UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Looking into the continuing costs of India's COVID-19 policy

Q1. Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which one of the following is the apex authority — chaired by the Prime Minister — that issued the nationwide directions enforcing India's COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020?

  • A. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
  • B. National Executive Committee (NEC)
  • C. National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)
  • D. State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)

Q2. The May 2022 estimate that India recorded about 4.7 million excess deaths during 2020-21 — roughly ten times the official toll — was published by which one of the following?

  • A. World Health Organization (WHO)
  • B. World Bank
  • C. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
  • D. United Nations Population Division

Q3. In the WHO's COVID-19 estimates, the term 'excess mortality' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The difference between the number of deaths that actually occurred and the number that would have been expected in the absence of the pandemic
  • B. The total number of deaths laboratory-confirmed as caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus
  • C. The number of deaths occurring in hospitals over and above their normal bed capacity
  • D. The rise in the crude death rate measured only among those who tested positive for COVID-19

Q4. With reference to the Shramik Special trains run during the 2020 lockdown, consider the following statements: 1. They began operating on 1 May 2020, after regular passenger services had already been suspended. 2. They were operated by Indian Railways on the basis of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. 3. Among all States, Maharashtra accounted for the largest number of originating Shramik Special trains. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. They began operating on 1 May 2020, after regular passenger services had already been suspended.
  2. They were operated by Indian Railways on the basis of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  3. Among all States, Maharashtra accounted for the largest number of originating Shramik Special trains.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. Which one of the following best describes what a 'Shramik Special' train was during the 2020 lockdown?

  • A. A special service run to transport migrant workers and other persons stranded by the lockdown back to their home States
  • B. A subsidised commuter service introduced to ferry essential industrial workers within metropolitan cities during the lockdown
  • C. A dedicated freight service launched to move agricultural produce and medical supplies between States
  • D. A premium train reserved for repatriating Indian citizens flown back from abroad under the Vande Bharat Mission

Q6. In the context of comparative pandemic accountability, Sweden's 'Coronakommissionen' (Corona Commission) is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. An independent commission established by the government to evaluate the country's overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • B. A parliamentary standing committee that approved Sweden's emergency public-health budgets during the pandemic
  • C. A specialised court set up to prosecute violations of pandemic lockdown rules
  • D. A WHO regional body that coordinated vaccine distribution across the Nordic countries

Q7. With reference to informal employment in India, consider the following statements: 1. As per the Economic Survey 2021-22, about 90% of India's workers are informally employed. 2. The informal sector produces roughly half of India's gross domestic product. 3. According to PLFS data, the share of informal employment had fallen below 50% of the workforce by 2023-24. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. As per the Economic Survey 2021-22, about 90% of India's workers are informally employed.
  2. The informal sector produces roughly half of India's gross domestic product.
  3. According to PLFS data, the share of informal employment had fallen below 50% of the workforce by 2023-24.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), consider the following statements: 1. It was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22 with an outlay of about Rs 64,180 crore. 2. It is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some central sector components over 2021-22 to 2025-26. 3. It entirely replaced the National Health Mission as the sole vehicle for delivering primary healthcare in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22 with an outlay of about Rs 64,180 crore.
  2. It is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some central sector components over 2021-22 to 2025-26.
  3. It entirely replaced the National Health Mission as the sole vehicle for delivering primary healthcare in India.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The WHO declared COVID-19 a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020. A PHEIC is best defined as which one of the following?

  • A. An extraordinary event that constitutes a public health risk to other States through international spread and potentially requires a coordinated international response
  • B. A binding legal order issued by the WHO compelling member States to impose national lockdowns
  • C. A formal declaration that a disease has become a sustained pandemic across multiple continents
  • D. A funding mechanism that automatically releases WHO emergency grants to the worst-affected country

Q10. With reference to the findings of NFHS-5 compared with NFHS-4, consider the following statements: 1. Spousal violence against women declined in most States in NFHS-5 relative to NFHS-4. 2. Karnataka, Assam and Sikkim, however, recorded a rise in spousal violence. 3. Child stunting showed significant improvement in almost all States since 2015. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Spousal violence against women declined in most States in NFHS-5 relative to NFHS-4.
  2. Karnataka, Assam and Sikkim, however, recorded a rise in spousal violence.
  3. Child stunting showed significant improvement in almost all States since 2015.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3