Infrastructure MCQs for UPSC Prelims — January 2026

Question 1

Which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry that implements the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the flagship rural road connectivity programme in the North Eastern Region?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Rural Development

Answer

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Answer

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

Answer

Ministry of Panchayati Raj

Question 2

As of December 2025, how many Gram Panchayats in the North Eastern Region had been made service-ready for high-speed internet under the BharatNet project?

Accepted Answer

6,355

Answer

5,355

Answer

6,535

Answer

16,207

Question 3

The acronym 'UDAN' in the UDAN-RCS civil aviation scheme stands for which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik

Answer

Unnat Digital Aviation Network

Answer

Udaan Development and Airport Network

Answer

Universal Domestic Air Navigation

Question 4

In the context of railway projects in the NER, the achievement of 'capital connectivity' for Mizoram through the Bhairabi-Sairang line refers to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Connecting the state capital Aizawl to the Indian Railways network for the first time

Answer

Converting an existing metre-gauge line at Aizawl entirely to broad gauge

Answer

Establishing a dedicated high-speed rail corridor between Aizawl and Guwahati

Answer

Introducing metro rail services within Aizawl city

Question 5

What was the total length of the National Highway network in the North Eastern Region as on 1 April 2025?

Accepted Answer

16,207 km

Answer

10,905 km

Answer

13,905 km

Answer

26,207 km

Question 6

The 'MV San Fernando', received at Vizhinjam in July 2024, was described as the first 'mother vessel', marking India's first deepwater transshipment milestone. In this context, 'transshipment' most precisely means which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The transfer of containers from a large mother vessel to smaller feeder vessels (or vice versa) at an intermediate hub port en route to their final destination

Answer

The direct carriage of cargo from the origin port to the destination port without any intermediate handling

Answer

The handling of only domestic coastal cargo moving strictly between two Indian ports

Answer

The permanent warehousing of import containers at the first port of entry

Question 7

Vizhinjam is classified as a non-major port; accordingly, its regulation and administration (as distinct from Major Ports) vests primarily in which authority?

Accepted Answer

The State Government of Kerala (through its maritime administration)

Answer

The Cochin Port Authority

Answer

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways directly

Answer

The Sagarmala Development Company Ltd

Question 8

Which one of the following is the flagship port-led development programme that forms a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047?

Accepted Answer

Sagarmala

Answer

Bharatmala

Answer

UDAN

Answer

PM Gati Shakti

Question 9

Which of the following are correctly identified as foreign ports that have handled a significant share of India's transshipment container cargo?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 4 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 10

The capacity augmentation works of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, inaugurated in January 2026, fall under the administrative purview of which Union Ministry?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

Answer

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Answer

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Answer

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying

Question 11

Under the PPP structure of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, which entity acts as the landlord that owns the port land and assets?

Accepted Answer

Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, a Government of Kerala undertaking

Answer

Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd

Answer

Cochin Port Authority

Answer

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

Question 12

In the context of the Vizhinjam Seaport concession, the 'DBFOT' model most precisely refers to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer — the private concessionaire designs, builds, finances and operates the asset and finally transfers it back to the government at the end of the concession

Answer

Design-Build-Fund-Own-Terminate — the concessionaire retains permanent ownership of all built assets

Answer

Develop-Bid-Finance-Own-Transfer — the government finances construction and later auctions the asset

Answer

Design-Build-Foreign-Operate-Transfer — a mandatorily foreign-owned entity must always operate the terminal

Question 13

The original Concession Agreement for developing the Vizhinjam International Seaport on the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model was signed in which year?

Accepted Answer

2015

Answer

2011

Answer

2024

Answer

2020

Question 14

Consider the following pairings of National Waterways with their associated river/canal systems. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 15

Under the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047, the number of cruise circuits with night stays is targeted to increase from 17 to how many?

Accepted Answer

80

Answer

40

Answer

60

Answer

120

Question 16

The 'River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047' was launched at the inaugural IWDC meeting held onboard which one of the following vessels?

