UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Ministers Shri JP Nadda and Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launch ‘SEHAT Mission’, a major new initiative linking agriculture and health
Q1. In the context of a national mission launched in 2026, the acronym 'SEHAT' stands for which one of the following?
- A. Sustainable Ecology and Holistic Agricultural Transformation
- B. Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation
- C. Scheme for Empowerment of Health and Allied Technologies
- D. Strategic Engagement for Health, Agriculture and Trade
Q2. With reference to the SEHAT Mission launched jointly by ICAR and ICMR in 2026, consider the following as its stated priority pillars:
1. Development and evaluation of biofortified and nutrient-dense crop varieties.
2. Strengthening One Health preparedness through integrated surveillance and diagnostics.
3. Provision of universal cashless tertiary treatment for non-communicable diseases at AYUSH wellness centres.
4. Addressing occupational health risks among agricultural workers.
Which of the above are correctly identified as priority pillars of the SEHAT Mission?
- Development and evaluation of biofortified and nutrient-dense crop varieties.
- Strengthening One Health preparedness through integrated surveillance and diagnostics.
- Provision of universal cashless tertiary treatment for non-communicable diseases at AYUSH wellness centres.
- Addressing occupational health risks among agricultural workers.
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. At the time of its establishment in 1929, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) was registered under which one of the following?
- A. Indian Companies Act, 1913
- B. Societies Registration Act, 1860
- C. Indian Trusts Act, 1882
- D. Charitable Endowments Act, 1890
Q4. With reference to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), consider the following statements:
1. It is a statutory body constituted by an Act of Parliament.
2. It functions as an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
3. It has its headquarters at New Delhi.
4. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare is the ex-officio President of the ICAR Society.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is a statutory body constituted by an Act of Parliament.
- It functions as an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
- It has its headquarters at New Delhi.
- The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare is the ex-officio President of the ICAR Society.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3
- D. 3 and 4 only
Q5. How many Regional Medical Research Centres (RMRCs) currently function under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)?
Q6. With reference to the National One Health Mission (NOHM) of India, consider the following:
1. Research and Development for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics
2. Clinical Readiness for outbreak response
3. Data Integration across human, animal and environmental sectors
4. Universal Health Coverage financing for tertiary hospitals
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as pillars of the NOHM?
- Research and Development for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics
- Clinical Readiness for outbreak response
- Data Integration across human, animal and environmental sectors
- Universal Health Coverage financing for tertiary hospitals
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q7. Under the One Health pilot study being conducted in India to monitor zoonotic spillover risks at the human-wildlife-environment interface, integrated surveillance of migratory bird populations is being carried out in bird sanctuaries and wetlands across how many Indian states?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Five
- D. Seven
Q8. With reference to the development and release of biofortified crop varieties in India, which one of the following is the apex national body that breeds and notifies such varieties, working in collaboration with the international initiative HarvestPlus?
- A. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
- B. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- C. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- D. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
Q9. With reference to biofortification of crops in India as compared with conventional food fortification, consider the following statements:
1. Biofortification enhances the micronutrient content of staple crops through plant breeding, whereas conventional food fortification adds nutrients to foods during industrial processing.
2. Among the biofortified varieties released by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research during 2014-2024, more varieties of pulses were released than of millets.
3. HarvestPlus, an international initiative supporting biofortification, has collaborated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Department of Biotechnology in developing biofortified varieties in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Biofortification enhances the micronutrient content of staple crops through plant breeding, whereas conventional food fortification adds nutrients to foods during industrial processing.
- Among the biofortified varieties released by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research during 2014-2024, more varieties of pulses were released than of millets.
- HarvestPlus, an international initiative supporting biofortification, has collaborated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Department of Biotechnology in developing biofortified varieties in India.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. With reference to nutrition and food-security initiatives in India, consider the following statements:
1. POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched in 2018.
2. The Eat Right India initiative was launched by FSSAI in 2018.
3. The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched in 2013, the same year as the National Food Security Act.
4. NFSM-Oilseeds was introduced as a component of NFSM from 2018-19.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched in 2018.
- The Eat Right India initiative was launched by FSSAI in 2018.
- The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched in 2013, the same year as the National Food Security Act.
- NFSM-Oilseeds was introduced as a component of NFSM from 2018-19.
- A. 1, 2 and 4 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. In the context of India's nutrition policy debate, the term 'hidden hunger' specifically refers to which one of the following?
- A. Chronic undernourishment caused by insufficient daily calorie intake
- B. Deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet despite adequate calorie intake
- C. Seasonal food insecurity faced by agricultural labour households during lean months
- D. Acute food shortage following a localised crop failure or natural disaster
Q12. Which one of the following accounts for the largest share of non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality in India?
- A. Cancers
- B. Chronic respiratory diseases
- C. Cardiovascular diseases
- D. Diabetes mellitus
Q13. The 'SEHAT Mission', launched in 2026 to build a 'Healthy Food, Healthy Farms, Healthy India' framework, is a joint mission-mode programme of which one of the following pairs of institutions?
- A. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)
- B. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- C. NITI Aayog and the Department of Health Research (DHR)
- D. Ministry of Ayush and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)