Policy argument on higher education costs: "Collegiate education costs Rs. 400 per year (excluding maintenance) and draws heavily on the poor community's resources; therefore, college education should be restricted to a brilliant few." Identify the implicit assumption(s) (I: Resources are very limited; II: Only a few students should be admitted).

Given data

• Premise: College education incurs Rs. 400/year and draws heavily on limited public resources of an impoverished community.
• Conclusion: Restrict college education to a 'brilliant few'.
• Assumption I: National/public resources are scarce (very limited).
• Assumption II: Only a few students should be admitted to colleges.

Concept/ApproachAn assumption is a necessary, unstated premise. The conclusion (II) is the claim being argued for; it is not a premise the arguer presupposes. The scarcity premise (I) is required to make restriction seem necessary.

Step-by-step reasoning1) If resources were not scarce, the cost burden would not justify restricting access — I is required.2) II restates the conclusion; it is not an unstated belief that makes the argument work. Hence II is not an assumption.

Verification/AlternativeNegating I (resources are ample) undermines the need to restrict; negating II simply denies the conclusion and does not expose a hidden premise.

Common pitfalls

• Treating the conclusion itself as an assumption.
• Missing the resource-scarcity bridge between cost and restriction.

Final AnswerOnly assumption I is implicit.