2021 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2021 · GS Paper I

Question 78: Polity and Governance

With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements :

  1. 1.N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for pursuing the subject of administrative reform and promoting it.
  2. 2.In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister’s charge.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

The Department of Personnel was set up in 1970 on the recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission (1966), and it was placed under the Prime Minister's charge, so statement 2 is correct. UPSC treats statement 1, which credits the N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar Committee with suggesting a minister and a secretary solely for administrative reform, as incorrect. Remember: ARC 1966, Department of Personnel 1970, Prime Minister in charge.

  • 1. UPSC's key does not accept this attribution to the Ayyangar Committee.
  • 2. The Department of Personnel was created in 1970 on the ARC's advice, under the Prime Minister.

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: UPSC's key does not accept this attribution to the Ayyangar Committee.

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

    What you needed to know: The Department of Personnel was created in 1970 on the ARC's advice, under the Prime Minister.

Only (b) 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: UPSC counts statement 1 as incorrect.
  • (b) Right: only statement 2, on the Department of Personnel, is correct.
  • (c) Wrong: statement 1 is not accepted.
  • (d) Wrong: statement 2 is correct.

Worth knowing: Statement 1 is hard to check against standard sources, so the reason UPSC rejects it is not clear; the answer is explained as UPSC's key has it.

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

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2021, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.