Reading comprehension I: inference, assumption, corollary and implication: previous-year questions
211 real UPSC Prelims questions (2011–2026) with the official answer and a clear explanation. 62 of them came in the last five papers.
How often UPSC asks this
Questions per year, counted from the official papers.
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Read the passage
India is starting to deploy AI for critical use cases such as weather forecasting, pest detection and control, and crop yield optimisation. However, penetration is limited to a small subset of tech-savvy farmers. In the US and in Europe, generative AI tools have started offering precision farming at scale, integrating large datasets to provide real-time agronomic insights. For at-scale integration and accessibility of AI tools in India, it would be helpful to develop Indian languages-based AI tools for smallholder farmers, partner with AgTechs to create affordable AI solutions, and disseminate AI-based advisory services through government programmes.
Which of the following statements is/are not correct?
- 1. Tech-savvy farmers will drive the AgTech companies of the future.
- 2. The development of advisory services by the government programmes for the use of AI tools in agriculture would be helpful.
- 3. In the US and Europe, AI tools have replaced traditional agricultural practices.
- 4. The integration of large datasets for use in real-time agronomic analysis is already a reality.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (a) & explanation
Statements 1 and 3 are not correct (a). Step 1: statement 1 says tech-savvy farmers will drive AgTech companies. The passage only says AI use is limited to such farmers; it never says they will drive companies. Not correct. Step 2: statement 3 says AI has replaced traditional farming in the US and Europe. The passage says AI tools have "started offering" precision farming, not replaced old methods. Not correct. Step 3: statement 2 matches the suggestion of government advisory services, and statement 4 matches "integrating large datasets to provide real-time agronomic insights" already happening in the West. So both are correct, and options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: in "not correct" questions, mark each statement true or false, then pick the false ones.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, or the JJ Act, 2015 allows for the possibility for trying adolescents above 16 as adults if they are accused of committing a heinous offence. A heinous offence is one with a minimum punishment of seven years. Offences such as culpable homicide and causing death by negligence, which are common in drunken driving cases, are not heinous offences because they do not have a prescribed minimum punishment. The JJ Act, amended in 2021, now categorises an offence that has no minimum sentence, but has a maximum sentence of seven years or more as a serious offence which nonetheless, in the opinion of activists, does not merit the transfer of a case to the adult criminal justice system.
Which of the following conclusions is/are valid?
- 1. Only a ‘serious’ offence as categorised by the revised JJ Act, justifies the transfer of a case to the adult judicial system.
- 2. The JJ Act, 2021, categorises an offence as a serious offence based on the maximum sentence it carries, rather than on the minimum sentence.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Only conclusion 2 is valid (b). Step 1: the passage says the 2021 amendment treats an offence with no minimum sentence but a maximum of seven years or more as a "serious offence". So the label depends on the maximum, not the minimum (2). Step 2: conclusion 1 says only a serious offence justifies transfer to the adult system. But the passage links transfer to heinous offences (minimum seven years), and activists say a serious offence "does not merit" transfer. So 1 fails. Step 3: options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: keep legal categories apart: heinous (minimum 7 years) versus serious (no minimum, maximum 7+ years). The JJ Act, 2015, allows children aged 16–18 accused of heinous offences to be tried as adults after assessment.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, or the JJ Act, 2015 allows for the possibility for trying adolescents above 16 as adults if they are accused of committing a heinous offence. A heinous offence is one with a minimum punishment of seven years. Offences such as culpable homicide and causing death by negligence, which are common in drunken driving cases, are not heinous offences because they do not have a prescribed minimum punishment. The JJ Act, amended in 2021, now categorises an offence that has no minimum sentence, but has a maximum sentence of seven years or more as a serious offence which nonetheless, in the opinion of activists, does not merit the transfer of a case to the adult criminal justice system.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. If an offence has no minimum prescribed punishment, it cannot be considered heinous as per the JJ Act, 2015.
