WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2023

Q. Which of the Articles deals with the grants in aid by the Union Government to the States?

(A) Article 270
(B) Article 280
(C) Article 275
(D) Article 265

Correct Answer: (C) Article 275

Q. Which Article of Indian Constitution contains special provisions with regard to the State of Maharashtra?

(A) 371
(B) 371 A
(C) 371 B
(D) 371 D

Correct Answer: (A) 371

Q. Which Act granted Statehood to Arunachal Pradesh?

(A) Constitution Act, 1981
(B) Constitution Act, 1987
(C) Government of India Act, 1981
(D) Government of India Act, 1987

Correct Answer: (B) Constitution Act, 1987

Q. Which Constitutional Amendment shifted subjects like education from the State List to the Concurrent List?

(A) 40th
(B) 41st
(C) 42nd
(D) 46th

Correct Answer: (C) 42nd

Q. From which country was the idea of Concurrent List borrowed in India?

(A) Japan
(B) United States of America
(C) Australia
(D) China

Correct Answer: (C) Australia

Q. The States were reorganized in the year 1956 mainly on the basis of which criteria?

(A) External and internal security
(B) Administration facility
(C) Linguistic and cultural uniformity
(D) Geographic similarity and resource allocation

Correct Answer: (C) Linguistic and cultural uniformity

Q. Which Amendment Act made Sikkim a full-fledged State of India?

(A) 34th Constitutional Amendment Act
(B) 35th Constitutional Amendment Act
(C) 36th Constitutional Amendment Act
(D) 37th Constitutional Amendment Act

Correct Answer: (C) 36th Constitutional Amendment Act

Q. As per Constitution of India, the Legislative Assembly of a State consists of not more than 500 and not less than 60 Members, but which one of the following states has 32 Members?

(A) Delhi
(B) Sikkim
(C) Goa
(D) Puducherry

Correct Answer: (B) Sikkim

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2022

Q. Who can legislate on those residual matters which are not mentioned in Union/State/Concurrent List?

(A) State Legislature exclusively
(B) Parliament alone
(C) Parliament after consultation with State Legislatures
(D) Parliament or State Legislature as adjudicated by the Supreme Court of India

Correct Answer: (B) Parliament alone

Q. Which one of the following items/subjects belongs to the Concurrent List of the VIIth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

(A) Public Health and Sanitation
(B) Forests
(C) Stock Exchanges
(D) Agriculture

Correct Answer: (B) Forests

Q. Disputes between States in India come to the Supreme Court under its

(A) Advisory jurisdiction
(B) Appellate jurisdiction
(C) Original jurisdiction
(D) None of the above

Correct Answer: (C) Original jurisdiction

Q. The Concurrent List in the Constitution of India was adopted from

(A) Australia
(B) Canada
(C) Russia
(D) UK

Correct Answer: (A) Australia

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2021

Q. Consider the following statements and identify the right ones: (i) Central Government does not have exclusive power to impose tax which is not mentioned in State or concurrent list. (ii) The Constitution also provides for transferring certain tax revenues from union list to States.

(A) (i) only
(B) (ii) only
(C) both (i) and (ii)
(D) None of the above

Correct Answer: (B) (ii) only

Q. Which Commission has examined the Centre-State relations?

(A) Sarkaria Commission
(B) Sri Krishna Commission
(C) Rajamannar Commission
(D) Kher Commission

Correct Answer: (A) Sarkaria Commission

Q. Which Schedule contains the Union List?

(A) Fourth Schedule
(B) Fifth Schedule
(C) Seventh Schedule
(D) None of the above

Correct Answer: (C) Seventh Schedule

Q. Which of the Lists are in the Constitution of India?

(A) State List
(B) Union List
(C) Concurrent List
(D) All of the above

Correct Answer: (D) All of the above

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2020

Q. When can the Parliament in India make a law on a matter enumerated in the ‘State List’?

(A) When a joint sitting of Parliament passes a resolution to that effect.
(B) When the Lok Sabha by a 2/3rds majority of members present and voting passes a resolution saying that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest.
(C) When both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha separately passes a resolution that it is necessary and expedient in the national interest.
(D) When the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting that such legislation is in the national interest.

Correct Answer: (D) When the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting that such legislation is in the national interest.

Q. Under which Article of the Indian Constitution does the Supreme Court have original jurisdiction to deal with any dispute between the Centre and the State, the Centre and a State on the one side and another State on the other or between two or more States?

