2014 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2014 · GS Paper I

Question 57: Economy and Social Development

Which of the following are associated with 'Planning' in India?

  1. 1.The Finance Commission
  2. 2.The National Development Council
  3. 3.The Union Ministry of Rural Development
  4. 4.The Union Ministry of Urban Development
  5. 5.The Parliament

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a1, 2 and 5 only
b1, 3 and 4 only
c2 and 5 only
d1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

UPSC's answer pairs planning with the National Development Council and Parliament. The NDC, headed by the Prime Minister, approved the Five-Year Plans prepared by the Planning Commission before they went to Parliament, and Parliament finally approved and monitored them. The Finance Commission is a constitutional body that recommends sharing of taxes between the Centre and States, and the Ministries of Rural Development and Urban Development carry out schemes; neither takes part in planning. So the answer is 2 and 5 only.

  • 1. The Finance Commission deals with tax sharing and grants, not plans.
  • 2. The NDC approved the Five-Year Plans.
  • 3. Rural Development is an implementing ministry, not a planning body.
  • 4. Urban Development is an implementing ministry, not a planning body.
  • 5. Parliament approves and reviews the Plans.

How you could have got this

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

    What you needed to know: The Finance Commission deals with tax sharing and grants, not plans.

Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 2, 3, 4 or 5.

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) Wrong. The Finance Commission recommends tax devolution, not plans.
  • (b) Wrong. The Finance Commission and the two ministries are not planning bodies.
  • (c) Right. The NDC and Parliament are linked with planning.
  • (d) Wrong. Statements 1, 3 and 4 are not counted.

Worth knowing: Ministries and the Finance Commission also touch on planning in practice, and since 2015 NITI Aayog has replaced the Planning Commission, with its Governing Council in effect taking over the NDC's role.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2014, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.