In India, the term "Public Key Infrastructure" is used in the context of
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Digital security infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is the digital security system behind digital signatures. In India, the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) under the Information Technology Act runs it: the Root Certifying Authority of India sits at the top, and licensed Certifying Authorities issue Digital Signature Certificates below it.
- ✓ (a) India's PKI is a hierarchy of trust starting at the Root Certifying Authority of India. Licensed CAs issue Digital Signature Certificates, which let people sign electronic records and be verified.
- ✗ (b) Food security relates to grain storage, distribution and the PDS. PKI has nothing to do with it.
- ✗ (c) Health and education infrastructure means hospitals and schools; PKI is a cryptographic trust system, not a service network.
- ✗ (d) Telecommunication and transport infrastructure means networks and roads or railways; PKI is not one of these. It secures electronic communication rather than carrying it.
Remember · PKI = digital security infrastructure: Root CA of India, licensed CAs and Digital Signature Certificates under the IT Act, overseen by the CCA.
Sources
- Controller of Certifying Authorities (MeitY, Government of India), FAQ ↗ “The India PKI is a hierarchical PKI with the trust chain starting from the Root Certifying Authority of India (RCAI). Below RCAI there are Certifying Authorities (CAs) licensed by CCA to issue Digital Signature Certificates. … The RCAI Root certificate is at the root of trust for all signatures created under IT Act.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·