Critical reasoning — reservation in government jobs for candidates from single-child families: Should government jobs include a reservation quota for applicants from single-child families, balancing the merit-based objection against the claim that such a policy would encourage population control by promoting the single-child norm?

Given data

• Statement: Reservation for single-child family candidates?
• Argument I (No): Jobs should be awarded on merit; group-based reservation here is inadvisable.
• Argument II (Yes): Such reservation would reduce population growth by incentivising single-child families.

Concept/Approach (job policy vs. demographic policy)A strong argument should align hiring with job competence and fairness. Using employment reservation to engineer fertility choices is speculative and misaligned with recruitment principles.

Step-by-step evaluation1) Argument I directly supports merit-based selection in government service; relevant and strong.2) Argument II assumes a significant behavioural response without addressing ethics, fairness, or effectiveness; weak.

Final AnswerOnly argument I is strong.