UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Is India getting hotter?

Q1. IMD's finding of a statistically significant rising trend in heatwave frequency and duration over the Core Heatwave Zone is based on a climatological dataset spanning which period?

  • A. 1901-2000
  • B. 1951-2010
  • C. 1961-2020
  • D. 1971-2020

Q2. The 2025 analysis reporting that 35 of 36 Indian States/UTs are witnessing rising night-time temperatures is attributed to which organisation?

  • A. Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)
  • B. India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • C. NITI Aayog
  • D. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

Q3. As per IMD, over the Plains, the maximum temperature of a station must reach at least what value before a heat wave can be declared (i.e., the minimum absolute threshold)?

  • A. 37°C
  • B. 40°C
  • C. 45°C
  • D. 30°C

Q4. With reference to IMD's heat wave criteria, which of the following are correctly identified?

  1. For coastal stations, the qualifying threshold maximum temperature is 37°C.
  2. A 'heat wave' (by departure) is declared when the departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C.
  3. A 'severe heat wave' (by departure) is declared when the departure from normal exceeds 6.4°C.
  4. For hilly regions, the qualifying threshold maximum temperature is 40°C.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q5. The India Meteorological Department, the nodal agency for heatwave monitoring, forecasting and warnings, functions under which one of the following Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q6. In IMD's temperature outlooks (such as its May 2026 forecast), the term 'normal' temperature for a station refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The 30-year climatological average for that station/period
  • B. The value recorded in the immediately preceding year
  • C. The all-time highest temperature on record for that station
  • D. The median of all readings since 1901

Q7. IMD's May 2026 all-India rainfall outlook projected rainfall exceeding what percentage of the Long Period Average (LPA)?

  • A. 90%
  • B. 100%
  • C. 110%
  • D. 120%

Q8. In IMD's 2026 monsoon outlook, the risk of below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall was attributed chiefly to the development of which one of the following Pacific Ocean phenomena?

  • A. El Niño
  • B. La Niña
  • C. Indian Ocean Dipole (positive phase)
  • D. Madden-Julian Oscillation