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Question 1History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Edicts of Ashoka found at Maski and Brahmagiri are historically significant for Karnataka mainly because they

  1. list the dynastic genealogy of the Later Gangas of Talakad
  2. describe the construction of the Grand Anicut across the Kaveri
  3. provide the earliest inscriptional evidence identifying Ashoka by name Correct answer.
  4. record the grant of villages to Brahmin scholars in the Mauryan period

Explanation

The Maski and Brahmagiri edicts are among the few Ashokan inscriptions that use the personal name 'Ashoka' or 'Devanampiya Ashoka' rather than only titles, which allowed scholars to identify the Mauryan emperor with certainty. This makes them landmarks in Indian epigraphy and in Karnataka's early historic record.

Question 2History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The earliest known Kannada inscription, the Halmidi record, is dated to the reign of which ruler?

  1. Pulakeshin II of the Badami Chalukyas
  2. Kakusthavarman of the Kadambas Correct answer.
  3. Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara
  4. Vikramaditya VI of the Western Chalukyas

Explanation

The Halmidi inscription, generally assigned to about 450 CE, is dated to the reign of the Kadamba ruler Kakusthavarman and is widely regarded as the earliest surviving epigraph in Kannada. It therefore marks a key milestone in the history of the Kannada language and script.

Question 3History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Badami cave temples are most closely associated with which dynasty and centre of power?

  1. The Adil Shahis of Bijapur
  2. The Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta
  3. The Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra
  4. The Early Chalukyas of Badami Correct answer.

Explanation

The Badami caves were excavated under the patronage of the Early Chalukyas, whose capital was at Badami (ancient Vatapi) in present-day Bagalkot district. They display the mature Badami Chalukya style of rock-cut architecture and sculpture.

Question 4History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Vaishnava saint Purandara Dasa, regarded as the father of Carnatic music pedagogy, was a contemporary and associate of which Vijayanagara ruler?

  1. Sadasivaraya
  2. Achyutaraya
  3. Devaraya II
  4. Krishnadevaraya Correct answer.

Explanation

Purandara Dasa flourished in the early sixteenth century at Vijayanagara and tradition links him with Krishnadevaraya's court and with the Haridasa movement centred at Hampi. His systematisation of graded exercises for music students earned him the title of Karnataka Sangeeta Pitamaha.

Question 5History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Chennakeshava temple at Belur was commissioned by which Hoysala ruler to commemorate a military victory?

  1. Vishnuvardhana Correct answer.
  2. Someshvara
  3. Narasimha I
  4. Veera Ballala II

Explanation

Vishnuvardhana built the Chennakeshava temple at Belur, traditionally to mark his victory over the Cholas at Talakad, and his conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism under Ramanuja's influence is linked with this patronage. The temple is a landmark of Hoysala sculpture.

Question 6History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Bahmani Sultanate, founded in 1347, established its first capital at which site in the Deccan?

  1. Bijapur
  2. Daulatabad
  3. Gulbarga Correct answer.
  4. Bidar

Explanation

Hasan Gangu, who took the title Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, founded the Bahmani Sultanate with its capital at Gulbarga (Ahsanabad). The capital was later shifted to Bidar, and Bijapur became capital of a successor Sultanate.

Question 7History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

Karnataka's classical dance form Yakshagana is best described as

  1. a stringed musical instrument ensemble played at weddings
  2. a martial art performed with swords and shields during Dasara
  3. a solo female temple dance tradition performed only inside sanctums
  4. a costumed dance-drama tradition of coastal Karnataka with music, dialogue and improvisation Correct answer.

Explanation

Yakshagana is a night-long costumed dance-drama tradition of coastal and Malnad Karnataka, combining bhagavata singing, chande and maddale percussion, stylised dialogue and improvisation. It is performed by troupes before village audiences rather than as a solo temple dance.

Question 8History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

Which Rashtrakuta ruler is credited with the construction of the Kailasa temple at Ellora, and from which Kannada-region capital did the dynasty rule?