Accepted Answer

MV Ganga Queen

Answer

MV Ganga Vilas

Answer

MV Rani Rashmoni

Answer

MV Sabarmati

Question 17

The Harit Nauka guidelines for the green transition of inland vessels were first launched at which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The first meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (Kolkata, 2024)

Answer

The second meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (2024)

Answer

The third IWDC meeting, IWDC 3.0 (Kochi, 2026)

Answer

The Green Shipping Conclave 2025

Question 18

How many low-emission alternative propulsion fuels are specified for 'Green Vessels' under the Harit Nauka guidelines for green transition of inland vessels?

Accepted Answer

Five

Answer

Three

Answer

Four

Answer

Seven

Question 19

The 'National River Traffic and Navigation System (NRT&NS)', approved for Maharashtra at IWDC 3.0, is best described as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A vessel traffic management and navigation monitoring system for inland waterways

Answer

A capital subsidy scheme for procuring green cargo vessels

Answer

A grid physically connecting all 111 National Waterways through link canals

Answer

An inter-basin river-linking project to transfer surplus water

Question 20

With reference to the projects cleared/approved at the third IWDC meeting (IWDC 3.0, Kochi, 2026), consider the following. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

2 only

Answer

3 and 4

Question 21

India's grid is often described as the 'world's largest synchronous grid'. In this context the term 'synchronous grid' most precisely means which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A grid in which all interconnected AC generators operate at the same frequency and in a fixed phase relationship (in step)

Answer

The grid with the largest installed generation capacity in the world

Answer

The grid extending over the largest geographical area in the world

Answer

A grid in which generation exactly equals demand at every instant

Question 22

The Ministry of Power's figure of 71.6% growth in India's transmission network (220 kV and above) is measured with reference to which one of the following base periods?

Accepted Answer

April 2014

Answer

2003, the year the Electricity Act was enacted

Answer

December 2013, when One Nation–One Grid–One Frequency was achieved

Answer

April 2017

Question 23

The nationwide supervision, scheduling and control of inter-regional power flows over the national grid is carried out by which one of the following apex bodies?

Accepted Answer

National Load Despatch Centre (NLDC)

Answer

the five Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs)

Answer

State Load Despatch Centres (SLDCs)

Answer

Central Electricity Authority

Question 24

In the context of India's national grid, the expression 'One Nation–One Grid–One Frequency' most precisely denotes which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

All regional grids are interconnected and operated as a single system at a common frequency

Answer

A single uniform retail electricity tariff applies to consumers across all States

Answer

All transmission assets in the country are owned by one central company

Answer

Every State draws an identical share of power from the national grid

Question 25

Which one of the following organisations is entrusted with the integrated, real-time operation of India's national grid — the world's largest synchronous grid — as its apex system operator?

Accepted Answer

Grid Controller of India Ltd (Grid-India), formerly POSOCO

Answer

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (POWERGRID)

Answer

Central Electricity Authority

Answer

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission

Question 26

The 765 kV Bhadla II–Sikar II inter-State line, whose commissioning took the network past 5 lakh ckm, was developed and commissioned by which one of the following in its role as the Central Transmission Utility?

Accepted Answer

Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (POWERGRID)

Answer

NTPC Ltd

Answer

Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd

Answer

Grid Controller of India Ltd (Grid-India)

Question 27

The achievement of India's transmission network crossing 5 lakh ckm, and the planning and development of the inter-State transmission system, fall under the administrative purview of which one of the following Union Ministries?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Power

Answer

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Answer

Ministry of Heavy Industries

Answer

Ministry of Coal

Question 28

The National Electricity Plan (Generation) notified by the Central Electricity Authority for the period 2022-32 is organised into how many distinct planning segments?

Accepted Answer

Three

Answer

Two

Answer

Four

Answer

Five

Question 29

The Draft National Electricity Policy, 2026, sets explicit per-capita electricity consumption targets for how many distinct target years?

