Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays? 1. OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates. 2. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs. 3. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(d) None of the above statements is correct

Prelims · Science & technology · 56 questions

IT, computing & emerging technologies

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

Asked in 10 of 11 years · most in 2022 (7)

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Showing 31–56 of 56, newest first.

Prelims 2019 · Q57

Medium

Consider the following statements:

1.According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India.
2.In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
3.Plant varieties are not eligible to be patented in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 3 only

Only statement 3 is correct. Section 3(j) of the Patents Act, 1970 rules out plants, seeds, varieties and essentially biological processes as patentable inventions. An Intellectual Property Appellate Board did exist when the question was set in 2019.

✗ 1. Section 3(j) treats seeds, varieties and species, and processes that are essentially biological, as non-inventions, so a biological method of making a seed cannot be patented.
✗ 2. In 2019 the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) was still in existence, so the statement was wrong at the time.
✓ 3. Section 3(j) excludes plant varieties from patenting. New plant varieties are protected under the separate Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001.
• Since then The Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 (13 August 2021) lists the IPAB among the bodies it wound up, with pending cases transferred to the courts. Statement 2 would now read differently, but the answer for the 2019 paper stands.

Remember · Patents Act, section 3(j): plants, seeds, varieties and essentially biological processes are not patentable; plant varieties go to the PPV&FR Act, 2001.

Sources

The Patents Act, 1970, section 3(j) (as amended up to 1 August 2024), Indian Patent Office ↗ “plants and animals in whole or any part thereof other than micro-organisms but including seeds, varieties and species and essentially biological processes for production or propagation of plants and animals”
The Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, Second Schedule, Department of Revenue ↗ “Intellectual Property Appellate Board under Trade Marks Act, 1999 (47 of 1999). … Any appeal, application or proceeding pending before the Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal or other Authorities specified in the Second Schedule”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q75

Easy

With reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)?

1.LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
2.LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Neither statement is correct. LTE is a 4G mobile network standard, not 3G, and VoLTE is not 'advanced 3G': it is simply the way voice calls are carried as data over an LTE network. LTE is therefore not 'data-only', and VoLTE is not a separate 'voice-only' technology.

✗ 1. LTE is marketed as 4G. TRAI's regulations treat VoLTE as voice over a 4G network (they cite ITU-T G.1028, end-to-end quality of service for voice over 4G mobile network). Nothing about either is '3G' or 'advanced 3G'.
✗ 2. An LTE network can carry voice as well as data. When it does, that voice service is VoLTE; when it does not, calls fall back to older circuit-switched networks (CSFB), as TRAI's explanatory memorandum notes. VoLTE runs on LTE, so the two are not data-only versus voice-only.

Remember · LTE is the 4G data network; VoLTE is voice calls carried over that LTE network, so a phone without VoLTE falls back to 2G or 3G for calls.

Sources

TRAI: Standards of Quality of Service of Basic Telephone Service (Wireline) and Cellular Mobile Telephone Service (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2018, explanatory memorandum ↗ “VoLTE was also included in the revised QoS regulations and Explanatory Memorandum (EM) to fifth amendment referred to ITU-T Recommendation G.1028 which defines end-to-end quality of service for voice over 4G mobile network … if LTE network is not supporting voice i.e. VoLTE then user may be required to be pushed to other radio access technologies”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q87

Medium

Consider the following statements:

The Reserve Bank of India's recent directives relating to 'Storage of Payment System Data', popularly known as data diktat, command the payment system providers that

1.they shall ensure that entire data relating to payment systems operated by them are stored in a system only in India
2.they shall ensure that the systems are owned and operated by public sector enterprises
3.they shall submit the consolidated system audit report to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India by the end of the calendar year

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only statement 1 is correct. The RBI's directive of 6 April 2018 requires payment system providers to keep all payment data in a system located only in India. It says nothing about public-sector ownership, and the audit report goes to the RBI, not to the CAG.

✓ 1. The directive says all system providers must ensure that the entire data relating to payment systems operated by them is stored in a system only in India. Only the foreign leg of a transaction may also be stored abroad.
✗ 2. The directive is about where data is stored. It does not require the systems to be owned or run by public sector enterprises.
✗ 3. Providers had to submit a System Audit Report, prepared by CERT-In empanelled auditors and approved by their Board, to the Reserve Bank by 31 December 2018. It was not to be sent to the CAG.

Remember · RBI's data-localisation directive (6 April 2018): all payment data stored only in India; system audit report by a CERT-In empanelled auditor goes to the RBI.

Sources

RBI circular DPSS.CO.OD.No.2785/06.08.005/2017-18, Storage of Payment System Data, 6 April 2018 ↗ “All system providers shall ensure that the entire data relating to payment systems operated by them are stored in a system only in India. … The audit should be conducted by CERT-IN empaneled auditors certifying completion of activity at (i) above. The SAR duly approved by the Board of the system providers should be submitted to the Reserve Bank not later than December 31, 2018.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q88

Easy

Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as 'General Data Protection Regulation' in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) The European Union

The European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Regulation (EU) 2016/679, on 27 April 2016, and it has applied since 25 May 2018. It is an EU-wide law, so it is not a law of Australia, Canada or the USA.

