UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 60
With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements:
- Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects and mites.
- Neem seeds are used in the manufacture of biofuels and hospital detergents.
- Neem oil has applications in pharmaceutical industry.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C
Explanation: Neem oil contains insect-control compounds and has pharmaceutical/dermatological uses. The combined biofuel-plus-hospital-detergent claim is not accepted by the supplied key.
Statement/Pair-wise Analysis:
Statement/Item 1: Correct - Azadirachtin and related compounds make neem oil useful against some pests.
Statement/Item 2: Incorrect - Neem oil has biodiesel potential, but the statement’s specific hospital-detergent manufacturing claim is not established as a standard use.
Statement/Item 3: Correct - Neem-derived ingredients are used in medicinal and dermatological formulations.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - includes incorrect statement/item 2; omits correct statement/item 3.
B: Incorrect - omits correct statement/item 1.
C: Correct - includes all and only the correct items.
D: Incorrect - includes incorrect statement/item 2.
Review Note: Statement 2 is disputed in some secondary sources because neem oil can be a biodiesel feedstock and appears in cleansing formulations. The provided key rejects the combined assertion; verify its historical intended scope.