Read the following passage and answer the question. "Here, throughout the early 1920s, Stuart continued to fight his losing battle to allow his sepoys to wear their caste-marks and their own choice of facial hair on parade, being again reprimanded by the commander-in-chief. His retort that 'A stronger instance than this of European prejudice with relation to this country has never come under my observations' had no effect on his superiors." Which of the following statements is most accurate based on the above paragraph? A. Stuart's commander-in-chief was moved by this demonstration of his prejudice. B. The Europeans were accommodating of the sepoy's desire to wear their caste-marks. C. Stuart's losing battle refers to his inability to succeed in enabling sepoys to wear caste-marks. D. The commander-in-chief was exempt from the European prejudice that dictated how the sepoys were to dress.

GATE 2017 · General Aptitude · Passage Reading · easy

Answer: C. Stuart's losing battle refers to his inability to succeed in enabling sepoys to wear caste-marks.

1. Identify what 'losing battle' refers to: The passage says Stuart 'continued to fight his losing battle to allow his sepoys to wear their caste-marks and their own choice of facial hair on parade.' The battle = his campaign to allow these practices. It is losing because he was being 'reprimanded' and his retort 'had no effect on his superiors.'
2. Eliminate incorrect options: A: 'commander-in-chief was moved' — contradicted by 'had no effect on his superiors.' B: 'Europeans were accommodating' — directly contradicted; he was reprimanded. C: 'losing battle refers to inability to succeed in enabling sepoys to wear caste-marks' — matches the passage perfectly. D: 'commander-in-chief was exempt from European prejudice' — contradicted; Stuart said this very instance was European prejudice.