UPSC Prelims 2026 CSAT Paper II · Q63 of 70 Comprehension hard

Passage

The process by which countries close their labour-productivity gap with the technology leader is based on convergence theory. The convergence model divides economic eras into three phases : the breakaway, the catch-up, and the fine-tuning phase. It also divides economic entities into two categories : the technology leaders and the technology followers. The process begins with the development of a new technology, such as scavenging three million years ago (MYA), hunting—one MYA, farming—12 thousand years ago, and industrial technology—a little more than 200 years ago. During the breakaway phase, the per capita income of the technology leaders (e.g., Western Europe and North America in the industrial era) rises, but is unchanged for the technology followers. In the catch-up phase, the followers adopt the new technology and close their per capita income gap with the technology leaders. In the fine-tuning phase, where participants try to extract the remaining benefits from an increasingly exhausted technology, leaders and followers have similar per capita incomes.

Which of the following conclusions are correct? 1. In the breakaway phase, economic progress is slow for the technology followers. 2. In the catch-up phase, leaders stagnate and followers, therefore, close the gap between them and the leaders. 3. In the fine-tuning phase, technology is exhausted, as it were, and both leaders and followers attempt to extract leftover benefits, leading to more or less similar per capita income levels. 4. Industrial technology followed scavenging, which preceded hunting, which itself was followed by farming. Select the answer using the code given below.

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

Why the answer is (a)

• Statement 1 is incorrect because the passage states that during the breakaway phase, the per capita income of technology followers is 'unchanged,' not that progress is merely 'slow.'

• Statement 2 is incorrect because the passage does not state that leaders stagnate during the catch-up phase; it only notes that followers adopt the technology to close the gap.

• Statement 3 is correct as it accurately reflects the passage's description of the fine-tuning phase, where participants extract remaining benefits from an exhausted technology, resulting in similar per capita incomes.

• Statement 4 is correct because the passage lists the chronological order of technologies as scavenging (3 MYA), hunting (1 MYA), farming (12,000 years ago), and industrial technology (200+ years ago).

• Therefore, only statements 3 and 4 are correct, which corresponds to option (a).

Why the other options are wrong

(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Option (b) is incorrect because statements 1 and 2 are factually inconsistent with the specific definitions provided in the passage.
(c) 1 and 2 only
Option (c) is incorrect because statements 1 and 2 are false, while statement 3 is true.
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Option (d) is incorrect because statement 2 is false, as the passage does not claim leaders stagnate during the catch-up phase.

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.

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