UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chairs 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council (CZC) in Bastar, Chhattisgarh

Q1. With reference to the Zonal Councils and other inter-governmental bodies in India, consider the following statements: 1. While the Zonal Councils derive their existence from a parliamentary statute, the Inter-State Council derives its existence from a provision of the Constitution. 2. Both the Zonal Councils and the North-Eastern Council have been constituted under the same provisions of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. 3. Like the Inter-State Council, the Zonal Councils function in an advisory capacity and are not vested with executive powers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. While the Zonal Councils derive their existence from a parliamentary statute, the Inter-State Council derives its existence from a provision of the Constitution.
2. Both the Zonal Councils and the North-Eastern Council have been constituted under the same provisions of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
3. Like the Inter-State Council, the Zonal Councils function in an advisory capacity and are not vested with executive powers.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. With reference to the statutory framework governing the Zonal Councils in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Zonal Councils were created under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. 2. The Zonal Councils were set up on the recommendation of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. 3. The North-Eastern Council was constituted under the North-Eastern Council Act, 1961. 4. Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 deal with the constitution and functions of the Zonal Councils. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

1. The Zonal Councils were created under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
2. The Zonal Councils were set up on the recommendation of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
3. The North-Eastern Council was constituted under the North-Eastern Council Act, 1961.
4. Sections 15 to 22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 deal with the constitution and functions of the Zonal Councils.

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 1, 2 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. Which one of the following best describes the office of the Vice-Chairman of a Zonal Council constituted under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956?

• A. The senior-most Governor among the member States, holding office for the entire term of the Council
• B. A Chief Minister of one of the member States, holding office by rotation for a period of one year at a time
• C. The Chief Secretary of the host State, holding office until the convening of the next Zonal Council meeting
• D. A Minister of State in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, nominated by the Prime Minister

Q4. With reference to the composition of a Zonal Council under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, consider the following statements: 1. The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of each Zonal Council. 2. Two Ministers from each member State are nominated by the Governor of that State as members of the Council. 3. The Standing Committee of a Zonal Council is constituted at the level of the Chief Secretaries of the member States. 4. The Chief Justice of the High Court of the host State serves as a permanent adviser to the Zonal Council. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The Union Home Minister is the ex-officio Chairman of each Zonal Council.
2. Two Ministers from each member State are nominated by the Governor of that State as members of the Council.
3. The Standing Committee of a Zonal Council is constituted at the level of the Chief Secretaries of the member States.
4. The Chief Justice of the High Court of the host State serves as a permanent adviser to the Zonal Council.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 4 only

Q5. How many States are members of the Central Zonal Council?

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

Q6. Under which one of the following were the five Zonal Councils of India constituted?

• A. Article 263 of the Constitution of India
• B. Part-III of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956
• C. The Inter-State Council Order, 1990
• D. The North-Eastern Council Act, 1971

Q7. With reference to the North Eastern Council (NEC) and the five Zonal Councils, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. While the five Zonal Councils were created under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the North Eastern Council was constituted under a separate Act of Parliament enacted in 1971.
2. Unlike the Zonal Councils, which are chaired by the Union Home Minister, the North Eastern Council is chaired ex-officio by the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
3. Sikkim, which is not a member of any of the five Zonal Councils, was included in the North Eastern Council through an amendment of its parent Act in 2002.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. With reference to the statutory composition of the North Eastern Council (NEC), which of the following states are correctly identified as member states of the NEC?

1. Sikkim
2. West Bengal
3. Tripura
4. Uttarakhand

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 1, 2 and 4
• D. 3 only

Q9. The Central Zonal Council, which held its 26th meeting at Bastar in May 2026, derives its statutory basis from which one of the following?

• A. Article 263 of the Constitution of India
• B. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956
• C. The Inter-State Council Order, 1990
• D. The North-Eastern Council Act, 1971

Q10. With reference to the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council held at Bastar (May 2026) as compared to the 25th meeting of the same Council, consider the following statements: 1. The 26th meeting was held in Chhattisgarh, whereas the 25th meeting had been held in Uttar Pradesh. 2. Unlike previous meetings of the Council, the 26th meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chairperson of the Central Zonal Council on a rotational basis. 3. All agenda items at the 26th meeting were related to the monitoring of development works in the member states. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The 26th meeting was held in Chhattisgarh, whereas the 25th meeting had been held in Uttar Pradesh.
2. Unlike previous meetings of the Council, the 26th meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chairperson of the Central Zonal Council on a rotational basis.
3. All agenda items at the 26th meeting were related to the monitoring of development works in the member states.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. In the SAMADHAN doctrine adopted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to combat Left Wing Extremism, the letter 'D' stands for which one of the following?

• A. Dashboard-based Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Result Areas (KRAs)
• B. Decentralised deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in affected theatres
• C. Development of road, telecom and banking infrastructure in cleared districts
• D. Demobilisation and rehabilitation of surrendered Maoist cadres

Q12. The 'SAMADHAN' doctrine, an eight-pronged strategy to fight Left Wing Extremism, was enunciated by the Union Home Minister at a review meeting of LWE-affected States in which one of the following years?

• A. 2014
• B. 2017
• C. 2019
• D. 2021

Q13. Which one of the following rivers is the principal river draining the Bastar region of southern Chhattisgarh?

• A. Mahanadi
• B. Sabari
• C. Indravati
• D. Wainganga

Q14. With reference to the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, consider the following statements: 1. The Indravati, the principal river of Bastar, originates in Odisha and is a tributary of the Krishna river. 2. Bastar lies on the Dandakaranya plateau, which extends across parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 3. Unlike the tribal areas of the North-Eastern states which are administered under the Sixth Schedule, the tribal areas of Bastar are administered under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, and the PESA Act, 1996 applies there. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Indravati, the principal river of Bastar, originates in Odisha and is a tributary of the Krishna river.
2. Bastar lies on the Dandakaranya plateau, which extends across parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
3. Unlike the tribal areas of the North-Eastern states which are administered under the Sixth Schedule, the tribal areas of Bastar are administered under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, and the PESA Act, 1996 applies there.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q15. According to the Ministry of Cooperation's Year Ender 2025 review, how many major initiatives has the Ministry implemented since it was set up in July 2021?

• A. 64
• B. 84
• C. 114
• D. 144

Q16. The guiding vision 'Sahkar se Samriddhi', under which the Ministry of Cooperation was established in 2021, is best described as which one of the following?

• A. Self-reliance through cooperation
• B. Prosperity through cooperation
• C. Cooperation through reform
• D. Cooperative federalism through prosperity