Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about the raising of an orphaned elephant calf by a tribal couple, won the best documentary (short) award at the 95th Academy Awards on March 13. It is the story of a loving relationship between humans and other sentient species, particularly pachyderms. The footage was shot over five years and then edited to make the documentary. Relationship between man and nature, particularly animals, is palpable and those who have made an attempt to develop it have indeed benefited from it, physically as well as emotionally. However, it could also go sour if humans are not careful and nuanced in their approach to dealing with them and taming or controlling them, particularly elephants. According to the National Geographic Channel documentary Elephant Rage, some 500 people are killed by elephants each year when they are pushed.
The elephants, of course, are a very intelligent species of animals, unlike the general impression we have about them on account of their size and sloth. They are exceptionally smart creatures, have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons indeed exist to control the elephant’s large and dexterous body, this creature has demonstrated its impressive mental capabilities time and again. It can identify languages, understand human body language, use tools, show empathy and, above all, has extraordinary memory — and hence the phrase “elephantine memory”. In the past, elephants werepart of the royal heavy artillery and entourage, for pomp and show.
Elephants have also been used for communication purposes, especially in the days gone by when the modes of travel were limited. During the early part of my career in the civil services, I had come across a garage or a “hangar” attached to the office of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhadrachalam, in the current state of Telangana, constructed to accommodate an elephant, which was perhaps used to cross the river to travel to the outlying and interior areas on official work.
That an elephant is nobody’s fool comes across clearly from the incident that took place many years ago during the pre-Independence period in the state of Samthar, where my maternal grandfather was serving as a Diwan. The maharaja had an elephant as part of his entourage. One of the duties of the mahout, employed to take care of the elephant, was to feed him with jalebis. The mahout was in the habit of stealing a part of this ration, meant for the elephant, for his own personal consumption. The elephant had observed this over a period of time. Then one day, he picked up the mahout, threw him on the ground and trampled him to death. When the news spread, the mahout’s wife came running, holding an infant in her arms. She placed her baby in front of the elephant and asked him to kill the baby too since there would be no one to take care of it. The elephant picked up the baby and put it on its head. Then there was a forest officer who was serving as an instructor at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in the 1970s. As part of his responsibilities, he was required to take the trainees out for practical training to different parts of the country. One particular year, he took them to the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, which is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, some deer species and others.
The instructor decided to teach his trainees how to avoid an encounter with an elephant if they came face-to-face with one. He told them that they should go round and round a tree which would confuse the elephant. Since there was an elephant around, he attempted to demonstrate the technique and started running around a tree, with the elephant in hot pursuit. After going round and round a few times, the elephant stopped, turned around and waited. The instructor who was still going round in the same direction collided with the elephant head-on and was killed instantaneously. The pachyderm had not perhaps liked the gumption of the instructor to underestimate his intelligence.
Q. How are elephants different from how we typically think of them?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about the raising of an orphaned elephant calf by a tribal couple, won the best documentary (short) award at the 95th Academy Awards on March 13. It is the story of a loving relationship between humans and other sentient species, particularly pachyderms. The footage was shot over five years and then edited to make the documentary. Relationship between man and nature, particularly animals, is palpable and those who have made an attempt to develop it have indeed benefited from it, physically as well as emotionally. However, it could also go sour if humans are not careful and nuanced in their approach to dealing with them and taming or controlling them, particularly elephants. According to the National Geographic Channel documentary Elephant Rage, some 500 people are killed by elephants each year when they are pushed.
The elephants, of course, are a very intelligent species of animals, unlike the general impression we have about them on account of their size and sloth. They are exceptionally smart creatures, have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons indeed exist to control the elephant’s large and dexterous body, this creature has demonstrated its impressive mental capabilities time and again. It can identify languages, understand human body language, use tools, show empathy and, above all, has extraordinary memory — and hence the phrase “elephantine memory”. In the past, elephants werepart of the royal heavy artillery and entourage, for pomp and show.
Elephants have also been used for communication purposes, especially in the days gone by when the modes of travel were limited. During the early part of my career in the civil services, I had come across a garage or a “hangar” attached to the office of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhadrachalam, in the current state of Telangana, constructed to accommodate an elephant, which was perhaps used to cross the river to travel to the outlying and interior areas on official work.
That an elephant is nobody’s fool comes across clearly from the incident that took place many years ago during the pre-Independence period in the state of Samthar, where my maternal grandfather was serving as a Diwan. The maharaja had an elephant as part of his entourage. One of the duties of the mahout, employed to take care of the elephant, was to feed him with jalebis. The mahout was in the habit of stealing a part of this ration, meant for the elephant, for his own personal consumption. The elephant had observed this over a period of time. Then one day, he picked up the mahout, threw him on the ground and trampled him to death. When the news spread, the mahout’s wife came running, holding an infant in her arms. She placed her baby in front of the elephant and asked him to kill the baby too since there would be no one to take care of it. The elephant picked up the baby and put it on its head. Then there was a forest officer who was serving as an instructor at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in the 1970s. As part of his responsibilities, he was required to take the trainees out for practical training to different parts of the country. One particular year, he took them to the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, which is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, some deer species and others.
The instructor decided to teach his trainees how to avoid an encounter with an elephant if they came face-to-face with one. He told them that they should go round and round a tree which would confuse the elephant. Since there was an elephant around, he attempted to demonstrate the technique and started running around a tree, with the elephant in hot pursuit. After going round and round a few times, the elephant stopped, turned around and waited. The instructor who was still going round in the same direction collided with the elephant head-on and was killed instantaneously. The pachyderm had not perhaps liked the gumption of the instructor to underestimate his intelligence.
Q. Which of the following best describes "impressive mental capabilities" in the passage?
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Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about the raising of an orphaned elephant calf by a tribal couple, won the best documentary (short) award at the 95th Academy Awards on March 13. It is the story of a loving relationship between humans and other sentient species, particularly pachyderms. The footage was shot over five years and then edited to make the documentary. Relationship between man and nature, particularly animals, is palpable and those who have made an attempt to develop it have indeed benefited from it, physically as well as emotionally. However, it could also go sour if humans are not careful and nuanced in their approach to dealing with them and taming or controlling them, particularly elephants. According to the National Geographic Channel documentary Elephant Rage, some 500 people are killed by elephants each year when they are pushed.