  1. Amoghavarsha, from Kanchipuram
  2. Indra III, from Warangal
  3. Krishna I, from Manyakheta Correct answer.
  4. Govinda III, from Tanjavur

Explanation

The monolithic Kailasa temple at Ellora is attributed to the Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna I, while the dynasty's main capital was Manyakheta (modern Malkhed) in the Gulbarga region of Karnataka. The Rashtrakutas thus left a major Deccan monument while ruling from a Kannada-speaking heartland.

Question 9History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Sravanabelagola statue of Bahubali, the world's tallest monolithic monolith of its kind, was commissioned by which minister under the Western Ganga dynasty?

  1. Chavundaraya Correct answer.
  2. Gangaraja
  3. Butuga II
  4. Rakkasa Ganga

Explanation

The 57-foot monolithic image of Bahubali at Sravanabelagola was installed around 981 CE by Chavundaraya, the Ganga minister and commander who was also a noted Kannada author. The statue remains the centrepiece of the Mahamastakabhisheka festival held periodically.

Question 10History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II is important because it

  1. lists the boundaries of the Vijayanagara empire
  2. records the land grant that founded the Kadamba kingdom
  3. contains a Sanskrit prashasti composed by Ravikirti celebrating Chalukya victories over Harsha Correct answer.
  4. describes the construction of the Belur Chennakeshava temple

Explanation

The Aihole inscription, composed by the poet Ravikirti, is a Sanskrit eulogy recording Pulakeshin II's victories, including his success against Harshavardhana on the northern frontier. It is a key source for early Chalukya political history and for the state of Sanskrit literary culture in Karnataka.

Question 11History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Madhvacharya tradition, centred at Udupi, is philosophically best characterised as

  1. dvaita, holding that God and the individual soul are eternally distinct Correct answer.
  2. visistadvaita, holding that souls are modes of Brahman
  3. advaita, holding that the individual soul is identical with Brahman
  4. shunyavada, holding that all phenomena lack inherent existence

Explanation

Madhvacharya, born near Udupi, founded the Dvaita school, which insists on the real and eternal distinction between God, souls and matter. His establishment of the Krishna temple at Udupi and the ashta-matha system shaped religious life in coastal Karnataka.

Question 12History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Vijayanagara site of Hampi is located on the banks of which river in Karnataka?

  1. Kaveri
  2. Krishna
  3. Tungabhadra Correct answer.
  4. Sharavathi

Explanation

Hampi, the core of the Vijayanagara capital, lies on the south bank of the Tungabhadra river in Ballari district. The river setting shaped the city's water infrastructure, including its tanks and aqueducts, and the site is now a UNESCO World Heritage property.

Question 13History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Ganga ruler Durvinita is remembered in Karnataka's cultural history chiefly for

  1. patronising Kannada and Sanskrit literary works, including a version of the story of the Brihatkatha Correct answer.
  2. leading the conquest of Sri Lanka
  3. building the Vitthala temple at Hampi
  4. founding the Bahmani Sultanate

Explanation

Durvinita, a Western Ganga king of the sixth century, is credited with literary patronage and with authoring or inspiring works in Kannada and Sanskrit, including a rendering associated with the Brihatkatha tradition. He is often cited as an early example of royal literary patronage in Kannada country.

Question 14History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Kannada text 'Kavirajamarga', an early work on poetics, is traditionally attributed to the court of which ruler?

  1. Tailapa II
  2. Amoghavarsha Nripatunga Correct answer.
  3. Pulakeshin II
  4. Krishnadevaraya

Explanation

Kavirajamarga, the earliest surviving Kannada work on poetics, is traditionally ascribed to Amoghavarsha Nripatunga or to his court poet Srivijaya. Its description of the Kannada-speaking territory is a valuable source for the cultural geography of early Karnataka.

Question 15History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Hoysala temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura are architecturally distinctive chiefly because of their

  1. domes and minarets characteristic of Sultanate architecture
  2. star-shaped or polygonal plans on raised platforms with dense soapstone carving Correct answer.
  3. rock-cut monolithic excavation into cliff faces
  4. stepped pyramidal brick towers with no stone sculpture

Explanation

Hoysala temples are built on raised platforms in star-shaped or polygonal plans, using soft chloritic schist (soapstone) that permitted extremely fine carving of narrative friezes and lathe-turned pillars. This combination distinguishes them from both rock-cut and Sultanate architecture.

