UPSC Civil Services Model Paper 2

● Question Hour
◦ The first hour of every parliamentary sitting is slotted for the Question Hour.
◦ However, in 2014 the Question Hour was shifted in the Rajya Sabha from 11 am to 12 noon.
◦ Hence, Rajya Sabha's first session starts with Zero Hour instead of Question Hour like the Lok Sabha. Hence, Statement 1 is NOT correct .
→ During this one hour, Members of Parliament (MPs) ask questions to ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries.
→ The questions can also be asked to the private members (MPs who are not ministers).
● Zero Hour :
◦ Zero Hour is an Indian parliamentary innovation. It is not mentioned in the parliamentary rules book.
◦ Under this, MPs can raise matters without any prior notice.
● Kinds of Questions : There are three types of questions asked.
◦ Starred question (distinguished by an asterisk)- this requires an oral answer and hence supplementary questions can follow. Hence, Statement 2is NOT correct .
◦ Unstarred question- this requires a written answer and hence, supplementary questions cannot follow.
◦ Short notice question is one that is asked by giving a notice of less than ten days. It is answered orally.