Critical Social Issues in India: 25 Essential MCQs for Social Work Students (22 December 2025)

Master current affairs for social work with 25 comprehensive MCQs covering child trafficking, India-Bangladesh relations, environmental justice, and PMLA. Includes detailed explanations, exam patterns, and study resources.

Social work professionals must stay informed about contemporary social issues, legal frameworks, and policy developments that impact vulnerable populations. This comprehensive guide presents 25 carefully crafted multiple-choice questions covering critical topics from December 2025, specifically relevant for social work students preparing for UGC-NET, state-level social work exams, and competitive examinations.

The questions address four major domains: child protection and trafficking, India-Bangladesh relations and migration, environmental justice, and economic crimes, all crucial for understanding the multifaceted challenges social workers encounter in practice.

Q1. According to the Supreme Court guidelines on child trafficking (2025), how should courts treat the testimony of trafficked children?

A) With skepticism due to potential coaching
B) As injured witnesses deserving credibility
C) Only if corroborated by adult witnesses
D) Secondary to physical evidence

Answer: B) As injured witnesses deserving credibility

Explanation: The Supreme Court in its 2025 guidelines explicitly directed courts to treat trafficked children as "injured witnesses" and assess their testimony sensitively. The Court emphasized that minor inconsistencies should not discredit victims' accounts, recognizing the trauma and complexity involved in trafficking cases. This victim-centric approach acknowledges children's vulnerabilities and the layered nature of trafficking operations. The judgment represents a significant shift in criminal jurisprudence, moving away from traditional skepticism toward child testimony and instead prioritizing their protection and dignity throughout legal proceedings.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers serving as victim advocates must understand this legal framework to effectively support child survivors through the justice system and ensure their testimonies are properly documented and sensitively presented.

Q2. Which constitutional provision directly prohibits trafficking in human beings and forms the fundamental rights basis for anti-trafficking legislation?

A) Article 21 - Right to Life
B) Article 23 - Prohibition of Traffic in Human Beings
C) Article 24 - Prohibition of Child Labour
D) Article 39 - Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid

Answer: B) Article 23 - Prohibition of Traffic in Human Beings

Explanation: Article 23 of the Indian Constitution explicitly prohibits trafficking in human beings and forced labour (begar), making it a fundamental rights violation. This constitutional provision forms the bedrock of India's anti-trafficking legal framework and has been cited in landmark Supreme Court judgments. While Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) is often invoked in trafficking cases for its expansive interpretation, Article 23 provides the specific and direct constitutional prohibition. Article 24 addresses child labour in hazardous occupations, and Article 39 deals with legal aid, both complementary but not the primary anti-trafficking provision.

Social Work Relevance: Understanding constitutional foundations enables social workers to advocate for trafficking survivors' rights and challenge violations through constitutional remedies and public interest litigation.

Q3. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which new form of exploitation is explicitly recognized in trafficking provisions?

A) Cybercrime exploitation
B) Beggary
C) Domestic servitude
D) Surrogacy

Answer: B) Beggary

Explanation: Sections 143 and 144 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 explicitly recognize beggary as a form of exploitation in trafficking cases, representing a significant expansion of the legal definition. This inclusion acknowledges the widespread practice of trafficking children for forced begging, particularly in urban areas. The law provides for stringent punishment including life imprisonment for trafficking involving sexual exploitation of children. This legislative evolution reflects growing awareness of diverse exploitation forms beyond sexual and labor trafficking, encompassing organ removal, slavery, servitude, and now beggary.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers engaged in street children programs and anti-begging initiatives must recognize forced begging as trafficking and ensure appropriate legal remedies and rehabilitation services for rescued children.

Q4. According to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), what is identified as the MOST effective strategy against child trafficking?

