UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Nepal’s political shift opens a strategic window for India

Q1. With reference to the prime ministerial contenders in Nepal's March 2026 general election, consider the following party–candidate matchings. Which of the above are correctly identified?

1. 1. Balendra 'Balen' Shah — Rastriya Swatantra Party
2. 2. K P Sharma Oli — Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)
3. 3. Gagan Thapa — Nepali Congress
4. 4. Rabi Lamichhane — Nepali Congress

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 3 and 4

Q2. In Nepal's March 2026 House of Representatives election, which one of the following parties won the single largest number of seats, enabling it to form a government without a coalition?

• A. Rastriya Swatantra Party
• B. Nepali Congress
• C. Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)
• D. Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre)

Q3. Consider the following persons as named prime ministerial contenders in Nepal's March 2026 general election. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

1. 1. Balendra 'Balen' Shah
2. 2. K P Sharma Oli
3. 3. Gagan Thapa
4. 4. Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'

• A. 1 only
• B. 4 only
• C. 3 and 4
• D. 2 only

Q4. How many seats did the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) win under the first-past-the-post (direct voting) system in Nepal's March 2026 House of Representatives election?

• A. 110
• B. 124
• C. 138
• D. 175

Q5. In the context of Nepal's 2026 House of Representatives election, the 'first-past-the-post' system used to fill 165 of the 275 seats refers to which one of the following?

• A. The candidate securing the highest number of votes in a constituency is elected, whether or not it is an absolute majority
• B. Seats are allocated to each party in proportion to its share of the national vote
• C. A candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes, failing which a run-off round is held
• D. Voters rank candidates by preference and the lowest-ranked are eliminated successively until one has a majority