Current Affairs Questions Asked in Recent Government Exams

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) recently conducted the Village Panchayat Officer (VPO) examination. A key highlight of this exam was the inclusion of several current affairs questions related to rural development, government schemes, constitutional provisions, and digital initiatives. These questions reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and improve rural governance.

Current Affairs Questions Asked in Recent Government Exams

Question 1: Which scheme aims to provide employment to migrant workers in villages in Uttar Pradesh?
(A) Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana
(B) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
(C) Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
(D) Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan
(E) None of the above

Question 2: Which of the following initiative is a key part of the Uttar Pradesh government’s strategy for rural development?
(A) Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana
(B) Swabhagya Scheme
(C) Smart Village Project/Act
(D) Kisan Vikas Patra
(E) None of the above

Question 3: The provisions for the Panchayats are included under which Part of the Constitution of India?
(A) Part IV
(B) Part IX
(C) Part VIII
(D) Part XII
(E) None of the above

Question 4: What was one of the major shortcomings identified in the British Era Panchayat System that led to reforms in the Post-Independence Panchayati Raj System?
(A) Over-centralization of power with local elites
(B) Weak legal framework and non-representation of people
(C) Ineffective agricultural policies
(D) High level of corruption
(E) None of the above

Question 5: Under which scheme were Property cards distributed to 35 lakh beneficiaries on National Panchayati Raj Day in April 2023?
(A) MGNREGA
(B) SVAMITVA Scheme
(C) PMGSY
(D) PMAY-G
(E) None of the above

Question 6: Which Article of the Indian Constitution mandates the establishment of Panchayats at the village or other local level?
(A) Article 243A
(B) Article 243B
(C) Article 240
(D) Article 40
(E) None of the above

Question 7: According to the Ministry’s Saturation Approach, 2024, how many Gram Panchayat Bhavans were sanctioned for Uttar Pradesh?
(A) 200
(B) 500
(C) 100
(D) 50
(E) None of the above

Question 8: Which significant event was held in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to enhance grassroots governance and service delivery?
(A) Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Summit
(B) Panchayat Sammelan on Ease of Living
(C) National Panchayati Awards Ceremony
(D) National Workshop on People’s Plan Campaign 2024
(E) None of the above

Question 9: Under the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act, what does the term “Kshetra Panchayat” refer to?
(A) The territorial limit of a Zilla Panchayat
(B) A block of villages managed by a Gram Panchayat
(C) Panchayati Samiti
(D) The Panchayati Ayha of a Kshettra Panchayat as specified under Section 3
(E) A revenue village under municipal jurisdiction

Question 10: Who is the primary/statutorily responsible for auditing all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Uttar Pradesh?
(A) Chief Audit Officer, Co-operative Societies and Panchayats (CAO)
(B) State Finance Commission
(C) District Magistrate
(D) Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India
(E) None of the above

Question 11: The states can propose the following activities under RGSA for establishment of Panchayats:

I. Development of customized software applications for PRIs where PES has been rolled out
II. Strengthening computerized accounting, record-keeping and local-level planning
III. Implementing ICT-based solutions for service delivery, like certificates and licenses

Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(A) II and III
(B) I and II
(C) I, II, and III
(D) Only I
(E) None of the above

Question 12: Under the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC), what financial allocation means for Panchayats in the interim period FY 2020-21 across 28 States?
(A) ₹75,000 crore
(B) ₹1,00,000 crore
(C) ₹60,750 crore
(D) ₹30,570 crore
(E) None of the above

Question 13: At which levels is the progress of the Self-Sufficient Infrastructure in Village being monitored?
(A) Only at the Central level under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
(B) State and District levels through a High-Level Committee
(C) Through Panchayat-level Committee without state or district oversight
(D) Only at the Village level
(E) None of the above

Question 14: Which of the following is a component of the PM-KUSUM scheme?
(A) Subsidizing drip irrigation systems for farmers
(B) Providing financial assistance for electric tractors
(C) Promoting wind energy for household consumption
(D) Solarisation of 10 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps
(E) None of the above

Question 15: The Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar (PRI-PSP) was merged with which other scheme in the year 2013-14?
(A) Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
(B) Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan
(C) National Rural Livelihood Mission
(D) Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
(E) None of the above

Question 16: Which among the following is related to CSC Grameen E-Store along with the “Vocal for Local” campaign?
(A) Expanding global e-commerce platforms in rural areas
(B) Partnering with SHGs, Farmers and MSMEs
(C) Digital and literacy programming for empowerment
(D) Providing logistics jobs in rural areas
(E) None of the above

Question 17: Which of the technological advancements was introduced (or strengthened) in 2024 to promote linguistic inclusivity?
(A) Introduction of biometric authentication for rural governance
(B) Machine-powered translation under the Bhashini Initiative
(C) Adoption of cloud-based infrastructure for Panchayat services
(D) Deployment of blockchain for secure transactions
(E) None of the above

