Passage: Diarrhoeal deaths among Indian children are mostly due to food and water contamination. Use of contaminated groundwater and unsafe chemicals in agriculture, poor hygiene in storage and handling of food items to food cooked and distributed in unhygienic surroundings; there are myriad factors that need regulation and monitoring. People need to have awareness of adulteration and ways of complaining to the relevant authorities. Surveillance of food-borne diseases involves a number of government agencies and entails good training of inspection staff. Considering the proportion of the urban population that depends on street food for its daily meals, investing in training and education of street vendors is of great significance.
On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: Food safety is a complex issue that calls for a multipronged solution. Great investments need to be made in developing the manpower for surveillance and training. India needs to make sufficient legislation for governing food processing industry. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- 1 and 2 only
- 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The passage identifies multiple factors requiring regulation and monitoring, supporting the assumption that food safety is complex and needs multipronged solutions. It also implies the need for legislation through regulation and surveillance. However, the passage does not state that 'great investments' in manpower development are needed, only that training and education are significant.
Passage: India faces a challenging immediate future in energy and climate policy-making. The problems are multiple : sputtering fossil fuel production capability; limited access to electricity and modern cooking fuel for the poorest; rising fuel imports in an unstable global energy context; continued electricity pricing and governance challenges leading to its costly deficits or surplus supply; and not least, growing environmental contestation around land, water and air. But all is not bleak: growing energy efficiency programmes; integrated urbanisation and transport policy discussions; inroads to enhancing energy access and security; and bold renewable energy initiatives, even if not fully conceptualized, suggest the promise of transformation.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the passage given above?
- India's energy decision-making process is ever more complex and interconnected.
- India's energy and climate policy is heavily tuned to sustainable development goals.
- India's energy and climate actions are not compatible with its broader social, economic and environmental goals.
- India's energy decision-making process is straightforward supply-oriented and ignores the demand side.
Explanation: The statement that India's energy decision-making process is ever more complex and interconnected is correct because the passage discusses multiple overlapping problems and integrated policy discussions across energy, urbanisation, and transport. The statement that India's policy is heavily tuned to sustainable development goals is incorrect because the passage does not support such an extreme characterization. The statement that India's actions are incompatible with broader social, economic, and environmental goals is incorrect because it is speculative and not discussed in the passage. The statement that the decision-making process is straightforward supply-oriented and ignores demand is incorrect because the passage does not explicitly discuss demand-side versus supply-side orientation.
Three prime numbers p, q and r, each less than 20, are such that p - q = q - r. How many distinct possible values can we get for (p + q + r)?
Explanation: The condition p - q = q - r simplifies to 2q = p + r, meaning q is the average of p and r. The prime numbers under 20 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19. The valid triplets forming an arithmetic progression are (3, 5, 7), (3, 7, 11), (5, 11, 17), and (7, 13, 19). Their respective sums are 15, 21, 33, and 39. Thus, there are 4 distinct sums.
The digits 1 to 9 are arranged in three rows in such a way that each row contains three digits, and the number formed in the second row is twice the number formed in the first row; and the number formed in the third row is thrice the number formed in the first row. Repetition of digits is not allowed. If only three of the four digits 2, 3, 7 and 9 are allowed to use in the first row, how many such combinations are possible to be arranged in the three rows?
Explanation: We can only use three of the four digits - 2, 3, 7, and 9, in the first row. Also, since third row is also a 3 digit number and thrice the first row number, maximum value of first row can be 987/3 i.e. 329. So, we are left with following combinations only: 237, 273, 239, 293, 279, 297, 327, and 329. We will check these numbers by doubling and tripling respectively to check feasibility: 237 * 2 = 474 (digit repetition, so eliminated); 273 * 2 = 546 and 273 * 3 = 819 (passes both); 239 * 2 = 478 and 239 * 3 = 717 (digit repetition, so eliminated); 293 * 2 = 586 and 293 * 3 = 879 (digit repetition, so eliminated); 279 * 2 = 558 (digit repetition, so eliminated); 297 * 2 = 594 (digit repetition, so eliminated); 327 * 2 = 654 and 327 * 3 = 981 (passes both); 329 * 2 = 658 and 329 * 3 = 987 (digit repetition, and so eliminated). So, only two cases are possible. Answer is 2.
Directions for the following 5 (five) item:
Read the following three passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.
Passage â 2
There is a claim that organic farming is inherently safer and healthier. The reality is that because the organic farming industry is still young and not well-regulated in India, farmers and consumers, alike, are not only confused about what products are best for them, but sometimes use products in ways that could harm them as well. For example, since organic fertilizers are difficult to obtain on a large scale in India, farmers often use farmyard manure, which may contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Certain plant sprays, such as Datura flower and leaf spray, have an element called atropine. If it is not applied in the right dose, it can act on the nervous system of the consumer. Unfortunately, how much and when to use it are not well-researched or regulated issues.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical message conveyed by the author of the passage ?
- In India, organic farming should not be promoted as a substitute for conventional farming.
- There are no safe organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers.
- In India, farmers need to be guided and helped to make their organic farming sustainable.
- The aim of organic farming should not be to generate huge profits as there is still no global market for its products.
Explanation: The statement that organic farming should not be promoted as a substitute for conventional farming is incorrect because the passage does not compare organic and conventional farming or advocate for one over the other. The claim that there are no safe organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers is an extreme and unsupported view; the passage only discusses specific issues with certain organic practices like datura spray and farmyard manure, not a blanket absence of safe alternatives. The statement that farmers need guidance to make organic farming sustainable is correct: the passage emphasizes the industry's youth, lack of regulation, and the confusion among farmers and consumers that leads to harmful misuse, all of which imply a pressing need for guidance and assistance. The statement about avoiding huge profits due to the absence of a global market is outside the passage's scope, as economic impact and profitability are not discussed.
Consider the following Statements and Conclusions: Statements: Some rats are cats. Some cats are dogs. No dog is a cow. Conclusions: No cow is a cat. No dog is a rat. Some cats are rats. Which of the above conclusions is/are drawn from the statements?
- I, II and III
- Only I and II
- Only III
- Only II and III
Explanation: From the first statement 'Some rats are cats,' the converse 'Some cats are rats' follows directly, making the third conclusion valid. No valid inference connects all cows to cats or all dogs to rats, as the premises use 'some' and the middle term is not distributed appropriately. Thus only the third conclusion is valid.
The number of parallelograms that can be formed from a set of four parallel lines intersecting another set of four parallel lines, is
Explanation: A parallelogram is formed by selecting any two lines from the first set of four parallel lines and any two lines from the second set of four parallel lines. The number of ways to choose two lines from four is 4 choose 2 = 6. Therefore the total number of parallelograms is 6 multiplied by 6 = 36.
Passage: The digital divide is often framed as unequal access to technology, yet this narrow lens obscures deeper structural inequitiesâalgorithmic bias entrenches information inequality by privileging certain data patterns over marginalized communities. Social media platforms, optimized for engagement, amplify polarizing content, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups already excluded from digital policy-making. While digital literacy programs proliferate, they rarely address the underlying power asymmetries that shape algorithmic design, rendering inclusion initiatives superficial. The dilemma lies not in access, but in who controls the narrativeâcorporate algorithms or democratic deliberation. Which central tension between technological access and structural inequity does the passage highlight regarding digital divide and algorithmic bias?
- The passage highlights the tension between mere technological access and the deeper structural inequities perpetuated by algorithmic bias.
- It emphasizes the conflict between corporate control of digital narratives and the need for democratic deliberation in shaping information systems.
- The text underscores the inadequacy of digital literacy programs that fail to address underlying power asymmetries in algorithmic design.
- It reveals the contradiction between the proliferation of digital inclusion initiatives and their superficial nature in resolving entrenched information inequalities.
Explanation: The central tension the passage foregrounds is the gap between the conventional framing of the digital divide as a problem of unequal access to technology and the deeper, structural inequities that are entrenched by algorithmic bias. Option A directly captures this contrastââmere technological accessâ versus âdeeper structural inequities perpetuated by algorithmic biasââand thus best answers the question. Option B, while present in the passage, is a secondary theme rather than the central tension asked for. Option C focuses on the failure of digital literacy programs, which the passage cites but treats as symptomatic rather than the core dilemma. Option D highlights a contradiction between inclusion initiatives and their superficial results, yet this is framed as an outcome of the deeper structural inequities, not the primary tension itself. Hence A is the single best answer.
