UPSC Prelims 2012 · GS Paper I
Question 21: History and Culture
With reference to the scientific progress of ancient India, which of the statements given below are correct?
- 1.Different kinds of specialized surgical instruments were in common use by 1st century AD.
- 2.Transplant of internal organs in the human body had begun by the beginning of 3rd century AD.
- 3.The concept of sine of an angle was known in 5th century AD.
- 4.The concept of cyclic quadrilaterals was known in 7th century AD.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).
Ancient Indian science was advanced. The Sushruta Samhita describes over a hundred specialised surgical instruments, and such instruments were in common use by the early centuries AD. Aryabhata (5th century) used the sine function (jya), and Brahmagupta (7th century) worked on cyclic quadrilaterals. But there is no evidence of transplants of internal organs by the 3rd century AD; ancient surgery covered rhinoplasty and skin grafts, not organ transplants.
- 1. Specialised surgical instruments are described in the Sushruta Samhita and were in common use.
- 2. No evidence exists of internal organ transplants in ancient India.
- 3. Aryabhata used the sine (jya) in the 5th century AD.
- 4. Brahmagupta dealt with cyclic quadrilaterals in the 7th century AD.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) goes: it leaves 1 out.
What you needed to know: Specialised surgical instruments are described in the Sushruta Samhita and were in common use.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (a) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.
What you needed to know: No evidence exists of internal organ transplants in ancient India.
Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 3 or 4.
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: it includes organ transplants, for which there is no ancient evidence.
- (b) Incomplete: it leaves out specialised surgical instruments, which were in common use.
- (c) Correct: instruments, the sine concept and cyclic quadrilaterals are all attested; organ transplants are not.
- (d) Wrong: it includes statement 2 on internal organ transplants.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.