Constitutional Bodies – NDA Polity PYQs

NDA 2026-I

Q. 1. With reference to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements about the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India:

I. The CAG shall be appointed by the President of India

II. The CAG is not eligible for further office under the Government of India after he has ceased to hold his office

III. The reports of the CAG relating to the accounts of the Union shall be submitted to the Prime Minister who shall cause them to be laid before the House of the People

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a)  I and II only

(b)  II and III only

(c)  I and III only

(d)  I, II and III

Answer: (a) I and II only

Explanation: Statement I is correct. The CAG is appointed by the President of India under Article 148. Statement II is correct. The CAG is not eligible for further office under the Government of India or any State Government after ceasing to hold the office: an absolute constitutional bar under Article 148(4). Statement III is incorrect. The reports of the CAG relating to the accounts of the Union are submitted to the President of India, not the Prime Minister. The President then causes them to be laid before each House of Parliament. Statements I and II are correct; Statement III is false. The answer is (a).

Q. 2. As per Article 324 of the Constitution of India, the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as:

(a)  A Judge of the Supreme Court

(b)  A Judge of a High Court

(c)  The Speaker of the Lok Sabha

(d)  The Governor of a State

Answer: (a) A Judge of the Supreme Court

Explanation: Article 324(5) of the Constitution provides that the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. This means the CEC can be removed only after both Houses of Parliament pass an address by a special majority: the same process applicable to a Supreme Court judge: on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Governor of a State are removed by different processes. High Court judges are also removed similarly to SC judges but the constitutional text for the CEC refers specifically to the Supreme Court standard. Concept Tested: CEC removal: same manner and grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court (Article 324(5))

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: CEC:  SC judge standard for removal. This is the same protection as the CAG enjoys. This differs from the Election Commissioner (not the CEC), who can be removed by the President on the CEC’s recommendation: a lower level of protection.

NDA 2024-I

Q. 3. Which of the following statements with regard to the constitution of Finance Commission is/are correct?

1. The Government of India has recently constituted the Sixteenth Finance Commission under the Chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya.
2. Finance Commission is constituted in pursuance to Article 263 of the Constitution of India.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a)  1 only

(b)  2 only

(c)  Both 1 and 2

(d)  Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. The 16th Finance Commission was constituted in 2024 under the chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Finance Commission is constituted under Article 280 of the Constitution: not Article 263. Article 263 provides for the Inter-State Council: a body for promoting coordination between States and between States and the Union. Article 280 establishes the Finance Commission to make recommendations on the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States. Only Statement 1 is correct. The answer is (a). Concept Tested: Finance Commission: constituted under Article 280, NOT Article 263 (which is the Inter-State Council)

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Article 280:  Finance Commission (fiscal distribution between Union and States). Article 263:  Inter-State Council (coordination between States). Both deal with Centre-State relations and are created by the President, making this a high-probability confusion zone.

NDA 2022-I

Q. 4. Which one of the following is not a Constitutional Commission of India?

(a)  The National Commission for Scheduled Castes

(b)  The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

(c)  The National Commission for Backward Classes

(d)  The National Commission for Women

Answer: (d) The National Commission for Women

Explanation: The National Commissions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes are all constitutional bodies established by specific constitutional articles. National Commission for Scheduled Castes: Article 338. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: Article 338A (inserted by 89th Amendment, 2003). National Commission for Backward Classes: Article 338B (inserted by 102nd Amendment, 2018). The National Commission for Women is NOT a constitutional body. It is a statutory body established under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990. No article of the Constitution establishes or protects it. Concept Tested: Constitutional vs statutory commissions: NCW is statutory (NCW Act 1990); NCSC (Art 338), NCST (Art 338A), NCBC (Art 338B) are constitutional

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: A constitutional body requires a specific article in the Constitution. The NCW has no such article: it was created by ordinary legislation and can be reformed by ordinary legislation. High profile and national mandate do not make a body constitutional. Only a constitutional article does.

NDA 2019-I

Q. 5. An Election Commissioner can be removed from office on the recommendation of:

(a)  The Chief Justice of India

(b)  The Chief Election Commissioner

(c)  The President of India

(d)  The Parliament

Answer: (b) The Chief Election Commissioner

Explanation: An Election Commissioner (other than the Chief Election Commissioner) can be removed from office by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner. This is an asymmetric constitutional protection. The Chief Election Commissioner enjoys the same security of tenure as a Supreme Court judge: removal requires a parliamentary address. Election Commissioners have a lower level of protection: they can be removed by the President when the CEC so recommends, without the parliamentary process. Concept Tested: Removal of Election Commissioners: on recommendation of Chief Election Commissioner; asymmetric protection compared to CEC

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: CEC removal: same as SC judge: parliamentary address by special majority (proved misbehaviour or incapacity). Election Commissioner removal: President acts on CEC’s recommendation: no parliamentary process required. The CEC thus protects Election Commissioners: but is not completely replaceable in this role by the President acting alone.

