UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC closes coal block scam case against Manmohan Singh

Question 1

In the performance audit report on allocation of coal blocks released by the Comptroller and Auditor General in August 2012, the largest quantified financial benefit accruing to allottees — of the order of Rs 1.86 lakh crore — was computed with reference to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Opencast coal blocks alone, out of the blocks covered by the performance audit

Answer

Underground coal blocks alone, valued at the pithead price notified by Coal India Limited

Answer

All the 218 coal blocks allocated to public and private parties since the year 1993

Answer

Blocks allocated only to private companies, excluding blocks given to government parties

Question 2

Consider the following statements regarding the regime for allocation of captive coal blocks as examined in the CAG performance audit of 2012:
1. The Screening Committee to recommend allocations for captive coal mines was set up by the Ministry of Coal in 1993.
2. Until 31 March 2011, 194 coal blocks with geological reserves of about 44,440 million tonnes had been allocated to private and government parties.
3. The process of bringing transparency and objectivity into the allocation process was initiated in January 2004.
4. Allocation of captive coal blocks before 1993 was governed by objective criteria laid down under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's order of 29 July 2026 in the coal block allocation criminal case relating to the Talabira-II block:
1. The Court set aside the summoning order and accepted the closure report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
2. The appeal was decided after the death of the former Prime Minister who had been summoned as an accused.
3. The Court held that while the Special Judge was justified in rejecting the closure report, the consequent order summoning the accused was excessive.
4. Among the grounds urged before the Court was the absence of the sanction mandated for prosecution of public servants.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 4 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 4

Consider the following statements comparing the pre-2015 and post-2015 regimes for coal block allocation in India:
1. Eligibility to mine coal is determined by the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, which permits captive mining only for end-uses specified under it, such as iron and steel, generation of power, cement and coal washing.
2. Captive mining of coal was permitted for the first time by amendments made to the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act in 1993.
3. Before 1993, captive coal blocks were allocated exclusively through competitive financial bidding conducted by the Ministry of Coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

Under the coal block allocation regime that prevailed before 2015, what exactly did allocation through the 'Screening Committee' route involve?

Accepted Answer

A committee in the Ministry of Coal recommended allottees from among the applications received, without any competitive financial bidding

Answer

A committee of the Ministry of Mines shortlisted blocks for sale and fixed the reserve price payable by the successful bidder

Answer

A committee headed by the Comptroller and Auditor General vetted each allocation before the vesting order was executed

Answer

A committee of the coal-bearing State governments allotted blocks within their territory, subject to post-facto approval by the Centre

Question 6

Consider the following statutory provisions and the subject matter attributed to each:
1. Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code — punishment for criminal conspiracy.
2. Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — criminal misconduct by a public servant.
3. Section 3 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — appointment of Special Judges to try offences under that Act.
4. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 — grant of immunity to a public servant who turns approver during trial.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding the investigation and prosecution of public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988:
1. No police officer shall conduct any enquiry or investigation into an offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant where the offence is relatable to a recommendation made or a decision taken by that public servant in the discharge of official functions, without previous approval.
2. The requirement of previous approval does not apply where a person is arrested on the spot on a charge of accepting or attempting to accept an undue advantage.
3. Criminal misconduct includes a case where a public servant, while holding office, obtains for any person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage without any public interest.
4. Sanction for prosecution is dispensed with in every case where the alleged offence arises out of a decision taken by the public servant in an official capacity.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

2 and 3

Answer

3 only

Question 8

Consider the following statements regarding the schedules of the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 as compared with the allocations cancelled earlier by the Supreme Court:
1. Schedule I comprises all the 204 coal mines whose allocation was cancelled by the Supreme Court, while Schedule II comprises the 42 mines among them that were under production.
2. Schedule III comprises 32 mines having a specified end-use such as power, iron and steel, cement and coal washing.
3. Schedule I mines could be disposed of only through public auction, whereas Schedule II and Schedule III mines could in addition be allotted to government companies without auction.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 9

Under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, the conduct of auction or allotment of Schedule I coal mines and the execution of vesting and allotment orders is entrusted to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A nominated authority appointed by the Central Government, being an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India

Answer

The Coal Controller's Organisation, headed by an officer not below the rank of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Coal

Answer

The Chairman of Coal India Limited, assisted by a committee of the Chief Secretaries of the coal-bearing States

Answer

The Coal Mines Provident Fund Commissioner, functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Coal

Question 10

Under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, what precisely does the arrangement of 'superintendence' over the Central Bureau of Investigation mean?

Accepted Answer

Superintendence in respect of investigation of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act vests in the Central Vigilance Commission, and in all other matters in the Central Government

Answer

Superintendence in all matters vests in the Central Government, the Central Vigilance Commission being confined to tendering advice on the punishment to be imposed after inquiry

Answer

Superintendence in respect of all investigations vests in the Central Vigilance Commission, whose annual report is laid before each House of Parliament by the Comptroller and Auditor General

Answer

Superintendence vests in the Lokpal in respect of offences alleged against public servants, and in the Ministry of Home Affairs in respect of all remaining matters

Question 11

Consider the following statements regarding the Talabira II and III coal mines:
1. They lie in the Talcher coalfield of Odisha, within Angul district.
2. They were allotted in 2016 to NLC India Limited, a Navratna enterprise under the Ministry of Coal, with a capacity of 20 million tonnes per annum.
3. They commenced production in the financial year 2020-21 and supply coal to the company's end-use plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC closes coal block scam case against Manmohan Singh

Q1. In the performance audit report on allocation of coal blocks released by the Comptroller and Auditor General in August 2012, the largest quantified financial benefit accruing to allottees — of the order of Rs 1.86 lakh crore — was computed with reference to which one of the following?

Q5. Under the coal block allocation regime that prevailed before 2015, what exactly did allocation through the 'Screening Committee' route involve?

Q9. Under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, the conduct of auction or allotment of Schedule I coal mines and the execution of vesting and allotment orders is entrusted to which one of the following?

Q10. Under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, what precisely does the arrangement of 'superintendence' over the Central Bureau of Investigation mean?