State Legislature & Executive MCQs for UPSC Prelims

38 practice questions on State Legislature & Executive from the Polity & Governance section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 38 come with a written explanation and 12 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

2 Easy 30 Medium 6 Hard 12 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. The Chief Secretary in a State is appointed by the Governor of that State. 2. The Chief Secretary in a State has a fixed tenure. 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: D - Neither 1 nor 2

The Chief Secretary is appointed by the Chief Minister of the State, not the Governor, so statement 1 is wrong. The post of Chief Secretary does not carry a fixed tenure; the officer holds office at the pleasure of the Chief Minister and can be changed, so statement 2 is wrong. Since neither statement is correct, 'Neither 1 nor 2' is the answer.

Q2
Previous year question medium

Which one of the following suggested that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in the recent past?

  1. A First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966)
  2. B Rajamannar Committee (1969)
  3. C Sarkaria Commission (1983)
  4. D National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000)
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - Sarkaria Commission (1983)

The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations, set up in 1983, recommended that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State, a detached figure without intense political links, and someone who has not taken part in politics in the recent past. The First ARC and the Rajamannar Committee examined Centre-State issues but this specific formulation belongs to Sarkaria. The NCRWC of 2000 came later and largely endorsed the Sarkaria criteria rather than originating them.

Q3
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements : 1. The Legislative Council of a State in India can be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular State. 2. The Governor of a State nominates the Chairman of Legislative Council of that particular State. 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: D - Neither 1 nor 2

Neither statement is correct. By Article 171, a State's Legislative Council cannot exceed one-third of the Assembly's strength (and not less than 40), so it can never be larger than half the Assembly; statement 1 is wrong. The Chairman of the Legislative Council is elected by the Council's own members, not nominated by the Governor; statement 2 is wrong. So the answer is 'Neither 1 nor 2'.

Q4
Previous year question easy

With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements : I. The Governor of a State is not answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his/her office. II. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the Governor during his/her term of office. III. Members of a State Legislature are not liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said within the House. Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Correct answer: D - I, II and III

Article 361 grants the Governor personal immunity: he or she is not answerable to any court for acts done in the exercise of official powers, and no criminal proceedings can be instituted or continued against the Governor during the term of office, so statements I and II are correct. Article 194 protects members of a State Legislature from any court proceedings in respect of anything said or any vote given in the House, so statement III is also correct. Since all three statements restate constitutional immunities accurately, (d) is the answer.

Q5
Previous year question medium

Which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. A In India, the same person cannot be appointed as Governor for two or more States at the same time
  2. B The Judges of the High Court of the States in India are appointed by the Governor of the State just as the Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President
  3. C No procedure has been laid down in the Constitution of India for the removal of a Governor from his/her post
  4. D In the case of a Union Territory having a legislative setup, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Lt. Governor on the basis of majority support
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - No procedure has been laid down in the Constitution of India for the removal of a Governor from his/her post

The Constitution provides no removal procedure for a Governor; under Article 156 a Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President and can simply be recalled, so option (c) is correct. Option (a) is wrong because Article 153 (after the 7th Amendment) expressly permits one person to be Governor of two or more States. Option (b) is wrong because High Court judges are appointed by the President, not the Governor. Option (d) is wrong because in a Union Territory the Chief Minister is appointed by the President (not the Lt. Governor).

Q6
Previous year question hard

Consider the following pairs : State - Description I. Arunachal Pradesh - The capital is named after a fort, and the State has two National Parks II. Nagaland - The State came into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act III. Tripura - Initially a Part 'C' State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of States in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

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

Correct answer: C - All the three

Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, is named after the historic Ita Fort, and the State has two National Parks, Namdapha and Mouling, so pair I is correct. Tripura was a Part 'C' State under the original Constitution, became a centrally administered Union Territory with the 1956 reorganization, and attained full statehood in 1972, so pair III is correct. As per the official UPSC answer key, pair II is also treated as correctly matched: Nagaland's creation is tied to the 13th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1962, which inserted Article 371A and furnished the constitutional basis for the new State that came into existence on 1 December 1963. Hence all three pairs are taken as correct, making (c) the answer. This question remained contentious because the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 was the enabling statute, and several coaching keys instead marked only two pairs correct, so it is worth a human review.

Q7
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements : I. The Constitution of India explicitly mentions that in certain spheres the Governor of a State acts in his/her own discretion. II. The President of India can, of his/her own, reserve a bill passed by a State Legislature for his/her consideration without it being forwarded by the Governor of the State concerned. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Correct answer: A - I only

Article 163(1) expressly carves out functions which the Governor exercises in his or her discretion, and provisions like Article 371A confer specific discretionary responsibilities, so the Constitution does explicitly recognise gubernatorial discretion, making statement I correct. A State bill reaches the President only through the route of Article 200, under which it is the Governor who reserves the bill for the President's consideration; the President has no power to pick up a State bill suo motu, so statement II is incorrect. The answer is therefore (a) I only.

Q8
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office. 2. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office. 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: C - Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct. Article 361 grants the Governor immunity so that no criminal proceedings whatsoever can be instituted or continued against him in any court during his term of office, making statement 1 right. Article 158 read with the Second Schedule protects the Governor's emoluments and allowances from being diminished during his term, so statement 2 is also right. Since both protections are expressly provided in the Constitution, the answer is both 1 and 2.

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Parliament 100 Constitutional Bodies 93 Schedules & Special Provisions 85 Centre-State Relations & Federalism 84 Fundamental Rights 57 Judiciary 57 Governance, Transparency & Accountability 54 Amendment of Constitution 49 Local Government 48 Directive Principles 45 Elections & Representation 44 Union Executive 43 Statutory & Regulatory Bodies 41 Social Justice & Welfare 39 Constitutional Framework 37 Citizenship 32 Emergency Provisions 32 Bills & Acts 31 Rights Issues & Mechanisms 31 Fundamental Duties 27