UPSC Prelims 2009 · General Studies
Question 32: International Relations and Current Affairs
Consider the following countries :
- 1.Brunei Darussalam
- 2.East Timor
- 3.Laos
Which of the above is/are member/members of ASEAN ?
AnswerThe answer is (c).
Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN in 1984 and Laos in 1997, so statements 1 and 3 are correct. East Timor (Timor-Leste), independent since 2002, was not an ASEAN member at the time, though it had applied. Remember the ten members then: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
- 1. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN in 1984.
- 2. East Timor (Timor-Leste) was not a member at the time.
- 3. Laos joined ASEAN in 1997.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.
What you needed to know: East Timor (Timor-Leste) was not a member at the time.
- Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 3 out.
What you needed to know: Laos joined ASEAN in 1997.
Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statement 1.
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) Wrong: Laos is also a member.
- (b) Wrong: East Timor was not a member, and Brunei is.
- (c) Right: Brunei and Laos are members.
- (d) Wrong: East Timor was not a member.
Worth knowing: Timor-Leste was admitted to ASEAN in October 2025, so statement 2 would now be true and the answer would be all three.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2009, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.