The elephants, of course, are a very intelligent species of animals, unlike the general impression we have about them on account of their size and sloth. They are exceptionally smart creatures, have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons indeed exist to control the elephant’s large and dexterous body, this creature has demonstrated its impressive mental capabilities time and again. It can identify languages, understand human body language, use tools, show empathy and, above all, has extraordinary memory — and hence the phrase “elephantine memory”. In the past, elephants werepart of the royal heavy artillery and entourage, for pomp and show.
Elephants have also been used for communication purposes, especially in the days gone by when the modes of travel were limited. During the early part of my career in the civil services, I had come across a garage or a “hangar” attached to the office of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhadrachalam, in the current state of Telangana, constructed to accommodate an elephant, which was perhaps used to cross the river to travel to the outlying and interior areas on official work.
That an elephant is nobody’s fool comes across clearly from the incident that took place many years ago during the pre-Independence period in the state of Samthar, where my maternal grandfather was serving as a Diwan. The maharaja had an elephant as part of his entourage. One of the duties of the mahout, employed to take care of the elephant, was to feed him with jalebis. The mahout was in the habit of stealing a part of this ration, meant for the elephant, for his own personal consumption. The elephant had observed this over a period of time. Then one day, he picked up the mahout, threw him on the ground and trampled him to death. When the news spread, the mahout’s wife came running, holding an infant in her arms. She placed her baby in front of the elephant and asked him to kill the baby too since there would be no one to take care of it. The elephant picked up the baby and put it on its head. Then there was a forest officer who was serving as an instructor at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in the 1970s. As part of his responsibilities, he was required to take the trainees out for practical training to different parts of the country. One particular year, he took them to the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, which is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, some deer species and others.
The instructor decided to teach his trainees how to avoid an encounter with an elephant if they came face-to-face with one. He told them that they should go round and round a tree which would confuse the elephant. Since there was an elephant around, he attempted to demonstrate the technique and started running around a tree, with the elephant in hot pursuit. After going round and round a few times, the elephant stopped, turned around and waited. The instructor who was still going round in the same direction collided with the elephant head-on and was killed instantaneously. The pachyderm had not perhaps liked the gumption of the instructor to underestimate his intelligence.
Q. What does the passage primarily focus on?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about the raising of an orphaned elephant calf by a tribal couple, won the best documentary (short) award at the 95th Academy Awards on March 13. It is the story of a loving relationship between humans and other sentient species, particularly pachyderms. The footage was shot over five years and then edited to make the documentary. Relationship between man and nature, particularly animals, is palpable and those who have made an attempt to develop it have indeed benefited from it, physically as well as emotionally. However, it could also go sour if humans are not careful and nuanced in their approach to dealing with them and taming or controlling them, particularly elephants. According to the National Geographic Channel documentary Elephant Rage, some 500 people are killed by elephants each year when they are pushed.
The elephants, of course, are a very intelligent species of animals, unlike the general impression we have about them on account of their size and sloth. They are exceptionally smart creatures, have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons indeed exist to control the elephant’s large and dexterous body, this creature has demonstrated its impressive mental capabilities time and again. It can identify languages, understand human body language, use tools, show empathy and, above all, has extraordinary memory — and hence the phrase “elephantine memory”. In the past, elephants werepart of the royal heavy artillery and entourage, for pomp and show.
Elephants have also been used for communication purposes, especially in the days gone by when the modes of travel were limited. During the early part of my career in the civil services, I had come across a garage or a “hangar” attached to the office of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhadrachalam, in the current state of Telangana, constructed to accommodate an elephant, which was perhaps used to cross the river to travel to the outlying and interior areas on official work.
That an elephant is nobody’s fool comes across clearly from the incident that took place many years ago during the pre-Independence period in the state of Samthar, where my maternal grandfather was serving as a Diwan. The maharaja had an elephant as part of his entourage. One of the duties of the mahout, employed to take care of the elephant, was to feed him with jalebis. The mahout was in the habit of stealing a part of this ration, meant for the elephant, for his own personal consumption. The elephant had observed this over a period of time. Then one day, he picked up the mahout, threw him on the ground and trampled him to death. When the news spread, the mahout’s wife came running, holding an infant in her arms. She placed her baby in front of the elephant and asked him to kill the baby too since there would be no one to take care of it. The elephant picked up the baby and put it on its head. Then there was a forest officer who was serving as an instructor at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in the 1970s. As part of his responsibilities, he was required to take the trainees out for practical training to different parts of the country. One particular year, he took them to the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, which is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, some deer species and others.
The instructor decided to teach his trainees how to avoid an encounter with an elephant if they came face-to-face with one. He told them that they should go round and round a tree which would confuse the elephant. Since there was an elephant around, he attempted to demonstrate the technique and started running around a tree, with the elephant in hot pursuit. After going round and round a few times, the elephant stopped, turned around and waited. The instructor who was still going round in the same direction collided with the elephant head-on and was killed instantaneously. The pachyderm had not perhaps liked the gumption of the instructor to underestimate his intelligence.
Q. In which event did an elephant demonstrate its intelligence and compassion?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about the raising of an orphaned elephant calf by a tribal couple, won the best documentary (short) award at the 95th Academy Awards on March 13. It is the story of a loving relationship between humans and other sentient species, particularly pachyderms. The footage was shot over five years and then edited to make the documentary. Relationship between man and nature, particularly animals, is palpable and those who have made an attempt to develop it have indeed benefited from it, physically as well as emotionally. However, it could also go sour if humans are not careful and nuanced in their approach to dealing with them and taming or controlling them, particularly elephants. According to the National Geographic Channel documentary Elephant Rage, some 500 people are killed by elephants each year when they are pushed.
The elephants, of course, are a very intelligent species of animals, unlike the general impression we have about them on account of their size and sloth. They are exceptionally smart creatures, have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons indeed exist to control the elephant’s large and dexterous body, this creature has demonstrated its impressive mental capabilities time and again. It can identify languages, understand human body language, use tools, show empathy and, above all, has extraordinary memory — and hence the phrase “elephantine memory”. In the past, elephants werepart of the royal heavy artillery and entourage, for pomp and show.
