UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — PM to inaugurate Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2026 on 27 October

Q1. With reference to the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet in 2025, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The corpus is not lent by the government directly to individual firms; it is allocated through second-level fund managers such as Alternative Investment Funds and Development Finance Institutions.
  2. The principal instrument of the scheme is non-repayable grants to private companies for early-stage basic research.
  3. Besides long-tenor loans at low or nil interest, equity financing can be considered under the scheme, particularly for startups.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The private sector's share of national R&D spending in India is smaller than its share in countries such as China, South Korea and the United States.
  2. India's Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained below one per cent of its GDP.
  • 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

Q3. Applying the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale used to assess how mature a technology is, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A laboratory that has just observed and reported the basic principle behind a new material is at the lowest level of the TRL scale.
  2. A satellite subsystem that has been proven during a successful space mission can be described as being at TRL 9.
  3. A system that has completed ground or flight qualification testing, but has not yet operated in an actual mission, is already at TRL 9.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q4. Public-engagement tools at science conclaves are often linked to the constitutional idea of 'scientific temper'. With reference to Article 51A(h) of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The duty to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform is cast on every citizen of India.
  2. This duty formed part of the Constitution as originally adopted in 1950.
  3. This duty is placed among the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV of the Constitution.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q5. With reference to the legal basis of India's science, technology and innovation institutions and forums, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation owes its existence to a parliamentary statute, and the Science and Engineering Research Board that it subsumed was itself created by an Act of Parliament.
  2. The Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave, unlike ANRF, is an executive initiative that was not created by any Act.
  3. Because the Science and Engineering Research Board was a statutory body, folding it into ANRF required legislation rather than an executive order alone.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q6. Under the RDI Scheme, equity financing is to be considered especially for startups, in addition to long-tenor loans. Which one of the following features of deep-tech startups best explains why equity suits them better than debt alone?

  • A. Their technologies are mostly mature and already in large-scale commercial use across many markets
  • B. Their revenues are often uncertain and delayed for years, so fixed repayment schedules are hard to service
  • C. They typically hold large physical collateral that equity investors can seize if the venture fails
  • D. They usually sell only to government buyers under fixed-price contracts that guarantee steady cash flows