Q10. Which industry is especially associated with the term Silicon Plateau?
[Tripura TET, 2016]
(A) Jute
(B) Cement
(C) Information technology
(D) Sugar
Answer: (C) Information technology
Explanation: India’s Silicon Plateau refers to Bengaluru and its surrounding southern technology region, where software and electronics enterprises clustered. Skilled labour, educational institutions, research facilities and business networks supported the concentration of high-technology services and manufacturing.
Q9. Which Indian city developed a major cotton textile industry partly due to demand for high-quality cloth?
[Rajasthan Gram Sevak, 2016]
(A) Kanpur
(B) Kochi
(C) Patna
(D) Ahmedabad
Answer: (D) Ahmedabad
Explanation: Ahmedabad developed major cotton textile mills supported by merchants, nearby raw cotton and cloth markets. The city’s industrial growth made it one of the best-known textile centres of India, earning it the Manchester of India nickname.
Q8. Match the industrial centres with their industries: Bengaluru, Korba, Jamshedpur, Malanjkhand.
[BPSC, 2016]
(A) Bengaluru–steel; Korba–aircraft; Jamshedpur–aluminium; Malanjkhand–jute
(B) Bengaluru–copper; Korba–steel; Jamshedpur–aircraft; Malanjkhand–aluminium
(C) Bengaluru–aluminium; Korba–jute; Jamshedpur–copper; Malanjkhand–aircraft
(D) Bengaluru–aircraft; Korba–aluminium; Jamshedpur–steel; Malanjkhand–copper
Answer: (D) Bengaluru–aircraft; Korba–aluminium; Jamshedpur–steel; Malanjkhand–copper
Explanation: Bengaluru is linked with aircraft manufacturing, Korba with aluminium smelting and power, Jamshedpur with steel and Malanjkhand with copper mining. These associations reflect differing industrial resources, energy demands, skills and historical development.
Q7. Which is not included among the eight core industries of India?
[CGPSC Prelims, 2016]
(A) Coal
(B) Fertiliser
(C) Electricity
(D) Chemical industry
(E) Cement
Answer: (D) Chemical industry
Explanation: The eight core industries include coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity. The broad chemical industry is not separately one of the eight, although chemical production is important to manufacturing overall.
Q6. Match the steel plants with their states: Rourkela, Bhilai, Durgapur and Visakhapatnam.
[RPSC RAS, 2015]
(A) Rourkela–West Bengal; Bhilai–Odisha; Durgapur–Chhattisgarh; Visakhapatnam–Jharkhand
(B) Rourkela–Odisha; Bhilai–Chhattisgarh; Durgapur–West Bengal; Visakhapatnam–Andhra Pradesh
(C) Rourkela–Andhra Pradesh; Bhilai–Jharkhand; Durgapur–Odisha; Visakhapatnam–West Bengal
(D) Rourkela–Chhattisgarh; Bhilai–West Bengal; Durgapur–Andhra Pradesh; Visakhapatnam–Odisha
Answer: (B) Rourkela–Odisha; Bhilai–Chhattisgarh; Durgapur–West Bengal; Visakhapatnam–Andhra Pradesh
Explanation: Rourkela lies in Odisha, Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, Durgapur in West Bengal and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Their distribution shows the importance of raw materials, transport and planned investment in India’s steel industry.
Q5. Consider the by-products of sugar industry: (1) Bagasse can be used as biomass fuel for energy. (2) Molasses can be a feedstock for synthetic chemical fertilisers. (3) Molasses can produce ethanol. Which are correct?
[UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination, 2013]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Sugarcane processing produces bagasse, the fibrous residue used as boiler fuel and in cogeneration, and molasses, a sugar-rich by-product used in fermentation to make ethanol. Both provide additional value to sugar mills and demonstrate industrial by-product utilisation.
Q4. Consider the statements: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is a Mini Ratna company; Indian Iron and Steel Company was merged with SAIL. Which is correct?
[UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination, 2007]
(A) First statement only
(B) Second statement only
(C) Both statements
(D) Neither statement
Answer: (C) Both statements
Explanation: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was associated with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, while Indian Iron and Steel Company became part of SAIL in the mid-2000s. The question tests industrial public-enterprise organisation in its historical examination context.
Q3. Which among the following are regarded as core industries?
[BPSC 46th Preliminary Examination, 2004]
(A) Power
(B) Coal
(C) Petroleum
(D) All of these
Answer: (D) All of these
Explanation: Power, coal and petroleum were among the foundational industrial activities considered essential to wider production. Core industries provide energy or basic inputs to other sectors, making changes in their output important indicators of industrial performance.
Q2. Which one among the following has the largest shipyard in India?
[UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination, 2003]
(A) Kolkata
(B) Kochi
(C) Mumbai
(D) Visakhapatnam
Answer: (B) Kochi
Explanation: Kochi is home to Cochin Shipyard, a major shipbuilding and ship-repair facility. The location benefits from maritime access, port infrastructure and engineering services. Shipbuilding is an important transport-equipment industry serving commercial and defence needs.
Q1. Consider these statements:
(1) NTPC is India’s largest power utility;
(2) ONGC supplies half of India’s LPG;
(3) Indian Oil operates all Indian refineries;
(4) Ordnance Factories form the largest departmentally run industrial undertaking.
Which are correct?
[UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination, 2002]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 and 3
(C) 2, 3 and 4
(D) 1 and 4
Answer: (D) 1 and 4
Explanation: The 2002 examination treated NTPC’s position as the largest power utility and the importance of the Ordnance Factory organisation as correct. Indian Oil did not operate every refinery, while the stated ONGC share of LPG production was incorrect.
