UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Taliban barred 2.4 mn Afghan girls from school since 2021: UNESCO

Q1. With reference to the measures affecting girls and women introduced in Afghanistan by the de facto authorities since August 2021, consider the following: 1. Suspension of girls' access to secondary schooling 2. Closure of universities to women students 3. Barring of women from management and leadership positions in non-governmental organisations 4. Formal prohibition of girls' attendance at primary school Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Suspension of girls' access to secondary schooling
  2. Closure of universities to women students
  3. Barring of women from management and leadership positions in non-governmental organisations
  4. Formal prohibition of girls' attendance at primary school
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Consider the following statements comparing different reference points in Afghanistan's education record: 1. Between 2001 and 2021, overall student enrolment in Afghanistan increased roughly tenfold and girls' primary school enrolment rose to over 80 per cent. 2. Over the same two decades, the literacy rate among Afghan women rose from about 17 per cent to about 45 per cent. 3. In 2026, UN briefers placed the number of Afghan girls aged 7–18 out of school at about 3.8 million, a figure larger than UNESCO's count of those barred from secondary education because it also captures girls outside primary schooling. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Between 2001 and 2021, overall student enrolment in Afghanistan increased roughly tenfold and girls' primary school enrolment rose to over 80 per cent.
  2. Over the same two decades, the literacy rate among Afghan women rose from about 17 per cent to about 45 per cent.
  3. In 2026, UN briefers placed the number of Afghan girls aged 7–18 out of school at about 3.8 million, a figure larger than UNESCO's count of those barred from secondary education because it also captures girls outside primary schooling.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Khaled El-Enany assumed charge as the Director-General of UNESCO in November 2025. Under UNESCO's Constitution, the Director-General of the Organization is:

  • A. Nominated by the General Conference and confirmed in office by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
  • B. Nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the General Conference of the Organization
  • C. Appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in consultation with the Executive Board
  • D. Elected directly by the United Nations General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

Q4. How many Member States sit on the Executive Board of UNESCO, the organ that meets between sessions of the General Conference?

  • A. Thirty-four Member States, each serving a three-year term
  • B. Forty-seven Member States, each serving a three-year term
  • C. Fifty-eight Member States, each serving a four-year term
  • D. Fifty-four Member States, each serving a four-year term

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding UNESCO's assessments of girls' education in Afghanistan: 1. UNESCO's assessment at the four-year mark placed the number of girls barred from schooling at 2.2 million, while its assessment at the five-year mark placed it at 2.4 million. 2. UNESCO and UNICEF have warned that if the ban continues, nearly four million girls could be denied secondary education by 2030. 3. At the five-year mark UNESCO reported that nearly 70,000 learners had benefited from its programmes in Afghanistan, of whom about three-quarters were women. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. UNESCO's assessment at the four-year mark placed the number of girls barred from schooling at 2.2 million, while its assessment at the five-year mark placed it at 2.4 million.
  2. UNESCO and UNICEF have warned that if the ban continues, nearly four million girls could be denied secondary education by 2030.
  3. At the five-year mark UNESCO reported that nearly 70,000 learners had benefited from its programmes in Afghanistan, of whom about three-quarters were women.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. Consider the following statements about the figures cited by UNESCO on education in Afghanistan: 1. By 2021, nearly one million girls were enrolled in secondary education in Afghanistan. 2. The count of girls excluded at the five-year mark exceeded the count at the four-year mark by about 400,000. 3. By 2021, girls' enrolment in primary school had risen to over 80 per cent. 4. UNESCO's educational broadcasts in Afghanistan have reached some 17 million Afghans. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. By 2021, nearly one million girls were enrolled in secondary education in Afghanistan.
  2. The count of girls excluded at the five-year mark exceeded the count at the four-year mark by about 400,000.
  3. By 2021, girls' enrolment in primary school had risen to over 80 per cent.
  4. UNESCO's educational broadcasts in Afghanistan have reached some 17 million Afghans.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only

Q7. According to UN briefings to the Security Council, the day-to-day enforcement of Afghanistan's morality law — including the male-guardian requirement and dress codes, carried out through an expanding corps of inspectors — is operationalised principally by which one of the following bodies of the de facto authorities?

