UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Govt. to roll out BS-VII norms for new cars from April 2029

Q1. Suppose tailpipe emission limits keep tightening and battery-electric cars form a growing share of the fleet. With reference to particulate matter from road traffic, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The share of brake, tyre and road-wear particles in total traffic particulate matter is likely to rise, even if the absolute amount of these particles stays the same.
  2. A heavier battery-electric car produces fewer non-exhaust particles than a comparable lighter conventional car, because none of its particles come from fuel combustion.
  3. Regenerative braking can cut brake-wear particles from electric cars, but tyre wear and resuspended road dust continue.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Regulating particle emissions from brakes and tyres stays relevant even for a fleet made up entirely of battery-electric cars.
  2. Brake and tyre particles are produced by mechanical abrasion of components and road surfaces, not by burning fuel.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. With reference to Real Driving Emissions (RDE) testing of new light-duty vehicles in India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Pollutants are measured with portable equipment mounted on the vehicle while it is driven in actual traffic on city, rural and highway roads.
  2. Compliance permits on-road emissions to exceed the laboratory limit by a defined margin, to allow for the measurement uncertainty of portable equipment.
  3. RDE has replaced laboratory certification, so vehicles are no longer type-approved on a fixed drive cycle in a test cell.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2 only

Q4. With reference to Bharat Stage emission norms and Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms in India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Under CAFE-type norms, compliance is judged on the sales-weighted average of a manufacturer's fleet, so some individual models may fall short of the target.
  2. Bharat Stage norms set limits that each vehicle model must meet before approval, rather than a target averaged across a manufacturer's sales.
  3. Since carbon dioxide is the principal pollutant capped by Bharat Stage norms, meeting BS-VI automatically ensures compliance with fuel-efficiency norms.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q5. With reference to the legal mechanism through which vehicle emission norms are prescribed in India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Since Bharat Stage norms regulate only road vehicles used for transport, the same rule-making route cannot be used to prescribe emission norms for agricultural tractors or construction equipment vehicles.
  2. Bharat Stage emission norms acquire legal force through amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, published in the Gazette.
  3. A norm issued first as a draft notification can be changed in response to public objections and suggestions before it is finally notified.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q6. With reference to type-approval emission norms and Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A PUCC is an in-use compliance check on vehicles already on the road, whereas Bharat Stage norms are conditions a new vehicle model must satisfy before sale.
  2. Extending the PUCC validity period for BS-VI vehicles would relax the BS-VI emission limits to which those vehicles were certified.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2