UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — THE UNION BUDGET 2026-27 PROPOSES HIGH-POWERED ‘EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT AND ENTERPRISE’ STANDING COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND MEASURES ON THE SERVICES SECTOR

Q1. The Union Budget 2026-27 proposing the 'Education to Employment and Enterprise' Standing Committee sets a target share for India in global services trade to be achieved by 2047. What is that targeted share?

  • A. 4.3%
  • B. 7%
  • C. 10%
  • D. 15%

Q2. The High-Powered Standing Committee proposed in the Union Budget 2026-27 to drive the services sector is named to bridge which three-stage progression?

  • A. Education, Empowerment and Employment
  • B. Education to Employment and Enterprise
  • C. Enterprise, Employment and Exports
  • D. Education, Entrepreneurship and Empowerment

Q3. The proposal to set up a High-Powered Standing Committee to assess the impact of AI and emerging technologies on jobs and skills was made under which of the following?

  • A. Union Budget 2025-26
  • B. Economic Survey 2025-26
  • C. Union Budget 2026-27
  • D. NITI Aayog's Viksit Bharat @2047 vision document

Q4. The Standing Committee's mandate to assess the impact of AI and emerging technologies on jobs and skills is primarily oriented toward making which single sector the core driver of Viksit Bharat?

  • A. Manufacturing sector
  • B. Agriculture sector
  • C. Services sector
  • D. Construction sector

Q5. Among the following skilling and education initiatives that preceded the 'Education to Employment and Enterprise' Committee, which one was launched earliest, on World Youth Skills Day?

  • A. National Skill Development Mission
  • B. National Education Policy
  • C. Employment-Linked Incentive Scheme
  • D. Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana

Q6. In the context of India's skilling framework preceding the E3 Committee, what does the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) primarily provide?

  • A. Cash wage subsidy to employers for each new formal-sector hire
  • B. Free short-duration skill training with monetary reward for skill certification
  • C. Collateral-free education loans for higher STEM education
  • D. Monthly stipend to apprentices under a statutory apprenticeship contract

Q7. With reference to the National Institute of Design (NID) network and the new NID announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, consider the following statements: 1. The new NID proposed for the eastern region is to be established through the Challenge Route. 2. The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad was declared an Institution of National Importance in 2014. 3. NIDs are administered under the Ministry of Education. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The new NID proposed for the eastern region is to be established through the Challenge Route.
  2. The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad was declared an Institution of National Importance in 2014.
  3. NIDs are administered under the Ministry of Education.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. Which of the following are correctly identified as cities where National Institutes of Design were set up as part of the expanded NID network? 1. Bhopal 2. Jorhat 3. Kurukshetra 4. Bhubaneswar Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Bhopal
  2. Jorhat
  3. Kurukshetra
  4. Bhubaneswar
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q9. With reference to the education infrastructure proposals in the Union Budget 2026-27, consider the following statements: 1. Five University Townships are proposed in the vicinity of major industrial and logistics corridors. 2. The University Townships are to be set up through Viability Gap Funding, one in every district. 3. The district-level girls' hostels are targeted at students in higher-education STEM institutions. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Five University Townships are proposed in the vicinity of major industrial and logistics corridors.
  2. The University Townships are to be set up through Viability Gap Funding, one in every district.
  3. The district-level girls' hostels are targeted at students in higher-education STEM institutions.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. How many University Townships, to be located near major industrial and logistics corridors, does the Union Budget 2026-27 propose to set up?

  • A. Three
  • B. Four
  • C. Five
  • D. Seven

Q11. The four telescope/astronomy facilities announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 are to be operationalised chiefly through which of the following?

  • A. Indian Institute of Astrophysics, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology
  • B. Indian Space Research Organisation under the Department of Space
  • C. Physical Research Laboratory under the Department of Space
  • D. Defence Research and Development Organisation under the Ministry of Defence

Q12. With reference to the role of the services sector in India's economy, consider the following statements: 1. The services sector's share in India's Gross Value Added rose from about 50.6% in FY14 to about 55% in FY25. 2. India is the world's seventh-largest exporter of services. 3. India's share in global services trade rose from about 2% in 2005 to about 4.3% in 2024. 4. Computer and business services together account for around 40% of India's services exports. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The services sector's share in India's Gross Value Added rose from about 50.6% in FY14 to about 55% in FY25.
  2. India is the world's seventh-largest exporter of services.
  3. India's share in global services trade rose from about 2% in 2005 to about 4.3% in 2024.
  4. Computer and business services together account for around 40% of India's services exports.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2, 3 and 4
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4