Computer & Information Technology — UPSC Prelims Previous Year Questions
54 questions from UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper 1 on Computer & Information Technology (Science & Technology). Spanning from 1995 to 2026. Practice with show/hide answers.
What UPSC Asks About Computer & Information Technology
Based on 54 questions across 22 years, UPSC has consistently tested aspirants' understanding of Computer & Information Technology within the broader Science & Technology syllabus. The questions range from factual recall to application-based analysis.
Recent trends show UPSC moving towards statement-based questions that combine multiple aspects of Computer & Information Technology. Aspirants should focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing isolated facts.
Q: Which of the following statements about DHRUV64 is/are correct ?
1. It is the third chip fabricated under the DIR-V Programme with an overall aim to enable the creation of microprocessors for India.
2. It is India's first homegrown 1·0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Q: Which of the following statements with regard to India's indigenous new high resolution weather model, the 'Bharat Forecast System,' is/are correct ?
1. Its objective is to generate forecasts at the Panchayats cluster level.
2. It was developed by IIT Delhi.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Q: Which of the following statements regarding the features of blockchain technology are correct ?
1. Records stored in the database may be made visible to relevant stakeholders without risk of alteration.
2. Copies of the entire database are stored on multiple computers on a network, syncing within seconds.
3. Consortium blockchain is a blend of public and private blockchains allowing selective data access.
4. Mathematical algorithms make it impossible to change or delete any data once recorded and accepted.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Q: Which of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are correct ?
1. LLMs assign probabilities to the next possible words and then pick the one with the highest probability.
2. LLMs process data through mathematical optimization to minimise prediction errors.
3. LLMs produce unbiased outputs.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Q: Consider the following statements:
I. It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing.
II. Majorana 1 chip has been introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
III. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q: The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35°C.
Which of the following statements best reflect(s) the implication of the above-said report?
I. Peninsular India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts.
II. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Which one of the following words/phrases is most appropriately used to denote "an interoperable network of 3D virtual worlds that can be accessed simultaneously by millions of users, who can exert property rights over virtual items"?
Q: With reference to Web 3.0, consider the following statements:
1. Web 3.0 technology enables people to control their own data.
2. In Web 3.0 world, there can be blockchain-based social networks.
3. Web 3.0 is operated by users collectively rather than a corporation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q: Consider the following communication technologies:
1. Closed-circuit Television
2. Radio Frequency Identification
3. Wireless Local Area Network
Which of the above are considered Short-Range devices/technologies?
Q: With reference to Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), consider the following statements:
1. They enable the digital representation of physical assets.
2. They are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain.
3. They can be traded or exchanged at equivalency and therefore can be used as a medium of commercial transactions.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Q: With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?
1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
3. Disease diagnosis
4. Text-to-Speech Conversion
5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, which of the following statements are correct?
1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm.
2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication.
3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth.
4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: With reference to "Blockchain Technology", consider the following statements :
1. It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, but which no single user controls.
2. The structure and design of blockchain is such that all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only.
3. Applications that depend on basic features of blockchain can be developed without anybody's permission.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Q: In India, under cyber insurance for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits?
1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one's computer
2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant wilfully damages it, if proved so
3. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion
4. Cost of defence in the Court of Law if any third party files a suit
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: With reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)?
1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?
Q: In the context of digital technologies for entertainment, consider the following statements:
1. In Augmented Reality (AR), a simulated environment is created and the physical world is completely shut out.
2. In Virtual Reality (VR), images generated from a computer are projected onto real-life objects or surroundings.
3. AR allows individuals to be present in the world and improves the experience using the camera of smart-phone or PC.
4. VR closes the world, and transposes an individual, providing complete immersion experience.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements. A digital signature is
1. An electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it
2. Used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access information or server on Internet
3. An electronic method of signing an electronic document and ensuring that the original content is unchanged
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: In the context of wearable technology, which of the following tasks is/are accomplished by wearable devices?
1. Location identification of a person
2. Sleep monitoring of a person
3. Assisting the hearing impaired person
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: The identity platform 'Aadhaar' provides open 'Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)'. What does it imply?
