UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies
Question 117: Science and Technology
Match the names of outstanding Indian scientists given in List I with the area of their specialised work given in List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List I I. Dr. Raja Ramanna II. Dr. M. S. Swaminathan III. Prof. U. R. Rao IV. Prof. Meghnad Saha List II A) Plant Chemistry B) Nuclear Physics C) Thermodynamics and astrophysics D) Space research E) Agricultural sciences
AnswerThe answer is (c).
Raja Ramanna was a nuclear physicist who led India's nuclear programme, M.S. Swaminathan was the agricultural scientist of the Green Revolution, U.R. Rao was a space scientist who headed ISRO, and Meghnad Saha is known for the thermal ionisation equation, a work in thermodynamics and astrophysics. So I-B, II-E, III-D, IV-C.
- I. Raja Ramanna worked in nuclear physics (B).
- II. M.S. Swaminathan worked in agricultural sciences (E).
- III. U.R. Rao worked in space research (D).
- IV. Meghnad Saha worked in thermodynamics and astrophysics (C).
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Ramanna was a nuclear physicist, not a thermodynamics scientist.
- (b) Swaminathan's field is agriculture, not plant chemistry.
- (c) Right: Ramanna-nuclear physics, Swaminathan-agriculture, Rao-space, Saha-astrophysics.
- (d) Ramanna and Swaminathan are matched wrongly.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1998, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.