Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other as Reason (R) -
Assertion (A) - Population control is necessary to maintain the environment of the country.
Reason (R) - Due

Question

Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other as Reason (R) -
Assertion (A) - Population control is necessary to maintain the environment of the country.
Reason (R) - Due to the rapid increase in population, the environmental balance is maintained.
Select the correct answer using the code given below -

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — D, (A) is true but (R) is false. Assertion (A) is true: controlling population relieves pressure on finite resources (land, water, forests, air), which helps preserve environmental balance. Reason (R) is false — a rapid increase in population does NOT maintain environmental balance; it disturbs it, through greater consumption, deforestation, pollution, waste generation and resource depletion. Since A is true and R is false, the correct code is (d).

Why the other options are wrong — (a) R is not true at all — rapid population growth degrades rather than maintains environmental balance — so 'both true' is wrong.  (b) Reversed: it is A that is true and R that is false, not the other way round.  (c) Cannot be the explanation because R is false; a false reason can never correctly explain a true assertion.

Concept: In Assertion-Reason questions, judge the truth of each statement independently first, then ask whether the reason (if true) actually explains the assertion. Here the assertion (population control helps the environment) is sound, but the reason inverts reality — it claims rapid population growth 'maintains' the balance, when in fact rapid growth strains ecosystems.

State PCS 2023 Q62 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q62 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer