Test: CLAT Mock Test - 3 - CLAT MCQ

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

Guided by his love of mountain-bike riding and adventure, Adrian had founded Synergy Trails, a construction company that specialized in installing narrow, winding dirt-bike trails in bushland for weekend and competition riders. Over the years, the 40-year-old had encountered hazardous fauna while digging around in soil, including venomous arachnids and snakes, but he knew how to distinguish the non-threatening ones from the dangerous ones. Adrian was trained in first-aid, though he never took it seriously.

With the clock ticking down towards the start of the four-day long weekend, Adrian had only a small digging job left to do. His shovel was in his vehicle, parked some 50 metres away. He considered getting it, but the job was small, and only a light dig was necessary to get beneath the shallow soil and leaf litter. So he used his hands instead. Just as his fingers slid under the pile of leaves, he felt a sharp, deep pain in his left hand. Adrian quickly pulled out his hand to see a spider gripping his left index finger. The five-centimetre-long glossy black creature had its fangs firmly embedded into the skin, piercing through to his knuckle. The pain was equivalent to a nail hammered into his finger.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. Adrian knew immediately that the spider wrapped around his finger was a Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus). He frantically flicked his hand up and down to throw off the spider, but it didn’t move. He persisted, shaking his hand even harder and, after three or four seconds, it finally let go of its grip and dropped to the ground at Adrian’s feet. He looked down just in time to double-check the spider’s identity before it buried itself back under the leaf litter. It was a fully grown male Sydney funnel-web, the deadliest spider in Australia.

After 15 years working in the bush, encountering different types of spiders and snakes, Adrian never imagined he’d get bitten. But all it took for him to become a victim was one brief moment when he was rushing to finish a simple job. He called out to his crew mate, Phil, who was working close by. Phil dropped his shovel and ran over. The pair calmly walked to the four-wheel-drive while Adrian pinched down hard at the base of his knuckle to slow the spread of venom into his bloodstream. They both knew a bite like this, if left untreated, could cause death within an hour. Fortunately, the trail where they had been working was not very far from Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. About 10 minutes after arriving at the hospital, Adrian suddenly became incoherent and couldn’t finish his sentences. Then his face and tongue started twitching, he felt nauseous.

[extracted, with edits and revisions, from Reader’s Digest: The Spider bite, by Dian Godley.]

Q. Why did Adrian and Phil rush to the hospital after the spider bite?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

Guided by his love of mountain-bike riding and adventure, Adrian had founded Synergy Trails, a construction company that specialized in installing narrow, winding dirt-bike trails in bushland for weekend and competition riders. Over the years, the 40-year-old had encountered hazardous fauna while digging around in soil, including venomous arachnids and snakes, but he knew how to distinguish the non-threatening ones from the dangerous ones. Adrian was trained in first-aid, though he never took it seriously.

With the clock ticking down towards the start of the four-day long weekend, Adrian had only a small digging job left to do. His shovel was in his vehicle, parked some 50 metres away. He considered getting it, but the job was small, and only a light dig was necessary to get beneath the shallow soil and leaf litter. So he used his hands instead. Just as his fingers slid under the pile of leaves, he felt a sharp, deep pain in his left hand. Adrian quickly pulled out his hand to see a spider gripping his left index finger. The five-centimetre-long glossy black creature had its fangs firmly embedded into the skin, piercing through to his knuckle. The pain was equivalent to a nail hammered into his finger.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. Adrian knew immediately that the spider wrapped around his finger was a Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus). He frantically flicked his hand up and down to throw off the spider, but it didn’t move. He persisted, shaking his hand even harder and, after three or four seconds, it finally let go of its grip and dropped to the ground at Adrian’s feet. He looked down just in time to double-check the spider’s identity before it buried itself back under the leaf litter. It was a fully grown male Sydney funnel-web, the deadliest spider in Australia.

After 15 years working in the bush, encountering different types of spiders and snakes, Adrian never imagined he’d get bitten. But all it took for him to become a victim was one brief moment when he was rushing to finish a simple job. He called out to his crew mate, Phil, who was working close by. Phil dropped his shovel and ran over. The pair calmly walked to the four-wheel-drive while Adrian pinched down hard at the base of his knuckle to slow the spread of venom into his bloodstream. They both knew a bite like this, if left untreated, could cause death within an hour. Fortunately, the trail where they had been working was not very far from Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital. About 10 minutes after arriving at the hospital, Adrian suddenly became incoherent and couldn’t finish his sentences. Then his face and tongue started twitching, he felt nauseous.

[extracted, with edits and revisions, from Reader’s Digest: The Spider bite, by Dian Godley.]

Q. What tone does the provided passage convey among the options below?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

That Minnu Mani, a 23-year-old from the Kurichiya tribe in Kerala, secured a contract in the Women’s Premier League auction is both heart-warming and a reminder. Minnu’s success is a rare story for India’s tribal communities. Sports has discovered some talent among tribals and politics has embraced a few. But data tells the real story. The recently released Tribal Development Report 2022 by Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation provides damning statistics. They are 8.6% of the population, and they fare considerably worse than others when it comes to access to sanitation, drinking water, education and proper nutrition.

The report also says that tribal communities have been pushed farther away from alluvial plains and fertile river basins over the decades, which has had a direct impact on their livelihood. Of the 257 Scheduled Tribe districts in the country, 230 or 90% are in either forested or hilly or dry areas. And past policies like the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 illogically pitted the imperatives of environment protection against the needs of Adivasi communities.

While that approach has been modified and today Adivasis are seen as important stakeholders in forest conservation, on-ground contestations continue. Last year’s amendments to the Forest Conservation Rules have been protested by tribal communities on the ground that they undermine the rights of tribes and forest dwellers over forest resources as envisioned in the Forest Rights Act, 2009. Adivasi activists say the changes make it easier for businesses to divert forest land and make obtaining clearances by commercial entities easier. If true, these provisions have serious implications for tribal welfare.

