UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26

Q1. With reference to Swachh Survekshan and the Swachh Bharat Mission, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Swachh Survekshan is the assessment instrument that ranks cities, whereas Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) is the umbrella programme whose outcomes it measures.
  2. Swachh Survekshan ranks Urban Local Bodies and Gram Panchayats together in one combined national list.
  3. Under Phase II of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), managing solid and liquid waste in villages lies outside the mission, which is confined to building household toilets.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q2. Under the Swachh Shehar Jodi initiative, 70 mentor cities were paired with 191 mentee cities, each mentee having one mentor, and each pair was ranked on the combined score of the mentor and the mentee. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above?

  1. At least some mentor cities were responsible for more than one mentee city.
  2. Mentee cities were excluded from the regular population-category rankings of that edition.
  3. A mentor city with a high score of its own can still see its pair ranked low if its mentee performs poorly.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The 74th Constitutional Amendment did not, by itself, transfer solid waste management to municipalities in every State.
  2. Article 243W provides that the Legislature of a State may, by law, entrust municipalities with functions, including matters listed in the Twelfth Schedule.
  • 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. With reference to Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0, both launched in October 2021, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 aims to make all cities 'Garbage Free'.
  2. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 envisages grey and black water management in cities other than those covered under AMRUT.
  3. AMRUT 2.0 was designed mainly as a solid waste mission, focused on clearing legacy dumpsites in cities.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 only

Q5. Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), the share of urban waste that is processed rose from 16% to 80%, and door-to-door waste collection rose from 44% to over 96%. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above?

  1. The absolute quantity of waste generated in Indian cities has fallen over the period.
  2. A larger share of urban waste now goes through processing than before.
  3. Waste is now segregated at source in over 96% of urban households.
  4. A portion of urban waste is still not processed.
  • A. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only