Government & Administration (India & World) (Part-I)

Total Questions: 50

21. The primary function of the Finance Commission in India is to: [2000]

Correct Answer: (c) advise the President on financial matters
Solution:Article 280; It shall be the duty of commission to make recommendations to the President as to:

(i) the distribution between union and states of the met proceeds of taxes, grants in aid of the revenues of the states out of the consolidated Fund of India, any matter referred to the commission by the president in the interests of sound finance.
The Finance Commission is a constitutional body in India established under Article 280 of the Constitution, tasked with maintaining fiscal federalism by recommending the distribution of tax revenues between the central and state governments. Constituted every five years by the President, it comprises a Chairman and four members with expertise in finance, economics, or public administration.
It recommends the sharing of net tax proceeds (e.g. income tax, GST) between the Union and states, grants-in-aid for revenue-deficient states, and measures to enhance local body resources for grassroots governance. It also advises on fiscal discipline, public expenditure, and other financial matters referred by the President.

22. The Parliament can make any law for the whole or any part India for implementing international treaties: [2000]

Correct Answer: (d) without the consent of any State
Solution:Article 253 of the Indian Constitution grants Parliament the authority to enact laws to enforce international agreements. This enables legislation across India to comply with treaties, conventions, and decisions from international gatherings, without necessitating consent from individual states.
• The Parliament has exclusive power to make laws on the subjects enumerated in the Union List and on the Residuary Subjects (subjects that are not enumerated in any of the three lists).
• With regard to the Concurrent List, the Indian Parliament has overriding powers of making laws.
          o Thus, w.r.t. subjects enumerated in the Concurrent List, the laws of Parliament prevail over the law of the State Legislature in case of a conflict between the two.
• The Indian Constitution also empowers the Parliament to make laws on the subjects enumerated in the State List under the following five abnormal circumstances:
          o When Rajya Sabha passes a resolution to that effect.
          o When a proclamation of National Emergency is in operation.
          o When two or more States make a joint request to the Parliament.
          o When necessary to give effect to international agreements, treaties and conventions.
          o When the President’s Rule is in operation in the State.

23. The state which has the largest number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha is: [2000]

Correct Answer: (d) Madhya Pradesh
Solution:As of 2019, Jharkhand and Odisha each have 5 Lok Sabha seats reserved for STs, while Madhya Pradesh has 6 such seats. Bihar has none reserved. Thus, the correct answer is Madhya Pradesh.
The tribal communities in India have been recognized by the Indian Constitution under ‘Schedule 5’ of the constitution. Hence the tribes recognized by the Constitution are known as ‘Scheduled Tribes’.
Article 366 (25) defined scheduled tribes as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for this constitution”.

24. Consider the following functionaries: [2000]

1. Cabinet Secretary

2. Chief Election Commissioner

3. Union Cabinet Minister

4. Chief Justice of India

Their correct sequence in the Order of Precedence is:

Correct Answer: (c) 4, 3, 2, 1
Solution:Chief Justice of India, Union Cabinet Minister, Chief Election Commissioner and Cabinet Secretary is the correct order of precedence.
Order of Precedence is a protocol list in which the functionaries and authorities are recorded by rank and office in the Government of India. The order of precedence is maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order in this Table of Precedence is meant for State and Ceremonial occasions and has no application in the day-to-day business of Government. The latest notification regarding table of precedence was issued on July 26, 1979.

25. Which one of the following duties is not performed by Comptroller and Auditor general of India? [2001]

Correct Answer: (d) To control the receipt and issue of public money, and to ensure that the public revenue is lodged in the exchequer
Solution:As per provisions under Article 149, the Comptroller and Auditor General shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and of the States and of any other authority or body as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made.

Shall perform such duties and exercise such powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and of the States as were conferred on or exercisable by the Auditor General of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution in relation to the accounts of the Dominion of India and of the Provinces respectively.

