UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Connecting the Last Mile, Serving the Poorest and Unserved, We Indian Railways, are taking Big Investment Strides, Uniting Our Diverse Nation

Question 1

With reference to Indian Railways' financial outlay for FY 2025-26, which one of the following figures represents the highest-ever Capital Expenditure (Capex) provided for the Railways?

Accepted Answer

₹2.65 lakh crore

Answer

₹1.53 lakh crore

Answer

₹68,634 crore

Answer

₹32,235 crore

Question 2

The 100 railway projects entailing about ₹1.53 lakh crore, sanctioned in FY 2025-26, received their project-level financial approval primarily from which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)

Answer

The Railway Board acting on its own authority

Answer

The Governing Council of NITI Aayog

Answer

The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance

Question 3

With reference to the administrative organisation of Indian Railways, consider the following statements:
1. Following the 2019 reorganisation, the strength of the Railway Board was reduced from eight members to five.
2. The 2019 reorganisation merged the erstwhile separate Group 'A' railway services into a single Indian Railway Management Service.
3. The Railway Board derives its original statutory basis from the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 4

With reference to the merger of the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, consider the following statements:
1. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget with effect from the financial year 2017-18.
2. The merger was based on the recommendations of a committee headed by Bibek Debroy.
3. Post-merger, the Railways was relieved of the liability to pay an annual dividend to the General Revenues of the Government of India.
4. The merger abolished the Ministry of Railways as a separate ministry.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 5

Since the 2017 merger that subsumed the erstwhile separate Railway Budget, the single unified Budget of the Union is invariably prepared and presented by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Ministry of Finance

Answer

The Ministry of Railways

Answer

NITI Aayog

Answer

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Question 6

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (Ludhiana–Sonnagar) traverses how many States of India?

Accepted Answer

Five

Answer

Three

Answer

Four

Answer

Six

Question 7

In the context of India's Dedicated Freight Corridors, the entity 'DFCCIL' is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Railways that constructs, maintains and operates the Dedicated Freight Corridors

Answer

A statutory regulator that fixes freight tariffs for private train operators

Answer

A tribunal set up to adjudicate railway land-acquisition disputes

Answer

A joint venture between the Railways and State governments to run suburban passenger services

Question 8

Among the railway multi-tracking project sets cleared by the Cabinet in 2025, which one of the following describes the set that added the largest length to the network?

Accepted Answer

Four projects across 13 districts of six States, adding about 574 km

Answer

Three projects across 8 districts, adding about 307 km

Answer

A single new line of about 140 km in the Bastar region

Answer

Two projects confined to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh

Question 9

Which one of the following new railway lines, taken up to extend last-mile connectivity into a tribal, Left-Wing-Extremism-affected belt, runs through the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh?

Accepted Answer

Rowghat–Jagdalpur

Answer

Ludhiana–Sonnagar

Answer

Dadri–JNPT

Answer

Rishikesh–Karnaprayag

Question 10

India's first passenger train (1853) ran from Bori Bunder (Bombay) to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Thane

Answer

Kalyan

Answer

Pune

Answer

Panvel

Question 11

The average annual allocation of about ₹68,634 crore for new line, gauge conversion and doubling works — against which FY 2025-26 marked a sharp scale-up — pertains to which one of the following financial years?

Accepted Answer

2024-25

Answer

2022-23

Answer

2023-24

Answer

2025-26

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Connecting the Last Mile, Serving the Poorest and Unserved, We Indian Railways, are taking Big Investment Strides, Uniting Our Diverse Nation

Q1. With reference to Indian Railways' financial outlay for FY 2025-26, which one of the following figures represents the highest-ever Capital Expenditure (Capex) provided for the Railways?

Q2. The 100 railway projects entailing about ₹1.53 lakh crore, sanctioned in FY 2025-26, received their project-level financial approval primarily from which one of the following?

Q5. Since the 2017 merger that subsumed the erstwhile separate Railway Budget, the single unified Budget of the Union is invariably prepared and presented by which one of the following?

Q6. The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (Ludhiana–Sonnagar) traverses how many States of India?

Q7. In the context of India's Dedicated Freight Corridors, the entity 'DFCCIL' is best described as which one of the following?

Q8. Among the railway multi-tracking project sets cleared by the Cabinet in 2025, which one of the following describes the set that added the largest length to the network?

Q9. Which one of the following new railway lines, taken up to extend last-mile connectivity into a tribal, Left-Wing-Extremism-affected belt, runs through the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh?

Q10. India's first passenger train (1853) ran from Bori Bunder (Bombay) to which one of the following?

Q11. The average annual allocation of about ₹68,634 crore for new line, gauge conversion and doubling works — against which FY 2025-26 marked a sharp scale-up — pertains to which one of the following financial years?