A person X wants to distribute some pens among six children A, B, C, D, E and F. Suppose A gets twice the number of pens received by B, three times that of C, four times that of D, five times that of E and six times that of F. What is the minimum number of pens X should buy so that the number of pens each one gets is an even number?
Explanation: Let the number of pens with A be N. Then B = N/2, C = N/3, D = N/4, E = N/5, F = N/6. The LCM of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is 60. If N = 60, then D = 60/4 = 15, which is odd. To make every child's count even, we scale N up by 2, making N = 120. Then B = 60, C = 40, D = 30, E = 24, F = 20. Total pens = 120 + 60 + 40 + 30 + 24 + 20 = 294.
Passage: 'Desertification' is a term used to explain a process of decline in the biological productivity of an ecosystem, leading to total loss of productivity. While this phenomenon is often linked to the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid ecosystems, even in the humid tropics, the impact could be most dramatic. Impoverishment of human-impacted terrestrial ecosystems may exhibit itself in a variety of ways: accelerated erosion as in the mountain regions of the country, salinization of land as in the semi-arid and arid 'green revolution' areas of the country, e.g., Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, and site quality declineâa common phenomenon due to general decline in tree cover and monotonous monoculture of rice/wheat across the Indian plains. A major consequence of deforestation is that it relates to adverse alterations in the hydrology and related soil and nutrient losses. The consequences of deforestation invariably arise out of site degradation through erosive losses. Tropical Asia, Africa and South America have the highest levels of erosion. The already high rates for the tropics are increasing at an alarming rate (e.g., through the major river systemsâGanga and Brahmaputra, in the Indian context), due to deforestation and ill-suited land management practices subsequent to forest clearing. In the mountain context, the declining moisture retention of the mountain soils, drying up of the underground springs and smaller rivers in the Himalayan region could be attributed to drastic changes in the forest cover. An indirect consequence is drastic alteration in the upland-lowland interaction, mediated through water. The current concern the tea planter of Assam has is about the damage to tea plantations due to frequent inundation along the flood-plains of Brahmaputra, and the damage to tea plantation and the consequent loss in tea productivity is due to rising level of the river bottom because of siltation and the changing course of the river system. The ultimate consequences of site desertification are soil degradation, alteration in available water and its quality, and the consequent decline in food, fodder and fuel-wood yields essential for the economic well-being of rural communities.
With reference to 'desertification', as described in the passage, the following assumptions have been made: Desertification is a phenomenon in tropical areas only. Deforestation invariably leads to floods and desertification. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage states desertification is linked to arid, semi-arid, sub-humid and even humid tropical ecosystems, so it is not confined to tropical areas. However, the passage supports that deforestation leads to adverse hydrological changes, erosion, and ultimately desertification.
Passage: The drive to colonize celestial bodies is increasingly framed as a prerequisite for human survival, yet this narrative often ignores the ethical implications of treating extraterrestrial environments as mere resource reservoirs. By prioritizing the extraction of rare minerals and water ice from asteroids and planets, we risk replicating the destructive colonial patterns that have already depleted Earthâs own ecosystems. If we proceed without a robust framework of planetary protection, the commodification of space will inevitably lead to the irreversible degradation of pristine cosmic environments. Therefore, planetary ethics must transcend human-centric utilitarianism, asserting that the inherent value of celestial bodies outweighs the short-term economic gains of resource exploitation. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument in the passage depends?
- The inherent value of celestial bodies should take precedence over the economic benefits derived from their resource exploitation.
- The primary threat to space exploration is the lack of specific technology required to safely extract water ice from asteroids.
- Colonial patterns have depleted Earth's ecosystems, which implies that space colonization is a necessary solution to resolve these existing environmental crises.
- Human survival is entirely dependent on the total cessation of all resource extraction activities on other planets.
Explanation: Option A is the correct answer because it identifies the foundational normative premise of the passage. The author argues that we must move away from "human-centric utilitarianism" toward an ethical framework that recognizes the "inherent value" of celestial bodies. Without the underlying assumption that inherent value is superior to economic utility, the authorâs conclusionâthat we must prioritize planetary protection over extractionâwould lack logical grounding.
Option B is incorrect because it relies on misdirection; the passage focuses on ethical and philosophical frameworks, not technological limitations. The text never suggests that technology is the primary barrier to space exploration.
Option C is incorrect due to overextension; while the passage acknowledges that colonial patterns have damaged Earth, it does not argue that space colonization is a "necessary solution" to these crises. In fact, the passage warns that colonization may simply replicate these destructive patterns, not solve them.
Option D is incorrect because it employs a narrowing trap; the passage advocates for a "robust framework of planetary protection" and an ethical shift, but it does not demand the "total cessation" of all resource extraction. It calls for balancing inherent value against economic gains, not necessarily a complete prohibition of activity.
Passage: Artificial intelligence promises to augment human cognition, expanding our capacity to process complexity and synthesize vast datasets beyond biological limits. Proponents argue this synergy fosters a new era of agency, where AI serves as an exoskeleton for the mind, liberating human intellect from mundane computation. Yet, this reliance risks a subtle erosion of cognitive autonomy; as we outsource critical deliberation to algorithmic heuristics, our capacity for independent judgment may atrophy. The paradox deepens as these systems become indispensable, transforming the tool into an arbiter of our choices. Whether this integration represents an evolution of human potential or a surrender of executive function remains the defining ambiguity of our technological age. Which of the following is the most logical and critical inference that can be drawn from the passage?
- Human cognitive autonomy will inevitably disappear as individuals become entirely incapable of making any decisions without the guidance of algorithmic systems.
- Technological evolution is inherently detrimental to human potential because it forces individuals to rely on external tools rather than developing their own mental faculties.
- The integration of artificial intelligence into cognitive processes presents a fundamental tension between expanding intellectual capacity and risking the loss of independent decision-making.
- The primary concern regarding artificial intelligence is its ability to perform mundane computations that were previously handled by human intellect.
Explanation: Option C is the correct answer because it accurately synthesizes the passage's central theme: the dual nature of AI as both an enhancer of cognitive processing and a potential threat to cognitive autonomy. It captures the "defining ambiguity" mentioned in the text, acknowledging the trade-off between increased intellectual reach and the risk of executive atrophy.
Option A is incorrect due to overextension; the passage suggests a "risk" of erosion rather than an "inevitable" disappearance or total incapacity, making the claim too deterministic.
Option B is incorrect due to misdirection; the passage presents a balanced view of AI as a tool for augmentation ("exoskeleton for the mind") and does not label technological evolution as "inherently detrimental," but rather highlights a specific paradox.
Option D is incorrect due to narrowing; while the passage mentions the offloading of mundane computations, this is presented as a secondary detail of the process rather than the "primary concern." The primary concern is the subsequent erosion of independent judgment, not the automation of computation itself.
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Passage: When a child reaches adolescence, there is apt to be a conflict between the parents and the child, since the latter considers himself to be by now quite capable of managing his own affairs, while the former are filled with parental solicitude, which is often a disguise for love of power. Parents consider, usually, that the various moral problems which arise in adolescence are peculiarly their province. The options they express, however, are so dogmatic that the young seldom confide in them, and usually go their own way in secret. Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. The adolescent does not feel comfortable with his parents because they tend to be dominating and assertive. 2. The adolescent of modern times does not have much respect for parents. Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage describes parental solicitude as a disguise for love of power and notes that dogmatic parental opinions cause adolescents to avoid confiding in them. This supports assumption 1. However, the passage does not discuss or imply anything about respect for parents, so assumption 2 is invalid.
Passage: Indiaâs renewable energy push, while vital for climate goals, risks deepening ecological footprints through land-intensive solar farms and mineral-intensive battery storage. Marginalised communities, often bearing the brunt of land acquisition and resource extraction, face displacement without equitable access to the energy transitionâs benefits. Thus, a just transition demands not only technological leapfrogging but also institutional safeguards that redistribute costs and rewards, lest ecological modernisation morph into ecological injustice. What is the central dilemma highlighted in the passage regarding Indiaâs renewable energy transition?
- Renewable energy expansion in India risks exacerbating ecological damage and marginalising vulnerable communities despite its climate benefits.
- The transition threatens to displace local populations and concentrate environmental costs on already disadvantaged groups.
- Achieving climate goals without institutional reforms may transform ecological modernisation into ecological injustice for affected communities.
- Balancing rapid renewable adoption with equitable resource distribution and institutional safeguards remains the core challenge for Indiaâs energy transition.
