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Governance & Society Cluster166 Verified Questions
Panchayati Raj & Local Self-Government GK Questions & Answers
Local self-governance in India originated conceptually from the Directive Principles of State Policy under Article 40, directing the State to organize village panchayats. Formal implementation began following the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommendations (1957), leading to the inauguration of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system at Nagaur, Rajasthan, on October 2, 1959, followed by Andhra Pradesh. Subsequent committee evaluations, including Ashok Mehta (1977), G.V.K. Rao (1985), and L.M. Singhvi (1986), advocated constitutional status for local bodies. Consequently, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992 inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) and Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) into the Constitution, coming into force on April 24, 1993 (observed as National Panchayati Raj Day) and June 1, 1993, respectively. The 73rd Amendment introduced the Eleventh Schedule comprising 29 functional items for rural panchayats across Gram, Intermediate, and District tiers, centered upon the Gram Sabha under Article 243A. The 74th Amendment introduced the Twelfth Schedule with 18 functional items for Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations. Key constitutional mandates include mandatory five-year tenures, 33% reservation for women under Article 243D, State Election Commissions under Article 243K, and State Finance Commissions under Article 243I.
High-yield conceptual summaries for competitive exams and rapid revision.
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) and the Eleventh Schedule containing 29 functional subjects for Panchayats.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule containing 18 functional subjects for Urban Local Bodies.
Article 243A establishes the Gram Sabha, consisting of all registered voters in a village, acting as the foundational direct-democracy organ of local self-government.
Article 243D mandates reservation of not less than one-third (33%) of total seats and chairperson posts for women across all tiers of Panchayati Raj institutions.
Articles 243I and 243Y mandate the Governor to constitute a State Finance Commission every 5 years to review financial devolution, while Articles 243K and 243ZA establish the State Election Commission.
Showing 25 Curated Questions166 Total in Bank
1ID: GK-POL-00596
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which landmark Constitutional Amendment Act granted constitutional recognition and statutory status to Panchayati Raj Institutions in India by inserting Part IX?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 (effective from 24 April 1993) inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the Eleventh Schedule providing a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system.
2ID: GK-POL-00066
easyPanchayati Raj
Which Indian state was the first in independent India to establish the three-tier Panchayati Raj system on 2 October 1959?
Verified Explanation
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the first Panchayati Raj system in Nagaur district of Rajasthan on Gandhi Jayanti in 1959.
3ID: GK-POL-00141
hardPanchayati Raj
The "G. V. K. Rao Committee" appointed by the Planning Commission in 1985 on rural development described Panchayati Raj Institutions as what?
Verified Explanation
The G. V. K. Rao Committee highlighted that Panchayati Raj institutions had become weakened by administrative bureaucratization, calling them "grass without roots".
4ID: GK-POL-00169
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which was the first Indian state to formally inaugurate the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in Nagaur district on 2 October 1959?
Verified Explanation
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the three-tier Panchayati Raj system on 2 October 1959 in Nagaur district, Rajasthan.
5ID: GK-POL-00206
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which constitutional amendment granted constitutional recognition and protection to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in 1992?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 added Part IX and the 11th Schedule to the Constitution, establishing a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system.
6ID: GK-POL-00326
mediumPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which committee appointed in 1986 recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognized, protected, and preserved?
Verified Explanation
The L. M. Singhvi Committee (1986) appointed by Rajiv Gandhi's government recommended constitutional status for Panchayati Raj bodies.
7ID: GK-POL-00376
mediumPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which committee recommended the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system (Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zilla Parishad) in 1957?
Verified Explanation
The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee submitted its report in November 1957 recommending 'democratic decentralization' through a three-tier Panchayati Raj structure.
8ID: GK-POL-00483
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which Indian state was the first to establish the 3-tier Panchayati Raj system on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur?
Verified Explanation
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the democratic Panchayati Raj system at Nagaur, Rajasthan on 2 October 1959.
9ID: GK-POL-00536
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which Constitutional Amendment Act accorded constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions in rural India?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, inserted Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule into the Constitution, providing a three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
10ID: GK-POL-00544
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which Indian state became the first in the country to inaugurate the Panchayati Raj system on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur?
Verified Explanation
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the democratic Panchayati Raj system at Nagaur, Rajasthan, on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2, 1959.
11ID: GK-POL-00616
mediumPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which committee appointed in 1957 recommended the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system based on democratic decentralization?
Verified Explanation
The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (submitted 1957) recommended a three-tier system: Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), and Zilla Parishad (district).
12ID: GK-POL-00415
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which Indian state was the first to establish the Panchayati Raj system on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur?
