Government Budgeting, Finance Commission & Fiscal Federalism

What should you study in Government Budgeting, Finance Commission & Fiscal Federalism?

• Finance Commission — Art.280; vertical (Centre-State) & horizontal (inter-State) devolution
• 15th Finance Commission — 41% share to states, local body grants
• FRBM Act — fiscal targets, counter-cyclical policy space
• Union Budget process — Art.112-117; MTEF, zero-based budgeting attempts

How often is Government Budgeting, Finance Commission & Fiscal Federalism asked in UPSC Mains?

Asked in 4 of 10 years, including 3 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

1. 2016: not asked
2. 2017: not asked
3. 2018: asked
4. 2019: not asked
5. 2020: not asked
6. 2021: asked
7. 2022: not asked
8. 2023: asked
9. 2024: asked
10. 2025: not asked

About the Mains GS Paper II paper

GS Paper II is a 250-mark descriptive Mains paper covering governance, the Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations. See all 40 Mains GS Paper II topics.

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