UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — TV delinked from AIR

Q1. With reference to the 1 April 1976 separation of television from All India Radio, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Television was separated from All India Radio on 1 April 1976.
  2. On separation, Doordarshan became a separate Department within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  3. The 1976 reorganisation immediately made Doordarshan a fully autonomous statutory corporation, completely free from governmental control.
  4. Regular daily television transmission in India had begun earlier, in 1965, while still under All India Radio.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the early institutional history of Indian television. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. India's experimental television telecast was inaugurated in 1959.
  2. Doordarshan continued to function under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting after the 1976 split.
  3. India's first telecast in colour took place in 1982.
  4. Television in India was never broadcast before 1976 and began only with the delinking of that year.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q3. With reference to the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. SITE was conducted during 1975-76.
  2. SITE used the American ATS-6 satellite.
  3. SITE reached about 2,400 villages spread across six states.
  4. SITE was India's first television experiment carried over India's own INSAT satellite.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q4. Consider the following statements comparing SITE with later developments in Indian broadcasting. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. SITE relied on the American ATS-6 satellite, whereas India's own INSAT-1A satellite came into use only later, in 1982.
  2. SITE, conducted in 1975-76, reached around 2,400 villages across six states.
  3. During 1975-76 SITE reached every village in all Indian states.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. Which one of the following best describes the legal status of Prasar Bharati?

  • A. A statutory autonomous corporation established under an Act of Parliament
  • B. A constitutional body established under a provision of the Constitution
  • C. A government department functioning directly under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
  • D. A non-profit society registered under the Societies Registration Act

Q6. Prasar Bharati, comprising Doordarshan and All India Radio, functions under the administrative aegis of which Union Ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • C. Ministry of Communications
  • D. Ministry of Culture

Q7. Which broadcasting milestone did India achieve in 1965 with respect to television?

  • A. Commencement of a regular television service beaming signals to homes
  • B. Launch of the first experimental television telecast
  • C. Delinking of television from All India Radio
  • D. Introduction of colour television broadcasts

Q8. In which year was India's first experimental television telecast inaugurated in Delhi?

  • A. 1959
  • B. 1965
  • C. 1976
  • D. 1982

Q9. With reference to the Supreme Court's 1995 judgment in Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Court held that broadcasting is a medium of speech and expression protected under Article 19(1)(a).
  2. The Court held that broadcasting could be restricted only on the grounds enumerated in Article 19(2).
  3. The Court held that the government enjoys an absolute and exclusive monopoly over the airwaves.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. Consider the following statements about the 1995 Cricket Association of Bengal judgment on airwaves. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The judgment treated airwaves as public property to be used in the public interest.
  2. The dispute arose over telecasting rights of cricket matches.
  3. The ruling permitted restrictions on broadcasting only under Article 19(2).
  4. The judgment struck down Article 19(1)(a) and removed broadcasting from the ambit of free speech.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 4 only

Q11. Which one of the following is Prasar Bharati's own Free-to-Air Direct-To-Home (DTH) television platform?

  • A. DD Free Dish
  • B. Tata Play
  • C. Dish TV
  • D. Sun Direct

Q12. Consider the following statements about the introduction of colour television in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. India's first telecast in colour took place on 15 August 1982 with the national programme.
  2. INSAT-1A, commissioned in 1982, was India's domestic communication satellite that aided national broadcasting.
  3. Colour television was first introduced in India in 1959, simultaneously with the experimental telecast.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3