UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — E85 rollout commences across 48 retail outlets of Public Sector OMCs; Save Money, Save Environment, Save Foreign Exchange!
Q1. With reference to the commercial rollout of E85 fuel across 48 retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies in June 2026, which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry that operationalises this programme?
- A. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
- B. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- C. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- D. Ministry of Heavy Industries
Q2. With reference to E85 fuel rolled out in India in June 2026 vis-à-vis other ethanol-based fuels, consider the following statements:
1. While E20 contains 20% ethanol blended with petrol, E85 contains 80–85% ethanol with the balance being petrol.
2. E85 is meant exclusively for Flex-Fuel Vehicles, whereas E20 can be dispensed for use in vehicles calibrated for E20 compatibility.
3. The commercial launch of E85 in India preceded the launch of Ethanol 100 fuel by the Union Petroleum Minister.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- While E20 contains 20% ethanol blended with petrol, E85 contains 80–85% ethanol with the balance being petrol.
- E85 is meant exclusively for Flex-Fuel Vehicles, whereas E20 can be dispensed for use in vehicles calibrated for E20 compatibility.
- The commercial launch of E85 in India preceded the launch of Ethanol 100 fuel by the Union Petroleum Minister.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. With reference to the launch of E85 fuel across 48 retail outlets on World Environment Day 2026, which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry under which the initiative has been operationalised?
- A. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
- B. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- C. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- D. Ministry of Heavy Industries
Q4. With reference to the E85 fuel rollout commenced on World Environment Day 2026, consider the following statements:
- E85 is a blended fuel containing 80–85% ethanol and 14–19% petrol, meant for use in Flex-Fuel Vehicles.
- The rollout commenced across 48 retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies.
- E85 is priced approximately Rs 20 per litre lower than conventional petrol at participating outlets.
- The Government has set a target of scaling up E85 availability to about 5,000 retail outlets by December 2026.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q5. In the context of India's Ethanol Blending Programme, which one of the following correctly describes 'E20'?
- A. Petrol blended with 20% ethanol by volume
- B. Diesel blended with 20% ethanol by volume
- C. Petrol blended with 20% biodiesel (fatty-acid methyl ester) by volume
- D. High-speed diesel blended with 20% methanol by volume
Q6. With reference to the evolution of India's Ethanol Blending Programme, consider the following statements:
- The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme was launched by the Government of India in 2003 on a pilot basis.
- The National Policy on Biofuels notified in 2018 originally set the indicative target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by Ethanol Supply Year 2025-26.
- Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies achieved an average of 10% ethanol blending in petrol during Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22, ahead of the originally scheduled target.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. Under the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, the term "Advanced Biofuels" refers exclusively to which one of the following?
- A. First Generation (1G) bioethanol produced from sugarcane molasses and biodiesel from non-edible oilseeds
- B. Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels and bio-CNG
- C. Any biofuel that is blended in conventional petrol or diesel at a rate strictly exceeding twenty per cent by volume
- D. Biodiesel produced solely from imported non-edible vegetable oils and Used Cooking Oil within Special Economic Zones
Q8. With reference to the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 (as amended in 2022), consider the following raw materials :
1. Sweet sorghum
2. Used Cooking Oil
3. Damaged food grains unfit for human consumption
4. Rotten potatoes
Which of the above is/are permitted as feedstock for production of ethanol under the Policy?
- Sweet sorghum
- Used Cooking Oil
- Damaged food grains unfit for human consumption
- Rotten potatoes
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. As per the NITI Aayog 'Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25', which one of the following has historically been the principal (traditional) feedstock for ethanol production under India's Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme?
- A. Maize
- B. Sugarcane molasses
- C. Surplus rice from the Food Corporation of India
- D. Damaged food grains
Q10. The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, including the rollout of E85 across Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies' retail outlets, is operationalised by which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
- B. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
- C. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Q11. With reference to India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme and the transition towards higher blends, consider the following statements:
- NITI Aayog's 'Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25' projected that a successful E20 programme could save the country about US $4 billion (around Rs. 30,000 crore) per annum in foreign exchange.
- The 20% blending target under the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 was originally envisaged for the year 2030 and was subsequently advanced to Ethanol Supply Year 2025-26.
- Cumulatively from Ethanol Supply Year 2014-15 to July 2025, ethanol blending in petrol by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies has resulted in foreign-exchange savings of more than Rs. 1,44,000 crore.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q12. Which one of the following NITI Aayog publications first set out the projection that a successful E20 programme would save India about US $4 billion (around Rs. 30,000 crore) per annum in foreign exchange?
- A. Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25
- B. India Energy Security Scenarios 2047
- C. Draft National Energy Policy
- D. Strategy for New India @75
Q13. With reference to mobility in India, which one of the following best describes a 'Flex-Fuel Vehicle' (FFV)?
- A. A vehicle with an internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, typically petrol blended with varying proportions of ethanol up to 85%
- B. A dual-fuel vehicle whose engine can be switched between compressed natural gas (CNG) and petrol via a separate fuel-storage system
- C. A strong-hybrid vehicle in which an electric motor and a petrol engine alternately drive the wheels using regenerative braking
- D. A vehicle whose engine is calibrated to run exclusively on 100% biodiesel produced from non-edible oilseeds such as jatropha
Q14. Which one of the following automobile manufacturers launched India's first Flex-Fuel passenger vehicle, rolled out alongside the E85 fuel programme?
- A. Maruti Suzuki India Limited
- B. Toyota Kirloskar Motor
- C. Tata Motors
- D. Mahindra & Mahindra