Passage: Human history abounds in claims and theories confining the right of governing to a few select citizens. Exclusion of the many is justified on the ground that human beings may be rightfully segregated for the good of society and viability of the political process.
Which one of the following statements is least essential as a part of the argument in the above passage?
- Man seeks control over external things affecting him.
- In society, there are 'super' and 'sub' human beings.
- Exceptions to universal citizen participation are conducive to systemic efficacy.
- Governing implies recognition of disparities in individual capacities.
Explanation: The passage argues that exclusion and segregation are justified for societal good and political viability, referencing super and sub human beings, exceptions to universal participation, and recognition of disparities. It does not mention or rely on any claim about humans seeking control over external things, making this the least essential element.
Passage: By 2050, the Earth's population will likely have swelled from seven to nine billion people. To fill all those stomachs -- while accounting for shifting consumption patterns, climate change, and a finite amount of arable land and potable water -- some experts say food production will have to double. How can we make the numbers add up? Experts say higher yielding crop varieties and more efficient farming methods will be crucial. So will waste reduction. Experts urge cities to reclaim nutrients and water from waste streams and preserve farmland. Poor countries, they say, can improve crop storage and packaging and rich nations could cut back on resource-intensive foods like meat.
Which one of the following statements best sums up the above passage?
- The population of the world is growing very fast.
- Food security is a perennial problem only in developing countries.
- The world does not have enough resources to meet the impending food scarcity.
- Food security is increasingly a collective challenge.
Explanation: The passage emphasizes that feeding the growing population requires coordinated action from both rich and poor nations, including better farming, waste reduction, and dietary changes. This frames food security as a shared collective challenge rather than an isolated or resource-scarcity-only issue.
Passage: Many people in India feel that if we cut our defence expenditure on weapon-building, we can create a climate of peace with our neighbours, subsequently reducing the conflict or creating a no-war situation. People who proclaim such ideas are either the victims of war or the propagators of false argument.
With reference to the above passage, which of the following is the most valid assumption?
- Building of weapons systems by us has instigated our neighbours to wage wars against us.
- The greater spending on weapon-building by us would lessen the possibility of armed conflict with our neighbours.
- It is necessary to have state of the art weapons systems for national security.
- Many people in India believe that we are wasting our resources on weapon-building.
Explanation: The author dismisses the view that cutting defence spending brings peace, implicitly assuming that defence expenditure and weapon-building serve to deter or lessen armed conflict. This assumption underlies the author's characterization of the opposing view as a false argument.
Passage: India accounts for nearly a fifth of the world's child deaths. In terms of numbers, it is the highest in the world -- nearly 16 lakhs every year. Of these, more than half die in the first month of life. Officials believe that the reason for this is the absence of steps to propagate basic health practices relating to breast feeding and immunisation. Also the large reproductive population of 2.6 crore remains bereft of care during the critical phases of pregnancy and post-delivery. Added to this is the prevalence of child marriages, anaemia among young women and lack of focus on adolescent sanitation, all of which impact child death rates.
Which is the critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
- A lot of Indians are illiterate and hence do not recognize the value of basic health practices.
- India has a very huge population and the government alone cannot manage public health services.
- Universalization and integration of maternal health and child health services can effectively address the problem.
- The nutrition of women in child bearing age does not affect child mortality rate.
Explanation: The passage identifies gaps in maternal care, breastfeeding, immunisation, and nutrition as key drivers of child mortality. A logical inference is that integrating and universalizing these health services would address the root causes and reduce child deaths.
Passage: Foods travel more than the people who eat them. Grocery stores and supermarkets are loaded with preserved and processed foods. This, however, often leads to environmental threats, such as pollution generated by long distance food transportation and wastage of food during processing and transportation, destruction of rain forests, reduced nutritional content, increased demand for preservation and packaging. Food insecurity also increases as the produce comes from regions that are not feeding their own population properly.
With reference to the above passage, which of the following statements is/are true? Statement 1: Consuming regionally grown food and not depending on long travelled food is a part of eco-friendly behaviour. Statement 2: Food processing industry puts a burden on our natural resources.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage links long-distance transportation to pollution and environmental threats, supporting the idea that regional consumption is eco-friendly. It also mentions destruction of rain forests and increased demand for preservation, indicating that food processing burdens natural resources. Both statements are therefore valid.
Passage: I must say that, beyond occasionally exposing me to laughter, my constitutional shyness has been of no disadvantage whatever. In fact I can see that, on the contrary, it has been all to my advantage. My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a pleasure. Its greatest benefit has been that it has taught me the economy of words. I have naturally formed the habit of restraining my thoughts. And I can now give myself the certificate that a thoughtless word hardly ever escapes my tongue or pen. I do not recollect ever having had to regret anything in my speech or writing. I have thus been spared many a mishap and waste of time. Experience has taught me that silence is part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth. Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man, and silence is necessary in order to surmount it. A man of few words will rarely be thoughtless in his speech; he will measure every word. We find so many people impatient to talk. There is no chairman of a meeting who is not pestered with notes for permission to speak. And whenever the permission is given the speaker generally exceeds the time-limit, asks for more time, and keeps on talking without permission. All this talking can hardly be said to be of any benefit to the world. It is so much waste of time. My shyness has been in reality my shield and buckler. It has allowed me to grow. It has helped me in my discernment of truth.
The author says that a thoughtless word hardly ever escapes his tongue or pen. Which one of the following is not a valid reason for this?
- He has no intention to waste his time.
