UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz: Polity and Governance MCQs on NITI Aayog, Secretariat of Parliament and more (Week 122)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Secretariat of Parliament, consider the following statements:

1. Parliament may by law regulate the recruitment and the conditions of service of persons appointed.

2. It is not mentioned in the Constitution of India.

3. There is one combined Secretariat for the Parliament (Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Article 98 of the Constitution of India provides for the Secretariat of Parliament. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Each House of Parliament shall have a separate secretarial staff. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— Provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as preventing the creation of posts common to both Houses of Parliament.

— Parliament may by law regulate the recruitment and terms of employment of individuals appointed to the secretarial staff of either House of Parliament. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Until Parliament makes provision, the President may, after consultation with the Speaker of the House of the People or the Chairman of the Council of States, as the case may be, make rules governing the recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to the secretarial staff of the House of the People or the Council of States, and any such rules shall have effect subject to the provisions of any law enacted under the said clause.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 2

Which of the following statements about the Lok Sabha are correct?

1. The Lok Sabha is the upper House of the parliament.

2. Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people chosen by direct election on the basis of adult suffrage.

3. The first General Elections to the Lok Sabha were held in 1951-1952.

4. The term of the Lok Sabha, unless dissolved, is five years from the date of election.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 4

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Explanation

— As per the provision of Article 79 of Indian Constitution, the House of the People, the Lok Sabha is the lower House of the parliament. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people chosen by direct election on the basis of the adult suffrage. The maximum strength of the House envisaged by the Constitution is 552. As Per Article 81 of the Constitution, Subject to the provisions of article 331 ,the House of the People shall consist of— Hence, statement 2 is correct.

(a) not more than five hundred and thirty members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the States, and

(b) not more than [twenty members] to represent the Union territories, chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law provide.

— The Lok Sabha (Lower House of the People) was elected for the first time on April 17, 1952, following the first General Elections, which were held from October 25, 1951 to February 21, 1952. The House is currently composed of 543 members. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Lok Sabha’s term, unless dissolved, is five years from the date set for its first meeting. However, while a proclamation of emergency is in effect, Parliament may prolong it by legislation for a period of no more than one year at a time, and no more than six months after the proclamation has expired. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: sansad.in)

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), consider the following statements:

1. It was launched in 200 most backwards rural districts of the country in 2001-02.

2. It was extended to the entire country from the financial year 2008-09.

3. The number of families that worked under the MGNREGS has increased year by year from 2021-22 to 2024-25.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The NITI Aayog is conducting an “evaluation study” of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Government informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday, even as the Ministry of Rural Development has circulated a proposal seeking approval for the scheme’s continuation and an outlay for Rs 5.23 lakh crore till 2029-30, a period that coincides with the next Finance Commission (16th) cycle.

About MGNREGS

— The MGNREGS was inaugurated in 200 of the country’s most backward rural districts in 2006-07, expanded to a further 130 districts in 2007-08, and will be available throughout the country beginning in 2008-09. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.

— The initiative experienced an increase in demand for work in 2020-21, when a record 7.55 crore rural families took advantage of it following the Covid epidemic. The project served as a safety net for migrants who returned to their villages during the Covid lockdown in 2020.

— However, since then the number of families that worked under the MGNREGS has gradually come down – 7.25 crore in 2021-22, 6.18 crore in 2022-23, 5.99 crore in 2023-24, and 5.79 crore in 2024-25. The scheme has been suspended in West Bengal since March 2022. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Adjournment of the House, consider the following statements:

1. An adjournment of the House suspends proceedings for the full day.

2. In Lok Sabha, the leader of the House determines when sitting of House is to adjourn sine die or to a particular day or to an hour or part of same day.

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

Explanation

— “Adjournment of the House” implies to suspend (proceedings) for the day; to postpone till a later day. The term ‘adjourn’ refers to the conduct of a deliberative body, for example, in adjourning a meeting with the aim of reconvening on the next working day or at a later period. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— In Lok Sabha, the Speaker decides when the House will adjourn sine die or to a specific day, hour, or part of the same day. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— When a house adjourns, the session ends and the proceedings are postponed until the next sitting, which is usually the next day or at a later date.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Source: sansad.in)

QUESTION 5

Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for the Vacation of seats in the Parliament?

