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Directions (1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
The public education system has for long been under fire. It is being painted as non-functioning, wasteful and un-improvable. The Right to Education Act was designed to improve this system. Therefore, it is natural that the RTE will also come under fire from the same quarters that have been attacking the PES. The PES and RTE do have problems, and they need to be fixed; we need to find a way to make the system deliver in terms of better learning outcomes.However, all the attacks which arise from private schools, their supporters and the privatisation lobby are unjustified; and the solutions that are being aggressively pushed will lead us further into the morass.A lie is being perpetrated through sheer force of repetition that learning is better in so-called low-cost private schools. There are some studies that claim that private schools outperform public schools; while others claim that after adjusting for family and socio-economic background of the children. In spite of many studies conducted more or less with the express purpose of establishing that low-fee private schools do better, there is no reliable evidence to support that claim. However, there is evidence that students in private schools are less likely to belong to low caste groups which means that they are less inclusive. Therefore, the repeated claims of better learning in private schools are unfounded.When it became difficult to empirically prove that children learn better in private schools, the attack invented a new weapon: per unit cost of learning outcomes. Most of the learning outcome researches almost always fail to understand the entire purport of education in any depth and reduce it to learning of so-called 3Rs for economic purposes. The new claim that emerged out of misplaced confidence that all that is in education can be quantified is that the per unit cost of outcome is lower in private schools. This argument is completely spurious and shows very little understanding of education. The costs quoted for private schools, one, have no reliable source of data and, two, they discount two kinds of hidden costs to the family and to the nation. Often the cost of education in private schools is equated with the fee per child. This is obviously wrong as the cost of school uniform, books and stationery, and transport, which all are under the monopoly of the school, are not included. Occasionally private schools want additional money for special occasions like festivals, picnics, excursions and projects.
Second, the low-cost private schools often run in grossly inadequate infrastructure. The teachers are paid less than minimum unskilled labour wages legislated by various State governments. This has a devastating effect on teacher status in the society, on teacher knowledge in the education system. The children see all this and imbibe attitudes that are self-centred, competition-oriented, and start thinking that ethics is a hindrance in the success of a business. Therefore, the nation pays in terms of lowered teacher status and professional knowledge, abandoning a section of its citizens to exploitation, and possibly unhealthy attitudes in its future citizens.Of course, one can argue that the PES is no better in transmitting attitudes to the children. To add to the force of two spurious argument mentioned above a new falsehood is being spread, that the low-cost private schools are closing due to implementation of the RTE. The RTE norms of infrastructure, children per teacher, teacher qualifications and teacher remunerations, all are just minimum to run a decent school. Further, the claim that private schools are being closed down due to RTE is false. Recently the AzimPremji Foundation conducted a study in 69 districts across seven States and one Union Territory and found that across these districts only five schools were closed due to non-compliance of the RTE and notices for compliance had been served to 7,156 schools. It seems the data being used to propagate this canard of closure are unreliable. The remedy suggested for the low learning levels in the PES is to encourage the private sector. Simply put, that means provide public money to the private profiteer either though the vouchers or by facilitating their compliance with the RTE norms. The vouchers are seen as the ticket to quality education as the parents can decide to take their children to any private school they like.
Teacher education in our country is almost entirely in the hands of the private colleges. And we all know that it has completely ruined teacher education and all attempts to improve it so far have failed.The proponents of the voucher system forget that freedom of choice requires informed decision-making. Poor parents do not have adequate information about schools, and that information cannot be reliably and systematically provided. Their judgment can be easily swayed by false propaganda, as is being done right now across the country.The strength of these canards is not their truth, but the underperformance of and resultant dissatisfaction with the system. The RTE is not being implemented either efficiently or fairly, efforts are half-hearted at best. Governments have diluted it and are uninterested in making the private schools comply with it. It was constructed to provide better schools to the poor. But they have made provisions to spare themselves. Similar treatment is meted out to almost every legislation in our country. The issue of quality of education can be easily fixed in the RTE. It was assumed that since the States are responsible for curriculum details beyond the National Curriculum Framework, and administration and financing of education is under their purview, they would be better placed to make guidelines on these issues. They failed to meet the challenge. Therefore, perhaps there is a case to introduce some clauses on ensuring learning standards.
