2008 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies

Question 100: Polity and Governance

Consider the following statements: The Constitution of India provides that

  1. 1.The Legislative Assembly of each State shall consist of not more than 450 members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the State
  2. 2.A person shall not be qualified to be chosen to fill a seat in the Legislative Assembly of a State if he/she is less than 25 years of age

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (b).

Statement 2 is correct: a person must be at least 25 to be chosen to a State Legislative Assembly (Article 173), against 30 for the Legislative Council. Statement 1 is wrong: Article 170 says an Assembly shall have not more than 500 and not less than 60 members, not 450 as stated. Some small States have fewer than 60 by special provision.

  • 1. The maximum strength of an Assembly is 500, not 450.
  • 2. The minimum age for an Assembly seat is 25 years.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.

    What you needed to know: The maximum strength of an Assembly is 500, not 450.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: The minimum age for an Assembly seat is 25 years.

Only (b) is left. This one needs every statement.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Statement 1 is wrong: the upper limit is 500, not 450.
  • (b) Only statement 2 is right.
  • (c) Statement 1 is wrong, so both cannot be correct.
  • (d) Statement 2 is right, so neither being correct is wrong.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.