Q: Policy trigger identification: university bans mobile phone use inside colleges and teachers lodge a joint petition about ringtones disturbing classes — decide which statement caused the other

Given data I: University instructed colleges to ban phones inside premises. II: Majority of teachers signed a joint petition complaining about ringtone disturbances in classrooms. Concept/Approach Complaints typically precede regulatory action. The petition (II) is the impetus; the ban (I) is the response. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Classroom disturbance complaint (II) → policy deliberation.2) Policy output: ban instruction (I). Verification/Alternative If I had occurred first, II would likely protest the ban, not complain about ringtones. Common pitfalls Confusing the order of events: petitions generally aim to create a rule, not follow it. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Q: Export demand and profits linkage: steel producers posted considerable profit last year while many Asian countries imported large quantities from India — select the correct cause–effect relationship

Given data I: Most steel-producing companies made considerable profit last financial year. II: Many Asian countries imported huge quantities of steel from India. Concept/Approach Higher export demand at remunerative prices raises revenue and profits. Thus II provides a direct causal driver for I. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Imports by Asian countries → elevated sales volume/price.2) Elevated revenue minus costs → higher profits. Verification/Alternative I causing II makes little sense; profits are an outcome, not a driver of foreign demand. Common pitfalls Attributing both to an unspecified common cause when a clear demand->profit link exists. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 1

Policy transparency rationale: Government decides to release all primary-education information vs. prior public inaccessibility — determine the correct causal direction.

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Government will make all information on primary education available to the public. II: Earlier, the public did not have access to this information. Concept/Approach Policy changes typically address identified gaps; the past inaccessibility (II) motivates the new transparency decision (I). Step-by-Step reasoning 1) Lack of public access (II) → identified problem.2) Government responds with full release policy (I).3) Therefore (II) causes (I). Verification/Alternative (I) causing (II) would mean the decision created past inaccessibility, which contradicts the timeline. Common pitfalls Ignoring temporal order embedded in policy responses. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 2

Agri-economics causality: Farmers refusing to sell kharif crops to Government vs. reduced procurement price — identify which statement is cause and which is effect.

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Farmers decide not to sell their kharif produce to Government agencies. II: Government has reduced the procurement price of kharif crops from last month for six months. Concept/Approach Price cuts reduce farmers' incentives to sell to the Government, prompting a refusal. Step-by-Step reasoning 1) Procurement price reduction (II).2) Farmers react by withholding sales to Government (I).3) Hence, (II) → (I). Verification/Alternative (I) causing (II) would imply farmers' refusal triggered the earlier price cut; the dates contradict that. Common pitfalls Missing the explicit timing: II began last month; I is a subsequent decision. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 3

Educational outcomes vs. teacher migration: Excellent Class X performance in Government schools and teachers moving to private schools — classify the relationship accurately.

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Most students in Government schools performed excellently in Class X finals. II: Many Government-school teachers left to join private schools. Concept/Approach These outcomes plausibly arise from different drivers (e.g., exam preparation initiatives vs. private sector pay/conditions) rather than causing each other. Step-by-Step reasoning 1) (I) is an effect of academic inputs and student effort.2) (II) is an effect of labor-market incentives.3) No necessary causal link between them → effects of independent causes. Verification/Alternative Neither (I) → (II) nor (II) → (I) is supported by the statements' content or timing. Common pitfalls Inferring that teacher exits must follow poor results (here results were excellent). Final Answer Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes.

Question 4

Public health interpretation: Fewer water-borne disease cases vs. opening new civil hospitals — determine if one causes the other or if both are effects of a common underlying cause.

