UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC seeks response from govt. on religious education plea

Question 1

Under the Constitution of India, the right conferred by Article 21A is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A right of all children of the age of six to fourteen years to free and compulsory education, in such manner as the State may by law determine

Answer

A right of every child up to fourteen years of age, enforceable directly against all unaided private schools without any enabling law

Answer

A duty of every parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to a child between the ages of six and fourteen years

Answer

A directive that the State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education to all children below the age of six years

Question 2

Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, 'civil contempt' means which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Wilful disobedience to a judgment, decree, direction, order or writ of a court, or wilful breach of an undertaking given to a court

Answer

Any publication that scandalises or lowers the authority of a court or prejudices the due course of a pending judicial proceeding

Answer

Interference by a party to a civil suit with the due course of proceedings pending before a subordinate civil court

Answer

Failure by a public servant to file a reply affidavit within the time fixed by a court in a civil writ petition

Question 3

With reference to the power of the Supreme Court of India to punish for contempt of itself, which one of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

It flows from the Constitution, which makes the Court a court of record, the Act of 1971 mainly laying down the procedure

Answer

It flows exclusively from the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and would cease to exist altogether if Parliament were to repeal that Act

Answer

It extends only to criminal contempt, civil contempt being punishable solely by the High Courts under rules framed by them

Answer

It can be exercised in every case only after the prior written consent of the Attorney-General for India has been obtained

Question 4

In the scheme of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the placement of a subject in the Concurrent List means which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Both Parliament and the State Legislatures may make laws on it, and in the event of a conflict the central law generally prevails

Answer

Only Parliament may make laws on it, the State Legislatures legislating on it solely under authority delegated by Parliament

Answer

Both may make laws on it, but a State law prevails over an earlier central law in that State irrespective of the President's assent

Answer

State Legislatures alone may make laws on it, Parliament doing so only if the Rajya Sabha resolves that it is in the national interest

Question 5

With reference to the Supreme Court's order of 11 May 2026 in the matter relating to regulation of institutions imparting education to young children, consider the following:
1. The Court directed the Union Government to take a decision on the petitioner's representation within two months.
2. The representation sought mandatory registration, recognition and supervision of institutions imparting secular or religious instruction to children up to fourteen years of age.
3. The Court itself issued directions to all the States to withdraw recognition from unregistered institutions.
4. The Court declined at that stage to adjudicate the prayer directly, asking the petitioner to await the Centre's decision.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 4

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 6

Consider the following statements about the scope of the relief sought in, and directed by, the Supreme Court's order of 11 May 2026 on the regulation of institutions teaching young children:
1. The prayer covered institutions imparting secular instruction as well as those imparting religious instruction.
2. The prayer was confined exclusively to madrasas run by religious minorities.
3. The age group covered was children up to fourteen years.
4. The order directed the Union Government to enact a national law on compulsory registration within two months.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 4

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

4 only

Question 7

Consider the following pairs relating to the contempt proceedings before the Supreme Court in September 2026 concerning regulation of unregistered institutions imparting instruction to children:
1. Petitioner — an advocate who has filed several public interest petitions on religious and personal-law issues
2. Alleged contemnor — the Union Education Secretary
3. Nodal ministry for the subject matter of the underlying representation — Ministry of Minority Affairs
4. Nature of the contempt alleged — civil contempt, that is, wilful disobedience of a direction of the Court
Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

3 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

3 and 4 only

Answer

2 and 4

Question 8

In the public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay on electoral 'freebies', the principal relief sought was a direction that —

Accepted Answer

the Election Commission use its power to deregister a political party or seize its election symbol for promising irrational freebies

Answer

all welfare schemes announced within six months of a poll be permanently prohibited by the Election Commission of India

Answer

Parliament enact a law making every pre-poll welfare promise a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People Act

Answer

the Comptroller and Auditor General audit every party manifesto and disqualify the entire slate of candidates of a defaulting party

Question 9

Which one of the following is the statutory body principally mandated to monitor the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015?

Accepted Answer

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, constituted under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005

Answer

National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, the sole authority for monitoring all laws applicable to minors studying in minority institutions

Answer

Central Advisory Board of Education, chaired by the Union Minister of Education, whose recommendations are binding on every State Government

Answer

National Council of Educational Research and Training, the autonomous organisation under the Union Ministry of Education

Question 10

Consider the following statements regarding the judicial treatment of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004:
1. The Allahabad High Court had struck the Act down as unconstitutional, a view that the Supreme Court set aside in November 2024.
2. The Supreme Court held that a law regulating educational institutions associated with a religious community does not by itself violate secularism.
3. The Supreme Court upheld the Act in its entirety, including its provisions relating to the 'fazil' and 'kamil' degrees.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC seeks response from govt. on religious education plea

Q1. Under the Constitution of India, the right conferred by Article 21A is best described as which one of the following?

Q2. Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, 'civil contempt' means which one of the following?

Q3. With reference to the power of the Supreme Court of India to punish for contempt of itself, which one of the following statements is correct?

Q4. In the scheme of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the placement of a subject in the Concurrent List means which one of the following?

Q8. In the public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay on electoral 'freebies', the principal relief sought was a direction that —

Q9. Which one of the following is the statutory body principally mandated to monitor the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015?