UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Govt. sends feelers to Opposition on women’s quota Act implementation

Q1. In the context of the recent Government–Opposition consultations on advancing women's political reservation, the term 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' refers to which one of the following?

• A. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 reserving nearly one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies
• B. A central sector savings scheme offering enhanced interest to women depositors through India Post
• C. A scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development for skill-building of adolescent girls
• D. A statute providing for reservation of women in central government Group-A services

Q2. As per the Delimitation Bill, 2026 introduced to operationalise the women's reservation under the 106th Amendment, the actual delimitation of constituencies is to be carried out by which one of the following?

• A. The Election Commission of India acting suo motu
• B. A Delimitation Commission constituted by the Central Government
• C. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
• D. A parliamentary standing committee chaired by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Q3. With reference to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, consider the following provisions: 1. Insertion of Article 330A providing reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. 2. Insertion of Article 332A providing reservation for women in State Legislative Assemblies. 3. Amendment of Article 239AA extending the reservation to the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. 4. Insertion of Article 243D providing reservation for women in Panchayats. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified as introduced by the 106th Amendment Act, 2023?

1. Insertion of Article 330A providing reservation for women in the Lok Sabha.
2. Insertion of Article 332A providing reservation for women in State Legislative Assemblies.
3. Amendment of Article 239AA extending the reservation to the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
4. Insertion of Article 243D providing reservation for women in Panchayats.

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

Q4. Under the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, the actual coming into effect of women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is conditioned upon which one of the following events?

• A. Ratification of the Act by not less than one-half of the State Legislatures
• B. Completion of the first Census taken after the commencement of the Act and the subsequent delimitation exercise
• C. Issuance of a Presidential notification under Article 334 after concurrence of the Election Commission
• D. Completion of delimitation based on the 1971 Census as frozen by the 84th Amendment

Q5. With reference to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It removes the requirement that women's reservation be based on the first census taken after the commencement of the 106th Amendment Act, 2023. 2. It raises the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 members. 3. It enables the next delimitation of constituencies to be carried out on the basis of the 2011 Census. 4. It reserves one-third of the seats in the Rajya Sabha for women. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. It removes the requirement that women's reservation be based on the first census taken after the commencement of the 106th Amendment Act, 2023.
2. It raises the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 members.
3. It enables the next delimitation of constituencies to be carried out on the basis of the 2011 Census.
4. It reserves one-third of the seats in the Rajya Sabha for women.

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