Ibps Po Prelims Exam Template With Answers (Page 2 of 22) in pdf

IBPS PO Prelims – Set 2

Instructions



There are three sections in the exam. Namely, English Language, Reasoning ability and

Quantitative Aptitude



Each question carries 1 mark



This test contains 100 questions



There is negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer

English Language

Directions (Q. 1-15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.

Certain words have been printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the

questions.

The education sector in India is in ferment, hit by a storm long waiting to happen. The

butterfly that flapped its wings was the much-reiterated statement in a much publicized report that

hardly a fourth of graduating engineers and an even smaller percentage of other graduates, was of

employable quality for IT-BPO jobs. This triggered a cyclone when similar views were echoed by

other sectors which led to widespread debate. Increased industry-academia interaction, “finishing

schools” and other efforts were initiated as immediate measures to bridge skill deficits. These,

however, did not work as some felt that these are but band-aid solutions: instead, radical systemic

reform is necessary.

Yet there will be serious challenges to overdue reforms in the education system. In India as in

many countries education is treated as a holy cow: sadly the administrative system that oversees it has

also been deceived. Today, unfortunately, there is no protest against selling drinking water or paying

to be cured of illness, or for having to buy food when one is poor and starving: nor is there an outcry

that in all these cases there are commercial companies operating on a profit-making basis. Why, then

is there an instinctively adverse reaction to the formal entry of ‘for profit’ institutes in the realm of

education? Is potable water, health or food, less basic a need, less important a right, than higher

education?

While there are strong arguments for free or subsidized higher education, we are not writing

on a blank page. Some individuals and businessmen had entered this sector long back and found

devious ways of making money, thought the law stipulates that educational institutes must be ‘not-

for-profit’ trusts or societies. Yet, there is opposition to the entry of ‘for-profit’ corporates, which

would be more transparent and accountable. As a result, desperately needed investment in

promoting the wider reach of quality education has been stagnated at a time when financial figures

indicate that the allocation of funds for the purpose is but a fourth of the need.

Well-run corporate organizations, within an appropriate regulatory framework, would be far

better than the so-called trusts which barring some noteworthy exceptions are a blot on education.

However, it is not necessarily a question of choosing one over the other: different organizational

forms can coexist, as they do in the health sector. A regulatory framework which creates competition,

in tandem with a rating system, would automatically ensure the quality and relevance of education. As

in sectors like telecom and packaged goods, organizations will quickly expand into the hinterland to

tap the large unmet demand. Easy loan/scholarship arrangements would ensure affordability and

access.

The only real structural reform in higher education was the creation of the institutes for

technology and management. They were also given autonomy and freedom beyond that of the

universities. However, in the last few years, determined efforts have been underway to curb their

autonomy. These institutes, however, need freedom to decide on recruitment, salaries and admissions,

so as to compete globally.

However, such institutes will be few. Therefore, we need a regulatory framework that will

enable and encourage states and the centre, genuine philanthropists and also corporates to set up

quality educational institutions. The regulatory system needs only to ensure transparency,

accountability, competition and widely available independent assessments or ratings. It is time for

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