PESA Act, 1996 — 50 MCQs


1. What is the full form of PESA?


A) Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas

B) Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas)

C) Panchayati Extension to Special Areas

D) Panchayat Empowerment of Scheduled Areas


Answer: B) Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas)


2. In which year was the PESA Act enacted?


A) 1992

B) 1993

C) 1996

D) 2001


Answer: C) 1996


3. What is the primary objective of the PESA Act?


A) To strengthen urban local government

B) To extend the provisions of Panchayats to Scheduled Areas

C) To increase the powers of Parliament

D) To abolish Panchayats


Answer: B) To extend the provisions of Panchayats to Scheduled Areas


4. PESA is closely associated with which Constitutional Amendment?


A) 42nd Amendment

B) 61st Amendment

C) 73rd Amendment

D) 74th Amendment


Answer: C) 73rd Amendment


5. Which Part of the Constitution was inserted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment?


A) Part VIII

B) Part IX

C) Part IX-A

D) Part X


Answer: B) Part IX


6. PESA primarily extends the Panchayati Raj system to:


A) Sixth Schedule Areas

B) Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule

C) Metropolitan Areas

D) Cantonment Areas


Answer: B) Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule


7. Which Constitutional provision is specifically related to the application of Part IX to Scheduled Areas?


A) Article 243M(4)(b)

B) Article 280

C) Article 356

D) Article 368


Answer: A) Article 243M(4)(b)


