Comprehension PYQ — Page 8

Our urban bodies cannot possibly ensure sustainable delivery of water in our cities unless financing mechanisms are put in place. Water delivery requires heavy investment in collecting it from a natural source, treating it to make it potable, and laying a distribution network of pipes for delivery to the users. It also requires investments in sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment plants so that the sewers can carry the wastewater to these plants to ensure that no untreated sewage is discharged back into natural water bodies. If our cities were rich enough to meet the entire cost, water could be delivered free. They are not. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Rich cities only can ensure sustainable delivery of water. 2. Sustainable delivery of water in cities means much more than supplying water to households. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

India has tremendous potential for solar energy. We all realize that we have to stop burning fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. But certain renewable resources are still going through their cost curves and learning curves to get required amount of output. The Indian Government has strongly committed to its targets of reducing emissions by 33 percent by 2030, and towards this it has initiated a strong push towards a gas-based economy and has also invested heavily in renewable energy. However,, business housed are wary of investing too heavily in renewable energy at a time when the technology is not yet ready. Which one the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

In Part III of the Constitution, which assures people certain fundamental rights, Article 25 proclaims that "all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion". What people fail to notice is that this proclamation is prefixed with the words "subject to public order, morality, health and to the Other provisions of this Part", which set conditions precedent for the legal protection of religious practices of any community. The closing words of this prefatory rider in Article 25 virtually constitute a subordination clause placing other fundamental rights mentioned in Part III over and above the right to religious freedom. Among those other fundamental rights is the right to equality before law and equal protection of laws—assured at the outset and elaborated in later articles to mean, inter alia, that the State shall not deny equal protection of laws to any person or group of persons on the basis of religion alone. What is the most logical inference from the above passage?

In India, agriculture still engages about half of its workforce, and about 85 percent of its farms are small and marginal. Compared to China and Vietnam, which have experienced fast structural and rural transformation, India's story is of slow transformation. As a result, poverty reduction in India was at a much slower pace during 1988-2014, compared to China and Vietnam. India's poverty reduction was slow during 1988-2005, but during 2005-2012, it accelerated dramatically—almost three times faster than during the earlier period. What did India do during this period? Research reveals that the relative price scenario changed significantly (by more than 50%) in favour of agriculture in the wake of rising global prices. This boosted private investments in agriculture by more than 50%. As a result, agri-GDP growth touched 4.1% during 2007-20 12 as against 2.4% during 2002-2007. The net surplus of agri-trade touched $25 billion in 2013-2014; real farm wages rose 6y 7% per annum. All this led to unprecedented fall in poverty. Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

Genome editing is different from genome modification. Genome editing typically involves finding the part of a plant genome that could be changed to render it less vulnerable to disease, or resistant to certain herbicides, or to increase yields, Researchers use 'molecular scissors' to dissect the genome and repair it, which is a process that occurs naturally when plants are under attack from diseases and can throw up new mutations that enable the plant to survive future attacks. This evolutionary process can effectively be speeded up now that it is possible to examine plant genomes in detail in laboratories, and create mechanisms through which the relevant genes can be altered very precisely. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Genome editing does not require the transfer of genes from one plant to another. 2. Through genome editing, the chosen genes can be altered precisely in a manner akin to the natural process that helps plants to adapt to the environmental factors. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

One of the biggest ironies around water is that it comes from rivers and other wetlands. Yet it is seen as divorced from them While water is used as a resource, public policy does not always grasp that it is a part of the natural ecosystem. Efforts at engineering water systems are thus efforts at augmenting water supply rather than strengthening the capacities of ecological systems. Which one the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

Spanish ships in the late 16th century first brought the potato tuber from South America to Europe whereby in the early 19th century, it had become a reliable backup to cereal crops, particularly in the cold, rain-soaked soils of Ireland. The Irish were soon almost wholly dependent on the potato as their staple food. And they were planting primarily one prodigious variety, the 'Lumper' potato, whose genetic frailty would be cruelly exposed by the fungus 'Phytophthora infestans'. In 1845, spores of the deadly fungus began spreading across the country, destroying nearly all the Lumpers in its path. The resulting famine killed or displaced millions. Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