Elephants have also been used for communication purposes, especially in the days gone by when the modes of travel were limited. During the early part of my career in the civil services, I had come across a garage or a “hangar” attached to the office of the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhadrachalam, in the current state of Telangana, constructed to accommodate an elephant, which was perhaps used to cross the river to travel to the outlying and interior areas on official work.
That an elephant is nobody’s fool comes across clearly from the incident that took place many years ago during the pre-Independence period in the state of Samthar, where my maternal grandfather was serving as a Diwan. The maharaja had an elephant as part of his entourage. One of the duties of the mahout, employed to take care of the elephant, was to feed him with jalebis. The mahout was in the habit of stealing a part of this ration, meant for the elephant, for his own personal consumption. The elephant had observed this over a period of time. Then one day, he picked up the mahout, threw him on the ground and trampled him to death. When the news spread, the mahout’s wife came running, holding an infant in her arms. She placed her baby in front of the elephant and asked him to kill the baby too since there would be no one to take care of it. The elephant picked up the baby and put it on its head. Then there was a forest officer who was serving as an instructor at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in the 1970s. As part of his responsibilities, he was required to take the trainees out for practical training to different parts of the country. One particular year, he took them to the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, which is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, some deer species and others.
The instructor decided to teach his trainees how to avoid an encounter with an elephant if they came face-to-face with one. He told them that they should go round and round a tree which would confuse the elephant. Since there was an elephant around, he attempted to demonstrate the technique and started running around a tree, with the elephant in hot pursuit. After going round and round a few times, the elephant stopped, turned around and waited. The instructor who was still going round in the same direction collided with the elephant head-on and was killed instantaneously. The pachyderm had not perhaps liked the gumption of the instructor to underestimate his intelligence.
Q. From the information presented in the passage, what conclusion can be drawn regarding the intelligence of elephants?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
On July 5, the Delhi High Court held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The appeal was against an order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA), revoking PepsiCo’s registration vis-a-vis the unique potato variety developed by it. The Act provides an effective framework to conserve and encourage the development of various plant varieties. It established an effective system to safeguard and recognise the rights of breeders, researchers and farmers to promote agricultural development in the country. Additionally, it also facilitates the mushrooming of the Indian seed industry to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting materials to farmers.
According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds — that the grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant; that the registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person; when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents; a failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration; a failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory licence; failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority; and if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.
In relation to Section 34(a) (incorrect information furnished), it was discovered that PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application dated February 16, 2012, despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be December 17, 2009. However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfil the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.
India is an agri-based economy with the agriculture sector having the highest workforce, nearly 152 million as of FY2021 as per Statista. Multinational food processing companies and investors must prioritise the well-being of farmers and their rights by developing a comprehensive understanding of India’s local laws, particularly the PPV&FR Act 2001, and recognise the safeguards and protections it provides to farmers.
Q. According to the Delhi High Court's decision, why was PepsiCo's appeal regarding the patent rights for its 'unique potato' variety rejected?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
On July 5, the Delhi High Court held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The appeal was against an order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA), revoking PepsiCo’s registration vis-a-vis the unique potato variety developed by it. The Act provides an effective framework to conserve and encourage the development of various plant varieties. It established an effective system to safeguard and recognise the rights of breeders, researchers and farmers to promote agricultural development in the country. Additionally, it also facilitates the mushrooming of the Indian seed industry to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting materials to farmers.
According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds — that the grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant; that the registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person; when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents; a failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration; a failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory licence; failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority; and if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.
In relation to Section 34(a) (incorrect information furnished), it was discovered that PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application dated February 16, 2012, despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be December 17, 2009. However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfil the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.
India is an agri-based economy with the agriculture sector having the highest workforce, nearly 152 million as of FY2021 as per Statista. Multinational food processing companies and investors must prioritise the well-being of farmers and their rights by developing a comprehensive understanding of India’s local laws, particularly the PPV&FR Act 2001, and recognise the safeguards and protections it provides to farmers.
Q. Under which section of the PPV&FR Act can the protection granted to a breeder be revoked?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
On July 5, the Delhi High Court held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The appeal was against an order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA), revoking PepsiCo’s registration vis-a-vis the unique potato variety developed by it. The Act provides an effective framework to conserve and encourage the development of various plant varieties. It established an effective system to safeguard and recognise the rights of breeders, researchers and farmers to promote agricultural development in the country. Additionally, it also facilitates the mushrooming of the Indian seed industry to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting materials to farmers.
According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds — that the grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant; that the registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person; when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents; a failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration; a failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory licence; failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority; and if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.
In relation to Section 34(a) (incorrect information furnished), it was discovered that PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application dated February 16, 2012, despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be December 17, 2009. However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfil the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.
India is an agri-based economy with the agriculture sector having the highest workforce, nearly 152 million as of FY2021 as per Statista. Multinational food processing companies and investors must prioritise the well-being of farmers and their rights by developing a comprehensive understanding of India’s local laws, particularly the PPV&FR Act 2001, and recognise the safeguards and protections it provides to farmers.
Q. Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
On July 5, the Delhi High Court held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The appeal was against an order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA), revoking PepsiCo’s registration vis-a-vis the unique potato variety developed by it. The Act provides an effective framework to conserve and encourage the development of various plant varieties. It established an effective system to safeguard and recognise the rights of breeders, researchers and farmers to promote agricultural development in the country. Additionally, it also facilitates the mushrooming of the Indian seed industry to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting materials to farmers.
According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds — that the grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant; that the registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person; when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents; a failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration; a failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory licence; failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority; and if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.
In relation to Section 34(a) (incorrect information furnished), it was discovered that PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application dated February 16, 2012, despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be December 17, 2009. However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfil the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.
India is an agri-based economy with the agriculture sector having the highest workforce, nearly 152 million as of FY2021 as per Statista. Multinational food processing companies and investors must prioritise the well-being of farmers and their rights by developing a comprehensive understanding of India’s local laws, particularly the PPV&FR Act 2001, and recognise the safeguards and protections it provides to farmers.