(A) Article 131
(B) Article 132
(C) Article 133
(D) Article 134

Correct Answer: (A) Article 131

Q. The Government of India revoked the special status, or limited autonomy granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir—when?

(A) August, 2019
(B) September, 2019
(C) October, 2019
(D) November, 2019

Correct Answer: (A) August, 2019

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2019

Q. Which of the following is not true?

(A) Parliament has exclusive power to make law on any matter in the Union List.
(B) Parliament and State Legislatures have power to make law on any matter in the Concurrent List.
(C) In certain exceptional circumstances, State Legislatures can make law on the subject given in the Union List.
(D) Parliament can make laws on subjects in the State List in certain circumstances.

Correct Answer: (C) In certain exceptional circumstances, State Legislatures can make law on the subject given in the Union List.

Q. Both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate on

(A) criminal law and procedure
(B) economic and social planning
(C) marriage, contracts and torts
(D) All of the above

Correct Answer: (D) All of the above

Q. The Union Government can assign any function to the States

(A) on the recommendation of the Parliament.
(B) on the directive of the President.
(C) on its own discretion.
(D) with the consent of the concerned State Government.

Correct Answer: (D) with the consent of the concerned State Government.

Q. The Constitutional provision relevant for solving questions of repugnancy between a Central Law and a State Law is found in

(A) Article 156
(B) Article 254
(C) Article 300
(D) Entry 42, List III

Correct Answer: (B) Article 254

Q. The Constitution reserves the residuary powers in the

(A) President
(B) Parliament
(C) Union
(D) States

Correct Answer: (B) Parliament

Q. A change in distribution of powers between the Centre and the States can be done by

(A) the Union Government
(B) the States by themselves
(C) amending the Constitution
(D) None of the above

Correct Answer: (C) amending the Constitution

Q. The Parliament has the power to legislate on the subjects of all three Lists in respect of

(A) Backward areas
(B) Hill areas
(C) Scheduled areas
(D) Union Territories

Correct Answer: (D) Union Territories

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2018

Q. The special status of Jammu & Kashmir implies the state as

(A) a separate judiciary
(B) a separate constitution
(C) a separate defense force
(D) All the above

Correct Answer: (B) a separate constitution

Q. The Government of India Act, 1935 vested the residuary power in the

(A) British Parliament
(B) State Legislature
(C) Federal Legislature
(D) Governor-General

Correct Answer: (D) Governor-General

Q. The Central Government can issue directions to the States with regard to I. Union List. II. State List III. Concurrent List.

(A) I
(B) II and III
(C) I and III
(D) I, II and III

Correct Answer: (D) I, II and III

Q. Which Article of the Constitution provides for the adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers?

(A) Article 258
(B) Article 260
(C) Article 262
(D) Article 264

Correct Answer: (C) Article 262

Q. Democracy and federalism are essential features of our Constitution and basic feature of its structure. This observation was made in S.R. Bommai case by

(A) J.S. Verma, J.
(B) S.R. Pandian, J.
(C) P.B. Sawant, J.
(D) A.M. Ahmadi, J.

Correct Answer: (C) P.B. Sawant, J.

Q. India has borrowed the scheme of federation i.e. ‘Union of States’ from which country?

(A) Ireland
(B) Canada
(C) USA
(D) Russia

Correct Answer: (B) Canada

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2017

Q. Parliament can legislate matters in the State List:

(A) When a party enjoys 2/3rd majority in the House.
(B) By the consent of the legislature of the State concerned.
(C) When Rajya Sabha passes a Resolution by 2/3rd majority.
(D) With the consent of the President and Chief Justice of India.

Correct Answer: (C) When Rajya Sabha passes a Resolution by 2/3rd majority.