Question 16History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Haridasa movement of Karnataka, associated with figures such as Sripadaraya, Vyasaraya and Purandara Dasa, is best described as

  1. a Vaishnava devotional movement that produced Kannada songs and promoted social inclusiveness Correct answer.
  2. a Shaiva monastic order based at Sringeri
  3. a Sufi order centred on Bijapur
  4. a Jain reform movement of the Ganga period

Explanation

The Haridasas were Vaishnava devotees who composed Kannada devotional songs (devaranama) and used them to spread bhakti ideas across social groups, often criticising caste rigidity. Their output became foundational to Carnatic music and to Kannada devotional literature.

Question 17History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Badami Chalukya ruler Pulakeshin II's conflict with the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I ended with

  1. a marriage alliance that merged the two dynasties
  2. the Chalukya capital Vatapi being captured and Pulakeshin II being killed Correct answer.
  3. the transfer of the Chalukya capital to Ellora
  4. a lasting Chalukya occupation of Kanchipuram

Explanation

Narasimhavarman I defeated and killed Pulakeshin II, then captured Vatapi, an event commemorated in Pallava inscriptions and reflected in the title Vatapikonda. The defeat checked Chalukya expansion southward and led to a period of Pallava ascendancy.

Question 18History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Sringeri Sharada Peetha was established by Adi Shankara in Karnataka primarily as

  1. a trade guild headquarters for overseas commerce
  2. a military garrison for the Kadamba kings
  3. a Jain pilgrimage site for the Gangas
  4. a monastic centre for the Advaita Vedanta tradition Correct answer.

Explanation

Shankara founded the Sringeri matha on the Tungabhadra in Chikkamagaluru district as a centre for Advaita Vedanta teaching and monastic succession. It became a major landholding and cultural institution under later dynasties, including the Vijayanagara kings.

Question 19History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Kannada literary work 'Pampa Bharata' (Vikramarjuna Vijaya) was composed by the poet Pampa under the patronage of which ruler?

  1. Someshvara I of the Western Chalukyas
  2. Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara
  3. Bijjala II of the Kalachuris
  4. Arikesari II of the Western Ganga dynasty Correct answer.

Explanation

Pampa, one of the ratnatraya of Kannada literature, composed Vikramarjuna Vijaya under the patronage of the Ganga ruler Arikesari II at Vemulavada. The work recasts the Mahabharata with Arjuna as its hero and is a landmark of classical Kannada poetry.

Question 20History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The sixteenth-century fall of Vijayanagara after the Battle of Talikota in 1565 was followed by which development in Karnataka's political landscape?

  1. The restoration of Rashtrakuta power from Manyakheta
  2. The annexation of Karnataka by the Mauryan empire
  3. The rise of successor states such as the Nayakas of Keladi and Ikkeri and the Mysore Wodeyars Correct answer.
  4. The immediate establishment of British rule over the Deccan

Explanation

After the defeat at Talikota, Vijayanagara's authority fragmented, allowing regional powers such as the Nayakas of Keladi and Ikkeri in Malnad and the Wodeyars of Mysore to consolidate territory. These successor states shaped Karnataka's early modern history.

Question 21History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Keladi Nayakas, who ruled parts of Malnad after the decline of Vijayanagara, are particularly remembered for

  1. introducing the Kannada script
  2. building the Kailasa temple at Ellora
  3. founding the Bahmani Sultanate
  4. patronising temples such as the Aghoreshwara temple at Ikkeri and resisting Mughal expansion Correct answer.

Explanation

The Keladi (Ikkeri) Nayakas patronised major temple architecture in Malnad, notably the Aghoreshwara temple at Ikkeri, and under rulers such as Shivappa Nayaka resisted Mughal and other incursions. Their rule marks an important phase of post-Vijayanagara regional state formation.

Question 22History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

Which of the following best explains why the Kadambas of Banavasi are considered a formative dynasty in Karnataka's cultural history?

