UPSC Prelims 2014— Question 57

Correct answer: Option A. Agni-IV is a surface-to-surface, intermediate-range ballistic missile developed by India and uses solid-fuel propulsion. The statement claiming liquid propellant only is incorrect, and the claimed 7,500 km range for a one-tonne nuclear warhead is inconsistent with the missile's generally reported range. Therefore statement 1 alone is correct. Option A: Correct. This option is consistent with the governing fact or the valid combination identified in the question. The option reads: “1 only” 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: “2 and 3 only” 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: “1 and 3 only” 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: “1, 2 and 3” 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.