It’s also true that there has been increasing political courting of tribal communities in recent years. From expanding ST status to new communities to the Adivasi vote becoming a sought-after electoral commodity to India getting its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu, tribals have emerged as a serious political bloc. But their genuine empowerment will lie in creating opportunities. We need thousands more Minnu Manis and Droupadi Murmus.

Q. What is the meaning of the word "heart-warming" in the passage?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

That Minnu Mani, a 23-year-old from the Kurichiya tribe in Kerala, secured a contract in the Women’s Premier League auction is both heart-warming and a reminder. Minnu’s success is a rare story for India’s tribal communities. Sports has discovered some talent among tribals and politics has embraced a few. But data tells the real story. The recently released Tribal Development Report 2022 by Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation provides damning statistics. They are 8.6% of the population, and they fare considerably worse than others when it comes to access to sanitation, drinking water, education and proper nutrition.

The report also says that tribal communities have been pushed farther away from alluvial plains and fertile river basins over the decades, which has had a direct impact on their livelihood. Of the 257 Scheduled Tribe districts in the country, 230 or 90% are in either forested or hilly or dry areas. And past policies like the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 illogically pitted the imperatives of environment protection against the needs of Adivasi communities.

While that approach has been modified and today Adivasis are seen as important stakeholders in forest conservation, on-ground contestations continue. Last year’s amendments to the Forest Conservation Rules have been protested by tribal communities on the ground that they undermine the rights of tribes and forest dwellers over forest resources as envisioned in the Forest Rights Act, 2009. Adivasi activists say the changes make it easier for businesses to divert forest land and make obtaining clearances by commercial entities easier. If true, these provisions have serious implications for tribal welfare.

It’s also true that there has been increasing political courting of tribal communities in recent years. From expanding ST status to new communities to the Adivasi vote becoming a sought-after electoral commodity to India getting its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu, tribals have emerged as a serious political bloc. But their genuine empowerment will lie in creating opportunities. We need thousands more Minnu Manis and Droupadi Murmus.

Q. Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

That Minnu Mani, a 23-year-old from the Kurichiya tribe in Kerala, secured a contract in the Women’s Premier League auction is both heart-warming and a reminder. Minnu’s success is a rare story for India’s tribal communities. Sports has discovered some talent among tribals and politics has embraced a few. But data tells the real story. The recently released Tribal Development Report 2022 by Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation provides damning statistics. They are 8.6% of the population, and they fare considerably worse than others when it comes to access to sanitation, drinking water, education and proper nutrition.

The report also says that tribal communities have been pushed farther away from alluvial plains and fertile river basins over the decades, which has had a direct impact on their livelihood. Of the 257 Scheduled Tribe districts in the country, 230 or 90% are in either forested or hilly or dry areas. And past policies like the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 illogically pitted the imperatives of environment protection against the needs of Adivasi communities.

While that approach has been modified and today Adivasis are seen as important stakeholders in forest conservation, on-ground contestations continue. Last year’s amendments to the Forest Conservation Rules have been protested by tribal communities on the ground that they undermine the rights of tribes and forest dwellers over forest resources as envisioned in the Forest Rights Act, 2009. Adivasi activists say the changes make it easier for businesses to divert forest land and make obtaining clearances by commercial entities easier. If true, these provisions have serious implications for tribal welfare.

It’s also true that there has been increasing political courting of tribal communities in recent years. From expanding ST status to new communities to the Adivasi vote becoming a sought-after electoral commodity to India getting its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu, tribals have emerged as a serious political bloc. But their genuine empowerment will lie in creating opportunities. We need thousands more Minnu Manis and Droupadi Murmus.

Q. Are there any phrasal verbs used in the passage?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

That Minnu Mani, a 23-year-old from the Kurichiya tribe in Kerala, secured a contract in the Women’s Premier League auction is both heart-warming and a reminder. Minnu’s success is a rare story for India’s tribal communities. Sports has discovered some talent among tribals and politics has embraced a few. But data tells the real story. The recently released Tribal Development Report 2022 by Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation provides damning statistics. They are 8.6% of the population, and they fare considerably worse than others when it comes to access to sanitation, drinking water, education and proper nutrition.

The report also says that tribal communities have been pushed farther away from alluvial plains and fertile river basins over the decades, which has had a direct impact on their livelihood. Of the 257 Scheduled Tribe districts in the country, 230 or 90% are in either forested or hilly or dry areas. And past policies like the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 illogically pitted the imperatives of environment protection against the needs of Adivasi communities.

While that approach has been modified and today Adivasis are seen as important stakeholders in forest conservation, on-ground contestations continue. Last year’s amendments to the Forest Conservation Rules have been protested by tribal communities on the ground that they undermine the rights of tribes and forest dwellers over forest resources as envisioned in the Forest Rights Act, 2009. Adivasi activists say the changes make it easier for businesses to divert forest land and make obtaining clearances by commercial entities easier. If true, these provisions have serious implications for tribal welfare.

It’s also true that there has been increasing political courting of tribal communities in recent years. From expanding ST status to new communities to the Adivasi vote becoming a sought-after electoral commodity to India getting its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu, tribals have emerged as a serious political bloc. But their genuine empowerment will lie in creating opportunities. We need thousands more Minnu Manis and Droupadi Murmus.

Q. What is the tone of the passage?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

That Minnu Mani, a 23-year-old from the Kurichiya tribe in Kerala, secured a contract in the Women’s Premier League auction is both heart-warming and a reminder. Minnu’s success is a rare story for India’s tribal communities. Sports has discovered some talent among tribals and politics has embraced a few. But data tells the real story. The recently released Tribal Development Report 2022 by Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation provides damning statistics. They are 8.6% of the population, and they fare considerably worse than others when it comes to access to sanitation, drinking water, education and proper nutrition.

The report also says that tribal communities have been pushed farther away from alluvial plains and fertile river basins over the decades, which has had a direct impact on their livelihood. Of the 257 Scheduled Tribe districts in the country, 230 or 90% are in either forested or hilly or dry areas. And past policies like the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 illogically pitted the imperatives of environment protection against the needs of Adivasi communities.

While that approach has been modified and today Adivasis are seen as important stakeholders in forest conservation, on-ground contestations continue. Last year’s amendments to the Forest Conservation Rules have been protested by tribal communities on the ground that they undermine the rights of tribes and forest dwellers over forest resources as envisioned in the Forest Rights Act, 2009. Adivasi activists say the changes make it easier for businesses to divert forest land and make obtaining clearances by commercial entities easier. If true, these provisions have serious implications for tribal welfare.

It’s also true that there has been increasing political courting of tribal communities in recent years. From expanding ST status to new communities to the Adivasi vote becoming a sought-after electoral commodity to India getting its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu, tribals have emerged as a serious political bloc. But their genuine empowerment will lie in creating opportunities. We need thousands more Minnu Manis and Droupadi Murmus.

Q. All of the following describe "imperatives" except:

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question:

A step backward can reverse years of progress. Such a threat looms large over India's efforts to tackle malnutrition. Data from the latest National Family Health Survey reveal that in the last four years the share of stunted, wasted and underweight children in India has increased in the majority of the states and Union territories that were surveyed. Even states like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, which had made progress earlier, have registered a stark rise in stunting. Interestingly, some of these states have also experienced an increase in obesity among children under the age of five. This apparent contradiction seems to highlight a deeper problem — accessibility to and affordability and awareness of nutrition remain uneven across socio-economic constituencies. This has resulted in a dual burden. India has the highest number of obese children in the world after China; a recent national survey also found a drastic reduction in the intake of food among such marginalized communities as Dalits, tribal people and backward classes on account of diminished household income during the lockdown. Laws alone cannot resolve this crisis. Stunting and wasting are on the rise in spite of the existence of the National Food Security Act and a public distribution system that has a wide reach. Policy interventions are wanting; this perhaps explains the regression. The PDS infrastructure remains porous, mired in irregularities like leakages, corruption and the diversion of subsidized foodgrains for profiteering. There is also the problem of exclusion. A number of needy citizens, particularly from the underprivileged sections, are yet to be enrolled as beneficiaries. The lack of access to digital technology — Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for procuring foodgrains from PDS — has aggravated their plight in other ways. For instance, even though rations were doubled under the NFSA during the pandemic, economists estimate that around 100 million names have not been updated in the NFSA lists.
Starvation or malnutrition is not caused by undernourishment alone. There is convergence with interlinked, but less conspicuous, issues such as maternal nutrition; education — research shows that educated mothers bring up healthier children; hygiene; regularized, locally sourced mid-day meals; food wastage. Governments must make the provision of foodgrains equitable for all citizens. But this will not be enough. Policy must mull the need for piecemeal measures and targeted, community-based interventions in order to tackle this growing problem.

Q. What is the meaning of the word "conspicuous" in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question:

A step backward can reverse years of progress. Such a threat looms large over India's efforts to tackle malnutrition. Data from the latest National Family Health Survey reveal that in the last four years the share of stunted, wasted and underweight children in India has increased in the majority of the states and Union territories that were surveyed. Even states like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, which had made progress earlier, have registered a stark rise in stunting. Interestingly, some of these states have also experienced an increase in obesity among children under the age of five. This apparent contradiction seems to highlight a deeper problem — accessibility to and affordability and awareness of nutrition remain uneven across socio-economic constituencies. This has resulted in a dual burden. India has the highest number of obese children in the world after China; a recent national survey also found a drastic reduction in the intake of food among such marginalized communities as Dalits, tribal people and backward classes on account of diminished household income during the lockdown. Laws alone cannot resolve this crisis. Stunting and wasting are on the rise in spite of the existence of the National Food Security Act and a public distribution system that has a wide reach. Policy interventions are wanting; this perhaps explains the regression. The PDS infrastructure remains porous, mired in irregularities like leakages, corruption and the diversion of subsidized foodgrains for profiteering. There is also the problem of exclusion. A number of needy citizens, particularly from the underprivileged sections, are yet to be enrolled as beneficiaries. The lack of access to digital technology — Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for procuring foodgrains from PDS — has aggravated their plight in other ways. For instance, even though rations were doubled under the NFSA during the pandemic, economists estimate that around 100 million names have not been updated in the NFSA lists.
Starvation or malnutrition is not caused by undernourishment alone. There is convergence with interlinked, but less conspicuous, issues such as maternal nutrition; education — research shows that educated mothers bring up healthier children; hygiene; regularized, locally sourced mid-day meals; food wastage. Governments must make the provision of foodgrains equitable for all citizens. But this will not be enough. Policy must mull the need for piecemeal measures and targeted, community-based interventions in order to tackle this growing problem.

Q. Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question:

A step backward can reverse years of progress. Such a threat looms large over India's efforts to tackle malnutrition. Data from the latest National Family Health Survey reveal that in the last four years the share of stunted, wasted and underweight children in India has increased in the majority of the states and Union territories that were surveyed. Even states like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, which had made progress earlier, have registered a stark rise in stunting. Interestingly, some of these states have also experienced an increase in obesity among children under the age of five. This apparent contradiction seems to highlight a deeper problem — accessibility to and affordability and awareness of nutrition remain uneven across socio-economic constituencies. This has resulted in a dual burden. India has the highest number of obese children in the world after China; a recent national survey also found a drastic reduction in the intake of food among such marginalized communities as Dalits, tribal people and backward classes on account of diminished household income during the lockdown. Laws alone cannot resolve this crisis. Stunting and wasting are on the rise in spite of the existence of the National Food Security Act and a public distribution system that has a wide reach. Policy interventions are wanting; this perhaps explains the regression. The PDS infrastructure remains porous, mired in irregularities like leakages, corruption and the diversion of subsidized foodgrains for profiteering. There is also the problem of exclusion. A number of needy citizens, particularly from the underprivileged sections, are yet to be enrolled as beneficiaries. The lack of access to digital technology — Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for procuring foodgrains from PDS — has aggravated their plight in other ways. For instance, even though rations were doubled under the NFSA during the pandemic, economists estimate that around 100 million names have not been updated in the NFSA lists.
Starvation or malnutrition is not caused by undernourishment alone. There is convergence with interlinked, but less conspicuous, issues such as maternal nutrition; education — research shows that educated mothers bring up healthier children; hygiene; regularized, locally sourced mid-day meals; food wastage. Governments must make the provision of foodgrains equitable for all citizens. But this will not be enough. Policy must mull the need for piecemeal measures and targeted, community-based interventions in order to tackle this growing problem.

Q. What is the author's stance regarding the Public Distribution System (PDS)?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question:

A step backward can reverse years of progress. Such a threat looms large over India's efforts to tackle malnutrition. Data from the latest National Family Health Survey reveal that in the last four years the share of stunted, wasted and underweight children in India has increased in the majority of the states and Union territories that were surveyed. Even states like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, which had made progress earlier, have registered a stark rise in stunting. Interestingly, some of these states have also experienced an increase in obesity among children under the age of five. This apparent contradiction seems to highlight a deeper problem — accessibility to and affordability and awareness of nutrition remain uneven across socio-economic constituencies. This has resulted in a dual burden. India has the highest number of obese children in the world after China; a recent national survey also found a drastic reduction in the intake of food among such marginalized communities as Dalits, tribal people and backward classes on account of diminished household income during the lockdown. Laws alone cannot resolve this crisis. Stunting and wasting are on the rise in spite of the existence of the National Food Security Act and a public distribution system that has a wide reach. Policy interventions are wanting; this perhaps explains the regression. The PDS infrastructure remains porous, mired in irregularities like leakages, corruption and the diversion of subsidized foodgrains for profiteering. There is also the problem of exclusion. A number of needy citizens, particularly from the underprivileged sections, are yet to be enrolled as beneficiaries. The lack of access to digital technology — Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for procuring foodgrains from PDS — has aggravated their plight in other ways. For instance, even though rations were doubled under the NFSA during the pandemic, economists estimate that around 100 million names have not been updated in the NFSA lists.
Starvation or malnutrition is not caused by undernourishment alone. There is convergence with interlinked, but less conspicuous, issues such as maternal nutrition; education — research shows that educated mothers bring up healthier children; hygiene; regularized, locally sourced mid-day meals; food wastage. Governments must make the provision of foodgrains equitable for all citizens. But this will not be enough. Policy must mull the need for piecemeal measures and targeted, community-based interventions in order to tackle this growing problem.

Q. Are there any phrasal verbs used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question:

A step backward can reverse years of progress. Such a threat looms large over India's efforts to tackle malnutrition. Data from the latest National Family Health Survey reveal that in the last four years the share of stunted, wasted and underweight children in India has increased in the majority of the states and Union territories that were surveyed. Even states like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, which had made progress earlier, have registered a stark rise in stunting. Interestingly, some of these states have also experienced an increase in obesity among children under the age of five. This apparent contradiction seems to highlight a deeper problem — accessibility to and affordability and awareness of nutrition remain uneven across socio-economic constituencies. This has resulted in a dual burden. India has the highest number of obese children in the world after China; a recent national survey also found a drastic reduction in the intake of food among such marginalized communities as Dalits, tribal people and backward classes on account of diminished household income during the lockdown. Laws alone cannot resolve this crisis. Stunting and wasting are on the rise in spite of the existence of the National Food Security Act and a public distribution system that has a wide reach. Policy interventions are wanting; this perhaps explains the regression. The PDS infrastructure remains porous, mired in irregularities like leakages, corruption and the diversion of subsidized foodgrains for profiteering. There is also the problem of exclusion. A number of needy citizens, particularly from the underprivileged sections, are yet to be enrolled as beneficiaries. The lack of access to digital technology — Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for procuring foodgrains from PDS — has aggravated their plight in other ways. For instance, even though rations were doubled under the NFSA during the pandemic, economists estimate that around 100 million names have not been updated in the NFSA lists.
Starvation or malnutrition is not caused by undernourishment alone. There is convergence with interlinked, but less conspicuous, issues such as maternal nutrition; education — research shows that educated mothers bring up healthier children; hygiene; regularized, locally sourced mid-day meals; food wastage. Governments must make the provision of foodgrains equitable for all citizens. But this will not be enough. Policy must mull the need for piecemeal measures and targeted, community-based interventions in order to tackle this growing problem.

Q. What is the tone of the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The end of the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regime on January 1, under which one telecom operator paid a charge to another on whose network a subscriber's voice call was completed, creates a new era in which these companies can focus on upgrading their networks and service. The measure was delayed by a year by regulator TRAI due to concerns that not all operators were ready, and the shift to more efficient 4G networks and compatible subscriber handsets was slower than anticipated. Now that the need to monitor call termination data and make IUC payments no longer exists, the focus should shift to giving the users a better deal — as reliable call quality and competitive tariffs. For the subscriber, other than those who had to pay higher access tariffs on one wireless network due to the IUC system, the latest measure may not carry a significant impact, since providers sold unlimited call packs even earlier. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion of outgoing calls to other wireless operators since its launch a few years ago, thus having to pay significant net interconnection charges, which was six paise per minute since 2017. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has now introduced an arrangement called bill and keep, which does away with the IUC.
India's high density telecom market is poised for further growth as it awaits expansion through 5G and Internet-connected devices. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20 pointed out, intense competition has reduced the number of private players. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL still face a challenge and their future must be clarified early, with efforts to improve their technological capabilities and service levels. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G subscribers from 196.9 million in September 2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June 2019. The end of the IUC should spur an expansion of high-capacity networks, going beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos continue to use. The removal of interconnection charges was opposed by them just a year ago. For TRAI, which has stressed the importance of consumer welfare through adequate choice, affordable tariff and quality service, it is important to tread cautiously on claims made on behalf of the sector, that higher tariffs alone can ensure the health of telecoms. India is a mass market for voice and data services that fuel the digital economy. Badly priced spectrum could lead to auction failures and lack of genuine competition is bound to hamper the growth of the next big wave of telecoms, of which the 5G piece is critical for new services. On the consumer side, helping more people migrate to 4G services quickly through affordable handsets will help telcos put their infrastructure to better use.

Q. What is the main point conveyed in the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The end of the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regime on January 1, under which one telecom operator paid a charge to another on whose network a subscriber's voice call was completed, creates a new era in which these companies can focus on upgrading their networks and service. The measure was delayed by a year by regulator TRAI due to concerns that not all operators were ready, and the shift to more efficient 4G networks and compatible subscriber handsets was slower than anticipated. Now that the need to monitor call termination data and make IUC payments no longer exists, the focus should shift to giving the users a better deal — as reliable call quality and competitive tariffs. For the subscriber, other than those who had to pay higher access tariffs on one wireless network due to the IUC system, the latest measure may not carry a significant impact, since providers sold unlimited call packs even earlier. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion of outgoing calls to other wireless operators since its launch a few years ago, thus having to pay significant net interconnection charges, which was six paise per minute since 2017. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has now introduced an arrangement called bill and keep, which does away with the IUC.
India's high density telecom market is poised for further growth as it awaits expansion through 5G and Internet-connected devices. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20 pointed out, intense competition has reduced the number of private players. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL still face a challenge and their future must be clarified early, with efforts to improve their technological capabilities and service levels. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G subscribers from 196.9 million in September 2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June 2019. The end of the IUC should spur an expansion of high-capacity networks, going beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos continue to use. The removal of interconnection charges was opposed by them just a year ago. For TRAI, which has stressed the importance of consumer welfare through adequate choice, affordable tariff and quality service, it is important to tread cautiously on claims made on behalf of the sector, that higher tariffs alone can ensure the health of telecoms. India is a mass market for voice and data services that fuel the digital economy. Badly priced spectrum could lead to auction failures and lack of genuine competition is bound to hamper the growth of the next big wave of telecoms, of which the 5G piece is critical for new services. On the consumer side, helping more people migrate to 4G services quickly through affordable handsets will help telcos put their infrastructure to better use.

Q. What is the meaning of the word "hamper" in the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The end of the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regime on January 1, under which one telecom operator paid a charge to another on whose network a subscriber's voice call was completed, creates a new era in which these companies can focus on upgrading their networks and service. The measure was delayed by a year by regulator TRAI due to concerns that not all operators were ready, and the shift to more efficient 4G networks and compatible subscriber handsets was slower than anticipated. Now that the need to monitor call termination data and make IUC payments no longer exists, the focus should shift to giving the users a better deal — as reliable call quality and competitive tariffs. For the subscriber, other than those who had to pay higher access tariffs on one wireless network due to the IUC system, the latest measure may not carry a significant impact, since providers sold unlimited call packs even earlier. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion of outgoing calls to other wireless operators since its launch a few years ago, thus having to pay significant net interconnection charges, which was six paise per minute since 2017. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has now introduced an arrangement called bill and keep, which does away with the IUC.
India's high density telecom market is poised for further growth as it awaits expansion through 5G and Internet-connected devices. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20 pointed out, intense competition has reduced the number of private players. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL still face a challenge and their future must be clarified early, with efforts to improve their technological capabilities and service levels. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G subscribers from 196.9 million in September 2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June 2019. The end of the IUC should spur an expansion of high-capacity networks, going beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos continue to use. The removal of interconnection charges was opposed by them just a year ago. For TRAI, which has stressed the importance of consumer welfare through adequate choice, affordable tariff and quality service, it is important to tread cautiously on claims made on behalf of the sector, that higher tariffs alone can ensure the health of telecoms. India is a mass market for voice and data services that fuel the digital economy. Badly priced spectrum could lead to auction failures and lack of genuine competition is bound to hamper the growth of the next big wave of telecoms, of which the 5G piece is critical for new services. On the consumer side, helping more people migrate to 4G services quickly through affordable handsets will help telcos put their infrastructure to better use.

Q. Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The end of the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regime on January 1, under which one telecom operator paid a charge to another on whose network a subscriber's voice call was completed, creates a new era in which these companies can focus on upgrading their networks and service. The measure was delayed by a year by regulator TRAI due to concerns that not all operators were ready, and the shift to more efficient 4G networks and compatible subscriber handsets was slower than anticipated. Now that the need to monitor call termination data and make IUC payments no longer exists, the focus should shift to giving the users a better deal — as reliable call quality and competitive tariffs. For the subscriber, other than those who had to pay higher access tariffs on one wireless network due to the IUC system, the latest measure may not carry a significant impact, since providers sold unlimited call packs even earlier. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion of outgoing calls to other wireless operators since its launch a few years ago, thus having to pay significant net interconnection charges, which was six paise per minute since 2017. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has now introduced an arrangement called bill and keep, which does away with the IUC.
India's high density telecom market is poised for further growth as it awaits expansion through 5G and Internet-connected devices. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20 pointed out, intense competition has reduced the number of private players. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL still face a challenge and their future must be clarified early, with efforts to improve their technological capabilities and service levels. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G subscribers from 196.9 million in September 2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June 2019. The end of the IUC should spur an expansion of high-capacity networks, going beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos continue to use. The removal of interconnection charges was opposed by them just a year ago. For TRAI, which has stressed the importance of consumer welfare through adequate choice, affordable tariff and quality service, it is important to tread cautiously on claims made on behalf of the sector, that higher tariffs alone can ensure the health of telecoms. India is a mass market for voice and data services that fuel the digital economy. Badly priced spectrum could lead to auction failures and lack of genuine competition is bound to hamper the growth of the next big wave of telecoms, of which the 5G piece is critical for new services. On the consumer side, helping more people migrate to 4G services quickly through affordable handsets will help telcos put their infrastructure to better use.

