- Why in news
- On 7 January 2026 the Agriculture Ministry invited public comments on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, which would replace the Insecticides Act, 1968. Comments are open until 4 February 2026.
- What it is
- The Insecticides Act, 1968 regulates the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides in India, to prevent risk to humans and animals. The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 is a new law meant to replace it and the Insecticides Rules, 1971, with stricter control over spurious pesticides and decriminalisation of petty offences.
- Laws replaced
- The Bill would replace both the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971 made under it.
- Testing labs
- The Bill makes accreditation of testing laboratories mandatory, so that only quality pesticides reach farmers.
- Compounding of offences
- Compounding of offences is provided for, with the amounts to be defined by State-level authorities.
- Consultation deadline
- This is pre-legislative consultation. Stakeholders can send comments by 4 February 2026.
- Ministry in charge
- The draft was prepared by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
Don’t confuse with Insecticides Act, 1968 vs Pesticides Management Bill, 2025: The 1968 Act is the law in force. The 2025 Bill is only a draft open to public comment and is not yet law.
Don’t confuse with Pre-legislative consultation vs parliamentary scrutiny: Pre-legislative consultation is the government seeking public comments before a Bill is introduced. Committee scrutiny happens after introduction in Parliament.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Replaces a 1968 law with one meant to fit present needs and curb spurious pesticides.
- Decriminalising petty offences supports ease of doing business and eases compliance.
Problems
- Agriculture is a State subject, so enforcement depends on State agencies, whose capacity varies.
- Higher penalties must be balanced against harassment of small dealers and farmers.
Way forward
- Build State testing capacity and enforce laboratory accreditation strictly.
- Use digital traceability to track pesticides from manufacture to sale.
Put in your answer
Balancing ease of living and ease of doing business: The Bill pairs decriminalisation of petty offences with higher penalties for spurious pesticides.
- 1996Prelims Q63Which programmes are in the National Forest Policy 1988, including promoting insecticides and pesticides use
- 2019Prelims Q39Which use is viewed with apprehension for carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate, triazophos: pesticides, preservatives, ripening agents, or cosmetics
- 2020Prelims Q42Which activities involve spraying pesticides on crop fields, volcano crater inspection, or whale breath sampling
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 is intended to replace both the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971.
- 2.The draft Bill makes accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories optional.
- 3.The draft Bill provides for compounding of offences, with the amounts to be defined by State-level authorities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 5
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The draft Bill makes accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories optional.
False. Accreditation of testing laboratories is mandatory.
2.The draft Bill provides for compounding of offences, with amounts to be defined by State-level authorities.
True. Compounding is provided, defined by State-level authorities.
3.The draft Bill lowers penalties for spurious pesticides to promote ease of doing business.
False. It provides higher penalties for spurious pesticides, while decriminalising petty offences.
4.The draft Bill was prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
False. It was prepared by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
5.The Bill includes provisions on transparency and traceability and use of digital methods.
True. The Bill includes transparency, traceability and technology-based provisions.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
10 marks · 150 words
The Agriculture Ministry has invited public comments on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, which would replace the Insecticides Act, 1968. Examine the main provisions of the draft Bill. Discuss the challenges in regulating pesticides in India and suggest a way forward.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.