Prelims Mantra (Practice Questions) (17/06/2026)

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is incorrect: While the private sector’s contribution to India’s domestic defence production has reached an all-time high, it accounts for approximately 24% (around ₹42,000 crore) of the total production. It has not yet crossed the “one-third” (33.3%) milestone.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which is the highest decision-making body for military procurement, is chaired by the Union Minister of Defence, not the Prime Minister.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Under India’s current FDI policy, Foreign Direct Investment in the defence sector is permitted up to 74% through the Automatic Route. Beyond 74%, it is permitted up to 100% through the Government Route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology.

Answer: A

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is correct: Article 47 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) explicitly outlines that the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.
  • Statement 2 is correct: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was constituted by the Government of India in March 1986 under the enabling statutory powers granted by Section 4(3) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. It serves as the apex statutory enforcing and coordinating authority.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) not the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the single nodal administrative ministry responsible for executing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) and driving campaigns like the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is correct: In an agrivoltaic setup, the solar panels partially shade the crops below, which lowers soil temperatures and reduces the evapotranspiration rate (water loss) of shade-tolerant crops. Concurrently, the moisture released by these plants cools the air directly beneath the solar arrays, preventing the panels from overheating and thereby improving their photovoltaic efficiency.
  • Statement 2 is correct: The PM-KUSUM Scheme consists of three distinct structural components. Component C specifically targets the solarisation of grid-connected agricultural pumps, allowing farmers to meet their irrigation needs using clean energy and sell surplus power back to the grid.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: While the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was originally conceived as a coalition of solar-rich nations located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (referred to as “Sunshine Countries”), the alliance officially amended its framework. Under the current rules, membership is open to all member states of the United Nations, regardless of their geographical location relative to the tropics.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is incorrect: Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, “Electricity” is placed under Entry 38 of the Concurrent List (List III), not the State List. This means both the Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to make laws on it, although executive distribution rests heavily with state utilities.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Smart meters enable a Time-of-Day (ToD) tariff structure. Rather than charging a flat rate all day, power utilities can adjust prices dynamically charging higher tariffs during peak demand hours to flatten the grid load, and offering lower rates during off-peak hours.
  • Statement 3 is correct: The older UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana) scheme focused primarily on the financial restructuring and debt takeover of state DISCOMs. In contrast, the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is a result-linked, conditional grant architecture. It directly links the release of central financial assistance to states meeting fixed, mandatory performance benchmarks, specifically the reduction of Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses.

Answer: C

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is correct: Under Entry 17 of the State List (List II) of the Seventh Schedule, state governments hold primary administrative jurisdiction over water, including water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage, and water power (subject to the provisions of Entry 56 of List I regarding inter-state rivers).
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is a statutory body, but it was constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, not the Water Act of 1974. It was created with the specific mandate to regulate and control groundwater development and management across the country.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: According to India’s National Water Policy, domestic drinking water holds the absolute highest priority in the structural allocation of water resources. The designated hierarchy explicitly places drinking water first, followed by water for sanitation, agricultural irrigation, hydro-power, and finally industrial/commercial activities. This allocation priority does not invert during ecological droughts.