General Studies 2021 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Review

Q14

Explain the constitutional provisions under which Legislative Councils are established. Review the working and current status of Legislative Councils with suitable illustrations. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

उन संवैधानिक प्रावधानों को समझाइए जिनके अंतर्गत विधान-परिषदें स्थापित होती हैं। उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ विधान-परिषदों के कार्य और वर्तमान स्थिति का मूल्यांकन कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Review

This question asks you to review. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'review' requires both explanation of constitutional provisions and critical assessment of working status. Structure as: brief intro on bicameralism rationale → Article 169 and 171 provisions with creation/abolition process → working analysis with strengths and weaknesses → current status with state-wise illustrations → balanced conclusion on relevance.

Key points expected

Article 169 (creation/abolition by Parliament on state legislature resolution) and Article 171 (composition: not more than 1/3 of assembly, minimum 40 members)
Five states with Legislative Councils: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana; Andhra Pradesh abolished in 1985, revived 2007, abolished again 2020
Working review: delay in legislation (money bills), representation of minorities/educational interests, check on hasty legislation vs criticism as elite club
Current status: pending proposals (Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal), Andhra Pradesh abolition through 2020 Act, Tamil Nadu and Punjab abolished earlier
Critical assessment: relevance in era of cooperative federalism, need for reform vs abolition debate

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Correctly interprets 'review' as requiring both explanatory and evaluative treatment; balances constitutional provisions with critical assessment of working; does not reduce to mere description	Addresses both parts but treats 'review' superficially; either over-explains provisions without assessment or critiques without grounding in constitutional framework	Misreads directive as pure description; fails to provide critical assessment of working status or misses constitutional provisions entirely
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Precise citation of Articles 169-171 with correct procedural details (special majority, parliamentary law); accurate state-wise status with correct years; nuanced analysis of powers	Correct articles mentioned but procedural details vague; minor errors in state status or dates; superficial treatment of council powers	Confuses with Rajya Sabha provisions; wrong articles cited; factually incorrect on states (e.g., claims Telangana abolished or Andhra Pradesh retains council)
Structure & flow	20%	3	Logical progression: constitutional basis → composition → creation/abolition mechanism → working assessment → current status → conclusion; smooth transitions within 250-word constraint	Covers all parts but sequencing awkward; either constitutional and working sections disconnected or conclusion rushed; readable but not elegant	Disorganised jumping between provisions and examples; no clear separation between 'explain' and 'review' components; abrupt or missing conclusion
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific illustrations: Andhra Pradesh's double abolition (1985, 2020), Telangana creation 2014, pending Rajasthan/Odisha proposals; quantitative data on composition ratios; recent developments	Mentions some states correctly but misses key illustrations like Andhra Pradesh's unique history; no recent data on pending proposals	Generic reference to 'some states' without naming; no specific examples of creation/abolition processes; confuses Legislative Assembly with Council
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Balanced verdict: acknowledges representational value for minorities/education while recognising efficiency concerns; suggests reform (indirect elections, reduced size) rather than blanket abolition; forward-looking on cooperative federalism	Safe conclusion either fully supporting or opposing councils without nuance; no reform suggestions; merely summarises points made	No conclusion or abrupt ending; extreme position (complete abolition or uncritical defence) without justification; introduces new arguments in conclusion

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