Q. Which of the following statements most accurately captures the primary objective of the PPV&FR Act?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
On July 5, the Delhi High Court held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The appeal was against an order passed by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA), revoking PepsiCo’s registration vis-a-vis the unique potato variety developed by it. The Act provides an effective framework to conserve and encourage the development of various plant varieties. It established an effective system to safeguard and recognise the rights of breeders, researchers and farmers to promote agricultural development in the country. Additionally, it also facilitates the mushrooming of the Indian seed industry to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds and planting materials to farmers.
According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds — that the grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant; that the registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person; when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents; a failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration; a failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory licence; failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority; and if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.
In relation to Section 34(a) (incorrect information furnished), it was discovered that PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application dated February 16, 2012, despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be December 17, 2009. However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfil the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.
India is an agri-based economy with the agriculture sector having the highest workforce, nearly 152 million as of FY2021 as per Statista. Multinational food processing companies and investors must prioritise the well-being of farmers and their rights by developing a comprehensive understanding of India’s local laws, particularly the PPV&FR Act 2001, and recognise the safeguards and protections it provides to farmers.
Q. Why was PepsiCo's FL 2027 potato variety found ineligible for registration as a "new variant"?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Our unlikely childhoods begin well before gametes meet. As part of our social organisation, humans have a specific type of mating system, a form of reproduction that scaffolds the relationships between animals in our society in a specific way, with specific aims. Despite a tendency by a certain insidious strand of pseudo-intellectual internet bile to use pseudo-scientific terms such as ‘alpha males’ and ‘beta males’ for human interactions, our species is in fact rather charmingly non-competitive when it comes to mating.
While it may be difficult to believe that humans are largely tedious monogamists, our pair-bonded nature is a story written in our physical beings. Not for us the costly evolutionary displays of the male hamadryas baboon, who grows his fangs to 400 times those of his female relatives in order to show off and fight for mates. (Male human fangs are, in fact, slightly bigger than females – but only about 7 per cent, which is nothing in animal terms.) Furthermore, in animals with more competitive strategies for mating – ones where there is any extra advantage in remaining coupled, depositing sperm, or preventing other couplings from happening – evolution has provided an array of genital morphologies ranging from penis bones and spikes to outsized testes. Humans lack distinction in any measure of genitalia so far studied, though it is worth noting that most anthropologists have chosen to focus on male genitalia, so surprises may remain in store for future research.
This physical lack of difference between sexes sets up a social system that is, in animal terms, weird: pair bonding. Virtually no other animals reproduce in pair bonds – only about 5 per cent, if you discount birds, who do go for pairing in a big way. But an outsize proportion of primates opt for this monogamous arrangement, about 15 per cent of species, including, of course, our own. There are a variety of evolutionary theories for why pair bonding should appeal so much to primates, including maintaining access to females that roam, supporting offspring, or increasing certainty about paternity. One prominent theory is that pair-bonded males have less motivation for infanticide, though as the anthropologist Holly Dunsworth pointed out in her Aeon essay ‘Sex Makes Babies’ (2017), this does suggest a type of understanding in primates that we don’t always even ascribe to other humans. Other theories point to female roaming requiring a pairing system so mating opportunities aren’t lost whenever she moves on. Pair bonding has emerged perhaps as many as four separate times in the primate family, suggesting that the motivation for the invention of the mate may not be the same in all monkeys. What does seem clear is that humans have opted for a mating system that doesn’t go in as much for competition as it does for care. The evolution of ‘dads’ – our casual word for the pair of helping hands that, in humans, fits a very broad range of people – may in fact be the only solution to the crisis that is the most important feature of human babies: they are off-the-scale demanding.
Q. What is the primary focus of the passage regarding human mating and reproduction?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Our unlikely childhoods begin well before gametes meet. As part of our social organisation, humans have a specific type of mating system, a form of reproduction that scaffolds the relationships between animals in our society in a specific way, with specific aims. Despite a tendency by a certain insidious strand of pseudo-intellectual internet bile to use pseudo-scientific terms such as ‘alpha males’ and ‘beta males’ for human interactions, our species is in fact rather charmingly non-competitive when it comes to mating.
While it may be difficult to believe that humans are largely tedious monogamists, our pair-bonded nature is a story written in our physical beings. Not for us the costly evolutionary displays of the male hamadryas baboon, who grows his fangs to 400 times those of his female relatives in order to show off and fight for mates. (Male human fangs are, in fact, slightly bigger than females – but only about 7 per cent, which is nothing in animal terms.) Furthermore, in animals with more competitive strategies for mating – ones where there is any extra advantage in remaining coupled, depositing sperm, or preventing other couplings from happening – evolution has provided an array of genital morphologies ranging from penis bones and spikes to outsized testes. Humans lack distinction in any measure of genitalia so far studied, though it is worth noting that most anthropologists have chosen to focus on male genitalia, so surprises may remain in store for future research.
This physical lack of difference between sexes sets up a social system that is, in animal terms, weird: pair bonding. Virtually no other animals reproduce in pair bonds – only about 5 per cent, if you discount birds, who do go for pairing in a big way. But an outsize proportion of primates opt for this monogamous arrangement, about 15 per cent of species, including, of course, our own. There are a variety of evolutionary theories for why pair bonding should appeal so much to primates, including maintaining access to females that roam, supporting offspring, or increasing certainty about paternity. One prominent theory is that pair-bonded males have less motivation for infanticide, though as the anthropologist Holly Dunsworth pointed out in her Aeon essay ‘Sex Makes Babies’ (2017), this does suggest a type of understanding in primates that we don’t always even ascribe to other humans. Other theories point to female roaming requiring a pairing system so mating opportunities aren’t lost whenever she moves on. Pair bonding has emerged perhaps as many as four separate times in the primate family, suggesting that the motivation for the invention of the mate may not be the same in all monkeys. What does seem clear is that humans have opted for a mating system that doesn’t go in as much for competition as it does for care. The evolution of ‘dads’ – our casual word for the pair of helping hands that, in humans, fits a very broad range of people – may in fact be the only solution to the crisis that is the most important feature of human babies: they are off-the-scale demanding.
