Statement and Argument Questions

• Statement–Argument — Should Chief Ministers have a say in judicial appointments? Arguments: I) Yes; completely excluding the executive by vesting appointment power solely in the Chief Justice of India (with or without a collegium) risks undermining public accountability and balance among branches. II) Yes; if the Central Government has primacy regarding the Chief Justice of India, parity suggests State Governments should have a say in appointments of Chief Justices of High Courts. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should there be legislation to restrict the number of Ministers? Argument: I) Yes; in some states, defections were engineered to gain majorities, causing cabinet sizes to balloon beyond sensible limits and distorting governance. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should free train service for participants in rallies organized by reputed parties be banned? Arguments: I) Yes; rallies often create traffic jams and disrupt daily life, causing significant inconvenience to the public. II) No; otherwise people will hesitate to participate in rallies. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should the Cabinet revise allocation criteria for funds to states under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme? Arguments: I) Yes; patterns of use have changed rapidly, and per-capita consumption has increased; criteria must adapt to present realities. II) No; changing criteria will burden the budget. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should the government withdraw the order requiring police intimation when citizens host foreign visitors? Arguments: I) No; some foreign visitors have been involved in serious security threats (e.g., bombings, hijackings), and basic intimation aids risk management. II) Yes; the order can give police undue latitude to harass citizens. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should parents in India be forced to opt for only one child? Arguments: I) Yes; coercive limitation is the only way to check ever-increasing population. II) No; such pressure tactics are not adopted by other countries. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should sex determination tests during pregnancy be completely banned? Arguments: I) Yes; such tests enable female foeticide and can fuel severe gender imbalance. II) No; people have a right to know about their unborn child. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should there be a complete ban on mining coal in India? Arguments: I) Yes; the present coal stock will soon be exhausted if mining continues at the current rate. II) No; India lacks alternative energy sources in sufficient quantity. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should college students in India wear uniforms, as in schools? Arguments: I) Yes; uniforms improve the campus ambience by ensuring decent and non-distracting attire for all. II) No; college students should not be regimented and should choose their clothing freely. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should the number of holidays for Government employees be reduced to only five per year? Arguments: I) Yes; excessive holidays cut total working hours and can adversely affect national productivity and service delivery. II) No; employees need periodic rest to recover from heavy workloads and maintain long-run productivity. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should all correspondence courses at the graduate level be stopped? Arguments: I. No. Correspondence courses help needy students continue their studies while earning at the same time. II. Yes. Quality education is not possible without teachers and classrooms. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should only nuclear power be used to generate electricity? Arguments: I. Yes. It will reduce air pollution to a great extent. II. No. Radioactive materials used in nuclear plants are unsafe for large-scale use. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should the government remove all slums in major cities? Arguments: I. Yes. Slums are a nuisance to people living in big cities. II. No. Slum inhabitants are citizens who contribute to the nation’s growth. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should cricket replace hockey as India’s national sport? Arguments: I. Yes. The performance of the hockey team has been dismal in recent years. II. No. Cricket is Australia’s national sport, and two countries should not share the same national sport. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should smaller states be carved out of bigger states in India? Arguments: I. Yes. It will enhance administrative convenience. II. No. It will jeopardize national integration. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should there be a ban on product advertisements? Arguments: I. No. In a competitive era, informative advertising helps products reach consumers; better ads improve discovery. II. Yes. Advertising spends are huge and inflate product cost. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should university examination bodies permit calculators in all exams? Arguments: I. No. Students must practice manual calculation to cement core concepts. II. Yes. With computers everywhere, manual calculation is unnecessary. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should sale and purchase of human organs be made legal in India? Arguments: I. Yes. In many countries it is not considered illegal. II. No. Legalizing it would open floodgates for organ sales. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should India immediately stop digging coal from its mines? Arguments: I. Yes. The present stock will not last long at current mining rates. II. No. We do not yet have sufficient alternate energy resources. III. No. Stopping abruptly will hurt millions of livelihoods and related industries. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should there be a total ban on tobacco products and smoking in India? Arguments: I. Yes. It is wrong to “smoke away” millions of rupees. II. No. Thousands of workers in the tobacco industry will be out of employment. III. No. The government will lose substantial tax revenue. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).