INDIAN POLITY MAINS QUESTIONS

IAS General Studies (M) - Constitution of India and Indian Polity (100 Marks)

QUESTIONS TREND & PATTERN ANALYSIS

2008

1.. Answer any one of the following (in about 250 words):(30)

(a) What is meant by 'Judicial Activism? Evaluate its role in the context of the functioning of

Indian polity.

(b) Discuss the major extra-constitutional factors influencing the federal polity in India.

2. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each):(15 × 2 = 30)

(a) Enumerate the Fundamental Duties incorporated in the Constitution after the 42nd

Amendment.

(b) Examine the demand for greater state autonomy and its impact on the smooth functioning of

Indian polity.

(c) Discuss the composition and functions of the Union Public Service Commission.

3. Answer the following (in about 20 words each):

(2 × 5 = 10)

(a) What is a Censure Motion?

(b) Distinguish between the auditing and accounting functions of the CAG of India.

(c) Distinguish between a starred question and an unstarred one asked in the Parliament.

(d) What is contempt of Parliament?

(e) What were the two major considerations to have the Governor appointed and not elected?

4. Answer any one of the following (in about 250 words):(30)

(a) What, in your opinion, are the causes of terrorism? Suggest suitable measures to deal with the

threat of terrorism in India.

(b) Do you think there is a need for a review of the Indian Constitution? Justify your view.

2007

1. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a) What is a Constitution? What are the main sources of the Indian Constitution?

(b) Bring out the differences between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy. Discuss some of the measures taken by the Union and State Governments for the implementation of the Directive Principles of State Policy.

2. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30

(a). What is regionalism ? In which way regionalism has affected the Indian Polity.

(b). what are the Main determination of voting behavior in India?

3. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each): 15x2 = 30

(a) What are the exceptions when the President of India is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers?

(b) What is pro tem Speaker?

(c) Under what circumstances, Parliament may legislate on State subjects?

4. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each): 2 x 5 = 10

(a). What is criminalization of politics?

(b). How president of India elected?

(c). what is casting vote?

(d). what is the difference between council of Minister and Cabinet?

(e). what is the importance of Right to constitutional remedies?

2006

1. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250 words). 30

(a) What is right to life and personal liberty? How have the courts expanded its meaning in recent years?

(b) On what grounds can a member be disqualified from either House of Parliament?

2. Answer any one of the following questions (in about 250 words). 30

(a) What is the 'strategic partnership' between India and United States of America ? What are its implications for both the partners?

(b) Discuss economic backwardness as a major challenge of Indian democracy. Can democracy and developments go together smoothly?

3. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each). 15x2 = 30

(a) How would you differentiate between the passage of a Constitution Amendment Bill and of an Ordinary Legislative bill?

(b) How does the Inter-state Council establish co-ordination between states?

(c) Is the 'High Courts' power to issue 'writs' wider than that of the Supreme Court of India ?

4. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each).

(a). Explain the following terms.

i). Dissolution of the House

ii). Prorogation of the House

iii).Adjournment of the business of the house.

(b) What is Consolidated Fund of India?

(c) To what extent can the president withhold his assent to Bill already passed by the parliament?

(d) What is India's 'Look East' Policy?

(e) What is meant by 'empowerment of women' in India?

2005

1. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words each) : 30

(a) Comment on the financial relations between the Union and the States in India. Has post-1991 liberalization in any way affected it?

(b) Is it possible to distinguish between judicial review and judicial activism in India? Does the recent behavior of the Indian judiciary partake more of judicial activism? Argue with suitable examples.

2. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30

(a) Would you say that the implementation of the Panchayati System in the last ten years has led to a real restructuring of the Indian polity?

(b) Give your views on the right to freedom of religion as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Do they make India a secular State?

3. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each): 15 x 2 = 30

(a) What are the constitutional limitations on the free movements of Indians throughout the country?

(b) How has the Indian State tackled the trade-off between environment and development?

(c) What are the steps that the Election Commission may take if a recalcitrant State Government wants to put off Assembly Elections?

4. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each) 2 x 5 = 10

(a) What is meant by 'double jeopardy'?

(b) What are the protections afforded to Scheduled Tribes in the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

(c) In what ways can the President of India ascertain the views of the Supreme Court on a particular bill?

(d) What is the common point between Articles 14 and 226 of the Indian Constitution?

(e) Who and what does the Indian Parliament consist of?

2004

1. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words each) : 30

(a) What is the significance of a preamble to a constitution? Bring out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

(b). Discuss the meaning of "breakdown of constitutional machinery". What are its effects?

2. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30

(a) Discuss how the Constitution of India provides equal rights.

(b) How does the Indian Constitution seek to maintain independence of the Public Service Commission?

3. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each) : 2 x 15 = 30

(a) Define Money-bill. Discuss how it is passed in the Parliament.

