SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 19 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 19 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.

What is the role of Article 263 in maintaining Union–State coordination?

(a)Settles taxation disputes
(b)Creates Zonal Councils
(c)Provides Inter-State Council framework
(d)Enforces Emergency Provisions

Answer

Why

Correct — C. Article 263 lets the President, by order, set up a Council when the public interest would be served by one.

Its duties: inquiring into and advising upon disputes between States, investigating subjects of common interest, and recommending better coordination of policy and action.

That body is the Inter-State Council, constituted by Presidential Order on 28 May 1990 → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Settles taxation disputes — The Council can only inquire into and advise upon disputes. It settles nothing, and Article 263 does not single out taxation disputes.
(b)
Creates Zonal Councils — Zonal Councils were created by an Act of Parliament, the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, not by Article 263.
(d)
Enforces Emergency Provisions — Emergency provisions are in Part XVIII of the Constitution, Articles 352 to 360. Article 263 is about coordination, not emergencies.

Concept

Article 263 sits in Part XI, on relations between the Union and the States. It does not create a council itself. It lets the President establish one by order and define its duties, organisation and procedure.

The Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relations recommended a permanent council, and the Inter-State Council followed in 1990. The Prime Minister chairs it, and the Chief Ministers of all States are members.

The Council is recommendatory. Even on disputes, Article 263 lets it only inquire and advise, so nothing it says binds the Union or the States.

Key facts

Article 263: the President may establish an Inter-State Council by order if the public interest would be served.
The Inter-State Council was constituted by Presidential Order on 28 May 1990, on the Sarkaria Commission's recommendation.
The Prime Minister chairs the Inter-State Council.
Zonal Councils rest on the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, not on the Constitution.

Study next

Zonal Councils and the North Eastern CouncilSarkaria and Punchhi Commissions on Centre-State relationsInter-State water disputes under Article 262

Common traps

Treating the Council as a dispute-settling tribunal: Article 263 lets it only inquire and advise.
Crediting Zonal Councils to Article 263: they come from the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

The Council is also asked at 21 Sep 2025, 09:00, GA Q.18, on who chairs it and whether it only recommends, and at 22 Sep 2025, 09:00, GA Q.25, on its 1990 origin. The Zonal Councils' parent Act is asked at 14 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.14.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

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