✓ (c) The European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on 27 April 2016. It entered into force on 24 May 2016 and has applied since 25 May 2018.
✗ (a) Australia is not the source of the GDPR; the regulation is EU law.
✗ (b) Canada did not adopt the GDPR; the regulation is EU law.
✗ (d) The USA did not adopt the GDPR; the regulation is EU law.

Remember · GDPR = EU Regulation 2016/679: adopted 27 April 2016, in force 24 May 2016, applicable from 25 May 2018.

Sources

EUR-Lex (European Union), the general data protection regulation applies in all Member States from 25 May 2018 ↗ “Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC”
European Commission, Legal framework of EU data protection ↗ “The Regulation entered into force on 24 May 2016 and applies since 25 May 2018.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q91

Easy

In the context of digital technologies for entertainment, consider the following statements:

1.In Augmented Reality (AR), a simulated environment is created and the physical world is completely shut out.
2.In Virtual Reality (VR), images generated from a computer are projected onto real-life objects or surroundings.
3.AR allows individuals to be present in the world and improves the experience using the camera of smart-phone or PC.
4.VR closes the world, and transposes an individual, providing complete immersion experience.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 3 and 4

Statements 3 and 4 are correct; statements 1 and 2 swap the definitions. Augmented reality adds computer-generated content to the real world you are still in, while virtual reality replaces your surroundings with a simulated one.

✗ 1. This describes VR, not AR. AR does not shut out the physical world; it adds digital elements to it.
✗ 2. This describes AR, not VR. VR places the user inside an artificial, computer-generated reality instead of projecting images onto real surroundings.
✓ 3. AR keeps the user in the real world and adds to it, using devices as simple as a smartphone camera or as advanced as AR headsets.
✓ 4. VR, typically through a headset, transposes the user into an artificial, computer-generated world for a fully immersive experience.

Remember · AR adds digital content to the real world you can still see; VR replaces the real world with a simulated one.

Sources

NASA, NASA Explores Potential of Altered Realities for Space Engineering and Science (10 Aug 2017) ↗ “Virtual reality typically involves wearing a headset that allows the user to experience and interact with an artificial, computer-generated reality. … Augmented reality, on the other hand, doesn’t move the user to a different place, but adds something to it. As with Pokémon Go, augmented reality is made possible through low-end devices like smartphones and high-end AR headsets that blend digital components into the real world.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q94

Medium

Consider the following statements:

A digital signature is

1.an electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it
2.used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access information or server on Internet
3.an electronic method of signing an electronic document and ensuring that the original content is unchanged

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 3 only

Why not the tempting option · UPSC's key is (c). Statement 2 is tempting because the Controller of Certifying Authorities says a digital signature 'provides the electronic authentication of individual', but the same sentence binds that authentication 'to the documents or transactions being signed': a digital signature authenticates a record, whereas proving one's identity to get access to information or a server is the job of a login credential or of a Digital Signature Certificate presented as one. Statements 1 and 2 both describe the certificate, not the signature. In the exam, keep the IT Act's distinction between the signature (section 2(1)(p)) and the certificate (section 35).

A digital signature is a method of authenticating an electronic record, and it also shows whether the record has been altered, so statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 describes a digital signature certificate issued by a Certifying Authority, and statement 2 describes proof of identity for access, which is not what a digital signature is.

✗ 1. This describes a Digital Signature Certificate, not the signature. The IT Act defines the two separately, and certificates are issued to users by licensed Certifying Authorities.
✗ 2. This too describes what a Digital Signature Certificate is used for. The signature itself authenticates a particular electronic record and ties the signer to it: the CCA says it provides electronic authentication of the individual and binds it to the documents or transactions being signed. A one-time proof of identity to get access to information or a server is a different thing.
✓ 3. Under the IT Act, 2000 a digital signature authenticates an electronic record through an asymmetric crypto system and a hash function, and anyone can verify the record with the signer's public key. Since the same record always gives the same hash result, a changed record fails verification.

Remember · Digital signature = electronic authentication of a record (asymmetric keys plus hash), which also shows the content is unchanged. The certificate that names the Certifying Authority is separate.

Sources

Information Technology Act, 2000 (India Code), section 2(1)(p), definition of digital signature ↗ “means authentication of any electronic record by a subscriber by means of an electronic method or procedure in accordance with the provisions of section 3 … an electronic record yields the same hash result every time the algorithm is executed with the same electronic record as its input”
Controller of Certifying Authorities (MeitY), FAQ: How to get Digital Signature Certificate ↗ “The Office of Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), issues Certificate only to Certifying Authorities(CAs). CAs issue Digital Signature Certificates to end-entities.”
Controller of Certifying Authorities (MeitY), Digital Signature FAQ: Aadhaar eKYC authentication versus digital signature ↗ “the Digital Signature provides the electronic authentication of individual and bind it to the documents or transactions being signed”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q95

Easy

In the context of wearable technology, which of the following tasks is/are accomplished by wearable devices?

