Miscellaneous: UPSC Previous Year Questions (International Relations and Current Affairs)
8 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Miscellaneous (International Relations and Current Affairs). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–8 of 8 questions
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q1. With reference to organic farming in India, consider the following statements: 1. ‘The National Programme for Organic Production’ (NPOP) is operated under the guidelines and directions of the Union Ministry of Rural Development. 2. ‘The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Devel-opment Authority’ (APEDA) functions as the Secretariat for the implementation of NPOP. 3. Sikkim has become India’s first fully organic State. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: NPOP is implemented under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, not the Ministry of Rural Development. It sets standards for organic production and certification.
Statement 2 is correct: APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, serves as the Secretariat for NPOP, ensuring certification and export facilitation of organic products.
Statement 3 is correct: Sikkim became India’s first fully organic state in 2016, implementing strict policies to eliminate chemical fertilizers and pesticides, covering 75,000 hectares of farmland under organic farming.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q2. Consider the following events: 1. The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India. 2. India’s then largest bank, ‘Imperial Bank of India’, was renamed ‘State Bank of India’. 3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier. 4. Goa became a part of independent India. Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
Explanation
Air India was nationalized in 1953 under the Air Corporations Act, 1953. Imperial Bank of India was renamed as the State Bank of India (SBI) in 1955 as part of banking sector reforms. India’s first democratically elected communist government was formed in Kerala in 1957, with E.M.S. Namboodiripad as Chief Minister. Goa was annexed by India and became part of independent India in 1961 after "Operation Vijay". Therefore, the correct chronological sequence is 3-2-1-4. Thus, the correct chronological order is 1953 (Air India Nationalization) 1955 (SBI Renaming) 1957 (First Communist Government) 1961 (Goa’s Liberation).
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q3. With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements: 1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. 2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy. 3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Qualification Skill Framework. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is a flagship skill development pro-gram aimed at enhancing employability among youth. It is implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), not the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Statement 2 is correct: The scheme imparts training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy, improving employment readiness.
Statement 3 is correct: It aligns competencies of informal sector workers with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) to standardize skill assessment.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q4. With reference to solar power production in India, consider the following statements: 1. India is the third largest in the world in the manufacture of silicon wafers used in photovoltaic units. 2. The solar power tariffs are determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: India does not rank third in silicon wafer manufacturing. The top three manufacturers are China, Taiwan, and South Korea. India still imports most of its solar photovoltaic (PV) wafers.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Solar tariffs in India are not determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), but by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) through competitive bidding.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q5. With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements: 1. The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains. 2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card. 3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect:The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 aims to provide food and nutritional security to the population through subsidized food grains. The NFSA covers up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, not just BPL families. It includes Priority House-holds and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries.
Statement 2 is correct: As per Section 13 of the NFSA, the eldest woman (18 years or above) is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of ration card issuance.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Pregnant women and lactating mothers receive free meals under the Integrated Child Devel-opment Services (ICDS) scheme, but no fixed calorie intake of 1600 kcal per day is prescribed in the NFSA.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q6. The identity platform ‘Aadhaar’ provides open "Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)". What does it imply? 1. It can be integrated into any electronic device. 2. Online authentication using iris is possible. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Aadhaar APIs can be integrated into multiple electronic devices such as biometric scanners, mobile phones, and ATMs to enable identity verification and digital transactions.
Statement 2 is correct: Aadhaar authentication supports irisbased verification, which is more secure and accurate than fingerprint-based authentication, especially for elderly individuals and those engaged in manual labor. The Aadhaar identity platform enables seamless authentication and integration with various applications through open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), facilitating secure digital identity verification.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q7. Consider the following statements: 1. Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile. 2. Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by UIDAI to Indian residents based on biometric and demographic data. However, it does not serve as proof of citizenship or domicile, as it is issued to all residents, including foreign nationals residing in India.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Aadhaar numbers can be deactivated or omitted by UIDAI in cases of fraud, duplication, or non-use for an extended period, as per Section 23 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
UPSC 2018International Relations and Current Affairs · Miscellaneous
Q8. As per the NSSO 70th Round "Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households" Consider the following statements: 1. Rajasthan has the highest percentage share of agricultural households among its rural households. 2. Out of the total agricultural households in the country, a little over 60 percent belong to OBCs. 3. In Kerala, a little over 60 percent of agricultural households reported to have received maximum income from sources other than agricultural activities. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The NSSO 70th Round (2012-13) "Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households" provides crucial data on the socio-economic conditions of Indian farmers.
Statement 1 is correct: Rajasthan had the highest percent-age of agricultural households (78.4 percent) among its rural households followed by Uttar Pradesh (74.8 percent) and Madhya Pradesh (70.8 percent).
Statement 2 is incorrect: As per the survey, about 45 percent out of the total agricultural households in the country belonged to Other Backward Classes (OBC). About 16% of agricultural households were from Scheduled Castes (SC) and 13 percent were from Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Statement 3 is correct: In Kerala, over 60% of agricultural households derive their main income from non-agricultur-al sources such as services, remittances, and trade due to the state’s economic structure.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2018
(b) 2 and 3 only
2
2018
(b) 3-2-1-4
3
2018
(c) 2 and 3 only
4
2018
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
5
2018
(b) 2 only
6
2018
(c) Both 1 and 2
7
2018
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
8
2018
(c) 1 and 3 only
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Miscellaneous?
This page covers 8 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Miscellaneous (International Relations and Current Affairs), asked from 2011 to 2023. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Miscellaneous?
Questions on Miscellaneous (International Relations and Current Affairs) are available for 11 years, from 2011 to 2023. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