- He believes in the economy of words.
- He believes in restraining his thoughts.
- He has hesitancy in his speech.
Explanation: The author attributes his careful speech to the economy of words, restraining his thoughts, and his constitutional hesitancy. While he mentions being spared waste of time as a consequence, he does not cite an intention to avoid wasting time as the direct reason why thoughtless words do not escape him.
Passage: I must say that, beyond occasionally exposing me to laughter, my constitutional shyness has been of no disadvantage whatever. In fact I can see that, on the contrary, it has been all to my advantage. My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a pleasure. Its greatest benefit has been that it has taught me the economy of words. I have naturally formed the habit of restraining my thoughts. And I can now give myself the certificate that a thoughtless word hardly ever escapes my tongue or pen. I do not recollect ever having had to regret anything in my speech or writing. I have thus been spared many a mishap and waste of time. Experience has taught me that silence is part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth. Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man, and silence is necessary in order to surmount it. A man of few words will rarely be thoughtless in his speech; he will measure every word. We find so many people impatient to talk. There is no chairman of a meeting who is not pestered with notes for permission to speak. And whenever the permission is given the speaker generally exceeds the time-limit, asks for more time, and keeps on talking without permission. All this talking can hardly be said to be of any benefit to the world. It is so much waste of time. My shyness has been in reality my shield and buckler. It has allowed me to grow. It has helped me in my discernment of truth.
The most appropriate reason for the author to be spared many a mishap is that
- he hardly utters or writes a thoughtless word.
- he is a man of immense patience.
- he believes that he is a spiritual person.
- he is a votary of truth.
Explanation: The author explicitly states that because he has formed the habit of restraining his thoughts and measuring every word, he has been spared many a mishap. The direct cause is the rarity of thoughtless utterances or writings.
Passage: I must say that, beyond occasionally exposing me to laughter, my constitutional shyness has been of no disadvantage whatever. In fact I can see that, on the contrary, it has been all to my advantage. My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a pleasure. Its greatest benefit has been that it has taught me the economy of words. I have naturally formed the habit of restraining my thoughts. And I can now give myself the certificate that a thoughtless word hardly ever escapes my tongue or pen. I do not recollect ever having had to regret anything in my speech or writing. I have thus been spared many a mishap and waste of time. Experience has taught me that silence is part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth. Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man, and silence is necessary in order to surmount it. A man of few words will rarely be thoughtless in his speech; he will measure every word. We find so many people impatient to talk. There is no chairman of a meeting who is not pestered with notes for permission to speak. And whenever the permission is given the speaker generally exceeds the time-limit, asks for more time, and keeps on talking without permission. All this talking can hardly be said to be of any benefit to the world. It is so much waste of time. My shyness has been in reality my shield and buckler. It has allowed me to grow. It has helped me in my discernment of truth.
For the author, silence is necessary in order to surmount
- constitutional shyness.
- hesitancy in speech.
- suppression of thoughts.
- tendency to overstate.
Explanation: The author states that proneness to exaggerate, suppress, or modify the truth is a natural weakness, and silence is necessary to surmount it. Exaggeration corresponds to the tendency to overstate.
Twelve people form a club. By picking lots, one of them will host a dinner for all once in a month. The number of dinners a particular member has to host in one year is
- One
- Zero
- Three
- Cannot be predicted
Explanation: Since the host is selected by picking lots each month, the selection is random. Over a year, a particular member may host zero, one, or more dinners depending on chance, so the exact number cannot be predicted.
An automobile owner reduced his monthly petrol consumption when the prices went up. The price-consumption relationship is as follows: Price (in Rs. per litre): 40, 50, 60, 75. Monthly consumption (in litres): 60, 48, 40, 32. If the price goes up to Rs. 80 per litre, his expected consumption (in litres) will be
Explanation: The product of price and consumption is constant at 2400 across all given data points (40*60=2400, 50*48=2400, 60*40=2400, 75*32=2400). At Rs. 80 per litre, expected consumption equals 2400/80 = 30 litres.
What is the missing number 'X' of the series 7, X, 21, 31, 43?
Explanation: The successive differences between terms increase by 2: 13-7=6, 21-13=8, 31-21=10, 43-31=12. Therefore, the missing number is 13.
In a test, a candidate attempted only 8 questions and secured 50% marks in each of the questions. If he obtained a total of 40% in the test and all questions in the test carried equal marks, how many questions were there in the test?
Explanation: The candidate earned 50% on 8 questions, yielding 4 full question-equivalents of marks. Since this represents 40% of the total test, the total number of questions equals 4/0.4 = 10.
A father is nine times as old as his son and the mother is eight times as old as the son. The sum of the father's and the mother's age is 51 years. What is the age of the son?
- 7 years
- 5 years
- 4 years
- 3 years
Explanation: Let the son's age be s. Then the father's age is 9s and the mother's age is 8s. Given 9s + 8s = 51, we get 17s = 51, so s = 3 years.
Four persons A, B, C and D consisting of two married couples are in a group. Both the women are shorter than their respective husbands. A is the tallest among the four. C is taller than B. D is B's brother. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct?
- All four have family ties.
- B is the shortest among the four.
- C is taller than D.
- A is B's husband.
Explanation: Since D is B's brother, they are siblings and cannot be spouses. The two couples must therefore pair A with one female and C with the other. Given A is tallest and must be male, and both women are shorter than their own husbands, B is not necessarily shorter than D, who is not her husband. Therefore, asserting that B is the shortest is not reliably correct.
