GK (Indian Constitution)

Duties on railway fares and freights are levied and collected by the Union but wholly assigned to the states under Article 268. Stamp duties (Article 267) are also levied by Union but assigned to states. Customs duties are not assigned to states. Sales tax is a state subject.

The Indian Constitution followed the Canadian precedent in vesting residuary powers in the Union (Central government). Unlike the US Constitution where residuary powers remain with the states, India adopted the Canadian model where powers not specifically assigned to states belong to the Centre.

The Finance Commission is constituted every five years as per Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. It recommends the distribution of financial resources between the Union and the States, and the five-year period aligns with the planning cycle of the country.

Lord Mountbatten served as the last Viceroy of India from 1947 until independence. He oversaw the transfer of power and the partition process. Lord Canning was the first Viceroy, while Lord Ripon and Lord Hardinge held the position earlier in British rule.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India when the Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950. He served two full terms, from 1950 to 1962. C. Rajagopalachari was the first and last Indian Governor-General of West Bengal.

The President of India constitutes the Finance Commission every five years as per Article 280 of the Constitution. The Commission recommends financial relations between the Centre and states. The Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister, and Speaker do not have this constitutional authority.

Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution deal with cultural and educational rights. Article 29 protects minorities' language, script, and culture, while Article 30 gives minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions. The other options are incorrect pairings.

The Public Accounts Committee submits its report to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who then presents it to the House. The PAC examines budget allocations and government spending. The Prime Minister, President, and Vice President do not receive these reports directly.

India borrowed the concept of federation from the Canadian Constitution. The Canadian federal model with a strong centre influenced India's constitutional framers. Australia, Ireland, and Germany contributed other provisions but not the federal structure.

Dr. Zakir Hussain was the first Muslim President of India, serving from 1967 to 1969. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was a prominent freedom fighter but never President. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the 11th President (2002-2007), much later.

English is not included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, though it has official language status. Konkani, Sindhi, and Kashmiri are all scheduled languages. The Eighth Schedule currently lists 22 languages recognized by the Constitution.

Correct answer is (4). 

Parliament has the exclusive power to amend the Constitution under Article 368. Amendments require a special majority (2/3 of members present and voting, plus absolute majority of total membership). State legislatures can only ratify certain amendments related to federal matters.

Correct answer is (2). 

A candidate must be at least 25 years old to contest elections to a state legislative assembly (Vidhan Sabha). For Lok Sabha, the age is also 25 years, while for Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Council), it is 30 years.

Correct answer is (1). 

The President of India appoints the Attorney General, who advises the Government of India on legal matters. The Attorney General must be qualified to be a Supreme Court judge. The Chief Justice, Law Minister, and Prime Minister do not make this appointment.

The Constitution of India mentions Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Deputy Speaker of state legislative assemblies, and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. However, there is no constitutional post of Deputy Prime Minister - it is an executive designation conferred by the Prime Minister.

Under Article 54, the President is elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies. For a nomination to be valid, it must be proposed by at least 10 electors (members of the electoral college) and seconded by another 10. This ensures broad support across the electoral college before a candidate can formally enter the presidential race.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as India's first President from 1950 to 1962, completing two full successive terms. He was elected unopposed in 1952 and again in 1957. No other President in India's history has served two complete successive terms - V.V. Giri served as acting President and then one partial term, while Dr. Radhakrishnan and Dr. Zakir Hussain each served only one term.

Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act during the Emergency period in 1976. Inspired by the Soviet Constitution, they were added to remind citizens of their civic responsibilities while enjoying fundamental rights. Originally 10 duties were added, and an 11th duty was added later by the 86th Amendment regarding education of children aged 6-14 years.

The Indian Constitution is organized into 22 parts covering different branches of governance and rights. Originally, it had 22 parts, but after reorganization, Parts IVA (Fundamental Duties) and XIV-A (Tribunals) were added while keeping the total at 22. These parts range from the Union and Territory (Part I) to Miscellaneous (Part XXII).

The Constitution describes India as a 'Union of States' and contains federal features like division of powers, independent judiciary, and bicameral legislature. However, it also has strong unitary features such as a single constitution, single citizenship, integrated judiciary, and the power to create a unitary system during emergencies. Dr. Ambedkar famously described it as 'federal in form but unitary in spirit.'