The Governance System Archives

121. Which one of the following is a characteristic of Presidential form of

Which one of the following is a characteristic of Presidential form of Government ?

[amp_mcq option1=”President is not a part of legislative body” option2=”It does not separate Legislative and Executive functions” option3=”President follows the principle of collective responsibility” option4=”The tenure of the President depends on the Legislature” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2016

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The correct option is A.

The Presidential form of government is characterized by a clear separation of powers between the executive and the legislature.
– A) President is not a part of legislative body: In a presidential system (like the USA), the head of the executive (President) and their cabinet are separate from the legislature (Congress). They do not hold membership in the legislative body. This is a key characteristic.
– B) It does not separate Legislative and Executive functions: This is incorrect. A fundamental principle of the presidential system is the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.
– C) President follows the principle of collective responsibility: Collective responsibility, where the executive (cabinet) is collectively accountable to the legislature, is a hallmark of the parliamentary system, not the presidential system.
– D) The tenure of the President depends on the Legislature: This is incorrect. The tenure of the President in a presidential system is fixed for a specific term and does not ordinarily depend on the confidence of the legislature (though impeachment procedures exist for grave misconduct). In contrast, in a parliamentary system, the executive’s tenure depends on maintaining the confidence of the legislature.

Other characteristics of the presidential system include the President being both the head of state and head of government, a fixed term for the executive, and the absence of dual membership between the executive and legislative branches.

122. Border Roads Organization is under the administrative control of the :

Border Roads Organization is under the administrative control of the :

[amp_mcq option1=”Ministry of Defence” option2=”Ministry of Road Transport and Highways” option3=”Prime Minister’s Office” option4=”Indian Army” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.

Although the BRO constructs and maintains roads in border areas and friendly neighboring countries, primarily serving strategic defence needs, it also works on infrastructure for other ministries. Since 2015, its administrative control was officially moved from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways back to the Ministry of Defence, recognizing its strategic military role.

BRO’s primary mandate is to provide infrastructure support to the Indian Army along border areas. While it executes projects for other ministries like the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, its core function aligns with defense preparedness.

123. Which one of the following is NOT a Central Paramilitary Force under t

Which one of the following is NOT a Central Paramilitary Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Central Industrial Security Force” option2=”Central Reserve Police Force” option3=”Ladakh Scouts” option4=”Border Security Force” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2015

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The correct option is C.

Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMFs), now often referred to as Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), are primarily under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). These include the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG), and Assam Rifles (AR).
Ladakh Scouts is a regiment of the Indian Army, which falls under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), not the MHA.

Assam Rifles is a unique force administered by the MHA but under the operational control of the MoD (Indian Army). NSG is a special force primarily for counter-terrorism operations, also under MHA. The others listed (BSF, CRPF, CISF) are standard CAPFs under MHA. Regiments like Ladakh Scouts are integral parts of the Indian Army structure.

124. Consider the following statements about Constitutional Government :

Consider the following statements about Constitutional Government :

1. It is a form of limited government
2. One where Constitution is the basis of public authority
3. One where Monarch is the formal Head of the State
4. One where there is always universal adult franchise

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”2 and 4 only” option3=”1, 2 and 4″ option4=”1 and 3″ correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2014

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A Constitutional Government is defined as a government whose power is limited by a constitution. This aligns with statement 1: It is a form of limited government. Statement 2 is also correct: In a constitutional government, the constitution serves as the fundamental law and the basis of public authority; all governmental actions must be in accordance with the constitution.

A constitutional government is characterized by the limitation of state power by a constitution, which serves as the source and basis of public authority.

Statement 3 is incorrect because a constitutional government can be a republic (with an elected Head of State) or a constitutional monarchy (with a monarch whose powers are limited by the constitution). The presence of a monarch is not a necessary characteristic. Statement 4 is incorrect; while universal adult franchise is a feature of many modern constitutional democracies, it is not a defining characteristic of constitutional government itself. Historically, many constitutional governments existed before the advent of universal suffrage, and some states with constitutions today may not fully implement universal suffrage.

125. Which of the following statements about Presidential system is/are cor

Which of the following statements about Presidential system is/are correct ?

1. The Head of Government is also Head of State.
2. The Executive can veto Legislative acts.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2014

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Both statement 1 and statement 2 are correct characteristics of a typical presidential system of government. In a presidential system (like the United States), the same person is both the Head of State and the Head of Government (e.g., the President). Also, the Executive branch (President) has the power to veto legislation passed by the Legislative branch (Congress), although this veto power can often be overridden by a supermajority in the legislature.

Key features of a presidential system include the fusion of the roles of Head of State and Head of Government in one office (the President) and a system of checks and balances where the executive can veto legislative acts.

In contrast, a parliamentary system separates the Head of State (e.g., President or Monarch) from the Head of Government (Prime Minister), and the executive is typically drawn from and accountable to the legislature. While checks and balances exist in parliamentary systems, the specific power of the executive to veto legislative acts is more characteristic of the presidential system.

126. New Public Management stands for shift from conventional public pol

New Public Management stands for

shift from conventional public policy to cost effectiveness
cluster rather than pyramids of organization in structural frameworks
flexible and adaptive operational systems
rigid planning and conventional bureaucratic hierarchy

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2, 3 and 4″ option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”1, 2 and 3 only” option4=”3 and 4 only” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2012

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Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct descriptions of New Public Management (NPM), while statement 4 is incorrect.

