Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Parents are not encouraging enough when it comes to children playing sport. 2. Participation in sporting activities can help develop life skills. 3. Sport as a way of life can help evolve the very nature of society itself. Select the answer using the code given below.
- (a) 1 and 3
- (b) 2 and 3 ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) 2 only
- (d) 3 only
Why the answer is (b)
• Statement 1 is incorrect because the passage states that parents say their children are inactive, but it does not claim that parents are not encouraging enough; it attributes the inactivity to the children's behavior, not parental lack of support.
• Statement 2 is correct as the passage explicitly lists time management, fitness, teamwork, and coordination as skills learned from sport, which are life skills.
• Statement 3 is correct because the passage concludes that developing a culture where sport is a way of life is a path to building a healthier, happier society, implying a change in the nature of society.
• Since statements 2 and 3 are supported by the text while statement 1 is not, the correct combination is 2 and 3.
• Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 and 3
- Statement 1 is not supported by the passage, which does not blame parents for a lack of encouragement.
- (c) 2 only
- Statement 3 is correct according to the passage's conclusion about building a healthier society, so excluding it makes this option incomplete.
- (d) 3 only
- Statement 2 is explicitly supported by the passage's list of skills like teamwork and time management, so excluding it makes this option incomplete.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.