1) According to the passage why the statement -the per unit cost of outcome is lower in private schools is said to be completely fake?
i. Because there is no reliable source of data to prove it right
ii. Because it discounts basically two kinds of hidden costs to the family and to the nation
iii. Because the study claims it do not let private schools to outperform
a) ii and iii
b) i and ii
c) i and iii
d) All except i
e) None of these
2) According to the passage what do you mean by 3 Rs for economic purposes?
i. It is a remedy suggested for the low learning levels to encourage the private sector.
ii. It is a set of curriculum details brought by the National Curriculum Framework, and administration for financing of education
iii. It is a claim which states that the per unit cost of outcome is lower in private schools.
a) Only iii
b) i and ii
c) ii and iii
d) i and iii
e) All are correct
3) According to the passage which of the following is responsible for the devastating effect on teacher status in the society?
a) Teacher education in our country is entirely in the hands of the private colleges.
b) Instead of sorting out issue private schools provide money to the profiteer either though the vouchers or by facilitating their compliance with the RTE norms.
c) The teachers are paid less than minimum unskilled labour wages legislated by various State governments.
d) The Governments have diluted the issue of hefty fees and are uninterested in making the private schools comply with it.
e) None of these
4) Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
i. Studiesclaim that public schools outperform private schools; while others claim that after adjusting for family and socio-economic background of the children.
ii. Often the cost of education in private schools is equated with the fee per child.
iii. AzimPremji Foundation conducted a study in 69 districts and found that across these districts only five schools were closed due to non-compliance
a) Only ii
b) i and ii
c) Only iii
d) All except i
e) None of these
5) According to the passage which of the following has been mentioned correct about voucher system which is meant to improve learning of children?
a) The system passes the norms of infrastructure, children per teacher, teacher qualifications and teacher remunerations.
b) The vouchers are seen as the ticket to quality education as the parents can decide to take their children to any private school they like
c) The proponents of the voucher system forget that freedom of choice requires informed decision-making.
d) The system was constructed to provide better schools to the poor.
e) None of these
6) Which of the following is not true in the context of the passage?
i. The States are not responsible for curriculum details beyond the National Curriculum Framework, and administration so they would be better placed to make guidelines on the issues.
ii. Private schools take additional money for special occasions like festivals, picnics, excursions and projects.
iii. It has been rightly stated that the low-cost private schools are closing due to implementation of the RTE.
a) ii and iii
b) i and ii
c) i and iii
d) Only ii
e) None of these
7) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word “perpetrated” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Abstain
b) Effectuate
c) Eschewed
d) Renounce
e) Forgo
8) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word “propagate” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Fecundate
b) Cessation
c) Desistance
d) Blockade
e) Standstill
9) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word “swayed” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Stagger
b) Undulate
c) Wobble
d) Fluctuate
e) Buttress
10) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word “spurious” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Specious
b) Contrived
c) Legitimate
d) Apocryphal
e) Deceitful
Directions (11-15): Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Below the sentence are five sets of words. Choose the set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
11) History is full of examples of governments empowering their people to _______ a________ approach to what we now term universal health coverage.
a) Fecundate, integrate
b) Propagate, holistic
c) Procreated, comprehensive
d) Enshroud, unified
e) Fathered, plenary
12) With that kind of a market price crash, Bhavantar has basically _______ into a full-fledged MSP, the only difference being that there is no government _________ and therefore no need for public warehousing.
a) Contorted, acquisitioning
b) Distort, attainment
c) Sustained, redemption
d) Morphed, procurement
e) Mutate, salvage
13) Instead of creating a statistical data ecosystem that _________the energy of diverse institutions and disciplines in which innovative thinking on data collection and analysis could be undertaken, this tendency may well ________ official statistical systems.
a) Constrains, disengaged
b) Accouter, seclude
c) Harnesses, isolate
d) Muzzles, confined
e) Fetters, integrate
14) The draft National Policy on Official Statistics offers a great start for _________ trust in statistics but _______ its inclusiveness will go a long way towards encouraging competence, reliability and honesty in public statistics.
a) Fostering, enhancing
b) Nurturing, supplement
c) Harboring, intensify
d) Fomenting, exalted
e) Rattling, boosting
15) A ________survey management structure that understands the difficulties of on-the-ground data collectors and responds appropriately to find ways of _______ quality and honesty must form the cornerstone of good data collection.
a) Adept, certified
b) Proficient, warranted
c) Nimble, ensuring
d) Lissome, fortified
e) Sluggish, assuring
Direction (16-20): In each of the questions given below a sentence is given which is then divided into five parts out of which one bold part is correct. There are no errors in three out of four remaining parts and therefore only one of the parts other than the bold one is incorrect. You must choose the grammatically incorrect part as your answer. Choose no error if you find out there is no error.