- 2. As per the JJ Act, 2021, an offence for which there is a provision for a maximum sentence of seven years or more, but no minimum sentence, is to be considered a serious offence.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Both statements are correct (c). Step 1: statement 1: the passage says a heinous offence has a minimum punishment of seven years, and gives culpable homicide as an example that is not heinous "because they do not have a prescribed minimum punishment". So an offence with no minimum cannot be heinous: correct. Step 2: statement 2 repeats the 2021 amendment: no minimum sentence plus a maximum of seven years or more = serious offence. Correct. Step 3: so options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: when a passage gives a definition plus an example, use both to test statements. The example (culpable homicide) confirms the rule in statement 1.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
‘Kalagram’, the cultural village set up at the Maha Kumbh Mela, unfolded as a mosaic of India’s diverse regions, each represented by seven meticulously crafted ‘Sanskriti Angans’—stepping through the grand portal was like entering another world. These thematic zones, inspired by iconic temples like the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and the Brahma Mandir, were treasure troves of regional artistry. Bengal’s Pattachitra paintings, Assam’s bamboo crafts, Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur paintings, and Madhya Pradesh’s tribal sculpture—all were showcased in these living galleries where 230 master artisans breathed life into them using age-old techniques, their hands shaping India’s ancient history into creations to behold.
Which of the following conclusions are valid?
- 1. Seven Sanskriti Angans, representing different regions of India, had been showcased in Kalagram.
- 2. Regional artistry was recognised via the inspiration drawn from iconic temples.
- 3. India’s ancient history had been crafted by the contemporary craftsmanship of 230 artisans into creations to behold.
- 4. Art forms from all regions of India had been showcased in these living galleries.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (a) & explanation
Conclusions 1 and 2 are valid (a). Step 1: the passage says Kalagram had seven "Sanskriti Angans" representing India's diverse regions (1 is valid). Step 2: it says these thematic zones were inspired by iconic temples like Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and Brahma Mandir, and were treasure troves of regional artistry (2 is valid). Step 3: conclusion 3 calls the craft "contemporary", but the artisans used "age-old techniques". Conclusion 4 says art from "all regions"; only some are named. So options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: watch for single-word changes: "age-old" became "contemporary", and "diverse" became "all". Kalagram was set up by the Ministry of Culture at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj (13 January–26 February 2025).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The key source of the battle for clean skies and clear lungs is the fuel we burn—from household Chulhas to the thermal power plants. In most cases, it is biomass or coal. The Supreme Court banned the use of pet coke—the dirtiest of such fuels. The Delhi Government banned the use of coal, which was later extended to the entire National Capital Region. It was also agreed that the thermal power plants would clean up or shut down. Action on this has been patchy to say the least. The lesson from the transition to CNG is that people need alternatives for a ban to be effective. When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured. It also had to be feasible in terms of cost. The Supreme Court agreed that fiscal measures were needed to keep clean fuel cheaper than dirty fuel. Now even as coal is banned, the price of natural gas makes industry uncompetitive.
Which of the following inferences is/are correct?
- 1. The source of the energy we consume is the key to the battle for cleaner air.
- 2. Bans are effective where the will is strong and the people are convinced that such bans are for the greater good of society.
- 3. There is judicial approval for a policy that intervenes fiscally to facilitate benevolent pricing for cleaner fuel.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Inferences 1 and 3 are correct (c). Step 1: the passage opens: the key to clean skies is "the fuel we burn". So the source of energy is central (1). Step 2: it says "the Supreme Court agreed that fiscal measures were needed to keep clean fuel cheaper than dirty fuel". That is judicial approval for pricing help (3). Step 3: inference 2 says bans work when people are convinced they are for the greater good. But the passage says bans work when people have alternatives at a feasible cost, like CNG. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: find the passage's own reason; do not accept a different reason that sounds good. Delhi's switch of buses to CNG followed Supreme Court orders around 2001–02.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
‘Kalagram’, the cultural village set up at the Maha Kumbh Mela, unfolded as a mosaic of India’s diverse regions, each represented by seven meticulously crafted ‘Sanskriti Angans’—stepping through the grand portal was like entering another world. These thematic zones, inspired by iconic temples like the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and the Brahma Mandir, were treasure troves of regional artistry. Bengal’s Pattachitra paintings, Assam’s bamboo crafts, Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur paintings, and Madhya Pradesh’s tribal sculpture—all were showcased in these living galleries where 230 master artisans breathed life into them using age-old techniques, their hands shaping India’s ancient history into creations to behold.
