UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ₹1,600 Crore Approved for 41 Pharma & MedTech Innovation Projects under PRIP First Round

Q1. With reference to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. AMR refers to the human body gradually becoming tolerant to an antimicrobial drug after repeated doses.
  2. AMR can arise in viruses, fungi and parasites as well as in bacteria.
  3. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials drive the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q2. PRIP lists 'complex generics and biosimilars' as a priority area separate from new medicines. With reference to generic medicines and biosimilars, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A generic medicine is a small-molecule drug whose molecular structure is identical to that of the originator product.
  2. A biosimilar is an exact molecular copy of its reference biological product, produced once the reference product's patent expires.
  3. Biosimilars are derived from living cells, which makes them far more complex to reproduce than chemically synthesised drugs.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q3. One project approved in PRIP's first round develops an 'in-vivo CAR-T' platform. CAR-T cell therapy, first administered in India in a trial supported by the Department of Biotechnology, is best described as a treatment in which

  • A. laboratory-made antibodies bind a checkpoint receptor on T-cells, releasing the brake on attacking tumours
  • B. the patient's T-cells are genetically engineered to carry a synthetic receptor that recognises a tumour antigen
  • C. the patient's T-cells are stimulated inside the body by a vaccine of tumour proteins, with no genetic change
  • D. the patient's own tumour cells are grown as three-dimensional mini-tissues to pick the most effective drug

Q4. Dengue is one of the tropical vector-borne diseases given enhanced support under PRIP. With reference to the WHO group of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The group includes diseases caused by viruses as well as diseases caused by parasites.
  2. Many diseases in the group are vector-borne and have animal reservoirs, which complicates their control.
  3. These diseases flourish mainly in rural, conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas with poor sanitation and water access.
  4. They are termed 'neglected' because they cause little death or disability and therefore rank low on the global health agenda.
  • A. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Under PRIP, a later-stage project on a rare disease may receive a higher share of its cost as government assistance than an otherwise similar project on a disease with a large paying market.
  2. PRIP's enhanced rate of assistance is targeted at areas of India's public health concern whose market potential is relatively lower.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q6. With reference to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for pharmaceuticals and the PRIP scheme, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the PLI scheme, the incentive is computed as a share of the research and development expenditure the firm incurs.
  2. Under PRIP, the government bears only a part of a later-stage project's cost, and the rest must come from the applicant.
  3. Under the PLI scheme, a firm earns incentives on the increase in its sales of eligible manufactured goods over a base year.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. Under PRIP, an early-stage project of a start-up or MSME receives assistance equal to 100% of the first ₹1 crore of project cost and 50% of the cost beyond that, subject to an overall cap of ₹5 crore. Which of the following follows from this design?

  • A. The government's effective share of cost falls as the project grows, so larger projects need proportionally more private money
  • B. The government's effective share of cost rises as the project grows, so larger projects draw proportionally more public money
  • C. The government's effective share of cost stays at one half at every size, since the first-crore rule offsets the overall cap
  • D. The government's effective share of cost is fixed only after commercial launch, since the cap is applied to eventual product sales

Q8. A start-up receives later-stage assistance under PRIP to develop a new antibacterial against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, a field covered by the scheme's Strategic Priority framework. Consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The grant of PRIP assistance by itself permits the start-up to manufacture and sell the resulting drug, because a government scheme has already evaluated the project.
  2. Because the project lies in a Strategic Priority area, the government bears its entire later-stage project cost.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2