Accepted Answer

Given data I: City A records a considerable reduction in water-borne diseases during this rainy season. II: The Government opened four new civil hospitals in City A at the beginning of the year. Concept/Approach Incidence of water-borne disease generally reduces via improved water quality, sanitation, and preventive measures; hospital openings typically affect treatment capacity, not disease incidence. Step-by-Step reasoning 1) A plausible common cause is a comprehensive public-health program (e.g., better water treatment, hygiene campaigns, infrastructure upgrades).2) This program can lead to (I) fewer disease cases and also to (II) expanding hospitals to strengthen health systems.3) Direct causation from (II) to (I) is weak because hospitals treat rather than prevent water contamination. Verification/Alternative If (II) caused (I), prevention would have to be hospital-led; the statement mentions only new hospitals, not sanitation interventions. Independent causes are possible, but a unified policy drive offers a better explanatory fit for both directions within the same year. Common pitfalls Confusing reductions in incidence with improvements in treatment capacity. Final Answer Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.

Question 5

Cause–effect reasoning practice: vegetable prices rose considerably this summer and temperatures increased tremendously, damaging crops — identify which statement is the cause and which is the effect for accurate logical classification

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Vegetable prices have increased considerably during this summer. II: There is a tremendous increase in temperature this summer, greatly damaging crops. Concept/Approach Supply shock logic: heat damages crops → supply of vegetables falls → market prices rise. Thus extreme temperature is the cause, price rise is the effect. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Temperature spike causes crop damage (production down).2) Reduced supply with similar demand pushes prices up.3) Therefore II → I. Verification/Alternative If the temperature had not risen or crops were not damaged, there is no direct reason given for a broad price surge; therefore II explains I best. Common pitfalls Assuming prices and weather are independent without considering agricultural supply chains. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 6

Cause–effect analysis on law and order: incidents of atrocities against women have risen sharply while police have been unable to nab the culprits — determine the correct causal direction between these two statements

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Incidents of atrocities against women have increased in recent months. II: Police have been unable to nab the culprits committing these crimes. Concept/Approach Impunity effect: failure to catch offenders can embolden repeat offenses and new offenders, increasing crime incidence. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Police inability to apprehend (II) → lower deterrence.2) Lower deterrence → higher frequency of offenses (I). Verification/Alternative I causing II would imply high crime made police unable; but the statement highlights inability as ongoing, which more naturally precedes or fuels rise. Common pitfalls Reversing causal direction due to temporal correlation. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 7

Cause–effect classification in power supply: rural and semi-urban areas face load shedding; if the crisis persists, urban areas will also face load shedding — identify whether these are effects of a common cause or direct cause–effect

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Rural and semi-urban areas have been suffering load shedding. II: If the Government cannot overcome the power crisis, load shedding will extend to urban areas. Concept/Approach Both statements describe outcomes of a single underlying issue: a power shortage (the common cause). The first is a present effect; the second is a projected effect of the same cause if unresolved. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Common cause: power crisis (supply < demand).2) Effect now: load shedding in rural/semi-urban (I).3) Effect later (if unresolved): load shedding in urban areas (II). Verification/Alternative Neither statement produces the other; both trace back to the shortage. Common pitfalls Linking I as the cause of II instead of seeing both as effects of the shortage. Final Answer Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.

Question 8

Policy trigger identification: university bans mobile phone use inside colleges and teachers lodge a joint petition about ringtones disturbing classes — decide which statement caused the other

Accepted Answer

Given data I: University instructed colleges to ban phones inside premises. II: Majority of teachers signed a joint petition complaining about ringtone disturbances in classrooms. Concept/Approach Complaints typically precede regulatory action. The petition (II) is the impetus; the ban (I) is the response. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Classroom disturbance complaint (II) → policy deliberation.2) Policy output: ban instruction (I). Verification/Alternative If I had occurred first, II would likely protest the ban, not complain about ringtones. Common pitfalls Confusing the order of events: petitions generally aim to create a rule, not follow it. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 9

Export demand and profits linkage: steel producers posted considerable profit last year while many Asian countries imported large quantities from India — select the correct cause–effect relationship

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Most steel-producing companies made considerable profit last financial year. II: Many Asian countries imported huge quantities of steel from India. Concept/Approach Higher export demand at remunerative prices raises revenue and profits. Thus II provides a direct causal driver for I. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Imports by Asian countries → elevated sales volume/price.2) Elevated revenue minus costs → higher profits. Verification/Alternative I causing II makes little sense; profits are an outcome, not a driver of foreign demand. Common pitfalls Attributing both to an unspecified common cause when a clear demand->profit link exists. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect.

