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 & governanceMr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a private service provider responsible for vaccine distribution …
- 2026 · Q52 · Elections, rights issues & governanceIn a multi-ethnic district where both economic competition and historical grievances frequently led to community tensions, a flashpoint has arisen with a Government decis…
- 2026 · Q53 · Elections, rights issues & governanceMs. X is a mid-level civil service official working in the urban development department of a major city. Recently, she was involved in approving a contract for a public i…
- 2026 · Q54 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties‘X’ was addressing a seminar on the meaning of the term ‘law’ as provided under Article 13, Part III of the Constitution of India. ‘X’ explained that the meaning of the t…
- 2026 · Q55 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresConsider the following statements with reference to the Constitution of India:…
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.