Q. What is one of the suggested reasons for the emergence of pair bonding in primates, including humans, according to the passage?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Our unlikely childhoods begin well before gametes meet. As part of our social organisation, humans have a specific type of mating system, a form of reproduction that scaffolds the relationships between animals in our society in a specific way, with specific aims. Despite a tendency by a certain insidious strand of pseudo-intellectual internet bile to use pseudo-scientific terms such as ‘alpha males’ and ‘beta males’ for human interactions, our species is in fact rather charmingly non-competitive when it comes to mating.
While it may be difficult to believe that humans are largely tedious monogamists, our pair-bonded nature is a story written in our physical beings. Not for us the costly evolutionary displays of the male hamadryas baboon, who grows his fangs to 400 times those of his female relatives in order to show off and fight for mates. (Male human fangs are, in fact, slightly bigger than females – but only about 7 per cent, which is nothing in animal terms.) Furthermore, in animals with more competitive strategies for mating – ones where there is any extra advantage in remaining coupled, depositing sperm, or preventing other couplings from happening – evolution has provided an array of genital morphologies ranging from penis bones and spikes to outsized testes. Humans lack distinction in any measure of genitalia so far studied, though it is worth noting that most anthropologists have chosen to focus on male genitalia, so surprises may remain in store for future research.
This physical lack of difference between sexes sets up a social system that is, in animal terms, weird: pair bonding. Virtually no other animals reproduce in pair bonds – only about 5 per cent, if you discount birds, who do go for pairing in a big way. But an outsize proportion of primates opt for this monogamous arrangement, about 15 per cent of species, including, of course, our own. There are a variety of evolutionary theories for why pair bonding should appeal so much to primates, including maintaining access to females that roam, supporting offspring, or increasing certainty about paternity. One prominent theory is that pair-bonded males have less motivation for infanticide, though as the anthropologist Holly Dunsworth pointed out in her Aeon essay ‘Sex Makes Babies’ (2017), this does suggest a type of understanding in primates that we don’t always even ascribe to other humans. Other theories point to female roaming requiring a pairing system so mating opportunities aren’t lost whenever she moves on. Pair bonding has emerged perhaps as many as four separate times in the primate family, suggesting that the motivation for the invention of the mate may not be the same in all monkeys. What does seem clear is that humans have opted for a mating system that doesn’t go in as much for competition as it does for care. The evolution of ‘dads’ – our casual word for the pair of helping hands that, in humans, fits a very broad range of people – may in fact be the only solution to the crisis that is the most important feature of human babies: they are off-the-scale demanding.
Q. What is the central topic that the passage primarily addresses?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Our unlikely childhoods begin well before gametes meet. As part of our social organisation, humans have a specific type of mating system, a form of reproduction that scaffolds the relationships between animals in our society in a specific way, with specific aims. Despite a tendency by a certain insidious strand of pseudo-intellectual internet bile to use pseudo-scientific terms such as ‘alpha males’ and ‘beta males’ for human interactions, our species is in fact rather charmingly non-competitive when it comes to mating.
While it may be difficult to believe that humans are largely tedious monogamists, our pair-bonded nature is a story written in our physical beings. Not for us the costly evolutionary displays of the male hamadryas baboon, who grows his fangs to 400 times those of his female relatives in order to show off and fight for mates. (Male human fangs are, in fact, slightly bigger than females – but only about 7 per cent, which is nothing in animal terms.) Furthermore, in animals with more competitive strategies for mating – ones where there is any extra advantage in remaining coupled, depositing sperm, or preventing other couplings from happening – evolution has provided an array of genital morphologies ranging from penis bones and spikes to outsized testes. Humans lack distinction in any measure of genitalia so far studied, though it is worth noting that most anthropologists have chosen to focus on male genitalia, so surprises may remain in store for future research.
This physical lack of difference between sexes sets up a social system that is, in animal terms, weird: pair bonding. Virtually no other animals reproduce in pair bonds – only about 5 per cent, if you discount birds, who do go for pairing in a big way. But an outsize proportion of primates opt for this monogamous arrangement, about 15 per cent of species, including, of course, our own. There are a variety of evolutionary theories for why pair bonding should appeal so much to primates, including maintaining access to females that roam, supporting offspring, or increasing certainty about paternity. One prominent theory is that pair-bonded males have less motivation for infanticide, though as the anthropologist Holly Dunsworth pointed out in her Aeon essay ‘Sex Makes Babies’ (2017), this does suggest a type of understanding in primates that we don’t always even ascribe to other humans. Other theories point to female roaming requiring a pairing system so mating opportunities aren’t lost whenever she moves on. Pair bonding has emerged perhaps as many as four separate times in the primate family, suggesting that the motivation for the invention of the mate may not be the same in all monkeys. What does seem clear is that humans have opted for a mating system that doesn’t go in as much for competition as it does for care. The evolution of ‘dads’ – our casual word for the pair of helping hands that, in humans, fits a very broad range of people – may in fact be the only solution to the crisis that is the most important feature of human babies: they are off-the-scale demanding.
Q. How does the author's attitude come across when discussing the concept of pair bonding in humans?
Directions: Kindly read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.
Our unlikely childhoods begin well before gametes meet. As part of our social organisation, humans have a specific type of mating system, a form of reproduction that scaffolds the relationships between animals in our society in a specific way, with specific aims. Despite a tendency by a certain insidious strand of pseudo-intellectual internet bile to use pseudo-scientific terms such as ‘alpha males’ and ‘beta males’ for human interactions, our species is in fact rather charmingly non-competitive when it comes to mating.
While it may be difficult to believe that humans are largely tedious monogamists, our pair-bonded nature is a story written in our physical beings. Not for us the costly evolutionary displays of the male hamadryas baboon, who grows his fangs to 400 times those of his female relatives in order to show off and fight for mates. (Male human fangs are, in fact, slightly bigger than females – but only about 7 per cent, which is nothing in animal terms.) Furthermore, in animals with more competitive strategies for mating – ones where there is any extra advantage in remaining coupled, depositing sperm, or preventing other couplings from happening – evolution has provided an array of genital morphologies ranging from penis bones and spikes to outsized testes. Humans lack distinction in any measure of genitalia so far studied, though it is worth noting that most anthropologists have chosen to focus on male genitalia, so surprises may remain in store for future research.