A) Stringent punishment for traffickers
B) Prevention-focused interventions
C) Border surveillance and monitoring
D) Victim rehabilitation programs

Answer: B) Prevention-focused interventions

Explanation: The NCPCR has explicitly emphasized that prevention is the most effective strategy against child trafficking, shifting focus from reactive to proactive approaches. Prevention encompasses identifying trafficking-prone villages, mapping vulnerable families, ensuring welfare scheme convergence (MGNREGA, education, health), strengthening community vigilance through Village Child Protection Committees, and maintaining child movement registers. This approach addresses root causes—poverty, migration, family distress—before trafficking occurs. While punishment, surveillance, and rehabilitation are important, preventing children from entering trafficking chains is most cost-effective and protective.

Social Work Relevance: Community-based social workers must prioritize prevention programs, vulnerability mapping, and family support services to address trafficking at its source rather than solely focusing on rescue and rehabilitation.

Q5. In the context of child trafficking, what does the term "Virtual Recruitment" model refer to?

A) Online gaming platforms recruiting child players
B) Fake social media profiles luring children with false opportunities
C) Virtual reality-based trafficking simulations
D) Remote work exploitation of minors

Answer: B) Fake social media profiles luring children with false opportunities

Explanation: The "Virtual Recruitment" model represents an emerging trafficking modus operandi where traffickers create fake "talent hunt" profiles on platforms like Instagram to lure aspiring teenage influencers with promises of modeling contracts, brand endorsements, or entertainment opportunities. This digital grooming eventually leads to trafficking children into commercial sexual exploitation. The model exploits children's aspirations and social media engagement, operating beyond traditional policing reach. This phenomenon highlights how technology has transformed trafficking operations, requiring updated prevention strategies addressing online safety, digital literacy, and social media awareness.

Social Work Relevance: School social workers and child protection professionals must incorporate digital safety education, teach children to recognize online grooming, and work with parents to monitor children's social media interactions.

Q6. Which landmark Supreme Court case (1990) first directed states to set up advisory committees to eradicate child prostitution and Devadasi practices?

A) MC Mehta v. State of Tamil Nadu
B) Vishal Jeet v. Union of India
C) Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India
D) Gaurav Jain v. Union of India

Answer: B) Vishal Jeet v. Union of India

Explanation: Vishal Jeet v. Union of India (1990) was a watershed judgment where the Supreme Court recognized trafficking and child prostitution as serious socio-economic problems requiring a preventive, humanistic approach. The Court directed states to establish advisory committees to eradicate child prostitution and abolish exploitative practices like Devadasi and Jogin systems. This case represented early judicial activism in child protection, emphasizing that addressing trafficking required systemic interventions beyond criminal prosecution. The judgment influenced subsequent legislation and policy frameworks, establishing the principle that child trafficking is not merely a law enforcement issue but demands comprehensive social welfare responses.

Social Work Relevance: This case established the legal foundation for social workers' involvement in child protection committees and anti-trafficking advisory bodies, legitimizing social welfare approaches alongside criminal justice responses.

Q7. According to transit-area recommendations for preventing child trafficking, which personnel should be specifically trained to identify suspicious movement of children?

A) Only Government Railway Police (GRP)
B) Only Railway Protection Force (RPF)
C) GRP, RPF, transport staff, porters, and vendors
D) Only railway station masters

Answer: C) GRP, RPF, transport staff, porters, and vendors

Explanation: The NCPCR's comprehensive transit-area strategy recognizes that effective monitoring requires training multiple stakeholders who interact with travelers daily. Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) provide formal security, but transport staff, porters, vendors, and other personnel are often first to notice suspicious activities. Traffickers frequently use railway stations, bus terminals, and other transit points to move children under the guise of employment or education opportunities. A multi-stakeholder approach creates multiple surveillance points, increases detection probability, and ensures someone is always watching for signs of trafficking.

Social Work Relevance: Railway social workers and NGOs operating at transit points must develop training modules for diverse stakeholders and establish referral mechanisms ensuring suspected cases reach appropriate authorities immediately.

Q8. What twin portals are recommended for tracking and reuniting trafficked/missing children in India?

