UPSC Prelims 2025 Q47: Science & Technology – Computer & Information Technology
- (a) I and II only
- (b) II and III only
- (c) I and III only
- (d) I, II and III
Answer: (c) I and III only
Explanation
Statement-by-Statement Breakdown:
| Statement | Claim | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| I | Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing | TRUE - Microsoft's chip using topological qubits announced February 2025 |
| II | Majorana 1 introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS) | FALSE - introduced by MICROSOFT, not AWS |
| III | Deep learning is a subset of machine learning | TRUE - standard AI hierarchy: AI ⊃ Machine Learning ⊃ Deep Learning |
Majorana 1: Microsoft's quantum chip announced in February 2025.
Uses topological qubits based on Majorana fermion particles.
Topological qubits are more stable than conventional qubits because they store information in the structure of matter — dramatically reducing error rates.
AI Hierarchy: Artificial Intelligence (broadest) → Machine Learning → Deep Learning (neural networks with multiple hidden layers — narrowest but most powerful subset).
Answer: (c) I and III only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. While I and III are correct, Statement II is definitively false — Majorana 1 is a Microsoft product, not an AWS product.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement II (AWS attribution) is false. Majorana 1 was announced by Microsoft as part of Azure Quantum, not Amazon.
- (c) CORRECT. Statement I (quantum computing via topological qubits) and Statement III (deep learning ⊂ machine learning) are both correct. Statement II falsely attributes Majorana 1 to AWS.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement II has a clear factual error — wrong company.
Key point
Majorana 1 = Microsoft quantum chip (topological qubits). NOT AWS. AI hierarchy: AI ⊃ Machine Learning ⊃ Deep Learning.
Remember
Majorana 1 = Microsoft (NOT AWS). Topological qubits. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning.
Common mistakes
- Confusing tech company quantum products: AWS = Braket quantum platform. Microsoft = Azure Quantum + Majorana chip. Google = Willow/Sycamore chips. IBM = Eagle/Condor chips.
- Not knowing the AI hierarchy: AI (broadest) → Machine Learning → Deep Learning (narrowest, uses deep neural networks with many hidden layers).
- Forgetting that topological qubits are the key innovation in Majorana 1 — they are more stable than superconducting qubits used by Google and IBM.
Exam tip
Quantum chip map: Microsoft = Majorana (topological). Google = Willow. IBM = Condor. Amazon = Ocelot. AI hierarchy: AI ⊃ ML ⊃ DL. Deep learning = big data + GPUs = specialised subset of ML.
Sources
- Microsoft Azure Quantum — Majorana 1 Announcement (February 2025)
- NCERT Class XII — Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence Basics)
- UPSC CSE Syllabus — Science and Technology (Emerging Technologies)