Centre–state Relations

1.Legislative Relations

• Territorial Extent of Parliamentary and State LawsImportance 4/5
  Which Articles, and which Part of the Constitution, deal with legislative relations between the Centre and the states? Understand how far the laws of Parliament and of a state legislature reach (Article 245), when a state law can apply outside the state ("sufficient nexus"), and which legislature alone can make extra-territorial laws.
• Areas Where Parliament's Laws May Not ApplyImportance 4/5
  Parliament's power over the territory of India has three limits. Remember for which union territories the President can make regulations, the special condition for Puducherry, and what force such a regulation has. Also know the Governor's power over Acts of Parliament in Scheduled Areas, and who holds a similar power over tribal areas (autonomous districts) in the North-East.
• Union, State and Concurrent ListsImportance 5/5UPSC 6 Years
  What are the three Lists in the Seventh Schedule, and who can make laws on each? Remember how many subjects each List has now and had originally (and why the last entry number differs from the count), and a few typical subjects in each List.
• Subjects Moved to the Concurrent List by the 42nd AmendmentImportance 5/5UPSC 2004, 2006, 2012
  Which five subjects did the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 move from the State List to the Concurrent List? Be careful with the exact wording of the entries on courts and on weights and measures, and what each one leaves out.
• Parliament's Power Over Territories Not in a StateImportance 2/5
  Understand Parliament's power to make laws on State List subjects for any part of India that is not included in a state, and which kinds of territory this covers.
• Special Provision for Goods and Services Tax (Article 246A)Importance 4/5
  Which amendment (and year) created this special provision, and what law-making power on GST does it give to Parliament and to the state legislatures? Also be clear who alone can make GST laws when the supply takes place in the course of inter-state trade or commerce.
• Residuary Powers of LegislationImportance 5/5
  What are residuary subjects, and who holds the power to make laws on them under Article 248? Understand whether this power also extends to taxes.
• Rationale of the Three-Fold DistributionImportance 3/5
  On what basis is a subject placed in the Union List, the State List or the Concurrent List? You should be able to explain the idea behind each List, and how the Concurrent List allows diversity along with uniformity.
• Distribution of Powers Compared (USA, Australia, Canada and the 1935 Act)Importance 4/5UPSC 2012
  How do the USA, Australia and Canada divide powers between the federal government and the units? Know the difference between single and double enumeration, and where residuary powers lie in each country. Also know how the Government of India Act of 1935 divided subjects, who held residuary powers under it, and which country India follows on residuary powers.
• Predominance of the Union List and Conflicts on Concurrent SubjectsImportance 5/5
  Understand the order of predominance among the three Lists when their subjects overlap. If a Central law and a state law clash on a Concurrent List subject, which one prevails (Article 254)? Learn the exception for a state law that was reserved for the President and received assent, and whether Parliament can still override such a law.
• When Rajya Sabha Passes a Resolution (Article 249)Importance 5/5UPSC 2006, 2012, 2016
  What must the Rajya Sabha declare, and with what majority, before Parliament can make laws on a State List matter or on GST? Remember how long the resolution lasts, how often it can be renewed, and when the laws stop having effect. Can the state still make laws on the same matter, and which law wins if the two clash?
• During a National Emergency (Article 250)Importance 4/5
  What power does Parliament gain over State List matters (and GST) while a national emergency is in operation? Remember when such laws stop working after the emergency ends, whether the state can still legislate on the matter, and which law prevails if the two conflict.
• When States Make a Request (Article 252)Importance 5/5UPSC 2000, 2013
  When two or more state legislatures ask Parliament to make a law on a State List matter, which states does that law cover, how can another state adopt it later, and who alone can amend or repeal it? What happens to the state legislature's own power over that matter, and how is this different from Articles 249 and 250? Remember the main Acts passed in this way.
• To Implement International Agreements (Article 253)Importance 4/5UPSC 2000, 2013
  Why can Parliament make laws on State List matters to implement international treaties, agreements and conventions? Remember a few Acts passed under this power.
• During President's RuleImportance 4/5
  During President's Rule in a state, on which matters can Parliament make laws for that state? Does such a law end when President's Rule ends, and who can later repeal or change it?
• Ways the Centre Controls State LegislationImportance 5/5
  Besides making laws itself in the state field, how can the Centre control state legislation? Understand each of the four ways with its Article: reservation of state bills for the President (Articles 200 and 201) and what the President can do with such a bill, the President's previous sanction for certain bills (Article 304), directions during a financial emergency (Article 360), and the President's instructions for certain ordinances (Article 213). Can courts fix time limits for the Governor or the President to decide on a state bill? Know what the Supreme Court said in its 2025 advisory opinion.
• Sarkaria Commission on Federal SupremacyImportance 3/5
  Why did the Sarkaria Commission defend the supremacy of Union law over state law? You should be able to explain what problems it said would arise without this rule.

