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Prelims · Geography · 46 questions

Minerals, energy & industry

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Minerals, energy & industry questions per year: 2016: 4, 2017: 0, 2018: 2, 2019: 1, 2020: 3, 2021: 0, 2022: 3, 2023: 6, 2024: 2, 2025: 6, 2026: 1 Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2025 (6)

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UPSC syllabus: “Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

Prelims 2018 · Q27

X-Ray · Core #18 Hard

निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. 1.भारत में राज्य सरकारों को ग़ैर-कोयला खदानों की नीलामी का अधिकार नहीं है ।
  2. 2.आँध्र प्रदेश एवं झारखंड में सोने की खदानें नहीं हैं ।
  3. 3.राजस्थान में लोह अयस्क की खदानें हैं ।

उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं ?

Read this question in English

Consider the following statements:

1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.

2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.

3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 · (b) 2 only · (c) 1 and 3 · (d) 3 only

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) केवल 3

Only statement 3 is correct. Rajasthan does produce iron ore, whereas State Governments do hold the auction of mineral concessions and both Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand have gold mines.

  • ✗ 1. Since the 2015 amendment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, mineral concessions are granted by the State Governments and only through auction.
  • ✗ 2. Jharkhand has a working private gold mine at Kunderkocha in Singhbhum East district. Andhra Pradesh has a gold mining lease in Kurnool district (Jonnagiri), so both States have gold mines, even though Karnataka produces about 99% of India's gold.
  • ✓ 3. Rajasthan does have iron ore mines. In 2021-22 Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Jharkhand gave about 96% of India's iron ore, and the rest came from Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Remember · States conduct the auction of mineral concessions (MMDR Act, 2015). Gold mines: Karnataka mainly, also Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. Rajasthan has iron ore.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q67

X-Ray · Core #40 Medium

भारत में सौर ऊर्जा उत्पादन के सन्दर्भ में, नीचे दिए गए कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. 1.भारत प्रकाश-वोल्टीय इकाइयों में प्रयोग में आने वाले सिलिकॉन वेफर्स का दुनिया में तीसरा सबसे बड़ा उत्पादक देश है ।
  2. 2.सौर ऊर्जा शुल्क का निर्धारण भारतीय सौर ऊर्जा निगम के द्वारा किया जाता है ।

उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं ?

Read this question in English

With reference to solar power production in India, consider the following statements:

1. India is the third largest in the world in the manufacture of silicon wafers used in photovoltaic units.

2. The solar power tariffs are determined by the Solar Energy Corporation of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only · (b) 2 only · (c) Both 1 and 2 · (d) Neither 1 nor 2

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) न तो 1, न ही 2

Neither statement is correct. India is not a leading maker of silicon wafers; the wafers and ingots used in solar cells are still largely imported. Solar tariffs in India are found through competitive bidding, not fixed by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), which only conducts the bidding and buys the power as an intermediary.

  • ✗ 1. Ingots and wafers, the first step of the solar supply chain, remain heavily import-dependent in India, so it is not the world's third-largest wafer maker.
  • ✗ 2. SECI conducts tariff-based reverse bidding and acts as an intermediary procurer. The tariff is discovered by bidders under Government of India guidelines issued under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003.

Remember · In India solar tariffs come from competitive (reverse) auctions run by agencies like SECI; SECI does not set them. Wafer manufacturing is still import-dependent.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The Syllabus X-Ray of this topic

2 of its 7 sub-topics are Core

2 Core · 2 High · 3 Steady · 0 Rare

  • Core #18Minerals, critical minerals & mining law · 10 questions
  • Core #40Renewable energy & storage · 7 questions
  • HighCoal, oil & gas · 5 questions
  • HighIndustry, ports & industrial by-products · 3 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 60 Prelims Core sub-topics are behind 51% of Prelims questions.

See the whole X-Ray →

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