Science & Technology MCQs for UPSC Prelims — May 2026
Q1. The September 2025 workshop that evaluated coal gasification technologies specifically suited to India's high-ash coal — as distinct from technologies designed for low-ash imported coal — was organised by which one of the following bodies?
- A. NITI Aayog
- B. Ministry of Coal
- C. Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR)
- D. Bureau of Energy Efficiency
Q2. India's first indigenously designed high-ash coal gasification-based methanol production plant was set up at the Research & Development centre of which one of the following organisations?
- A. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
- B. Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)
- C. NLC India Limited (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation)
- D. Coal India Limited (CIL)
Q3. On the Indian side, which organisation develops the BrahMos missile in partnership with Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya?
- A. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- B. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- C. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
- D. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
Q4. India's first vertical launch of a supersonic cruise missile from a submerged platform — the maiden test of the submarine-launched BrahMos off Visakhapatnam — was conducted in which year?
- A. 2013
- B. 2008
- C. 2016
- D. 2020
Q5. The name 'BrahMos' is a portmanteau derived from the names of which two rivers?
- A. Brahmaputra of India and Moskva of Russia
- B. Brahmaputra of India and Volga of Russia
- C. Beas of India and Moskva of Russia
- D. Brahmani of India and Neva of Russia
Q6. With reference to the origins of the BrahMos missile programme, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It is a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
- The joint venture was established in 1998.
- Its name is a portmanteau of the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
- The missile is derived from the Russian S-400 air-defence system.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 4 only
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 only
Q7. The molecular phylogenetic analysis that confirmed Amolops kamal as a distinct evolutionary lineage was carried out through which one of the following arrangements within the Zoological Survey of India?
- A. The Shillong regional centre working with the Pune centre
- B. Solely by the headquarters at Kolkata, with no other centre involved
- C. Exclusively by the Port Blair centre
- D. Only by the Chennai marine biology centre
Q8. Bt cotton, the only genetically modified crop approved for commercial cultivation in India, was cleared by which one of the following bodies?
- A. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)
- B. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
- C. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- D. Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority
Q9. The silos in China's Yumen, Hami and Ordos fields are built to house ICBMs. In this context, an 'intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)' is best defined as:
- A. A ballistic missile with a range generally exceeding 5,500 km, following an unpowered ballistic trajectory to strike targets on another continent
- B. A cruise missile that flies at low altitude under continuous power, hugging the terrain to evade radar
- C. A short-range, battlefield ballistic missile with a range below 1,000 km
- D. A ballistic missile designed to be launched only from submerged submarines at medium range
Q10. The dynamical Monsoon Mission model used to track ENSO conditions for India's operational seasonal forecast was developed by which institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences?
- A. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
- B. National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Noida
- C. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad
- D. National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
Q11. The Long Range Forecast for the southwest monsoon, expressed as a percentage of the Long Period Average (LPA), is issued for the country by which one of the following?
- A. India Meteorological Department
- B. Central Water Commission
- C. National Remote Sensing Centre
- D. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
Q12. According to the report, India's local ecosystem is not yet ready to meet domestic demand; approximately what proportion of its semiconductor consumption does India currently meet through imports?
- A. 90–95%
- B. 70–75%
- C. 50–55%
- D. 30–35%
Q13. Consider the following statements about the earlier NITI Aayog report 'Electronics: Powering India's Participation in Global Value Chains':
1. It set a target of USD 500 billion in electronics manufacturing by 2030.
2. It was released by NITI Aayog in 2024.
3. It aimed to create around 5.5–6 million jobs.
4. It set a target of a USD 120–150 billion semiconductor value chain by 2035.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It set a target of USD 500 billion in electronics manufacturing by 2030.
- It was released by NITI Aayog in 2024.
- It aimed to create around 5.5–6 million jobs.
- It set a target of a USD 120–150 billion semiconductor value chain by 2035.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q14. The report marks a shift from 'ecosystem creation' to 'ecosystem deepening'. Consider the following:
1. Advanced OSAT (packaging and testing)
2. Wide-bandgap compound materials such as SiC and GaN
3. AI-native chip design
4. Fabrication of the world's most advanced leading-edge (sub-2nm) logic nodes
Which of the above are correctly identified as priority focus areas emphasised in the 'ecosystem deepening' phase?
- Advanced OSAT (packaging and testing)
- Wide-bandgap compound materials such as SiC and GaN
- AI-native chip design
- Fabrication of the world's most advanced leading-edge (sub-2nm) logic nodes
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q15. The strategic framework proposed in the 'Future of India's Semiconductor Industry' report is built around how many pillars (the '5P' framework)?
- A. Three
- B. Four
- C. Five
- D. Six
Q16. Under which one of the following ministries was the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) established in 2021 as the nodal programme for chip fabrication, design and packaging incentives?
- A. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- B. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- C. Ministry of Science and Technology
- D. Ministry of Heavy Industries
Q17. Consider the following as stated objectives of the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 announced in the Union Budget 2026-27:
1. Domestic production of semiconductor equipment, chemicals and materials
2. Development of full-stack Indian semiconductor intellectual property
3. Strengthening domestic and global semiconductor supply chain resilience
4. Nationalisation of all privately owned semiconductor fabrication units
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Domestic production of semiconductor equipment, chemicals and materials
- Development of full-stack Indian semiconductor intellectual property
- Strengthening domestic and global semiconductor supply chain resilience
- Nationalisation of all privately owned semiconductor fabrication units
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q18. According to the roadmap's 2035 targets, what share of the global semiconductor chip market does India aim to capture?
