Question 1

All ports in India, regardless of size, are administered directly by the Central Government.

Accepted Answer

Only the 12 Major Ports fall under Entry 27 of the Union List and are managed by the Centre. The 200+ non-major ports fall under Entry 31 of the Concurrent List and are administered by respective State Maritime Boards.

Question 2

The newly statutory Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) will now fix tariffs for all ports across India.

Accepted Answer

Tariffs for non-major ports are fixed by the State Maritime Boards or authorized concessionaires. The MSDC acts as a consultative body that issues guidelines on tariff transparency and formulates a National Perspective Plan.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Ports Act, 2025:
1. It mandates the establishment of Dispute Resolution Committees by the Central Government to adjudicate disputes across all major and non-major ports.
2. It provides statutory backing to the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC), which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
3. It legally mandates compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(a) Only one — Statement 1 is incorrect: State Governments (not the Central Government) must set up Dispute Resolution Committees, and they adjudicate disputes specifically for non-major ports. Statement 2 is incorrect: The MSDC is chaired by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, not the Prime Minister. Statement 3 is correct: The Act mandates strict adherence to international environmental treaties like MARPOL and the Ballast Water Management Convention.

Question 4

Match the following Constitutional Entries and Bodies with their respective jurisdictions related to port administration in India:

List I (Subject)
1. Entry 27, Union List
2. Entry 31, Concurrent List
3. Maritime State Development Council
4. Dispute Resolution Committees (DRC)

List II (Jurisdiction/Function)
A. Adjudicates disputes for non-major ports
B. Administration of Minor/Non-Major Ports
C. Administration of Major Ports
D. Formulates the National Perspective Plan for all ports

Select the correct code:

Accepted Answer

(a) 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A — Entry 27 of the Union List gives the Centre exclusive power over Major Ports (1-C). Entry 31 of the Concurrent List gives shared power over Non-Major/Minor ports, which the Act delegates to State Maritime Boards (2-B). The MSDC's statutory role is to formulate the National Perspective Plan for structured growth (3-D). Under the 2025 Act, DRCs are constituted by states to adjudicate disputes specifically at non-major ports (4-A).

Question 5

Assertion (A): The Indian Ports Act, 2025 empowers State Maritime Boards to administer and fix tariffs for non-major ports without violating the Constitutional division of powers.
Reason (R): Ports other than major ports are listed under Entry 31 of the Concurrent List, allowing the Parliament to pass a unifying framework law while statutorily delegating on-ground regulatory powers to State-level boards.
Select the correct answer:

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A — A is true because the 2025 Act grants statutory recognition to State Maritime Boards to administer non-major ports and fix their tariffs. R is also true and explains A, as the constitutional basis for this arrangement is Entry 31 of the Concurrent List. Because it is on the Concurrent List, the Centre has the authority to pass a nationwide framework law while officially preserving and empowering the state's administrative machinery, epitomizing cooperative federalism.

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