Consider the following statements: 1. A man had a wife, two sons and two daughters in his family. 2. The daughters were invited to a feast and the male members of the family went out to take part in a picnic. 3. The man's father did not return from his work. Which of the following statements is true?
- Only the man's wife was left at home.
- It is likely that the man's wife was left at home.
- None was left at home.
- More than one person was left at home.
Explanation: The daughters were invited to a feast (so they left), the male members went for a picnic (husband and two sons left), and the man's father did not return from work (so he was not at home). The only person not mentioned as leaving is the wife, making it likely that she was left at home.
Geeta: Naresh has become a better boxer since he started meditation. Radha: Impossible. A boxer's most important asset is his aggressiveness. Radha's statement reflects her belief that
- meditation tends to make a person less aggressive.
- meditation has little or no effect on the person who practises it.
- Naresh was a poor boxer earlier because he was not aggressive enough.
- Naresh would not have taken to meditation as he was a boxer.
Explanation: Radha believes aggressiveness is a boxer's most important asset and therefore rejects the idea that meditation could improve boxing. This implies she assumes meditation reduces aggressiveness, which would undermine a boxer's key asset.
All good athletes want to win and all athletes who want to win eat a well-balanced diet; therefore all athletes who do not eat a well-balanced diet are bad athletes. The best conclusion from this statement is that
- no bad athlete wants to win.
- no athlete who does not eat a well-balanced diet is a good athlete.
- every athlete who eats a well-balanced diet is a good athlete.
- all athletes who want to win are good athletes.
Explanation: From the premises, all good athletes eat a well-balanced diet. The contrapositive is that anyone who does not eat a well-balanced diet cannot be a good athlete, which matches the derived conclusion in the statement.
Passage: The richer States have a responsibility to cut down carbon emissions and promote clean energy investments. These are the States that got electricity, grew faster and now have high per capita income, making them capable of sharing India's burden of becoming eco-friendly. Delhi, for example, can help by generating its own clean electricity using solar rooftop panels or even help poor States finance their clean energy projects. It is no secret that State Electricity Boards, which control 95% of the distribution network, are neck-deep in losses. These losses further discourage State utilities from adopting renewable energy as it is more expensive than fossil fuels.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational assumption that can be made from the above passage?
- The richer States must lead in the production and adoption of renewable energy.
- The poor States always have to depend on rich States for electricity.
- The State Electricity Boards can improve their finances by undertaking clean energy projects.
- The high economic disparity between the rich and poor States is the major cause of high carbon emissions in India.
Explanation: The passage argues that richer States have the resources and capability to reduce emissions and promote clean energy, and suggests they should help poor States. The underlying assumption is that these richer States should take the lead in renewable energy production and adoption.
Passage: Set against a rural backdrop, 'Stench of kerosene' is the story of a couple, Guleri and Manak, who have been happily married for several years but do not have a child. Manak's mother is desperate to have a grandchild to carry on the family name. Hence, she gets Manak remarried in Guleri's absence. Manak, who acts as a reluctant but passive spectator, is meanwhile, informed by a friend that Guleri, on hearing about her husband's second marriage, poured kerosene on her clothes and set fire to them. Manak is heartbroken and begins to live as if he were a dead man. When his second wife delivers a son, Manak stares at the child for a long time and blurts out, 'Take him away! He stinks of kerosene.'
This is a sensitive issue-based story which tries to sensitise the readers about
- Male chauvinism and infidelity.
- Love and betrayal.
- Lack of legal safeguards for women.
- Influence of patriarchal mindset.
Explanation: The story centers on a mother forcing her son to remarry because of societal pressure to produce a male heir, and the tragic consequences for the first wife. This highlights the destructive influence of patriarchal values rather than focusing primarily on legal safeguards or infidelity.
Passage: The ultimate aim of government is not to rule or control by fear, nor to demand obedience, but conversely, to free every man from fear, that he may live in all possible security. In other words, to strengthen his natural right to exist and work without injury to himself or others. The object of government is not to change men from rational beings into beasts or puppets. It should enable them to develop their minds and bodies in security, and to employ their reason unshackled.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?
- The true aim of government is to secure the citizens their social and political freedom.
- The primary concern of government is to provide absolute social security to all its citizens.
- The best government is the one that allows the citizens to enjoy absolute liberty in all matters of life.
- The best government is the one that provides absolute physical security to the people of the country.
Explanation: The passage emphasizes freeing people from fear, enabling secure development of mind and body, and allowing unshackled reason. This aligns with securing social and political freedom rather than absolute physical security or unlimited liberty.
Passage: Our municipal corporations are understaffed. The issue of skills and competencies of the staff poses an even greater challenge. Urban services delivery and infrastructure are complex to plan and execute. They require a high degree of specialization and professionalism. The current framework within which municipal employees, including senior management, are recruited does not adequately factor in the technical and managerial competencies required. Cadre and recruitment rules only specify the bare minimum in academic qualifications. There is no mention of managerial or technical competencies, or of relevant work experience. This is the case with most municipal corporations. They also suffer from weak organisation design and structure.
Which among the following is the most logical and rational assumption that can be made from the above passage?
- The task of providing urban services is a complex issue which requires the organisational expansion of municipal bodies all over the country.
- Our cities can provide better quality of life if our local government bodies have adequate staff with required skills and competencies.
- Lack of skilled staff is due to the absence of institutions which offer the requisite skills in city management.
