Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• The text states that "The initial rollout was hampered by inequitable distribution," with urban centers getting more doses than rural areas.
• This imbalance is explicitly attributed to "administrative centralization" and a "lack of cold-chain infrastructure" in remote regions.
• Logistical hurdles like power outages and storage limitations made transporting vaccines to rural hinterlands "perilous," further skewing the distribution toward urban centers.
• Option 4 accurately combines both the political/administrative reason (centralization) and the physical reason (logistics/infrastructure) mentioned in the text.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

Correct Sentence from Text: "This imbalance stemmed not only from administrative centralization but also from the lack of cold-chain infrastructure in remote regions..."

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect. The text does not mention "excess production" specific to urban areas; rather, it discusses an "inequitable distribution" of the available supply.
• Option 2: Incorrect. While "fluctuating supply chains" are mentioned, the specific reason for the urban-rural skew is attributed to internal logistics and centralization.
• Option 3: Incorrect. Although "vaccine hesitancy" existed, the passage identifies infrastructure and administration as the reasons for the initial distribution imbalance.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The passage notes that vaccine skepticism was fueled by misinformation on social media and cultural misconceptions.
• To counter these obstacles and improve outreach, the text states that India "recalibrated its strategy" by taking specific community-focused actions.
• These actions included the "engagement of local influencers and religious leaders" to build trust and the "use of mobile vaccination units" to reach hesitant or remote populations.
• Option 1, 3, and 4 are not supported by the text; in fact, the text mentions India relied on indigenous vaccines (countering Option 3) rather than foreign imports.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct Sentence from Text: "The decentralization of vaccine procurement to states, the engagement of local influencers and religious leaders, and the use of mobile vaccination units gradually improved outreach."

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect. While the text mentions social media was a source of rumors, it does not mention national censorship as a strategy used by the government.
• Option 3: Incorrect. The text explicitly highlights the success of indigenous vaccine production (Covishield and Covaxin).
• Option 4: Incorrect. The passage does not suggest that the government restricted media access; rather, it worked through local leaders to spread correct information.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The passage provides a comprehensive overview of the entire vaccination campaign, covering its challenges, initial failures, recalibration, and ultimate success as a "mass mobilization."
• While digital inequality (Option 4) is a significant point discussed, it is presented as one of several obstacles (alongside cold-chain logistics and misinformation) rather than the sole theme of the entire text.
• The text concludes by calling the drive a "testament to the nation's capacity for mass mobilization under crisis," reinforcing that the overarching theme is the broad strategy and execution of the campaign.
• Option 1 and 2 are too narrow or factually incorrect based on the text's focus; pharma exports are only briefly mentioned as "diplomacy," and the risks of side effects are mentioned only as "rumors."

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Correct Sentence from Text: "The COVID vaccination drive in India stands as a testament to the nation's capacity for mass mobilization under crisis."

Additional Information

• Option 1: Incorrect. While the passage mentions "Vaccine Maitri," this is a small detail compared to the internal vaccination efforts described.
• Option 2: Incorrect. The text treats side effects as "misinformation" and "rumors" rather than factual risks it aims to discuss.
• Option 4: Incorrect. While "interplay between public trust, infrastructural resilience, and inclusive policy" is mentioned at the end, this serves to explain why the vaccination strategy was so complex.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The author's tone is analytical because the text systematically examines both the successes and the failures of the campaign, such as the digital divide and logistical hurdles.
• It is cautiously optimistic because while the author calls the drive a "testament to the nation's capacity for mass mobilization," they also warn about the "critical interplay" and "inclusive policy design" needed for the future.
• Option 1 is incorrect as the author acknowledges the campaign as "monumental" rather than dismissing it.
• Option 3 is incorrect because the author is not uncritical; they highlight significant issues like marginalization through the CoWIN platform and inequitable distribution.
• Option 4 is incorrect because, despite highlighting flaws, the author concludes that India successfully "recalibrated its strategy" and achieved its goals, which is not alarmist.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Supporting Evidence from Text: "The COVID vaccination drive in India stands as a testament to the nation's capacity... Yet, it also reveals the critical interplay between public trust... essential for future public health interventions."

Additional Information

• Option 1: Sarcasm involves irony or mockery; the author uses professional and serious language throughout.
• Option 3: A jubilant tone would ignore the mentioned "complex logistical, social, and political challenges."
• Option 4: An alarmist tone would suggest the situation is beyond control, whereas the author describes how India "managed to recalibrate its strategy."

The correct answer is '3' i.e. returned home .

Key Points

• The sentence "They returned back to home after the event" contains a grammatical redundancy. The word "returned" already implies going back, so the word "back" is unnecessary.
• The phrase "to home" is also incorrect. The correct phrase is "returned home".
• Thus, the most concise and grammatically accurate replacement is "returned home".

