Special Provisions and Schedules – NDA Polity PYQs

NDA 2024-II

Q. 1. In which Schedule of the Constitution of India, provisions as to disqualification on grounds of defection are given?

(a)  Ninth Schedule

(b)  Tenth Schedule

(c)  Eleventh Schedule

(d)  Sixth Schedule

Answer: (b) Tenth Schedule

Explanation: Provisions as to disqualification on grounds of defection: the anti-defection law: are in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the Constitution (52nd Amendment) Act, 1985. It disqualifies Members of Parliament and State Legislatures who voluntarily give up party membership or vote contrary to party direction without permission. The Ninth Schedule contains Acts and Regulations protected from judicial review (added by the 1st Amendment, 1951). The Eleventh Schedule lists 29 subjects for Panchayati Raj Institutions (added by the 73rd Amendment, 1992). The Sixth Schedule provides for the administration of Tribal Areas in four northeastern States. Concept Tested: Tenth Schedule: anti-defection law (52nd Amendment 1985); not Ninth Schedule (protected laws) or Eleventh Schedule (Panchayat subjects)

NDA 2024-I

Q. 2. Under Article 371A of the Constitution of India, with respect to which of the following item(s) the Acts of the Parliament of India shall not apply to the State of Nagaland, unless the Legislative Assembly of the State of Nagaland by a resolution so decides?

1. Religious or social practices of Nagas
2. Naga customary law and procedure
3. Ownership and transfer of land and its resources
4. Boundaries of Nagaland with other states

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a)  1 only

(b)  2 and 3 only

(c)  1, 2 and 3 only

(d)  1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3 only

Explanation: Article 371A protects three categories of Nagaland’s affairs from ordinary Parliamentary legislation unless the Nagaland Legislative Assembly passes a resolution agreeing to apply the relevant Act. Statement 1 (religious or social practices of Nagas): protected under Article 371A. Statement 2 (Naga customary law and procedure): protected under Article 371A. Statement 3 (ownership and transfer of land and its resources): protected under Article 371A. Statement 4 (boundaries of Nagaland with other States): NOT protected under Article 371A. State boundaries are determined by Parliament under Article 3. They are an administrative-legislative matter entirely outside Article 371A’s scope. Concept Tested: Article 371A: Parliament Acts require Nagaland Assembly resolution for: religious/social practices, Naga customary law, land ownership/transfer; NOT for State boundaries (Parliament’s power under Article 3)

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Article 371A protects cultural-legal matters (practices, customs, land). It does not protect territorial-administrative matters (State boundaries). Article 3 governs State boundary changes: not Article 371A.

NDA 2019-II

Q. 3. The provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India shall not apply to the administration and control of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in

1. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha
2. Assam and Tripura
3. Meghalaya and Mizoram

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)  1 only

(b)  1 and 2 only

(c)  2 and 3 only

(d)  1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only

Explanation: The Fifth Schedule does NOT apply to Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram: these four northeastern States are governed by the Sixth Schedule instead. Statement 2 (Assam and Tripura) is correct: both are outside the Fifth Schedule and governed by the Sixth Schedule. Statement 3 (Meghalaya and Mizoram) is correct: both are also outside the Fifth Schedule and governed by the Sixth Schedule. Statement 1 (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha) is incorrect: these three States DO fall under the Fifth Schedule. They have significant Scheduled Areas with tribal populations governed by Fifth Schedule provisions. The correct answer is 2 and 3 only. Concept Tested: Fifth Schedule: does NOT apply to Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram (covered by Sixth Schedule); Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha ARE covered by Fifth Schedule

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: The Four NE States excluded from the Fifth Schedule: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram. These are the same States under the Sixth Schedule. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha have large tribal populations but are covered by the Fifth Schedule: not excluded from it.

NDA 2016-I

Q. 4. Which one of the following pairs of the Schedule in the Constitution of India and its Content is not correctly matched?