- Our country is not taking advantage of the demographic dividend to manage the problems associated with rapid urbanization.
Explanation: The passage highlights that understaffing and lack of skills are major barriers to effective urban service delivery. A logical assumption is that addressing these staffing and competency gaps would improve urban services and quality of life.
Passage: Flamingos in large flocks in the wild are social and extremely loyal. They perform group mating dances. Parents are very fond of their chicks, gathering them into creches for protection while both males and females fly off to search for food.
Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage?
- Mass nesting in all species of birds is essential to ensure complete survival of their offspring.
- Only birds have the capacity to develop social behaviour and thus can do mass nesting to raise their chicks in safety.
- Social behaviour in some species of birds increases the odds of survival in an unsafe world.
- All species of birds set up creches for their chicks to teach them social behaviour and loyalty.
Explanation: The passage describes flamingos exhibiting social and loyal behavior, including group dances and creches for chick protection. A logical corollary is that such social behavior enhances survival chances, without generalizing this to all bird species or claiming exclusivity.
Passage: Vast numbers of Indian citizens without bank accounts live in rural areas, are financially and functionally illiterate, and have little experience with technology. A research study was conducted in a particular area in which electronic wage payments in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) are meant to go directly to the poor. It was observed that recipients often assume that the village leader needs to mediate the process, as was the case under the previous paper-based system. Among households under this research study area who claimed to have at least one bank account, over a third reported still receiving MGNREGS wages in cash directly from a village leader.
What is the most logical, rational and crucial message that is implied in the above passage?
- MGNREGS should be extended only to those who have a bank account.
- The paper-based system of payments is more efficient than electronic payment in the present scenario.
- The goal of electronic wage payments was not to eliminate mediation by village leaders.
- It is essential to provide financial literacy to the rural poor.
Explanation: The passage shows that despite electronic payment systems, rural recipients still rely on village leaders due to financial and functional illiteracy. The crucial implied message is that financial literacy is essential for such digital systems to function as intended.
Passage: Individuals, groups and leaders who promote human development operate under strong institutional, structural and political constraints that affect policy options. But experience suggests broad principles for shaping an appropriate agenda for human development. One important finding from several decades of human development experience is that focusing exclusively on economic growth is problematic. While we have good knowledge about how to advance health and education, the causes of growth are much less certain and growth is often elusive. Further, an unbalanced emphasis on growth is often associated with negative environmental consequences and adverse distributional effects. The experience of China, with its impressive growth record, reflects these broader concerns and underlines the importance of balanced approaches that emphasize investments in the non-income aspects of human development.
With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements: 1. In developing countries, a strong institutional framework is the only requirement for human development and policy options. 2. Human development and economic growth are not always positively inter-related. 3. Focusing only on human development should be the goal of economic growth. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The passage states that focusing exclusively on economic growth is problematic and that growth is often elusive, indicating that human development and growth are not always positively linked. It does not claim institutional frameworks are the only requirement, nor does it advocate focusing only on human development; rather, it calls for balanced approaches.
Passage: Individuals, groups and leaders who promote human development operate under strong institutional, structural and political constraints that affect policy options. But experience suggests broad principles for shaping an appropriate agenda for human development. One important finding from several decades of human development experience is that focusing exclusively on economic growth is problematic. While we have good knowledge about how to advance health and education, the causes of growth are much less certain and growth is often elusive. Further, an unbalanced emphasis on growth is often associated with negative environmental consequences and adverse distributional effects. The experience of China, with its impressive growth record, reflects these broader concerns and underlines the importance of balanced approaches that emphasize investments in the non-income aspects of human development.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Higher economic growth is essential to ensure reduction in economic disparity. 2. Environmental degradation is sometimes a consequence of economic growth. Which of the above is/are valid assumption/assumptions?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage explicitly links unbalanced emphasis on growth to negative environmental consequences, validating the second assumption. It does not support the idea that higher growth is essential for reducing disparity; in fact, it mentions adverse distributional effects of unbalanced growth.
If A runs less fast than B, and B runs as fast but not faster than C; then, as compared to A, C runs
- slower than A
- faster than A
- with same speed as A
- Given data is not sufficient to determine
Explanation: The premises establish the speed order: A < B and B <= C (B is as fast as C but not faster). Therefore, C is at least as fast as B, and since A is slower than B, C is definitely faster than A.
Each of A, B, C and D has Rs. 100. A pays Rs. 20 to B, who pays Rs. 10 to C, who gets Rs. 30 from D. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct?
- C is the richest.
- D is the poorest.
- C has more than what A and D have together.
- B is richer than D.
Explanation: After the transactions: A has 80, B has 110, C has 140, and D has 70. C is indeed the richest, D is the poorest, and B is richer than D. However, A and D together have 150, which is more than C's 140, so the statement that C has more than A and D combined is not correct.
In a town, 45% population read magazine A, 55% read magazine B, 40% read magazine C, 30% read magazines A and B, 15% read magazines B and C, 25% read magazines A and C; and 10% read all the three magazines. What percentage do not read any magazine?
Explanation: Using the principle of inclusion-exclusion, the percentage reading at least one magazine equals 45 + 55 + 40 - 30 - 15 - 25 + 10 = 80. Therefore, the percentage not reading any magazine is 100 - 80 = 20%.
Examine the following statements: 1. Lady's finger is tastier than cabbage. 2. Cauliflower is tastier than lady's finger. 3. Cabbage is not tastier than peas. The conclusion that can be drawn from these statements is that
- peas are as tasty as lady's finger.
