EMERGENT and NEW TECHNOLOGIES – UPSC PRELIMS Favourite Topic

In recent years, UPSC Prelims question paper has been focussing on emergent and latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cryptocurrency , Internet of Things , Environmental engineering ,Nanotechnology etc. and related terms which have been in news in the recent past.

Trend analysis shows that number of such questions are increasing every year.

To decipher the trend, let’s have a look at the previous year’s questions.

2018 PRELIMS

Q1-Consider the following pairs :

Terms sometimes seen in news Context / Topic

Belle 2 experiment – Artificial Intelligence
Block chain technology – Digital Crypto currency
CRISPR – Cas9 – Particle Physics

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

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – B

Q 2-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?

(a) Border Gateway Protocol

(b) Internet of Things

(d) Virtual Private Network

Answer – B

Q3-The identity platform ‘Aadhaar‘ provides open “Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)”. What does it imply?

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

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Answer – C

Q4-The terms WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue’ sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to

(a) Exoplanets

(b) Cryptocurrency

(d) Mini satellites

Answer – C

Q5-“3D printing” has applications in which the following?

Preparation of confectionery items
Manufacture of bionic ears
Automotive industry
Reconstructive surgeries
Data processing technologies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 3 and 4 only

(b) 2, 3 and 5 only

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

Answer: D

Q-6Which of the following statements best describes “carbon fertilization”?

(a) Increased plant growth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

(b) Increased temperature of Earth due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

(d) Adaptation of all living beings on Earth to the climate change brought about by. The increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Answer – A

2017 PRELIMS

Q1-Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?

It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in a decade.
It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems faced by our country.
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 :

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Solution: B

Q2-Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the ‘Unified Payments Interface (UPI)’?

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

(b) Digital currency will totally replace the physical currency in about two decades.

(d) Direct transfer of subsidies to poor people will become very effective.

Solution: A

Q3-With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of `genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?

Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.
This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – D

Q4-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?

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

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(d) None of the above statements is correct

Solution: C

Q5-What is the purpose of ‘evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)’ project?

(a) To detect neutrinos

(b) To detect gravitational waves

(d) To study the effect of solar flares on our communication systems

Solution: B

Q6- In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique?

It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.
Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.
Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution: C

Q 7– In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be the potential sites for carbon sequestration?

Abandoned and uneconomic coal seams
Depleted oil and gas reservoirs
Subterranean deep saline formations

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer – D

2016 PRELIMS

Q-1 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.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution: B

Q-2 India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?

(a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation

(b) It can attain a global role in satellite navigation

(d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation

Solution: D

Q-3 With reference to ‘Li-Fi’, 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 several times faster than ‘WiFi’.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: C

Q-4. In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refers to

(a) a range of enzymes used in genome editing

(b) the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism

(d) a mechanism of genetic mutations taking place in cells

Solution: B

Q-5-‘Project Loon’, sometimes seen in the news, is related to

(a) waste management technology

(b) wireless communication technology

(d) water conservation technology

Solution: B

Q-6. ‘Net metering’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of promoting the

(a) production and use of solar energy by the households/consumers

(b) use of piped natural gas in the kitchens of households

(d) installation of water meters in urban households

Solution: A

Q-7-What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news?

(a) Electric plane tested by NASA

(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan

(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO

Solution: A

2015 PRELIMS

Q-1With reference to the use of nanotechnology in health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct?

Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology
Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

Solution: c)

Q-2- With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields
NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other
NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution: c)

Hence, one can see the importance of such topics which can easily fetch 4-7 questions (8-14 marks) right if one is prepared well.

IASNOVA PRO subscribers will get access to category wise ( Biotechnology , Information Technology, Renewable energy, Genetic Engineering, Agriculture, Environmental Science etc) compilations on all such emergent technologies and terminologies and the ones which have been in news in the recent past and have high probability of coming in 2020 Prelims.

To help our subscribers get all questions right in PRELIMS 2020,we are going with special focus on Emerging Technologies this year-