Question 18: The Panchayati Raj System in India after independence was first implemented in which state?
(A) Uttar Pradesh
(B) West Bengal
(C) Kerala
(D) Rajasthan
(E) None of the above

Question 19: Which of the following committee played a key role in formulating minimum to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions after the 73rd Constitutional Amendment?
(A) Shankar Dayal Sharma Committee
(B) L.M. Singhvi Committee
(C) Jawaharlal Nehru Committee
(D) Santhanam Committee
(E) None of the above

Question 20: Uttar Pradesh has how many districts covered under Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) scheme?
(A) 45
(B) 35
(C) 50
(D) 30
(E) None of the above

Question 21: According to Article 243D of the Constitution, under what condition may a State legislature not constitute Panchayats at the intermediate level?
(A) If the State government passes a special resolution
(B) If the State has a population not exceeding 20 lakhs
(C) If the President of India grants an exemption
(D) If the State has a population not exceeding 30 lakhs
(E) None of the above

Question 22: When was the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) created?
(A) 2004
(B) 2000
(C) 2014
(D) 1993
(E) None of the above

Question 23: The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 granted Constitutional status to which of the following?
(A) State Legislative Assemblies
(B) Panchayati Raj Institutions
(C) District Planning Committees
(D) Urban Municipal Corporations
(E) None of the above

Question 24: Under Article 243O of the Constitution, which of the following statements is correct regarding the delimitation of constituencies for Panchayat elections?
(A) The validity of any law related to delimitation of constituencies made under Article 243K cannot be questioned in court
(B) The Election Commission of India is responsible for delimitation in all states
(C) The Parliament of India has exclusive authority over Panchayat elections
(D) The Supreme Court can review delimitation disputes
(E) None of the above

Question 25: The Twelfth Finance Commission grant to Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Institutions was intended to cover which time period?
(A) 2000-2005
(B) 2010-2015
(C) 2005-2010
(D) 2006-2011
(E) None of the above

Question 26: The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) aimed to create Nirmal Gram Panchayats by focusing on which of the following?
(A) Offering subsidies for households
(B) Ensuring sanitation coverage for every rural household
(C) Building new roads in rural areas
(D) Providing free education to rural children
(E) None of the above

Question 27: Which of the following budget allocations and proposals under e-Panchayat MMP for FY 2011-12 is correct?
(A) ₹ 40 crore for digital literacy training of Panchayat officials
(B) ₹18.5 crore for setting up Programme Management Units (PMUs) at State and District levels
(C) ₹ 40 crore was the total budgetary allocation for 2012-13
(D) ₹ 1.5 crore for incentivizing adoption of PRIASoft
(E) None of the above

Question 28: Which type of e-services is particularly emphasized under the G2C e-District project?
(A) Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) services
(B) Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services
(C) Peer-to-Peer (P2P) services
(D) Business-to-Business (B2B) services
(E) None of the above

Question 29: Which of the following is a component of the training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) being developed by MoPR and IIMCA?
(A) Mechanisms for securing foreign direct investment (FDI) for Panchayats
(B) Planning and account handbook for revenue collection and management
(C) A workbook containing Panchayat information and financial planning guidelines
(D) Software for generating Own Source Revenue (OSR) at the Panchayat level
(E) None of the above

Question 30: Which of the following states was not included in the pilot phase of PMGSY launched in 2000-01?
(A) Bihar
(B) Rajasthan
(C) Uttar Pradesh
(D) Tamil Nadu
(E) None of the above

Question 31: What was the primary recommendation of the L.M. Singhvi Committee (1989) regarding local government institutions?
(A) Establishing decentralized governance models for rural areas
(B) Providing constitutional recognition and enhancing periodic elections
(C) Shifting more local governance responsibilities to State governments
(D) Abolishing Panchayati Raj institutions due to inefficiency
(E) None of the above

Question 32: The Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act does not come under which of the following Acts?
(A) Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953
(B) Indian Forest Act, 1927
(C) Uttar Pradesh Land Revenue Act, 1999
(D) Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973
(E) None of the above

Question 33: From which date does provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 1994, requiring all references to “Gaon Sabha” to be interpreted as “Gram Panchayat”, officially commence?
(A) From the beginning of the next financial year
(B) From the date of the next Gram Panchayat election
(C) After approval from the District Magistrate
(D) From the date the Act is officially gazetted
(E) None of the above

Question 34: Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the 29 subjects that may be devolved to Panchayati Raj Institutions?
(A) Ninth
(B) Seventh
(C) Eleventh
(D) First
(E) None of the above

