About RISC-V technology:
- It is an open-source technology which is pronounced as “risk five”.
- It is an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) used for the development of custom processors targeting a variety of end applications.
- It is considered the fifth generation of processors built on the concept of the reduced instruction set computer (RISC).
- It was begun as a project at UC Berkeley to create an open-source computer system based on RISC principles.
- It was initially designed for academic use. The standard has evolved and is now managed by RISC-V International.
- How does RISC-V work?
- As an open-standard architecture, RISC-V is defined by member companies of RISC-V International, the global nonprofit organization behind the ISA.
- The intent is that through collaboration, the member companies can contribute new avenues of processor innovation while promoting new degrees of design freedom.
- It features a small core set of instructions upon which all the design’s software runs.
- The architecture allows designers to customize and build their processor in a way that’s tailored to their target end applications.
- Benefits of RISC-V include:
- Its open-standard nature, which allows collaboration and innovation across the industry.
- The entire RISC-V architecture can be scrutinized closely in the public domain, eliminating back doors and hidden channels.
- Applications: Wearables, Industrial, IoT, and Home Appliances, Smartphones, Automotive, High-Performance Computing (HPC), and Data Centers.
Q1) What is Open-source technology
Open-source technology refers to software, hardware, or other technologies that are developed and distributed with an open licensing model. This means that the source code, design, or specifications of the technology are made freely available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the technology.
Source: Qualcomm, Google partner to make RISC-V chip for wearable devices
Last updated on November, 2025
→ Check out the latest UPSC Syllabus 2026 here.
→ Join Vajiram & Ravi’s Interview Guidance Programme for expert help to crack your final UPSC stage.
→ UPSC Mains Result 2025 is now out.
→ UPSC Notification 2026 is scheduled to be released on January 14, 2026.
→ UPSC Calendar 2026 is released on 15th May, 2025.
→ The UPSC Vacancy 2025 were released 1129, out of which 979 were for UPSC CSE and remaining 150 are for UPSC IFoS.
→ UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.
→ The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.
→ UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!
→ UPSC Prelims Result 2025 is out now for the CSE held on 25 May 2025.
→ UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.
→ UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025 are available now.
→ UPSC Mains Question Paper 2025 is out for Essay, GS 1, 2, 3 & GS 4.
→ UPSC Mains Indian Language Question Paper 2025 is now out.
→ UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025 is now out.
→ Also check Best IAS Coaching in Delhi


