UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — What went wrong with a rabies vaccine batch?

Q1. With reference to Abhayrab, which was in the news recently, which one of the following best describes it?

  • A. A live-attenuated oral rabies vaccine used in animal immunisation drives
  • B. A purified Vero cell-derived inactivated human anti-rabies vaccine
  • C. A recombinant DNA-based monoclonal antibody for post-exposure rabies prophylaxis
  • D. An equine-derived rabies immunoglobulin used alongside the rabies vaccine

Q2. In India, before any batch of a human anti-rabies vaccine such as Abhayrab can be released for sale, statutory batch testing and certification is carried out by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. National Institute of Biologicals, Noida
  • B. Indian Council of Medical Research — National Institute of Virology, Pune
  • C. Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli
  • D. National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi

Q3. As per the manufacturer's December 2025 clarification on the Abhayrab counterfeiting episode, the vaccine has been supplied by Indian Immunologicals Limited to India and approximately how many other countries?

  • A. 15 countries
  • B. 25 countries
  • C. 43 countries
  • D. 60 countries

Q4. With reference to the genuine Abhayrab vials manufactured by Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) versus the counterfeit batch (KA 24014) flagged in 2025, consider the following statements: 1. The genuine vials carry a pink flip-off seal, whereas the counterfeit vials carry a blue flip-off seal. 2. The counterfeit vials carry an MRP corresponding to an older (2022) price list rather than the current price. 3. The counterfeit vials show a different manufacturing date but retain the same batch number as the original. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The genuine vials carry a pink flip-off seal, whereas the counterfeit vials carry a blue flip-off seal.
  2. The counterfeit vials carry an MRP corresponding to an older (2022) price list rather than the current price.
  3. The counterfeit vials show a different manufacturing date but retain the same batch number as the original.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The statutory requirement that every batch of a vaccine such as Abhayrab must be tested and released by a designated Central Drugs Laboratory before marketing in India flows primarily from which one of the following?

  • A. The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
  • B. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
  • C. The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954
  • D. The New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019