2.Administrative Relations

• Distribution of Executive PowersImportance 5/5
  Which Articles deal with administrative relations? Understand how far the executive power of the Centre and of a state extends, and how this follows the division of legislative power (including the Centre's power under treaties). For a Parliament law on a Concurrent List subject, who normally carries it out, and when can the Centre do so instead (the Essential Commodities Act is an example)?
• Obligation of States and the Centre (Articles 256, 365)Importance 5/5UPSC 2004
  What two obligations does the Constitution place on a state's executive power (Articles 256 and 257), and which one is general and which specific? Understand the Centre's power to give directions for this purpose, and how Article 365 links a state's failure to obey them to President's Rule under Article 356.
• Centre's Directions to the States in Specific MattersImportance 4/5
  Apart from those two obligations, in which four specific matters can the Centre direct a state on the use of its executive power? Does the Article 365 sanction apply to these directions too?
• Mutual Delegation of Functions (Articles 258, 258A)Importance 4/5UPSC 2004
  Why does the Constitution allow the Centre and the states to hand executive functions to each other? Understand delegation with consent in both directions (and which amendment gave the states this power), and delegation by a Parliament law without the state's consent. Who can use which method?
• Constitutional Provisions for Centre–State CooperationImportance 5/5
  Learn the constitutional provisions that secure cooperation between the Centre and the states: adjudication of inter-state river water disputes (Article 262), the Inter-State Council (Article 263, and when it was set up), full faith and credit to public acts and judicial proceedings (Article 261), and an authority for inter-state trade and commerce (Article 307, and whether one has been appointed).
• All-India Services: Nature, Control and CreationImportance 5/5
  Be clear about the three All-India Services: who recruits and trains them, and the difference between ultimate and immediate control over them. Remember which services they replaced in 1947, when the third service was created, how Parliament can create new ones (Article 312), and what makes each a single service across the country.
• Case for All-India Services (and Ambedkar's View)Importance 3/5
  Why are the All-India Services said to go against the principle of federalism, and on what three grounds are they still supported? Understand Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's argument in the Constituent Assembly about dual service and "strategic" posts.
• Centre–State Relations in Public Service CommissionsImportance 4/5
  How is the Centre involved in state public service commissions? Be clear who appoints and who removes the members of a state commission, how a Joint State Public Service Commission is set up and who appoints its members, and when the UPSC can serve a state or help states with joint recruitment.
• Integrated Judicial SystemImportance 4/5
  Why is judicial power not divided between the Centre and the states, even though India has a dual polity? Understand the single system of courts and its purpose. Remember who appoints, transfers and removes high court judges, and who can set up a common high court for two or more states (with examples).
• Administrative Relations During EmergenciesImportance 4/5
  How do the Centre's administrative powers over the states grow during emergencies? Know its powers during a national emergency (Article 352), President's Rule (Article 356) and a financial emergency (Article 360). Are state governments suspended during a national emergency?
• Other Means of Central Control (Article 355, Governor, State Election Commissioner)Importance 5/5UPSC 2003, 2004, 2023
  What two duties does Article 355 place on the Centre? Understand why the Governor is often called the Centre's agent in the state (appointment, holding office at the President's pleasure, reports to the Centre). What has the Supreme Court said about this view? Also be clear how the state election commissioner is appointed and how he or she can be removed.
• Extra-Constitutional Advisory BodiesImportance 4/5UPSC 1995
  Besides the constitutional provisions, which advisory bodies promote Centre–state cooperation? Remember the main ones that exist today, including the body that succeeded the Planning Commission (some older councils have since been replaced by statutory commissions). Are any of them created by the Constitution itself, and how does this compare with the Inter-State Council?
• Centre–State ConferencesImportance 3/5UPSC 1995
  Remember the main conferences held to bring the Centre and the states together, and who presides over each (for example, the governors' and the chief ministers' conferences).

