NITI Aayog Practice Questions
20 free NITI Aayog 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.
On which date was the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) officially established?
- A August 15, 2014
- B January 1, 2015
- C January 26, 2015
- D April 1, 2015
Correct answer: January 1, 2015
NITI Aayog was established via a Cabinet resolution on January 1, 2015. It replaced the 65-year-old Planning Commission to better reflect the developmental aspirations of India.
Which of the following describes the legal status of NITI Aayog?
- A Constitutional Body
- B Statutory Body
- C Executive Body
- D Judicial Body
Correct answer: Executive Body
NITI Aayog is a non-constitutional and non-statutory body. It was created by an executive resolution of the Union Cabinet, meaning it was not created by the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.
Who serves as the ex-officio Chairperson of NITI Aayog?
- A The President of India
- B The Finance Minister of India
- C The Prime Minister of India
- D The Minister of Planning
Correct answer: The Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India serves as the Chairperson of NITI Aayog. This follows the precedent set by the Planning Commission, ensuring leadership at the highest executive level.
The 'Governing Council' of NITI Aayog comprises which of the following members?
- A Prime Minister and Union Cabinet Ministers only
- B Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all States, and Lt. Governors of Union Territories
- C Prime Minister and Governors of all States
- D Chief Ministers and the President of India
Correct answer: Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all States, and Lt. Governors of Union Territories
The Governing Council is a key feature of NITI Aayog, promoting cooperative federalism. It includes the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all states, and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories.
Which pillar of NITI Aayog's ideology emphasizes the shift from 'Top-Down' planning to 'Bottom-Up' planning?
- A Centralized Planning
- B Cooperative Federalism
- C Directive Principles
- D Bureaucratic Centralism
Correct answer: Cooperative Federalism
NITI Aayog is built on the pillar of Cooperative Federalism. It recognizes that strong states make a strong nation, facilitating a bottom-up approach where states are equal partners in the planning process.
Who appoints the Vice-Chairperson of NITI Aayog?
- A The President of India
- B The Prime Minister of India
- C The Selection Committee of Parliament
- D The Governing Council
Correct answer: The Prime Minister of India
The Vice-Chairperson is appointed by the Prime Minister. The person holds the rank of a Cabinet Minister in the Union Government.
NITI Aayog's 'Three Year Action Agenda' was designed to replace which old system?
- A Annual Budgets
- B Five-Year Plans
- C Rolling Plans
- D Twenty Point Programme
Correct answer: Five-Year Plans
With the dissolution of the Planning Commission, the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012–17) was the last. NITI Aayog introduced a 15-year Vision, 7-year Strategy, and 3-year Action Agenda.
What is the maximum number of 'Ex-Officio' members that can be nominated from the Union Council of Ministers to NITI Aayog?
- A Two
- B Three
- C Four
- D Five
Correct answer: Four
Up to four members of the Union Council of Ministers can be nominated as Ex-Officio members by the Prime Minister. These are usually the Ministers of Home, Finance, Railway, and Agriculture.
The 'Atal Innovation Mission' (AIM) is an initiative launched under the aegis of:
- A Ministry of Science and Technology
- B Ministry of Education
- C NITI Aayog
- D CSIR
Correct answer: NITI Aayog
The Atal Innovation Mission is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It includes schemes like Atal Tinkering Labs and Atal Incubation Centers.
Which of the following indices is NOT published by NITI Aayog?
- A Composite Water Management Index
- B School Education Quality Index
- C Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index
- D Human Development Index (Global)
Correct answer: Human Development Index (Global)
The Global Human Development Index is published by the UNDP. NITI Aayog publishes several domestic indices, including the SDG India Index, to foster competitive federalism among states.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog is appointed by:
- A The President of India for a fixed tenure
- B The Prime Minister for a fixed tenure
- C The Union Minister of Home Affairs
- D The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Correct answer: The Prime Minister for a fixed tenure
The CEO is appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. This role is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the institution.
The 'Regional Councils' of NITI Aayog are formed to address:
- A International and inter-state boundary disputes
- B Specific issues affecting multiple states
- C The presidential election process
- D Equitable allocation of GST revenue
Correct answer: Specific issues affecting multiple states
Regional Councils are convened by the Prime Minister and comprise Chief Ministers of the affected states. They are formed for a specified tenure to deal with specific regional issues or common goals.
NITI Aayog functions primarily as a:
- A Financial Allocating Body
- B Policy Research Think Tank
- C Constitutional Audit Authority
- D Legislative Committee
Correct answer: Policy Research Think Tank
Unlike the Planning Commission, which had the power to allocate funds to states, NITI Aayog is a policy 'Think Tank.' It provides strategic and technical advice to the Centre and States on key developmental issues.
Which of the following is a 'Special Invitee' category in NITI Aayog?
- A Accredited foreign diplomats
- B Chief Justices of all High Courts
- C Domain experts and subject specialists
- D Leaders of Opposition in State Assemblies
Correct answer: Domain experts and subject specialists
The Prime Minister nominates experts and specialists with domain knowledge as Special Invitees. This ensures that the policy-making process is informed by multi-disciplinary expertise.
The concept of 'Competitive Federalism' promoted by NITI Aayog refers to:
- A States competing for Central funds through protests
- B States competing on development metrics and rankings
- C The Centre competing with the States for legislative power
- D The Judiciary competing against the Executive branch
Correct answer: States competing on development metrics and rankings
Competitive Federalism involves states competing with each other to improve their performance in sectors like health, education, and ease of doing business. NITI Aayog facilitates this by ranking states on various performance indices.
Which specialized wing of NITI Aayog provides a repository of research and maintains a database of experts?
- A Team India Coordination Wing
- B Policy Consultancy Wing
- C Knowledge and Innovation Wing
- D International Affairs Advisory Wing
Correct answer: Knowledge and Innovation Wing
NITI Aayog has three specialized wings: the Team India Wing (States' interface), the Consultancy Wing (solution providers), and the Knowledge and Innovation Wing (think tank function).
Regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), what is NITI Aayog's role in India?
- A It funds all SDG projects in states
- B It serves as the nodal agency for SDGs
- C It signs international treaties on behalf of India
- D It plays no role in SDG implementation
Correct answer: It serves as the nodal agency for SDGs
NITI Aayog is the nodal agency for monitoring the implementation of SDGs in India. It maps the goals to various Union Ministries and tracks progress via the SDG India Index.
In the composition of NITI Aayog, 'Full-time members' enjoy the rank of:
- A Cabinet Minister
- B Minister of State
- C Secretary to Government of India
- D Member of Parliament
Correct answer: Minister of State
Full-time members of NITI Aayog hold the rank of Minister of State. The number of such members varies as per the decision of the government.
The 'SATH' program (Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital) launched by NITI Aayog focuses on which sectors?
- A Space and Atomic Energy
- B Education and Health
- C Agriculture and Mining
- D Banking and Finance
Correct answer: Education and Health
The SATH program aims to identify and build three 'role model' states for health and education. It provides technical support to state governments to improve service delivery in these critical social sectors.
What is the key difference between the Planning Commission and NITI Aayog regarding State participation?
- A States had significantly more power in the Planning Commission
- B States had more direct input into the Planning Commission than into NITI Aayog
- C NITI Aayog provides greater State participation through the Governing Council
- D The Planning Commission excluded all State governments from any planning decisions
Correct answer: NITI Aayog provides greater State participation through the Governing Council
The Planning Commission followed a top-down model with little direct involvement of states in policy formulation. NITI Aayog’s Governing Council includes all Chief Ministers, ensuring states have a direct voice in the national agenda from the outset.