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 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.

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

Why the answer is (a)

• Conclusion 1 is not correct: in the breakaway phase the followers' per capita income is UNCHANGED, not merely slow-growing.

• Conclusion 2 is not correct: the passage does not say leaders stagnate; followers close the gap by adopting the new technology.

• Conclusion 3 is correct: in the fine-tuning phase, participants extract the remaining benefits of an exhausted technology and incomes become similar.

• Conclusion 4 is correct: scavenging (3 million years ago) came before hunting (1 million), which was followed by farming (12,000 years ago), and industrial technology came last. Hence 3 and 4 only: (a).

Why the other options are wrong

(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4: Conclusions 1 and 2 are not supported.
(c) 1 and 2 only: Conclusions 1 and 2 misstate the passage.
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only: Conclusion 2 is not supported: leaders are not said to stagnate.

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.