(a)  Eighth Schedule — Languages

(b)  Second Schedule — The forms of oaths and affirmations

(c)  Fourth Schedule — Allocation of seats in the Council of States

(d)  Tenth Schedule — Provisions as to disqualification on the ground of defection

Answer: (b) Second Schedule — The forms of oaths and affirmations

Explanation: Options (a), (c), and (d) are all correctly matched pairs. Option (b) is NOT correctly matched. The forms of oaths and affirmations are in the Third Schedule: not the Second Schedule. The Second Schedule contains provisions relating to the salaries, allowances, privileges, and conditions of service of various constitutional office-holders, including the President, Vice President, Governors, Speakers, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Eighth Schedule correctly lists the recognised languages of India (currently 22). The Fourth Schedule correctly specifies Rajya Sabha seat allocation. The Tenth Schedule correctly contains anti-defection provisions (added by the 52nd Amendment, 1985). Concept Tested: Second Schedule:  salaries of constitutional office-holders (NOT oaths); Third Schedule:  forms of oaths and affirmations

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Second Schedule is not related to Oaths. Second:  Salaries/emoluments of constitutional office-holders. Third:  Forms of oaths and affirmations. This is the most dangerous Schedule-number confusion: the two are adjacent and easily swapped.

Q. 5. Consider the following statements:

1. The Constitution of India empowers the Parliament to form new States and to alter the areas, boundaries or names of existing States by passing a resolution in simple majority.
2. Jammu and Kashmir has been given special status under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(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. Under Article 3, Parliament can form new States and alter the areas, boundaries, or names of existing States through ordinary legislation: a simple majority Bill. This does not require a constitutional amendment under Article 368. Statement 2 was correct at the time NDA 2016-I was held. Article 370 conferred special status on the State of Jammu and Kashmir, limiting Parliament’s legislative competence to specified matters without the concurrence of the State Government. Note on Statement 2 (post-2016): Article 370 was effectively abrogated in August 2019 through a Presidential Order. Jammu and Kashmir was simultaneously reorganised into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir (with a Legislature) and Ladakh (without a Legislature). Future NDA questions on Article 370 must be answered in light of the post-2019 constitutional position. Concept Tested: Article 3: Parliament forms new States by simple majority Bill; Article 370: conferred special status on J&K (abrogated August 2019)

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: This question has a time dimension. At NDA 2016-I, both statements were correct. Article 370 was abrogated in August 2019: future NDA questions on J&K must reflect the post-2019 position (Union Territory, not State with special status).

NDA 2015-II

Q. 6. The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of India deals with:

(a)  provisions related to the administration of tribal areas.

(b)  allocation of seats in the Council of States.

(c)  the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List.

(d)  recognized languages of the Union of India.

Answer: (b) allocation of seats in the Council of States.

Explanation: The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of India deals with the allocation of seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). It specifies the number of seats allotted to each State and Union Territory in the Rajya Sabha. Option (a): tribal area administration: is the Fifth Schedule (mainland States) or the Sixth Schedule (four northeastern States). Option (c): three legislative lists: is the Seventh Schedule. Option (d): recognised languages: is the Eighth Schedule. Concept Tested: Fourth Schedule: allocation of seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha); not tribal areas, not three lists, not languages

NDA 2015-I

Q. 7. The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India contains

(a)  provisions regarding the administration of tribal areas

(b)  the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List

(c)  a list of recognized languages

(d)  provisions about the disqualification of Members of Legislatures on grounds of defection

Answer: (b) the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List

Explanation: The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India contains the three legislative lists that govern the distribution of legislative powers: the Union List (matters on which Parliament has exclusive power), the State List (matters on which State Legislatures have exclusive power), and the Concurrent List (matters on which both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate). Option (a): tribal area administration: is the subject of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules. Option (c): recognised languages: is the Eighth Schedule. Option (d): anti-defection: is the Tenth Schedule. Concept Tested: Seventh Schedule: the three legislative lists (Union, State, Concurrent); not tribal areas, languages, or anti-defection

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Priority Schedule numbers: 7:  Three Lists; 8:  Languages; 10:  Defection; 4:  Rajya Sabha seats. These four have been tested most frequently across NDA papers in this chapter.

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