2007 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2007 · General Studies

Question 24: Science and Technology

Consider the following statements:

  1. 1.In the year 2006, India successfully tested a full-fledged cryogenic stage in rocketry.
  2. 2.After USA, Russia and China, India is the only country to have acquired the capability for use of cryogenic stage in rocketry.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (a).

The given answer treats statement 1 as correct, relating it to ISRO's cryogenic stage tests of 2006, and statement 2 as false. Statement 2 fails because the cryogenic club was wider than USA, Russia and China: France (through Ariane) and Japan also had cryogenic upper stages before India. So only statement 1 holds.

  • 1. Counted as correct: India tested a full cryogenic stage in 2006.
  • 2. France and Japan also had cryogenic stages.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) and (c) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: France and Japan also had cryogenic stages.

    The red flag in statement 2 is “only”. In UPSC’s papers, statements with “only” were true 27% of the time (82 statements). A hint, not a rule.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 1 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: Counted as correct: India tested a full cryogenic stage in 2006.

Only (a) is left. This one needs every statement.

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) Correct: statement 1 holds, statement 2 does not.
  • (b) Statement 2 is wrong because France and Japan also had cryogenic stages.
  • (c) Statement 2 fails, so both cannot be right.
  • (d) Statement 1 is counted as correct, so this is wrong.

Worth knowing: Statement 1 is loosely worded: the July 2006 GSLV flight with a cryogenic stage failed, and ISRO's own cryogenic stage flew successfully only in 2014.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2007, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.