UPSC Mains 2022 GS Paper 2 Q4: model answer
Discuss the role of the Vice–President of India as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
What the question wants
Discuss the Vice-President's role as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
How to structure it
Discuss the role: the constitutional basis, the powers, recent controversies, the ideal.
- Basis
- Powers
- Practice
- Ideal
How to think it through
2024 saw the first-ever opposition notice to remove a Vice-President, and in July 2025 Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned mid-term; C.P. Radhakrishnan took over in September 2025. Both events belong in an upto-date answer.
Model answer
In December 2024 the opposition gave notice, for the first time ever, to remove a Vice-President under Article 67(b); the Deputy Chairman rejected it. In July 2025 Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned mid-term, and C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected in September 2025. The Chair has rarely been so much in the news.
Constitutional basis
Article 64: the Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha; Article 89 provides a Deputy Chairman. He is not a member of the House.
Powers as Chairman
- Presides, maintains order, interprets rules.
- Decides admissibility of questions, motions and notices.
- Gives a casting vote in case of a tie only.
- Decides disqualification of Rajya Sabha members under the Tenth Schedule.
- Nominates members to committees and refers Bills to them.
Practice
- Chairs like Radhakrishnan and Hidayatullah set high standards of neutrality.
- Recent disputes over suspension of members and admission of motions have raised questions.
The ideal
Fairness to the opposition, protection of debate, and using the Chair to uphold the House's dignity. The Chair is judged by how the smallest party feels when it leaves the House.
Draw: A box: VP's two hats, Chairman (powers) and acting President (Article 65).
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
Article 64, 67(b), 89, exofficio Chairman, casting vote, Tenth Schedule, removal notice 2024, resignation July 2025, C.P. Radhakrishnan.
Where most answers lose marks
- Saying the Chairman votes like a member. He has only a casting vote.
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Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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