UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Government of India Amends Central Motor Vehicles Rules to Strengthen User Fee Payments

Q1. With reference to the statutory definition of 'unpaid user fee' introduced by the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

1. It covers the user fee payable for the use of a National Highway section.
2. It is attracted where the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system has recorded the vehicle's passage.
3. It refers to a fee not received in accordance with the National Highways Act, 1956.
4. It applies exclusively to parking and municipal user charges levied within highway limits.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 1, 3 and 4
• D. 4 only

Q2. Regarding the introduction of the term 'unpaid user fee', consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

1. The term 'unpaid user fee' was introduced by the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026.
2. The amendment modifies the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
3. Form 28 now requires an applicant to disclose any pending unpaid user-fee demand against the vehicle.
4. 'Unpaid user fee' is defined with reference to non-payment under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. Under the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, certain vehicle services are withheld while an unpaid user fee is pending. Consider the following. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly paired with the amendment?

1. Grant of a No Objection Certificate for transfer of ownership of the vehicle.
2. Grant of a No Objection Certificate for transfer of the vehicle from one State to another.
3. Renewal or generation of the Certificate of Fitness of the vehicle.
4. Grant or renewal of the driving licence of the vehicle owner.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 3 only
• D. 4 only

Q4. The Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 — which make clearance of unpaid user fee a precondition for NOC, Certificate of Fitness and National Permit — were notified by which one of the following?

• A. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
• B. Ministry of Heavy Industries
• C. Ministry of Home Affairs
• D. NITI Aayog

Q5. Consider the following statements about the legal framework underpinning the 2026 user-fee amendments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules are subordinate legislation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
2. Levy and collection of user fee on National Highways is backed by the National Highways Act, 1956.
3. National Highways fall under the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution.
4. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 are framed under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q6. The rules governing the determination of rates and collection of user fee on National Highways are framed under the National Highways Act, 1956 by which one of the following?

• A. The Central Government through the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
• B. The National Highways Authority of India
• C. The Public Works Department of the concerned State
• D. The Ministry of Finance

Q7. Since all lanes of National Highway fee plazas were declared 'FASTag lanes', a vehicle without a valid, functional FASTag entering such a lane is liable to pay a fee equivalent to how many times the fee applicable to its category?

• A. Equal to the normal fee (one time)
• B. One and a half times
• C. Two times
• D. Three times

Q8. The declaration making all lanes at National Highway fee plazas 'FASTag lanes' from midnight of 15/16 February 2021 (with double fee for non-FASTag vehicles) was made by which one of the following?

• A. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
• B. Reserve Bank of India
• C. National Payments Corporation of India
• D. Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology

Q9. The National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, which introduce the structured recovery mechanism for unpaid user fee, derive their rule-making authority from which one of the following?

• A. The National Highways Act, 1956
• B. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
• C. The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988
• D. The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002

Q10. Under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, within how many days must a representation submitted against an e-notice for unpaid user fee be examined and disposed of?

• A. 3 days
• B. 5 days
• C. 7 days
• D. 15 days

Q11. Which one of the following best describes the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) used by NHAI for National Highway projects?

• A. The Government pays 40% of the project cost as construction-stage support, the developer arranges the remaining 60%, which is repaid with interest along with O&M as annuities during operation
• B. The developer bears the entire project cost and recovers it by collecting and retaining toll for the concession period
• C. The Government funds the entire project cost and the developer is paid only a fixed annuity for operation and maintenance
• D. The developer pays the Government an upfront lump sum for the right to collect toll on an existing highway for a fixed period

Q12. Consider the following statements about the digital platforms underpinning transport administration and toll enforcement. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

1. VAHAN is the national platform for vehicle registration.
2. SARATHI is the national platform for driving-licence services.
3. VAHAN and SARATHI were standardized and deployed by the National Informatics Centre for MoRTH.
4. The National Electronic Toll Collection system is being integrated with the SARATHI database to enforce unpaid user-fee dues.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4