- peas are as tasty as cauliflower and lady's finger.
- cabbage is the least tasty of the four vegetables.
- cauliflower is tastier than cabbage.
Explanation: From statements 1 and 2, cauliflower is tastier than lady's finger, which is tastier than cabbage, establishing a clear transitive relationship. Statement 3 only indicates peas are at least as tasty as cabbage, which does not permit conclusions equating peas with the other vegetables or establishing cabbage as definitively the least tasty.
Shahid and Rohit start from the same point in opposite directions. After each 1 km, Shahid always turns left and Rohit always turns right. Which of the following statements is correct?
- After both have travelled 2 km, the distance between them is 4 km.
- They meet after each has travelled 3 km.
- They meet for the first time after each has travelled 4 km.
- They go on without ever meeting again.
Explanation: Travelling in opposite directions and turning left or right respectively after every kilometre causes their paths to form intersecting trajectories. Their paths converge at the 3 km mark, where they meet for the first time.
In a 500 metres race, B starts 45 metres ahead of A, but A wins the race while B is still 35 metres behind. What is the ratio of the speeds of A to B assuming that both start at the same time?
- 25 : 21
- 25 : 20
- 5 : 3
- 5 : 7
Explanation: When A finishes 500 m, B has run 500 - 45 - 35 = 420 m. Since time is identical, the speed ratio equals the distance ratio: 500 : 420 = 25 : 21.
Two equal glasses of same type are respectively 1/3 and 1/4 full of milk. They are then filled up with water and the contents are mixed in a pot. What is the ratio of milk and water in the pot?
- 7 : 17
- 1 : 3
- 9 : 21
- 11 : 23
Explanation: Total milk = 1/3 + 1/4 = 7/12 of a glass. Total water = 2/3 + 3/4 = 17/12 of a glass. The ratio of milk to water is therefore 7 : 17.
Out of 130 students appearing in an examination, 62 failed in English, 52 failed in Mathematics, whereas 24 failed in both English and Mathematics. The number of students who passed finally is
Explanation: Students who failed at least one subject = 62 + 52 - 24 = 90. Therefore, students who passed both = 130 - 90 = 40.
In a group of persons travelling in a bus, 6 persons can speak Tamil, 15 can speak Hindi and 6 can speak Gujarati. In that group none can speak any other language. If 2 persons in the group can speak two languages only and one person can speak all the three languages, then how many persons are there in the group?
Explanation: Using the inclusion-exclusion principle for exactly two and all three languages: Total = (6 + 15 + 6) - 2 - 2(1) = 27 - 4 = 23 persons.
In a parking area, the total number of wheels of all the cars (four-wheelers) and scooters/motorbikes (two-wheelers) is 100 more than twice the number of parked vehicles. The number of cars parked is
Explanation: Let c = cars and s = scooters. Wheels equation: 4c + 2s = 100 + 2(c + s). Simplifying gives 2c = 100, so c = 50.
Passage: The mangroves can shed tons of leaves per acre every year; fungi and bacteria break down this leaf litter and consume it, they then are consumed by tiny worms and crustaceans, which in turn feed small fish, which feed larger fish and birds and crocodiles.
Which among the following is the most logical inference of the above statement?
- Coastal areas cannot have food chains without mangroves.
- Mangroves are an essential component of all marine ecosystems.
- Mangroves have a crucial role in some of the coastal food chains.
- The composition of marine flora and fauna is largely determined by mangroves.
Explanation: The passage traces a specific coastal food chain beginning with mangrove leaves. The most accurate inference is that mangroves play a crucial role in some coastal food chains, without overgeneralizing to all marine ecosystems or claiming coastal areas cannot have food chains without them.
Passage: "By liberty I mean the eager maintenance of that atmosphere in which men have the opportunity to be their best selves."
Which one of the following expresses the view implied in the above statement?
- Liberty is the absence of restraint on human action.
- Liberty is what law permits people to perform.
- Liberty is the ability to do what one desires.
- Liberty is the maintenance of conditions for the growth of human personality.
Explanation: The quote defines liberty as creating an atmosphere that allows people to realize their full potential and become their best selves, which corresponds to maintaining conditions that foster human personality growth.
Passage: Climate change is already making many people hungry all over the world, by disrupting crop yields and pushing up prices. And it is not just food but nutrients that are becoming scarcer as the climate changes. It is the poorest communities that will suffer the worst effects of climate change, including increased hunger and malnutrition as crop production and livelihoods are threatened. On the other hand, poverty is a driver of climate change, as desperate communities resort to unsustainable use of resources to meet current needs.
Which among the following is the most logical corollary to the above passage?
- Government should allocate more funds to poverty alleviation programmes and increase food subsidies to the poor communities.
- Poverty and climate impacts reinforce each other and therefore we have to re-imagine our food systems.
- All the countries of the world must unite in fighting poverty and malnutrition and treat poverty as a global problem.
- We must stop unsustainable agricultural practices immediately and control food prices.
Explanation: The passage establishes a bidirectional relationship where climate change worsens poverty and poverty drives unsustainable practices that worsen climate change. The logical corollary is that this reinforcing cycle requires rethinking food systems.
Passage: The Global Financial Stability Report finds that the share of portfolio investments from advanced economies in the total debt and equity investments in emerging economies has doubled in the past decade to 12 percent. The phenomenon has implications for Indian policy makers as foreign portfolio investments in the debt and equity markets have been on the rise. The phenomenon is also flagged as a threat that could compromise global financial stability in a chain reaction, in the event of United States Federal Reserve's imminent reversal of its "Quantitative Easing" policy.