1. It can be integrated into any electronic device.
2. Online authentication using iris is possible.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to digital payments, consider the following statements:
1. BHIM app allows the user to transfer money to anyone with a UPI-enabled bank account.
2. While a chip-PIN debit card has four factors of authentication, BHIM app has only two factors of authentication.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following pairs: Terms sometimes seen in news - Context/Topic
1. Belle II - Artificial Intelligence experiment
2. Blockchain - Digital/Cryptocurrency technology
3. CRISPR - Cas9 - Particle Physics
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Q: When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm on which your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day's weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognizes the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly. In the context of emerging communication technologies,
which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario?
Q: Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital display in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays?
1. OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates.
2. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs.
3. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below:
Q: In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?
1. Service providers
2. Data centres
3. Body corporate
Select the correct answer
using the code given below:
Q: With reference to ‘LiFi’, recently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It uses light as the medium for high-speed data transmission.
2. It is a wireless technology and is several times faster than WiFi.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: With reference to 'Bitcoins', sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries.
2. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address.
3. Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: Regarding ‘DigiLocker’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme.
2. It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below:
Q: With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields.
2. NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other.
3. NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: In addition to fingerprint scanning, which of the following can be used in the biometric identification of a person?
1. Iris scanning
2. Retinal scanning
3. Voice recognition
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
Q: What is the difference between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices ?
(a)Bluetooth uses 2.4 GHz radio frequency band, whereas Wi-Fi can use 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequency band
(b)Bluetooth is used for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) only, whereas Wi-Fi is used for Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWAN) only
(c)When information is transmitted between two devices using Bluetooth technology, the devices have to be in the line of sight of each other, but when Wi-Fi technology is used the devices need not be in the line of sight of each other
(d)The statements (a) and (b) given above are correct in this context
Q: A new optical disc format known as the Blu-ray Disc (BD) is becoming popular. In what way is it different from the traditional DVD?
1. DVD supports Standard Definition video while BD supports High Definition video.
2. Compared to a DVD, the BD format has several times more storage capacity.
3. Thickness of BD is 2.4 mm while that of DVD is 1.2 mm.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)It is a private computer network of an organization where the remote users can transmit encrypted information through the server of the organization.
(b)It is a computer network across a public internet that provides users access to their organization's network while maintaining the security of the information transmitted.
(c)It is a computer network in which users can access a shared pool of computing resources through a service provider.
(d)None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is a correct description of Virtual Private Network.
Q: Consider the following :
1. Bluetooth device
2. Cordless phone
3. Microwave oven
4. Wi-Fi device
Which of the above can operate between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz range of radio-frequency band ?
Q: Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I (Company)
A. Chevron
B. AT&T
C. AMD
D. Enercon GmbH
List-II (Major Area/Product)
1. Wind Energy
2. Oil
3. Telephone, Internet
4. Micro-processor
Codes:
Q: Consider the following statements :
1. A geostationary satellite is at an approximate height of 10,000 km
2. FM transmission of music is of very good quality because the atmospheric or man-made noises which are generally frequency variations can do little harm.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. Smart Card is a plastic card with an embedded microchip.
2. Digital Technology is primarily used with new physical communication medium such as satellite and fibre optics transmission.
3. A digital library is a collection of documents in an organized electronic form available on the Internet only.
Which of these statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Assertion (A): Information technology is fast becoming a very important field of activity in India.
Reason (R): Software is one of the major exports of the country and India has a very strong base in hardware.
(a)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b)Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Computer & Information Technology?▼
UPSC has asked 54 questions on Computer & Information Technology in GS Paper 1 Prelims between 1995 and 2026. This sub-topic falls under Science & Technology.
In which years has UPSC asked about Computer & Information Technology?▼
Questions on Computer & Information Technology have appeared in UPSC Prelims in the following years: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1995. The topic has appeared in 22 out of 31 years.
What is the difficulty level of Computer & Information Technology questions in UPSC Prelims?▼
Among 54 questions on Computer & Information Technology: 22 are easy, 31 are moderate, and 1 are difficult. Most questions test conceptual understanding of the topic.