Which one of the following statements is not correct?
Answer (a) & explanation
The incorrect statement is (a): paintings from four States are not mentioned. Step 1: the passage names only two paintings: Pattachitra of Bengal and Thanjavur paintings of Tamil Nadu. Step 2: Assam is mentioned for bamboo crafts and Madhya Pradesh for tribal sculpture, not paintings. So four States appear, but only two for paintings: (a) is wrong. Step 3: (b) matches "like entering another world"; (c) matches "living galleries"; (d) matches thematic zones "inspired by iconic temples". These are correct, so they are not the answer.
Tip: in "not correct" questions, check each detail against the text. Count carefully when an option gives a number.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The key source of the battle for clean skies and clear lungs is the fuel we burn—from household Chulhas to the thermal power plants. In most cases, it is biomass or coal. The Supreme Court banned the use of pet coke—the dirtiest of such fuels. The Delhi Government banned the use of coal, which was later extended to the entire National Capital Region. It was also agreed that the thermal power plants would clean up or shut down. Action on this has been patchy to say the least. The lesson from the transition to CNG is that people need alternatives for a ban to be effective. When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured. It also had to be feasible in terms of cost. The Supreme Court agreed that fiscal measures were needed to keep clean fuel cheaper than dirty fuel. Now even as coal is banned, the price of natural gas makes industry uncompetitive.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to summarily shut down.
- 2. CNG supplies had to be assured once diesel vehicles were prohibited from plying.
- 3. The Supreme Court banned the use of coal across the National Capital Region.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Only statement 2 is correct (c). Step 1: statement 2 matches: "When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured." Correct. Step 2: statement 1 says thermal plants had to summarily shut down. The passage says they would "clean up or shut down", a choice, not an immediate closure. Wrong. Step 3: statement 3 says the Supreme Court banned coal across NCR. The passage says the Delhi Government banned coal, later extended to NCR; the Court banned pet coke. Wrong. Options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: check who did what. Swapping the actor (Court versus Government) is a common trap in fact-based passages.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Sport is not just about winning medals or getting jobs through a sports quota. Today’s generation is struggling with issues like depression and anxiety. Parents often say that their children are inactive and rarely leave the house. Sport can help tackle these problems. From sport you can learn time management, fitness, teamwork, coordination, and so much more. We need to develop a culture in which sport is seen as a way of life—a path to building a healthier, happier society.
Which of the following conclusions are valid?
- 1. Sport is more than just games; it is a way of life.
- 2. Sport can help mitigate the problems of seclusion among the young.
- 3. Earning laurels in sport can help one secure a job on the basis of an assigned quota.
- 4. Standard corporate sector skills cannot be learnt through sport.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
Conclusions 1, 2 and 3 are valid (d). Step 1: conclusion 1 matches the last line: sport should be seen as "a way of life". Step 2: conclusion 2 follows from parents saying children are inactive and "rarely leave the house", which sport can help fix. Conclusion 3 follows from the mention of "getting jobs through a sports quota". Step 3: conclusion 4 says corporate skills cannot be learnt through sport. But the passage says sport teaches time management and teamwork, so 4 contradicts it. Options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: a conclusion that contradicts the passage fails at once. The Khelo India and Fit India movements promote sport as a way of life.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Cattle from the nearby villages came to the common ground to graze, and there was still a cool freshness in the air. Hori took several deep breaths and thought of sitting down for a while, since he’d be dying of heat in the scorching ‘loo’ wind the rest of the day. A number of farmers were eager to lease this bit of land and had offered a good price, but Rai Sahib—God bless him—had plainly told them it was reserved for grazing and would not be relinquished for any price. If he’d been one of those selfish Zamindars, he’d have said the cattle could go to hell, that there was no reason for him to miss the chance to make a little money. But the Rai Sahib still held to the old values, feeling that any landlord who didn’t look after his tenants was less than human.
