2015 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I

Question 48: History and Culture

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.
  2. 2.The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.

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 (b).

Badruddin Tyabji presided over the Madras session of the Indian National Congress in 1887 and was its first Muslim president, so statement 2 is correct. The first woman president was Annie Besant (1917); Sarojini Naidu, in 1925, was the first Indian woman to hold the post. So statement 1 is wrong. Remember the difference between first woman and first Indian woman.

  • 1. Annie Besant (1917) was the first woman president; Sarojini Naidu (1925) was the first Indian woman.
  • 2. Badruddin Tyabji presided in 1887.

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: Annie Besant (1917) was the first woman president; Sarojini Naidu (1925) was the first Indian woman.

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

    What you needed to know: Badruddin Tyabji presided in 1887.

Only (b) 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: Annie Besant was the first woman president; Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman.
  • (b) Correct: Badruddin Tyabji was the first Muslim president, in 1887.
  • (c) Wrong: statement 1 is false.
  • (d) Wrong: statement 2 is true.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.