2019 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · CSAT

Question 47: Reading Comprehension

Passage - 6 · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “India has banking correspondents, who help bring…”

Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage ?

aEfforts to bring people in India's hinterland into the banking system are not successful.
bFor meaningful financial inclusion, India's banking system needs more number of banking correspondents and other such last-mile workers.
cMeaningful financial inclusion in India requires that banking correspondents have diverse skills.
dBetter banking outreach would be impossible unless each banking correspondent is allowed to serve a number of banks.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

The passage says banking correspondents can bring remote people into banking only if banks invest in their financial education and literacy, give them better incentives, and ensure they offer more than basic accounts, such as insurance and micro pension products. So meaningful inclusion needs correspondents with varied skills. The one-bank limit is noted, but the text does not call outreach impossible without lifting it, nor say efforts have failed or that more correspondents are the fix.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: the passage says efforts may succeed under conditions, not that they have failed.
  • (b) Wrong: it asks for better incentives and skills, not for more correspondents.
  • (c) Right: financial education and a wider range of products need broader skills.
  • (d) Wrong: the one-bank limit is noted but not called the only obstacle; 'impossible' is too strong.

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.