Prelims Mantra (Practice Questions) (06/05/2026)

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is Incorrect: While the Constitution originally fixed the strength at eight judges, Article 124(1) explicitly empowers Parliament to increase this number by ordinary law (not a Constitutional Amendment). Parliament does this through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, which has been amended multiple times.
  • Statement 2 is Incorrect: Under Article 127, the power to appoint ad-hoc judges rests with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), not the President. The CJI requires the prior consent of the President and must consult the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court.
  • Statement 3 is Correct: A Supreme Court judge can only be removed by the President following an address by Parliament. This address must be supported by a special majority in each House specifically, a majority of the total membership of that House and a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is Incorrect: The NALSA v. Union of India (2014) judgment explicitly rejected the “Biological Test” (chromosomes, genitalia, etc.) and instead mandated the “Psychological Test”, upholding the right of every person to choose their gender identity through self-determination.
  • Statement 2 is Correct: The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 has introduced a mandatory Medical Board recommendation as a prerequisite for the District Magistrate to issue a certificate of identity, a significant shift from the previous self-declaration model.
  • Statement 3 is Correct: Horizontal reservation refers to providing a quota for a specific group (like transgender persons) within existing vertical categories (SC, ST, and OBC) rather than creating a separate vertical category. This ensures that a transgender person from a specific caste can avail of the reservation within that caste’s allocated quota.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• • Heal in India Portal (Correct): Launched as a “one-stop” digital platform to facilitate international patients. It provides comprehensive information on hospitals, treatment costs, and visa norms to streamline the medical journey for foreign nationals.
  • AYUSH Visa (Correct): Introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs and promoted by the Ministry of Ayush, this is a special visa category designed for foreign nationals seeking medical treatment under traditional Indian medicine systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Unani.
  • NABH Accreditation (Correct): The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) sets rigorous quality benchmarks for Indian healthcare facilities. Accreditation ensures that hospitals meet international standards, which is a critical trust factor for global medical tourists.
  • e-NAM Portal (Incorrect): This is the Electronic National Agriculture Market, a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities. It is designed to help farmers get better prices for their produce and has no connection to medical tourism.

Answer: C

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is Correct: The NPRD 2021 classifies rare diseases into three distinct groups:

• • • Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
    • Group 2: Diseases requiring long-term/lifelong treatment with relatively lower costs.
    • Group 3: Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but involves very high costs and lifelong therapy.

• • Statement 2 is Incorrect: While the policy initially focused on lower-income groups, an amendment in May 2022 expanded the financial support. The provision of up to ₹50 lakh is now available to all categories of patients with any of the rare diseases listed in the policy, provided they receive treatment at designated Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
  • Statement 3 is Correct: According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, approximately 80% of all rare diseases are genetic in origin, often manifesting in early childhood and leading to chronic health issues.

Answer: D

Explanation:

• • The primary goal of the Semicon India Programme is to build a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM). This initiative is critical for reducing import dependence and ensuring self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in sectors that rely heavily on microchips, such as automotive (including EVs) and consumer electronics.
  • The programme provides 50% fiscal support for the project cost of setting up display fabs on a pari-passu (equal footing) basis, not 100%.
  • While the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) aims to attract global investment, it does not mandate firms to relocate their headquarters. Instead, it uses incentive packages to encourage them to establish manufacturing units (fabs) and R&D centres within India.
  • The focus is on creating high-value additions, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, chip design, and advanced packaging (ATMP/OSAT), rather than exclusively exporting raw silicon.

Answer: D

Explanation:

• • Statement 1 is Correct: Announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, the Mission for Cotton Productivity is a five-year mission designed to enhance yield and achieve self-sufficiency in cotton production by the year 2030-31.
  • Statement 2 is Correct: A core technical component of the mission is the promotion of the High-Density Planting System (HDPS). This technique involves planting more cotton plants per unit of land, which significantly boosts the yield per hectare compared to traditional wide-spacing methods.
  • Statement 3 is Correct: “Kasturi Cotton India” is the premium brand for Indian cotton. To compete globally and ensure trust, it utilizes blockchain technology for end-to-end traceability, allowing international buyers to verify the quality and origin of the cotton fibers.

Key mission facts:

• • Yield gap: India has the largest area under cotton cultivation globally but one of the lowest yields; this mission aims to close that gap.
  • Farmer support: The mission integrates the “Cott-Ally” mobile app to provide farmers with information on Minimum Support Price (MSP), best practices, and procurement centers.