UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The burden of the new Chief Minister

Q1. With reference to persons who have held the office of Chief Minister of Bihar since 1990, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Lalu Prasad Yadav first became Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990.
  2. Rabri Devi succeeded Lalu Prasad Yadav as Chief Minister in 1997.
  3. Jitan Ram Manjhi held the office of Chief Minister between Nitish Kumar's tenures during 2014–2015.
  4. Samrat Chaudhary, who became Chief Minister in 2026, is a leader of the Janata Dal (United).
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 3
  • D. 4 only

Q2. Who is the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar?

  • A. Nitish Kumar
  • B. Lalu Prasad Yadav
  • C. Rabri Devi
  • D. Jitan Ram Manjhi

Q3. Regarding the constitutional position of a Chief Minister vis-à-vis membership of the State Legislature and Parliament, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A Chief Minister must be a member of the State Legislature, and under Article 164(4) a Minister who is not a member of the State Legislature for six consecutive months ceases to hold office.
  2. Under Article 101(2), a person chosen a member of both Parliament and a State Legislature must vacate the State seat within the prescribed period, failing which the parliamentary seat falls vacant.
  3. A sitting member of a State Legislative Assembly automatically retains the assembly seat upon being elected to the Rajya Sabha.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. With reference to constitutional provisions relating to the State executive, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?

  1. Article 164 — appointment of the Chief Minister and other Ministers by the Governor.
  2. Article 163 — Council of Ministers to aid and advise the Governor.
  3. Article 164(1A) — ceiling on the size of the Council of Ministers at 15% of the strength of the Legislative Assembly.
  4. Article 243 — appointment of a Chief Minister to the Rajya Sabha.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 4 only

Q5. The Mandal Commission (Second Backward Classes Commission), set up in 1979, was chaired by whom?

  • A. B. P. Mandal
  • B. Kaka Kalelkar
  • C. V. P. Singh
  • D. Morarji Desai

Q6. Which one of the following best describes the principal mandate given to the Mandal Commission (1979)?

  • A. To identify the socially and educationally backward classes and recommend measures for their advancement
  • B. To delimit territorial constituencies on the basis of the latest census
  • C. To recommend the distribution of net proceeds of central taxes between the Union and the States
  • D. To review the working of the Constitution and recommend amendments

Q7. The e-Shram portal, which maintains a National Database of Unorganised Workers including inter-State migrant workers, is operated by which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Labour and Employment
  • B. Ministry of Rural Development
  • C. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Q8. With reference to the e-Shram portal for unorganised and migrant workers, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to create a National Database of Unorganised Workers, including migrant workers.
  2. It provides each registered worker a Universal Account Number on a self-declaration basis, free of cost.
  3. Registration on the e-Shram portal is restricted to workers employed in the organised sector.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. As recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission for the period 2021–26, what percentage of the net proceeds of shareable central taxes is devolved to the States (vertical devolution)?

  • A. 41%
  • B. 42%
  • C. 32%
  • D. 50%

Q10. With reference to Samrat Chaudhary, who became Chief Minister of Bihar in 2026, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. He belongs to the Kushwaha (Koeri) community, an Other Backward Class.
  2. He served as a Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar before becoming Chief Minister.
  3. He is a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
  4. He is the founder-president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 3 only

Q11. With reference to liquor prohibition in Bihar, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, enforcing complete prohibition of liquor, came into force in 2016 during Nitish Kumar's tenure.
  2. Under the law, the manufacture, sale, possession and consumption of liquor are prohibited in the State.
  3. The Act enforcing complete prohibition was enacted during the chief ministership of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. In the context of Bihar politics, the term 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The opposition coalition led by the RJD with the Congress and, at various times, the JD(U), formed against the BJP-led NDA
  • B. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar
  • C. A front of Left parties contesting the Bihar Assembly elections
  • D. A power-sharing pact between the JD(U) and the BJP formed in 2005