Science & Technology MCQs for UPSC Prelims — June 2026

Q1. Which of the following are correctly identified as features of the special theory of relativity (as distinct from the general theory)?

  1. It is restricted to inertial (non-accelerating) reference frames.
  2. It was first published in 1905.
  3. It explains gravity as the curvature of spacetime.
  4. It is founded on the equivalence principle of gravitation and acceleration.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 3 and 4

Q2. The designation of 2005 as the 'World Year of Physics' (International Year of Physics) by the United Nations and UNESCO primarily commemorated which one of the following?

  • A. The centenary of Einstein's 1905 'annus mirabilis' papers
  • B. The centenary of the Michelson-Morley experiment
  • C. The tercentenary of Newton's laws of motion
  • D. The centenary of Maxwell's electromagnetic theory

Q3. Einstein's paper introducing the principle of mass-energy equivalence, 'Does the inertia of a body depend upon its energy content?', was published in which year?

  • A. 1905
  • B. 1887
  • C. 1915
  • D. 1921

Q4. During his 'annus mirabilis' of 1905, how many landmark research papers did Albert Einstein publish in the journal Annalen der Physik?

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

Q5. In the Michelson-Morley interferometer, the split light beams were recombined after travelling along how many mutually perpendicular directions?

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

Q6. The 1887 Michelson-Morley experiment depended principally on which one of the following optical instruments?

  • A. Interferometer
  • B. Spectroscope
  • C. Diffraction grating
  • D. Photometer

Q7. Einstein's 1905 paper setting out the special theory of relativity, 'On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies', was first published in which scientific journal?

  • A. Annalen der Physik
  • B. Nature
  • C. Philosophical Magazine
  • D. Zeitschrift für Physik

Q8. A nuclear triad, of which India's is now considered mature, is built on how many distinct delivery legs?

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

Q9. Which is India's longest-range canisterised ballistic missile, first flight-tested with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles under Mission Divyastra?

  • A. Agni-V
  • B. Agni-III
  • C. Agni-IV
  • D. Agni-II

Q10. Consider the following statements contrasting canisterised missiles with India's earlier strategic posture: 1. Canisterisation stores a missile pre-packaged (often pre-fuelled) in a sealed canister, reducing launch-preparation time relative to older separately stored systems. 2. The canisterised Agni-5 was flight-tested with MIRV technology under Mission Divyastra in 2024. 3. Canisterisation requires warheads to remain permanently de-mated from missiles, unlike the earlier recessed posture. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Canisterisation stores a missile pre-packaged (often pre-fuelled) in a sealed canister, reducing launch-preparation time relative to older separately stored systems.
  2. The canisterised Agni-5 was flight-tested with MIRV technology under Mission Divyastra in 2024.
  3. Canisterisation requires warheads to remain permanently de-mated from missiles, unlike the earlier recessed posture.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. Consider the following statements about CARTMAN, the body associated with the bullock-cart redesign project. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. CARTMAN expands to Centre for Action Research and Technology for Man, Animal and Nature.
  2. It is based in Bangalore.
  3. Its bullock-cart redesign project was funded by the ICAR.
  4. It was founded by Verghese Kurien.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q12. The two-year project begun in April 2001 to redesign six bullock-cart variants for difficult rural terrain was funded by which one of the following?

  • A. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
  • B. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
  • C. Department of Science and Technology (DST)
  • D. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Q13. The ASTRA cell established at IISc, Bangalore, in 1974 was conceived primarily as a 'weapon' against which one of the following?

  • A. Rural poverty
  • B. Urban industrial pollution
  • C. Food-grain inflation
  • D. Coastal soil erosion

Q14. The OECD AI Principles were updated to explicitly address mis/disinformation and the safeguarding of information integrity in the context of generative AI in which year?

  • A. 2024
  • B. 2019
  • C. 2021
  • D. 2023

Q15. Consider the following statements about the Hiroshima AI Process Reporting Framework. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It was launched by the OECD in February 2025
  2. It is a legally binding treaty obligation on all participating companies
  3. It monitors application of the Hiroshima Process International Code of Conduct for organisations developing advanced AI
  4. It is an outcome of the G7 Hiroshima AI Process
  • A. 1, 3 and 4
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q16. With reference to the ten priority AI risks identified by the OECD, consider the following items. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as one of those priority risks?

  1. Manipulation, disinformation and resulting harms to democracy
  2. Concentration of power in a small number of companies or countries
  3. Loss of forest biodiversity caused by the land footprint of data centres
  4. Exacerbated inequality and poverty
  • A. 1, 2 and 4
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q17. The BrahMos cruise missile is the product of a joint venture between India's DRDO and which one of the following Russian entities?