This physical lack of difference between sexes sets up a social system that is, in animal terms, weird: pair bonding. Virtually no other animals reproduce in pair bonds – only about 5 per cent, if you discount birds, who do go for pairing in a big way. But an outsize proportion of primates opt for this monogamous arrangement, about 15 per cent of species, including, of course, our own. There are a variety of evolutionary theories for why pair bonding should appeal so much to primates, including maintaining access to females that roam, supporting offspring, or increasing certainty about paternity. One prominent theory is that pair-bonded males have less motivation for infanticide, though as the anthropologist Holly Dunsworth pointed out in her Aeon essay ‘Sex Makes Babies’ (2017), this does suggest a type of understanding in primates that we don’t always even ascribe to other humans. Other theories point to female roaming requiring a pairing system so mating opportunities aren’t lost whenever she moves on. Pair bonding has emerged perhaps as many as four separate times in the primate family, suggesting that the motivation for the invention of the mate may not be the same in all monkeys. What does seem clear is that humans have opted for a mating system that doesn’t go in as much for competition as it does for care. The evolution of ‘dads’ – our casual word for the pair of helping hands that, in humans, fits a very broad range of people – may in fact be the only solution to the crisis that is the most important feature of human babies: they are off-the-scale demanding.
Q. What is the nearest opposite (antonym) for the term "tedious" as employed in the passage?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh is historic, evolving over the last 50 years. India's political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh's Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh's independence.
Post-Independence, the India-Bangladesh relationship has oscillated as Bangladesh passed through different regimes. The relationship remained cordial until the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 15, 1975, followed by a period of military rule and the rise of General Ziaur Rahman who became President and also assassinated in 1981. It thawed again between 1982-1991 when a military-led government by General H.M. Ershad ruled the country. Since Bangladesh's return to parliamentary democracy in 1991, relations have gone through highs and lows. However, in the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.
Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region's most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.
Bangladesh today is India's biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed. Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from Western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India's international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India's revenue from medical tourism.
India-Bangladesh relations have been gaining positive momentum over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence (March 26, 1971), India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. As the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow as this issue is constraining positive relations between the two neighbours. These small but important steps can remove long-standing snags in a relationship which otherwise is gradually coming of age in 50 years. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three C's — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
[Extracted, with edits, from an Opinion by Syed Munir Khasru, published in The Hindu, dated March 25, 2021]
Q. What played a significant role in Bangladesh's fight for independence according to the passage?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh is historic, evolving over the last 50 years. India's political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh's Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh's independence.
Post-Independence, the India-Bangladesh relationship has oscillated as Bangladesh passed through different regimes. The relationship remained cordial until the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 15, 1975, followed by a period of military rule and the rise of General Ziaur Rahman who became President and also assassinated in 1981. It thawed again between 1982-1991 when a military-led government by General H.M. Ershad ruled the country. Since Bangladesh's return to parliamentary democracy in 1991, relations have gone through highs and lows. However, in the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.
Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region's most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.
Bangladesh today is India's biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed. Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from Western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India's international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India's revenue from medical tourism.
India-Bangladesh relations have been gaining positive momentum over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence (March 26, 1971), India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. As the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow as this issue is constraining positive relations between the two neighbours. These small but important steps can remove long-standing snags in a relationship which otherwise is gradually coming of age in 50 years. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three C's — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
[Extracted, with edits, from an Opinion by Syed Munir Khasru, published in The Hindu, dated March 25, 2021]
Q. What is the primary focus of the passage?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh is historic, evolving over the last 50 years. India's political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh's Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh's independence.
Post-Independence, the India-Bangladesh relationship has oscillated as Bangladesh passed through different regimes. The relationship remained cordial until the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 15, 1975, followed by a period of military rule and the rise of General Ziaur Rahman who became President and also assassinated in 1981. It thawed again between 1982-1991 when a military-led government by General H.M. Ershad ruled the country. Since Bangladesh's return to parliamentary democracy in 1991, relations have gone through highs and lows. However, in the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.
Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region's most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.
Bangladesh today is India's biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed. Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from Western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India's international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India's revenue from medical tourism.
India-Bangladesh relations have been gaining positive momentum over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence (March 26, 1971), India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. As the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow as this issue is constraining positive relations between the two neighbours. These small but important steps can remove long-standing snags in a relationship which otherwise is gradually coming of age in 50 years. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three C's — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
[Extracted, with edits, from an Opinion by Syed Munir Khasru, published in The Hindu, dated March 25, 2021]
Q. What does the term 'oscillated' mean in the context of the passage?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh is historic, evolving over the last 50 years. India's political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh's Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh's independence.
Post-Independence, the India-Bangladesh relationship has oscillated as Bangladesh passed through different regimes. The relationship remained cordial until the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 15, 1975, followed by a period of military rule and the rise of General Ziaur Rahman who became President and also assassinated in 1981. It thawed again between 1982-1991 when a military-led government by General H.M. Ershad ruled the country. Since Bangladesh's return to parliamentary democracy in 1991, relations have gone through highs and lows. However, in the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.
Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region's most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.
Bangladesh today is India's biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed. Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from Western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India's international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India's revenue from medical tourism.
India-Bangladesh relations have been gaining positive momentum over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence (March 26, 1971), India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. As the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow as this issue is constraining positive relations between the two neighbours. These small but important steps can remove long-standing snags in a relationship which otherwise is gradually coming of age in 50 years. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three C's — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
[Extracted, with edits, from an Opinion by Syed Munir Khasru, published in The Hindu, dated March 25, 2021]
Q. According to the information presented in the passage, what is a point of disagreement between India and Bangladesh?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh is historic, evolving over the last 50 years. India's political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh's Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh's independence.
Post-Independence, the India-Bangladesh relationship has oscillated as Bangladesh passed through different regimes. The relationship remained cordial until the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 15, 1975, followed by a period of military rule and the rise of General Ziaur Rahman who became President and also assassinated in 1981. It thawed again between 1982-1991 when a military-led government by General H.M. Ershad ruled the country. Since Bangladesh's return to parliamentary democracy in 1991, relations have gone through highs and lows. However, in the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence.
Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region's most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.
