DIRECTIONS:

Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions given below
them. Certain words are given in bold to help you to locate them while answering
some of the questions.

PASSAGE 1

A few weeks ago I ran into an old friend who is currently one of the mandarins
deciding India's economic and financial policies. He asked, "And so, how is IIT
doing?" As one can only indulge in friendly banter at such gatherings, I responded
with, "Not so well actually. Your market-friendly policies have forced us to raise
the fee, so we have 50% fewer PhD applicants this year. Not batting an eyelid, he
shot back: "Obviously. Your PhD students don't have any market value." Taken
aback, I shifted to a more serious tone and tried to start a discussion on the need
for research in these globalised times. But he had already walked away. The last
word on the imperatives of the 'market' had been spoken. Actually, this view of
higher education should not have surprised me. Worthies who look at everything
as consumer products classify higher education as a 'non-merit' good. Non-merit
goods are those where only the individual benefits from acquiring them and not
the society as a whole. Multilateral agencies like The World Bank have too been
pushing countries like India to stop subsidies to higher education.

When Ron Brown, former US commerce secretary visited India, a public meeting
was organized at IIT Delhi. At that meeting I asked him: "I understand that since
the 19th century all the way up to the 1970s, most land grant and state
universities in the US virtually provided free education to state citizens. Was that
good for the economy, or should they have charged high fees in the early 20th
century?" He replied, "It was great for the economy. It was one of the best things
that the US government did at that particular time in American history - building
institutions of higher education which were accessible to the masses of the
people. I think it is one of the reasons why our economy grew and prospered, one
of the ways in which the US was able to close some of its social gaps. So people
who lived in rural areas would have the same kind of access to higher education
as people living in other parts of the country. It was one of the reasons for making
America strong."

Our policy-makers seem unaware that their mentors in the US did not follow

policies at home which they now prescribe for other countries. Ron Brown's
remarks summarise the importance of policymakers in the US place on higher
education as a vehicle for upward mobility, for the poorer sectors of their
population. Even today, a majority of Americans study in state-run institutions.
Some of these institutions, like Berkeley and the Universities of Michigan, Illinois,
Ohio, Wisconsin and Texas, are among the best in world. The annual tuition
charged from state residents (about $ 5000 a year) is about a month's salary paid
to a lecturer. Even this fee is waived for most students. In addition, students
receive stipends for books, food and hostel charges. The basic principle is that no
student who gets admission to a university should have to depend on parental
support if it is not available.

Ron Brown's remarks went unnoticed in India. Every other day some luminary or
the other opines that universities and technical education institutions should
increase their charges and that such education should not be subsidized. Most
editorials echo these sentiments. Eminent industrialists pontificate that we should
run educational institutions like business houses. Visiting experts from the Bank
and the IMF, in their newly emerging concern for the poor, advise us to divert
funds from higher education to primary education.

Question: 1

The author of the passage seems to be a/an

a) social activist devoted to illiteracy eradication programme

b) educationist in IIT or some such educational institution

c) financial advisor to Government or a bureaucrat in finance department

d) official working in economic affairs department

e) industrialist employing highly qualified technocrats

Answer: (b)
Clear from the way he is linked with IIT.

Question : 2

What was the net tangible impact of raising fees on the higher level of technological
research?

a) Research studies attained a higher market value.

b) Research became more and more relevant to market demands.

c) The market value of PhD students was almost lost.

d) The number of prospective researchers was reduced to almost a half.

e) In the current globalised times, the need for research was less than ever.

Answer »Answer: (d)

The author clearly said to his old friend, “Your market-friendly policies hve forced us to
raise the fee, so we have 50% fewer PhD applicants this year.”

Question : 3
According to the author, the US policy-makers consider education as a

a) wastage of resources and a totally futile exercise

b) matter of concern only for the parents of the students

c) means for achieving upward mobility for the poor

d) hindrance in the way to economic growth and prosperity

e) None of these

Question : 4

Who among the following supports the view that higher education should be free to
everyone aspiring for it?

A. Editors and Journalists

B. Industrialists
C. Visiting Experts from the Bank and the IMF

a) C only

b) All the three

c) B only

d) A only

e) None of these

Answer »Question : 5
Which of following makes the policy-makers classify education as “non-merit”
commodity?

a) The tendency of viewing everything as mere consumer product

b) Undue pressure from International Agencies like the World Bank, etc

c) The attitude of giving unreasonably more weightage to society

d) The tendency of people to seek any individual benefits

e) None of these
Question : 6

What was Ron Brown’s reaction to the author’s question on free education provided by
US universities to their citizens? Ron Brown

a) ignored the fact and gave an ambiguous reaction.

b) mentioned that the author’s information was not correct.

c) appreciated the author but remained noncommitted.

d) criticized the US govt for its action.

e) None of these

Answer »
Question : 7

The basic principle adopted by the renowned State-run Universities in the US is that the
students

a) must seek the necessary help from their parents on whom they depend

b) need not be required to depend upon their parents for acquiring higher education

c) should earn while they learn and pay higher education fees

d) must pay the lecturer’s salary from their own resources

e) None of these

Answer »
Question : 8

What was the outcome of the US strategy of imparting free university education to US
citizens?

a) US economy suffered due to such a lop-sided decision.

b) US Govt could not plug the loopholes in their economic policies.

c) US citizens found it unaffordable and expensive.

d) Education was easily accessible to the vast majority.

e) None of these

Answer »
Question : 9

Multilateral agencies like The World Bank have been

a) analyzing the possibilities of increasing subsidies to higher learning

b) emphasising on the needs of lowering fees for higher education

c) insisting on discontinuance of subsidies to higher education

d) pressurising India and other countries to stop substantial higher education

e) forcing countries like India to strengthen only industrial development

Answer »
Question : 10

Which of the following is MOST NEARLY THE SAME in meaning as the word
printed in bold as used in the passage?

UNAWARE

a) Familiar

b) Unworthy

c) Ignorant

d) Famous

e) Negligent

»
MARKING GUIDE

Question : 1

Answer: (b)

Question : 2

Answer: (d)

Question : 3

Answer: (c)

Question : 4

Answer: (e)

Question : 5

Answer: (a)

Question : 6

Answer: (c)

Question : 7

Answer: (b)

Question : 8

Answer: (e)

Question : 9

Answer: (c)

Question : 10

Answer: (c)