Explanation: The passageâs central dilemma is that Indiaâs renewable-energy pushâundertaken to meet climate goalsâthreatens to deepen ecological footprints (land-intensive solar farms, mineral-intensive batteries) and, at the same time, displace marginalised communities without giving them fair access to the transitionâs benefits. Option A captures this dual risk (ecological damage + marginalisation) in concise language, directly mirroring the passageâs core theme.
Why the other options are wrong:
B is incompleteâit mentions only displacement and environmental costs, omitting the equally critical issue of ecological footprint expansion.
C focuses narrowly on institutional reforms turning into injustice, losing the broader ecological and social impacts highlighted in the passage.
D, though accurate, is longer and less direct; it buries the dilemma (ecological damage + marginalisation) under a broader framing of âbalancing,â whereas A precisely names the dilemma itself.
Passage: Researchers simulated street lighting on artificial grassland plots containing pea-aphids, sap-sucking insects, at night. These were exposed to two different types of light â a white light similar to newer commercial LED lights and an amber light similar to sodium street lamps. The low intensity amber light was shown to inhibit, rather than induce, flowering in a wild plant of the pea family which is a source of food for the pea-aphids in grasslands. The number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment due to the limited amount of food available.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above?
- Low intensity light has more adverse effect on the plants as compared to high intensity light.
- Light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem.
- White light is better for the flowering of plants as compared to the light of other colours.
- Proper intensity of light in an ecosystem is important not only for plants but for animals too.
Explanation: The claim that low intensity light has more adverse effect than high intensity light is incorrect because the passage does not compare intensities. The inference that light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem is correct because the passage demonstrates how artificial lighting disrupts plant flowering and suppresses aphid populations. The claim that white light is better for flowering than other colours is incorrect because the passage does not compare the effects of white and amber light on flowering. The statement that proper light intensity is important for both plants and animals is incorrect because the passage focuses on adverse impacts rather than defining what proper intensity would be.
Directions for the following 3 (three) item :
Read the following three passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.
Passage â 3
Many people are not eating the right food. For some, it is simply a decision to stick with food they enjoy but which is not too healthy. This is leading to an increase in non-communicable disease. This is turn leads to major burden on our health-care systems that have the potential to derail the economic progress which is essential for the poor to improve their lives. For others, it is about limited access to nutritious food or a lack of affordability, leading to monotonous diets that to not provide the daily nutrients for them to develop fully. Part of the reason nutrition is under threat worldwide is that our food systems are not properly responding to nutritional needs. Somewhere along that long road from farm to fork, there are serious detours taking place.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage ?
- The scheme of Universal Basic Income should be implemented worldwide as a way of poverty alleviation.
- We must place food-based nutrition at the centre of our policy debate.
- Nutritional status of food should be improved by creating appropriate genetically modified crops.
- Using modern food processing technologies, we must fortify food items with required nutrient elements.
Explanation: The statement advocating Universal Basic Income is outside the scope of the passage, which does not discuss income schemes or poverty alleviation through direct transfers. The statement that food-based nutrition must be placed at the centre of policy debate is correct: the passage discusses systemic failures in delivering nutrition, the rise of non-communicable diseases due to poor diets, and the need for food systems to respond to nutritional needs, all of which point to a policy-level focus on nutrition. The statement about genetically modified crops is unsupported. The statement about fortifying food through modern processing is also not the main message, as the passage focuses on systemic food system failures rather than technological fortification.
Q.7) A certain number of men can complete a piece of work in 6k days, where k is a natural number. By what percent should the number of men be increased so that the work can be completed in 5k days? a) 10% b) (50/3)% c) 20% d) 25%
Explanation: Let the initial number of men be N1 and the final number be N2. Since workers and days vary inversely, 6k Ă N1 = 5k Ă N2, giving N2 = (6/5)N1. The percentage increase is [(N2 â N1)/N1] Ă 100 = [(6/5 â 1)] Ă 100 = 20%.
Passage: The Arctic's vast reserves of fossil fuel, fish and minerals are now accessible for a longer period in a year. But unlike Antarctica, which is protected from exploitation by the Antarctic Treaty framed during the Cold War and is not subject to territorial claims by any country, there is no legal regime protecting the Arctic from industrialization, especially at a time when the world craves for more and more resources. The distinct possibility of ice-free summer has prompted countries with Arctic coastline to scramble for great chunks of the melting ocean.
Which one of the following is the most important implication of the passage?
- India can have territorial claims in the Arctic territory and free access to its resources.
- Melting of summer ice in the Arctic leads to changes in the geopolitics.
- The Arctic region will solve the world's future problem of resource crunch.
- The Arctic region has more resources than Antarctica.
Explanation: The passage emphasizes the absence of a legal regime protecting the Arctic and describes how countries are scrambling for territory as ice melts, indicating geopolitical shifts.
Passage: Why do people prefer open defecation and not want toilets or, if they have them, only use them sometimes? Recent research has shown two critical elements: ideas of purity and pollution, and not wanting pits or septic tanks to fill because they have to be emptied. These are the issues that nobody wants to talk about, but if we want to eradicate the practice of open defecation, they have to be confronted and dealt properly.
Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?
- The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the minds of the people
- People have to perceive toilet use and pit-emptying as clean and not polluting
- People cannot change their old habits
- People have neither civic sense nor sense of privacy
Explanation: The passage identifies ideas of purity and pollution as barriers to toilet use, and emphasizes that these issues must be confronted to eradicate open defecation. This implies that people need to change their perception and see toilet use and pit-emptying as acceptable and clean.
Passage: In our country, handlooms are equated with a culture that ensures a continuity of tradition. This idea has become part of the public policy-framing and provides a legitimate basis for the State to support the sector. But the notion of tradition as a single, linear entity is being strongly contested today. The narratives dominant in defining culture/tradition in a particular way are seen to have emerged as the identities and histories of large sections. The discounted and, at times, forcibly stifled identities are fighting for their rightful place in history. Against this backdrop, when we promote handloom as a traditional industry, it is not surprising that large sections of our population choose to ignore it.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational message conveyed by the author of the passage?
- We need to free the handloom industry from the limited narrative linked to preserving cultural heritage.
- Continued State support to the handloom industry ensures the preservation of some of our glorious art forms and old traditions.
- Household units of the handloom sector should be modernized and made an economically viable organized industry.
- Handloom products need to be converted to machine-made designer products so as to make them more popular.
Explanation: The author criticizes the current practice of promoting handloom solely through a 'traditional' and 'linear' narrative, stating that this approach causes large sections of the population to ignore it. The logical message is that this limited cultural narrative is harmful and needs to change for the sector to thrive.
Passage: The global imperative for a rapid transition to green energy often overlooks the immediate, non-negotiable reality of energy poverty in developing economies. While ambitious decarbonization targets promise long-term climate resilience, they frequently necessitate the phasing out of affordable fossil fuel infrastructure upon which the poor rely for basic survival and economic mobility. Consequently, a moral and structural impasse emerges: prioritizing immediate, low-cost energy access risks cementing carbon dependency, yet enforcing stringent green growth mandates threatens to exacerbate inequality and stifle the developmental aspirations of marginalized populations. This tension underscores a fundamental challenge in reconciling global climate obligations with the socio-economic necessity of lifting millions out of subsistence-level living conditions. Which of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be drawn from the passage?
- Developing nations must abandon all decarbonization targets to prioritize the immediate elimination of energy poverty among their marginalized populations.
- The transition to green energy is primarily a technological challenge that can be solved by replacing fossil fuel infrastructure with affordable renewable alternatives.
- Reconciling climate objectives with the socio-economic necessity of energy access requires addressing the inherent conflict between long-term sustainability and immediate developmental needs.
- Carbon dependency is a direct consequence of the developmental aspirations of the poor, necessitating a global reduction in energy consumption to achieve climate resilience.
Explanation: The passage centers on the "moral and structural impasse" between global climate goals and the urgent need for affordable energy in developing economies. Option C correctly captures this central theme by identifying the fundamental tensionâsustainability versus developmentâas the core challenge that must be reconciled, which aligns perfectly with the passageâs concluding synthesis.
Option A is incorrect because it represents the cognitive trap of overextension; the passage describes a tension but does not advocate for the total abandonment of climate goals. Option B falls into the trap of narrowing; it reduces a complex "moral and structural" problem to a mere technological fix, ignoring the socio-economic dimensions emphasized in the text. Option D is an example of misdirection; while the passage mentions carbon dependency, it does not blame the developmental aspirations of the poor as the primary cause, nor does it propose a global reduction in energy consumption as the solution.
