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Constitutional Provision Article 16
Asked 4 times across 4 UPSC exams over 9 years (2016–2025), peaking in 2023.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 1 of 4 PYQs
- First appeared in CDS 2016 — 7 years before CSE 2023 (allied exams preview CSE)
- Most asked in 2023
- Recurs across 4 years (2016–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2016 → CAPF 2017 → CSE 2023 → GEO 2025
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (4 of 4) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
GEO2025
With reference to Article 16 of the Constitution of India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward classes of citizens
- The State can deny a woman to be appointed as a doctor in the Army Medical Institutes on account of pregnancy
- Creamy layers amongst the backward classes of citizens are determined by income criteria only. Select the answer
using the code given below.
- A 1 only ✓
- B 1 and 2 only
- C 2 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Polity & Governance › FR/DPSP/Duties
CSE2023
Consider the following statements
Statement IThe Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration
Statement IIArticle 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term 'efficiency of administration'
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- A Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- B Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- C Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect ✓
- D Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Polity & Governance › FR/DPSP/Duties
CAPF2017
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Article 15 of the Constitution of India is available to both citizens of India and the foreigners
- Article 16 of the Constitution of India is available to the citizens of India only
- Article 21 of the Constitution of India is available to both citizens of India and the foreigners alike within the territory of India
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A 1 only
- B 2 and 3 only ✓
- C 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Polity & Governance › FR/DPSP/Duties
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