UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Catholic body meets Home Minister Shah, flags concerns over FCRA Bill

Q1. Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, which one of the following is the sole nodal Union ministry entrusted with administering the Act and granting registration to associations receiving foreign contribution?

  • A. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Finance
  • C. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
  • D. Ministry of External Affairs

Q2. Consider the following conditions that an association generally must satisfy to obtain a certificate of registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010: 1. It should be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, or Section 8 of the Companies Act. 2. It should normally have been in existence for at least three years. 3. It should have spent a reasonable amount (at least ₹10 lakh over the last three years, excluding administrative expenditure) on its core activities. 4. It must be a company whose shares are listed on a recognised stock exchange. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It should be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, or Section 8 of the Companies Act.
  2. It should normally have been in existence for at least three years.
  3. It should have spent a reasonable amount (at least ₹10 lakh over the last three years, excluding administrative expenditure) on its core activities.
  4. It must be a company whose shares are listed on a recognised stock exchange.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q3. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026 require NGOs to classify their permitted activities under a fixed set of categories. Which of the following are correctly identified as belonging to this prescribed set of activity categories? 1. Economic 2. Religious 3. Political 4. Cultural Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Economic
  2. Religious
  3. Political
  4. Cultural
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. With reference to how the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026 differ from the earlier regime, consider the following statements: 1. The 2026 Rules require an NGO to specify its permitted activities from a predefined list and to declare its geographic area of operation. 2. The 2026 Rules expressly exclude 'proselytisation' from certain permitted religious purposes such as religious education and documentation of tribal faith practices. 3. It is the 2026 Rules, and not the amending Act, that reduced the maximum imprisonment for FCRA offences from five years to one year. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2026 Rules require an NGO to specify its permitted activities from a predefined list and to declare its geographic area of operation.
  2. The 2026 Rules expressly exclude 'proselytisation' from certain permitted religious purposes such as religious education and documentation of tribal faith practices.
  3. It is the 2026 Rules, and not the amending Act, that reduced the maximum imprisonment for FCRA offences from five years to one year.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India represents the bishops of the individual Churches that make up the Catholic Church in India. Which one of the following is the largest of the Eastern (Oriental) Catholic Churches in India — a Chaldean (East Syriac) rite Church of Kerala that regained its own hierarchy in 1923?

  • A. Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
  • B. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
  • C. Latin (Roman) rite Catholic Church
  • D. Chaldean Syrian (Assyrian) Church of the East

Q6. Comparing the two principal Eastern Catholic Churches in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Syro-Malabar Church follows the Chaldean (East Syriac) rite, whereas the Syro-Malankara Church follows the Antiochene (West Syriac) rite. 2. The Syro-Malankara Church was formed when a group of former Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) Christians of Kerala united with Rome in 1930 through the efforts of Bishop Ivanios. 3. Both the Syro-Malabar and the Syro-Malankara Churches are subject to the Latin-rite hierarchy of the Catholic Church in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Syro-Malabar Church follows the Chaldean (East Syriac) rite, whereas the Syro-Malankara Church follows the Antiochene (West Syriac) rite.
  2. The Syro-Malankara Church was formed when a group of former Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) Christians of Kerala united with Rome in 1930 through the efforts of Bishop Ivanios.
  3. Both the Syro-Malabar and the Syro-Malankara Churches are subject to the Latin-rite hierarchy of the Catholic Church in India.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, the term 'foreign contribution' is most precisely defined as which one of the following?

  • A. The donation, delivery or transfer of any currency, security or article (above a specified value) made by a foreign source
  • B. Any commercial loan or external commercial borrowing raised by an Indian entity from a foreign lender
  • C. Foreign direct investment routed through the automatic route into an Indian company
  • D. Any fee or remuneration earned by an Indian citizen for professional services rendered abroad

Q8. Regarding the evolution of the law on foreign contribution from 1976 to 2010, consider the following statements: 1. The FCRA, 2010 repealed and replaced the FCRA, 1976. 2. The 2010 Act extended the list of barred recipients by adding organisations of a 'political nature'. 3. The 2010 Act empowers the Central Government to conduct audits and to exercise powers of search and seizure over FCRA-registered associations. 4. The FCRA, 2010 completely abolished the requirement of registration, replacing it entirely with a one-time self-declaration. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The FCRA, 2010 repealed and replaced the FCRA, 1976.
  2. The 2010 Act extended the list of barred recipients by adding organisations of a 'political nature'.
  3. The 2010 Act empowers the Central Government to conduct audits and to exercise powers of search and seizure over FCRA-registered associations.
  4. The FCRA, 2010 completely abolished the requirement of registration, replacing it entirely with a one-time self-declaration.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 4

Q9. Following the 2020 amendment to the FCRA, an association may receive foreign contribution only in a single designated 'FCRA Account'. This account must be opened in which one of the following?

  • A. The New Delhi Main Branch of the State Bank of India
  • B. Any nationalised bank branch chosen by the association
  • C. The Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, Mumbai
  • D. Any scheduled bank branch located in the association's home state

Q10. Regarding the powers of the Central Government (Ministry of Home Affairs) over FCRA registration, consider the following statements: 1. It may suspend an FCRA certificate for a period of up to 180 days, extendable by a further period not exceeding 180 days. 2. An FCRA certificate is valid for five years and must ordinarily be renewed within six months before its expiry. 3. It may cancel an FCRA certificate for violation of the provisions of the Act. 4. An FCRA certificate, once granted, remains valid for the lifetime of the association and needs no renewal. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It may suspend an FCRA certificate for a period of up to 180 days, extendable by a further period not exceeding 180 days.
  2. An FCRA certificate is valid for five years and must ordinarily be renewed within six months before its expiry.
  3. It may cancel an FCRA certificate for violation of the provisions of the Act.
  4. An FCRA certificate, once granted, remains valid for the lifetime of the association and needs no renewal.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 4