UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Govt. to spend ₹24,000 crore to modernise police force

Q1. In its directions on CCTV surveillance of police stations, the Supreme Court ordered the creation of a dedicated oversight machinery. How many levels of oversight committees were mandated, and of what composition?

  • A. One — a single Central Oversight Committee entrusted with monitoring compliance for the entire country
  • B. Two — a Central Oversight Committee and a corresponding committee in every State and Union Territory
  • C. Two — one committee in every State and another in every district, with no body at the central level
  • D. Three — committees at the central, State and police-station levels, each necessarily headed by a sitting judge

Q2. While extending its CCTV mandate beyond State police stations to the offices of certain central agencies, the Supreme Court identified those agencies primarily by which one of the following attributes?

  • A. They are staffed largely by officers deputed from the Central Armed Police Forces and function under the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. They exercise jurisdiction over scheduled offences notified under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and are headquartered in New Delhi
  • C. They are empowered to attach property and to file prosecution complaints before designated special courts
  • D. They conduct interrogations and are vested with the power of arrest

Q3. The ₹24,000-crore Police Modernisation Mission continues the line of central police-modernisation programmes operationalised by which one of the following organisational units?

  • A. The Bureau of Police Research and Development, an attached office of the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. The Police-II Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which handles personnel and financial matters of the CAPFs
  • C. The Police Modernisation Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. The Department of Justice in the Ministry of Law and Justice, which funds judicial and allied infrastructure

Q4. As placed before the Supreme Court in September 2026, the Police Modernisation Mission is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A one-time capital grant to States for constructing police housing and family quarters in insurgency-affected districts
  • B. A centrally sponsored programme to raise additional India Reserve Battalions in Left Wing Extremism-affected districts
  • C. A five-year programme to strengthen internal security capabilities of State police and the CAPFs through greater use of technology
  • D. A five-year programme to establish operationally independent, high-quality forensic science facilities in all States and Union Territories

Q5. Of the ₹26,275-crore central outlay approved for the umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces for 2021-22 to 2025-26, how much was earmarked for the Scheme for Modernisation of Forensic Capacities?

  • A. ₹1,431 crore
  • B. ₹4,846 crore
  • C. ₹3,375 crore
  • D. ₹2,080.50 crore

Q6. Under the Modernisation of State Police Forces Scheme administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the expression 'Category A States' denotes which one of the following?

  • A. States and Union Territories whose police-population ratio falls below the UN-recommended norm of 222 per lakh population
  • B. Jammu and Kashmir together with the eight North Eastern States including Sikkim, assisted on a 90:10 Centre-State sharing basis
  • C. Left Wing Extremism-affected States, which receive assistance for mobility and police infrastructure on a fully centrally funded basis
  • D. The remaining States other than the special-category ones, assisted on a 60:40 Centre-State sharing basis

Q7. 'Public order' and 'police' figure in the State List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution. Taken together, how many entries do they occupy, and which ones?

  • A. One — both subjects are covered by Entry 2 alone
  • B. Two — Entry 1 and Entry 2 of the State List
  • C. Two — Entry 2 and Entry 2A of the State List
  • D. Three — Entries 1, 2 and 3 of the State List

Q8. Consider the following statements about the constitutional and financial division of responsibility for policing in India: 1. 'Police' is an entry in the State List of the Seventh Schedule, making prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime primarily a State responsibility. 2. Article 355 enjoins the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance. 3. Under the Modernisation of State Police Forces Scheme, all States receive central assistance on a uniform 60:40 Centre-State sharing basis. 4. The Central Armed Police Forces, which assist State police in internal security duties, are administered by the Ministry of Defence. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. 'Police' is an entry in the State List of the Seventh Schedule, making prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime primarily a State responsibility.
  2. Article 355 enjoins the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance.
  3. Under the Modernisation of State Police Forces Scheme, all States receive central assistance on a uniform 60:40 Centre-State sharing basis.
  4. The Central Armed Police Forces, which assist State police in internal security duties, are administered by the Ministry of Defence.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2, 3 and 4

Q9. Which one of the following correctly describes the ministerial administration of the Assam Rifles?

  • A. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence, being counted among the armed forces of the Union raised under a Union List entry
  • B. It is administered by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, with the Ministry of Home Affairs meeting its capital expenditure
  • C. It functions directly under the Cabinet Secretariat, as do the other specialised security organisations of the Union
  • D. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which counts it among the Central Armed Police Forces

Q10. The oldest of the seven Central Armed Police Forces was originally raised in which year and under what designation?

  • A. 1939, as the Crown Representative's Police
  • B. 1835, as the Cachar Levy
  • C. 1962, in the aftermath of the border conflict with China
  • D. 1965, following the conflict with Pakistan

Q11. In the continuing proceedings on CCTV coverage of police stations, which one of the following has been the principal instrument through which the Supreme Court monitors implementation of its own judgment?

  • A. A reference of the entire matter to the National Human Rights Commission for inquiry and report
  • B. Appointment of a court-monitored Special Investigation Team for each defaulting State and Union Territory
  • C. Periodic compliance reports called for from the Centre, the States and the Union Territories
  • D. Contempt proceedings against the Chief Secretary of every State that reports any shortfall in installation

Q12. Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court proceedings in which the ₹24,000-crore Police Modernisation Mission was disclosed: 1. The suo motu proceeding is traceable to reports of deaths in police custody in the Udaipur division of Rajasthan. 2. The Bench hearing the matter on 3 September 2026 comprised Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. 3. The judgment whose compliance is being monitored in the proceeding is Prakash Singh vs Union of India. 4. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of non-functional CCTVs in police stations in 2018. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The suo motu proceeding is traceable to reports of deaths in police custody in the Udaipur division of Rajasthan.
  2. The Bench hearing the matter on 3 September 2026 comprised Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.
  3. The judgment whose compliance is being monitored in the proceeding is Prakash Singh vs Union of India.
  4. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of non-functional CCTVs in police stations in 2018.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4