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Sample PSARA Supervisor Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PSARA Supervisor Exam exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 101+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA), which authority grants, suspends and cancels the licence of a private security agency in a State?

A.The Ministry of Home Affairs at the Centre

B.The Controlling Authority appointed by the State Government

C.The local police station house officer (SHO)

D.The District Collector acting independently

Explanation: PSARA empowers each State Government to appoint a Controlling Authority (an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary or equivalent) who grants, renews, suspends and cancels private security agency licences and oversees compliance. A supervisor must know that licensing power sits with the State Controlling Authority, not the Centre or the local police.

2A supervisor must know the statutory training standard for private security personnel under PSARA. What is the prescribed minimum training under the model rules?

A.40 hours of classroom instruction only

B.100 hours of classroom instruction and 60 hours of field training spread over at least 20 working days

C.200 hours of classroom instruction with no field component

D.Two weeks of on-the-job training with no fixed hours

Explanation: The Private Security Agencies Model Rules prescribe a minimum of 100 hours of classroom instruction and 60 hours of field training, spread over at least 20 working days, for private security guards and supervisors. A supervisor verifying that guards are lawfully deployable must confirm this training has been completed.

3When engaging a supervisor of private security guards, PSARA directs the agency to give preference to a candidate with prior service experience. What service and minimum period is preferred?

A.Three years in the Army, Navy, Air Force, other armed forces, police, armed constabulary or Home Guards

B.Five years in any private security company

C.One year as a guard with the same agency

D.Ten years in any government office

Explanation: PSARA states that while engaging a supervisor, the agency shall give preference to a person who has served in the Army, Navy, Air Force or other armed forces of the Union or State, including armed constabularies and Home Guards, for not less than three years. This disciplined background supports the command and man-management role of a supervisor.

4A security agency's PSARA licence is cancelled by the Controlling Authority. To whom and within what period may the agency appeal under the Act?

A.To the High Court within 30 days

B.To the Home Secretary of the State Government within 60 days of the order

C.To the District Magistrate within 90 days

D.To the central MHA within 45 days

Explanation: PSARA provides that any person aggrieved by an order of the Controlling Authority refusing, suspending or cancelling a licence may appeal to the Home Secretary of the State Government within 60 days of the order. The appellant must be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Supervisors should understand the agency's remedy when a licence is challenged.

5A new guard at a deployment wears a shirt closely resembling a State Police uniform. Under PSARA, what is the consequence?

A.It is permitted if the agency approves it

B.It is an offence punishable with imprisonment up to one year or fine up to five thousand rupees, or both

C.It carries only a written warning from the Controlling Authority

D.It is allowed for ex-servicemen guards

Explanation: PSARA prohibits private security guards and supervisors from wearing the uniform of the armed forces or police, or any dress bearing their distinctive marks. The guard and the agency proprietor are punishable with imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to five thousand rupees, or both. A supervisor must ensure agency uniforms are clearly distinct from police and military dress.

6A supervisor preparing a duty roster for a 24x7 site with three 8-hour shifts must build in relief. Why should the roster avoid scheduling a guard for two consecutive shifts as routine practice?

A.It increases overtime cost for the client only

B.Fatigue degrades alertness and reaction, raising security and safety risk, and it breaches working-hour norms

C.It is forbidden by the CCTV manufacturer

D.It makes the attendance register harder to read

Explanation: Back-to-back shifts cause fatigue that degrades vigilance, decision-making and reaction time, directly increasing the risk of security lapses and accidents, and routinely working guards beyond lawful hours breaches labour-law working-time norms. A supervisor's roster must provide adequate rest, relief and reserve strength.

7What is the primary purpose of a written post order (or post instruction) at a guarding location?

A.To record guards' salary details

B.To define the specific duties, response procedures and limits of authority for that particular post

C.To advertise the security agency's services

D.To list the client's customers

Explanation: A post order is a written, post-specific instruction that tells the guard exactly what to do at that location: patrol routes, access-control rules, what to check, how to respond to incidents, who to call, and the limits of the guard's authority. It standardises performance and is the supervisor's primary tool to ensure consistent, lawful duty at each post.

8A supervisor conducting a physical security survey of a warehouse applies the principle of 'defence in depth'. What does this principle mean?

A.Placing all security resources at the main gate

B.Using multiple, layered, independent security measures so that breaching one layer does not compromise the whole site

C.Hiring the maximum possible number of guards

D.Relying solely on CCTV instead of guards

Explanation: Defence in depth (concentric rings of security) layers independent controls, perimeter fencing, lighting, access control, patrols, CCTV and alarms, so an intruder must defeat several measures in sequence. If one layer fails, others still protect the asset. A supervisor designs surveys and deployments around these complementary layers, not a single point of protection.

9In a risk assessment, a supervisor estimates risk as a function of which two main factors?

A.Cost and colour of the asset

B.Likelihood (probability) of a threat and the impact (consequence) if it occurs

C.Number of guards and the weather

D.Distance to the police station and the time of day only

Explanation: Risk is commonly assessed as a combination of the likelihood that a threat will materialise and the severity of its impact (consequence) on people, assets or operations. A supervisor prioritises controls for high-likelihood, high-impact risks first, which is the basis of any security survey's recommendations.

