UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The missing ‘reuse’ principle in India’s EV transition journey
Q1. The set of sectoral reports released in January 2026 recommending infrastructure development, formalisation of the informal sector and strengthening of the Extended Producer Responsibility framework for end-of-life vehicles, waste tyres, e-waste and lithium-ion batteries was brought out by which one of the following?
- A. The Central Pollution Control Board, the apex technical body constituted under the Water Act, 1974
- B. The Transport Research Wing of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- C. NITI Aayog, the Government of India's apex public policy think tank
- D. The Automotive Research Association of India, a testing agency under the Ministry of Heavy Industries
Q2. India's Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks covering waste tyres, battery waste, used oil, end-of-life vehicles and non-ferrous scrap metal have all been notified under which one of the following statutes?
- A. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as amended by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019
- B. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- C. The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs
- D. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, under the supervision of the principal bench at New Delhi
Q3. Conversion of an existing conventional motor vehicle for pure electric operation by fitment of an electric powertrain kit is permitted in India under which one of the following?
- A. The Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021, with kits conforming to AIS-129
- B. The Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025, with kits conforming to AIS-155
- C. The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, with kits type-approved under Rule 126 of the CMVR, 1989
- D. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, with kits conforming to AIS-123 as amended from time to time
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding India's regulatory framework for retro-fitment of electric kits to in-use motor vehicles:
1. The proposal was first placed in the public domain as a draft notification amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, before the retro-fitment standards were finally notified.
2. The Automotive Industry Standard prescribed for such kits applies only until corresponding Bureau of Indian Standards specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
3. The framework covers conversion for pure electric operation alone, kits for hybrid electric operation having been kept outside its scope.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The proposal was first placed in the public domain as a draft notification amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, before the retro-fitment standards were finally notified.
- The Automotive Industry Standard prescribed for such kits applies only until corresponding Bureau of Indian Standards specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
- The framework covers conversion for pure electric operation alone, kits for hybrid electric operation having been kept outside its scope.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. Under the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021, for how long does the 'Certificate of Deposit' issued to the owner of a scrapped vehicle remain valid?
- A. One year from the date of its issue by the facility
- B. Two years from the date of its issue by the facility
- C. Five years from the date of its issue by the facility
- D. It remains valid permanently until utilised against the purchase of a new vehicle
Q6. Consider the following benefits claimed to be available to a person who purchases a new vehicle against submission of a Certificate of Deposit obtained from a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility:
1. Waiver of the fee payable for issue of the certificate of registration of the new vehicle.
2. Concession of up to 25 per cent in motor vehicle tax in the case of non-transport vehicles.
3. Concession of up to 25 per cent in motor vehicle tax in the case of transport vehicles.
4. Exemption of the newly purchased vehicle from fitness testing for its first ten years.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Waiver of the fee payable for issue of the certificate of registration of the new vehicle.
- Concession of up to 25 per cent in motor vehicle tax in the case of non-transport vehicles.
- Concession of up to 25 per cent in motor vehicle tax in the case of transport vehicles.
- Exemption of the newly purchased vehicle from fitness testing for its first ten years.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1 and 2
- D. 3 and 4
Q7. Under the Rs. 2,000 crore vehicle scrapping incentive outlay for 2025-26, the highest per-vehicle incentive amount is admissible in respect of which one of the following categories?
- A. Privately owned non-transport vehicles deposited by individual owners
- B. Commercial transport vehicles deposited by private fleet operators
- C. Two- and three-wheelers deposited by micro and small enterprises
- D. Vehicles owned by Central and State government departments and their undertakings
Q8. The registration of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities and the grant of motor vehicle tax concessions against Certificates of Deposit are operationalised through rules notified by which one of the following?
- A. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
- B. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- C. The Ministry of Heavy Industries, under the guidelines of the PM E-DRIVE Scheme
- D. The Ministry of Mines, under the critical mineral recycling incentive scheme
Q9. Consider the following statements about Government of India schemes supporting electric mobility:
1. The Production Linked Incentive scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell battery storage has an outlay of Rs. 25,938 crore for creating 50 GWh of domestic manufacturing capacity.
2. The PM E-DRIVE Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and subsumed the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme, 2024.
3. The tenure of the PM E-DRIVE Scheme has been extended up to 31 March 2028 along with an enhancement of its outlay to Rs. 18,100 crore.
4. FAME-II was implemented from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024 with total budgetary support of Rs. 11,500 crore.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Production Linked Incentive scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell battery storage has an outlay of Rs. 25,938 crore for creating 50 GWh of domestic manufacturing capacity.
- The PM E-DRIVE Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and subsumed the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme, 2024.
- The tenure of the PM E-DRIVE Scheme has been extended up to 31 March 2028 along with an enhancement of its outlay to Rs. 18,100 crore.
- FAME-II was implemented from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024 with total budgetary support of Rs. 11,500 crore.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q10. Under the Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025, the inspection and audit of vehicle producers for compliance with their Extended Producer Responsibility obligations is carried out by which one of the following?
- A. The State Pollution Control Boards of the States concerned
- B. The Transport Departments of the States under the overall supervision of MoRTH
- C. The Central Pollution Control Board
- D. The Automotive Research Association of India as the designated homologation agency
Q11. According to NITI Aayog's January 2026 assessment of India's circular economy in the automotive sector, what proportion of the end-of-life vehicles running on Indian roads was scrapped through authorised channels between August 2022 and July 2025?
- A. Less than 3 per cent
- B. About 18 per cent
- C. About 35 per cent
- D. About 55 per cent