Correct sentence: They returned home after the event.

Additional Information

• Common Redundancy: Phrases like "returned back" or "revert back" are redundant. The word "return" or "revert" already implies "back."
• Correct Usage: Use "returned home" or "revert" without adding "back."
• Examples:
• Incorrect: She returned back to the office.
• Correct: She returned to the office.
• Incorrect: Please revert back with the details.
• Correct: Please revert with the details.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. of theft .

Key Points

• The verb "accused" is always followed by the preposition "of" when referring to the reason for the accusation.
• Using "of" indicates the specific act or crime for which someone is being accused.
• Other prepositions such as "for," "with," "by," or "on" do not fit grammatically in this context.

Correct sentence: He was accused of theft.

Additional Information

• Common Usage of "Accused of":
• Example: She was accused of stealing the documents.
• Usage: Indicates that someone is being blamed or charged with a specific act.
• Other Common Verbs with Specific Prepositions:
• Blamed for: He was blamed for the accident.
• Charged with: She was charged with fraud.

The correct answer is '4' i.e. He asked how long I had been waiting .

Key Points

• The given sentence is in direct speech and is a question in the present perfect tense: "How long have you been waiting?"
• When converting to indirect speech:
• The reporting verb changes to asked as it is a question.
• The tense of the direct speech changes from present perfect (have been) to past perfect (had been).
• The pronoun "you" changes to "I" to match the subject in indirect speech.

Correct sentence: He asked how long I had been waiting.

Additional Information

• Rules for changing tense in indirect speech:
• Present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) changes to past perfect tense (had + past participle).
• Present tense verbs change to past tense verbs.
• Example:
• Direct speech: He said, "I have finished my homework."
• Indirect speech: He said that he had finished his homework.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. "The players are improving with each match," said the coach.

Key Points

• The given sentence is in indirect speech, where the coach is reporting on the players' improvement.
• When converting from indirect to direct speech, the tense remains the same if the reporting verb ("said") is in the past tense and the reported action is ongoing in the past.
• In this case, the verb "were improving" is in the past continuous tense, so it becomes "are improving" present continuous tense in direct speech.
• Option 1 accurately converts the indirect speech sentence into direct speech while preserving the tense and meaning.

Correct sentence: "The players are improving with each match," said the coach.

Additional Information

• Rules for Conversion:
• Reporting Verb: The reporting verb "said" does not require any modifications in this case.
• Reported Speech: The tense of the reported speech remains in past continuous ("were improving").
• Quotation Marks: Direct speech is marked with quotation marks to indicate the exact words spoken.
• Incorrect Options:
• Option 2: Uses the past continuous tense ("were improving") instead of the present continuous, which changes the meaning.
• Option 3: Uses the present simple tense ("improve"), which is inappropriate given the context.
• Option 4: Uses the past perfect tense ("had improved"), which changes the meaning of the sentence.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. 2, 1, 3, 4.

Key Points

• The correct sequence of sentences is determined based on logical flow and coherence.
• Sentence 2 introduces the topic of research as a foundational concept, making it the best starting point.
• Sentence 1 explains what research entails, following naturally after the introduction.
• Sentence 3 elaborates on the types of research, ensuring a seamless progression of ideas.
• Sentence 4 concludes the paragraph by discussing the documentation and validation of research findings.

Correct paragraph: Research is a foundational pillar of academic and scientific progress. It is a process that involves the systematic and objective investigation of a subject to discover new facts or to confirm existing ones. This can be either theoretical, aiming to expand knowledge, or applied, seeking to solve a practical problem. The findings of this investigation are then documented and peer-reviewed to ensure validity and credibility.

Additional Information

• When arranging sentences into a coherent paragraph, always prioritize logical flow and connectivity between ideas.
• Start with a general or introductory statement, then move to specifics or explanations, and conclude with a summary or final thought.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. 2, 4, 1, 3 .

Key Points

• The sentences need to be rearranged to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph.
• The passage starts with the introduction of blockchain technology, which is explained in sentence 2: "Blockchain technology, at its core, is a distributed ledger that maintains a decentralized record of transactions."
• Next, the description of how the blockchain operates is given in sentence 4: "It functions by distributing copies of the ledger across a vast network of computers."
• Then, the nature of the network is elaborated in sentence 1: "The most prevalent of these is the peer-to-peer (P2P) network, where no single entity controls the entire system."
• Finally, the benefits of this decentralized structure are highlighted in sentence 3: "This decentralized structure ensures security and transparency by requiring network consensus for any new record to be added."

Correct sequence: 2, 4, 1, 3.

Additional Information

• When rearranging sentences, it's important to look for logical connections between sentences.
• For instance, introductions often provide a general idea or definition, followed by more specific details or examples.
• In this case, sentence 2 introduces blockchain technology, while the subsequent sentences build on that introduction.