MPPSC 2025 Prelims Paper-I · Question 16 of 100

Correct — C, Rajasthan. As on 31 March 2023 Rajasthan had the largest cumulative installed solar power capacity of any Indian state — of the order of 16 GW, clearly ahead of every other state. Rajasthan overtook Karnataka during 2021-22 because the Thar belt (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner) combines very high solar radiation with vast tracts of cheap, unproductive land; India's largest solar park, Bhadla Solar Park (about 2,245 MW) in Jodhpur district, sits in that belt.

• (a)Tamil Nadu — A renewable-energy leader, but historically on the wind side (the Muppandal belt in Kanyakumari district), not solar. Its cumulative solar capacity in March 2023 was far below Rajasthan's.
• (b)Gujarat — A strong solar state — it built India's first large solar park (Charanka, Patan district) and leads India in rooftop solar — but its cumulative solar capacity was still below Rajasthan's as on March 2023.
• (d)Karnataka — Was India's solar leader until 2021-22 on the strength of Pavagada Solar Park (about 2,050 MW) in Tumakuru district; Rajasthan then overtook it and was ahead in March 2023.

India's solar capacity is concentrated in a handful of states, and the ranking has shifted over time. Karnataka led until 2021-22 (Pavagada Solar Park); Rajasthan then took the top slot and has held it, helped by high direct solar radiation, large low-cost waste land and dedicated transmission build-out in the Thar region. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) publishes state-wise cumulative installed renewable capacity — that dataset is what an 'as on <date>' question is testing.

The tempting picks are Gujarat (Charanka park, the Modhera solar village, rooftop-solar leadership) and Tamil Nadu (a renewables leader — but in wind). Lock three separate anchors: highest installed solar capacity and the largest solar park (Bhadla) = Rajasthan; earlier solar leader with Pavagada = Karnataka; rooftop-solar leader = Gujarat.

• As on 31 March 2023, Rajasthan had India's highest cumulative installed solar capacity (of the order of 16 GW).
• India's total installed solar capacity was roughly 67 GW as on 31 March 2023.
• Bhadla Solar Park, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan (about 2,245 MW) is India's largest solar park.
• Pavagada Solar Park, Tumakuru, Karnataka (about 2,050 MW) made Karnataka the earlier leader before Rajasthan overtook it.
• Charanka Solar Park in Patan district was India's first large-scale solar park; Gujarat leads in rooftop solar.
• MNRE is the nodal ministry; the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is the central nodal agency for solar tenders and schemes.

• Assuming Gujarat leads in solar because it leads in rooftop solar and built India's first solar park
• Mixing wind rankings with solar rankings — Tamil Nadu and Gujarat dominate wind, Rajasthan dominates solar
• Quoting an outdated ranking — Karnataka was the leader only up to 2021-22

Almost always 'which state ranks first/highest in X as on <date>' or 'match the solar park with its state'. Carry two anchors: Rajasthan = solar No. 1 + Bhadla; Karnataka = Pavagada.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Bhadla Solar Park, India's largest solar park, is located in which state?

  • (a)Gujarat
  • (b)Rajasthan
  • (c)Karnataka
  • (d)Andhra Pradesh

  Answer(b) Rajasthan — Bhadla is in Jodhpur district, in the Thar belt.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The headquarters of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is located at:

  • (a)New Delhi
  • (b)Gurugram, Haryana
  • (c)Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • (d)Paris, France

  Answer(b) Gurugram, Haryana — on the National Institute of Solar Energy campus at Gwal Pahari.