UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Understanding the political voice of India’s workforce

Q1. The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), which pioneered election-survey research in India and now hosts the Lokniti programme, was founded in 1963 by which one of the following?

  • A. Rajni Kothari
  • B. Ashis Nandy
  • C. Yogendra Yadav
  • D. D. L. Sheth

Q2. In the Lokniti-CSDS NES 2024, the occupation-wise findings are drawn from a 'post-poll' survey. Which one of the following best describes a post-poll survey?

  • A. A survey of a sample of voters, drawn from the electoral rolls and interviewed after the election, usually at their homes
  • B. A survey of voters interviewed just outside the polling booth immediately after they have cast their votes on polling day
  • C. A pre-election projection of the likely seat share of parties based on sampling before voting begins
  • D. A survey confined to contesting candidates and party workers conducted after the results are declared

Q3. According to the Lokniti-CSDS NES 2024 occupation-wise data, among the following categories the highest proportion of women was found in which one?

  • A. Business
  • B. Salaried employment
  • C. Skilled work
  • D. Housewives/househusbands

Q4. In the NES 2024 analysis, the category recording the greatest political passivity is described as unpaid domestic workers. Which one of the following best captures the meaning of 'unpaid domestic work'?

  • A. Work performed without wages within one's own household, typically excluded from conventional labour-force employment measures
  • B. Wage work in the informal sector for which social-security benefits are not provided by the employer
  • C. Self-employment in an unincorporated household enterprise engaged in the sale of goods and services
  • D. Casual daily-wage labour in the unorganised sector that is not covered by any labour legislation

Q5. With reference to the gender composition of occupational categories in the Lokniti-CSDS NES 2024, which of the following are correctly identified?

  1. Men accounted for about 87% of those engaged in business.
  2. Women constituted about 95% of the housewives/househusbands category.
  3. Among students, the male-to-female split was about 58:42.
  4. Women formed the majority in salaried employment.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q6. In the standard political-science typology that treats voting as only one mode of political participation (the others including campaign activity, contacting officials, and protest/communitarian action), how many broad modes are commonly distinguished?

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

Q7. Which one of the following bodies pioneered academic election-survey research in India and conducted the first National Election Study in the country?

  • A. Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)
  • B. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)
  • C. Election Commission of India (ECI)
  • D. Centre for Media Studies (CMS)

Q8. With reference to the classification of India's workforce, which of the following are correctly identified?

  1. The unorganised sector consists of enterprises whose activities are not regulated under any legal provision and/or which do not maintain regular accounts.
  2. The informal sector consists of unincorporated private enterprises with fewer than ten total workers.
  3. About 92% of India's workforce is engaged in informal employment.
  4. Employment and unemployment data in India are collected primarily through the decadal Census conducted by the Registrar General of India.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4