UPSC Prelims 2014— Question 11

Correct answer: Option B. Manganiyars are hereditary musician communities of Rajasthan and the north-western Indian cultural region. They are known for folk and devotional musical traditions, often performing with instruments such as kamaicha, dholak and khartal. They are not principally associated with martial arts, southern classical music or pietra dura. Option A: Incorrect. This option does not match the verified answer because its proposition, location, institution, sequence, or combination conflicts with the relevant fact tested in the question. The option reads: “martial arts in North-East India” Option B: Correct. This option is consistent with the governing fact or the valid combination identified in the question. The option reads: “musical tradition in North-West India” Option C: Incorrect. This option does not match the verified answer because its proposition, location, institution, sequence, or combination conflicts with the relevant fact tested in the question. The option reads: “classical vocal music in South India” Option D: Incorrect. This option does not match the verified answer because its proposition, location, institution, sequence, or combination conflicts with the relevant fact tested in the question. The option reads: “pietra dura tradition in Central India” The key Prelims lesson is to test each proposition independently before selecting the combination. Where the question uses words such as 'only', 'all', 'none', 'always' or a precise institutional/geographical association, a single inaccurate component is sufficient to eliminate the option. The answer recorded here follows the official answer key for the question-paper series represented by the uploaded source and has been cross-checked against an independent published key. The explanation is intended for conceptual revision rather than as a reproduction of any third-party solution.