UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Government Notifies TV Rating Policy (TRP) 2026 to Strengthen Transparency, Accountability and Credibility of Television Audience Measurement in India
Q1. The TV Rating Policy 2026, which sets out the framework for registration, audit and oversight of television rating agencies in India, was notified by which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
- B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- C. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
- D. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Q2. In which year did BARC India launch its television viewership measurement service?
- A. 2010
- B. 2013
- C. 2015
- D. 2017
Q3. Following the 2020 'Fake TRP scam', the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting constituted a committee to review the policy guidelines for television rating agencies. This committee was headed by:
- A. Shashi S. Vempati
- B. B. N. Srikrishna
- C. T. S. R. Subramanian
- D. Sam Pitroda
Q4. Consider the following television channels:
1. Republic TV
2. Box Cinema
3. Fakt Marathi
4. Aaj Tak
Which of the above were named in connection with the 2020 'Fake TRP scam' flagged by the Mumbai Police? Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Republic TV
- Box Cinema
- Fakt Marathi
- Aaj Tak
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 3 only
Q5. Under the amended TV Ratings Policy 2026, what is the minimum number of metered homes a television rating agency is required to deploy?
- A. 40,000
- B. 60,000
- C. 80,000
- D. 1,20,000
Q6. With reference to the treatment of 'landing page' viewership under the TV Rating Policy 2026, consider the following statements:
1. Viewership arising from a landing page is excluded from audience measurement.
2. A landing page may be used only as a marketing tool.
3. Broadcasters must disclose to the rating agency the availability of their channel on a landing page.
4. Landing-page viewership is treated on par with regular channel viewership for ratings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Viewership arising from a landing page is excluded from audience measurement.
- A landing page may be used only as a marketing tool.
- Broadcasters must disclose to the rating agency the availability of their channel on a landing page.
- Landing-page viewership is treated on par with regular channel viewership for ratings.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q7. During Operation Sindoor, for how many weeks did the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting direct BARC to withhold the TRP ratings of television news channels?
- A. Two weeks
- B. Four weeks
- C. Six weeks
- D. Eight weeks
Q8. With reference to the opening up of India's television audience-measurement market, consider the following statements:
1. The 2024 amendments deleted the cross-holding restrictions that had barred broadcasters and advertisers from involvement in rating agencies.
2. A stated objective of the reform was to end BARC India's effective monopoly as the sole rating agency.
3. OTT platforms and distribution platform operators may set up their own rating agencies under the reformed framework.
4. The 2026 framework permits only a single government-owned rating agency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2024 amendments deleted the cross-holding restrictions that had barred broadcasters and advertisers from involvement in rating agencies.
- A stated objective of the reform was to end BARC India's effective monopoly as the sole rating agency.
- OTT platforms and distribution platform operators may set up their own rating agencies under the reformed framework.
- The 2026 framework permits only a single government-owned rating agency.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 3 and 4 only