A) Child Helpline and POCSO-net
B) TrackChild Portal and GHAR Portal
C) CHILDLINE and Khoya-Paya Portal
D) NCPCR Portal and State Child Protection Portal

Answer: B) TrackChild Portal and GHAR Portal

Explanation: The TrackChild Portal and GHAR (Go Home and Re-Unite) Portal are integrated national-level systems designed to track missing children and facilitate their restoration to families. TrackChild maintains a comprehensive database of missing and found children, enabling cross-state coordination and identification. GHAR focuses specifically on restoration and reintegration, documenting the process of reuniting children with families. These portals enable real-time information sharing between police, Child Welfare Committees, and child care institutions across states, crucial given trafficking's inter-state nature. Village-level registers are mandated to be updated regularly on these portals, creating a national surveillance network.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in child care institutions and Child Welfare Committees must be proficient in using these portals for registration, tracking, and restoration processes, ensuring no child remains unaccounted in the system.

Section B: India-Bangladesh Relations and Migration (Questions 9-13)

Q9. According to the Parliamentary Standing Committee report (2025), which development represents India's biggest strategic challenge since 1971?

A) China's Belt and Road Initiative
B) Political changes in Bangladesh
C) Pakistan's nuclear capability enhancement
D) Myanmar's internal conflict

Answer: B) Political changes in Bangladesh

Explanation: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs report titled "Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship" explicitly highlighted that developments in Bangladesh following the August 2024 fall of the Awami League government represent the most significant strategic challenge to India since the 1971 Liberation War. This assessment reflects the multifaceted implications: loss of a reliable strategic partner, rise of anti-India sentiment, increased Chinese and Pakistani influence, potential security threats to India's Northeast, and complications in critical agreements like the Ganga Water Treaty. The shift disrupted decades of deepening bilateral cooperation built on shared liberation history.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in border states must prepare for potential influxes of refugees or migrants, understand cross-border social issues, and develop culturally sensitive intervention strategies for Bangladeshi communities in India.

Q10. The Ganga Water Treaty of 1996 between India and Bangladesh is due for renewal in which year?

A) 2025
B) 2026
C) 2027
D) 2028

Answer: B) 2026

Explanation: The Ganga Water Treaty signed in 1996 is scheduled for renewal in December 2026. This 30-year treaty governs water sharing of the Ganges/Padma river at Faridpur barrage, allocating shares during dry season (January-May) based on complex formulas considering flow levels. The treaty's approaching expiration amid Bangladesh's political transition creates strategic uncertainty. Formal discussions have not yet begun, risking bilateral tensions over this critical resource. Water sharing affects millions of livelihoods dependent on the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, making renewal negotiations politically sensitive. The issue is complicated by climate change impacts on river flows and competing demands.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in riverine communities must understand water resource conflicts' impact on livelihoods, prepare communities for potential water stress, and facilitate dialogue on sustainable resource management and adaptive livelihoods.

Q11. Which infrastructure project near India's "Chicken's Neck" (Siliguri Corridor) has raised strategic concerns regarding Chinese influence in Bangladesh?

A) Chittagong Port expansion
B) Lalmonirhat Airfield upgrade
C) Cox's Bazar airport development
D) Mongla Port modernization

Answer: B) Lalmonirhat Airfield upgrade

Explanation: China's agreement to upgrade the Lalmonirhat airfield in Bangladesh has raised significant strategic concerns as it is located near India's "Chicken's Neck"—the narrow Siliguri Corridor connecting India's Northeast with the mainland. This 22-kilometer-wide corridor is India's most vulnerable geographical point, and enhanced airfield capabilities nearby create potential security implications in any conflict scenario. The development exemplifies Bangladesh's deepening strategic engagement with China, including Belt and Road Initiative projects, which risks diluting India's traditional influence. Combined with Pakistani naval outreach (PNS Saif visit), these developments contribute to India's two-front security concerns.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in Northeast India should understand geopolitical contexts affecting development, security, and community displacement, and prepare for potential emergency response scenarios in strategically sensitive regions.

