UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Corruption and prior sanction, case of a divided house

Q1. With reference to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, 'Section 17A' refers to a provision which:

  • A. requires prior sanction of the competent authority before a police officer initiates any enquiry, inquiry or investigation against a public servant for acts relatable to recommendations made or decisions taken in discharge of official functions
  • B. bars a trial court from taking cognizance of a corruption offence against a sitting Member of Parliament without the sanction of the Presiding Officer
  • C. grants statutory immunity to public servants from civil suits for any decision taken in good faith in the course of official duties
  • D. requires the prior recommendation of the Lokpal before a chargesheet is filed against a Union Minister or a Secretary to the Government of India

Q2. Who is the senior-most among the following judges who constituted the two-judge Supreme Court Bench that delivered the January 2026 split verdict on the constitutional validity of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988?

  • A. Justice B.V. Nagarathna
  • B. Justice K.V. Viswanathan
  • C. Justice Surya Kant
  • D. Justice Sanjiv Khanna

Q3. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, mandating prior sanction for inquiry or investigation into acts done by a public servant in discharge of official functions, was inserted into the principal Act by which one of the following?

  • A. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2013
  • B. The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018
  • C. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
  • D. The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Act, 2014

Q4. With reference to Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and its statutory predecessor Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, consider the following statements: 1. Section 6A of the DSPE Act, 1946 required prior approval of the Central Government for the CBI to investigate officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above, and was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2014 as violative of Article 14. 2. Unlike Section 6A, Section 17A applies to a public servant irrespective of his rank or seniority. 3. Section 17A was inserted into the principal Act by the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2013. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Section 6A of the DSPE Act, 1946 required prior approval of the Central Government for the CBI to investigate officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above, and was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2014 as violative of Article 14.
  2. Unlike Section 6A, Section 17A applies to a public servant irrespective of his rank or seniority.
  3. Section 17A was inserted into the principal Act by the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2013.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The 'competent authority' whose prior sanction is mandated under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 before initiating an enquiry or investigation against a public servant is:

  • A. the Central Vigilance Commission, in respect of every public servant irrespective of the employer
  • B. the Lokpal at the Centre and the Lokayukta in the States, in all cases
  • C. the appropriate Government (Central or State) which is competent to remove the public servant from office
  • D. the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Ministry or Department in which the public servant is serving
  • NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam
    NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam

    The notification of Borjuli site in Sonitpur, Assam as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project is a named, verifiable fact. Biodiversity Heritage Sites and wild crop genetic resource conservation are tested Prelims topics.

  • India Advances Global Green Hydrogen Leadership under National Green Hydrogen Mission

    Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a landmark commercial deal for green ammonia and methanol export to Japan (IHI Corporation named) is a concrete outcome. India's green hydrogen ambitions and NGHM are recurring Prelims themes; this adds a factual export-deal hook.

  • NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"
    NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"

    A named NITI Aayog report on Ayurveda's global expansion is testable as a policy document. NITI Aayog reports, AYUSH sector initiatives, and traditional medicine diplomacy are recurring Prelims themes; the report's launch date and authoring body are clean factual hooks.

  • INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND RESPONDS TO PIRACY ATTEMPT ON MV GOLDEN ARSENAL IN THE GULF OF ADEN

    A named Indian Navy anti-piracy operation with specific ship (INS Trikand — identified as a stealth frigate), vessel flag state (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and location (Gulf of Aden) offers testable facts. India's maritime security operations are plausible Prelims hooks but appear occasionally, not frequently.

  • Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat – G-Ram G Act’ from Andhra Pradesh with Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan

    A newly named nationwide scheme launched by the Rural Development ministry that explicitly positions itself as moving 'beyond MGNREGA' is potentially testable. However, the excerpt lacks concrete numbers or statutory grounding, keeping it at 3 rather than 4.

  • MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

    MANAS is a named government digital initiative (national narcotics helpline) with a specific mandate under Nasha Mukt Bharat. Named government portals/helplines with specific functions are tested in Prelims, though this release is a backgrounder without new launch data.

  • VB-G RAM G Act comes into force across the country from today; “A historic day for rural India”: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    The VB-G RAM G Act (likely a renamed/revised MGNREGA or rural employment guarantee framework) came into force across India from July 1, 2026. Key facts: national launch in Tirupati on July 2; revised wage rates notified with no daily wage below ₹300; national average wage increased by over 10%. A new central Act coming into force with specific wage figures is high-priority Prelims material.

  • India Achieves Major Milestone with Approval of Country’s First PinS Instrument Approach Procedure for Helicopter Operations

    DGCA approved India's first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, implemented at Undavalli Heliport (developed by AAI). This is a named first in Indian aviation with a specific location and implementing body — classic Prelims material for science/tech and aviation sections.

  • 11 Years of Digital India: Better Healthcare & Digital Markets Making Lives Easier

    This release contains high-quality testable data: Greece is named as the 10th country to adopt UPI; every second real-time digital transaction globally is processed via India's UPI; 13 lakh Anganwadi workers connected via Poshan Tracker covering 9 crore beneficiaries. Multiple concrete facts that are prime Prelims material.

  • India, EU Advance Cooperation on Sustainable Ship Recycling; Three Indian Yards Ready for EU Recognition

    India has a 35.4% global market share in sustainable ship recycling. Three Indian ship-recycling yards are ready for EU recognition. India committed $8 billion to strengthen shipbuilding and recycling, with a target of recycling 16,000 ships. These are specific, verifiable figures in a sector where India leads globally — strong Prelims material on maritime/shipping sector.

  • GAGAN: Navigating India’s Skies with Precision

    Detailed backgrounder on GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System developed jointly by ISRO and Airports Authority of India (AAI). It enhances GPS accuracy for aviation, is certified to international standards, and supports satellite-based landing approaches. GAGAN is a recurring Prelims topic and this backgrounder consolidates key testable facts about its developers, purpose, and certification status.

    • The Hindu

    Latest PIB

    Latest from The Hindu

    Explore