Lal Bahadur Shastri's Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on ___…

Read the paragraph given below and answer the following questions.

Shastri was the country's Prime Minister from 1964-1966. During Shastri's brief Prime Ministership, the country faced two major challenges. While India was still recovering from the economic implications of the war with China, failed monsoons, drought and serious food crisis presented a grave challenge. The country also faced a war with Pakistan in 1965. Shastri's famous slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan', symbolised the country's resolve to face both these challenges. Shastri's Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on 10 January 1966, when he suddenly expired in Tashkent, then in USSR and currently the capital of Uzbekistan. He was there to discuss and sign an agreement with Muhammad Ayub Khan, the then President of Pakistan, to end the war.

Lal Bahadur Shastri's Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on ______.

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → 10 January 1966

Shastri’s Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on 10 January 1966, when he suddenly expired in Tashkent.

Note: The pre-rationalised NCERT, the book of the 2023 paper, and the 2023-24 and 2025-26 books say that Shastri’s Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on 10 January 1966, as the passage does; the NCERT book (2026-27) gives 11 January 1966. 11 January 1966 is not among the options, so the answer is Option (1) in either case.

NCERT (2026-27): “From Nehru to Shastri … Shastri’s Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on 11 January 1966, when he suddenly expired in Tashkent, then in USSR and currently the capital of Uzbekistan. He was there to discuss and sign an agreement with Muhammad Ayub Khan, the then President of Pakistan, to end the war.”

NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “From Nehru to Shastri … Shastri’s Prime Ministership came to an abrupt end on 10 January 1966, when he suddenly expired in Tashkent, then in USSR and currently the capital of Uzbekistan. He was there to discuss and sign an agreement with Muhammad Ayub Khan, the then President of Pakistan, to end the war.”