UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India to Host 61st Meeting of International Committee of Legal Metrology for the First Time in New Delhi from 26–28 October 2026

Q1. In the context of India hosting the 61st meeting of the International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Scientific metrology is concerned with realising and maintaining units of measurement, whereas legal metrology is concerned with regulatory requirements for measurements and measuring instruments.
  2. The International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) is the principal governing committee of the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
  3. Decisions and recommendations adopted by the CIML automatically become binding law in every OIML Member State, with no national legislation needed.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. World Metrology Day is coordinated jointly by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
  2. The OIML was established under the Metre Convention of 1875, the signing of which World Metrology Day commemorates.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, legal metrology officers are appointed by the Central Government as well as by the State Governments.
  2. The Act assigns powers relating to inter-State trade and commerce to officers under a Director appointed by the Centre, and powers relating to intra-State trade and commerce to officers under a Controller appointed by the State.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q4. With reference to the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Central Government may delegate powers of the Director of Legal Metrology to a State's Controller, but only with the consent of that State Government.
  2. Units of weight and measure under the Act follow the metric system based on the International System of Units.
  3. The Act does not apply to weights or measures manufactured exclusively for export.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. Consider the following assertion: Replacing criminal consequences with civil and graded consequences for minor lapses under the Legal Metrology Act can ease business without abandoning consumer protection. Which of the statements given above support/supports the assertion?

  1. Decriminalisation reduces the number of weighing and measuring instruments that must be verified before they are used in trade.
  2. Penalties for non-conforming pre-packaged commodities rise for second and subsequent violations, so deterrence against repeat offenders is retained.
  3. The prospect of criminal prosecution for technical lapses raises compliance costs disproportionately for micro and small enterprises.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q6. With reference to the regulation of weighing and measuring instruments under legal metrology, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Approval of a model evaluates whether the design of an instrument type conforms to prescribed requirements, and so it is granted for a model rather than for each individual unit.
  2. Because model approval establishes conformity of the design, an individual instrument of an approved model needs no subsequent verification while in commercial use.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q7. Under the 'One Nation, One Time' initiative, Indian Standard Time (IST) is being disseminated from national timescales through Legal Metrology laboratories, with the participation of CSIR-NPL and ISRO. Consider the following statements about the likely consequences: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It reduces the exposure of networks such as telecom, power and banking to disruption or spoofing of foreign satellite navigation signals.
  2. It removes the need for any ground-based atomic timescale, since NavIC satellites can keep IST independently of a ground reference.
  3. It allows time stamps used in commercial and financial transactions to be traced to a national standard.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only