1.Location identification of a person
2.Sleep monitoring of a person
3.Assisting the hearing impaired person

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three tasks are done by wearable devices. Wrist-worn trackers and watches with GPS locate the wearer, their motion sensors estimate sleep patterns, and worn hearing aids help people with hearing loss.

✓ 1. WHO describes global positioning system locators that track the location of the wearer, used for example to find people with dementia who wander. Some fitness wearables also carry a built-in GPS receiver that records position, speed and altitude.
✓ 2. WHO notes that wrist- or hip-worn accelerometers give continuous data on physical activity and potentially sleep; accelerometer-based fitness wearables can estimate sleep patterns, along with steps and energy use.
✓ 3. Hearing aids are among the assistive products WHO prioritises to mitigate hearing loss, and they are worn on or in the ear, so wearable devices can assist the hearing impaired.

Remember · Wearables include GPS trackers (location), fitness bands and watches (sleep, activity) and hearing aids: all three tasks are covered.

Sources

WHO, Brief 11: Technologies for promoting healthy ageing (GPS locators) ↗ “Global positioning system locators can track the location of the wearer. Such devices help locate people if they wander, for example, among people with dementia … Hearing aids, magnifiers and spectacles are products that can mitigate vision and hearing loss and enable older people to perform everyday tasks and activities.”
WHO, Measuring physical activity in adults using wearable technologies (report of a technical meeting): accelerometers and sleep ↗ “wearable devices such as wrist- or hip-worn accelerometers offer more accurate and continuous data on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (and potentially sleep, too).”
Henriksen et al., Using Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches to Measure Physical Activity in Research, JMIR mHealth and uHealth 2018 (NIH PMC copy), on GPS ↗ “some devices have a built in global positioning system (GPS) receiver. This is especially true for high-end fitness trackers and sports watches specifically targeting physically active people. With a GPS, it is possible to track more data, including position, speed, and altitude. … can be used to estimate type of movement, count steps, calculate energy expenditure (EE) and energy intensity, as well as estimate sleep patterns and more.”
WHO fact sheet, Deafness and hearing loss ↗ “Interventions for rehabilitation for people with hearing loss include: the provision of, and training in the use of, hearing technologies (e.g. hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone conduction implants and middle ear implants)”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q12

Easy

Consider the following statements:

1.Aadhaar card can be used as a proof of citizenship or domicile.
2.Once issued, Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the Issuing Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The Aadhaar Act, 2016 settles both. Section 9 says an Aadhaar number is not proof of citizenship or domicile, and Section 23(2)(g) empowers the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to omit and deactivate Aadhaar numbers as specified by regulations.

✗ 1. Aadhaar is a proof of identity (and, for residents, of address), but Section 9 expressly says it confers no right of, and is no proof of, citizenship or domicile.
✗ 2. One of UIDAI's statutory functions is 'omitting and deactivating of an Aadhaar number', for example where it was obtained fraudulently, under the manner laid down in its regulations.

Remember · Aadhaar Act, 2016: any resident (182 days in the preceding year) can enrol; the number is identity proof, not citizenship proof (Sec 9); UIDAI can omit or deactivate numbers (Sec 23(2)(g)).

Sources

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, Section 9 (UIDAI) ↗ “The Aadhaar number or the authentication thereof shall not, by itself, confer any right of, or be proof of, citizenship or domicile in respect of an Aadhaar number holder. … (g) omitting and deactivating of an Aadhaar number and information relating thereto in such manner as may be specified by regulations;”

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 · Q17

Easy

The identity platform 'Aadhaar' provides open "Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)". What does it imply?

1.It can be integrated into any electronic device.
2.Online authentication using iris is possible.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

An open API is a published, standard way for any software to talk to a service. Because UIDAI publishes its authentication APIs, any device that can build a request in that format (phone, PoS terminal, kiosk, PC) can use Aadhaar, and the service accepts biometric checks by fingerprint or iris as well as OTP.

✓ 1. UIDAI chose an API-based approach so that demographic and OTP authentication can start from any device able to create a request as per its API specifications; biometric capture only adds the need for a certified sensor.
✓ 2. UIDAI verifies a person online by matching the Aadhaar number with demographic data, OTP or biometrics, and the biometrics accepted include fingerprints, iris and face.

Remember · Aadhaar authentication = online yes/no check against UIDAI's CIDR, using demographic data, OTP, fingerprint, iris or face, through published (open) APIs.

Sources

Aadhaar Authentication Overview, UIDAI (hosted by the Department of IT, Government of Puducherry) ↗ “UIDAI has adopted an API based approach for authentication application. For the hardware component, demographic and OTP based authentication could be initiated from any kind of device capable of creating authentication packet as per UIDAI's authentication APIs.”
Authentication, Unique Identification Authority of India ↗ “a process by which the Aadhaar number along with demographic information (such as name, date of birth, gender etc) or biometric information (Fingerprint or Iris) of an individual is submitted to UIDAI’s Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) for its verification”

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 · Q28

Medium

With reference to digital payments, consider the following statements:

1.BHIM app allows the user to transfer money to anyone with a UPI-enabled bank account.
2.While a chip-pin debit card has four factors of authentication, BHIM app has only two factors of authentication.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only statement 1 is correct: BHIM is a UPI-based app for direct bank-to-bank transfers. Statement 2 fails because a chip-and-PIN card does not use four factors of authentication; UPI, and so BHIM, uses two.

