Constitutional & Statutory Bodies — UPSC Prelims Previous Year Questions
29 questions from UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper 1 on Constitutional & Statutory Bodies (Indian Polity). Spanning from 1995 to 2025. Practice with show/hide answers and detailed explanations.
What UPSC Asks About Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Accounting for 29 Prelims questions from 1995-2025, Constitutional and Statutory Bodies constitute a high-return area. UPSC probes appointment, tenure, removal, powers and recent reforms related to bodies like EC, CAG, UPSC, NHRC, NITI Aayog, Lokpal, CCI and NCBC. Questions blend static facts—e.g., Article anchoring or quorum requirements—with current developments such as the Election Commission appointment ordinance, CBI’s DSPE Act amendments or SEBI’s new powers. Comparative statements (CAG vs CVC, NHRC vs SHRC) are common. Candidates must memorise appointment process, removal safeguards, reporting mechanism to Parliament, funding source, and recent Supreme Court judgements affecting autonomy. Regularly update notes with annual reports, amendments and tribunal rationalisation bills to stay exam-ready.
Q: With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information:
Organization Some of its functions It works under
I. Directorate of Enforcement Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 Internal Security Division-I, Ministry of Home Affairs
II. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Enforces the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
III. Directorate General of Systems and Carrying out big data analytics to assist tax officers for better Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
Data Management policy formulation and nabbing tax evaders
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
Q: Consider the following statements about Lokpal:
I. The power of Lokpal applies to public servants of India, but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India.
II. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of the Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, and only the Chief Justice of India, whether incumbent or retired, has to be its Chairperson.
III. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be.
IV. Lokpal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting Prime Minister of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971. Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises which of the following members?
1. Governor of the Constituent State
2. Chief Minister of the Constituent State
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India
4. The Home Minister of India
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: Consider the following organizations/bodies in India:
1. The National Commission for Backward Classes
2. The National Human Rights Commission
3. The National Law Commission
4. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
How many of the above are constitutional bodies?
Q: With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements:
1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Q: With reference to India, consider the following pairs:
Action — The Act under which it is covered
1. Unauthorized wearing of police or military uniforms — The Official Secrets Act, 1923
2. Knowingly misleading or otherwise interfering with a police officer or military officer when engaged in their duties — The Indian Evidence Act, 1872
3. Celebratory gunfire which can endanger the personal safety of others — The Arms (Amendment) Act, 2019
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Q: With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements:
1. N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it.
2. In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister's charge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than three months.
2. State cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhaar data.
3. Aadhaar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products.
4. Aadhaar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Which of the following bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution?
1. National Development Council
2. Planning Commission
3. Zonal Councils
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: Who among the following constitute the National Development Council?
1. The Prime Minister
2. The Chairman, Finance Commission
3. Ministers of the Union Cabinet
4. Chief Ministers of the States
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: With reference to consumers’ rights/privileges under the provisions of law in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Consumers are empowered to take samples for food testing.
2. When a consumer files a complaint in any consumer forum, no fee is required to be paid.
3. In case of death of a consumer, his/her legal heir can file a complaint in the consumer forum on his/her behalf.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
Q: In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for intended purpose, what is the importance of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)?
1. CAG exercises exchequer control on behalf of the Parliament when the President of India declares national emergency/financial emergency.
2. CAG reports on the execution of projects or programmes by the ministries are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee.
3. Information from CAG reports can be used by investigating agencies to press charges against those who have violated the law while managing public finances.
4. While dealing with the audit and accounting of government companies, CAG has certain judicial powers for prosecuting those who violate the law.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the Consumer Disputes Redressal at district level in India, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a)A State Government can establish more than one District Forum in a district if it deems fit
(b)One of the members of the District Forum shall be a woman
(c)The District Forum entertains the complaints where the value of goods or services does not exceed rupees fifty lakhs
(d)A complaint in relation to any goods sold or any service provided may be filed with a District Forum by the State Government as a representative of the interests of the consumers in general
Q: Consider the following statements :
1. Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was set up during the Prime Ministership of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
2. The Members for CAT are drawn from both judicial and administrative streams.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Q: Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:
List-I (Person)
A. Nagender Singh
B. A. N. Ray
C. R. K. Trivedi
D. Ashok Desai
List-II (Position)
1. Chief Election Commissioner of India
2. President, International Court of Justice
3. Chief Justice of India
4. Attorney General of India
Code:
Q: Which one of the following pairs is NOT correctly matched?
(a) T. S. Krishnamurthy : Former Chief Election Commissioner of India
(b) K. C. Pant : Chairman, Tenth Finance Commission of India
(c) A. M. Khusro : Former Chairman, Union Public Service Commission
(d) R. C. Lahoti : Former Chief Justice of India
(a)T. S. Krishnamurthy – Former Chief Election Commissioner of India
(b)K. C. Pant – Chairman, Tenth Finance Commission of India
(c)A. M. Khusro – Former Chairman, Union Public Service Commission
Q: Consider the following tasks:
1. Superintendence, direction and conduct of free and fair elections
2. Preparation of electoral rolls for all elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures and the Office of the President and the Vice-President
3. Giving recognition to political parties and individuals contesting the election
4. Proclamation of final verdict in the case of election disputes
Which of the above are the functions of the Election Commission of India?
Q: Which of the following institutes have been recognized as the Institutes of National Importance (by an Act of Parliament)?
1. Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Chennai
2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali
3. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram
4. Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Gwalior
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: Match List I (Commission) with List II (Matter of Enquiry) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I (Commission)
A. Wadhwa Commission
B. Liberhan Commission
C. Sri Krishan Commission
D. Jain Commission
List II (Matter of enquiry)
1. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
2. Killing of Graham Staines
3. Demolition of a religious structure at Ayodhya
4. Riots in Mumbai in 1993
Q: Consider the following statements about the minorities in India:
I. The Government of India has notified five communities, namely, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians as Minorities.
II. The National Commission for Minorities was given statutory status in 1993.
III. The smallest religious minority in India are the Zoroastrians.
IV. The Constitution of India recognises and protects religious and linguistic minorities.
Which of these statements are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements regarding the National Human Rights Commission of India:
I. Its Chairman must be a retired Chief Justice of India.
II. It has formations in each state as State Human Rights Commission.
III. Its powers are only recommendatory in nature.
IV. It is mandatory to appoint a woman as a member of the Commission.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Q: Which of the following are the States in which the Lok Ayukta Act includes the Chief Minister in its ambit?
(a)West Bengal and Kerala
(b)Gujarat and Maharashtra
(c)Madhya Pradesh and Orissa
(d)Rajasthan and Karnataka
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UPSC favour Constitutional bodies over Statutory ones?▼
Weightage is balanced. About half the questions since 2010 relate to statutory regulators like TRAI or CCI, often linked to contemporary economic issues. Do not neglect either category.
What is the best way to remember removal procedures of different bodies?▼
Use mnemonic grids mapping appointing authority, removal method (impeachment-like, Presidential warrant, Central Govt notification), and special majority needed. Revise alongside articles to avoid confusion.
