Parliament & the Union executive

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Article 368(2) lets an amendment bill be introduced in either House without any prior recommendation of the President. Each House must pass it separately by a special majority — no joint sitting — and the President then 'shall give his assent', so assent is obligatory.

• ✗ 1. Article 368(2) only says an amendment is initiated by introducing a Bill in either House of Parliament; no prior presidential recommendation is required.
• ✓ 2. Since the 24th Amendment (1971), Article 368(2) says the passed Bill 'shall be presented to the President who shall give his assent'. The President cannot send it back for reconsideration.
• ✓ 3. Each House must pass the Bill separately by a majority of its total membership and two-thirds of members present and voting; there is no provision for a joint sitting.

Remember · Article 368: introduce in either House, no President's prior recommendation; special majority in each House separately; no joint sitting; President must assent.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 9 (practise this chapter)

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Constitution speaks only of a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister; ranks such as cabinet minister, minister of state and deputy minister are allotted by the Prime Minister by convention. The 15 per cent cap on the size of the Council of Ministers is in Article 75(1A).

• ✗ 1. No article lists ranks of ministers. The Prime Minister allocates ranks and portfolios, depending on seniority and political importance.
• ✓ 2. Article 75(1A), added by the 91st Amendment (2003), says the total number of ministers including the Prime Minister shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the total membership of the Lok Sabha.

Remember · Article 75(1A): Council of Ministers ≤ 15% of Lok Sabha strength (Article 164(1A) for States, minimum 12). Ministerial ranks are the PM's arrangement, not constitutional categories.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha alone, so only the Lok Sabha can remove it through a no-confidence motion. Approving an Emergency proclamation needs resolutions of both Houses, and impeachment of the President can begin in either House.

• ✗ 1. Under Article 352(4), an Emergency proclamation lapses after one month unless approved by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament, so the Rajya Sabha shares this power.
• ✓ 2. Article 75(3) makes the Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha can criticise the government but cannot remove it.
• ✗ 3. Article 61(1) says the impeachment charge against the President may be preferred by either House; the other House then investigates it.

Remember · Lok Sabha only: no-confidence motion; money bills. Both Houses: approving Emergency (Art. 352), impeaching the President (Art. 61), amending the Constitution.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 5 (practise this chapter)

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Tenth Schedule works the other way round for nominated members: they may join a party within six months of taking their seat and are disqualified only if they join after that. It leaves defection cases to the Speaker or Chairman but sets no deadline for deciding them.

• ✗ 1. Paragraph 2(3) disqualifies a nominated member who joins a political party after the expiry of six months from taking the seat — so joining within the first six months is allowed.
• ✓ 2. Paragraph 6 refers disqualification questions to the Chairman or Speaker, whose decision is final, but prescribes no time limit for the decision.

Remember · Tenth Schedule: nominated member may join a party within 6 months of taking seat; independents may never join one; Speaker/Chairman decides, with no statutory deadline.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Article 88 gives every Minister and the Attorney-General — not the Solicitor General — the right to speak and take part in Parliament's proceedings without a vote. The Constitution only says the Attorney-General holds office during the pleasure of the President; resigning with the government is a convention, not a constitutional rule.

• ✗ 1. Article 88 names Ministers and the Attorney-General as the persons who may take part in the proceedings of either House and its committees; the Solicitor General has no such constitutional right.
• ✗ 2. Article 76(4) says only that the Attorney-General holds office during the pleasure of the President. Stepping down when the government changes is a practice, not something the Constitution provides.

Remember · Article 76: Attorney-General (office at President's pleasure; right of audience in all courts). Article 88: AG and Ministers may speak in either House and committees but cannot vote.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only

Rule 8 of the Lok Sabha Rules lets the Speaker fix the date of the Deputy Speaker's election, and under Article 95 the Deputy Speaker acts as Speaker when presiding, with the Chair's full authority. No rule reserves the post for any party, and the election motion is moved by members, not by the Speaker.

• ✓ 1. Rule 8(1) of the Lok Sabha procedure rules says the election of a Deputy Speaker is held on a date the Speaker fixes, and the Secretary-General notifies every member.
• ✗ 2. Neither Article 93 nor the Rules restrict the post to any party. Giving it to the opposition has been a practice in many Lok Sabhas, not a legal requirement.
• ✓ 3. Under Article 95 the Deputy Speaker performs the Speaker's duties when the office is vacant, and Rule 10 of the Lok Sabha Rules gives the Deputy Speaker, when presiding, the same powers as the Speaker, so his rulings carry the Chair's authority.
• ✗ 4. Under Rule 8(2) any member gives notice of a motion that another member be chosen Deputy Speaker, and a third member seconds it. The Speaker presides over the election and does not move the motion.

Remember · Deputy Speaker: elected under Article 93 on a date fixed by the Speaker (LS Rule 8); acts as Speaker under Article 95; opposition claim to the post is only convention.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error