UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims): Union Executive (The President & Vice-President) | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Q.1. Consider the following statements:    (2020-I)

1. The president of India can summon a session of 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?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only

Correct Answer is Option (c)

• Article 85 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to summon each house of the Parliament at such time and place as he thinks fit. (Hence, 1st statement is correct)
• The Constitution of India does not mention the anything about the number of Parliamentary sessions in a year. (Hence, 2nd statement is incorrect)
• There is some ambiguity in the 3rd statement.
• If the UPSC interprets it in a narrow and literal sense, then exact number of days for which the Parliament is supposed to meet in a year is not mentioned in the Constitution and hence, 3rd statement is correct.
• However, if we interpret the question in a broader manner, then Article 85 of the Indian Constitution mentions that 6 months shall not intervene the 2 sessions of the Parliament. Interpreting this clause, it essentially means that Parliament has to meet at least for 2 days in a year to prevent the violation of Article 85. In such a scenario, 3rd statement is incorrect.

Q.2. If the President of India exercises his power as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution in respect of a particular State, then    (2018-I)
(a) the Assembly of the State is automatically dissolve(d)
(b) the powers of the Legislature of that State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of the Parliament.
(c) Article 19 is suspended in that State.
(d) the President can make laws relating to that State.

Correct Answer is Option (b)
The President's Rule can be proclaimed under Article 356… He can declare that the powers of the state legislature are to be exercised by the Parliament. So "B" is the right answer.

Q.3. Which of the following are not necessarily the consequences of the proclamation of the President's rule in a State?      (2017-I)

1. Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly
2. Removal of the Council of Ministers in the State
3. Dissolution of the local bodies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer is Option (b)
MIND IT: you've to find the wrong statements herethey're the right answers.
when the President's Rule is imposed in a state, the President dismisses the state council of ministers headed by the chief minister. The state governor, on behalf of the President, carries on the state administration with the help of the chief secretary of the state or the advisors appointed by the President. Meaning "2" is definitely the consequence of proclamation. Hence all options involving "2" are wrong. Hence by elimination we are left with answer "B": 1 and 3 only.

Q.4.  Consider the following statements:    (2013 - I)

1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House.
2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer is Option (b)
The first statement is not correct because its talks about chairman as well as the deputy chairman. The Vice- President of India is ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha also chooses from amongst its members, a Deputy Chairman.
President: Elected members of parliament (MPs from Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha). Elected members of State legislative members, including that if NCT of Delhi and Pondicherry.
Vice President: Vice President is elected indirectly, by an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of the parliament. The second statement is correct.

Q.5. Who among the following have held the office of the Vice- President of India?    (2008)

1. Mohammad Hidayatullah
2. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
3. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
4. Shankar Dayal Sharma

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 and 4 only

Correct Answer is Option (b)
Mohd. Hidayatullah (1979-84); Shankar Dayal Sharma (1987-92)

Q.6. As per Indian Protocol, who among the following ranks highest in the order of precedence?    (2003)
(a) Deputy Prime Minister
(b) Former Presidents
(c) Governor of a State within his State
(d) Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Order of precedence is President, Vice President, PM, Governor of State within their respective states, Former Presidents and Deputy PM, CJI and Speaker of LS.

Q.7. Consider the following statements:    (2003)
In the electoral college for Presidential Election in India,

1. the value of the vote of an elected Member of Legislative Assembly equals 
2. the value of the vote of an elected Member of Parliament equals to total value of the votes of all elected MLA’s and total number of elected MP’s
3. there were more than 5000 members in the latest elections.

Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) Only 2
(c) 1 and 3
(d) Only 3

Correct Answer is Option (b)
The value of a MP's vote is calculated by dividing the total value of all MLAs' votes by the number of MPs.
Value of an MP vote

Q.8. With reference to Indian polity, which one of the following statements is correct?   (2002)
(a) Planning Commission is accountable to the Parliament
(b) President can make ordinance only when either of the two Houses of Parliament is not in session
(c) The minimum age prescribed for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court is 40 years
(d) National Development Council is constituted of Union Finance Minister and the Chief Ministers of all the States

Correct Answer is Option (b)
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.

Q.9.  Which of the following are/is stated in the Constitution of India?     (1997)

1. The President shall not be a member of either House of Parliament
2. The Parliament shall consist of the President and two Houses

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:
(a) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) Both 1 and 2
(c) Only 1
(d) Only 2

Correct Answer is Option (b)
Statement 1 is correct as per provisions under Article 59. Statement 2 is correct as according to Article 79, Parliament shall consist of the President and two Houses.

Q.10. In the Presidential election in India, every elected member of the Legislative Assembly of a State shall have as many votes as there are multiples of one thousands in the quotient obtained by dividing the population of the State by the total number of the elected members of the Assembly. As at present (1997) the expression “population” here means the population as ascertained by the:      (1997)
(a) 1991 Census
(b) 1981 Census
(c) 1971 Census
(d) 1961 Census

Correct Answer is Option (c)
The expression at present population in 1997 here means the previous census, i.e., 1971.