UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Now, only two young States haven’t had a coalition govt.

Q1. In the 1967 general elections, widely regarded as the watershed that ended Congress dominance, the Congress lost its majority in several major States. With reference to the States that then came under non-Congress ministries in 1967, consider the following. Which one of the above is NOT correctly identified as a State where the Congress lost its majority in 1967?

  1. Uttar Pradesh
  2. Bihar
  3. Kerala
  4. Andhra Pradesh
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q2. The 1967 general elections to the State Legislative Assemblies, in which the Congress lost several States, were conducted, supervised and controlled by which one of the following constitutional authorities?

  • A. The Election Commission of India
  • B. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
  • C. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India
  • D. The Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India

Q3. In the context of Tamil Nadu (then Madras) being cited as the site of the first no-confidence motion in independent India, a 'motion of no-confidence' in a Legislative Assembly is best defined as:

  • A. A motion which, if passed, expresses that the Council of Ministers no longer enjoys the confidence (majority support) of the House
  • B. A motion moved by the ruling party at the start of every session to reaffirm its majority
  • C. A motion by which the Governor withdraws confidence in the Chief Minister and dismisses the ministry
  • D. A motion that automatically dissolves the Assembly the moment it is admitted for discussion

Q4. A motion of no-confidence against a State ministry, of the kind first witnessed in the Madras Assembly, is admitted and put to vote under the authority of which one of the following functionaries?

  • A. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
  • B. The Governor of the State
  • C. The Chief Minister of the State
  • D. The Chief Electoral Officer of the State

Q5. Consider the following pairs of 'young' States and the parent State (and year) from which each was carved. Which one of the pairs above is NOT correctly matched?

  1. Chhattisgarh — carved from Madhya Pradesh (2000)
  2. Uttarakhand — carved from Uttar Pradesh (2000)
  3. Jharkhand — carved from Bihar (2000)
  4. Telangana — carved from Madhya Pradesh (2014)
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q6. In a States Reorganisation / Reorganisation Act (such as the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014), the expression 'appointed day' precisely means:

  • A. The day, notified by the Central Government, on which the newly formed successor State comes into existence
  • B. The day on which the reorganisation Bill is passed by both Houses of Parliament
  • C. The day on which the President gives assent to the reorganisation Bill
  • D. The day on which the first Legislative Assembly of the new State meets

Q7. Following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, C. Joseph Vijay of the TVK was administered the oath of office as the 22nd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Under the Constitution, this oath was administered by which authority?

  • A. The Governor of Tamil Nadu
  • B. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court
  • C. The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
  • D. The President of India

Q8. With reference to Tamil Nadu's experience of coalition and single-party government, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. In the 2026 Assembly election the TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, short of the 118-seat majority mark.
  2. Unlike the 2006 DMK government, which did not induct allies into the Cabinet, the 2026 TVK government inducted Congress, VCK and IUML.
  3. Tamil Nadu's first coalition government of 1952 was led by the DMK.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The 2006 Tamil Nadu government is cited as a minority government — one formed by the single largest party that fell short of a majority yet did not take formal partners into the Cabinet. Which party formed that single-largest-party minority government in 2006?

  • A. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)
  • B. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
  • C. Indian National Congress
  • D. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)

Q10. In 1952 the Congress was reduced to a minority in the Madras Legislative Assembly by a coalition, which is why Rajagopalachari's chief ministership is described as a compromise. That anti-Congress coalition in Madras was led by which party?

  • A. Communist Party of India
  • B. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
  • C. Swatantra Party
  • D. Justice Party

Q11. As reported in 2026 after Tamil Nadu formed its first coalition government, how many of India's 'young' major States are now left as never having had a coalition government?

  • A. Two
  • B. One
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q12. With reference to the anti-defection provisions relevant to the survival of coalition governments on the floor of the House, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) was inserted into the Constitution in 1985.
  2. A legislator who defies the party whip on a vote may face disqualification, whereas a merger supported by at least two-thirds of a party's legislators is exempt from disqualification.
  3. The decision to disqualify a member under the Tenth Schedule rests with the Governor of the State.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3