This set covers vitamins and deficiency diseases, blood groups, common diseases with their pathogens and the working of the immune system. UPSC regularly asks about disease-pathogen pairs and nutrition, which connect science with public health policy.
How to practise: read each question and tap the option you think is correct. You will see right away whether you got it, along with a short explanation, and your score is tracked at the bottom of the screen. This set has 15 questions.
Topics covered in this set
- Vitamins and deficiency diseases
- Minerals and protein deficiency
- Blood groups and Rh factor
- Diseases and their pathogens
- Vectors of malaria and dengue
- Immune system and types of immunity
UPSC Science and Technology MCQs with answers and explanations
Q1. Scurvy, marked by bleeding gums, is caused by deficiency of
a) Vitamin A
b) Vitamin D
c) Vitamin C
d) Vitamin K
Q2. Which of the following is correct about vitamin D?
a) Its deficiency causes rickets in children, and the skin can make it when exposed to sunlight
b) It is water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body
c) Its deficiency causes night blindness
d) It is needed mainly for blood clotting
Q3. Which vitamin is essential for normal blood clotting?
a) Vitamin B1
b) Vitamin K
c) Vitamin C
d) Vitamin E
Q4. Which of the following vitamin-deficiency disease pairs is correctly matched?
a) Vitamin B1 - Pellagra
b) Vitamin B3 - Beriberi
c) Vitamin A - Scurvy
d) Vitamin B12 - Pernicious anaemia
Q5. Which group contains only fat-soluble vitamins?
a) A, D, E and K
b) B1, B2, C and D
c) C, K, B12 and A
d) B3, B6, E and C
Q6. A person with blood group O negative is called a universal donor because
a) their plasma contains no antibodies
b) their red blood cells carry no A, B or Rh antigens
c) their blood contains extra haemoglobin
d) their blood clots faster
Q7. Erythroblastosis fetalis can occur when
a) both parents have blood group O
b) the mother is Rh positive and the fetus is Rh negative
c) the mother is Rh negative and the fetus is Rh positive, usually in a later pregnancy
d) the fetus has blood group AB
Q8. Malaria is caused by
a) a virus spread by Aedes mosquitoes
b) a bacterium spread through contaminated water
c) a fungus spread through the air
d) a protozoan, Plasmodium, spread by the female Anopheles mosquito
Q9. Which of the following is correct about dengue?
a) It is a viral disease spread mainly by the day-biting Aedes aegypti mosquito
b) It is a bacterial disease spread by houseflies
c) It is caused by a protozoan spread by sandflies
d) It spreads mainly through contaminated food
Q10. Which of the following disease-pathogen pairs is correctly matched?
a) Ringworm - Virus
b) Cholera - Bacterium
c) Polio - Fungus
d) Typhoid - Protozoan
Q11. Which of the following is correct about tuberculosis?
a) It is caused by a virus and spreads through mosquito bites
b) It affects only the bones
c) It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the BCG vaccine is given against it
d) It cannot be treated with any medicine
Q12. HIV weakens the immune system mainly by destroying
a) red blood cells
b) platelets
c) B lymphocytes that make antibodies
d) helper T cells (CD4 cells)
Q13. Antibodies in the human body are produced by
a) B lymphocytes, which mature into plasma cells
b) red blood cells
c) platelets
d) nerve cells
Q14. A person given anti-venom after a snakebite receives which kind of immunity?
a) Active natural immunity
b) Passive immunity
c) Active artificial immunity
d) Innate immunity
Q15. Kwashiorkor, seen in children with swollen bellies, is caused mainly by
a) deficiency of iodine
b) deficiency of vitamin C
c) deficiency of protein in the diet
d) excess intake of fats
Quick revision notes
- Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, and vitamin K is needed for clotting.
- Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, while B group and C are water-soluble.
- O negative is the universal red cell donor, and AB positive is the universal recipient.
- Malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium (female Anopheles), and dengue by a virus spread by Aedes aegypti.
- B lymphocytes make antibodies, and HIV destroys helper T cells (CD4 cells).
- Kwashiorkor is due to protein deficiency, goitre to iodine deficiency and anaemia commonly to iron deficiency.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between innate and adaptive immunity?
Innate immunity is present from birth and acts quickly against any invader, using barriers like skin and cells like neutrophils. Adaptive immunity develops after exposure to a specific pathogen and involves B and T lymphocytes. It also creates memory cells, which give long-term protection.
Why is vitamin B12 deficiency common in vegetarians?
Vitamin B12 is made by bacteria and is found mainly in animal foods such as milk, eggs and meat. People who eat few animal products may not get enough. Deficiency can cause anaemia and nerve damage.
Why are disease-pathogen pairs important for UPSC?
UPSC often asks which diseases are caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or protozoa, because this decides the treatment. Antibiotics work against bacteria but not viruses. Knowing the vector, such as Anopheles or Aedes, also links to public health programmes.
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