3.Financial Relations

• Division of Taxing Powers Among the ListsImportance 5/5UPSC 2024
  Which Articles, and which Part of the Constitution, deal with financial relations? Remember how many tax entries the Union List and the State List each have, and whether the Concurrent List has any. Understand the exception made for GST, and who holds the residuary power of taxation.
• Levy, Collection and Appropriation of a TaxImportance 4/5UPSC 1999, 2003
  Understand the difference between the power to levy and collect a tax and the power to appropriate its proceeds. Use income tax as the example: who levies and collects it, and who shares its proceeds?
• Restrictions on the Taxing Powers of StatesImportance 4/5
  What four limits does the Constitution put on the taxing powers of states? Remember the ceiling on taxes on professions, trades, callings and employments (present and original amount, and the amendment that raised it, Article 276), the bar on taxing certain supplies of goods and services (Article 286), the exemptions on electricity (Article 287), and the condition for taxing water or electricity of an inter-state river authority (Article 288).
• 80th Amendment and the Alternative Scheme of DevolutionImportance 4/5UPSC 2001
  Which Finance Commission's recommendation did the 80th Amendment Act of 2000 put into effect, and what share of central taxes was to go to the states? Remember the date from which it took effect, and understand how it changed the sharing of taxes such as corporation tax and customs duties. Which Article did it delete?
• 101st Amendment and the Taxes Subsumed in GSTImportance 5/5
  Why was GST introduced by the 101st Amendment Act of 2016? Understand the problem of the cascading effect of taxes and the aim of a common national market. Remember the main Central and state taxes that GST subsumed, and the service tax provisions (Article 268A and Entry 92C of the Union List, added by the 88th Amendment) that were deleted.
• Taxes Levied by the Centre but Collected and Appropriated by the States (Article 268)Importance 4/5UPSC 2003
  Under Article 268, which duties does the Centre levy but the states collect and keep? Understand where their proceeds go: do they form part of the Consolidated Fund of India?
• Taxes Levied and Collected by the Centre but Assigned to the States (Article 269)Importance 4/5
  Which two taxes on inter-state trade or commerce fall under Article 269 (and which goods are left out)? Understand how their net proceeds reach the states, and on whose principles.
• GST in the Course of Inter-State Trade or Commerce (Article 269A)Importance 4/5
  Under Article 269A, who levies and collects GST on inter-state supplies, and how is it divided between the Centre and the states? Know the GST Council's role in this division, and Parliament's power to set the principles for deciding the place of supply.
• Taxes Shared Between the Centre and the States (Article 270)Importance 5/5UPSC 1999
  Which taxes form the pool shared between the Centre and the states under Article 270? Remember the three kinds of levies left out of it, and who decides how the net proceeds are divided, on whose recommendation. Is the GST collected by the Centre (CGST) also shared with the states?
• Surcharges for Purposes of the Centre (Article 271)Importance 4/5UPSC 1999
  On which taxes can Parliament levy a surcharge under Article 271, and do the states get any share of it? Can such a surcharge be imposed on GST?
• Taxes Belonging Exclusively to the StatesImportance 3/5UPSC 1995
  Remember the taxes that the states alone levy, collect and keep: how many there are, the important ones in the State List, and which two State List tax entries the 101st Amendment omitted.
• Non-Tax Revenue Sources of the Centre and the StatesImportance 2/5
  Learn the main sources of non-tax revenue for the Centre and for the states. Which sources belong to each, and which appear on both lists?
• Statutory Grants (Article 275)Importance 5/5UPSC 2002
