UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT Paper II · Q61 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage—1 In a robust democracy, reality, howsoever inconvenient it may be, finds its expression both in the speech of political leaders and the other social forms of assertion. The existence of the real has to be transparent, both through its circulation in and by the media as well as its argumentative articulation in deliberative democracy. A normatively responsible media through its communication effect has the responsibility to circulate the content of reality without distortion.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the above passage?

  1. (a) Responsible media should not distort the real in an ideal democracy. ✓ UPSC's answer
  2. (b) Fake news seems inherent in the life of an ideal democracy.
  3. (c) There should not be any kind of restrictions on the freedom of expression in an ideal democracy.
  4. (d) Irresponsible media and political leaders cannot be effectively controlled in an ideal democracy.

Why the answer is (a)

• The passage defines a robust democracy as one where reality is transparently expressed through political speech and media.

• It explicitly states that a 'normatively responsible media' has the responsibility to circulate the content of reality without distortion.

• The core argument links the health of the democracy to the media's duty to maintain the integrity of reality.

• Therefore, the central theme is that responsible media must avoid distorting reality in an ideal democratic setup.

Why the other options are wrong

(b) Fake news seems inherent in the life of an ideal democracy.
The passage argues for transparency and non-distortion, not that fake news is an inherent or accepted feature of democracy.
(c) There should not be any kind of restrictions on the freedom of expression in an ideal…
The text focuses on the media's responsibility to avoid distortion, not on the absence of restrictions on freedom of expression.
(d) Irresponsible media and political leaders cannot be effectively controlled in an ideal…
The passage prescribes a normative duty for media to be responsible, rather than claiming that irresponsible actors cannot be controlled.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2024, held on 16 June 2024. 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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