✓ 1. BHIM was launched in December 2016 to enable digital payments using UPI, and it allows direct bank-to-bank transfers from a mobile phone. Because UPI is interoperable, the receiver only needs a UPI-enabled bank account.
✗ 2. The official description of UPI says it uses two-factor authentication: the registered mobile phone and the secret UPI PIN. A chip-and-PIN card also works on two things, the card itself and its PIN, so it does not have four factors.

Remember · BHIM is the NPCI's UPI app (launched December 2016). UPI uses two-factor authentication: the registered mobile device plus the UPI PIN.

Sources

PIB Factsheet: UPI, Transforming India's Payment Landscape (Ministry of Finance) ↗ “The BHIM application was launched in December 2016 to enable digital payments using UPI. It allows users to make direct bank-to-bank transactions through mobile devices. … Uses two-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption to enhance transaction security.”

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 · Q36

Medium

Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India?

1.Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.
2.Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries.
3.Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 3 only

Only statement 3 is an aim of Digital India, which is about digital infrastructure, on-demand services and digital empowerment of citizens, including broadband to villages and Wi-Fi at public places. Building Indian rivals to Chinese Internet firms or drawing foreign firms' data centres to India is not among its stated aims.

✗ 1. The programme's stated vision is a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy, built on three areas: digital infrastructure as a utility, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens. Creating national Internet companies is not one of them.
✗ 2. Digital India's official aims do not include a policy framework to pull overseas companies' data centres into India. Its infrastructure work is about broadband, mobile coverage and public access.
✓ 3. BharatNet, the backbone of Digital India, aims to take Internet services to every corner of the country, and Digital India also covers public Wi-Fi: BSNL set up hotspots at tourist places such as the Ganga Ghats at Varanasi and the Taj Mahal, and the plan includes Wi-Fi in all universities and broadband in all schools.

Remember · Digital India (launched 1 July 2015) has three vision areas: digital infrastructure as a utility, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens.

Sources

Digital India, About Us (MeitY, Government of India) ↗ “Digital India is a flagship programme of the Government of India, launched on July 1, 2015, by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.”
Digital India brochure (2015), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology: BharatNet ↗ “BharatNet serves as the infrastructure backbone of Digital India, taking Internet and telecommunication services to every nook and corner of the country. … BSNL has set up Wi-Fi Hotspots at important tourist places like the Ganga Ghats at Varanasi, Taj Mahal at Agra and Hussain Sagar Lake at Hyderabad”

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 · Q55

Easy

In which of the following areas can GPS technology be used?

1.Mobile phone operations
2.Banking operations
3.Controlling the power grids

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

GPS is used for far more than finding locations: its satellite signals carry very precise atomic-clock time, and that timing is used to synchronise mobile networks, banking and financial systems, and power grids. So all three areas are correct.

✓ 1. Wireless and communications networks use GPS time to synchronise their operations and to use limited radio spectrum efficiently.
✓ 2. Financial networks use GPS time to synchronise systems and to put traceable time tags on financial transactions and billing.
✓ 3. Power grids depend on GPS timing for precise synchronisation across the network.

Remember · GPS gives position and precise time. Precise time is used to synchronise communications, financial networks and power grids.

Sources

GPS.gov (US National Coordination Office for Space-Based PNT): GPS and Telling Time ↗ “Precise synchronization of communications systems, power grids, financial networks, and other critical infrastructure. … making traceable time tags possible for financial transactions and billing.”

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 · Q58

Easy

The terms ‘WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue’ sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Cyber attacks

All three names belong to cyber attacks in 2017. WannaCry and Petya are ransomware, meaning malware that locks a victim's files, and EternalBlue is the Windows exploit through which they spread.

✓ (c) WannaCry encrypted files on infected Windows systems and spread through a Windows Server Message Block vulnerability, an exploit named EternalBlue. Variants of Petya ransomware later spread using the same exploit. India's CERT-In issued alerts for both in 2017.
✗ (b) These are malicious programs and an exploit, not digital currencies. CERT-In classifies WannaCry and Petya as ransomware.
✗ (a) Exoplanets are planets outside the Solar System and have no connection with these computer-security terms.
✗ (d) Mini satellites are small space vehicles. WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue are software threats.

Remember · WannaCry and Petya = ransomware (2017). EternalBlue = the Windows SMB exploit that helped them spread. CERT-In is India's nodal agency for such alerts.

