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Q56 (IAS/2018) Economy › Money, Banking & Inflation › Government securities debt Official Key

In India, the term "Public Key Infrastructure" is used in the context of

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is built on cryptographic security techniques and is part of national digital ID service stacks[2], as evidenced by Singapore's Singpass system. PKI is a framework that uses cryptographic keys (public and private key pairs) to secure digital communications, authenticate users, and ensure data integrity in electronic transactions. In the Indian context, PKI is fundamental to digital security infrastructure, enabling secure online transactions, digital signatures, and authentication systems like Aadhaar-based services and e-governance platforms. The other options—food security, healthcare and education, or telecommunication and transportation—refer to physical or social infrastructure sectors that may *use* digital security, but PKI itself is specifically a digital security technology framework, not a term used to describe these other infrastructure domains.

Sources
  1. [1] http://dea.gov.in/files/g20_press_release_documents/G20_PolicyRecommendationsAdvancingFinancial_Inlcusion_ProductivityGainsThrough_DPI.pdf
  2. [2] http://dea.gov.in/files/g20_press_release_documents/G20_PolicyRecommendationsAdvancingFinancial_Inlcusion_ProductivityGainsThrough_DPI.pdf
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Q. In India, the term "Public Key Infrastructure" is used in the context of [A] Digital security infrastructure [B] Food security infrastr…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 0/10
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This is a classic 'Term Definition' question from the Science & Tech (ICT) module. While it sounds technical, the word 'Key' is the giveaway linking it to cryptography and security. It is a fair question testing basic digital literacy and the IT Act 2000 framework, rather than deep engineering knowledge.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In India, is the term "Public Key Infrastructure" (PKI) used in the context of digital security infrastructure?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 15.2 Economic Survey 2022-23 > p. 450
Strength: 5/5
“8. Digital Public Infrastructure: Besides the push to physical infrastructure, the government's emphasis on developing public digital infrastructure during the last few years has been a game changer in enhancing the economic potential of individuals and businesses. With its strong forward linkages to the non-digital sectors, digitalization strengthens potential economic growth through various channels such as higher financial inclusion, greater formalization, increased efficiencies and enhanced opportunities. Based on the pillars of a digital identity Aadhar, linking bank accounts with PM-Jan Dhan Yojana, and the penetration of mobile phones (JAM Trinity), the country has witnessed significant progress in financial inclusion in recent years.”
Why relevant

Describes 'Digital Public Infrastructure' built on digital identity (Aadhaar) and broad digitalisation — contexts where authentication and secure identity assertions are required.

How to extend

A student could note that systems based on digital identity often rely on public-key cryptography and then check official Aadhaar/UIDAI or government ICT documents for explicit PKI references.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Digital India: a Step Forward in e-Governance > p. 778
Strength: 4/5
“The government also intended to enhance and improve connectivity of all villages and rural areas through internet networks. There is no doubt that e-infrastructure, e-participation, and government e-services were put in place and made to work to improve transparency. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a payment system allowing mobile-enabled money transfers between bank accounts, and the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) for a less-cash economy were developed and put to good use, and certainly proved helpful to the citizens.”
Why relevant

Mentions UPI and BHIM payment systems — financial payment rails typically use cryptographic mechanisms and certificate-based trust for secure transactions.

How to extend

Using knowledge that payments use cryptography, a student could look up RBI/NPCI technical standards or UPI security specs to seek explicit PKI terminology.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > 1. Inclusive Development > p. 445
Strength: 4/5
“Digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as an open source, open standard and inter operable public good which will help in developing farmer centric solutions and the growth of agri-tech industry and startups.”
Why relevant

States digital public infrastructure will be 'open standard and interoperable' — PKI is a common interoperable standard for digital trust across systems.

How to extend

A student could use the interoperability requirement to hypothesize use of standards like X.509 certificates and then search government standards repositories for PKI references.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 14: Infrastructure and Investment Models > 14.20 PM Gati Shakti > p. 442
Strength: 3/5
“• It is the National Master Plan for infrastructure development and multi-modal connectivity (connecting various modes of transport like road, rail, airway, shipping etc.) which signals a paradigm shift in our approach to development planning.• Gati Shakti is a digital platform which will bring several Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation and execution of infrastructure connectivity projects. It will be a game changer in interministerial and inter-departmental cooperation in infrastructure planning.• Gati-Shakti will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc.”
Why relevant

Gati Shakti is described as a cross-Ministry digital platform for integrated planning — multi-agency platforms generally need centralized or federated trust frameworks, where PKI is a standard solution.

How to extend

A student could infer such a platform would require certificate-based trust and then check Gati Shakti technical/implementation documents for PKI mention.

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 15: Infrastructure > 15.2 Indian Economy > p. 438
Strength: 3/5
“Infrastructure refers to those basic facilities which facilitate socio-economic development and lend a helping hand to the production activities in the economy. Prominent features of infrastructure include: • Physical infrastructure services have an element of public good in them. ä• Infrastructure does possess externalities; that is, the benefit arrived out of the G infrastructure services exceeds the cost involved in its generation.• Public sector domination can be found in the infrastructural development sector. However, public-private partnership (PPP) projects are being promoted with the initiatives of the government. As per World Economic Forum, worldwide investment in infrastructure is expected to be US$ 79 trillion by 2040. • Economic Infrastructure: It refers to all the facilities like power, transport and communication which act as a support system to the economic growth process.”
Why relevant

Defines 'infrastructure' and highlights digital/economic infrastructure as support systems — implying security infrastructure is part of digital infrastructure planning.

How to extend

A student could argue that security components (e.g., PKI) are plausible elements of digital infrastructure and then search policy documents or telecom/IT ministry standards for PKI usage in India.

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Statement analysis

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