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Class 10 · Social Science

Federalism MCQ Quiz

Free CBSE Class 10 Civics MCQ quiz on Federalism (Weekly Test 23 Aug 2026): 30 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations. No sign-up needed.

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30 questions

  1. Which dual objectives must a federal system fundamentally safeguard and promote?

    1. Centralising executive authority and enforcing uniform national laws
    2. Safeguarding national unity and accommodating regional diversity
    3. Eliminating regional administrative units and streamlining taxation
    4. Promoting a single state language and establishing cultural uniformity

  2. In a 'Holding Together' federation, how is authority typically balanced between the national government and constituent states?

    1. Constituent states possess greater political power than the central authority
    2. The central government retains superior authority over state governments
    3. Power is distributed equally among states without central intervention
    4. State units can unilaterally secede from the federation

  3. Which group of subjects is listed exclusively under the Union List of the Indian Constitution?

    1. Police, Agriculture, and Trade
    2. Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Banking
    3. Education, Forests, and Trade Unions
    4. Computer Software, Space Research, and Robotics

  4. If a modern regulatory domain such as Cyber Law emerges that was not mentioned when the Indian Constitution was drafted, who holds the authority to legislate on it?

    1. State Governments exclusively
    2. Union Parliament under Residuary Powers
    3. Joint committees of State Legislatures
    4. Local Municipal Bodies

  5. How can basic constitutional provisions altering the balance of power between the Centre and States be amended in India?

    1. By a simple majority vote in the Lok Sabha alone
    2. By an executive order issued directly by the President
    3. By a two-thirds majority in Parliament plus ratification by at least half of State legislatures
    4. By unanimous agreement among all State Chief Ministers

  6. Apart from Hindi, how many official languages are recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

    1. 18
    2. 21
    3. 22
    4. 25

  7. What was the primary political rationale behind redrawing state boundaries on a linguistic basis in India after independence?

    1. To suppress regional cultural movements
    2. To ensure citizens speaking the same language belonged to the same state
    3. To decrease total state administrative expenditure
    4. To replace Hindi with regional languages in central offices

  8. Which statement best captures the core purpose of 'decentralisation' in a democracy?

    1. Abolishing local bodies to strengthen state departments
    2. Transferring power from central and state authorities to local government levels
    3. Merging rural panchayats into state legislative assemblies
    4. Restricting political participation strictly to national elections

  9. Which mandatory constitutional body was established under the 73rd and 74th Amendments to conduct local government elections in India?

    1. Election Commission of India
    2. State Election Commission
    3. Union Public Service Commission
    4. Delimitation Board of India

  10. Who comprises the general membership of a Gram Sabha in the rural governance structure?

    1. Only elected Ward Panchs and Sarpanch
    2. All adult residents of a village eligible to vote
    3. Block Development Officers and local MLAs
    4. Landowning heads of families in the village

  11. What title is given to the elected political head of a Municipal Corporation?

    1. Block Development Officer
    2. Municipal Commissioner
    3. Mayor
    4. Zilla Chairperson

  12. In a unitary form of government, what is the precise administrative relationship between central and sub-national units?

    1. Sub-national units exercise autonomous constitutional powers
    2. Sub-national units operate as subordinate authorities bound by central directives
    3. Central governments cannot overrule regional administrative choices
    4. States possess sovereign veto powers over national laws

  13. How does a federal constitution ensure the financial independence of its distinct tiers of governance?

    1. By allowing the Centre to allocate discretionary funds annually
    2. By clearly specifying separate revenue sources for each tier
    3. By requiring states to collect revenues only through central banks
    4. By mandating local taxes to be remitted directly to the United Nations

  14. What happens if a legislation enacted by a State government contradicts a Central law regarding a subject in the Concurrent List?