Which of the following conclusions is/are correct?
- 1. All landlords essentially have some goodness trapped within them.
- 2. The common grazing grounds of a village are intended for use by the cattle of that village.
- 3. Landlords who believe in tradition tend to be more concerned about their tenants.
- 4. Winds later in the day tend to be cooler post the hot winds of the morning.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Only conclusion 3 is correct (c). Step 1: Rai Sahib "held to the old values", believing a landlord who did not look after his tenants was "less than human". So tradition-minded landlords care more for tenants (3). Step 2: conclusion 1 says all landlords have goodness; but the passage mentions "selfish Zamindars". Conclusion 2 says the grazing land is for the cattle of that village; but cattle came "from the nearby villages". Step 3: conclusion 4 says winds get cooler later; but Hori expects the scorching "loo" for the rest of the day. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: check small details like "nearby villages" and time of day. This passage is from Premchand's novel Godaan (1936).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Sport is not just about winning medals or getting jobs through a sports quota. Today’s generation is struggling with issues like depression and anxiety. Parents often say that their children are inactive and rarely leave the house. Sport can help tackle these problems. From sport you can learn time management, fitness, teamwork, coordination, and so much more. We need to develop a culture in which sport is seen as a way of life—a path to building a healthier, happier society.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. Parents are not encouraging enough when it comes to children playing sport.
- 2. Participation in sporting activities can help develop life skills.
- 3. Sport as a way of life can help evolve the very nature of society itself.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 2 and 3 are correct (b). Step 1: statement 2 matches the line that sport teaches "time management, fitness, teamwork, coordination". These are life skills. Step 2: statement 3 matches the closing line: sport as a way of life is "a path to building a healthier, happier society". Step 3: statement 1 blames parents for not encouraging sport. The passage only says parents report that children are inactive; it never blames them. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: do not turn a reporter into a culprit. When the passage quotes someone's complaint, it does not mean that person caused the problem.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Cattle from the nearby villages came to the common ground to graze, and there was still a cool freshness in the air. Hori took several deep breaths and thought of sitting down for a while, since he’d be dying of heat in the scorching ‘loo’ wind the rest of the day. A number of farmers were eager to lease this bit of land and had offered a good price, but Rai Sahib—God bless him—had plainly told them it was reserved for grazing and would not be relinquished for any price. If he’d been one of those selfish Zamindars, he’d have said the cattle could go to hell, that there was no reason for him to miss the chance to make a little money. But the Rai Sahib still held to the old values, feeling that any landlord who didn’t look after his tenants was less than human.
Which of the following statements are not correct?
- 1. The landholdings of Rai Sahib were currently not being used for farming.
- 2. Temperamentally, Rai Sahib was as greedy as other landlords.
- 3. It cannot be ascertained that Rai Sahib could have made some money by leasing out the grazing land.
- 4. It may be asserted that Rai Sahib valued his tenants and wanted to protect their livelihood.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
Statements 1, 2 and 3 are not correct (d). Step 1: statement 1 says his land was not used for farming. The passage says only "this bit of land" was kept for grazing; nothing about the rest. So 1 overreaches. Step 2: statement 2 calls him greedy like others. But he refused a good price, unlike "selfish Zamindars". So 2 is wrong. Step 3: statement 3 says his possible earnings cannot be ascertained. But farmers "had offered a good price", so he clearly could have earned. So 3 is wrong. Statement 4, that he valued his tenants, is correct. Options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: in "not correct" questions, find the one true statement first; the rest are your answer.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in 2019, it was a truly novel virus for the world. At that time, no one in the world had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or had specific immunity against it. In contrast, people across the world have been exposed to HMPV for decades and the virus is well-studied. HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 belong to two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics and epidemiology, with strong seasonality seen in HMPV, unlike SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses cause different severity of symptoms, particularly over the long term, and the affected population segments do not fully overlap. In general, HMPV causes milder illness with deaths being very rare and with no long-term post-viral symptoms.
