Working of Institutions quiz

The Mandal Commission was headed by:

The Office Memorandum on reservations was issued on:

The head of the government in India is the:

The President of India is elected by:

Which House controls the Council of Ministers through a no-confidence motion?

Civil servants are part of the:

Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the:

The Indira Sawhney case was decided in:

A Cabinet Minister is usually in charge of:

The highest court in India is the:

Why do we need a Parliament? Give two reasons. (2 marks)

Why are civil servants needed if there are elected ministers? (2 marks)

What did the Supreme Court decide in the Indira Sawhney case? (2 marks)

What is the creamy layer? (2 marks)

What are the powers of the Rajya Sabha? (2 marks)

How can a judge of the Supreme Court be removed? (2 marks)

What is a Public Interest Litigation? (2 marks)

Why does the Prime Minister have wide powers? (2 marks)

Name the three categories of ministers in the Council of Ministers. (2 marks)

When can the President act on his or her own discretion? (2 marks)

The Rajya Sabha has 245 members, of whom 12 are nominated by the President. How many are elected? What percentage of members are nominated, correct to one decimal place? (3 marks)

The Mandal Commission was set up in 1979 and gave its report in 1980. The Office Memorandum came in 1990 and the court decision in 1992. How many years passed between the report and the memorandum, and between the commission's setup and the court decision? (3 marks)

A no-confidence motion is moved in the Lok Sabha. 530 members are present. 270 vote against the government and 255 for it, and the rest abstain. How many abstained? Does the government survive? (3 marks)

A Cabinet has 25 ministers. The Council of Ministers has 75 members in all. If the number of Ministers of State with independent charge is 10, how many other Ministers of State are there? (3 marks)

The Lok Sabha has 543 seats. A coalition of three parties has 160, 70 and 45 seats. Find the total seats. Can it form the government with a simple majority? By how many seats? (3 marks)

Read the passage and answer the questions. The Government of India had appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979. It was headed by B.P. Mandal. It was asked to determine the criteria to identify the socially and educationally backward classes in India and recommend steps for their advancement. (i) What did the commission recommend? (ii) Which government acted on it? (iii) Why did the decision lead to protests? (5 marks)

Read the passage and answer the questions. Parliament is the final authority for making laws in any country. Parliaments all over the world exercise some control over those who run the government. Parliaments control all the money that governments have. (i) What are the two Houses of the Indian Parliament? (ii) How does Parliament control the government? (iii) Why is it called the highest forum of discussion? (5 marks)

Read the passage and answer the questions. The Prime Minister is the most important political institution in the country. There is no direct election to the post. The President appoints the leader of the majority party or the coalition of parties that commands a majority in the Lok Sabha as Prime Minister. (i) How is the Prime Minister appointed? (ii) What are the powers of the Prime Minister? (iii) How has coalition politics affected these powers? (5 marks)

Read the passage and answer the questions. While the Prime Minister is the head of government, the President is the head of the State. In our political system, the head of the State exercises only nominal powers. The President supervises the overall functioning of all the political institutions. (i) Why is the President called a nominal head? (ii) What powers does the President have? (iii) Can the President reject the advice of the Council of Ministers? Explain. (5 marks)

Read the passage and answer the questions. An independent and powerful judiciary is considered essential for democracies. All the courts at different levels in a country put together are called the judiciary. The Indian judiciary consists of a Supreme Court for the entire nation, High Courts in the states, District Courts and the courts at local level. (i) What is meant by the independence of the judiciary? (ii) What is judicial review? (iii) How does the judiciary protect Fundamental Rights? (5 marks)

Draw a flowchart showing how a major policy decision is taken and implemented. Explain the role of each institution. (6 marks)

Draw a chart comparing the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on membership, term and powers. Explain why the Lok Sabha is more powerful. (6 marks)

Draw a diagram of the executive showing the President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers and civil servants. Explain the role of each. (6 marks)

Draw a diagram of the structure of courts in India. Explain the powers of the Supreme Court. (6 marks)

Draw a flowchart showing how a bill becomes a law in India. Explain the role of both Houses and the President. (6 marks)