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UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice as it is examined in UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What is a Money Bill, and which article defines it? Can the Rajya Sabha reject it?
Defined under Article 110; it deals with taxation, borrowing, or the Consolidated Fund. It can only originate in the Lok Sabha; the Rajya Sabha can only suggest amendments within 14 days and cannot reject it.
What is the quorum required for a sitting of either House of Parliament?
One-tenth of the total number of members of that House (Article 100).
Who decides whether a Bill is a Money Bill, and who presides over a joint sitting of Parliament?
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha decides whether a Bill is a Money Bill; the Speaker also presides over a joint sitting (Article 108).
Who is the constitutional head of a State, and under which article is the executive power of a State vested?
The Governor; executive power of the State is vested in the Governor under Article 154 and exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister.
How is the Governor appointed, and what is the term of office?
Appointed by the President (Article 155); holds office during the pleasure of the President, normally for a term of five years.
What are the discretionary powers of the Governor? Give two examples.
Reserving a Bill for the President's consideration, recommending President's Rule, and appointing a Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority (any two).
What is the structure of the Indian judiciary, and which article establishes the Supreme Court?
An integrated single hierarchy: Supreme Court at the apex, High Courts in states, and subordinate courts below. The Supreme Court is established under Article 124.
How are Supreme Court judges appointed and removed?
Appointed by the President (through the Collegium system); removed by the President after an address by both Houses of Parliament supported by a special majority, on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity (Article 124).
What is the difference between original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?
Original (Article 131): disputes between Centre and States; Appellate (Articles 132–136): appeals from lower courts; Advisory (Article 143): President can seek the Court's opinion on questions of law or fact.
What is judicial review and from which Constitution was it borrowed?
The power of courts to examine the constitutionality of legislative and executive actions and declare them void if they violate the Constitution. The concept was borrowed from the United States.
What is the retirement age of Supreme Court judges and High Court judges?
Supreme Court judges retire at 65 years; High Court judges retire at 62 years.
Name four Constitutional Bodies and the articles that establish them.
Election Commission (Article 324), Comptroller and Auditor General/CAG (Article 148), Union Public Service Commission (Article 315), Finance Commission (Article 280), Attorney General (Article 76), and National Commission for SCs (Article 338) — any four.
What is the role and tenure of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)?
The CAG audits the accounts of the Union and States and reports to Parliament/legislatures (Article 148). The CAG holds office for six years or until age 65, whichever is earlier.
Distinguish between a Constitutional body and a Statutory body, giving one example of each.
A Constitutional body is created directly by the Constitution (e.g., Election Commission); a Statutory body is created by an Act of Parliament (e.g., National Human Rights Commission, established by the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993).
Name three Statutory/Regulatory bodies in India and the laws creating them.
NHRC (Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993), SEBI (SEBI Act, 1992), and the National Commission for Women (NCW Act, 1990) — others include RBI, TRAI, CIC.
What is a Quasi-Judicial body, and give two examples in India.
A body with powers resembling a court (it can adjudicate disputes and impose penalties) but is not a court. Examples: National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Information Commission (CIC), Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, and CAT.
What is the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), and under which article were administrative tribunals enabled?
CAT adjudicates disputes regarding recruitment and service conditions of Central Government employees; it was set up under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985. Article 323A (added by the 42nd Amendment) enabled administrative tribunals.
Which amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions, and which Part and Schedule deal with them?
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. It added Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule (29 subjects) to the Constitution.
What is the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj, and what is the term and minimum age to contest?
Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block/intermediate), and Zila Parishad (district). The term is five years; the minimum age to contest is 21 years.
Which amendment gave constitutional status to Urban Local Bodies, and which Part and Schedule deal with them?
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. It added Part IXA and the Twelfth Schedule (18 subjects), covering Municipalities, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats.
What is e-Governance and name the four pillars/types of e-governance interactions.
Use of ICT to deliver government services. The four types are G2C (Government to Citizen), G2B (Government to Business), G2G (Government to Government), and G2E (Government to Employee).
What is the objective of the Right to Information Act, 2006? (year and key body)
The Right to Information Act, 2005 empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities to promote transparency and accountability; it is overseen by the Central and State Information Commissions.
Which scheme guarantees 100 days of wage employment, and what is the objective of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)?
MGNREGA (2005) guarantees 100 days of wage employment per rural household per year. The NSAP provides financial assistance (old-age, widow, and disability pensions) to vulnerable sections below the poverty line.
What role do Civil Society and NGOs play in governance, and which law regulates foreign funding of NGOs in India?
They act as watchdogs, mobilize public participation, deliver services, and advocate for vulnerable groups. Foreign funding of NGOs is regulated by the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA).
What this deck covers
The General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice deck follows the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 12.8 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 178 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice flashcards FAQ
How many General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice flashcards are in this UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice cards cover?
They follow the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) General Studies Paper I — Polity, Governance & Social Justice syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.