Question 35. Which of the following is not a function of the Gram Panchayat as specified by the State Government?
(A) Managing and assisting in water distribution from minor irrigation projects
(B) Assisting in land consolidation
(C) Implementation of central banking policies
(D) Promotion and development of agriculture and horticulture
(E) None of the above

Question 36. Under which section of Uttar Pradesh Kshettra and Zila Panchayats Adhiniyam, 1961, is the election of Zila Panchayat provided?
(A) Section 3, Clause (5)
(B) Section 4, Clause (11)
(C) Section 6, Clause (1)
(D) Section 1, Clause (10)
(E) None of the above

Question 37. Under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, at what interval must a Finance Commission be constituted to review the financial position of Panchayats?
(A) Every 5 years
(B) Every 4 years
(C) Every 3 years
(D) None of the above

Question 38. According to the 74th Constitutional Amendment, what proportion of seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions is reserved for women?
(A) One-third of the seats
(B) One-fourth of the seats
(C) Half of the seats
(D) None of the above

Question 39. Which government body and ministry are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj with existing district planning committees in Uttar Pradesh?
(A) Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
(B) Ministry of Panchayati Raj and State Planning Commission
(C) Ministry of Rural Development and District Development Offices
(D) Ministry of Home Affairs and NITI Aayog
(E) None of the above

Question 40. Under Article 280(3)(bb) of the Constitution, which finance commission makes recommendations regarding the measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats?
(A) Reserve Bank of India
(B) Central Finance Commission
(C) State Finance Commission
(D) NITI Aayog
(E) None of the above

Question 41. Under which index has Uttar Pradesh introduced a system for performance assessment and incentivization in Panchayats since 2023?
(A) Rural Development Index
(B) Gram Panchayat Performance Index
(C) Village Development Index
(D) Panchayat Development Index
(E) None of the above

Question 42. Under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, who is responsible for providing information about a newborn child or deceased person to the concerned public health or police station?
(A) The headman or corresponding officer in the village
(B) Any person who finds the newborn child or body and takes action without further reporting
(C) The relative or friend of the deceased
(D) The old or young resident of the same house
(E) None of the above

Question 43. What does Rule 186 of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Rules, 1947 provide for?
(A) Appointment of Panchayat officials
(B) Preparation of Annual Audit Reports
(C) Regulation of village-level disputes
(D) Conduct of Gram Panchayat elections
(E) None of the above

Question 44. What is the estimated annual savings on health costs per family in Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages under SBM Phase 2?
(A) ₹7,500
(B) ₹10,000
(C) ₹15,000
(D) ₹25,000
(E) None of the above

Question 45. Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), how much incentive is provided to ASHA workers for motivating households to obtain tap connections and from which fund is this amount drawn?
(A) ₹100, CSR Fund
(B) ₹50, MPLADS Funds
(C) ₹150, Gram Panchayat Development Fund
(D) ₹75, NRDWP (Support) Fund
(E) None of the above

Question 46. The State Finance Commission (SFC) is responsible for recommending the distribution of financial resources between:
(A) The State Government and local bodies like Panchayats
(B) The Gram Panchayat and the District Administration
(C) Regional and State-level Panchayats
(D) The Gram Panchayat and Zila Panchayats
(E) None of the above

Question 47. What is the funding ratio of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA)?
(A) 75:25 (Centre: State)
(B) 50:50 (Centre: State)
(C) 60:40 (Centre: State)
(D) 100% Central Government
(E) None of the above

Question 48. According to the Performance Grant Scheme by the Central Government, what is the primary objective of funding provided to Panchayats?
(A) Improving the performance of Panchayats in key developmental areas
(B) Increasing the quality of education in rural areas
(C) Supporting private sector involvement in rural governance
(D) Promoting urban participation in rural schemes
(E) None of the above

Question 49. Which of the following is the key feature of the Lakhpati initiative?
(A) Providing free education to rural children
(B) Diversified livelihood activities through convergence across sectors
(C) Focus on one livelihood activity for every family
(D) Focus on urban employment generation only
(E) None of the above

Question 51. What was the average per capita expenditure on Panchayats in Uttar Pradesh from 2012–13 to 2017–18?
(A) ₹300
(B) ₹800
(C) ₹1,000
(D) ₹1,200
(E) None of the above

Question 52. What was the annual growth rate of state public expenditure in Uttar Pradesh from 2012–13 to 2017–18?
(A) 2.5%
(B) 3.8%
(C) 1.9%
(D) 2.1%
(E) None of the above

Question 53. Which system of property tax assessment was suggested by the State Finance Commission (SFC) of Uttar Pradesh?
(A) Rental-based valuation system
(B) Production-cost valuation system
(C) Unit area valuation system
(D) Income-based taxation system
(E) None of the above