UPSC Prelims 2015 CSAT Paper II · Q47 of 74 Comprehension medium

Passage

Governments may have to take steps which would otherwise be an infringement on the Fundamental Rights of individuals, such as acquiring a person's land against his will, or refusing permission for putting up a building, but the larger public interest for which these are done must be authorized by the people (Parliament). Discretionary powers to the administration can be done away with. It is becoming more and more difficult to keep this power within limits as the government has many number of tasks to perform. Where discretion has to be used, there must be rules and safeguards to prevent misuse of that power. Systems have to be devised which minimise, if not prevent, the abuse of discretionary power. Government work must be conducted within a framework of recognised rules and principles, and decisions should be similar and predictable.

Which among the following is the most logical assumption that can be made from the above passage ?

  1. (a) Government should always be given wide discretionary power in all matters of administration.
  2. (b) The supremacy of rules and safeguards should prevail as opposed to the influence of exclusive discretion of authority. ✓ UPSC's answer
  3. (c) Parliamentary democracy is possible only if the Government has wider discretionary power.
  4. (d) None of the above statements is a logical assumption that can be made from this passage.

Why the answer is (b)

• The passage states that discretionary powers to the administration can be done away with and that it is difficult to keep such power within limits.

• It explicitly argues that where discretion must be used, there must be rules and safeguards to prevent misuse.

• The text emphasizes that government work must be conducted within a framework of recognised rules and principles to ensure decisions are similar and predictable.

• Therefore, the passage supports the view that rules and safeguards should take precedence over the exclusive discretion of authority.

• This aligns directly with option (b), which asserts the supremacy of rules and safeguards over exclusive discretion.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Government should always be given wide discretionary power in all matters of…
The passage argues that discretionary powers can be done away with and are difficult to limit, contradicting the idea that wide discretionary power should always be given.
(c) Parliamentary democracy is possible only if the Government has wider discretionary power.
The passage does not link the possibility of parliamentary democracy to the government having wider discretionary power; instead, it focuses on limiting such power through rules.
(d) None of the above statements is a logical assumption that can be made from this passage.
Option (b) is a valid logical assumption derived from the text's emphasis on rules and safeguards over discretion, making 'None of the above' incorrect.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2015, held on 23 August 2015. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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