8. Which institution is given a central role under PESA?


A) Gram Sabha

B) Rajya Sabha

C) Municipal Corporation

D) Lok Sabha


Answer: A) Gram Sabha


9. Under PESA, Gram Sabha is important mainly because it:


A) Has only ceremonial powers

B) Enables local participation and self-governance

C) Controls Parliament

D) Controls the Supreme Court


Answer: B) Enables local participation and self-governance


10. PESA empowers Gram Sabha to safeguard:


A) Traditions and customs

B) Cultural identity

C) Community resources

D) All of the above


Answer: D) All of the above


11. Which of the following is a major power of Gram Sabha under PESA?


A) Safeguarding traditions, customs and cultural identity

B) Electing the President of India

C) Dissolving Parliament

D) Controlling the Supreme Court


Answer: A) Safeguarding traditions, customs and cultural identity


12. Gram Sabha under PESA plays an important role in:


A) Social and economic development planning

B) Foreign policy

C) National defence

D) Monetary policy


Answer: A) Social and economic development planning


13. Under PESA, development plans relating to the local area are placed before:


A) Gram Sabha

B) Rajya Sabha

C) Supreme Court

D) Election Commission of India


Answer: A) Gram Sabha


14. Gram Sabha under PESA has an important role in:


A) Approving local development plans and programmes

B) Passing the Union Budget

C) Formulating defence policy

D) Making foreign policy


Answer: A) Approving local development plans and programmes


15. Under PESA, Gram Sabha is associated with:


A) Identification of beneficiaries

B) Local development programmes

C) Community resources

D) All of the above


Answer: D) All of the above


16. Which principle is strongly reflected in PESA?


A) Centralisation

B) Participatory democracy and local self-governance

C) Military administration

D) Judicial administration


Answer: B) Participatory democracy and local self-governance


17. Which of the following is specifically mentioned in relation to the rights of Gram Sabha/Panchayats under PESA?


A) Minor Forest Produce

B) Petroleum reserves

C) Nuclear resources

D) International waters


Answer: A) Minor Forest Produce


18. PESA provides for recognition of the ownership of:


A) Minor Forest Produce

B) Major minerals

C) Petroleum

D) Coal mines


Answer: A) Minor Forest Produce


19. Under PESA, Panchayats at the appropriate level may be entrusted with powers concerning:


A) Minor water bodies

B) International rivers

C) Ocean resources

D) Nuclear resources


Answer: A) Minor water bodies


20. PESA provides for powers to Gram Sabha/Panchayats in relation to:


A) Money lending to Scheduled Tribes

B) Foreign exchange

C) Income tax

D) Customs duty


Answer: A) Money lending to Scheduled Tribes


21. The PESA framework seeks to protect tribal people from:


A) Indebtedness and exploitative money lending

B) Foreign trade

C) International taxation

D) Currency fluctuations


Answer: A) Indebtedness and exploitative money lending


22. Which of the following is a subject that can come under the authority of Panchayats in Scheduled Areas under PESA?


A) Minor water bodies

B) Foreign affairs

C) Defence

D) Currency


Answer: A) Minor water bodies


23. Under PESA, Panchayats at the appropriate level may have powers regarding:


A) Planning and management of minor water bodies

B) Management of the Reserve Bank of India

C) National highways

D) International airports


Answer: A) Planning and management of minor water bodies


24. Before land acquisition in Scheduled Areas, PESA provides for:


A) Consultation with the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level

B) Approval only by Parliament

C) Approval only by the Supreme Court

D) No consultation


Answer: A) Consultation with the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level


25. In matters of rehabilitation and resettlement in Scheduled Areas, PESA provides for:


A) Consultation with the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level

B) No role for local institutions

C) Only parliamentary approval

D) Only judicial approval


Answer: A) Consultation with the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level


26. Under PESA, consultation with Gram Sabha/Panchayat is required in relation to:


A) Land acquisition

B) Rehabilitation and resettlement

C) Both A and B

D) Neither A nor B


Answer: C) Both A and B


27. Before granting prospecting licences or mining leases for minor minerals in Scheduled Areas, the relevant authority must:


A) Seek recommendations of the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level

B) Consult only Parliament

C) Consult only the Supreme Court

D) Obtain permission from RBI


Answer: A) Seek recommendations of the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level


28. PESA is mainly intended to strengthen:


A) Tribal self-governance

B) Urban administration

C) Central administration

D) Corporate governance


Answer: A) Tribal self-governance


29. PESA is:


A) A Central Act

B) A State Act

C) An international treaty

D) A constitutional amendment


Answer: A) A Central Act


30. State Panchayat laws in Scheduled Areas are required to be:


A) Consistent with the provisions of PESA

B) Completely abolished

C) Replaced by parliamentary laws in every matter

D) Unrelated to PESA


Answer: A) Consistent with the provisions of PESA


31. Scheduled Areas covered by PESA are primarily associated with:


A) Fifth Schedule

B) Sixth Schedule

C) Seventh Schedule

D) Eighth Schedule


Answer: A) Fifth Schedule


32. The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution deals primarily with:


A) Administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes

B) Official languages

C) Anti-defection

D) Municipalities


Answer: A) Administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes


33. PESA gives special importance to:


A) Customary law and traditional practices

B) Foreign law

C) Corporate law

D) Maritime law


Answer: A) Customary law and traditional practices


34. Under PESA, Gram Sabha is expected to safeguard:


A) Customs and traditions

B) Cultural identity

C) Community resources

D) All of the above


Answer: D) All of the above


35. Which concept is most closely associated with the philosophy of PESA?


A) Participatory democracy

B) Centralisation

C) Bureaucratic control

D) Judicial supremacy


Answer: A) Participatory democracy


36. Under PESA, what minimum proportion of seats in Panchayats in Scheduled Areas should be reserved for Scheduled Tribes?


