UPSC CSE Prelims General Studies Paper 1 Mock Test 5 (2026)

Question 1

With reference to the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and domestic semiconductor fabrication ecosystem, consider the following statements:
1. The ISM operates as an independent division under the Digital India Corporation within MeitY.
2. Under the modified scheme, fiscal support of 50% of the project cost is provided on a uniform basis across all technology nodes in microchip fabrication plants.
3. Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) are wide bandgap (WBG) compound semiconductors essential for high-power electronics and electric vehicle power trains.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 2

Consider the following statements regarding the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) introduced by the Reserve Bank of India:
1. The SDF allows commercial banks to deposit excess liquidity with the RBI without requiring G-Sec collateral.
2. The SDF rate is positioned 25 basis points below the policy Repo Rate and acts as the floor of the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) corridor.
3. Unlike the Reverse Repo Facility, the SDF was introduced by amending Section 17 of the Reserve Bank of India Act.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 3

With reference to judicial administration and court infrastructure in India, consider the following statements:
1. Article 124(1) empowers Parliament to determine the number of Supreme Court judges by law, which was recently amended to increase sanctioned strength to 37 judges.
2. The Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee constituted by the Chief Justice of India sets binding architectural and digital standards for subordinate courts.
3. The Right to Access to Justice and a Speedy Trial has been affirmed as a fundamental right implicit under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 4

Consider the following statements regarding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and maritime transit regimes:
1. The Transit Passage regime under UNCLOS Articles 37-44 applies to straits used for international navigation between one part of the high seas/EEZ and another.
2. Under Transit Passage, coastal states cannot suspend or impede foreign commercial merchant vessel navigation through international straits.
3. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 5

With reference to the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), consider the following statements:
1. It is the state animal of Meghalaya and inhabits the tropical dense evergreen forests of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
2. It is listed as 'Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
3. It is protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 6

Consider the following statements regarding the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) dairy product regulations:
1. FSSAI operates as a statutory autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pursuant to the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.
2. Dairy terms such as 'Paneer', 'Cheese', and 'Butter' can legally be applied to products derived from vegetable fats if labeled with dietary disclosures.
3. India has mandated that industrial trans-fat content in all fats and oils must not exceed 2% by mass.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 7

With reference to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2026, consider the following statements:
1. The Act applies to public recruitment examinations conducted by central testing agencies including NTA, SSC, UPSC, and Railway Recruitment Boards.
2. Offences committed by organized paper leak syndicates are classified as non-bailable and cognizable under the statute.
3. Convicted service provider entities face mandatory imprisonment of 5 to 10 years and fines up to ₹1 crore.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 8

With reference to fundamental rights under Article 16 of the Constitution and public recruitment rules, consider the following statements:
1. Article 16(2) explicitly prohibits discrimination in public employment based on religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, or residence.
2. Physical measurement relaxations granted to candidates from hilly regions represent geographical eligibility criteria rather than affirmative action reservation quotas.
3. Candidates availing domicile-based physical height relaxations who secure qualifying written exam marks remain eligible for selection under the Open Merit (OM) category.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM):
1. CBAM imposes a carbon price on imports of carbon-intensive goods (such as steel, aluminum, cement, and fertilizers) based on embedded greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, general environmental exceptions are permitted under Article XX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
3. India has launched a domestic Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) under the Energy Conservation Act to enable domestic industries to offset carbon compliance.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Question 10

With reference to Deep-Sea Mining and international maritime governance, consider the following statements:
1. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) was established under UNCLOS 1982 to organize and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond national jurisdiction.
2. India has been allocated an exploration area in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the ISA for polymetallic nodules containing nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese.
3. Polymetallic nodules are primarily found at abyssal plain depths between 4,000 and 6,000 meters.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

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