Science & Technology Topicwise PYQs
Syllabus Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Achievement of Indians in science & technology; Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
- The Nobel Prize in Physics of 2014 was jointly awarded to Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura for the invention of Blue LEDs in 1990s. How has this invention impacted the everyday life of human beings ? [UPSC-2021]
- How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by the science-based technologies? [UPSC-2020]
- 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. [UPSC-2020] ©crackingcivilservices.com
- How was India benefited from the contributions of Sir M.Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?(जल इंजीनियरी और कृषि-विज्ञान के क्षेत्रों में क्रमश: सर एम. विश्वेश्वरैया और डॉ. एम. एस. स्वामीनाथन के योगदानों से भारत को किस प्रकार लाभ पहुंचा था ?) [UPSC-2019]
- Discuss the work of ‘Bose-Einstein Statistics’ done by Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose and show how it revolutionized the field of Physics. [UPSC-2018]
- With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. [UPSC-2018]
- 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? [UPSC-2017] ©crackingcivilservices.com
- Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as our business operations, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer oriented. Critically comment. [UPSC-2014]
- Can overuse and the availability of antibiotics without doctor’s prescription, the 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. [UPSC-2014]
- What do you understand by Umpire decision review in cricket? Discuss its various components. Explain how silicon tape on the edge of a bat may fool the system? [UPSC-2013]
- What is an FRP composite material? How are they manufactured? Discuss their applications in aviation and automobile industry. [UPSC-2013]
- How does the 3D printing technology work? List out the advantages and disadvantages of the technology.[UPSC-2013]
- What do you understand by fixed dose drug combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits. [UPSC-2013]
Syllabus Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, bio-technology.
- What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society? [UPSC-2021]
- What do you understand by nanotechnology and how is it helping in health sector? [UPSC-2020]
- How can biotechnology improve the living standards of farmers? (किसानों के जीवन मानकों को उन्नत करने के लिए जैव प्रौद्योगिकी किस प्रकार सहायता कर सकती है?) [UPSC-2019]
- What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (भारत की अपना स्वयं का अंतिरिक्ष केंद्र प्राप्त करने की योजना है और हमारे अंतिरिक्ष कार्यक्रम को यह किस प्रकार लाभ पहुंचाएगी ?) [UPSC-2019] ©crackingcivilservices.com
- Why is there so much activity in the field of biotechnology in our country? How has this activity benefitted the field of biopharma? [UPSC-2018]
- Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and several burns. Describe briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments? [UPSC-2017]
- India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbitter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Explain critically. [UPSC-2017]
- Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development? [UPSC-2016]
- Why is nanotechnology one of the key technologies of the 21st century? Describe the salient features of Indian Government’s Mission on Nanoscience and Technology and the scope of its application in the development process of the country. [UPSC-2016]
- What do you understand by ‘Standard Positioning Systems’ and ‘Protection Positioning Systems’ in the GPS era? Discuss the advantages India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing just seven satellites. [UPSC-2015]
- What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots? Discuss the initiatives that can propel research in premier research institutes for substantive and gainful innovation. [UPSC-2015]
Syllabus Topic: Issues relating to intellectual property rights.
- India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) which has a database containing formatted information on more than 2 million medicinal formulations is proving a powerful weapon in the country’s fight against erroneous patents. Discuss the pros and cons making this database publicly available under open-source licensing. [UPSC-2015] ©crackingcivilservices.com
- In a globalised world, intellectual property rights assume significance and are a source of litigation. Broadly distinguish between the terms – copyrights, patents and trade secrets. [UPSC-2014]
- Bring out the circumstances in 2005 which forced amendment to section 3(d) in the Indian Patent Law, 1970. Discuss how it has been utilized by Supreme court in its judgment rejecting Novartis patent application for “Glivec”. Discuss briefly the pros and cons of the decision. [UPSC-2013]
- How is the government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies? (भैषजिक कंपनियों के द्वारा आयुविर्ज्ञान के पारंपरिक ज्ञान को पेटेंट कराने से भारत सरकार किस प्रकार रक्षा कर रही है?[UPSC-2019] ©crackingcivilservices.com
