UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Text of the Reference made in the House today by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on a significant milestone in India’s journey of scientific progress and technological self-reliance

Q1. The Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme was formulated at the inception of, and is administered by, which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Atomic Energy
  • B. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
  • C. Ministry of Power
  • D. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited

Q2. Which one of the following is India's first commercial-scale (500 MWe) fast breeder reactor to attain first criticality?

  • A. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, Kalpakkam
  • B. Fast Breeder Test Reactor, Kalpakkam
  • C. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1
  • D. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit 1

Q3. In the context of the PFBR, the term 'breeder' most precisely refers to a reactor that:

  • A. produces more fissile material than it consumes
  • B. uses a moderator to slow neutrons before fission
  • C. relies only on fast neutrons irrespective of fuel bred
  • D. reprocesses spent fuel within the reactor vessel

Q4. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), which built and commissioned the PFBR, functions as a public-sector undertaking under which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Atomic Energy
  • B. Ministry of Power
  • C. Ministry of Heavy Industries
  • D. Ministry of Science and Technology

Q5. India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor attained its first criticality — the step that puts India on course to become only the second nation after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor — in which year?

  • A. 2023
  • B. 2024
  • C. 2025
  • D. 2026

Q6. Which one of the following was India's first fast breeder reactor, attaining first criticality in 1985 at Kalpakkam?

  • A. Fast Breeder Test Reactor
  • B. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
  • C. Apsara
  • D. Dhruva

Q7. Regulatory clearance for the PFBR's 'first approach to criticality' was granted by which one of the following?

  • A. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
  • B. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research
  • C. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q8. As per the Atomic Minerals Directorate, India's established in-situ monazite resources contain approximately how much thorium?

  • A. about 1.07 million tonnes
  • B. about 11.93 million tonnes
  • C. about 0.5 million tonnes
  • D. about 5 million tonnes