2008 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies
Question 60: Science and Technology
What is Agent Orange?
aAn ace spying group trained by the Police in London
bA weed-killing chemical used by the US Military in the Vietnam War
cA technique used in the advanced railway safety procedure
dA special chemical used in making alloy steel
AnswerThe answer is (b).
Agent Orange was a herbicide and defoliant sprayed by the US military over Vietnam during the Vietnam War, under Operation Ranch Hand, to strip jungle cover and destroy crops. It was contaminated with dioxin, a highly toxic compound linked to cancers, birth defects and lasting environmental damage. The name came from the orange stripe on the drums that held it.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) It is a herbicide, not a spying group.
- (b) Agent Orange was a weed-killing chemical used in the Vietnam War.
- (c) It is not a railway safety technique.
- (d) It is not used in making alloy steel.
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.