UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I

Question 44: Polity and Governance

Consider the following statements :

1.The Executive Power of the Union of India is vested in the Prime Minister.
2.The Prime Minister is the ex officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only

b2 only

cBoth 1 and 2

dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

Under Article 53, the executive power of the Union is vested in the President, who exercises it directly or through officers subordinate to him, in practice on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The Civil Services Board is a body of senior civil servants, and the Prime Minister is not its ex officio chairman. So both statements are wrong.

1. The executive power of the Union is vested in the President (Article 53).
2. The Prime Minister does not chair the Civil Services Board ex officio.

How you could have got this

If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: The executive power of the Union is vested in the President (Article 53).
Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) goes: it includes 2.
What you needed to know: The Prime Minister does not chair the Civil Services Board ex officio.

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

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: executive power is vested in the President under Article 53.
(b) Wrong: the Prime Minister is not ex officio chairman of the Civil Services Board.
(c) Wrong: both statements are false.
(d) Correct: neither statement is correct.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.