UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Secretary, DAE & Chairman, AEC visits Tarapur Atomic Power Station, Commends the continuing legacy of world’s oldest running power reactors

Q1. The world's oldest currently-operating commercial nuclear power reactors, located at Tarapur in Maharashtra, commenced commercial operation in which one of the following years?

• A. 1956
• B. 1963
• C. 1969
• D. 1974

Q2. Prior to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board's May 2026 clearance for restart and continued operation of Tarapur Atomic Power Station Unit 2, the major refurbishment of the unit — including replacement of reactor coolant recirculation piping and commissioning of the Containment Filtered Venting System — was carried out by which one of the following as the lead operating agency?

• A. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
• B. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)
• C. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
• D. Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC)

Q3. Which one of the following best describes the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) of India?

• A. Statutory regulator of nuclear and radiation safety constituted under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962
• B. Apex policy-making body for atomic energy under the Department of Atomic Energy, whose Chairman is ex-officio the Secretary, DAE
• C. Central public sector undertaking responsible for the design, construction and operation of India's commercial nuclear power reactors
• D. Premier multidisciplinary research centre of the DAE engaged in reactor physics and fuel cycle R&D

Q4. As per the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), how many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) currently function under its administrative control?

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

Q5. Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel, of the type fabricated in India for use in the Tarapur BWRs and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, is composed of how many distinct oxide compounds?

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

Q6. In India's three-stage nuclear programme, which organisation operates the Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility (AFFF) at Tarapur where Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel is manufactured?

• A. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
• B. Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad
• C. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
• D. Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL)

Q7. With reference to Dr. Homi Bhabha's three-stage nuclear power programme of India, consider the following statements about its design features: 1. Stage I employs Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) fuelled by natural uranium. 2. Stage II employs Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel with a thorium blanket. 3. Stage III envisages reactors based on the Uranium-233/Thorium-232 fuel cycle. 4. Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) of the Tarapur type constitute the backbone of Stage I of the programme. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. Stage I employs Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) fuelled by natural uranium.
2. Stage II employs Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) using plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel with a thorium blanket.
3. Stage III envisages reactors based on the Uranium-233/Thorium-232 fuel cycle.
4. Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) of the Tarapur type constitute the backbone of Stage I of the programme.

• A. 4 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2 and 4 only
• D. 3 only

Q8. With reference to the Nuclear Energy Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Mission has an outlay of Rs. 20,000 crore for research and development of Small Modular Reactors, with the goal of operationalising at least five indigenously designed SMRs by 2033.
2. Unlike the SMR-55 design intended for remote and off-grid locations, the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) is being designed for repurposing retiring thermal and captive power plants serving energy-intensive industries.
3. The Mission targets achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2030, superseding the earlier capacity expansion plan of 22,480 MW by 2031-32.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. To enable wider private sector participation under the Nuclear Energy Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, the Government of India has proposed amendments to which of the following statutes?

• A. Only the Atomic Energy Act, 1962
• B. Only the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010
• C. Both the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010
• D. The Atomic Energy Act, 1948 and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board Act, 1983

Q10. The original Indo-US Agreement on Civil Uses of Atomic Energy that enabled the setting up of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station was concluded for an initial period of how many years?

• A. 10 years
• B. 20 years
• C. 30 years
• D. 40 years

Q11. Consider the following pairs of operating nuclear power stations and the States in which they are located: 1. Tarapur Atomic Power Station — Maharashtra 2. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant — Tamil Nadu 3. Kaiga Generating Station — Karnataka 4. Rawatbhata Atomic Power Station — Madhya Pradesh Which of the pairs given above is/are NOT correctly matched?

1. Tarapur Atomic Power Station — Maharashtra
2. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant — Tamil Nadu
3. Kaiga Generating Station — Karnataka
4. Rawatbhata Atomic Power Station — Madhya Pradesh

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 3 only
• C. 4 only
• D. 2 and 4 only

Q12. With reference to operating commercial nuclear power stations under NPCIL, consider the following pairs of station and host State: 1. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station — Gujarat 2. Kaiga Generating Station — Karnataka 3. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant — Kerala 4. Narora Atomic Power Station — Madhya Pradesh Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station — Gujarat
2. Kaiga Generating Station — Karnataka
3. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant — Kerala
4. Narora Atomic Power Station — Madhya Pradesh

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1, 2 and 4 only
• D. 3 and 4 only