UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — CSIR Transfers Indigenous Bio-Bitumen Technology: Turning Farm Residue into Sustainable Roads
Q1. In the CSIR indigenous bio-bitumen technology, lignocellulosic farm residue is converted into a renewable road binder primarily through which one of the following processes?
- A. Anaerobic digestion
- B. Thermochemical pyrolysis
- C. Transesterification
- D. Enzymatic hydrolysis
Q2. With reference to the CSIR bio-bitumen production process, consider the following statements:
1. Rice straw can serve as a feedstock for the process.
2. Wheat straw can serve as a feedstock for the process.
3. The bio-binder is blended with conventional bitumen rather than used on its own.
4. The technology can completely (100%) replace conventional bitumen in road surfacing.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Rice straw can serve as a feedstock for the process.
- Wheat straw can serve as a feedstock for the process.
- The bio-binder is blended with conventional bitumen rather than used on its own.
- The technology can completely (100%) replace conventional bitumen in road surfacing.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q3. Which one of the following is India's premier national laboratory for road and highway research that led the development of the bio-bitumen binder?
- A. CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun
- B. CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), New Delhi
- C. CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur
- D. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-CBRI), Roorkee
Q4. Consider the following statements about the two CSIR institutes that jointly developed bio-bitumen:
1. CSIR-CRRI, established in 1952, specialises in research on roads and runways.
2. CSIR-IIP, established in 1960, specialises in downstream hydrocarbon and petroleum-refining research.
3. Both institutes are constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- CSIR-CRRI, established in 1952, specialises in research on roads and runways.
- CSIR-IIP, established in 1960, specialises in downstream hydrocarbon and petroleum-refining research.
- Both institutes are constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which transferred the bio-bitumen technology to industry, functions as a body under which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- B. Ministry of Science and Technology (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research)
- C. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- D. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Q6. The bio-bitumen technology transfer was carried out under the authority of the office that is simultaneously Director General of CSIR and Secretary, DSIR. Who currently holds this position?
- A. Dr. Jitendra Singh
- B. Dr. N. Kalaiselvi
- C. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- D. Dr. S. Venkata Mohan
Q7. The 1-km bio-bitumen blended road stretch built near the 'Kamptee 22 Km' milestone on the Nagpur–Jabalpur (NH-44) route is significant as which one of the following?
- A. Asia's first bio-bitumen blended highway stretch
- B. World's first end-of-life plastic-waste road
- C. India's first steel-slag road
- D. World's first port road
Q8. The 1-km bio-bitumen blended highway stretch on NH-44 was inaugurated by the Union Minister heading which one of the following ministries?
- A. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- B. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- C. Ministry of Science and Technology
- D. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Q9. Consider the following claimed co-benefits of the indigenous bio-bitumen technology:
1. Reduction in stubble/crop-residue burning.
2. Additional income source for farmers and MSMEs.
3. Reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
4. Elimination of India's entire crude-oil import bill.
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a benefit?
- Reduction in stubble/crop-residue burning.
- Additional income source for farmers and MSMEs.
- Reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Elimination of India's entire crude-oil import bill.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q10. With reference to India's bitumen dependence and the economics of bio-bitumen, consider the following statements:
1. India imports nearly 50% of its bitumen requirement.
2. Conventional bitumen is obtained as a residue of petroleum refining.
3. Full-scale adoption of bio-bitumen could save around Rs 40,000 crore in imports annually.
4. At 15% blending, bio-bitumen could save nearly Rs 4,500 crore in foreign exchange.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- India imports nearly 50% of its bitumen requirement.
- Conventional bitumen is obtained as a residue of petroleum refining.
- Full-scale adoption of bio-bitumen could save around Rs 40,000 crore in imports annually.
- At 15% blending, bio-bitumen could save nearly Rs 4,500 crore in foreign exchange.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. Consider the following statements about bio-bitumen as a circular bio-economy model:
1. It marks a shift from petro-based to bio-based road-construction materials.
2. It links the agriculture, energy and infrastructure sectors within a circular economy.
3. Unlike conventional bitumen, it entirely eliminates the use of any fossil-derived binder in the road.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It marks a shift from petro-based to bio-based road-construction materials.
- It links the agriculture, energy and infrastructure sectors within a circular economy.
- Unlike conventional bitumen, it entirely eliminates the use of any fossil-derived binder in the road.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q12. In the context of the indigenous bio-bitumen technology, 'import substitution' most precisely refers to which one of the following?
- A. Replacing imported conventional bitumen with a domestically produced bio-binder
- B. Exporting surplus bio-bitumen to West Asian markets to earn foreign exchange
- C. Increasing crude-oil imports so that more bitumen can be refined domestically
- D. Subsidising the import of bitumen to keep highway-construction costs low