NIACL AO Mock Test - 9 - Insurance Exams MCQ

Directions (1 – 5) : Rearrange the following six sentences A, B, C, D, E and F in the the proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the questions given below them. 

(A) It was further revived by a Boston publishing firm, and from that time Mother Goose continued grew in fame and interest till date. 

(B) The first collection of verses under her name was published in London in book form by John Newbery. 

(C) These were known long before they were designated as Mother Goose rhymes. 

(D) Some rhymes can be traced to popular ballads, folk songs and games, political satire, ancient proverbs, cries of street vendors, real or legendary events. 

(E) About twenty five years later the book  was reprinted in the United States in Worecester, Massachusetts. 

(F) In fact, until the eighteenth century Mother Goose did not have a name in print in English literature. 

Q. Which of the following will be the FOURTH sentence?

Directions (1 – 5) : Rearrange the following six sentences A, B, C, D, E and F in the the proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the questions given below them. 

(A) It was further revived by a Boston publishing firm, and from that time Mother Goose continued grew in fame and interest till date. 

(B) The first collection of verses under her name was published in London in book form by John Newbery. 

(C) These were known long before they were designated as Mother Goose rhymes. 

(D) Some rhymes can be traced to popular ballads, folk songs and games, political satire, ancient proverbs, cries of street vendors, real or legendary events. 

(E) About twenty five years later the book  was reprinted in the United States in Worecester, Massachusetts. 

(F) In fact, until the eighteenth century Mother Goose did not have a name in print in English literature. 

Q. Which of the following will be the FIFTH sentence?

Directions : Rearrange the following six sentences A, B, C, D, E and F in the the proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the questions given below them. 

(A) It was further revived by a Boston publishing firm, and from that time Mother Goose continued grew in fame and interest till date. 

(B) The first collection of verses under her name was published in London in book form by John Newbery. 

(C) These were known long before they were designated as Mother Goose rhymes. 

(D) Some rhymes can be traced to popular ballads, folk songs and games, political satire, ancient proverbs, cries of street vendors, real or legendary events. 

(E) About twenty five years later the book  was reprinted in the United States in Worecester, Massachusetts. 

(F) In fact, until the eighteenth century Mother Goose did not have a name in print in English literature. 

Q. Which of the following will be the FIRST sentence?

Directions : Rearrange the following six sentences A, B, C, D, E and F in the the proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph, then answer the questions given below them. 

(A) It was further revived by a Boston publishing firm, and from that time Mother Goose continued grew in fame and interest till date. 

(B) The first collection of verses under her name was published in London in book form by John Newbery. 

(C) These were known long before they were designated as Mother Goose rhymes. 

(D) Some rhymes can be traced to popular ballads, folk songs and games, political satire, ancient proverbs, cries of street vendors, real or legendary events. 

(E) About twenty five years later the book  was reprinted in the United States in Worecester, Massachusetts. 

(F) In fact, until the eighteenth century Mother Goose did not have a name in print in English literature. 

Q. Which of the following will be the SECOND sentence?

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

After ten years of (6) inflation, prices have spiked 7.5% in the third week of July. This looks scary- after all. Indian had got used to prices crawling up by 2% in the last two years, and a 10- year average inflation rate of about 5%- but you shouldn’t worry. This burst of inflation is the result of three  factors that have come together unexpectedly, are unlikely to (7) for long and are unlikely to (8) up together again A (9) rise in global oil prices, a monsoon that arrived late and a spike in global metal prices. North Sea crude has crossed $42 per barrel, driven up by low petroleum (10) and soaring demand in the US as war production heats up. Oil markets are also spooked by the (11) of  Russian oil supplies falling on the back of the Yukos-Sibneft probe. There’s little that the government can do to (12) users from soaring oil prices-indeed, it shouldn’t, if it wants to (13) efficiency. Higher transport costs have pushed up rates of vegetables and fruits; farm produce could also get affected by rains that arrived too late for kharif sowing. China is (14) up steel and other metals from all over the world to (15) a construction boom ahead of the 2008 Olympics, making metal prices soar all over the world, and sparking inflation in India. 

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will he in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No error', the answer is '5'.

According to him (1)/ two factors which are (2)/ needy for success (3)/ are discipline and diligence.(4)/ No Error (5)
 

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will he in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No error', the answer is '5'.

