Prelims GS I · 152 questions · 2016–2026
Polity & governance: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Polity & governance in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 152 questions on Polity & governance in GS Paper I from 2016 to 2026 — about 14 a year, the most in 2017 (22). The most-asked topic is Parliament & the Union executive (33 questions).
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 16 Oct 2026.
- Parliament & the Union executive33 questions · asked in 11 of 11 years
- Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties25 questions · asked in 9 of 11 years
- Making of the Constitution, Preamble & features23 questions · asked in 10 of 11 years
- Federalism, states & centre–state relations20 questions · asked in 9 of 11 years
- Constitutional, statutory & regulatory bodies17 questions · asked in 10 of 11 years
- Judiciary16 questions · asked in 8 of 11 years
- Elections, rights issues & governance14 questions · asked in 6 of 11 years
- Panchayati Raj & local government4 questions · asked in 4 of 11 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q51 · Elections, rights issues & governanceश्री X, एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी हैं, जो किसी विश्वमारी के दौरान एक निर्णायक टीकाकरण कार्यक्रम का निरीक्षण कर रहे थे। उन्होंने पाया कि टीके के वितरण के लिए उत्तरदायी एक निजी सेव…
- 2026 · Q52 · Elections, rights issues & governanceएक बहुजातीय ज़िले में, जहाँ आर्थिक प्रतिस्पर्धा और ऐतिहासिक शिकायतों के परिणामस्वरूप प्रायः सामुदायिक तनाव उत्पन्न होते हैं, वहाँ एक जनजातीय उपग्राम के निकट एक अपशिष्ट प्…
- 2026 · Q53 · Elections, rights issues & governanceसुश्री X, एक मध्यम-स्तरीय सिविल सेवा अधिकारी हैं, जो एक प्रमुख नगर के शहरी विकास विभाग में कार्यरत हैं। हाल ही में, वे एक सार्वजनिक अवसंरचना परियोजना — नए सामुदायिक उद्या…
- 2026 · Q54 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties‘X’, भारत के संविधान के भाग III के अनुच्छेद 13 में यथा उपबंधित, ‘विधि’ शब्द के अर्थ पर एक संगोष्ठी को संबोधित कर रहा था। ‘X’ ने स्पष्ट किया कि भारत के संविधान में ‘विधि’ …
- 2026 · Q55 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresभारत के संविधान के संदर्भ में, निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Polity & governance. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
- Constitution: evolution, features & basic structure
- Comparing constitutions
- Parliament & state legislatures
- Executive, judiciary & pressure groups
- Separation of powers & dispute redressal
- Federalism & devolution
- Constitutional bodies
- Statutory, regulatory & quasi-judicial bodies
- Representation of the People Act
- Government policies & interventions
- Welfare of vulnerable sections
- Governance, transparency & e-governance
Polity & governance PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Polity & governance question from 2016 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 118 pages. Free; sign up once.
Polity & governance PYQs: quick answers
How many Polity & governance questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2016 to 2026?
152 questions in GS Paper I — about 14 a year, the most in 2017 (22). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Polity & governance topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Parliament & the Union executive: 33 questions between 2016 and 2026, asked in 11 of 11 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
Yes. Every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Polity & governance PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Polity & governance question with answers and explanations (118 pages, 2.2 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.