UPSC Prelims 2015— Question 96

Correct answer: Option A. Kalamkari is a traditional hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile art associated especially with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in South India. It commonly uses natural dyes and depicts narrative, floral or religious motifs. It is not a bamboo, woollen Himalayan or north-western silk painting tradition. Option-wise analysis: Option A: “a hand-painted cotton textile in South India” is correct. It directly matches the factual or conceptual requirement tested by the question and is supported by the principle explained above. Option B: “a handmade drawing on bamboo handicrafts in North-East India” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option C: “a block-painted woollen cloth in Western Himalayan region of India” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Option D: “a hand-painted decorative silk cloth in North-Western India” is incorrect. It does not match the specific fact, definition, institutional role, geographical association, or constitutional/economic principle required here. The key distinction is the one identified in the core explanation, so this option can be eliminated. Prelims takeaway: Focus on the precise institutional role, constitutional provision, geographical association, or technical definition being tested. UPSC questions often place a broadly familiar fact beside a narrowly incorrect qualifier; identifying that qualifier is essential for elimination.