  1. They were among the earliest local dynasties to rule from a Kannada-region capital and to patronise both Brahmanical and Jain institutions, issuing Sanskrit charters that document early administrative practice Correct answer.
  2. They established the Vijayanagara empire after defeating the Delhi Sultanate
  3. They issued the first Kannada coins and abolished Sanskrit epigraphy
  4. They introduced Islam to the Deccan and built the first mosques at Hampi

Explanation

The Kadambas ruled from Banavasi in Uttara Kannada and issued Sanskrit copper-plate charters that record grants to Brahmanical and Jain beneficiaries, illuminating early state formation and religious patronage. Their reign, together with that of the Gangas, set the institutional pattern later dynasties inherited.

Question 23History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The social and religious reform embedded in the twelfth-century Vachana literature of Karnataka is best understood as

  1. a Vaishnava movement that rejected the authority of the Vedas
  2. a court-sponsored Sanskrit revival that reinforced Vedic ritual hierarchy
  3. a Buddhist monastic reform centred on Sannati
  4. a vernacular Shaiva movement associated with Basavanna and the Sharanas that questioned caste and ritual mediation Correct answer.

Explanation

The Vachanas were composed in Kannada by Basavanna, Akkamahadevi, Allama Prabhu and other Sharanas, and they articulated a Shaiva devotion that challenged caste hierarchy, image worship and priestly mediation. Their use of everyday language made the movement a landmark in Kannada literature and social thought.

Question 24History and Cultural Heritage of India, with special reference to Karnataka

The Amuktamalyada, a Telugu work on statecraft and devotion, was composed by which Vijayanagara emperor, whose court also patronised the Kannada poet Nandi Thimmana's contemporaries?

  1. Bukka Raya I
  2. Devaraya I
  3. Krishnadevaraya Correct answer.
  4. Harihara II

Explanation

Krishnadevaraya authored the Amuktamalyada in Telugu, a work combining political counsel with devotion to Vishnu, and his court hosted the ashtadiggajas. His reign is regarded as a high point of multilingual literary patronage in Vijayanagara, including Kannada and Sanskrit works.

Question 25Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Under the Constitution of India, the power to decide whether a member of a State Legislative Assembly has incurred disqualification under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection) is exercised by whom?

  1. The Governor of the State
  2. The Election Commission of India
  3. The Speaker of that Legislative Assembly Correct answer.
  4. The Chief Minister of the State

Explanation

Paragraph 6 of the Tenth Schedule vests the decision on defection in the presiding officer of the House, so for a State Legislative Assembly it is the Speaker. The Supreme Court in Kihoto Hollohan held that this decision is subject to judicial review, but the initial adjudicating authority remains the Speaker.

Question 26Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which writ is issued by a court to a public authority commanding it to perform a public duty that it has failed or refused to perform?

  1. Habeas corpus
  2. Mandamus Correct answer.
  3. Quo warranto
  4. Certiorari

Explanation

Mandamus literally means 'we command' and lies to compel performance of a public or statutory duty that the authority has neglected. It is available against public bodies and officers, not against private individuals or the President and Governors in their discretionary functions.

Question 27Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The Fundamental Duties of citizens were inserted into the Constitution by which amendment, and on whose recommendation?

  1. 44th Amendment, on the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission
  2. 73rd Amendment, on the recommendation of the L.M. Singhvi Committee
  3. 42nd Amendment, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee Correct answer.
  4. 52nd Amendment, on the recommendation of the Dinesh Goswami Committee

Explanation

Part IVA containing Article 51A was inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, acting on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. The duties are non-justiciable and were intended to complement the Fundamental Rights chapter.

Question 28Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

A Bill passed by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is pending in the Legislative Council, and the Council rejects it. Which of the following best describes the constitutional position?

  1. The Governor must refer the Bill to the President for assent
  2. The Bill is deemed passed because the Assembly has the final say on Money Bills only
  3. The Bill lapses automatically on rejection by the Council
  4. The Assembly may pass the Bill again and send it to the Council, which must return it within one month Correct answer.

Explanation

For an ordinary Bill in a bicameral State legislature, the Council can delay but cannot defeat the will of the Assembly. Under Article 197, if the Council rejects the Bill, the Assembly may pass it again and send it back, and the Council must return it within one month; thereafter the Assembly may deem it passed by both Houses.