Sources

Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CERT-In, MeitY): Wannacry/WannaCrypt Ransomware, critical alert ↗ “This ransomware spreads by using a vulnerability in implementations of Server Message Block (SMB) in Windows systems. This exploit is named as ETERNALBLUE.”
Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CERT-In, MeitY): Variants of Petya Ransomware Spreading with EternalBlue ↗ “It has been reported that variants of Petya ransomware with worm-like capabilities is spreading.”

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 · Q64

Easy

Consider the following pairs:

	Terms sometimes seen in news	Context/Topic
1.	Belle II experiment	Artificial Intelligence
2.	Blockchain technology	Digital/Cryptocurrency
3.	CRISPR – Cas9	Particle Physics

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 only

Only the blockchain pair is right. Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Belle II is a particle-physics experiment in Japan, and CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing tool used in biotechnology.

✗ 1. Belle II is a particle-physics experiment at the SuperKEKB collider at KEK, Tsukuba, Japan. It studies rare decays of B and D mesons and tau leptons, with an Indian team led by TIFR.
✓ 2. Blockchain is a shared, distributed ledger. NITI Aayog notes that it is the Bitcoin paper of 2008 that is most credited for the advent of the technology, so it is closely tied to digital currency.
✗ 3. CRISPR-Cas9 is a genome-editing technology; the Cas9 enzyme cuts DNA at a location set by a guide RNA. It belongs to biotechnology, not particle physics.

Remember · Belle II = particle physics (KEK, Japan); blockchain = ledger behind cryptocurrencies; CRISPR-Cas9 = gene editing.

Sources

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (DAE): Belle (II) Collaboration ↗ · reference work “The Belle experiment at the KEK B-factory in Tsukuba (about 50 km northeast of Tokyo) was built to study that phenomenon, called charge-parity (CP) violation, in the decays of B mesons”
NITI Aayog: Blockchain: The India Strategy, Part I ↗ “it is the paper on the Bitcoin that is most credited for the advent of the new technology.”
PIB, Ministry of Science & Technology: CRISPR gene-editing possible in temperature sensitive organisms, plants & crop varieties (3 November 2022) ↗ “the associated Cas9 enzyme, which acts as molecular scissors to cut DNA at a location specified by a guide RNA”

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 · Q66

Easy

When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day’s weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognises the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly.

In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Internet of Things

The scenario is the Internet of Things (IoT): everyday objects such as a phone, geyser, refrigerator, mirror, door lock and car are connected through the internet, sense their surroundings and exchange data, so they act on their own. Every event in the story is one connected device talking to another.

✓ (b) IoT connects physical objects (cars, phones, appliances) to the internet so they can send and receive data. Here the alarm triggers the geyser, the refrigerator places an order and the car reports traffic and sends a message.
✗ (a) Border Gateway Protocol is a routing protocol that lets large networks on the internet exchange path information. It is not a way for home devices to act on their own.
✗ (c) Internet Protocol is the addressing and packet-delivery rule set of the internet. IoT devices use it, but it does not name the smart, self-acting behaviour described.
✗ (d) A Virtual Private Network creates a secure, private link over a public network. Nothing in the story concerns secure remote access.

Remember · IoT = everyday objects with sensors and internet connections that exchange data and act automatically.

Sources

IPCC SR1.5 Glossary: Internet of Things (IoT) ↗ “The network of computing devices embedded in everyday objects such as cars, phones and computers, connected via the internet, enabling them to send and receive data.”
ITU-T: Internet of Things Global Standards Initiative ↗ “a global infrastructure for the information society, enabling advanced services by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing and evolving interoperable information and communication technologies.”

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 · Q84

Easy

“3D printing” has applications in which of the following?

1.Preparation of confectionery items
2.Manufacture of bionic ears
3.Automotive industry
4.Reconstructive surgeries
5.Data processing technologies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

3D printing (additive manufacturing) builds objects layer by layer from a digital design, so it works across food, medicine, vehicles and electronics. All five uses listed have been demonstrated, which makes 'all of the above' the answer.

✓ 1. Chocolate and other food inks can be 3D printed; India's national strategy on additive manufacturing also names food processing as a sector.
✓ 2. Princeton researchers 3D printed a 'bionic ear' by combining a cell-seeded hydrogel with an embedded conducting antenna.
✓ 3. IIT Madras (Institute of Eminence) lists the industrialisation of additive manufacturing for aerospace, automotive, tooling and biomedical applications among its goals, and designs lattice structures and sandwich panels for automotive applications.
✓ 4. 3D printed patient-specific implants, for example in PEEK plastic, are used in reconstructive surgery.
✓ 5. Additive manufacturing sits at the intersection of computing and electronics, and India's strategy targets 3D printed electronics; UPSC's key counts this as an application.

Remember · 3D printing is layer-by-layer manufacturing from a digital file, used in food, medicine (implants, bionic organs), vehicles and electronics.