He wants to (1)/ set up a laboratory (2)/ to undertake research (3)/ into a vaccine for cancer.(4)/ No Error (5)

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will he in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No error', the answer is '5'.

The crucial point to (1)/ be discussed at the (2)/ meeting is how to (3)/ well implement the policy.(4)/ No Error (5)

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will he in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No error', the answer is '5'.

Experts have recommended that (1)/ the Govt. reconsidered (2)/ restrictions imposed on foreign (3)/ Investment in real estate.(4)/ No Error (5)

Directions: Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will he in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the answer. If there is 'No error', the answer is '5'.

There is lots of (1)/ supports from the employees (2)/ for the proposal to (3)/ merge with the parent company. (4)/ No Error (5)

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.
 

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market.

Q.Which of the following facts is true as per the passage?

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market.

Q. According to the passage, for which of the following reasons do the delivery partners fail to serve their bank-‘s goal to expand in the unbanked markets?
(A) They do not have adequate client base to sell they financial products.
(B) They do not have adequate knowledge and skills explain anything beyond basic financial products to the customers.
(C) They do not have the skills to operate advanced technological aids that are a prerequisite to tap the unbanked-market.

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market.

Q. According to the passage, for which of the following reasons is the viability of financial inclusion under question?

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market

Q. In the passage, the author has specified which of the following characteristics of the customer on-boarding process?

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market

Q. What did the author try to highlight in the passage?
(A) The ailing condition of financial inclusion business at present
(B) Strategies that may help banks expand in the unbanked market
(C) Role of government in modifying the existing financial-inclusion policies

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market

Q. According to the passage, which of the following ways may help banks sustain the interest of their customers after hooking them?
(A) Adoption of a banking mechanism which is not only secure but reassuring to the customers
(B) Increasing the number of delivery partners in rural market
(C) Introduction of a simple and intuitive user application

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market

Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage. 

Multitude

Directions : Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Financial Inclusion (FI) is an emerging priority for banks that have nowhere else to go to achieve business growth. The viability of FI business is under question, because while banks and their delivery partners continue to make investments, they haven't seen commensurate returns. In markets like India, most programmes are focused on customer on-boarding, an expensive process which people often find difficult to afford, involving issuance of smart cards to the customers. However, large-scale customer acquisition hasn't translated into large-scale business, with many accounts lying dormant and therefore yielding no return on the bank's investment. For the same reason, Business Correspondent Agents, who constitute the primary channel for financial inclusion, are unable to pursue their activity as a full-time job. One major reason for this state of events is that the customer on-boarding process is often delayed after the submission of documents (required to validate the details of the concerned applicant) by the applicant and might take as long as two weeks. By this time the initial enthusiasm of applicants fades away. Moreover, the delivery partners don't have the knowledge and skill to propose anything other than the most basic financial products to the customer and hence do not serve their banks"' goal of expanding the offering in unbanked markets.

Contrary to popular perception, the inclusion segment is not a singular impoverished, undifferentiated mass and it is important to navigate its diversity to identify the right target customers for various programmes. Rural markets do have their share of rich people who do not use banking services simply because they are inconvenient to access or have low perceived value. At  the same time, urban markets, despite a high branch density, have multitude of low wage earners outside the financial net. Moreover, the branch timings of banks rarely coincide with the off-work hours of the labour class.

Creating affordability is crucial in tapping the unbanked market. No doubt pricing is a tool, but banks also need to be innovative in right-sizing their proposition to convince customers that they can derive big value even from small amounts. One way of doing this is to show the target audience that a bank account is actually a lifestyle enabler, a convenient and safe means to send money to family or make a variety of purchases. Once banks succeed in hooking customers with this value proposition they must sustain their interest by introducing a simple and intuitive user application, ubiquitous access over mobile and other touch points, and adopting a banking mechanism which is not only secure but also reassuring to the customer. Technology is the most important element of financial inclusion strategy and an enabler of all others. The choice of technology is therefore a crucial decision, which could make or mar the agenda. Of the various section criteria, cost is perhaps the most important. This certainly does not mean buying the cheapest package, but rather choosing that solution which by scaling transactions to huge volumes reduces per unit operating cost. An optimal mix of these strategies would no doubt offer an innovative means of expansion in the unbanked market

Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

Ubiquitous