Which of the following is an extra-constitutional agency?

Correct answer: D (NITI Aayog). NITI Aayog was set up on 1 January 2015 by a Union Cabinet resolution, replacing the Planning Commission. It has no constitutional status and no statute behind it, so it is extra-constitutional. It advises the government and works on cooperative federalism, but it has no power to allocate funds.

Why the others are constitutional bodies:

• A) UPSC is provided for under Article 315 and is a constitutional body.
• B) Finance Commission is set up every five years under Article 280 to recommend the centre-state tax and grant distribution.
• C) Election Commission is established under Article 324 to supervise elections.

The core concept is the difference between constitutional bodies (created by the Constitution), statutory bodies (created by an Act of Parliament, such as the NHRC), and executive or extra-constitutional bodies (created by executive order or resolution). For Mains, NITI Aayog is a useful example when you discuss cooperative federalism and the role of think tanks in policy-making.

Trap: Aspirants often confuse 'non-statutory' with 'extra-constitutional', or assume that any body with a government role must have a constitutional basis. Check how the body was created: a resolution or order makes it extra-constitutional.