Q1. The Planning Commission has been abolished by Prime Minister U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015

(a) Narendra Modi 

(b) Morarji Desai 

(c) Atal Bihari Vajpayee 

(d) I.K. Gujral 

Ans. (a) 

Exp:

  1. The Planning Commission was established in March 1950 during the time of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced its abolition from the Red Fort on 15 August 2014. It was later replaced by NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015.
  2. Hence, option (a) is correct.


Q2. NITI Ayog was established in India in January 2015 by : U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2016

(a) Ordinance issued by President 

(b) The Act of Parliament 

(c) Union Cabinet passing a special resolution 

(d) None of the above 

Ans. (c) 

Exp:

  1. NITI Aayog was established in India on 1 January 2015 as a replacement for the Planning Commission. It was not created by a Constitutional amendment, Presidential ordinance, or Act of Parliament. It was created by a special resolution passed by the Union Cabinet.
  2. Hence, option (c) is correct.


Q3. Who appoints the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog? M.P.P.C.S. (Pre.) 2022

(a) The President of India. 

(b) The Prime Minister of India. 

(c) The Vice President of India. 

(d) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha. 

Ans. (b) 

Exp:

  1. NITI Aayog, whose full form is National Institution for Transforming India, was established on 1 January 2015 as the successor to the Planning Commission. 
  2. It is a non-constitutional / extra-constitutional and non-statutory body, as it was not created by the Constitution or by an Act of Parliament. 
  3. It was created by an executive resolution of the Government of India. The Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog, and its Vice-Chairperson is appointed by the Prime Minister. 
  4. The Vice-Chairperson enjoys the rank of a Cabinet Minister. Dr. Arvind Panagariya was the first Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog. 
  5. Hence, option (b) is correct.


Q4. Which among the following is not a part of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog ? U.P. R.O/A.R.O (Re. Exam) (Pre) 2023

(a) Governors of States 

(b) Chief Ministers of Delhi and Puducherry 

(c) Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands 

(d) All Chief Ministers of States 

Ans. (a) 

Exp: 

  1. The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is headed by the Prime Minister of India. It includes the Chief Ministers of all States, the Chief Ministers of Union Territories with Legislature such as Delhi and Puducherry, and the Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
  2. It also includes the Vice-Chairperson, full-time members, ex-officio members and special invitees of NITI Aayog. 
  3. The Governing Council works as a platform for cooperative federalism and discusses national development issues between the Centre and States. 
  4. However, Governors of States are not members of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog.
  5. Hence, option (a) is correct.


Q5. When was the Planning Commission established? 47th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2005

(a) 10th March, 1950 

(b) 15th March, 1950 

(c) 16th March, 1951 

(d) 20th March, 1950 

Ans. (b) 

Exp:

  1. The Planning Commission was established on 15 March 1950 by an executive resolution / Cabinet resolution of the Government of India. 
  2. It was not mentioned in the Constitution, so it was a non-constitutional / extra-constitutional body. It was also non-statutory, because it was not created by an Act of Parliament.
  3. The Prime Minister was its ex-officio Chairman, and its main function was to prepare Five-Year Plans and suggest measures for balanced utilization of national resources. Later, it was replaced by NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015.
  4. Hence, option (b) is correct.


Q6. Which of the following is an extra constitutional agency? U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018 

(a) Union Public Service Commission 

(b) Finance Commission 

(c) Election Commission 

(d) NITI Ayog

Ans. (d) 

Exp:

  1. An extra-constitutional agency means a body which is not mentioned in the Constitution. NITI Aayog is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body because it was not created by the Constitution or by an Act of Parliament. It was established on 1 January 2015 by an executive resolution of the Government of India as the successor to the Planning Commission.
  2. On the other hand, the Union Public Service Commission is a constitutional body under Article 315, the Finance Commission is a constitutional body under Article 280, and the Election Commission is a constitutional body under Article 324.
  3. Hence, option (d) is correct.


Q7. Which of the following body/bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution? I.A.S. (Pre) 2013

1. National Development Council 

2. Planning Commission 

3. Zonal Councils 

Select the correct answer using the codes given below 

(a) 1 and 2 only 

(b) Only 2 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) All of these 

Ans. (d) 

Exp:

  1. The National Development Council, Planning Commission, and Zonal Councils do not find direct mention in the Constitution.
  2. The National Development Council was established on 6 August 1952 by an executive order, so it is a non-constitutional and non-statutory body.
  3. The Planning Commission was established on 15 March 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India, so it was also a non-constitutional and non-statutory body.
  4. The Zonal Councils are also not mentioned in the Constitution. However, unlike the Planning Commission and NDC, they are statutory bodies, because they were created under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
  5. Therefore, all three bodies do not find mention in the Constitution.
  6. Hence, option (d) is correct.


