Master10 Proprietary Question Bank - Automated scraping, spidering, or harvesting is strictly prohibited.
Polity & Governance Cluster27 Verified Questions
Inter-State Council & Federal Governance Questions
Cooperative federalism in India is institutionalized through constitutional and statutory inter-governmental mechanisms, predominantly the Inter-State Council and Zonal Councils. Article 263 of the Constitution empowers the President to establish an Inter-State Council to inquire into disputes between states, investigate subjects of common interest, and formulate coordinated policy recommendations. Acting upon the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations (1987–1988), President R. Venkataraman formally constituted the Inter-State Council via a Presidential Order dated May 28, 1990. The Council is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes Chief Ministers of all States, Chief Ministers of Union Territories with legislative assemblies, Administrators of Union Territories without assemblies, and six Union Cabinet Ministers nominated by the Prime Minister. Distinct from the constitutional Inter-State Council, Zonal Councils are statutory bodies established under Part III of the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The Act created five zonal divisions—Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, and Southern—each chaired by the Union Home Minister, supplemented by the North Eastern Council created under the North Eastern Council Act of 1971.
The 'Inter-State Council', established to foster cooperative federalism and investigate subjects of common interest between Union and States, is constituted under which Article?
Verified Explanation
Article 263 empowers the President to establish an Inter-State Council by public order to inquire into disputes between States and discuss policies of mutual concern.
2ID: GK-WPOL-00406
hardPolitical Systems
The concept of 'Cooperative Federalism' (or 'Marble Cake Federalism') differs from 'Dual Federalism' primarily because:
Verified Explanation
Cooperative federalism emphasizes shared responsibilities, joint funding, and collaborative intergovernmental programs rather than strict, isolated jurisdictional boundaries.
3ID: GK-INST-00386
easyNITI Aayog, Planning History & Inter-State Council
Who comprised the apex Governing Council of NITI Aayog that embodies the principle of 'Cooperative Federalism'?
Verified Explanation
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog comprises the Prime Minister as Chairperson, Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories with legislatures, and Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories.
4ID: GK-INST-00447
easyNITI Aayog, Planning History & Inter-State Council
Under Article 263 of the Constitution, which body was established in 1990 upon the recommendation of the Sarkaria Commission to foster cooperative federalism?
Verified Explanation
The Inter-State Council was set up under Article 263 on May 28, 1990 by Presidential Order on the recommendation of the Justice R.S. Sarkaria Commission to investigate and discuss subjects of common interest between Union and States.
5ID: GK-INST-00567
easyNITI Aayog, Planning History & Inter-State Council
Who comprises the Governing Council of NITI Aayog to operationalize cooperative federalism in India?
Verified Explanation
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is headed by the Prime Minister and includes Chief Ministers of all States, Chief Ministers of Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir, and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories.
6ID: GK-HIST-01046
hardPost-Independence Consolidation & Modern India
In August 1952, the Government of India established which apex extra-constitutional body comprising the Prime Minister, Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, and Planning Commission members to approve national Five-Year Plans?
Verified Explanation
The National Development Council (NDC) or Rashtriya Vikas Parishad was set up on 6 August 1952 by an executive resolution of the Cabinet on the recommendation of the First Five-Year Plan draft. Chaired by the Prime Minister and composed of all state Chief Ministers and Planning Commission members, it served as the apex forum for cooperative federalism in planning and economic policy.
7ID: GK-POL-00855
easyConstitutional Framework, Preamble & Salient Features
Which constitutional scholar famously characterized the Indian Constitution as establishing a 'Quasi-Federal' system?
Verified Explanation
Prof. K. C. Wheare described the Indian Constitution as 'quasi-federal' because it contains a strong central bias alongside federal structures. In contrast, Granville Austin characterized it as 'cooperative federalism'.
8ID: GK-INST-00088
easyNITI Aayog, Planning History & Inter-State Council
Which apex body in NITI Aayog comprises the Prime Minister as Chairperson, Chief Ministers of all States, and Lt. Governors of Union Territories?
Verified Explanation
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is the apex premier decision-making forum representing cooperative federalism, comprising the PM, all State CMs, CMs of UTs with legislature, and Lt. Governors of other UTs.
9ID: GK-TAX-00014
easyGST Architecture, 101st Amendment & Council
In the voting mechanism of the GST Council, what combined weighted voting share is held by all State Governments taken together?
Verified Explanation
Under Article 279A(9), the votes of all State Governments combined have a weightage of two-thirds (66.67%) of the total votes cast, while the Central Government holds a weightage of one-third (33.33%). This ensures cooperative federalism where neither the Centre nor the States alone can pass a resolution without mutual consensus.
10ID: GK-INST-00246
easyNITI Aayog, Planning History & Inter-State Council
On which historic date was NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) officially constituted by a Cabinet Resolution, replacing the 65-year-old Planning Commission?
Verified Explanation
NITI Aayog was formed on 1 January 2015 via a Union Cabinet resolution to serve as the apex public policy think tank fostering cooperative federalism.