SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 15 September 2025, Shift 3 · General Awareness · Question 15 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1) The Governor’s discretionary power to recommend President’s Rule is mentioned in Article 356(1). 2) The 41st Constitutional Amendment curtailed the Governor’s term from 5 years to 4 years. 3) The Sarkaria Commission advised that Governors should not be removed before completing their term unless in rare and compelling circumstances.

(a)2 & 3 only
(b)1 & 3 correct
(c)1 & 2 correct
(d)3 only

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Statement 1 holds: Article 356(1) has the President act "on receipt of a report from the Governor of a State or otherwise". The Sarkaria Commission lists that report among situations calling for the Governor's discretion.

Statement 3 is the Commission's own advice: a Governor's five-year tenure "should not be disturbed except very rarely and that too for some extremely compelling reason".

Statement 2 is false, which leaves 1 and 3: option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
2 & 3 only — "2 & 3 only" keeps the false statement. The 41st Amendment (1976) raised the retirement age of State Public Service Commission members from 60 to 62, and Article 156(3) still gives Governors five years.
(c)
1 & 2 correct — "1 & 2 correct" keeps statement 2, yet Article 156(3) still sets a five-year term. It also drops statement 3, the Sarkaria Commission's advice almost word for word.
(d)
3 only — "3 only" drops a true statement. Article 356(1) names the report from the Governor as one route to President's Rule, alongside "or otherwise".

Concept

Three facts about the Governor sit behind this item.

Article 156(3) gives a five-year term, though under Article 156(1) the Governor holds office during the President's pleasure.

Article 356(1) lets the President act on a Governor's report "or otherwise".

The Sarkaria Commission, constituted on 9 June 1983, reported in January 1988 and asked that a Governor's tenure be disturbed only for extremely compelling reasons.

Strictly, Article 356(1) never uses the word discretion. That reading comes from the Sarkaria report, which says the Governor may have to act against the advice of the Council of Ministers when making an Article 356 report. The key accepts it.

Key facts

Article 156(3): a Governor holds office for five years from entering office, subject to the President's pleasure under Article 156(1).
The 41st Amendment Act, 1976 raised the retirement age of State and Joint Public Service Commission members from 60 to 62 (Article 316(2)).
The Sarkaria Commission was constituted on 9 June 1983 under Justice R. S. Sarkaria and submitted its report in January 1988.
Sarkaria: a Governor's five-year tenure should not be disturbed except very rarely and for some extremely compelling reason.

Study next

Article 163: the Governor's discretion and the limits the Sarkaria Commission drew around itArticle 200: reserving a state Bill for the President's considerationThe Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations

Common traps

Trusting the amendment number in statement 2: the 41st Amendment concerns Public Service Commission retirement age, not the Governor.
Rejecting statement 1 because Article 356 never says "discretion": the Governor's report is in the text, and the key accepts the statement.

Here the Governor is tested through three statements, one carrying a planted amendment number. Article 356 is asked directly at 19 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.13, and the Sarkaria Commission's place in a chronology at 18 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.15.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: General Policy — all 218 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.