Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
One word for ‘fear of heights’:
A)
Agrophobia
B)
Acrophobia
C)
Hydrophobia
D)
Necrophobia
Acrophobia means fear of heights. Option (a) Agrophobia is not the correct term here. Hydrophobia means fear of water, and necrophobia means fear of death or dead things. Therefore, the correct answer is Acrophobia.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Which of the following authorities is responsible for granting licenses for the bulk storage of explosives under the Explosives Rules, 2008?
A)
DGMS
B)
Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM)
C)
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO)
D)
State Pollution Control Board
Under the Explosives Rules, 2008, the licensing authority for storage of explosives, including bulk storage, is the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO), functioning under the Chief Controller of Explosives. DGMS deals mainly with mining safety, not explosive storage licensing. IBM regulates mining and mineral matters, and the State Pollution Control Board handles environmental clearances, not explosive licenses.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Analogy — LURID: DISMAL::
A)
Lucid: Obscure
B)
Gaudy: Drab
C)
Adroit: Skilful
D)
Ephemeral: Eternal
The pair "lurid : dismal" is an antonym pair: lurid means glaring/harsh or unpleasantly vivid, while dismal means gloomy. Among the options, "gaudy : drab" is also an antonym pair. The other options are either synonyms or do not match the same relationship. Hence, the correct analogy is Gaudy: Drab.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
A mining company plans to set aside 20,00,000 today for the future reclamation of a mine site. If the annual interest rate is 10%, calculate the Future Worth of this amount at the end of 4 years, compounded annually.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, what is the standard period for which a mining lease for major minerals is now granted?
A)
20 years
B)
30 years
C)
50 years
D)
99 years
Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, the standard period of a mining lease for major minerals was made 50 years. This is the general lease term introduced by the amendment. Hence, option (c) is correct. Options (a), (b), and (d) do not match the amended statutory period.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Write a short note on Depreciation, Redemption and Depletion.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
As Per the Mizoram Minor Concession Rule, 2000 the lessee shall pay royalty on minor minerals at the rate specified in the:
A)
First Schedule
B)
Second Schedule
C)
Third Schedule
D)
Gazette Notification
Under the Mizoram Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2000, royalty on minor minerals payable by the lessee is specified in the First Schedule. The other schedules deal with different matters such as forms, fees, or related provisions, not the royalty rates.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Explain the difference between Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances may lead to imprisonment up to:
A)
5 years
B)
10 years
C)
14 years
D)
Life imprisonment.
Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 provides punishment for making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances. The maximum imprisonment prescribed is up to 10 years, along with fine. Therefore, option (b) is correct. The other options are incorrect because the section does not prescribe 5 years, 14 years, or life imprisonment for this offence.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
According to the Mines Rules, 1955, a First-Aid room must be provided and maintained if the number of persons employed in a mine is more than:
A)
50
B)
100
C)
150
D)
250
Under the Mines Rules, 1955, a first-aid room is required to be provided and maintained when the number of persons employed in a mine exceeds 100. Therefore, the correct option is (b) 100. The other numbers do not match the threshold prescribed in the rules.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 1959, no person shall prospect for petroleum except under:
A)
Mining Lease
B)
Reconnaissance Permit
C)
Petroleum Exploration License
D)
Prospecting Certificate
Under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 1959, a person may prospect for petroleum only under a Petroleum Exploration License. The rules distinguish between exploration/prospecting and mining operations, and a mining lease is not the instrument for prospecting petroleum. A reconnaissance permit is also not the required authorization for prospecting. Therefore, the correct answer is Petroleum Exploration License.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Explain the key objectives of National Mineral Policy, 2019.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
As per the Mines Rules, 1955, what is the minimum scale of drinking water to be provided per person employed in a mine?
A)
1 litre
B)
2 litres
C)
3 litres
D)
5 litres
Under the Mines Rules, 1955, the minimum scale of drinking water to be provided per person employed in a mine is 3 litres. Hence, option (c) is correct. The other options are below the prescribed minimum or not in accordance with the rule.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Under National Mineral Policy, 2019, the State acts as:
A)
Absolute owner of mineral resource
B)
Regulatory authority without fiduciary role
C)
Trustee of mineral resources on behalf of the people
D)
Revenue collecting agency only
The National Mineral Policy, 2019 states that the State is not the absolute owner of mineral resources in a proprietary sense; rather, it holds mineral resources in trust for the benefit of the people and future generations. This reflects the public trust doctrine. Therefore, option (c) is correct. Options (a), (b), and (d) are incorrect because they either overstate ownership, deny the fiduciary role, or reduce the State’s role only to revenue collection.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Which section of Mines Act 1952 prohibits the employment of women in underground mines?
A)
45
B)
46
C)
47
D)
48
Section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952 prohibits the employment of women in any part of a mine which is below ground. Section 45 deals with employment of certain persons, while Sections 47 and 48 relate to other safety/employment conditions, not this specific prohibition. Therefore, the correct answer is 46.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
As per the Mines Act, 1952, no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a mine above ground for more than how many hours in any week?
A)
40 hours
B)
45 hours
C)
48 hours
D)
54 hours
Under the Mines Act, 1952, the weekly limit for an adult worker employed in a mine above ground is 48 hours. This is the standard statutory ceiling on working hours in a week. Therefore, option (c) 48 hours is correct. The other options—40, 45, and 54 hours—do not match the statutory weekly limit.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) was introduced through an amendment to which of the following Acts?
