Consider the following statements:The minimum age prescribed for any person to be a member of Pancha

Q: What is UPSC Prelims?

UPSC Prelims is a competitive examination conducted in India. This question is from the 2016 UPSC Prelims Indian Polity & Governance paper.

Q: How can I prepare for UPSC Prelims Indian Polity & Governance?

To prepare for UPSC Prelims Indian Polity & Governance, practice previous year questions (PYQs), understand concepts thoroughly, and solve mock tests regularly. This 2016 question covers Panchayati Raj – 73rd & 74th Amendment topic.

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This UPSC Prelims 2016 Indian Polity & Governance question has a medium difficulty level and is marked as an important question and is one of the most repeated questions.

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You can find more UPSC Prelims previous year questions on AspirantMitraa. Browse by subject, topic, year, and difficulty level to practice effectively.

Question

Consider the following statements:The minimum age prescribed for any person to be a member of Panchayat is 25 years.A Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution continues only for the remainder period.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: B — 2 onlySolution:Statement 1 — Minimum age for Panchayat membership is 25 years: This is incorrect. The minimum age prescribed for any person to contest elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions is 21 years — not 25 years. This is lower than the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha elections (25 years). The 73rd Constitutional Amendment does not specify a minimum age directly but states that state laws shall not disqualify a person from being chosen as a member of Panchayat on ground of age if they have attained the minimum age applicable under state law (which states have generally set at 21). ✗Statement 2 — Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution continues only for the remainder period: This is correct. Under Article 243E of the Constitution, every Panchayat shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. However, a Panchayat constituted upon the dissolution of a Panchayat before the expiry of its term shall continue only for the remainder of that period — not for a fresh 5-year term. If the remainder period is less than 6 months, it is not necessary to hold elections. ✓Why other options are incorrect:Options A, C, D: Statement 1 is factually wrong regarding the minimum age (21, not 25).Key Concept: The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992) inserted Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) into the Constitution, giving constitutional status to Panchayati Raj. Key provisions: mandatory elections every 5 years; mandatory reservation of seats for SC/ST (in proportion to population) and women (minimum 1/3rd); State Finance Commission for financial devolution; State Election Commission for conducting elections. The constitutional mandate on remainder terms for dissolved panchayats (Article 243E(4)) is a specific provision tested here. Distinguishing between age for Panchayat (21 years) vs. age for Lok Sabha/state assemblies (25 years) vs. age for Rajya Sabha (30 years) is a classic UPSC trap.

Consider the following statements:The minimum age prescribed for any person to be a member of Panchayat is 25 years.A Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution continues only for the remainder period.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Consider the following statements:The minimum age prescribed for any person to be a member of Panchayat is 25 years.A Panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution continues only for the remainder period.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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