UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC seeks govt. explanation on IPS deputation in CAPFs

Q1. In its May 23, 2025 verdict on the Central Armed Police Forces, the Supreme Court fixed an outer deadline for the Centre to carry out the cadre review that had already fallen due in 2021. Within what period from the judgment was that cadre review to be completed in all the CAPFs?

  • A. Three months
  • B. Six months
  • C. One year
  • D. Two years

Q2. The Supreme Court's May 2025 direction that IPS deputation in the CAPFs be 'progressively reduced' was expressed as applying up to a particular rank. Which one of the following was the topmost rank named in that direction?

  • A. Additional Director General
  • B. Deputy Inspector General
  • C. Inspector General
  • D. Special Director General

Q3. Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU), extended to Group A officers of the Central Armed Police Forces following their recognition as an organised service, is correctly described as which one of the following?

  • A. An upgradation of pay for an officer, without conferring the higher post, granted on a batchmate being promoted to that grade
  • B. An upgradation of pay granted to every officer on completing a fixed number of years in a grade, irrespective of whether any batchmate is promoted
  • C. An upgradation of pay granted to an officer only after clearing the departmental examination prescribed for the next higher grade
  • D. An upgradation of pay granted to all officers serving in hard-area or border postings, over and above their normal pay progression

Q4. Within the Ministry of Home Affairs, policy, personnel, operational (including deployment) and financial matters relating to all the Central Armed Police Forces are handled by which one of the following?

  • A. The Border Management Division
  • B. The Internal Security Division
  • C. The Centre-State Division
  • D. The Police-II Division

Q5. Under the Indian Police Service (Cadre) Rules, 1954, the deputation of a cadre officer for service under the Central Government is correctly described as requiring which one of the following?

  • A. The concurrence of the State Government(s) concerned and of the Central Government, with any disagreement being decided by the Central Government
  • B. The concurrence of the State Government(s) concerned alone, the Centre having no power in any circumstance to override a State's refusal
  • C. The concurrence of the Union Public Service Commission in every case, the State Government's view being purely recommendatory throughout
  • D. The concurrence of the Central Government alone, the State Government being entitled in all cases only to a post-facto intimation

Q6. Before Parliament can create a new all-India service common to the Union and the States, the Constitution requires a prior resolution from one particular body. Which of the following correctly identifies that body and the majority prescribed?

  • A. The Lok Sabha, by a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting
  • B. The Inter-State Council, by a resolution supported by not less than half of the participating State Governments
  • C. The legislatures of not less than one-half of the States, by resolutions ratifying the Union's proposal
  • D. The Rajya Sabha, by a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting

Q7. The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 confers rule-making power on the central government in 'notwithstanding' terms. The reach of that overriding clause is best described as enabling Rules to be made in spite of which of the following?

  • A. Any other law and any government order, but not any judgment or order of a court
  • B. Any other law, any judgment or order of any court, and any government order
  • C. Any subordinate legislation and any government order, but not any Act of Parliament
  • D. Any judgment of a High Court and any government order, but not a judgment of the Supreme Court

Q8. With reference to the coverage of the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026, consider the following: 1. The Schedule to the Act lists five forces — the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force, the Central Industrial Security Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal. 2. Officers of the Indian Army serving in these forces on deputation or on re-employment fall within the scope of the Act. 3. Group A (general duty or executive) officers of the rank of Assistant Commandant and above are covered by the Act. 4. The National Security Guard and the Assam Rifles are listed in the Schedule alongside the other forces. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. The Schedule to the Act lists five forces — the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force, the Central Industrial Security Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Sashastra Seema Bal.
  2. Officers of the Indian Army serving in these forces on deputation or on re-employment fall within the scope of the Act.
  3. Group A (general duty or executive) officers of the rank of Assistant Commandant and above are covered by the Act.
  4. The National Security Guard and the Assam Rifles are listed in the Schedule alongside the other forces.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. In the scheme laid down by the Supreme Court for the pending CAPF cadre review, the final decision on cadre restructuring and on amendment of the existing recruitment rules was to rest with which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Home Affairs alone, whose decision in all cadre matters of the forces it administers is final and binding
  • B. The Union Public Service Commission, whose concurrence is mandatory for every cadre restructuring proposal in all central services
  • C. The Department of Personnel and Training, within three months of receiving the action-taken report of the Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. The Department of Expenditure, whose approval is the sole and conclusive requirement for all cadre reviews involving fresh posts

Q10. While monitoring compliance with its 2025 CAPF verdict, and in the contempt proceedings arising from alleged non-implementation, the Supreme Court has required the action-taken report on the cadre review and on amendment of recruitment rules to be submitted by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which administers the five forces listed in the CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026
  • B. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, which houses the Department of Personnel and Training
  • C. The Ministry of Defence, which exercises operational control arrangements over certain border-guarding deployments
  • D. The Cabinet Secretariat, which services the Committee of Secretaries on inter-ministerial service matters

Q11. Consider the following statements about how the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 treats different senior ranks for the purpose of appointment of IPS officers: 1. In the rank of Inspector General, half of the posts are to be filled by deputation of IPS officers. 2. In the rank of Additional Director General, the floor prescribed for IPS deputation is higher than that prescribed for Inspector General, being a minimum of two-thirds of the posts. 3. In the ranks of Director General and Special Director General, the Act prescribes the same proportion for IPS deputation as it does for the rank of Inspector General. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. In the rank of Inspector General, half of the posts are to be filled by deputation of IPS officers.
  2. In the rank of Additional Director General, the floor prescribed for IPS deputation is higher than that prescribed for Inspector General, being a minimum of two-thirds of the posts.
  3. In the ranks of Director General and Special Director General, the Act prescribes the same proportion for IPS deputation as it does for the rank of Inspector General.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. Consider the following statements regarding the litigation over organised service status and promotion avenues of Central Armed Police Forces officers: 1. The February 2019 Supreme Court ruling that recognised the CAPFs as 'organised services' was delivered on appeals by the Ministry of Defence against orders of the Armed Forces Tribunal. 2. The Non-Functional Financial Upgradation extended to Group A officers of the CAPFs was traced to the Sixth Pay Commission and made applicable from 2006. 3. The 2026 challenge to the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act was brought directly before the Supreme Court under Article 32 by cadre officers of the five forces. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The February 2019 Supreme Court ruling that recognised the CAPFs as 'organised services' was delivered on appeals by the Ministry of Defence against orders of the Armed Forces Tribunal.
  2. The Non-Functional Financial Upgradation extended to Group A officers of the CAPFs was traced to the Sixth Pay Commission and made applicable from 2006.
  3. The 2026 challenge to the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act was brought directly before the Supreme Court under Article 32 by cadre officers of the five forces.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3