  • A. The de facto Ministry of Higher Education, working through provincial education directorates
  • B. The de facto General Directorate of Intelligence, working through its provincial field offices
  • C. The de facto Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
  • D. The de facto Ministry of Justice, working through its network of district-level courts

Q8. Consider the following statements about how UNESCO characterises the situation in Afghanistan: 1. UNESCO presents its literacy, skills and community-based education programmes in Afghanistan as a substitute for the formal school system. 2. Afghanistan is described as the only country in the world formally prohibiting girls and women from education beyond the primary level. 3. UNESCO refers to the governing Taliban administration as the 'de facto authorities'. 4. The prohibition covers both secondary schooling and higher education for girls and women. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. UNESCO presents its literacy, skills and community-based education programmes in Afghanistan as a substitute for the formal school system.
  2. Afghanistan is described as the only country in the world formally prohibiting girls and women from education beyond the primary level.
  3. UNESCO refers to the governing Taliban administration as the 'de facto authorities'.
  4. The prohibition covers both secondary schooling and higher education for girls and women.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 2, 3 and 4 only

Q9. Which one of the following is the designated custodian agency and official source of cross-nationally comparable data for monitoring the global indicators of Sustainable Development Goal 4?

  • A. The Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme
  • B. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics
  • C. The Data and Analytics Section of the United Nations Children's Fund
  • D. The Education Global Practice of the World Bank Group

Q10. Consider the following statements about restrictions on Afghan women beyond the sphere of education: 1. Women are barred from holding management and leadership positions in non-governmental organisations. 2. Enforcement of the male-guardian requirement has extended to instructing shopkeepers in Kandahar to deny entry to unaccompanied women. 3. More than 230 decrees restricting the rights of women and girls have been enacted since August 2021. 4. Afghan women employed as aid workers have been expressly exempted from the restrictions on entry into United Nations premises. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Women are barred from holding management and leadership positions in non-governmental organisations.
  2. Enforcement of the male-guardian requirement has extended to instructing shopkeepers in Kandahar to deny entry to unaccompanied women.
  3. More than 230 decrees restricting the rights of women and girls have been enacted since August 2021.
  4. Afghan women employed as aid workers have been expressly exempted from the restrictions on entry into United Nations premises.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 4 only

Q11. Consider the following statements about India's engagement with Afghanistan: 1. In October 2025 India upgraded its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of an Embassy of India. 2. Under the Afghan visa module operationalised in April 2025, over 500 visas, including more than 200 medical visas, were issued within about four months. 3. India extended formal diplomatic recognition to the Islamic Emirate government during the Afghan Foreign Minister's visit to New Delhi in October 2025. 4. A Jaipur Foot camp organised in Kabul in June 2025 fitted 75 prosthetic limbs. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. In October 2025 India upgraded its Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of an Embassy of India.
  2. Under the Afghan visa module operationalised in April 2025, over 500 visas, including more than 200 medical visas, were issued within about four months.
  3. India extended formal diplomatic recognition to the Islamic Emirate government during the Afghan Foreign Minister's visit to New Delhi in October 2025.
  4. A Jaipur Foot camp organised in Kabul in June 2025 fitted 75 prosthetic limbs.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q12. By resolution 2816 (2026), the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the Taliban sanctions committee for a period of:

  • A. Three months, this being the maximum rollover the Council permits for any Afghanistan-related mandate
  • B. Six months, all sanctions mandates being invariably renewed on a half-yearly cycle
  • C. Twelve months, the resolution having been adopted unanimously
  • D. Twenty-four months, every expert panel mandate necessarily running for two full years