UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India has significantly expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network since 2014, increasing from 14 operational units to 50, marking over 250% rise: Dr Jitendra Singh

Q1. The frequently cited '250%-plus expansion' of India's Doppler Weather Radar network — from 14 operational units to 50 — is measured with reference to the operational strength of which base year?

  • A. 2004
  • B. 2009
  • C. 2014
  • D. 2019

Q2. Mission Mausam is envisaged to be 'chiefly implemented' by which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • B. Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • C. Ministry of Jal Shakti
  • D. Ministry of Science and Technology (Department of Science & Technology)

Q3. The Union Cabinet decision that approved Mission Mausam with a ₹2,000 crore outlay over two years was taken by the Cabinet chaired by which authority?

  • A. The Prime Minister
  • B. The Union Minister of Earth Sciences
  • C. The Vice-Chairperson of NITI Aayog
  • D. The Union Home Minister

Q4. The ability of a Doppler Weather Radar to measure the radial velocity of raindrops rests primarily on which one of the following physical principles?

  • A. Rayleigh scattering of light
  • B. The photoelectric effect
  • C. The Doppler effect (frequency shift of reflected waves due to relative motion)
  • D. Raman scattering

Q5. The 150th Foundation Day celebrations of the India Meteorological Department, held in January 2025, were graced by which one of the following?

  • A. The Prime Minister
  • B. The Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences
  • C. The President of India
  • D. The Vice-President of India

Q6. Among the following organisations under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, which one is the lead operational agency for deploying and running the country's Doppler Weather Radar network?

  • A. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM)
  • B. National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)
  • C. India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • D. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)

Q7. In IMD's forecasting framework, a 'nowcast' provides guidance for a period of up to how many hours ahead?

  • A. Up to 3 hours
  • B. Up to 6 hours
  • C. Up to 12 hours
  • D. Up to 24 hours

Q8. In the context of IMD's recent announcements, the term 'Nowcast' is best defined as which one of the following?

  • A. A highly localised weather forecast for the next three hours
  • B. The seasonal outlook for the southwest monsoon
  • C. A 4-to-10 day medium-range forecast
  • D. A live display of raw satellite cloud imagery

Q9. Warnings for cyclones, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall based on Doppler Weather Radar inputs are officially issued by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
  • B. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
  • C. India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • D. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)