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 2021: 16 questions
All years →- Q77 · Parliament & the Union executiveWe adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the p…
- Q78 · Constitutional, statutory & regulatory bodiesWith reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements: N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of a…
- Q79 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & Duties‘Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India?…
- Q80 · Elections, rights issues & governanceConsider the following statements: In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies. In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal c…
- Q82 · JudiciaryWith reference to India, consider the following statements: Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such accused is locked up in police station, not in jail…
- Q83 · JudiciaryWith reference to India, consider the following statements: When a prisoner makes out a sufficient case, parole cannot be denied to such prisoner because it becomes a matter of his/her right. State Go…
- Q85 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesA legislation which confers on the executive or administrative authority an unguided and uncontrolled discretionary power in the matter of application of law violates which one of the following Articl…
- Q86 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsWhich one of the following in Indian polity is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character?…
- Q87 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhich one of the following best defines the term 'State'?…
- Q88 · JudiciaryWith reference to Indian judiciary, consider the following statements: Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act as a Supreme Court judge by the Chief Justice o…
- Q89 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWith reference to India, consider the following statements: There is only one citizenship and one domicile. A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State. A foreigner once granted the citizensh…
- Q90 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhich one of the following factors constitutes the best safeguard of liberty in a liberal democracy?…
- Q91 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesUnder the Indian Constitution, concentration of wealth violates…
- Q92 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesWhat is the position of the Right to Property in India?…
- Q93 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhat was the exact constitutional status of India on 26th January, 1950?…
- Q94 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresConstitutional government means…
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.
