2014 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2014 · GS Paper I

Question 8: History and Culture

Consider the following languages :

  1. 1.Gujarati
  2. 2.Kannada
  3. 3.Telugu

Which of the above has/have been declared as 'Classical Language/Languages' by the Government?

a1 and 2 only
b3 only
c2 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

By 2014 the Government of India had declared Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada and Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013) and Odia (2014) as Classical Languages. The test is a recorded history of over 1,500 to 2,000 years, a body of ancient literature, and an original literary tradition. Kannada and Telugu qualify; Gujarati was never given this status. So the answer is Kannada and Telugu only.

  • 1. Gujarati has not been declared a classical language.
  • 2. Kannada was declared a classical language in 2008.
  • 3. Telugu was declared a classical language in 2008.

How you could have got this

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

    What you needed to know: Gujarati has not been declared a classical language.

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

    What you needed to know: Kannada was declared a classical language in 2008.

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

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. Gujarati is not a classical language.
  • (b) Wrong. Kannada is also a classical language, so Telugu alone is incomplete.
  • (c) Right. Kannada and Telugu were both declared classical in 2008.
  • (d) Wrong. Gujarati has not been declared a classical language.

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.