This is Set 5 of 40 in the smartvidya question bank on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Rules, with the latest judgments. Part II: Internal and Local Committees. This set covers Duty to constitute, Presiding Officer, members, external member and women's representation.
Try each question first, then tap Show answer to see the correct option, a short explanation and the section or rule reference. The questions are useful for departmental and promotion examinations, for Internal Committee members, HR and administrative officers, and law students.
Set 5: Section 4: Constitution of the Internal Committee
1. The duty to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee is laid down in
(a) Section 4
(b) Section 19
(c) Section 9
(d) Section 6
Ans. (a) Section 4 — Explanation: Section 4(1) requires every employer to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee by written order. [Ref: Section 4(1)]
2. An Internal Committee must be constituted by the employer by
(a) an oral announcement
(b) a resolution of the employees
(c) a notice in a newspaper
(d) an order in writing
Ans. (d) an order in writing — Explanation: Section 4(1) requires an order in writing. [Ref: Section 4(1)]
3. Where the offices or administrative units of a workplace are located at different places, the Internal Committee shall be constituted
(a) only at the largest office
(b) at the discretion of the Local Committee
(c) at all administrative units or offices
(d) only at the head office
Ans. (c) at all administrative units or offices — Explanation: The proviso to Section 4(1) requires a committee at all administrative units or offices. [Ref: Section 4(1), proviso]
4. Read with Section 6(1), an Internal Committee is in practice mandatory for a workplace with
(a) one hundred or more workers
(b) fifty or more workers
(c) ten or more workers
(d) twenty or more workers
Ans. (c) ten or more workers — Explanation: Read with Section 6(1), the Local Committee handles workplaces where no Internal Committee is constituted because there are fewer than ten workers. [Ref: Sections 4 and 6(1)]
5. The Presiding Officer of the Internal Committee shall be
(a) the head of the organisation
(b) a retired judge
(c) a member of an NGO
(d) a woman employed at a senior level at the workplace from among the employees
Ans. (d) a woman employed at a senior level at the workplace from among the employees — Explanation: Section 4(2)(a) requires a woman employed at a senior level to be the Presiding Officer. [Ref: Section 4(2)(a)]
6. If a senior-level woman employee is not available at a workplace, the Presiding Officer shall be nominated from
(a) other offices or administrative units of the same employer
(b) any NGO
(c) the Local Committee
(d) the District Officer's office
Ans. (a) other offices or administrative units of the same employer — Explanation: The provisos to Section 4(2)(a) allow nomination from other offices, units, departments or organisations of the employer. [Ref: Section 4(2)(a), provisos]
7. Besides the Presiding Officer, the Internal Committee shall have from among the employees
(a) not more than one member
(b) not less than two members
(c) not less than five members
(d) exactly one member
Ans. (b) not less than two members — Explanation: Section 4(2)(b) requires not less than two members from among employees. [Ref: Section 4(2)(b)]
8. Employee members of the Internal Committee should preferably be
(a) members of a trade union
(b) from the finance department
(c) committed to the cause of women, or have experience in social work or legal knowledge
(d) the senior-most officers
Ans. (c) committed to the cause of women, or have experience in social work or legal knowledge — Explanation: Section 4(2)(b) states these preferences. [Ref: Section 4(2)(b)]
9. The external member of the Internal Committee is drawn from
(a) non-governmental organisations or associations committed to the cause of women, or a person familiar with issues relating to sexual harassment
(b) the Labour Department
(c) the employer's legal firm
(d) the police
Ans. (a) non-governmental organisations or associations committed to the cause of women, or a person familiar with issues relating to sexual harassment — Explanation: Section 4(2)(c) requires one member from such NGOs or associations, or a person familiar with sexual harassment issues. [Ref: Section 4(2)(c)]
10. The number of external members required on an Internal Committee is
(a) two
(b) one
(c) none
(d) three
Ans. (b) one — Explanation: Section 4(2)(c) requires one member from among NGOs or associations or a person familiar with such issues. [Ref: Section 4(2)(c)]
11. Of the total members nominated to the Internal Committee, women must be
(a) all
(b) at least one-third
(c) at least one-half
(d) at least two-thirds
Ans. (c) at least one-half — Explanation: The proviso to Section 4(2) requires at least one-half of the members to be women. [Ref: Section 4(2), proviso]
12. The minimum number of members, including the Presiding Officer, an Internal Committee must have is
(a) four
(b) two
(c) three
(d) five
Ans. (a) four — Explanation: A Presiding Officer, at least two employee members and one external member make at least four. [Ref: Section 4(2)]
13. The Internal Committee is also known in practice as the
(a) Grievance Appellate Committee
(b) Local Complaints Committee
(c) Standing Disciplinary Committee
(d) Internal Complaints Committee
Ans. (d) Internal Complaints Committee — Explanation: Section 4 uses "Internal Complaints Committee"; the Rules and the definition in Section 2(h) also use "Internal Committee". [Ref: Sections 2(h) and 4]
