Practice paper — BNS Chapter I — Preliminary
15 questions · answer key at the end · no time limit
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1.What is the short title of the Act described in Section 1?
- (A) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
- (B) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2020
- (C) Indian Penal Code, 2023
- (D) Bharatiya Nyaya Act
2.When does the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 come into force?
- (A) On the date of its enactment by Parliament
- (B) On such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint (different dates for different provisions may be appointed)
- (C) Only upon the President's assent being published in the Official Gazette
- (D) On the first day of the next financial year following enactment
3.A person is guilty of an act within India contrary to the provisions of this Sanhita. Under which law is that person liable to punishment?
- (A) Both this Sanhita and any other applicable penal laws
- (B) Only to punishment under relevant State penal law
- (C) Only to punishment under this Sanhita
- (D) Only to administrative sanctions imposed by the Central Government
4.Which of the following persons is covered by the Sanhita for an offence committed outside India targeting a computer resource located in India?
- (A) Only a citizen of India committing the offence outside India
- (B) Only a person on a ship or aircraft registered in India
- (C) Only a person physically present in India at the time of commission
- (D) Any person in any place without and beyond India committing an offence targeting a computer resource located in India
5.How does Section 1(6) affect the apparent exclusivity of liability under Section 1(3) for offences committed within India?
- (A) Section 1(3) is absolute and Section 1(6) does not operate to preserve any other law
- (B) Section 1(6) preserves the provisions of any Act for punishing mutiny and desertion and any special or local law, so those laws remain unaffected despite Section 1(3)
- (C) Section 1(6) applies only if the special or local law is enacted after this Sanhita
- (D) Section 1(6) gives precedence to the Sanhita over any special or local law
6.Under Section 2 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, how is "child" defined?
- (A) A person below the age of sixteen years
- (B) A person below the age of eighteen years
- (C) A person below the age of twenty-one years
- (D) A person below the age of fourteen years
7.Which of the following is expressly mentioned as a "document" in Section 2?
- (A) A cheque upon a banker
- (B) An unrecorded oral statement
- (C) A hand signal used in negotiation
- (D) A verbal promise not reduced to writing
8.If a person causes one thing to resemble another so that a person might be deceived, what presumption does Section 2 make regarding the actor's intention?
- (A) That the person acted innocently until intent to deceive is proved
- (B) That it shall be presumed, until contrary is proved, the person intended to practise deception or knew deception was likely
- (C) That exact imitation is required to establish counterfeit
- (D) That the prosecution must first prove deception actually occurred
9.Which of the following persons would be regarded as a "Judge" under Section 2?
- (A) A member of the legislature presiding over a parliamentary debate
- (B) A police officer authorised to record statements during investigation
- (C) A Magistrate exercising jurisdiction to sentence to fine or imprisonment (with or without appeal)
- (D) A notary public authorised only to attest documents
10.A statute refers to "causing death" but is otherwise silent. Under Section 2, when would the word "death" include the death of an animal?
- (A) Always — it includes any living creature by default
- (B) Only if the animal was domesticated
- (C) Only if the context shows otherwise (i.e., the contrary appears from the context)
- (D) Never — it can never mean death of an animal
11.According to Section 3(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the exceptions contained in the Chapter entitled 'General Exceptions' apply to which of the following?
- (A) Only penal provisions
- (B) Only definitions of offences
- (C) Definitions of offences, penal provisions and Illustrations
- (D) Only Illustrations of definitions and penal provisions
12.Under Section 3(3), when property is in the possession of a person's spouse, clerk or servant on account of that person, whose possession is it regarded as within the meaning of the Sanhita?
- (A) That person's possession
- (B) The spouse's, clerk's or servant's separate possession
- (C) Only the spouse's possession (not the clerk or servant)
- (D) It is not regarded as anyone's possession under the Sanhita
13.A and B agree with a common intention to commit murder. Later A, in furtherance of that common intention, kills the victim while B is elsewhere. Under Section 3(5), who is criminally liable for the murder?
