UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Missing measure in India’s magnet mission

Q1. Under the National Critical Mineral Mission, the Geological Survey of India has been tasked with undertaking how many exploration projects during the Mission period 2024-25 to 2030-31?

  • A. 100 exploration projects, spread across onshore and offshore areas
  • B. 270 exploration projects, spread across onshore and offshore areas
  • C. 1,200 exploration projects, spread across onshore and offshore areas
  • D. 1,500 exploration projects, spread across onshore and offshore areas

Q2. The Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets will run for how many years from the date of award to a selected beneficiary?

  • A. Two years, being the gestation period allowed for commissioning the facility
  • B. Five years, running concurrently for all selected beneficiaries
  • C. Seven years, counted separately for each selected beneficiary
  • D. Ten years, counted separately for each selected beneficiary

Q3. Consider the following statements about the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets: 1. The entire 6,000 MTPA capacity is to be allotted to a single national champion selected by nomination. 2. The scheme provides sales-linked incentives on magnet sales in addition to a capital subsidy for setting up manufacturing facilities. 3. The scheme targets integrated manufacturing facilities, that is, plants converting rare earth oxides all the way to finished magnets. 4. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Mines, which exclusively handles all rare-earth-related industrial incentives in India. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The entire 6,000 MTPA capacity is to be allotted to a single national champion selected by nomination.
  2. The scheme provides sales-linked incentives on magnet sales in addition to a capital subsidy for setting up manufacturing facilities.
  3. The scheme targets integrated manufacturing facilities, that is, plants converting rare earth oxides all the way to finished magnets.
  4. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Mines, which exclusively handles all rare-earth-related industrial incentives in India.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q4. China's export control measures on seven rare earth elements and associated magnets, effective from early April 2025, are most directly attributed to which one of the following as the primary immediate trigger?

  • A. Escalation of tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese goods
  • B. An adverse ruling on Chinese export duties and quotas in the WTO dispute on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum
  • C. Expansion of rare earth mining output in Myanmar and Australia eroding China's share
  • D. India's Cabinet approval of the National Critical Mineral Mission in January 2025

Q5. Consider the following statements comparing China's 2025 rare earth export control regime with its earlier export restrictions on rare earths: 1. The 2025 measures were notified by China's National Development and Reform Commission, with export licences issued by the General Administration of Customs. 2. Whereas the earlier restrictions challenged at the WTO took the form of export duties and export quotas on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum, the 2025 measures operate through a case-by-case export licensing requirement. 3. Unlike the earlier restrictions, the 2025 rules reach magnets manufactured outside China if they contain even trace amounts of China-sourced rare earth material or were made using Chinese extraction, refining or magnet-making technology. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2025 measures were notified by China's National Development and Reform Commission, with export licences issued by the General Administration of Customs.
  2. Whereas the earlier restrictions challenged at the WTO took the form of export duties and export quotas on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum, the 2025 measures operate through a case-by-case export licensing requirement.
  3. Unlike the earlier restrictions, the 2025 rules reach magnets manufactured outside China if they contain even trace amounts of China-sourced rare earth material or were made using Chinese extraction, refining or magnet-making technology.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. Which one of the following permanent magnet materials offers the highest maximum energy product, (BH)max, among commercially available permanent magnets?

  • A. Alnico, an alloy of aluminium, nickel and cobalt with iron
  • B. Strontium ferrite, a ceramic oxide magnet material
  • C. The samarium-cobalt intermetallic phase Sm2Co17
  • D. The neodymium-iron-boron intermetallic phase Nd2Fe14B

Q7. The samarium-cobalt rare earth permanent magnet facility set up in the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre campus at Visakhapatnam, meant largely for strategic and defence end-uses, was made operational with an initial production capacity of how much per year?

  • A. 100 tonnes per year of finished magnets
  • B. 500 tonnes per year of finished magnets
  • C. 1,200 tonnes per year of finished magnets
  • D. 5,000 tonnes per year of finished magnets

Q8. Consider the following pairs: 1. Rare Earth Extraction Plant of IREL (India) Limited - Odisha 2. Rare Earth Refining Unit at Aluva - Kerala 3. State included among the Dedicated Rare Earth Corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 - West Bengal 4. Administrative control of IREL (India) Limited - Department of Atomic Energy Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Rare Earth Extraction Plant of IREL (India) Limited - Odisha
  2. Rare Earth Refining Unit at Aluva - Kerala
  3. State included among the Dedicated Rare Earth Corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 - West Bengal
  4. Administrative control of IREL (India) Limited - Department of Atomic Energy
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q9. The midstream step of India's rare earth value chain - converting rare earth oxides into finished sintered magnets - is being incentivised through a dedicated scheme administered by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Mines, which also administers the National Critical Mineral Mission
  • B. The Ministry of Heavy Industries, which issued the global tender for the magnet scheme
  • C. The Department of Atomic Energy, which exercises administrative control over IREL (India) Limited
  • D. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q10. Consider the following statements about China's position in the global rare earth supply chain relative to other countries: 1. China's share of global rare earth processing capacity is substantially higher than its share of global rare earth production. 2. China accounts for close to 90 per cent of the world's rare earth magnet supply. 3. The rare earth mine output produced outside China comes mainly from Japan, which is the largest rare earth mining nation after China. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. China's share of global rare earth processing capacity is substantially higher than its share of global rare earth production.
  2. China accounts for close to 90 per cent of the world's rare earth magnet supply.
  3. The rare earth mine output produced outside China comes mainly from Japan, which is the largest rare earth mining nation after China.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3