Governance, Transparency & Accountability MCQs for UPSC Prelims

54 practice questions on Governance, Transparency & Accountability from the Polity & Governance section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 54 come with a written explanation and 22 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

12 Easy 36 Medium 6 Hard 22 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

"Rule of Law Index" is released by which of the following ?

  1. A Amnesty International
  2. B International Court of Justice
  3. C The Office of UN Commissioner for Human Rights
  4. D World Justice Project
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - World Justice Project

The Rule of Law Index is published by the World Justice Project, so 'D' is correct. Amnesty International focuses on human-rights advocacy, the International Court of Justice settles inter-state legal disputes, and the OHCHR oversees UN human-rights mechanisms; none of them produces this index. The WJP index ranks countries on factors like constraints on government power, absence of corruption and order.

Q2
Previous year question medium

Which of the following can be said to be essentially the parts of 'Inclusive Governance'? 1. Permitting the Non-Banking Financial Companies to do banking 2. Establishing effective District Planning Committees in all the districts 3. Increasing the government spending on public health 4. Strengthening the Mid-day Meal Scheme Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 3 and 4 only
  3. C 2, 3 and 4 only
  4. D 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 2, 3 and 4 only

Inclusive governance means extending the benefits of development and public services to all sections, especially the deprived. Establishing effective District Planning Committees deepens decentralised, participatory planning; higher public health spending widens access to basic services; and strengthening the Mid-day Meal Scheme improves nutrition and school participation of poor children. These (2, 3 and 4) are clearly parts of inclusive governance. Statement 1 is wrong because letting Non-Banking Financial Companies do banking is a financial sector licensing issue, not an instrument of inclusion; financial inclusion is pursued through priority sector lending, banking correspondents and similar measures. Hence (c).

Q3
Previous year question medium

Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of "Digital India" Plan of the Government of India? 1. Formation of India's own Internet companies like China did. 2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries. 3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 3 only
  3. C 2 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 3 only

Only statement 3 reflects a stated aim of Digital India, which focuses on digital infrastructure, rural connectivity and public Wi-Fi as core pillars. Statement 1 is wrong because the programme never set out to force the creation of indigenous Internet companies on the Chinese model. Statement 2 is wrong because Digital India does not frame a policy specifically to attract foreign multinationals to build data centres here; that idea relates to later data-localisation debates, not to the original vision document. Hence 3 only is correct.

Q4
Previous year question easy

Regarding 'DigiLocker', sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme. 2. It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - Both 1 and 2

DigiLocker is a flagship initiative under the Digital India programme run by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, giving every Aadhaar holder cloud storage for issuing and verifying documents such as driving licences and certificates, so statement 1 is correct. Being a cloud-based service, the stored e-documents can be accessed from anywhere with internet connectivity, making statement 2 correct as well. Since both statements accurately describe the service, the options asserting only one or neither statement are wrong.

Q5
Previous year question medium

With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: 1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government. 2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security. 3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States. How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Only two

Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Home Guards function as a voluntary auxiliary to the police in maintaining internal security and helping the community in emergencies, and Border Wing Home Guards battalions exist in some border States to check infiltration along international borders and coastal areas. Statement 1 is incorrect because Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Acts and Rules enacted by the respective States and Union Territories; the Centre only frames broad policy, it does not raise them under a central Act.

Q6
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization. 2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 2 only

The India Sanitation Coalition is a multi-stakeholder platform hosted at FICCI that brings together businesses, government and civil society for sustainable sanitation; it is not a body funded by the Government of India and the WHO, so statement 1 is incorrect. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is the premier think tank of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, undertaking research and providing innovative solutions for urban India, so statement 2 is correct. The answer is therefore 2 only.

Q7
Previous year question hard

With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements : 1. N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it. 2. In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister's charge. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 2 only

Statement 1 is incorrect: the proposal to designate a minister and a secretary solely for administrative reform came from the Administrative Reforms Commission, not from the N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar (Iyengar) Committee of 1949, which dealt with the functional reorganisation of ministries of the new government. Statement 2 is correct: the Department of Personnel was constituted in 1970 on the recommendation of the first Administrative Reforms Commission (1966) and was placed under the Prime Minister's charge. The official UPSC answer key marks 2 only (option b), consistent with the Testbook, GKToday and Edukemy keys.

Q8
Previous year question medium

With reference to 'Quality Council of India (QCI)', consider the following statements : 1. QCI was set up jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry. 2. Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the industry to the Government. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. A 1 only
  2. B 2 only
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - Both 1 and 2

The Quality Council of India was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India (through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and Indian industry associations such as ASSOCHAM, CII and FICCI, so statement 1 is correct. Its Chairman is nominated by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of industry to the Government, making statement 2 correct as well. Both statements being accurate, the answer is 'Both 1 and 2'. Options limiting the answer to one statement are therefore wrong.

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More Polity & Governance topics

Parliament 100 Constitutional Bodies 93 Schedules & Special Provisions 85 Centre-State Relations & Federalism 84 Fundamental Rights 57 Judiciary 57 Amendment of Constitution 49 Local Government 48 Directive Principles 45 Elections & Representation 44 Union Executive 43 Statutory & Regulatory Bodies 41 Social Justice & Welfare 39 State Legislature & Executive 38 Constitutional Framework 37 Citizenship 32 Emergency Provisions 32 Bills & Acts 31 Rights Issues & Mechanisms 31 Fundamental Duties 27