UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A.P. MedTech Zone to drive BRICS BioDesign initiative

Q1. Consider the following institutions/facilities in relation to the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), Visakhapatnam: 1. Kalam Institute of Health Technology, set up to act as a think-tank for the medical devices sector 2. A dedicated 'Health Cloud' data centre for the health sector, established by RailTel 3. An extension centre of a National Skill Training Institute 4. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology Which of the above is/are correctly identified as located on the AMTZ campus?

  1. Kalam Institute of Health Technology, set up to act as a think-tank for the medical devices sector
  2. A dedicated 'Health Cloud' data centre for the health sector, established by RailTel
  3. An extension centre of a National Skill Training Institute
  4. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q2. Consider the following statements comparing the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) with medical device parks generally: 1. AMTZ received a grant-in-aid of Rs. 25 crore under the sub-scheme 'Assistance to Medical Device Industry for Common Facility Centre' for establishing a superconducting magnetic coil testing and research facility. 2. Unlike other medical device parks, the manufacturing units at AMTZ are confined to electro-medical and radiological devices, biomaterial-based devices being excluded from the zone. 3. Besides manufacturing units, AMTZ provides common scientific facilities such as research and development institutions and testing laboratories, and it also functions as an incubation centre for start-ups. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. AMTZ received a grant-in-aid of Rs. 25 crore under the sub-scheme 'Assistance to Medical Device Industry for Common Facility Centre' for establishing a superconducting magnetic coil testing and research facility.
  2. Unlike other medical device parks, the manufacturing units at AMTZ are confined to electro-medical and radiological devices, biomaterial-based devices being excluded from the zone.
  3. Besides manufacturing units, AMTZ provides common scientific facilities such as research and development institutions and testing laboratories, and it also functions as an incubation centre for start-ups.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. The BRICS BioDesign Programme launched at New Delhi is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A coordinated multilateral funding call for research projects in biotechnology, announced by the Department of Biotechnology with the Department of Science and Technology as coordinating agency
  • B. A regulatory harmonisation mechanism for the registration and post-market surveillance of medical devices, operated through the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
  • C. A collaborative platform for need-driven co-development of affordable medical technologies among BRICS countries, led by the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone with institutional partners
  • D. A postgraduate fellowship in medical technology innovation implemented jointly at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in collaboration with international partners

Q4. Which one of the following best describes the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC)?

  • A. A statutory council that exercises exclusive authority over all research funding decisions of every scientific ministry of the Union Government
  • B. A constitutional body solely responsible for appointing the heads of all national research laboratories in the country
  • C. An inter-ministerial council whose prior clearance is mandatory for each and every international science and technology agreement signed by India
  • D. An overarching council that enables the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to assess specific science and technology domains, formulate interventions and advise the Prime Minister

Q5. The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster an enabling ecosystem for research and development with which one of the following industry bodies?

  • A. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
  • B. Confederation of Indian Industry
  • C. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
  • D. National Association of Software and Service Companies

Q6. How many Science & Technology (S&T) Clusters are currently active across India under the initiative anchored by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser?

  • A. Five
  • B. Eight
  • C. Eleven
  • D. Fourteen

Q7. Which one of the following statements about the institutional anchoring of the S&T Clusters initiative, under which the Vizag Cluster hosted the 3rd All S&T Clusters' Meet, is correct?

  • A. It is implemented exclusively by the Department of Science and Technology, with membership restricted entirely to publicly funded research institutions
  • B. It is administered by NITI Aayog, and every cluster must necessarily be hosted by an Indian Institute of Technology or a national laboratory
  • C. It is anchored by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and follows a consortium model spanning academia, industry, start-ups, MSMEs and local governments
  • D. It is run by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and the participation of international partners in any cluster is permanently barred

Q8. The 'BRICS STI Framework Programme' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A financing window of the New Development Bank that lends to science and technology infrastructure projects in member countries
  • B. An arrangement under which the funding agencies of member countries issue coordinated calls for multilateral projects requiring partners from at least three member countries
  • C. A standing ministerial forum that negotiates mutual recognition of patents and technical standards among member countries
  • D. A scholarship scheme enabling early-career researchers to spend a year in a partner country's national laboratory

Q9. With reference to India's chairship of BRICS, which one of the following is correct?

  • A. India assumed its third BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026, having earlier chaired the grouping in 2012 and 2016
  • B. India assumed its second BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026, having earlier chaired the grouping only in 2021
  • C. India assumed its fourth BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026, having earlier chaired the grouping in 2012, 2016 and 2021
  • D. India assumed its fourth BRICS Chairship on 1 January 2026, having earlier chaired the grouping in 2009, 2012 and 2016

Q10. The Biodesign programme for medical technology innovation supported by the Department of Biotechnology is implemented jointly at which pair of lead institutions?

  • A. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
  • B. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
  • C. Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
  • D. Christian Medical College, Vellore and Indian Institute of Technology Madras