2003 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2003 · General Studies

Question 14: Geography

Consider the following statements:

  1. 1.India is the original home of the cotton plant.
  2. 2.India is the first country in the world to develop hybrid cotton variety leading to increased production.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

aOnly 1
bOnly 2
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (c).

Cotton was grown and spun in the Indus Valley civilisation, in the third millennium BCE or earlier, and the key accepts India as the original home of the cotton plant. India was also the first country to grow a hybrid cotton commercially: Hybrid-4, developed at Surat in Gujarat and released in 1970, raised yields. Both statements are therefore accepted as true.

  • 1. Cotton was grown and spun in the Indus Valley, which the key takes as India being its original home.
  • 2. Hybrid-4, from Surat in 1970, was the world's first commercial cotton hybrid.
Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Statement 2 is also true, so 'only 1' is incomplete.
  • (b) Statement 1 is also accepted as true, so 'only 2' is incomplete.
  • (c) Correct: both hold, per the key.
  • (d) Both are accepted as true, so 'neither' fails.

Worth knowing: Cotton was domesticated independently in several regions, so 'original home' is loosely worded; the key accepts it.

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.