UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — NITI AAYOG LAUNCHES REPORT ON “FROM BORROWERS TO BUILDERS: WOMEN AND INDIA’S EVOLVING CREDIT MARKET”
Q1. According to NITI Aayog's 2026 report 'From Borrowers to Builders: Women and India's Evolving Credit Market', women's outstanding credit rose from about ₹16 lakh crore in 2017 to ₹76 lakh crore in 2025. This represents approximately how many times growth in women's credit exposure over the period?
- A. About 3.8 times
- B. About 4.8 times
- C. About 6.5 times
- D. About 9 times
Q2. With reference to the findings of NITI Aayog's 2026 'From Borrowers to Builders' report comparing 2017 and 2025, consider the following statements:
1. Women's credit penetration rose from 19% in 2017 to 36% in 2025.
2. Women held about 26% of the total system credit as per the 2025 data.
3. Credit-active women borrowers grew at a 9% CAGR between December 2017 and December 2025, which was the highest CAGR among all borrower categories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Women's credit penetration rose from 19% in 2017 to 36% in 2025.
- Women held about 26% of the total system credit as per the 2025 data.
- Credit-active women borrowers grew at a 9% CAGR between December 2017 and December 2025, which was the highest CAGR among all borrower categories.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. Apart from NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), how many external organisations collaborated in preparing the 2026 'From Borrowers to Builders' report?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Q4. In the context of the 2026 'From Borrowers to Builders' report, the Financing Women Collaborative (FWC) is best described as:
- A. A Women Entrepreneurship Platform initiative launched in 2025 to address gaps in the availability of sex-disaggregated data on women's access to formal credit
- B. A credit-guarantee fund set up by the Reserve Bank of India to underwrite loans extended to women entrepreneurs
- C. A consortium of public-sector banks that disburses collateral-free loans to women's Self-Help Groups
- D. A NITI Aayog scheme that provides interest subvention on loans taken by women borrowers
Q5. The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), under whose aegis the 'From Borrowers to Builders' report was prepared, is a flagship initiative housed under which of the following?
- A. Ministry of Women and Child Development
- B. NITI Aayog
- C. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
- D. Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Q6. Which one of the following is described as NITI Aayog's flagship, one-of-its-kind unified information portal for women entrepreneurs?
- A. Women Transforming India Awards
- B. Women Entrepreneurship Platform
- C. Financing Women Collaborative
- D. SEHER Programme
Q7. With reference to NITI Aayog, which one of the following statements is correct?
- A. It was established through an Act of Parliament in 2015
- B. Its Governing Council is chaired by the Prime Minister of India
- C. It replaced the Finance Commission with effect from 1 January 2015
- D. Its Vice-Chairperson chairs the Governing Council in place of the Prime Minister
Q8. Consider the following as members of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog:
1. Prime Minister of India as Chairperson
2. Chief Ministers of all States
3. Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
4. The Chief Justice of India
Which of the above are correctly identified?
- Prime Minister of India as Chairperson
- Chief Ministers of all States
- Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
- The Chief Justice of India
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. The first edition of the 'From Borrowers to Builders' report, subtitled 'Women's Role in India's Financial Growth Story', was released in which year?
- A. 2022
- B. 2024
- C. 2025
- D. 2026
Q10. The longitudinal credit-bureau data underpinning both editions of the 'From Borrowers to Builders' report was supplied by which credit information company?
- A. CRIF High Mark
- B. Experian Credit Information Company of India
- C. TransUnion CIBIL
- D. Equifax Credit Information Services
Q11. Consider the following government schemes/programmes and their descriptions in the context of women's access to credit:
1. Stand-Up India — facilitates bank loans of ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore to at least one woman and one SC/ST borrower per bank branch for greenfield enterprises.
2. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana — provides collateral-free micro-credit under categories such as Shishu, Kishore and Tarun.
3. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission — promotes women's Self-Help Groups and their credit linkage with banks.
4. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao — a credit-guarantee programme that extends working-capital loans to women-owned enterprises.
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?
- Stand-Up India — facilitates bank loans of ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore to at least one woman and one SC/ST borrower per bank branch for greenfield enterprises.
- Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana — provides collateral-free micro-credit under categories such as Shishu, Kishore and Tarun.
- Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission — promotes women's Self-Help Groups and their credit linkage with banks.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao — a credit-guarantee programme that extends working-capital loans to women-owned enterprises.
- A. 4 only
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1 and 3
- D. 3 only
Q12. With reference to credit information companies (CICs) in India, consider the following statements:
1. TransUnion CIBIL is a credit information company regulated by the Reserve Bank of India under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
2. Besides TransUnion CIBIL, Equifax, Experian and CRIF High Mark are the other credit information companies operating in India.
3. A credit institution such as a bank is required to be a member of only one credit information company of its choice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- TransUnion CIBIL is a credit information company regulated by the Reserve Bank of India under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
- Besides TransUnion CIBIL, Equifax, Experian and CRIF High Mark are the other credit information companies operating in India.
- A credit institution such as a bank is required to be a member of only one credit information company of its choice.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3