Union Executive MCQs for UPSC Prelims

43 practice questions on Union Executive from the Polity & Governance section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 43 come with a written explanation and 19 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

12 Easy 23 Medium 8 Hard 19 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to the Parliament. 2. The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India. 3. The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for legislation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Correct answer: B - 2 and 3 only

Statement 1 is wrong because under Article 75(3) the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (the House of the People), not to Parliament as a whole, since the Rajya Sabha cannot bring down a government. Statement 2 is correct: Article 75(2) states that ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President. Statement 3 is correct: Article 78(b) makes it the duty of the Prime Minister to communicate to the President proposals for legislation. Hence only statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Q2
Previous year question easy

The main advantage of the parliamentary form of government is that

  1. A the executive and legislature work independently
  2. B it provides continuity of policy and is more efficient
  3. C the executive remains responsible to the legislature
  4. D the head of the government cannot be changed without election
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - the executive remains responsible to the legislature

The defining advantage of a parliamentary system is that the executive (council of ministers) is collectively responsible to and accountable before the legislature, which can remove it through a no-confidence motion. Option (a) describes the presidential separation of powers, not parliamentary government; continuity of policy is actually a feature claimed for presidential systems; and a parliamentary head of government can in fact be changed without a general election, so those options are wrong.

Q3
Previous year question easy

Consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution of India classifies the ministers into four ranks viz. Cabinet Minister, Minister of State with Independent Charge, Minister of State and Deputy Minister. 2. The total number of ministers in the Union Government, including the Prime Minister, shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members in the Lok Sabha. 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 Constitution does not create any ranking of ministers; the categories of Cabinet Minister, Minister of State with independent charge, Minister of State and Deputy Minister are a matter of convention and executive practice, so statement 1 is incorrect. Article 75(1A), inserted by the 91st Amendment Act, 2003, caps the size of the Union Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, at 15 per cent of the strength of the Lok Sabha, so statement 2 is correct. This is standard NCERT and Laxmikanth material, which makes the question easy. Hence only statement 2 holds.

Q4
Previous year question easy

A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which

  1. A all political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
  2. B the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
  3. C the Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
  4. D the Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it

The defining feature of a parliamentary system is collective responsibility of the executive to the legislature: the council of ministers stays in office only as long as it enjoys the confidence of the lower House, which can remove it through a no-confidence motion. Representation of all parties in government describes a national or coalition government, not the parliamentary system as such. Direct election and recall of the executive by the people describes a presidential or plebiscitary model, not the parliamentary one. A government that cannot be removed before a fixed term is the opposite of parliamentary responsibility, resembling a fixed-term presidential executive.

Q5
Previous year question medium

Consider the following statements: 1. The President of India can summon a session of the Parliament at such place as he/she thinks fit. 2. The Constitution of India provides for three sessions of the Parliament in a year, but it is not mandatory to conduct all three sessions. 3. There is no minimum number of days that the Parliament is required to meet in a year. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

Article 85 empowers the President to summon each House to meet at such time and place as he or she thinks fit, so statement 1 is correct. The Constitution does not prescribe any number of sessions; the practice of holding three sessions (Budget, Monsoon and Winter) is purely conventional, making statement 2 incorrect. The only constitutional requirement is that not more than six months may elapse between two sittings, which means there is no minimum number of sitting days fixed for a year, so statement 3 is correct. The answer is therefore 1 and 3 only.

Q6
Previous year question medium

With reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements: 1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State. 2. The value of the vote of MPs of the Loksabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajyasabha Which of the following 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: A - 1 only

Only statement 1 is correct, so 'A' is the answer. In the presidential election the value of an MLA's vote varies across States because it is based on the State's population relative to its number of MLAs. Statement 2 is wrong because the value of an MP's vote is the same for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, derived from the total value of all MLAs' votes divided by the number of elected MPs. Hence 'A' (1 only).

Q7
Previous year question easy

There is a Parliamentary System of Government in India because the

  1. A Lok Sabha is elected directly by the people
  2. B Parliament can amend the Constitution
  3. C Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved
  4. D Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha

India has a parliamentary form of government because the executive (Council of Ministers) is collectively responsible to the popularly elected Lok Sabha, the defining feature of the parliamentary system. Direct election of the Lok Sabha, Parliament's power to amend the Constitution, and the Rajya Sabha being a permanent house are features of the system but do not by themselves make it parliamentary, so they are wrong.

Q8
Previous year question medium

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 such declaration are invalidated. 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?

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

Correct answer: D - None

All three statements are wrong. Under Article 71, acts done by the President before the declaration of his election as void remain valid, so statement 1 is incorrect. The Supreme Court has held that a Presidential election cannot be delayed merely because some Assemblies are dissolved; the election must be completed before the term of the incumbent expires, so statement 2 is incorrect. Article 111 sets no time limit for the President to give assent to a Bill, which is the basis of the so-called pocket veto, so statement 3 is incorrect as well.

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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 Governance, Transparency & Accountability 54 Amendment of Constitution 49 Local Government 48 Directive Principles 45 Elections & Representation 44 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