UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Former SC judge, senior advocate join panel to guide NCERT curriculum

Q1. The Supreme Court's suo motu proceedings in 2026 against NCERT over the Class 8 Social Science textbook invoked the definition of 'criminal contempt' contained in which one of the following statutory provisions?

  • A. Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
  • B. Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
  • C. Section 10 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
  • D. Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971

Q2. NCERT, whose Class 8 textbook was at the centre of the 2026 Supreme Court suo motu proceedings, functions as an autonomous organisation under which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Education
  • B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • C. Ministry of Culture
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q3. Who was identified as the institutional anchor of the expert committee constituted in 2026 to finalise NCERT's legal studies curricula, by virtue of his position as Director of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal?

  • A. Justice Aniruddha Bose
  • B. Justice Indu Malhotra
  • C. Senior Advocate K.K. Venugopal
  • D. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant

Q4. With reference to the expert committee constituted in 2026 to redraft NCERT's legal studies curriculum, consider the following persons: 1. Justice Indu Malhotra 2. K.K. Venugopal 3. Justice Aniruddha Bose 4. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud Which of the above is/are correctly identified as members of this committee?

  1. Justice Indu Malhotra
  2. K.K. Venugopal
  3. Justice Aniruddha Bose
  4. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q5. With reference to the 2026 Supreme Court intervention over the NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook and the consequent expert committee, consider the following statements: 1. The impugned chapter was titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in our Society' and contained a sub-topic on 'Corruption in the Judiciary'. 2. The Supreme Court relied on the definition of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 while issuing show-cause notices. 3. The expert committee tasked with redrafting the legal studies curriculum consists exclusively of sitting Supreme Court judges. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The impugned chapter was titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in our Society' and contained a sub-topic on 'Corruption in the Judiciary'.
  2. The Supreme Court relied on the definition of criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 while issuing show-cause notices.
  3. The expert committee tasked with redrafting the legal studies curriculum consists exclusively of sitting Supreme Court judges.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3