UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Support women’s quota law amendments: PM to parties

Q1. By which one of the following was one-third reservation for women first provided in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies?

  • A. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023
  • B. The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019
  • C. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Amendment) Act, 2023
  • D. The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992

Q2. Under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, the provision that one-third reservation for women 'shall apply also to the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes' is best understood as which one of the following?

  • A. Within the seats already reserved for SC and ST, one-third are additionally reserved for women of those communities
  • B. One-third of women's seats are transferred to SC and ST candidates of either sex
  • C. SC and ST women are exempted from the one-third women's quota and counted separately
  • D. One-third of general seats are converted into SC/ST seats to accommodate women

Q3. With reference to the earlier attempts to enact women's reservation, consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution (Eighty-first Amendment) Bill, 1996 was examined by a Joint Committee of Parliament chaired by Geeta Mukherjee. 2. The 2008 Women's Reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha but lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. 3. Every earlier women's reservation Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha but was invariably rejected by the Rajya Sabha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Constitution (Eighty-first Amendment) Bill, 1996 was examined by a Joint Committee of Parliament chaired by Geeta Mukherjee.
  2. The 2008 Women's Reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha but lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
  3. Every earlier women's reservation Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha but was invariably rejected by the Rajya Sabha.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Which one of the following was the first women's reservation Bill introduced in Parliament?

  • A. The Constitution (Eighty-first Amendment) Bill, 1996
  • B. The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Bill, 1998
  • C. The Constitution (Eighty-fifth Amendment) Bill, 1999
  • D. The Women's Reservation Bill, 2008

Q5. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and its accompanying Bills seek to carry out delimitation on the basis of which Census?

  • A. The 2011 Census
  • B. The 2027 Census
  • C. The 2021 Census
  • D. The 1971 Census

Q6. With reference to the three Bills introduced in the Lok Sabha in April 2026, consider the following pairings of Bill and purpose: 1. Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — amends provisions governing Lok Sabha composition and delimitation. 2. Delimitation Bill, 2026 — establishes the machinery to redraw constituencies using the 2011 Census. 3. Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — extends the provisions to Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. 4. Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — raises the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha to 850. Which of the pairings given above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — amends provisions governing Lok Sabha composition and delimitation.
  2. Delimitation Bill, 2026 — establishes the machinery to redraw constituencies using the 2011 Census.
  3. Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — extends the provisions to Puducherry, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir.
  4. Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — raises the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha to 850.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. Consider the following provisions relating to delimitation and their described functions: 1. Article 82 — readjustment of the allocation of Lok Sabha seats after each census. 2. Article 170 — composition of the State Legislative Assemblies. 3. The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001 — extension of the delimitation freeze until the first census after 2026. 4. Article 331 — freezing of seat allocation on the basis of the 1971 Census. Which of the pairings given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Article 82 — readjustment of the allocation of Lok Sabha seats after each census.
  2. Article 170 — composition of the State Legislative Assemblies.
  3. The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001 — extension of the delimitation freeze until the first census after 2026.
  4. Article 331 — freezing of seat allocation on the basis of the 1971 Census.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to the constitutional freeze on delimitation, consider the following statements: 1. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 froze the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among the States on the basis of the 1971 Census. 2. The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001 extended this freeze until the first census taken after the year 2026. 3. The Constitution (Eighty-seventh Amendment) Act, 2003 provided for delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the 1991 Census. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 froze the allocation of Lok Sabha seats among the States on the basis of the 1971 Census.
  2. The Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001 extended this freeze until the first census taken after the year 2026.
  3. The Constitution (Eighty-seventh Amendment) Act, 2003 provided for delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the 1991 Census.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The three Bills of 2026 to amend the women's reservation law and enable delimitation on the 2011 Census were introduced and piloted in the Lok Sabha by which Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Law and Justice
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • D. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

Q10. Who replied on behalf of the Government to the Lok Sabha discussion on the Delimitation Bill, 2026, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026?

  • A. The Union Home Minister
  • B. The Union Minister of Law and Justice
  • C. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  • D. The Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

Q11. Consider the following matters. When effected through a constitutional amendment under Article 368, which of them require ratification by the legislatures of not less than one-half of the States? 1. Any change in the manner of election of the President of India. 2. Any change in the representation of States in the Rajya Sabha. 3. Any change in the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States. 4. Any amendment of the Fundamental Rights in Part III. Which of the above are correctly identified as requiring State ratification?

  1. Any change in the manner of election of the President of India.
  2. Any change in the representation of States in the Rajya Sabha.
  3. Any change in the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States.
  4. Any amendment of the Fundamental Rights in Part III.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q12. In India, reservation of one-third of the seats for women in Panchayats and Municipalities was provided by which one of the following?

  • A. The Constitution (73rd and 74th Amendment) Acts, 1992
  • B. The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023
  • C. The Constitution (65th Amendment) Act, 1990
  • D. The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976