UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (NQM)

Question 1

The National Quantum Mission (NQM), approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2023, is to be implemented over a period of how many years?

Accepted Answer

8 years

Answer

5 years

Answer

7 years

Answer

10 years

Question 2

The figure of ₹6003.65 crore associated with the National Quantum Mission refers to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The total outlay sanctioned for the entire eight-year mission period

Answer

The annual budgetary allocation to each of the four Thematic Hubs

Answer

The amount earmarked exclusively for quantum computing fabrication facilities

Answer

The combined budget of the earlier QuEST and NM-QTA programmes

Question 3

Under the National Quantum Mission, the Thematic Hub for Quantum Communication is hosted by IIT Madras in association with which one of the following organisations?

Accepted Answer

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT)

Answer

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)

Answer

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)

Answer

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

Question 4

The ₹8,000 crore National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA), which was later restructured into the National Quantum Mission, was first announced in which one of the following Union Budgets?

Accepted Answer

Union Budget 2020

Answer

Union Budget 2018

Answer

Union Budget 2019

Answer

Union Budget 2021

Question 5

In India's quantum technology journey, 'QuEST' — the programme launched by the Department of Science & Technology in 2018 — stands for which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Quantum-Enabled Science & Technology

Answer

Quantum Engineering & Sustainable Technologies

Answer

Quantum Electronics & Secure Transmission

Answer

Quantum Ecosystem for Science & Talent

Question 6

As reiterated in the 2026 Parliament reply on the National Quantum Mission, the Mission is being implemented by which one of the following, under the Ministry of Science & Technology?

Accepted Answer

Department of Science & Technology (DST)

Answer

Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Answer

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY)

Answer

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

Question 7

The four Thematic Hubs of the NQM have been incorporated as 'Section-8 companies'. A Section-8 company under the Companies Act, 2013 is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A not-for-profit company that applies its income to promote its objects and does not distribute dividends to its members

Answer

A company with a single promoter holding the entire share capital

Answer

A small company exempted from filing annual returns

Answer

A government company in which the Centre holds at least 51% of the paid-up equity

Question 8

The National Quantum Mission is frequently described as advancing a 'dual-use' technology. In this context, 'dual-use' most precisely means a technology that —

Accepted Answer

has both civilian and military/defence applications

Answer

can be operated only by two authorised nations acting jointly

Answer

functions exclusively on two quantum platforms, superconducting and photonic

Answer

serves purely academic research with no commercial or strategic value

Question 9

The four Thematic Hubs and 14 Technical Groups under the National Quantum Mission were unveiled in 2024 by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. Who held this office?

Accepted Answer

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood

Answer

Prof. K. VijayRaghavan

Answer

Prof. Abhay Karandikar

Answer

Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (NQM)

Q1. The National Quantum Mission (NQM), approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2023, is to be implemented over a period of how many years?

Q2. The figure of ₹6003.65 crore associated with the National Quantum Mission refers to which one of the following?

Q3. Under the National Quantum Mission, the Thematic Hub for Quantum Communication is hosted by IIT Madras in association with which one of the following organisations?

Q4. The ₹8,000 crore National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA), which was later restructured into the National Quantum Mission, was first announced in which one of the following Union Budgets?

Q5. In India's quantum technology journey, 'QuEST' — the programme launched by the Department of Science & Technology in 2018 — stands for which one of the following?

Q6. As reiterated in the 2026 Parliament reply on the National Quantum Mission, the Mission is being implemented by which one of the following, under the Ministry of Science & Technology?

Q7. The four Thematic Hubs of the NQM have been incorporated as 'Section-8 companies'. A Section-8 company under the Companies Act, 2013 is best described as which one of the following?

Q8. The National Quantum Mission is frequently described as advancing a 'dual-use' technology. In this context, 'dual-use' most precisely means a technology that —

Q9. The four Thematic Hubs and 14 Technical Groups under the National Quantum Mission were unveiled in 2024 by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. Who held this office?