Verified Explanation
Rajasthan was the first state in India to inaugurate the Panchayati Raj institution, launched by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur.
13ID: GK-POL-00724
easyLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
In which district of Rajasthan was the Panchayati Raj system first inaugurated in independent India on October 2, 1959?
Verified Explanation
The Panchayati Raj system was first inaugurated in India by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on October 2, 1959, at Nagaur district in Rajasthan, followed shortly by Andhra Pradesh.
14ID: GK-POL-00728
mediumLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee appointed by the Planning Commission in 1985 described the Panchayati Raj system as 'grass without roots' due to increasing bureaucratization?
Verified Explanation
The G. V. K. Rao Committee (1985), appointed to examine administrative arrangements for rural development and poverty alleviation, observed that development administration was becoming increasingly bureaucratized and divorced from the Panchayati Raj, famously characterizing it as 'grass without roots'.
15ID: GK-POL-00732
hardLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee recommended giving constitutional recognition, protection, and status to Panchayati Raj institutions in 1986?
Verified Explanation
The L. M. Singhvi Committee, appointed by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986 on 'Revitalisation of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Democracy and Development', strongly recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognized, protected, and preserved by adding a new chapter in the Constitution.
16ID: GK-POL-00831
easyLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee, appointed by the National Development Council in 1957, first recommended the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in India?
Verified Explanation
The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (appointed in January 1957) submitted its report in November 1957 recommending the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system: Gram Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at block level, and Zilla Parishad at district level. Rajasthan was the first state to adopt it in Nagaur on October 2, 1959.
17ID: GK-POL-00833
mediumLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee appointed in 1986 by the Rajiv Gandhi Government recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognized, protected, and preserved?
Verified Explanation
The L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986), appointed on 'Revitalization of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Democracy and Development', recommended that local self-government institutions should be constitutionally recognized and protected by adding a new chapter to the Constitution.
18ID: GK-POL-00922
easyLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
On which date did the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 come into effect across India, celebrated annually as National Panchayati Raj Day?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 came into legal force on 24th April 1993. Consequently, 24th April is commemorated across the nation each year as National Panchayati Raj Day.
19ID: GK-POL-00934
hardLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee appointed in 1986 on 'Revitalisation of PRIs for Democracy and Development' explicitly recommended conferring constitutional status on Panchayati Raj bodies?
Verified Explanation
The L. M. Singhvi Committee (1986) recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognized, protected, and preserved through the insertion of a new chapter in the Constitution, laying the foundation for the 73rd Amendment.
20ID: GK-POL-01031
hardLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which major structural recommendation was made by the Ashok Mehta Committee on Panchayati Raj Institutions in its 1978 report?
Verified Explanation
The Ashok Mehta Committee (1977–1978) recommended replacing the 3-tier Panchayati Raj model with a 2-tier system comprising the Zilla Parishad at the district level and the Mandal Panchayat for a cluster of villages covering a population of 15,000 to 20,000.
21ID: GK-POL-01032
hardLocal Self-Government & Panchayati Raj
Which committee appointed in 1986 by the Rajiv Gandhi government first recommended constitutional recognition and protection for Panchayati Raj institutions?
Verified Explanation
The L. M. Singhvi Committee (1986) was appointed to prepare a concept paper on revitalizing Panchayati Raj institutions. It first strongly recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognized, protected, and preserved through an amendment chapter in the Constitution.
22ID: GK-POL-00065
easyPanchayati Raj
Which constitutional amendment accorded constitutional status and protection to Panchayati Raj Institutions in rural India in 1992?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Amendment Act inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243O) and the 11th Schedule containing 29 functional items for Panchayats.
23ID: GK-POL-00082
easyPanchayati Raj
What minimum percentage of seats is constitutionally reserved for women in Panchayati Raj institutions under Article 243D(3)?
Verified Explanation
Article 243D(3) mandates reservation of not less than one-third of total seats for women (several states have increased this to 50%).
24ID: GK-POL-00103
mediumPanchayati Raj
The "Ashok Mehta Committee" on Panchayati Raj Institutions (appointed in 1977) recommended transitioning to which institutional structure?
Verified Explanation
The Ashok Mehta Committee recommended replacing the 3-tier system with a 2-tier model: Zilla Parishad at district and Mandal Panchayat for cluster villages.
25ID: GK-POL-00157
easyPanchayati Raj & Local Governance
Which Constitutional Amendment Act granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India?
Verified Explanation
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 inserted Part IX (The Panchayats) and the Eleventh Schedule into the Constitution.