NDA 2018-II

Q. 6. The Central Vigilance Commission was established on the recommendation of which one of the following Committees?

(a)  Santhanam Committee

(b)  Dinesh Goswami Committee

(c)  Tarkunde Committee

(d)  Narasimham Committee

Answer: (a) Santhanam Committee

Explanation: The Central Vigilance Commission was established in 1964 on the recommendation of the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption (constituted in 1962). The Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990) examined electoral reforms. The Tarkunde Committee (1974) also examined electoral reform proposals. The Narasimham Committee (1991, 1998) examined banking sector reform. None of the three other committees has any connection to the CVC. Concept Tested: CVC origin: Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption (1962); not Dinesh Goswami, Tarkunde, or Narasimham

NDA 2018-I

Q. 7. Which one of the following statements with regard to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is NOT correct?

(a)  He is appointed by the President of India

(b)  He can be removed from office in the same way as the judge of the Supreme Court of India

(c)  The CAG is eligible for further office under the Government of India after he has ceased to hold his office

(d)  The salary of the CAG is charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India

Answer: (c) The CAG is eligible for further office under the Government of India after he has ceased to hold his office

Explanation: Options (a), (b), and (d) are all correct. Option (c) is NOT correct. The CAG is NOT eligible for further office under the Government of India or any State Government after ceasing to hold the office of CAG. This post-retirement bar is an absolute constitutional prohibition under Article 148(4). It is designed to ensure that the CAG does not conduct audits with an eye to securing future government employment. Concept Tested: CAG post-retirement bar: NOT eligible for further government office; absolute constitutional prohibition under Article 148(4)

Q. 8. The Superintendence, direction and control of elections in India is vested in

(a)  The Supreme Court of India

(b)  The Parliament of India

(c)  The Election Commission of India

(d)  The Chief Election Commissioner

Answer: (c) The Election Commission of India

Explanation: Under Article 324 of the Constitution, the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections is vested in the Election Commission of India. This power is vested in the Election Commission as a body: not in the Chief Election Commissioner individually, not in the Supreme Court, and not in Parliament. The institutional distinction is constitutionally significant: the Commission acts collectively; the CEC cannot exercise these powers unilaterally. Concept Tested: Superintendence of elections: vested in the Election Commission of India (Article 324); not in CEC alone, SC, or Parliament

NDA 2016-I

Q. 9. Which of the following statements relating to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is/are correct?

• The CAG can attend the sittings of the Committee on Public Accounts.

• The CAG can attend the sittings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

• The jurisdiction of CAG is co-extensive with powers of the Union Government.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)  1 only

(b)  2 and 3 only

(c)  1 and 2 only

(d)  1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 only

Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. The CAG can attend the sittings of the Committee on Public Accounts to assist the committee in its scrutiny of CAG audit reports. Statement 2 is incorrect. The CAG does not have a constitutional or legal right to attend the sittings of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. The CAG is not a Member of Parliament. The Attorney General has this right under Article 76(4); the CAG does not. Statement 3 is incorrect. The CAG’s jurisdiction is co-extensive with the executive powers of both the Union AND the States: not the Union only. The CAG audits the accounts of both the Union and all State Governments. Only Statement 1 is correct. The answer is (a). Concept Tested: CAG: can attend PAC sittings; cannot attend Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha; jurisdiction covers Union AND States (not Union only)

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Statement 3 is a critical trap: the CAG’s jurisdiction is not limited to Union Government powers. It extends to the combined executive powers of both the Union and all States. The Attorney General (not CAG) has the right to attend and speak in either House of Parliament under Article 76(4).

NDA 2013-I

Q. 10. Which one among the following is not a function of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India?

(a)  Auditing the transactions of Centre and State Governments relating to contingency funds and public accounts

(b)  Compiling the accounts of Defence

(c)  Auditing the accounts of institutions financed by the Government

(d)  Compiling the accounts of States

Answer: (d) Compiling the accounts of States

Explanation: Options (a), (b), and (c) are all genuine CAG functions. Option (d): compiling the accounts of States: is NOT a function of the CAG. This function was transferred from the CAG to State Governments in 1976. The CAG audits State accounts but does not compile them. The compilation of State accounts is now done by State governments through their own accountant-general offices. The CAG continues to compile the accounts of the Defence services: a distinction that is important: auditing (a continuing CAG function for all governments) is different from compiling (transferred for States but retained for Defence). Concept Tested: CAG non-functions: compiling State accounts was transferred to States in 1976; CAG audits but does not compile State accounts

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Key distinction: CAG audits all (Union, States, Defence). CAG compiles Defence accounts. CAG does NOT compile State accounts (that function was transferred in 1976).

NDA 2010-II

Q. 11. Which among the following statements with respect to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India is/are correct?

1. The procedure and grounds for his removal from office are the same as of a Judge of Supreme Court.
2. He prescribes the form in which accounts of the Union and the States are to be kept.

(a)  1 only

(b)  2 only

(c)  Both 1 and 2

(d)  Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. The CAG can be removed from office only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court: proved misbehaviour or incapacity, following an address passed by both Houses of Parliament by a special majority. Statement 2 is correct. The CAG prescribes the form in which the accounts of the Union and the States are to be kept. This is a formative power over public financial records: not merely an audit function. Both statements are correct. Concept Tested: CAG: removal procedure same as SC judge; prescribes form of accounts of Union and States

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