In India, over the last decade or so, labour has been departing agriculture, but is only going to construction and unregistered manufacturing which are not markedly better jobs. Services, where labour tends to be most productive, are not generating the additional jobs the country needs. India will need 24 million or so jobs over the next decade. The new sector, e-commerce, can at best close only half the jobs gap. Only those sectors that drive domestic demand such as health and education can comfortably fill the other half. Which one the following is best implied in the passage?

Asset allocation is the most important investment decision we will ever make, and sadly, most of us do not give that decision the importance it deserves. We are adamant about seeking predictability with our future. We tend to thing of investing in risky assets as extremely volatile and value cording. We also dislike fluctuating returns and the loss of control of investment. We think our money is best left idle, unproductive but safe. There is no asset that is risk-free. We could lose our jobs, our homes can lose value, our banks can go bankrupt, our bonds can default, the government can collapse and companies we chose fondly may cease to exist. But we cannot live life assuming that all these extreme events are waiting to. happen, and all at the same time. All these extreme forms of risks we know will not manifest at the same time. Which one of the following statements best implies the suggestion given by the author of the passage?

Economic liberalization in India was shaped Iargely.by the economic problems of the government than by the economic priorities of the people or by the long-term development objectives. Thus, there were limitations in conception and design which have been subsequently validated by experience. Jobless growth, persistent poverty and rising inequality have mounted as problems since economic liberalization began. And all these years later, four quiet crises confront the economy; agriculture, infrastructure, industrialization and education as constraints on the country's future prospects. These problems must be resolved if economic growth has to be sustained and transformed into meaningful development. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. India's economy needs to be greatly integrated with global economy so as to create large number of jobs and to sustain its growth momentum. 2. Economic liberalization would cause large economic growth which would reduce poverty and create sufficient employment in the long run. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

India has tremendous potential for solar energy. We all realize that we have to stop burning fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. But certain renewable resources are still going through their cost curves and learning curves to get required amount of output. The Indian Government has strongly committed to its targets of reducing emissions by 33 percent by 2030, and towards this it has initiated a strong push towards a gas-based economy and has also invested heavily in renewable energy. However,, business housed are wary of investing too heavily in renewable energy at a time when the technology is not yet ready. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Governments often provide inefficient and costly subsidies for technologies that may not be ready in the near future. 2. India's commitment of reducing emissions by 33% by 2030 shall be on the basis of gas-based economy. Which' of the above assumptions is/are valid?

In India, agriculture still engages about half of its workforce, and about 85 percent of its farms are small and marginal. Compared to China and Vietnam, which have experienced fast structural and rural transformation, India's story is of slow transformation. As a result, poverty reduction in India was at a much slower pace during 1988-2014, compared to China and Vietnam. India's poverty reduction was slow during 1988-2005, but during 2005-2012, it accelerated dramatically—almost three times faster than during the earlier period. What did India do during this period? Research reveals that the relative price scenario changed significantly (by more than 50%) in favour of agriculture in the wake of rising global prices. This boosted private investments in agriculture by more than 50%. As a result, agri-GDP growth touched 4.1% during 2007-20 12 as against 2.4% during 2002-2007. The net surplus of agri-trade touched $25 billion in 2013-2014; real farm wages rose 6y 7% per annum. All this led to unprecedented fall in poverty. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Structural and rural transformation is impossible when farms are mainly small and marginal. 2. A good price incentive can trigger investments in agriculture. 3. India needs to build value chains for high-value agriproducts like livestock and horticulture. 4. Higher global prices of agricultural commodities are essential for India's poverty reduction. Which of the above assumptions are valid?

