UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — NITI Aayog launched three Reports on "Enhancing Circular Economy in End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), Waste Tyres and E-waste and Lithium-ion Batteries in India" in Jaipur
Q1. The NITI Aayog report on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) identifies which one of the following as the single largest recoverable material, by tonnage, from vehicles manufactured in India between 2005 and 2023?
- A. Steel
- B. Aluminium
- C. Copper
- D. Plastics
Q2. The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 classify batteries into how many categories for the purpose of applying Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q3. With reference to India's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime for waste streams, consider the following statements:
1. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 came into force from 1 April 2023.
2. The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 replaced the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
3. An EPR certificate generated in one battery category can be freely used to offset obligations in any other category.
4. EPR certificate trading for e-waste is conducted on a portal maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 came into force from 1 April 2023.
- The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 replaced the Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
- An EPR certificate generated in one battery category can be freely used to offset obligations in any other category.
- EPR certificate trading for e-waste is conducted on a portal maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 1 and 3
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q4. Under India's vehicle scrappage ecosystem, a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) must obtain 'consent to operate' from which one of the following authorities?
- A. The concerned State Pollution Control Board
- B. The Central Pollution Control Board
- C. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways directly
- D. NITI Aayog
Q5. With reference to India's Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernization Programme (V-VMP) and scrappage framework, consider the following statements:
1. The programme is administered by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
2. Commercial vehicles older than 10 years must undergo mandatory fitness testing to remain on the road.
3. Every private vehicle older than 15 years is compulsorily scrapped, with no option of renewal of registration.
4. On handing over a vehicle for scrapping, the owner typically receives scrap value in the range of 4–6% of the ex-showroom price.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The programme is administered by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- Commercial vehicles older than 10 years must undergo mandatory fitness testing to remain on the road.
- Every private vehicle older than 15 years is compulsorily scrapped, with no option of renewal of registration.
- On handing over a vehicle for scrapping, the owner typically receives scrap value in the range of 4–6% of the ex-showroom price.
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q6. With reference to the composition and status of NITI Aayog, consider the following statements:
1. The Prime Minister of India is its ex-officio Chairperson.
2. Its Governing Council comprises the Chief Ministers of all States and the Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of Union Territories.
3. Its Vice-Chairperson is elected by the Rajya Sabha.
4. It was constituted through a dedicated Act of Parliament.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Prime Minister of India is its ex-officio Chairperson.
- Its Governing Council comprises the Chief Ministers of all States and the Lieutenant Governors/Administrators of Union Territories.
- Its Vice-Chairperson is elected by the Rajya Sabha.
- It was constituted through a dedicated Act of Parliament.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 1 and 4
Q7. As per its constitution, NITI Aayog's full-time organisational framework provides for how many full-time Members, excluding the Vice-Chairperson, the ex-officio Members and special invitees?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q8. The draft National Resource Efficiency Policy (NREP), envisaged as India's first overarching national framework for resource efficiency and the circular economy, was released in which year?
- A. 2015
- B. 2017
- C. 2019
- D. 2022
Q9. The 11 inter-ministerial committees set up to prepare sectoral action plans for transitioning focus areas from a linear to a circular economy are led by the concerned line ministries, along with domain experts and officials of the MoEFCC and which one of the following bodies?
- A. NITI Aayog
- B. Central Pollution Control Board
- C. Bureau of Indian Standards
- D. Fifteenth Finance Commission
Q10. The three circular-economy reports are anchored to Sustainable Development Goals 9, 12 and 13. Consider the following SDG–theme pairings:
1. SDG 9 — Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
2. SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption and Production
3. SDG 13 — Climate Action
4. SDG 7 — Sustainable Cities and Communities
Which of the above pairings is/are correctly matched?
- SDG 9 — Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13 — Climate Action
- SDG 7 — Sustainable Cities and Communities
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. In the context of India's circular-economy and vehicle-scrappage framework, the term 'End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV)' is best defined as which one of the following?
- A. A vehicle that has completed its stipulated registration/fitness period and is deemed unfit for further use, destined for dismantling and recycling
- B. Any vehicle that has crossed 8 years from its date of manufacture, irrespective of its fitness status
- C. A vehicle that has failed a single Pollution-Under-Control (PUC) test
- D. An imported second-hand vehicle awaiting fresh registration in India