Question 29Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Under Article 356, when can the President assume the functions of the government of a State?

  1. Only when a national emergency under Article 352 is already in force
  2. Whenever the ruling party loses a by-election in the State
  3. On receipt of a report from the Governor or otherwise, if satisfied that the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution Correct answer.
  4. Only after a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by a special majority

Explanation

Article 356 permits President's Rule when the President is satisfied, on the Governor's report or otherwise, that the constitutional machinery in a State has failed. The Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai held that this satisfaction is subject to judicial review and that the floor of the House is the proper forum to test majority.

Question 30Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which body recommends the distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States under Article 280?

  1. The Inter-State Council
  2. The Comptroller and Auditor General
  3. The NITI Aayog
  4. The Finance Commission Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 280 provides for a Finance Commission constituted every five years to recommend the vertical devolution of central taxes and the horizontal distribution among States, along with principles governing grants-in-aid. Its recommendations are advisory, but are conventionally accepted by the Union government.

Question 31Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is removed from office in the same manner as which of the following?

  1. The Attorney General of India
  2. The Chief Election Commissioner
  3. A Judge of the Supreme Court Correct answer.
  4. The Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission

Explanation

Article 148 provides that the CAG can be removed only in the manner and on the grounds prescribed for removal of a Supreme Court judge, that is, proved misbehaviour or incapacity through the parliamentary process. This security of tenure is intended to protect the independence of the audit function.

Question 32Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

A private company is entrusted with a statutory public function of issuing licences on behalf of a government department. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about its amenability to writ jurisdiction under Article 226?

  1. It is amenable only if the government holds more than 51 per cent of its shares
  2. It may be amenable if the function performed is public in nature and has statutory backing Correct answer.
  3. It can never be subjected to writ jurisdiction because it is a company
  4. It is amenable only if it is registered under the Companies Act, 2013

Explanation

The Supreme Court has held that the test for writ jurisdiction is the nature of the function rather than the form of the body. A private entity discharging a public function backed by statute can be subjected to Article 226 jurisdiction, as in the case of bodies exercising monopolistic or regulatory functions.

Question 33Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following is a Directive Principle that was added by the 42nd Amendment and directs the State to secure equal justice and free legal aid?

  1. Article 39A Correct answer.
  2. Article 43A
  3. Article 48A
  4. Article 51A

Explanation

Article 39A was inserted by the 42nd Amendment to direct the State to promote equal justice and provide free legal aid to the poor, ensuring that opportunities for securing justice are not denied by economic or other disabilities. It has been the constitutional basis for the Legal Services Authorities Act.

Question 34Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

In the Indian federal scheme, which of the following features is most often cited as evidence of a strong centralising tendency?

  1. The power of States to borrow from the Reserve Bank of India
  2. The separate electoral rolls maintained by States
  3. The appointment of the Governor by the President and the Governor's report under Article 356 Correct answer.
  4. The existence of a bicameral legislature in some States

Explanation

The Governor is appointed by the President and acts as the Union's representative in the State, and the Governor's report can trigger President's Rule. Together with provisions like Article 200 reservation of Bills and Article 201, this is cited by scholars as evidence of a union-leaning federal structure.

Question 35Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The concept of 'basic structure' of the Constitution was first articulated in which case?

  1. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala Correct answer.
  2. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
  3. Minerva Mills v. Union of India
  4. Golaknath v. State of Punjab

Explanation

In Kesavananda Bharati (1973), a thirteen-judge bench held that Parliament's amending power under Article 368 is wide but cannot destroy the basic structure of the Constitution. Later decisions applied this doctrine to strike down provisions of the 42nd Amendment.

Question 36Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, an applicant whose request is not responded to within the prescribed period is deemed to have had the request refused, and may file a first appeal. Within what period must the first appeal ordinarily be decided?

  1. 60 days from the date of filing
  2. 30 days from the date of filing Correct answer.
  3. 15 days from the date of filing
  4. 45 days from the date of filing

Explanation

Section 19 of the RTI Act provides for a first appeal to an officer senior to the Public Information Officer, and mandates that the appeal be disposed of within thirty days of receipt, extendable by fifteen days for reasons recorded in writing. A second appeal lies to the Information Commission.

