UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Fill vacant faculty positions within 4 months: SC

Q1. Consider the following directions stated to have been issued by the Supreme Court of India in its January 2026 order to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): 1. All vacant faculty positions (teaching as well as non-teaching) in public and private HEIs shall be filled within four months. 2. Vacant posts of Vice-Chancellor and Registrar shall be filled within one month of their falling vacant. 3. Pending scholarship backlogs shall be cleared by Central and State governments within four months. 4. The directions are confined to centrally funded HEIs; privately managed universities have been kept outside their scope. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?

  1. All vacant faculty positions (teaching as well as non-teaching) in public and private HEIs shall be filled within four months.
  2. Vacant posts of Vice-Chancellor and Registrar shall be filled within one month of their falling vacant.
  3. Pending scholarship backlogs shall be cleared by Central and State governments within four months.
  4. The directions are confined to centrally funded HEIs; privately managed universities have been kept outside their scope.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q2. With reference to the Supreme Court's January 2026 order on Higher Education Institutions and the National Task Force (NTF) on student suicides constituted by the Court, consider the following statements: 1. The NTF is chaired by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, whereas the January 2026 order was delivered by a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan. 2. The NTF's nationwide survey, which received over 16 lakh responses, informed the directions issued in the January 2026 order. 3. While the NTF originated from the Court's suo motu proceedings into student deaths at IIT Delhi, the January 2026 directions extend to both public and private HEIs across India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The NTF is chaired by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, whereas the January 2026 order was delivered by a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan.
  2. The NTF's nationwide survey, which received over 16 lakh responses, informed the directions issued in the January 2026 order.
  3. While the NTF originated from the Court's suo motu proceedings into student deaths at IIT Delhi, the January 2026 directions extend to both public and private HEIs across India.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. The Supreme Court's January 2026 directions requiring all Higher Education Institutions to fill vacant faculty positions within four months were passed by invoking which one of the following provisions of the Constitution of India?

  • A. Article 32
  • B. Article 136
  • C. Article 142
  • D. Article 226

Q4. In the proceedings leading to its January 2026 order on Higher Education Institutions, the Supreme Court permitted the notification of Draft Regulations 2025 addressing ragging, sexual harassment and caste discrimination. These regulations were to be notified by which of the following statutory bodies?

  • A. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
  • B. University Grants Commission (UGC)
  • C. National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)
  • D. National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

Q5. The National Task Force constituted by the Supreme Court of India to examine the issue of student suicides and systemic concerns in Higher Education Institutions is chaired by which one of the following?

  • A. Justice S. Ravindra Bhat (retd.)
  • B. Justice J.B. Pardiwala
  • C. Justice R. Mahadevan
  • D. Justice K.M. Joseph (retd.)
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