UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Women’s political participation in India

Q1. Which one of the following Articles, as inserted by the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, specifically provides for the reservation of one-third of seats for women in the Legislative Assemblies of the States?

  • A. Article 330A
  • B. Article 331A
  • C. Article 332A
  • D. Article 334A

Q2. With reference to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The 2023 Act made the operationalisation of women's reservation contingent upon the first Census conducted after its commencement, whereas the 2026 Bill seeks to remove this Census-linked precondition. 2. The 2026 Bill proposes to increase the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 888 members. 3. Unlike the 2023 Act, the 2026 Bill extends one-third reservation for women to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2023 Act made the operationalisation of women's reservation contingent upon the first Census conducted after its commencement, whereas the 2026 Bill seeks to remove this Census-linked precondition.
  2. The 2026 Bill proposes to increase the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 888 members.
  3. Unlike the 2023 Act, the 2026 Bill extends one-third reservation for women to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. In the context of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, the term 'rotation' as applied to seats reserved for women refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The reserved seats are re-allotted by rotation among different States in proportion to female population after every general election.
  • B. The reserved seats are allotted by rotation to different constituencies within a State or Union Territory after each subsequent delimitation exercise, as Parliament may by law determine.
  • C. Women candidates from reserved seats are rotated among recognised political parties by the Election Commission of India before every general election.
  • D. One-third of reserved seats rotate between Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and general categories at five-year intervals.

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the provisions of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023: 1. The reservation for women shall cease to have effect on the expiry of a period of fifteen years from its commencement, unless extended by a law made by Parliament. 2. Within the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, one-third of the seats shall be reserved for women belonging to those categories. 3. The Act extends one-third reservation for women to the Council of States. 4. The Act inserts Article 330A to provide for the reservation of seats for women in the House of the People. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as provisions of the Act?

  1. The reservation for women shall cease to have effect on the expiry of a period of fifteen years from its commencement, unless extended by a law made by Parliament.
  2. Within the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, one-third of the seats shall be reserved for women belonging to those categories.
  3. The Act extends one-third reservation for women to the Council of States.
  4. The Act inserts Article 330A to provide for the reservation of seats for women in the House of the People.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam
    NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam

    The notification of Borjuli site in Sonitpur, Assam as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project is a named, verifiable fact. Biodiversity Heritage Sites and wild crop genetic resource conservation are tested Prelims topics.

  • India Advances Global Green Hydrogen Leadership under National Green Hydrogen Mission

    Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a landmark commercial deal for green ammonia and methanol export to Japan (IHI Corporation named) is a concrete outcome. India's green hydrogen ambitions and NGHM are recurring Prelims themes; this adds a factual export-deal hook.

  • NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"
    NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"

    A named NITI Aayog report on Ayurveda's global expansion is testable as a policy document. NITI Aayog reports, AYUSH sector initiatives, and traditional medicine diplomacy are recurring Prelims themes; the report's launch date and authoring body are clean factual hooks.

  • INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND RESPONDS TO PIRACY ATTEMPT ON MV GOLDEN ARSENAL IN THE GULF OF ADEN

    A named Indian Navy anti-piracy operation with specific ship (INS Trikand — identified as a stealth frigate), vessel flag state (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and location (Gulf of Aden) offers testable facts. India's maritime security operations are plausible Prelims hooks but appear occasionally, not frequently.

  • Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat – G-Ram G Act’ from Andhra Pradesh with Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan

    A newly named nationwide scheme launched by the Rural Development ministry that explicitly positions itself as moving 'beyond MGNREGA' is potentially testable. However, the excerpt lacks concrete numbers or statutory grounding, keeping it at 3 rather than 4.

  • MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

    MANAS is a named government digital initiative (national narcotics helpline) with a specific mandate under Nasha Mukt Bharat. Named government portals/helplines with specific functions are tested in Prelims, though this release is a backgrounder without new launch data.

  • VB-G RAM G Act comes into force across the country from today; “A historic day for rural India”: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    The VB-G RAM G Act (likely a renamed/revised MGNREGA or rural employment guarantee framework) came into force across India from July 1, 2026. Key facts: national launch in Tirupati on July 2; revised wage rates notified with no daily wage below ₹300; national average wage increased by over 10%. A new central Act coming into force with specific wage figures is high-priority Prelims material.

  • India Achieves Major Milestone with Approval of Country’s First PinS Instrument Approach Procedure for Helicopter Operations

    DGCA approved India's first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, implemented at Undavalli Heliport (developed by AAI). This is a named first in Indian aviation with a specific location and implementing body — classic Prelims material for science/tech and aviation sections.

  • 11 Years of Digital India: Better Healthcare & Digital Markets Making Lives Easier

    This release contains high-quality testable data: Greece is named as the 10th country to adopt UPI; every second real-time digital transaction globally is processed via India's UPI; 13 lakh Anganwadi workers connected via Poshan Tracker covering 9 crore beneficiaries. Multiple concrete facts that are prime Prelims material.

  • India, EU Advance Cooperation on Sustainable Ship Recycling; Three Indian Yards Ready for EU Recognition

    India has a 35.4% global market share in sustainable ship recycling. Three Indian ship-recycling yards are ready for EU recognition. India committed $8 billion to strengthen shipbuilding and recycling, with a target of recycling 16,000 ships. These are specific, verifiable figures in a sector where India leads globally — strong Prelims material on maritime/shipping sector.

  • GAGAN: Navigating India’s Skies with Precision

    Detailed backgrounder on GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System developed jointly by ISRO and Airports Authority of India (AAI). It enhances GPS accuracy for aviation, is certified to international standards, and supports satellite-based landing approaches. GAGAN is a recurring Prelims topic and this backgrounder consolidates key testable facts about its developers, purpose, and certification status.

  • The Hindu

    Latest PIB

    Latest from The Hindu

    Explore