2012 GS Paper I, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2012 · GS Paper I
Question 53: Polity and Governance
The Prime Minister of India, at the time of his/her appointment
aneed not necessarily be a member of one of the Houses of the Parliament but must become a member of one of the Houses within six months
bneed not necessarily be a member of one of the Houses of the Parliament but must become a member of the Lok Sabha within six months
cmust be a member of one of the Houses of the Parliament
dmust be a member of the Lok Sabha
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).
A Prime Minister need not be a member of Parliament when appointed, but must become a member of either House within six months, as Article 75(5) requires of every Minister. He or she may belong to either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha; H. D. Deve Gowda, who was not a member of Parliament when appointed in 1996, later entered the Rajya Sabha.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Correct: membership is not needed at appointment, but of either House within six months.
- (b) Wrong: the PM can sit in the Rajya Sabha, not only the Lok Sabha.
- (c) Wrong: a non-member can be appointed and has six months to become a member.
- (d) Wrong: membership of the Lok Sabha is not compulsory.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.