UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Implement women’s Act without any conditions’
Q1. Under the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, the provision that the one-third reservation of seats for women 'shall also apply to the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes' means that:
- A. one-third of the seats already reserved for SCs and STs shall be further reserved for women belonging to those communities
- B. a fresh one-third quota for SC/ST women is created in addition to the existing SC/ST reserved seats
- C. seats reserved for SCs and STs are kept outside the purview of the women's reservation
- D. one-third of the women's reserved seats are earmarked for SC/ST women irrespective of the community of the constituency
Q2. With reference to the implementation conditionality of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, consider the following statements:
1. The reservation takes effect only after a delimitation exercise carried out on the basis of the first census taken after the Act's commencement.
2. The reserved seats are to be rotated after each delimitation exercise.
3. The reservation is initially to remain in force for 15 years.
4. The one-third reservation took effect from the 2024 Lok Sabha general election.
Which of the above statements is/are NOT correct?
- The reservation takes effect only after a delimitation exercise carried out on the basis of the first census taken after the Act's commencement.
- The reserved seats are to be rotated after each delimitation exercise.
- The reservation is initially to remain in force for 15 years.
- The one-third reservation took effect from the 2024 Lok Sabha general election.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 3 only
Q3. The one-third reservation for women becomes operative only after the census whose data will trigger it. Which authority is responsible for conducting that census?
- A. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs
- B. The National Statistical Office, under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
- C. The Election Commission of India
- D. NITI Aayog
Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 with the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023:
1. Unlike the 106th Amendment Act, which linked the reservation to the first census after its commencement, the 131st Amendment Bill sought to base delimitation on the 2011 Census.
2. The 131st Amendment Bill sought to raise the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha, whereas the 106th Amendment Act did not alter the size of the House.
3. The 131st Amendment Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, whereas the 106th Amendment Bill had been defeated there.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Unlike the 106th Amendment Act, which linked the reservation to the first census after its commencement, the 131st Amendment Bill sought to base delimitation on the 2011 Census.
- The 131st Amendment Bill sought to raise the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha, whereas the 106th Amendment Act did not alter the size of the House.
- The 131st Amendment Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, whereas the 106th Amendment Bill had been defeated there.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposed to raise the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha to how many seats?
Q6. Before the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill of 2023, on how many separate occasions had a Constitution Amendment Bill for reservation of women in Parliament and State Assemblies been introduced?
- A. Two (1996 and 2008)
- B. Three (1996, 1999 and 2008)
- C. Four (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2008)
- D. Five (1996, 1998, 1999, 2008 and 2010)
Q7. Which was the first Constitution Amendment Bill introduced in Parliament seeking reservation of seats for women in the legislatures?
- A. The 81st Amendment Bill, 1996
- B. The 84th Amendment Bill, 1998
- C. The 108th Amendment Bill, 2008
- D. The 128th Amendment Bill, 2023
Q8. In the context of delimitation, Article 82 of the Constitution of India provides for which of the following?
- A. Readjustment of the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among the States and the division of each State into territorial constituencies after every census, upon a law made by Parliament
- B. The total composition and manner of election of the Legislative Assemblies of the States
- C. The maximum and minimum composition of the Lok Sabha and the mode of choosing its members
- D. The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls by the Election Commission
Q9. Consider the following statements comparing reservation for women in local bodies with that under the Women's Reservation Act, 2023:
1. The 73rd and 74th Amendments reserve not less than one-third of the seats for women in Panchayats and Municipalities, while the 106th Amendment reserves one-third in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
2. Reservation for women in Panchayats under Article 243D took effect on the coming into force of the Amendments, whereas the reservation under the 106th Amendment is contingent on a future delimitation.
3. Both the Panchayat reservation and the reservation under the 106th Amendment carry an express sunset period of 15 years.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 73rd and 74th Amendments reserve not less than one-third of the seats for women in Panchayats and Municipalities, while the 106th Amendment reserves one-third in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
- Reservation for women in Panchayats under Article 243D took effect on the coming into force of the Amendments, whereas the reservation under the 106th Amendment is contingent on a future delimitation.
- Both the Panchayat reservation and the reservation under the 106th Amendment carry an express sunset period of 15 years.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. The widely-cited global ranking of countries by the share of women members in the lower or single house of the national parliament - frequently invoked in India's debate on women's reservation - is compiled by which organisation?
- A. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
- B. UN Women
- C. The World Economic Forum
- D. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Q11. The National Coalition for Women's Reservation, which in April 2026 demanded implementation of the Act without census/delimitation preconditions, is reported to comprise approximately how many organisations and activists?
- A. About 200
- B. About 500
- C. About 800
- D. About 1,200