UPSC Prelims 2016 Question Paper
Explore the complete solved question paper for UPSC Prelims 2016 featuring 100 solved questions with bilingual (English & Hindi) explanations, official answer key, and subject weightage breakdown.
With reference to ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, consider the following statements:
- Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two per cent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.
- This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: PMFBY prescribes differential premium rates: 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial/horticultural crops. The premium is not uniform across all crops and seasons.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: PMFBY covers post-harvest losses (up to 14 days from harvesting) caused by cyclones and unseasonal rains, provided crops are kept in cut and spread condition in the field.
Which of the following is/are the indicator/indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index Report?
- Undernourishment
- Child stunting
- Child mortality
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is computed using four indicators that measure multidimensional hunger: Undernourishment (share of population with insufficient caloric intake), Child Stunting (children under 5 with low height for age, reflecting chronic undernutrition), Child Wasting (children under 5 with low weight for height, reflecting acute undernutrition), and Child Mortality (deaths before fifth birthday).
The question asks about three indicators — Undernourishment, Child Stunting, and Child Mortality — all of which are used by IFPRI (now published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe) in GHI computation, making all three statements correct.
With reference to ‘Stand Up India Scheme’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
- It provides for refinancing through SIDBI.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Stand Up India Scheme aims to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women by facilitating bank loans between ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore per branch for setting up greenfield enterprises.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The scheme provides for a refinance window through SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) with an initial corpus of ₹10,000 crore to support lending institutions.
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Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana is aimed at -
Detailed Explanation:
Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) was launched in 2015 to provide collateral-free loans to micro and small enterprises in the non-farm sector, bringing them into the formal financial system.
The scheme offers loans under three categories: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh), targeting unbanked entrepreneurs, street vendors, small traders, and self-employed individuals.
✅ Option 1 – Correct: MUDRA's primary aim is financial inclusion by bringing small entrepreneurs into formal banking channels.
❌ Option 2 – Incorrect: It focuses on non-farm sector enterprises, not crop cultivation loans for farmers.
❌ Option 3 – Incorrect: Pension schemes like PMVVY or NPS handle old-age pensions, not MUDRA.
❌ Option 4 – Incorrect: MUDRA provides direct loans to entrepreneurs, not funding to voluntary organizations.
With reference to ‘Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- This initiative aims to demonstrate the improved production and post-harvest technologies and to demonstrate value addition techniques, in an integrated manner, with a cluster approach.
- Poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers have a larger stake in this scheme.
- An important objective of the scheme is to encourage farmers of commercial crops to shift to millet cultivation by offering them free kits of critical inputs of nutrients and micro-irrigation equipment.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: INSIMP (Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion), launched in 2011-12 under RKVY, demonstrates improved production and post-harvest technologies and value addition techniques using a cluster approach.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The scheme primarily targets poor, small, marginal and tribal farmers in rainfed and arid regions where millets are traditionally cultivated, making them the largest stakeholders.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: INSIMP provides minikits of nutrients and plant protection to farmers within existing millet clusters but does not aim to shift commercial crop farmers to millet cultivation or offer free micro-irrigation equipment.
Regarding ‘Atal Pension Yojana’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme mainly targeted at unorganized sector workers
- Only one member of a family can join the scheme
- Some amount of pension is guaranteed for the spouse for life after the subscriber’s death.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme launched in 2015, primarily targeted at workers in the unorganized sector to provide old-age income security.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: There is no restriction on the number of family members who can join APY. Any eligible individual (aged 18-40 years with a savings bank account) can enroll independently.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: After the subscriber's death, the spouse receives the same pension amount for life. After both deaths, the accumulated pension wealth is returned to the nominee.
What is/are the purpose of ‘District Mineral Foundations” in India?
- Promoting mineral explorative activities in mineral-rich districts
- Protecting the interests of the persons affected by mining operations
- Authorizing State Governments to issue licenses for mineral exploration
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) were established under the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, with the primary purpose of working for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining operations in the district.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: DMFs are not meant for promoting mineral exploration; they focus on welfare of mining-affected communities.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Licensing for mineral exploration is the responsibility of State Governments, not DMFs.
‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to -
Detailed Explanation:
Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan is a national campaign launched in 2001 by civil society organizations to eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate manual scavengers by providing them dignity and alternative livelihoods.
The campaign includes initiatives like the Maila Mukti Yatra (March for Liberation from Manual Scavenging) that mobilized thousands of women to abandon this dehumanizing practice and demand their rights.
‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to -
Detailed Explanation:
Mission Indradhanush was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in December 2014 to achieve full immunization coverage for children up to two years of age and pregnant women against seven vaccine-preventable diseases: Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Polio, Tuberculosis, Measles, and Hepatitis B.
Subsequent phases (IMI 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0) expanded coverage to reach unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children in remote and high-priority districts. This should not be confused with the Indradhanush Plan for Public Sector Banks.
‘SWAYAM’, an initiative of the Government of India, aims at
Detailed Explanation:
SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a Government of India initiative that provides free online courses from class 9th to post-graduation level through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), developed by IITs, IIMs, and central universities.
The platform offers video lectures, reading materials, self-assessment tests, and discussion forums at no cost, charging only a nominal fee for certificates—thus providing affordable and quality education to citizens for free.
In the context of the developments in bioinformatics, the term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refers to -
Detailed Explanation:
The transcriptome refers to the complete set of RNA transcripts (especially mRNA molecules) produced by the genome of an organism under specific circumstances or in a specific cell.
