Emerging Technologies and E-Governance PYQs – Computer, SSC & Railway

Answer: Option 2 — AR overlays computer-generated digital information onto the real-world environment in real time, enhancing perception and interaction in fields like healthcare, education, and defense, but faces challenges such as hardware limitations, privacy concerns, and context-awareness.
AR adds to the real world — a Snapchat filter, a Pokémon on the pavement, a surgeon's scan floating over the patient.
The user still sees the real surroundings; that is what separates AR from virtual reality, which replaces the world entirely.
Revision note — AR, VR and the extended-reality family
• Augmented Reality (AR): digital layer over the real world, seen through a phone camera, smart glasses or a head-up display; examples — Pokémon Go (2016), Google Lens, IKEA Place, fighter-pilot HUDs.
• Virtual Reality (VR): complete immersion in a computer-made world through a head-mounted display such as Meta Quest or HTC Vive; the physical world is shut out.
• Mixed Reality (MR): virtual objects that interact with real ones — Microsoft HoloLens, Apple Vision Pro (2024), which Apple markets as spatial computing.
• Extended Reality (XR) is the umbrella term covering AR, VR and MR.
• The term augmented reality was coined by Tom Caudell of Boeing in 1990; Ivan Sutherland built the first head-mounted display in 1968.
• Developer platforms: ARCore (Google) and ARKit (Apple); AR needs a camera, sensors (gyroscope, GPS), a processor and a display working together in real time.
• Challenges: battery and processing limits on wearables, privacy (cameras always on), and context-awareness — the device must understand what it is looking at.
Do not mix these up
• AR vs VR — AR overlays information on the real world; VR replaces it with a virtual one.
• Brain-computer interface vs AR — a BCI (Neuralink) reads or writes neural signals; AR only changes what the eyes see.
Also asked from this topic: the input device least suited to navigating a virtual-reality environment (an ordinary optical mouse).

Topic: Supercomputers - Applications
Supercomputers are high-performance computing systems designed for processing massive amounts of data at extremely high speeds.
Primary Applications:
• Weather forecasting and climate modeling
• Scientific simulations and research
• Nuclear weapons testing simulations
• Cryptography and code breaking
• Complex mathematical and scientific calculations
Options 1, 2, 3 are basic tasks performed by regular PCs.
Answer: Option 4 → Complex mathematical calculations

Correct Answer: Bhutan — Option (a)
Bhutan is the Himalayan nation that has been exploring cryptocurrency mining using its abundant hydropower resources to boost its economy. Key facts about Bhutan's crypto initiative: Bhutan has significant hydroelectric power resources due to its mountainous terrain and rivers — it generates surplus electricity (much of which is exported to India); Druk Holdings & Investments (DHI), the investment arm of the Royal Government of Bhutan, has been involved in Bitcoin mining operations; Bhutan began mining Bitcoin secretly around 2019-2020 and this was revealed publicly around 2023; DHI has partnered with companies (including BitDeer ) to set up data centers for cryptocurrency mining; Bhutan held a significant Bitcoin portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars as revealed in 2023; The mining operations use Bhutan's clean, renewable hydroelectric power — making it 'green' cryptocurrency (with a much lower carbon footprint than coal-powered crypto mining); Rationale: Bhutan's hydropower generates surplus electricity, especially in summer; Bitcoin mining provides a monetization avenue for this surplus power and diversifies Bhutan's economy (which relies heavily on hydropower exports to India and tourism).
Option (b) Nepal — Incorrect: While Nepal also has significant hydropower potential, it is Bhutan (specifically through Druk Holdings & Investments) that has been actively exploring and implementing cryptocurrency mining using hydropower; Nepal has focused more on expanding power exports to India rather than crypto mining. The candidate selected this incorrect option.
Option (c) Pakistan — Incorrect: Pakistan is not a Himalayan nation known for exploring green cryptocurrency mining with hydropower; Pakistan faces energy shortages and crypto activities have been restricted there at various times.
Option (d) India — Incorrect: While India has hydropower resources and cryptocurrency awareness, the specific initiative of a Himalayan nation using surplus hydropower for green cryptocurrency mining to boost the national economy refers specifically to Bhutan — not India.

Correct Answer: Ministry of Home Affairs — Option (c)
The ' Nyay Shruti' app was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in August 2024. The app was developed to assist in the implementation of the new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — which replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act respectively in July 2024. ' Nyay Shruti' (meaning 'Voice of Justice') enables citizens to listen to provisions of the new criminal laws in audio format, making legal knowledge more accessible to the general public in multiple Indian languages.
Option (a) Ministry of Law and Justice — Incorrect: While the Ministry of Law and Justice is responsible for legal matters, the Nyay Shruti app was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Option (b) Ministry of Defence — Incorrect: The Ministry of Defence handles defence and security matters; it was not responsible for launching the Nyay Shruti app.
Option (d) Ministry of Communications — Incorrect: The Ministry of Communications deals with postal, telecom, and IT matters; the Nyay Shruti app was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Digital India Programme
Launched by: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Launch Date:1 July 2015
Objective: Transform India into digitally empowered society
Focus: Digital infrastructure, digital literacy, e-governance
Answer: Option 1 → 2015

The correct answer is option 1.
The Digital India programme was launched on July 1, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was launched with the vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The programme focuses on three key areas: digital infrastructure as a utility for every citizen, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens.
Option 2 is incorrect: 2018 is not the launch year of Digital India.
Option 3 is incorrect: 2019 is not the launch year of Digital India.
Option 4 is incorrect: 2021 is not the launch year of Digital India.

