UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Not a good sign if a Bar Council loses respect: SC judge

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Advocates Act, 1961 and the legislation it superseded: 1. For advocates of the Supreme Court who had been enrolled before 1 December 1961, the Act required their seniority to be reckoned afresh from the date on which the Act itself commenced. 2. Provisions relating to touts, which until then stood in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, were brought into the Advocates Act, 1961 by an amendment passed by Parliament in 2023. 3. Whereas advocates were earlier regulated through Bar Councils constituted under the Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926, the Act of 1961 constitutes both the Bar Council of India and the State Bar Councils under a single central statute. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. For advocates of the Supreme Court who had been enrolled before 1 December 1961, the Act required their seniority to be reckoned afresh from the date on which the Act itself commenced.
  2. Provisions relating to touts, which until then stood in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, were brought into the Advocates Act, 1961 by an amendment passed by Parliament in 2023.
  3. Whereas advocates were earlier regulated through Bar Councils constituted under the Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926, the Act of 1961 constitutes both the Bar Council of India and the State Bar Councils under a single central statute.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Under the Advocates Act, 1961, where a misconduct proceeding is before the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India, the expression 'Advocate-General' occurring in Section 35 of the Act is to be read as a reference to which one of the following?

  • A. The Solicitor-General of India, being the second law officer of the Union Government
  • B. The Advocate-General of the State on whose roll the advocate concerned is enrolled
  • C. The Attorney-General of India, being the first law officer of the Union Government
  • D. The Additional Solicitor-General of India attached to the Supreme Court of India

Q3. Under Section 4 of the Advocates Act, 1961, the number of members that each State Bar Council elects to the Bar Council of India, and the number of ex officio members of the Bar Council of India, are respectively:

  • A. One and three
  • B. One and two
  • C. Two and one
  • D. Three and two

Q4. Under the Advocates Act, 1961, consider the following functions: 1. Admitting persons as advocates on its roll and preparing and maintaining that roll with entries in order of seniority. 2. Entertaining and determining cases of misconduct against advocates whose names appear on its roll. 3. Recognising universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an advocate. 4. Laying down standards of professional conduct and etiquette to be observed by advocates. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as functions of a State Bar Council rather than of the Bar Council of India?

  1. Admitting persons as advocates on its roll and preparing and maintaining that roll with entries in order of seniority.
  2. Entertaining and determining cases of misconduct against advocates whose names appear on its roll.
  3. Recognising universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an advocate.
  4. Laying down standards of professional conduct and etiquette to be observed by advocates.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4

Q5. With reference to the Bar Council of India–NALSAR enrolment controversy of August 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The Bar Council of India's communication of 13 August 2026 asked State Bar Councils to withhold the enrolment of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch until further orders. 2. The same communication required the university to identify, within three days, the students principally involved in organising the campaign. 3. The bar on the entire 2026 batch remained operative until it was set aside by the Supreme Court, the Bar Council of India having refused throughout to reconsider it. 4. Roughly 450 of NALSAR's nearly 1,400 students had written to the university administration asking it to reconsider the convocation invitation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Bar Council of India's communication of 13 August 2026 asked State Bar Councils to withhold the enrolment of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch until further orders.
  2. The same communication required the university to identify, within three days, the students principally involved in organising the campaign.
  3. The bar on the entire 2026 batch remained operative until it was set aside by the Supreme Court, the Bar Council of India having refused throughout to reconsider it.
  4. Roughly 450 of NALSAR's nearly 1,400 students had written to the university administration asking it to reconsider the convocation invitation.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q6. The August 2026 direction restraining State Bar Councils from enrolling NALSAR University of Law's 2026 graduating batch was issued by which one of the following, a point later contested within the institution itself?

  • A. The Legal Education Committee of the Bar Council of India, acting on a university report
  • B. The Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India, in exercise of its statutory powers
  • C. The Telangana State Bar Council, upon a reference made to it by the apex body
  • D. The office of the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, without the full Council

Q7. Consider the following statements about Justice B.V. Nagarathna of the Supreme Court of India: 1. She was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Karnataka High Court, where she had first been appointed an Additional Judge in 2008 and made a permanent Judge in 2010. 2. Her father, E.S. Venkataramiah, had himself held the office of Chief Justice of India, and it was on his recommendation that she was elevated to the Supreme Court. 3. Unlike the incumbent Chief Justice of India, whose term runs until February 2027, her own anticipated tenure as Chief Justice of India would last for barely more than a month. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. She was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Karnataka High Court, where she had first been appointed an Additional Judge in 2008 and made a permanent Judge in 2010.
  2. Her father, E.S. Venkataramiah, had himself held the office of Chief Justice of India, and it was on his recommendation that she was elevated to the Supreme Court.
  3. Unlike the incumbent Chief Justice of India, whose term runs until February 2027, her own anticipated tenure as Chief Justice of India would last for barely more than a month.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Consider the following pairs of persons and descriptions connected with the Indian higher judiciary: 1. B.V. Nagarathna — a Judge of the Supreme Court of India who assumed that office in August 2021 2. E.S. Venkataramiah — a former Chief Justice of India and the father of Justice B.V. Nagarathna 3. Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya — the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who is ex officio Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad 4. B.R. Gavai — the Chief Justice of India who recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. B.V. Nagarathna — a Judge of the Supreme Court of India who assumed that office in August 2021
  2. E.S. Venkataramiah — a former Chief Justice of India and the father of Justice B.V. Nagarathna
  3. Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya — the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who is ex officio Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
  4. B.R. Gavai — the Chief Justice of India who recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. Under the Advocates Act, 1961, while conducting a proceeding in the exercise of its disciplinary jurisdiction, the disciplinary committee of a Bar Council is vested with which one of the following?

  • A. The powers of a criminal court under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for the trial of summons cases
  • B. The same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of specified matters
  • C. The powers of a commission of inquiry appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, in respect of specified matters
  • D. The powers of a tribunal constituted under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, in respect of service disputes

Q10. Under the Advocates Act, 1961, an order passed by the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India in a professional misconduct matter is finally appealable to which one of the following?

  • A. The High Court within whose jurisdiction the advocate concerned is on the roll
  • B. The Central Government in the Ministry of Law and Justice, on a reference
  • C. The Bar Council of India, in review by a differently constituted committee
  • D. The Supreme Court of India, on an appeal by the person aggrieved

Q11. Justice Surya Kant, who assumed charge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India in November 2025, made and subscribed his oath of office before which one of the following?

  • A. The President of India, at a ceremony held in the Ganatantra Mandap
  • B. The outgoing Chief Justice of India, who invariably administers the oath to his successor
  • C. The Vice-President of India, in his capacity as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
  • D. The senior-most puisne judge of the Supreme Court of India at the time

Q12. Consider the following statements about two National Law Universities in the news in 2026: 1. The convocation of National Law University, Delhi addressed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court in August 2026 was that University's thirteenth convocation. 2. At that convocation, the degrees were conferred by the University's Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court being present only as chief guest. 3. NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad — the institution at the centre of the 2026 enrolment row — had by then already held its twenty-first convocation, one of which was graced by the President of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The convocation of National Law University, Delhi addressed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court in August 2026 was that University's thirteenth convocation.
  2. At that convocation, the degrees were conferred by the University's Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court being present only as chief guest.
  3. NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad — the institution at the centre of the 2026 enrolment row — had by then already held its twenty-first convocation, one of which was graced by the President of India.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3