UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyaan

Q1. The 'Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan' (PMSMA), launched in June 2016 to provide a fixed-day assured antenatal care package, is implemented under which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. Ministry of AYUSH
  • D. Ministry of Rural Development

Q2. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) and the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), consider the following statements: 1. PMSMA was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2016, whereas JSSK was launched earlier, in 2011. 2. While JSSK primarily addresses the expenses associated with institutional delivery, PMSMA focuses on providing assured antenatal care on the 9th of every month to women in their second and third trimesters. 3. Both PMSMA and JSSK provide a conditional cash incentive to pregnant women who opt for institutional delivery. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. PMSMA was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2016, whereas JSSK was launched earlier, in 2011.
  2. While JSSK primarily addresses the expenses associated with institutional delivery, PMSMA focuses on providing assured antenatal care on the 9th of every month to women in their second and third trimesters.
  3. Both PMSMA and JSSK provide a conditional cash incentive to pregnant women who opt for institutional delivery.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. The Extended Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (E-PMSMA), which provides for name-based line-listing and individual tracking of High-Risk Pregnancies, was rolled out in which year?

  • A. 2016
  • B. 2019
  • C. 2022
  • D. 2024

Q4. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) and its Extended version (E-PMSMA) for tracking of High-Risk Pregnancies are implemented by which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. Ministry of Rural Development
  • D. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Q5. Which one of the following best describes the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), which completed a decade in June 2026?

  • A. A conditional cash transfer to pregnant women and lactating mothers for institutional delivery at government and accredited private health facilities.
  • B. A fixed-day scheme guaranteeing free, comprehensive and quality antenatal care on the 9th of every month to pregnant women in their second and third trimesters.
  • C. An initiative guaranteeing free delivery, including caesarean section, and free drugs, diagnostics and diet to pregnant women and sick newborns up to one year.
  • D. A programme assuring dignified, respectful and quality maternity services at no cost, with zero tolerance for denial of services across the entire continuum of care.

Q6. As per the PIB backgrounder marking the decade completion of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan in June 2026, approximately how many pregnant women have cumulatively been examined under the scheme since its launch?

  • A. Just over 1 crore
  • B. About 3 crore
  • C. About 6 crore
  • D. More than 7.5 crore

Q7. Which one of the following Government of India maternal health schemes was launched in the year 2005 as a conditional cash transfer programme to promote institutional delivery?

  • A. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)
  • B. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
  • C. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
  • D. Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN)

Q8. Consider the four flagship maternal health initiatives of the Government of India — Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan and Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan. How many of them were launched before the year 2015?

  • A. Only one
  • B. Only two
  • C. Only three
  • D. All four

Q9. With reference to the engagement of the private sector under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), as compared to the earlier Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), consider the following statements:

  1. Unlike the Janani Suraksha Yojana, which is essentially a conditional cash transfer scheme for institutional delivery, the PMSMA delivers antenatal services through voluntary participation of private sector specialists at government health facilities.
  2. Under the 'I Pledge for 9' component of PMSMA, only obstetricians and gynaecologists from the private sector are permitted to volunteer; radiologists and physicians are excluded from the scheme.
  3. PMSMA services on the 9th of every month are provided free of cost exclusively to pregnant women in their first trimester.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. As per the latest official figures released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, approximately how many private sector doctors have registered as volunteers under the 'I Pledge for 9' initiative of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?

  • A. Around 950
  • B. Around 2,937
  • C. Around 7,500
  • D. Around 12,400

Q11. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyaan (PMSMA) and its linkage with maternal health goals, consider the following statements:

  1. PMSMA is implemented under the umbrella of the National Health Mission of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  2. Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.1 seeks to reduce the global Maternal Mortality Ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
  3. According to the Sample Registration System bulletin for 2019-21, India's Maternal Mortality Ratio had already fallen below the SDG 3.1 threshold of 70 per lakh live births.
  4. PMSMA delivers its assured antenatal care package primarily to pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 2 and 4 only

Q12. The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyaan (PMSMA) is most directly aligned with which one of the following Sustainable Development Goal indicators as its principal outcome target?

  • A. Indicator 3.1.1 — Maternal Mortality Ratio
  • B. Indicator 3.2.1 — Under-five Mortality Rate
  • C. Indicator 3.7.1 — Proportion of women of reproductive age whose need for family planning is satisfied with modern methods
  • D. Indicator 3.8.1 — Coverage of essential health services

Q13. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), the minimum package of assured antenatal care services on the 9th of every month is operationalised by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. Ministry of Rural Development
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q14. With reference to the package of services provided under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), consider the following statements:

  1. The services under the Abhiyan are provided free of cost to all eligible beneficiaries on a fixed day every month.
  2. The minimum package of laboratory investigations includes screening for HIV and Syphilis.
  3. Only pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy are eligible to avail services under the Abhiyan.
  4. A red colour-coded sticker affixed on the Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card denotes that the pregnancy has been identified as high-risk.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only