2008 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies

Question 97: Geography

Which of the following are among the million-plus cities in India on the basis of data of the Census, 2001?

  1. 1.Ludhiana
  2. 2.Kochi
  3. 3.Surat
  4. 4.Nagpur

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a1, 2 and 3 only
b2, 3 and 4 only
c1 and 4 only
d1, 2, 3 and 4

AnswerThe answer is (d).

All four were million-plus cities in Census 2001. The census listed 35 urban agglomerations with a million or more people, and Ludhiana, Kochi, Surat and Nagpur were among them, along with the big metros. Remember the cities by State: Ludhiana in Punjab, Kochi in Kerala, Surat in Gujarat and Nagpur in Maharashtra.

  • 1. Ludhiana had over a million people in 2001.
  • 2. Kochi's urban agglomeration crossed a million in 2001.
  • 3. Surat had over two million people.
  • 4. Nagpur had over two million people.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) goes: it leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: Ludhiana had over a million people in 2001.

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

    What you needed to know: Kochi's urban agglomeration crossed a million in 2001.

  3. Then, if you were sure statement 4 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 4 out.

    What you needed to know: Nagpur had over two million people.

Only (d) is left. You didn’t need statement 3.

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) Leaves out Nagpur, which had over a million people.
  • (b) Leaves out Ludhiana, which had over a million people.
  • (c) Leaves out Kochi and Surat, both million-plus.
  • (d) All four are million-plus cities.

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.