Sources

Release of the National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing (PIB, Ministry of Electronics and IT, 24 Feb 2022) ↗ “Additive Manufacturing is next generation of digital manufacturing allows the intersection of Computing Electronics, Imaging & the emerging areas of Artificial Intelligence, Pattern Recognition … printed indigenous products for vast domestic and international market in various sectors including electronics, photonics, medical device, agro and food processing etc.”
Chocolate-based Ink Three-dimensional Printing (Ci3DP), Scientific Reports 2019 (US NIH PubMed Central) ↗ “This paper describes an approach to perform 3D printing of chocolate-based materials in its liquid phase at room temperature”
3D printed bionic ears, Nano Letters 2013 (US NIH PubMed Central) ↗ “we generated a bionic ear via 3D printing of a cell-seeded hydrogel matrix in the precise anatomic geometry of a human ear”
Patient-specific surgical implants made of 3D printed PEEK (US NIH PubMed Central) ↗ “Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been used, mainly in the reconstructive surgeries as a reliable alternative to other alloplastic materials for the fabrication of PSI.”
Additive Manufacturing, IIT Madras Institute of Eminence (Future Mobility initiative) ↗ · reference work “Industrialisation of AM processes for (i) aerospace, (ii) automotive, (iii) tooling and (iv) biomedical applications”

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 ·

Prelims 2017 · Q10

Easy

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?

1.It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.
2.It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.
3.It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely digital in a decade.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 only

Smart India Hackathon is a competition, not a scheme or a digitisation target: ministries post real problems and student teams build technology solutions to them. The first edition, SIH 2017, was held on 1–2 April 2017 with 598 problem statements from 29 ministries and departments.

✗ 1. The hackathon builds no cities. The centrally sponsored programme for urban renewal is the separate Smart Cities Mission, which covers 100 selected cities, not every city.
✓ 2. Its stated aim is to give students a platform to solve pressing everyday problems and to build a culture of product innovation, using problem statements set by government departments.
✗ 3. The hackathon sets no target for digital payments; promoting cashless transactions was the work of other initiatives such as Digital India and UPI-based payments.

Remember · Smart India Hackathon (first held 1–2 April 2017): students solve problem statements posted by ministries; a hunt for tech innovations, not a scheme.

Sources

Smart India Hackathon (official site), What is SIH? ↗ “Smart India Hackathon is a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives, and thus inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving.”
Smart India Hackathon, SIH 2017 edition page ↗ “Smart India Hackathon 2017 (1st to 2nd April 2017) SIH 2017 Impact SIH 2017 our Reach 598 Problem Statements 29 Ministries & Departments”

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 ·

Prelims 2017 · Q43

Easy

Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the ‘Unified Payments Interface (UPI)’?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Mobile wallets will not be necessary for online payments.

UPI moves money straight from one bank account to another through a single mobile app, so users need not first load money into a mobile wallet. That makes 'wallets will not be necessary' the most likely consequence; the other three options are sweeping claims that UPI does not directly cause.

✓ (a) UPI links bank accounts to a phone app and transfers money instantly, round the clock. NCERT notes that such mediums directly transfer money from one person's bank account into another, so a separate wallet is not needed.
✗ (b) UPI is a way of moving money between bank accounts, not a new currency. Nothing about it points to physical currency being totally replaced within two decades.
✗ (c) FDI depends on investment policy, markets and regulation. A domestic payment system does not make foreign investment rise drastically.
✗ (d) Subsidy transfers depend on a beneficiary's bank account being identified and linked to the scheme. UPI is a payment channel and does not by itself make them very effective.

Remember · UPI (NPCI, launched 2016) connects bank accounts to one mobile app for instant 24x7 transfers, so a mobile wallet becomes unnecessary.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 11 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Chapter 11 “UPI (Unified Payments Interface), etc., are also used for transactions. These mediums directly transfer money from one person's bank account into another.”
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) product overview, NPCI (Internet Archive copy) ↗ “Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood.”

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 ·

Prelims 2017 · Q74

Easy

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays?

1.OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates.
2.Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs.
3.Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are advantages of OLED displays. Each OLED pixel makes its own light, so the panel needs no rigid backlight unit as an LCD does, and it can be built thin, on flexible plastic, see-through or rolled up.

✓ 1. OLED layers can be deposited on flexible substrates, not only on glass, which is why bendable and foldable phone screens use them. An LCD needs a backlight and a rigid liquid-crystal cell.
✓ 2. Because the panel can be made on a flexible base, roll-up and wearable displays, including ones stitched into clothing, are possible. Curved, bendable, foldable and rollable OLED screens already exist.
✓ 3. OLEDs can be made transparent, so a see-through display is possible. An LCD depends on a backlight behind the screen, which blocks that.

Remember · OLED pixels emit their own light (no backlight), so screens can be thin, flexible, rollable and transparent. LCDs cannot do this easily.

Sources

US Department of Energy, Solid-State Lighting: OLED Basics ↗ “OLEDs can also be made in almost any shape, can be deposited on flexible substrates, and can be transparent, emitting light from both sides of the device”
NASA Technical Reports Server: OLED Technology Evaluation for Space Applications ↗ “Offers weight reduction and shallower display depth, via the removal of the backlight and associated heat sink”

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 ·

Prelims 2017 · Q85

Medium

In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?