Q12. Which river systems form nearly 80% of Bangladesh's land as a vast delta?

A) Indus, Sutlej, Ravi
B) Padma, Jamuna, Meghna
C) Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari
D) Narmada, Tapi, Mahi

Answer: B) Padma, Jamuna, Meghna

Explanation: Bangladesh is predominantly a vast, low-lying delta formed by three major river systems: Padma (the Ganges in India), Jamuna (the Brahmaputra in India), and Meghna. The fertile flood plains of these rivers and their tributaries cover approximately 80% of the country's land area, making Bangladesh one of the most riverine nations globally. This geography explains Bangladesh's vulnerability to flooding, its agricultural productivity, and why water-sharing agreements with India are critically important. The rivers also facilitate extensive inland waterway connectivity, with the Protocol on Inland Waterways Trade and Transit (PIWTT) operational since 1972.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in disaster management and climate adaptation programs must understand riverine geography's role in recurring floods, displacement, livelihood patterns, and develop appropriate community-based disaster preparedness interventions.

Q13. What is the primary concern regarding the sheltering of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India?

A) Economic burden on Indian resources
B) Accusations of interference and demands for extradition
C) International law violations
D) Security threats to Indian territory

Answer: B) Accusations of interference and demands for extradition

Explanation: India's humanitarian decision to shelter ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following the August 2024 political upheaval has become a bilateral irritant. Bangladesh's interim government has accused her of fomenting trouble from Indian soil and demanded her extradition, while India maintains its position as a humanitarian gesture offering no political platform. This situation exemplifies the delicate balance between humanitarian considerations and diplomatic relations. The controversy reflects deeper tensions in the bilateral relationship and Bangladesh's new government's suspicions about India's intentions. It highlights how refugee/asylum issues can significantly complicate inter-state relations.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers involved in refugee services must understand the complex interplay between humanitarian protection, political asylum, and diplomatic relations, advocating for vulnerable populations while navigating sensitive geopolitical contexts.

Section C: Environmental Justice and Aravalli Protection (Questions 14-18)

Q14. According to the Supreme Court's 2025 definition, what height criterion defines an Aravalli Hill?

A) 50 meters above sea level
B) 75 meters above local terrain
C) 100 meters above local terrain
D) 150 meters above sea level

Answer: C) 100 meters above local terrain

Explanation: The Supreme Court in November 2025 adopted a uniform definition of Aravalli Hills as landforms rising 100 meters or more above the surrounding local terrain, not sea level. Local relief is determined using the lowest contour line encircling the landform. Protection extends to the entire hill system, including supporting slopes and associated landforms, irrespective of height. This scientific definition aimed to provide clarity for regulating mining activities. However, critics argue this threshold excludes over 90% of the Aravalli system, potentially making vast areas vulnerable to mining and construction, undermining decades of conservation efforts.

Social Work Relevance: Environmental social workers must understand how legal definitions impact community livelihoods, advocate for inclusive conservation approaches protecting both ecology and vulnerable populations dependent on forest resources.

Q15. What geological age makes the Aravalli Range one of the world's oldest mountain systems?

A) Paleozoic Era (541-252 million years ago)
B) Mesozoic Era (252-66 million years ago)
C) Precambrian Era (nearly 2,000 million years ago)
D) Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago-present)

Answer: C) Precambrian Era (nearly 2,000 million years ago)

Explanation: The Aravalli Range dates back nearly 2,000 million years to the Precambrian era, making it one of the oldest mountain systems globally and the oldest in India. It was formed during the Aravalli-Delhi orogeny due to tectonic plate collisions. The present-day Aravallis are highly eroded remnants of a much larger prehistoric mountain system, reduced over millions of years by weathering and erosion. This ancient geological heritage makes the range not just ecologically significant but also of immense scientific and educational value. The range's mineral wealth—over 70 commercially valuable minerals including zinc, lead, silver, tungsten, marble, and granite—stems from this ancient formation.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in mining-affected communities must balance livelihood needs with conservation, facilitate dialogue between mining interests and environmental protection, and support sustainable alternative livelihoods for dependent populations.

