UPSC Prelims 2004 · General Studies

Question 48: Science and Technology

Param Padam, which was in news recently, is

aA new Civilian Award instituted by the Government of India

bThe name of a supercomputer developed by India

cThe name given to a proposed network of canals

dA software programme to facilitate e-governance in Madhya Pradesh

AnswerThe answer is (b).

Param Padma is a teraflop-scale supercomputer developed by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), Pune, and unveiled in 2003. It continued the PARAM series that began with PARAM 8000 in 1991. Remember: PARAM supercomputers come from C-DAC, the Pune-based centre set up in 1988; the name is not an award, a canal scheme or a State software programme.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) It is not a civilian award.
(b) Correct: it is a supercomputer developed in India.
(c) It is not a canal network.
(d) It is not an e-governance software for Madhya Pradesh.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2004, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.