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CSAT 2026 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2026 · Question 47 · Reading comprehension

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

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 key source of the battle for clean skies and clear lungs is the fuel we burn—from household Chulhas to the thermal power plants. In most cases, it is biomass or coal. The Supreme Court banned the use of pet coke—the dirtiest of such fuels. The Delhi Government banned the use of coal, which was later extended to the entire National Capital Region. It was also agreed that the thermal power plants would clean up or shut down. Action on this has been patchy to say the least. The lesson from the transition to CNG is that people need alternatives for a ban to be effective. When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured. It also had to be feasible in terms of cost. The Supreme Court agreed that fiscal measures were needed to keep clean fuel cheaper than dirty fuel. Now even as coal is banned, the price of natural gas makes industry uncompetitive.

CSAT 2026 · Q47

Reading comprehension Easy Provisional key

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. 1.Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to summarily shut down.
  2. 2.CNG supplies had to be assured once diesel vehicles were prohibited from plying.
  3. 3.The Supreme Court banned the use of coal across the National Capital Region.

Select the answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 2 only

Only the CNG statement matches the passage. Thermal plants were to clean up or shut down, not shut down summarily, and the coal ban came from the Delhi Government and was extended to the NCR — the Supreme Court banned pet coke.

  • ✗ 1. It was agreed that the plants 'would clean up or shut down' — a choice, not a summary shutdown.
  • ✓ 2. 'When diesel buses were stopped, CNG supply had to be assured.'
  • ✗ 3. The Delhi Government banned coal, later extended to the NCR; the Supreme Court's ban was on pet coke.

Remember · Match each action to the right actor: who banned what is a favourite trap in policy passages.

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

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