Q. What is the tone of the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the given question.

The end of the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regime on January 1, under which one telecom operator paid a charge to another on whose network a subscriber's voice call was completed, creates a new era in which these companies can focus on upgrading their networks and service. The measure was delayed by a year by regulator TRAI due to concerns that not all operators were ready, and the shift to more efficient 4G networks and compatible subscriber handsets was slower than anticipated. Now that the need to monitor call termination data and make IUC payments no longer exists, the focus should shift to giving the users a better deal — as reliable call quality and competitive tariffs. For the subscriber, other than those who had to pay higher access tariffs on one wireless network due to the IUC system, the latest measure may not carry a significant impact, since providers sold unlimited call packs even earlier. One operator, Jio, had a higher proportion of outgoing calls to other wireless operators since its launch a few years ago, thus having to pay significant net interconnection charges, which was six paise per minute since 2017. That imbalance has reduced, and TRAI has now introduced an arrangement called bill and keep, which does away with the IUC.
India's high density telecom market is poised for further growth as it awaits expansion through 5G and Internet-connected devices. Yet, as the Economic Survey of 2019-20 pointed out, intense competition has reduced the number of private players. Public sector operators BSNL and MTNL still face a challenge and their future must be clarified early, with efforts to improve their technological capabilities and service levels. A parallel trend has been the rise in 4G subscribers from 196.9 million in September 2017 to 517.5 million out of a total wireless subscriber base of 1,165.46 million in June 2019. The end of the IUC should spur an expansion of high-capacity networks, going beyond 2G and 3G that some telcos continue to use. The removal of interconnection charges was opposed by them just a year ago. For TRAI, which has stressed the importance of consumer welfare through adequate choice, affordable tariff and quality service, it is important to tread cautiously on claims made on behalf of the sector, that higher tariffs alone can ensure the health of telecoms. India is a mass market for voice and data services that fuel the digital economy. Badly priced spectrum could lead to auction failures and lack of genuine competition is bound to hamper the growth of the next big wave of telecoms, of which the 5G piece is critical for new services. On the consumer side, helping more people migrate to 4G services quickly through affordable handsets will help telcos put their infrastructure to better use.

Q. Which statement accurately reflects the information presented in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

Remember the early days of the internet, when it took several minutes to connect to the web through a dial-in modem? Or when you had to wait in a line at an STD booth to make an outstation call? Since then, we have made massive strides in digital technologies. Improvements in internet banking mean that a buffet of products are available at the fingertips of consumers. But imagine if one had to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction. This is a reality for the vast majority of the rural populace. In rural India, an over-reliance on digital technology alone has widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements. This is exemplified in the pursuit of financial inclusion. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative is a technology induced step in improving financial inclusion among other stated goals. Although DBT has been operational since 2011, it has become synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015.
Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where money is transferred to the bank accounts of the respective beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. These are referred to as "last mile challenges". To deal with these, banking kiosks known as Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking Correspondents (BC) were promoted. Subject to network connectivity and electricity, beneficiaries can perform basic banking transactions such as small deposits and withdrawals at these kiosks.
While there are some merits of online payments, the process of transition from older systems and the APBS technology itself needs more scrutiny. Workers have little clue about where their wages have been credited and what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. While some attention is being paid by some state governments in resolving rejected payments for MGNREGA, the lack of any accountability for APBS and AePS and absence of grievance redressal would continue to impact all DBT programmes.
More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting. Lack of adequate checks and balances, absence of any accountability framework for payment intermediaries and a hurried rollout of this technical juggernaut have put the already vulnerable at higher risk of being duped. This has created new forms of corruption as has been recently evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of middlemen, government officials, banking correspondents and others. These exclusions are digitally induced.
(Extracted, with edits and reviews, from The Indian Express)

Q. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

Remember the early days of the internet, when it took several minutes to connect to the web through a dial-in modem? Or when you had to wait in a line at an STD booth to make an outstation call? Since then, we have made massive strides in digital technologies. Improvements in internet banking mean that a buffet of products are available at the fingertips of consumers. But imagine if one had to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction. This is a reality for the vast majority of the rural populace. In rural India, an over-reliance on digital technology alone has widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements. This is exemplified in the pursuit of financial inclusion. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative is a technology induced step in improving financial inclusion among other stated goals. Although DBT has been operational since 2011, it has become synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015.
Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where money is transferred to the bank accounts of the respective beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. These are referred to as "last mile challenges". To deal with these, banking kiosks known as Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking Correspondents (BC) were promoted. Subject to network connectivity and electricity, beneficiaries can perform basic banking transactions such as small deposits and withdrawals at these kiosks.
While there are some merits of online payments, the process of transition from older systems and the APBS technology itself needs more scrutiny. Workers have little clue about where their wages have been credited and what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. While some attention is being paid by some state governments in resolving rejected payments for MGNREGA, the lack of any accountability for APBS and AePS and absence of grievance redressal would continue to impact all DBT programmes.
More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting. Lack of adequate checks and balances, absence of any accountability framework for payment intermediaries and a hurried rollout of this technical juggernaut have put the already vulnerable at higher risk of being duped. This has created new forms of corruption as has been recently evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of middlemen, government officials, banking correspondents and others. These exclusions are digitally induced.
(Extracted, with edits and reviews, from The Indian Express)

