Agriculture MCQs for UPSC Prelims — April 2026

Q1. Arguing that the absence of a data-protection framework causes an 'innovation lag' and delays farmer access to new molecules, the industry body has pressed for a time-bound Protection of Regulatory Data (PRD) framework in its 2026 submission. For how many years of data protection has it specifically pressed?

• A. Three years
• B. Five years
• C. Seven years
• D. Ten years

Q2. In April 2026 the Union Agriculture Minister announced that legislation on farm inputs is nearly ready to be tabled in the upcoming session of Parliament. How many distinct farm-input laws did he indicate would be brought?

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

Q3. With reference to CropLife India and its stance on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, consider the following: 1. It represents about 70% of India's domestic crop-protection industry. 2. It has sought a time-bound registration process for new molecules. 3. It has sought regulation of the e-commerce/online sale of pesticides. 4. It has demanded that the regulation of pesticides be transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

1. It represents about 70% of India's domestic crop-protection industry.
2. It has sought a time-bound registration process for new molecules.
3. It has sought regulation of the e-commerce/online sale of pesticides.
4. It has demanded that the regulation of pesticides be transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

• A. 1, 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 4 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. The Registration Committee proposed under the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 draws its members from various agencies. Consider the following as members of that Committee: 1. A representative of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research 2. The Drugs Controller General of India 3. A representative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change 4. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a member of the Registration Committee?

1. A representative of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
2. The Drugs Controller General of India
3. A representative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
4. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

• A. 1 and 3
• B. 2 only
• C. 4 only
• D. 3 and 4

Q5. Under the Insecticides Act, 1968, the Central Insecticides Board (CIB) — the advisory body on technical matters relating to the administration of the Act — is headed by which one of the following?

• A. The Director General of Health Services
• B. The Agriculture Commissioner
• C. The Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research
• D. The Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Q6. In the Indian legislative record on pesticide reform, which one of the following was the first draft/Bill to recognise the need for a regulatory data protection framework?

• A. The Pesticide Management Bill, 2008
• B. The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020
• C. The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025
• D. The Insecticides Act, 1968

Q7. Successive attempts to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 — including the 2008 and 2020 Bills and the 2025 draft — have been piloted by which one of the following ministries/departments of the Union Government?

• A. Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• B. Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
• C. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• D. Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Q8. With reference to the differences between the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020, consider the following statements: 1. The Insecticides Act, 1968 prescribed a time limit of 12 months for deciding registration, whereas the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 did not specify any time limit for registration. 2. The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 raised the maximum fine for offences to Rs 40 lakh, which was higher than the penalties available under the 1968 Act. 3. The Insecticides Act, 1968 defined 'insecticide' to cover all chemical and biological formulations, a scope which the 2020 Bill narrowed down to only scheduled substances. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Insecticides Act, 1968 prescribed a time limit of 12 months for deciding registration, whereas the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 did not specify any time limit for registration.
2. The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 raised the maximum fine for offences to Rs 40 lakh, which was higher than the penalties available under the 1968 Act.
3. The Insecticides Act, 1968 defined 'insecticide' to cover all chemical and biological formulations, a scope which the 2020 Bill narrowed down to only scheduled substances.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 proposes to set up new institutional machinery to replace the regulatory arrangement under the Insecticides Act, 1968. How many new statutory bodies does the draft Bill propose to establish for registration and standard-setting?

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

Q10. The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 (like the lapsed 2020 Bill) replaces the term 'insecticide' of the Insecticides Act, 1968 with 'pesticide'. Which one of the following best describes how the substance brought under regulation is defined in the new legislation?

• A. Any chemical or biological formulation intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or controlling any pest, whether for agricultural or non-agricultural use
• B. Only those chemical formulations that are expressly listed in a Schedule appended to the enactment
• C. Only synthetic chemical compounds used to kill insects on notified food crops
• D. Any substance registered as a hazardous chemical under the environment protection framework

Q11. As a Special Purpose Vehicle, TANHODA was set up to execute how many of the following centrally-assisted schemes — MIDH–National Horticulture Mission, PMKSY–Micro Irrigation, National Bamboo Mission, and National Mission on Medicinal Plants?

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

Q12. With reference to Tamil Nadu's horticulture administration, the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency (TANHODA) is best described as which one of the following?

• A. A State Special Purpose Vehicle that implements centrally-assisted horticulture schemes such as MIDH–National Horticulture Mission
• B. A central public sector undertaking under the Union Agriculture Ministry that markets horticultural produce
• C. A statutory regulator that fixes plantation-crop prices in Tamil Nadu
• D. A cooperative federation of terrace-garden growers based in Chennai

Q13. The proposed green-belt vegetable expansion of the mid-1970s was to be carried out under which one of the following?

• A. The Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department
• B. The Tamil Nadu Horticulture and Plantation Crops Department
• C. The National Horticulture Board
• D. The Union Ministry of Agriculture

Q14. The 1976 revival of the scheme proposed extending the peri-urban horticultural green-belt model beyond Madras to how many other Tamil Nadu cities?

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

Q15. In the context of the City Vegetable Scheme, the term 'belt areas' referred to which one of the following?

