1996 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 1996 · General Studies

Question 30: Science and Technology

According to the World Health Organisation, the disease which causes the death of the largest number of people today is

aAIDS
bTuberculosis
cMalaria
dEbola

AnswerThe answer is (b).

Tuberculosis was the infectious disease killing the most people worldwide when this question was set, at roughly two to three million deaths a year, ahead of malaria and AIDS; WHO declared TB a global emergency in 1993. Ebola outbreaks are small and local. Remember: TB - the largest infectious killer in WHO's tallies of the 1990s.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) AIDS killed fewer people than tuberculosis at the time.
  • (b) Right: tuberculosis caused the most deaths among these diseases.
  • (c) Malaria killed fewer people than tuberculosis.
  • (d) Ebola outbreaks are small and local, with far fewer deaths.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1996, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.