UPSC Prelims 2017 Q10: Environment & Ecology – Protected Areas & Wildlife
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Smart India Hackathon 2017?
1. It is a centrally sponsored scheme for developing every city of our country into Smart Cities in
a decade.
2. It is an initiative to identify new digital technology innovations for solving the many problems
faced by our country.
3. It is a programme aimed at making all the financial transactions in our country completely
digital in a decade.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 2 and 3 only
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2017
SIH is a nationwide innovation contest where students solve real problems posed by ministries and industry.
The first edition, in 2017, was run by the Ministry of Human Resource Development with AICTE and others.
| Statement | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A centrally sponsored scheme to make every city a Smart City | Incorrect | That describes the Smart Cities Mission (2015), not SIH |
| 2. An initiative to find digital innovations for national problems | Correct | Students build digital solutions to problems given by government departments |
| 3. A programme to make all transactions digital in a decade | Incorrect | That is not SIH; digital payments were pushed through Digital India and similar efforts |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statements 1 and 3 describe the Smart Cities Mission and digital payment drives, not SIH.
- (b) CORRECT. SIH crowdsources digital innovations from students to solve national problems.
- (c) Incorrect. SIH does not aim to make all financial transactions digital.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 3 is false; SIH is a hackathon, not a payments programme.
Key point
Smart India Hackathon (from 2017, MHRD with AICTE): students build digital solutions to problems set by ministries.
Remember
SIH = student hackathon solving government problems.
Common mistakes
- Confusing 'Smart India' with the Smart Cities Mission.
- Linking the hackathon to digital payments because of its tech focus.
- Not knowing a hackathon is a time-bound coding contest.
Exam tip
A 'hackathon' is always a contest to build solutions, never a funding scheme.
Sources
- AICTE — Smart India Hackathon
- Press Information Bureau — Smart India Hackathon 2017