Q. What is the meaning of the word "entitlements" as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

Remember the early days of the internet, when it took several minutes to connect to the web through a dial-in modem? Or when you had to wait in a line at an STD booth to make an outstation call? Since then, we have made massive strides in digital technologies. Improvements in internet banking mean that a buffet of products are available at the fingertips of consumers. But imagine if one had to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction. This is a reality for the vast majority of the rural populace. In rural India, an over-reliance on digital technology alone has widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements. This is exemplified in the pursuit of financial inclusion. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative is a technology induced step in improving financial inclusion among other stated goals. Although DBT has been operational since 2011, it has become synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015.
Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where money is transferred to the bank accounts of the respective beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. These are referred to as "last mile challenges". To deal with these, banking kiosks known as Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking Correspondents (BC) were promoted. Subject to network connectivity and electricity, beneficiaries can perform basic banking transactions such as small deposits and withdrawals at these kiosks.
While there are some merits of online payments, the process of transition from older systems and the APBS technology itself needs more scrutiny. Workers have little clue about where their wages have been credited and what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. While some attention is being paid by some state governments in resolving rejected payments for MGNREGA, the lack of any accountability for APBS and AePS and absence of grievance redressal would continue to impact all DBT programmes.
More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting. Lack of adequate checks and balances, absence of any accountability framework for payment intermediaries and a hurried rollout of this technical juggernaut have put the already vulnerable at higher risk of being duped. This has created new forms of corruption as has been recently evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of middlemen, government officials, banking correspondents and others. These exclusions are digitally induced.
(Extracted, with edits and reviews, from The Indian Express)

Q. Which statement contradicts the author's perspective in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

Remember the early days of the internet, when it took several minutes to connect to the web through a dial-in modem? Or when you had to wait in a line at an STD booth to make an outstation call? Since then, we have made massive strides in digital technologies. Improvements in internet banking mean that a buffet of products are available at the fingertips of consumers. But imagine if one had to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction. This is a reality for the vast majority of the rural populace. In rural India, an over-reliance on digital technology alone has widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements. This is exemplified in the pursuit of financial inclusion. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative is a technology induced step in improving financial inclusion among other stated goals. Although DBT has been operational since 2011, it has become synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015.
Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where money is transferred to the bank accounts of the respective beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. These are referred to as "last mile challenges". To deal with these, banking kiosks known as Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking Correspondents (BC) were promoted. Subject to network connectivity and electricity, beneficiaries can perform basic banking transactions such as small deposits and withdrawals at these kiosks.
While there are some merits of online payments, the process of transition from older systems and the APBS technology itself needs more scrutiny. Workers have little clue about where their wages have been credited and what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. While some attention is being paid by some state governments in resolving rejected payments for MGNREGA, the lack of any accountability for APBS and AePS and absence of grievance redressal would continue to impact all DBT programmes.
More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting. Lack of adequate checks and balances, absence of any accountability framework for payment intermediaries and a hurried rollout of this technical juggernaut have put the already vulnerable at higher risk of being duped. This has created new forms of corruption as has been recently evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of middlemen, government officials, banking correspondents and others. These exclusions are digitally induced.
(Extracted, with edits and reviews, from The Indian Express)

Q. What is the tone of the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question.

Remember the early days of the internet, when it took several minutes to connect to the web through a dial-in modem? Or when you had to wait in a line at an STD booth to make an outstation call? Since then, we have made massive strides in digital technologies. Improvements in internet banking mean that a buffet of products are available at the fingertips of consumers. But imagine if one had to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction. This is a reality for the vast majority of the rural populace. In rural India, an over-reliance on digital technology alone has widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements. This is exemplified in the pursuit of financial inclusion. The Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative is a technology induced step in improving financial inclusion among other stated goals. Although DBT has been operational since 2011, it has become synonymous with the Aadhaar Payments Bridge Systems (APBS) since 2015.
Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, wages for MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where money is transferred to the bank accounts of the respective beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. These are referred to as "last mile challenges". To deal with these, banking kiosks known as Customer Service Points (CSP) and Banking Correspondents (BC) were promoted. Subject to network connectivity and electricity, beneficiaries can perform basic banking transactions such as small deposits and withdrawals at these kiosks.
While there are some merits of online payments, the process of transition from older systems and the APBS technology itself needs more scrutiny. Workers have little clue about where their wages have been credited and what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. While some attention is being paid by some state governments in resolving rejected payments for MGNREGA, the lack of any accountability for APBS and AePS and absence of grievance redressal would continue to impact all DBT programmes.
More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting. Lack of adequate checks and balances, absence of any accountability framework for payment intermediaries and a hurried rollout of this technical juggernaut have put the already vulnerable at higher risk of being duped. This has created new forms of corruption as has been recently evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of middlemen, government officials, banking correspondents and others. These exclusions are digitally induced.
(Extracted, with edits and reviews, from The Indian Express)

Q. Are there any phrasal verbs in the passage? If so, what is their meaning?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

The Constitution allows for certain reasonable restrictions with respect to freedom of speech and expression on grounds such as national security, public order, decency, and morality. The IT Act prohibits uploading or sharing content which is obscene, sexually explicit, relates to child sex abuse, or violates a person’s privacy. The 2021 Rules specify certain additional restrictions on the types of information users of intermediary platforms can create, upload, or share. These include: (i) “harmful to child”, (ii) “insulting on the basis of gender”, and (iii) “knowingly and intentionally communicates any information which is patently false or misleading in nature but may reasonably be perceived as a fact”. Some of these restrictions are subjective and overbroad, and may adversely affect the freedom of speech and expression of users of intermediary platforms. The Supreme Court (2015) has held that a restriction on speech, in order to be reasonable, must be narrowly tailored so as to restrict only what is absolutely necessary. It also held that a speech can be limited on the grounds under the Constitution when it reaches the level of incitement. Other forms of speech even if offensive or unpopular remain protected under the Constitution. The Rules require the intermediaries to make these restrictions part of their service agreement with users. This implies that users must exercise prior restraint, and intermediaries may interpret and decide upon the lawfulness of content on these grounds. Such overbroad grounds under the Rules may not give a person clarity on what is restricted and may create a ‘chilling effect’ on their freedom of speech and expression. This may also lead to over-compliance from intermediaries as their exemption from liability is contingent upon observing due diligence.

