UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Statistical Institute Bill referred to standing committee by Speaker

Q1. With reference to the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The Institute is presently registered as a society under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. 2. The Bill provides that the Institute shall be a body corporate and a not-for-profit legal entity. 3. The Bill retains the central government's power to take charge of the Institute for a period of up to two years in cases of default or abuse of powers. 4. The Chairperson of the Board of Governors is to be nominated by the Visitor on the recommendation of the central government. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Institute is presently registered as a society under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961.
  2. The Bill provides that the Institute shall be a body corporate and a not-for-profit legal entity.
  3. The Bill retains the central government's power to take charge of the Institute for a period of up to two years in cases of default or abuse of powers.
  4. The Chairperson of the Board of Governors is to be nominated by the Visitor on the recommendation of the central government.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3

Q2. Under the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, which one of the following is designated as the principal policy-making executive organ of the Institute?

  • A. The Academic Council of the Institute, chaired by its Director
  • B. The Board of Governors of the Institute
  • C. The General Council of the Institute, chaired by the Visitor
  • D. The Executive Committee of the Institute, chaired by the Chairperson

Q3. A Bill referred by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to a Department-related Standing Committee under Rule 331E(b) of the Rules of Procedure is ordinarily required to be examined and reported upon within how many months?

  • A. One month
  • B. Two months
  • C. Three months
  • D. Six months

Q4. The referral of the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 to the Department-related Standing Committee on Finance follows from the Bill being administered by which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. The Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education
  • C. The Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology
  • D. The Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs

Q5. Consider the following Union ministries: 1. Ministry of Corporate Affairs 2. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation 3. Ministry of Planning (NITI Aayog) 4. Ministry of Commerce and Industry Which of the above are correctly identified as falling within the jurisdiction of the Department-related Standing Committee on Finance?

  1. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
  2. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  3. Ministry of Planning (NITI Aayog)
  4. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q6. How many members constitute a Department-related Standing Committee such as the Standing Committee on Finance, and from which Houses are they drawn?

  • A. 30 members, all drawn from the Lok Sabha
  • B. 22 members — 15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha
  • C. 15 members, all drawn from the Lok Sabha
  • D. 31 members — 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha

Q7. The Indian Statistical Institute acquired the status of an institution of national importance by virtue of which one of the following?

  • A. The Societies Registration Act, 1860, under which it was first registered in 1932
  • B. The Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959, enacted by Parliament
  • C. The West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961
  • D. The University Grants Commission Act, 1956

Q8. Consider the following statements about Prof. P. C. Mahalanobis: 1. He founded the Indian Statistical Institute at Kolkata in 1931. 2. He established the National Sample Survey in 1950. 3. He founded the Central Statistical Organisation in 1951. 4. He was the Chairperson of the National Statistical Commission constituted in 2006. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. He founded the Indian Statistical Institute at Kolkata in 1931.
  2. He established the National Sample Survey in 1950.
  3. He founded the Central Statistical Organisation in 1951.
  4. He was the Chairperson of the National Statistical Commission constituted in 2006.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4

Q9. In the Indian context, an 'Institution of National Importance' is precisely which one of the following?

  • A. An institution granted deemed-to-be-university status by the University Grants Commission on the central government's recommendation
  • B. An institution selected as an Institution of Eminence by the Ministry of Education through an empowered expert committee
  • C. An institution awarded the highest accreditation grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council
  • D. An institution so declared by an Act of Parliament under an entry in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule

Q10. Under the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 — as in the case of other Institutions of National Importance — the highest authority over the Institute, designated the 'Visitor' and empowered to review its operations, cause inquiries and issue binding directions, is which one of the following?

  • A. The President of India
  • B. The Prime Minister of India
  • C. The Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • D. The Governor of West Bengal

Q11. The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 was one among the Bills newly introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session of 2026. As recorded in the session's legislation track, how many Bills in all were newly introduced during that session?

  • A. 8
  • B. 12
  • C. 17
  • D. 23

Q12. The National Statistical Commission, which oversees the country's statistical system, was set up by which one of the following?

  • A. The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, enacted by Parliament for statistical data collection
  • B. An Act of Parliament passed in 2006 on the Rangarajan Commission's recommendation
  • C. A resolution of the Government of India of 2005, on the Rangarajan Commission's recommendation
  • D. An amendment made to the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959