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UPSC CAPF AC 2026 Polity Previous Year Questions

4 questions with answers and explanations. Practice these interactively

Question 1

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:

List-I (Constitutional Amendment Act)
A. The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act
B. The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act
C. The Constitution (One Hundred and Fourth Amendment) Act
D. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act

List-II (Major Amendment)
1. Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes
2. Abolition of reservation of seats for Anglo-Indians in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies
3. Ten percent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the Central Government jobs
4. Thirty-three percent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

  1. (a) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
  2. (b) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
  3. (c) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
  4. (d) A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1

Answer: (c)

Explanation

The 102nd Amendment Act (2018) gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. The 103rd Amendment Act (2019) introduced 10% EWS reservation in central government jobs and education. The 104th Amendment Act (2020) abolished the reservation of seats for the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. The 106th Amendment Act (2023), the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, provides 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

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Question 2

Which of the following statements about Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is/are correct?

1. In India, it adheres to the strict requirements imposed by the doctrine of locus standi.

2. Letters to judges may be treated as petitions.

3. M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India was a PIL that expanded the scope of Article 21 and Article 32 of the Constitution of India.

Select the answer using the code given below.

  1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 3 only
  4. (d) 1 and 2 only

Answer: (b)

Explanation

PIL in India is a deliberate departure from the strict doctrine of locus standi -- courts relaxed standing rules to allow any public-spirited person to approach them on behalf of those unable to do so themselves, so statement 1 is incorrect. The Supreme Court has entertained even letters and postcards addressed to judges as writ petitions (epistolary jurisdiction), making statement 2 correct. M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India was a landmark PIL that significantly expanded judicial interpretation of Article 21 (right to life, including a clean environment) invoked through Article 32 (right to constitutional remedies), making statement 3 correct.

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Question 3

Which of the following statements in respect of the election of the President of India is/are correct?

1. By convention, the Secretary General, Lok Sabha or the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha is appointed as the Returning Officer by rotation.

2. Members of the Electoral College can vote according to their wish and are not bound by any party whip.

3. The provisions of NOTA are applicable.

Select the answer using the code given below.

  1. (a) 1 and 2
  2. (b) 2 and 3
  3. (c) 1 and 3
  4. (d) 1 only

Answer: (a)

Explanation

By convention, the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha and the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha are appointed as Returning Officer for the presidential election by rotation, making statement 1 correct. Since a whip cannot be issued in a presidential election (it is not a matter decided by the party in Parliament), members of the Electoral College are free to vote as they wish, making statement 2 correct. NOTA (None of the Above) is not applicable in the presidential election, as it is an indirect election held through a secret ballot by an Electoral College, not a direct public vote -- so statement 3 is incorrect.

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Question 4

Which among the following subjects is not included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India?

  1. (a) The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969
  2. (b) The General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act, 1972
  3. (c) The Coal Mines (Taking over of management) Act, 1973
  4. (d) The Consumer Protection Act, 2019

Answer: (d)

Explanation

The Ninth Schedule contains a list of central and state laws (mostly related to land reforms and other socio-economic legislation) that are protected from judicial review under Article 31B. The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1969, the General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act 1972, and the Coal Mines (Taking Over of Management) Act 1973 are all included in the Ninth Schedule. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is a much later, unrelated consumer-rights law and is not part of the Ninth Schedule.

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