Poverty, inclusion, demographics & social sector

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The National Nutrition Mission (later POSHAN Abhiyaan) targets malnutrition among children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, and sets yearly targets to cut stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight. It works through convergence of schemes and a people's movement for awareness; promoting particular foods such as millets or eggs was not among its stated objectives.

• ✓ 1. The Mission targets the nutrition of children up to 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers, and involves the public through a Jan Andolan to spread awareness about nutrition.
• ✓ 2. It aims to reduce anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls by 3% a year, alongside stunting, under-nutrition and low birth weight.
• ✗ 3. Promoting millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice was not an objective of the Mission as framed; they concern food-grain policy.
• ✗ 4. Encouraging the consumption of poultry eggs was not a stated objective of the Mission.
• • Since then Since then, under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the guidelines require millets to be served at Anganwadis at least once a week (PIB, 2023).

Remember · National Nutrition Mission / POSHAN Abhiyaan: cut stunting, under-nutrition and low birth weight by 2% a year and anaemia (children, women, adolescent girls) by 3% a year; convergence plus Jan Andolan.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (c) All State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments

States adopted NPS one by one, each from the date it notified, so State Government employees who join after their State's notification are covered. The other options are wrong: non-resident Indians can join, the age band was never 21–55, and the Central scheme began on 1 January 2004 and excludes the armed forces.

• ✓ (c) State Governments adopted the NPS architecture from their own effective dates through State notifications, so their new recruits after that date come under NPS.
• ✗ (a) Voluntary NPS is open to Indian citizens whether resident or non-resident, so 'resident citizens only' is wrong.
• ✗ (d) NPS applies to Central Government employees joining on or after 1 January 2004 (not 1 April 2004), and armed forces personnel are excluded.
• ✗ (b) The entry age started at 18, not 21, and the upper limit was not 55.
• • Since then Since the exam, PFRDA has widened entry: citizens (resident or non-resident) and Overseas Citizens of India aged 18 to 85 can now join voluntarily (PFRDA).

Remember · NPS: Central Government employees joining on/after 1 Jan 2004 (armed forces excluded); States from their own notification dates; voluntary for all Indian citizens, resident or NRI.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (b) 2 only

NSQF recognises competency however it was acquired, so statement 1 is wrong. One of its stated aims is to let people move between vocational and general education, so statement 2 is correct.

• ✗ 1. NSQF levels are defined by learning outcomes that a learner must possess regardless of whether they were acquired through formal, non-formal or informal learning. Prior learning outside a classroom can therefore be certified.
• ✓ 2. The framework is meant to give multiple pathways, both horizontal and vertical, among vocational education, vocational training, general education and technical education, with academic equivalence between vocational and general education.

Remember · NSQF levels are defined by learning outcomes, whether acquired through formal, non-formal or informal learning, and the framework aims to allow movement between vocational and general education.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct. NPCI is the umbrella body for retail payment systems set up with the Reserve Bank's encouragement, and RuPay is its domestic card scheme, whose debit card is issued to Jan Dhan account holders as part of the drive for financial inclusion.

• ✓ 1. NPCI operates the country's retail payment systems, and its RuPay debit card is what beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, the national financial inclusion mission, receive with their accounts. Through this card NPCI is tied into the drive for financial inclusion.
• ✓ 2. RuPay is India's own domestic card scheme, launched in March 2012 with NPCI as the body responsible for it.

Remember · NPCI: the RBI-encouraged umbrella body for retail payments (functional 2009). Its RuPay card scheme (launched 2012) is also the debit card issued under Jan Dhan.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (a) 2 only

Vidyanjali is a school volunteer programme that brings community and private-sector volunteers into government schools to improve the quality of learning. It has nothing to do with foreign university campuses, and it works through volunteers' time, skills and materials, not cash donations.

• ✗ 1. Vidyanjali concerns volunteers in government schools. It has no link to foreign educational institutions opening campuses in India.
• ✓ 2. The programme, launched in June 2016, involves volunteers from different walks of life in government schools and rests on the idea that community engagement improves the quality of learning.
• ✗ 3. The Vidyanjali guidelines define a volunteer's contribution as non-monetary, in the form of service or of assets, materials or equipment. Money is not accepted through the platform.

Remember · Vidyanjali (launched June 2016): a school volunteer programme that brings community and private-sector volunteers into government schools. Contributions are non-monetary.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error

Answer: (b) Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan links higher educational institutions with villages so that they use their knowledge to help solve local development problems. Its stated aim is to bring suitable technologies and solutions from institutions to rural communities.

• ✓ (b) The Ministry of HRD (now Education) flagship programme links each participating institution with at least five villages so it can contribute to their economic and social betterment. It also seeks to identify, customise and apply technologies for local needs.
• ✗ (a) UBA is not a literacy campaign and does not centre on voluntary organisations; the partners are higher educational institutions.
• ✗ (c) UBA does not aim at strengthening research institutions as such. It sends knowledge from institutions out to villages.
• ✗ (d) UBA is not a funding scheme for health care and education of the poor. Its channel is higher educational institutions working with adopted villages; skill training is only one of the ways they help.

Remember · Unnat Bharat Abhiyan: higher educational institutions adopt villages (at least five each) and help solve local problems with appropriate technology.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink · Report an error