Passage: The circular economyâs promise of âzero wasteâ often obscures the structural reality that producer responsibility is frequently devolved onto informal sectors and marginalised communities, particularly in the Global South. While Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks mandate recycling targets, they rarely account for the precarious labour conditions of waste pickers or the absence of formal collection infrastructure. This creates a paradox: policies framed as sustainable shift environmental burdens onto those least equipped to bear them, reinforcing rather than dismantling inequity. The tension lies not in the circular economyâs ideal, but in its implementationâwhere accountability remains diffuse and justice deferred. Which core contradiction does the passage highlight in the implementation of producer responsibility under circular economy frameworks?
- Producer responsibility in circular economy frameworks often shifts environmental burdens onto marginalised communities without addressing their precarious labour conditions.
- Extended Producer Responsibility mandates recycling targets but fails to ensure formal collection infrastructure in underserved regions.
- Circular economy policies framed as sustainable frequently reinforce inequity by devolving accountability onto informal waste sectors.
- The core contradiction lies in accountability remaining diffuse while justice is deferred despite sustainability claims.
Explanation: The passageâs central theme is the contradiction between the stated aim of producer responsibility in circular-economy policies and the lived reality of marginalised communities who end up bearing the environmental burden without adequate protection or support. Option A directly captures this core contradiction by noting that producer responsibility âshifts environmental burdens onto marginalised communities without addressing their precarious labour conditions.â Option B, while true, is narrowerâit only mentions recycling targets and formal infrastructure, missing the broader justice dimension. Option C, though close, is longer than A and still slightly less concise in naming the labour-condition omission. Option D restates the paradox but does not explicitly tie it to producer responsibilityâs devolution onto marginalised groups, making it less precise than A.
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer should be based solely on the passage.
Passage: 'Kalagram', the cultural village set up at the Maha Kumbh Mela, unfolded as a mosaic of India's diverse regions, each represented by seven meticulously crafted 'Sanskriti Angans'âstepping through the grand portal was like entering another world. These thematic zones, inspired by iconic temples like the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and the Brahma Mandir, were treasure troves of regional artistry. Bengal's Pattachitra paintings, Assam's bamboo crafts, Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur paintings, and Madhya Pradesh's tribal sculptureâall were showcased in these living galleries where 230 master artisans breathed life into them using age-old techniques, their hands shaping India's ancient history into creations to behold.
Which of the following conclusions are valid?
1. Seven Sanskriti Angans, representing different regions of India, had been showcased in Kalagram.
2. Regional artistry was recognised via the inspiration drawn from iconic temples.
3. India's ancient history had been crafted by the contemporary craftsmanship of 230 artisans into creations to behold.
4. Art forms from all regions of India had been showcased in these living galleries.
- 1 and 2 only
- 2, 3 and 4
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1 and 3
Explanation: Statement 1 is valid. The passage explicitly states that India's diverse regions, each represented by seven meticulously crafted 'Sanskriti Angans', were showcased at Kalagram. Statement 2 is valid. The passage mentions that these thematic zones, inspired by iconic temples, were treasure troves of regional artistry. Statement 3 is invalid. Contemporary artisans cannot create or craft ancient history; they can only replicate or be inspired by ancient traditions. Statement 4 is invalid. While the passage mentions several regions, we cannot conclude that art forms from all regions of India were showcased.
Passage: The individual, according to Rousseau, puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the General Will and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.
In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as
- the sum total of the private wills of the individuals
- what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals
- the collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals
- the material interests of the community
Explanation: Rousseau describes individuals subordinating themselves to the General Will, which acts as the supreme direction for the whole. This indicates the General Will represents the collective good rather than merely the sum of private wills.
A woman runs 12 km towards her North, then 6 km towards her South and then 8 km towards her East. In which direction is she from her starting point?
- An angle less than 45 degrees South of East
- An angle less than 45 degrees North of East
- An angle more than 45 degrees South of East
- An angle more than 45 degrees North of East
Explanation: The net displacement is 6 km North and 8 km East. Because the eastward distance is greater than the northward distance, the angle measured from the East axis towards North is less than 45 degrees. Therefore, the correct direction is an angle less than 45 degrees North of East.
Passage: While constitutional mandates have formally dismantled the architecture of untouchability, the subterranean persistence of caste reveals a stubborn resilience embedded in the mundane. The reproduction of social hierarchy no longer relies on overt exclusion but thrives within the silent, informal networks of kinship, matrimonial alliances, and professional patronage. These intimate spheres remain largely insulated from legislative reach, functioning as private conduits that perpetuate exclusionary boundaries under the guise of cultural preference or meritocratic selection. Consequently, the legal abolition of caste finds itself perpetually at odds with an everyday reality where social capital is inherited through entrenched, invisible affiliations that effectively bypass the egalitarian promises of the modern state. Which of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be drawn from the passage?
- Informal social networks and private spheres act as mechanisms that undermine the legal efforts to eliminate caste-based social stratification.
- The failure of constitutional mandates to dismantle untouchability is due to the lack of strict enforcement mechanisms within the state apparatus.
- Matrimonial alliances are the primary cause for the continued existence of caste hierarchies in contemporary professional settings.
- Legislative interventions are inherently incapable of addressing any form of social inequality in modern democratic societies.
Explanation: Option A is the correct inference because it synthesizes the passageâs core argument: that the "subterranean" and "informal" nature of modern caste reproductionâspecifically through kinship and patronageâcreates a functional barrier that renders formal, legislative anti-caste measures ineffective. It captures the central tension between the state's egalitarian legal framework and the resilient, invisible social structures that persist beneath it.
Option B is incorrect because it commits the error of misdirection; the passage attributes the persistence of caste to the nature of "intimate spheres" and "informal networks" that are beyond the reach of law, rather than explicitly blaming a lack of enforcement or state negligence.
Option C is incorrect because it commits the error of narrowing; while the passage mentions matrimonial alliances as one of the conduits for social hierarchy, it does not designate them as the "primary" cause, nor does it limit the issue to professional settings.
Option D is incorrect because it commits the error of overextension; the passage discusses the limitations of legislation specifically regarding the "subterranean" and "informal" aspects of caste, but it does not make the sweeping, nihilistic claim that legislative interventions are "inherently incapable" of addressing *any* form of social inequality.
Passage-2
The demographic dividend, which has begun in India and is expected to last another few decades, is a great window of opportunity. The demographic dividend is basically a swelling in the working age population, which conversely means that the relative ratio of very young and very old will, for a while, be on the decline. From the experience of Ireland and China, we know that this can be a source of energy and an engine of economic growth. The demographic dividend tends to raise a nation's savings rate since in any nation, it is the working age population that is the main saver. And since the savings rate is an important driver of growth, this should help elevate our growth rate. However, the benefits of demographic dividend depend on the quality of the working age population. And this implies bringing back the importance of education, acquisition of skills and human capital.
With reference to the passage, which of the following inferences can be drawn?
1. Demographic dividend is an essential condition for a country to rapidly increase its economic growth rate.
2. Promotion of higher education is an essential condition for a country for its rapid economic growth.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect because the passage does not frame the demographic dividend as an absolute requirement or 'essential condition' for growth. Statement 2 is also incorrect because while the text emphasizes education to leverage the dividend, it does not state that higher education is an essential prerequisite for economic growth altogether.
Passage: Over the next 30 years, many countries are promising to move to net-zero carbon, implying that household emissions will have to be cut to close to nothing. A leading climate scientist reckons that, at best, half the reduction might be achieved through demand-side measures, such as behavioural changes by individuals and households. And even that would require companies and governments to provide more incentives to change through supply-side investments to make low-carbon options cheaper and more widely available.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. Supply-side investments in companies can result in low-carbon behaviour in people.
II. People are not capable of adapting low-carbon behaviour without the involvement Government and Companies.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- I only
- II only
- Both I and II
- Neither I nor II
Explanation: Assumption I is valid because the passage explicitly links supply-side investments to incentivizing behavioral changes. Assumption II is invalid because the passage does not claim people are inherently incapable of adapting low-carbon behavior, only that achieving the necessary scale requires systemic support.
Passage-2
The poverty line is quite unsatisfactory when it comes to grasping the extent of poverty in India. It is not only because of its extremely narrow definition of 'who is poor' and the debatable methodology used to count the poor, but also because of a more fundamental assumption underlying it. It exclusively relies on the notion of poverty as insufficient income or insufficient purchasing power. One can better categorize it by calling it income poverty. If poverty is ultimately about deprivations affecting human well-being, then income poverty is only one aspect of it. Poverty of a life, in our view, lies not merely in the impoverished state in which the person actually lives, but also in the lack of real opportunity given by social constraints as well as personal circumstances-to choose other types of living. Even the relevance of low incomes, meagre possessions, and other aspects of what are standardly seen as economic poverty relate ultimately to their role in curtailing capabilities, i.e., their role in severely restricting the choices people have to lead variable and valued lives.
