National Development Council Practice Questions
20 free National Development Council practice questions for the Indian Polity. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
In which year was the National Development Council (NDC) established?
- A 1950
- B 1952
- C 1964
- D 2015
Correct answer: 1952
The National Development Council was set up on August 6, 1952. It was created based on a recommendation of the First Five-Year Plan to strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan.
Which of the following describes the nature of the National Development Council?
- A A Constitutional body
- B A Statutory body
- C An Executive body
- D A Judicial body
Correct answer: An Executive body
The NDC is neither a constitutional body nor a statutory body. It was established by an executive resolution of the Government of India, similar to the now-defunct Planning Commission.
Who is the ex-officio Chairman of the National Development Council?
- A The President of India
- B The Union Finance Minister
- C The Prime Minister of India
- D The Vice-President of India
Correct answer: The Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India serves as the Chairman of the NDC. This ensures high-level political coordination between the Centre and the States for developmental policies.
Which of the following are members of the National Development Council?
- A The Prime Minister and all Union Cabinet Ministers
- B Chief Ministers of all States and Administrators of Union Territories
- C Members of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog)
- D All of the above
Correct answer: All of the above
The NDC is a broad-based body including the Prime Minister, all Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States, Administrators of Union Territories, and members of the NITI Aayog.
Who serves as the Secretary to the National Development Council?
- A The Secretary General of the Lok Sabha
- B The Secretary of the NITI Aayog
- C The Union Home Secretary of India
- D The Cabinet Secretary of India
Correct answer: The Secretary of the NITI Aayog
The Secretary of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) acts as the Secretary to the NDC. The NITI Aayog also provides the necessary administrative and secretarial assistance to the Council.
The National Development Council was often referred to as a 'Super Cabinet' by which of the following persons?
- A Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
- B Krishnaswami Santhanam
- C Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
- D Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Correct answer: Krishnaswami Santhanam
K. Santhanam, a prominent jurist and politician, described the NDC as a 'Super Cabinet'. This was due to its significant influence on national policy and the fact that its decisions were practically binding on both the Centre and the States.
What is the primary function of the National Development Council?
- A To adjudicate all inter-state water disputes in India
- B To review the working of the National Plan periodically
- C To formally appoint the Governors of all Indian States
- D To manage and regulate the foreign exchange reserves of India
Correct answer: To review the working of the National Plan periodically
The core function of the NDC is to review the working of the National Plan and to consider important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development.
Which body used to give the final approval to the Five-Year Plans of India?
- A The Parliament of India
- B The Planning Commission
- C The National Development Council
- D The Finance Commission of India, constituted every five years
Correct answer: The National Development Council
While the Planning Commission drafted the Five-Year Plans, the final approval was given by the National Development Council. After the NDC's approval, the plan was placed before the Parliament.
How often is the National Development Council required to meet according to its guidelines?
- A At least once every month
- B At least twice a year
- C Only during a National Emergency
- D Every five years
Correct answer: At least twice a year
The NDC is expected to meet at least twice a year. However, the frequency of meetings has varied depending on the requirements of the planning cycle and the political climate.
Which of the following is NOT an objective of the National Development Council?
- A To strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan
- B To promote common economic policies in all vital spheres
- C To ensure the balanced and rapid development of all parts of the country
- D To prepare and present the annual budget for the Union Government
Correct answer: To prepare and present the annual budget for the Union Government
Preparing the annual budget is the responsibility of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Union Finance Ministry. The NDC focuses on broader developmental strategies and coordination.
The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) suggested that the NDC should be reconstituted to include which of the following?
- A The Chief Justice of India
- B The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament
- C The Prime Minister and Chief Ministers
- D All Union Cabinet Ministers
Correct answer: The Prime Minister and Chief Ministers
The ARC in 1967 suggested that the NDC should be the supreme body for planning and should consist of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister (if any), the Chief Ministers of all States, and the members of the Planning Commission.
With the abolition of the Five-Year Plans and the Planning Commission, what has happened to the status of the NDC?
- A It was formally abolished by an Act of Parliament in 2015
- B It was formally dissolved by the Union Cabinet in 2015, along with the Planning Commission
- C It has not met since 2012, superseded by NITI Aayog's Governing Council
- D It was formally reconstituted as a full Constitutional body
Correct answer: It has not met since 2012, superseded by NITI Aayog's Governing Council
The NDC has not been formally abolished, but it hasn't met since the 57th meeting in 2012. Its role of providing a platform for Centre-State coordination has been largely taken over by the Governing Council of NITI Aayog.
Who represents the Union Territories at the National Development Council meetings?
- A The President of India
- B The Administrators or Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
- C The Members of Parliament duly elected from those Union Territories
- D The Union Home Minister of India
Correct answer: The Administrators or Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
Administrators of Union Territories are members of the NDC. This ensures that the developmental needs of UTs are represented alongside those of the States.
Which of the following bodies facilitates the 'Bottom-Up' approach of planning that the NDC was intended to support?
- A Zonal Councils
- B NITI Aayog
- C Election Commission
- D Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
Correct answer: NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog was specifically designed to promote a bottom-up approach and cooperative federalism, roles that were traditionally associated with the coordination functions of the NDC.
The NDC serves as a link between which two entities?
- A The Executive and the Judiciary
- B The Union Government and State Governments
- C The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, both houses of Parliament
- D India and the United Nations Organization
Correct answer: The Union Government and State Governments
The NDC serves as a vital bridge between the Union and the States. It provides a forum where the political heads of both levels of government can discuss and agree on national development goals.
Which Prime Minister presided over the first meeting of the National Development Council?
- A Lal Bahadur Shastri
- B Jawaharlal Nehru
- C Indira Gandhi
- D Morarji Desai
Correct answer: Jawaharlal Nehru
The first meeting of the NDC was held in November 1952, presided over by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. He emphasized the need for a unified national approach to planning.
The recommendations of the National Development Council are generally:
- A Legally binding on the States
- B Advisory and non-binding in nature
- C Subject to approval by the Finance Commission
- D Mandatory for the President to implement
Correct answer: Advisory and non-binding in nature
As an executive body, the NDC's recommendations are advisory. However, because they are made by a body containing all Chief Ministers and Union Cabinet ministers, they carry immense political weight.
Which of the following is a key difference between the NDC and the Inter-State Council?
- A The NDC is constitutional while the Inter-State Council is not
- B Inter-State Council is constitutional, NDC is an executive body
- C NDC exclusively handles only judicial matters and disputes
- D The Inter-State Council of India is always chaired by the President
Correct answer: Inter-State Council is constitutional, NDC is an executive body
The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body established under Article 263, whereas the NDC is a non-constitutional, non-statutory body created by executive resolution.
In the context of Indian planning, what does 'Vertical Coordination' refer to in the NDC?
- A Coordination between different Union Ministries
- B Coordination between the Union and State Governments
- C Coordination between different State Governments
- D Coordination between the Legislature and the Executive branches
Correct answer: Coordination between the Union and State Governments
Vertical coordination refers to the alignment of policies and goals between the different tiers of government (Centre and States). The NDC was the premier body for achieving this alignment during the Five-Year Plan era.
Why was the NDC created when the Planning Commission already existed?
- A To act as a judicial and constitutional check on the Planning Commission
- B To ensure State participation in the planning process
- C To handle the defense budget specifically
- D To replace the Parliament in financial matters
Correct answer: To ensure State participation in the planning process
The Planning Commission was a central body of experts. The NDC was created to ensure that the States, which are responsible for implementing most developmental plans, had a voice in the formulation and approval of those plans.