A)
The Mines Act, 1952
B)
The MMDR Act, 1957
C)
The Mineral Concession Rules, 1960
D)
National Mineral Policy, 2019
The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) was introduced by the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, which amended the MMDR Act, 1957. DMFs are statutory trusts established in every district affected by mining to work for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining. The other options are incorrect because the Mines Act, 1952 deals with labor and safety in mines, the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 are subordinate rules, and the National Mineral Policy, 2019 is only a policy document, not the parent legal instrument introducing DMF.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
What is the minimum No. of persons to be employed when the Owner, Agent or Manager shall constitute a Safety Committee for promoting safety in the mines?
A)
100
B)
200
C)
300
D)
500
Under the Mines Safety-related provisions, the Owner, Agent or Manager is required to constitute a Safety Committee in mines employing **200 or more persons** to promote safety. Hence, the minimum number of persons is **200**. The other options (100, 300, 500) do not match the prescribed threshold.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
According to the National Mineral Policy 2019, which of the following is highly emphasized?
A)
Banning all underground mining
B)
Sustainable mining and Zero Waste mining
C)
Exporting all raw minerals
D)
Nationalizing all private mines
The National Mineral Policy, 2019 places strong emphasis on sustainable mining practices and efficient use of mineral resources, including the concept of Zero Waste mining. This aligns with its focus on conservation, scientific mining, beneficiation, recycling, and minimizing environmental impact. The other options are incorrect because the policy does not ban all underground mining, does not promote exporting all raw minerals, and does not advocate nationalizing all private mines.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
If ROAD=URDG, then TOWN=?
A)
WSAS
B)
WSRA
C)
ZRBS
D)
WQRA
Look at the pattern in ROAD → URDG:
- R → U: shift forward by 3
- O → R: shift forward by 3
- A → D: shift forward by 3
- D → G: shift forward by 3
So each letter is moved 3 positions ahead in the alphabet.
Applying the same rule to TOWN:
- T → W
- O → R
- W → Z
- N → Q
This gives WRZQ. However, since WRZQ is not among the options, we must check whether the coded example is using a different arrangement.
Notice that ROAD → URDG can also be seen as:
- first three letters shifted +3: R→U, O→R, A→D
- last letter shifted +3: D→G
For TOWN:
- T→W, O→R, W→Z, N→Q, which still gives WRZQ.
Since WRZQ is absent, the options appear inconsistent with the given coding rule. Therefore the question as stated cannot be solved with certainty from the provided options.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Find the odd one out
A)
AK
B)
CM
C)
EP
D)
DN
Convert letters to positions: A=1, K=11; C=3, M=13; E=5, P=16; D=4, N=14. In the first three pairs, the second letter is obtained by adding 10, 10, and 11 respectively, but the more important pattern is that the first letters follow A, C, E, D. The sequence of first letters is not consistent, and DN breaks the natural alphabetical progression seen in AK, CM, and EP. Also, in AK, CM, and EP, both letters increase in a regular pattern with the second letter staying ahead in a structured way, whereas DN does not fit the same sequence. Hence, DN is the odd one out.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
“To burn the candle at both ends” means:
A)
To be very resourceful.
B)
To waste energy on a useless project.
C)
To work or play excessively without enough rest.
D)
To light a room efficiently.
The idiom “to burn the candle at both ends” means to use up one’s energy too quickly by working, studying, or socializing excessively, often with too little rest. Option (c) matches this meaning. The other options do not reflect the idiomatic sense.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Which one of the following has a greater perimeter than the rest?
A)
A square with an area of 36 sq cm
B)
An equilateral triangle with a side of 9 cm
C)
A rectangle with 10 cm as length and 40 sq cm as area
D)
A circle with a radius of 4 cm
Find the perimeter/circumference of each figure:
(a) Square area = 36 sq cm, so side = √36 = 6 cm. Perimeter = 4 × 6 = 24 cm.
(b) Equilateral triangle side = 9 cm. Perimeter = 3 × 9 = 27 cm.
(c) Rectangle length = 10 cm and area = 40 sq cm, so breadth = 40/10 = 4 cm. Perimeter = 2(10 + 4) = 28 cm.
(d) Circle radius = 4 cm. Circumference = 2πr = 8π ≈ 25.13 cm.
The greatest perimeter is 28 cm, so the correct option is (c), not (d).
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
What is the present value of Rs. 500 receivable at the end of 5 years, if the discount rate is 10% per annum?
A)
210
B)
310
C)
410
D)
510
Present value (PV) = Future value / (1 + r)^n = 500 / (1.10)^5.
(1.10)^5 = 1.61051, so PV ≈ 500 / 1.61051 ≈ 310.7.
Rounded to the nearest option, the answer is 310.
Why others are incorrect: 210 is too low for a 5-year discount at 10%; 410 and 510 are too high and do not reflect discounting.
Controller of Mines • 2026 • Technical Paper-III
Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ABSTEMIOUS:
A)
Self-indulgent
B)
Frugal
C)
Temperate
D)
Moderate
ABSTEMIOUS means restrained, sparing, or self-denying, especially in eating and drinking. The word most nearly opposite is Self-indulgent, which means indulging one's desires excessively. Frugal, temperate, and moderate are all close in meaning to abstemious, not opposites.