  Article 275 provides for statutory grants. Understand who makes them, whether every state gets them, and where the money is charged. Remember the specific grants for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes and for Scheduled Areas, and on whose recommendation all these grants are given.
• Discretionary Grants (Article 282)Importance 5/5
  Under Article 282, what can the Centre and the states make grants for, even outside their legislative competence? Why are these grants called discretionary, and how do they differ from statutory grants? Understand the two purposes they serve.
• Grants in Lieu of Export Duty on Jute (Article 273)Importance 2/5
  Which states received grants in lieu of export duty on jute and jute products, for how long after the Constitution came into force, and on whose recommendation?
• GST Council: Basis and Functions (Article 279A)Importance 5/5
  Why was the GST Council needed, and how was it created? Remember the amendment, Article 279A, and the time limit given to the President to constitute it. Understand its nature as a joint forum of the Centre and the states: who its members are, who chairs it, and how it takes decisions (the weight of the Centre's and the states' votes). Know the matters on which it makes recommendations, including the special provision for the North-Eastern and hill states. Are its recommendations binding on Parliament and the state legislatures (Mohit Minerals case, 2022)?
• Finance Commission's Role in Centre–State Finance (Article 280)Importance 5/5UPSC 2000, 2011
  What kind of body is the Finance Commission under Article 280, and who constitutes it, how often? Know the matters it recommends on, including the functions for panchayats and municipalities added by the 73rd and 74th Amendments, and its role on jute payments till 1960. Why is it called the "balancing wheel of fiscal federalism"? (This is a common description, not words of the Constitution.)
• Bills Requiring the President's Recommendation (Article 274)Importance 4/5
  Which four kinds of bills can be introduced in Parliament only on the President's recommendation, to protect the states' financial interest? Understand what "tax or duty in which states are interested" means.
• Meaning of "Net Proceeds" and the CAG's Certificate (Article 279)Importance 3/5
  What does the "net proceeds" of a tax or duty mean? Understand the role of the CAG in working out and certifying the net proceeds, and whether that certificate is final.
• Borrowing Powers of the Centre and the States (Articles 292, 293)Importance 5/5
  Where can the Centre borrow, and where can a state borrow? Know on what security each borrows and who fixes the limits. Understand the Centre's power to lend to states or guarantee their loans, and when a state needs the Centre's consent before raising a loan.
• Exemption of Central Property from State Taxation (Article 285)Importance 4/5
  Is the Centre's property exempt from taxes imposed by a state or by local bodies, and can Parliament remove this exemption? Understand how widely "property" is defined, and whether corporations and companies created by the Centre share this exemption (and why).
• Exemption of State Property or Income from Central Taxation (Article 289)Importance 4/5
  When can the Centre tax a state's property or income? Understand the rule for a state's commercial operations and the exception for trades that Parliament declares incidental to government. Are local authorities and state-owned corporations exempt? Know what the Supreme Court held in its advisory opinion in In re Sea Customs Act about customs and excise duties.
• Financial Relations During a National EmergencyImportance 4/5
  During a national emergency (Article 352), what can the President do to the distribution of revenues between the Centre and the states? Remember how long such a change lasts.
• Financial Relations During a Financial EmergencyImportance 4/5
  While a financial emergency (Article 360) is in operation, what three directions can the Centre give the states?