10A supervisor designs access control for a corporate site. Which approach best implements the 'least privilege' principle for visitor and contractor access?

A.Give every visitor a master access card for convenience

B.Grant each person access only to the specific areas and times their task requires, and revoke it when no longer needed

C.Allow all contractors unescorted access to all floors

D.Disable access logging to speed up entry

Explanation: Least privilege means granting each individual the minimum access necessary, only the specific zones and time windows their legitimate task requires, and withdrawing it promptly afterwards. For visitors and contractors this typically means escorted or time-limited zone access, not blanket entry. It limits the damage a misused or lost credential can cause.

About the PSARA Supervisor Exam Exam

The PSARA Private Security Supervisor training exam assesses supervisor-level competence under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005. Distinct from the guard-level test, it covers supervising and deploying guards, duty rosters and shift management, post orders and SOPs, security surveys and risk assessment, access control and CCTV supervision, incident command, investigation and report writing, fire safety, emergency and evacuation planning, PSARA compliance, leadership and man-management, and the legal framework including BNSS arrest powers.

Exam sponsor: PSARA-licensed private security agency or accredited training institute, under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Multiple-choice assessment delivered by a PSARA-licensed agency or accredited training institute, covering the private security supervisor syllabus under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005.

Time Limit

Typically 60-120 minutes depending on the training provider

Passing Score

Set by the training provider; a common practical benchmark is around 60-70%. Confirm the exact requirement with your institute.

Exam / Certification Fees

Set by the PSARA-licensed agency or accredited training institute and varies by State and provider.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

14%

PSARA Legal Framework

PSARA 2005, Controlling Authority, licensing, renewal, appeals, eligibility, uniform rules and penalties.

11%

Supervision and Deployment

Risk-based deployment, posts, patrolling, guard-tour systems, shift handover, challenging and searching.

Duty Rosters and Shift Management

Roster design, relief factor, fatigue management and working-hour and weekly-rest norms.

Post Orders and SOPs

Usable post orders and SOPs, visitor management and key control.

Access Control and CCTV

Least privilege, tailgating, key control, CCTV supervision, chain of custody and confidentiality.

Security Surveys and Risk Assessment

Defence in depth, likelihood-impact risk, deter-detect-delay-respond, lighting and cash-in-transit.

Incident Management and Command

Life-safety priority, unity of command, control room, radio procedure and crowd management.

Fire Safety Management

Fire triangle, fire classes, PASS technique, extinguisher selection and fire drills.

Emergency and Evacuation Planning

Evacuation routes, assembly points, head counts, bomb-threat response and first aid.

Investigation and Report Writing

Occurrence book, factual reports, evidence handling, near-miss reporting and investigations.

Liaison with Police and Fire

Scene preservation, proactive liaison and facilitating emergency-service access.

Labour, Wage and Compliance

Minimum wages, EPF/ESI, antecedent verification, identity cards, grievance and discipline.

Leadership and Man-Management

Leadership, motivation, delegation, counselling, conflict resolution and professional conduct.

Legal Powers (BNSS and Arms Act)

BNSS private-arrest powers, use of force, cognizable offences and firearm licensing.

Preparing for the PSARA Supervisor Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Set by the training provider; a common practical benchmark is around 60-70%. Confirm the exact requirement with your institute.
Assessment: Multiple-choice assessment delivered by a PSARA-licensed agency or accredited training institute, covering the private security supervisor syllabus under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
Time limit: Typically 60-120 minutes depending on the training provider
Exam / certification fees: Set by the PSARA-licensed agency or accredited training institute and varies by State and provider. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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PSARA Supervisor Exam: Suggested Study Strategy

1Anchor your revision in the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 and its model rules: licensing, training hours (100 classroom plus 60 field), eligibility, uniform rules, appeals and penalties are reliable marks.

2Practise applied supervisor scenarios, deployment, roster relief factors, post orders, incident command and evacuation head counts, because most supervisor questions are situational rather than rote definitions.

3Do not neglect the legal and compliance topics: BNSS private-arrest powers, cognizable offences, Arms Act licensing, minimum wages and EPF/ESI obligations are distinctive supervisor-level content and easy to score on if revised.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PSARA Private Security Supervisor exam?

It is a supervisor-level training assessment under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA), delivered by PSARA-licensed agencies and accredited training institutes. It tests the knowledge a supervisor needs to deploy, roster, train and lead private security guards lawfully and effectively, going beyond the basic guard syllabus.

How is the supervisor exam different from the guard exam?

The guard exam focuses on individual post duties, while the supervisor exam adds command-level topics: deployment and roster planning, writing post orders and SOPs, security surveys and risk assessment, incident command, investigation and report writing, PSARA compliance, labour-law obligations and man-management of a team of guards.

What training do supervisors and guards need under PSARA?

The PSARA model rules prescribe a minimum of 100 hours of classroom instruction and 60 hours of field training, spread over at least 20 working days, for private security personnel. Agencies must also verify antecedents, complete prescribed training and issue identity cards before deployment.

What legal powers should a PSARA supervisor understand?

Supervisors should understand that PSARA licensing sits with the State Controlling Authority, that guards have only the limited private-arrest power under BNSS Section 40 (handing the person to police without delay), that firearms require an Arms Act licence, and that guards may not wear police or military uniforms.