Accepted Answer

Two

Answer

Three

Answer

One

Answer

Four

Question 30

With reference to the per-capita electricity consumption targets under the Draft NEP 2026, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Infrastructure MCQs for UPSC Prelims — January 2026

Q1. Which one of the following is the nodal Union Ministry that implements the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the flagship rural road connectivity programme in the North Eastern Region?

Q2. As of December 2025, how many Gram Panchayats in the North Eastern Region had been made service-ready for high-speed internet under the BharatNet project?

Q3. The acronym 'UDAN' in the UDAN-RCS civil aviation scheme stands for which one of the following?

Q4. In the context of railway projects in the NER, the achievement of 'capital connectivity' for Mizoram through the Bhairabi-Sairang line refers to which one of the following?

Q5. What was the total length of the National Highway network in the North Eastern Region as on 1 April 2025?

Q6. The 'MV San Fernando', received at Vizhinjam in July 2024, was described as the first 'mother vessel', marking India's first deepwater transshipment milestone. In this context, 'transshipment' most precisely means which one of the following?

Q7. Vizhinjam is classified as a non-major port; accordingly, its regulation and administration (as distinct from Major Ports) vests primarily in which authority?

Q8. Which one of the following is the flagship port-led development programme that forms a key pillar of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047?

Q9. Which of the following are correctly identified as foreign ports that have handled a significant share of India's transshipment container cargo?

Q10. The capacity augmentation works of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, inaugurated in January 2026, fall under the administrative purview of which Union Ministry?

Q11. Under the PPP structure of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, which entity acts as the landlord that owns the port land and assets?

Q12. In the context of the Vizhinjam Seaport concession, the 'DBFOT' model most precisely refers to which one of the following?

Q13. The original Concession Agreement for developing the Vizhinjam International Seaport on the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model was signed in which year?

Q14. Consider the following pairings of National Waterways with their associated river/canal systems. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

Q15. Under the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047, the number of cruise circuits with night stays is targeted to increase from 17 to how many?

Q16. The 'River Cruise Tourism Roadmap, 2047' was launched at the inaugural IWDC meeting held onboard which one of the following vessels?

Q17. The Harit Nauka guidelines for the green transition of inland vessels were first launched at which one of the following?

Q18. How many low-emission alternative propulsion fuels are specified for 'Green Vessels' under the Harit Nauka guidelines for green transition of inland vessels?

Q19. The 'National River Traffic and Navigation System (NRT&NS)', approved for Maharashtra at IWDC 3.0, is best described as which one of the following?

Q20. With reference to the projects cleared/approved at the third IWDC meeting (IWDC 3.0, Kochi, 2026), consider the following. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?

Q21. India's grid is often described as the 'world's largest synchronous grid'. In this context the term 'synchronous grid' most precisely means which one of the following?

Q22. The Ministry of Power's figure of 71.6% growth in India's transmission network (220 kV and above) is measured with reference to which one of the following base periods?

Q23. The nationwide supervision, scheduling and control of inter-regional power flows over the national grid is carried out by which one of the following apex bodies?

Q24. In the context of India's national grid, the expression 'One Nation–One Grid–One Frequency' most precisely denotes which one of the following?

Q25. Which one of the following organisations is entrusted with the integrated, real-time operation of India's national grid — the world's largest synchronous grid — as its apex system operator?

Q26. The 765 kV Bhadla II–Sikar II inter-State line, whose commissioning took the network past 5 lakh ckm, was developed and commissioned by which one of the following in its role as the Central Transmission Utility?

Q27. The achievement of India's transmission network crossing 5 lakh ckm, and the planning and development of the inter-State transmission system, fall under the administrative purview of which one of the following Union Ministries?

Q28. The National Electricity Plan (Generation) notified by the Central Electricity Authority for the period 2022-32 is organised into how many distinct planning segments?

Q29. The Draft National Electricity Policy, 2026, sets explicit per-capita electricity consumption targets for how many distinct target years?

Q30. With reference to the per-capita electricity consumption targets under the Draft NEP 2026, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?