Correct Answer: 4 – BHASHINI.
BHASHINI (Bhasha Interface for India) is an AI-powered platform launched by the Government of India to provide internet and digital services in multiple Indian languages. It enables natural language processing, speech recognition, translation and other AI-based language services to bridge the language divide and make digital services accessible in regional languages.
Umang (Option 1) is a government app for accessing various e-government services, not specifically AI-based multilingual internet services.
DigiYatra (Option 2) is a facial recognition-based boarding system for airports.
Aarogya Setu (Option 3) is a health and contact tracing app developed during COVID-19.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) provides a single mobile platform for accessing over 1,200+ government services from Central and State governments, including PF, Aadhar, DigiLocker , pension, and various utility payments.
(a) Incorrect: UMANG is not a social media app; it is a government services delivery platform.
(b) Incorrect: While UMANG supports some payment services, its primary purpose is providing access to multiple government services, not solely digital payments.
(c) Incorrect: UMANG is not designed as an online learning app; it is a governance services platform.

The iGOT-Karmayogi (Integrated Government Online Training - Karmayogi ) platform is central to implementing the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB or Mission Karmayogi ). This digital platform delivers training content, courses, and learning pathways for civil servants across the central government to build competency and capacity. Option 4 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) platform is managed by NCERT/Ministry of Education for delivering school education content to teachers and students; it is not the platform for civil servants' capacity building.
Option 2 is wrong: Digital India Learning Hub is not the designated platform for NPCSCB; Mission Karmayogi specifically uses the iGOT-Karmayogi platform for civil service training.
Option 3 is wrong: e-Governance Portal is a broad term for digital governance portals; the specific platform designated for NPCSCB training content delivery is iGOT-Karmayogi , not a generic e-governance portal.

As of March 2025, 34 supercomputers have been deployed across India under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), at various academic and research institutions such as IITs, IISc, and C-DAC centres.
The NSM, launched in 2015, is jointly implemented by MeitY and DST through C-DAC and IISc, with a target of 73 systems. Options 28, 40, and 46 are incorrect.

Gemini is a family of multimodal large language models developed by Google (Alphabet Inc.) and its AI research division Google DeepMind. It was announced in December 2023 and is Google's flagship AI model series. Apple develops its own AI (Apple Intelligence); Amazon developed Alexa and Bedrock-based models; IBM developed Watson and Granite models — none of them created Gemini.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is a single-platform mobile app from the Ministry of Electronics and IT providing access to hundreds of central, state and local government services.

Assertion (A) is true: ISRO does use generative design software for optimising structural and weight efficiency of aerospace components.
Reason (R) is false: generative design tools are general-purpose AI/optimisation software; they are not specifically developed for cryogenic fuel tanks of PSLV variants.
Hence, A is true but R is false.

Generative-design software produces optimised structural forms that minimise weight while meeting performance/strength requirements — crucial for launch vehicles where every kilogram matters. The other options describe goals opposite to the purpose of generative design.
Hence, Option 2 is correct.

Generative design uses algorithms (often AI/ML driven) to explore many geometric configurations against engineering constraints.
In aerospace, where every kilogram costs heavily and structural integrity is critical, the primary use of generative design is to find shapes that minimise mass while maximising stiffness/strength — i.e., minimum mass with maximum structural resilience.
Multi-payload integration, life-support redundancy and adaptive thrust control are specialised tasks but are not the fundamental objective of generative design.
Hence option 2 is correct.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Digital India
Digital India is a flagship programme of the Government of India launched on July 1, 2015 by PM Narendra Modi, with the vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It has three core components: digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens. Key initiatives under Digital India: BharatNet (broadband connectivity), Common Service Centres (CSCs), DigiLocker, UMANG app, e-governance services, and promoting digital literacy.
Option 1 (Make in India): Launched September 25, 2014 to encourage manufacturing in India and create jobs; focuses on 25 economic sectors; aims to make India a global manufacturing hub — not specifically digital technology leadership.
Option 3 (Skill India): Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) — launched July 15, 2015; focuses on vocational training and skill development for youth employability; not specifically digital leadership.
Option 4 (Startup India): Launched January 16, 2016 to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups; includes Fund of Funds, tax exemptions, regulatory simplifications — broader than digital technology specifically.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – By providing accurate diagnoses using data analysis
AI has significantly improved healthcare by enabling more accurate diagnoses through analysis of large datasets — including medical images (radiology, pathology), patient history, and genomic data. AI tools can detect diseases like cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and cardiac conditions with accuracy matching or exceeding human specialists. Examples include Google's DeepMind for eye disease detection and AI-based diagnostic platforms in India.
Option 1 (Replacing all doctors): AI assists and augments doctors' work; it does not and cannot replace all doctors, as human judgment, empathy, and complex decision-making remain essential.
Option 2 (Reducing hospital infrastructure): AI optimizes hospital operations but does not reduce the need for physical infrastructure.
Option 4 (Eliminating need for patient records): AI actually depends on comprehensive patient records and data; it does not eliminate them — it uses them more effectively.