- (A) Only A, because B was not physically present
- (B) Both A and B, each liable as if he had done it alone
- (C) Only B, because he agreed to the plan but did not act
- (D) Neither, unless both performed the same physical act
14.A and B agree to murder Z by each administering small doses of poison at different times according to their agreement. Z dies from the combined effect. Under Section 3(8) and its Illustrations, who is guilty of murder?
- (A) Only the person who gave the final lethal dose
- (B) Only the person who administered the largest dose
- (C) Neither is guilty unless they acted at the same time
- (D) Both A and B are guilty of murder
15.Which statement correctly states the principle in Section 3(6) regarding offences that are criminal only by reason of being done with criminal knowledge or intention?
- (A) If several persons commit the act but only some have the requisite knowledge or intention, all are equally liable.
- (B) Each person who joins in the act with the required criminal knowledge or intention is liable as if he alone had done it with that knowledge or intention.
- (C) Only the person who actually causes the forbidden effect is liable, regardless of others' intentions.
- (D) All persons who had a common intention are liable even if some lacked the specific criminal knowledge or intention.
Answer key
Explanations
- 1. (A) Section 1(1) expressly states the short title as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The provision thus names the Act precisely.
- 2. (B) Section 1(2) specifies that the Act shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may appoint by notification in the Official Gazette, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions.
- 3. (C) Section 1(3) states that every person shall be liable to punishment under this Sanhita and not otherwise for every act or omission contrary to its provisions committed within India, implying exclusivity of liability under this Sanhita for such acts.
- 4. (D) Section 1(5)(c) explicitly extends the Sanhita to any person in any place without and beyond India who commits an offence targeting a computer resource located in India, so nationality or location of ship/aircraft is not required.
- 5. (B) While Section 1(3) makes persons liable to punishment under this Sanhita for acts within India, Section 1(6) expressly provides that nothing in the Sanhita shall affect Acts punishing mutiny and desertion or the provisions of any special or local law, thereby preserving those laws.
- 6. (B) Clause (3) expressly defines "child" as any person below the age of eighteen years. The provision leaves no room for any other age threshold.
- 7. (A) Clause (8) defines "document" and Explanation 1 gives examples; clause (8)(b) specifically states that a cheque upon a banker is a document. Oral or unrecorded statements and gestures are not listed as documents in the provision.
- 8. (B) Explanation 2 to clause (4) states that when the resemblance is such that a person might be deceived, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the person intended by means of that resemblance to practise deception or knew it likely deception would be practised. The text also separately notes exact imitation is not essential (Explanation 1), so option 2 follows the presumption rule.
- 9. (C) Clause (16) defines "Judge" to include a person empowered by law to give, in any legal proceeding, a definitive judgment, and the Illustration expressly states that a Magistrate exercising jurisdiction to sentence to fine or imprisonment is a Judge. The other options do not fit the statutory definition.
- 10. (C) Clause (6) states that "death" means the death of a human being unless the contrary appears from the context. Therefore "death" would include the death of an animal only where the context indicates otherwise (i.e., the contrary appears).
- 11. (C) Section 3(1) states that every definition of an offence, every penal provision, and every Illustration of every such definition or penal provision shall be understood subject to the exceptions in the Chapter 'General Exceptions'. Therefore all three categories are so understood under that subsection.
- 12. (A) Section 3(3) expressly provides that when property is in the possession of a person's spouse, clerk or servant on account of that person, it is in that person's possession. The Explanation further clarifies that a person temporarily employed as a clerk or servant is included.
- 13. (B) Section 3(5) states that when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each such person is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Thus both A and B are liable.
- 14. (D) Section 3(8) with Illustration (a) describes the exact situation: where persons agree to murder by giving small doses at different times and the combined effect causes death, both intentionally cooperating are guilty of murder. Hence both A and B are guilty.
- 15. (B) Section 3(6) provides that where an act is criminal only because it is done with criminal knowledge or intention, each of those persons who joins in the act with such knowledge or intention is liable as if he alone had done it with that knowledge or intention. It does not make persons without that knowledge equally liable.