1998 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies

Question 31: History and Culture

Assertion (A): The first ever Bill to make primary education compulsory in India was rejected in 1911. Reason (R): Discontent would have increased if every cultivator could read.

aBoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
bBoth A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
cA is true, but R is false
dA is false, but R is true

AnswerThe answer is (a).

Gopal Krishna Gokhale moved a bill in the Imperial Legislative Council in 1911 to make elementary education compulsory; it was voted down in March 1912, with officials and many landed members opposing it. The key accepts A and R as true, with R explaining A: the argument against was that educating cultivators would make them discontented with the existing order. It was the first such bill; compulsory elementary education came only much later.

  • A. Gokhale's bill for compulsory primary education was defeated.
  • R. Opponents feared an educated peasantry would be discontented, which explains the rejection.

How you could have got this

If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (d) goes. Then judge the second statement; if it is correct too, decide whether it explains the first.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Right per the key: rejected because educated cultivators might be discontented.
  • (b) R is the reason given, not just a true remark.
  • (c) R is accepted as true, so this fails.
  • (d) A is accepted as true, so this fails.

Worth knowing: Gokhale's bill was moved in 1911 and defeated in March 1912, so the year in A is loose, but the key marks it true.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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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.