UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Triple test, adrift

Q1. Consider the following statements comparing the test laid down in Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa (1978) with the statutory position under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020: 1. Under the 1978 test, the absence of a profit motive did not by itself take an activity outside the meaning of 'industry'. 2. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 expressly keeps out of 'industry' an institution owned or managed by an organisation wholly or substantially engaged in charitable, social or philanthropic service. 3. Unlike the position under the Act of 1947, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 expressly brings domestic service within the meaning of 'industry'. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the 1978 test, the absence of a profit motive did not by itself take an activity outside the meaning of 'industry'.
  2. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 expressly keeps out of 'industry' an institution owned or managed by an organisation wholly or substantially engaged in charitable, social or philanthropic service.
  3. Unlike the position under the Act of 1947, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 expressly brings domestic service within the meaning of 'industry'.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. In Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa (1978), how many classes of activity did the Supreme Court hold to be outside the meaning of 'industry' even where the criteria of the test it laid down were otherwise satisfied?

  • A. None
  • B. One
  • C. Two
  • D. Three

Q3. The nine-judge Bench, in its verdict of 20 August 2026, held that the 1978 ruling in Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa shall not automatically govern the interpretation of 'industry' under which one of the following provisions?

  • A. Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
  • B. Section 2(j) of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020
  • C. Section 2(p) of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020
  • D. Section 2(m) of the Code on Social Security, 2020

Q4. The lead opinion for the majority in the nine-judge Bench verdict of 20 August 2026 on the meaning of 'industry' was authored by:

  • A. Justice Satish Chandra Sharma
  • B. Justice Alok Aradhe
  • C. Justice Surya Kant
  • D. Justice Joymalya Bagchi

Q5. With reference to the minority opinion in the nine-judge Bench verdict of 20 August 2026 on the meaning of 'industry', consider the following: 1. Justice B.V. Nagarathna authored the minority opinion, holding that the reference was unwarranted. 2. Justice Dipankar Datta concurred with the minority opinion. 3. Justice P.S. Narasimha concurred with the minority opinion. 4. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan concurred with the minority opinion. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Justice B.V. Nagarathna authored the minority opinion, holding that the reference was unwarranted.
  2. Justice Dipankar Datta concurred with the minority opinion.
  3. Justice P.S. Narasimha concurred with the minority opinion.
  4. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan concurred with the minority opinion.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q6. With reference to the reasoning of the minority opinion authored by Justice B.V. Nagarathna in the 2026 verdict on the meaning of 'industry', consider the following: 1. The decision of 1978 in Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa was correctly decided and needed no interference. 2. The reference of the question to a larger Bench was unwarranted. 3. An activity in which the Government is involved is, by that fact alone, a sovereign function lying outside 'industry'. 4. The broad test of 1978 should be confined only to disputes already finally concluded under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The decision of 1978 in Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa was correctly decided and needed no interference.
  2. The reference of the question to a larger Bench was unwarranted.
  3. An activity in which the Government is involved is, by that fact alone, a sovereign function lying outside 'industry'.
  4. The broad test of 1978 should be confined only to disputes already finally concluded under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 4

Q7. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 consolidates and replaces how many pre-existing central enactments?

  • A. Three
  • B. Four
  • C. Six
  • D. Nine

Q8. Consider the following, with reference to the definition of 'industry' in the Industrial Relations Code, 2020: 1. An institution owned or managed by an organisation wholly or substantially engaged in charitable, social or philanthropic service is kept outside 'industry'. 2. Any activity of the appropriate Government relatable to its sovereign functions is kept outside 'industry'. 3. Domestic service is kept outside 'industry'. 4. A systematic activity carried on without any investment of capital or without a profit motive is kept outside 'industry'. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. An institution owned or managed by an organisation wholly or substantially engaged in charitable, social or philanthropic service is kept outside 'industry'.
  2. Any activity of the appropriate Government relatable to its sovereign functions is kept outside 'industry'.
  3. Domestic service is kept outside 'industry'.
  4. A systematic activity carried on without any investment of capital or without a profit motive is kept outside 'industry'.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. Consider the following pairs of a central enactment and the Labour Code in which it stands subsumed: 1. Trade Unions Act, 1926 — Industrial Relations Code, 2020 2. Factories Act, 1948 — Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 3. Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 — Code on Wages, 2019 4. Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 — Code on Social Security, 2020 Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Trade Unions Act, 1926 — Industrial Relations Code, 2020
  2. Factories Act, 1948 — Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
  3. Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 — Code on Wages, 2019
  4. Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 — Code on Social Security, 2020
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q10. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 stands subsumed in which one of the four Labour Codes?

  • A. The Code on Wages, 2019
  • B. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020
  • C. The Code on Social Security, 2020
  • D. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020

Q11. The correctness of the test governing the meaning of 'industry' was first doubted in State of U.P. v. Jai Bir Singh (2005), a decision that set the reference in motion. That Bench consisted of how many judges?

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

Q12. Critics of the 2026 majority ruling argue that workers of an establishment held not to be an 'industry' would lose the machinery of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. Consider the following protections: 1. Reference of an industrial dispute for adjudication under the Code. 2. Retrenchment and lay-off safeguards under the Code. 3. Collective bargaining machinery available under the Code. 4. Wage entitlements and social-security benefits. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as protections that would become unavailable?

  1. Reference of an industrial dispute for adjudication under the Code.
  2. Retrenchment and lay-off safeguards under the Code.
  3. Collective bargaining machinery available under the Code.
  4. Wage entitlements and social-security benefits.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only