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CSAT 2019 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2019 · Question 44 · Reading comprehension

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

Passage—3

Diarrhoeal deaths among Indian children are mostly due to food and water contamination. Use of contaminated groundwater and unsafe chemicals in agriculture, poor hygiene in storage and handling of food items to food cooked and distributed in unhygienic surroundings; there are myriad factors that need regulation and monitoring. People need to have awareness of adulteration and ways of complaining to the relevant authorities. Surveillance of food-borne diseases involves a number of government agencies and entails a good training of inspection staff. Considering the proportion of the urban population that depends on street food for its daily meals, investing in training and education of street vendors is of great significance.

CSAT 2019 · Q44

Reading comprehension Medium

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

  1. 1.Food safety is a complex issue that calls for a multipronged solution.
  2. 2.Great investments need to be made in developing the manpower for surveillance and training.
  3. 3.India needs to make sufficient legislation for governing food processing industry.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

The passage lists many sources of contamination and calls for regulation, public awareness, multi-agency surveillance, trained inspectors and educated street vendors — a many-sided answer to a complex problem, resting on trained people. It says nothing about new laws for the food processing industry.

  • ✓ 1. 'Myriad factors that need regulation and monitoring', public awareness, several agencies and vendor training — a multipronged approach.
  • ✓ 2. Surveillance 'entails a good training of inspection staff', and investing in training street vendors is 'of great significance'.
  • ✗ 3. Neither the food processing industry nor legislation is discussed; the focus is farm chemicals, hygiene, street food and surveillance.

Remember · A valid assumption reflects the passage's own remedies; a new sector or instrument it never mentions is outside it.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

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