Which one of the following statements in respect of the North Eastern Council is correct?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)North Eastern Council → constituted in 1971 by an Act of Parliament
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Polity · Federalism & emergency
Centre-State Relations: 63 previous year questions
UPSC has asked 63 questions on Centre-State Relations between 1984 and 2026: CSE 22 · CDS 19 · CAPF 16 · CISF (LDCE) 4 · NDA 2. 39 of them came after 2015, so this is a live topic examiners keep returning to. 22 were set in Civil Services Prelims; the rest come from UPSC's other papers, which draw on the same question bank.
Tap an option to check yourself. Answers follow the official UPSC key; where the key was dropped or disputed the question is not shown.
Which one among the following items is not included in the State List of the Constitution of India?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)NOT in the State List → economic and social planning
Which one among the following pairs of Articles of the Constitution of India and special provisions given therein is not correctly matched?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)NOT correctly matched → Article 371D : Sikkim
Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (Schedule of Constitution of India): A. Fourth Schedule B. Sixth Schedule C. Seventh Schedule D. Tenth Schedule List II (Provision): 1. Disqualification on grounds of defection 2. Allocation of seats in the Council of States 3. Administration of tribal areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram 4. Union List, State List and Concurrent List
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Fourth Schedule → seats in the Council of States | Sixth → tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram | Seventh → Union, State and Concurrent Lists | Tenth → defection disqualification
Which one among the following pairs of Subjects and Lists under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India is not correctly matched?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)NOT correctly matched → Census : Concurrent List
Match List-I with List-II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List-I (Special provision in the Constitution of India): A. Article 371 B. Article 371-A C. Article 371-B D. Article 371-I List-II (State): 1. Nagaland 2. Gujarat 3. Assam 4. Goa
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Art 371 → Gujarat | 371A → Nagaland | 371B → Assam | 371I → Goa
Consider the following statements: Statement I: In India, State Governments have no power for making rules for grant of concessions in respect of extraction of minor minerals even though such minerals are located in their territories. Statement II: In India, the Central Government has the power to notify minor minerals under the relevant law. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Central Government can notify minor minerals (II true) | NOT: States have no power to frame concession rules for minor minerals
With reference to India, consider the following: I. The Inter-State Council II. The National Security Council III. Zonal Councils How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the Constitution of India?
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Established under the Constitution → only one: the Inter-State Council | NOT: National Security Council | NOT: Zonal Councils
Consider the following subjects under the Constitution of India: I. List I Union List, in the Seventh Schedule II. Extinction of the executive power of a State III. Conditions of the Governor‘s office For a constitutional amendment with respect to which of the above, ratification by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States is required before the Bill is presented to the President of India for assent?
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Amendment needing ratification by half the States → Union List (Seventh Schedule) | extent of a State's executive power | NOT: conditions of the Governor's office
Which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. Criminal law is exclusively a subject under the State List of the Constitution of India. 2. Code of Civil Procedure falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India. Select the answer using the code given below :
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Code of Civil Procedure → Concurrent List | NOT: criminal law is exclusively a State List subject
As per Article 371G of the Constitution of India, special provisions have been made with respect to the state of Mizoram. Accordingly, no Act of Parliament shall apply on certain matters unless the Legislative Assembly of Mizoram so decides by a resolution. Which one of the following matters is not covered under this Article ?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Art 371G (Mizoram) → NOT covered: ownership and transfer of natural resources
Under Article 371A of the Constitution of India, with respect to which of the following item(s) the Acts of the Parliament of India shall not apply to the State of Nagaland, unless the Legislative Assembly of the State of Nagaland by a resolution so decides ? 1. Religious or social practices of Nagas 2. Naga customary law and procedure 3. Ownership and transfer of land and its resources 4. Boundaries of Nagaland with other states Select the answer using the code given below :
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Art 371A → Parliament's Acts on Naga religious/social practices, customary law, land and its resources apply only by Assembly resolution | NOT: boundaries of Nagaland
Which one of the following statements is correct as per the Constitution of India ?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Inter-State quarantine → Union List | NOT: inter-State trade, inter-State migration or corporation tax in the State List
Which among the following is not correct ?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)NOT correct → inter-State trade and commerce is a State List subject
Which of the following States/UTs are included in the Northern Zonal Council?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Northern Zonal Council → Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi
Which one among the following states was NOT impacted by the Land Boundary Agreement Treaty between India and Bangladesh (2015)?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)NOT affected by the India–Bangladesh LBA 2015 → Arunachal Pradesh
Consider the following statements: Statement-I: In India, prisons are managed by State Governments with their own rules and regulations for the day-to-day administration of prisons. Statement-II: In India, prisons are governed by the Prisons Act, 1894 which expressly kept the subject of prisons in the control of Provincial Governments. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Prisons are managed by State Governments under their own rules | the Prisons Act 1894 kept prisons with Provincial Governments (correct explanation)
Which one of the following is not a characteristic feature of Indian Federalism ?
