UPSC Prelims 2006 · General Studies

Question 20: History and Culture

Assertion (A): Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued a new gold coin which was called Dinar by Ibn Batutah. Reason (R): Muhammad bin Tughlaq wanted to issue token currency in gold coins to promote trade with West Asian and North African countries.

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).

Muhammad bin Tughlaq did issue a gold coin, and Ibn Battuta, who served at his court, calls it a dinar, so A is true. But his famous token currency of 1329-30 was in copper (and brass) coins meant to carry the value of silver tankas, not in gold. R is false: gold is a precious metal and cannot serve as token money. The experiment failed because forgery was easy.

A. Ibn Battuta calls Muhammad bin Tughlaq's gold coin a dinar.
R. The token currency was copper or brass, not gold.

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, since the token coins were of base metal, not gold.
(b) R is false, so it cannot be a correct statement even if unrelated.
(c) Correct: A is true, R is false (token currency was copper or brass).
(d) A is true, not false.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2006, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.