Unlike the static genome, the transcriptome is dynamic and reflects which genes are actively being expressed at any given time, making it crucial for understanding gene regulation, cellular functions, and responses to environmental stimuli.
Consider the following statements regarding: The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO
- is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
- made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA
- made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Mangalyaan is officially called the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), launched by ISRO in 2013.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: India was the fourth space agency to reach Mars orbit, after the Soviet Union, NASA (USA), and the European Space Agency.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: India became the first nation to successfully orbit Mars on its maiden attempt, a unique achievement as all previous Mars missions by other nations had failed in their first attempts.
Regarding ‘DigiLocker’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme.
- It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.
Select the correct answer using the code given below
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: DigiLocker is a cloud-based digital locker system launched by the Government of India under the Digital India Programme in 2015 to provide secure storage for e-documents and reduce reliance on physical documents.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: DigiLocker allows users to access their e-documents from anywhere using internet connectivity, eliminating the need to carry physical documents.
‘Project Loon’, sometimes seen in the news, is related to -
Detailed Explanation:
Project Loon was a Google initiative that used high-altitude balloons in the stratosphere to provide internet connectivity to remote and underserved areas, functioning as floating cell towers.
The project was discontinued in January 2021 due to commercial viability challenges, despite its technological success in delivering wireless internet access.
Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?
Detailed Explanation:
The Musa indandamanensis, a new banana species reaching 11 meters in height with distinctive orange fruit pulp, was discovered by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in the tropical rainforests of Little Andaman Island.
This species is unique for its green flowers, large fruit bunch axis (three times normal size), cylindrical flowers (instead of conical), and orange pulp—making the Andaman Islands the correct answer.
Why does the Government of India promote the use of ‘Neem-coated Urea’ in agriculture?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Neem coating acts as a nitrification inhibitor, slowing down the conversion of urea to nitrate, thereby reducing nitrogen losses through leaching, volatilization and denitrification, and ensuring gradual nitrogen release for better crop uptake.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Neem coating does not enhance nitrogen fixation by soil microorganisms; it primarily inhibits nitrification.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: While neem-coated urea reduces nitrous oxide emissions by minimizing denitrification, it does not eliminate greenhouse gas release completely.
❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: Neem-coated urea is not a weedicide-fertilizer combination; neem acts as a nitrification inhibitor, not a weedicide.
With reference to ‘LiFi’, recently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It uses light as the medium for high-speed data transmission.
- It is a wireless technology and is many times faster than ‘WiFi’.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 3 — Both 1 and 2
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: LiFi (Light Fidelity) uses visible light waves from LED bulbs for high-speed data transmission through rapid flickering invisible to human eyes.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: LiFi is a wireless technology with theoretical speeds exceeding 100 Gbps, significantly faster than WiFi's current maximum of 11 Gbps.
With reference to ‘Bitcoins’ sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries.
- Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address.
- Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 and 3 only
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Bitcoins are not tracked by Central Banks. Bitcoin operates on a decentralized blockchain network without central authority oversight. Central Banks do not maintain or monitor Bitcoin transactions.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address. No intermediary or bank approval is required for peer-to-peer transactions.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other. Bitcoin addresses are pseudonymous—only the addresses appear on the blockchain, not the real identities of users.
India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — It can build fusion reactors for power generation
ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a collaborative project to demonstrate nuclear fusion as a viable energy source by merging hydrogen isotopes at extremely high temperatures.
India's participation provides access to fusion technology, research expertise, and engineering know-how needed to eventually build its own fusion reactors for clean, abundant power generation.
Why other options are incorrect:
• Option 1: Thorium utilization relates to advanced fission reactors, not fusion technology
• Option 2: Satellite navigation involves space technology (NAVIC/IRNSS), unrelated to ITER
• Option 3: ITER focuses on fusion, not improving existing fission reactor efficiency
With reference to ‘Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Other than the USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space.
- Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth.
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Neither 1 nor 2
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: India is the 5th country to launch a space observatory, not the 3rd. USA, Russia, Japan, and Europe (ESA) had already launched similar observatories before AstroSat.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: AstroSat has a mass of approximately 1513 kg (not 2000 kg) and was placed in a 650 km orbit (not 1650 km) above Earth's surface by PSLV-C30 in September 2015.
UPSC Prelims 2016 Questions Paper - Subject-wise Question Distribution
Environment & Ecology
23 Qs (23%)Indian Economy
19 Qs (19%)Science & Technology
12 Qs (12%)Current Affairs
10 Qs (10%)International Relations
9 Qs (9%)Modern History
6 Qs (6%)Indian Art & Culture
5 Qs (5%)Indian Geography
5 Qs (5%)Indian Polity
5 Qs (5%)Ancient History
3 Qs (3%)Medieval History
3 Qs (3%)UPSC Prelims 2016 Question Paper - FAQs & Analysis
Q1 How many total questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2016?
Q2 What is the subject-wise question breakdown for UPSC Prelims 2016?
- Environment & Ecology: 23 questions (23%)
- Indian Economy: 19 questions (19%)
- Science & Technology: 12 questions (12%)
- Current Affairs: 10 questions (10%)
- International Relations: 9 questions (9%)
- Modern History: 6 questions (6%)
- Indian Art & Culture: 5 questions (5%)
- Indian Geography: 5 questions (5%)
- Indian Polity: 5 questions (5%)
- Ancient History: 3 questions (3%)
- Medieval History: 3 questions (3%)