UPSC Prelims 2020 · GS Paper I
Question 94: Economy and Social Development
With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements :
- 1.At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
- 2.Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
- 3.Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
Natural gas is the main feedstock for the ammonia used to make urea in India, so statement 2 is right. Sulphur, needed to make sulphuric acid for phosphoric acid fertiliser, is largely recovered as a by-product of oil refineries, so statement 3 is right. The retail price of urea is fixed by the Government, so statement 1 fails.
- 1. The retail price of urea is fixed by the Government.
- 2. Ammonia for urea is made from natural gas.
- 3. Sulphur is recovered as a by-product of oil refining.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (d) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: The retail price of urea is fixed by the Government.
- Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (c) goes: it leaves 3 out.
What you needed to know: Sulphur is recovered as a by-product of oil refining.
Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statement 2.
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: urea's retail price is administered by the Government.
- (b) Right: statements 2 and 3.
- (c) Wrong: statement 3 is also correct.
- (d) Wrong: statement 1 is false.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2020, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.