UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Punished for a guilty system

Q1. As per the disclosure cited in proceedings before the Delhi High Court in 2026, out of approximately 1,000 licensed hospitality establishments (hotels and clubs) in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, roughly how many held a valid No-Objection Certificate from the Delhi Fire Service?

  • A. Around 50
  • B. Around 250
  • C. Around 500
  • D. Around 850

Q2. Which one of the following is the principal statutory authority empowered to grant and inspect fire-safety No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for buildings within the National Capital Territory of Delhi?

  • A. Delhi Fire Service
  • B. Municipal Corporation of Delhi
  • C. Delhi Development Authority
  • D. Central Public Works Department

Q3. Fire services have been brought within the formal functional domain of Urban Local Bodies in India through which one of the following constitutional provisions?

  • A. Article 243W read with the Twelfth Schedule, inserted by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992
  • B. Article 243G read with the Eleventh Schedule, inserted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992
  • C. Entry 6 of the State List (List II) of the Seventh Schedule, as originally enacted
  • D. Entry 23 of the Concurrent List (List III) of the Seventh Schedule

Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the present regulatory regime for fire safety in buildings in India with the position before the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992: 1. Unlike the earlier position, fire services now figure expressly in the Twelfth Schedule as a function entrustable to municipalities under Article 243W. 2. The 74th Amendment replaced the earlier fragmented arrangement with a single Central Fire Services Act that is uniformly applicable to all States and Union Territories. 3. Compliance with the National Building Code of India, 2016, continues to be recommendatory at the Union level and acquires legal force only on adoption by the concerned State or Union Territory. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the earlier position, fire services now figure expressly in the Twelfth Schedule as a function entrustable to municipalities under Article 243W.
  2. The 74th Amendment replaced the earlier fragmented arrangement with a single Central Fire Services Act that is uniformly applicable to all States and Union Territories.
  3. Compliance with the National Building Code of India, 2016, continues to be recommendatory at the Union level and acquires legal force only on adoption by the concerned State or Union Territory.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. With reference to the Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which of the following are correctly identified as functions enumerated therein for Urban Local Bodies? 1. Fire services 2. Urban planning including town planning 3. Public distribution system 4. Slum improvement and upgradation Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Fire services
  2. Urban planning including town planning
  3. Public distribution system
  4. Slum improvement and upgradation
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4