Directions (1-5): In each of the following questions, a paragraph with a blank is given. From the five choices given below, select the sentence which can go into the blank to make the paragraph logically coherent.
1) The government’s structural reform announcements have focused on eight sectors, such as defence production, coal and minerals, airspace management, airports, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in aviation, power distribution companies in the union territories, space, and atomic energy. The reforms include permitting and expanding private participation in these sectors in accordance with the neo-liberal agenda pursued by the government,____________________________, leading to the accumulation of profits by the investors. In the defence sector, foreign direct investment (FDI) limits have been relaxed from 49% to 74% through the automatic route.
A) considering the unfolding humanitarian crisis involving the migrants and the working poor and excessive loss of livelihoods
B) subjugating societal interests to that of private and foreign capital
C) these announcements were made without any consultation with the stakeholders or discussions and debates in parliamentary committees
D) these reforms were on the government’s agenda for some time, these were kept on hold until now
E) None of these
B
2) In India, a humanitarian disaster is unfolding along with the health calamity ever since the lockdown was announced more than two months ago. A despondent mass of migrant workers is trudging their way back “home,” forced to disregard official restrictions of maintaining physical distance and, thus, rendered more vulnerable to COVID-19 infections. While, previously,____________________________, without having any strategies of containing them in their urban locations in place, now there is a belated decision to run Shramik special trains even as the contagion is on a rising curve. However, not only does the process of travel registration lack clarity, but the travel itself involves jostling for space in trains that are for no apparent reason making circuitous journeys for as many as 60 hours in the peak heat of May. With paucity of food and water and having already undergone prolonged, untold hardships, many are failing to make it to their destination.
A) that should provoke our conscience at this brazen display of the state’s willy-nilly handling of the workers’ issue are
B) they may have proven their worth as a vote bank, but that worth does not translate while rewarding
C) let alone recognising, their “labour” in the production process of the broader economy
D) there were efforts to enforce arbitrary restrictions on their remigration
E) None of these
D
3) Specific epidemiologic and clinical criteria and basic blood tests provide a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19; PCR is useful to confirm this. Home quarantine of all with mild symptoms is simple and safe. Their medical supervision should be through daily phone calls with the assigned doctor. For those ____________________________. This approach would have fetched us more gains for less expense. We have tested 22,79,324 persons (incurring a cost of ₹22,79,324,000 by assuming ₹1,000 for all costs per test; private laboratories charge ₹4,500). Only 95,622 (~4 %) were positive; remember PCR may miss up to half of infected subjects. The original testing policy was essential at first, but became redundant and misleading by end-March. Why evaporate the public exchequer for little or limited public benefit? Now the best use of tests is to confirm clinical diagnosis.
A) with breathing difficulty, a chest X ray or CT scan identifies pneumonia
B) flattening the curve sounds attractive — infected subjects trickle in rather than as an avalanche
C) and those with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease and obesity
D) large numbers succumbed, unprotected by cocooning; hospitals were overwhelmed
E) None of these
A
4) In the new cold war, defined by technology and trade not territory, non-alignment is an uncertain option; India should craft a global triumvirate. To benefit from global change,____________________________. Britain quickly built the largest military in the Subcontinent using the land revenue of Bengal, and over time conquered India. The United States fixated on splitting the Communist bloc ended up with China challenging its dominance.
A) set the global response in terms of multilateralism, not just medical issues
B) new principles for the international system. His new globalisation model based on humanity
C) countries must have a bold vision and make the right strategic choice
D) with global governance, economy, scientific research and society in need of being re-invented
E) None of these
C
5) The Narendra Modi government is so possessed by its plan to redevelop the Central Vista, the 3-km long stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, that even a devastating pandemic is no distraction from it. In fact, amid the nation’s chaotic battle against COVID-19,____________________________. The plan is also to construct a new Parliament building by March 2022 and a common central secretariat by March 2024 along with new residences for the Prime Minister and the Vice President near South and North Blocks which will be repurposed as museums.
A) will be a new building for the PMO
B) the government has not publicly stated the project’s estimated cost
C) according to the CPWD application for environmental clearance for the project on March 12
D) and once delimitation is done and the number of seats increase, to the need for more space to seat MPs and office space for all of them
E) None of these
E
Direction (6-10): In the following passage, certain words which may be either contextually or grammatically incorrect have been highlighted and numbered. For each highlighted four alternatives are provided that could replace the highlighted word to make the sentence both grammatically and contextually correct. Option corresponding to that word will be your answer. If none of the given options could replace the highlighted word then choose option (E), i.e. ‘None of these’ as your answer.
There is a dearth of specialist doctors in public health facilities, which is evident from a polemic(6) of studies. Apathy of policy makers towards lack of human resources for health adds up to the gravity of the situation.
Other cost-effective methods are available to improve the lumber(7) human resources, but alienated approach towards the issue has led to corroborate(8) health service delivery in public hospitals.
The Diplomate National Board (DNB) course is an effective way to congregation(9) the dearth of human resources in public hospitals. India is the only country which is running two parallel doctoral courses — Doctor of Medicine (MD) and DNB. The rationale behind starting course, introduced in 1975 by National Board of Examination, was acute shortage of specialists in rural areas and perpetually(10) population and healthcare professional ratio.
6) There is a dearth of specialist doctors in public health facilities, which is evident from a polemic(6) of studies. Apathy of policy makers towards lack of human resources for health adds up to the gravity of the situation.
A) discernible
B) myriad
C) scurrilous
D) hustler
E) None of these
B
7) Other cost-effective methods are available to improve the lumber(7) human resources
A) dwindling
B) truculent
C) didactic
D) perfidious
E) None of these
A
8) but alienated approach towards the issue has led to corroborate(8) health service delivery in public hospitals.
A) esoteric
B) concomitant
C) emblazon
D) abysmal
E) None of these
D
9) The Diplomate National Board (DNB) course is an effective way to congregation(9) the dearth of human resources in public hospitals.
A) plaudits
B) placebo
C) paragon
D) probity
E) None of these
E
10) The rationale behind starting course, introduced in 1975 by National Board of Examination, was acute shortage of specialists in rural areas and perpetually(10) population and healthcare professional ratio.
A) propitiate
B) indecorous
C) skewed
D) prevaricate
E) None of these
C