UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — INDEX OF EIGHT CORE INDUSTRIES (BASE YEAR: 2011-12=100) FOR JANUARY, 2026

Q1. With a combined weight of 40.27 per cent, the eight core industries together form the single largest identifiable component of which one of the following indices?

  • A. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)
  • B. Consumer Price Index (CPI)
  • C. Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
  • D. GDP deflator series

Q2. The Index of Eight Core Industries is compiled and released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, which functions under which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. Ministry of Finance
  • C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. Ministry of Heavy Industries

Q3. With reference to the evolution of the Index of Eight Core Industries, consider the following statements: 1. Before the 2004-05 series, the index basket comprised only six industries. 2. Fertilizers and Natural Gas were the two industries added to the basket in the 2004-05 series. 3. The base year of the index was revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 with effect from April 2017. 4. Refinery Products was one of the two industries newly added in the 2004-05 series. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Before the 2004-05 series, the index basket comprised only six industries.
  2. Fertilizers and Natural Gas were the two industries added to the basket in the 2004-05 series.
  3. The base year of the index was revised from 2004-05 to 2011-12 with effect from April 2017.
  4. Refinery Products was one of the two industries newly added in the 2004-05 series.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. Which one of the following is the current (latest) base year of the Index of Eight Core Industries?

  • A. 1993-94
  • B. 2004-05
  • C. 2011-12
  • D. 2022-23

Q5. In the context of the Index of Eight Core Industries, the 'weight' assigned to an industry such as Steel (17.92%) most precisely denotes which one of the following?

  • A. The relative importance (share) of that industry in the total index basket
  • B. The year-on-year production growth rate recorded by that industry
  • C. The absolute physical quantity of output produced by that industry
  • D. The rank of that industry in terms of export earnings

Q6. Which one of the following core industries carries the highest weight in the Index of Eight Core Industries?

  • A. Refinery Products
  • B. Electricity
  • C. Steel
  • D. Coal

Q7. The January 2026 combined ICI growth of 4.0 per cent is officially described as 'provisional'. This description most accurately means which one of the following?

  • A. It is a preliminary estimate that is always subject to later revision when fuller data is compiled
  • B. It excludes the electricity component, which is finalised separately
  • C. It is a seasonally adjusted figure with holiday effects removed
  • D. It is a growth target set by the government for that month

Q8. The figure of 2.8 per cent reported as the cumulative growth of the ICI for April 2025 to January 2026 most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Growth of the cumulative index over the ten-month period against the same period of the previous year
  • B. The simple arithmetic average of the ten individual monthly year-on-year growth rates
  • C. The month-on-month growth recorded between December 2025 and January 2026
  • D. The standalone year-on-year growth registered in January 2026 alone

Q9. The cumulative ICI growth reported for 'April 2025 to January 2026' covers the production data of exactly how many months?

  • A. 9
  • B. 10
  • C. 11
  • D. 12

Q10. Which one of the following is the only industry, among those listed, that is counted within the eight core industries of the ICI?

  • A. Aluminium
  • B. Automobiles
  • C. Refinery Products
  • D. Textiles

Q11. In relation to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), the Index of Eight Core Industries is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A subset of the IIP, constituting about 40.27 per cent of its weight and serving as a lead indicator
  • B. A broader index of which the IIP is only a component
  • C. An index identical in coverage to the IIP but released a month later
  • D. An index compiled by the same agency that compiles the IIP