1.Service providers
2.Data centres
3.Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three are covered. Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000 lets the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) call for information and give directions to service providers, intermediaries, data centres, body corporate and any other person. Failing to comply is punishable, so reporting is a legal duty.

✓ 1. Service providers are named in Section 70B(6) as bound by CERT-In's calls for information and directions.
✓ 2. Data centres are also named in Section 70B(6).
✓ 3. A body corporate (a company or firm) is named too, and Section 70B(7) makes non-compliance punishable with up to one year's imprisonment, a fine of up to one lakh rupees, or both.
• Since then CERT-In's directions of 28 April 2022 spell this out: any service provider, intermediary, data centre, body corporate and Government organisation must report specified cyber incidents to CERT-In within 6 hours of noticing them.

Remember · Under Section 70B of the IT Act, service providers, intermediaries, data centres and body corporate must give CERT-In the information it seeks; the 2022 directions set a 6-hour reporting window.

Sources

Information Technology Act, 2000, Section 70B (India Code) ↗ “the agency referred to in sub-section (1) may call for information and give direction to the service providers, intermediaries, data centres, body corporate and any other person.”
CERT-In Directions under Section 70B(6), 28 April 2022 ↗ · reference work “Any service provider, intermediary, data centre, body corporate and Government organisation shall mandatorily report cyber incidents as mentioned in Annexure I to CERT-In within 6 hours”

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 ·

Prelims 2016 · Q5

Easy

With reference to 'LiFi', recently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1.It uses light as the medium for high-speed data transmission.
2.It is a wireless technology and is several times faster than 'WiFi'.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) is a form of visible light communication: an LED is switched on and off far faster than the eye can notice, and those flickers carry data through the air to a photodetector. It is wireless like Wi-Fi, but uses the visible-light band instead of radio waves and has reached speeds several times higher.

✓ 1. Li-Fi sends data by modulating visible light from LEDs rather than by radio waves; the Telecommunication Engineering Centre describes it as data transfer through LED light.
✓ 2. No cable is involved, so it is wireless. TEC's comparison puts Li-Fi at about 1 Gbps against about 150 Mbps for Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n), several times faster, though over a short range of under 10 metres.

Remember · Li-Fi = wireless data over visible light from LEDs (IEEE 802.15.7); faster and more secure than Wi-Fi, but short-range and blocked by walls.

Sources

Telecommunication Engineering Centre (DoT): Study Paper on LiFi (Light Fidelity) & its Applications ↗ “Li-Fi provides better bandwidth, efficiency, connectivity and security than Wi-Fi and has already achieved high speeds larger than 1 Gbps under the laboratory conditions.”
PIB, Ministry of Electronics and IT: C-DAC Chennai transfers Li-Fi technologies (28 November 2024) ↗ “Visible Light Communication (VLC)/Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) uses light waves instead of traditional radio waves to transmit data, offering unprecedented advantages such as faster speeds, enhanced security, and greater energy efficiency.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q29

Easy

The term 'Core Banking Solutions' is sometimes seen in the news. Which of the following statements best describes/describe this term?

1.It is a networking of a bank's branches which enables customers to operate their accounts from any branch of the bank on its network regardless of where they open their accounts.
2.It is an effort to increase RBI's control over commercial banks through computerization.
3.It is a detailed procedure by which a bank with huge non-performing assets is taken over by another bank.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Core Banking Solutions (CBS) is a bank's centralised IT platform: all branches work on one common database, so an account-holder is a customer of the whole bank and can transact at any networked branch, not only the one where the account was opened. It is neither an RBI control device nor a merger procedure.

✓ 1. This is what CBS does; the RBI expects banks on CBS to serve their customers uniformly at every branch and not to penalise transactions at 'non-home' branches.
✗ 2. CBS is each bank's own operating platform for serving customers; RBI's supervisory powers come from the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, not from branch networking.
✗ 3. Rescuing a weak bank by merging it with another is amalgamation (for example, under Section 45 of the Banking Regulation Act); it has nothing to do with CBS.

Remember · Core Banking Solutions: centralised, networked branch operations; the customer belongs to the bank, not the branch, enabling 'anywhere banking', ATMs, internet and mobile banking.

Sources

RBI: Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks (para 6.6, Uniformity in Intersol Charges) ↗ “With the introduction of Core Banking Solution (CBS), it is expected that customers of banks would be treated uniformly at any sales or service delivery point. … Banks are advised to follow a uniform, fair and transparent pricing policy and not discriminate between their customers at home branch and non-home branches.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q35

Easy

'Project Loon', sometimes seen in the news, is related to

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) wireless communication technology

Project Loon, begun at Google X and later an Alphabet company, used large balloons drifting in the stratosphere as floating relay stations to beam internet connectivity to rural, remote and underserved areas. It is therefore a wireless communication technology; the balloons' solar panels only powered the equipment on board.

