SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 17 September 2025, Shift 1 · 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 13 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 Article empowers the Parliament to create laws on State List subjects under national interest?

(a)Article 249
(b)Article 253
(c)Article 248
(d)Article 254

Answer

Why

Correct — A. Article 249 lets Parliament make laws on a State List matter when the Rajya Sabha declares this necessary in the national interest.

The resolution needs the support of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting. It lasts up to one year and can be renewed a year at a time: option (a).

Why the others are wrong

(b)
Article 253 — Article 253 is about treaties. It lets Parliament legislate on any subject, State List included, to implement international agreements, with no national-interest resolution involved.
(c)
Article 248 — Article 248 is the residuary power. It covers matters not listed in the State or Concurrent List, so it never reaches a State List subject.
(d)
Article 254 — Article 254 settles conflicts. It decides which law prevails when a Union law and a State law clash, mainly on Concurrent List matters, and adds no power over the State List.

Concept

The Seventh Schedule splits law-making into the Union, State and Concurrent Lists, and the State List normally belongs to the states.

Parliament can step into it in defined situations. Article 249 is the route opened by a Rajya Sabha resolution on the national interest.

A law made under it stops having effect six months after the resolution lapses, except for things already done under it.

Why the Rajya Sabha? It is the Council of States, so the House that represents the states has to agree before Parliament enters their list.

Key facts

Article 249 lets Parliament legislate on a State List matter in the national interest after a Rajya Sabha resolution.
The resolution needs at least two-thirds of the members present and voting, lasts up to one year and can be extended a year at a time.
Article 250 lets Parliament legislate on State List matters while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation.
Article 253 lets Parliament legislate on any subject to implement international agreements.

Study next

Article 252: Parliament legislating for two or more states at their requestArticle 250: legislation on State List matters during a National EmergencyParliament's residuary power under Article 248 and Entry 97 of the Union List

Common traps

Choosing Article 250 because it also opens the State List: it applies only while an Emergency is in operation and needs no Rajya Sabha resolution.
Reading the two-thirds as two-thirds of total membership: Article 249 counts the members present and voting.

The same power is asked at 21 Sep 2025, 09:00, GA Q.16 (keyed: State List) and at 24 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.15, whose first statement tests the one-year life of the resolution. The Emergency route, Article 250, is asked at 16 Sep 2025, 16:00, GA Q.24.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: General Policy — all 308 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.