Indian Diaspora MCQs for UPSC Prelims

25 practice questions on Indian Diaspora from the International Relations section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 25 come with a written explanation. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

8 Easy 15 Medium 2 Hard

Sample questions

Q1
medium

India's engagement with its overseas community through programmes such as the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz and the Know India Programme is coordinated under which administrative arrangement?

  1. A The Ministry of Home Affairs
  2. B A standalone Ministry of Diaspora Affairs that functions independently
  3. C The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, now merged with the Ministry of External Affairs
  4. D The NITI Aayog Diaspora Cell
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, now merged with the Ministry of External Affairs

The erstwhile Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs was merged into the Ministry of External Affairs in 2016, which now handles diaspora engagement programmes such as the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz, Know India Programme and related outreach.

Q2
medium

Consider the following statements regarding the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and India's engagement with its diaspora: 1. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed to mark the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India. 2. The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card grants full voting rights in Indian general elections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 2 only
  2. B Neither 1 nor 2
  3. C Both 1 and 2
  4. D 1 only
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - 1 only

Statement 1 is correct: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed on 9 January, marking the date in 1915 when Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to India. Statement 2 is wrong: the OCI card provides several benefits such as a multiple-entry lifelong visa and parity with NRIs in many areas, but it does not confer voting rights or the right to hold constitutional or public office. Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Q3
medium

Consider the following statements regarding the Indian diaspora classifications: 1. A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) is an Indian citizen residing outside India. 2. An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder is granted full voting rights in Indian elections. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A 2 only
  2. B 1 only
  3. C Neither 1 nor 2
  4. D Both 1 and 2
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - 1 only

An NRI is an Indian citizen who resides outside India for purposes such as employment, business or studies, so statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect because OCI cardholders are foreign nationals of Indian origin who enjoy several benefits like multiple-entry lifelong visas, but they are NOT granted voting rights, cannot hold constitutional offices, and cannot purchase agricultural land. Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Q4
easy

The "Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award", the highest honour conferred on members of the overseas Indian community, is presented by:

  1. A The External Affairs Minister
  2. B The Vice-President of India
  3. C The President of India
  4. D The Prime Minister of India
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - The President of India

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians (Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin, or organisations run by them) for exceptional contributions. It is conferred by the President of India, typically during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention.

Q5
easy

The "Pravasi Bharatiya Divas", celebrated to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community, commemorates the return of which figure to India on that date?

  1. A Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa on 9 January 1915
  2. B Rabindranath Tagore's return after the Nobel Prize in 1913
  3. C Subhas Chandra Bose's arrival in India in 1943
  4. D Swami Vivekananda's return from Chicago in 1897
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Mahatma Gandhi's return from South Africa on 9 January 1915

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed around 9 January to mark Mahatma Gandhi's return to India from South Africa on that date in 1915, the most celebrated overseas Indian who came home to lead the freedom movement. It recognises the role of the Indian diaspora in national development. The other figures and dates are unrelated to this observance.

Q6
medium

The 'Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award', the highest honour conferred on members of the Indian diaspora, is presented during which event?

  1. A Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz finale
  2. B Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention
  3. C Know India Programme
  4. D Global Pravasi Rishta portal launch
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is conferred by the President of India at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention, which marks the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9 January 1915. It recognises exceptional contributions by Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin, or organisations run by them. The Know India Programme and Bharat Ko Janiye quiz are separate diaspora-engagement initiatives.

Q7
easy

An "Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)" cardholder, unlike a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), is best described as a person who:

  1. A Is an Indian citizen residing abroad for employment or business
  2. B Holds dual citizenship of India and a foreign country with full voting rights
  3. C Is a foreigner with no Indian ancestry granted temporary residence
  4. D Is a foreign national of Indian origin granted lifelong multiple-entry rights, but is not an Indian citizen
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - Is a foreign national of Indian origin granted lifelong multiple-entry rights, but is not an Indian citizen

An OCI cardholder is a foreign national (usually of Indian origin) who is granted lifelong visa-free travel and many residential/economic rights in India, but is NOT an Indian citizen and cannot vote, hold constitutional offices or buy agricultural land. An NRI, by contrast, remains an Indian citizen living abroad. India does not permit dual citizenship, so the OCI is not equivalent to it.

Q8
medium

The "Pravasi Bharatiya Divas" is observed to mark the engagement of the Indian diaspora. It is celebrated on 9 January to commemorate which event?

  1. A The return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915
  2. B The adoption of the Indian Citizenship Act
  3. C The establishment of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
  4. D The first meeting of the Indian National Congress overseas
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - The return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas falls on 9 January because Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to Bombay on that date in 1915, and he is regarded as the greatest Pravasi, who came home to lead the freedom struggle. The day honours the overseas Indian community's contribution to India's development. It is not tied to the Citizenship Act, to the creation of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, or to any Congress meeting held abroad.

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