UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PROVISIONAL ESTIMATES OF ANNUAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT FOR 2025-26 AND QUARTERLY ESTIMATES OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER (JANUARY-MARCH) OF 2025-26

Q1. In the standard release cycle of the National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI, how many distinct estimates of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are released for a given financial year before the First Revised Estimates are issued?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. The Provisional Estimates of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India are compiled and released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) functioning under which one of the following authorities?

  • A. NITI Aayog
  • B. Reserve Bank of India
  • C. Ministry of Finance
  • D. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

Q3. With reference to the new series of National Accounts released in February 2026, which of the following statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. The base year for Gross Domestic Product estimates has been revised from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
  2. The base year for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has also been revised, to the year 2024.
  3. The base year of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) continues to remain at 2011-12 and was not revised under this exercise.
  4. The complete back-series data under the new base year was released simultaneously with the new GDP series on 27 February 2026.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q4. The new series of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates with base year 2022-23, released on 27 February 2026, was issued by which one of the following?

  • A. Reserve Bank of India
  • B. Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
  • C. National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • D. Central Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance

Q5. With reference to the Provisional Estimates of Gross Domestic Product for 2025-26 released by the National Statistical Office, which of the following statements is/are NOT correct?

  1. Real GDP for 2025-26 is estimated to grow at 7.7% as compared to 7.1% in 2024-25.
  2. Nominal GDP for 2025-26 is estimated to grow at 7.9%.
  3. Real Gross Value Added (GVA) for 2025-26 is estimated to grow at 7.9%.
  4. Real GDP growth for 2024-25 (First Revised Estimate) was 6.5%.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 3 only

Q6. With reference to the Provisional Estimates of Annual GDP for 2025-26 released on 5 June 2026, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. Real GDP growth at 7.7% for 2025-26 is higher than the First Advance Estimate of 7.4% released in January 2026.
  2. Nominal GDP for 2025-26 is estimated at about ₹346 lakh crore, with a growth rate of 8.9%.
  3. Real Gross Value Added (GVA) growth at 7.9% exceeded Real GDP growth in 2025-26.
  4. The Provisional Estimates for 2025-26 are compiled on the base year 2011-12.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. Among the four quarters of FY 2025-26, which one recorded the highest real GDP growth rate as per MoSPI's GDP estimates under the new base year (2022-23) series?

  • A. Q1 (April–June) 2025-26
  • B. Q2 (July–September) 2025-26
  • C. Q3 (October–December) 2025-26
  • D. Q4 (January–March) 2025-26

Q8. As per the Provisional Estimates released by MoSPI on 5 June 2026, what is the real GDP growth rate (Year-on-Year) estimated for the fourth quarter (January–March) of FY 2025-26?

  • A. 7.4%
  • B. 7.7%
  • C. 7.8%
  • D. 7.9%

Q9. In the System of National Accounts followed by India's National Statistical Office, the term 'basic price' at which Gross Value Added (GVA) is measured refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The price paid by the final purchaser of a product, inclusive of all taxes on products and any separately invoiced transport charges
  • B. The price receivable by the producer from the purchaser for a unit of output, minus any tax on the product and plus any subsidy on the product, excluding separately invoiced transport charges
  • C. The factor cost of production, i.e., the price exclusive of all indirect taxes and inclusive of all subsidies on both products and production
  • D. The wholesale price at the factory gate, inclusive of central excise duty but exclusive of State Goods and Services Tax

Q10. Which one of the following is the single bridging component added to GVA at basic prices to arrive at GDP at market prices in India's national accounts?

  • A. Net taxes on production (production taxes minus production subsidies)
  • B. Net taxes on products (product taxes minus product subsidies)
  • C. Consumption of fixed capital (depreciation)
  • D. Net factor income from abroad

Q11. Which one of the following authorities is responsible for compiling and releasing the Provisional Estimates of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), including the sectoral Gross Value Added (GVA) figures, in India?

  • A. Reserve Bank of India
  • B. National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance

Q12. As per the National Statistical Office's estimates for FY 2025-26, how many of the three broad sectors of the economy — Agriculture & Allied, Industry, and Services — are estimated to register real growth of more than 6 per cent?

  • A. None
  • B. Only one
  • C. Only two
  • D. All three

Q13. Which one of the following is the nodal agency responsible for compiling and releasing the expenditure-side estimates of India's Gross Domestic Product, including Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) and Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF)?

  • A. National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance
  • C. Monetary Policy Department, Reserve Bank of India
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q14. With reference to the Provisional Estimates of India's GDP for 2025-26 vis-à-vis 2024-25, consider the following statements:

  1. The share of Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) in GDP rose to about 61.5% in FY 2025-26, the highest level since FY 2011-12.
  2. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) recorded a higher real growth rate in FY 2025-26 than in FY 2024-25 at constant prices.
  3. The share of Gross Fixed Capital Formation in GDP fell below 25% in FY 2025-26 from around 30% in the previous year.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q15. With reference to the National Statistical Commission (NSC) of India, which one of the following statements correctly describes its constitutional/legal character?

  • A. It is a statutory body constituted under a specific Act of Parliament to regulate official statistics.
  • B. It is a constitutional body established under Article 280A to advise the President on statistical matters.
  • C. It is a non-statutory body set up by a Government of India Resolution to evolve policies and priorities for the official statistical system.
  • D. It is an attached office of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation responsible for conducting nationwide socio-economic surveys.

Q16. With reference to the institutional framework of official statistics in India, which of the following are correctly identified as constituent units of the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation?

  1. Central Statistical Office (CSO)
  2. National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
  3. Computer Centre
  4. National Statistical Commission (NSC)
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4