UPSC 2023 Polity & Governance Previous Year Questions

Question 1

Consider the following statements in respect of election to the President of India: 1. The members nominated to either House of the Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College. 2. Higher the number of elective Assembly seats, higher is the value of vote of each MLA of that State. 3. The value of vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala. 4. The value of vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater as compared to Arunachal Pradesh. How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Only one | Only two | Only three | All four. Nominated members are not part of the Presidential electoral college. MLA vote value depends on population divided by elected Assembly seats, not simply number of seats. Only the Puducherry-Arunachal statement is correct among the listed statements.

Question 2

Consider the following statements: 1. In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. 2. The Biodiversity Management Committees have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 1 only | 2 only | Both 1 and 2 | Neither 1 nor 2. Biodiversity Management Committees support access-and-benefit sharing under the Biological Diversity framework and Nagoya Protocol objectives, including local collection-fee roles. Both statements are correct.

Question 3

Which one of the following countries has been suffering from decades of civil strife and food shortages and was in news in the recent past for its very severe famine?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Angola | Costa Rica | Ecuador | Somalia. Somalia has faced prolonged civil strife, food shortages and severe famine conditions in recent years.

Question 4

Consider the following statements: 1. According to the Constitution of India, the Central Government has a duty to protect States from internal disturbances. 2. The Constitution of India exempts the States from providing legal counsel to a person being held for preventive detention. 3. According to the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002, confession of the accused before the police cannot be used as evidence. How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Article 355 places a duty on the Union to protect States against internal disturbance. Preventive detainees can be denied some legal safeguards, and POTA allowed certain police confessions as evidence, so two statements are correct.

Question 5

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: According to the United Nations' World Water Development Report, 2022, India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year. Statement-II: India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I | Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I | Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect | Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct. India is the world's largest groundwater extractor and accounts for more than a quarter of withdrawals. That level is not required merely for drinking-w

Question 6

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration. Statement-II: Article 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term 'efficiency of administration'. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I | Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I | Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect | Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct. Courts have linked reservation under Article 16(4) with Article 335's concern for administrative efficiency. Article 335 does not define the term "effic

Question 7

With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements: 1. Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President. 2. The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block. 3. The Chief Ministers of the concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States. How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Scheduled Areas are notified by Presidential order. Their administrative units can range from districts to clusters of villages. Annual reports are submitted by the Governor to the President, not by Chief Ministers to the Union Home Ministry, so two are correct.

Question 8

Consider the following statements: Once the Central Government notifies an area as a 'Community Reserve' 1. the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority of such forest 2. hunting is not allowed in such area 3. people of such area are allowed to collect non-timber forest produce 4. people of such area are allowed traditional agricultural practices How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only one | Only two | Only three | All four. In a Community Reserve, hunting is prohibited and local people may continue permitted uses such as collection of non-timber forest produce/traditional practices, but the Chief Wildlife Warden does not become the sole governing authority. Two statements are counted correct.

Question 9

With reference to Finance Bill and Money Bill in the Indian Parliament, consider the following statements: 1. When the Lok Sabha transmits Finance Bill to the Rajya Sabha, it can amend or reject the Bill. 2. When the Lok Sabha transmits Money Bill to the Rajya Sabha, it cannot amend or reject the Bill; it can only make recommendations. 3. In the case of disagreement between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, there is no joint sitting for Money Bill, but a joint sitting becomes necessary for Finance Bill. How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Rajya Sabha can amend or reject a Finance Bill (an ordinary bill) but can only recommend changes to a Money Bill. There is no joint sitting for a Money Bill, while a joint sitting can be held for a Finance Bill. All three statements are correct.

Question 10

Consider the following statements 1. If the election of the President of India is declared void by the Supreme Court of India, all acts done by him/her in the performance of duties of his/her office of President before the date of decision become invalid. 2. Election for the post of the President of India can be postponed on the ground that some Legislative Assemblies have been dissolved and elections are yet to take place. 3. When a Bill is presented to the President of India, the Constitution prescribes time limits within which he/she has to declare his/her assent. How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Acts done by a President before an election is declared void remain valid; presidential election cannot be postponed for dissolved State Assemblies; and the Constitution gives no fixed time limit for assent. Hence none is correct.

UPSC 2023 Polity & Governance PYQs with Answers