UPSC Prelims 2026 Q58: Starred vs Unstarred Questions — Explained
Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members in the Parliament of India:
1. Unstarred questions are those to which a Member desires an oral answer in the House.
2. Starred questions are those to which a Member desires a written answer.
3. No supplementary question can be asked on an unstarred question.
Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?
- All the three statements are correct.
- There are two correct statements, that include statement 2.
- There is only one correct statement.
- There is no correct statement.
Answer: (c) There is only one correct statement.
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: incorrect — This is the definition of a starred question, not an unstarred one. Lok Sabha's own guide says an unstarred question is one 'to which written answer is desired by the member' and the answer is 'deemed to be laid on the Table of the House' by the Minister. It is never called for oral answer on the floor.
- 2: incorrect — This reverses the two definitions. A starred question is one to which a Member wants an oral answer from the Minister in the House, and the Member marks it with an asterisk (*). That asterisk is where the name 'starred' comes from.
- 3: correct — An unstarred question is answered in writing and is not taken up orally in the House, so there is no exchange on the floor. Lok Sabha's rules say 'no supplementary question can be asked thereon'. Supplementary questions can follow only the oral answer to a starred question or a short notice question, and only with the Speaker's permission.
How to eliminate
Statements 1 and 2 are mirror images. Each one swaps the oral and written labels. Both cannot be true, so if you know only that 'starred = oral' (the asterisk asks for the floor), both fall at once. That rules out the options that need two or three correct statements, and the answer is either 'one correct' or 'none correct'. Statement 3 then decides it. Ask what a supplementary question is: a follow-up asked on the floor after a Minister's spoken reply. An unstarred question has no spoken reply, so a supplementary is impossible. Statement 3 is therefore true. The fact to remember: Starred means oral answer, an asterisk, and supplementaries allowed. Unstarred means written answer, laid on the Table, and no supplementaries.
Know more
Question Hour is usually the first hour of a sitting. Members use it to question Ministers on any part of administration, which makes it a daily tool for holding the executive to account. In 2014 the Rajya Sabha moved its Question Hour from 11 a.m. to noon to reduce disruptions.
| Type | Answer | Mark / notice | Supplementaries? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starred | Oral, by the Minister in the House | Asterisk (*) put by the Member | Yes, with the Chair's permission |
| Unstarred | Written, deemed laid on the Table | No asterisk | No |
| Short notice | Oral | Notice shorter than the normal period; urgent public matter; presiding officer's discretion | Yes |
Key procedural facts (Lok Sabha):
- A Member must normally give at least 15 clear days' notice of a question. The Speaker can relax this.
- Each sitting lists 20 starred and 230 unstarred questions, chosen by ballot.
- After an oral answer, the Member who asked the question may ask two supplementaries. Other Members may ask one each if the Chair allows.
- A question can also be addressed to a private Member if it relates to a Bill, resolution or other matter for which that Member is responsible.
Related devices:
- Half-an-hour discussion: a short debate on a matter of public importance that arose from an answer and needs more explanation.
- Zero Hour: an Indian innovation from Parliament's early years. It began in the noon–1 p.m. slot before the lunch break, when Members raise urgent matters without the usual notice. It is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.
The tested contrast is almost always the same: oral answer with follow-ups versus written answer with none.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Starred question: Statement 2 turns on what kind of answer a Member asks for when they mark a question with an asterisk.
- Unstarred question: Statements 1 and 3 both depend on how an unstarred question is answered and what follows that answer.
- Question Hour: Both kinds of question belong to Question Hour, so knowing how that hour runs helps you test each statement.
- Short notice question: Short notice questions are the third type and are often confused with the two types in this question.
- Half-an-hour discussion: This is another follow-up device built on answers to questions. Do not confuse it with supplementary questions.