Prelims GS I · 214 questions · 2011–2026
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 Prelims 2015: 11 questions
All years →- Q7 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesConsider the following statements regarding the Directive Principles of State Policy: The Principles spell out the socio-economic democracy in the country. The provisions contained in these Principles…
- Q27 · Parliament & the Union executiveConsider the following statements: The Rajya Sabha has no power either to reject or to amend a Money Bill. The Rajya Sabha cannot vote on the Demands for Grants. The Rajya Sabha cannot discuss the Ann…
- Q37 · Parliament & the Union executiveWhen a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both the Houses of the Parliament, it has to be passed by…
- Q44 · Parliament & the Union executiveConsider the following statements: The Executive Power of the Union of India is vested in the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the ex officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.…
- Q59 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsThe provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to…
- Q61 · JudiciaryWho/Which of the following is the custodian of the Constitution of India?…
- Q82 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsConsider the following statements: The Legislative Council of a State in India can be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular State. The Governor of a State nominates t…
- Q83 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties"To uphold and protect the Sovereignty, Unity and Integrity of India" is a provision made in the…
- Q85 · Panchayati Raj & local governmentThe fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? People's participation in development Political accountability Democratic decentralization Financial mobilizatio…
- Q89 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesThe ideal of 'Welfare State' in the Indian Constitution is enshrined in its…
- Q91 · Parliament & the Union executiveThere is a Parliamentary System of Government in India because the…
Polity & governance in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 214 questions on Polity & governance in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 13 a year, the most in 2017 (22). The most-asked topic is Parliament & the Union executive (54 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 6 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 22 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- Parliament & the Union executive54 questions · asked in 16 of 16 years
- Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties34 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Making of the Constitution, Preamble & features28 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Federalism, states & centre–state relations28 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Constitutional, statutory & regulatory bodies23 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Judiciary21 questions · asked in 11 of 16 years
- Elections, rights issues & governance17 questions · asked in 8 of 16 years
- Panchayati Raj & local government9 questions · asked in 8 of 16 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 2011 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 2011 to 2026?
214 questions in GS Paper I — about 13 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: 54 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 16 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; 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.
