UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — QUICK ESTIMATE OF INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AND USE-BASED INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026

Q1. The Quick Estimate of the Index of Industrial Production is compiled and released under the authority of which one of the following?

  • A. National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • B. National Accounts Division of NITI Aayog
  • C. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. Office of the Economic Adviser, Reserve Bank of India

Q2. In the context of the Index of Industrial Production, the term 'base year' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The reference year whose index level is set equal to 100, against which the production volumes of all other periods are measured
  • B. The year in which the physical item basket was last surveyed to fix retail prices for weighting
  • C. The financial year whose nominal Gross Value Added is used as the deflator for the manufacturing sector
  • D. The earliest year for which continuous industrial data are available in the national accounts

Q3. In the compilation of the Index of Industrial Production, data on electricity generation is drawn from which one of the following agencies?

  • A. Central Electricity Authority
  • B. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission
  • C. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
  • D. Power Finance Corporation Limited

Q4. In the use-based classification of the Index of Industrial Production, 'Capital goods' are best described as which one of the following?

  • A. Manufactured goods, other than intermediate goods, used in the production of other goods or services but not consumed as inputs
  • B. Goods directly obtained from natural sources and used for further processing in manufacturing and power generation
  • C. Finished goods that are primarily used as inputs in the infrastructure or construction industry
  • D. Products directly used by consumers and having a significant lifespan

Q5. In the Quick Estimate of the IIP for March 2026, how many of the 23 manufacturing industry groups (at the NIC 2-digit level) recorded positive year-on-year growth?

  • A. 11
  • B. 14
  • C. 18
  • D. 23

Q6. The Quick Estimate of the IIP for March 2026, which reported a headline growth of 4.1%, was compiled with reference to which base year?

  • A. 2011-12 = 100
  • B. 2022-23 = 100
  • C. 2004-05 = 100
  • D. 2012-13 = 100

Q7. With reference to the compilation of the Index of Industrial Production, which of the following are correctly identified as source agencies that supply production data for the index?

  1. Central Electricity Authority
  2. Indian Bureau of Mines
  3. Reserve Bank of India
  4. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
  • A. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4