UPSC Prelims 2016 · CSAT

Question 6: Reading Comprehension

Passage beginning “In general, religious traditions stress…” — Passage-2 · as printed by UPSC

Which one of the following is the crux of this passage ?

aOur duties to one another derive from our religious traditions

bHaving relationship to the divine principle is a great virtue

cBalance between rights and duties is crucial to the delivery of justice in a society

dReligious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to god

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

The passage links rights with duties, calls their match critical to understanding justice, and adds that to be practised they must be grounded in a community. Taken together, the central idea is the balance of rights and duties for justice. Options (a) and (d) pick up only the religious source of duties and rights, which is a stepping stone; (b) is about the virtue of relating to the divine, which is not what the passage argues. The crux is the idea that carries the whole passage, not one supporting line.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) A supporting step about where duties come from, not the crux.
(b) The virtue of relating to the divine is not what is being argued.
(c) Right: matching rights and duties, grounded in community, is the thread through the passage.
(d) Covers only the source of rights; partial.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2016, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.