UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Launch of “India S&T Scoreboard” on 3rd November 2026 in New Delhi

Q1. With reference to NITI Aayog, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. It was constituted by a resolution of the Union Cabinet and has no statutory basis.
  2. Like the Finance Commission, it owes its existence to a specific article of the Constitution.
  3. Its Governing Council includes the Chief Ministers of the States, which gives States a standing forum for discussing federal issues.
  4. It was designed to continue the Planning Commission's practice of a one-way flow of policy from the Centre to the States.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only

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

  1. A dashboard that compares States side by side on common indicators is regarded as an instrument of competitive federalism.
  2. NITI Aayog's Governing Council brings the Chief Ministers of States together on a common platform to discuss inter-sectoral and federal issues.
  • 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. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Although education is a Concurrent List subject, a State cannot by its own law dilute standards that Parliament lays down for institutions of higher education and research.
  2. The Concurrent List entry on education, including universities, is expressly made subject to the Union List entries that include coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research.
  • 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

Q4. As of 2020-21, which of the following best describes the composition of India's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) by source?

  • A. Foreign sources account for over half, with government and private sectors sharing the rest
  • B. Government sources and the private sector account for roughly equal shares of the total
  • C. Government sources account for roughly two-thirds, and the private sector for roughly one-third
  • D. The private sector accounts for roughly two-thirds, and government sources for roughly one-third

Q5. Consider the following pairs of benchmarking tools and the units they compare: Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

  1. India Innovation Index : States and Union Territories
  2. National Institutional Ranking Framework : Higher education institutions
  3. Global Innovation Index : National economies
  4. SDG India Index : Districts within a State
  • A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 2, 3 and 4 only

Q6. Given the way WIPO's Global Innovation Index is designed, which one of the following comparisons can it NOT be used to make?

  • A. Rank Bengaluru against other science and technology clusters worldwide
  • B. Compare India's rank on innovation inputs with its rank on outputs
  • C. Compare India's overall innovation performance with that of Switzerland
  • D. Rank Karnataka against Kerala on their overall innovation environment