UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Bill to prevent Ry. wagons being used as godowns passed

Q1. The 7-day mandatory delivery window introduced by the Indian Railways (Amendment) Bill, 1976 to prevent wagons from being detained as makeshift godowns is operationalised on the ground primarily by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Railways (through the Railway administration)
  • B. The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • C. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. The Ministry of Home Affairs (through State police)

Q2. Regarding the ordinance-making power of the President under Article 123, which of the following is/are correctly identified as its features?

  1. An Ordinance can be promulgated only when at least one House of Parliament is not in session.
  2. An Ordinance has the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament.
  3. An Ordinance must be laid before Parliament and ceases to operate six weeks from the reassembly of Parliament unless approved.
  4. An Ordinance can be promulgated only during a proclamation of Emergency.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q3. With reference to the life and validity of an Ordinance issued under Article 123, which of the following is/are NOT correct?

  1. It is promulgated by the President on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
  2. It can remain in force indefinitely without Parliamentary approval.
  3. Parliament may pass a resolution disapproving it, causing it to cease to operate.
  4. Its maximum life, if Parliament reassembles, can extend to about six months and six weeks.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q4. Which one of the following is the principal consolidating enactment currently governing Indian Railways, having superseded the Indian Railways Act, 1890?

  • A. The Railways Act, 1989
  • B. The Indian Railway Board Act, 1905
  • C. The Railway Protection Force Act, 1957
  • D. The Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002

Q5. In the context of railway carriage of goods, the term 'demurrage' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A charge levied for detaining a railway wagon beyond the prescribed free time allowed for loading or unloading
  • B. A charge levied for goods left lying in railway premises or goods sheds beyond the free time allowed for their removal
  • C. A charge levied for stabling an idle locomotive in a running yard
  • D. A charge levied as compensation for goods damaged or lost in transit

Q6. During the Internal Emergency, the 'Twenty-Point Programme' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. An economic programme announced in 1975 aimed at curbing inflation, hoarding, smuggling and tax evasion while improving the condition of the poor
  • B. A land-reform statute exclusively redistributing all surplus land to landless agricultural labourers
  • C. A twenty-year industrial licensing framework administered by the Planning Commission
  • D. A package of constitutional amendments enacted to extend the life of the Lok Sabha

Q7. Comparing the Twenty-Point Programme with the regular Five Year Plans, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Twenty-Point Programme was announced after the proclamation of the Internal Emergency in 1975.
  2. Unlike the medium-term Five Year Plans, it emphasised immediate measures against inflation, hoarding and black-marketing.
  3. It was promulgated as a constitutional amendment under Article 368.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Following the 2006 amendment, how many commodities are retained in the Schedule to the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 as 'essential commodities'?

  • A. Five
  • B. Seven
  • C. Eleven
  • D. Fifteen

Q9. Which one of the following is the primary legislation specifically empowering preventive detention of persons to prevent black-marketing and to maintain supplies of essential commodities?

  • A. The Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980
  • B. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955
  • C. The Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971
  • D. The Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974

Q10. As the Union Railway Minister of the day, who piloted the Indian Railways (Amendment) Bill, 1976 in Parliament?

  • A. Kamalapathi Tripathi
  • B. Lalit Narayan Mishra
  • C. Jagjivan Ram
  • D. Chandrajit Yadav

Q11. Under the authority of which of the following are the present-day demurrage and wharfage charges (levied after expiry of the prescribed free time) prescribed on Indian Railways?

  • A. The Railway Board, under the Ministry of Railways
  • B. The Railway Claims Tribunal
  • C. The Central Consumer Protection Authority
  • D. The Rail Land Development Authority