UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Karnataka will approach SC today against Cauvery water release order, says Minister

Q1. Under the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, 2018, which one of the following forms the single largest category of members in the Cauvery Water Management Authority?

  • A. Whole-time members appointed by the Central Government
  • B. Part-time members representing the Union Ministries dealing with water resources and with agriculture
  • C. Part-time members nominated by the party States and the Union Territory
  • D. Assessors drawn from the Central Water Engineering Service, not belonging to the disputing States

Q2. The Cauvery Water Management Authority owes its existence to which one of the following?

  • A. A direction contained in the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award of February 2007, which became operative when that award was notified in the Gazette in 2013
  • B. A scheme framed by the Central Government under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 and notified in June 2018
  • C. An amendment to the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 enacted by Parliament in 2018 providing for basin-wise management authorities
  • D. An agreement among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry ratified by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti after the Supreme Court's order of February 2018

Q3. In which year did the Central Government publish the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in the Gazette of India?

  • A. 1990
  • B. 2007
  • C. 2013
  • D. 2018

Q4. Consider the following State/Union Territory and annual Cauvery water allocation pairs as settled by the Supreme Court in February 2018: 1. Karnataka — about 284.75 tmc ft 2. Tamil Nadu — about 404.25 tmc ft 3. Kerala — about 7 tmc ft 4. Puducherry — about 30 tmc ft Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. Karnataka — about 284.75 tmc ft
  2. Tamil Nadu — about 404.25 tmc ft
  3. Kerala — about 7 tmc ft
  4. Puducherry — about 30 tmc ft
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q5. Consider the following in respect of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019: 1. The Central Government is to set up a Disputes Resolution Committee to seek an amicable settlement before the dispute is referred to a Tribunal. 2. The Disputes Resolution Committee is to include one member from each disputing State at the level of Joint Secretary. 3. The proposed single Tribunal is to consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, three judicial members and three expert members. 4. The Bill retains the existing requirement that a Tribunal's decision be published in the official Gazette before it becomes binding. Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. The Central Government is to set up a Disputes Resolution Committee to seek an amicable settlement before the dispute is referred to a Tribunal.
  2. The Disputes Resolution Committee is to include one member from each disputing State at the level of Joint Secretary.
  3. The proposed single Tribunal is to consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, three judicial members and three expert members.
  4. The Bill retains the existing requirement that a Tribunal's decision be published in the official Gazette before it becomes binding.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q6. Consider the following statements comparing the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 with the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019: 1. Under the 1956 Act a separate Tribunal is constituted for each dispute where the Centre opines that it cannot be settled by negotiations, whereas the Bill proposes a single standing Tribunal that may sit in multiple benches. 2. Under the 1956 Act, where a matter is referred back to a Tribunal it must report within one year, a period the Centre may extend as it considers necessary, whereas the Bill caps such extension at six months. 3. The Bill provides that all existing Tribunals shall continue in being until the disputes pending before them are decided, after which the single Tribunal will take over fresh references. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the 1956 Act a separate Tribunal is constituted for each dispute where the Centre opines that it cannot be settled by negotiations, whereas the Bill proposes a single standing Tribunal that may sit in multiple benches.
  2. Under the 1956 Act, where a matter is referred back to a Tribunal it must report within one year, a period the Centre may extend as it considers necessary, whereas the Bill caps such extension at six months.
  3. The Bill provides that all existing Tribunals shall continue in being until the disputes pending before them are decided, after which the single Tribunal will take over fresh references.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. Consider the following rivers: 1. Lakshmantirtha 2. Moyar 3. Ghataprabha 4. Noyil Which of the above are correctly identified as tributaries of the Cauvery?

  1. Lakshmantirtha
  2. Moyar
  3. Ghataprabha
  4. Noyil
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. In the context of the Cauvery water-sharing arrangements, Biligundlu is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. The reservoir in Salem district of Tamil Nadu whose storage position governs releases into the delta
  • B. The gauge station on the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu boundary at which realised Cauvery flows are measured
  • C. The site in Kodagu district of Karnataka at which the Cauvery rises in the Brahmagiri hills
  • D. The ancient stone weir at the head of the Cauvery delta that diverts the river into irrigation canals

Q9. Among the following relating to the Cauvery in July–August 2026, which one involved the largest daily quantum of water at the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu contact point?

  • A. The daily flow actually realised at Biligundlu in the closing days of July 2026
  • B. The release direction ratified at the emergency meeting of the CWMA held at the end of July 2026
  • C. The daily release Tamil Nadu asked the Supreme Court to secure in its petition filed in early August 2026
  • D. The direction of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee upheld by the CWMA at its meeting of 11 August 2026

Q10. The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, whose release direction was upheld in August 2026, is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A technical body under the Cauvery Water Management Authority that monitors inflow and storage data and recommends periodic release schedules
  • B. A committee of the Central Water Commission that adjudicates the claims of the basin States before they are placed before the Authority
  • C. A standing committee of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti that appraises and clears new irrigation projects proposed in the Cauvery basin
  • D. A forum of the Chief Secretaries of the basin States that reviews compliance with the Tribunal's award at the close of each water year

Q11. Consider the following in respect of the colonial-era Cauvery agreements between Mysore and Madras: 1. The 1892 agreement required Mysore to obtain the consent of Madras before actually commencing construction of a new irrigation reservoir on the listed rivers. 2. Under the 1892 agreement such consent could be withheld only to protect a prescriptive right already acquired and actually existing. 3. Certain clauses of the 1924 agreement were open to review at the end of fifty years. 4. In its implementation the 1924 agreement enabled Mysore to irrigate over 24 lakh acres while capping Madras at about 3.01 lakh acres. Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. The 1892 agreement required Mysore to obtain the consent of Madras before actually commencing construction of a new irrigation reservoir on the listed rivers.
  2. Under the 1892 agreement such consent could be withheld only to protect a prescriptive right already acquired and actually existing.
  3. Certain clauses of the 1924 agreement were open to review at the end of fifty years.
  4. In its implementation the 1924 agreement enabled Mysore to irrigate over 24 lakh acres while capping Madras at about 3.01 lakh acres.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. Consider the following tribunal and year-of-constitution pairs under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956: 1. Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal — 1986 2. Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II — 2004 3. Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal — 1986 4. Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal — 2010 Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal — 1986
  2. Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II — 2004
  3. Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal — 1986
  4. Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal — 2010
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 3