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Answer A (official UPSC key)NOT a feature of Indian federalism → federating units consented to form the union
The Sarkaria Commission relates to which one of the following areas ?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Sarkaria Commission → Centre–State relations
M.M. Punchhi Commission on Centre-State Relations has recommended the disposal of a bill reserved for the consideration of the Union Executive within
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Punchhi Commission → a Bill reserved for the Union Executive should be disposed of within six months
Sarkaria Commission was appointed to look into
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Sarkaria Commission → Centre–State relations
As per provisions of the Constitution of India, which one of the following is correct ?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Concurrent List → both Parliament and State Legislatures may legislate
Which of the following statements) regarding passing a law under the State List is/are correct ? 1. Even in the sphere (State List) exclusively reserved for the States, Parliament can legislate under certain circumstances 2. Parliament cannot legislate a subject under the State List under any circumstances 3. A resolution supported by two thirds of the members present and voting is required to be passed by Rajya Sabha to pass a law under the State List Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Parliament can legislate on State List matters in certain circumstances | a Rajya Sabha resolution by two-thirds present and voting is required | NOT: Parliament can never legislate on the State List
Which of the following Commissions was set up to recommend changes in the Centre- State relations ?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Commission set up to recommend changes in Centre–State relations → Sarkaria Commission
Which of the following pairs of list and contents is/are correctly matched ? 1. State list : Public health and sanitation 2. Union list : Citizenship, naturalisation and aliens 3. Concurrent : Legal, medical list and other professions Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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Answer B (official UPSC key)State List → public health and sanitation | Union List → citizenship, naturalisation and aliens | Concurrent List → legal, medical and other professions
Article 371A of the Constitution of India provides special privileges to
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Article 371A → Nagaland
How many Zonal Councils were set up vide Part-Ill of the States Re-organization Act, 1956 ?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Zonal Councils set up under the States Reorganisation Act 1956 → five
Which one of the following suggested that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in the recent past?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Governor to be an eminent outsider, detached, not recently in politics → Sarkaria Commission (1983)
Which one of the following States does not find a mention in Article 371 of the Constitution of India?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)State NOT mentioned in Article 371 → Madhya Pradesh (of: Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, Karnataka)
Which one of the following Commissions has not examined the issue of removal of the Governor of a State?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Commission that did NOT examine removal of the Governor → Thakkar Commission (of: Sarkaria, Thakkar, Venkatachaliah, Punchhi)
Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India deals with the special provision with respect to the State of Assam?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Special provision for Assam → Article 371B
Who among the following is empowered to establish Inter State Council under Article 263 of the Constitution of India ?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Empowered to establish the Inter-State Council under Art 263 → the President
Government of which one of the following States has appointed the Rajamannar Committee to study the Centre-State relations ?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Rajamannar Committee on Centre–State relations → appointed by the Government of Tamil Nadu
Which one of the following was the mandate of the Dhar Commission (1948) ?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Dhar Commission (1948) mandate → whether States can be reorganised on a linguistic basis
Arrange the following Commissions chronologically on the basis of their date of setting : 1. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission 2. The Eleventh Finance Commission 3. Punchhi Commission 4. Sarkaria Commission Select the correct answer using the code given below.
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Chronology → Sarkaria Commission → Eleventh Finance Commission → Second ARC → Punchhi Commission
The Parliament of India acquires the power to legislate on any item in the State List in the national interest if a resolution to that effect is passes by the
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Parliament gains power over a State List item in the national interest → Rajya Sabha resolution by two-thirds present and voting
The setting up of the Inter-State Council in 1990 was meant to :
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Inter-State Council (1990) → set up to strengthen the Constitution's federal provisions
The Punchhi Commission report was related to :
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Punchhi Commission → Centre–State relations
The Special Provisions in Article 371G of the Constitution of India relate to the state of:
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Article 371G → Mizoram
Which of the following statements regarding the residuary powers under the Constitution of India is/are correct ? 1. Residuary powers have been given to the Union Parliament 2. In the matter of residuary power, the Constitution of India follows the Constitution of Australia 3. Schedule 7 of the Constitution of India provides a list of residuary powers 4. The Government of India Act 1935 placed residuary powers in the hands of the Governor General Select the correct answer using the code given below :
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Residuary powers → given to Parliament | GoI Act 1935 placed them with the Governor-General | NOT: India follows Australia here | NOT: Seventh Schedule lists residuary powers
The legislative power of the Parliament includes making laws 1. on matters not enumerated in the Concurrent List and State List. 2. in respect of entries in the State List if two or more State Legislatures consider it desirable 3. for implementing any treaty agreement or convention with any country even if it falls in the State List. Select the correct answer using the codes given below
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Parliament's legislative power → matters not in the Concurrent or State Lists | State List entries if two or more State Legislatures desire | implementing any treaty even on State List matters
Which of the following statements is not correct?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)NOT correct → the House of the People has special powers regarding the State List compared to the Council of States
The Parliament can make any law for whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Parliament's law to implement international treaties → without the consent of any State
Which one among the following items was not added to the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India under the provisions of the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)NOT added to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment → Railways (of: family planning, forest, education, railways)
Which one among the following is not a recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission on the appointment of the Governor in a State?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)NOT a Sarkaria recommendation on Governors → the President may consult the CJI in selecting a Governor
Which one among the following pairs of level of government and legislative power is not correctly matched ?
