UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Railways Sets New Record in Passenger Traffic as well as Cargo Transport in 2025–26
Q1. Indian Railways, which announced simultaneous all-time-high records in passenger traffic (741 crore) and freight loading (1670 MT) in FY 2025–26, functions directly under which Union Ministry?
- A. Ministry of Railways
- B. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
- C. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
- D. Ministry of Heavy Industries
Q2. The FY 2025–26 record of '1670 Million Tonnes' for Indian Railways refers to 'originating freight loading'. This term is best defined as:
- A. The total quantity of goods (in tonnes) booked and loaded onto trains at their originating points during the year
- B. The total tonne-kilometres of freight hauled across the entire network during the year
- C. The net weight of loaded wagons after deducting the tare (empty) weight of the wagons
- D. Freight earnings for the year converted into an equivalent tonnage figure
Q3. Indian Railways reported freight loading growth of roughly 13% each for fertilisers (about +13.49%) and pig iron & finished steel (about +13.11%). In which financial year was this commodity-wise growth recorded?
- A. FY 2025–26
- B. FY 2024–25
- C. FY 2023–24
- D. FY 2022–23
Q4. Among the commodities listed below, which one was the single largest freight-revenue earner for Indian Railways in FY 2025–26?
- A. Iron Ore
- B. Cement
- C. Pig Iron & Finished Steel
- D. Fertilisers
Q5. Consider the following statements about the history and structure of Indian Railways:
1. The first passenger train in India ran in 1853 between Bombay and Thane.
2. Indian Railways was reorganised into administrative zones in 1952.
3. Indian Railways presently operates through 17 zones.
4. Indian Railways is the world's second-largest rail network.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The first passenger train in India ran in 1853 between Bombay and Thane.
- Indian Railways was reorganised into administrative zones in 1952.
- Indian Railways presently operates through 17 zones.
- Indian Railways is the world's second-largest rail network.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 3 and 4 only
- D. 1 and 3 only
Q6. India's first passenger train (1853, Bombay to Thane) was operated by which one of the following railway companies?
- A. Great Indian Peninsula Railway
- B. East Indian Railway
- C. Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway
- D. Madras Railway
Q7. In the context of Indian Railways' freight growth since 2014, a 'Dedicated Freight Corridor' (DFC) is best described as:
- A. A high-capacity railway route reserved exclusively for the movement of goods (freight) trains
- B. A dedicated expressway corridor built for freight-carrying trucks
- C. A shared railway route carrying both passenger and freight trains but giving scheduling priority to freight
- D. A coastal and inland-waterway route earmarked for bulk cargo movement
Q8. Consider the following statements about India's Dedicated Freight Corridors:
1. The Eastern DFC runs from Ludhiana to Sonnagar.
2. The Western DFC runs from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri.
3. DFCCIL, which constructs and operates the corridors, is a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Railways.
4. Both the Eastern and Western corridors were fully (100%) commissioned as of FY 2025–26.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The Eastern DFC runs from Ludhiana to Sonnagar.
- The Western DFC runs from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri.
- DFCCIL, which constructs and operates the corridors, is a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Railways.
- Both the Eastern and Western corridors were fully (100%) commissioned as of FY 2025–26.
- A. 1 only
- B. 4 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 3 and 4 only
Q9. Indian Railways has electrified about 99.2% of its 'Broad Gauge' network. Broad Gauge track in India has a gauge (distance between the inner faces of the two rails) of:
- A. 1,676 mm
- B. 1,435 mm
- C. 1,000 mm
- D. 762 mm
Q10. Consider the following statements about Indian Railways' modernisation:
1. About 99.2% of the Broad Gauge network has been electrified.
2. As per the latest data, 14 Railway Zones have achieved 100% electrification.
3. As of May 2026, Indian Railways was operating 164 Vande Bharat services.
4. India's rail-electrification level lags behind that of China, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- About 99.2% of the Broad Gauge network has been electrified.
- As per the latest data, 14 Railway Zones have achieved 100% electrification.
- As of May 2026, Indian Railways was operating 164 Vande Bharat services.
- India's rail-electrification level lags behind that of China, Russia and the United Kingdom.
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q11. Indian Railways surpassed 1 billion tonnes of annual freight loading on its way to the 1670 MT record. The apex body that directs freight train operations of Indian Railways is:
- A. The Railway Board, under the Ministry of Railways
- B. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
- C. Container Corporation of India (CONCOR)
- D. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)
Q12. Signalling sustained momentum into FY 2026–27, how many million tonnes of freight did Indian Railways load in the single month of May 2026?
- A. 145 MT
- B. 135.7 MT
- C. 150 MT
- D. 140 MT