Science, Technology, Energy & Digital Governance in Rajasthan — RPSC RAS Paper II, Unit II
Weightage: One line of Paper II Unit II names the development of science and technology in Rajasthan, and the Prelims science section asks state-linked facts. General science, biotechnology, space, defence and information technology are covered by the aliased science chapter; this chapter supplies the Rajasthan examples that let you answer the state part.
1. Research and education institutions
Rajasthan's institutions cluster around its arid setting and its industries:
| Institution | Location | Role |
|---|---|---|
| CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute) | Jodhpur | Research on arid agriculture, desertification and dryland farming |
| Defence Laboratory Jodhpur (DRDO) | Jodhpur | Desert-environment defence technology |
| ICAR National Research Centre on Camel | Bikaner | Camel research |
| Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute | Avikanagar, Tonk | Sheep and wool research |
| National Research Centre on Seed Spices | Ajmer | Seed-spice research |
| IIT Jodhpur, AIIMS Jodhpur, MNIT Jaipur | Jodhpur, Jaipur | Higher technical and medical education |
| BITS Pilani | Pilani | Private technical university |
2. Nuclear and defence sites
- Pokhran (Jaisalmer district) was the site of India's nuclear tests: Pokhran-I on 18 May 1974 (the "Smiling Buddha") and Pokhran-II in May 1998 (Operation Shakti).
- Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP) at Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh, is India's second nuclear power station after Tarapur, with its first unit dating from 1973.
- The western border districts host major defence installations and ranges.
3. Solar and wind energy
Rajasthan's sunshine, open land and desert make it India's leading solar state. Bhadla Solar Park (about 2,245 MW, in the Jodhpur region) has been among the world's largest solar parks, and Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner have further large projects. Wind power is concentrated in Jaisalmer.
Challenges include transmission to load centres, land and water use, grid stability and the need for storage. The state's solar and clean-energy policies aim to draw investment and to promote rooftop and pump-set solar for farmers.
4. Information technology and digital governance
Rajasthan has built a layer of digital public services:
- e-Mitra: citizen service kiosks for bill payments and certificates.
- Raj SSO: a single sign-on identity for state services.
- Bhamashah and Jan Aadhaar: family identity and direct benefit transfer platforms, with women as recipients.
- Jan Soochna Portal: proactive disclosure of scheme and beneficiary information without an RTI application.
- Rajasthan Sampark: a grievance redress helpline and portal.
- i-Start Rajasthan: the state's startup promotion initiative, launched in 2015.
At the national level these sit within Digital India, and the questions to be ready for are cybersecurity, data privacy and the digital divide.
Worked example 8.1 (a 5-mark answer, ~50 words). "Why is Rajasthan a leader in solar energy?"
Model answer. Rajasthan has high solar radiation with over 300 clear days, vast unproductive desert land, low population density and supportive policy. Bhadla Solar Park is among the world's largest. Constraints are transmission, storage and water for panel cleaning.
Common traps RPSC sets here
- Placing Pokhran in Jodhpur district. It is in Jaisalmer.
- Calling RAPP the first nuclear plant. Tarapur came first.
- Confusing Bhamashah with Jan Aadhaar. Jan Aadhaar is the newer identity that replaced the Bhamashah card.
- Quoting solar capacity without a date. Capacity grows every year.
Memory aids
- "CAZRI in Jodhpur, camel in Bikaner, wool in Avikanagar": institution-place pairs.
- "74 Buddha, 98 Shakti": the two Pokhran tests.
- "Bhadla, Jodhpur region, 2,245 MW": the flagship solar park.
Summary
Rajasthan's science story combines arid-zone research (CAZRI, camel and wool centres), defence and nuclear sites (DRDO Jodhpur, Pokhran, Rawatbhata), leadership in solar and wind energy led by Bhadla, and a digital-governance layer of e-Mitra, Jan Aadhaar, Jan Soochna and Sampark.
Exam protocol
- Give institution answers as name, place and function.
- Pair every project with its district and capacity, with the year.
- In digital-governance answers, name one benefit and one risk.
