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Prelims · Polity & governance · 30 questions

Federalism, states & centre–state relations

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Federalism, states & centre–state relations questions per year: 2016: 2, 2017: 2, 2018: 3, 2019: 3, 2020: 0, 2021: 1, 2022: 1, 2023: 2, 2024: 2, 2025: 4, 2026: 0 Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2025 (4)

UPSC syllabus: “Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.” See the full syllabus →

Prelims 2017 · Q96

Medium

Which of the following are not necessarily the consequences of the proclamation of the President’s rule in a State?

  1. 1.Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly
  2. 2.Removal of the Council of Ministers in the State
  3. 3.Dissolution of the local bodies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Under Article 356 the President takes over the State Government's functions, so the Council of Ministers necessarily goes. The Assembly need not be dissolved, because its powers pass to Parliament and it can be kept suspended, and the proclamation does not touch local bodies at all. So 1 and 3 are the ones that are not necessary consequences.

  • ✓ 1. Dissolution of the Assembly is not automatic. Article 356(1)(b) only says the Legislature's powers become exercisable by or under Parliament, and NCERT notes the Assembly may be suspended or dissolved, so both are possible.
  • ✗ 2. Removal of the Council of Ministers is a necessary result, because the President assumes the functions of the State Government under Article 356(1)(a). The item is therefore not in the answer set.
  • ✓ 3. Article 356 says nothing about Panchayats or Municipalities. They are constituted under Parts IX and IXA, and Article 243E(1) lets a Panchayat be dissolved only under a law in force, so President's rule does not itself dissolve them.

Remember · President's rule (Article 356) puts the State Government in the President's hands, so ministers go. The Assembly may be suspended or dissolved, and local bodies are unaffected.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 7 (practise this chapter)

Sources

  • NCERT Class 11 · Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 7 “The Governor has the power to recommend the dismissal of the State government and suspension or dissolution of State assembly.”
  • Constitution of India (Ministry of Law and Justice), Article 356(1)(a) ↗ “assume to himself all or any of the functions of the Government of the State and all or any of the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor … declare that the powers of the Legislature of the State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament … Every Panchayat, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q100

Medium

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

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units.

Indian federalism is not the result of an agreement among the States. India is a "holding together" federation, where a large country divides power between the Centre and the States, unlike the USA, where independent States came together. The Constitution calls India a Union of States, and the other three options are real features.

  • ✓ (d) This is the odd one out. The Constitution begins with "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States"; the units did not sign a compact to form it. NCERT classes India with the "holding together" federations, not the "coming together" ones like the USA.
  • ✗ (b) Powers are divided by the Seventh Schedule; for example, Article 246 gives Parliament exclusive power over the Union List. So this is a federal feature.
  • ✗ (c) Seats in the Rajya Sabha are allocated State-wise under the Fourth Schedule (Article 80(2)), so States are not equally represented. This unequal representation is a real feature of Indian federalism.
  • ✗ (a) An independent judiciary that settles Centre-State disputes is a standard feature of a federation and is present in India.

Remember · India is a "holding together" federation created by the Constitution (a Union of States), not by an agreement among States.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 10 Democratic Politics – II, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)

Sources

  • NCERT Class 10 · Democratic Politics – II, Chapter 2 “The second route is where a large country decides to divide its power between the constituent States and the national government. India, Spain and Belgium are examples of this kind of ‘holding together’ federations.”
  • Constitution of India (Ministry of Law and Justice), Article 1(1) ↗ “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. … Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List I in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the “Union List”). … The allocation of seats in the Council of States to be filled by representatives of the States and of the Union territories shall be in accordance with the provisions in that behalf contained in the Fourth Schedule.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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