Backtested — 12 question(s) with English PIB source
Statements about Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — 18th LS, 15-year duration, SC women within SC quota.
Trigger event
Constitution (106th Amendment) Act passed Sep 2023, reserving one-third seats for women in LS and State Assemblies.
2023-09
Ministry
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs / Ministry of Law and Justice
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-09-21
Rank in week's basket
1 of 46
top 100%
PIB title: Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam ushers in a new era of inclusive governance: PM
Depth vs. question: Multiple PIB releases gave the substantive provisions — applicability after delimitation post-2026 census, 15-year sunset, sub-reservation within SC/ST. Direct mapping.
Notes: Year-End Review 2023 (PRID 1992755) of MoPA also recapped the Adhiniyam.
PMSMA — antenatal & post-delivery services? Private providers can volunteer free services?
Trigger event
PMSMA launched 2016; 9th anniversary review (June 2024) and ongoing scheme.
2024-06
Ministry
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2022-07-29
Rank in week's basket
1 of 149
top 100%
PIB title: Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) provides a fixed day, free of cost assured, comprehensive and quality Antenatal Care
Depth vs. question: PIB release explicitly states PMSMA provides 'fixed day, free of cost assured, comprehensive and quality Antenatal Care' on 9th of every month, with private practitioners offering voluntary services at government health facilities. Both halves of the question (antenatal-only + voluntary private contribution) are confirmed verbatim. The June 2024 nine-year anniversary note (NoteId 154588) is a parallel reference.
Notes: Recurring health-scheme question. PIB has multiple references.
Which is the latest UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity inclusion from India?
Trigger event
Garba of Gujarat inscribed at 18th ICH committee session, Kasane, Botswana, 6 Dec 2023.
2023-12
Ministry
Ministry of Culture
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-12-06
Rank in week's basket
2 of 75
top 99%
PIB title: ‘Garba Of Gujarat’ Declared as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO
Depth vs. question: Direct PIB release announcing inscription. 15th ICH element from India — exact match.
Notes: Half-year-out CA — answer maps 1:1 to PIB.
Which of these are greenfield airport projects of GoI?
Trigger event
Donyi Polo (Itanagar) operationalised 19 Nov 2022; Kushinagar inaugurated Oct 2021 — both greenfield. Vijayawada is brownfield (existing).
2022-11
Ministry
Ministry of Civil Aviation
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2022-11-19
Rank in week's basket
2 of 46
top 98%
PIB title: PM inaugurates first greenfield airport ‘Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar’ in Arunachal Pradesh
Depth vs. question: PIB list of 21 in-principle approved greenfield airports + inauguration coverage confirms Donyi Polo and Kushinagar; Vijayawada absent.
Notes: Donyi Polo inauguration was the trigger event in the CA window.
Mitra Shakti 2023 — India-Bangladesh? In Aundh Pune? Counter-terrorism? IAF participation?
Trigger event
Ninth edition of India-Sri Lanka Joint Exercise Mitra Shakti commenced at Aundh (Pune), 16-29 Nov 2023.
2023-11
Ministry
Ministry of Defence
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-11-16
Rank in week's basket
3 of 40
top 95%
PIB title: INDIA - SRI LANKA JOINT EXERCISE MITRA SHAKTI – 2023 COMMENCED TODAY
Depth vs. question: PIB release perfectly matches: venue Aundh, counter-terrorism (Chapter VII UN), IAF/SLAF participation. Distractor 1 (Bangladesh) was the key trap.
Notes: Classic UPSC trick — name '1' option as wrong country.
Which of these properties were inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List in 2023?
Trigger event
Santiniketan (17 Sep 2023) and Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (18 Sep 2023) inscribed at 45th extended session in Riyadh.
2023-09
Ministry
Ministry of Culture
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-09-17
Rank in week's basket
5 of 64
top 94%
PIB title: PM expresses happiness on Santiniketan being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Depth vs. question: PIB covered both inscriptions in detail with PM congratulatory statements; exactly matches the two-of-four answer.
Notes: Rani-ki-Vav (2014) and Mahabodhi (2002) were distractors — both already on the list.
