2012 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2012 · GS Paper I

Question 66: History and Culture

Consider the following statements : The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of Indian National Movement was that he

  1. 1.exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British
  2. 2.interpreted the ancient Indian texts and restored the self-confidence of Indians
  3. 3.stressed the need for eradication of all the social evils before anything else

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

Dadabhai Naoroji, the Grand Old Man of India, put forward the drain-of-wealth theory in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901), showing how British rule drained India's resources. This exposure of economic exploitation was his most effective contribution to the national movement. Reinterpreting ancient texts and putting social reform ahead of everything are associated with other leaders, such as Dayananda Saraswati.

  • 1. His drain theory exposed economic exploitation by the British.
  • 2. Interpreting ancient texts to restore confidence is not his contribution.
  • 3. He did not insist on eradicating all social evils before anything else.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (b), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.

    What you needed to know: He did not insist on eradicating all social evils before anything else.

    The red flag in statement 3 is “all”. In UPSC’s papers, statements with “all” were true 41% of the time (76 statements). A hint, not a rule.

Only (a) is left. You didn’t need statements 1 or 2.

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) Correct: he exposed economic exploitation through the drain theory.
  • (b) Wrong: reinterpreting ancient texts and putting reform first are not his key contribution.
  • (c) Wrong: he did not stress eradicating social evils before anything else.
  • (d) Wrong: statements 2 and 3 do not describe his contribution.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.