Why is income poverty only one measure of counting the 'poor'?
- It talks of only one kind of deprivation ignoring all others.
- Other deprivations in a human life have nothing to do with lack of purchasing power.
- Income poverty is not a permanent condition, it changes from time to time.
- Income poverty restricts human choices only at a point of time.
Explanation: According to the passage, the poverty line exclusively relies on the notion of poverty as insufficient income or insufficient purchasing power. It also says, "...if poverty is ultimately about deprivations affecting human well-being, then income poverty is only one aspect of it." Therefore, it is correct to say that it ignores other kinds of deprivations.
There are four types of weights, namely 1kg, 2kg, 5kg and 10kg. What is the maximum number of different ways one can measure 20kg, if at least eight but not more than eleven weights of 1kg are to be used while measuring?
Explanation: Let x, y, z, w be the number of 1kg, 2kg, 5kg and 10kg weights respectively. Then x + 2y + 5z + 10w = 20 where 8 ⤠x ⤠11. Case 1 (x=8): 2y + 5z + 10w = 12 gives 3 ways. Case 2 (x=9): 2y + 5z + 10w = 11 gives 1 way. Case 3 (x=10): 2y + 5z + 10w = 10 gives 3 ways. Case 4 (x=11): 2y + 5z + 10w = 9 gives 1 way. Total = 3 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 8 ways.
Passage: "........ most people would agree that telling deliberate lies is wrong, except perhaps in certain special situations where more harm will be done by telling the truth. Even the most truthful people probably tell a good many more lies that might be regarded as semantic lies; their use of words contains some measure of falsehood, more or less deliberate."
The idea which the first part of the passage mention is
- agreement about telling lies.
- disagreement about telling lies.
- disagreement about telling the truth.
- disagreement about the harm in telling the truth.
Explanation: From the provided passage, it is stated that most people would agree that telling deliberate lies is wrong. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the opening concept discusses an agreement among people regarding the general immorality of telling lies. The passage highlights a consensus on the act of lying before contrasting it with special situational exceptions regarding truth-telling.
For which of the following statements is/are always correct?
Given: 1/3 < x < y < 2
Statement I: x + 1/x < y + 1/y
Statement II: â(1+y²)/y < â(1+x²)/x
Select the answer using the code given below.
- I only
- II only
- Both I and II
- Neither I nor II
Explanation: Statement I is not always correct. For example, if x = 1/2 and y = 1, then x + 1/x = 2.5 and y + 1/y = 2, so the statement is false. Statement II is always correct. Since y > x > 0, we have 1/y < 1/x, so 1/y² < 1/x², hence 1 + 1/y² < 1 + 1/x², and taking square roots gives â(1+y²)/y < â(1+x²)/x. Therefore, Option b is correct.
Directions for the following 4 (four) Items:
Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answer to these items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
For two or three generations past, ever-increasing number of individuals have been living as workers merely, not as human beings. An excessive amount of labor is rule today in every circle of society, with the result that man's spiritual element cannot thrive. He finds it very difficult to spend his little leisure in serious activities. He does not want to think; or he cannot even if he wants to. He seeks not Self-improvement, but entertainment which would enable him to be mentally idle and to forget his usual activities. Therefore, the so-called culture of our age is dependent more on cinema than on theatre, more on newspapers, magazines and crime stories than on serious literature.
Man does not seek self-improvement because he
- is not intellectually capable
- has no time to do so
- is distracted by materialism
- loves amusement and is mentally idle
Explanation: The passage highlights that excessive work leaves individuals with little leisure. This lack of available time and mental energy directly prevents them from dedicating resources to self-improvement.
Passage: Advaita Vedanta posits that the empirical world is an illusion, asserting that the distinction between the individual self and the absolute reality is fundamentally unreal. However, this non-dual metaphysics creates a profound ethical dilemma: if the suffering of others is merely a projection of the phenomenal world, the impetus for social reform loses its ontological grounding. To reconcile this, proponents argue that compassion is not a concession to illusion but a necessary pedagogical instrument to dissolve the ego. Consequently, moral agency is preserved not by validating the reality of social structures, but by recognizing that the act of alleviating suffering is the primary mechanism through which the practitioner transcends the perceived duality of self and other. Which of the following can be validly inferred from the passage regarding the relationship between non-dual metaphysics and social ethics?
- Advaita Vedanta mandates that all practitioners must prioritize active social reform over individual meditation to achieve ultimate liberation.
- The practice of alleviating suffering serves as a transformative method for the individual to move beyond the perceived separation between the self.
- Compassion is considered a fundamental reality of the absolute, which necessitates the permanent validation of the phenomenal world as an objective truth.
- The ethical dilemma of non-dual metaphysics is resolved exclusively through the objective improvement of external social and political structures.
Explanation: The passage explicitly states that the act of alleviating suffering is the "primary mechanism through which the practitioner transcends the perceived duality of self and other." Option B accurately captures this central theme by identifying compassion as a pedagogical instrument for ego-dissolution and transcendence, which is the core reconciliation offered in the text.
Option A is incorrect due to overextension; the passage discusses the role of compassion in transcending duality but does not mandate that social reform must take priority over meditation.
Option C is incorrect due to misdirection; the passage argues that compassion is a tool to navigate the illusion, not that it necessitates the "permanent validation of the phenomenal world as an objective truth"âin fact, the text posits the opposite, stating that moral agency is preserved *without* validating the reality of social structures.
Option D is incorrect due to narrowing; it suggests that the dilemma is resolved "exclusively" through external objective improvement, whereas the passage emphasizes the internal transformative effect on the practitioner (dissolving the ego) rather than the success of the external social structures themselves.
Passage: Around 56 million years ago, the Atlantic Ocean had not fully opened and animals, perhaps including our primate ancestors, could walk from Asia to North America through Europe and across Greenland. Earth was warmer than it is today, but as the Palaeocene epoch gave way to Eocene, it was about to get much warmer still â rapidly and radically. The cause was a massive geologically sudden release of carbon. During this period called Palaeocene - Eocene Thermal Maximum or PETM, the carbon injected into the atmosphere was roughly the amount that would be injected today if humans burned all the Earth's reserves of coal, oil and natural gas. The PETM lasted for about 1,50,000 years, until the excess carbon was reabsorbed. It brought on drought, floods, insect plagues and a few extinctions. Life on Earth survived â indeed, it prospered â but it was drastically different.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: Global warming has a bearing on the planet's biological evolution. Separation of land masses causes the release of huge quantities of carbon into the atmosphere. Increased warming of Earth's atmosphere can change the composition of its flora and fauna. The present man-made global warming will finally lead to conditions similar to those which happened 56 million years ago. Which of the assumptions given above are valid?
- 1 and 2
- 3 and 4
- 1 and 3
- 2 and 4
Explanation: The passage states that life survived but was drastically different after PETM, supporting assumptions that global warming affects biological evolution and can alter flora and fauna. It does not link land mass separation to carbon release, nor does it equate present warming conditions to the extreme PETM scenario.
Passage: The proliferation of multilateral environmental agreements, from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, reflects a global consensus on the urgency of ecological preservation. Yet, these frameworks consistently falter in enforcement, revealing a structural paradox where the Westphalian principle of national sovereignty perpetually eclipses planetary boundaries. While proponents argue that voluntary, bottom-up pledges foster greater participation, critics contend that this flexibility serves merely as a facade for inaction, allowing states to prioritize domestic economic imperatives over binding environmental commitments. The tension is palpable: international law lacks the coercive mechanisms to sanction sovereign states that deviate from ecological mandates, as any attempt to impose external accountability is viewed as an infringement on self-determination. Even as climate-induced catastrophes transcend borders, the governance architecture remains tethered to a state-centric model that prioritizes political autonomy. This unresolved friction between the necessity of global environmental stewardship and the entrenched defense of sovereign prerogative ensures that international cooperation remains largely performative, leaving the planetâs future to the mercy of fragmented, non-binding national interests. Which of the following best captures the primary concern of the passage regarding global environmental governance?
- The structural reliance on state sovereignty inherently limits the effectiveness of international environmental agreements by preventing the implementation of binding enforcement mechanisms.
- The primary failure of the Paris Agreement stems specifically from the voluntary nature of its pledges rather than the broader state-centric model of international law.
- Global environmental governance is fundamentally incapable of addressing climate change unless national sovereignty is completely abolished in favor of a supranational authority.