16) Activity in India’s manufacturing sector grew at a weak a)/pace in May from the previous b)/month while inflationary pressures picked c)/up again amid rising oil prices in another sign d)/that an interest rate hike is around the corner e)/
a) c
b) a
c) d
d) e
e) No error
17) With borrowing costs setting to rise and global trade tensions a)/ adding to uncertainties for India’s exporters who are yet to b)/capitalise on the rupee weakness, policymakers will c)/ need to eschew populism and stick to policy prudence d)/if the tenuous momentum is to be sustained e)/
a) b
b) c
c) d
d) a
e) No error
18) Lofty sentiments expressed prior to alliance a)/formation tend to melt away and b)/ideological considerations take a back seat c)/when the exigencies of seat-sharing d)/and later ministry-making kick around e)/
a) e
b) a
c) e
d) b
e) No error
19) A sober thought here is that the very same growth a)/ momentum is likely to spur price pressures across b)/the economy that combined with the bullish c)/trend in global oil could fan faster inflation, this may d)/leave the RBI with little option but to raise interest rates e)/
a) b
b) a
c) d
d) e
e) No error
20) Alliances work best when the vote bases a)/of partners are complementary rather b)/than overlap or antagonistic and c)/party workers and leaders alike d)/ are able to see the larger picture e)/
a) c
b) d
c) b
d) e
e) No error
Answers:
Direction (1-10):
1) Answer: b)
It is clearly mentioned in para 1- This argument is completely spurious and shows very little understanding of education. The costs quoted for private schools, one, have no reliable source of data andtwo, they discount two kinds of hidden costs to the family and to the nation.
2) Answer: a)
It is mentioned in para 1- Most of the learning outcome researches almost always fail to understand the entire purport of education in any depth and reduce it to learning of so-called 3Rs for economic purposes. The new claim that emerged out of misplaced confidence that all that is in education can be quantified is that the per unit cost of outcome is lower in private schools.
3) Answer: c)
It is mentioned in para 2- The teachers are paid less than minimum unskilled labour wages legislated by various State governments. This has a devastating effect on teacher status in the society, on teacher knowledge in the education system.
4) Answer: d)
It is clearly mentioned in para 1&2- Often the cost of education in private schools is equated with the fee per child, recently the AzimPremji Foundation conducted a study in 69 districts across seven States and one Union Territory and found that across these districts only five schools were closed due to non-compliance of the RTE
5) Answer: b)
It is mentioned in para 2- The vouchers are seen as the ticket to quality education as the parents can decide to take their children to any private school they like.
6) Answer: c)
It is clearly mentioned in para 2&3- It was assumed that since the States are responsible for curriculum details beyond the National Curriculum Framework, and administration and financing of education is under their purview, they would be better placed to make guidelines on these issues. To add to the force of two spurious argument mentioned above a new falsehood is being spread, that the low-cost private schools are closing due to implementation of the RTE.
7) Answer: b)
The meaning of word perpetuated is to carry out or commit illegal or immoral action
8) Answer: a)
The meaning of word propagate is to promote an idea, theory, etc. or put about
9) Answer: e)
The meaning of word swayed is to move back and forth or roll
10) Answer: c)
The meaning of word spurious is not genuine or fake
Direction (11-15):
11) Answer: b)
The meaning of “propagate” is “to raise or generate” and it is suitable for i blanks and the meaning of “holistic” is “complete or whole” so it is appropriate for ii blank.
12) Answer: d)
The meaning of “morphed” is “to change something” and it is suitable for i blanks and the meaning of “procurement” is “the action of obtaining something” so it is appropriate for ii blank
13) Answer: c)
The meaning of “harnesses” is “to control and make use of resources” and it is suitable for i blanks and the meaning of “isolate” is “to separate or set apart” so it is appropriate for ii blank
14) Answer: a)
The meaning of “fostering” is “to encourage the development of something” and it is suitable for i blanks and the meaning of “enhancing” is “to further improve the quality or value” so it is appropriate for ii blank
15) Answer: c)
The meaning of “nimble” is “skillful” and it is suitable for i blanks and the meaning of “ensuring” is “to confirm or make something certain” so it is appropriate for ii blank
Direction (16-20):
16) Answer: b)
In part a in place of weak it should be weaker
17) Answer: d)
In part a in place of setting it should be set
18) Answer: c)
In part e in place of around it should be in (kick in means to come into effect or operation)
19) Answer: b)
In part a in place of sober it should be sobering
20) Answer: a)
In part c in place of overlap it should be overlapping
Daily Practice Test Schedule | Good Luck
| Topic | Daily Publishing Time |
| Daily News Papers & Editorials | 8.00 AM |
| Current Affairs Quiz | 9.00 AM |
| Quantitative Aptitude “20-20” | 11.00 AM |
| Vocabulary (Based on The Hindu) | 12.00 PM |
| General Awareness “20-20” | 1.00 PM |
| English Language “20-20” | 2.00 PM |
| Reasoning Puzzles & Seating | 4.00 PM |
| Daily Current Affairs Updates | 5.00 PM |
| Data Interpretation / Application Sums (Topic Wise) | 6.00 PM |
| Reasoning Ability “20-20” | 7.00 PM |
| English Language (New Pattern Questions) | 8.00 PM |
English New Pattern Questions
