UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Human trafficking can’t be separated from broader migration flows, says SC

Q1. In the context of the Supreme Court's 2026 judgment in Prajwala v. Union of India, what does the term 'Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act' (ITPA) specifically refer to?

  • A. A 1956 Indian statute that penalises commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking related to prostitution
  • B. A 1976 Indian statute that primarily targets bonded and forced labour
  • C. A 2013 Indian statute that comprehensively defines all forms of human trafficking
  • D. A 2018 Indian statute providing for protection and rehabilitation of trafficking victims

Q2. How many judges constituted the Bench of the Supreme Court that delivered the May 2026 judgment in Prajwala v. Union of India linking human trafficking to broader migration flows?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. Seven

Q3. The 2026 Supreme Court judgment in Prajwala v. Union of India on human trafficking arose from a Public Interest Litigation that was originally filed in which year?

  • A. 2004
  • B. 2011
  • C. 2015
  • D. 2022

Q4. With reference to the Supreme Court's May 2026 judgment in Prajwala v. Union of India, consider the following statements: 1. The Court held that human trafficking cannot be separated from broader migration flows. 2. The Court directed that the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 be repealed with immediate effect. 3. The Court flagged the silence of the ITPA on voluntary adult sex workers as a legal gap. 4. The Court recommended consolidation of ITPA, POCSO and the Bonded Labour Act into a single survivor-focused statute. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The Court held that human trafficking cannot be separated from broader migration flows.
  2. The Court directed that the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 be repealed with immediate effect.
  3. The Court flagged the silence of the ITPA on voluntary adult sex workers as a legal gap.
  4. The Court recommended consolidation of ITPA, POCSO and the Bonded Labour Act into a single survivor-focused statute.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. In its May 2026 judgment in Prajwala v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held that rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking is a fundamental right traceable to which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India?

  • A. Articles 14 and 19
  • B. Articles 21 and 23
  • C. Articles 23 and 24
  • D. Articles 39 and 42