Constitutional Bodies — Set 5

Correct Answer: A. Article 315

• **Article 315 = Public Service Commissions (Union and States)** = Article 315 provides for a Public Service Commission for the Union () and a Public Service Commission for each State (SPSC). • **Joint SPSC option** — Two or more States may have a Joint SPSC under Article 315(2) upon resolution by their Legislatures and an Act of Parliament. • 💡 Option B (Article 312) deals with All-India Services; Option C (Article 320) lists functions; Option D (Article 323) covers reports — only 315 establishes the PSCs.

Correct Answer: C. Article 312

• **Article 312 = creation of All-India Services** = Article 312 empowers Parliament to create new All-India Services common to the Union and the States. • **Rajya Sabha resolution mandatory** — A new AIS can be created only after the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by 2/3rd majority of members present and voting, certifying it is in national interest. • 💡 Option A (Article 315) creates PSCs not AIS; Option B (Article 320) lists functions; Option D (Article 300) deals with government suits — only 312 covers All-India Services.

Correct Answer: B. No, it is advisory

• ** advice = advisory, not binding** = The advice tendered by the is only advisory in nature; the Government is not legally bound to accept it. • **Non-acceptance = laid in Parliament** — If the Government rejects's advice, it must lay a memorandum explaining reasons before Parliament, ensuring transparency. • 💡 Option A (binding in disciplinary matters) is incorrect — even there, is consulted, not binding; Option C (binding if President agrees) has no constitutional basis; Option D (always binding) is wrong — is only advisory.

Correct Answer: D. 62 years

• **SPSC retirement age = 62 years** = A member of a State Public Service Commission holds office for 6 years or until attaining 62 years of age, whichever is earlier. • **41st Amendment, 1976** — The retirement age of SPSC members was raised from 60 to 62 years by the 41st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976; remains higher at 65. • 💡 Option A (58 years) is not correct for SPSC; Option B (60 years) was the pre-1976 age; Option C (65 years) applies to not SPSC — only 62 years is correct for SPSC.

Correct Answer: C. 65 years

• ** retirement age = 65 years** = A member of the Union Public Service Commission serves for 6 years or until the age of 65, whichever comes first. • **Higher than SPSC (62)** —'s 65-year cap is higher than the 62-year cap for SPSC members; this reflects the seniority expected at the Union level. • 💡 Option A (62 years) applies to SPSC, not Option B (60 years) is incorrect; Option D (70 years) is not a age — only 65 is correct.

Correct Answer: A. Four

• **Finance Commission = Chairman + 4 members (total 5)** = The Finance Commission consists of a Chairman and four other members, all appointed by the President under Article 280. • **Reappointment permitted** — Members hold office for the period specified in the presidential order and are eligible for reappointment; Parliament prescribes qualifications. • 💡 Option B (Two) is the ECI composition before 1993; Option C (Five) would make it 1+5 which is wrong; Option D (Three) is the current ECI total, not Finance Commission — only Four other members is correct.

Correct Answer: B. N.K. Singh

• **N.K. Singh = Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission** = Nand Kishore Singh was appointed Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission by the President in November 2017. • **Award period 2021-2026** — The 15th FC's recommendations cover the five-year award period 2021-22 to 2025-26; it gave States a 41% share of the divisible tax pool. • 💡 Option A (C. Rangarajan) chaired the 12th FC; Option C (Y.V. Reddy) chaired the 14th FC; Option D (Vijay Kelkar) chaired the 13th FC — only N.K. Singh chaired the 15th.

Correct Answer: D. High Court Judge

• **Advocate General qualification = High Court Judge eligibility** = To be appointed Advocate General of a State, a person must be qualified to be appointed a Judge of a High Court, as per Article 165. • **Chief legal advisor to State** — The Advocate General is the chief legal advisor to the State Government and discharges duties of a legal nature referred by the Governor. • 💡 Option A (District Judge) is a lower qualification; Option B (Solicitor General) is an office, not a qualification; Option C (Supreme Court Judge) is the AG-of-India standard — only High Court Judge qualification is correct for state Advocate General.

Correct Answer: C. President

• **President appoints Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities** = The President of India appoints the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities under Article 350B. • **Role and reporting** — The officer (also called Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, headquartered at Allahabad) investigates safeguards for linguistic minorities and reports to the President. • 💡 Option A (Home Minister) has no appointment power; Option B (Prime Minister) recommends informally but formal authority is President's; Option D (Chief Justice) plays no role — only President appoints.

Correct Answer: D. President

• **NCSC report placed before Parliament by the President** = The NCSC submits its annual report to the President under Article 338; the President then causes it to be laid before each House of Parliament. • **Non-acceptance memorandum** — Along with the report, the government places a memorandum explaining reasons for non-acceptance of any recommendation; state-related reports go to the Governor and State Legislature. • 💡 Option A (Speaker) only presides; Option B (Prime Minister) has no role in laying NCSC reports; Option C (NCSC Chairperson) submits the report but does not place it before Parliament — only the President does.