MCQs with answers on “Agricultural Reforms in India: Opportunities and Challenges.”

1. What was the primary objective of the Green Revolution in India?

• a) Increase in agricultural exports
• b) Sustainable farming practices
• c) Increase in food grain production
• d) Encouraging organic farming Answer: c) Increase in food grain production

2. Which of the following is a key component of the PM-KISAN scheme?

• a) Financial assistance to farmers for buying seeds
• b) Direct income support to farmers
• c) Subsidy for purchasing farm machinery
• d) Credit support for agro-processing units Answer: b) Direct income support to farmers

3. Which act is aimed at providing fair and remunerative prices to farmers in India?

• a) Essential Commodities Act, 1955
• b) Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act
• c) Minimum Support Price (MSP) Policy
• d) National Agriculture Market (eNAM) Answer: c) Minimum Support Price (MSP) Policy

4. The Agriculture Export Policy of India (2018) primarily focuses on:

• a) Reducing dependency on agriculture imports
• b) Increasing agricultural exports
• c) Subsidizing farmers’ exports
• d) Restricting export of genetically modified crops Answer: b) Increasing agricultural exports

5. Which of the following is a major challenge for Indian agriculture?

• a) Low import tariffs on agricultural products
• b) Water scarcity and inefficient irrigation systems
• c) Overproduction of cash crops
• d) Availability of global markets for Indian crops Answer: b) Water scarcity and inefficient irrigation systems

6. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is associated with which aspect of agricultural reform?

• a) Crop insurance
• b) Promotion of organic farming
• c) Providing financial subsidies to farmers
• d) Ensuring minimum support prices for crops Answer: a) Crop insurance

7. What does the APMC Act regulate in Indian agriculture?

• a) Price fixation for agricultural products
• b) Procurement of agricultural products by the government
• c) The functioning of markets and trade of agricultural commodities
• d) Distribution of fertilizers to farmers Answer: c) The functioning of markets and trade of agricultural commodities

8. The Soil Health Card scheme launched by the Government of India is aimed at:

• a) Providing farmers with subsidies for fertilizers
• b) Educating farmers about crop rotation techniques
• c) Assessing soil health and promoting balanced fertilizer use
• d) Promoting organic farming Answer: c) Assessing soil health and promoting balanced fertilizer use

9. The National Agricultural Market (eNAM) initiative aims to:

• a) Promote direct sale of agricultural produce to consumers
• b) Integrate existing agricultural markets across India
• c) Regulate agricultural prices
• d) Provide subsidies to farmers Answer: b) Integrate existing agricultural markets across India

10. Which of the following is a significant challenge for small farmers in India?

• a) Lack of government subsidies
• b) Difficulty in accessing formal credit
• c) Overuse of traditional farming techniques
• d) High global competition for agricultural products Answer: b) Difficulty in accessing formal credit

11. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) aims to:

• a) Provide subsidies to large farmers
• b) Ensure food security for the urban poor
• c) Provide subsidized food grains to vulnerable populations
• d) Promote agricultural exports Answer: c) Provide subsidized food grains to vulnerable populations

12. Which of the following schemes aims at enhancing the productivity of small and marginal farmers?

• a) National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA)
• b) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
• c) National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
• d) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) Answer: c) National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)

13. The “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative is expected to contribute to which aspect of Indian agriculture?

• a) Reducing reliance on imports of food grains
• b) Encouraging organic farming methods
• c) Promoting agro-processing and value-added exports
• d) Providing direct subsidies to farmers Answer: c) Promoting agro-processing and value-added exports

14. Which of the following is NOT a challenge for Indian agriculture?

• a) Dependence on monsoons
• b) High mechanization in farming
• c) Fragmented landholdings
• d) Inefficient supply chains Answer: b) High mechanization in farming

15. Which of the following is a major feature of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)?

• a) Promotion of high-yielding seed varieties
• b) Providing irrigation facilities to farmers
• c) Offering crop insurance schemes
• d) Direct income support to farmers Answer: b) Providing irrigation facilities to farmers

16. The “Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana” (RKVY) focuses on:

• a) Providing crop insurance to farmers
• b) Enhancing farm income through diversification
• c) Increasing the availability of agricultural loans
• d) Improving productivity in agricultural sectors Answer: d) Improving productivity in agricultural sectors