Question 37Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, made which of the following mandatory for every Panchayat at the intermediate and district levels?

  1. Conduct of elections by the State Election Commission
  2. Reservation of the office of Chairperson for women in every Panchayat
  3. Direct election of the Chairperson by the Gram Sabha
  4. Constitution of a District Planning Committee Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 243ZD, inserted by the 73rd Amendment, requires every State to constitute a District Planning Committee to consolidate plans prepared by panchayats and municipalities and prepare a draft development plan for the district. Its composition is left to the State legislature.

Question 38Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following is the correct description of the 'doctrine of pleasure' as applied to civil servants in India?

  1. Civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the President or Governor, but Article 311 imposes procedural safeguards before dismissal or removal Correct answer.
  2. The pleasure doctrine applies only to All India Services and not to State services
  3. Civil servants have a right to hold office till superannuation and cannot be removed except by Parliament
  4. The pleasure doctrine has been abolished by the 42nd Amendment

Explanation

Article 310 embodies the English doctrine that public servants hold office during the pleasure of the executive. Article 311 qualifies this by requiring an inquiry and a reasonable opportunity of being heard before dismissal, removal or reduction in rank, so the pleasure is not absolute.

Question 39Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The Election Commission of India, while preparing electoral rolls, must act in accordance with which constitutional provision regarding adult suffrage?

  1. Article 328 read with Article 329
  2. Article 325 read with Article 327
  3. Article 330 read with Article 332
  4. Article 324 read with Article 326 Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 326 establishes adult suffrage as the basis of elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies. Article 324 vests superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission, which prepares rolls to give effect to that franchise.

Question 40Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following best captures the constitutional status of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes?

  1. It is a constitutional body under Article 338 Correct answer.
  2. It is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament
  3. It is a body constituted by a Presidential order under Article 340
  4. It is an advisory body under the Ministry of Social Justice

Explanation

Article 338 provides for a National Commission for Scheduled Castes as a constitutional body, with a chairperson, vice-chairperson and members appointed by the President. It was separated from the earlier combined commission by the 89th Amendment, which also created a separate commission for Scheduled Tribes under Article 338A.

Question 41Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

A State government issues an executive order that conflicts with a law made by Parliament on a subject in the Concurrent List. Which law prevails?

  1. The law made by Parliament, because Article 254 gives primacy to Union law in case of repugnancy unless the State law has received Presidential assent Correct answer.
  2. Neither, because the matter must be referred to the Supreme Court
  3. The State law, because police and public order are State subjects
  4. The State executive order, because it is later in time

Explanation

Article 254 resolves repugnancy in the Concurrent List by giving primacy to Union law, unless the State law has been reserved for and received the President's assent. Even then, Parliament may later legislate and override the State law.

Question 42Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following is true about the ordinance-making power of the Governor under Article 213?

  1. The Governor may promulgate an ordinance only when the Legislative Assembly is not in session and immediate action is necessary, and it must be laid before the House Correct answer.
  2. The Governor must obtain prior approval of the President before promulgating any ordinance
  3. The Governor may promulgate an ordinance at any time without any limitation
  4. An ordinance promulgated by the Governor remains valid indefinitely once approved by the Council of Ministers

Explanation

Article 213 permits the Governor to promulgate ordinances only when both Houses are not in session (or either House where there is one) and circumstances require immediate action. Every such ordinance must be laid before the legislature and ceases to operate six weeks after reassembly unless approved earlier.

Question 43Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Consider a situation where the President of India is unable to discharge functions owing to illness, and the Vice-President is also unavailable. Who discharges the functions of the President?

  1. The Chief Justice of India Correct answer.
  2. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  3. The senior-most Governor of a State
  4. The Attorney General of India

Explanation

Article 65 provides that when the Vice-President is acting as President or when his office is vacant, the Chief Justice of India, or in his absence the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court available, discharges the functions of the President. Parliament has also enacted the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969 to give effect to this.

