UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why has the govt. notified a new set of telecom rules?

Q1. The rule-making and authorisation regime under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 is operationalised by which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • C. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
  • D. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Q2. The 2026 rules notified by DoT for authorisation to provide telecommunication services were made under which provision of the Telecommunications Act, 2023?

  • A. Section 3(1)(a)
  • B. Section 3(6)
  • C. Section 24(1)
  • D. Section 28

Q3. Under the new authorisation architecture, which of the following are correctly identified as categories for which DoT notified service rules / that TRAI's framework classifies telecom services into?

  1. Principal (Main) Telecommunication Services
  2. Captive Telecommunication Services
  3. Miscellaneous / Auxiliary Telecommunication Services
  4. Broadcasting Telecommunication Services
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. Which one of the following was the FIRST set of rules notified under the Telecommunications Act, 2023?

  • A. Telecommunications (Administration of Digital Bharat Nidhi) Rules, 2024
  • B. Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Principal Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026
  • C. Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026
  • D. Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026

Q5. In the context of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the shift from a 'licensing' model to an 'authorisation' model is best described as:

  • A. Replacement of multiple separate licences, registrations and permissions with a single unified authorisation granted by the central government
  • B. Complete removal of any requirement for prior government permission to operate a telecom network
  • C. Transfer of the power to grant telecom permissions from the central government entirely to TRAI
  • D. Substitution of spectrum auctions by purely administrative allocation for all services

Q6. In which year was the 'Telecom eServices Portal' for fresh service authorisations and migration of existing licences made operational by DoT?

  • A. 2026
  • B. 2023
  • C. 2024
  • D. 2025

Q7. The Telecom eServices Portal for authorisations is stated to be implemented primarily on the basis of which guiding principle?

  • A. Digital by design
  • B. Minimum government, maximum governance
  • C. Faceless assessment
  • D. Ease of living

Q8. The 2025 DoT directive asking communication OTT platforms to bind each app account to the active SIM/number on the user's device was issued invoking powers under which law?

  • A. Telecommunications Act, 2023
  • B. Information Technology Act, 2000
  • C. Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
  • D. Indian Telegraph Act, 1885

Q9. The draft Telecommunication (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026 published for public consultation were issued by which authority?

  • A. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
  • B. Department of Telecommunications
  • C. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
  • D. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology