UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Record Coal Production from Captive/Commercial & Other Mines

Question 1

The removal of the end-use restriction that opened coal mining to commercial players by any entity was effected through the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020, which amended which pair of legislations?

Accepted Answer

Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015

Answer

Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957

Answer

Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957 and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015

Answer

Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 and the Coal Mines (Conservation and Development) Act, 1974

Question 2

Following the Supreme Court's 2014 judgment in Manohar Lal Sharma v. Principal Secretary, how many of the coal block allocations made between 1993 and 2010 were cancelled?

Accepted Answer

204

Answer

218

Answer

214

Answer

194

Question 3

Under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, the auction and allotment of the cancelled coal mines is carried out by which authority?

Accepted Answer

The Nominated Authority under the Ministry of Coal

Answer

The Coal Controller's Organisation

Answer

Coal India Limited

Answer

The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute

Question 4

When non-CIL output crossed 200 MT in FY 2025-26 (as recorded on 11 March 2026), what was the contribution of the 'other mines' category to this combined total?

Accepted Answer

6.06 MT

Answer

194.17 MT

Answer

60.6 MT

Answer

10.22 MT

Question 5

In which financial year did India's captive, commercial and other (non-CIL) mines together cross the 200 Million Tonnes annual output mark for the very first time?

Accepted Answer

FY 2025-26

Answer

FY 2024-25

Answer

FY 2023-24

Answer

FY 2022-23

Question 6

Regulation of mines and mineral development, including coal, by the Union falls under which entry of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Entry 54

Answer

Entry 53

Answer

Entry 52

Answer

Entry 50

Question 7

Captive and commercial coal mine production rose from 147.12 MT in FY 2023-24 to 190.95 MT in FY 2024-25. What was this year-on-year growth rate?

Accepted Answer

29.79%

Answer

10.22%

Answer

33.36%

Answer

32.53%

Question 8

As per the Ministry of Coal's plan, captive/commercial coal production is targeted to reach its highest planned figure of 383.56 MT in which financial year?

Accepted Answer

FY 2029-30

Answer

FY 2025-26

Answer

FY 2024-25

Answer

FY 2023-24

Question 9

Despite the rise of non-CIL captive and commercial mines, which entity continues to account for roughly three-fourths of India's total domestic coal production?

Accepted Answer

Coal India Limited

Answer

Singareni Collieries Company Limited

Answer

NLC India Limited

Answer

NMDC Limited

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Record Coal Production from Captive/Commercial & Other Mines

Q1. The removal of the end-use restriction that opened coal mining to commercial players by any entity was effected through the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020, which amended which pair of legislations?

Q2. Following the Supreme Court's 2014 judgment in Manohar Lal Sharma v. Principal Secretary, how many of the coal block allocations made between 1993 and 2010 were cancelled?

Q3. Under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, the auction and allotment of the cancelled coal mines is carried out by which authority?

Q4. When non-CIL output crossed 200 MT in FY 2025-26 (as recorded on 11 March 2026), what was the contribution of the 'other mines' category to this combined total?

Q5. In which financial year did India's captive, commercial and other (non-CIL) mines together cross the 200 Million Tonnes annual output mark for the very first time?

Q6. Regulation of mines and mineral development, including coal, by the Union falls under which entry of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution?

Q7. Captive and commercial coal mine production rose from 147.12 MT in FY 2023-24 to 190.95 MT in FY 2024-25. What was this year-on-year growth rate?

Q8. As per the Ministry of Coal's plan, captive/commercial coal production is targeted to reach its highest planned figure of 383.56 MT in which financial year?

Q9. Despite the rise of non-CIL captive and commercial mines, which entity continues to account for roughly three-fourths of India's total domestic coal production?