2026 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2026 · GS Paper I

Question 18: History and Culture

Consider the following assertion : The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919. Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion ?

  1. 1.Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates.
  2. 2.Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger.
  3. 3.Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates.

Select the answer using the code given below :

a1 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 2 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 kept the principle of separate electorates for Muslims and extended it to Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans. The British saw this as a way to divide and weaken the strengthening national movement. Depressed and minority groups then organised politically around the benefits separate electorates offered. All three statements explain why political alliances based on community grew out of the structure of the Reforms.

  • 1. The Reforms retained and extended separate electorates.
  • 2. Separate electorates were meant to counter growing nationalism.
  • 3. Deprived classes rallied around the favours of separate electorates.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) goes: it leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: The Reforms retained and extended separate electorates.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them leaves 3 out.

    What you needed to know: Deprived classes rallied around the favours of separate electorates.

Only (d) is left. You didn’t need statement 2.

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) Incomplete: statements 2 and 3 also support the assertion.
  • (b) Incomplete: statement 1 also supports it.
  • (c) Incomplete: statement 3 also supports it.
  • (d) Right: all three statements support the assertion.

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 I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.