UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Murmu gives assent to Bill to rename Kerala as Keralam

Q1. Consider the following statements comparing the constitutional provisions invoked for altering the name of a State with other provisions of the Constitution: 1. A law made by Parliament altering the name of a State, in so far as it effects an amendment of the First Schedule, is not deemed to be an amendment of the Constitution for the purposes of Article 368. 2. While Article 3 deals with the formation of new States and the alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States, Article 2 deals with the admission or establishment of new States into the Union. 3. A Bill for the alteration of the name of a State can be introduced only in the Rajya Sabha, since it affects the interests of the States. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A law made by Parliament altering the name of a State, in so far as it effects an amendment of the First Schedule, is not deemed to be an amendment of the Constitution for the purposes of Article 368.
  2. While Article 3 deals with the formation of new States and the alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States, Article 2 deals with the admission or establishment of new States into the Union.
  3. A Bill for the alteration of the name of a State can be introduced only in the Rajya Sabha, since it affects the interests of the States.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. The prior recommendation of which one of the following is the sole precondition for the introduction in Parliament of a Bill to alter the name of an existing State?

  • A. The President of India, acting on the aid and advice of the Union Council of Ministers
  • B. The Governor of the State whose name is proposed to be altered
  • C. The Inter-State Council constituted by the President under Article 263
  • D. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, in consultation with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha

Q3. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 gives effect to the renaming by amending the entry relating to Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution, which is the Schedule that:

  • A. lists the States and the Union territories together with a description of their territories
  • B. allocates the seats in the Council of States to the States and the Union territories
  • C. enumerates the languages recognised by the Constitution for official purposes
  • D. prescribes the forms of oaths and affirmations for constitutional functionaries

Q4. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 was passed first by which one of the following?

  • A. The Lok Sabha, which was also the House in which the Bill was introduced
  • B. The Rajya Sabha, from which the Bill was thereafter transmitted to the Lok Sabha
  • C. The Kerala Legislative Assembly, whose passage of the Bill preceded its introduction in Parliament
  • D. A joint sitting of both Houses convened by the President to resolve the disagreement

Q5. Consider the following pairs of enactments and the renamings they effected: 1. Uttaranchal (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006 — Uttaranchal became Uttarakhand 2. Pondicherry (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006 — Pondicherry became Puducherry with effect from 1 October 2006 3. Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, 2011 — Mysore became Karnataka 4. Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 — enacted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly and assented to by the Governor of Kerala Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Uttaranchal (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006 — Uttaranchal became Uttarakhand
  2. Pondicherry (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006 — Pondicherry became Puducherry with effect from 1 October 2006
  3. Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, 2011 — Mysore became Karnataka
  4. Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 — enacted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly and assented to by the Governor of Kerala
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q6. Of the renamings of Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand, Pondicherry to Puducherry, Orissa to Odisha and Mysore to Karnataka, how many were effected by enactments of the year 2006?

  • A. Only one
  • B. Only two
  • C. Only three
  • D. All four

Q7. How many Union territories were created by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956?

  • A. Three
  • B. Five
  • C. Six
  • D. Nine

Q8. A Bill to alter the name of a State entered in the First Schedule of the Constitution is sponsored and piloted in Parliament by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which handles Centre-State and territorial matters
  • B. The Ministry of Law and Justice, through its Legislative Department
  • C. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, which manages Government business in Parliament
  • D. The Ministry of Culture, which deals with matters of heritage and nomenclature

Q9. Besides the Ministry of Home Affairs, the proposal to alter the name of the State of Kerala was cleared before Cabinet approval by which one of the following?

  • A. The Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • B. The Department of Personnel and Training of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
  • C. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances of the same Ministry
  • D. The Department of Official Language, which is itself a department of the Ministry of Home Affairs

Q10. Under the proviso to Article 3, the reference of such a Bill to the Legislature of the State concerned requires that Legislature to:

  • A. express its views on the Bill within the period allowed, such views not binding Parliament
  • B. accord its consent by a resolution passed by a majority of the total membership of the House
  • C. ratify the enactment after both Houses of Parliament have passed the Bill
  • D. recommend the Bill to the Governor for reservation for the consideration of the President

Q11. Which one of the following was the first formal step in the process that culminated in the renaming of Kerala as Keralam?

  • A. A resolution of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, adopted in June 2024
  • B. The Union Cabinet's approval of the renaming proposal on 24 February 2026
  • C. The President's reference of the Bill to the State Legislature for its views
  • D. The introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2026 by the Home Ministry

Q12. Consider the following statements comparing the renaming of a State with the renaming of a city or town in India: 1. A change in the name of a city is given effect by a Gazette notification issued by the State Government concerned after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs conveys its 'No Objection'. 2. A change in the name of a State takes effect only after the Legislature of that State ratifies the Act passed by Parliament, whereas no such ratification is necessary for a city. 3. Proposals for changing the names of villages, towns and railway stations are examined by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the agencies concerned. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A change in the name of a city is given effect by a Gazette notification issued by the State Government concerned after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs conveys its 'No Objection'.
  2. A change in the name of a State takes effect only after the Legislature of that State ratifies the Act passed by Parliament, whereas no such ratification is necessary for a city.
  3. Proposals for changing the names of villages, towns and railway stations are examined by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the agencies concerned.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3