UPSC Prelims 2017 · CSAT

Question 65: Reading Comprehension

Passage beginning “Over the last decade, Indian agriculture has…” — Passage—5 · as printed by UPSC

Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage?

aIncreasing the efficiency of farm-to-fork value chain is necessary to reduce the poverty and malnutrition.

bIncreasing the agricultural productivity will automatically eliminate the poverty and malnutrition in India.

cIndia’s agricultural productivity is already great and it is not necessary to increase it further.

dAllocation of more funds for social welfare and poverty alleviation programmes will ultimately eliminate the poverty and malnutrition in India.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

The passage notes record farm output and large grain stocks, yet India still holds a quarter of the world's undernourished people, and many households spend about half their budget on food. Output alone does not remove hunger; the gap lies in getting food to people affordably. So raising efficiency across the chain from farm to consumer is needed to reduce poverty and malnutrition. Claims of automatic elimination, no need for more productivity, or fund-based cures go beyond the passage.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Correct: output is high but hunger persists, so the chain from farm to consumer needs to work better.
(b) Automatic elimination is contradicted by high output coexisting with hunger.
(c) The passage shows high output alongside hunger; it does not say productivity need not rise.
(d) Funding is not discussed, and ultimately eliminating is too strong a claim.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.