Statement and Argument Questions

• Statement–Argument — Should foreign scholars be allowed to deliver lectures in India? Arguments: I) Yes; open exchange of ideas is central to scholarship and benefits students and researchers. II) No; such discourses may harm traditional culture and values. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should the government allow migrants from other countries to work in India? Arguments: I) No; given widespread unemployment and poverty, allowing foreign workers may aggravate domestic job scarcity. II) Yes; every country must provide livelihoods to all humans irrespective of citizenship. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should the government hike postal rates? Arguments: I) No; many poorer citizens rely on postal services, and higher rates would impede their communication. II) Yes; sustained losses from under-priced services harm public finances and service quality. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should a poverty-ridden country invest money in hosting international games? Arguments: I) Yes; such events bring countries together and foster coordination and goodwill. II) No; hosting requires huge expenditures that can crowd out poverty-eradication programmes. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Three million tonnes of foodgrains vanished from Food Corporation granaries. Should the officials explain it to the people? Arguments: I) No; such losses are routine and do not deserve explanation. II) Yes; large-scale bungling by public officials must be accounted for because it is the public’s loss. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Have economic reforms proved effective? Arguments: I) Yes; there has been a substantial improvement in GDP growth. II) No; the observed progress is mainly due to favorable monsoons. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should firms prioritize acquiring new clients? Arguments: I) Yes; new clients expand the revenue base and future growth opportunities. II) No; focusing on acquisition can degrade service to existing clients. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should India be ruled by a coalition of regional parties? Arguments: I) Yes; greater state voice at the centre could reduce alienation and secessionist pressures. II) No; coalition governments are unstable and crisis-prone. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should tobacco production be banned in the country? Arguments: I) Yes; consumption in any form is injurious to health and imposes huge social costs. II) No; tobacco provides income to farmers. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement–Argument — Should India immediately stop digging coal from its mines? Arguments: I) Yes; present coal stocks will not last long at the current mining rate. II) No; India lacks sufficient alternative energy sources to replace coal quickly. III) No; an immediate stop would harm millions of livelihoods and disrupt industry. Choose the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should there be a complete ban on Indian professionals taking jobs abroad after receiving their education in India? Arguments: I. Yes. This is the only way to sustain India’s current rate of technological development. II. No. Indians settled abroad remit large amounts of foreign exchange that significantly add to reserves. III. No. Practical knowledge gained while working abroad ultimately helps India’s economy (skills, networks, technology). Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should admission to all professional courses be based on past academic performance rather than entrance tests? Arguments: I. Yes. This helps candidates who cannot afford the costs of entrance tests. II. Yes. Many deserving candidates with high qualifying marks perform poorly on one-off entrance tests. III. No. Standards across Boards/Universities vary; a common entrance calibrates candidates on a single yardstick. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should all graduates be allowed to enroll in any post-graduate course of their choice regardless of undergraduate background or capacity constraints? Arguments: I. Yes. Students are the best judges of their own capability and should face no restrictions. II. No. Post-graduate programs require relevant prerequisites; eligibility conditions must be met. III. No. Institutes have limited seats and cannot accommodate all interested graduates in any subject they choose. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should religion be taught in schools? Arguments: I. No. India is a secular state. II. Yes. Teaching religion can inculcate moral values among children. III. No. We should prepare the young for the 21st century instead of teaching religion. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should India have only a few large banks instead of numerous banks? Arguments: I. Yes. Larger banks can better withstand intermittent market shocks, protecting depositors. II. No. Post-merger redundancies cause job losses. III. Yes. Consolidation can strengthen the sector and foster healthier competition. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should income generated from agricultural activities be taxed? Arguments: I. No. Many farmers face natural calamities, low yields, and low procurement prices; their incomes should not be taxed. II. Yes. Since a majority depends on agriculture, taxing them will augment resources. III. Yes. Some large farmers earn far more than many salaried earners; taxing them reduces disparity. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should the rule mandating helmets for both rider and pillion on motorcycles be enforced strictly? Arguments: I. Yes. It is a rule, and rules should be followed strictly by all. II. No. Individuals should decide how to protect their own lives. III. No. Helmets protect only the head; the rest of the body remains unprotected. IV. Yes. The head is highly vulnerable; helmets significantly reduce severe injury risk. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should people convicted of heinous crimes like murder or rape (beyond all reasonable doubt) be given the death penalty? Arguments: I. No. Death penalty should be reserved only for the rarest of rare cases. II. Yes. It is the only way to adequately punish such offenders. III. Yes. Severe punishments deter such crimes and make society safer. IV. No. Truly repentant offenders should get a chance at reform and a normal life. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should candidates with qualifications higher than the job’s stated requirement be debarred from applying? Arguments: I. No. It will aggravate educated unemployment. II. Yes. Overqualified hires create complexes among employees and affect work adversely. III. No. It violates the individual’s basic rights to seek employment. IV. Yes. Productivity will increase if only optimally qualified candidates are hired. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).
• Statement: Should Class IV (Grade 4) children have a Board examination? Arguments: I. Yes. It motivates children to study and achieve higher marks, building knowledge earlier. II. No. Children will be forced to study and may not enjoy learning. III. Yes. In a competitive world, children must be prepared from the beginning to face difficult exams. IV. No. Board exams add pressure at a tender age and reduce time for play. Choose the option that best identifies the strong argument(s).