UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar launches the PM-AJAY Portal & AJAY Mobile App to digitize and strengthen the implementation of SC welfare schemes.
Q1. PM-AJAY, constituted in FY 2021-22 by merging three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, is administered by which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of Rural Development
- B. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
- C. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- D. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Q2. PM-AJAY was formed by merging certain earlier schemes. With reference to this, consider the following schemes:
1. Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
2. Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP)
3. Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
4. Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste students
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as schemes merged to form PM-AJAY?
- Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
- Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP)
- Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
- Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste students
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. With reference to the administration and funding of PM-AJAY, consider the following statements:
1. It is implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
2. The Hostel component provides 100% central assistance for boys' hostels.
3. Under the Adarsh Gram component, up to 50% of the funds allocated to States/UTs may be used for gap-filling activities.
4. The Hostel component may utilise up to 10% of the total allocated funds.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- It is implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- The Hostel component provides 100% central assistance for boys' hostels.
- Under the Adarsh Gram component, up to 50% of the funds allocated to States/UTs may be used for gap-filling activities.
- The Hostel component may utilise up to 10% of the total allocated funds.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q4. The following are proposed matches of a PM-AJAY component with its purpose:
1. Adarsh Gram — integrated development of SC-majority villages against socio-economic indicators
2. Grant-in-Aid — District/State-level projects including livelihood and infrastructure creation
3. Hostel — construction of hostels in higher educational institutions
4. Skill Training — short-term and long-term skilling of SC youth as a dedicated component
Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Adarsh Gram — integrated development of SC-majority villages against socio-economic indicators
- Grant-in-Aid — District/State-level projects including livelihood and infrastructure creation
- Hostel — construction of hostels in higher educational institutions
- Skill Training — short-term and long-term skilling of SC youth as a dedicated component
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q5. With reference to the digital system launched for PM-AJAY in 2026 as compared with its earlier paper-based workflow, consider the following statements:
1. The AJAY Mobile App enables offline door-to-door surveys with geo-tagged, time-stamped photo verification of community assets.
2. The PM-AJAY Portal monitors model-village development against 50 monitorable socio-economic indicators across 10 developmental domains.
3. The new system replaces milestone-linked fund flow with a fixed annual lump-sum release to States.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The AJAY Mobile App enables offline door-to-door surveys with geo-tagged, time-stamped photo verification of community assets.
- The PM-AJAY Portal monitors model-village development against 50 monitorable socio-economic indicators across 10 developmental domains.
- The new system replaces milestone-linked fund flow with a fixed annual lump-sum release to States.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. The PM-AJAY Portal and AJAY Mobile App launched in 2026 are implemented by which one of the following bodies under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment?
- A. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
- B. Department of Social Justice and Empowerment
- C. Department of Rural Livelihoods
- D. National Commission for Scheduled Castes
Q7. How many components does the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) comprise?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q8. Consider the following statements about PM-AJAY and its components:
1. The Adarsh Gram component can draw upon a larger permissible share of the funds allocated to States/UTs than the Hostel component.
2. The full form of PM-AJAY is Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana.
3. Unlike a State-routed release, funds for the Hostel component are released directly by the Ministry to the implementing agencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Adarsh Gram component can draw upon a larger permissible share of the funds allocated to States/UTs than the Hostel component.
- The full form of PM-AJAY is Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana.
- Unlike a State-routed release, funds for the Hostel component are released directly by the Ministry to the implementing agencies.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q9. Consider the following statements describing schemes of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
1. PM-DAKSH is a skill-development scheme.
2. The National Overseas Scholarship funds Masters and Ph.D level studies abroad.
3. PM-SURAJ is a national portal for credit support to disadvantaged sections.
4. PM-AJAY is a scholarship scheme for overseas education of Scheduled Caste students.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- PM-DAKSH is a skill-development scheme.
- The National Overseas Scholarship funds Masters and Ph.D level studies abroad.
- PM-SURAJ is a national portal for credit support to disadvantaged sections.
- PM-AJAY is a scholarship scheme for overseas education of Scheduled Caste students.
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 and 3
Q10. Under the PM-SURAJ portal of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, credit support to disadvantaged sections is primarily facilitated through which one of the following?
- A. NABARD and Regional Rural Banks only
- B. Banks, NBFC-MFIs and other financial organisations
- C. SIDBI exclusively
- D. State cooperative societies only
Q11. The PM-AJAY Portal provides real-time monitoring dashboards for the Adarsh Gram component at multiple administrative tiers. The apex (highest-level) dashboard operates at which one of the following levels?
- A. Gram Panchayat level
- B. District level
- C. State level
- D. National level