Bangladesh today is India's biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed. Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from Western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India's international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India's revenue from medical tourism.
India-Bangladesh relations have been gaining positive momentum over the last decade. As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence (March 26, 1971), India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. As the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow as this issue is constraining positive relations between the two neighbours. These small but important steps can remove long-standing snags in a relationship which otherwise is gradually coming of age in 50 years. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three C's — cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.
[Extracted, with edits, from an Opinion by Syed Munir Khasru, published in The Hindu, dated March 25, 2021]
Q. Which of the following measures has the author advised to close the import-export deficit between India and Bangladesh?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
After graduation, our 18-year-old (former) students scatter to the four winds. We teach them, we set them loose, and we hope they do well. Yet just because they are no longer in our classrooms doesn't mean we don't wonder about them—what they're up to, how they're doing. Sometimes we get the answer to these questions via social media or some other digital means. And that's great, but not the same as seeing them in person.
Fortunately, sometimes they do come back to visit. They get a job in the area and come by after work. They are home from college for a break. They come to see friends, to see teachers, to help out. It means the world to me when they come back. Here's why.
I work closely with my kids, generally for several years. And then, they are gone. And I miss them. Every year I rework my program, my department, and my life to fill holes that kids leave when they graduate. I have to find someone to do the jobs they did, for me and for the program. Who is going to be the lead technician? Who is going to be the one who welcomes in the new kids? Who is going to be the student voice when I am making decisions? Who is going to be the one who makes us laugh?
Students leave holes, and sometimes we don't have anyone to fill them, especially the kids who have served as emotional caretakers. So when former students come in to say hi and see how things are going, I get them back for a bit!
One of the things I love most about teaching high school is watching my students grow and become adults. Once they graduate, though, I stop getting to see that process. When kids come back, I get to hear about their lives and see how much they've changed.
In my program, we tell stories about former students: the time B ripped his pants on stage during a show and handled it beautifully; the time C started the year in tears because of stage fright and ended the year with two shows under her belt; the way J ran everything and knew where everything was. These kids are the heroes of the department, and when the new kids get to meet them, it continues the tradition of learning from people who have been their shoes.
As someone who gets super focused and uptight, having someone come in who is there just to be happy and enjoy themselves reminds me of the fun parts of my job and to have fun with my students.
Q. What is the primary reason the author feels delighted when former students come back to visit?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
After graduation, our 18-year-old (former) students scatter to the four winds. We teach them, we set them loose, and we hope they do well. Yet just because they are no longer in our classrooms doesn't mean we don't wonder about them—what they're up to, how they're doing. Sometimes we get the answer to these questions via social media or some other digital means. And that's great, but not the same as seeing them in person.
Fortunately, sometimes they do come back to visit. They get a job in the area and come by after work. They are home from college for a break. They come to see friends, to see teachers, to help out. It means the world to me when they come back. Here's why.
I work closely with my kids, generally for several years. And then, they are gone. And I miss them. Every year I rework my program, my department, and my life to fill holes that kids leave when they graduate. I have to find someone to do the jobs they did, for me and for the program. Who is going to be the lead technician? Who is going to be the one who welcomes in the new kids? Who is going to be the student voice when I am making decisions? Who is going to be the one who makes us laugh?
Students leave holes, and sometimes we don't have anyone to fill them, especially the kids who have served as emotional caretakers. So when former students come in to say hi and see how things are going, I get them back for a bit!
One of the things I love most about teaching high school is watching my students grow and become adults. Once they graduate, though, I stop getting to see that process. When kids come back, I get to hear about their lives and see how much they've changed.
In my program, we tell stories about former students: the time B ripped his pants on stage during a show and handled it beautifully; the time C started the year in tears because of stage fright and ended the year with two shows under her belt; the way J ran everything and knew where everything was. These kids are the heroes of the department, and when the new kids get to meet them, it continues the tradition of learning from people who have been their shoes.
As someone who gets super focused and uptight, having someone come in who is there just to be happy and enjoy themselves reminds me of the fun parts of my job and to have fun with my students.
Q. What does the author appreciate most about former students coming back to visit?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
After graduation, our 18-year-old (former) students scatter to the four winds. We teach them, we set them loose, and we hope they do well. Yet just because they are no longer in our classrooms doesn't mean we don't wonder about them—what they're up to, how they're doing. Sometimes we get the answer to these questions via social media or some other digital means. And that's great, but not the same as seeing them in person.
Fortunately, sometimes they do come back to visit. They get a job in the area and come by after work. They are home from college for a break. They come to see friends, to see teachers, to help out. It means the world to me when they come back. Here's why.
I work closely with my kids, generally for several years. And then, they are gone. And I miss them. Every year I rework my program, my department, and my life to fill holes that kids leave when they graduate. I have to find someone to do the jobs they did, for me and for the program. Who is going to be the lead technician? Who is going to be the one who welcomes in the new kids? Who is going to be the student voice when I am making decisions? Who is going to be the one who makes us laugh?
Students leave holes, and sometimes we don't have anyone to fill them, especially the kids who have served as emotional caretakers. So when former students come in to say hi and see how things are going, I get them back for a bit!
One of the things I love most about teaching high school is watching my students grow and become adults. Once they graduate, though, I stop getting to see that process. When kids come back, I get to hear about their lives and see how much they've changed.
In my program, we tell stories about former students: the time B ripped his pants on stage during a show and handled it beautifully; the time C started the year in tears because of stage fright and ended the year with two shows under her belt; the way J ran everything and knew where everything was. These kids are the heroes of the department, and when the new kids get to meet them, it continues the tradition of learning from people who have been their shoes.
As someone who gets super focused and uptight, having someone come in who is there just to be happy and enjoy themselves reminds me of the fun parts of my job and to have fun with my students.
Q. Which of the following best captures the major point of the passage's author?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
After graduation, our 18-year-old (former) students scatter to the four winds. We teach them, we set them loose, and we hope they do well. Yet just because they are no longer in our classrooms doesn't mean we don't wonder about them—what they're up to, how they're doing. Sometimes we get the answer to these questions via social media or some other digital means. And that's great, but not the same as seeing them in person.
Fortunately, sometimes they do come back to visit. They get a job in the area and come by after work. They are home from college for a break. They come to see friends, to see teachers, to help out. It means the world to me when they come back. Here's why.