Q16. Which initiative, inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall, aims to restore 1.1 million hectares of degraded Aravalli land by 2027?

A) Green India Mission
B) Aravalli Green Wall Initiative
C) National Afforestation Programme
D) Compensatory Afforestation Programme

Answer: B) Aravalli Green Wall Initiative

Explanation: The Aravalli Green Wall Initiative, inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall, is a landscape-level ecological restoration programme led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to reverse land degradation and prevent desertification. The initiative proposes a 1,400 km long and 5 km wide green belt along the Aravalli range, covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. It aims to restore more than 1.1 million hectares of degraded land by 2027, plugging ecological gaps and reviving natural vegetation. The green wall is expected to reduce sand and dust storms, improve air quality, and mitigate micro-climatic stress, particularly benefiting the Delhi-NCR region.

Social Work Relevance: Community social workers must engage local populations in restoration activities, ensure benefit-sharing from ecological restoration, integrate livelihood components into environmental programs, and facilitate participatory conservation approaches.

Q17. According to critics, what percentage of the Aravalli system is excluded by the 100-meter threshold definition?

A) 50%
B) 70%
C) Over 90%
D) 30%

Answer: C) Over 90%

Explanation: An internal Forest Survey of India (FSI) assessment revealed that the 100-meter threshold excludes over 90% of the Aravalli system from the new definition. This exclusion raises significant ecological, environmental, and governance concerns, particularly for the Delhi-NCR region, as the Aravalli range acts as a natural dust and pollution sink, supporting air quality control, groundwater recharge, and climate regulation. Lower hills and slopes, though below 100 meters, play crucial roles in rainwater percolation, aquifer recharge, and preventing desertification. Critics fear areas falling outside the definition may become vulnerable to mining, construction, and urban expansion, potentially reversing decades of conservation efforts.

Social Work Relevance: Advocacy-oriented social workers must mobilize communities affected by environmental degradation, participate in public interest litigation, and pressure policymakers for landscape-level protection approaches beyond narrow legal definitions.

Q18. The Aravallis act as a natural barrier preventing the eastward expansion of which desert?

A) Sahara Desert
B) Arabian Desert
C) Thar Desert
D) Gobi Desert

Answer: C) Thar Desert

Explanation: The Aravalli Range functions as a crucial natural barrier preventing the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert into northwestern India's more fertile regions. Deforestation and degradation of the Aravallis have created multiple ecological gaps, allowing desert sand to drift toward fertile plains, worsening air pollution and dust storms in cities like Delhi. Weakening this barrier through mining and construction could accelerate desertification, increasing aridity, land degradation, and dust storms across the Indo-Gangetic plain. This role in desertification control makes Aravalli conservation critical for India's climate resilience and food security, directly connecting to India's obligations under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in arid and semi-arid regions must understand climate-ecosystem linkages, develop community-based adaptation strategies, promote sustainable land management, and support populations facing desertification-induced displacement or livelihood loss.

Section D: Legal Framework and Economic Crimes (Questions 19-25)

Q19. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, what is the nature of offences—are they bailable or non-bailable?

A) All offences are bailable
B) Offences are non-bailable and cognisable
C) Offences are bailable but non-cognisable
D) Depends on the amount involved

Answer: B) Offences are non-bailable and cognisable

Explanation: All offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 are cognisable and non-bailable, making it one of India's most stringent laws. Cognisable offences allow police to arrest without warrant and investigate without magistrate permission, while non-bailable offences mean bail is not a matter of right but judicial discretion. This stringency reflects the serious view taken of money laundering as a crime that enables and profits from other serious offences. The law allows provisional attachment and confiscation of property even before conviction, further demonstrating its preventive and deterrent approach.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers assisting fraud victims or working with financially exploited communities must understand PMLA provisions to guide victims through legal processes and coordinate with enforcement agencies for asset recovery.

