Agriculture MCQs for UPSC Prelims — March 2026

Q1. In India's fertilizer sector, the primary feedstock used for the domestic manufacture of urea — and hence the link that makes urea output vulnerable to West Asia gas disruptions — is:

  • A. Natural gas
  • B. Rock phosphate
  • C. Muriate of potash
  • D. Sulphur

Q2. In the context of balanced fertilisation, 'Nano Urea' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A liquid nitrogenous fertilizer with nano-scale nitrogen particles, applied as a foliar spray to supplement basal conventional urea
  • B. A granular slow-release form of urea coated with neem oil to retard nitrogen loss
  • C. A nano-scale formulation of Di-Ammonium Phosphate supplying phosphorus to crops
  • D. A sprayable micronutrient mixture of zinc and boron used to fortify soils

Q3. The acronym 'PM-PRANAM', associated with sustainable fertilizer use, expands to which one of the following?

  • A. PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother-Earth
  • B. PM Plan for Reduction of Agro-chemicals and Nutrient Augmentation Mission
  • C. Promotion of Resource-efficient Agriculture and Natural Augmentation Mission
  • D. Pradhan Mantri Programme for Restoration of Arable land, Nutrients and Manure

Q4. Which one of the following fertilizers, sold to farmers at a statutorily fixed MRP of Rs.242 per 45-kg bag, attracts the single largest subsidy commitment of the Government of India?

  • A. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)
  • B. Muriate of Potash (MOP)
  • C. Urea
  • D. NPK complex fertilizers

Q5. As part of the scaling-up of Nano Urea (Liquid), at how many locations in India has IFFCO set up Nano Urea (Liquid) manufacturing plants?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. Six

Q6. India's indigenous urea capacity is reported to have reached its record level of 283.74 LMTPA in which one of the following years?

  • A. 2014-15
  • B. 2018-19
  • C. 2022-23
  • D. 2023-24

Q7. Consider the following pairings of revived/new urea units with their implementing company. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. 1. Ramagundam unit — Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (Telangana)
  2. 2. Gorakhpur unit — Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (Uttar Pradesh)
  3. 3. Gadepan-III unit — Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (Rajasthan)
  4. 4. Panagarh unit — Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (West Bengal)
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3
  • C. 2 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q8. Consider the following statements regarding Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in fertilizers and the One Nation One Fertilizer scheme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1. Under DBT in fertilizers, 100% subsidy is released to fertilizer companies on the basis of actual sales to beneficiaries through PoS devices.
  2. 2. The single fertilizer brand introduced under the scheme is 'Bharat'.
  3. 3. The scheme is implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP).
  4. 4. Under DBT, the subsidy amount is transferred directly into the bank accounts of individual farmers.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q9. Among the Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers, which one received the highest per-tonne Nutrient Based Subsidy approved for Rabi 2025-26?

  • A. Muriate of Potash (MOP)
  • B. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)
  • C. Single Super Phosphate (SSP)
  • D. Ammonium Sulphate

Q10. The New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012 for urea, which incentivised greenfield and brownfield urea capacity, was amended in which one of the following years?

  • A. 2010
  • B. 2012
  • C. 2014
  • D. 2015

Q11. The 2026 announcement of NICRA's climate-risk mapping of 651 districts and the scale-up of climate-resilient farming was made by which ministry?

  • A. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
  • B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • D. Ministry of Rural Development

Q12. The district-level climate risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture under NICRA follows the protocols of which of the following bodies?

  • A. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
  • B. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • C. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
  • D. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Q13. NICRA is implemented through how many components?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q14. Under which organisation's network-project framework are NICRA's components — Strategic Research, Technology Demonstration, Capacity Building and Sponsored/Competitive Grants — implemented?

  • A. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
  • B. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
  • C. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
  • D. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Q15. District Agriculture Contingency Plans under NICRA have been prepared for how many districts?

  • A. 310
  • B. 448
  • C. 651
  • D. 731

Q16. What is the primary purpose of the District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACPs) prepared under NICRA?