17. The primary objective of the “Doubling Farmers’ Income” initiative is to:

• a) Increase agricultural exports
• b) Ensure that farmers earn at least double the income from agriculture by 2022
• c) Promote mechanization in farming
• d) Provide universal basic income to farmers Answer: b) Ensure that farmers earn at least double the income from agriculture by 2022

18. What is the significance of the FDI policy in Indian agriculture?

• a) It allows foreign investment in the agricultural sector to enhance productivity
• b) It encourages the export of raw agricultural products
• c) It promotes subsidies for Indian farmers
• d) It bans foreign agricultural imports Answer: a) It allows foreign investment in the agricultural sector to enhance productivity

19. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is meant to:

• a) Ensure a price ceiling for agricultural commodities
• b) Ensure a fair price for farmers’ produce
• c) Regulate agricultural imports
• d) Increase agricultural exports Answer: b) Ensure a fair price for farmers’ produce

20. The Farm Bills (2020) passed by the Indian Parliament aim to:

• a) Abolish APMC mandis completely
• b) Promote contract farming and remove restrictions on interstate trade
• c) Double farmers’ income in the next two years
• d) Provide government subsidies for organic farming Answer: b) Promote contract farming and remove restrictions on interstate trade

21. The National Mission on Agricultural Extension and Technology (NMAET) focuses on:

• a) Research and development of new agricultural technologies
• b) Capacity building and training of farmers
• c) Providing subsidies for agricultural equipment
• d) Exporting agricultural produce to international markets Answer: b) Capacity building and training of farmers

22. The main objective of the Soil Health Management (SHM) initiative is to:

• a) Increase the use of chemical fertilizers
• b) Promote organic farming techniques
• c) Improve soil fertility through better management practices
• d) Ensure sustainable water usage for farming Answer: c) Improve soil fertility through better management practices

23. Which of the following is a challenge faced by Indian agriculture in terms of labor?

• a) Over-reliance on mechanization
• b) High cost of labor
• c) Shortage of skilled agricultural workers
• d) Excessive reliance on migrant labor Answer: c) Shortage of skilled agricultural workers

24. The “Rural Infrastructure Development Fund” (RIDF) is aimed at:

• a) Improving rural infrastructure and promoting agricultural growth
• b) Subsidizing inputs like seeds and fertilizers for farmers
• c) Ensuring better storage and marketing infrastructure
• d) Promoting irrigation technologies Answer: a) Improving rural infrastructure and promoting agricultural growth

25. The “Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan” (PM-AASHA) was launched to:

• a) Provide minimum support prices for crops
• b) Improve agricultural exports
• c) Increase food grain production
• d) Support agro-processing industries Answer: a) Provide minimum support prices for crops

26. What does “contract farming” aim to achieve?

• a) Ensuring fair wages for agricultural workers
• b) Protecting farmers from market fluctuations by linking them with private players
• c) Increasing direct subsidies to farmers
• d) Creating large agricultural estates Answer: b) Protecting farmers from market fluctuations by linking them with private players

27. The main objective of the “National Agriculture Market” (eNAM) is to:

• a) Facilitate online trading of agricultural produce
• b) Provide MSP to farmers
• c) Enhance the import of agricultural goods
• d) Increase the use of pesticides in farming Answer: a) Facilitate online trading of agricultural produce

28. What is the purpose of the National Policy for Farmers (2007)?

• a) Promote organic farming in India
• b) Address the overall welfare and development of farmers
• c) Subsidize agricultural machinery
• d) Focus on the export of food products Answer: b) Address the overall welfare and development of farmers

29. Which of the following is NOT a part of India’s agricultural reforms?

• a) Promotion of drip irrigation
• b) Financial support for agro-processing industries
• c) Restrictions on agricultural exports
• d) Introduction of contract farming Answer: c) Restrictions on agricultural exports

30. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is responsible for:

• a) Promoting dairy farming and milk production
• b) Implementing water conservation techniques in farming
• c) Introducing new farming technologies
• d) Monitoring the export of agricultural products Answer: a) Promoting dairy farming and milk production

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These MCQs cover a broad range of topics related to agricultural reforms in India and can help candidates preparing for the Civil Services Examination.