2018 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2018 · GS Paper I

Question 21: Economy and Social Development

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in a State, a person would be required to possess the minimum qualification laid down by the concerned State Council of Teacher Education.
  2. 2.As per the RTE Act, for teaching primary classes, a candidate is required to pass a Teacher Eligibility Test conducted in accordance with the National Council of Teacher Education guidelines.
  3. 3.In India, more than 90% of teacher education institutions are directly under the State Governments.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

a1 and 2
b2 only
c1 and 3
d3 only

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Section 23 of the RTE Act, 2009 requires a teacher to hold the minimum qualifications laid down by an academic authority authorised by the Central Government, which is the National Council for Teacher Education, not a State Council of Teacher Education. The NCTE also made the Teacher Eligibility Test a necessary qualification for teaching classes I to VIII, so statement 2 is right. Most teacher education institutions are privately managed rather than run directly by State governments, so statement 3 is wrong.

  • 1. The minimum qualification is set by the authority the Centre authorises (NCTE), not by State Councils.
  • 2. A Teacher Eligibility Test conducted per NCTE guidelines is required for primary teaching.
  • 3. Most teacher education institutions are privately managed, not under State governments.

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: The minimum qualification is set by the authority the Centre authorises (NCTE), not by State Councils.

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

    What you needed to know: A Teacher Eligibility Test conducted per NCTE guidelines is required for primary teaching.

Only (b) 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: statement 1 names the wrong authority.
  • (b) Right: only the Teacher Eligibility Test requirement is correct.
  • (c) Wrong: statements 1 and 3 are false.
  • (d) Wrong: statement 3 is false, and 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 2018, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.