(b) What is a Finance Commission? Discuss the main functions of the State Finance Commission.

(c) Discuss how state governments can exercise control over panchayats.

4. Answer the following (in about 20 words each): 5 x 2 = 10

(a) What is Habeas Corpus?

(b) What are the constitutional restrictions imposed upon the power of borrowing of the state governments?

(c) What is the special facility provided to the linguistic minorities under Article 350 A ?

(d) How can a judge of the Supreme Court be removed?

(e) How is the Election Commission of India constituted?

2003

1. Answer any one of the following: (about 250 words) 30

a) Discuss the question of death sentence and Presidential clemency.

b) Explain the discretionary powers of the Governor of a State.

2. Answer any One of the following ( about 250 words ) 30

a). Discuss parliamentary control over the executive.

b). Identify the major obstacles in the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy in India.

3. Answer any two of the following: (about 150 words) 2 X15=30

a) Highlight the significance of Forty Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of India

b) Identify the major Fundamental Duties

c) Explain the relevance of Rajya Sabha as a second chamber in the federal set up of Indian Parliamentary System.

4. Answer the following: (about 20 words) 2 X5=10

a) What is a point of order? When can it be raised?

b) What is a Privilege Motion?

c) State the difference between Council of Ministers and the Cabinet.

d) How is the Vice President of India elected?

e) What is meant by ‘sine-die’ adjournment?

2002

1. Answer any one of the following (about 250 words): 30

(a) “The issue of a hung Parliament adversely affects the stability of Indian Government”. Discuss the statement and point out how far changing over to the Presidential form of govt. will be a solution to this problem.

(b) Why does the Constitution of India provide different forms of Oaths for the President, the Ministers, the legislators and the members of the judiciary? Discuss their significance.

2. Answer any one of the following (about 250 words) : 30

(a).What is the position of the Supreme Court under the Constitution of India? How far does it play its role as guardian of the Constitution?

(b).How is the Constitution of India amended? Do you think that the procedure for amendment makes the Constitution a play-thing in the hands of the Centre?

3. Answer any two of the following (about 150 words) : 2x15=30

(a)Discuss the constitutional provisions relating to the non-justifiable directives binding upon the states.

(b) Describe the methods of delimiting constituencies for parliamentary elections in India.

(c ) .Explain the role of the Public Accounts Committee.

4. Answer the following (about 20 words) : 5x2=10

a) What is the import of the 84th Amendment of the Indian Constitution?

b) Under what Article of the Constitution can the Union govt. play its role in settling inter-state water disputes?

c) What is the role of the protem speaker?

d) What is meant by the ‘lame-duck session’ of the legislature?

e) What is meant by the ‘fringe areas ‘ in the sphere of local govt. in India?

2001

1. Answer any one of the following (about 250 words): 30

(a). Discuss the administrative relations between the center and the states in the light of recent controversies.

(b) Bring out the aberrations of the parliamentary system of government in India.

2. Answer any one of the following ( about 250 words )

a). What is the constitutional provision of direct principle of state policy ? How has it been interpreted by the judiciary after the emergency in 1975-77 ?

b). What are the main differences between the passage of a constitution Amendment Bill and other Legislative Bills ?

3. Answer any two of the following (about 150 words): 2x15=30

(a). Comment on the tenure of ordinance making power of president of India. What safeguards are there against possible misuse.

(b) . Distinguish between cabinet Secretariat and Prime Minister’s Secretariat. Which of these is more important.

(c )Discuss the constitutional provisions regarding the rights of the children.

4. Answer the following: (about 20 words) 2 X5=10

a) Explain the Local Area development Scheme of the Members of Parliament.

b) What is Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha

c). Why is it said the center has absolute veto power over state Legislature.

d). What is call attentions Motions?

e). When is the device of joint sitting of both the house of parliament not available.

2000

1. Answer any ONE of the following (About 250 words):- 30

(a) Examine the need for the review of the Indian Constitution.

(b) Examine the demand for greater State-autonomy and also its impact on the smooth functioning of the Indian polity.

2. Answer any ONE of the following (About 250 words) :- 30

(a) How does Parliament control the Union Executive? How effective is its control?

(b) What constitutes the doctrine of 'basic features' as introduced into the Constitution of India by the Judiciary?

3. Answer any TWO of the following (About 150 words each):- 15 x 2 = 30

(a) Identify, the major electoral reforms which are necessary in the Indian Political System.

(b) Examine the role of Estimates Committee.

(c) Discuss the major extra-constitutional factors influencing the working of federal polity in India.

4. Answer the following (About 20 words each):- 5 x 2 = 10

(a) What is vote on account?

(b) What is a Caretaker Government?

(c) Do you justify the Prime Minister's entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha?

(d) What is a Privilege Motion?

(e) What is Contempt of Parliament?