UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — V.O. Chidambaranar Port becomes First Indian Major Port to Implement Digital Twin

Q1. The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, which launched India's first port Digital Twin platform, functions as a statutory port authority under which one of the following enactments?

• A. The Major Port Trusts Act, 1963
• B. The Indian Ports Act, 1908
• C. The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021
• D. The Indian Ports Bill, 2025

Q2. The Digital Twin platform integrating IoT, LiDAR, drone imaging and CCTV at V.O. Chidambaranar Port was launched under the administrative purview of which Union Ministry?

• A. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
• B. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
• C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• D. Ministry of Earth Sciences

Q3. With reference to V.O. Chidambaranar Port, consider the following statements: 1. It was declared India's 11th Major Port in 1974. 2. It is located in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu. 3. It is named after the freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. 4. It functions under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

1. It was declared India's 11th Major Port in 1974.
2. It is located in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu.
3. It is named after the freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai.
4. It functions under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 2, 3 and 4
• C. 1 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. In which year was the Tuticorin Port Trust renamed as the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust after the freedom fighter?

• A. 1974
• B. 2008
• C. 2011
• D. 2021

Q5. With reference to changes brought by the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 vis-à-vis the earlier regime, consider the following statements: 1. It replaced the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. 2. It replaced the Board of Port Trust of each major port with a Board of Major Port Authority. 3. It retained the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) as the rate-fixing body. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. It replaced the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.
2. It replaced the Board of Port Trust of each major port with a Board of Major Port Authority.
3. It retained the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) as the rate-fixing body.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. With reference to the provisions of the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, consider the following statements: 1. It constitutes a Board of Major Port Authority for each major port. 2. It establishes an Adjudicatory Board in place of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports. 3. The Board may raise loans, with prior central sanction required only for loans above 50% of its capital reserves. 4. It applies to all minor and intermediate ports across the country. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. It constitutes a Board of Major Port Authority for each major port.
2. It establishes an Adjudicatory Board in place of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports.
3. The Board may raise loans, with prior central sanction required only for loans above 50% of its capital reserves.
4. It applies to all minor and intermediate ports across the country.

• A. 1 only
• B. 4 only
• C. 1 and 4
• D. 2 and 3

Q7. With reference to the Sagarmala Programme and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, consider the following statements: 1. Sagarmala is a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. 2. The Sagarmala Programme is organised into five pillars. 3. Port-Proximate Industrial Development is one of its pillars. 4. Sagarmala is implemented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

1. Sagarmala is a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
2. The Sagarmala Programme is organised into five pillars.
3. Port-Proximate Industrial Development is one of its pillars.
4. Sagarmala is implemented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 2, 3 and 4
• C. 1 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to the 'firsts' achieved by V.O. Chidambaranar Port, consider the following: 1. First Indian major port to launch a Digital Twin platform. 2. First Indian port to produce green hydrogen. 3. First Indian port to initiate an anti-drone security system. 4. First Indian port to commission a 1 MW green hydrogen plant. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly attributed to V.O. Chidambaranar Port?

1. First Indian major port to launch a Digital Twin platform.
2. First Indian port to produce green hydrogen.
3. First Indian port to initiate an anti-drone security system.
4. First Indian port to commission a 1 MW green hydrogen plant.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 4 only
• C. 3 and 4
• D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. Consider the following port–State pairs claimed to be Major Ports of India: 1. Deendayal Port — Gujarat 2. Cochin Port — Kerala 3. Kamarajar Port — Tamil Nadu 4. Krishnapatnam Port — Andhra Pradesh Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a Major Port of India?

1. Deendayal Port — Gujarat
2. Cochin Port — Kerala
3. Kamarajar Port — Tamil Nadu
4. Krishnapatnam Port — Andhra Pradesh

• A. 1 and 3
• B. 2 only
• C. 4 only
• D. 3 and 4

Q10. In the Indian administrative framework overseen by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the term 'Major Port' most precisely denotes which one of the following?

• A. A port administered and regulated by the Central Government through the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
• B. Any port handling more than 50 million tonnes of cargo per annum
• C. A port managed by the respective State Maritime Board
• D. A port designated exclusively for international container traffic

Q11. As deployed at V.O. Chidambaranar Port, a 'Digital Twin' is best defined as which one of the following?

• A. A real-time virtual replica of physical port infrastructure and assets enabling predictive analytics and data-driven decisions
• B. A backup data centre that mirrors the port's IT servers for disaster recovery
• C. A blockchain-based ledger recording every cargo transaction at the port
• D. A second physical berth built to double the port's cargo-handling capacity