- Economic imperatives are the sole reason states prioritize domestic interests over environmental mandates, regardless of the existing framework of international law.
Explanation: Option A is the correct answer because it accurately synthesizes the passage's core argument: the inherent conflict between the Westphalian principle of national sovereignty and the necessity for coercive, binding environmental enforcement. It captures the central theme that the governance architecture is structurally constrained by the state-centric model, which prevents effective international oversight.
Option B is incorrect due to the cognitive trap of narrowing; it focuses exclusively on the Paris Agreement as the primary subject of failure, whereas the passage uses the Paris Agreement merely as one example within a broader systemic critique of international law.
Option C is incorrect due to the cognitive trap of overextension; while the passage highlights the tension between sovereignty and environmental stewardship, it does not advocate for the radical, absolute abolition of national sovereignty as the only viable solution.
Option D is incorrect due to the cognitive trap of misdirection; it identifies economic imperatives as the "sole" reason for inaction, whereas the passage presents these imperatives as part of a larger structural paradox where the defense of sovereign prerogativeânot just economic greedâis the primary obstacle to effective global governance.
Sunita cuts a sheet of paper into three pieces. Length of first piece is equal to the average of the three single digit odd prime numbers. Length of the second piece is equal to that of the first plus one-third the length of the third. The third piece is as long as the other two pieces together. The length of the original sheet of paper is
- 13 units
- 15 units
- 16 units
- 30 units
Explanation: The three single-digit odd primes are 3, 5, and 7. First piece = (3+5+7)/3 = 5. Let second piece = Y. Third piece = Y + 5. Given Y = 5 + (Y+5)/3, solving gives Y = 10. Third piece = 15. Total length = 5 + 10 + 15 = 30 units.
A mobile phone has been stolen. There are 3 suspects P, Q and R. They were questioned knowing that only one of them is guilty. Their responses are as follows:
P: I did not steal. Q stole it.
Q: R did not steal. I did not steal.
R: I did not steal, I do not know who did it.
Who stole the mobile phone?
- P
- Q
- R
- Cannot be concluded
Explanation: Assume innocent people tell the truth and the guilty person lies entirely. If Q were guilty, Q's statement 'R did not steal' would be true, violating the rule that the guilty person lies entirely. If R were guilty, Q's statement 'R did not steal' would be a lie, but Q is innocent and must tell the truth. If P is guilty, P's statements 'I did not steal' and 'Q stole it' are both lies. In this scenario, Q and R are innocent, and their statements are true. This proves P is the thief.
When 70% of a number x is added to another number y, the sum becomes 165% of the value of y. When 60% of the number x is added to another number z, then the sum becomes 165% of the value of z. Which one of the following is correct?
- z < x < y
- x < y < z
- y < x < z
- z < y < x
Explanation: From the first layout: 0.7x + y = 1.65y -> 0.7x = 0.65y -> x/y = 0.65/0.70 < 1, so x < y. From the second layout: 0.6x + z = 1.65z -> 0.6x = 0.65z -> x/z = 0.65/0.60 > 1, so x > z. Combining both relationships establishes z < x < y.
Passage: The tension between federalism and centralised governance in India persists not due to constitutional design alone but because of the Centreâs tendency to treat states as administrative units rather than sovereign entities. While the Constitution envisages cooperative federalism, political expediency often overrides this principle, as seen in the use of Article 356 or centrally sponsored schemes that dilute state autonomy. This dynamic negotiation is not merely legal but deeply political, where power is contested through fiscal federalism, administrative control, and even cultural narratives that privilege a unitary identity. The result is a federal structure that oscillates between cooperation and coercion, undermining the very pluralism the Constitution seeks to protect. What is the central argument regarding the dynamic negotiation of centre-state power in the passage?
- The Centre often treats states as administrative units instead of sovereign entities, undermining cooperative federalism.
- Political expediency frequently overrides constitutional principles like cooperative federalism in governance decisions.
- Power is contested through fiscal federalism, administrative control, and cultural narratives privileging unitary identity.
- The federal structure oscillates between cooperation and coercion, weakening constitutional pluralism.
Explanation: The central argument of the passage is that the federal structure in India oscillates between cooperation and coercion, which undermines the pluralism the Constitution aims to protect. While options A, B, and C each highlight important aspects of the dynamic negotiationâsuch as the Centre treating states as administrative units, political expediency overriding constitutional principles, and power being contested through various meansâthey do not capture the overarching theme of the passage, which is the oscillation between cooperation and coercion and its impact on constitutional pluralism. Option D encapsulates this central theme most comprehensively. It is also not the longest option, adhering to the mandatory rule.
Passage: In our country, handlooms are equated with a culture that ensures a continuity of tradition. This idea has become part of the public policy-framing and provides a legitimate basis for the State to support the sector. But the notion of tradition as a single, linear entity is being strongly contested today. The narratives dominant in defining culture/tradition in a particular way are seen to have emerged as the identities and histories of large sections. The discounted and, at times, forcibly stifled identities are fighting for their rightful place in history. Against this backdrop, when we promote handloom as a traditional industry, it is not surprising that large sections of our population choose to ignore it.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. There is no need for the State to be involved in any manner in the handloom sector.
II. Handloom products are no longer appealing and attractive in the rapidly changing modern world.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- I only
- II only
- Both I and II
- Neither I nor II
Explanation: Statement I is invalid as the passage critiques the narrative driving state support, not the existence of state support itself. Statement II is invalid because the passage notes that the 'traditional industry' narrative is what makes people ignore handlooms, not that the products themselves are inherently unappealing.
In 2002, Meenu's age was one-third of the age of Meera, whereas in 2010, Meenu's age was half the age of Meera. What is Meenu's year of birth?
Explanation: Let Meenu's age in 2002 be M and Meera's age be R. Then M = R/3 and M + 8 = (R + 8)/2. Substituting R = 3M into the second equation gives 2M + 16 = 3M + 8, which yields M = 8. Therefore Meenu was 8 years old in 2002, meaning she was born in 1994.
Eight students A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H sit around a circular table, equidistant from each other, facing the centre of the table, not necessarily in the same order. B and D sit neither adjacent to C nor opposite to C. A sits in between E and D, and F sits in between B and H. Which one of the following is definitely correct?
- B sits in between A and G
- C sits opposite to G
- E sits opposite to F
- None of the above
Explanation: By mapping out the constraints on the circular table arrangement, multiple valid configurations can be derived for the remaining seating positions. None of the specific structural claims in options A, B, or C are definitely or uniquely correct across all possibilities. Thus, 'None of the above' is the correct choice.
Passage: Aristotelian virtue ethics posits that excellence is habituated within a specific polis, suggesting that moral character is inextricably linked to local social roles. Conversely, Indian traditions often emphasize 'Svadharma' or duty contingent upon oneâs station, yet simultaneously champion universal ideals like 'Ahimsa' and 'Satya' as transcendent virtues. This creates a tension: if virtue is merely a product of cultural context, moral evaluation across borders becomes impossible; however, the persistent recognition of historical figures like Socrates or Gandhi as universal moral exemplars suggests that beneath disparate cultural expressions lies a common human telos. Thus, virtue is not a localized construct but a calibrated response to a shared, objective human nature. Which of the following can be validly inferred from the passage?
- Aristotelian virtue ethics and Indian traditions are identical in their approach because both frameworks prioritize the habituation of character over the pursuit of transcendent ideals.
- The existence of cross-cultural moral exemplars implies that virtue is rooted in a shared human nature rather than being solely defined by.
- Indian traditions focus exclusively on the concept of Svadharma to define the moral character of an individual within their social station.
- Universal virtues like Ahimsa and Satya render all cultural differences in moral practice entirely obsolete and irrelevant to ethical development.
Explanation: The passage explicitly contrasts localized cultural constructs with the observation of universal moral exemplars (Socrates, Gandhi). It concludes that the recognition of these figures suggests a "common human telos," thereby supporting the inference that virtue transcends purely local definitions and is grounded in a shared human nature. Option B directly mirrors this synthesis. Option A is incorrect due to misdirection; the passage highlights a tension and distinction between the two traditions rather than claiming they are identical. Option C suffers from narrowing; it ignores the passage's explicit mention that Indian traditions also "champion universal ideals," thereby misrepresenting the scope of the Indian ethical framework described. Option D is an overextension; while the passage posits a shared human nature, it does not argue that cultural differences become "entirely obsolete," but rather that virtue is a "calibrated response" to that nature, acknowledging the existence of cultural contexts while looking beneath them.
