Prelims 1999 · archive
EasyThe term ‘Aryan’ denotes:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) A speech group
'Aryan' is a linguistic term for speakers of Indo-Aryan languages, not a race or ethnic group.
- ✓ (c) Aryan refers to a speech group, speakers of Indo-Aryan languages.
- ✗ (d) The idea of a superior Aryan race is a discredited nineteenth-century notion.
Remember · Aryan = a language group, not a race.
Sources
- Aryan, Britannica ↗ · reference work “The term "Aryan" originally referred to people who spoke an archaic Indo-European language”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 1999, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 1999: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·