UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Government has introduced a Model Context Protocol server to facilitate linking of Artificial Intelligence tools with Official Statistical databases

Q1. Which one of the following is the first Indian official-statistics portal to be equipped with a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for AI-based access to government data?

  • A. eSankhyiki
  • B. National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP)
  • C. data.gov.in (Open Government Data Platform)
  • D. India Data Portal

Q2. With reference to the institutional ownership of the eSankhyiki MCP server, consider the following statements: 1. It was launched by the National Statistics Office (NSO). 2. The NSO functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 3. The eSankhyiki portal is hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. 4. The MCP pilot project is undertaken by NITI Aayog. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It was launched by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
  2. The NSO functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
  3. The eSankhyiki portal is hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
  4. The MCP pilot project is undertaken by NITI Aayog.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2 and 4

Q3. How many distinct tools does the eSankhyiki MCP server expose to AI clients in its prescribed sequential workflow?

  • A. 4
  • B. 7
  • C. 21
  • D. 25

Q4. The eSankhyiki portal, launched in 2024, was primarily designed to replace which one of the following as MoSPI's main mode of disseminating official statistics?

  • A. Static PDF-based document dissemination
  • B. The National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP)
  • C. The data.gov.in Open Government Data platform
  • D. Printed statistical gazettes sold through Government presses

Q5. At its launch in 2024, the eSankhyiki portal carried time-series data of four major data products of MoSPI. Consider the following: 1. National Accounts Statistics 2. Consumer Price Index 3. Periodic Labour Force Survey 4. Annual Survey of Industries Which of the above is/are correctly identified as among those four products available at the 2024 launch?

  1. National Accounts Statistics
  2. Consumer Price Index
  3. Periodic Labour Force Survey
  4. Annual Survey of Industries
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q6. The beta MCP server's coverage on eSankhyiki was scaled up from 7 statistical products to 21 statistical products in which year?

  • A. 2024
  • B. 2025
  • C. 2026
  • D. 2023

Q7. Under which Union Ministry is the eSankhyiki MCP server (including its scaling to 21 statistical products) operationalised?

  • A. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. Ministry of Planning

Q8. With reference to the licensing and release model of the eSankhyiki MCP server, consider the following statements: 1. Its source code is released under the MIT License. 2. It is a pilot/beta released as open source, allowing anyone to inspect and reuse the code. 3. Unlike its beta release, the scaled-up version was made proprietary and distributed only as a closed binary to government departments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Its source code is released under the MIT License.
  2. It is a pilot/beta released as open source, allowing anyone to inspect and reuse the code.
  3. Unlike its beta release, the scaled-up version was made proprietary and distributed only as a closed binary to government departments.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The MIT-licensed source code of the eSankhyiki MCP server is published and maintained on a public code repository by which one of the following?

  • A. National Statistics Office (nso-india)
  • B. National Informatics Centre (NIC)
  • C. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q10. Third-party AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and Windsurf are able to query India's official statistics through the eSankhyiki server because the server conforms to which one of the following open standards?

  • A. Model Context Protocol (MCP)
  • B. Open Data Protocol (OData)
  • C. Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX)
  • D. GraphQL Federation

Q11. With reference to the broader data ecosystem around eSankhyiki and its MCP server, consider the following statements: 1. eSankhyiki's API layer feeds the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP). 2. NDAP is a platform of NITI Aayog. 3. The MCP server anchors AI outputs to verified official government data, reducing reliance on unverified sources. 4. NDAP is owned and maintained by the Reserve Bank of India. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. eSankhyiki's API layer feeds the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP).
  2. NDAP is a platform of NITI Aayog.
  3. The MCP server anchors AI outputs to verified official government data, reducing reliance on unverified sources.
  4. NDAP is owned and maintained by the Reserve Bank of India.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4