26. In what way does the Indian Parliament exercise control over the administration? [2001]

Correct Answer: (a) Through Parliamentary Committees
Solution:Parliamentary Committees are formed to dispose off the large volume of work in time but with detailed scrutiny. Their appointment, terms of office as well as functions etc are regulated by provisions under Article 118(1). These are of 2 kinds: Standing Committees and Ad-hoc Committees.

A Parliamentary committee is a committee of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected or appointed from amongst the members of the house or nominated by the Speaker or Chairman. The concept of Parliamentary committees originated in the British Parliament. These committees operate under the direction of the Speaker of Lok Sabha or Chairman of Rajya Sabha and present their findings and recommendations to the respective houses.
The Parliamentary committees draw their authority from the constitution.
Article 105: Powers, privileges, etc., of the houses of Parliament and of the members and committees thereof.
Article 118: Each House of Parliament may make rules for regulations, subject to the provisions of this constitution, its procedure and the conduct of its business.

27. In which one of the following areas does the State Government not have control over its local bodies? [2001]

Correct Answer: (a) Citizens' grievances
Solution:The State government does not have control over its local bodies in matters of Citizens' grievances.
India has a federal system of government in which powers are divided between the central government and the states and union territories. The Constitution of India defines the structure of local self-government in the country through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which were passed in 1992. These amendments created two new governance structures: the Panchayats (for rural areas) and the Municipalities (for urban areas).
The Panchayati Raj system was first established in India in the 1950s, but it was only with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 that it was given constitutional recognition and a formal structure. The Act defines the Panchayati Raj system as a "three-tier system".

28. Consider the following statements regarding the political parties in India: [2001]

1. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides for the registration of political parties

2. Registration of political parties is carried out by the Election Commission

3. A national level political party is one which is recognized in four or more states

4. During the 1999 general elections, there were six national and 48 state level parties recognised by the Election commission

Which of these statement are correct?

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Solution:All the statements are correct.

The representation of the people's act have been enacted to provide specific rules and regulations for the members of the parliament from getting elected to the time when he/she is MP and envisages behaviour and decorum of the MP in the parliament.
Political parties are essential to every democratic system and play the most important role in the electoral process, including the selection of candidates and the conduct of election campaigns. Cultural variety, socioeconomic, ethnic, caste, communal, and religious heterogeneity, nationalist movements traditions, various styles of party leadership, and opposing ideological positions have all had a significant impact on political parties in India. The two basic kinds of political parties in India are national and state, and the Election Commission of India recognises them based on specific requirements.

29. With reference to Indian polity, which one of the following statements is correct? [2002]

Correct Answer: (b) President can make ordinance only when either of the two Houses of Parliament is not in session
Solution:President can issue an ordinance only when both houses of parliament are not in session (Art 123). No minimum age is prescribed for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court in the Constitution. The age of a Judge of the SC shall be determined by such authority and in such manner as parliament may by law provide. NDC is composed of the PM as its head, all Union Cabinet ministers, the CMs of all states, CMs/Administrators of all UTs and the members of the Planning Commission. There is no constitutional provision regarding the accountability of the planning commission the parliament.

30. Consider the following statements with reference to India: [2002]

1. The Chief Election Commission and other Election Commissioners enjoy equal powers but receive unequal salaries

2. The Chief Election Commissioner is entitled to the same salary as is provided to a judge of the Supreme Court

3. The Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court

4. The term of office of the Election Commissioner is five years from the date he assumes his office or till the day he attains the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier

Which of these statements are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 & 3
Solution:The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners enjoy equal powers and salaries. The term of office of the Election Commissioner is 6 years or till he attains the age of 65 years or whichever is earlier.
Election Commission of India
• The Election Commission of India derives its powers and responsibilities from Article 324 of the Indian Constitution. It is a constitutional body, independent of government influence, tasked with supervising the entire electoral process. Initially a single-member body, it became a multi-member Commission in 1993, consisting of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners. The ECI manages over 97 crore registered voters (as per 2024 data) and conducts elections in more than 10 lakh polling stations nationwide..