UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Digital India BHASHINI Division and Survey of India for Toponymic Data Digitisation
Q1. Who among the following was appointed as the first Surveyor General of Bengal in 1767, an event regarded as the origin of the Survey of India?
- A. James Rennell
- B. Colin Mackenzie
- C. William Lambton
- D. George Everest
Q2. With reference to the Survey of India, consider the following statements:
1. It is regarded as the oldest scientific department of the Government of India.
2. It was founded in the year 1767.
3. It functions administratively under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
4. It is the nodal agency for the standardisation of geographical place names in India.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- It is regarded as the oldest scientific department of the Government of India.
- It was founded in the year 1767.
- It functions administratively under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- It is the nodal agency for the standardisation of geographical place names in India.
- A. 3 only
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q3. Consider the following statements comparing BHASHINI and the Survey of India:
1. BHASHINI operates under MeitY, whereas the Survey of India operates under the Department of Science and Technology.
2. BHASHINI was launched in July 2022 at the Digital India Week held in Bengaluru.
3. The Digital India BHASHINI Division is an independent business division under the Digital India Corporation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- BHASHINI operates under MeitY, whereas the Survey of India operates under the Department of Science and Technology.
- BHASHINI was launched in July 2022 at the Digital India Week held in Bengaluru.
- The Digital India BHASHINI Division is an independent business division under the Digital India Corporation.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. Under the National Language Technology Mission, BHASHINI is designed to provide language-technology services across how many languages recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution?
Q5. In the context of the DIBD–Survey of India MoU of January 2026, the term 'toponym' refers to:
- A. A geographical place name
- B. A satellite-derived surface elevation value
- C. A cadastral record of land ownership
- D. A geodetic ground-control reference point
Q6. The MoU for toponymic data digitisation signed in January 2026 brought together the two signatory bodies whose parent Union ministries/departments number how many?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q7. Which one of the following is a flagship target set under the National Geospatial Policy, 2022?
- A. A high-resolution topographical survey with a national Digital Elevation Model for the entire country by 2030
- B. Universal 5G telecom coverage by 2030
- C. 100% renewable energy generation by 2047
- D. A nationwide household fibre-optic grid by 2025
Q8. In the context of the National Geospatial Policy, 2022, a 'Digital Elevation Model (DEM)' is best described as:
- A. A digital representation of the terrain/ground-surface elevation of an area
- B. A metric that always measures the digital literacy level of a district
- C. A three-dimensional index solely of urban building density
- D. A register exclusively of digitised land-revenue records
Q9. Which of the following is the nodal authority for the standardisation of geographical (place) names in India?
- A. Survey of India
- B. National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation
- C. Registrar General of India
- D. National Remote Sensing Centre
Q10. UNGEGN, frequently referenced in discussions on the standardisation of geographical names, is:
- A. The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names
- B. A UNESCO committee for naming World Heritage Sites
- C. A World Bank facility funding geospatial infrastructure
- D. An IUCN body that names protected areas
Q11. The following are stated to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) to integrate BHASHINI's multilingual capabilities:
1. Ministry of Ayush
2. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
3. Punjab National Bank
4. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?
- Ministry of Ayush
- Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
- Punjab National Bank
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 2
- C. 3 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q12. Consider the following statements about the evolution of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution:
1. It originally listed 14 languages at the commencement of the Constitution and now lists 22.
2. The 92nd Constitutional Amendment (2003) added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali.
3. Sindhi was one of the 14 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule at the commencement of the Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It originally listed 14 languages at the commencement of the Constitution and now lists 22.
- The 92nd Constitutional Amendment (2003) added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santali.
- Sindhi was one of the 14 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule at the commencement of the Constitution.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3