(a) Article 99

(b) Article 100

(c) Article 101

(d) Article 102

Explanation

— Article 101 of the Constitution of India provides for the Vacation of seats.

— No person shall be a member of both Houses of Parliament and provision shall be made by Parliament by law for the vacation by a person who is chosen a member of both Houses of his seat in one House or the other.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 6

Which of the following are NOT objectives/features of NITI Aayog?

1. To evolve a shared vision of national development priorities, sectors, and strategies with the active involvement of States.

2. To foster cooperative federalism through structured support mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis.

3. To develop mechanisms for credible village level planning and incremental aggregation of plans to higher levels of government.

4. To ensure that national security interests are incorporated into economic strategy and policy in areas specifically referred to NITI Aayog.

5. To allocate financial resources directly to the States for programmes and developmental schemes.

Select the correct code:

(a) 3 and 5 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 5 only

(d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Explanation

— NITI Aayog as a Think Tank is developing itself as a state-of-the-art resource centre with the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable it to act with speed, promote research and innovation, provide strategic policy vision for the government, and deal with contingent issues.

Features of NITI Aayog

— To evolve a shared vision of national development priorities, sectors and strategies with the active involvement of States.

— To foster cooperative federalism through structured support initiatives and mechanisms with the States on a continuous basis, recognizing that strong States make a strong nation.

— To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these progressively at higher levels of government.

— To ensure, on areas that are specifically referred to it, that the interests of national security are incorporated in economic strategy and policy.

— To pay special attention to the sections of our society that may be at risk of not benefiting adequately from economic progress.

— To design strategic and long-term policy and programme frameworks and initiatives, and monitor their progress and their efficacy.

— To provide advice and encourage partnerships between key stakeholders and national and international like-minded think tanks, as well as educational and policy research institutions.

— To create a knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurial support system through a collaborative community of national and international experts, practitioners and other partners.

— To offer a platform for the resolution of inter-sectoral and inter­ departmental issues in order to accelerate the implementation of the development agenda.

— To maintain a state-of-the-art resource centre, be a repository of research on good governance and best practices in sustainable and equitable development as well as help their dissemination to stake-holders.

— To actively monitor and evaluate the implementation of programmes and initiatives, including the identification of the needed resources so as to strengthen the probability of success and scope of delivery.

— To focus on technology upgradation and capacity building for implementation of programmes and initiatives.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: niti.gov.in)

QUESTION 7

Which of the following was not a criterion for being listed as a voter in the electoral rolls prepared for the 1952 general election?

1. Voters had to be Indian citizens residing in their respective newly drawn constituencies, as per the post-independence delimitation exercise.

2. Voters had to be at least 18 years old as of January 1, 1949

3. Voters had to be residents of a village or electoral unit for at least 180 days in the year ending March 31, 1948

Select the correct code:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The confusion on the ground that has marked the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar brings to mind the mammoth task involved in preparing the electoral rolls for the 1952 election.

— In July 1947 itself, the Constituent Assembly had decided to grant voting rights to every citizen aged 21 or older, a bold commitment to universal adult suffrage for a young nation. By March 1948, the Assembly Secretariat issued detailed directions to states for preparing draft electoral rolls. These directions specified eligibility criteria: voters had to be Indian citizens, at least 21 years old as of January 1, 1949, and residents of a village or electoral unit for at least 180 days in the year ending March 31, 1948.

— Since delimitation was yet to be initiated, the rolls were organised village-wise to facilitate later segregation into constituencies once boundaries were defined. Enumerators conducted house-to-house inquiries, using house numbers listed in the 1941 Census and assigned supplementary numbers to new premises.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

With reference to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, consider the following statements:

1. His appointment by the President of India

2. Special procedure for removal (like a Supreme Court Judge)

3. Salary and expenses Charged (not Voted) to the Consolidated Fund of India

4. Disallowing his holding any other Government office after his term expires

Which of the above given statements ensure the independent and unbiased nature of audit by the CAG?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

According to cag.gov.in,

— The Constitution (Articles 148-151) enables the independent and unbiased nature of audit by the CAG by providing for: His appointment by the President of India Special procedure for removal (like a Supreme Court Judge) Salary and expenses Charged (not Voted) to the Consolidated Fund of India Disallowing his holding any other Government office after his term expires.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 120)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 121)

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