Which of the following conclusions is/are valid?
- 1. Though SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV are similar viruses with somewhat different epidemiology, the former became a pandemic because it was novel and people had not been exposed to it in the past.
- 2. The two viruses have fundamentally different impacts on human populations and should not therefore be dealt with in a similar manner.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Only conclusion 2 is valid (b). Step 1: the passage stresses that SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV belong to "two very different virus families" with different seasonality, severity and affected groups. So they affect people differently and should not be handled the same way (2). Step 2: conclusion 1 calls them "similar viruses", which contradicts the passage. Step 3: so options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: one wrong word ("similar") can sink a long statement. HMPV was first identified in 2001 in the Netherlands; India reported cases in January 2025, and the Health Ministry said there was no unusual rise in illness.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The process by which countries close their labour-productivity gap with the technology leader is based on convergence theory. The convergence model divides economic eras into three phases : the breakaway, the catch-up, and the fine-tuning phase. It also divides economic entities into two categories : the technology leaders and the technology followers. The process begins with the development of a new technology, such as scavenging three million years ago (MYA), hunting—one MYA, farming—12 thousand years ago, and industrial technology—a little more than 200 years ago. During the breakaway phase, the per capita income of the technology leaders (e.g., Western Europe and North America in the industrial era) rises, but is unchanged for the technology followers. In the catch-up phase, the followers adopt the new technology and close their per capita income gap with the technology leaders. In the fine-tuning phase, where participants try to extract the remaining benefits from an increasingly exhausted technology, leaders and followers have similar per capita incomes.
Which of the following conclusions are correct?
- 1. In the breakaway phase, economic progress is slow for the technology followers.
- 2. In the catch-up phase, leaders stagnate and followers, therefore, close the gap between them and the leaders.
- 3. In the fine-tuning phase, technology is exhausted, as it were, and both leaders and followers attempt to extract leftover benefits, leading to more or less similar per capita income levels.
- 4. Industrial technology followed scavenging, which preceded hunting, which itself was followed by farming.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (a) & explanation
Conclusions 3 and 4 are correct (a). Step 1: conclusion 3 restates the fine-tuning phase: participants extract the remaining benefits from an "increasingly exhausted" technology, and leaders and followers have similar incomes. Correct. Step 2: conclusion 4 follows the timeline: scavenging (3 million years ago), hunting (1 million), farming (12,000 years) and industry (200 years). Correct. Step 3: conclusion 1 says followers' progress is "slow" in the breakaway phase; the passage says their income is "unchanged". Conclusion 2 says leaders stagnate in catch-up; the passage only says followers close the gap. So options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: "unchanged" is not "slow"; "followers catch up" does not mean "leaders stagnate". Match the exact word.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in 2019, it was a truly novel virus for the world. At that time, no one in the world had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or had specific immunity against it. In contrast, people across the world have been exposed to HMPV for decades and the virus is well-studied. HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 belong to two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics and epidemiology, with strong seasonality seen in HMPV, unlike SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses cause different severity of symptoms, particularly over the long term, and the affected population segments do not fully overlap. In general, HMPV causes milder illness with deaths being very rare and with no long-term post-viral symptoms.
Which of the following reflect the intent of the writer in the above passage?
