UPSC Prelims 2018 CSAT Paper II · Q10 of 58 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage—4 Though I have discarded much of past tradition and custom, and am anxious that India should rid herself of all shackles that bind and contain her and divide her people, and suppress vast numbers of them, and prevent the free development of the body and the spirit; though I seek all this, yet I do not wish to cut myself off from that past completely. I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is, ours and I am conscious that I too, like all of us, am a link in that unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history in the immemorial past of India.

The author wants India to rid herself of certain past bonds because

  1. (a) he is not able to see the relevance of the past
  2. (b) there is not much to be proud of
  3. (c) he is not interested in the history of India
  4. (d) they obstruct her physical and spiritual growth ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The passage explicitly states the author's desire for India to rid itself of shackles that 'bind and contain her and divide her people'.

• It further specifies that these shackles 'suppress vast numbers of them' and 'prevent the free development of the body and the spirit'.

• The phrase 'free development of the body and the spirit' directly corresponds to physical and spiritual growth.

• Therefore, the primary reason for discarding these specific past bonds is their obstructive nature regarding human development.

• This aligns perfectly with option (d), which identifies the obstruction of physical and spiritual growth as the cause.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) he is not able to see the relevance of the past
The author explicitly states he is 'proud of that great inheritance' and sees himself as a link in an 'unbroken chain', contradicting the claim that he cannot see the relevance of the past.
(b) there is not much to be proud of
The text directly contradicts this by stating, 'I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is, ours'.
(c) he is not interested in the history of India
The author identifies himself as a link in a chain going back to the 'dawn of history', indicating a deep connection to and interest in India's history rather than a lack of it.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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