Robotics, AI and Advanced Technology — UPSC Prelims practice questions

Q: How many Robotics, AI and Advanced Technology MCQs are available for UPSC Prelims practice?

PrelimsAI currently has 82+ Robotics, AI and Advanced Technology MCQs under Science. This page shows 12 sample questions in full.

Q: How many Robotics, AI and Advanced Technology previous year questions are included?

4+ questions in this chapter are tagged as UPSC Prelims PYQs. PYQs are prioritised in the visible sample set when available.

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Yes. The 12 visible sample questions show the correct option and explanation on this page.

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Continue with Energy, Nuclear and Material Science or Science Institutions, Missions and Applications, or return to the Science subject page for more chapter-wise practice.

Question 1

Which of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are correct?
1. LLMs assign probabilities to the next possible words and then pick the one with the highest probability.
2. LLMs process data through mathematical optimization to minimise prediction errors.
3. LLMs produce unbiased outputs.
Select the answer using the code given below: (A) 1 only (B) 1 and 2 only (C) 2 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(B) 1 and 2 only — UPSC provisional key: (B), Series A question 42. UPSC accepts statements 1 and 2. Training adjusts model parameters to reduce prediction loss, and greedy decoding chooses the highest-probability next token. However, this is not how every LLM output is generated: sampling can choose other tokens. Statement 3 is false because training data, model design and use can produce biased outputs. Sources: [UPSC provisional answer key]() · [Hugging Face Transformers: Generation strategies, greedy decoding and sampling]() · [OpenAI GPT-2 model card: language modelling and bias limitations]()

Question 2

Which of the following statements with regard to drone swarms is/are correct?
1. They use Terahertz band of frequency to communicate with the command centre.
2. Individual drones in the swarm can communicate with other drones in the swarm.
3. GPS Spoofing is a commonly used technique to counter drone swarm attack.
Select the answer using the code given below: (A) 1 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 2 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(B) 2 and 3 only — UPSC provisional key: (B), Series A question 47. UPSC accepts statements 2 and 3. Swarm members can exchange information for coordination, and spoofing can mislead drones that rely on vulnerable satellite-navigation signals. This is not a universal defence: autonomous navigation, resilient receivers or alternative positioning can reduce that vulnerability. Statement 1’s terahertz requirement is not a general feature of swarms. Sources: [UPSC provisional answer key]() · [Primary research: GPS-Spoofing Attack Detection Mechanism for UAV Swarms]() · [Primary research: Detection and Mitigation of Position Spoofing Attacks on Cooperative UAV Swarm Formations]()

Question 3

Consider the following statements:
1. It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing.
2. Majorana 1 chip has been introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
3. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning.
Which of the statements given above are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(C) 1 and 3 only — Correct. The Majorana 1 chip, developed by Microsoft, is designed to advance quantum computing using topological qubits. Deep learning is indeed a subset of machine learning that uses multi-layered neural networks.

Question 4

With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?
1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
3. Disease diagnosis
4. Text-to-Speech Conversion
5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (A) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only (B) 1, 3 and 4 only (C) 2, 4 and 5 only (D) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Accepted Answer

(B) 1, 3 and 4 only — Correct. AI can optimise industrial energy usage, assist in medical diagnosis, and perform text-to-speech conversion. At the time of the question, AI could not reliably create meaningful creative works, and wireless energy transmission is unrelated to AI.

Question 5

Consider the following statements about 'quantum key distribution' (QKD):
1. QKD uses principles of quantum mechanics to enable secure communication.
2. Any attempt to intercept the key disturbs the quantum states and can be detected.
3. QKD has been demonstrated over satellite links by China's Micius satellite.
Which of the statements given above are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(D) 1, 2 and 3 — Correct. QKD exploits quantum properties for secure key exchange, any interception is detectable, and China demonstrated this via the Micius satellite.

Question 6

In the context of quantum computing, 'quantum decoherence' refers to: (A) The process of converting quantum data into classical data for display (B) Loss of quantum properties due to interaction of qubits with the external environment (C) The increase in computing speed as more qubits are added (D) A method for correcting errors in quantum calculations

Accepted Answer

(B) Loss of quantum properties due to interaction of qubits with the external environment — Correct. Quantum decoherence occurs when qubits interact with their environment, causing loss of superposition and entanglement — the very properties that give quantum computers their advantage.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes 'adversarial attacks' in AI? (A) Physical attacks on data centre buildings by rival companies (B) Deliberately crafted inputs designed to fool AI models into making incorrect predictions (C) Legal disputes between AI companies over patent rights (D) The competition between two AI companies to dominate the market

Accepted Answer

(B) Deliberately crafted inputs designed to fool AI models into making incorrect predictions — Correct. Adversarial attacks involve subtly modifying inputs (e.g., adding imperceptible noise to images) to cause AI models to misclassify or produce erroneous outputs, exposing vulnerabilities in machine learning systems.

Question 8

Which of the following is an application of 'Natural Language Processing' (NLP) in governance? (A) Automated translation of government documents into multiple regional languages (B) Manufacturing of semiconductors for government data centres (C) Physical delivery of government letters through postal drones (D) Designing bridges using computer-aided engineering software

Accepted Answer

(A) Automated translation of government documents into multiple regional languages — Correct. NLP powers machine translation systems that can automatically translate government documents, enabling multilingual governance and wider citizen access to information.

Question 9

Consider the following statements about 'Large Language Models' (LLMs):
1. They are trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human language.
2. GPT and BERT are examples of large language models.
3. LLMs require no computing resources and can run on any basic calculator.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 1 only (C) 2 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(A) 1 and 2 only — Correct. LLMs learn language patterns from massive text corpora, and GPT (by OpenAI) and BERT (by Google) are prominent examples. Statement 3 is false as LLMs require substantial computing infrastructure with GPUs or TPUs.

Question 10

Consider the following statements about 'quantum advantage':
1. It refers to a quantum computer solving a practical, real-world problem faster than any classical computer.
2. Quantum advantage has been fully demonstrated for all types of computational problems.
3. Potential early applications include drug discovery, optimisation problems, and cryptography.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 and 3 only (B) 1 only (C) 2 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(A) 1 and 3 only — Correct. Quantum advantage means a quantum computer outperforms classical machines on a useful real-world problem. Drug discovery, logistics optimisation, and breaking classical encryption are prime candidate applications. Statement 2 is wrong because quantum advantage has not been demonstrated for all problems — it is limited to specific problem classes.

Question 11

Consider the following statements regarding 'quantum entanglement':
1. When two particles are entangled, measuring one instantly determines the state of the other regardless of distance.
2. Quantum entanglement can be used to transmit information faster than light.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(A) 1 only — Correct. Entangled particles show correlated measurement outcomes instantaneously. However, this correlation alone cannot transmit usable information faster than light, as a classical channel is still needed to interpret results.

Question 12

Which of the following technologies use(s) LIDAR?
1. Autonomous vehicles for obstacle detection
2. Archaeological surveys for discovering hidden structures under forest canopy
3. Meteorological radar for weather forecasting
Select the correct answer using the code given below. (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3

Accepted Answer

(A) 1 and 2 only — Correct. LIDAR is used in autonomous vehicles for 3D mapping and obstacle detection, and in archaeology to reveal structures beneath dense vegetation. Meteorological radar uses radio waves (RADAR), not laser-based LIDAR.

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