✓ (b) Each balloon carried radio equipment that linked with ground stations and other balloons to deliver internet (including LTE) service to people below.
✗ (c) The balloons did carry solar panels, but only to run their own electronics; generating solar power was not the project's purpose.
✗ (a) Loon had nothing to do with handling waste; its aim was internet access.
• Since then Alphabet wound Loon down in 2021; some of its technology lives on in Taara, which uses light beams for connectivity (X, the Moonshot Factory).

Remember · Project Loon: stratospheric balloons as flying cell towers for internet in remote areas (Google X, 2013; shut in 2021).

Sources

World Bank, Innovative Business Models for Expanding Fiber-Optic Networks and Closing the Access Gaps (2018), Box 5.13: Project Loon ↗ “Project Loon is a research and development project being developed by Google X with the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas. The proposed solution is to use a series of balloons that act like mobile towers.”
X, the Moonshot Factory: Loon ↗ · reference work “After nine years of groundbreaking technical achievements, Loon wound down, but its technological legacy lives on. … Solar panels powered the communications equipment during the day and charged onboard batteries for nighttime operation.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q47

Easy

What is ‘Greased Lightning–10 (GL–10)’, recently in the news?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Electric plane tested by NASA

Greased Lightning (GL-10) is an experimental battery-powered aircraft developed by NASA's Langley Research Center. It has ten electric motors and can take off vertically like a helicopter and then fly efficiently like an aeroplane.

✓ (a) NASA describes GL-10 as a battery-powered plane with 10 engines, eight electric motors on the wings and two on the tail, that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like an aircraft.
✗ (b) GL-10 is a NASA project. It is a small remotely piloted aircraft, not a solar-powered two-seater from Japan.
✗ (c) GL-10 is an aircraft, not a space observatory.
✗ (d) GL-10 is an aircraft, not a rocket, and it has nothing to do with ISRO.

Remember · GL-10 (Greased Lightning): NASA's ten-motor electric VTOL aircraft prototype from Langley Research Center.

Sources

NASA: Ten-Engine Electric Plane Prototype Takes Off ↗ “A team at NASA’s Langley Research Center is developing a concept of a battery-powered plane that has 10 engines and can take off like a helicopter and fly efficiently like an aircraft.”
NASA Technical Reports Server: Greased Lightning (GL-10) Flight Testing Campaign ↗ “Greased Lightning (GL-10) is an aircraft configuration that combines the characteristics of a cruise efficient airplane with the ability to perform vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL).”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q66

Medium

With reference to 'Bitcoins', sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1.Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries.
2.Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address.
3.Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer virtual currency with no central authority: any holder of an address can pay any other, and the parties can stay anonymous or pseudonymous. No central bank issues, authorises or tracks it, so statements 2 and 3 are correct and 1 is not.

✗ 1. The RBI said in December 2013 that the creation, trading or usage of virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, is not authorised by any central bank or monetary authority, and in 2017 that it had licensed no one to deal in them.
✓ 2. Payments in Bitcoins take place peer to peer, without an authorised central agency that regulates them.
✓ 3. The RBI notes that counterparties in such peer-to-peer anonymous or pseudonymous systems are not identified, which is why it warned of money-laundering risks.

Remember · Bitcoin: decentralised, peer-to-peer and pseudonymous, with no issuer or regulator. Central banks do not track or authorise it; the RBI cautioned users in 2013 and 2017.

Sources

Reserve Bank of India press release: RBI cautions users of Virtual Currencies against Risks (24 December 2013) ↗ “The creation, trading or usage of VCs including Bitcoins, as a medium for payment are not authorised by any central bank or monetary authority. … Payments by VCs, such as Bitcoins, take place on a peer-to-peer basis without an authorised central agency which regulates such payments. … The absence of information of counterparties in such peer-to-peer anonymous/ pseudonymous systems could subject the users to unintentional breaches of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) laws.”
Reserve Bank of India press release: RBI cautions users of Virtual Currencies (1 February 2017) ↗ “The Reserve Bank of India advises that it has not given any licence / authorisation to any entity / company to operate such schemes or deal with Bitcoin or any virtual currency.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q84

Easy

Regarding 'DigiLocker', sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1.It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme.
2.It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct. DigiLocker is a Government of India digital document wallet run under the Digital India programme, and because it is cloud-based, you can reach your documents from the web or a mobile app wherever you are.

✓ 1. DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the Digital India programme.
✓ 2. It is a secure cloud-based platform for storing, sharing and verifying documents, accessible through the web portal and the mobile app, so no physical copies need to be carried.

Remember · DigiLocker = MeitY's cloud-based document wallet under Digital India; documents can be issued, stored, shared and verified digitally, from anywhere.

Sources

DigiLocker (Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India) ↗ “DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under Digital India programme. DigiLocker aims at 'Digital Empowerment' of citizen by providing access to authentic digital documents to citizen's digital document wallet.”
Passport Verification Record now available on DigiLocker (Press Information Bureau, MeitY) ↗ “Citizens will be able to seamlessly access and retrieve their Passport Verification Records from the “Issued Documents” section of their DigiLocker account after successful verification, through both the web portal and mobile application, without the need to carry or store physical copies”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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