UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A homegrown innovation ecosystem is taking root

Question 1

With reference to patent applications filed in India in the financial year 2025-26, consider the following:
1. The number of applications filed crossed 1.43 lakh, the highest ever recorded in any single financial year.
2. Applicants resident in India accounted for nearly seven out of every ten applications filed.
3. Every State and Union Territory recorded a higher number of filings than in the preceding financial year, with Tamil Nadu recording the highest number.
4. Applications by foreign applicants numbered less than half the applications filed by domestic applicants.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 2

Consider the following figures and the descriptions attached to them in the context of India's innovation performance:
1. 1,10,375 — patent applications filed in India in FY 2024-25
2. 30.2 per cent — year-on-year growth in patent filings in India in FY 2025-26
3. Under 50,000 — patent applications filed in India in FY 2015-16
4. Sixth — India's rank in the Global Innovation Index, 2025
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

2 only

Answer

2 and 4

Question 3

Consider the following statements comparing the Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator (GEECI) with the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme:
1. GEECI is implemented through the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development, the incubation arm of the Indian Institute of Science, whereas the DLI scheme extends support directly to chip-design companies and start-ups.
2. GEECI's project outlay is larger than the per-application ceiling prescribed for the product design incentive under the DLI scheme.
3. Unlike the DLI scheme, which was launched in December 2021, GEECI is funded by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 4

The Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator at IISc Bengaluru is funded and operationalised through which one of the following combinations?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, through the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development

Answer

Department of Science and Technology, through the Technology Development Board

Answer

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, through the Startup India initiative

Answer

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

Question 5

Indigenous processes for growing four-inch silicon carbide wafers and for fabricating gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits for X-band applications were developed by which one of the following laboratories?

Accepted Answer

Solid State Physics Laboratory, Delhi, functioning under the Defence Research and Development Organisation

Answer

Semi-Conductor Laboratory, Mohali, functioning under the Department of Space

Answer

Gallium Arsenide Enabling Technology Centre, Hyderabad, functioning under the Ministry of Defence

Answer

Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research, functioning under MeitY

Question 6

Consider the following statements comparing gallium nitride with silicon as a semiconductor material:
1. Gallium nitride has a bandgap of about 3.4 eV, roughly three times that of silicon.
2. In a gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, conduction takes place through a two-dimensional electron gas formed at a heterojunction with aluminium gallium nitride.
3. Silicon devices retain their electrical performance at higher operating temperatures than gallium nitride devices, which is why silicon is preferred in radar transmit-receive modules.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 7

The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks functions under which authority, and supervises the working of which set of statutes?

Accepted Answer

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; the Patents Act, 1970, the Designs Act, 2000 and the Trade Marks Act, 1999

Answer

Ministry of Corporate Affairs; the Patents Act, 1970, the Designs Act, 2000 and the Trade Marks Act, 1999

Answer

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; the Patents Act, 1970, the Copyright Act, 1957 and the Trade Marks Act, 1999

Answer

Department of Science and Technology; the Patents Act, 1970, the Designs Act, 2000 and the Geographical Indications Act, 1999

Question 8

India's intellectual property rights policy management framework covers how many distinct types of intellectual property rights?

Accepted Answer

Eight

Answer

Four

Answer

Six

Answer

Ten

Question 9

Consider the following statements about India's schemes for supporting innovators and start-ups:
1. Under the Scheme for Facilitating Start-Ups Intellectual Property Protection, recognised start-ups are given an 80 per cent rebate in fees for filing patent applications.
2. The same scheme provides recognised start-ups a 50 per cent rebate in fees for filing trade mark applications.
3. The Atal Innovation Mission, whose continuation up to March 2028 was approved with an outlay of Rs 2,750 crore, functions under the Ministry of Education.
4. Under the intellectual property facilitation arrangement for start-ups, the professional charges of the empanelled facilitators are borne by the Central Government.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

3 only

Answer

2 only

Answer

3 and 4

Answer

1 and 4

Question 10

The National Intellectual Property Rights Policy adopted by the Union Government in 2016 lays down how many objectives?

Accepted Answer

Seven

Answer

Five

Answer

Nine

Answer

Eleven

Question 11

The Global Innovation Index 2025, in which India was placed 38th, benchmarked the innovation performance of how many economies?

Accepted Answer

One hundred and thirty-nine

Answer

One hundred and twenty-nine

Answer

One hundred and thirty-three

Answer

One hundred and forty-three

Question 12

India's first wholly indigenous CAR-T cell therapy for cancer, developed with support from the Ministry of Science and Technology, emerged from a collaboration led by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre, with the start-up ImmunoACT

Answer

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and the National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar, with the start-up Immuneel Therapeutics

Answer

CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, with the company Laurus Labs

Answer

Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, with the company Biocon Biologics

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A homegrown innovation ecosystem is taking root

Q4. The Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator at IISc Bengaluru is funded and operationalised through which one of the following combinations?

Q5. Indigenous processes for growing four-inch silicon carbide wafers and for fabricating gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits for X-band applications were developed by which one of the following laboratories?

Q7. The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks functions under which authority, and supervises the working of which set of statutes?

Q8. India's intellectual property rights policy management framework covers how many distinct types of intellectual property rights?

Q10. The National Intellectual Property Rights Policy adopted by the Union Government in 2016 lays down how many objectives?

Q11. The Global Innovation Index 2025, in which India was placed 38th, benchmarked the innovation performance of how many economies?

Q12. India's first wholly indigenous CAR-T cell therapy for cancer, developed with support from the Ministry of Science and Technology, emerged from a collaboration led by which one of the following?