UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Are sale of books, making of prasadam by temples industrial activities, asks SC

Q1. How many judges constitute the Supreme Court Constitution Bench that, in March 2026, began reconsidering the definition of 'industry' under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947?

  • A. Five
  • B. Seven
  • C. Nine
  • D. Eleven

Q2. With reference to the 'Triple Test' laid down in Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa (1978) for identifying an 'industry', consider the following: 1. Systematic activity 2. Organised cooperation between employer and employee 3. Production or distribution of goods or services to satisfy human wants 4. Existence of a profit motive Which of the above are correctly identified as components of the Triple Test?

  1. Systematic activity
  2. Organised cooperation between employer and employee
  3. Production or distribution of goods or services to satisfy human wants
  4. Existence of a profit motive
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. In the context of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, the 'Triple Test' enunciated by the Supreme Court is best described as the judicially evolved criterion for determining:

  • A. Whether a strike or lock-out is legal
  • B. Whether an undertaking qualifies as an 'industry' under Section 2(j)
  • C. Whether a person is a 'workman' entitled to retrenchment compensation
  • D. Whether a function discharged by the State is a 'sovereign function'

Q4. Who heads (presides over) the nine-judge Constitution Bench that commenced hearings on 17 March 2026 on the definition of 'industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947?

  • A. Chief Justice Surya Kant
  • B. Chief Justice B.R. Gavai
  • C. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna
  • D. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud