UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies
Question 37: Polity and Governance
Who among the following have held the office of the Vice-President of India?
- 1.Mohammad Hidayatullah
- 2.Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- 3.Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- 4.Shankar Dayal Sharma
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
AnswerThe answer is (b).
Mohammad Hidayatullah (1979-84) and Shankar Dayal Sharma (1987-92) were Vice-Presidents of India. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Neelam Sanjiva Reddy were never Vice-President: they became President, in 1974 and 1977. Hidayatullah, a former Chief Justice of India, and Sharma, who later became President (1992-97), both held the second-highest office.
- 1. Mohammad Hidayatullah was Vice-President from 1979 to 1984.
- 2. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was President, not Vice-President.
- 3. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was President, not Vice-President.
- 4. Shankar Dayal Sharma was Vice-President from 1987 to 1992.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (a), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.
What you needed to know: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was President, not Vice-President.
Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statements 1, 2 or 4.
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) Includes Ahmed and Reddy, who became Presidents without being Vice-President.
- (b) Hidayatullah and Shankar Dayal Sharma were both Vice-Presidents.
- (c) Ahmed and Reddy were Presidents, not Vice-Presidents.
- (d) Reddy was never Vice-President, so this pair is wrong.
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.