DILRMP — 100% central funding, digitises cadastral maps, transliterates records into Constitution languages.
Trigger event
Bhoomi Samman 2023 awards by President (18 Jul 2023); DILRMP extension to FY 2025-26 approved 2021.
2023-07
Ministry
Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources)
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-07-18
Rank in week's basket
10 of 31
top 70%
PIB title: PRESIDENT OF INDIA PRESENTS BHOOMI SAMMAN 2023
Depth vs. question: PIB releases describe DILRMP as Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central funding; cadastral map digitisation and Bhasha Modules for transliteration are all there. Strong match.
Notes: Bhoomi Samman 2023 brought DILRMP into mainstream news.
PM-SYM — age 21-40 for entry? Age-specific contribution? Min ₹3,000 pension at 60? Family pension to spouse/daughters?
Trigger event
Scheme launched Feb 2019; ongoing — PIB updates 2023-24.
2019-02
Ministry
Ministry of Labour and Employment
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-03-14
Rank in week's basket
14 of 105
top 88%
PIB title: Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme to provide old age pension to unorganized sector workers
Depth vs. question: PIB FAQs confirm eligibility 18-40, age-specific contribution, ₹3,000 min pension, spouse-only family pension (not daughters). Direct mapping.
Notes: Older scheme but standing PIB content.
'Pumped-storage hydropower' refers to which application?
Trigger event
Ministry of Power Guidelines for PSP development issued 10 Apr 2023; multiple NHPC MoUs through 2023-24.
2023-04
Ministry
Ministry of Power
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-04-10
Rank in week's basket
14 of 41
top 68%
PIB title: Speeding up Hydro Power: Central Electricity Authority Fast-tracks Approval Mechanism for Pumped Storage Projects
Depth vs. question: PIB explicitly frames PSP as long-duration storage for the 500 GW non-fossil 2030 target. Direct match.
Notes: Energy-transition CA. Multiple PIB releases through 2023-24.
Digital Rupee: sovereign currency, RBI liability, inflation-insured?, freely convertible.
Trigger event
RBI launched e₹-W on 1 Nov 2022 and e₹-R on 1 Dec 2022; pilots expanded through 2023-24.
2022-12
Ministry
Ministry of Finance / RBI
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2022-12-08
Rank in week's basket
30 of 135
top 78%
PIB title: Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): e₹-R is in the form of a digital token that represents legal tender
Depth vs. question: PIB release on e₹-R retail pilot launched 1 Dec 2022 (5 cities, CUG, digital token = legal tender, same denominations as paper currency). Covers sovereign currency, RBI liability, denomination — all four features in the question. The e-booklet PDF (doc2022121139201.pdf) also reinforces this.
Notes: Tested 18 months after rollout — bang in CA window.
Which feedstocks can produce SAF: agricultural residues, corn grain, wastewater sludge, wood mill waste?
Trigger event
India's first SAF-blend commercial flight (AirAsia Pune-Delhi, 19 May 2023); ICAO CAAF/3 Dubai Nov 2023; India 1% SAF blending target by 2027.
2023-05
Ministry
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas / Ministry of Civil Aviation
PIB hit · full
PIB source
released 2023-05-19
Rank in week's basket
30 of 70
top 58%
PIB title: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using indigenous feedstock, Make in India technology is a major step towards self-reliance and de-carbonization of the aviation sector: Hardeep Singh Puri
Depth vs. question: PIB outlines SAF feedstocks: agri residues, MSW, forestry residues, used cooking oil — covers all four options in the question.
Notes: CAAF/3 (Nov 2023) and AirAsia maiden SAF flight made this hot CA.
How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted by the Government of India till December 2023?
Trigger event
Ongoing Delimitation Commission work for J&K/Assam (2020-2023); historical four commissions (1952, 1962, 1972, 2002, 2020 — totalling four named by govt to that date).
2023-08
Ministry
Ministry of Law and Justice / Legislative Department
PIB hit · partial
PIB source
released 2023-04-03
Rank in week's basket
87 of 105
top 17%
PIB title: DELIMITATION OF PARLIAMENTARY AND ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES
Depth vs. question: PIB explains delimitation process and commissions but the specific historical count (Four) is a static fact; PIB only touches latest commission work.
