2026 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2026 · CSAT

Question 74: Decision Making and Interpersonal Skills

Which among the following actions would constitute the most appropriate directive(s) in resolving interpersonal conflict in an office with culturally diverse personnel?

  1. 1.Direct personnel to practise activities that are the cultural markers of diverse groups
  2. 2.Allow conflicts to resolve naturally over time to set an appropriate precedent of leadership
  3. 3.Encourage personnel to seek each other’s perspectives

Select the answer using the code given below.

a1 and 3
b2 only
c3 only
d2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

In a culturally diverse office, the best directive is the one that builds understanding: encouraging staff to hear each other's perspectives (3). Ordering staff to practise one another's cultural markers (1) is forced and can feel tokenistic or intrusive. Letting conflict resolve on its own (2) is passive and leaves the manager's duty to act unmet.

  • 1. Directing staff to practise others' cultural markers is forced and tokenistic.
  • 2. Waiting for conflict to fade is passive, not leadership.
  • 3. Seeking each other's perspectives builds mutual understanding.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) goes: it includes 1.

    What you needed to know: Directing staff to practise others' cultural markers is forced and tokenistic.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: Waiting for conflict to fade is passive, not leadership.

Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statement 3.

This follows UPSC’s provisional key; the final key could change it.

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: 1 imposes cultural practices, which is forced.
  • (b) Wrong: leaving conflict to resolve itself is passive.
  • (c) Right: seeking others' perspectives builds understanding.
  • (d) Wrong: 2 is passive.

Only the provisional key (27 May 2026) was found; the final key replaces it when found.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.