Rules of Business 1973 MCQs with Answers Guide

Rules of Business 1973 MCQs test how the Federal Government actually runs — which Division does what, who signs what, and what goes to the Cabinet. The rules are amended frequently, and outdated notes cost marks.

We prepared this guide from the version amended up to 24 March 2025. Every rule number, schedule and time limit below matches the current notified text.

Constitutional Basis and Commencement

The Rules of Business, 1973 were made under Articles 90 and 99 of the Constitution. They came into force on 14 August 1973, and Rule 58 repealed the Rules of Business, 1962.

The Federal Secretariat means the Divisions or Ministries referred to collectively. A Division is a self-contained administrative unit declared as such by the Federal Government. A Ministry is a Division or group of Divisions constituted as a Ministry.

Allocation of Business and the Role of the Secretary

Under Rule 3, the Federal Secretariat comprises the Ministries and Divisions shown in Schedule I, and business is distributed among Divisions in the manner shown in Schedule II. The Prime Minister may constitute a new Ministry and may modify the distribution of business at any time.

Rule 4 makes the Secretary the official head of the Division, responsible for its efficient administration, discipline, proper conduct of business and due execution of sanctioned policy. The same person may be Secretary of more than one Division.

Rule 5(9) lists the Secretary’s duties. Under clause (e), unless another official stands notified, the Secretary is the principal accounting officer for the purpose of clause (q) of section 2 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2019 — a clause substituted in September 2024 and now a favourite in Rules of Business 1973 MCQs.

Consultation Rules Between Divisions

Part B fixes which Division must be consulted before orders issue. This is the highest-yield section of the paper:

• Rule 10 — Cabinet Division: interpretation of these rules, change in allocation of business within a Ministry
• Rule 11 — Establishment Division: appointment to a post in BS-20 and above, change in terms and conditions of federal civil servants
• Rule 12 — Finance Division: any order affecting the finances of the Federation, expenditure without budget provision, re-appropriation within a grant, floatation of loans
• Rule 13 — Foreign Affairs Division: all matters affecting foreign policy
• Rule 14 — Law and Justice Division: all legal questions, interpretation of any law, statutory notifications
• Rule 14A — Revenue Division: orders affecting collection of federal taxes, duties, cesses or fees

Under Rule 8(1A), a consulted Division should normally furnish its views within a fortnight. Under Rule 5(12), any doubt about interpretation goes to the Cabinet Division, whose decision is final.

Cabinet Procedure and Time Limits

We prioritise a strategy of memorising Cabinet timelines as a single block, because three or four questions usually come from here alone.

Rule	Requirement	Time limit
18(3)	Summary length	Not exceeding two printed pages
18(6)	Case for Cabinet agenda	At least seven clear days in advance
20(1)	Cabinet meetings	Normally once a week
20(5)	Circulation of agenda	Ordinarily three days in advance
20(12)	Return of record	Within twenty-four hours of issue
22(3)	NEC summary	At least fifteen clear days in advance
25(3)	Year Book availability	Within ninety days of the end of the financial year

Rule 9 governs the Secretaries’ Committee, which meets at least once a month, and the Cabinet Secretary presents a resume of its decisions to the Cabinet at least once a quarter.

The Seven Schedules

Schedules carry direct one-line questions. Schedule I lists Ministries and Divisions. Schedule II distributes business among Divisions. Schedule III lists Attached Departments. Schedule IV lists officers authorised to authenticate orders in the name of the President. Schedule V-A lists cases submitted to the Prime Minister. Schedule V-B covers cases requiring the President’s orders on the Prime Minister’s advice. Schedule VI covers cases in the President’s discretion, and Schedule VII covers cases submitted for information.

Practice: Rules of Business 1973 MCQs with Answers

1. The Rules of Business, 1973 were made under Articles:
(a) 90 and 91 (b) 90 and 99 (c) 99 and 145 (d) 91 and 92

2. They came into force on:
(a) 23 March 1973 (b) 14 August 1973 (c) 1 September 1973 (d) 8 June 1973

3. The official head of a Division is the:
(a) Minister (b) Joint Secretary (c) Secretary (d) Cabinet Secretary

4. Distribution of business among Divisions is shown in:
(a) Schedule I (b) Schedule II (c) Schedule III (d) Schedule IV

5. Consultation with the Establishment Division is required for appointment to posts in:
(a) BS-17 and above (b) BS-18 and above (c) BS-20 and above (d) BS-21 and above

6. A Cabinet summary shall ordinarily not exceed:
(a) One page (b) Two printed pages (c) Three pages (d) Five pages

7. A case must reach the Cabinet Secretary before the meeting by at least:
(a) Three days (b) Five days (c) Seven clear days (d) Fifteen days

8. Doubt about interpretation of the rules is referred to the:
(a) Law and Justice Division (b) Cabinet Division (c) Establishment Division (d) Prime Minister’s Office

9. The Secretaries’ Committee shall meet at least:
(a) Once a week (b) Once a month (c) Once a quarter (d) Twice a year

10. A Money Bill originates in the:
(a) Senate (b) National Assembly (c) Joint sitting (d) Cabinet

11. The Senate may make recommendations on a Money Bill within:
(a) Seven days (b) Ten days (c) Fourteen days (d) Thirty days

12. Rule 58 repealed the Rules of Business:
(a) 1947 (b) 1956 (c) 1962 (d) 1970

Conclusion

Rules of Business 1973 questions are about structure, not theory. Lock down the consultation rules, the Cabinet timelines and the seven schedules, and most of the paper becomes predictable. Always confirm against the latest amended version before your test date.

Why Choose Us

We track every S.R.O. amendment to the Rules of Business and update our question sets rather than leaving stale answers online.

• Built from the version amended up to 24 March 2025
• Rule-wise grouping that matches how the paper is set
• Separate coverage of schedules, which most notes skip
• Plain-language explanations attached to each answer
• Regular additions from recent federal test papers

FAQs

1. How many rules are there in the Rules of Business 1973?
Fifty-eight rules across nine parts, plus inserted rules such as 14A, 15-A, 42A and 50A.

2. Who is the principal accounting officer of a Division?
The Secretary, unless another official is notified, under Rule 5(9)(e) read with section 2(q) of the PFM Act, 2019.

3. How often are Rules of Business 1973 MCQs updated?
We revise them each time the Cabinet Division notifies an amendment, since schedules change often.

4. What is the difference between a Ministry and a Division?
A Division is a self-contained administrative unit; a Ministry is a Division or group of Divisions constituted as a Ministry.

5. Can the Prime Minister relax these rules?
Yes. Rule 57 allows the Prime Minister to permit relaxation in individual cases where considered necessary.