UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC to take up plea of Indians ‘forced’ to fight in Ukraine war
Q1. The plea concerning the 26 Indian nationals allegedly forced to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war was moved as a writ of habeas corpus. In Indian constitutional law, a writ of habeas corpus is issued essentially to:
- A. Direct that a person unlawfully detained or confined be produced before the court and set at liberty if the detention is found illegal
- B. Command a public authority to perform a public duty which it has failed or refused to discharge
- C. Quash an order of a lower court or tribunal that has acted in excess of its jurisdiction
- D. Restrain a person from holding a public office to which he is not legally entitled
Q2. With reference to the States impleaded as respondents in the Supreme Court plea on the Indian nationals allegedly forced to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war, consider the following:
1. Punjab
2. Haryana
3. Himachal Pradesh
4. Gujarat
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a respondent-State in the petition?
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Gujarat
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q3. The Supreme Court flagged a possible 'human trafficking' angle in the plea. With reference to the law on trafficking of persons in India, consider the following statements:
1. The offence of trafficking of a person, earlier dealt with under Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code, is now covered under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
2. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the consent of the victim is always a valid defence to a charge of trafficking.
3. For this offence, 'exploitation' includes forced labour, slavery, servitude and the forced removal of organs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The offence of trafficking of a person, earlier dealt with under Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code, is now covered under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the consent of the victim is always a valid defence to a charge of trafficking.
- For this offence, 'exploitation' includes forced labour, slavery, servitude and the forced removal of organs.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. Under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the basic offence of trafficking of a person is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than how many years (extendable up to ten years)?
- A. Three years
- B. Five years
- C. Seven years
- D. Ten years
Q5. The families invoked the fundamental right to move a court directly, by appropriate proceedings, for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of the trapped Indians. This right — the very provision under which the plea was entertained — vests the power of enforcement, under Article 32, exclusively in which body?
- A. The Supreme Court of India
- B. Any High Court of a State
- C. The National Human Rights Commission
- D. The District and Sessions Court concerned
Q6. The plea rested on the constitutional guarantee of remedies for enforcement of fundamental rights. Which single Article of the Constitution was famously described by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution?
- A. Article 14
- B. Article 21
- C. Article 32
- D. Article 226
Q7. India's demand for access to, and repatriation of, its nationals detained abroad rests substantially on the international law of consular protection. The right of a State's consular officers to communicate with and visit its nationals in detention is codified primarily under which instrument?
- A. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963
- B. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961
- C. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969
- D. The Geneva Conventions, 1949
Q8. In the Government of India, consular assistance to Indian nationals detained abroad and the regulation of overseas recruitment through the eMigrate system are administered by which Ministry?
- A. Ministry of External Affairs
- B. Ministry of Home Affairs
- C. Ministry of Labour and Employment
- D. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
Q9. With reference to the Government's reply in the Rajya Sabha (December 2025) on Indian nationals recruited into the Russian armed forces, consider the following:
1. A total of 202 Indian nationals were recruited into the Russian armed forces since 2022.
2. 26 of the recruited Indians have lost their lives in the conflict.
3. All the recruited Indians have since been discharged and repatriated.
4. 50 individuals are still awaiting discharge.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as per the reply?
- A total of 202 Indian nationals were recruited into the Russian armed forces since 2022.
- 26 of the recruited Indians have lost their lives in the conflict.
- All the recruited Indians have since been discharged and repatriated.
- 50 individuals are still awaiting discharge.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1, 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q10. Even while pressing for the return of its nationals, India has preserved its 'special and privileged' partnership with Russia, including defence ties such as the S-400 system. On the Indian side, bilateral defence and military-technical cooperation with Russia is steered principally by which Ministry?
- A. Ministry of Defence
- B. Ministry of External Affairs
- C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- D. Ministry of Home Affairs
Q11. Among the States impleaded as respondents in the plea — Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh — which one is the largest by geographical area?
- A. Rajasthan
- B. Punjab
- C. Haryana
- D. Himachal Pradesh
Q12. With reference to the Government's response to illegal recruitment of Indians for the Russian Army, consider the following statements:
1. As of December 2025, more than 3,500 unregistered agents had been flagged on the eMigrate portal for involvement in illegal overseas recruitment.
2. The Government of India and the Indian Embassy in Russia have issued advisories cautioning nationals against offers to join the Russian Army.
3. The eMigrate system used to flag such agents is operated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- As of December 2025, more than 3,500 unregistered agents had been flagged on the eMigrate portal for involvement in illegal overseas recruitment.
- The Government of India and the Indian Embassy in Russia have issued advisories cautioning nationals against offers to join the Russian Army.
- The eMigrate system used to flag such agents is operated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3