Q20. Who described the Indian federal system as “bargaining federalism”?
[SSC CHSL Tier-I, 7 August 2023, Shift 4]
(A) K. C. Wheare
(B) Ivor Jennings
(C) Granville Austin
(D) Morris Jones
Answer: (D) Morris Jones
Explanation: Political scientist W. H. Morris-Jones used bargaining federalism to explain negotiation among Union and State political actors over powers, resources and policies. The expression captures practical federal relationships that evolve through political accommodation rather than solely through formal constitutional wording.
Q19. Who used the term “Quasi-federal” to characterize Indian federalism?
[MP Forest Guard/Jail Prahari Combined Exam, 5 June 2023, Shift 2]
(A) Granville Austin
(B) Ivor Jennings
(C) K. C. Wheare
(D) Morris Jones
Answer: (C) K. C. Wheare
Explanation: K. C. Wheare characterised India as quasi-federal because its constitutional division of powers coexists with pronounced centralising arrangements. This differs from completely unitary government: States have their own legislatures and executive authorities even though Union institutions enjoy important overriding powers.
Q18. Which of the following jurisdictions of the Supreme Court allows it to settle disputes between the Centre and States and amongst States?
[SSC CGL Tier-I, 13 December 2022, Shift 4]
(A) Appellate
(B) Advisory
(C) Writ
(D) Original
Answer: (D) Original
Explanation: Article 131 gives the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction over specified legal disputes between the Union and States or between States. Such disputes begin directly in the Supreme Court, enabling an independent judicial authority to adjudicate federal conflicts.
Q17. In India the residuary powers to legislate any matter that is NOT mentioned in the three federal lists lies with the ______.
[SSC CGL Tier-I, 7 December 2022, Shift 2]
(A) Supreme Court
(B) Union Legislature
(C) State Legislature
(D) Respective Ministry
Answer: (B) Union Legislature
Explanation: Article 248, read with Entry 97 of the Union List, confers residuary legislative authority on Parliament. Therefore, subjects not enumerated in the State or Concurrent Lists fall within parliamentary power. This central allocation differs from federations reserving residual authority for constituent States.
Q16. The feature of a quasi-federal government system in the Constitution of India is borrowed from the Constitution of which country?
[RRB Group D, 15 September 2022, Shift 1]
(A) The UK
(B) The US
(C) Canada
(D) South Africa
Answer: (C) Canada
Explanation: India drew inspiration from the Canadian model of a federation with a strong Centre. Features commonly associated with this influence include centrally vested residuary powers and appointment of State Governors. India adapted these ideas to its own constitutional and political circumstances.
Q15. The Federal System proposed under the Government of India Act, 1935 was:
[MPPSC State Service Prelims 2021, held 19 June 2022]
(A) All India Federation
(B) Federation of India
(C) United India
(D) Indian Confederation
Answer: (A) All India Federation
Explanation: The 1935 Act proposed an All-India Federation incorporating British Indian provinces and princely States. Its implementation depended partly on princely-state accession, which did not occur as required. Provincial autonomy took effect, while the proposed federal structure remained unrealised.
Q14. Which of the Lists are in the Constitution of India?
[WBCS Mains 2021, Paper V, held May 2022]
(A) State List
(B) Union List
(C) Concurrent List
(D) All of the above
Answer: (D) All of the above
Explanation: All three lists appear in the Seventh Schedule and are linked to Article 246. Parliament primarily legislates on Union subjects, State legislatures on State subjects, and both may legislate on Concurrent subjects, subject to constitutional rules when laws conflict.
Q13. Which one of the following is not a characteristic feature of Indian federalism?
[UPSC CDS I, 10 April 2022]
(A) The federating units consented to form a union
(B) Residuary powers vest with the Centre
(C) Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution
(D) Dual government polity
Answer: (A) The federating units consented to form a union
Explanation: India did not emerge from a voluntary compact among sovereign States. Its Constitution establishes an indestructible Union of States. Dual government, Seventh Schedule lists and Union-held residuary powers are actual characteristics; contractual consent of federating units is not.
Q12. Which one of the following statements is not correct about the nature of India’s federal system?
[UPSC CDS II, 14 November 2021]
(A) There is no equality of representation of States in the Council of States
(B) Sikkim was not initially included in the Union as a full-fledged State
(C) Special provisions have been laid down in the Constitution for only Andhra Pradesh under Article 371D
(D) The Constitution enables the federal government to acquire the strength of a unitary system during emergencies
Answer: (C) Special provisions have been laid down in the Constitution for only Andhra Pradesh under Article 371D
Explanation: Article 371D contains special provisions concerning Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, not Andhra Pradesh alone. State representation in the Rajya Sabha is unequal; Sikkim became a full State later; and constitutional emergencies can substantially centralise governmental powers. Hence the exclusivity claim is incorrect.
Q11. Which of the following words is NOT mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution of India?
[UPPSC Combined State Preliminary Examination, 24 October 2021]
(A) Sovereign
(B) Democratic
(C) Secular
(D) Federal
Answer: (D) Federal
Explanation: The Preamble describes India as sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic and a republic. It does not expressly use “federal”, although the Constitution establishes a Union-State distribution of power. This distinction separates the wording of the Preamble from the Constitution’s structure.