• A. Peri-urban zones around the city earmarked for organised vegetable cultivation to feed the city
• B. Green strips reserved along city roads for ornamental horticulture
• C. Zones within the city where seed-and-seedling selling booths were concentrated
• D. Coastal stretches set aside for salinity-tolerant vegetable varieties

Q16. With reference to the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), consider the following statements: 1. It is implemented as a mission of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare. 2. It targets covering 1 crore farmers in willing Gram Panchayat clusters. 3. It aims to initiate natural farming on about 7.5 lakh hectares. 4. Its total outlay is funded entirely by the Central Government. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. It is implemented as a mission of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
2. It targets covering 1 crore farmers in willing Gram Panchayat clusters.
3. It aims to initiate natural farming on about 7.5 lakh hectares.
4. Its total outlay is funded entirely by the Central Government.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q17. Under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), how many Krishi Sakhis / Community Resource Persons (CRPs) are proposed to be deployed for mobilisation and handholding of willing farmers in the clusters?

• A. 15,000
• B. 30,000
• C. 70,021
• D. 1,00,000

Q18. Which Ministry/Department is the nodal agency that operationalises the umbrella scheme PM-AASHA for MSP-based procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra?

• A. Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare)
• B. Department of Consumer Affairs (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution)
• C. Ministry of Commerce & Industry
• D. Ministry of Food Processing Industries

Q19. With reference to the umbrella scheme Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), consider the following: 1. Price Support Scheme (PSS) 2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) 3. Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) 4. Market Assurance Scheme (MAS) Which of the above is/are correctly identified as components of PM-AASHA?

1. Price Support Scheme (PSS)
2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
3. Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF)
4. Market Assurance Scheme (MAS)

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1, 2 and 3
• C. 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q20. Under NMEO-Oilseeds, which one of the following is classified as a PRIMARY oilseed crop targeted for production enhancement (as distinct from a secondary source of edible oil)?

• A. Cottonseed
• B. Rice Bran
• C. Soybean
• D. Tree Borne Oils

Q21. The National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds), to run from 2024-25 to 2030-31 with an outlay of ₹10,103 crore, was approved by the Union Cabinet in which year?

• A. 2018
• B. 2021
• C. 2024
• D. 2026

Q22. The series of Regional/Zonal Agriculture Conferences, run under the 'One Agriculture – One Team' framework to localise central schemes, was initiated in which year by the Union Agriculture Minister?

• A. 2022
• B. 2023
• C. 2024
• D. 2025

Q23. At the Western Regional (Zonal) Agriculture Conference held at Jaipur on 7 April 2026 under the 'One Agriculture – One Team' framework, farmers and officials from how many States were represented?

• A. Four
• B. Five
• C. Six
• D. Seven

Q24. Within the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, which department's budget rose from about Rs 21,933 crore (2013-14) to over Rs 1.3 lakh crore, making it the principal channel for schemes such as PM-KISAN and PMFBY?

• A. Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW)
• B. Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE)
• C. Department of Food & Public Distribution
• D. Department of Fertilizers

Q25. Consider the following statements about India's agricultural exports: 1. India's agricultural exports rose from about USD 34.5 billion in FY20 to about USD 51.1 billion in FY25. 2. The share of processed food in the agri-food export basket was around 20.4%. 3. The entire increase in agricultural exports over this period came solely from processed food products. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. India's agricultural exports rose from about USD 34.5 billion in FY20 to about USD 51.1 billion in FY25.
2. The share of processed food in the agri-food export basket was around 20.4%.
3. The entire increase in agricultural exports over this period came solely from processed food products.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q26. Consider the following statements about India's agricultural policy evolution: 1. The National Food Security Mission was launched in 2007-08. 2. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was launched in 2007. 3. The National Food Security Mission originally aimed to raise the production of rice, wheat and pulses. 4. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana is a fully central-sector scheme financed entirely by the Union Government. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

1. The National Food Security Mission was launched in 2007-08.
2. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was launched in 2007.
3. The National Food Security Mission originally aimed to raise the production of rice, wheat and pulses.
4. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana is a fully central-sector scheme financed entirely by the Union Government.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q27. The classic technology package of India's Green Revolution (late 1960s) is proposed to have included the following. Which of the above is NOT correctly identified as a component of that package?

1. High-yielding variety (HYV) seeds
2. Chemical fertilizers
3. Assured irrigation
4. Genetically modified (Bt) seeds

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 3 only
• C. 4 only
• D. 2 and 3

Q28. With reference to the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, consider the following statements: 1. The National Water Mission and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture are both among the eight missions. 2. Unlike the National Solar Mission, the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem is primarily an energy-generation mission. 3. The National Mission for a Green India addresses forest cover, whereas the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency targets industrial energy savings. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The National Water Mission and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture are both among the eight missions.
2. Unlike the National Solar Mission, the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem is primarily an energy-generation mission.
3. The National Mission for a Green India addresses forest cover, whereas the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency targets industrial energy savings.

• A. 1 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q29. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture is constituted as one of the eight national missions under which of the following?

• A. National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
• B. National Food Security Act
• C. National Agroforestry Policy
• D. National Agriculture Policy

Q30. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) was launched in which year?

• A. 2016
• B. 2018
• C. 2019
• D. 2020