TNPSC Group 1 - Federal relations between centre and state. Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. Which Article of the Indian Constitution deals with the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States?

A) Article 245 B) Article 246 C) Article 247 D) Article 248

2. The Union List (List I) contains subjects on which the Parliament has exclusive power to legislate. How many subjects are currently in the Union List?

A) 97 B) 66 C) 47 D) 100

3. The State List (List II) contains subjects on which the State Legislatures have exclusive power to legislate, except under certain circumstances. How many subjects are currently in the State List?

A) 66 B) 97 C) 47 D) 52

4. The Concurrent List (List III) contains subjects on which both the Union and the States can legislate. If there is a conflict between a Union law and a State law on a subject in the Concurrent List, which law prevails?

A) The State law B) The Union law C) The law made earlier D) The law made later by Parliament

5. Which Article empowers the Parliament to legislate on any matter in the State List in the national interest?

A) Article 249 B) Article 250 C) Article 251 D) Article 252

6. Under what condition can the Parliament legislate on a State subject during a Proclamation of Emergency?

A) With the consent of the President B) If the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution to that effect C) If the Lok Sabha passes a resolution to that effect D) If the Governor of the State requests

7. Article 251 states that laws made by Parliament under Articles 249 and 250 shall prevail over the laws made by the State Legislature. What happens if, after the repeal of the Proclamation of Emergency, a State Legislature makes a law on the same subject?

A) The State law shall prevail B) The Union law shall continue to prevail C) The State law will prevail only if assented to by the President D) Both laws will be invalid

8. Which Article allows the Parliament to legislate for two or more States by agreement?

A) Article 252 B) Article 253 C) Article 254 D) Article 255

9. Article 253 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to make any law for implementing any treaty, international agreement or convention, even if it relates to a subject in the State List. This is an example of encroaching upon state powers for what purpose?

A) National security B) International obligations C) Economic development D) Social welfare

10. What does Article 254 of the Constitution primarily deal with?

A) Distribution of administrative powers B) Supremacy of Union law over State law in case of conflict C) Financial relations between centre and state D) Inter-state water disputes

11. In the context of administrative relations, which Article states that the executive power of every State shall be so exercised as to ensure compliance with the laws made by Parliament and any existing laws which apply in that State?

A) Article 256 B) Article 257 C) Article 258 D) Article 261

12. Which Article empowers the Union to give directions to the States regarding the construction and maintenance of communications of national or military importance?

A) Article 256 B) Article 257 C) Article 258 D) Article 262

13. Under Article 258(1), the President may entrust, with the consent of the State Government, any of the Union's executive functions to the State. This is an example of:

A) Centralization of power B) Delegation of power C) Federalism D) Unitary system

14. Which Article empowers the Union government to entrust its functions to the States?

A) Article 257 B) Article 258 C) Article 259 D) Article 260

15. Article 261 deals with the public acts, records and judicial proceedings of the Union and of the States. How are these generally to be treated?

A) With suspicion B) With full faith and credit C) Subject to review by the Supreme Court D) As per the discretion of the concerned state

16. Which Article provides for the adjudication of inter-State water disputes?

A) Article 261 B) Article 262 C) Article 263 D) Article 264

17. What is the purpose of Article 263 of the Constitution?

A) To establish an Inter-State Council B) To adjudicate water disputes C) To regulate trade and commerce between states D) To ensure uniformity of administrative laws

18. The Inter-State Council is established under which Article of the Constitution?

A) Article 261 B) Article 262 C) Article 263 D) Article 264

19. The Sarkaria Commission (1983) was appointed to examine the issues relating to:

A) Panchayati Raj institutions B) Centre-State relations C) Electoral reforms D) Economic liberalization

20. Which of the following is NOT a recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission regarding Centre-State relations?

A) Strengthening the financial autonomy of states B) Reducing the powers of the Governor C) Making Article 356 more stringent D) Allowing states greater flexibility in borrowing

21. The Punchhi Commission (2007) was established to review:

A) The functioning of the Planning Commission B) Centre-State relations C) The role of the Election Commission D) Disaster management framework

22. A key recommendation of the Punchhi Commission was to limit the use of Article 356 to only exceptional circumstances, emphasizing:

A) Financial emergency B) Breakdown of law and order C) Political instability D) Failure of constitutional machinery

23. Which of the following is a significant aspect of financial relations between the Centre and the States?

A) Exclusive taxing powers of states B) Grant-in-aid by the Centre to states C) States' freedom to borrow from international markets D) Centre's inability to levy taxes on incomes other than agricultural income

24. Article 275 of the Constitution provides for:

A) Grants from the Union to certain States B) Taxes levied and collected by the Union but assigned to the States C) Distribution of duties levied by the Union but collected and appropriated by the States D) Taxes on professions, trades, callings and employments

25. The Finance Commission, constituted under Article 280, plays a crucial role in:

A) Advising the President on matters of national security B) Recommending the distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States C) Appointing the Chief Justice of India D) Regulating inter-state trade

26. Which of the following is a criticism often leveled against the federal structure of India?

A) Excessive autonomy of states B) Over-centralization of powers C) Lack of a strong central government D) Weak provisions for national emergency

27. The concept of 'cooperative federalism' in India emphasizes:

A) Rivalry between the Centre and the States B) Collaboration and mutual trust between the Centre and the States C) The dominance of the Centre over the States D) The independence of the States from the Centre

28. Which of the following is a feature that makes the Indian federal system unique and often described as 'quasi-federal' or 'federal with a strong central bias'?

