UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — On property registration and title

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the system of property registration and title in India: 1. Registration of a sale deed under the Registration Act, 1908 confers conclusive ownership of immovable property on the purchaser. 2. Mutation (dakhil-kharij) is an administrative update of the Record of Rights and is distinct from registration. 3. Under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, a transfer of immovable property of value above one hundred rupees must be effected by a registered instrument. 4. The Registration Act, 1908 deals with the registration of documents relating to immovable property, not the registration of title. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. Registration of a sale deed under the Registration Act, 1908 confers conclusive ownership of immovable property on the purchaser.
2. Mutation (dakhil-kharij) is an administrative update of the Record of Rights and is distinct from registration.
3. Under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, a transfer of immovable property of value above one hundred rupees must be effected by a registered instrument.
4. The Registration Act, 1908 deals with the registration of documents relating to immovable property, not the registration of title.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 4 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 3 and 4 only

Q2. The draft Registration Bill, 2025, which seeks to replace the Registration Act, 1908 with an online, paperless registration system, was prepared and released for public consultation by which one of the following?

• A. Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice
• B. Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice
• C. Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development
• D. Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance

Q3. With reference to the draft Registration Bill, 2025 as compared with the Registration Act, 1908, consider the following statements: 1. Unlike the 1908 Act, the draft Bill envisages an online, paperless registration process with online authentication. 2. The draft Bill widens the scope of registrable instruments to include, among others, instruments authorising adoption of daughters. 3. The draft Bill replaces the existing deed-registration regime with a State-guaranteed conclusive title system. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. Unlike the 1908 Act, the draft Bill envisages an online, paperless registration process with online authentication.
2. The draft Bill widens the scope of registrable instruments to include, among others, instruments authorising adoption of daughters.
3. The draft Bill replaces the existing deed-registration regime with a State-guaranteed conclusive title system.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. In Samiullah v. State of Bihar (2025), the Supreme Court struck down as ultra vires the Registration Act, 1908 how many sub-rules of Rule 19 of the Bihar Registration Rules, 2008 that had made proof of mutation a precondition for registration of sale or gift deeds?

• A. One
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Q5. With reference to the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), consider the following: 1. It is a Central Sector Scheme funded entirely by the Union Government. 2. It is implemented by the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development. 3. It is the successor to the National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP). 4. It establishes a State-guaranteed system of conclusive titling of immovable property across India. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

1. It is a Central Sector Scheme funded entirely by the Union Government.
2. It is implemented by the Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development.
3. It is the successor to the National Land Records Modernisation Programme (NLRMP).
4. It establishes a State-guaranteed system of conclusive titling of immovable property across India.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1, 2 and 3 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4