Q20. Which agency is empowered to investigate, attach, confiscate assets, and prosecute offenders under PMLA?

A) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
B) Directorate of Enforcement (ED)
C) Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO)
D) Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)

Answer: B) Directorate of Enforcement (ED)

Explanation: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), established in 1956 and functioning under the Department of Revenue, is the designated agency to enforce the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED is empowered to collect intelligence, investigate offences, conduct searches and seizures, make arrests, attach and confiscate proceeds of crime, and prosecute offenders under PMLA. It also enforces the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. The ED has a nationwide presence with 10 Zonal Offices and 11 Sub-Zonal Offices, ensuring comprehensive coverage for economic crime investigation.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in financial literacy and consumer protection programs should understand ED's role to guide victims of financial fraud, facilitate reporting of suspicious transactions, and support communities vulnerable to economic exploitation.

Q21. What was the key ruling in the landmark case Arvind Kejriwal v. Directorate of Enforcement (2024) regarding arrests under PMLA?

A) ED can arrest anyone without reasons
B) Arrest must satisfy "reason to believe" threshold with admissible material
C) Only a court can authorize arrests
D) Arrested persons must be released within 24 hours

Answer: B) Arrest must satisfy "reason to believe" threshold with admissible material

Explanation: In Arvind Kejriwal v. Directorate of Enforcement (2024), the Supreme Court established important safeguards for arrests under Section 19 of the PMLA. The Court held that arrest must satisfy a high threshold of "reason to believe," which must be based on material that is legally admissible and not merely on suspicion. This ruling balanced the ED's investigation powers with individual liberty protections, preventing arbitrary arrests. The judgment requires ED to demonstrate concrete, admissible evidence justifying arrest, moving beyond mere allegations or preliminary inquiry findings. This represents judicial oversight ensuring PMLA's stringent provisions aren't misused.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in legal aid services must understand these procedural safeguards to assist accused persons, ensure their rights are protected during investigation, and challenge arbitrary detention through appropriate legal channels.

Q22. What is the minimum value threshold of "proceeds of crime" that triggers ED investigation when an offence is registered by local police?

A) Rs 50 lakh
B) Rs 1 crore
C) Rs 5 crore
D) Rs 10 crore

Answer: B) Rs 1 crore

Explanation: Whenever any offence registered by a local police station generates proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 1 crore, the investigating officer forwards the details to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This threshold determines when money laundering investigation commences alongside the predicate offence investigation. The local police primarily investigate the original offence (theft, fraud, cheating), while the ED examines whether money laundering occurred—that is, whether illegal proceeds were used, transferred, layered, or invested (e.g., purchasing properties, routing funds through others). If illegal money is simply recovered without being used or transferred, the case remains limited to the original offence.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers supporting fraud victims should understand this threshold to advise when ED involvement may occur, help victims navigate dual investigation processes, and ensure comprehensive asset recovery efforts.

Q23. In FY 2024-25, the Enforcement Directorate issued provisional attachment orders worth approximately how much, reflecting increased enforcement?

A) Rs 10,000 crore
B) Rs 20,000 crore
C) Rs 30,000 crore
D) Rs 50,000 crore

Answer: C) Rs 30,000 crore

Explanation: In FY 2024-25, the Enforcement Directorate issued provisional attachment orders worth Rs 30,036 crore, reflecting a 44% increase in number and a 141% increase in value over 2023-24. As of 2025, the total value of assets under provisional attachment stood at Rs 15.46 lakh crore. Between 2014 and 2024, ED initiated around 5,000 new PMLA investigations. These statistics demonstrate significantly increased enforcement activities, reflecting either increased economic crime or more aggressive investigation. Provisional attachment freezes suspected proceeds of crime, preventing dissipation pending investigation and trial, serving both investigative and deterrent purposes.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers in economic rights advocacy must understand the scale of economic crimes and asset recovery mechanisms to support affected communities, advocate for restitution, and promote financial governance transparency.