14. Which of these would make an Internal Committee improperly constituted?
(a) Having a member with legal knowledge
(b) Having half of its members as women
(c) Having a woman Presiding Officer
(d) Having no external member from an NGO or a person familiar with sexual harassment issues
Ans. (d) Having no external member from an NGO or a person familiar with sexual harassment issues — Explanation: The external member is mandatory under Section 4(2)(c); courts have set aside inquiries by improperly constituted committees. [Ref: Section 4(2)(c)]
15. "A person familiar with issues relating to sexual harassment" is explained in
(a) Section 15
(b) Rule 4 of the 2013 Rules
(c) Section 26
(d) Rule 9 of the 2013 Rules
Ans. (b) Rule 4 of the 2013 Rules — Explanation: Rule 4 says such a person has expertise on these issues, such as a social worker with five years' experience or a person familiar with labour, service, civil or criminal law. [Ref: Rule 4]
16. A social worker qualifies as a person familiar with issues relating to sexual harassment under Rule 4 if she has at least
(a) two years' experience
(b) a law degree
(c) five years' experience in social work
(d) ten years' experience
Ans. (c) five years' experience in social work — Explanation: Rule 4 refers to a social worker with at least five years' experience in the field of social work. [Ref: Rule 4]
17. The employer of a company with branches in Mumbai, Pune and Chennai, each with more than ten employees, should constitute
(a) no committee if the head office has one
(b) an Internal Committee at each office or administrative unit
(c) a Local Committee in each city
(d) one committee at the registered office only
Ans. (b) an Internal Committee at each office or administrative unit — Explanation: The proviso to Section 4(1) requires committees at all offices or units. [Ref: Section 4(1), proviso]
18. The Presiding Officer and members of the Internal Committee are nominated by
(a) the employer
(b) the employees through election
(c) the Local Committee
(d) the District Officer
Ans. (a) the employer — Explanation: Section 4(2) provides for nomination by the employer. [Ref: Section 4(2)]
19. The employer himself or the head of the organisation as a member of the Internal Committee is
(a) required as the external member
(b) not required by the Act, and is usually avoided because complaints may concern senior management
(c) compulsory
(d) compulsory as Presiding Officer
Ans. (b) not required by the Act, and is usually avoided because complaints may concern senior management — Explanation: The Act lays down the composition; complaints against the employer go to the Local Committee under Section 6(1). [Ref: Sections 4(2) and 6(1)]
20. In Aureliano Fernandes (2023), the Supreme Court directed authorities to verify that committees
(a) are abolished in Government departments
(b) have only male members
(c) are replaced by police cells
(d) are constituted and their composition is strictly as stipulated in the Act
Ans. (d) are constituted and their composition is strictly as stipulated in the Act — Explanation: The Court directed verification of constitution and composition of ICs, LCs and ICCs across Government bodies. [Ref: Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa, 2023]
21. The Internal Committee is the forum for complaints against
(a) the employer himself
(b) domestic workers' employers
(c) only outsiders
(d) a respondent at the workplace, other than complaints against the employer himself
Ans. (d) a respondent at the workplace, other than complaints against the employer himself — Explanation: Complaints against the employer go to the Local Committee under Section 6(1). [Ref: Sections 4 and 6(1)]
22. A company with 200 employees has an Internal Committee of five men and one woman. This is
(a) valid if the woman is Presiding Officer
(b) valid for the private sector
(c) valid, as numbers are sufficient
(d) invalid, as at least one-half of the members must be women
Ans. (d) invalid, as at least one-half of the members must be women — Explanation: The proviso to Section 4(2) requires at least half the members to be women. [Ref: Section 4(2), proviso]
23. Fees or allowances for the external member of the Internal Committee are paid by
(a) the complainant
(b) the State Government
(c) the employer
(d) the District Officer
Ans. (c) the employer — Explanation: Section 4(4) read with Rule 3 says the employer pays the fees or allowances. [Ref: Section 4(4); Rule 3]
24. Under Rule 3, the external NGO member of the Internal Committee is entitled to
(a) ₹200 per day for holding proceedings, plus travel reimbursement
(b) ₹250 per day
(c) ₹1,000 per sitting
(d) ₹500 per day
Ans. (a) ₹200 per day for holding proceedings, plus travel reimbursement — Explanation: Rule 3 fixes ₹200 per day plus reimbursement of travel within set limits. [Ref: Rule 3]
25. The Internal Committee is constituted by the
(a) District Officer
(b) employer
(c) National Commission for Women
(d) State Government
Ans. (b) employer — Explanation: Section 4(1) places the duty on every employer. [Ref: Section 4(1)]
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These questions are prepared for practice from the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (with the 2013 Rules, and Supreme Court and High Court rulings up to 2026). Check the latest notifications and your service rules before relying on any detail.