UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia says BharatNet is transforming India into a digitally empowered society

Q1. Which one of the following was launched in 2011 as India's foundational rural optical-fibre network and was subsequently rebranded as BharatNet in 2015?

  • A. National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN)
  • B. National Broadband Mission
  • C. Amended BharatNet Programme
  • D. National Knowledge Network

Q2. In the context of the BharatNet programme, Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) is best described as:

  • A. A Special Purpose Vehicle incorporated to establish, manage and operate the network
  • B. A statutory regulator constituted under the Telecommunications Act, 2023
  • C. The dedicated fund from which rural connectivity works are financed
  • D. An inter-ministerial committee that clears Right of Way applications

Q3. With reference to the institutional and funding arrangements of BharatNet, consider the following statements: 1. The fund financing BharatNet has been renamed from the Universal Service Obligation Fund to the Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. 2. The nodal ministry for BharatNet is the Ministry of Communications, through the Department of Telecommunications. 3. BharatNet is financed out of the general budget of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology rather than any telecom fund. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The fund financing BharatNet has been renamed from the Universal Service Obligation Fund to the Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
  2. The nodal ministry for BharatNet is the Ministry of Communications, through the Department of Telecommunications.
  3. BharatNet is financed out of the general budget of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology rather than any telecom fund.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. What was the total approved outlay for BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II (exclusive of GST, Octroi and local taxes)?

  • A. ₹42,068 crore
  • B. ₹61,109 crore
  • C. ₹1,39,579 crore
  • D. ₹39,000 crore

Q5. Which one of the following was launched in 2025 as the principal roadmap for achieving universal broadband connectivity in India by 2030, building upon the earlier National Broadband Mission?

  • A. National Broadband Mission 2.0
  • B. Amended BharatNet Programme
  • C. Bharat 6G Vision
  • D. Digital Bharat Nidhi

Q6. Under National Broadband Mission 2.0, operational optical fibre cable connectivity (with 95% uptime) is targeted to be extended to how many villages by 2030?

  • A. 2.70 lakh villages
  • B. 2.64 lakh villages
  • C. 2.56 lakh villages
  • D. 2.14 lakh villages

Q7. With reference to India's internet-subscriber and penetration figures as informed to Parliament in 2026, consider the following statements: 1. India's internet subscriber base has crossed one billion. 2. Internet penetration has risen to nearly 71.8%. 3. Internet subscribers stood at about 250 million in 2014. 4. Internet penetration in 2014 was about 45%. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. India's internet subscriber base has crossed one billion.
  2. Internet penetration has risen to nearly 71.8%.
  3. Internet subscribers stood at about 250 million in 2014.
  4. Internet penetration in 2014 was about 45%.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to the status of BharatNet as informed to Parliament in 2026, consider the following statements: 1. There are about 2.56 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country. 2. Nearly 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats have been made online under BharatNet Phases I and II. 3. Phases I and II were implemented at an approximate cost of ₹42,000 crore. 4. Under Phases I and II, all 2.56 lakh Gram Panchayats have already been made service-ready. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. There are about 2.56 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country.
  2. Nearly 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats have been made online under BharatNet Phases I and II.
  3. Phases I and II were implemented at an approximate cost of ₹42,000 crore.
  4. Under Phases I and II, all 2.56 lakh Gram Panchayats have already been made service-ready.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 4 only

Q9. With reference to the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP), consider the following statements: 1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2023. 2. It provides for optical-fibre connectivity to Gram Panchayats in a ring topology. 3. It targets about 1.5 crore Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) connections over five years. 4. It is confined only to Gram Panchayats and explicitly excludes all non-Gram-Panchayat villages. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2023.
  2. It provides for optical-fibre connectivity to Gram Panchayats in a ring topology.
  3. It targets about 1.5 crore Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) connections over five years.
  4. It is confined only to Gram Panchayats and explicitly excludes all non-Gram-Panchayat villages.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q10. The GatiShakti Sanchar Portal, the single-window system for telecom Right of Way (RoW) applications, is integrated with how many States/Union Territories?

  • A. 36
  • B. 28
  • C. 29
  • D. 22

Q11. Within the Digital India programme, BharatNet is implemented under which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
  • C. National e-Governance Division (NeGD)
  • D. Ministry of Rural Development

Q12. Under the Amended BharatNet Programme, which one of the following has been appointed as the single Project Management Agency for the operation and maintenance of the entire network?

  • A. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
  • B. Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL)
  • C. RailTel Corporation of India Limited
  • D. Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)