I work closely with my kids, generally for several years. And then, they are gone. And I miss them. Every year I rework my program, my department, and my life to fill holes that kids leave when they graduate. I have to find someone to do the jobs they did, for me and for the program. Who is going to be the lead technician? Who is going to be the one who welcomes in the new kids? Who is going to be the student voice when I am making decisions? Who is going to be the one who makes us laugh?
Students leave holes, and sometimes we don't have anyone to fill them, especially the kids who have served as emotional caretakers. So when former students come in to say hi and see how things are going, I get them back for a bit!
One of the things I love most about teaching high school is watching my students grow and become adults. Once they graduate, though, I stop getting to see that process. When kids come back, I get to hear about their lives and see how much they've changed.
In my program, we tell stories about former students: the time B ripped his pants on stage during a show and handled it beautifully; the time C started the year in tears because of stage fright and ended the year with two shows under her belt; the way J ran everything and knew where everything was. These kids are the heroes of the department, and when the new kids get to meet them, it continues the tradition of learning from people who have been their shoes.
As someone who gets super focused and uptight, having someone come in who is there just to be happy and enjoy themselves reminds me of the fun parts of my job and to have fun with my students.
Q. What does the passage's use of the term "uptight" mean?
Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
After graduation, our 18-year-old (former) students scatter to the four winds. We teach them, we set them loose, and we hope they do well. Yet just because they are no longer in our classrooms doesn't mean we don't wonder about them—what they're up to, how they're doing. Sometimes we get the answer to these questions via social media or some other digital means. And that's great, but not the same as seeing them in person.
Fortunately, sometimes they do come back to visit. They get a job in the area and come by after work. They are home from college for a break. They come to see friends, to see teachers, to help out. It means the world to me when they come back. Here's why.
I work closely with my kids, generally for several years. And then, they are gone. And I miss them. Every year I rework my program, my department, and my life to fill holes that kids leave when they graduate. I have to find someone to do the jobs they did, for me and for the program. Who is going to be the lead technician? Who is going to be the one who welcomes in the new kids? Who is going to be the student voice when I am making decisions? Who is going to be the one who makes us laugh?
Students leave holes, and sometimes we don't have anyone to fill them, especially the kids who have served as emotional caretakers. So when former students come in to say hi and see how things are going, I get them back for a bit!
One of the things I love most about teaching high school is watching my students grow and become adults. Once they graduate, though, I stop getting to see that process. When kids come back, I get to hear about their lives and see how much they've changed.
In my program, we tell stories about former students: the time B ripped his pants on stage during a show and handled it beautifully; the time C started the year in tears because of stage fright and ended the year with two shows under her belt; the way J ran everything and knew where everything was. These kids are the heroes of the department, and when the new kids get to meet them, it continues the tradition of learning from people who have been their shoes.
As someone who gets super focused and uptight, having someone come in who is there just to be happy and enjoy themselves reminds me of the fun parts of my job and to have fun with my students.
Q. Which of the following could appropriately be referred to as a "hero of the department," according to the passage?
Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will establish its first campus outside India in [1]. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on internationalization and recommends that "High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release. This historic step reflects India’s commitment to the Global South, S Jaishankar said in a tweet on Thursday.
Recognising the strategic partnership between the two countries, the relationship of educational partnership has been formalised by signing the document which provides the framework for the parties to detail the setting up of the proposed campus of [2] in [1], with plans to launch programs in Oct 2023, it added.
"This unique partnership will bring the top-ranked educational expertise of [2] to a prime destination in Africa and serve the imperative current needs of the region. The academic programs, curricula, student selection aspects, and pedagogical details will be by [2], whereas the capital and operating expenditure will be met by the government of [1]," the statement further read. [2] degrees will be awarded to the students enrolled in this campus. The setting up of the IIT Campus shall also enhance India’s reputation globally and its diplomatic relationships and expand the international footprint of [2], the MEA said.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from: “India to set up first IIT abroad in [1]; plans to launch programs in October 2023”, Business Today]
Q. What is the primary reason for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus outside India?
Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will establish its first campus outside India in [1]. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on internationalization and recommends that "High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release. This historic step reflects India’s commitment to the Global South, S Jaishankar said in a tweet on Thursday.
Recognising the strategic partnership between the two countries, the relationship of educational partnership has been formalised by signing the document which provides the framework for the parties to detail the setting up of the proposed campus of [2] in [1], with plans to launch programs in Oct 2023, it added.
"This unique partnership will bring the top-ranked educational expertise of [2] to a prime destination in Africa and serve the imperative current needs of the region. The academic programs, curricula, student selection aspects, and pedagogical details will be by [2], whereas the capital and operating expenditure will be met by the government of [1]," the statement further read. [2] degrees will be awarded to the students enrolled in this campus. The setting up of the IIT Campus shall also enhance India’s reputation globally and its diplomatic relationships and expand the international footprint of [2], the MEA said.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from: “India to set up first IIT abroad in [1]; plans to launch programs in October 2023”, Business Today]
Q. Which of the top 150 universities in the world according to the 2024 edition of the QS World University Ranking has its greatest ranking ever come from an Indian educational institution?
Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given beside.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will establish its first campus outside India in [1]. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on internationalization and recommends that "High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release. This historic step reflects India’s commitment to the Global South, S Jaishankar said in a tweet on Thursday.
Recognising the strategic partnership between the two countries, the relationship of educational partnership has been formalised by signing the document which provides the framework for the parties to detail the setting up of the proposed campus of [2] in [1], with plans to launch programs in Oct 2023, it added.
"This unique partnership will bring the top-ranked educational expertise of [2] to a prime destination in Africa and serve the imperative current needs of the region. The academic programs, curricula, student selection aspects, and pedagogical details will be by [2], whereas the capital and operating expenditure will be met by the government of [1]," the statement further read. [2] degrees will be awarded to the students enrolled in this campus. The setting up of the IIT Campus shall also enhance India’s reputation globally and its diplomatic relationships and expand the international footprint of [2], the MEA said.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions, from: “India to set up first IIT abroad in [1]; plans to launch programs in October 2023”, Business Today]
Q. According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023, which university has been named the best university?