UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Indigenous African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine Developed by ICAR Bolsters India's Biosecurity
Q1. With the designation of ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility, how many facilities in the world are now authorised to hold rinderpest virus-containing material?
- A. Four
- B. Six
- C. Nine
- D. Twelve
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal and its international recognitions:
1. It is a BSL-3 high-containment facility and holds WOAH Reference Laboratory status for avian influenza.
2. India's rinderpest virus repository status, first granted in 2012, was upgraded in 2025 from Category B to Category A.
3. The Category A designation followed a joint WOAH-FAO inspection and was announced at the 92nd General Session of WOAH held in Paris.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is a BSL-3 high-containment facility and holds WOAH Reference Laboratory status for avian influenza.
- India's rinderpest virus repository status, first granted in 2012, was upgraded in 2025 from Category B to Category A.
- The Category A designation followed a joint WOAH-FAO inspection and was announced at the 92nd General Session of WOAH held in Paris.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. With reference to African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF), consider the following:
1. ASF is caused by a large DNA virus that is the only member of the family Asfarviridae.
2. CSF is caused by a virus of the genus Pestivirus belonging to the family Flaviviridae.
3. The two diseases can be reliably told apart in the field from clinical signs and post-mortem lesions alone.
4. ASF affects domestic as well as wild pigs and additionally poses a documented risk to human health in outbreak zones.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- ASF is caused by a large DNA virus that is the only member of the family Asfarviridae.
- CSF is caused by a virus of the genus Pestivirus belonging to the family Flaviviridae.
- The two diseases can be reliably told apart in the field from clinical signs and post-mortem lesions alone.
- ASF affects domestic as well as wild pigs and additionally poses a documented risk to human health in outbreak zones.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4 only
Q4. The National Action Plan for Control of African Swine Fever, formulated in 2020, is operationalised by which one of the following?
- A. The Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology
- B. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying
- C. The Department of Agricultural Research and Education, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- D. The Department of Health Research, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Q5. With reference to the spread of African swine fever in India, consider the following:
1. Outbreaks have remained confined exclusively to the North-Eastern States since the disease entered the country.
2. The disease was first reported in India in May 2020, in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
3. Every reported Indian outbreak has been contained without any culling of pigs.
4. Since its first detection, the disease has spread to around 24 States and Union Territories.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Outbreaks have remained confined exclusively to the North-Eastern States since the disease entered the country.
- The disease was first reported in India in May 2020, in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Every reported Indian outbreak has been contained without any culling of pigs.
- Since its first detection, the disease has spread to around 24 States and Union Territories.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q6. With reference to African swine fever in India, consider the following:
1. The disease was first reported in the country in the year 2020.
2. The National Action Plan for Control of the disease was formulated in the same year in which the country recorded its first detection.
3. The 2024 outbreak in Thrissur district, Kerala, was contained by culling pigs within a 10 km radius of the epicentre.
4. Being a zoonotic disease, its Indian outbreaks are handled by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The disease was first reported in the country in the year 2020.
- The National Action Plan for Control of the disease was formulated in the same year in which the country recorded its first detection.
- The 2024 outbreak in Thrissur district, Kerala, was contained by culling pigs within a 10 km radius of the epicentre.
- Being a zoonotic disease, its Indian outbreaks are handled by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 only
- C. 1, 3 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q7. Consider the following animal diseases:
1. Foot-and-Mouth Disease
2. Peste des Petits Ruminants
3. African Swine Fever
4. Brucellosis
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as diseases covered under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme?
- Foot-and-Mouth Disease
- Peste des Petits Ruminants
- African Swine Fever
- Brucellosis
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4