- A. 10–13%
- B. 5–8%
- C. 20–25%
- D. 35–50%
Q19. Consider the following statements regarding the numerical targets and projections in the 2026 semiconductor roadmap:
1. It targets a domestic semiconductor value chain of USD 120–150 billion by 2035.
2. It estimates cumulative semiconductor investment of nearly USD 135–180 billion over the next decade.
3. It projects India's semiconductor market to reach about USD 90 billion by 2035.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It targets a domestic semiconductor value chain of USD 120–150 billion by 2035.
- It estimates cumulative semiconductor investment of nearly USD 135–180 billion over the next decade.
- It projects India's semiconductor market to reach about USD 90 billion by 2035.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q20. Consider the following statements comparing the 2026 semiconductor roadmap with related NITI Aayog work:
1. Both the 2026 semiconductor roadmap and the earlier 'Electronics: Powering India's Participation in Global Value Chains' report were NITI Aayog publications.
2. The 2026 roadmap was prepared in partnership with the consultancy KPMG.
3. The 2026 roadmap was released in the same year in which the India Semiconductor Mission was originally launched.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Both the 2026 semiconductor roadmap and the earlier 'Electronics: Powering India's Participation in Global Value Chains' report were NITI Aayog publications.
- The 2026 roadmap was prepared in partnership with the consultancy KPMG.
- The 2026 roadmap was released in the same year in which the India Semiconductor Mission was originally launched.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q21. The report 'Future of India's Semiconductor Industry' was jointly launched by the Union Finance Minister along with which one of the following?
- A. The Minister of Electronics and Information Technology
- B. The Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
- C. The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry
- D. The Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog
Q22. In the context of the report, the term 'OSAT', identified as a key segment of India's comparative advantage, refers to which one of the following?
- A. Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test
- B. On-Site Advanced Silicon Technology
- C. Optical Semiconductor Automated Testing
- D. Onshore Semiconductor Applications and Tooling
Q23. The 10-year roadmap 'Future of India's Semiconductor Industry' was prepared primarily by which one of the following units of NITI Aayog?
- A. Frontier Tech Hub
- B. Atal Innovation Mission
- C. Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office
- D. National Data and Analytics Platform
Q24. The semiconductor facility whose ground was broken at Info Valley in the Bhubaneswar–Khordha region is officially described as India's first unit of which one of the following types?
- A. Commercial silicon wafer fabrication plant
- B. Advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit
- C. Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) plant
- D. Display (LCD/OLED) fabrication facility
Q25. With reference to Odisha's emerging semiconductor ecosystem, consider the following statements:
1. The Odisha unit at Info Valley is being set up as India's first silicon wafer fabrication (front-end) plant.
2. The advanced 3D packaging unit's groundbreaking took place at Info Valley in the Khordha region.
3. The glass core substrate project is being implemented through the Indian subsidiary Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
4. Odisha also hosts a silicon-carbide/compound semiconductor fab project, SiCSem.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- The Odisha unit at Info Valley is being set up as India's first silicon wafer fabrication (front-end) plant.
- The advanced 3D packaging unit's groundbreaking took place at Info Valley in the Khordha region.
- The glass core substrate project is being implemented through the Indian subsidiary Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
- Odisha also hosts a silicon-carbide/compound semiconductor fab project, SiCSem.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 2, 3 and 4 only
Q26. Consider the following characteristics:
1. A low coefficient of thermal expansion enabling better warpage control.
2. The ability to be fabricated in large-area panel form.
3. Support for high-frequency signal transmission with improved signal integrity.
4. Superior thermal dissipation, which is regarded as its single foremost advantage.
Which of the above are correctly identified as advantages of glass core substrates for advanced packaging?
- A low coefficient of thermal expansion enabling better warpage control.
- The ability to be fabricated in large-area panel form.
- Support for high-frequency signal transmission with improved signal integrity.
- Superior thermal dissipation, which is regarded as its single foremost advantage.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q27. With reference to how glass core substrate manufacturing differs from semiconductor wafer fabrication, consider the following statements:
1. Wafer fabrication is a front-end process that forms transistors on silicon, whereas glass core substrate manufacturing belongs to the back-end advanced-packaging segment.
2. Unlike silicon wafers, which are processed as round discs, glass core substrates are produced in large rectangular panel form.
3. Glass core substrates have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than organic substrates, which worsens package warpage.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Wafer fabrication is a front-end process that forms transistors on silicon, whereas glass core substrate manufacturing belongs to the back-end advanced-packaging segment.
- Unlike silicon wafers, which are processed as round discs, glass core substrates are produced in large rectangular panel form.
- Glass core substrates have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than organic substrates, which worsens package warpage.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q28. Among the semiconductor units approved by the Union Cabinet in the ₹4,600 crore tranche covering Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, which one alone entailed the single largest investment?
- A. SiCSem Private Limited, Odisha
- B. The 3D Glass Solutions glass substrate unit, Odisha
- C. Continental Device India Private Limited (CDIL), Punjab
- D. Advanced System in Package Technologies (ASIP), Andhra Pradesh
Q29. With reference to the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), consider the following statements:
1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2021.
2. It functions as an Independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
3. It provides fiscal support of up to 50% of project cost for setting up silicon fabs.
4. It is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- It was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2021.
- It functions as an Independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
- It provides fiscal support of up to 50% of project cost for setting up silicon fabs.
- It is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q30. Which one of the following correctly states the total incentive outlay of the India Semiconductor Mission, the flagship programme under which the Odisha glass substrate facility is being set up?
- A. ₹4,600 crore
- B. ₹76,000 crore
- C. ₹1.60 lakh crore
- D. ₹1,943.53 crore