Practice questions on scientific temper, GM crops and gene editing, digital public infrastructure, science popularisation, and AI ethics.
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Q1. Under Article 51A(h) of the Constitution, it is a fundamental duty of every citizen to do what?
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Answer: B
Article 51A(h) is a fundamental duty. It asks citizens to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. It was added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.
Q2. Consider the following statements about the Scientific Policy Resolution, 1958: 1. It was adopted by the Government of India under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. 2. It stressed the need to cultivate a scientific approach in the country. 3. It is a constitutional provision. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Answer: D
The 1958 Resolution was a policy statement, not a constitutional provision. It backed scientific research and a scientific outlook across the country.
Q3. In February 2010, the Government of India placed a moratorium on the commercial release of which crop?
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Answer: A
The Environment Minister announced an indefinite moratorium on Bt brinjal in February 2010. Bt cotton remains the only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation in India.
Q4. Consider the following statements about GM mustard in India: 1. The hybrid DMH-11 was developed at the University of Delhi. 2. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee approved its environmental release in October 2022. 3. In July 2024 the Supreme Court gave a split verdict and asked the Centre to frame a national policy on GM crops. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Answer: C
All three are correct. The two judges split on the approval. They agreed that the Centre should frame a national policy on GM crops after consultation. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee sits under the Environment Ministry.
Q5. Which body gives the statutory approval for the environmental release of genetically modified crops in India?
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Answer: D
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee works under the Environment Ministry. It appraises proposals for the large-scale release of genetically engineered organisms.
Q6. In March 2022, the Environment Ministry exempted certain genome-edited plants from parts of the 1989 biosafety rules. Which types were exempted?
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Answer: B
SDN-1 and SDN-2 edits do not add foreign DNA. They were exempted from Rules 7 to 11 of the 1989 Rules. SDN-3 plants, which add foreign genes, stay under full regulation.
Q7. How does genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9 differ from older transgenic methods?
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Answer: A
CRISPR-Cas9 cuts DNA at a chosen spot. The cell repairs the cut, and this can change the plant’s own gene. Transgenic methods insert a gene from another species.
Q8. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is an example of which of the following?
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Answer: C
UPI is a public digital rail. It was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India in 2016 and lets banks and apps interoperate.
Q9. Consider the following statements about the National Quantum Mission: 1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2023. 2. It is implemented by the Department of Science and Technology. 3. It is implemented by the Department of Space. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Answer: A
The Mission was approved in 2023. The Department of Science and Technology implements it. It builds capacity in quantum computing, communication, sensing and materials.
Q10. Vigyan Prasar, set up in 1989, is an autonomous organisation under which Ministry or Department?
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Answer: D
Vigyan Prasar works on science popularisation through books, radio, television and digital media. It functions under the Department of Science and Technology.
Q11. The National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) was set up in 1982 mainly to do what?
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Answer: B
The NCSTC works under the Department of Science and Technology. It supports science communication and popularisation, especially among young people.
Q12. National Science Day is observed on 28 February to mark the announcement of which discovery?
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Answer: C
C. V. Raman announced the effect in 1928. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. India has observed National Science Day since 1987.
Q13. Which of the following best describes ‘indigenisation’ in India’s science and technology policy?
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Answer: A
Indigenisation means building capacity at home. It cuts import dependence in critical areas such as defence, space and semiconductors. It does not mean closing the economy to foreign technology.
Q14. Which of the following is a common ethical concern about the use of artificial intelligence?
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Answer: D
If training data carries bias, the system can repeat it. This can affect hiring, credit and policing decisions.
Related topics: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Q15. Consider the following statements about the IndiaAI Mission: 1. It aims to build shared computing capacity for AI. 2. It is a purely private-sector initiative with no government role. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Answer: B
The Mission is a government programme that includes shared compute for startups and researchers. Statement 2 is wrong.
Related topics: AI Infrastructure in India: Compute, Data Centres, Chips and the IndiaAI Mission
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