UPSC Prelims 2003 · General Studies

Question 101: History and Culture

Assertion (A): Emperor Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 with a huge army. Reason (R): He was on his way to reclaim his ancestral country of Ferghana in Central Asia.

aBoth A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A

bBoth A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A

cA is true but R is false

dA is false but R is true

AnswerThe answer is (c).

Akbar did march towards Afghanistan in 1581: his half-brother Mirza Hakim, ruler of Kabul, invaded the Punjab, and Akbar went with a large army, drove him back and secured Kabul. The purpose was to deal with the threat from Hakim, not to reclaim Ferghana, which was Babur's ancestral homeland and never Akbar's aim. So A is true and R is false.

A. Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 against Mirza Hakim.
R. His aim was to deal with Hakim's invasion; Ferghana was Babur's ancestral land, not Akbar's target.

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, so 'both true' fails.
(c) Correct: A is true and R is false.
(d) A is true, so 'A false' fails.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2003, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.