Science & Technology — UPSC Mains GS-III Questions (2013–2025)

The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India’s contributions to the international fusion energy project – International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy?

What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe?

What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?

Discuss several ways in which microorganisms can help in meeting the current fuel shortage.

What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota.

The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them?

Each year a large amount of plant material, cellulose, is deposited on the surface of Planet Earth. What are the natural processes this cellulose undergoes before yielding carbon dioxide, water, and other end products?

The Nobel Prize in Physics of 2014 was jointly awarded to Akasaki, Amano, and Nakamura for the invention of Blue LEDs in the 1990s. How has this invention impacted the everyday life of human beings?

How is S-400 air defence system technically superior to any other system presently available in the world?

How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by the science-based technologies?

COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented devastation worldwide. However, technological advancements are being availed readily to win over the crisis. Give an account of how technology was sought to aid management of the pandemic.

How was India benefitted from the contributions of Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?

Discuss the work of ‘Bose-Einstein Statistics’ done by Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose and show how it revolutionized the field of Physics.

Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and severe burns. Describe briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments?

Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India?

Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How has the application of this technology helped India in its socio-economic development?

Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment.

Can overuse and free availability of antibiotics without Doctor's prescription, be contributors to the emergence of drug-resistant diseases in India? What are the available mechanisms for monitoring and control? Critically discuss the various issues involved.

What do you understand by Fixed Dose Drug Combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits.

What do you understand by Umpire Decision Review System in Cricket? Discuss its various components. Explain how silicone tape on the edge of a bat may fool the system?