Question 24 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Polity & Governanc e

Question

With reference to India, consider the following pairs:
1. The National Automotive Board : Ministry of Commerce and Industry
2. The Coir Board : Ministry of Heavy Industries
3. The National Centre for Trade Information : Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. None

Strategy: Match each board or centre to its correct ministry rather than relying on the given pairs. The National Automotive Board is associated with the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Coir Board belongs to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The National Centre for Trade Information is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. By checking these established linkages, it becomes clear that none of the pairs are correctly matched.

Key Info: National Automotive Board (NAB):
*   The NAB operates under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, which oversees growth and policy for the automotive sector, including electric mobility and industry standards.
*   NAB was established to implement the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan and other industry development policies.

Coir Board:
*   Established under the Coir Industry Act, 1953, the Coir Board is a statutory body for the promotion and production of coir and coir products.
*   It is administered by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), which handles sectors related to handicrafts and rural industry.

National Centre for Trade Information (NCTI):
*   NCTI is an autonomous institution set up by the Government of India and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) to provide trade-related information services.
*   It functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, not the Ministry of MSME.

Related Institutional Context:
*   The Ministry of Heavy Industries deals with capital goods, auto sector, and heavy engineering.
*   The Ministry of Commerce and Industry looks after foreign trade, export promotion, and trade policy implementation.
*   The Ministry of MSME is tasked with advancing the interests of micro, small, and medium enterprises, including boards like the Coir Board and Khadi & Village Industries Commission.

None of the pairs listed in the question match their correct administrative ministries.

Answer

Option A: Only one

Answer

Option B: Only two

Answer

Option C: All the three