- 1. To evolve methodologies for objective analysis of the two viruses
- 2. To establish the epidemiological similarities and differences between the two viruses
- 3. To offer a better understanding of the remedies of HMPV when analysed in conjunction with SARS-CoV-2
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
None of the three reflects the writer's intent (d). Step 1: the writer only contrasts the two viruses: HMPV is old and well-studied, seasonal and usually mild; SARS-CoV-2 was new. The aim is to show they are different, easing fear about HMPV. Step 2: statement 1, evolving methods of analysis, is not the aim. Statement 2 speaks of similarities and differences, but the passage stresses only differences. Step 3: statement 3, remedies for HMPV, is never discussed. So options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: intent questions ask "why did the writer write this?" Here, the answer is reassurance through contrast, which none of the statements captures.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The process by which countries close their labour-productivity gap with the technology leader is based on convergence theory. The convergence model divides economic eras into three phases : the breakaway, the catch-up, and the fine-tuning phase. It also divides economic entities into two categories : the technology leaders and the technology followers. The process begins with the development of a new technology, such as scavenging three million years ago (MYA), hunting—one MYA, farming—12 thousand years ago, and industrial technology—a little more than 200 years ago. During the breakaway phase, the per capita income of the technology leaders (e.g., Western Europe and North America in the industrial era) rises, but is unchanged for the technology followers. In the catch-up phase, the followers adopt the new technology and close their per capita income gap with the technology leaders. In the fine-tuning phase, where participants try to extract the remaining benefits from an increasingly exhausted technology, leaders and followers have similar per capita incomes.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. The convergence model divides nations into three phases of economic progress.
- 2. At the heart of the convergence theory is the closing of the gap between labour and productivity.
- 3. Technology leaders typically have arrived earlier at different economic eras.
- 4. The time period covered by the convergence theory presented herein encompasses, as mentioned, 4012200 years.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 2 and 3 are correct (b), as per UPSC's key. Step 1: statement 2: the opening line says convergence is how countries close their labour-productivity gap with the leader. UPSC reads this as the heart of the theory. Step 2: statement 3: in the breakaway phase, leaders (such as Western Europe and North America) gain first, so leaders arrive earlier at new eras. Correct. Step 3: statement 1 says the model divides nations into three phases; it divides economic eras into phases and entities into two categories. Statement 4 gives a wrong total period; the process begins about 3 million years ago. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: check what is being divided: eras into phases, entities into leaders and followers. Mixing them is the trap.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in 2019, it was a truly novel virus for the world. At that time, no one in the world had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or had specific immunity against it. In contrast, people across the world have been exposed to HMPV for decades and the virus is well-studied. HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 belong to two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics and epidemiology, with strong seasonality seen in HMPV, unlike SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses cause different severity of symptoms, particularly over the long term, and the affected population segments do not fully overlap. In general, HMPV causes milder illness with deaths being very rare and with no long-term post-viral symptoms.
Which of the following statements reflect the logical and rational inferences that can be drawn from the passage?
- 1. HMPV has, historically, had longer documentation of studies when compared with SARS-CoV-2.
- 2. The two viruses are different from each other and this results in markedly different outcomes amongst those affected.
- 3. Long-term impacts of the two viruses are dissimilar and this is an important differentiator between them.
- 4. One of the common factors between the two viruses is seasonal specificity.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Inferences 1, 2 and 3 follow (b). Step 1: HMPV has been around "for decades" and is "well-studied", while SARS-CoV-2 was new in 2019. So HMPV has a longer record of study (1). Step 2: the viruses are "fundamentally different" and cause different severity, so outcomes differ (2). Step 3: severity differs "particularly over the long term"; HMPV has no long-term after-effects. So long-term impact is a key difference (3). Statement 4 fails: seasonality is seen in HMPV "unlike SARS-CoV-2", so it is a difference, not a common factor. Options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: "unlike" signals a difference. Do not turn it into a similarity.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
India is starting to deploy AI for critical use cases such as weather forecasting, pest detection and control, and crop yield optimisation. However, penetration is limited to a small subset of tech-savvy farmers. In the US and in Europe, generative AI tools have started offering precision farming at scale, integrating large datasets to provide real-time agronomic insights. For at-scale integration and accessibility of AI tools in India, it would be helpful to develop Indian languages-based AI tools for smallholder farmers, partner with AgTechs to create affordable AI solutions, and disseminate AI-based advisory services through government programmes.
Which of the following assumptions is/are valid?
- 1. Agricultural productivity has marched ahead in the West because of the economies of scale facilitated by the adoption of AI tools.
- 2. Affordable AI tools rendered available in local languages can help AI-based solutions reach more and more small farmers.
