2017 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2017 · GS Paper I

Question 100: Polity and Governance

Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism ?

aThere is an independent judiciary in India.
bPowers have been clearly divided between the Centre and the States.
cThe federating units have been given unequal representation in the Rajya Sabha.
dIt is the result of an agreement among the federating units.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

India's federation is not the result of an agreement among the States. The Constituent Assembly framed the Constitution, and Article 1 calls India a Union of States, which no State can leave; Dr Ambedkar made this point when introducing the draft Constitution. Features that do mark Indian federalism are a written Constitution, a division of powers between the Centre and the States, an independent judiciary, and a Rajya Sabha in which States have unequal representation by population.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: an independent judiciary is a federal feature of India.
  • (b) Wrong: a clear division of powers between the Centre and States is a federal feature.
  • (c) Wrong: unequal State representation in the Rajya Sabha is a feature of Indian federalism.
  • (d) Right: India's federation did not result from an agreement among States.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.