the Judiciary, the different amount of representation of states in the Rajya Sabha, and two levels of government are all important parts of federalism in India.
- However, Indian federalism was not created because of an agreement between states.
- Dr. Ambedkar said in the Constituent Assembly that using the word ‘Union’ shows that states don’t have the right to leave the country.
- So, option (d) is not part of Indian federalism.
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39. Which of the following is a unitary element in Indian Federal System?
(i) Decentralization of Powers
(ii) Appointment of Governors
(iii) Unequal representation in Rajya Sabha
(iv) Judicial Review
(v) All India Services
(vi) Bicameral legislature
Code :
(a) i iii vi
(b) ii iii v
(c) iii v vi
(d) ii iv v
(e) None of the above
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]
Ans. (b) ii iii v
- The first part of India’s Constitution says that India is made up of different states.
- But it also has a unitary element, which gives the central government a lot of power.
- This includes having just one type of citizenship, appointing governors, having some services that work all over India, and giving some states more representation in the Rajya Sabha than others.
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40. Which of the following statements about the federal system in India are correct?
1. The Constitution introduces a federal system as the basic structure of Government.
2. There is a strong admixture of a unitary bias.
3. Both the Union and State Legislatures are sovereign.
4. The legislative, financial, and judicial powers have been divided between the Union and its units.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Code :
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) all the four
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2004]
Ans. (b) 1 and 2 only
- The Indian Constitution sets up a federal system to divide power between the central government (Union) and the state governments.
- This is done through the seventh schedule of the Constitution and Articles 245 to 255.
- However, single citizenship, appointment of governors by the President, emergency powers of the Parliament to legislate on matters in the state list, and the power of Parliament to make laws in the national interest show that the Union is a strong unitary system.
- The state legislature has no power over foreign and defense matters, which are the responsibility of the Union Parliament.
- Therefore, only the Union is sovereign, not the States.
- The judicial system is also hierarchical, not divided between the Union and the state.
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41. The Central and State governments get authority from?
(a) Indian Constitution
(b) President of India
(c) Prime Minister of India
(d) Indian Parliament
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (a) Indian Constitution
- The Constitution of India has chosen a Parliamentary form of government, also known as the Westminster model of government or responsible government.
- This type of government is set up at both the national and state levels of the country.
- The Constitution is the source of power for both the central and state governments.
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42. Assertion (A): The President of India is elected indirectly.
Reason (R): The parliamentary system in India has been combined with Republicanism.
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true.
[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- In India, the President is chosen by the people through an indirect election.
- This is because India is a Republic, which means there is no king or queen, and everyone in power is elected by people either directly or indirectly.
- This means that Statement A and R are both true.
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43. India is a Republic which implies that
(a) The head of the State is elected.
(b) The country is free.
(c) The country possesses a democratic system of government.
(d) The Final Authority in the country is rests with the Parliament.
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (a) The head of the State is elected.
- In India, the President is chosen through an indirect election.
- This is because the country is a Republic, meaning that there is no hereditary ruler.
- All representatives and authorities are chosen by the people of India through either a direct or indirect election.
- Both of these facts are true and this is the correct explanation of the President’s election.
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44. Here are two statements:
Assertion (A): Political Parties are the lifeblood of democracy.
Reason (R): Normally people blame political parties for bad governance.
Which of the following is correct in the above context-
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not a correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is wrong.
(d) (A) and (R) both are wrong.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2009]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- Political parties are really important in democratic systems, as they bring people together and help create favorable policies for the public.
- People often criticize political parties for bad governance, but it’s true that without them, democracy wouldn’t exist.
- Both statements (A) and (R) are true, and (R) explains (A) correctly.
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45. Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The nature of the Indian Political System embodies the elements of ‘continuity and change’.
Reason (R): The Indian Political System contains the elements of the following political system such as the modern style, the traditional style, and the saint style.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below.
Codes :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- The elements of India’s political system have been around since the Mauryan period and still exist today.
- Different ages and periods have seen different styles of politics, such as modern, traditional, and saint-style, meaning both statements.
- A and R are true, with R being the correct explanation of A.
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46. Assertion (A): Federalism is not practical in India.
Reason (R): India is not a Federal State.
Select the correct answer from the code given below:
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not a correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]
Ans. (c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
- India isn’t a true federal system because parts of the Indian Constitution give it a unitary feel.
- So, while it has federal characteristics, it is mostly unitary.
- Many experts still consider it a federal state because power is shared between the Union and the States.
- K.C. Wheare calls it a “Quasi-Federal” system.
- Therefore, (A) is correct but (R) is incorrect.
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47. What is the nature of the Indian Constitution?
