UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies

Question 34: History and Culture

Assertion (A): During the reign of Shahjahan, Dara Sikoh was sent on expedition to Balkha, Badakh-shan and Qandahar. Reason (R): The expedition sent by Shahjahan to the Middle East was a marvellous success.

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 (c).

Shah Jahan's armies tried to take Balkh and Badakhshan in Central Asia (1646-47) and to recover Qandahar from Persia, and these ventures failed after heavy losses: Persia took Qandahar in 1649, and repeated sieges to retake it, the last being Dara Shikoh's in 1653, failed. So A is accepted, but R, which calls the expedition a marvellous success, is false. Remember: the Central Asian adventures drained the treasury and did not succeed.

A. Dara Shikoh was sent against Qandahar, as part of Shah Jahan's north-western campaigns.
R. The expeditions to Balkh, Badakhshan and Qandahar failed.

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) R is false, so it cannot explain A.
(b) R is false, not merely a poor explanation.
(c) Right: A is accepted; R is false because the expedition failed.
(d) A is accepted as true, so this fails.

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.