2023 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2023 · GS Paper I

Question 29: Economy and Social Development

Consider the following :

  1. 1.Demographic performance
  2. 2.Forest and ecology
  3. 3.Governance reforms
  4. 4.Stable government
  5. 5.Tax and fiscal efforts

For the horizontal tax devolution, the Fifteenth Finance Commission used how many of the above as criteria other than population area and income distance?

aOnly two
bOnly three
cOnly four
dAll five

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

For horizontal devolution the Fifteenth Finance Commission used income distance (45 percent), 2011 population (15), area (15), demographic performance (12.5), forest and ecology (10) and tax and fiscal effort (2.5). Other than population, area and income distance, the criteria were therefore demographic performance, forest and ecology, and tax and fiscal efforts: three. Governance reforms and a stable government were not criteria.

  • 1. Demographic performance carried 12.5 percent weight.
  • 2. Forest and ecology carried 10 percent weight.
  • 3. Governance reforms were not a devolution criterion.
  • 4. Stable government was not a criterion.
  • 5. Tax and fiscal effort carried 2.5 percent weight.

How you could have got this

No shortcut here: in a “how many” question, ruling out options doesn’t help. Every statement has to be judged.

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) Only two undercounts; three extra criteria were used.
  • (b) Correct: demographic performance, forest and ecology, and tax and fiscal effort.
  • (c) Only four overcounts; governance reforms and a stable government were not criteria.
  • (d) All five overcounts the criteria.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2023, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.