A) Bicameral legislature at the Centre B) Written Constitution C) Appointment of Governors by the President D) Dual system of government

29. The power to form a new State or alter the boundaries of existing States is vested with:

A) The Parliament by a simple majority B) The Parliament by a special majority C) The President after consulting the concerned State Legislatures D) The concerned State Legislatures

30. Which amendment to the Constitution made significant changes to the Concurrent List, adding subjects like education and forests?

A) 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 B) 44th Amendment Act, 1978 C) 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 D) 74th Amendment Act, 1992

31. Article 257A, which dealt with the power of the Union to deploy forces in aid of civil power in states, was repealed by which amendment?

A) 44th Amendment Act, 1978 B) 55th Amendment Act, 1986 C) 71st Amendment Act, 1992 D) 97th Amendment Act, 2011

32. What is the primary role of the National Development Council (NDC)?

A) To resolve disputes between states B) To mobilize resources for development C) To provide a platform for states to discuss and deliberate on development plans and policies D) To oversee the implementation of international treaties

33. The Zonal Councils are statutory bodies established by the:

A) Constitution of India B) President of India C) Parliament through an Act D) Inter-State Council

34. What is the main objective of the Zonal Councils?

A) To promote national integration and foster cooperative federalism B) To adjudicate inter-state water disputes C) To coordinate economic policies of the states D) To ensure uniform application of laws across different states

35. Which of the following is a major source of friction in Centre-State administrative relations?

A) Appointment of judges to High Courts B) Deployment of central forces in states C) Conduct of elections D) Regulation of inter-state commerce

36. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, established under Article 279A, is an example of:

A) Centralized decision-making B) Fiscal federalism and cooperative federalism C) Unilateral financial imposition D) Inter-state trade regulation

37. What is the constitutional basis for the establishment of the GST Council?

A) Article 246A B) Article 279A C) Article 280 D) Article 301

38. Which of the following is a key feature of the federal relations in India, as established by the Constitution?

A) Equal powers between Centre and States B) Supremacy of the Constitution C) Unilateral power of states to amend the Constitution D) Absence of a judiciary

39. The concept of 'emergency provisions' in the Indian Constitution (Part XVIII) is often cited as an example of:

A) Strengthening state autonomy B) Weakening the federal structure C) Unitary bias in a federal system D) Promoting inter-state cooperation

40. During a National Emergency declared under Article 352, the Union Parliament can legislate on any subject in the State List. This power is derived from:

A) Article 249 B) Article 250 C) Article 253 D) Article 263

41. The recommendations of the Finance Commission are binding on:

A) Neither the Union nor the States B) Only the Union Government C) Only the State Governments D) Both the Union and the State Governments

42. Which of the following is a form of financial assistance provided by the Centre to the States?

A) Statutory grants B) Loans from international bodies C) Taxes on agricultural income D) Custom duties

43. The establishment of All-India Services like the IAS and IPS is often seen as a mechanism for:

A) Enhancing state autonomy B) Strengthening the central administrative machinery C) Promoting inter-state administrative coordination D) Reducing the administrative burden on the Centre

44. Article 293 of the Constitution deals with:

A) Inter-State trade B) Borrowing by States C) Public debt of India D) Taxes on professions

45. Which of the following is a constitutional body that plays a role in coordinating policies and resolving disputes between states?

A) NITI Aayog B) National Human Rights Commission C) Inter-State Council D) National Commission for Backward Classes

46. The demand for greater fiscal autonomy for states is often linked to:

A) The need for more central grants B) The desire to reduce their reliance on central transfers C) The abolition of the Finance Commission D) Increased central control over state finances

47. The distribution of powers between the Union and the States is based on the principle of:

A) Subsidiarity B) Supremacy of the State C) Division of sovereignty D) Cooperative governance

48. Which of the following is a key aspect of the legislative relations between the Centre and the States?

A) Parliament's exclusive power over the State List B) States' ability to legislate on Union List subjects C) The three-fold distribution of legislative powers through the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists D) The President's absolute veto over state laws

49. The Constitution of India establishes a system that is best described as:

A) A purely federal system B) A unitary system C) A quasi-federal system D) A confederal system

50. Which Article empowers the Parliament to create new states or alter the boundaries of existing states?

A) Article 2 B) Article 3 C) Article 4 D) Article 5

Federal relations between centre and state. - Online Test

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