UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Government Notifies Revised Wage Rates under the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025

Q1. Under the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, the term "Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan" (VGPP) is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A decentralised, bottom-up plan in which Gram Sabhas and Panchayats identify and prioritise local works, which are then consolidated at block, district and state levels
  • B. A centrally drafted template of permissible works that every Gram Panchayat must adopt without modification
  • C. A district shelf of projects prepared by the District Programme Coordinator for ratification by the State Government
  • D. A register of beneficiary households eligible for the 125-day guarantee, maintained ward-wise by each Panchayat

Q2. The VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, which commences on 1 July 2026, is operationalised by which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Rural Development
  • B. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
  • C. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
  • D. Ministry of Labour and Employment

Q3. The VB–G RAM G Bill, 2025 received Presidential assent after being cleared by Parliament. On which date in 2025 was the Bill passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha?

  • A. 16 December 2025
  • B. 18 December 2025
  • C. 22 December 2025
  • D. 1 July 2026

Q4. The VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, as passed by Parliament, introduced several changes to the rural employment guarantee framework. With reference to the provisions actually enacted, consider the following: 1. Increase of the annual employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days per household. 2. Raising of the administrative expenditure cap from 6% to 9%. 3. Reduction of the unemployment-allowance trigger from 15 days to 7 days. 4. Introduction of an agricultural pause of up to 60 days per year. Which of the above is/are NOT a provision correctly attributed to the Act?

  1. Increase of the annual employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days per household.
  2. Raising of the administrative expenditure cap from 6% to 9%.
  3. Reduction of the unemployment-allowance trigger from 15 days to 7 days.
  4. Introduction of an agricultural pause of up to 60 days per year.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q5. With reference to the revised wage rates notified under the VB–G RAM G Act, effective 1 July 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The revised wage rates were notified by the Central Government, not by the individual State Governments. 2. The steepest hikes, in the range of 15% to 25%, were given to states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. 3. States such as Kerala, Haryana, Punjab and Karnataka received the lowest revised daily wage rates among all States. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The revised wage rates were notified by the Central Government, not by the individual State Governments.
  2. The steepest hikes, in the range of 15% to 25%, were given to states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
  3. States such as Kerala, Haryana, Punjab and Karnataka received the lowest revised daily wage rates among all States.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. Under the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, until fresh wage rates were notified under the new Act itself, the wage rates that continued to apply were those notified under—

  • A. Section 6 of the MGNREGA, 2005
  • B. the Minimum Wages Act, 1948
  • C. the Code on Wages, 2019
  • D. Section 10 of the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025

Q7. How many days of guaranteed wage employment per rural household in each financial year did the MGNREGA, 2005 originally provide?

  • A. 90 days
  • B. 100 days
  • C. 120 days
  • D. 125 days

Q8. Under the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025, the '60:40 funding pattern' applicable to general-category States means which one of the following?

  • A. The Centre bears 60% and the State 40% of the normative programme cost
  • B. The Centre bears 40% and the State 60% of the normative programme cost
  • C. 60% of expenditure must go to wages and 40% to material and skilled-labour costs
  • D. 60% of sanctioned works must be completed within 40 days of approval

Q9. With reference to the VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 and its place in the Viksit Bharat 2047 framework, consider the following statements: 1. MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed by an executive notification of the Union Ministry of Finance, which then handed rural employment to the VB–G RAM G framework. 2. The Act is positioned as part of the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision for rural employment and livelihoods. 3. The Central Government's Budget Estimate allocation for the programme for FY 2026–27 is ₹95,692.31 crore, described as the highest-ever at the BE stage for a rural employment programme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. MGNREGA, 2005 stands repealed by an executive notification of the Union Ministry of Finance, which then handed rural employment to the VB–G RAM G framework.
  2. The Act is positioned as part of the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision for rural employment and livelihoods.
  3. The Central Government's Budget Estimate allocation for the programme for FY 2026–27 is ₹95,692.31 crore, described as the highest-ever at the BE stage for a rural employment programme.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Under the wage rates notified for the VB–G RAM G Act, effective 1 July 2026, no State or Union Territory has a daily wage below which one of the following floor amounts (in ₹ per day)?

  • A. ₹250
  • B. ₹300
  • C. ₹360
  • D. ₹409
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