UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies
Question 129: International Relations and Current Affairs
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The Nuclear Suppliers Group has 24 countries as its members.
- 2.India is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
AnswerThe answer is (d).
Both statements are wrong. The Nuclear Suppliers Group, formed in response to India's 1974 nuclear test, had more than 40 members in 2008, not 24. India is not a member: it received a waiver from the group in September 2008 to trade in nuclear material, but a waiver is not membership, and India has applied but has not been admitted.
- 1. The group had more than 40 members in 2008, not 24.
- 2. India is not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: The group had more than 40 members in 2008, not 24.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) goes: it includes 2.
What you needed to know: India is not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Only (d) 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) Statement 1 is wrong because the group had more than 40 members.
- (b) Statement 2 is wrong because India is not a member.
- (c) Both statements are wrong, so both cannot be correct.
- (d) Both fail: 24 is not the membership and India is not a member.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.