UPSC Prelims 2016 CSAT Paper II · Q6 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage-2 In general, religious traditions stress our duty to god, or to some universal ethical principle. Our duties to one another derive from these. The religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to this divinity or principle and the implication it has on our other relationships. This correspondence between rights and duties is critical to any further understanding of justice. But, for justice to be practiced; virtue, rights and duties cannot remain formal abstractions. They must be grounded in a community (common unity) bound together by a sense of common union (communion). Even as a personal virtue, this solidarity is essential to the practice and understanding of justice.

Which one of the following is the crux of this passage ?

  1. (a) Our duties to one another derive from our religious traditions
  2. (b) Having relationship to the divine principle is a great virtue
  3. (c) Balance between rights and duties is crucial to the delivery of justice in a society ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) Religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to god

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage begins by establishing that religious traditions define duties and rights based on a relationship with the divine or universal principles.

• It explicitly states that the correspondence between rights and duties is critical to understanding justice.

• The text argues that for justice to be practiced, these concepts must be grounded in a community bound by solidarity and common union.

• The final sentence emphasizes that this solidarity is essential to the practice and understanding of justice.

• Therefore, the central argument (crux) is that the interplay and balance of rights and duties, grounded in community, are fundamental to achieving justice.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Our duties to one another derive from our religious traditions
The passage states that duties derive from religious traditions, but this is a supporting premise, not the main conclusion regarding justice.
(b) Having relationship to the divine principle is a great virtue
The passage does not claim that having a relationship with the divine is a virtue; it discusses solidarity as a personal virtue essential for justice.
(d) Religious concept of rights is primarily derived from our relationship to god
This option repeats a specific detail from the second sentence about the origin of rights, but it ignores the passage's main focus on the necessity of grounding rights and duties in community for justice.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2016, held on 7 August 2016. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

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