4.Trends in Centre–State Relations

• Centre–State Relations Before and After 1967Importance 3/5
  Why were Centre–state relations mostly smooth until 1967? Understand what changed after the 1967 elections, and why non-Congress state governments began to demand state autonomy.
• Issues Causing Centre–State TensionImportance 4/5
  You should be able to discuss the main areas of tension between the Centre and the states, including issues about the Governor's role, President's Rule, the deployment of central forces, central agencies, reservation of state bills and the sharing of finances.
• First Administrative Reforms Commission on Centre–State RelationsImportance 3/5
  When was the First Administrative Reforms Commission set up, who chaired it, and which study team examined Centre–state relations for it? Remember the year of its report, how many recommendations it made, and the important ones.
• Rajamannar Committee: Causes of Centralisation and RecommendationsImportance 3/5
  Who appointed the Rajamannar Committee, when, for what purpose, and when did it report? Understand the reasons it gave for the growing centralisation in India, and remember its main recommendations (for example, on the Inter-State Council, President's Rule, residuary powers and All-India Services).
• Anandpur Sahib ResolutionImportance 3/5
  Who adopted the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, when and where? Remember what it demanded about the Centre's jurisdiction and about residuary powers.
• West Bengal MemorandumImportance 2/5
  Which government published the West Bengal Memorandum, and in which year? Remember its main demands on the word "union", the Centre's subjects, the states' share of revenue, the Rajya Sabha and the All-India Services.
• Sarkaria Commission: Set-up and ApproachImportance 5/5
  When was the Sarkaria Commission set up, who headed it, what was it asked to do, and when did it report? Understand its approach: did it favour structural changes or changes in how the system works, and how did it separate a strong Centre from over-centralisation? What did it mean by "blood pressure at the centre and anaemia at the periphery"?
• Key Recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission and Their ImplementationImportance 5/5UPSC 2019
  How many recommendations did the Sarkaria Commission make, how many were accepted and implemented, and which was the most important one put in place? Remember its main recommendations, especially on the Inter-State Council, Article 356, Governors, residuary powers, All-India Services and the National Development Council. Be clear how its views on residuary powers and All-India Services differ from the Rajamannar Committee's.
• Punchhi Commission: Set-up, Report and Follow-upImportance 4/5
  When was the Punchhi Commission set up, who headed it, why, and when did it report? Understand its central idea of "cooperative federalism". How have its recommendations been followed up through the Inter-State Council?
• Punchhi Recommendations on Legislation, Bills and TreatiesImportance 3/5
  Remember the Punchhi Commission's recommendations on making laws on Concurrent List subjects, Union restraint in state matters, and treaty-making. What time limits did it propose for the President and for the Governor to decide on state bills?
• Punchhi Recommendations on GovernorsImportance 5/5
  What did the Punchhi Commission recommend about Governors? Know its views on their selection, tenure and removal, the limits of the Governor's discretion under Article 163, choosing a Chief Minister in a hung assembly (the order of preference) and dismissing one, sanction to prosecute a minister, and Governors acting as university Chancellors.
• Punchhi Recommendations on Emergency Provisions and Localised EmergencyImportance 4/5
  How did the Punchhi Commission want Articles 355 and 356 to be used, and what did it say about the guidelines in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994)? You should be able to explain its idea of a "localised emergency": why it was proposed, and on which constitutional provisions it rests.
• Punchhi Recommendations on Inter-Governmental Bodies, Services and Rajya SabhaImportance 3/5
  Know the Punchhi Commission's recommendations on the Inter-State Council, the Zonal Councils, forums for coordination in other sectors, new All-India Services and local bodies. What change did it suggest in the representation of states in the Rajya Sabha?
• Punchhi Recommendations on Fiscal RelationsImportance 3/5
  On Centre–state finance, remember the Punchhi Commission's main points about sharing the cost of Central laws, royalty on minerals, the profession tax ceiling, cesses and surcharges, and the Finance Commission. Under which Article did it propose an Inter-State Trade and Commerce Commission?

1. 1.

   Consider the following statements:
   1. There is no division of judicial power between the Centre and the states.
   2. Articles 245 to 255 in Part XI of the Constitution deal with the legislative relations between the Centre and the states.
   3. Like Parliament, a state legislature can make laws that apply to Indian citizens and their property in any part of the world.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
2. 2.

   Consider the following subjects:
   1. Education
   2. Forests
   3. Weights and measures
   4. Police
   How many of the above were transferred from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
3. 3.

   Consider the following statements:
   Statement-I: A state law on a Concurrent List subject that was reserved for and received the President's assent prevails in that state over a conflicting Central law.
   Statement-II: Parliament can still override such a state law by subsequently making a law on the same matter.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
4. 4.

