UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DAE Inaugurates Deuterated Compounds Production Plant and Commissions Prototype Sodium Cell at HWBF, Vadodara

Question 1

India's 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, which attained first criticality in 2026, was designed and constructed by which one of the following organisations under the Department of Atomic Energy?

Accepted Answer

Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)

Answer

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)

Answer

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

Answer

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)

Question 2

In the context of India's three-stage nuclear power programme, the term 'breeder' in 'Fast Breeder Reactor' precisely refers to a reactor that:

Accepted Answer

produces more fissile material than it consumes during operation

Answer

uses fast neutrons that are slowed down by a heavy-water moderator before fission

Answer

generates electricity solely by breeding tritium from lithium blankets

Answer

breeds natural uranium into enriched uranium for use in thermal reactors

Question 3

India's nuclear power programme — conceived by Dr. Homi Bhabha and advanced by the 2026 first criticality of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor — is structured into how many sequential stages?

Accepted Answer

Three

Answer

Two

Answer

Four

Answer

Five

Question 4

The 24 kA Prototype Sodium Cell commissioned in 2026 at Vadodara, enabling indigenous production of nuclear-grade sodium coolant for the Fast Breeder Reactor programme, was set up by which body?

Accepted Answer

Heavy Water Board (HWB), Department of Atomic Energy

Answer

Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)

Answer

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)

Answer

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)

Question 5

In the context of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor commissioned at Kalpakkam, the term 'breeder reactor' precisely denotes a reactor that:

Accepted Answer

produces more fissile material than it consumes by converting fertile uranium-238 into fissile plutonium-239

Answer

uses heavy water both as moderator and coolant to sustain a chain reaction with natural uranium

Answer

directly fissions thorium-232 to generate electricity without any prior conversion step

Answer

operates on slow (thermal) neutrons moderated by graphite to maximise fuel burn-up

Question 6

Which one of the following countries is the largest producer of heavy water (D2O) in the world?

Accepted Answer

India

Answer

Canada

Answer

Russia

Answer

United States of America

Question 7

The Heavy Water Board, which produces nuclear-grade heavy water used as moderator and coolant in PHWRs, functions under which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Department of Atomic Energy

Answer

Ministry of Power

Answer

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Answer

Defence Research and Development Organisation

Question 8

The Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant, inaugurated at Vadodara in June 2026, is set up and operated by which one of the following constituent units of the Department of Atomic Energy?

Accepted Answer

Heavy Water Board

Answer

Nuclear Fuel Complex

Answer

Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI)

Answer

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Question 9

The Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant at Vadodara has been set up primarily to achieve indigenous production of which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

High-purity deuterated compounds and solvents

Answer

Nuclear-grade sodium for fast breeder reactors

Answer

Oxygen-18 enriched water for healthcare

Answer

Enriched uranium hexafluoride for reactor fuel

Question 10

With reference to the units and facilities of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), consider the following pairs of organisation and its principal location:
1. BHAVINI — Kalpakkam
2. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) — Kalpakkam
3. Heavy Water Board Facility where the Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant was inaugurated — Vadodara
4. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) — Kalpakkam
Which of the pairs given above is/are NOT correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2

Answer

2 and 3

Answer

3 and 4

Question 11

With reference to the institutional architecture of India's nuclear establishment, consider the following statements:
1. BHAVINI is the public sector undertaking entrusted with operating the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam.
2. The Heavy Water Board, which launched the Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant at Vadodara, is a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy.
3. The Atomic Energy Commission is the apex policy-making body of the Department of Atomic Energy and is chaired by the Secretary, DAE.
4. The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research is located at Trombay, Mumbai.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 12

In India's three-stage nuclear power programme, which one of the following is the principal fissile material envisaged to fuel the reactors of the third (thorium-based) stage?

Accepted Answer

Uranium-233

Answer

Plutonium-239

Answer

Uranium-235

Answer

Uranium-238

Question 13

In the context of India's thorium resources, the term 'monazite' is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A rare-earth phosphate mineral found in beach placer sands that is the principal source of thorium in India

Answer

A uranium oxide ore (pitchblende) that is the chief source of natural uranium in India

Answer

A graphite-based moderator material used in pressurised heavy water reactors

Answer

A liquid sodium-bearing compound used as coolant in fast breeder reactors

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DAE Inaugurates Deuterated Compounds Production Plant and Commissions Prototype Sodium Cell at HWBF, Vadodara

Q1. India's 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, which attained first criticality in 2026, was designed and constructed by which one of the following organisations under the Department of Atomic Energy?

Q2. In the context of India's three-stage nuclear power programme, the term 'breeder' in 'Fast Breeder Reactor' precisely refers to a reactor that:

Q3. India's nuclear power programme — conceived by Dr. Homi Bhabha and advanced by the 2026 first criticality of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor — is structured into how many sequential stages?

Q4. The 24 kA Prototype Sodium Cell commissioned in 2026 at Vadodara, enabling indigenous production of nuclear-grade sodium coolant for the Fast Breeder Reactor programme, was set up by which body?

Q5. In the context of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor commissioned at Kalpakkam, the term 'breeder reactor' precisely denotes a reactor that:

Q6. Which one of the following countries is the largest producer of heavy water (D2O) in the world?

Q7. The Heavy Water Board, which produces nuclear-grade heavy water used as moderator and coolant in PHWRs, functions under which one of the following?

Q8. The Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant, inaugurated at Vadodara in June 2026, is set up and operated by which one of the following constituent units of the Department of Atomic Energy?

Q9. The Versatile Deuterated Compounds Production Plant at Vadodara has been set up primarily to achieve indigenous production of which one of the following?

Q12. In India's three-stage nuclear power programme, which one of the following is the principal fissile material envisaged to fuel the reactors of the third (thorium-based) stage?

Q13. In the context of India's thorium resources, the term 'monazite' is best described as which one of the following?