UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — “TDB-DST’s Early Recognition of Skyroot's Technological Excellence Through the National Technology Start-up Award 2022 Stands Vindicated”
Q1. Which one of the following best describes the statutory mandate of the Technology Development Board (TDB)?
- A. To provide equity capital or financial assistance to industrial concerns and agencies for the development and commercial application of indigenous technology or the adaptation of imported technology to wider domestic use
- B. To authorise, promote and supervise the space activities of non-governmental entities through a single-window mechanism
- C. To foster entrepreneurship among science and technology personnel by setting up technology business incubators across the country
- D. To formulate the country's overarching science, technology and innovation policy
Q2. The National Award for Technology Start-Ups — a category won by Skyroot Aerospace — is instituted and administered by which body, and the dedicated start-up category was added in which year?
- A. Technology Development Board (TDB) under DST; from 2017
- B. National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB); from 2016
- C. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe); from 2020
- D. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL); from 2019
Q3. How many distinct categories of the National Technology Awards are conferred annually by the Technology Development Board?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five
Q4. Which one of the following is correctly described as the first Indian private company to place satellites into orbit from Indian soil?
- A. Skyroot Aerospace
- B. Agnikul Cosmos
- C. Pixxel
- D. Dhruva Space
Q5. Which one of the following is the single-window nodal agency in the Department of Space responsible for authorising and supervising the space activities of non-governmental (private) entities in India?
- A. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe)
- B. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
- C. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- D. Antrix Corporation Limited
Q6. Under which one of the following was the demarcation of the distinct roles of ISRO, IN-SPACe and NSIL, along with the opening up of the sector to private players, formally laid down?
- A. Indian Space Policy, 2023
- B. Space Activities Bill, 2017
- C. SATCOM Policy, 2000
- D. Remote Sensing Data Policy, 2011
Q7. Which one of the following serves as the primary spaceport of India, from which its orbital launches — including Skyroot's Vikram-1 — are conducted?
- A. Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
- B. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
- C. ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri
- D. Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Thiruvananthapuram
Q8. The Sriharikota range was renamed the 'Satish Dhawan Space Centre' in honour of Prof. Satish Dhawan, who had served as the Chairman of which one of the following?
- A. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- B. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- C. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
- D. Atomic Energy Commission
Q9. Which one of the following best describes the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB)?
- A. An institutional mechanism under the Department of Science & Technology to promote knowledge-driven, technology-intensive enterprises and entrepreneurship among science and technology personnel
- B. A statutory board under DST that provides equity, loan and grant financing to industrial concerns for commercialising indigenous technology
- C. A single-window agency that authorises the launch activities of private space companies
- D. A public-sector undertaking that commercialises ISRO's technologies and launch services
Q10. The July 2026 orbital launch of the privately built Vikram-1 was conducted using the range and launch-support facilities provided by which one of the following?
- A. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- B. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe)
- C. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
- D. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)