- 3. Though penetration is as yet low, critical application areas deploying AI tools are already in use in India.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
Assumptions 2 and 3 are valid (d). Step 1: the passage suggests Indian-language AI tools, affordable solutions with AgTechs, and government advisory services to reach smallholders. This rests on assumption 2: affordable, local-language tools can reach more small farmers. Step 2: it opens by saying India is already using AI for weather forecasting, pest control and crop yields, though only among tech-savvy farmers. That is assumption 3. Step 3: assumption 1 says Western farm productivity rose because of AI and economies of scale. The passage only says AI tools "have started" offering precision farming there. So options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: reject cause-and-effect claims the passage does not make. "Started offering" is not "caused growth".
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
One of the dismal realities of the agricultural sector in independent India has been that it never experienced a high-growth phase, unlike the non-agricultural economy. The highest decadal growth (compound annual growth rate or CAGR) for agriculture has been just 3·5% in the 1980s. Also, after experiencing a spurt in decadal growth during the 1980s, agricultural growth suffered relative stagnation thereafter. This is in sharp contrast to non-agricultural growth, which consistently increased from the 1980s to 2000s.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the corollary to the above passage?
Answer (a) & explanation
The corollary is that reform benefits reach agriculture more slowly than other sectors (a). Step 1: a corollary is something that follows naturally from the passage. Step 2: the passage says farm growth peaked at 3.5% in the 1980s and then stagnated, while non-farm growth rose steadily from the 1980s to the 2000s, the reform era. So the gains of reform reached farming more slowly: (a). Step 3: options (b) the Green Revolution, (c) mechanisation and (d) migration are not discussed at all.
Tip: a corollary stays close to the passage's facts. India's economic reforms began in 1991; agriculture still employs over 40% of workers but gives a much smaller share of GDP.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
One of the dismal realities of the agricultural sector in independent India has been that it never experienced a high-growth phase, unlike the non-agricultural economy. The highest decadal growth (compound annual growth rate or CAGR) for agriculture has been just 3·5% in the 1980s. Also, after experiencing a spurt in decadal growth during the 1980s, agricultural growth suffered relative stagnation thereafter. This is in sharp contrast to non-agricultural growth, which consistently increased from the 1980s to 2000s.
With reference to the passage, the following assumptions have been made:
The growing divergence between the fortunes of the agricultural and non-agricultural economy in India could have been reduced/contained by :
- I. adapting large-scale cultivation of commercial crops and viable corporate farming.
- II. providing free insurance for all crops and heavily subsidizing seeds, fertilizers, electricity and farm machinery at par with developed countries.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither assumption is valid (d). Step 1: the passage only describes the gap: agriculture stagnated while non-farm growth rose. It suggests no remedy. Step 2: assumption I, corporate farming and commercial crops, and assumption II, free insurance and heavy subsidies, are possible policies, but neither is mentioned or implied. Step 3: they come from outside knowledge, so neither is an assumption of this passage. Options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: when a passage only describes a problem, any specific solution is outside it. Do not accept a remedy just because it sounds reasonable. India already runs PM Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance) and PM-KISAN, but the passage does not discuss them.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
The flower was not invented to please us. It flaunted its petals and spread its perfume to attract an insect. The insect carries the pollen from flower to flower so that pollen is not carried away by wind and thus not wasted. What we call a flower’s beauty is merely a by-product and a human invention. The perfume is not there to please us, it pleases us because it is there and we have been conditioned to it.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. The author of the passage believes that flowers are creations of Nature’s luxury.
- 2. The author of the passage does not believe in the usefulness of flowers except as things of beauty.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither assumption is valid (d). Step 1: the author says the flower's petals and perfume have a purpose: to attract insects that carry pollen, so it is not wasted. Step 2: assumption 1 calls flowers a "luxury" of Nature. But the author sees them as useful, not as luxury. Step 3: assumption 2 says the author sees flowers as useful only for beauty. The author says beauty is "merely a by-product" and a human idea. Both statements reverse the author's view, so options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: when a passage argues "X is not for Y but for Z", reject options that say X is for Y. Pollination by insects is a classic example of mutual benefit in nature.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.