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Answer B (official UPSC key)NOT correctly matched → local governments : residuary powers
An amendment bill to the Constitution of India requires to be ratified by legislatures of not less than one half of the states if it seeks to make any change in : 1. Article 54 of the Constitution. 2. any of the Lists in the Seventh Schedule. . 3. the representation of states in the Parliament. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Amendment needs ratification by half the States if it changes → Art 54 | any Seventh Schedule List | States' representation in Parliament
Which of the following statements with regard to Inter- State Council is/are correct? [2010-11] 1. It was established under the provisions of the Constitution of India. 2. The Council is a recommendatory body. 3. There is a standing committee of the Council under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India to process matters for consideration of the Council. Select the correct answer using the codes given below
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Inter-State Council → established under the Constitution | recommendatory body | NOT: standing committee chaired by the PM
The Veerapa Moily Commission in its report on Administrative Reforms among other aspects has suggested doing away with which one of the following pairs of Articles of the Constitution of India? [2009-I]
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Answer D (official UPSC key)2nd ARC (Veerappa Moily) suggested doing away with → Articles 310 and 311
Which one of the following subjects is under the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India ? [2006]
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Union List → regulation of labour and safety in mines and oilfields
Consider the following statements: [2006] 1 Free and compulsory education to the children of 6-14 years age-group by the State by the seventy-sixth Amendment to the Constitution of India. 2 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan seeks to provide computer education even in rural areas. 3 Education was included in the Concurrent List by the Forty-second Amendment, 1976 to the Constitution of India‘. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan → computer education even in rural areas | Education put in the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment | NOT: 76th Amendment made education for 6–14 a right
Consider the following statements: [2006] 1 The Rajya Sabha alone has the power to declare that it would be in national interest for the Parliament to legislate with respect to a matter in the State List. 2 Resolutions approving the proclamation of Emergency are passed only by the Lok Sabha. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Rajya Sabha alone may declare Parliament should legislate on a State List matter in the national interest | NOT: Emergency approval resolutions passed only by Lok Sabha
Consider the following statements: [2005] 1. Article 371 A to 371 I were inserted in the Constitution of India to meet regional demands of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunchal Pradesh and Goa. 2. Constitution of India and the United States of America envisage a dual policy (The Union and the States) but a single cititzenship. 3. A naturalized citizen of India can never be deprived of his citizenship. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Arts 371A–371I → inserted to meet regional demands of those States | NOT: USA has a single citizenship like India | NOT: a naturalised citizen can never be deprived of citizenship
Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India says that the executive power of every State shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the Union? [2004]
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Answer A (official UPSC key)State executive power must not impede the Union's → Article 257
With reference to the Constitution of India, which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [2004]
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Answer B (official UPSC key)NOT correctly matched → Stock Exchange : Concurrent List
The Parliament can make any law for the whole or any part India for implementing international treaties: [2000]
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Parliament's law to implement international treaties → without the consent of any State
Which of the following is/are extra-constitutional and extralegal device(s) for securing cooperation and coordination between the States in India? [1995] 1. The National Development Council 2. The Governor‘s Conference 3. Zonal Councils 4. Inter-State Council Select the correct option
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Extra-constitutional, extra-legal coordination devices → National Development Council, Governors' Conference | NOT: Zonal Councils | NOT: Inter-State Council
In which respect have the Centre-State relations been specifically termed as "municipal relations"?
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Answer D (official UPSC key)Centre–State relations termed 'municipal relations' → Centre's control in the planning process
Which one of the following is not in the State List under the Constitution of India?
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Answer C (official UPSC key)NOT in the State List → Insurance
Parliament can legislate matters in the State List
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Parliament legislates on State List matters → if Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by two-thirds majority
The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains
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Answer C (official UPSC key)Seventh Schedule → Union List, State List and Concurrent List
The most irritating factor in the Centre-State relationship is the
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Answer B (official UPSC key)Most irritating factor in Centre–State relations → Centre's interference in functions allotted to the States (of: river disputes, interference, finances, none)
Sarkaria Commission has been set up to study
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Answer A (official UPSC key)Sarkaria Commission → Centre–State relations
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