UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Centre suspends rice fortification scheme; activists back move

Q1. Which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry that announced the temporary suspension of the rice fortification programme in February 2026?

  • A. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • C. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Q2. With reference to the Centre's February 2026 decision on rice fortification as compared to the position that prevailed before, consider the following statements: 1. Under the suspension, the per-capita food-grain entitlements of PDS beneficiaries have been reduced. 2. The decision was triggered by an IIT Kharagpur study which found that micronutrients in Fortified Rice Kernels degrade under prolonged storage in diverse agro-climatic zones. 3. With the suspension, beneficiaries will now receive non-fortified rice, while ICDS and PM POSHAN operations continue uninterrupted. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the suspension, the per-capita food-grain entitlements of PDS beneficiaries have been reduced.
  2. The decision was triggered by an IIT Kharagpur study which found that micronutrients in Fortified Rice Kernels degrade under prolonged storage in diverse agro-climatic zones.
  3. With the suspension, beneficiaries will now receive non-fortified rice, while ICDS and PM POSHAN operations continue uninterrupted.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. In the context of India's rice fortification programme, what exactly is a 'Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK)'?

  • A. A naturally micronutrient-dense indigenous rice variety developed through conventional plant breeding
  • B. An extruded rice-shaped pellet made from rice flour mixed with micronutrients, blended with normal milled rice in a 1:100 ratio
  • C. A genetically modified rice grain biofortified with beta-carotene, popularly known as Golden Rice
  • D. Parboiled rice processed to retain naturally occurring B-group vitamins in the bran layer

Q4. The standards for fortification of rice (including the levels of iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 in Fortified Rice Kernels) in India have been notified under which one of the following?

  • A. Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018
  • B. National Food Security Act, 2013
  • C. Essential Commodities Act, 1955
  • D. Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955
  • NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam
    NRAA-Funded Wild Rice Conservation Project Secures Major Milestone in Assam

    The notification of Borjuli site in Sonitpur, Assam as a Biodiversity Heritage Site under an NRAA-funded wild rice conservation project is a named, verifiable fact. Biodiversity Heritage Sites and wild crop genetic resource conservation are tested Prelims topics.

  • India Advances Global Green Hydrogen Leadership under National Green Hydrogen Mission

    Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a landmark commercial deal for green ammonia and methanol export to Japan (IHI Corporation named) is a concrete outcome. India's green hydrogen ambitions and NGHM are recurring Prelims themes; this adds a factual export-deal hook.

  • NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"
    NITI Aayog launches report on "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global"

    A named NITI Aayog report on Ayurveda's global expansion is testable as a policy document. NITI Aayog reports, AYUSH sector initiatives, and traditional medicine diplomacy are recurring Prelims themes; the report's launch date and authoring body are clean factual hooks.

  • INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND RESPONDS TO PIRACY ATTEMPT ON MV GOLDEN ARSENAL IN THE GULF OF ADEN

    A named Indian Navy anti-piracy operation with specific ship (INS Trikand — identified as a stealth frigate), vessel flag state (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and location (Gulf of Aden) offers testable facts. India's maritime security operations are plausible Prelims hooks but appear occasionally, not frequently.

  • Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat – G-Ram G Act’ from Andhra Pradesh with Chief Minister Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Pawan Kalyan

    A newly named nationwide scheme launched by the Rural Development ministry that explicitly positions itself as moving 'beyond MGNREGA' is potentially testable. However, the excerpt lacks concrete numbers or statutory grounding, keeping it at 3 rather than 4.

  • MANAS: A Digital Shield Against Drugs

    MANAS is a named government digital initiative (national narcotics helpline) with a specific mandate under Nasha Mukt Bharat. Named government portals/helplines with specific functions are tested in Prelims, though this release is a backgrounder without new launch data.

  • VB-G RAM G Act comes into force across the country from today; “A historic day for rural India”: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    The VB-G RAM G Act (likely a renamed/revised MGNREGA or rural employment guarantee framework) came into force across India from July 1, 2026. Key facts: national launch in Tirupati on July 2; revised wage rates notified with no daily wage below ₹300; national average wage increased by over 10%. A new central Act coming into force with specific wage figures is high-priority Prelims material.

  • India Achieves Major Milestone with Approval of Country’s First PinS Instrument Approach Procedure for Helicopter Operations

    DGCA approved India's first Private Point-in-Space (PinS) Instrument Approach Procedure for helicopter operations, implemented at Undavalli Heliport (developed by AAI). This is a named first in Indian aviation with a specific location and implementing body — classic Prelims material for science/tech and aviation sections.

  • 11 Years of Digital India: Better Healthcare & Digital Markets Making Lives Easier

    This release contains high-quality testable data: Greece is named as the 10th country to adopt UPI; every second real-time digital transaction globally is processed via India's UPI; 13 lakh Anganwadi workers connected via Poshan Tracker covering 9 crore beneficiaries. Multiple concrete facts that are prime Prelims material.

  • India, EU Advance Cooperation on Sustainable Ship Recycling; Three Indian Yards Ready for EU Recognition

    India has a 35.4% global market share in sustainable ship recycling. Three Indian ship-recycling yards are ready for EU recognition. India committed $8 billion to strengthen shipbuilding and recycling, with a target of recycling 16,000 ships. These are specific, verifiable figures in a sector where India leads globally — strong Prelims material on maritime/shipping sector.

  • GAGAN: Navigating India’s Skies with Precision

    Detailed backgrounder on GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), India's Satellite-Based Augmentation System developed jointly by ISRO and Airports Authority of India (AAI). It enhances GPS accuracy for aviation, is certified to international standards, and supports satellite-based landing approaches. GAGAN is a recurring Prelims topic and this backgrounder consolidates key testable facts about its developers, purpose, and certification status.

  • The Hindu

    Latest PIB

    Latest from The Hindu

    Explore