People will invest in education whenever they are granted economic freedom to fully enjoy its benefits. Again, this is for the obvious reason that the return on education increases as the level of economic freedom rises. When people, thanks to lower tax rates, are allowed to retain most of the higher income that they gain from each incremental level of education, it makes eminent sense to invest in education. On the other hand, when the government decides to tax the higher income of educated individuals at even higher rates, it makes very little sense to invest in educating oneself further. The same incentives apply to parents who decide on whether to invest in their children’s education. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Lower tax rates in a country invariably translate into greater investments in higher education. 2. Investment in the education of children ensures their economic freedom. 3. Economic freedom has a positive impact on building up human capital. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Although most of the Genetically Modified (GM) crops cultivated now are genetically engineered for a single trait, in. future, crops genetically engineered for more than one trait will be the norm. Thus, biotechnology's role in agriculture and the regulation of the same cannot be understood solely in the context of the current generation of GM crops. Instead, there is a need to take a comprehensive look, taking into account various aspects, including socio-economic impacts, so that the potential of the technology can be harnessed while minimizing negative impacts. Given the importance of biotechnology in developing varieties that can help in climate change mitigation and adaptation, not using biotechnology as a part of the climate change action plan; Domestic regulation of biotechnology cannot be viewed in isolation of trade policy and obligations under various international treaties and conventions. Which one of following Statements best implies the crux of the passage?

Many opportunities to harness the highly skewed, seasonal and spatial distribution of monsoon flows, which occur in a four-month period from June to September annually, have been lost. Since these few months account for most of the rainfall and consequent freshwater availability, the need for holding rainwater in reservoirs, for subsequently releasing it for use over the year, is a necessity nobody can afford to overlook. Climate change will continue to affect weather conditions and create water shortages and excesses. While millions suffer from droughts and floods, waters in the country's many rivers flow unutilized, and are discharged into the sea every year. With reference to the above passage, which of the following could be the most rational and practical implications for India? 1. Inter-linking of rivers should be undertaken. 2. A network of dams and canals should be built across the country for proper distribution of water. 3. Farmers should be provided easy loans for digging borewells. 4. Usage of water for agriculture should be regulated by law. 5. Distribution of river water among regions should be regulated by the Union Government. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Bank credit to the industrial sector has started shrinking. Its decline has been a serious concern as credit growth is essential to revive investment. The problem's origins lie in the incomplete reforms of the last 25 years. An institutional change that should have followed. the 1991 reforms should have been setting up of a resolution corporation for banks. In a market economy with booms and busts, banks should be allowed to be set up and to fall. Today, we cannot shut down banks because there is no proper system to shut them down. Weak loss-making banks continue to need more capital. Which one of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?

In India, the current focus on the right to privacy is based on some new realities of the digital age. A right is a substantive right only if it works in all situations, and for everyone. A right to free expression for an individual about her exploitation, for instance, is meaningless without actual availability of security that guarantees that private force cannot be used to thwart this right. The role of the State, therefore, is not just to abstain from preventing rightful free expression, but also to actively ensure that private parties are not able to block it. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. State should have some institutions to ensure its appropriate role in a digital society. 2. State should ensure that private parties do not violate the citizens' right to privacy 3. Digital economy is not compatible with the idea of not violating the citizens' privacy. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Economic liberalization in India was shaped Iargely.by the economic problems of the government than by the economic priorities of the people or by the long-term development objectives. Thus, there were limitations in conception and design which have been subsequently validated by experience. Jobless growth, persistent poverty and rising inequality have mounted as problems since economic liberalization began. And all these years later, four quiet crises confront the economy; agriculture, infrastructure, industrialization and education as constraints on the country's future prospects. These problems must be resolved if economic growth has to be sustained and transformed into meaningful development. Which of the following is/are the most rational and logical inference/inferences that can be made from the passage? 1. It is essential to rethink and redefine the economic role of the State in the quest for development. 2. India has not made effective implementation of its policies in social sectors nor made sufficient investments in them. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Many people understand the connection between solid waste management and health in terms of the consequences of unattended heaps of dry garbage which become home for flies and other vermin. However, there is another aspect that is no well-understood, that is, what happens when unscientific solid waste management combines with poor drainage and dumping of untreated sewage into drain which are meant to carry storm water during rains. The result is choked drains which are full of stagnant water breeding mosquitoes, resulting in the spread of water-borne diseases. In the context of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message of the passage?

