Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with answers on the topic “Swachh Bharat Mission: Achievements and Challenges” for the Civil Services Examination.

1. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on:

A. August 15, 2014
B. October 2, 2014
C. January 26, 2015
D. October 2, 2015
Answer: B

2. Who was the brand ambassador for the Swachh Bharat Mission?

A. Amitabh Bachchan
B. Akshay Kumar
C. Sachin Tendulkar
D. Narendra Modi
Answer: D

3. What is the primary objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission?

A. Promoting tourism
B. Making India open-defecation free (ODF)
C. Building roads
D. Providing healthcare to rural areas
Answer: B

4. Which ministry is responsible for implementing Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G)?

A. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
C. Ministry of Jal Shakti
D. Ministry of Rural Development
Answer: C

5. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) primarily focuses on:

A. Improving urban housing
B. Waste management and sanitation in urban areas
C. Road construction
D. Education and skill development
Answer: B

6. Under SBM, the target for making India open-defecation free (ODF) was set for which year?

A. 2017
B. 2020
C. 2025
D. 2019
Answer: D

7. The term ODF stands for:

A. Over-development factor
B. Open-drainage facility
C. Open-defecation free
D. Over-defecation free
Answer: C

8. How many urban local bodies were declared ODF under SBM-U by 2019?

A. 1,000
B. 2,500
C. 4,000+
D. 3,000+
Answer: C

9. Swachh Survekshan is a survey related to:

A. Educational reforms
B. The cleanliness and sanitation levels in cities
C. Health and nutrition
D. Industrial pollution
Answer: B

10. Which city was ranked as the cleanest city in India in the Swachh Survekshan 2023?

A. Mysore
B. Indore
C. Surat
D. Bengaluru
Answer: B

11. Under SBM, what is the full form of IHHL?

A. Individual Household Latrine
B. Institutional Hygiene and Health Levy
C. Infrastructure for Health and Hygiene Locations
D. Improved Household Hygiene Levels
Answer: A

12. One of the main achievements of SBM is the construction of how many toilets by 2019?

A. 5 crore
B. 10 crore
C. 8 crore
D. 2 crore
Answer: B

13. What major challenge does SBM face in sustaining ODF status?

A. Lack of funds
B. Reverting to open defecation practices
C. Political interference
D. Unavailability of construction materials
Answer: B

14. The Swachh Bharat Cess was levied to finance SBM at what rate?

A. 0.5%
B. 1%
C. 2%
D. 3%
Answer: A

15. The Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 focuses on:

A. Road construction
B. Water conservation
C. Solid waste management and waste-to-energy projects
D. Infrastructure development
Answer: C

16. Which of the following is NOT a component of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)?

A. Scientific waste disposal
B. Sewage treatment
C. Access to drinking water
D. Construction of public and community toilets
Answer: C

17. Which of the following states became the first to be declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) under SBM?

A. Kerala
B. Himachal Pradesh
C. Sikkim
D. Gujarat
Answer: C

18. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aims to eliminate open defecation by constructing toilets for households in:

A. Urban areas only
B. Rural areas only
C. Both urban and rural areas
D. Metropolitan cities only
Answer: C

19. What challenge does SBM face regarding the maintenance of public toilets?

A. Lack of construction materials
B. High public resistance
C. Insufficient operational funding and staff
D. Over-dependence on manual labor
Answer: C

20. How has behavioral change been promoted under SBM to encourage cleanliness?

A. Through celebrity endorsements only
B. By imposing fines on defaulters
C. By launching the “Darwaza Band” campaign and awareness drives
D. Through mandatory sanitation lessons in schools
Answer: C

21. What is the role of the Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK)?

A. Providing health care services
B. Raising funds to support the Swachh Bharat Mission
C. Managing school cleanliness programs
D. Setting up urban development projects
Answer: B

22. Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) is primarily implemented by:

A. Urban Development Authorities
B. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
C. Municipal Corporations
D. National Rural Health Mission
Answer: B

23. Which agency conducted the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) to verify the ODF status of villages?

A. NITI Aayog
B. Ministry of Home Affairs
C. Ministry of Jal Shakti
D. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Answer: C

24. Which of the following is a technological challenge faced in the waste management component of SBM?

A. Availability of funds
B. Lack of public support
C. Low waste segregation at source
D. Difficulty in toilet construction
Answer: C

25. Which organization provides funding support for SBM in rural areas?

A. IMF
B. World Bank
C. World Health Organization
D. UNESCO
Answer: B

26. The Swachh Bharat Mission is divided into how many phases?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
Answer: B

27. What innovative initiative under SBM helps in monitoring the cleanliness of urban areas?

A. Swachhata App
B. Clean India App
C. Swachh Bharat Tracker
D. CleanCity App
Answer: A

28. One of the most significant failures of SBM is:

A. Complete absence of public toilets
B. High construction costs
C. Lack of emphasis on wastewater treatment and drainage
D. Low participation of NGOs
Answer: C

29. The Swachh Vidyalaya initiative, associated with SBM, focuses on:

A. Clean drinking water in schools
B. Toilet construction in schools
C. Promoting digital literacy in schools
D. Improving quality of education
Answer: B

30. Which of the following challenges does SBM face in terms of solid waste management in urban areas?

A. Over-reliance on recycling
B. Underinvestment in waste-to-energy technologies
C. Excessive land allocation for waste disposal
D. Lack of public awareness regarding sanitation
Answer: B

These questions cover a broad range of topics related to the Swachh Bharat Mission, including its achievements and the ongoing challenges it faces in both urban and rural contexts.