Q24. Which Act, alongside PMLA, is also enforced by the Directorate of Enforcement for foreign exchange violations?

A) Companies Act, 2013
B) Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999
C) Banking Regulation Act, 1949
D) Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992

Answer: B) Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999

Explanation: The Directorate of Enforcement enforces three primary laws: the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002; the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999; and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. FEMA governs foreign exchange transactions, external trade and payments, and aims to facilitate external trade while preventing foreign exchange violations. Under FEMA, ED investigates hawala transactions, foreign exchange racketeering, non-repatriation of export proceeds, and violations of foreign investment norms. While FEMA is primarily civil law (penalties, not imprisonment), it often intersects with PMLA when foreign exchange violations generate proceeds of crime that are subsequently laundered.

Social Work Relevance: Social workers assisting migrant workers with remittances or communities affected by hawala operations should understand FEMA provisions to guide legal foreign exchange transactions and protect vulnerable populations from exploitation by informal channels.

Q25. According to the Supreme Court judgment in Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v. Union of India (2022), do accused persons have the right to receive a copy of the ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report)?

A) Yes, it is a fundamental right
B) No, there is no such right
C) Yes, but only after arrest
D) Yes, but only after chargesheet is filed

Answer: B) No, there is no such right

Explanation: In the landmark judgment Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v. Union of India (2022), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of PMLA, including ED's powers of arrest, attachment, and investigation. Significantly, the Court ruled that the accused has no right to receive a copy of the ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report)—the equivalent of an FIR in money laundering cases. This ruling differentiated PMLA investigations from regular criminal investigations, where accused typically receive FIR copies. The Court reasoned that money laundering investigations are complex, involve multiple jurisdictions and accused persons, and providing ECIR copies could compromise investigations. This remains controversial, with critics arguing it limits defense preparation.

Social Work Relevance: Legal aid social workers must understand these limitations when assisting accused persons, finding alternative ways to prepare defense strategies, and advocating for procedural fairness within existing legal constraints.

Previous Years' Examination Questions (Relevant to Social Work)

UGC-NET Social Work Previous Questions

Q. Which of the following constitutional provisions forms the basis for legislation against human trafficking in India? (UGC-NET Social Work, June 2019)

A) Article 21
B) Article 23
C) Article 24
D) Article 32

Answer: B) Article 23

Q. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was enacted in which year? (UGC-NET Social Work, December 2018)

A) 2010
B) 2012
C) 2013
D) 2015

Answer: B) 2012

Q. Which committee's recommendations led to the formulation of child protection policies in India? (UGC-NET Social Work, June 2020)

A) Verma Committee
B) Narasimham Committee
C) Wadhwa Committee
D) Radhakrishnan Committee

Answer: C) Wadhwa Committee (though this question tests broader child protection policy knowledge)

State PSC/Social Work Officer Exams

Q. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 primarily addresses: (Maharashtra PSC Social Welfare Officer, 2021)

A) Child education
B) Child health
C) Children in conflict with law and in need of care and protection
D) Child nutrition

Answer: C)

Q. Track Child portal is an initiative by which ministry? (Delhi DSSSB Social Welfare Officer, 2022)

A) Ministry of Home Affairs
B) Ministry of Women and Child Development
C) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
D) Ministry of Human Resource Development

Answer: B) Ministry of Women and Child Development

Key Takeaways for Social Work Students

Critical Competencies Developed

1. Legal Literacy: Understanding constitutional provisions, statutory frameworks, and judicial pronouncements affecting vulnerable populations
2. Policy Analysis: Ability to critically evaluate government policies, their implementation gaps, and impact on communities
3. Geopolitical Awareness: Comprehending how international relations, migration, and border issues affect social work practice
4. Environmental Justice: Recognizing interconnections between ecological degradation, community livelihoods, and social vulnerability
5. Economic Crime Understanding: Knowledge of financial exploitation mechanisms and legal remedies available to victims