India is at once among the fastest growing global economies and home to the largest number of malnourished children in the world. There are regions where malnutrition is not the exception but the norm. And across the country, malnutrition is the cause of death for roughly half the 1.3 million children who die before their fifth birthday each year. Even those children who survive suffer permanently from the damage that has already been done to their bodies and minds from not getting enough of the right foods and nutrients. Around 44 million children under 5 are stunted. That makes it harder for them to learn in school and subsequently earn a living as adults. Their lifetime earnings potential is almost a quarter less than that of their healthy peers. With reference to the above passage, which of the following is, are the most rational and practical implication/implications? 1. India's Public Distribution System should be monitored by the Union Government. 2. Girls should be encouraged to delay marriage and first pregnancy. 3. Mothers should be encouraged to breast feed their children immediately after- birth. 4. The supply of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to all should be ensured. 5. Authorities should ensure the vaccination as prescribed. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Political theorists no doubt have to take history of injustice, for example, untouchability, seriously. The concept of historical injustice takes note of a variety of historical wrongs that continue into the present in some form or the other and tend to resist repair. Two reasons might account for resistance to repair. One, not only are the roots of injustice buried deep in history, injustice itself constitutes economic structures of exploitation, ideologies of discrimination and modes of representation. Two, the category of historical injustice generally extends across a number of wrongs such as economic deprivation, social discrimination and lack of recognition. This category is complex, not only because of the overlap between a number of wrongs, but because one or the other wrong, generally discrimination, tends to acquire partial autonomy from others. This is borne out by the history of repair in India. What is the main idea that we can infer from the passage?

A majority of the TB infected in India are poor and lack sufficient nutrition, suitable housing and have little understanding of prevention. TB then devastates families, makes the poor poorer, particularly affects women and children, and leads to ostracization and loss of employment. The truth is that even if TB does not kill them, hunger and poverty will. Another truth is that deep-seated stigma, lack of counselling, expensive treatment and lack of adequate support from provider and family, coupled with torturous side-effects demotivate patients to continue treatment — with disastrous health consequences. Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

In a study, scientists compared the microbiomes of poorly nourished and well nourished infants and young children. Gut microbes were isolated from faecal samples of malnourished and healthy children. The microbiome was "immature" and less diverse in malnourished children compared to the better developed "mature" microbiome found in healthy children of the same age. According to some studies, the chemical composition of mother's milk has shown the presence of a modified sugar (salivated Oligosaccharides). This is not utilized by the baby for its own nutrition However, the bacteria constituting the infant's microbiome thrive on this sugar which serves as their food. Malnourished, mothers have low levels of this sugar in their milk. Consequently, the microbiomes of their infants fail to mature. That in turn, leads to malnourished babies. On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Processed probiotic foods are a solution to treat the children suffering from malnutrition due to immature gut bacteria composition. 2. The babies of malnourished mothers generally tend to be malnourished. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

With the digital phenomenon restructuring most social sectors, it is little surprise that global trade negotiations are now eyeing the digital area in an attempt to pre-emptively colonise it; Big Data is freely collected or mined from developing countries, and converted into digital intelligence in developed countries. This intelligence begins to control different sectors and extract monopoly rents. A large foreign company providing cab service, for instance is not a network of cars and drivers; it is digital intelligence about commuting, public transport, roads, traffic, city events, personal behavioural characteristics of commuters and drivers and so on. Which one of the following is the most logical and rational corollary to the above passage?