UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Steps taken to strengthen disease surveillance landscape under NCDC
Q1. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) was re-designated as the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in which one of the following years?
- A. 1963
- B. 2004
- C. 2009
- D. 2021
Q2. With reference to the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), consider the following statements:
1. It is a web-enabled, near-real-time platform that replaced the legacy paper-based IDSP reporting portal.
2. It expanded disease coverage from 18 diseases to 33 diseases.
3. It was launched in 2021.
4. It was launched with the Asian Development Bank as its principal funding source.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It is a web-enabled, near-real-time platform that replaced the legacy paper-based IDSP reporting portal.
- It expanded disease coverage from 18 diseases to 33 diseases.
- It was launched in 2021.
- It was launched with the Asian Development Bank as its principal funding source.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q3. Upon its launch, the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) was officially described as the world's largest of which one of the following?
- A. Online/web-enabled disease surveillance platform
- B. Telemedicine consultation network
- C. Genome sequencing consortium
- D. Hospital management information system
Q4. The National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) implemented by NCDC is aligned with the national goal of eliminating which one of the following by 2030?
- A. Dog-mediated human rabies deaths
- B. Rabies in all wild-animal reservoirs
- C. Leptospirosis in high-burden districts
- D. Mother-to-child transmission of viral hepatitis
Q5. Among the following national programmes implemented by NCDC, which one was launched the earliest?
- A. National Programme for Surveillance of Viral Hepatitis
- B. Programme for Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis
- C. National One Health Programme for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses
- D. National Rabies Control Programme
Q6. With reference to NCDC's recent strengthening of urban and decentralised surveillance, consider the following statements:
1. The January 2026 National Review Meeting of Metropolitan Surveillance Units was held in Nagpur and covered 30 cities.
2. Metropolitan Surveillance Units are being established to strengthen urban disease surveillance in Tier-I and Tier-II cities.
3. Under its phase-wise decentralisation strategy, NCDC plans to establish 10 BSL-3 laboratories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The January 2026 National Review Meeting of Metropolitan Surveillance Units was held in Nagpur and covered 30 cities.
- Metropolitan Surveillance Units are being established to strengthen urban disease surveillance in Tier-I and Tier-II cities.
- Under its phase-wise decentralisation strategy, NCDC plans to establish 10 BSL-3 laboratories.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. As part of NCDC's phase-wise decentralisation strategy, the largest planned number pertains to which one of the following?
- A. NCDC State Branches
- B. NCDC Regional Branches
- C. BSL-3 Laboratories
- D. Metropolitan Surveillance Units reviewed in January 2026
Q8. With reference to India's One Health efforts on zoonotic spillover, consider the following statements:
1. The inter-ministerial zoonotic spillover study focuses on bird-human interaction settings at selected bird sanctuaries and wetlands.
2. The study is being conducted in Sikkim, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
3. Unlike the largely health-ministry-led NOHPPCZ (2013), the National One Health Mission integrates over 16 Ministries/Departments.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The inter-ministerial zoonotic spillover study focuses on bird-human interaction settings at selected bird sanctuaries and wetlands.
- The study is being conducted in Sikkim, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Unlike the largely health-ministry-led NOHPPCZ (2013), the National One Health Mission integrates over 16 Ministries/Departments.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q9. In the context of India's disease-surveillance framework, the 'One Health' approach is best described as:
- A. An integrated approach recognising the interconnection of human, animal and environmental health
- B. A single-window insurance scheme covering all citizens under one health policy
- C. A scheme to merge all national health missions under one administrative head
- D. A plan to provide one primary health centre for every gram panchayat
Q10. With reference to biosafety laboratory classification, which one of the following correctly describes a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) facility?
- A. The highest containment level, for dangerous/exotic agents with high risk of aerosol transmission and no reliable vaccine or therapy, where staff work in positive-pressure suits
- B. The basic level for work with well-characterised agents not known to cause disease in healthy adults
- C. A level for indigenous agents of moderate hazard, generally handled on open benches with standard precautions
- D. A level for agents transmissible only by direct inoculation, requiring no special directional airflow
Q11. Consider the following statements comparing India's disease-surveillance architecture with global frameworks:
1. ICMR functions as the nodal agency for disease surveillance and outbreak response, while NCDC is primarily mandated with biomedical research.
2. IDSP was upscaled in 2004 to help India meet the core-capacity requirements of the WHO International Health Regulations (2005).
3. Under the IHR (2005), a country is required to assess a potential public health emergency within 48 hours and notify the WHO within a further 24 hours.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- ICMR functions as the nodal agency for disease surveillance and outbreak response, while NCDC is primarily mandated with biomedical research.
- IDSP was upscaled in 2004 to help India meet the core-capacity requirements of the WHO International Health Regulations (2005).
- Under the IHR (2005), a country is required to assess a potential public health emergency within 48 hours and notify the WHO within a further 24 hours.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3