UPSC Prelims 2018— Question 95

**Concept and analysis:** PSLV is widely used for Earth-observation and remote-sensing satellites and can place spacecraft into polar and sun-synchronous orbits. GSLV is designed primarily for heavier communication satellites and geostationary transfer missions. Satellites in geostationary orbit appear fixed over one point, but that is not a general property of PSLV-launched satellites. The GSLV Mk III description in statement 3 is technically wrong because its stage configuration does not match the stated four-stage sequence. The question is testing precise UPSC-level identification rather than a broad association. The key is to distinguish the exact institutional, constitutional, historical, geographical, economic or scientific feature being asked. **Option-wise evaluation** **Option A:** Correct. It selects statements 1; these are the statements supported by the relevant constitutional, economic, historical, scientific or geographical facts. **Option B:** Incorrect. It selects 2 and 3, but that combination does not match the verified statement-level assessment; it either includes a false statement or omits a true one. **Option C:** Incorrect. It selects 1 and 2, but that combination does not match the verified statement-level assessment; it either includes a false statement or omits a true one. **Option D:** Incorrect. It selects 3 only, but that combination does not match the verified statement-level assessment; it either includes a false statement or omits a true one. **UPSC takeaway:** The safest way to solve this type of question is to anchor the answer in the defining feature of the concept and then test every option against that feature. Closely related institutions or terms are often used as distractors. In statement-based questions, do not judge the option as a whole before checking each statement independently. In factual questions, compare the wording of each option with the exact definition, location, institutional role, chronology or scientific property. The correct answer follows from that verification rather than from familiarity with a keyword.