Question 10

Monsoon impact reasoning: water levels in city tanks rose over a fortnight and trains were cancelled due to water-logging — classify whether these are effects of a common cause or direct cause–effect

Accepted Answer

Given data I: Water level in all city supply tanks increased during the last fortnight. II: Most trains were cancelled last week due to water-logging on tracks. Concept/Approach Heavy rainfall is the natural common cause: it raises reservoir levels and causes water-logging that disrupts railways. Step-by-step reasoning 1) Common cause: persistent heavy rains.2) Effect A: storage tanks fill (I).3) Effect B: tracks water-logged causing cancellations (II). Verification/Alternative I does not cause II (tanks filling does not water-log tracks) and II does not cause I. Common pitfalls Forcing a direct link where separate downstream effects explain the situation better. Final Answer Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.

Question 11

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the most plausible causal relationship between the two statements.  Statement I: Standard of living among the middle class is consistently rising in recent years.  Statement II: The Indian economy is witnessing remar…

Accepted Answer

Approach Economic growth typically drives higher incomes, employment, and consumption, which elevate the standard of living, especially for the middle class. Reasoning It is more natural that a growing macroeconomy (Statement II) causes improvements in household welfare and purchasing power (Statement I) rather than the reverse. Common pitfalls Assuming the reverse direction without macroeconomic justification. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and Statement I is its effect

Question 12

Cause–Effect reasoning: Decide which statement is likely the cause and which is the effect.  Statement I: The Meteorological Department announced deficient monsoon rainfall across many regions.  Statement II: The Government lowered the revised estim…

Accepted Answer

Approach Deficient rainfall adversely impacts agriculture, rural demand, power generation, and allied sectors, which can reduce expected GDP growth. Reasoning A forecast (Statement I) provides a rational basis for the Government to trim GDP projections (Statement II). Hence I → II. Final Answer Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect

Question 13

Cause–Effect reasoning: Determine the best description of the relationship between the protest events.  Statement I: Airport Authority staff called off the strike they had been observing against privatization.  Statement II: Airport Authority staff …

Accepted Answer

Approach A strike (Statement II) logically precedes any decision to call it off (Statement I). The initiation of the strike sets the stage for a later withdrawal. Reasoning Without the strike there would be nothing to call off. While the immediate trigger to end a strike could be negotiations or assurances, the temporal and causal chain is II → I. Common pitfalls Treating the two as independent; they are sequential parts of the same industrial action episode. Final Answer Statement II is the cause and Statement I is its effect

Question 14

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: A huge truck overturned in the middle of the road last night. S2: The police cordoned off the entire area in the locality this morning for half of the day. …

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: A huge truck overturned in the middle of the road last night. S2: The police cordoned off the entire area this morning for half of the day. Concept / Approach Cordon-offs are typical responses to accidents to manage traffic, safety and investigation. Hence an accident (S1) plausibly causes the cordon (S2). Step-by-step check of options A: Accident ⇒ police cordon. Matches normal sequence. ✔ B: Police cordon causing the prior night's accident is illogical. ✖ C/D/E: No evidence that both are unrelated effects or independent causes. ✖ Final Answer Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect.