Notes: Strictly historical fact, but the CA hook is the 2023 Assam delimitation order finalised on 11 Aug 2023.
No PIB anchor — 10 question(s) sourced from elsewhere
These questions did not have a verifiable PIB source. They came from RBI / SEBI / Supreme Court / international press / ministry-website notifications. pibtracker does not claim to catch these — they are listed here so you can see the full universe of 2021–2026 CA questions, not just the ones we score.
Who authored 'The India Way' and 'Why Bharat Matters'?
Trigger event
EAM Jaishankar launched 'Why Bharat Matters' (Rupa Publications, Jan 2024).
2024-01
Ministry
Ministry of External Affairs (only tangentially)
Depth vs. question: No dedicated PIB release on the book launch found.
Notes: Author-book trivia — typical static-feel question with CA flavour.
Argentina–worst economic crisis; Sudan–army vs paramilitary war; Turkey–NATO membership rescinded. How many matched correctly?
Trigger event
Argentina hyperinflation/Milei election Nov 2023; Sudan RSF-SAF war from Apr 2023; Turkey NOT rescinded NATO (false distractor).
2023-04
Depth vs. question: Purely international affairs — no PIB hit. India neutral.
Notes: International CA — UPSC tests current world events with no direct India link.
Q28
Sumed Pipeline
Not in backtest
Sumed pipeline as strategic route for Gulf oil to Europe; connects Red Sea with Mediterranean.
Trigger event
2023 EIA reports of >60% rise in northbound flow via Suez/Sumed after Russia-Ukraine sanctions; Red Sea Houthi attacks (late 2023-2024) rerouted oil via Sumed.
2023-09
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit — international energy infrastructure.
Notes: Tied to Houthi Red Sea attacks disrupting shipping in late 2023/early 2024.
If USA defaults — can Treasury bond holders claim payment? US debt backed by faith not assets.
Trigger event
US debt ceiling crisis May-June 2023 narrowly averted; Fitch downgrade Aug 2023.
2023-06
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit — purely US macroeconomics.
Notes: International economy CA.
Sahel insecurity caused by recent military coups (Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali).
Trigger event
Niger coup 26 Jul 2023; Burkina Faso 2022; Mali 2020-21; AES alliance Sept 2023; French withdrawal Dec 2023.
2023-07
Depth vs. question: No PIB. Pure international affairs.
Notes: Africa CA — increasingly tested by UPSC.
Net-Zero Industry Act passed by European Parliament? EU aims carbon neutrality by 2040?
Trigger event
European Parliament approved NZIA on 25 Apr 2024; EU climate-neutrality target is 2050, not 2040.
2024-04
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit — EU legislation.
Notes: Very recent — only ~7 weeks before exam. Tests close-cutoff CA.
Venezuela rapid recovery? Has world's largest oil reserves?
Trigger event
Persistent Venezuelan economic crisis; OPEC data confirms Venezuela has largest proven crude oil reserves (~303 bn barrels).
2023-10
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit.
Notes: International CA, geopolitics + oil.
'100 Million Farmers' platform — what does it aim at?
Trigger event
WEF '100 Million Farmers' platform — multistakeholder transition to net-zero, nature-positive food/water systems; report released WEF Davos 2024.
2024-01
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit. WEF initiative.
Notes: WEF Davos January is a UPSC CA staple.
PFAS — found in drinking water/food, not easily degraded, undergo bioaccumulation.
Trigger event
EPA proposed national PFAS drinking water standards (Mar 2023, finalised Apr 2024); 'forever chemicals' coverage all of 2023-24.
2024-04
Depth vs. question: No targeted PIB on PFAS. India hasn't regulated yet.
Notes: Environment CA — pollutants of emerging concern.
Interoperable 3D virtual worlds for millions with property rights is best described as?
Trigger event
Metaverse buzz 2022-23; Apple Vision Pro launch Jun 2023/Feb 2024.
2023-06
Depth vs. question: No PIB hit on Metaverse definition. India hasn't published policy.
Notes: Tech CA — conceptual question.