UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — High Court halts major functions of Kerala Waqf Board

Q1. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 — popularly known as the UMEED Act — amended which one of the following parent legislations?

  • A. The Waqf Act, 1995
  • B. The Wakf Act, 1954
  • C. The Mussalman Wakf Validating Act, 1913
  • D. The Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923

Q2. In the context of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the acronym 'UMEED' stands for which one of the following?

  • A. Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development
  • B. Unified Muslim Endowment, Equity and Development
  • C. Uniform Management of Endowments, Efficiency and Devolution
  • D. United Minorities' Endowment, Empowerment and Development

Q3. In its interim order restraining the Kerala State Waqf Board, the Kerala High Court held that the Board was prima facie not constituted in accordance with which provision of the amended Waqf (UMEED) Act?

  • A. Section 14 (composition of the Board)
  • B. Section 9 (Central Waqf Council)
  • C. Section 3(r) (creation of waqf)
  • D. Section 83 (Waqf Tribunal)

Q4. Under the Kerala High Court's interim arrangement, pending reconstitution, the Kerala State Waqf Board was directed to function under the supervision of which authority?

  • A. The Joint Secretary of the State government department dealing with Waqf matters
  • B. The District Collector of the district where the Board is headquartered
  • C. The Chief Executive Officer of the Central Waqf Council
  • D. A retired judge appointed as court commissioner

Q5. Under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which one of the following statements about the Chief Executive Officer of a State Waqf Board is correct?

  • A. The CEO is no longer required to be a Muslim
  • B. The CEO must always be a Muslim of Shia denomination
  • C. The CEO must invariably be a serving District Judge
  • D. The CEO must in every case be a non-Muslim nominee of the State

Q6. Under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, who presides over a Waqf Tribunal as its chairman?

  • A. A serving or former District Court judge
  • B. A serving or former Chief Justice of a High Court
  • C. An expert in Muslim law nominated by the State
  • D. The Chief Executive Officer of the State Waqf Board

Q7. With reference to the Supreme Court's interim order (September 2025) in In re: Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, consider the following: 1. The requirement to have practised Islam for at least five years to create a waqf was put on hold. 2. State Waqf Boards were directed to have no more than three non-Muslim members. 3. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was struck down in its entirety as unconstitutional. 4. Parts of the provision on government property identified or declared as waqf were stayed. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The requirement to have practised Islam for at least five years to create a waqf was put on hold.
  2. State Waqf Boards were directed to have no more than three non-Muslim members.
  3. The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was struck down in its entirety as unconstitutional.
  4. Parts of the provision on government property identified or declared as waqf were stayed.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q8. Comparing the composition permitted under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 with the Supreme Court's interim direction, consider the following statements: 1. As enacted, the amended Act allowed a State Waqf Board to have up to seven non-Muslim members out of eleven. 2. The Supreme Court's interim order restricted non-Muslim members in a State Waqf Board to a maximum of three. 3. For the Central Waqf Council, the interim order fixed the maximum number of non-Muslim members at twelve out of twenty-two. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. As enacted, the amended Act allowed a State Waqf Board to have up to seven non-Muslim members out of eleven.
  2. The Supreme Court's interim order restricted non-Muslim members in a State Waqf Board to a maximum of three.
  3. For the Central Waqf Council, the interim order fixed the maximum number of non-Muslim members at twelve out of twenty-two.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Which one of the following best describes the primary role of the Central Waqf Council as constituted under the Waqf Act?

  • A. An advisory body to the government on the working of Waqf Boards and administration of auqaf
  • B. A regulatory authority empowered to supersede and dissolve State Waqf Boards at will
  • C. A judicial body that adjudicates title disputes over individual waqf properties
  • D. The apex managerial body that directly owns and leases all waqf properties in India

Q10. The Central Waqf Council functions under the administrative control of which Union ministry?

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

Q11. Which statutory body is specifically empowered to decide the minority status of, and safeguard the Article 30(1) rights of, minority educational institutions?

  • A. National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions
  • B. National Commission for Minorities
  • C. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
  • D. National Commission for Backward Classes

Q12. In waqf administration, the term 'Mutawalli' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The manager or superintendent who administers waqf property but does not own it
  • B. The absolute owner of the waqf property who may sell it at any time
  • C. The donor who creates the waqf by dedicating the property
  • D. The presiding officer of the Waqf Tribunal in every dispute