Change set
Pick exam & year, then Go.
Question map
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements : 1. The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States. 2. Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly. 3. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters, Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2 and 3) because all three statements accurately reflect the protocols of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
- Statement 1 is correct: The UNGA has the authority to grant observer status to non-member states (such as the Holy See and the State of Palestine), allowing them to participate in sessions without voting rights.
- Statement 2 is correct: Under UNGA Resolution 45/6, observer status is specifically confined to States and Inter-governmental Organizations (IGOs) whose activities are of interest to the Assembly. Examples include the African Union and the European Union.
- Statement 3 is correct: Permanent Observers are entitled to maintain permanent missions at the UN Headquarters in New York. This facilitates continuous liaison with the UN Secretariat and participation in various meetings.
Since all statements are factually and legally sound under UNGA rules, Option 4 is the right choice.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis question bridges 'Standard Economy' (AIIB status) with 'Global Current Affairs' (Palestine's UN bid). While it looks like a niche International Law question, it relies on the 'Possibility Heuristic'—statements using 'can' regarding administrative powers are often correct.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"may grant non-member states, international organizations and other entities observer status."
Why this source?
- Explicitly states the General Assembly 'may grant non-member states ... observer status.'
- Directly ties the authority to grant observer status to the General Assembly.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The United Nations General Assembly has granted observer status to international organizations, entities, and non-member states"
Why this source?
- Says the General Assembly 'has granted observer status to ... non-member states', confirming practice and authority.
- Explains the Assembly determines privileges for observers, indicating control over observer arrangements.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"By resolution A/RES/67/19 of 29 November 2012, the General Assembly accorded non-Member Observer State status to Palestine."
Why this source?
- Provides a concrete example where the General Assembly 'accorded non-Member Observer State status to Palestine' by resolution.
- Shows the Assembly exercises this authority through formal resolutions.
- Explicitly states the General Assembly 'may grant non-member states ... observer status.'
- Directly ties the authority to grant observer status to the General Assembly.
- Says the General Assembly 'has granted observer status to ... non-member states', confirming practice and authority.
- Explains the Assembly determines privileges for observers, indicating control over observer arrangements.
- Provides a concrete example where the General Assembly 'accorded non-Member Observer State status to Palestine' by resolution.
- Shows the Assembly exercises this authority through formal resolutions.
Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 18: International Economic Institutions > ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK (AIIB) > p. 533
Strength: 5/5
“International Economic Institutions
• Japan and the United States dominate ADB, whereas China dominates AIIB. The United States and Japan are not members of AIIB.• Both ADB and AIIB have AAA credit rating.• Subscribed capital and assets of AIIB are much less than those of ADB.• Lending till now by AIIB is quite less than that by ADB.• Achievements of AIIB: • AIIB gained the 'Permanent Observer' status by the United Nations in 2018. As on January 2021, AIIB has approved around 87 projects in various countries.”
Why relevant
Explicit example: the AIIB 'gained the "Permanent Observer" status by the United Nations in 2018', showing the UN grants observer status to non-member entities.
How to extend
A student could generalise that the UN (via its organs) can confer observer status on non-member organisations and then check whether the General Assembly is the organ that routinely grants such status.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 24: Climate Change Organizations > 24.20. INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC) > p. 339
Strength: 4/5
“The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, in December 1988, on the subject and endorsed the
ALI Rights Reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without permission in writing.”
Why relevant
Shows the General Assembly adopts resolutions on international bodies (here endorsing the IPCC), indicating the GA acts on matters involving non-member organisations and bodies.
How to extend
One could infer that since the GA adopts resolutions concerning external bodies, it may also be the forum that authorises observer arrangements; verify by checking GA resolutions or practice.
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Yalta Conference > p. 252
Strength: 3/5
“On 24 October 1945 the UNO came into existence with 51 members. The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Trygve Lie, was elected the first UN Trygve Lie The World after World War II 252 Secretary-General. In addition to its main organs, UNO has currently 15 specialised agencies. Some of the prominent agencies are: International Labour Organisation (ILO - Geneva), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO - Rome), International Monetary Fund (IMF - Washington (D.C)), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO - Paris), World Health Organization (WHO - Geneva), and World Bank (Washington (D.C)).”
Why relevant
Identifies the General Assembly as one of the main organs of the UN, implying it is a principal body through which the UN addresses institutional matters.
How to extend
Knowing the GA is a primary organ, a student could look for GA decisions or rules concerning membership and participation to see if observer status is handled there.
Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: International Organisations > Chapter 4 International Organisations > p. 50
Strength: 3/5
“It was founded with the hope that it would act to stop the conflicts between states escalating into war and, if war broke out, to limit the extent of hostilities. Furthermore, since conflicts often arose from the lack of social and economic development, the UN was intended to bring countries together to improve the prospects of social and economic development all over the world. By 2011, the UN had 193 member states. These includeed almost all independent states. In the UN General Assembly, all members have one vote each. In the UN Security Council, there are five permanent members. These are: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China.”
Why relevant
Notes that in the UN General Assembly all members have one vote each, implying the GA is a decision-making forum of member states.
How to extend
A student could infer that decisions about participation rights (like observer status) are plausibly made in a voting forum and then check GA procedures and past votes on observer admissions.
Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World > 66 Contemporary World Politics > p. 66
Strength: 3/5
“That is because the international system is a rather brutal arena in which there is no central authority capable of controlling behaviour. Within a country, the threat of violence is regulated by an acknowledged central authority — the government. In world politics, there is no acknowledged central authority that stands above everyone else. It is tempting to think that the United Nations is such an authority or could become such an institution. However, as presently constituted, the UN is a creature of its members and has authority only to the extent that the membership allows it to have authority and obeys it.”
Why relevant
States that the UN is a creature of its members and has authority only as permitted by membership, suggesting procedural authority (such as admitting observers) depends on member-state approval.
How to extend
One could extend this to hypothesize that granting observer status would require member agreement (e.g., GA action), and then verify whether GA votes or consensus have been used in past observer recognitions.
Explicit example: the AIIB 'gained the "Permanent Observer" status by the United Nations in 2018', showing the UN grants observer status to non-member entities.
A student could generalise that the UN (via its organs) can confer observer status on non-member organisations and then check whether the General Assembly is the organ that routinely grants such status.
Shows the General Assembly adopts resolutions on international bodies (here endorsing the IPCC), indicating the GA acts on matters involving non-member organisations and bodies.
One could infer that since the GA adopts resolutions concerning external bodies, it may also be the forum that authorises observer arrangements; verify by checking GA resolutions or practice.
Identifies the General Assembly as one of the main organs of the UN, implying it is a principal body through which the UN addresses institutional matters.
Knowing the GA is a primary organ, a student could look for GA decisions or rules concerning membership and participation to see if observer status is handled there.
Notes that in the UN General Assembly all members have one vote each, implying the GA is a decision-making forum of member states.
A student could infer that decisions about participation rights (like observer status) are plausibly made in a voting forum and then check GA procedures and past votes on observer admissions.
States that the UN is a creature of its members and has authority only as permitted by membership, suggesting procedural authority (such as admitting observers) depends on member-state approval.
One could extend this to hypothesize that granting observer status would require member agreement (e.g., GA action), and then verify whether GA votes or consensus have been used in past observer recognitions.
This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.
Login with Google to unlock study guidance.
Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.
Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.
Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.
Login with Google to unlock The Vault.