Indian Contract Act, 1872: Complete Topic-Wise Question Bank for Judicial Service Mains Examinations. (Part-I)

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Indian Contract Act, 1872: Complete Topic-Wise Question Bank for Judicial Service Mains Examinations. (Part-I)


Mastery of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 is an indispensable cornerstone for cracking Judicial Service (Civil Judge and Higher Judicial Service) Mains Examinations across India. Whether dealing with pure conceptual queries on privity, free consent, and lawful consideration, or tackling intricate factual scenarios involving anticipatory breach and liquidated damages, Contract Law demands both statutory precision and sharp analytical reasoning.

In competitive written examinations, success hinges on two distinct skills:

·       Doctrinal Articulation: Formulating clear, jurisprudentially sound answers for direct theoretical questions and statutory doctrines.

·       Practical Application: Dissecting problem-based questions by identifying key legal issues, applying the appropriate statutory provisions, citing landmark precedents, and delivering a definitive verdict.

To streamline your preparation, this comprehensive compilation brings together past Mains examination questions organized systematically into 18 distinct subject chapters. Every direct theoretical inquiry, short note, comparative question, and practical problem scenario has been indexed with its respective judicial service reference.

Use this topic-wise repository as a daily answer-writing guide, a diagnostic self-assessment tool, and an analytical roadmap to track high-yield examination patterns across state jurisdictions.


1. Essentials of Contract, Void & Voidable Agreements

 



  1. What are the essential elements of a contract? Distinguish between void and illegal agreements?

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2012

 

 

  1. Write a short note on essentials of a valid contract.

 

— Manipur Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2017

 

 

  1. Discuss the conditions necessary for a valid contract.

 

— Rajasthan Civil Service (Mains) Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. Define contract.

 

— Rajasthan Civil Service (Mains) Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. What are the essentials of a contract? Describe the remedy available for breach of contract.

 

— Uttarakhand Higher Judicial Service Mains Examination, 2014

 

 

  1. What are the essentials of a contract? Describe the remedy available for breach of contract?

 

— Uttarakhand Higher Judicial Service Mains Examination, 2013

 

 

  1. Write short note on essentials of a contract.

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Make a distinction between 'Void' and 'illegal contracts'.

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. Write short note on voidable contracts.

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Explain voidable contracts. How can a voidable contract be enforced?

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2013

 

 

  1. Write short note on reciprocal promises.

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III)

 

 

 



2. Proposal (Offer), Acceptance & Revocation

 



  1. Write a note on “offer and invitation to offer”.

 

— Manipur Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Explain with appropriate example ‘Implied Offer’ and ‘invitation to make an offer’. Whether announcement of voluntary retirement Scheme by a Nationalised Bank is a valid offer?

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. ‘Acceptance is to proposal what a lighted match-stick is to a train full of gun powder’. (Prof. Anson) Explain the statement and mention the definition of acceptance and describe the relationship of acceptance with proposal.

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2014

 

 

  1. Explain the stage when a communication of a proposal becomes complete? A proposes by a letter, to sell a house to C at a certain price. When will the communication of the said proposal be complete? (Problematic Question)

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Explain the stage when a communication of a proposal becomes complete? A proposes, by a letter, to sell a house to C at a certain price. When will the communication of the said proposal be complete? (Problematic Question)

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2011

 

 

  1. When is communication of an acceptance complete as against (i) the proposer (ii) the acceptor?

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. When does a proposal become absolute? Can a proposal be revoked, if so, how?

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2011

 

 

  1. When is communication of a revocation complete as against (i) the person who makes it (ii) the person to whom it is made?

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Discuss the rules relating to communication of offer and acceptance.

 

— Tripura Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. A teaches his parrot to recite an offer and send the parrot to B. The bird repeats the recitation before B; who says 'Yes' to the offer. Is this a valid offer and acceptance, giving rise to an agreement? Give reasons. (Problematic Question)

 

— Jammu & Kashmir Civil Service Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. A teaches his parrot to recite an offer and then sends his parrot to B. The bird repeats the recitation. Is there any valid offer? (Problematic Question)

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. A sent an SMS to B whose bitch has given birth to several puppies- "will you sell me one pup". B replied the SMS minimum price is Rs. 5000. A sent another SMS to B- "I agree to buy one pup for Rs. 5000 but send me the pedigrees certificate first". B did not respond. A came to know that B sold all the puppies at a higher price. A intends to sue B for breach of contract. Advise as to the rights and liabilities. (Problematic Question)

 

— Bihar District Judge (Entry Level) Competitive Mains Examination, 2013

 

 

 



3. Consideration & Privity of Contract

 



  1. What is the law in India about past consideration?

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2017

 

 

  1. Is past consideration not a good consideration? Distinguish between executed consideration and executory consideration.

