UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Deservedly dead

Q1. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and its two companion Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha in April 2026 by which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Law and Justice
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Q2. The 'special majority' required to pass a Bill under Article 368(2) of the Constitution means which one of the following?

  • A. A majority of the total membership of the House and a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting
  • B. A majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the House
  • C. A simple majority of the members present and voting in each House
  • D. A majority of not less than three-fourths of the members present and voting

Q3. With reference to the delimitation freeze in India, consider the following: 1. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 froze the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats on the basis of the 1971 Census. 2. The 84th Amendment Act, 2001 extended the freeze while permitting readjustment of constituency boundaries on the basis of the 1991 Census. 3. The 87th Amendment Act, 2003 provided for delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the 2001 Census. 4. Articles 82 and 170 of the Constitution provide for readjustment of seats after each Census. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 froze the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats on the basis of the 1971 Census.
  2. The 84th Amendment Act, 2001 extended the freeze while permitting readjustment of constituency boundaries on the basis of the 1991 Census.
  3. The 87th Amendment Act, 2003 provided for delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the 2001 Census.
  4. Articles 82 and 170 of the Constitution provide for readjustment of seats after each Census.
  • A. 1, 3 and 4
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposed to raise the maximum permissible strength of the Lok Sabha to how many members?

  • A. 850
  • B. 816
  • C. 888
  • D. 790

Q5. Under the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), which was the only Union Territory whose Legislative Assembly was brought within the ambit of the one-third women's reservation?

  • A. National Capital Territory of Delhi
  • B. Puducherry
  • C. Jammu and Kashmir
  • D. Ladakh

Q6. The commencement of women's reservation under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was made contingent on a delimitation exercise following the first Census after the Act, by virtue of which newly inserted Article?

  • A. Article 334A
  • B. Article 330A
  • C. Article 332A
  • D. Article 82

Q7. Under the Delimitation Bill, 2026, the Chairperson of the Delimitation Commission (a serving or retired Supreme Court Judge) was to be appointed by which authority?

  • A. The Central Government
  • B. The Election Commission of India
  • C. The President on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of India
  • D. The Chief Election Commissioner

Q8. Consider the following statements comparing the 2026 delimitation Bills with the existing constitutional position: 1. Unlike the 106th Amendment (2023), which linked women's reservation to the first Census after its commencement, the 131st Amendment Bill, 2026 sought to enable the reservation on the basis of the 2011 Census. 2. Whereas the existing constitutional ceiling fixes the Lok Sabha's maximum strength at 550, the 131st Amendment Bill proposed to raise it to 850. 3. The Delimitation Bill, 2026 proposed to reallocate seats using the 2021 Census as the latest published census. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the 106th Amendment (2023), which linked women's reservation to the first Census after its commencement, the 131st Amendment Bill, 2026 sought to enable the reservation on the basis of the 2011 Census.
  2. Whereas the existing constitutional ceiling fixes the Lok Sabha's maximum strength at 550, the 131st Amendment Bill proposed to raise it to 850.
  3. The Delimitation Bill, 2026 proposed to reallocate seats using the 2021 Census as the latest published census.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. In the Lok Sabha debate, the government cited the following figures under the 50% proportional-increase model of delimitation. Consider them: 1. Karnataka's seats would rise from 28 to 42. 2. The southern States together would rise from 129 to 195 seats. 3. Tamil Nadu's seats would rise to about 42. 4. The southern States' overall share of House seats would remain at about 24%. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Karnataka's seats would rise from 28 to 42.
  2. The southern States together would rise from 129 to 195 seats.
  3. Tamil Nadu's seats would rise to about 42.
  4. The southern States' overall share of House seats would remain at about 24%.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q10. The freeze on inter-State reallocation of Lok Sabha seats — the core of the southern States' representation concern — was, under the 84th Amendment Act, to continue until the first Census taken after which year?

  • A. 2026
  • B. 2001
  • C. 2031
  • D. 2021

Q11. The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 sought to extend the delimitation and women's-reservation framework to the Legislative Assemblies of which of the following?

  • A. Puducherry, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir
  • B. All Union Territories of India without exception
  • C. The National Capital Territory of Delhi only
  • D. Ladakh and Chandigarh