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 2024: 16 questions
All years →- Q61 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWho was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over?…
- Q66 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresAs per Article 368 of the Constitution of India, the Parliament may amend any provision of the Constitution by way of: Addition Variation Repeal…
- Q68 · Parliament & the Union executiveWhich of the following statements are correct in respect of a Money Bill in the Parliament? Article 109 mentions special procedure in respect of Money Bills. A Money Bill shall not be introduced in th…
- Q70 · Constitutional, statutory & regulatory bodiesThe North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971. Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises which of the following members? Governor o…
- Q71 · Elections, rights issues & governanceHow many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?…
- Q72 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresThe Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992 amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages? Konkani Manipuri Nepali Maithili…
- Q74 · Making of the Constitution, Preamble & featuresWhich of the following statements are correct about the Constitution of India? Powers of the Municipalities are given in Part IX A of the Constitution. Emergency provisions are given in Part XVIII of …
- Q75 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsWhich one of the following statements is correct as per the Constitution of India?…
- Q76 · Fundamental Rights, DPSP & DutiesUnder which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?…
- Q80 · Parliament & the Union executiveWhich of the following statements about the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha are correct? Initially it was an ad-hoc Committee. Only a Member of the Lok Sabha can make a complaint relating to unethic…
- Q81 · Parliament & the Union executiveConsider the following statements regarding ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’: Provisions will come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha. This will be in force for 15 years after becoming an Act. There ar…
- Q83 · JudiciaryA Writ of Prohibition is an order issued by the Supreme Court or High Courts to:…
- Q84 · Federalism, states & centre–state relationsConsider the following statements: It is the Governor of the State who recognizes and declares any community of that State as a Scheduled Tribe. A community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State ne…
- Q93 · Parliament & the Union executiveWith reference to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: While any resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is under consideration He/She shall not preside.…
- Q94 · Parliament & the Union executiveWith reference to the Indian Parliament, consider the following statements: A bill pending in the Lok Sabha lapses on its dissolution. A bill passed by the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha lap…
- Q95 · Parliament & the Union executiveWith reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements: Prorogation of a House by the President of India does not require the advice of the Council of Ministers. Prorogation of a…
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.