   Match List I with List II, regarding Parliament's power to legislate on State List matters:

   List I (Situation)	List II (Feature)
   A. Rajya Sabha resolution	1. Example: Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982
   B. Request by two or more states	2. The law continues after the situation ends, but the state legislature can repeal it
   C. Implementing international agreements	3. Needs support of two-thirds present and voting, and stays in force for one year
   D. President's Rule in a state	4. The law applies only to the states that passed resolutions

   Select the correct answer using the code given below:

   1. AA-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
   2. BA-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
   3. CA-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
   4. DA-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
5. 5.

   With reference to laws made by Parliament on a State List matter at the request of two or more states, consider the following statements:
   1. Such a law can be amended or repealed only by Parliament and not by the legislatures of the states concerned.
   2. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was passed under this provision.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
6. 6.

   Consider the following:
   1. The Governor may reserve a state bill for the President, who has an absolute veto over it.
   2. A state bill restricting freedom of trade with or within the state needs the President's previous sanction for introduction.
   3. During a financial emergency, the Centre can direct the states to reserve money bills for the President's consideration.
   4. In certain cases, the Governor cannot make an ordinance without the President's instructions.
   How many of the above are ways in which the Centre controls state legislation?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
7. 7.

   Consider the following statements:
   1. On subjects in the Concurrent List, executive power normally rests with the Centre.
   2. If a state fails to comply with directions given by the Centre, the President may hold that the state's government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
8. 8.

   Consider the following statements regarding mutual delegation of functions:
   1. The President may, with the consent of a state government, entrust any executive function of the Centre to that government.
   2. A parliamentary law on a Union List subject can confer powers and impose duties on a state, irrespective of the state's consent.
   3. A state legislature can similarly confer powers and impose duties on the Centre without the Centre's consent.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
9. 9.

   Under which Article of the Constitution can Parliament create new All-India Services on the basis of a Rajya Sabha resolution?

   1. AArticle 263
   2. BArticle 280
   3. CArticle 312
   4. DArticle 356
10. 10.

    Consider the following statements:
    1. The Chairman and members of a State Public Service Commission are appointed by the Governor but can be removed only by the President.
    2. The Chairman and members of a Joint State Public Service Commission are appointed by the Governor of the largest participating state.
    3. The State Election Commissioner, though appointed by the Governor, can be removed only by the President.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
11. 11.

    Match List I with List II:

    List I (Conference)	List II (Presided over by)
    A. Governors' conference	1. Cabinet Secretary
    B. Chief ministers' conference	2. Chief Justice of India
    C. Chief secretaries' conference	3. President
    D. Chief justices' conference	4. Prime Minister

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    1. AA-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
    2. BA-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
    3. CA-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
    4. DA-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
12. 12.

    Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: The total amount of taxes on professions, trades, callings and employments payable by any person cannot exceed ₹2,500 per annum.
    Statement-II: The 101st Amendment Act, 2016 conferred concurrent power on Parliament and the state legislatures to make laws governing goods and services tax.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
    2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
    3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
    4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
13. 13.

    With reference to grants-in-aid to the states, consider the following statements:
    1. Statutory grants under Article 275 are given on the recommendation of the Finance Commission.
    2. Under Article 282, the Centre is under no obligation to give discretionary grants.
    3. Statutory grants under Article 275 are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. CAll three
    4. DNone
14. 14.

    With reference to borrowing by the Centre, consider the following statements:
    1. The Central government can borrow within India or outside upon the security of the Consolidated Fund of India, within limits fixed by Parliament.
    2. Parliament has enacted a law fixing the limits of such borrowing.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
15. 15.

    With reference to the Sarkaria Commission on Centre–State Relations, consider the following statements:
    1. It recommended that Article 356 be used very sparingly, as a last resort.
    2. It recommended the abolition of the All-India Services.
    3. The most important of its recommendations implemented by the Centre is the establishment of the Inter-State Council in 1990.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B1 and 3 only
    3. C2 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3

1. 1.

