UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Faiths and fences

Q1. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 — central to the Supreme Court's March 2026 ruling on religious conversion and SC status — is administered as the nodal ministry by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  • B. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Minority Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q2. With reference to the inclusion of religious communities under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, consider the following pairings of religion and the year its adherents were brought within the Order: 1. Hinduism — 1950 2. Sikhism — 1956 3. Buddhism — 1990 4. Christianity — 2007 Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Hinduism — 1950
  2. Sikhism — 1956
  3. Buddhism — 1990
  4. Christianity — 2007
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the Supreme Court's 2026 ruling in Chinthada Anand v. State of Andhra Pradesh with the pre-existing constitutional framework: 1. The 2026 ruling held that conversion to Christianity extinguishes Scheduled Caste status, consistent with Clause 3 of the 1950 Order. 2. Unlike Hindus, who were covered from 1950, Sikhs were brought within the Scheduled Castes Order only by a later amendment. 3. The 2026 ruling, departing from earlier precedent, for the first time extended Scheduled Caste status and SC/ST Act protection to Dalit Christians. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2026 ruling held that conversion to Christianity extinguishes Scheduled Caste status, consistent with Clause 3 of the 1950 Order.
  2. Unlike Hindus, who were covered from 1950, Sikhs were brought within the Scheduled Castes Order only by a later amendment.
  3. The 2026 ruling, departing from earlier precedent, for the first time extended Scheduled Caste status and SC/ST Act protection to Dalit Christians.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. As reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in 2026, adherents of how many religions are currently eligible to be 'deemed' members of a Scheduled Caste under Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five