Passage

Directions for the following 3 (three) items : Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage—1 To encourage research is one of the functions of a university. Contemporary universities have encouraged research, not only in those cases where research is necessary, but on all sorts of entirely unprofitable subjects as well. Scientific research is probably never completely valueless. However silly and insignificant it may seem, however mechanical and unintelligent the labours of the researchers, there is always a chance that the results may be of value to the investigator of talent, who can use the facts collected for him by uninspired but industrious researchers as the basis of some fruitful generalization. But where research is not original, but consists in the mere rearrangement of existing materials, where its object is not scientific but literary or historical, then there is a risk of the whole business becoming merely futile.

According to the author

(a) not many research results can be of value to an intelligent investigator
(b) a research result is always valuable to an intelligent investigator
(c) any research result can be of value to an intelligent investigator ✓ UPSC's answer
(d) a research result must always be of some value to an intelligent investigator

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage states that scientific research is 'probably never completely valueless.'

• It explicitly mentions that 'there is always a chance that the results may be of value to the investigator of talent.'

• This implies that even if research seems silly or insignificant, it retains the potential to be useful to a talented investigator.

• Therefore, the author argues that any research result holds the possibility of being valuable to such an investigator.

• This aligns with option (c), which states that any research result can be of value to an intelligent investigator.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) not many research results can be of value to an intelligent investigator: The passage argues that there is always a chance of value, contradicting the claim that not many results can be of value.
(b) a research result is always valuable to an intelligent investigator: The text uses the phrase 'there is always a chance,' indicating possibility rather than the absolute certainty that a result is always valuable.
(d) a research result must always be of some value to an intelligent investigator: The word 'must' implies a necessity or guarantee, whereas the passage only suggests a probability or chance of value.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.