Which among the following is the most rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
- Foreign portfolio investments are not good for emerging economies.
- Advanced economies undermine the global financial stability.
- India should desist from accepting foreign portfolio investments in the future.
- Emerging economies are at a risk of shock from advanced economies.
Explanation: The passage highlights that emerging economies are receiving increased portfolio flows from advanced economies, and a policy reversal (like Quantitative Easing reversal) could trigger chain reactions threatening stability. This implies emerging economies face potential shocks originating from advanced economies.
Passage: Open defecation is disastrous when practised in very densely populated areas, where it is impossible to keep away human faeces from crops, wells, food and children's hands. Groundwater is also contaminated by open defecation. Many ingested germs and worms spread diseases. They prevent the body from absorbing calories and nutrients. Nearly one-half of India's children remain malnourished. Lakhs of them die from preventable conditions. Diarrhoea leaves Indians' bodies smaller on average than those of people in some poorer countries where people eat fewer calories. Underweight mothers produce stunted babies prone to sickness who may fail to develop their full cognitive potential. The germs released into environment harm rich and poor alike, even those who use latrines.
Which among the following is the most critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
- The Central and State governments in India do not have enough resources to afford a latrine for each household.
- Open defecation is the most important public health problem of India.
- Open defecation reduces the human capital of India's workforce.
- Open defecation is a public health problem in all developing countries.
Explanation: The passage emphasizes long-term consequences such as stunted growth, reduced cognitive potential, and impaired physical development affecting future productivity. The most critical inference is therefore the erosion of human capital, rather than a ranking of public health problems or resource constraints.
Passage: We generally talk about democracy but when it comes to any particular thing, we prefer a belonging to our caste or community or religion. So long as we have this kind of temptation, our democracy will remain a phoney kind of democracy. We must be in a position to respect a man as a man and to extend opportunities for development to those who deserve them and not to those who happen to belong to our community or race. This fact of favouritism has been responsible for much discontent and ill-will in our country.
Which one of the following statements best sums up the above passage?
- Our country has a lot of diversity with its many castes, communities and religions.
- True democracy could be established by providing equal opportunities to all.
- So far none of us have actually understood the meaning of democracy.
- It will never be possible for us to establish truly democratic governance in our country.
Explanation: The passage argues that favouritism based on caste and community undermines democracy, and that opportunities should go to those who deserve them. The core message is that true democracy requires equal opportunity for all regardless of background.
Passage: The existence/establishment of formal financial institutions that offer safe, reliable, and alternative financial instruments is fundamental in mobilising savings. To save, individuals need access to safe and reliable financial institutions, such as banks, and to appropriate financial instruments and reasonable financial incentives. Such access is not always available to all people in developing countries like India and more so, in rural areas. Savings help poor households manage volatility in cash flow, smoothen consumption, and build working capital. Poor households without access to a formal savings mechanism encourage immediate spending temptations.
With reference to the above passage, consider the following statements: 1. Indian financial institutions do not offer any financial instruments to rural households to mobilise their savings. 2. Poor households tend to spend their earnings/savings due to lack of access to appropriate financial instruments. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage states that access to financial instruments is not always available, not that institutions offer nothing at all, so statement 1 is false. It explicitly links lack of formal savings mechanisms to immediate spending temptations among poor households, making statement 2 correct.
Passage: The existence/establishment of formal financial institutions that offer safe, reliable, and alternative financial instruments is fundamental in mobilising savings. To save, individuals need access to safe and reliable financial institutions, such as banks, and to appropriate financial instruments and reasonable financial incentives. Such access is not always available to all people in developing countries like India and more so, in rural areas. Savings help poor households manage volatility in cash flow, smoothen consumption, and build working capital. Poor households without access to a formal savings mechanism encourage immediate spending temptations.
What is the crucial message conveyed in the passage?
- Establish more banks
- Increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate
- Increase the interest rate of bank deposits
- Promote financial inclusion
Explanation: The passage emphasizes that poor households lack access to formal financial institutions and instruments, which hinders savings and economic stability. The overarching message is the need to promote financial inclusion so that all households can access these services.
Passage: Governments may have to take steps which would otherwise be an infringement on the Fundamental Rights of individuals, such as acquiring a person's land against his will, or refusing permission for putting up a building, but the larger public interest for which these are done must be authorized by the people (Parliament). Discretionary powers to the administration can be done away with. It is becoming more and more difficult to keep this power within limits as the government has many number of tasks to perform. Where discretion has to be used, there must be rules and safeguards to prevent misuse of that power. Systems have to be devised which minimise, if not prevent, the abuse of discretionary power. Government work must be conducted within a framework of recognised rules and principles, and decisions should be similar and predictable.
Which among the following is the most logical assumption that can be made from the above passage?
- Government should always be given wide discretionary power in all matters of administration.
- The supremacy of rules and safeguards should prevail as opposed to the influence of exclusive discretion of authority.
- Parliamentary democracy is possible only if the Government has wider discretionary power.
- None of the above statements is a logical assumption that can be made from this passage.
Explanation: The passage argues that discretionary power must be constrained by rules and safeguards to prevent misuse, and that government decisions should be predictable and principled. This assumes that rules and safeguards should take precedence over unchecked discretion.