  • A. To address weather aberrations by recommending location-specific climate-resilient crops, varieties and management practices
  • B. To disburse crop insurance payouts to affected farmers
  • C. To fix the minimum support prices for notified crops
  • D. To allocate irrigation subsidies among districts

Q17. With reference to NICRA's village- and KVK-level interventions, consider the following statements: 1. Climate-resilient technologies have been demonstrated in 448 model Climate Resilient Villages. 2. ICAR has established a network of 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras. 3. The Climate Resilient Villages are spread across all 651 assessed districts. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Climate-resilient technologies have been demonstrated in 448 model Climate Resilient Villages.
  2. ICAR has established a network of 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
  3. The Climate Resilient Villages are spread across all 651 assessed districts.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q18. Which institution serves as the principal field-level vehicle for demonstrating and disseminating climate-resilient technologies under NICRA?

  • A. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
  • B. Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)
  • C. State Agricultural Universities
  • D. Farmer Producer Organisations

Q19. Among the vulnerability categories used in NICRA's district-level climate risk mapping, which single category accounts for the largest number of districts?

  • A. 'Very high' vulnerability
  • B. 'Highly' vulnerable
  • C. 'Moderately' vulnerable
  • D. 'Low' vulnerability

Q20. Of the 651 predominantly agricultural districts assessed under NICRA, how many were classified as vulnerable to climate change?

  • A. 109
  • B. 201
  • C. 310
  • D. 448

Q21. With reference to the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), consider the following: 1. It is implemented by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. 2. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 3. It is structured as a network project of ICAR. 4. Its expanded form is 'National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture'. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It is implemented by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
  2. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
  3. It is structured as a network project of ICAR.
  4. Its expanded form is 'National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture'.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q22. In which year was the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) network project launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research?

  • A. 2007
  • B. 2009
  • C. 2011
  • D. 2014

Q23. Under the National Mission on Natural Farming, the Centre:State funding ratio is the highest for which category of States?

  • A. Hilly and North-Eastern States — 90:10
  • B. All other (general category) States — 60:40
  • C. Union Territories without legislature — 50:50
  • D. Aspirational-district States — 75:25

Q24. 'Bharat-VISTAAR', the multilingual AI advisory tool integrating AgriStack and ICAR's package of practices, was proposed under which one of the following?

  • A. Union Budget 2026-27
  • B. Union Budget 2024-25
  • C. Economic Survey 2025-26
  • D. NITI Aayog's Vision 2047 document

Q25. The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), under which the 99 projects were prioritized, is best defined as a programme that does which one of the following?

  • A. Provides central financial assistance to expedite completion of selected ongoing major/medium irrigation projects
  • B. Provides 100% central grants solely for micro-irrigation on individual farms
  • C. Compensates farmers for crop loss in irrigation-deficit districts
  • D. Funds only the construction of new inter-state hydropower dams

Q26. Within PMKSY, which is the major component — implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti alongside AIBP — that comprises the sub-components Command Area Development & Water Management, Surface Minor Irrigation, RRR of Water Bodies and Ground Water Development?

  • A. Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP)
  • B. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
  • C. Watershed Development Component (WDC)
  • D. Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM)

Q27. With reference to the components of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and their implementing agencies, consider the following: 1. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme — Ministry of Jal Shakti 2. Watershed Development Component — Ministry of Rural Development 3. Har Khet Ko Pani — Ministry of Jal Shakti 4. Per Drop More Crop — Ministry of Jal Shakti Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme — Ministry of Jal Shakti
  2. Watershed Development Component — Ministry of Rural Development
  3. Har Khet Ko Pani — Ministry of Jal Shakti
  4. Per Drop More Crop — Ministry of Jal Shakti
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q28. In the context of coconut value addition and product diversification, the term 'neera' refers to which of the following?

  • A. The unfermented sweet sap tapped from the coconut inflorescence
  • B. Activated carbon produced from coconut shell
  • C. Desiccated coconut powder used in confectionery
  • D. Cold-pressed virgin coconut oil

Q29. Which State has the largest area under coconut cultivation in India, making the rejuvenation of its ageing/senile gardens a key replanting priority?

  • A. Kerala
  • B. Tamil Nadu
  • C. Karnataka
  • D. Andhra Pradesh

Q30. World Coconut Day 2025, marking the sector's focus on the North-East, was hosted at Guwahati by which body?

  • A. Coconut Development Board
  • B. North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC)
  • C. North Eastern Council (NEC)
  • D. Spices Board of India