UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Frame policy for release of aged, terminally ill inmates’
Q1. In its 16 July 2026 order directing all States and Union Territories to frame a compassionate release policy, the Supreme Court identified elderly prisoners above which single age threshold as the primary beneficiary class for early/premature release?
- A. 60 years
- B. 65 years
- C. 70 years
- D. 75 years
Q2. The Supreme Court directed that the entire process of considering applications for compassionate/premature release of aged and terminally ill inmates be digitally integrated with which platform?
- A. e-Prisons portal
- B. e-Courts Services portal
- C. Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)
- D. Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)
Q3. The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 — under which NALSA (the petitioner in this case) is constituted — was enacted primarily to give statutory effect to the guarantee of free legal aid and equal justice contained in which provision of the Constitution?
- A. Article 21
- B. Article 39A
- C. Article 14
- D. Article 38
Q4. The Supreme Court directed that the compassionate release policy be framed by each State/UT in consultation with which institution?
- A. State Human Rights Commissions
- B. District Legal Services Authorities
- C. State Legal Services Authorities
- D. State Prison Development Boards
Q5. With reference to the constitutional basis of premature/compassionate release as distinct from executive clemency, consider the following statements:
1. Compassionate and premature release under a remission policy is an institutional executive function distinct from the pardoning power under Articles 72 and 161.
2. The pardoning power under Articles 72 and 161 is exercised by the President and the Governors respectively.
3. Remission of a sentence can be granted only by the judiciary and never by the executive government.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Compassionate and premature release under a remission policy is an institutional executive function distinct from the pardoning power under Articles 72 and 161.
- The pardoning power under Articles 72 and 161 is exercised by the President and the Governors respectively.
- Remission of a sentence can be granted only by the judiciary and never by the executive government.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. Which of the following have been recognised by the Supreme Court as facets of a prisoner's rights under Article 21?
1. The right to live with human dignity, including medical treatment and sanitation.
2. The right against inhuman treatment and against conditions such as overcrowding.
3. On conviction, a prisoner forfeits all fundamental rights for the duration of imprisonment.
4. Reformation and rehabilitation as legitimate objectives of incarceration.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The right to live with human dignity, including medical treatment and sanitation.
- The right against inhuman treatment and against conditions such as overcrowding.
- On conviction, a prisoner forfeits all fundamental rights for the duration of imprisonment.
- Reformation and rehabilitation as legitimate objectives of incarceration.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q7. 'Prisons/persons detained therein' — the subject that makes prison administration the exclusive domain of States/UTs — falls under which entry and list of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution?
- A. Entry 4, List II (State List)
- B. Entry 3, List III (Concurrent List)
- C. Entry 4, List I (Union List)
- D. Entry 2, List II (State List)
Q8. The Model Prisons Act, 2023, circulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a guiding document for States, consolidates and is intended to replace how many pre-existing central prison-related Acts (the Prisons Act 1894, the Prisoners Act 1900 and the Transfer of Prisoners Act 1950)?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q9. In its 2025 remission guidelines, the Supreme Court directed that every State/UT which does not already have a remission policy under Section 432 CrPC / Section 473 BNSS must formulate one within how many months?
- A. One month
- B. Two months
- C. Three months
- D. Six months
Q10. With reference to the Supreme Court's directions on remission/premature release under the BNSS, consider the following statements:
1. The appropriate Government must consider eligible convicts for premature release even without a specific application from the convict.
2. Reasons must be recorded when an application for remission is rejected.
3. Once granted, an order of remission can never be cancelled under any circumstances.
4. District Legal Services Authorities are to monitor and maintain records of convicts' eligibility dates.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The appropriate Government must consider eligible convicts for premature release even without a specific application from the convict.
- Reasons must be recorded when an application for remission is rejected.
- Once granted, an order of remission can never be cancelled under any circumstances.
- District Legal Services Authorities are to monitor and maintain records of convicts' eligibility dates.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 3 only
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q11. The 'Support to Poor Prisoners' Scheme, which funds release of poor undertrial and convicted prisoners unable to pay fines or furnish bail, is a scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Which agency has been designated as its Central Nodal Agency for routing funds to States/UTs?
- A. National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
- B. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
- C. Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)
- D. National Informatics Centre (NIC)
Q12. In the three-tier legal aid architecture under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, who is the Patron-in-Chief of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)?
- A. The Chief Justice of India
- B. The President of India
- C. The Union Minister for Law and Justice
- D. The senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court after the CJI