UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF POWER SUPPLY

Question 1

Which one of the following is the nodal Union ministry for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and for the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2003?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Power

Answer

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Answer

Ministry of Coal

Answer

Ministry of Heavy Industries

Question 2

Under which Entry of the Concurrent List (List III) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution does the subject 'Electricity' fall?

Accepted Answer

Entry 38 — Electricity

Answer

Entry 20 — Economic and social planning

Answer

Entry 23 — Social security and social insurance

Answer

Entry 33 — Trade and commerce in certain goods

Question 3

Within India's installed generation mix, the non-fossil (renewable energy) component is primarily administered by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Answer

Ministry of Power

Answer

Central Electricity Authority

Answer

NTPC Limited

Question 4

With reference to India's installed power generation capacity, consider the following statements:
1. As on 31 December 2025, non-fossil-fuel sources accounted for a larger share of installed capacity than fossil-fuel sources.
2. About 296.388 GW of generation capacity was added between April 2014 and January 2026.
3. The entire capacity added since April 2014 came solely from non-fossil-fuel sources.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which subsumed the earlier IPDS and DDUGJY, was launched in which year?

Accepted Answer

2021

Answer

2014

Answer

2015

Answer

2017

Question 6

Consider the following pairs of power-sector schemes and their principal focus:
1. DDUGJY — rural electrification and agriculture-feeder separation
2. IPDS — strengthening of urban sub-transmission and distribution networks
3. UDAY — operational and financial turnaround of DISCOMs
4. Saubhagya — restructuring of the inter-State transmission network
Which of the pairs given above is/are NOT correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

2 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 7

Prepaid smart metering, system metering and upgradation of distribution infrastructure — which together carry the bulk of the scheme's financial support — fall under which component of the RDSS?

Accepted Answer

Part A

Answer

Part B

Answer

Part C

Answer

Part D

Question 8

As on 31 December 2025, approximately how many prepaid smart meters had been installed under the RDSS?

Accepted Answer

3.90 crore

Answer

2.86 crore

Answer

6.50 crore

Answer

1.20 crore

Question 9

Which statutory body, constituted under the Electricity Act, is the technical authority responsible for compiling India's all-India power supply position and load-generation balance data?

Accepted Answer

Central Electricity Authority

Answer

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission

Answer

Grid Controller of India Limited

Answer

Bureau of Energy Efficiency

Question 10

Under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), participating States were to take over what proportion of their DISCOMs' debt outstanding as on 30 September 2015?

Accepted Answer

75%

Answer

50%

Answer

90%

Answer

100%

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF POWER SUPPLY

Q1. Which one of the following is the nodal Union ministry for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and for the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2003?

Q2. Under which Entry of the Concurrent List (List III) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution does the subject 'Electricity' fall?

Q3. Within India's installed generation mix, the non-fossil (renewable energy) component is primarily administered by which one of the following?

Q5. The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), which subsumed the earlier IPDS and DDUGJY, was launched in which year?

Q7. Prepaid smart metering, system metering and upgradation of distribution infrastructure — which together carry the bulk of the scheme's financial support — fall under which component of the RDSS?

Q8. As on 31 December 2025, approximately how many prepaid smart meters had been installed under the RDSS?

Q9. Which statutory body, constituted under the Electricity Act, is the technical authority responsible for compiling India's all-India power supply position and load-generation balance data?

Q10. Under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), participating States were to take over what proportion of their DISCOMs' debt outstanding as on 30 September 2015?