    1. The State law automatically overrides the Central law
    2. The Central law prevails over the State law
    3. Both laws become invalid immediately
    4. The Supreme Court drafts a replacement law

  15. Which of the following nations serves as a classic example of a 'Coming Together' federation?

    1. India
    2. Spain
    3. Australia
    4. Belgium

  16. Which constitutional body periodically reviews and recommends the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and States in India?

    1. NITI Aayog
    2. Finance Commission
    3. Comptroller and Auditor General
    4. Reserve Bank of India

  17. Why are entities like Chandigarh and Puducherry classified as 'Union Territories' rather than full States?

    1. They refused to sign agreements during integration
    2. They are too small to be independent states and could not easily merge with existing states
    3. They lack local political candidates to form assemblies
    4. They operate under special foreign treaty protections

  18. How did the political emergence of coalition governments at the Centre post-1990 transform Centre-State relations?

    1. It allowed the Centre to dissolve state assemblies at will
    2. It fostered a culture of coalition bargaining and state autonomy
    3. It led to the complete abolition of the State List
    4. It reduced the election frequency of regional political parties

  19. Under which constitutional list in India do 'Police' and 'Trade and Commerce within the state' fall?

    1. Union List
    2. State List
    3. Concurrent List
    4. Residuary Powers

  20. What constitutional authority does the Supreme Court of India hold when constitutional power distribution is disputed between government tiers?

    1. It can dissolve both government bodies instantly
    2. It acts as an independent arbiter to interpret constitutional boundaries
    3. It hands over the decision to military commanders
    4. It forces both levels to merge into a single administrative unit

  21. Special administrative constitutional provisions under Article 371 cater to the socio-cultural needs of which specific regions in India?

    1. Coastal industrial port regions
    2. Northeastern states and indigenous tribal areas
    3. Metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Kolkata
    4. Agricultural hubs of Punjab and Haryana

  22. What proportion of positions in local self-government bodies is constitutionally reserved for women in India?

    1. At least one-half
    2. At least one-third
    3. At least one-fourth
    4. At least two-thirds

  23. Several Gram Panchayats grouped together at a intermediate block level form which administrative entity?

    1. Zilla Parishad
    2. Panchayat Samiti
    3. Gram Sabha
    4. Municipal Council

  24. What essential function does a Gram Sabha perform regarding local self-governance?

    1. Appointing district magistrates and judges
    2. Approving the annual budget and reviewing Gram Panchayat activities
    3. Allocating federal taxes across various state sectors
    4. Directly framing legislative bills for the State Assembly

  25. Which subject belongs to the Concurrent List, allowing both central and state legislative action?

    1. Foreign Affairs
    2. Education
    3. Currency
    4. Post and Telegraph

  26. What defines the distinct political dynamic of a 'Coming Together' federation?

    1. A large central power dividing administration into provincial states
    2. Independent sovereign states pooling sovereignty for mutual security
    3. Unilateral rule by an executive president over regional governors
    4. Absence of written provisions guaranteeing state boundaries

  27. Despite the structural reform of 1992, what remains a primary challenge faced by local governments in India?

    1. Absence of regular election cycles
    2. Inadequate transfer of real powers and revenue funds from states
    3. Complete lack of political representation for women
    4. Rejection of local bodies by rural voters

  28. Which statement accurately describes India's official constitutional language policy regarding Hindi?

    1. Hindi was declared the sole national language to be spoken across all states
    2. Hindi is recognized as an official language while protecting other regional languages
    3. Hindi was replaced completely by English for all administrative uses
    4. Hindi usage was restricted exclusively to northern state assemblies

  29. Why is the Indian federal system often described as having a strong unitary feature?

    1. State governors are elected by regional voters
    2. The central government possesses exclusive emergency powers and key financial control
    3. States possess rights to draft separate state constitutions
    4. Local Panchayats veto decisions made by the Parliament

  30. Who serves as the political head presiding over meetings of a Zilla Parishad?

    1. District Collector
    2. Zilla Parishad Chairperson
    3. Member of Legislative Assembly
    4. Chief Minister