Q8. Who was the First Chairman of Planning Commission of India? P.C.S. (Pre) 2006

(a) M. Viswesvarya 

(b) Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru 

(c) P. C. Mahalanobis 

(d) John Mathai Uttarakhand 

Ans. (b) 

Exp:

  1. The Planning Commission of India was established in March 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India / Union Cabinet. It was created on the recommendation of the Advisory Planning Board chaired by K.C. Neogi. The Planning Commission was neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body. The Prime Minister of India was its ex-officio Chairman. Therefore, the first Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, became the First Chairman of the Planning Commission.
  2. Hence, option (b) is correct.


Q9. Which one of the following is not correct about NITI Aayog? U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2015

(a) It was set up to replace the Planning Commission 

(b) It has a full-time Chairman 

(c) It was set up in January 2015 

(d) It is based on the principle of Cooperative Federalism 

Ans. (b) 

Exp:

  1. NITI Aayog was established on 1 January 2015 as the successor to the Planning Commission. It was created by an executive resolution of the Government of India / Union Cabinet, so it is neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body. NITI Aayog is based on the principle of cooperative federalism and works as the Government of India’s policy think tank.
  2. The statement that “it has a full-time Chairman” is not correct because the Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog. The full-time functionaries include the Vice-Chairperson, full-time members and CEO, but not a full-time Chairman.
  3. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Q10. Who had suggested a merger of Finance and Planning Commision? 

(a) D. D. Basu 

(b) Bhalchandra Goswami 

(c) M.V. Mathur 

(d) Ashutosh Pandey 

Ans. (c) 

Exp: 

  1. The suggestion for merging the Finance Commission and the Planning Commission was given by M.V. Mathur. He was associated with the Third Finance Commission, which was constituted in 1960. 
  2. Hence, option (c) is correct.


Q11. When was the National Development Council formed in India? U.P.P.C.S (Mains) 2016

(a) 26th January, 1950 

(b) 2nd October, 1950 

(c) 6th August, 1951 

(d) 6th August, 1952 

Ans. (d) 

Exp:

  1. The National Development Council (NDC) was formed on 6 August 1952 by an executive resolution of the Government of India. Like the Planning Commission, it was neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body. 
  2. The Prime Minister of India is its Chairman. It was created to secure the cooperation of States in the implementation of Plans, promote balanced development, and review the progress of national plans.
  3. Hence, option (d) is correct.


Q12. The National Development Council (NDC) – U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2010 U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2005

1. Discusses the progress of the National Plan. 

2. Suggests the ways to achieve the goals of the National Plan. 

3. Gives guidelines to formulate the National Plan. 

4. Suggests allocation of money in Planning. 

Considering the above statements, select the correct answer from the code given below : Codes : 

(a) 1, 2, and 3 

(b) 2, 3 and 4 

(c) 1, 2 and 4 

(d) All of the above 

Ans. (a) 

Exp:

  1. The National Development Council (NDC) was established in August 1952 / 6 August 1952 by an executive resolution of the Government of India. It is neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body. The Prime Minister of India is its Chairman.
  2. The NDC performs important functions related to national planning. It reviews/discusses the working and progress of the National Plan from time to time. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  3. It also recommends measures for achieving the aims and targets of the National Plan. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  4. The NDC also prescribes guidelines for the preparation/formulation of the National Plan. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
  5. However, the NDC does not suggest allocation of money in planning. Allocation-related work was mainly associated with the Planning Commission, not the NDC. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.
  6. Hence, option (a) is correct.


Q13. Who among the following constitutes the National Development Council? I.A.S. (Pre) 2013

1. The Prime Minister

2. The Chairman, Finance Commission 

3. Ministers of the Union Cabinet 

4. Chief Ministers of the States 

Select the correct answer using the code given below?

(a) Only 1, 2 and 3 

(b) Only 1, 3 and 4 

(c) Only 2 and 4 

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans. (b) 

Exp: 

  1. The National Development Council (NDC) was established in August 1952 / 6 August 1952 by an executive resolution of the Government of India. It is neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body.
  2. The Prime Minister of India is the Chairman/head of the National Development Council. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  3. The Chairman of the Finance Commission is not a member of the National Development Council. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
  4. The Ministers of the Union Cabinet are members of the National Development Council. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
  5. The Chief Ministers of all States are also members of the National Development Council. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
  6. The NDC is composed of the following members:
  7. The Prime Minister of India (as its chairman/head). 
  8. All Union Cabinet Ministers (since 1967). 
  9. The Chief Ministers of all the states. 
  10. The Chief Ministers/administrators of all union territories. 
  11. Members of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog). 
  12. Hence, option (b) is correct.