Gallantry Awards in India
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs7
- Articles1
Background
Understanding the system of national honours, the constitutional role of the President, the institutional framework for recognizing military personnel, and its significance for national morale and defence preparedness is crucial for UPSC aspirants.
India has a comprehensive system of gallantry awards instituted by the President of India to honour the exceptional bravery, valour, and sacrifice of its armed forces personnel and civilians. These awards serve as a national recognition of their distinguished service and courage, forming a crucial part of the nation's policy towards its defenders.
Facts & tables
- Hierarchy
- Awards are broadly categorized into wartime (e.g., Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra) and peacetime (e.g., Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra) gallantry awards.
- Conferrer
- All gallantry awards are conferred by the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.
- Sena Medal
- The article specifically mentions the Sena Medal (Gallantry), which is awarded to members of the Indian Army for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage.
- Purpose
- They aim to inspire and recognize the supreme sacrifice and distinguished service in the line of duty, boosting morale and national pride.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Executive & Council of Ministers |
| Conceptual area | Welfare Schemes & Social Policies |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| President of India | Confers awards |
| Ministry of Defence | Administers awards |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Institutional roles and functions
- India's gallantry awards recognize bravery of armed forces and civilians.
- Conferred by the President of India, Supreme Commander of Armed Forces.
- Categorized into wartime (e.g., PVC) and peacetime (e.g., AC) honours.
- Sena Medal (Gallantry) is for individual acts of courage in the Army.
- Crucial for military morale, national recognition, and defence ethos.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2024 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2024 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2021 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2019 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
Timeline
-
Executive & Council of Ministers
Conceptual area
-
Welfare Schemes & Social Policies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2019
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2021
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
-
Honouring the bravehearts
India's gallantry awards, conferred by the President, recognize military and civilian bravery, categorized into wartime and peacetime honours, crucial for national morale and defence ethos.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2019–2025 · 7 questions
In the news
Honouring the bravehearts
India's gallantry awards, conferred by the President, recognize military and civilian bravery, categorized into wartime and peacetime honours, crucial for national morale and defence ethos.
Try these PYQs
The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established by the North Eastern Council Act, 1971. Subsequent to the amendment of NEC Act in 2002, the Council comprises which of the following members?
1. Governor of the Constituent State
2. Chief Minister of the Constituent State
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India
4. The Home Minister of India
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established under the *North Eastern Council Act, 1971* to ensure the balanced and coordinated development of the North Eastern Region. After the North Eastern Council (Amendment) Act, 2002, the structure and composition of the Council were modified. As per Section 3(1) of the *NEC Act, 1971 (as amended)*, the Council shall consist of the following members: 1. The Chief Ministers of the Constituent States
2. The Governors of the Constituent States
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India These are the only members of the Council as defined by the Act. Further, Section 3(2) specifies that:
“The Union Home Minister shall be the ex officio Chairman of the Council, and the Minister of the Central Government in charge of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) shall be the ex officio Vice-Chairman of the Council.” Thus, while the Union Home Minister serves as the ex officio Chairman, he does not form part of the Council as a member under Section 3(1). Similarly, the Minister of DoNER is the ex officio Vice-Chairman, but not a member of the Council.
With reference to Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements:
1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act as a Supreme Court judge by the Chief Justice of India with prior permission of the President of India.
2. A High Court in India has the power to review its own judgement as the Supreme Court does.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: Under Article 128, the Chief Justice of India may, at any time, with the previous consent of the President, request a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a retired Judge of a High Court (who is duly qualified) to sit and act as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Statement 2 is not correct: Although there is no explicit Article in the Constitution equivalent to Article 137 (which grants review power to the SC) for High Courts, the High Courts are "Courts of Record" under Article 215. As a Court of Record, a High Court has the inherent power to review its own orders and judgments to correct any patent error or prevent a miscarriage of justice. This has been affirmed by the Supreme Court in various rulings.
Who was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over?
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was elected as the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly on December 9, 1946. This was a temporary position. He served as the Chairman for two days, after which Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of the Constituent Assembly on December 11, 1946. Here's why the other options are incorrect: * C. Rajagopalachari: He was the last Governor-General of India and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. * Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. * T.T. Krishnamachari: He was a prominent member of the Constituent Assembly and later served as the Finance Minister of India.
With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements :
1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States.
How Many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is incorrect: Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the States/Union Territories (not the central Government). They are recruited from all classes of people and walks of life, who give their spare time to the organisation for the betterment of the community. * Statement 2 is correct: The role of Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the Police in the maintenance of internal security situations, help the community in any kind of emergency such as an air raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic, etc., help in the maintenance of essential services, promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections, participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and perform Civil Defence duties. * Statement 3 is correct: Fifteen Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions have been raised in the border States viz. Punjab (6 Bns.), Rajasthan ( 4 Bns.), Gujarat (2 Bns.), and one each Battalion for Meghalaya, Tripura, and West Bengal to serve as an auxiliary to Border Security Force for preventing infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, guarding of VA/VPs and lines of communication in the vulnerable area at the time of external aggression. Therefore, only two statements are correct.
Consider the following statements :
1. According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India.
2. In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
3. Plant varieties are not eligible to be patented in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. According to the Indian Patents Act (specifically Section 3(j)), biological processes for the production or propagation of plants and animals are not eligible for patents. This means creating a seed through a biological process cannot be patented. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) was established in India in 2003. It deals with appeals against decisions of the patent office and trademark registry. Statement 3 is correct. Plant varieties themselves are not patentable in India. However, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act (PPVFR Act) provides a system for protecting the rights of plant breeders by granting them exclusive rights to sell propagating material of new varieties. _Note: the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 abolished various Tribunals including India's Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) and assigned their functions to the country's Commercial Courts and High Courts. However, UPSC asked this question in 2019 when an Appellate Board existed for intellectual property. Therefore correct answer is 3 only._
Show 2 more PYQs
Consider the following organizations/bodies in India:
1. The National Commission for Backward Classes
2. The National Human Rights Commission
3. The National Law Commission
4. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
How many of the above are constitutional bodies?
* The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC): This body is a constitutional body. It was given constitutional status by the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, which inserted Article 338B into the Indian Constitution. * The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. * The National Law Commission: This body is not a constitutional body. It is an executive body established by an executive order of the Government of India. * The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body set up under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 (replaced by the Consumer Protection Act 2019).
With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information:
| Organization | Some of its Functions | It Works Under |
|--------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Directorate of Enforcement | Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 | Internal Security Division-I, Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Directorate of Revenue Intelligence | Enforces the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance |
| Directorate General of Systems and Data Management | Carrying out big data analytics to assist tax officers for better policy and nabbing tax evaders | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance |
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
The question relates to the correct mapping of key investigative and analytical bodies under the Government of India and their parent ministries or departments. ❌ Row I: Incorrect The Directorate of Enforcement does implement the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, but it functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Home Affairs. ✅ Row II: Correct The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) enforces the Customs Act, 1962 and works under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. ✅ Row III: Correct The Directorate General of Systems and Data Management aids in big data analytics for tax enforcement and operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.