MPPSC 2026 Prelims Paper-I · Question 43 of 100

Correct — D, Environmental Conservation. The official MPPSC final key marks (d): Mohan Nagar's Padma Shri in the 2026 list was for conservation work on the environment, the kind of grassroots green contribution the Padma Shri regularly recognises (in MHA's own 2026 list the award is placed under 'Social Work', the head that carries grassroots environmental and community work, rather than under any of the other three heads offered here). Note the elimination route as well: 'Politics' is not even a field in which Padma awards are given, and 'Industry' is only part of the composite field 'Trade and Industry'.

• (a)Sports — Sports is a genuine Padma field, but the key places this award under environmental conservation; sportspersons in the same list are announced separately under 'Sports'.
• (b)Politics — There is no Padma award field called 'Politics'. Political and administrative contribution is recognised under 'Public Affairs' — so this option is wrong on the framework itself.
• (c)Industry — The Padma field is 'Trade and Industry', meant for business and enterprise; it is not the head under which this award was announced.

The Padma awards are India's second-highest tier of civilian honours, instituted in 1954: Padma Vibhushan (exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of a high order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). They are announced on the eve of Republic Day and conferred by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually in March–April. Every recipient is listed against a field — Art, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science and Engineering, Trade and Industry, Medicine, Literature and Education, Sports, Civil Service, and Others (which is where environment and conservation work is generally placed).

MPPSC's Padma questions almost never test the name alone — they test the name-to-field pairing, because that is what makes a four-option question. So while reading the annual list, note the field beside each name, especially the 'unsung heroes' entries (tribal healers, seed conservers, tree planters, folk artists) that the government highlights. Here the field list itself resolves two options: 'Politics' is not a Padma field at all, and 'Industry' alone is a truncated version of 'Trade and Industry'.

• Padma awards were instituted in 1954; three tiers — Padma Vibhushan > Padma Bhushan > Padma Shri
• Announced on the eve of Republic Day; conferred by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan
• No Padma awards were given during 1978–79 and 1993–97 — the awards were suspended twice
• They are awards, not titles, and cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient's name
• Nominations/recommendations are open to any citizen through the online Padma Awards portal

• Treating 'Politics' as a Padma field — the correct head is 'Public Affairs'
• Assuming Padma awards were suspended only once; they lapsed in 1978–79 and again in 1993–97
• Confusing the announcement date (Republic Day eve) with the conferment date (investiture, usually March–April)

MPPSC asks 'X received the Padma award in which field / who received it in field Y'; UPSC asks the framework instead — statements on Bharat Ratna and Padma awards, titles under Article 18, and annual caps.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Padma awards for a year are announced on the eve of which day?

  • (a)Independence Day
  • (b)Republic Day
  • (c)Gandhi Jayanti
  • (d)National Youth Day

  Answer(b) Republic Day — the list is announced on 25 January each year and conferred later at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Excluding posthumous awards and awards to NRIs/foreigners, the number of Padma awards conferred in a year is normally capped at:

  • (a)50
  • (b)100
  • (c)120
  • (d)150

  Answer(c) 120 — the government's own ceiling for Padma awards in a year, excluding posthumous awards and those to NRIs/foreigners.