A selection is to be made for one post of Principal and two posts of Vice-Principal. Amongst the six candidates called for the interview, only two are eligible for the post of Principal while they all are eligible for the post of Vice-Principal. The number of possible combinations of selectees is
- 4
- 12
- 18
- None of the above
Explanation: The Principal can be chosen in 2 ways from the two eligible candidates. Since one person cannot hold multiple posts, the two Vice-Principals must be chosen from the remaining 5 candidates, giving C(5,2) = 10 ways. Total combinations = 2 × 10 = 20. Since 20 is not listed among the first three options, the correct choice is the last option.
A student has to opt for 2 subjects out of 5 subjects for a course, namely, Commerce, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics I and Mathematics II. Mathematics II can be offered only if Mathematics I is also opted. The number of different combinations of two subjects which can be opted is
Explanation: Without Mathematics II, there are C(4,2) = 6 combinations from Commerce, Economics, Statistics, and Mathematics I. With Mathematics II, only one additional valid combination exists: Mathematics I with Mathematics II. Total = 6 + 1 = 7.
A person ordered 5 pairs of black socks and some pairs of brown socks. The price of a black pair was thrice that of a brown pair. While preparing the bill, the bill clerk interchanged the number of black and brown pairs by mistake which increased the bill by 100%. What was the number of pairs of brown socks in the original order?
Explanation: Let the brown pair price be p and the original brown count be b. Original bill = 5(3p) + bp = 15p + bp. Interchanged bill = b(3p) + 5p = 3bp + 5p. A 100% increase means the new bill is double the original: 3b + 5 = 2(15 + b), which simplifies to b = 25.
Two pipes A and B can independently fill a tank completely in 20 and 30 minutes respectively. If both the pipes are opened simultaneously, how much time will they take to fill the tank completely?
- 10 minutes
- 12 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 25 minutes
Explanation: Pipe A fills 1/20 of the tank per minute and Pipe B fills 1/30 per minute. Combined rate = 1/20 + 1/30 = 5/60 = 1/12 per minute. Thus, the tank fills in 12 minutes.
Each of the six different faces of a cube has been coated with a different colour i.e., V, I, B, G, Y and O. Following information is given: 1. Colours Y, O and B are on adjacent faces. 2. Colours I, G and Y are on adjacent faces. 3. Colours B, G and Y are on adjacent faces. 4. Colours O, V and B are on adjacent faces. Which is the colour of the face opposite to the face coloured with O?
Explanation: From the adjacency clues, Y is adjacent to O, B, I, and G, so Y must be opposite V. B is adjacent to Y, O, G, and V, so B must be opposite I. The only remaining pair is O opposite G.
Consider the following statements followed by two conclusions: Statements: Some men are great. Some men are wise. Conclusion I: Men are either great or wise. Conclusion II: Some men are neither great nor wise. Which one of the following is correct?
- Only conclusion I is valid
- Only conclusion II is valid
- Both the conclusions are valid
- Neither of the conclusions is valid
Explanation: Two particular statements do not allow a universal conclusion that all men are either great or wise. Also, it is possible that the groups of great and wise men together cover all men, so we cannot definitively conclude that some men are neither. Therefore, neither conclusion necessarily follows.
Consider the following statements: 1. Some claim to have seen UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). 2. Life on other heavenly bodies is considered to be a possibility. 3. Voyage to space is now an established fact. From the above statements, it may be concluded that
- UFOs are heavenly bodies
- UFOs are sent from other heavenly bodies
- Some living species in other heavenly bodies are more intelligent than man
- Nothing definite can be said about the UFOs
Explanation: The statements mention claims of UFO sightings, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and established space travel, but none of these premises provide sufficient evidence to draw any definite conclusion about what UFOs actually are.
If ABC × DEED = ABCABC; where A, B, C, D and E are different digits, what are the values of D and E?
- D = 2, E = 0
- D = 0, E = 1
- D = 1, E = 0
- D = 1, E = 2
Explanation: ABCABC = ABC × 1001. Therefore DEED must equal 1001, which gives D = 1 and E = 0.
Usha runs faster than Kamala, Priti runs slower than Swati, Swati runs slower than Kamala. Who is the slowest runner?
Explanation: From the given relationships, the speed order from fastest to slowest is: Usha > Kamala > Swati > Priti. Therefore, Priti is the slowest.
Passage: India has suffered from persistent high inflation. Increase in administered prices, demand and supply imbalances, imported inflation aggravated by rupee depreciation, and speculation — have combined to keep high inflation going. If there is an element common to all of them, it is that many of them are the outcomes of economic reforms. India's vulnerability to the effects of changes in international prices has increased with trade liberalisation. The effort to reduce subsidies has resulted in a continuous increase in the prices of commodities that are administered.
What is the most logical, rational and crucial message that is implied in the above passage?
- Under the present circumstances, India should completely avoid all trade liberalisation policies and all subsidies.
- Due to its peculiar socio-economic situation, India is not yet ready for trade liberalisation process.
- There is no solution in sight for the problems of continuing poverty and inflation in India in the near future.
- Economic reforms can often create a high inflation economy.
Explanation: The passage explicitly identifies economic reforms as a common element behind various inflation drivers, including trade liberalisation and subsidy reductions. The crucial implied message is that economic reforms can lead to high inflation.
Passage: No Right is absolute, exclusive or inviolable. The Right of personal property, similarly, has to be perceived in the larger context of its assumed legitimacy. The Right of personal property should unite the principle of liberty with that of equality, and both with the principle of cooperation.