Q. Finance Commission is constituted by the President every

(A) 2 years
(B) 3 years
(C) 5 years
(D) 7 years

Correct Answer: (C) 5 years

Q. The distribution of power between Centre and the States is based on the scheme provided in

(A) Minto-Morley Reforms, 1909
(B) Montague-Chelmsford Act, 1919
(C) Government of India Act, 1935
(D) Indian Independence Act, 1947

Correct Answer: (C) Government of India Act, 1935

Q. The State List contains

(A) 96 subjects
(B) 106 subjects
(C) 66 subjects
(D) 79 subjects

Correct Answer: (C) 66 subjects

Q. The Constitutional provision relevant for solving questions of repugnancy between Central Law and the State Law is found in

(A) Article 254
(B) Article 300
(C) Entry 42, List III
(D) Article 156

Correct Answer: (A) Article 254

Q. Taxes not to be imposed save by authority of law appears in

(A) Article 246
(B) Article 265
(C) Article 266
(D) Article 268

Correct Answer: (B) Article 265

Q. Which of the following legislation brought the character of Indian Government from ‘Unitary’ to ‘Federal’?

(A) Indian Council Act, 1909
(B) Government of India Act, 1919
(C) Government of India Act, 1935
(D) Indian Independence Act, 1947

Correct Answer: (C) Government of India Act, 1935

Q. Which of the following sought to change the character of Indian Government from unitary to federal?

(A) Government of India Act, 1919
(B) Government of India Act, 1935
(C) Indian Council Act, 1909
(D) Indian Independence Act, 1947

Correct Answer: (B) Government of India Act, 1935

Q. Which of the following statement(s) is/are not true regarding ‘Inter State Council’?

(A) It is required to meet at least thrice every year.
(B) It is established under Article 265 of the Constitution of India.
(C) Decision of the Chairman is bound by the Consensus.
(D) Decision on all questions are required to be taken in Consensus.

Correct Answer: (A) It is required to meet at least thrice every year.

Q. List II (Union List) in Seventh Schedule contain how many items?

(A) 76
(B) 87
(C) 97
(D) 99

Correct Answer: (C) 97

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2016

Q. Which one of the following changes is not effected during the national emergency?

(A) The Fundamental Rights of the citizens can be suspended.
(B) The distribution of revenue between the Union and the States can be modified.
(C) The President can issue directions to the State with regard to exercise of their powers.
(D) The President can act in his discretion without the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Correct Answer: (D) The President can act in his discretion without the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Q. Supreme Court of India has given a landmark guideline spelling out the restrictions on the Union Government’s power to dismiss a state government as per Article 356 of the Indian Constitution in which of the following case?

(A) Minerva Mills Case
(B) S. R. Bommai Case
(C) Sajjan Singh Case
(D) Golaknath Case

Correct Answer: (B) S. R. Bommai Case

Q. The administrative relations between the Centre and the State are outlined in

(A) Articles 256–263
(B) Articles 245–254
(C) Articles 264–300
(D) Articles 250–260

Correct Answer: (A) Articles 256–263

Q. Article 280 of the Indian Constitution lays down the establishment of the

(A) Planning Commission
(B) Inter-State Council
(C) River Waters Tribunal
(D) Finance Commission

Correct Answer: (D) Finance Commission

Q. Which of the following Articles was omitted from the Indian Constitution by the 80th Amendment Act?

(A) Article 268
(B) Article 269
(C) Article 270
(D) Article 272

Correct Answer: (D) Article 272

Q. Which of the following duties is imposed by the Central Government but collected by the State Government?

(A) Stamp Duties
(B) Railways
(C) Agriculture
(D) None of the above

Correct Answer: (A) Stamp Duties

Q. Which was the first state established on the basis of linguistic?

(A) U. P.
(B) Andhra Pradesh
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Kerala

Correct Answer: (B) Andhra Pradesh

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2015

Q. India is Union of States. This means

(A) That the Indian federation is not the result of an agreement between States
(B) That the original federation of States gave way to Sovereign Republic
(C) That the Constituent Assembly has created the unitary State of India
(D) That the making of the Indian Union was preceded by the prolonged struggle for freedom from foreign rule

Correct Answer: (A) That the Indian federation is not the result of an agreement between States

Q. The Constitution of India provides that ‘it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language’. It is found in

(A) Art 49
(B) Art 149
(C) Art 351
(D) Art 355

Correct Answer: (C) Art 351

Q. How many subjects are found in the Concurrent List in the Indian Constitution?

(A) 52
(B) 62
(C) 42
(D) 72

Correct Answer: (A) 52

Q. The residuary powers of legislation are vested in Parliament in India. The residuary provisions are found in which Article?

(A) Art 245
(B) Art 248
(C) Art 250
(D) Art 251

Correct Answer: (B) Art 248

Q. Parliament of India has exclusive power to legislate on items in the Union List. How many subjects are in the Union List at present?

