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 2018: 12 questions
All years →- Q1 · Parliament & the Union executiveConsider the following statements: In the first Lok Sabha, the single largest party in the opposition was the Swatantra Party. In the Lok Sabha, a "Leader of the Opposition" was recognised for the fir…
- Q5 · JudiciaryConsider the following statements: The Parliament of India can place a particular law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The validity of a law placed in the Ninth Schedule cannot be e…
- Q20 · Parliament & the Union executiveWith reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. …
- Q23 · Constitutional, statutory & regulatory bodiesConsider the following statements: The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the…
- Q31 · Parliament & the Union executiveRegarding Money Bill, which of the following statements is not correct?…
- Q32 · Parliament & the Union executiveWith reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements: The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State. The value of the vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha…
- Q39 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsConsider the following statements: The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly shall vacate his/her office if he/she ceases to be a member of the Assembly. Whenever the Legislative Assembly is dissolved, …
- Q40 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhich one of the following reflects the most appropriate relationship between law and liberty?…
- Q41 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsConsider the following statements: No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of …
- Q45 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhich of the following are regarded as the main features of the "Rule of Law"? Limitation of powers Equality before law People's responsibility to the Government Liberty and civil rights…
- Q53 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsIf the President of India exercises his power as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution in respect of a particular State, then…
- Q92 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesRight to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?…
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 & 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 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.