In the light of the argument in the above passage, which one of the following statements is the most convincing explanation?
- The Right of personal property is a Natural Right duly supported by statutes and scriptures.
- Personal property is a theft and an instrument of exploitation. The Right of personal property is therefore violative of economic justice.
- The Right of personal property is violative of distributive justice and negates the principle of cooperation.
- The comprehensive idea of economic justice demands that the Right of each person to acquisition of property has to be reconciled with that of others.
Explanation: The passage argues that property rights must balance liberty, equality, and cooperation. This aligns with the idea that economic justice requires reconciling each person's property rights with those of others, rather than treating property as absolute or inherently exploitative.
Passage: The conflict between man and State is as old as State history. Although attempts have been made for centuries to bring about a proper adjustment between the competing claims of State and the individual, the solution seems to be still far off. This is primarily because of the dynamic nature of human society where old values and ideas constantly yield place to new ones. It is obvious that if individuals are allowed to have absolute freedom of speech and action, the result would be chaos, ruin and anarchy.
The author's viewpoint can be best summed up in which of the following statements?
- The conflict between the claims of State and individual remains unresolved.
- Anarchy and chaos are the obvious results of democratic traditions.
- Old values, ideas and traditions persist despite the dynamic nature of human society.
- Constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech is not in the interest of society.
Explanation: The passage explicitly states that despite centuries of attempts, the solution to the conflict between State and individual claims remains far off. This directly supports the conclusion that the conflict remains unresolved.
Passage: Climate change is a complex policy issue with major implications in terms of finance. All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. Lack of funding is a large impediment to implementing adaptation plans. The scale and magnitude of the financial support required by developing countries to enhance their domestic mitigation and adaptation actions are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention squarely puts the responsibility for provision of financial support on the developed countries, taking into account their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Given the magnitude of the task and the funds required, domestic finances are likely to fall short of the current and projected needs of the developing countries. Global funding through the multilateral mechanism of the Convention will enhance their domestic capacity to finance the mitigation efforts.
According to the passage, which of the following is/are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under UNFCCC regarding the role of developing countries in climate change? 1. The scale and size of required financial support. 2. The crop loss due to climate change in the developing countries. 3. To enhance the mitigation and adaptation actions in the developing countries.
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The passage identifies the scale and magnitude of financial support and the enhancement of domestic mitigation and adaptation actions as subjects of intense debate. Crop loss is mentioned as an effect of climate change but not as a debated topic in the UNFCCC negotiations.
Passage: Climate change is a complex policy issue with major implications in terms of finance. All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. Lack of funding is a large impediment to implementing adaptation plans. The scale and magnitude of the financial support required by developing countries to enhance their domestic mitigation and adaptation actions are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention squarely puts the responsibility for provision of financial support on the developed countries, taking into account their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Given the magnitude of the task and the funds required, domestic finances are likely to fall short of the current and projected needs of the developing countries. Global funding through the multilateral mechanism of the Convention will enhance their domestic capacity to finance the mitigation efforts.
In this passage, the Convention puts the responsibility for the provision of financial support on the developed countries because of 1. their higher level of per capita incomes. 2. their large quantum of GDP. 3. their large contribution to the stock of GHGs in the atmosphere.
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation: The passage explicitly states that the Convention assigns financial responsibility to developed countries based on their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Per capita incomes and GDP are not cited as reasons in the passage.
Passage: Climate change is a complex policy issue with major implications in terms of finance. All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. Lack of funding is a large impediment to implementing adaptation plans. The scale and magnitude of the financial support required by developing countries to enhance their domestic mitigation and adaptation actions are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention squarely puts the responsibility for provision of financial support on the developed countries, taking into account their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Given the magnitude of the task and the funds required, domestic finances are likely to fall short of the current and projected needs of the developing countries. Global funding through the multilateral mechanism of the Convention will enhance their domestic capacity to finance the mitigation efforts.
With regards to developing countries, it can be inferred from the passage that climate change is likely to have implications on their 1. domestic finances. 2. capacity for multilateral trade.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: The passage explicitly discusses how domestic finances of developing countries are likely to fall short of climate action needs. It does not mention or imply any effect on multilateral trade capacity.
Passage: Climate change is a complex policy issue with major implications in terms of finance. All actions to address climate change ultimately involve costs. Funding is vital for countries like India to design and implement adaptation and mitigation plans and projects. Lack of funding is a large impediment to implementing adaptation plans. The scale and magnitude of the financial support required by developing countries to enhance their domestic mitigation and adaptation actions are a matter of intense debate in the multilateral negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention squarely puts the responsibility for provision of financial support on the developed countries, taking into account their contribution to the stock of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Given the magnitude of the task and the funds required, domestic finances are likely to fall short of the current and projected needs of the developing countries. Global funding through the multilateral mechanism of the Convention will enhance their domestic capacity to finance the mitigation efforts.
Which one of the following is essentially discussed in the passage?
- Conflict between developed and developing countries regarding support for mitigation
- Occurrence of climate change due to excessive exploitation of natural resources by the developed countries
- Lack of political will on the part of all the countries to implement adaptation plans
- Governance problems of developing countries as a result of climate change
Explanation: The passage centers on the debate over financial support for climate mitigation and adaptation, the Convention's assignment of responsibility to developed countries, and the gap between developing countries' needs and available funding. This frames the core discussion as a conflict between developed and developing nations over mitigation support.