(A) 100
(B) 80
(C) 87
(D) 99

Correct Answer: (A) 100

Q. Point out what is not the primary function of the Finance Commission in India

(A) Prepare estimates of consolidated fund of India
(B) Distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Centre and the States
(C) Determine factors governing grants-in-Aid to the States
(D) Recommend to the President the measures needed to augment the consolidated Fund of a State

Correct Answer: (A) Prepare estimates of consolidated fund of India

Q. Which of the following subjects is included in the Union List?

(A) Agriculture
(B) Extradition
(C) Public health, Sanitation, Hospitals
(D) Libraries, Museums

Correct Answer: (B) Extradition

Q. Consolidated Fund of India is provided in

(A) Art 234
(B) Art 265
(C) Art 239
(D) Art 266

Correct Answer: (D) Art 266

Q. The provisions regarding the Union and the State relations are contained in which part of the Constitution of India?

(A) IX
(B) X
(C) XII
(D) XI

Correct Answer: (D) XI

Q. Which Schedule of the Constitution of India distributes power between the Union and the States?

(A) First Schedule
(B) Second Schedule
(C) Sixth Schedule
(D) Seventh Schedule

Correct Answer: (D) Seventh Schedule

Q. What is the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir?

(A) Indian laws are not applicable
(B) It is not part of the Indian Union
(C) It has its own constitution
(D) It is a protected territory

Correct Answer: (C) It has its own constitution

Q. Which of the following Union Territories attained statehood in February 1987?

(A) Arunachal Pradesh
(B) Daman and Diu
(C) Goa
(D) Pondicherry

Correct Answer: (A) Arunachal Pradesh

Q. The emoluments, allowances, privileges of a Governor can be altered by:

(A) A Constitutional amendment passed by a simple majority in Parliament
(B) A constitutional amendment passed by a special majority in Parliament
(C) A constitutional amendment passed by a special majority in Parliament and ratified by one half of the State Legislatures
(D) By an ordinary legislative process that does not require constitutional Amendment

Correct Answer: (D) By an ordinary legislative process that does not require constitutional Amendment

WBCS Mains Indian Polity Centre-State Relations Questions 2014

Q. Sarkaria Commission was set up in the year:

(A) 1982
(B) 1983
(C) 1984
(D) 1985

Correct Answer: (B) 1983

Q. Under which Article of the Indian Constitution can the Parliament legislate on any subject in the State List?

(A) Article 229
(B) Article 249
(C) Article 239
(D) Article 259

Correct Answer: (B) Article 249

Q. The first Finance Commission was constituted in:

(A) 1951
(B) 1962
(C) 1947
(D) 1952

Correct Answer: (D) 1952

Q. Who of the following constitutes a Finance Commission for India?

(A) The President of India
(B) The Prime Minister
(C) The Union Finance Minister
(D) The Union Cabinet

Correct Answer: (A) The President of India

Q. Which of the following is not in the State List under the Constitution of India?

(A) Insurance
(B) Fisheries
(C) Agriculture
(D) Gambling

Correct Answer: (A) Insurance

Q. Which among the following is the exclusive jurisdiction of the State Governments?

(A) Corporation Tax
(B) Customs Duty Tax
(C) Sales Tax
(D) Income Tax

Correct Answer: (C) Sales Tax

Q. The special status of Jammu and Kashmir implies that the state has:

(A) separate defence forces
(B) a separate Constitution
(C) a separate judiciary
(D) all of the above

Correct Answer: (B) a separate Constitution

Q. The Constitution of India describes India as a:

(A) Union of states
(B) Quasi federal
(C) A federation of states and Union territories
(D) Partly unitary and partly federal

Correct Answer: (A) Union of states

Q. The States Reorganisation Commission, set up in 1953 to consider the demand for linguistic states, was headed by:

(A) Saiyid Fazl Ali
(B) K. M. Panniker
(C) H. N. Kunzru
(D) M. C. Mahajan

Correct Answer: (A) Saiyid Fazl Ali

Q. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 divided the entire country into:

(A) 22 states and 9 union territories
(B) 14 states and 9 union territories
(C) 17 states and 7 union territories
(D) Four categories of states

Correct Answer: (D) Four categories of states

Q. When a Bill is reserved by the Governor for the consideration of the President, within what time must he return the Bill?

(A) Three months
(B) Six months
(C) One year
(D) There is no time limit

Correct Answer: (D) There is no time limit