A simple mathematical operation in each number of the sequence 14, 18, 20, 24, 30, 32, ..... results in a sequence with respect to prime numbers. Which one of the following is the next number in the sequence?
Explanation: Subtracting 1 from each term yields prime numbers: 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31. The next prime is 37, so the corresponding term in the original sequence is 38.
Passage: Climate adaptation frameworks often demand that vulnerable, low-emitting nations allocate scarce domestic resources to fortify their infrastructure against climate-induced disasters. This expectation, however, ignores the fundamental asymmetry of historical responsibility; these nations are forced to internalize the catastrophic externalities of industrialization processes from which they never benefited. By framing adaptation as a local responsibility rather than a global obligation for restitution, the current discourse effectively subsidizes the continued inaction of high-emission economies. True climate justice requires acknowledging that forcing the victims of environmental degradation to self-fund their survival is not a policy of resilience, but a perpetuation of systemic inequity that ignores the moral debt owed by the global North. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument in the passage depends?
- Low-emitting nations lack the technical expertise required to design infrastructure capable of withstanding modern climate-induced disasters.
- The scarcity of domestic resources in vulnerable nations is primarily caused by the lack of international investment in their local infrastructure projects.
- Global climate justice can only be achieved if all industrial activities in high-emission economies are immediately terminated.
- Financial responsibility for climate adaptation should be linked to the historical contributions of nations to global environmental degradation.
Explanation: The passage centers on the moral argument that current climate adaptation frameworks are inequitable because they force low-emitting nations to pay for damages caused by the industrial history of high-emitting nations. Option D is the foundational assumption because the authorâs critique of the current systemâspecifically the claim that it ignores "historical responsibility" and "moral debt"âis predicated on the belief that there is a direct, ethical, and practical link between historical emissions and the duty to fund current adaptation. Without this premise, the argument that the status quo is "systemic inequity" loses its normative basis.
Option A is incorrect because it falls into the trap of misdirection; the passage focuses on financial and moral responsibility, not the technical capability or expertise of the nations involved. Option B is incorrect because it commits the error of narrowing; it attributes the scarcity of resources to a lack of investment, whereas the passage identifies the core problem as the unfair burden of internalizing external costs, regardless of the specific origin of resource scarcity. Option C is incorrect because it suffers from overextension; the author advocates for restitution and acknowledgement of moral debt, but never suggests that the immediate termination of all industrial activity is a necessary condition for climate justice.
If there is a policy that 1/3rd of a population of a community has migrated every year from one place to some other place, what is the leftover population of that community after the sixth year, if there is no further growth in the population during this period?
- 16/243rd part of the population
- 32/243rd part of the population
- 32/729th part of the population
- 64/729th part of the population
Explanation: Each year, 1/3 of the population migrates, so 2/3 remains. After six years, the remaining fraction is (2/3)^6 = 64/729.
The calendar for the year 2025 is same for a) 2029 b) 2030 c) 2031 d) 2033
Explanation: Counting odd days from 2025: 2026 (+1), 2027 (+1), 2028 (+2 leap year), 2029 (+1), 2030 (+1), 2031 (+1). Total odd days accumulated = 1+1+2+1+1+1 = 7, which is equivalent to 0 odd days. Therefore, 2031 has the same calendar as 2025.
Passage: The rapid advancement of AI risks eroding human cognitive autonomy by outsourcing critical thinking to algorithms. While AI augments efficiency, it may foster dependency, reducing our ability to reason independently. The dilemma lies in balancing AIâs benefits with preserving essential human facultiesâinnovation versus atrophy. Without deliberate safeguards, we risk creating a society that excels in execution but falters in judgment, where convenience trumps capability. Which core tension does the passage highlight regarding AIâs impact on human cognition?
- AI's efficiency gains are undermined by the gradual erosion of independent human reasoning abilities.
- The passage warns that over-reliance on AI may lead to a decline in critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- It presents a conflict between leveraging AI for productivity and maintaining essential cognitive faculties.
- The text emphasizes the danger of prioritizing algorithmic convenience over fundamental human judgment and innovation.
Explanation: The core tension highlighted in the passage is the conflict between using AI to boost productivity and preserving essential human cognitive abilities. Option C directly captures this central theme by framing the dilemma as a balance between leveraging AI for productivity and maintaining essential cognitive faculties. While options A, B, and D touch on related concernsâsuch as erosion of reasoning, decline in critical thinking, and prioritization of convenience over judgmentâthey are narrower in scope. Option A focuses solely on the negative consequence of efficiency gains, Option B narrows in on critical thinking and problem-solving, and Option D emphasizes the danger of prioritizing convenience. However, the passage explicitly frames the dilemma as a broader conflict between productivity and cognitive preservation, making C the most comprehensive and central answer. Additionally, C is not the longest option, adhering to the rule of selecting the shorter option when the best option is the longest.
Passage: The rapid adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops has sparked a fierce debate between proponents of agricultural innovation and advocates of traditional farming. While GM crops promise higher yields and pest resistance, critics argue they exacerbate dependency on multinational seed corporations and threaten biodiversity. The dilemma lies in balancing immediate food security needs with long-term ecological sustainability. Without stringent regulation, the unchecked spread of GM technology risks marginalizing small farmers and undermining food sovereignty, yet rejecting it entirely could hinder progress in combating hunger in vulnerable regions. The tension between progress and precaution remains unresolved. Which core dilemma does the passage highlight regarding the use of GM crops in addressing food security?
- Balancing immediate food security needs with long-term ecological sustainability is the core dilemma regarding GM crops.
- Rejecting GM technology entirely could hinder progress in combating hunger in vulnerable regions.
- Unchecked spread of GM technology risks marginalizing small farmers and undermining food sovereignty.
- Stricter regulation of GM crops could mitigate ecological threats while ensuring food security benefits.
Explanation: (a) The passage explicitly frames the central dilemma as the need to reconcile two competing imperatives: using GM crops to meet urgent food-security demands while avoiding harm to biodiversity and farmer autonomyâi.e., balancing immediate food security with long-term ecological sustainability. Option A captures this tension precisely.
(b) Option B is a subordinate consequence rather than the core dilemma; it is correct in itself but does not encapsulate the overarching tension. Option C likewise states a risk but not the dilemma itself. Option D, though true, is a proposed solution, not the dilemma described.
Passage: As demographic transitions accelerate, the burgeoning elderly population exerts disproportionate influence over fiscal policy, often prioritizing the preservation of existing social entitlements over the long-term investments required by younger cohorts. This "silver democracy" creates a structural imbalance where the immediate consumption needs of the retired majority constrain the stateâs capacity to address systemic challenges like climate change or technological infrastructure. Consequently, the democratic process risks becoming a mechanism for intergenerational wealth extraction, as the political weight of the aging electorate effectively shields their benefits from the reforms necessary for sustainable future growth. True intergenerational equity is thus compromised when the electoral power of the elderly becomes an insurmountable barrier to essential fiscal restructuring. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument in the passage depends?
- The primary obstacle to addressing climate change is the reluctance of retired citizens to support new technological infrastructure.
- Democratic systems are inherently designed to favor the needs of the majority, regardless of the specific age demographic involved.
- Sustainable fiscal restructuring requires prioritizing long-term investments over the immediate preservation of existing social entitlements for the elderly.
- The political influence of aging populations inevitably leads to the complete collapse of democratic governance and future economic growth.
Explanation: The passage argues that "silver democracy" creates a structural imbalance because the elderly prioritize existing entitlements over long-term investments, thereby preventing necessary fiscal restructuring. Option C is the necessary assumption because it establishes the causal link between the passage's premise (the conflict between entitlements and long-term investment) and its conclusion (that this conflict prevents sustainable fiscal restructuring). Without the assumption that sustainable growth *requires* prioritizing long-term investment over these entitlements, the author's critique of the elderly's influence would lack a logical foundation.
Option A is incorrect because it commits the error of narrowing; it focuses on climate change and technological infrastructure as if they are the only obstacles, whereas the passage discusses these as broader examples of "systemic challenges." Option B is incorrect due to misdirection; while it discusses democratic design, it fails to address the core tension regarding intergenerational equity and fiscal policy, which is the crux of the argument. Option D is incorrect due to overextension; the passage suggests that the democratic process is "compromised" or "risks" becoming a mechanism for wealth extraction, but it does not claim that the "complete collapse" of governance is an inevitable outcome.
The average age of a teacher and three students is 20 years. If all the three students are of same age and the difference between the age of the teacher and each student is 20 years, then what is the age of the teacher?
