UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT BILL
Q1. With reference to the draft Pesticides Management Bill placed in the public domain by the Government of India, consider the following:
1. It has been prepared by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
2. It is intended to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971 made thereunder.
3. Provisions for transparency and traceability aimed at better services to farmers are among its stated features.
4. Registration of pesticides under the proposed framework is to be undertaken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It has been prepared by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
- It is intended to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971 made thereunder.
- Provisions for transparency and traceability aimed at better services to farmers are among its stated features.
- Registration of pesticides under the proposed framework is to be undertaken by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 4 only
- D. 3 and 4 only
Q2. In the pesticide registration framework proposed to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968, the expression 'maximum residue limit' of a pesticide refers to which one of the following?
- A. The highest concentration of pesticide residue legally tolerated on a crop or food commodity, as specified under the food safety law
- B. The largest quantity of a pesticide formulation that a licensed dealer may hold in stock at any one time in a registered premises
- C. The maximum dose per hectare that may be applied to a notified crop as printed on the approved product label
- D. The upper permissible proportion of active ingredient in a manufactured formulation batch as certified by the analyst
Q3. The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 was examined by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee, which submitted its report in which one of the following months?
- A. December 2021
- B. June 2021
- C. March 2020
- D. February 2026
Q4. Consider the following pairs relating to the evolution of India's pesticide law:
1. Insecticides Act — 1968
2. Pesticide Management Bill introduced in Rajya Sabha — 2020
3. Insecticides Rules — 1975
4. Fresh draft Pesticides Management Bill placed in the public domain for comments — January 2026
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Insecticides Act — 1968
- Pesticide Management Bill introduced in Rajya Sabha — 2020
- Insecticides Rules — 1975
- Fresh draft Pesticides Management Bill placed in the public domain for comments — January 2026
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 3 only
Q5. With reference to the pre-legislative consultation conducted on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, consider the following statements:
1. Comments and suggestions were invited from all stakeholders as well as the general public, with 4 February 2026 as the last date.
2. The draft Bill was placed in the public domain in January 2026 as part of the pre-legislative consultation process.
3. Comments were entertained exclusively from State Governments and registered pesticide manufacturers, the general public being barred from the process.
4. Submissions were accepted solely through a dedicated online portal, e-mail submissions being impermissible in every case.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Comments and suggestions were invited from all stakeholders as well as the general public, with 4 February 2026 as the last date.
- The draft Bill was placed in the public domain in January 2026 as part of the pre-legislative consultation process.
- Comments were entertained exclusively from State Governments and registered pesticide manufacturers, the general public being barred from the process.
- Submissions were accepted solely through a dedicated online portal, e-mail submissions being impermissible in every case.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 4
Q6. Which one of the following correctly describes the legislative standing of the draft Pesticides Management Bill during the 2026 consultation process?
- A. A draft circulated by the administrative department for pre-legislative consultation, not yet introduced in Parliament
- B. A Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha and thereafter referred to a Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee
- C. An enacted law that has entirely superseded the Insecticides Act, 1968 in all States and Union Territories
- D. An Ordinance promulgated by the President requiring ratification by every State Legislature within six months
Q7. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, which carries forward the decriminalisation agenda relevant to regulatory statutes, was piloted in Parliament by which one of the following Ministries?
- A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- B. Ministry of Law and Justice
- C. Ministry of Corporate Affairs
- D. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Q8. In the Jan Vishwas scheme of decriminalisation, which subsequent pesticide-law drafting has followed, 'compounding of an offence' means which one of the following?
- A. Settlement of the offence on payment of a specified sum, bringing the prosecution to an end
- B. Clubbing of several related offences into a single charge so that they are tried together in one proceeding
- C. Periodic enhancement of the prescribed fine at fixed intervals so that its deterrent value is preserved
- D. Transfer of the matter from a criminal court to an appellate authority for re-determination after conviction
Q9. With reference to the statutory framework presently governing insecticides in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Central Insecticides Board is constituted under the Insecticides Act, 1968 to advise the Central and State Governments on technical matters arising under the Act.
2. The Registration Committee may co-opt experts, but an expert so co-opted has no right to vote.
3. A member of the Registration Committee holds office for a fixed term of five years, irrespective of whether he continues to be a member of the Board.
4. The Insecticides Rules were made in 1971 in exercise of the rule-making power under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The Central Insecticides Board is constituted under the Insecticides Act, 1968 to advise the Central and State Governments on technical matters arising under the Act.
- The Registration Committee may co-opt experts, but an expert so co-opted has no right to vote.
- A member of the Registration Committee holds office for a fixed term of five years, irrespective of whether he continues to be a member of the Board.
- The Insecticides Rules were made in 1971 in exercise of the rule-making power under the Insecticides Act, 1968.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 3 only
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 1, 2 and 4
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the shortcomings of the Insecticides Act, 1968 identified in the course of parliamentary scrutiny of pesticide legislation:
1. The definition of 'insecticide' under the 1968 Act was faulted as restrictive because it covered only formulations specified in the Schedule to the Act.
2. The absence of tolerance limits for pesticide residue as a pre-condition for registration was identified as a deficiency of the 1968 Act.
3. Penalties under the 1968 Act were faulted as excessive and disproportionate, and the replacement legislation accordingly seeks to lower them.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The definition of 'insecticide' under the 1968 Act was faulted as restrictive because it covered only formulations specified in the Schedule to the Act.
- The absence of tolerance limits for pesticide residue as a pre-condition for registration was identified as a deficiency of the 1968 Act.
- Penalties under the 1968 Act were faulted as excessive and disproportionate, and the replacement legislation accordingly seeks to lower them.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. Under the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha, manufacture, sale or distribution of a pesticide without the requisite registration or licence attracted a fine of up to what maximum amount?
- A. Rupees five lakh
- B. Rupees twenty lakh
- C. Rupees forty lakh
- D. Rupees one crore
Q12. Consider the following statements comparing the proposed pesticide legislation with the framework it seeks to replace:
1. Persons using pesticides in their own household or kitchen-garden are required to obtain a licence, a requirement absent from the earlier framework.
2. The proposed law seeks to ensure the availability of safe pesticides while minimising risk to human beings, animals and the environment.
3. Mandatory accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories figures among the features of the fresh draft.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Persons using pesticides in their own household or kitchen-garden are required to obtain a licence, a requirement absent from the earlier framework.
- The proposed law seeks to ensure the availability of safe pesticides while minimising risk to human beings, animals and the environment.
- Mandatory accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories figures among the features of the fresh draft.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3