UPSC Prelims 2025 CSAT Paper II · Q64 of 78 Comprehension medium

Passage

"A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But, though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense. The national unity of free people depends upon a sufficiently even balance of political power to make it impracticable for the administration to be arbitrary and for opposition to be revolutionary and irreconcilable."

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : I. In a democracy, a strong opposition is required only if the Head of Government is indifferent. II. The more aggressive the opposition, the better is the governance in a democracy. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid ?

  1. (a) I only
  2. (b) II only
  3. (c) Both I and II
  4. (d) Neither I nor II ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• Assumption I is invalid because the passage states that a good statesman learns from opponents regardless of their personal temperament, not just when they are indifferent.

• The text emphasizes that opponents are necessary to show dangers and keep the leader on the path of reason, implying the need for opposition is structural, not conditional on the leader's attitude.

• Assumption II is invalid because the passage explicitly warns that opposition must not be 'revolutionary and irreconcilable' to maintain national unity.

• The text advocates for a 'sufficiently even balance of political power,' meaning opposition should be constructive and reasonable, not merely aggressive.

• Since both assumptions misinterpret the nuanced role of opposition described in the passage, neither is valid.

• Therefore, the correct option is (d) Neither I nor II.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) I only
Assumption I is incorrect because the passage argues that opponents are essential for any sensible statesman, not only when the Head of Government is indifferent.
(b) II only
Assumption II is incorrect because the passage states that opposition must not be revolutionary or irreconcilable, implying that excessive aggression is detrimental to governance.
(c) Both I and II
Both assumptions are invalid as the passage rejects the idea that opposition is needed only for indifferent leaders and warns against irreconcilable, aggressive opposition.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. 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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