UPSC Prelims 2017 CSAT Paper II · Q4 of 79 Comprehension easy

Passage

Passage—4 Why do people prefer open defecation and not want toilets or, if they have them, only use them sometimes? Recent research has shown two critical elements : ideas of purity and pollution, and not wanting pits or septic tanks to fill because they have to be emptied. These are the issues that nobody wants to talk about, but if we want to eradicate the practice of open defecation, they have to be confronted and dealt properly.

Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

  1. (a) The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the minds of the people.
  2. (b) People have to perceive toilet use and pit-emptying as clean and not polluting. ✓ UPSC's answer
  3. (c) People cannot change their old habits.
  4. (d) People have neither civic sense nor sense of privacy.

Why the answer is (b)

• The passage identifies two critical barriers to toilet adoption: ideas of purity/pollution and the fear of pits/septic tanks filling up.

• It states that to eradicate open defecation, these specific issues must be confronted and dealt with properly.

• Option (b) directly addresses both barriers by suggesting that people must perceive toilet use and the necessary maintenance (pit-emptying) as clean and non-polluting.

• This perception change is the 'crucial message' because it offers the solution to the psychological and practical objections mentioned in the text.

• Therefore, the key option follows as it summarizes the required shift in mindset to overcome the identified obstacles.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the…
The passage states these issues must be confronted and dealt with, implying they can be addressed, rather than claiming they are impossible to remove.
(c) People cannot change their old habits.
The passage focuses on specific psychological and practical barriers (purity, pit-emptying) rather than making a general claim that people are incapable of changing habits.
(d) People have neither civic sense nor sense of privacy.
The text does not mention civic sense or privacy; it specifically attributes the behavior to ideas of purity/pollution and the management of waste pits.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2017, held on 18 June 2017. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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