Question 15

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: The importance of Yoga and exercise is being realized by all sections of society. S2: There is increasing awareness about health in society, particularly am…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: People are realizing the importance of Yoga and exercise. S2: Health awareness is increasing, especially among middle-aged people. Concept / Approach Greater health awareness typically leads people to value preventive practices like Yoga and exercise. Thus S2 is a natural driver of S1. Step-by-step check of options A: Realizing the importance of Yoga does not itself create society-wide awareness. ✖ B: Rising health awareness ⇒ more people realize Yoga/exercise matter. ✔ C/D/E: No indication of separate unrelated causes or a third common cause beyond S2 directly influencing S1. ✖ Final Answer Statement II is the cause and Statement I is its effect.

Question 16

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: Prices of food grains and other essential commodities in the open market have risen sharply during the past three months. S2: The opposition political party…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: Sharp rise in prices of essentials over three months. S2: Opposition calls a general strike protesting the government's economic policy. Concept / Approach The wording of S2 explicitly ties the strike to the government's economic policy. Price rise (S1) is also commonly an outcome of economic policy (among other factors). Hence both can be traced to a likely common cause: the government's policy stance. Step-by-step check of options A: S1 directly causing S2 is possible superficially, but S2 cites policy as the reason, not prices per se. ✖ B: A strike cannot cause the prior three-month price rise. ✖ C: They are not two separate causes; both look like outcomes. ✖ D: Independent unrelated causes are not indicated; both link back to policy. ✖ E: Both are effects of a common cause (government's economic policy). ✔ Final Answer Both statements I and II are effects of a common cause.

Question 17

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: The Government has decided to hold a single entrance test for admission to all medical colleges in India. S2: The State Government has debarred students fro…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: A central policy decision about a single (national) medical entrance test. S2: A separate State policy to restrict out-of-state applicants. Concept / Approach Each statement describes a policy decision that can independently cause downstream outcomes. Neither is stated as a response to the other; their intents and jurisdictions differ (central vs state). Step-by-step check of options A/B: No explicit or necessary causal link from one policy to the other. ✖ C: Both are policy decisions that independently act as causes for distinct effects. ✔ D/E: They are not effects; they are causes themselves. ✖ Final Answer Both statements I and II are independent causes.

Question 18

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: A large number of primary schools in rural areas are run by only one teacher. S2: There has been a huge dropout from the primary schools in rural areas.  Ch…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: Many rural primary schools have only one teacher. S2: Rural primary schools are experiencing huge dropouts. Concept / Approach Teacher scarcity degrades instructional quality and student support, which plausibly increases dropout rates. Step-by-step check of options A: Staff shortage ⇒ poorer learning experience ⇒ dropouts. ✔ B: Dropouts causing one-teacher schools is unlikely. ✖ C/D/E: No indication of unrelated causes or a third common cause. ✖ Final Answer Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect.

Question 19

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: Employees of the biggest bank in the country have given an indefinite strike call starting from the third of next month. S2: Employees of the Central Govern…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: Bank employees plan an indefinite strike starting a future date. S2: Central Government employees have ended their week-long demonstrations. Concept / Approach Different groups, different timelines and actions; there is no stated linkage. Each action likely responds to its own negotiations/contexts. Step-by-step check of options A/B: Neither action plausibly causes the other across sectors and opposite directions (starting vs withdrawing). ✖ C: They are not presented as causes; they are outcomes/decisions. ✖ D: Each is an effect of its own independent cause (sector-specific labor context). ✔ E: No common cause is indicated. ✖ Final Answer Both statements I and II are effects of independent causes.

Question 20

Cause–Effect reasoning: Identify the relationship between Statement I and Statement II.  S1: Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse an unlawful gathering of a large number of people. S2: The citizens' forum called a general strike in protest ag…

Accepted Answer

Given data S1: Police used lathi-charge to disperse an unlawful gathering. S2: A citizens' forum called a general strike protesting police atrocities. Concept / Approach A protest strike is a direct reaction to the alleged police excesses; hence S1 triggers S2. Step-by-step check of options A: Police action ⇒ protest strike. ✔ B: The later strike cannot cause the earlier police action. ✖ C/D/E: No evidence of unrelated causation or third common factor. ✖ Final Answer Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect.

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