UPSC Prelims 1996 · General Studies
Question 6: Geography
Which of the following pairs of states and their important crops are correctly matched? I. Kerala: Tapioca II. Maharashtra: Cotton III. W. Bengal: Jute IV. Gujarat: Groundnut Select the correct answer using the codes given below: Codes:
AnswerThe answer is (d).
Cotton is a main crop of Maharashtra, jute of West Bengal and groundnut of Gujarat, so pairs II, III and IV are accepted. The key does not count pair I, though tapioca is grown mainly in Kerala (and Tamil Nadu), which is why the question is weak. Remember: Maharashtra - cotton, West Bengal - jute, Gujarat - groundnut.
- I. Tapioca is grown in Kerala, but the key does not accept this pair.
- II. Maharashtra is a leading cotton-growing state.
- III. West Bengal is India's largest jute producer.
- IV. Gujarat is a major groundnut-producing state.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Includes pair I and leaves out Gujarat-groundnut, which is a correct match.
- (b) Includes pair I and leaves out West Bengal-jute, which is a correct match.
- (c) Leaves out Maharashtra-cotton, a well-known correct match.
- (d) The key's code: pairs II, III and IV are accepted as correctly matched.
Worth knowing: All four pairs are standard crop-state matches (Kerala is a major tapioca grower) and no code offers all four, so the key's rejection of pair I is hard to defend.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
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.