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What is the Cell Broadcast System used for emergency alerts?
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What is the Cell Broadcast System used for emergency alerts?
The Cell Broadcast System lets authorities send emergency alerts to all phones in an area at once, supporting NDMA's disaster warning framework.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
The Cell Broadcast System (CBS) is a technology that allows authorities to simultaneously send emergency alert messages to all mobile phones within a defined geographic area, without needing individual phone numbers.
It is used to warn the public of disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes or tsunamis, and complements India's alert framework led by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Unlike SMS, cell broadcast messages do not get delayed by network congestion, making them faster during emergencies.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Cell Broadcast System
- National Disaster Management Authority
- emergency alerts
- disaster management
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- Cell Broadcast System, National Disaster Management Authority, emergency alerts, disaster management
Mains
Use as an example in GA answers (GS3 - Disaster Management: early-warning technology, NDMA).
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The Cell Broadcast System, used to send simultaneous emergency alerts to all mobile phones in a geographic area, is associated with the disaster early-warning framework led by which body?
- Indian Space Research Organisation
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
- National Disaster Management Authority
- Bureau of Indian Standards
Show answer
Answer: C — The Cell Broadcast System supports India's disaster early-warning and alert framework led by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), enabling area-wide emergency messaging independent of phone numbers or network congestion.
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