Key Concepts & Self-Assessment20 Key Facts
Review key FCRA 2.0 Portal & Foreign Contribution Regulation exam facts and rate your mastery to track revision.
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#1
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act was originally enacted in 1976 and comprehensively overhauled through the FCRA of 2010.
#2
The Ministry of Home Affairs functions as the primary administrative authority responsible for regulating foreign contributions in India.
#3
The FCRA 2.0 portal provides a paperless digital platform for submitting NGO registrations, renewals, and annual financial returns.
#4
Section 3 explicitly bars election candidates, judges, civil servants, lawmakers, and media entities from accepting foreign funds.
#5
Section 11 mandates that civil society groups must obtain formal registration or prior permission before receiving any foreign donation.
#6
An FCRA registration certificate granted by the central government remains valid for a statutory duration of five years.
#7
Under Section 12, registered organizations must apply for registration renewal within six months before their five-year certificate expires.
#8
The 2020 amendments require every registered organization to open an exclusive primary account at SBI Main Branch (Sansad Marg), New Delhi.
#9
Entities can operate secondary utilization accounts in any scheduled commercial bank solely for disbursing verified foreign funds.
#10
The statutory ceiling on administrative expenditures funded through foreign donations was reduced from 50 percent down to 20 percent.
#11
Section 7 strictly prohibits the transfer or sub-granting of foreign contributions to any other association or non-profit entity.
#12
All key trustees, directors, and office bearers must submit their Aadhaar numbers or foreign passport credentials for identity validation.
#13
The central government holds statutory authority to suspend an NGO's FCRA registration for up to 180 days during an inquiry.
#14
An organization whose registration certificate is revoked becomes legally barred from applying for fresh registration for three years.
#15
Registered non-profits must submit mandatory annual returns using digital Form FC-4 within nine months of each financial year end.
#16
Digital applications require Form FC-3A for fresh registration, Form FC-3B for prior permission, and Form FC-3C for renewal.
#17
The FCRA portal connects with the Public Financial Management System to create transparent digital audit trails for foreign inflows.
#18
In the 2022 Noel Harper case, the Supreme Court confirmed the full constitutional validity of the 2020 FCRA amendments.
#19
The Supreme Court ruled that receiving overseas donations is a regulated statutory privilege rather than a fundamental constitutional right.
#20
Relaxed central rules permit Indian citizens to receive up to 10 lakh rupees annually from foreign relatives without prior approval.
Subject Specialist Commentary
Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board
The FCRA 2.0 portal is the central government's online supervisory system that tracks all foreign money received by non-governmental organizations in India. Managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the platform requires non-profits to complete registrations, file annual financial returns, and renew certifications digitally. The regulatory framework prevents external financial influence from disrupting internal security, democratic processes, or public order.
For UPSC Prelims and judicial service exams, master the 2020 statutory amendments. Remember the two key numerical thresholds: administrative expenditure is capped at 20 percent, down from the earlier 50 percent limit, and all primary overseas receipts must land in the State Bank of India New Delhi Main Branch account. An essential prelims trap: sub-granting foreign money to other FCRA-registered entities is completely banned. Use the mnemonic "BANK-20": Branch in New Delhi SBI, Aadhaar authentication, No transfer permitted, Twenty percent administrative cap.
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