UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Centre suspends rice fortification scheme; activists back move

Q1. Which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry that announced the temporary suspension of the rice fortification programme in February 2026?

  • A. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • C. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Q2. With reference to the Centre's February 2026 decision on rice fortification as compared to the position that prevailed before, consider the following statements: 1. Under the suspension, the per-capita food-grain entitlements of PDS beneficiaries have been reduced. 2. The decision was triggered by an IIT Kharagpur study which found that micronutrients in Fortified Rice Kernels degrade under prolonged storage in diverse agro-climatic zones. 3. With the suspension, beneficiaries will now receive non-fortified rice, while ICDS and PM POSHAN operations continue uninterrupted. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the suspension, the per-capita food-grain entitlements of PDS beneficiaries have been reduced.
  2. The decision was triggered by an IIT Kharagpur study which found that micronutrients in Fortified Rice Kernels degrade under prolonged storage in diverse agro-climatic zones.
  3. With the suspension, beneficiaries will now receive non-fortified rice, while ICDS and PM POSHAN operations continue uninterrupted.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. In the context of India's rice fortification programme, what exactly is a 'Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK)'?

  • A. A naturally micronutrient-dense indigenous rice variety developed through conventional plant breeding
  • B. An extruded rice-shaped pellet made from rice flour mixed with micronutrients, blended with normal milled rice in a 1:100 ratio
  • C. A genetically modified rice grain biofortified with beta-carotene, popularly known as Golden Rice
  • D. Parboiled rice processed to retain naturally occurring B-group vitamins in the bran layer

Q4. The standards for fortification of rice (including the levels of iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 in Fortified Rice Kernels) in India have been notified under which one of the following?

  • A. Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018
  • B. National Food Security Act, 2013
  • C. Essential Commodities Act, 1955
  • D. Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955