UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The right to belong beyond official documentation

Q1. With reference to the distinction between citizenship as a legal status and documents as its evidence, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the Citizenship Act, 1955 citizenship is a legal status, whereas a passport issued under the Passports Act, 1967 is only evidence of that status and not its source.
  2. In June 2026 the Ministry of External Affairs held that an Indian passport is conclusive proof of citizenship in a court of law.
  3. Notwithstanding the debate, the Election Commission clarified that the passport remains among the valid supporting documents accepted in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. In June 2026, after the Ministry of External Affairs described a passport as a 'travel document', the Election Commission clarified that the passport still counts among how many valid supporting documents accepted from voters under the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls?

  • A. 8
  • B. 10
  • C. 12
  • D. 14

Q3. In its May 2026 verdict upholding the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, the Supreme Court held that which one of the following constitutional provisions is the primary source of the Election Commission's power to superintend and revise electoral rolls?

  • A. Article 324
  • B. Article 326
  • C. Article 329
  • D. Article 243K

Q4. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls whose validity the Supreme Court upheld in May 2026 is conducted exclusively by which one of the following authorities?

  • A. Election Commission of India
  • B. State Election Commissions
  • C. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q5. With reference to Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Section 6A was inserted by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 1985 to give effect to the Assam Accord.
  2. Persons of Indian origin ordinarily resident in Assam who entered before January 1, 1966 are deemed citizens of India from that date.
  3. Persons who entered Assam on or after January 1, 1966 but before March 25, 1971 are treated exactly like those who entered after March 25, 1971.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. The Foreigners Tribunals, whose 'foreigner' opinion is relied upon in matters connected with Section 6A registration, are constituted under the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. Ministry of External Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. Election Commission of India

Q7. Under the Citizenship Act, 1955, which one of the following is the first mode of acquisition of citizenship enumerated (Section 3) for persons after the commencement of the Constitution?

  • A. Citizenship by birth
  • B. Citizenship by descent
  • C. Citizenship by registration
  • D. Citizenship by naturalisation

Q8. Consider the following listed as modes of ACQUISITION of Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955: 1. Descent 2. Incorporation of territory 3. Renunciation 4. Naturalisation Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a mode of acquisition?

  1. Descent
  2. Incorporation of territory
  3. Renunciation
  4. Naturalisation
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 1 only

Q9. In its 2026 Bihar SIR verdict, the Supreme Court held that a final and conclusive determination of citizenship can be made only by which one of the following, and never by the Election Commission?

  • A. The competent authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955
  • B. The Election Commission of India
  • C. The Registrar General of India
  • D. The passport authority under the Passports Act, 1967

Q10. Apart from Article 324, the Supreme Court in 2026 identified which one of the following statutory provisions as the principal basis for the Election Commission's power to carry out an intensive revision of electoral rolls?

  • A. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. Section 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • D. Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951

Q11. Regarding the Supreme Court's directions on deletions from the 2003 electoral roll in its 2026 Bihar SIR verdict, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Court directed the Election Commission to refer deletions made on citizenship grounds to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955 within four weeks.
  2. Such adjudication was directed to be completed before the next Assembly or local body elections, after notice and hearing.
  3. Persons finally found to be citizens would nonetheless remain excluded from the electoral rolls.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q12. The Passports Act, 1967, under which a passport is issued as a travel document, is administered by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of External Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs