UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The thermal cost of India’s textile surge
Q1. According to the ILO, the 2.2% of total working hours projected to be lost worldwide to heat stress by 2030 (assuming a 1.5°C rise) is equivalent to the loss of approximately how many full-time jobs?
- A. 34 million
- B. 80 million
- C. 167 million
- D. 231 million
Q2. According to the ILO report 'Working on a warmer planet', which one of the following sectors is projected to be the single worst-affected by heat stress, accounting for the largest share (about 60%) of global working hours lost by 2030?
- A. Construction
- B. Manufacturing and textiles
- C. Agriculture
- D. Mining and quarrying
Q3. The Union Government's initiative to develop new textile hubs on the lines of Tiruppur and to raise India's textile exports to $100 billion by 2030 is led exclusively by which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- B. Ministry of Textiles
- C. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- D. Ministry of Labour and Employment
Q4. With reference to India's major textile clusters, consider the following statements:
1. Tiruppur, in Tamil Nadu, is a principal cluster for cotton knitwear.
2. Ludhiana, in Punjab, has hosiery as its largest industry.
3. Surat, in Gujarat, is known primarily as a man-made (synthetic) textile hub.
4. Tiruppur accounted for nearly 60% of India's woollen exports in FY26.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Tiruppur, in Tamil Nadu, is a principal cluster for cotton knitwear.
- Ludhiana, in Punjab, has hosiery as its largest industry.
- Surat, in Gujarat, is known primarily as a man-made (synthetic) textile hub.
- Tiruppur accounted for nearly 60% of India's woollen exports in FY26.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q5. The Union Government has announced plans to develop how many new textile hubs on the lines of Tiruppur?
Q6. Consider the following statements comparing India's textile clusters:
1. Tiruppur specialises in cotton knitwear, whereas Ludhiana's largest industry is hosiery.
2. Surat is primarily a man-made (synthetic) fibre hub, unlike Tiruppur which is a cotton-based cluster.
3. Ludhiana lies in Gujarat while Surat lies in Punjab.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Tiruppur specialises in cotton knitwear, whereas Ludhiana's largest industry is hosiery.
- Surat is primarily a man-made (synthetic) fibre hub, unlike Tiruppur which is a cotton-based cluster.
- Ludhiana lies in Gujarat while Surat lies in Punjab.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. In India, the daily heat-wave warning bulletin using a Green–Yellow–Orange–Red colour-code system (as per NDMA guidelines) is issued by which one of the following?
- A. National Disaster Management Authority
- B. India Meteorological Department
- C. National Remote Sensing Centre
- D. Central Water Commission
Q8. Consider the following statements about heat-stress metrics:
1. The heat index is based on air temperature and humidity, whereas the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) additionally accounts for wind speed and radiant heat.
2. WBGT is derived using dry-bulb, wet-bulb and globe temperature readings.
3. WHO recommends that a worker's core body temperature should not exceed 40°C over an 8-hour shift.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The heat index is based on air temperature and humidity, whereas the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) additionally accounts for wind speed and radiant heat.
- WBGT is derived using dry-bulb, wet-bulb and globe temperature readings.
- WHO recommends that a worker's core body temperature should not exceed 40°C over an 8-hour shift.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q9. Which one of the following is the apex body that lays down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management, including heat-wave management, in India?
- A. National Disaster Response Force
- B. India Meteorological Department
- C. National Disaster Management Authority
- D. Ministry of Home Affairs
Q10. Consider the following statements about the IMD/NDMA heat-wave colour-code system:
1. Under the system, Green denotes normal conditions while Red denotes the most severe.
2. The daily heat-wave bulletin uses four colour codes — Green, Yellow, Orange and Red.
3. Orange denotes a more severe condition than Red.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Under the system, Green denotes normal conditions while Red denotes the most severe.
- The daily heat-wave bulletin uses four colour codes — Green, Yellow, Orange and Red.
- Orange denotes a more severe condition than Red.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. The global guidance on workplace heat stress — which holds that labour productivity declines by about 2–3% for every degree above 20°C WBGT — is issued exclusively by which one of the following?
- A. World Health Organization
- B. World Meteorological Organization
- C. United Nations Environment Programme
- D. International Labour Organization