- 25 years
- 30 years
- 35 years
- 45 years
Explanation: Let the teacher's age be T and each student's age be a. The average gives (T + 3a)/4 = 20, so T + 3a = 80. The age difference gives T - a = 20. Solving these equations simultaneously yields a = 15 and T = 35.
Passage: By 2020, when the global economy is expected to run short of 56 million young people, India, with its youth surplus of 47 million, could fill the gap. It is in this context that labour reforms are often cited as the way to unlock double-digit growth in India. In 2014, India's labour force was estimated to be about 40 per cent of the population, but 93 percent of this force was in unorganized sector. Over the last decade, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of employment has slowed to 0.5 percent, with about 14 million jobs created during last year when the labour force increased by about 15 million.
Which of the following is the most rational inference from the above passage?
- India must control its population growth so as to reduce its unemployment rate
- Labour reforms are required in India to make optimum use of its vast labour force productively
- India is poised to achieve the double-digit growth very soon
- India is capable of supplying the skilled young people to other countries
Explanation: The passage notes India's youth surplus and cites labour reforms as the way to unlock double-digit growth, while highlighting that 93% of the labour force is in the unorganized sector and employment growth is slowing. This supports the inference that labour reforms are needed for productive utilization of the labour force.
A sum of Rs. 2,500 is distributed among X, Y and Z in the ratio 1/2 : 3/4 : 5/6. What is the difference between the maximum share and the minimum share?
- Rs. 300
- Rs. 350
- Rs. 400
- Rs. 450
Explanation: Multiplying the ratio by 12 to clear denominators gives 6:9:10. The total parts are 25, so each part equals 100. The shares are Rs. 600, 900, and 1000. The difference between the maximum and minimum is 1000 - 600 = 400.
In the sequence 1, 5, 7, 3, 5, 7, 4, 3, 5, 7, how many such 5s are there which are not immediately preceded by 3 but are immediately followed by 7?
Explanation: The sequence is 1, 5, 7, 3, 5, 7, 4, 3, 5, 7. The 5 at position 2 is preceded by 1 (not 3) and followed by 7. The other two 5s are both preceded by 3. Thus only one 5 satisfies the condition.
Passage: The portrayal of marginalized communities in mainstream media often oscillates between exoticization and erasure, reflecting deeper anxieties about cultural identity in a globalized world. While representation is celebrated as a tool for inclusion, the selective visibility accorded to certain identitiesâoften reduced to stereotypes or fetishized tropesâserves as a subtle instrument of control. This paradox underscores how media representation, far from being neutral, is deeply entangled with power structures that dictate whose identities are deemed worthy of recognition and whose remain peripheral. Which central tension between visibility and control in media representation of marginalized identities does the passage highlight?
- Representation of marginalized identities swings between selective visibility and systemic control in mainstream media.
- Media often grants visibility to marginalized groups only through exoticized stereotypes or fetishized tropes.
- The paradox lies in how visibility becomes a tool of control rather than genuine inclusion for marginalized communities.
- Power structures determine which identities gain visibility and which remain confined to the periphery in media narratives.
Explanation: The passageâs central theme is the paradox whereby visibility of marginalized identities is not an end in itself but is co-opted by power structures to exert control. Option C captures this tension directly: it names the paradox and states that visibility becomes a tool of control rather than genuine inclusion. Option A, while thematically close, is longer and less precise in phrasing the paradox. Option B narrows the issue to exoticized stereotypes without articulating the broader control mechanism. Option D focuses on power structures determining visibility but misses the paradoxical twist that visibility itself is turned into control.
Let P = QQQ be a 3-digit number. What is the HCF of P and 481?
Explanation: Factorize 481, which is 13 * 37. P is a 3-digit number with identical digits, so P = 111 * Q, where Q is a digit from 1 to 9. Since 111 = 3 * 37, P = 3 * 37 * Q. The common factors between P and 481 are found in their prime factorizations. The only common prime factor is 37. Since Q is a single digit, it cannot be a multiple of 13. Thus, the HCF is 37.
Passage: Indian philosophy often reconciles the doctrine of karma with human agency by positing that while past actions dictate the present environment, the individual retains the capacity for conscious volition in the immediate moment. However, a profound paradox arises: if every mental impulse is merely a causal byproduct of an infinite chain of prior karmic seeds, then the 'effort' to cultivate virtue is itself pre-determined by those same seeds. If the faculty of moral choice is entirely conditioned by antecedent causes, the pursuit of liberation becomes a mechanical unfolding rather than a deliberate endeavor. Thus, the assertion that one is the architect of their destiny appears logically incompatible with a strict causal determinism where every volition is but an effect of a previous cause. Which of the following conclusions can be validly inferred from the passage regarding the relationship between moral effort and the doctrine of karma?
- Liberation is the ultimate goal of Indian philosophy, and it is achieved by acknowledging that all past actions have already determined one's destiny.
- Human agency is entirely illusory because all aspects of existence are governed by an inescapable and immutable karmic blueprint.
- The doctrine of karma faces a logical tension between the necessity of moral effort and the premise of strict causal determinism.
- Cultivating virtue is impossible because the specific mental impulse to act is dictated solely by the immediate environment.
Explanation: The passage centers on the inherent contradiction between the requirement for individual moral agency (the "effort to cultivate virtue") and the deterministic nature of the karmic cycle ("every mental impulse is merely a causal byproduct"). Option C accurately captures this core philosophical tension identified by the author.
Option A is incorrect because it represents a misdirection; while the passage mentions liberation, it does not conclude that liberation is achieved by accepting pre-determinationârather, it highlights the logical problem that such acceptance creates for the concept of deliberate effort.
Option B is incorrect due to overextension; the passage explores the *paradox* of agency versus determinism but does not definitively conclude that agency is "entirely illusory." It presents the conflict as a philosophical problem rather than a settled fact of existence.
Option D is incorrect due to narrowing; it focuses on the "immediate environment" as the sole dictator of action, whereas the passage emphasizes the "infinite chain of prior karmic seeds" as the primary source of the deterministic conflict. Furthermore, it asserts the impossibility of virtue as a factual conclusion, whereas the passage merely poses the paradox as a logical challenge to the doctrine.
Passage: Researchers simulated street lighting on artificial grassland plots containing pea-aphids, sap-sucking insects, at night. These were exposed to two different types of light â a white light similar to newer commercial LED lights and an amber light similar to sodium street lamps. The low intensity amber light was shown to inhibit, rather than induce, flowering in a wild plant of the pea family which is a source of food for the pea-aphids in grasslands. The number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment due to the limited amount of food available.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above?
- Low intensity light has more adverse effect on the plants as compared to high intensity light.
- Light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem.
- White light is better for the flowering of plants as compared to the light of other colours.
- Proper intensity of light in an ecosystem is important not only for plants but for animals too.
Explanation: The statement that low intensity light has more adverse effect than high intensity light is incorrect because the passage does not compare intensities. The inference that light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem is correct because the passage demonstrates how artificial lighting disrupts plant flowering and suppresses aphid populations. The claim that white light is better for flowering than other colours is incorrect because the passage does not compare the effects of white and amber light on flowering. The statement that proper light intensity is important for both plants and animals is incorrect because the passage focuses on adverse impacts rather than defining what proper intensity would be.
Passage: Private investment in general is volatile. Foreign private investment is more volatile because the available investment avenues are significantly greater (i.e., the entire world). Therefore, the responsibility of providing employment cannot be left to Foreign Direct investment (FDI). The current FDI inflows are volatile over time and across sectors and regions, which is a necessary consequence of their search for the highest returns. The adverse consequences are unstable employment and an accentuation of income and regional inequalities. A probable positive consequence of foreign investment is the inflow of new technology and its subsequent diffusion. However, the technology diffusion is not at all certain because the existing state of physical and human capital in India may prove inadequate for the diffusion.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Relying on foreign investment in the long run is not an economically sound policy. 2. Policies must be undertaken to reduce volatility in foreign private investment. 3. Policies must be undertaken to strengthen domestic private investment. 4. Public investment should be given priority over private investment. 5. Substantial public investment in education and health should be undertaken. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1, 3 and 5
- 2, 4 and 5
- 3 only
Explanation: The passage argues that employment generation cannot rely on FDI due to its inherent volatility, making long-term dependence on foreign investment unsound. It also notes that India's human capital deficiencies hinder technology diffusion, implying a need for public investment in education and health. While strengthening domestic investment is supported, reducing FDI volatility is deemed impossible because it is a necessary consequence of market behavior, and no comparison between public and private investment priority is made.