New Public Management (NPM) is an approach to running public services that is influenced by ideas from the private sector. It emphasizes efficiency, performance, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, decentralization, market-like mechanisms, and a focus on outcomes and citizen/customer needs. It seeks to move away from traditional, rigid, hierarchical, input-focused bureaucracies.

Statement 1 aligns with the NPM emphasis on efficiency and value for money. Statement 2 reflects the move towards flatter, more networked, and decentralized organizational structures (“clusters rather than pyramids”). Statement 3 highlights the NPM goal of creating more flexible and responsive operational systems. Statement 4 describes characteristics of traditional public administration, which NPM sought to reform, rather than NPM itself.

127. Which one among the following is the basis of difference between the P

Which one among the following is the basis of difference between the Parliamentary and Presidential system of government ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Power of Judicial review” option2=”Method of election of President/Head of the State” option3=”Legislative supremacy in law making” option4=”Relation between the legislature and the executive” correct=”option4″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2010

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The most fundamental difference between the Parliamentary and Presidential systems of government lies in the relationship between the executive and the legislature. In a Parliamentary system (like India or the UK), the executive (Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister) is drawn from the legislature and is collectively responsible to the legislature. The executive remains in power as long as it retains the confidence of the legislature. In a Presidential system (like the USA), the executive (President and their appointed cabinet) is separate from the legislature and is not directly responsible to it; the President is elected independently and serves a fixed term.

– Parliamentary System: Executive is part of and responsible to the legislature (fusion of powers).
– Presidential System: Executive is separate from and not directly responsible to the legislature (separation of powers).
– Other differences stem from this primary distinction, such as the method of choosing the head of government, tenure of the executive, and checks and balances.

While checks and balances exist in both systems, the nature of accountability of the executive to the legislature is the defining characteristic. Judicial review is a feature of the judiciary, present in varying degrees in both systems. Method of election varies, and legislative supremacy is more characteristic of pure parliamentary systems like the UK (though limited in India by the Constitution and judiciary).

128. Consider the following statements: 1. If the election of a State Le

Consider the following statements:

1. If the election of a State Legislature Party candidate to the Council of States is declared void, a re-election has to be held.
2. An election petition challenging the election of a candidate is presented to the Election Commission of India.
3. The Governor of a State can dissolve the State Legislative Assembly without the advice of the Council of Ministers in certain circumstances.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”1 and 3 only” option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option2″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2010

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Statements 1 and 3 are correct.

– Statement 1: If the election of a candidate to the Council of States is declared void by a court, the seat becomes vacant, and a fresh election (re-election) must be held to fill that vacancy. This is a standard consequence of an election being declared void.
– Statement 2: An election petition challenging the election of a candidate to Parliament or a State Legislature is presented to the High Court of the concerned state, not the Election Commission of India. The High Court has the original jurisdiction for such petitions, and appeals lie with the Supreme Court.
– Statement 3: While the Governor normally acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, the Constitution provides for certain limited circumstances where the Governor may exercise discretion. For instance, in situations like a hung assembly where no party has a clear majority, or when a government has lost the confidence of the house but refuses to resign and advises dissolution, the Governor may have to take a decision regarding dissolving the assembly or inviting another party to form a government, potentially without or against the advice of the incumbent Council of Ministers. Though controversial and subject to judicial review, the possibility of the Governor dissolving the assembly without advice in these rare “certain circumstances” is acknowledged in constitutional discourse.

– The Supreme Court judgment in the S.R. Bommai case (1994) significantly curtailed the discretionary powers of the Governor and emphasized that the Governor’s satisfaction must be based on objective material, not personal subjective assessment.
– Despite limitations, the Governor’s role in situations of political instability, such as a hung assembly or a no-confidence motion, involves some degree of discretionary decision-making regarding ministry formation or dissolution, though the preference is for decisions to be tested on the floor of the House.

129. SAMARTH is a flagship skill development scheme of which one of the fol

SAMARTH is a flagship skill development scheme of which one of the following Ministries ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Ministry of Textiles” option2=”Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare” option3=”Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship” option4=”Ministry of Human Resource Development” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-2 – 2019

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SAMARTH is the name of a flagship skill development scheme implemented by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The full name of the scheme is “Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SAMARTH)”. Its objective is to provide skill development training to youth in the textile sector, covering the entire value chain of textiles, excluding spinning and weaving in the organised sector.

The scheme aims to train 10 lakh persons (9 lakh in the unorganised sector and 1 lakh in the organised sector) over a period of time. It is demand-driven and placement-oriented, providing support to training institutions and industries for skill development activities.

130. ‘Seva Bhoj Yojana’, a scheme of the Government of India that seeks to

‘Seva Bhoj Yojana’, a scheme of the Government of India that seeks to reimburse Central share of CGST and IGST on Food/Prasad/Langar/Bhandara offered by religious institutions, is introduced recently by which one of the following Ministries?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Ministry of Culture” option2=”The Ministry of Home Affairs” option3=”The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution” option4=”The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment” correct=”option1″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-2 – 2018

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The correct answer is The Ministry of Culture.

The ‘Seva Bhoj Yojana’, which aims to reimburse the Central Government’s share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on the purchase of raw materials for food items served by religious institutions, is administered by the Ministry of Culture.

The scheme was introduced to reduce the financial burden on religious institutions that provide free food to the public, encouraging them to continue and expand such activities.