UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India’s refusal to uphold a global gig work law

Q1. The Convention concerning Decent Work in the Platform Economy, 2026 (No. 193) was adopted by which organ of the ILO, and under what voting requirement?

  • A. By the International Labour Conference, requiring a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by delegates present
  • B. By the International Labour Conference, requiring a simple majority of the votes cast by delegates present
  • C. By the Governing Body, requiring a two-thirds majority of its 56 titular members
  • D. By the Standard-Setting Committee, requiring unanimous consent of the three tripartite groups

Q2. At the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, which body prepared and finalised the text of the platform-economy instrument before it was put to the Conference for adoption?

  • A. The Committee on the Application of Standards, a tripartite committee of the Conference
  • B. The Standard-Setting Committee on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, a tripartite committee of the Conference
  • C. The Finance Committee of Government Representatives, a committee of the Conference
  • D. The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations

Q3. Of the titular seats in the ILO Governing Body, how many are held by Workers' representatives?

  • A. 10
  • B. 14
  • C. 19
  • D. 28

Q4. With reference to the adoption of Convention No. 193 on 12 June 2026, consider the following: 1. India's Government delegates abstained in the vote. 2. India's Workers' delegate voted in favour of the Convention. 3. India's Employers' delegate voted against the Convention. 4. The Convention was adopted with 36 abstentions recorded. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. India's Government delegates abstained in the vote.
  2. India's Workers' delegate voted in favour of the Convention.
  3. India's Employers' delegate voted against the Convention.
  4. The Convention was adopted with 36 abstentions recorded.
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q5. Consider the following statements about Convention No. 193 and India's stand on it: 1. India's Government delegates were among the abstentions on the adoption vote. 2. The Convention was adopted by 406 votes in favour and 8 against. 3. The Convention's protections apply only to platform workers who are in a recognised employment relationship under national law. 4. The Convention becomes binding on a member State only upon its ratification. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. India's Government delegates were among the abstentions on the adoption vote.
  2. The Convention was adopted by 406 votes in favour and 8 against.
  3. The Convention's protections apply only to platform workers who are in a recognised employment relationship under national law.
  4. The Convention becomes binding on a member State only upon its ratification.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4

Q6. Which one of the following was the first Indian law to statutorily define the expressions 'gig worker' and 'platform worker'?

  • A. The Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008
  • B. The Code on Social Security, 2020
  • C. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
  • D. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020

Q7. Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, the obligation to contribute between one and two per cent of annual turnover towards the social security fund for gig and platform workers is placed on which entity?

  • A. Aggregators, i.e. digital intermediaries or marketplaces connecting a user of a service with its provider
  • B. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, from its administrative charges collected on wages
  • C. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation, from surpluses of its contributory insurance scheme
  • D. State Unorganised Workers' Social Security Boards, from cess assessed on registered establishments

Q8. Which of the following correctly describes the agency behind the e-Shram portal and the purpose for which it was set up?

  • A. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, to build a National Database of Unorganised Workers for periodic labour force surveys
  • B. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, to build a National Database of Unorganised Workers linked to skilling and apprenticeship schemes
  • C. Ministry of Labour and Employment, to build a National Database of Unorganised Workers including platform and migrant workers
  • D. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, to build a National Database of Unorganised Workers under the Digital India programme

Q9. Union Budget 2025-26 extended health-care benefits for online-platform gig workers under AB-PMJAY. What exactly does this benefit consist of?

  • A. Cash reimbursement of medical expenses up to Rs 5 lakh per worker per year, claimed after treatment at any hospital
  • B. Cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation at empanelled hospitals
  • C. Cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for outpatient consultations, diagnostics and primary care at wellness centres
  • D. Contributory insurance of Rs 2 lakh per family per year for hospitalisation, on payment of an annual premium

Q10. India has held a permanent Governing Body seat as a State of chief industrial importance. Which organ functions as the ILO's permanent secretariat, preparing the Organization's activities under the scrutiny of the Governing Body?

  • A. The International Labour Conference, meeting annually at Geneva
  • B. The International Labour Office, headed by the Director-General
  • C. The Governing Body's Institutional Section, meeting thrice a year
  • D. The International Training Centre of the ILO at Turin

Q11. Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, a 'gig worker' is defined as which of the following?

  • A. A person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship
  • B. A person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement outside a traditional employer-employee relationship, but only where engaged through an online platform
  • C. A person engaged by an aggregator under a written contract for a fixed term, whose remuneration is linked to tasks completed rather than hours worked
  • D. A home-based, self-employed or wage worker in the unorganised sector who is not covered by any contributory social security scheme