(a) Federal
(b) Unitary
(c) Parliamentary
(d) Federal in nature but unitary in spirit
(e) None of the above / more than one of the above
[63rd B. P.S.C. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (d) Federal in nature but unitary in spirit
- The Indian Constitution is not fully federal, as some parts of it are closer to a unitary system.
- It has been described as a “quasi-federal” system by some experts, as it shares characteristics of both federal and unitary systems, with power being divided between the Union and the States.
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48. Assertion (A): The primary objective of India’s the federal design was to weave a nation out of its many diverse parts and protect national integration.
Reason (R): Accommodation of diversities has built a stronger, not weaker, Indian nationhood.
Code :
(a) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
(b) Both (A) and (R) are individually true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(c) Both (A) and (R) are individually true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(d) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]
Ans. (b) Both (A) and (R) are individually true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- India is a union of 28 states and 8 union territories, and the government has divided the power between the Union and the states.
- The idea of the Indian Federal design is to bring the nation together and protect its unity.
- This has created a strong nation, not a weaker one, by allowing different cultures to coexist.
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49. Assertion (A): Women, Dalits, Poor and Minority groups are the biggest stakeholders of Democracy in India.
Reason (R): Democracy in India has emerged as the carrier for the desire of Self Respect.
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true.
[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- Democracy helps to secure the rights of individuals and gives women, those in poverty, Dalits, and minority groups more self-esteem and respect.
- These are the most important people in India’s democracy.
- Both statements (A) and (R) are true, and (R) clarifies (A).
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50. The reason for the Indian Constitution being the bulkiest is that :
(a) it incorporates the experience of many Constitutions
(b) it contains detailed administrative provisions.
(c) it deals with the Government of a large country.
(d) it contains the Constitution of both the Union and the State Governments.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997]
Ans. (*)
- The Indian Constitution is the longest-written Constitution in the world.
- There is no one particular reason for why it is so long.
- It has grown to be so large because of a combination of different reasons.
- Therefore, all of the available explanations are valid.
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51. Assertion (A): Indian Constitution is quasi-federal.
Reason (R): The Indian Constitution is neither federal nor unitary.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2007]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- The people who wrote the Constitution chose to have a federal system because the nation was large and had a lot of different cultures.
- Not everyone agrees on what kind of Constitution this is;
-
- some people call it Cooperative Federalism
- some people call it Quasi-Federal
- some people think it is a combination of both
- So, it looks like option (a) is the right answer.
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52. Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A): Indian federalism is called ‘Quasifederal’.
Reason (R): India has an independent judiciary with the power of Judicial Review.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below.
Codes :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
- The Constitution of India has been described as Quasi-federal, which means it follows a Federal System but can be changed to a unitary state during an emergency.
- It also has an important feature called Judicial Review, which is mentioned in Articles 13, 32, 136, 137, 226 and 227.
- Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the explanation for (A).
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53. Who called Indian Federalism the Cooperative Federalism?
(a) G. Austin
(b) K.C. Wheare
(c) Sir Ivor Jennings
(d) D.D. Basu
[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]
Ans. (a) G. Austin
- The Constitution of India is seen in many different ways. K.C. Wheare says it is like a federal government, but it can change to a unitary state during an emergency.
- A very important part of the Constitution is the independent court system with the power to review laws.
- This is found in Articles 13, 32, 136, 137, 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India.
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54. Who said: “India is a quasi-federal state”?
(a) Harold Laski
(b) Ivor Jennings
(c) Lord Bryce
(d) K.C. Wheare
[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]
Ans. (d) K.C. Wheare
- The Constitution of India is seen differently by different people. K.C. Wheare called it a Quasi-federal system, which means it usually is federal, but during an emergency, the Constitution allows it to become a single unit.
- Judicial Review, where the court system is in charge of obeying laws, is a very important part of the Constitution.
- This is shown in Articles 13, 32, 136, 137, 226 and 227.
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55. Which one of the following said, “A Constitution, like a machine, is a lifeless thing. It acquires life because of the men who control it and India needs today nothing more than a set of honest men who will have the interest of the country before them”?
(a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(b) Jawahar Lal Nehru
(c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(d) Mahatma Gandhi
[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2021]
Ans. (a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad said that a Constitution is similar to a machine because it is lifeless on its own.
- It only has life because of the people who control and run it.
- India needs people who are honest and will always put the country’s interests first.
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56. Who rejected the ‘Principles of Administration as myths and proverbs’?
(a) Herbert Simon
(b) Dwight Waldo
(c) Frank Marini
(d) F. W. Riggs
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]
Ans. (a) Herbert Simon
- Herbert A Simon did not agree with the idea that administration is based on myths and proverbs, while Dwight Waldo, Frank Marini and F.W. Riggs believed it was.
