UPSC Prelims 2026 CSAT Paper II · Q55 of 70 Comprehension medium

Passage

Directions for the next 2 (two) items : Read the following passage and answer the items that follow. Your answers should be based solely on the passage. Passage Cattle from the nearby villages came to the common ground to graze, and there was still a cool freshness in the air. Hori took several deep breaths and thought of sitting down for a while, since he'd be dying of heat in the scorching 'loo' wind the rest of the day. A number of farmers were eager to lease this bit of land and had offered a good price, but Rai Sahib—God bless him—had plainly told them it was reserved for grazing and would not be relinquished for any price. If he'd been one of those selfish Zamindars, he'd have said the cattle could go to hell, that there was no reason for him to miss the chance to make a little money. But the Rai Sahib still held to the old values, feeling that any landlord who didn't look after his tenants was less than human.

Which of the following statements are not correct? 1. The landholdings of Rai Sahib were currently not being used for farming. 2. Temperamentally, Rai Sahib was as greedy as other landlords. 3. It cannot be ascertained that Rai Sahib could have made some money by leasing out the grazing land. 4. It may be asserted that Rai Sahib valued his tenants and wanted to protect their livelihood. Select the answer using the code given below.

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 1 and 3 only
  3. (c) 3 and 4
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3 ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• Statement 1 is incorrect because the passage explicitly states the land is 'reserved for grazing' and cattle come to graze, meaning it is actively used for pastoral purposes, not left unused for farming.

• Statement 2 is incorrect because the text contrasts Rai Sahib with 'selfish Zamindars' and notes he 'held to the old values,' indicating he was not temperamentally greedy like the others.

• Statement 3 is incorrect because the passage clearly mentions that farmers 'offered a good price' to lease the land, making it ascertainable that he could have made money.

• Statement 4 is correct as the passage states he felt a landlord who didn't look after tenants was 'less than human,' confirming he valued and protected their livelihood.

• Since the question asks for statements that are NOT correct, statements 1, 2, and 3 fit the criteria, leading to option (d).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) 1 and 2 only
Option (a) is incorrect because it omits statement 3, which is also not correct as the passage confirms farmers offered a good price for the lease.
(b) 1 and 3 only
Option (b) is incorrect because it includes statement 3 (which is not correct) but omits statement 2, which is also not correct as Rai Sahib is described as holding old values rather than being greedy.
(c) 3 and 4
Option (c) is incorrect because it includes statement 4, which is a correct statement according to the passage, and omits statements 1 and 2 which are not correct.

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.

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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