UPSC Prelims 2014— Question 24

Correct answer: Option C. Panchayatan refers to a temple arrangement in which a principal shrine is accompanied by four subsidiary shrines, commonly producing a five-shrine composition. It is therefore an architectural or temple-construction style, not a village assembly, religious sect or administrative office. 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: “an assembly of village elders” Option B: 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: “a religious sect” Option C: Correct. This option is consistent with the governing fact or the valid combination identified in the question. The option reads: “a style of temple construction” 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: “an administrative functionary” 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.