2024 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2024 · GS Paper I

Question 59: Economy and Social Development

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.India is a member of the International Grains Council.
  2. 2.A country needs to be a member of the International Grains Council for exporting or importing rice and wheat.

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 (a).

India is a member of the International Grains Council, the London-based intergovernmental body that administers the Grains Trade Convention and monitors the trade in wheat, maize, rice and other grains. Statement 2 is wrong: membership is not required to export or import rice or wheat. Trade goes on between any countries under their own policies and WTO rules.

  • 1. India is a member of the International Grains Council.
  • 2. No country needs IGC membership to export or import rice or wheat.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: India is a member of the International Grains Council.

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

    What you needed to know: No country needs IGC membership to export or import rice or wheat.

Only (a) 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) Right: India is a member, but membership is not needed to trade rice and wheat.
  • (b) Wrong: membership is not a condition for trading rice or wheat.
  • (c) Wrong: statement 2 is incorrect.
  • (d) Wrong: statement 1 is correct, as India is a member.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2024, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.