UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates India’s First Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory Facility under Bharat Innovates 2026

Q1. The National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilization (NCoE-CCU) at IIT Bombay, which anchors India's first Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory, is supported by which one of the following Union Government bodies?

  • A. Department of Science and Technology
  • B. Ministry of Coal
  • C. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • D. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Q2. In India's CCUS roadmap, which one of the following rock formations has been identified as the principal geological medium for permanent CO₂ sequestration through mineral carbonation?

  • A. Vindhyan sandstones
  • B. Gondwana coal measures
  • C. Deccan basalt
  • D. Aravalli quartzites

Q3. With reference to the 'Bharat Innovates 2026' initiative, consider the following statements regarding its programme milestones: 1. The National Basecamp was hosted at IIT Gandhinagar in coordination with IIT Bombay in December 2025. 2. The Deep-Tech Pre-Summit was held at IIT Bombay in March 2026. 3. The International Innovation Showcase is scheduled at Nice, France, in June 2026. 4. The Inaugural Curtain Raiser was held at IIM Ahmedabad under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correctly described?

  1. The National Basecamp was hosted at IIT Gandhinagar in coordination with IIT Bombay in December 2025.
  2. The Deep-Tech Pre-Summit was held at IIT Bombay in March 2026.
  3. The International Innovation Showcase is scheduled at Nice, France, in June 2026.
  4. The Inaugural Curtain Raiser was held at IIM Ahmedabad under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only

Q4. The 'Bharat Innovates 2026' initiative, under which India's first Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory was inaugurated at IIT Bombay, is implemented by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Science and Technology, through the Department of Science and Technology
  • B. Ministry of Education, with strategic guidance from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser
  • C. NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission
  • D. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

Q5. As per India's Panchamrit pledges announced at COP26 (Glasgow, 2021) and translated into the Updated NDC, by what percentage is India committed to reducing the carbon intensity of its economy by 2030 over 2005 levels?

  • A. 33 per cent
  • B. 40 per cent
  • C. 45 per cent
  • D. 50 per cent

Q6. The two National Centres of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilization, located at IIT Bombay and JNCASR Bengaluru, are set up with the support of which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • B. Ministry of Coal
  • C. Department of Science and Technology
  • D. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Q7. Which one of the following institutions hosts India's first Integrated Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Field Laboratory Facility?

  • A. JNCASR, Bengaluru
  • B. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
  • C. IIT Madras
  • D. IIT Bombay

Q8. India's first end-to-end Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory commissioned in 2026 has commenced scientific drilling for permanent geological CO2 sequestration primarily in which one of the following rock formations?

  • A. Vindhyan sandstones
  • B. Gondwana coal-bearing sediments
  • C. Deccan Trap basalt
  • D. Cuddapah shales

Q9. The Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory inaugurated at IIT Bombay in May 2026 has been rolled out under the umbrella programme 'Bharat Innovates 2026' of which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • B. Ministry of Coal
  • C. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • D. Ministry of Education

Q10. India's first cluster of Carbon Capture & Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in academia–industry collaboration, launched in 2025 on National Technology Day, was set up in the cement sector. How many testbeds were approved in this first cluster?

  • A. Three
  • B. Five
  • C. Seven
  • D. Ten

Q11. In the context of India's Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) communicated under the Paris Agreement, the term 'emissions intensity of GDP' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Total absolute greenhouse gas emissions released by the country in a given year
  • B. Greenhouse gas emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product
  • C. Per capita greenhouse gas emissions of the country
  • D. Greenhouse gas emissions per unit of primary energy consumed

Q12. How many national missions of importance are guided by the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)?

  • A. Seven
  • B. Eight
  • C. Nine
  • D. Eleven