Government Schemes Questions in UPSC Prelims 2026: How Many Questions Were Asked?

Government Schemes Questions in UPSC Prelims 2026 became one of the most discussed sections after the Civil Services Preliminary Examination held on 24 May 2026. Several aspirants reported that UPSC asked multiple questions related to flagship schemes, welfare initiatives, rural development programmes, and financial inclusion policies.

The UPSC Government Schemes questions tested candidates on their conceptual understanding, current affairs awareness, and ability to differentiate between similar schemes.

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Government Schemes Questions in UPSC Prelims 2026

Government Schemes Questions in UPSC Prelims 2026 proved that welfare programmes and governance initiatives remain a core area of the UPSC syllabus. The exam conducted on 24 May 2026 included several conceptual and current affairs-oriented scheme questions that tested analytical understanding rather than rote memorisation.

Regarding How Many Questions Asked from Government Schemes in UPSC Prelim 2026?, an estimated 8 to 12 questions were either directly or indirectly linked to various flagship initiatives, including social welfare, agriculture, health, financial inclusion, and rural development schemes.

25. Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India:

1. The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure.
2. The success of the Sagarmala Programme is reflected in significant growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping, along with improved global port rankings.
3. Sagarmala 2.0 aims to position India as a global maritime innovation hub aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions.

Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?

1. Statement II validates the effectiveness of the strategies envisioned in statement I.
2. Statement III extends the objectives of statement I by embedding them into a future-oriented innovation framework.
3. Statement I contradicts statement III by focusing only on traditional infrastructure instead of modern innovation.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 2

38. Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)?

1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas
2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions
3. Enhancing productivity and minimising climatic risks through Integrated Farming Systems (IFS)

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 2

42. Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct?

1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 3 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

53. Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?

(a) Credit access, Insurance depth, and Pension coverage

(b) Banking access, GDP contribution, and Financial literacy

(c) Access, Usage, and Quality

(d) Access, Affordability, and Transparency

Answer: (c) Access, Usage, and Quality

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54. Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India’s ‘Open Network for Digital Commerce’ (ONDC) initiative?

(a) To allow government control over all digital commerce transactions

(b) To replace private e-commerce players

(c) To break the dominance of large e-commerce platforms by enabling interoperability across networks

(d) To mandate UPI-based payments for all online transactions

Answer: (c) To break the dominance of large e-commerce platforms by enabling interoperability across networks

70. Which of the following statements with regard to Green Hydrogen is/are correct?

1. It is decarbonized hydrogen obtained from natural gas reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS).
2. It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
3. National Green Hydrogen Mission of India aims for abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

74. Which of the following statements with regard to the National Quantum Mission (NQM) is/are correct?

1. It aims at developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50 – 1000 physical qubits.
2. Its implementation includes setting up of four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) in academic and national R&D institutes across India.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

75. Which of the following statements with regard to India’s Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct?

1. It was launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India.
2. Matsya-6000 has been designed to carry 3 people for deep sea exploration.
3. Samudrayaan is a project under this mission.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

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Key Topics Asked in UPSC Government Schemes Questions

The Government Schemes Questions in UPSC Prelims 2026 mainly focused on the following:

Agriculture and Rural Development: Questions were asked from farmer welfare programmes, irrigation initiatives, and rural livelihood schemes.

Health and Nutrition: UPSC included questions related to healthcare delivery, nutrition missions, and insurance coverage programmes.

Financial Inclusion: Schemes promoting digital payments, banking access, and entrepreneurship remained important.

Women and Child Welfare: Questions tested understanding of beneficiary groups and social sector implementation.

Why Government Schemes Questions Are Important in UPSC Prelims

UPSC gives importance to schemes because they reflect:

• Governance priorities
• Public policy implementation
• Social and economic development
• Current affairs relevance

As a result, government scheme questions for UPSC Prelims are often integrated with economy, polity, and social justice topics.

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Preparation Tips for UPSC Prelims Government Schemes Questions 2026

• Revise schemes launched in the last 1–2 years
• Learn about the ministries associated with schemes
• Understand target beneficiaries
• Focus on objectives and implementation models
• Practice previous year questions regularly

Aspirants should also revise merged or renamed schemes because UPSC frequently frames confusing statement-based questions around them.

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