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57. In relation to the Indian Constitution who said that “Indian Constitution establishes a good balance between Rigidity and Flexibility.”
(a) B.R. Ambedkar
(b) M.P. Payli
(c) Alexandrovics
(d) K.C. Wheare
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2005]
Ans. (d) K.C. Wheare
- K.C. Wheare thought the Indian Constitution was a kind of ‘quasi’ (like) federal Constitution.
- He said it was a good mix of being both rigid and flexible – some parts could only be changed with a simple majority, while others needed a special majority.
- This was the perfect combination of being rigid and flexible.
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58. Who of the following has stated that ‘The Constitution has not been set in a tight mold of Federalism’?
(a) D.D. Basu
(b) K.M. Munshi
(c) B.R. Ambedkar
(d) K.S. Aiyer
[U.P.P.C.S. (Spl.) (Mains) 2008]
Ans. (c) B.R. Ambedkar
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar acknowledged that the Indian Constitution was not purely federal, and had elements of both federalism and unitary characteristics.
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59. Which one of the following is incorrect about the Indian Political System?
(a) Secular State
(b) Parliamentary System of the Government
(c) Federal Policy
(d) Presidential System of the Government
[U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2008]
Ans. (d) Presidential System of the Government
- In India, the Prime Minister is the head of the government, not the President.
- The President is more of a figurehead and doesn’t actually have any power.
- The Indian Constitution also allows for a secular state and a federal system.
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60. Which one of the following is not true in relation to democratic determination?
(a) A state in which people are supreme
(b) Supreme power is vested in an elected head
(c) Supreme power is vested in a person (solely) likewise a king
(d) A government formed by representatives elected by people
[U.P.U.D.A./L.D.A. (Mains) 2010]
Ans. (c) Supreme power is vested in a person (solely) likewise a king
- Option (c) is not in line with the democratic principles of the Constitution.
- The other options are correct when it comes to democracy.
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61. Consider the following statements: A Constitutional Government is one in which-
1. Places effective restrictions on individual liberty in the interest of the State Authority
2. Places effective restrictions on the Authority of the State in the interest of individual liberty
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2014]
Ans. (b) 2 only
- A Constitutional Government’s power comes from the Constitution.
- The Constitution limits what the Government can do to protect the people’s interests and freedom from any autocratic power.
- Constitutional Governments also have systems in place to protect citizens’ rights.
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62. In the context of India, which one of the following is the characteristic appropriate for bureaucracy?
(a) An agency for widening the scope of parliamentary democracy
(b) An agency for strengthening the structure of federalism
(c) An agency for facilitating political stability and economic growth
(d) An agency for the implementation of public policy
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (d) An agency for the implementation of public policy
- In India, bureaucracy is the government agency that puts laws into action by creating and carrying out policies.
- This helps the government gain the trust of the people.
- Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
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63. A constitutional government by definition is a :
(a) government by legislature
(b) popular government
(c) multi-party government
(d) limited government
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (d) limited government
- The Constitution gives governmental power to a constitutional government.
- The Constitution also puts rules and limits on the government to protect the people.
- So, a constitutional government is one that has limits placed on it.
- Therefore, the correct answer is (d).
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64. On which of the following dates, the Constituent Assembly of India adopt the National Flag?
(a) 22 January, 1950
(b) 24 January, 1950
(c) 22 July, 1947
(d) 22 July, 1948
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]
Ans. (c) 22 July, 1947
- The National Flag is a rectangle and is made up of three colors. I
- ts length is three times longer than its width.
- It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947.
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65. On which day the design of the National flag of India was adopted?
(a) June 10, 1947
(b) July 22, 1947
(c) August 15, 1947
(d) January 26, 1947
[Jharkhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2021]
Ans. (b) July 22, 1947
- The National Flag is a rectangle with three colors.
- Its length is three times its width.
- It was officially adopted on July 22, 1947 by the Constituent Assembly.
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66. Which Of the following political features, which is/are common to India and the USA?
1. Residuary powers vested in the center.
2. Residuary powers vested in the states.
3. The president has the power of pocket veto.
4. The upper house has some nominated members.
(a) 3 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (a) 3 only
- Pocket Veto is an indirect way of rejecting a law that has been proposed by the executive.
- This power is held by the Presidents of India and the United States.
- If the American President does not agree with the proposed law, he has to send it back within 10 days, but there is no such time limit for the Indian President.
- All the members of the upper house in the US are elected, but in India, 12 of them are chosen by the President.
- Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
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