Q. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a ground for reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression in the Constitution?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

The Constitution allows for certain reasonable restrictions with respect to freedom of speech and expression on grounds such as national security, public order, decency, and morality. The IT Act prohibits uploading or sharing content which is obscene, sexually explicit, relates to child sex abuse, or violates a person’s privacy. The 2021 Rules specify certain additional restrictions on the types of information users of intermediary platforms can create, upload, or share. These include: (i) “harmful to child”, (ii) “insulting on the basis of gender”, and (iii) “knowingly and intentionally communicates any information which is patently false or misleading in nature but may reasonably be perceived as a fact”. Some of these restrictions are subjective and overbroad, and may adversely affect the freedom of speech and expression of users of intermediary platforms. The Supreme Court (2015) has held that a restriction on speech, in order to be reasonable, must be narrowly tailored so as to restrict only what is absolutely necessary. It also held that a speech can be limited on the grounds under the Constitution when it reaches the level of incitement. Other forms of speech even if offensive or unpopular remain protected under the Constitution. The Rules require the intermediaries to make these restrictions part of their service agreement with users. This implies that users must exercise prior restraint, and intermediaries may interpret and decide upon the lawfulness of content on these grounds. Such overbroad grounds under the Rules may not give a person clarity on what is restricted and may create a ‘chilling effect’ on their freedom of speech and expression. This may also lead to over-compliance from intermediaries as their exemption from liability is contingent upon observing due diligence.

Q. According to the 2021 Rules, which of the following is NOT listed as a restriction on the types of information users of intermediary platforms can create, upload, or share?

Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.

The Constitution allows for certain reasonable restrictions with respect to freedom of speech and expression on grounds such as national security, public order, decency, and morality. The IT Act prohibits uploading or sharing content which is obscene, sexually explicit, relates to child sex abuse, or violates a person’s privacy. The 2021 Rules specify certain additional restrictions on the types of information users of intermediary platforms can create, upload, or share. These include: (i) “harmful to child”, (ii) “insulting on the basis of gender”, and (iii) “knowingly and intentionally communicates any information which is patently false or misleading in nature but may reasonably be perceived as a fact”. Some of these restrictions are subjective and overbroad, and may adversely affect the freedom of speech and expression of users of intermediary platforms. The Supreme Court (2015) has held that a restriction on speech, in order to be reasonable, must be narrowly tailored so as to restrict only what is absolutely necessary. It also held that a speech can be limited on the grounds under the Constitution when it reaches the level of incitement. Other forms of speech even if offensive or unpopular remain protected under the Constitution. The Rules require the intermediaries to make these restrictions part of their service agreement with users. This implies that users must exercise prior restraint, and intermediaries may interpret and decide upon the lawfulness of content on these grounds. Such overbroad grounds under the Rules may not give a person clarity on what is restricted and may create a ‘chilling effect’ on their freedom of speech and expression. This may also lead to over-compliance from intermediaries as their exemption from liability is contingent upon observing due diligence.

Q. Is it possible for the accused in a high-profile criminal case to take legal action against Priya, a journalist, and the news organization she works for after an article they published, containing inaccurate information related to the case, prompted the accused to file a complaint under the 2021 Rules?

Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given beside.

[1] could be split into two parts by the formation of a new ocean in the distant future, as per the researchers. Two major sections of the continent are moving apart, which could eventually result in the creation of a new body of water. Landlocked countries, such as Uganda and Zambia, could potentially have their own coastlines in millions of years.

The formation of the East African Rift, a 35-mile-long crack in Ethiopia’s deserts in 2005, marked the beginning of the creation of a new sea. The crack was identified as being at the border of three tectonic plates that have already been distancing themselves for some time: African Nubian, African Somali, and Arabian. These types of tectonic shifts were also observed in the creation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between East Africa and Western Asia.

GPS tracking shows that land movements between these tectonic plates have been continuously occurring at different rates, with the Arabian plate moving away from Africa at a pace of one inch per year. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will flood the Afar region and the East African Rift Valley and turn into a new ocean. The part of East Africa will become a separate continent.

[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from: “New ocean may arise as Africa continues to split into two parts, say scientists”, The Economic Times]

Q. What geological phenomenon is responsible for the potential split of Africa into two parts?

Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given beside.

[1] could be split into two parts by the formation of a new ocean in the distant future, as per the researchers. Two major sections of the continent are moving apart, which could eventually result in the creation of a new body of water. Landlocked countries, such as Uganda and Zambia, could potentially have their own coastlines in millions of years.

The formation of the East African Rift, a 35-mile-long crack in Ethiopia’s deserts in 2005, marked the beginning of the creation of a new sea. The crack was identified as being at the border of three tectonic plates that have already been distancing themselves for some time: African Nubian, African Somali, and Arabian. These types of tectonic shifts were also observed in the creation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between East Africa and Western Asia.

GPS tracking shows that land movements between these tectonic plates have been continuously occurring at different rates, with the Arabian plate moving away from Africa at a pace of one inch per year. The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will flood the Afar region and the East African Rift Valley and turn into a new ocean. The part of East Africa will become a separate continent.

[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from: “New ocean may arise as Africa continues to split into two parts, say scientists”, The Economic Times]

Q. Which region is identified as the beginning of the creation of a new sea?