  • A. Almaz-Antey
  • B. NPO Mashinostroyenia
  • C. Rosoboronexport
  • D. Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV)

Q18. With reference to hypersonic weapons, consider the following statements: 1. Hypersonic weapons are those capable of sustained flight at speeds of Mach 5 or greater. 2. A hypersonic glide vehicle is lofted by a rocket booster and thereafter glides unpowered through the upper atmosphere while manoeuvring. 3. A hypersonic cruise missile is powered for much of its flight by an air-breathing scramjet engine. 4. Russia's Avangard and the glide vehicle carried by China's DF-17 are examples of hypersonic glide systems. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Hypersonic weapons are those capable of sustained flight at speeds of Mach 5 or greater.
  2. A hypersonic glide vehicle is lofted by a rocket booster and thereafter glides unpowered through the upper atmosphere while manoeuvring.
  3. A hypersonic cruise missile is powered for much of its flight by an air-breathing scramjet engine.
  4. Russia's Avangard and the glide vehicle carried by China's DF-17 are examples of hypersonic glide systems.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q19. India's first Agni-5 flight test with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology placed it among an exclusive set of states fielding MIRVs. Counting India itself, how many countries are recognised as possessing MIRV-capable missiles after this test?

  • A. Exactly 4
  • B. Exactly 5
  • C. Exactly 6
  • D. Exactly 7

Q20. With reference to the Pralay missile, consider the following statements: 1. It is developed by DRDO with Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited as production partners. 2. It has an operational range band of 150–500 km. 3. It attains a terminal speed of about Mach 6.1 with a Circular Error Probable of under 10 metres. 4. It is co-developed with Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia under a bilateral joint venture. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly stated?

  1. It is developed by DRDO with Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited as production partners.
  2. It has an operational range band of 150–500 km.
  3. It attains a terminal speed of about Mach 6.1 with a Circular Error Probable of under 10 metres.
  4. It is co-developed with Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia under a bilateral joint venture.
  • A. 1 and 4
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q21. With reference to the Pralay missile compared with other Indian missiles, consider the following statements: 1. Unlike India's older Prithvi series, Pralay employs solid propellant. 2. Pralay follows a quasi-ballistic, manoeuvrable trajectory with mid-air course correction, unlike a purely ballistic missile. 3. Like the Agni-5, Pralay is designed to carry Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike India's older Prithvi series, Pralay employs solid propellant.
  2. Pralay follows a quasi-ballistic, manoeuvrable trajectory with mid-air course correction, unlike a purely ballistic missile.
  3. Like the Agni-5, Pralay is designed to carry Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs).
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q22. With reference to missile systems associated with China's PLA Rocket Force deployment against India, consider the following: 1. DF-26 — a long-range, dual-capable ballistic missile able to range across Indian territory from the Tibetan plateau. 2. DF-21C — a medium-range ballistic missile. 3. Agni-5 — a road-mobile missile held in the PLA Rocket Force inventory. 4. CJ-1000 — a long-range land-attack cruise missile. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as Chinese missile systems?

  1. DF-26 — a long-range, dual-capable ballistic missile able to range across Indian territory from the Tibetan plateau.
  2. DF-21C — a medium-range ballistic missile.
  3. Agni-5 — a road-mobile missile held in the PLA Rocket Force inventory.
  4. CJ-1000 — a long-range land-attack cruise missile.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q23. China's PLA Rocket Force has positioned several missile types opposite India. Which one of the following is China's first operationally fielded missile specifically designed to carry a hypersonic glide vehicle (the DF-ZF)?

  • A. DF-15B
  • B. DF-16
  • C. DF-17
  • D. DF-21C

Q24. Under the India AI Governance Guidelines, which one of the following is recommended as the apex inter-ministerial body to coordinate AI governance?

  • A. AI Governance Group
  • B. AI Safety Institute
  • C. Technology & Policy Expert Committee
  • D. NITI Aayog

Q25. The 'IndiaAI FutureSkills' pillar, which seeks to expand AI skilling and talent for India's AI-led structural transformation, is operationalised by which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • B. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
  • C. Ministry of Education
  • D. Ministry of Labour and Employment

Q26. As per the latest official figures, approximately how many Aadhaar numbers had been generated in India?

  • A. About 144 crore
  • B. About 100 crore
  • C. About 120 crore
  • D. About 160 crore

Q27. With reference to the components of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) stack, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Aadhaar constitutes the world's largest biometric digital identity system.
  2. India accounts for nearly half of the world's real-time digital payment transactions, largely through UPI.
  3. The 'JAM trinity' underpinning the DPI base layer comprises Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and MGNREGA.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q28. With reference to the IndiaAI Mission, consider the following statements. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. It has a total outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore spread over five years.
  2. It was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2024.
  3. It seeks to provide affordable AI compute access to start-ups and academia.
  4. Its GPU compute capacity was capped at the initial target of 10,000 GPUs.
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q29. Which of the following are correctly identified as constituent pillars of the IndiaAI Mission?

  1. IndiaAI FutureSkills
  2. IndiaAI Startup Financing
  3. IndiaAI Compute Capacity
  4. IndiaAI Semiconductor Fabrication
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q30. The 2026 study proposing cooperative caching for disaster-response networks was led by Sangita Dhara, a researcher affiliated with which one of the following institutions?

  • A. Trinity College Dublin
  • B. University College Dublin
  • C. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
  • D. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)