   UPSC 2001

   Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
   List I (Amendments to the Constitution)
   I. The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991
   II. The Constitution (Seventy-fifth Amendment) Act, 1994
   III. The Constitution (Eightieth Amendment) Act, 2000
   IV. The Constitution (Eighty-third Amendment) Act, 2000
   List II (Contents)
   A) Establishment of State-level Rent Tribunals Act, 1991
   B) No reservations for Scheduled Castes in Panchayats in Arunachal Pradesh
   C) Constitution of Panchayats in Villages or at other local levels
   D) Accepting the recommendations of the Tenth Finance Commission
   E) According the status of National Capital Territory to Delhi
   Codes:

   1. AI-E, II-A, III-D, IV-B
   2. BI-A, II-E, III-C, IV-D
   3. CI-E, II-A, III-C, IV-D
   4. DI-A, II-E, III-D, IV-B
2. 2.

   UPSC 2024

   Which one of the following statements is correct as per the Constitution of India ?

   1. AInter-State trade and commerce is a State subject under the State List.
   2. BInter-State migration is a State subject under the State List.
   3. CInter-State quarantine is a Union subject under the Union List.
   4. DCorporation tax is a State subject under the State List.
3. 3.

   UPSC 2023

   Consider the following statements :
   Statement-I : In India, prisons are managed by State Governments with their own rules and regulations for the day-to-day administration of prisons.
   Statement-II : In India, prisons are governed by the Prisons Act, 1894 which expressly kept the subject of prisons in the control of Provincial Governments.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
4. 4.

   UPSC 2021

   With reference to India, consider the following statements :
   1. When a prisoner makes out a sufficient case, parole cannot be denied to such prisoner because it becomes a matter of his/her right.
   2. State Governments have their own Prisoners Release on Parole Rules.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
5. 5.

   UPSC 2016

   The Parliament of India acquires the power to legislate on any item in the State List in the national interest if a resolution to that effect is passed by the

   1. ALok Sabha by a simple majority of its total membership
   2. BLok Sabha by a majority of not less than two-thirds of its total membership
   3. CRajya Sabha by a simple majority of its total membership
   4. DRajya Sabha by a majority of not less than two-thirds of its members present and voting
6. 6.

   UPSC 2013

   The Parliament can make any law for whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties

   1. Awith the consent of all the States
   2. Bwith the consent of the majority of States
   3. Cwith the consent of the States concerned
   4. Dwithout the consent of any State
7. 7.

   UPSC 2012

   The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the

   1. AMorley-Minto Reforms, 1909
   2. BMontagu-Chelmsford Act, 1919
   3. CGovernment of India Act, 1935
   4. DIndian Independence Act, 1947
8. 8.

   UPSC 2006

   Which one of the following subjects is under the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India?

   1. ARegulation of labour and safety in mines and oilfields
   2. BAgriculture
   3. CFisheries
   4. DPublic health
9. 9.

   UPSC 2004

   With reference to the Constitution of India, which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

   1. AForests : Concurrent List
   2. BStock Exchanges : Concurrent List
   3. CPost Office Savings Bank : Union List
   4. DPublic Health : State List
10. 10.

    UPSC 2004

    Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India says that the executive power of every State shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the Union?

    1. AArticle 257
    2. BArticle 258
    3. CArticle 355
    4. DArticle 356
11. 11.

    UPSC 2003

    Consider the following statements: In India, stamp duties on financial transactions are
    1. Levied and collected by the State Government
    2. Appropriated by the Union Government.
    Which of these statements is/are correct?

    1. AOnly 1
    2. BOnly 2
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
12. 12.

    UPSC 2000

    The Parliament can make any law for the whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties

    1. Awith the consent of all the States
    2. Bwith the consent of the majority of States
    3. Cwith the consent of the States concerned
    4. Dwithout the consent of any State
13. 13.

    UPSC 1999

    Which one of the following statements regarding the levying, collecting and distribution of Income Tax is correct?

    1. AThe Union levies, collects and distributes the proceeds of income tax between itself and the States
    2. BThe Union levies, collects and keeps all the proceeds of income tax to itself
    3. CThe Union levies and collects the tax but all the proceeds are distributed among the States
    4. DOnly the surcharge levied on income tax is shared between the Union and the States
14. 14.

