UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — 50 years ago: No threat from nuclear power stations
Q1. With reference to a nuclear power reactor as distinguished from a fission weapon, consider the following features:
1. Fuel of low enrichment in uranium-235
2. A moderator that slows down neutrons so that the chain reaction is sustained in a controlled manner
3. Fissile material enriched to about 93 per cent in uranium-235 as the standard fuel charge
4. A chain reaction deliberately held at a constant level rather than allowed to accelerate
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as features of a nuclear power reactor?
- Fuel of low enrichment in uranium-235
- A moderator that slows down neutrons so that the chain reaction is sustained in a controlled manner
- Fissile material enriched to about 93 per cent in uranium-235 as the standard fuel charge
- A chain reaction deliberately held at a constant level rather than allowed to accelerate
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 3 only
Q2. The design and development of India's indigenous next-generation reactor concepts, including the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), the 55 MWe SMR-55 and a High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor of up to 5 MWth, is being carried out by which one of the following?
- A. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, the public sector undertaking that operates India's commercial power stations
- B. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, the Department of Atomic Energy centre devoted to fast breeder reactor technology
- C. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, the multidisciplinary research centre of the Department of Atomic Energy at Trombay
- D. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, the body that frames safety codes and standards for India's nuclear installations
Q3. India's nuclear regulator, the AERB, is not an independent statutory authority created by a separate law; its functioning is overseen by which one of the following bodies, which also lays down national policy for the nuclear programme?
- A. The Atomic Energy Commission, which is headed by the Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy
- B. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, which operates India's commercial power reactors
- C. The Cabinet Committee on Security, which clears strategic programmes of the Government of India
- D. The Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, who coordinates national science policy
Q4. Which one of the following statements regarding the creation of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is correct?
- A. It was created by a separate Act of Parliament passed in 1983, which made it fully independent of the Department of Atomic Energy
- B. It was established in 1986 under the Environment (Protection) Act, which alone is the entire source of its regulatory authority
- C. It was constituted in 1983 by the President of India in exercise of the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962
- D. It was set up in 1962 along with the Department of Atomic Energy, and has since regulated all industrial safety in the country
Q5. Under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, a licence for working mines of atomic minerals or for the production, use or trade in prescribed substances and related plant could be granted only to which one of the following?
- A. Any company incorporated in India in which resident Indian citizens hold a majority of the paid-up equity capital
- B. A department of the Central Government or a company owned by the Central Government
- C. Any person or firm holding a valid radiological safety clearance issued by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
- D. A joint venture of a State Government undertaking with a foreign nuclear vendor approved by the Department of Atomic Energy
Q6. With reference to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, consider the following:
1. It seeks to replace both the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.
2. It seeks to give statutory recognition to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
3. It seeks to allow companies incorporated in India that are not government companies to be licensed to build, own or operate a nuclear plant.
4. It seeks to retain a single uniform cap on operator liability of Rs 1,500 crore for every nuclear installation, irrespective of capacity.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It seeks to replace both the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.
- It seeks to give statutory recognition to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.
- It seeks to allow companies incorporated in India that are not government companies to be licensed to build, own or operate a nuclear plant.
- It seeks to retain a single uniform cap on operator liability of Rs 1,500 crore for every nuclear installation, irrespective of capacity.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 3 only
- D. 4 only
Q7. Consider the following offices:
1. Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
2. Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission
3. Union Minister of State for Defence
4. First Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as offices held by Dr. Raja Ramanna?
- Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
- Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission
- Union Minister of State for Defence
- First Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. Dr. Raja Ramanna, who headed the team that conducted India's first nuclear experiment at Pokhran in 1974, was conferred how many Padma awards (Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan taken together) during his lifetime?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Q9. Which one of the following entities operates the largest number of India's power reactors and is expected to contribute about half of the 100 GW capacity targeted for 2047?
- A. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited, which is charged with implementing fast breeder reactor projects
- B. Nuclear Fuel Complex, which manufactures fuel bundles and assemblies for India's power reactors
- C. Uranium Corporation of India Limited, which mines and mills uranium ore for the nuclear programme
- D. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the management of radioactive waste at India's nuclear facilities:
1. High level radioactive liquid waste arising from reprocessing of spent fuel is immobilised in an inert glass matrix through vitrification.
2. Vitrified high level waste is kept in Solid Storage Surveillance Facilities for interim storage.
3. Low and intermediate level wastes, after volume reduction, are immobilised in matrices such as cement, bitumen or polymers and disposed of in near surface disposal facilities located at the site.
4. A deep geological repository has already been commissioned in the country to receive vitrified high level waste.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- High level radioactive liquid waste arising from reprocessing of spent fuel is immobilised in an inert glass matrix through vitrification.
- Vitrified high level waste is kept in Solid Storage Surveillance Facilities for interim storage.
- Low and intermediate level wastes, after volume reduction, are immobilised in matrices such as cement, bitumen or polymers and disposed of in near surface disposal facilities located at the site.
- A deep geological repository has already been commissioned in the country to receive vitrified high level waste.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 only
- C. 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. Consider the following statements regarding India's civil nuclear power expansion:
1. The Nuclear Energy Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, against an installed capacity of under 10,000 MW at present.
2. The Mission carries an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for research and development of Small Modular Reactors, with at least five indigenously designed SMRs to be made operational by 2033.
3. The Bharat Small Reactor is a 700 MWe light water reactor design, distinguished from earlier Indian reactors by being deployable only by private operators.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Nuclear Energy Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, against an installed capacity of under 10,000 MW at present.
- The Mission carries an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for research and development of Small Modular Reactors, with at least five indigenously designed SMRs to be made operational by 2033.
- The Bharat Small Reactor is a 700 MWe light water reactor design, distinguished from earlier Indian reactors by being deployable only by private operators.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q12. The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), maintained by the IAEA, is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A peer review service under which international experts assess a country's regulatory framework at the host government's request
- B. An annual ranking of nuclear power plants by operating performance, published jointly by the IAEA and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
- C. A seven-level tool for rating the safety significance of nuclear and radiological events, levels 1 to 3 being incidents and 4 to 7 accidents
- D. A graded set of radiation dose limits for workers and the public, legally binding on all member states of the IAEA