 

— Tripura Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. A promises to give his watch to B and a consideration of Rs. 2000 for the same is given to A by M and not by B. Is it a valid contract? (Problematic Question)

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. ‘Only a person being a party to the contract can sue on it.’ Are there any exceptions? Answer with suitable illustrations.

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2017

 

 

  1. Two fundamental propositions of English Law are ‘privity of consideration’ and ‘privity of contract’. Elaborate these two principles and their acceptability in India.

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. What are the exceptions to the general rule that a stranger to a contract cannot sue?

 

— Tripura Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. ‘A stranger to a contract cannot sue’. Is there any exception to the rule? Discuss with example and relevant case law on the point.

 

— Uttarakhand Higher Judicial Service Mains Examination, 2008

 

 

  1. ‘A stranger to a contract has no rights in the Law of Contract’. Explaining the statement, mentions its exceptions which have been given under Indian Contract Act, 1872.

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2014

 

 

  1. What do you mean by Privity of Contract?

 

— West Bengal Judicial Service (Written) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. ‘Strangers to a contract cannot sue’. Discuss and point out the exceptions to the rule.

 

— Uttar Pradesh Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2003

4. Capacity to Contract & Minor’s Agreement

 



  1. Write note on contract and persons who are competent to contract.

 

— Goa Judicial Service (Junior Division) Examination, 2010

 

 

  1. Who are persons "not competent to contract"? Write a note.

 

— Manipur Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Mention the circumstances in which a contract by a minor is (i) Void (ii) Voidable (iii) Valid

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Mention the circumstances in which a contract by a minor is (i) void, (ii) voidable, (iii) valid?

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2012

 

 

  1. Examine the law relating to minor's contract under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

 

— Legal Officer, Reserve Bank of India Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. The principle of law as to contractual competency of a minor established in Mohari Bibee Vs. Dharmodas Ghose has been partially modified in a recent case Mathai Mathai Vs. Mary Joseph AIR 2014 SC 2277. Do you agree with this? Explain.

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. What is the legal effect if one of the parties to a contract is a minor? What are the circumstances under which a minor becomes liable under a contract?

 

— Kerala Judicial Service NCA (Main) Examination, 2009

 

 

5. Standard Form Contracts

 



  1. A laundry receipt contained a condition that the customer would be entitled to claim only 15% of the market price or value of the article in case of loss. The plaintiff’s new sari was lost. Decide the liability of laundry owner. (Problematic Question)

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2016

 

 

 



6. Free Consent (Coercion, Undue Influence, Fraud, Misrepresentation & Mistake)

 



  1. Define free consent. What consideration and objects of an agreement are lawful?

 

— Kerala Judicial Service (Main) Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. Define a ‘consent’ under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.

 

— Rajasthan Judicial Service Mains Examination, 2013

 

 

  1. Define “Consent”, “Free Consent”, “Coercion” and “Undue Influence”.

 

— Manipur Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2014-15

 

 

  1. Write short note on ‘fiduciary relationship’ within the meaning of section 16 of Indian Contract Act, 1872.

 

— Rajasthan District Judge Written Examination, 2015

 

 

  1. Is a contract valid without free consent according to the Indian Contract Act? Elucidate.

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2012

 

 

  1. Write short note on free consent.

 

— Assam Judicial Service (Grade-III) Written Examination, 2011

 

 

  1. What are the consequences if-(i) consent could not be obtained due to mistake (ii) consent obtained by mistake.

 

— Uttar Pradesh Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 1999

 

 

  1. Distinguish between coercion and undue influence.

 

— Uttarakhand Civil Judge (J.D.) Mains Examination, 2016

 

 

  1. What are the circumstances in which a contract is said to be induced by undue influence between the parties generally?

 

— Goa Judicial Service (Junior Division) Examination, 2010

  

Excelling in Judicial Service Mains is rarely a test of passive reading; it is a discipline of active, structured drafting. As you work through these questions, approach every problem scenario with a methodical framework-identifying the Issue, stating the applicable Rule (relevant sections and provisos of the Indian Contract Act, 1872), weaving in authoritative Case Precedents (such as Hadley v. Baxendale, Mohori Bibee v. Dharmodas Ghose, or Fateh Chand v. Balkishan Das), and delivering a crisp Analysis and Conclusion.

Consistent practice with real past examination questions builds the speed, doctrinal clarity, and legal craftsmanship required to stand out in front of the examiner.

Bookmark this question index for your revision schedule, practice drafting structured answers under timed conditions, and share this repository with fellow judicial aspirants preparing for the upcoming Mains examinations.

Indian Contract Act, 1872: Complete Topic-Wise Question Bank for Judicial Service Mains Examinations. (Part-III)

Indian Contract Act, 1872: Complete Topic-Wise Question Bank for Judicial Service Mains Examinations. (Part-II)

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