2019 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · CSAT

Question 2: Reading Comprehension

Passage - 1 · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “Political theorists no doubt have to take…”

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :

  1. 1.Removal of economic discrimination leads to removal of social discrimination.
  2. 2.Democratic polity is the best way to repair historical wrongs.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid ?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

Assumption 1 fails because the passage says one wrong, discrimination in particular, becomes partly independent of the others, so removing economic deprivation will not by itself remove social discrimination. Assumption 2 fails because the passage never discusses democracy or ranks ways of repairing wrongs. A valid assumption must rest on what the text says, not on outside views. Neither assumption is valid.

  • 1. Discrimination partly acts independently of economic wrongs, so removing one does not remove the other.
  • 2. The passage says nothing about democratic polity or the best route to repair.

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: Discrimination partly acts independently of economic wrongs, so removing one does not remove the other.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) goes: it includes 2.

    What you needed to know: The passage says nothing about democratic polity or the best route to repair.

Only (d) 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: partial independence of discrimination means economic fixes do not automatically end it.
  • (b) Wrong: democracy is never discussed, so this cannot be taken as valid.
  • (c) Wrong: neither assumption is supported by the passage.
  • (d) Right: assumption 1 is contradicted and assumption 2 is not in the passage.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.