2014 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2014 · GS Paper I

Question 38: Geography

With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called 'coalbed methane' and 'shale gas', consider the following statements :

  1. 1.Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks.
  2. 2.In India, abundant coalbed methane sources exist, but so far no shale gas sources have been found.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

Coalbed methane is natural gas, mostly methane, trapped in coal seams; shale gas is natural gas held in fine-grained shale and is also mainly methane, not only propane and butane. So statement 1 is wrong. India has both resources: coalbed methane blocks have been awarded, and shale gas potential has been identified in basins such as Cambay, Krishna-Godavari and Damodar, so statement 2 is wrong too.

  • 1. Shale gas is mostly methane, not propane and butane only.
  • 2. Shale gas resources have been identified in Indian basins.

How you could have got this

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

    What you needed to know: Shale gas is mostly methane, not propane and butane only.

    The red flag in statement 1 is “only”. In UPSC’s papers, statements with “only” were true 27% of the time (82 statements). A hint, not a rule.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) goes: it includes 2.

    What you needed to know: Shale gas resources have been identified in Indian basins.

Only (d) is left. This one needs every statement.

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. Shale gas is mostly methane, not propane and butane only.
  • (b) Wrong. India does have shale gas resources.
  • (c) Wrong. Both statements are false.
  • (d) Right. Neither statement is correct.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2014, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.