UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies

Question 135: History and Culture

Assertion (A): The Congress Ministries in all the provinces resigned in the year 1939. Reason (R): The Congress did not accept the decision of the Viceroy to declare war against Germany in the context of the Second World War.

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 (a).

Both statements are true and the reason explains the assertion. After the 1937 elections under the Government of India Act 1935, Congress ministries governed most provinces. When Viceroy Lord Linlithgow brought India into the Second World War in September 1939 without consulting Indian leaders, the Congress objected, and its ministries resigned in October and November 1939.

A. The Congress ministries resigned in 1939.
R. The Congress objected to India being taken into the war without its consent, and that is why it resigned.

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) A and R are true, and R explains why the ministries resigned.
(b) R directly explains A, so it is not just an unconnected truth.
(c) R is true, so A true and R false is wrong.
(d) A is true, so A false is wrong.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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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.