Question 44Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The principle that administrative discretion must be exercised reasonably and not arbitrarily, and that every administrative action must have a rational nexus to the object of the statute, is best described as which doctrine?

  1. Doctrine of proportionality Correct answer.
  2. Doctrine of colourable legislation
  3. Doctrine of legitimate expectation
  4. Doctrine of pith and substance

Explanation

The doctrine of proportionality requires that administrative action restricting rights be proportionate to the objective sought, with a rational nexus between the measure and the aim. Indian courts have applied it in service, environmental and fundamental rights cases to test arbitrariness.

Question 45Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following is the principal function of the Union Public Service Commission under Article 320?

  1. To frame the rules of business for the Union government
  2. To conduct examinations for appointment to the services of the Union and to advise on methods of recruitment Correct answer.
  3. To approve the annual budget of the Union government
  4. To adjudicate disputes between the Union and the States

Explanation

Article 320 assigns the UPSC the duty to conduct examinations for appointments to Union services and to advise the President on matters relating to recruitment, promotions and transfers. Its advice is not binding, but the President must place the reasons for any departure before Parliament.

Question 46Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following statements about the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill is correct?

  1. The Finance Bill is introduced in the Rajya Sabha, while the Appropriation Bill is introduced in the Lok Sabha
  2. Both are Money Bills and can be introduced in either House
  3. The Appropriation Bill authorises withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund, while the Finance Bill gives effect to the taxation proposals of the budget Correct answer.
  4. The Appropriation Bill cannot be introduced until the Finance Bill is passed by both Houses

Explanation

The Appropriation Bill, under Article 114, authorises the executive to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India for the purposes voted by the Lok Sabha. The Finance Bill, under Article 110, contains the taxation proposals and is certified as a Money Bill by the Speaker.

Question 47Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the constitutional process for removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court?

  1. Motion in either House, inquiry by a committee, and removal by the President
  2. Address by both Houses in the same session to the President, followed by an order of the President Correct answer.
  3. Recommendation of the Chief Justice of India and approval by the Cabinet
  4. Address by both Houses in the same session, investigation by a committee, and order of the President

Explanation

Article 124(4) permits removal only on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity, on an address by each House of Parliament supported by a special majority in the same session, followed by the President's order. The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 lays down the procedure for investigation of the charges.

Question 48Indian Polity, Constitution, Governance and Public Administration

The concept of 'social audit' in the context of rural governance in Karnataka is most closely associated with which of the following?

  1. Audit of Panchayat accounts by the Comptroller and Auditor General
  2. Review of State public sector undertakings by the Public Accounts Committee
  3. Annual inspection of schools by the Department of Public Instruction
  4. Public verification of works and expenditure under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Correct answer.

Explanation

Social audit under MGNREGA involves public verification of works, muster rolls and expenditure by the beneficiaries themselves, with the audit report placed before the Gram Sabha. It is a participatory accountability mechanism distinct from the statutory audit by the CAG.

Question 49Indian Economy, Economic Development and Karnataka Economy

Karnataka's Gross State Domestic Product is most commonly estimated at factor cost by which agency?

  1. NITI Aayog, New Delhi
  2. Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Karnataka Correct answer.
  3. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India
  4. Reserve Bank of India, Bengaluru regional office

Explanation

State income estimates, including GSDP at constant and current prices, are compiled by the state's own Directorate of Economics and Statistics. The Reserve Bank of India publishes state finances and some aggregates but does not compute GSDP. NITI Aayog and the Commerce Ministry do not prepare state domestic product series.

Question 50Indian Economy, Economic Development and Karnataka Economy

The primary sector's share in Karnataka's GSVA has declined mainly because of which structural process?

  1. A fall in the absolute value of agricultural output
  2. A collapse in the state's foodgrain yields
  3. A shift of output and employment towards services and manufacturing Correct answer.
  4. The withdrawal of the state from irrigation investment

Explanation

Structural transformation means the primary sector's relative share falls as secondary and tertiary activities expand faster, even when farm output grows in absolute terms. Karnataka's services sector, especially IT and business services, has expanded rapidly. Absolute agricultural output has generally risen, so the decline is relative rather than absolute.