UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Bombay HC disposes PIL on language rule for drivers
Q1. Under the Constitution of India, the expression 'official language of a State' in Article 345 is best understood as which one of the following?
- A. A language drawn from the Eighth Schedule which the Legislature of the State may by law adopt for all or any of the official purposes of that State
- B. A language which the President may recognise for official purposes in a State on being satisfied that a substantial proportion of its population so desires
- C. Any one or more of the languages in use in the State, or Hindi, which the Legislature of the State may by law adopt for all or any of its official purposes
- D. The language which Parliament may authorise for use in the proceedings of the High Court and in the texts of State legislation
Q2. A direction that a language spoken by a section of the population of a State be recognised for official purposes throughout that State or in any part of it may, under the Constitution, be issued by which one of the following?
- A. The Governor of the State, on being satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of a district so desires
- B. The President, on being satisfied that a substantial proportion of the population of the State so desires
- C. Parliament, by law enacted upon a resolution passed by the Legislature of the State concerned
- D. The Legislature of the State, by law adopting the language as an additional official language
Q3. The Division Bench of the Bombay High Court that disposed of the petition against the Marathi-language condition for commercial drivers was presided over by which one of the following?
- A. Justice Gautam Ankhad
- B. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe
- C. Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge
- D. Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya
Q4. With reference to the petition against the Marathi-language condition for commercial passenger-vehicle permits decided by the Bombay High Court, consider the following:
1. It was filed by four drivers attached to an app-based cab aggregator.
2. The Court held the amended State rules to be ultra vires the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and set them aside.
3. The State told the Court that all auto-rickshaw, taxi and cab drivers would be given one year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi.
4. The Court permanently restrained the transport department from taking any action whatsoever against non-compliant drivers.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It was filed by four drivers attached to an app-based cab aggregator.
- The Court held the amended State rules to be ultra vires the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and set them aside.
- The State told the Court that all auto-rickshaw, taxi and cab drivers would be given one year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi.
- The Court permanently restrained the transport department from taking any action whatsoever against non-compliant drivers.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 2 and 3 only
Q5. The requirement of 'working knowledge of Marathi' for drivers of auto-rickshaws, taxis and app-based cabs in Maharashtra has been introduced principally through which one of the following instruments?
- A. An amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 notified by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- B. An amendment to the State's Motor Vehicles Rules notified by the Transport Department under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
- C. A provision inserted into the Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964 by the State Legislature in 2026
- D. A standing order of the State Transport Authority issued under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments legislation
Q6. Consider the following statements comparing Maharashtra's 2026 Marathi-language rule for commercial drivers with the State's earlier language measures:
1. The amendment worked by inserting the language condition into the rule dealing with authorisation to drive a transport vehicle and the rule dealing with permit holders.
2. An earlier attempt by the State to make Marathi compulsory in connection with auto-rickshaw permits was struck down by the Bombay High Court around 2017.
3. Unlike the earlier measure, the 2026 rule requires formal academic proficiency in Marathi certified by the State Board of Secondary Education.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The amendment worked by inserting the language condition into the rule dealing with authorisation to drive a transport vehicle and the rule dealing with permit holders.
- An earlier attempt by the State to make Marathi compulsory in connection with auto-rickshaw permits was struck down by the Bombay High Court around 2017.
- Unlike the earlier measure, the 2026 rule requires formal academic proficiency in Marathi certified by the State Board of Secondary Education.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. Consider the following:
1. Licensing of drivers of motor vehicles
2. Licensing of conductors of stage carriages
3. Regulation of fares and freight rates of transport vehicles
4. Insurance of motor vehicles against third party risks
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as chapter headings of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988?
- Licensing of drivers of motor vehicles
- Licensing of conductors of stage carriages
- Regulation of fares and freight rates of transport vehicles
- Insurance of motor vehicles against third party risks
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q8. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which regulates driving licences, registration and transport permits across the country, is divided into how many chapters?
- A. Eleven
- B. Fourteen
- C. Sixteen
- D. Eighteen
Q9. With reference to language-related legal measures in Maharashtra, consider the following:
1. Marathi is the language adopted for the official purposes of the State referred to in Article 345 of the Constitution.
2. A separate State enactment of 2022 governs the use of the official language in the business of local authorities in the State.
3. Every attempt by the State to tie the Marathi language to transport permits has been upheld by the Bombay High Court.
4. Under the 2026 rule, non-compliance can attract suspension of the permit for up to three months, with permanent cancellation for repeat violations.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Marathi is the language adopted for the official purposes of the State referred to in Article 345 of the Constitution.
- A separate State enactment of 2022 governs the use of the official language in the business of local authorities in the State.
- Every attempt by the State to tie the Marathi language to transport permits has been upheld by the Bombay High Court.
- Under the 2026 rule, non-compliance can attract suspension of the permit for up to three months, with permanent cancellation for repeat violations.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 3 only
Q10. Marathi became the language to be used for all official purposes of the State of Maharashtra contemplated by Article 345 of the Constitution by virtue of which one of the following?
- A. The Official Languages Act, 1963, enacted by Parliament for the Union and the States
- B. The Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, which created the State of Maharashtra
- C. The Maharashtra Local Authorities Official Language Act, 2022
- D. The Maharashtra Official Languages Act, 1964
Q11. Under Karnataka's comprehensive language development legislation of 2022, name boards of establishments in the State must carry text in the State's official language occupying at least what proportion of the board?
- A. Forty per cent
- B. Fifty per cent
- C. Sixty per cent
- D. Seventy-five per cent
Q12. In High Court practice, a public interest petition is said to have been 'disposed of' in terms of a statement made by the State. This signifies which one of the following?
- A. That the impugned measure stands declared void and unenforceable from the date of the Court's order
- B. That the operation of the impugned measure is suspended until the petition is finally decided on merits
- C. That the petition has been thrown out at the threshold as not maintainable in writ jurisdiction
- D. That the proceedings stand closed on the basis of the undertaking recorded, without the measure's validity being adjudicated