UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Coal imports decline 13% to 21.13 million tonnes in April

Q1. In the reporting of India's April 2026 coal import figures, the term 'Imported Coal-Based (ICB) plants' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. Thermal power plants specifically designed to run on higher-calorific-value imported coal, which cannot easily switch to domestic coal
  • B. Domestic plants mandated to blend exactly 30% imported coal with indigenous coal
  • C. Integrated steel plants that use imported coking coal for metallurgical processes
  • D. Coastal ports designated exclusively for handling imported coal cargoes

Q2. The monthly coal import statistics that showed total imports declining to 21.13 million tonnes in April 2026 are compiled and released by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Coal
  • B. Ministry of Power
  • C. Ministry of Mines
  • D. Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q3. With reference to India's position in global coal trade, which one of the following statements is correct?

  • A. India is the world's second-largest coal importer, after China
  • B. India is the world's largest coal importer, ahead of China
  • C. India imports coal only for its power sector and never for the steel sector
  • D. India meets its entire coking coal requirement from domestic production

Q4. Which one of the following countries is the single largest source of India's coking (metallurgical) coal imports?

  • A. Australia
  • B. Indonesia
  • C. South Africa
  • D. Russia

Q5. Coal India Limited (CIL), the country's principal domestic coal producer, functions as a Maharatna public sector undertaking under which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Coal
  • B. Ministry of Mines
  • C. Ministry of Power
  • D. Ministry of Heavy Industries

Q6. With reference to the Government of India's 2026 strategy to reduce coal imports, consider the following statements: 1. The target is to cut thermal coal imports for power plants by at least 30% during 2026. 2. Power plants have been asked to increase blending, replacing at least 20% of imported coal with domestic coal. 3. The strategy chiefly targets coking coal used by steel plants, which is to be fully substituted by domestic coal. 4. India's power plants used nearly 50 million tonnes of imported coal in 2025. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The target is to cut thermal coal imports for power plants by at least 30% during 2026.
  2. Power plants have been asked to increase blending, replacing at least 20% of imported coal with domestic coal.
  3. The strategy chiefly targets coking coal used by steel plants, which is to be fully substituted by domestic coal.
  4. India's power plants used nearly 50 million tonnes of imported coal in 2025.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4

Q7. In the context of the government's push to reduce thermal coal imports for power plants, the term 'blending' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Mixing domestic coal with imported coal to be fired together in power-plant boilers
  • B. The exclusive firing of washed coal in every thermal power station
  • C. Combining coal produced by different CIL subsidiaries before dispatch
  • D. Gasifying coal completely before its combustion in a boiler

Q8. In India, the statutory classification and grading of coal (including the Gross Calorific Value-based grades of non-coking coal) is regulated by which one of the following?

  • A. The Coal Controller's Organisation, under the Ministry of Coal
  • B. The Geological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Mines
  • C. The Central Electricity Authority, under the Ministry of Power
  • D. The Bureau of Indian Standards, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs

Q9. With reference to the two categories of coalfields in India, consider the following statements: 1. Gondwana coalfields account for about 98% of India's coal reserves, whereas Tertiary coalfields contribute only about 2%. 2. Gondwana coal is about 250 million years old, whereas Tertiary coal is only about 15-16 million years old. 3. The Jharia coalfield, India's chief source of prime coking coal, is a Tertiary coalfield located in Odisha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Gondwana coalfields account for about 98% of India's coal reserves, whereas Tertiary coalfields contribute only about 2%.
  2. Gondwana coal is about 250 million years old, whereas Tertiary coal is only about 15-16 million years old.
  3. The Jharia coalfield, India's chief source of prime coking coal, is a Tertiary coalfield located in Odisha.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. With reference to Coal India Limited's production performance in FY26 compared with FY25, consider the following statements: 1. CIL's output during April-November FY26 fell about 3.7% to 453.5 MT, from 471 MT in the same period of FY25. 2. This was the first decline for a comparable period in at least six years. 3. For the full fiscal year, CIL's FY26 production of 768.1 MT was higher than its FY25 production of 781.1 MT. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. CIL's output during April-November FY26 fell about 3.7% to 453.5 MT, from 471 MT in the same period of FY25.
  2. This was the first decline for a comparable period in at least six years.
  3. For the full fiscal year, CIL's FY26 production of 768.1 MT was higher than its FY25 production of 781.1 MT.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. With reference to India's climate and energy-transition commitments as updated in 2026, consider the following statements: 1. India's updated 2035 NDC raises the target for non-fossil installed electric capacity from 50% by 2030 to 60% by 2035. 2. India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030. 3. India's updated NDC raised its emissions-intensity reduction target from 45% to 65% relative to 2005 GDP levels. 4. Non-fossil sources exceed 50% of India's installed capacity but contribute only about a quarter of actual electricity generation. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. India's updated 2035 NDC raises the target for non-fossil installed electric capacity from 50% by 2030 to 60% by 2035.
  2. India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
  3. India's updated NDC raised its emissions-intensity reduction target from 45% to 65% relative to 2005 GDP levels.
  4. Non-fossil sources exceed 50% of India's installed capacity but contribute only about a quarter of actual electricity generation.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 2, 3 and 4
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