    UPSC 1995

    Which of the following is/are extra-constitutional and extra-legal device(s) for securing cooperation and coordination between the States in India?
    I. The National Development Council
    II. The Governors’ Conference
    III. Zonal Councils
    IV. The Interstate Council
    Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

    1. AI, II and III
    2. BI, III and IV
    3. CIII and IV
    4. DIV only
15. 15.

    UPSC 1995

    Agricultural income tax is assigned to the State Governments by

    1. Athe Finance Commission
    2. Bthe National Development Council
    3. Cthe Inter-State Council
    4. Dthe Constitution of India
16. 16.

    UPSC 2011

    With reference to the Finance Commission of India, which of the following statements is correct?

    1. AIt encourages the inflow of foreign capital for infrastructure development
    2. BIt facilitates the proper distribution of finances among the Public Sector Undertakings
    3. CIt ensures transparency in financial administration
    4. DNone of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct in this context
17. 17.

    UPSC 2002

    Which one of the following authorities recommends the principles governing grants-in-aid of the revenues to the states out of the Consolidated Fund of India?

    1. AFinance Commission
    2. BInter-State Council
    3. CUnion Ministry of Finance
    4. DPublic Accounts Committee
18. 18.

    UPSC 2000

    The primary function of the Finance Commission in India is to

    1. Adistribute revenue between the Centre and the States
    2. Bprepare the Annual Budget
    3. Cadvise the President on financial matters
    4. Dallocate funds to various ministries of the Union and State Governments
19. 19.

    UPSC 2012

    Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education?
    1. Directive Principles of State Policy
    2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
    3. Fifth Schedule
    4. Sixth Schedule
    5. Seventh Schedule
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B3, 4 and 5 only
    3. C1, 2 and 5 only
    4. D1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
20. 20.

    UPSC 2003

    Which one of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution provides that ‘It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance’?

    1. AArticle 215
    2. BArticle 275
    3. CArticle 325
    4. DArticle 355
21. 21.

    UPSC 2023

    Consider the following statements :
    1. According to the Constitution of India, the Central Government has a duty to protect States from internal disturbances.
    2. The Constitution of India exempts the States from providing legal counsel to a person being held for preventive detention.
    3. According to the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002, confession of the accused before the police cannot be used as evidence.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. CAll three
    4. DNone
22. 22.

    UPSC 2006

    Consider the following statements:
    1. Free and compulsory education to the children of 6-14 years age group by the State was made a Fundamental Right by the 76th Amendment to the Constitution of India.
    2. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan seeks to provide computer education even in rural areas.
    3. Education was included in the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment, 1976 to the Constitution of India.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    1. A1, 2 and 3
    2. B1 and 2, only
    3. C2 and 3, only
    4. D1 and 3, only
23. 23.

    UPSC 2019

    Which one of the following suggested that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in the recent past?

    1. AFirst Administrative Reforms Commission (1966)
    2. BRajamannar Committee (1969)
    3. CSarkaria Commission (1983)
    4. DNational Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000)
24. 24.

    UPSC 2013

    Consider the following statements:
    1. National Development Council is an organ of the Planning Commission.
    2. The Economic and Social Planning is kept in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India.
    3. The Constitution of India prescribes that Panchayats should be assigned the task of preparation of plans for economic development and social justice.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 and 3 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
25. 25.

    UPSC 2012

    Which of the following special powers have been conferred on the Rajya Sabha by the Constitution of India?

    1. ATo change the existing territory of a State and to change the name of a State
    2. BTo pass a resolution empowering the Parliament to make laws in the State List and to create one or more All India Services
    3. CTo amend the election procedure of the President and to determine the pension of the President after his/her retirement
    4. DTo determine the functions of the Election Commission and to determine the number of Election Commissioners
26. 26.

    UPSC 2006

    Consider the following statements:
    1. The Rajya Sabha alone has the power to declare that it would be in the national interest for Parliament to legislate with respect to a matter in the State List.
    2. Resolutions approving the Proclamation of Emergency are passed only by the Lok Sabha.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
27. 27.

    UPSC 2004

    Assertion (A): The Central Rural Sanitation Programme was launched in 1986 to improve the quality of life of rural people in India.
    Reason (R): Rural sanitation is a subject in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India.

    1. ABoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
    2. BBoth A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
    3. CA is true but R is false
    4. DA is false but R is true