A) One-fourth

B) One-third

C) One-half

D) Two-thirds


Answer: C) One-half


37. Under PESA, reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in Panchayats in Scheduled Areas is:


A) At least one-half of the total seats

B) Exactly 10%

C) Exactly 20%

D) Not provided


Answer: A) At least one-half of the total seats


38. Under PESA, all posts of Chairpersons of Panchayats at all levels in Scheduled Areas are reserved for:


A) Scheduled Tribes

B) Scheduled Castes

C) Women only

D) General category


Answer: A) Scheduled Tribes


39. PESA seeks to provide tribal communities with:


A) Greater participation in local governance

B) Complete control over Parliament

C) Control over the judiciary

D) Control over monetary policy


Answer: A) Greater participation in local governance


40. PESA recognises the importance of:


A) Community resources

B) Customary practices

C) Cultural identity

D) All of the above


Answer: D) All of the above


41. Under PESA, Gram Sabha has an important role in protecting:


A) Traditional rights and community resources

B) Foreign investments

C) National defence

D) Monetary policy


Answer: A) Traditional rights and community resources


42. PESA allows Gram Sabha to have a role in:


A) Traditional dispute resolution

B) Foreign policy

C) Defence policy

D) Monetary policy


Answer: A) Traditional dispute resolution


43. Which of the following is NOT a major objective of PESA?


A) Protection of tribal customs

B) Strengthening Gram Sabha

C) Protection of community resources

D) Strengthening centralised administration


Answer: D) Strengthening centralised administration


44. PESA promotes which type of governance in Scheduled Areas?


A) Decentralised local self-governance

B) Centralised administration

C) Military administration

D) Corporate administration


Answer: A) Decentralised local self-governance


45. On which date did the PESA Act come into force?


A) 26 January 1996

B) 15 August 1996

C) 24 December 1996

D) 2 October 1996


Answer: C) 24 December 1996


46. PESA was enacted following the constitutional recognition of Panchayati Raj through:


A) 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992

B) 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992

C) 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976

D) 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978


Answer: A) 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992


47. Which institution represents the core of participatory governance under PESA?


A) Gram Sabha

B) Parliament

C) Rajya Sabha

D) Supreme Court


Answer: A) Gram Sabha


48. Which pair is correctly matched?


A) PESA — Scheduled Areas

B) PESA — Urban Municipalities

C) PESA — Fundamental Duties

D) PESA — Union List


Answer: A) PESA — Scheduled Areas


49. Why is Gram Sabha important under PESA?


A) It facilitates direct participation of local people in governance

B) It elects the President of India

C) It controls Parliament

D) It controls the judiciary


Answer: A) It facilitates direct participation of local people in governance


50. Which of the following correctly describes the PESA Act?


A) It extends Panchayati Raj provisions to Scheduled Areas with special safeguards for tribal self-governance

B) It establishes urban municipalities

C) It deals with parliamentary elections

D) It establishes the Sixth Schedule


Answer: A) It extends Panchayati Raj provisions to Scheduled Areas with special safeguards for tribal self-governance




PESA Act, 1996 — Quick Revision Facts


1. PESA stands for Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.


2. PESA was enacted in 1996.


3. PESA came into force on 24 December 1996.


4. PESA is associated with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.


5. PESA extends the Panchayati Raj framework to Scheduled Areas.


6. Scheduled Areas covered by PESA are primarily those under the Fifth Schedule.


7. Gram Sabha is the central institution under PESA.


8. PESA seeks to strengthen tribal self-governance and participatory democracy.


9. Gram Sabha is empowered to safeguard customs, traditions and cultural identity.


10. PESA recognises the importance of community resources.


11. PESA provides for recognition of ownership of Minor Forest Produce.


12. Panchayats may be given powers regarding minor water bodies.


13. PESA provides for measures concerning money lending to Scheduled Tribes.


14. Land acquisition in Scheduled Areas requires consultation with Gram Sabha/Panchayats at the appropriate level as provided under PESA.


15. Rehabilitation and resettlement in Scheduled Areas also involve consultation with Gram Sabha/Panchayats.


16. For minor minerals, the recommendations of Gram Sabha/Panchayats at the appropriate level have an important statutory role under PESA.


17. At least one-half of the seats in Panchayats in Scheduled Areas are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.


18. All Chairperson posts at all levels of Panchayats in Scheduled Areas are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.


19. PESA promotes decentralisation and local self-government in Scheduled Areas.


20. PESA is particularly important for understanding tribal governance, Panchayati Raj, Fifth Schedule and Gram Sabha.


Important Sources


- The Constitution of India — Part IX and Fifth Schedule

- The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996

- Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India

- Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India

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