Civics Polity

Local Government System

622 Questions

The local government system questions focus on the structure, functions, and constitutional provisions of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies. Test takers will explore the electoral processes and responsibilities of Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads. This topic is highly relevant for state-level civil services and UPSC examinations.

Panchayati Raj structureGram Panchayat functionsUrban local bodiesZilla Parishad electionConstitutional provisions

Local Government System Questions

Multiple choice civics village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development

Gram Panchayats are panchayats at the _______ level in Panchayat Raj institutions.

  1. top

  2. intermediate

  3. base

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A Gram Panchayat (village council) is the grassroots-level of Panchayati Raj formalised local self-governance system in India at the village or small-town level, and has a Sarpanch as its elected head. Gram Panchayats are panchayats at base level in Panchayat Raj Institutions (or PRIs), governed by the 73rd Amendment, which is concerned with Rural Local Governments.

  1. District (or apex) Level.
  2. Intermediate Level.
  3. Base Level.

Multiple choice civics village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development

What is the government at Block level called?

  1. Panchayat Pragati

  2. Panchayat Uthan

  3. Panchayat Samiti

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The intermediate body at the block level is known by different names in different states, like Panchayat Samiti, Kshetra Samiti, Janapada Panchayat and Panchayat Union Council. 

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

The elections are held in the Panchayats and Municipal Corporation on the basis of ______________________.

  1. Division of village or towns into several wards

  2. Indirect representation

  3. Nomination of candidates in the villages

  4. Location of the village
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

During the Municipal Corporation and Panchayat elections, the town or the village is split into wards according to its population and people directly elect their representatives from each ward. Post elections, the elected members select a president among themselves to preside over the meetings of the municipality. Hence, Option A is correct. The rest of the factors are not the primary basis for electoral process, hence, incorrect. 

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

What does a Zila Parishad do?

  1. Makes development plans at district level

  2. With the help of Panchayat Samiti, it also regulates the money distribution among all the Gram Panchayats

  3. Both 'a' and 'b'

  4. None of them
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Zilla panchayat is also called as district council. It is the third tier of panchayat raj system.

Functions of ZillParishads:

  • It has to approve the budgets of Samitis in the district.
  • It must distribute funds given by the government to the Panchayat Samiti.
  • It has to coordinate and consolidate the block plans in the district.
  • It has to process the request for grants to the state government.
  • It has to supervise the functions of Panchayat Samiti in the district.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Which one of the following was not proposed by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the area of Panchayati Raj?

  1. Thirty percent seats in all elected rural local bodies will be reserved for women candidates at all levels

  2. The States will constitute their Finance Commissions to allocate resources to Panchayati Raj institutions

  3. The Panchayati Raj elected functionaries will be disqualified to hold their offices if they have more than two children

  4. The elections will be held in six months' time if Panchayati Raj bodies are superceded or dissolved by the State government
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

73rd Constitutional Amendment in the area of Panchayat Raj states following

Thirty per cent seats in all elected rural local bodies will be reserved for women candidates at all levels.

The States will constitute their Finance Commissions to allocate resources to Panchayat Raj institutions.

The elections will be held in six months' time if Panchayat Raj bodies are superseded or dissolved by the State government.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

A few Gram Panchayats are grouped together to form what is usually called _________.

  1. Panchayat Samiti

  2. Block Samiti

  3. Mandal Samiti

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

  • A few Gram Panchayats are grouped together to form Panchayat Samiti.
  • It is also called as a block or Mandal Samiti.
  • The Panchayat Samiti collects all the prospective plans prepared at Gram Panchayat level and processes them for funding and implementation by evaluating them.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Which institution, among the following, reserves seats for women?

  1. Lok Sabha

  2. Rajya Sabha

  3. Vidhan Sabha

  4. Panchayats
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

As per article 243 D, 1/3 seats of Panchayati Raj Institutions and 1/3 offices of chairperson at all level of Panchayati Raj Institutions are reserved for women. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Tripura, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa have implemented 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institution.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

The need of establishing Panchayati Raj institutions is prescribed in _______.

  1. Directive Principles of the Constitution

  2. Fundamental Rights

  3. Preamble of the Constitution

  4. Seventh Schedule of the Constitution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

  • The Directive Principles of State Policy are the guidelines or principles given to the central and state governments of India, to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies. 
  • The need of establishing Panchayat Raj institutions is prescribed in Directive Principles of state policy.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Panchayati Raj system is _________________.

  1. An organisation which works according to the Central Government statue

  2. A Constitutional establishment

  3. Established to assist the working of the government

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

In the Panchayati Raj system the 'Panchayat Samiti' is constituted at the _________.

  1. Village level

  2. Block level

  3. City level

  4. District level
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

  • A few gram panchayats are grouped together to form Panchayat Samiti.
  • It is also called as a block or Mandal Samiti.
  • The Panchayat Samiti collects all the prospective plans prepared at Gram Panchayat level and processes them for funding and implementation by evaluating them.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Of the following which is correct ?

  1. A Sarpanch is nominated by the President of Zila Parishad

  2. A Sarpanch is nominated by the Collector or Deputy Commissioner of the district

  3. A Sarpanch is elected by the members of Gram Panchayat from among themselves

  4. A Sarpanch is elected by Gram Sabha
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A sarpanch is an elected head of a village-level statutory institution of local self-government called the panchayat. Members of the Panchayat are called Panches and are elected by Gram Sabha by secret ballot in all the States.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Which is at the apex of the three tier system of Panchayati Raj ?

  1. Gram Sabha

  2. Gram Panchayat

  3. Zila Parishad

  4. Panchayat Samiti
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The three-tier Panchayati Raj system consists of the Gram Panchayat (village level), Panchayat Samiti (block level), and Zila Parishad (district level), with the Zila Parishad at the apex.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

The source of maximum income to Panchayati Raj institution is _______________.

  1. Local taxes

  2. Regional funds

  3. Government grants

  4. Share in Union Govt. revenue.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The source of maximum income to Panchayati Raj institution is Government grants.

Multiple choice political science village panchayats panchayati raj panchayati raj institution rural local self-governments introduction to local self-government local self governing bodies community and community development our district physical geography of rajasthan

Panchayati Raj is based on the ideology of _________________.

  1. Democratic decentralisation

  2. Community cooperation and development

  3. People's participation in government

  4. Cultivation of political awareness in rural masses
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In India, the Panchayati Raj generally refers to the system of local self-government in India introduced by a constitutional amendment in 1992, although it is based upon the traditional panchayat system of the Indian subcontinent. This Panchayati Raj system was formalized in 1992, following a study conducted by a number of Indian committees on various ways of implementing more decentralized administration. It also keeps an eye on the elected representatives and in making them responsible to the persons who elected them. Hence, Option A is correct. The rest of the factors are not the main aim of the function of Panchayati Raj, hence, incorrect.