UPSC Prelims 2025 CSAT, question 53

Topic: Reading comprehension

Directions · Q51 to Q54

Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answer to these items should be based on the passages only.

Passage · Q53 to Q54

“A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But, though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense. The national unity of free people depends upon a sufficiently even balance of political power to make it impracticable for the administration to be arbitrary and for opposition to be revolutionary and irreconcilable.”

Q53

Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the author of the passage ?

(a) Without opposition parties, the administration in a democracy gets to become more responsible.
(b) Democracy needs to have revolutionaries in opposition to keep the government alert.
(c) Rulers in a democracy need the support of opposition for their political survival.
(d) In a democracy, the opposition is indispensable for the balance of political power and good governance.Correct answer

Solution.

Answer: (d) In a democracy, the opposition is indispensable for the balance of political power and good governance.

The passage argues that opponents keep a statesman on the path of reason and good sense, and that national unity depends on an even balance of political power preventing arbitrary administration.
This directly conveys that in a democracy, the opposition is indispensable for balancing political power and ensuring good governance.