Consider the following UN organisations/agencies : 1. World Food Programme 2. United Nations Children's Fund 3. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 4. International Labour Organisation How many of the above has/have been awarded the Nobel Prize twice ?
- (a) 1 ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) 2
- (c) 3
- (d) 4
Why the answer is (a)
• The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is the only body among the four to have won the Nobel Peace Prize twice — in 1954 and again in 1981.
• UNICEF won the Peace Prize once, in 1965, for its work for children.
• The ILO won once, in 1969, on its fiftieth anniversary, for promoting social justice and labour rights.
• The World Food Programme won once, in 2020, for combating hunger and its use as a weapon of war.
• Hence only one organisation has been awarded twice, option (a). (The International Committee of the Red Cross, not listed, holds the record with three.)
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) 2
- Only UNHCR has won twice; UNICEF, ILO and WFP have each won once.
- (c) 3
- Three of the four have won only once.
- (d) 4
- WFP, UNICEF and ILO have each won only once.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.