In the given question, a statement of Assertion is followed by a statement of Reason. Mark the correct answer.

Assertion: At the time of independence of India it was believed that India could not remain together for long.
Reason: India was a land of continental size and diversity. Its people spoke different languages and followed different cultures and religions.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The first and the immediate challenge India faced after the independence was to shape a nation that was united, yet accommodative of the diversity in our society.
a.    India had to shape a united nation while accommodating its diverse society.
b.    The country was vast, with different languages, cultures, and religions.
c.    Concerns arose regarding the sustainability of a diverse nation, especially after the partition.
d.    Questions arose about the future of India, its survival as a unified country, and the balance between national unity and regional identities.
e.    The integration of India's territory became an urgent matter.

(India was a land of continental size and diversity. Its people spoke different languages and followed different cultures and religions. At that time it was widely believed that a country full of such kinds of diversity could not remain together for long.)