UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda Launches Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) at the 16th CCHFW Meeting to Strengthen Child Health and Early Childhood Development

Q1. Which of the following are correctly identified as structural features of the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK)?

  1. It consolidates the Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) programmes into a single continuum of care.
  2. It introduces Well-Baby Sessions at every Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND).
  3. It introduces a monthly 'Shishu Shivir' at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs for early identification of 'At-risk' children.
  4. It extends the continuum of home and community-based care from birth up to 60 months of age.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Which one of the following is the apex advisory body that recommends the broad lines of policy on health and family welfare to the Centre and the States, and which is constituted under Article 263 of the Constitution?

  • A. National Medical Commission
  • B. Central Council of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. National Health Authority
  • D. Indian Council of Medical Research

Q3. The 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (2026), at which SSBSK was launched, was chaired by which one of the following?

  • A. Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog
  • B. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
  • C. Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare
  • D. The Director General of Health Services (DGHS)

Q4. In the context of India's home-based child health programmes, the abbreviation 'ASHA' stands for which one of the following?

  • A. Accredited Social Health Activist
  • B. Auxiliary Social Health Assistant
  • C. Accredited Sanitation and Health Aide
  • D. Associated Social Healthcare Advocate

Q5. The Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), who delivers the home visits under SSBSK, was first introduced under which one of the following?

  • A. National Health Mission (2013)
  • B. National Rural Health Mission (2005)
  • C. Integrated Child Development Services (1975)
  • D. Janani Suraksha Yojana (2005)

Q6. Under Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 — to which India's child-health agenda, including SSBSK, is aligned — countries aim to reduce the Neonatal Mortality Rate to at least as low as how many deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030?

  • A. 12
  • B. 14
  • C. 19
  • D. 25

Q7. Both the Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) programmes, whose coverage gaps SSBSK was created to bridge, are implemented under which one of the following?

  • A. Integrated Child Development Services
  • B. National Health Mission
  • C. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram
  • D. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

Q8. The following pairs match a maternal/child-health indicator with its officially reported value. Which of the pairs given below is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Infant Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 27 per 1,000 live births
  2. Neonatal Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 19 per 1,000 live births
  3. Under-Five Mortality Rate (SRS 2021) — 31 per 1,000 live births
  4. Maternal Mortality Ratio (SRS 2018–20) — 70 per lakh live births
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only