Reading Comprehension Test - 12

What impression about Indian attitude towards corruption does the reading of the second paragraph make on the reader?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Corruption in India has become so pervasive that it has seeped into the most revered institutions. No wonder then that Justice Bharucha was compelled to remark in 2001, “about 20 per cent of the judges in the courts are corrupt; corruption among public servants has reached monstrous dimensions in India. Its tentacles have started grappling even the institutions created for the protection of public.” Even a powerful prime minister like Rajiv Gandhi admitted defeat and bemoaned that “out of every 100 crore allocated to an anti-poverty project, I know that only about Rs. 15 crore reach the people. The remainder is gobbled up by middlemen, power brokers, contractors, and the corrupt.” As much as Rs. 37,000 crore or about 1.5 to 2 per cent of the GDP surfaced as part of the Voluntary Disclosure scheme in 1997 alone. It should surprise no one that Transparency International has ranked India among the top fifty-five corrupt countries in the world.
Is corruption the sole prerogative of the politicians and the bureaucracy? I am afraid not. In fact, the biggest corruption cases have been outside the government. The Harshad Mehta scam of around Rs. 10,000 crore and Ketan Parikh’s scam of Rs. 5,000 crore put other scandals to shame. It is estimated that non-banking financial companies have swindled over 30 million small investors. The other day, it was reported that a sizeable number of software professionals in a well-known multinational had fudged their bills. This morning, I received an e-mail from an erstwhile, dismissed colleague of mine arguing why she was not all that wrong in swiping an attendance card on behalf of another colleague! The cricket match-fixing scandal is still fresh in our memories. The list goes on. It is very clear that corruption is now an accepted phenomenon in the psyche of Indians from all walks of life.

Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem? Is there any hope at all? Will we ever see a corruption-free society? Can we at least work towards creating a corruption-free society for our children and grandchildren? I am an optimist and I believe that every problem can be solved. It requires leadership that is inspirational, selfless and courageous. We do have a few such people in India among our politicians, bureaucrats and corporate leaders. They have to come together to fight this scourge. Let me detail a few steps needed to fight corruption.
Fairness, transparency and accountability displayed by leaders are what instil confidence in a government, a community and society. Unfortunately, in our society, the government rarely practises these attributes when it comes to the elite. Only when we practise these attributes in fighting corruption among the elite and the powerful, will we succeed in rooting it out.

Why, according to the author, has the government failed to tackle this problem of corruption?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Corruption in India has become so pervasive that it has seeped into the most revered institutions. No wonder then that Justice Bharucha was compelled to remark in 2001, “about 20 per cent of the judges in the courts are corrupt; corruption among public servants has reached monstrous dimensions in India. Its tentacles have started grappling even the institutions created for the protection of public.” Even a powerful prime minister like Rajiv Gandhi admitted defeat and bemoaned that “out of every 100 crore allocated to an anti-poverty project, I know that only about Rs. 15 crore reach the people. The remainder is gobbled up by middlemen, power brokers, contractors, and the corrupt.” As much as Rs. 37,000 crore or about 1.5 to 2 per cent of the GDP surfaced as part of the Voluntary Disclosure scheme in 1997 alone. It should surprise no one that Transparency International has ranked India among the top fifty-five corrupt countries in the world.
Is corruption the sole prerogative of the politicians and the bureaucracy? I am afraid not. In fact, the biggest corruption cases have been outside the government. The Harshad Mehta scam of around Rs. 10,000 crore and Ketan Parikh’s scam of Rs. 5,000 crore put other scandals to shame. It is estimated that non-banking financial companies have swindled over 30 million small investors. The other day, it was reported that a sizeable number of software professionals in a well-known multinational had fudged their bills. This morning, I received an e-mail from an erstwhile, dismissed colleague of mine arguing why she was not all that wrong in swiping an attendance card on behalf of another colleague! The cricket match-fixing scandal is still fresh in our memories. The list goes on. It is very clear that corruption is now an accepted phenomenon in the psyche of Indians from all walks of life.

Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem? Is there any hope at all? Will we ever see a corruption-free society? Can we at least work towards creating a corruption-free society for our children and grandchildren? I am an optimist and I believe that every problem can be solved. It requires leadership that is inspirational, selfless and courageous. We do have a few such people in India among our politicians, bureaucrats and corporate leaders. They have to come together to fight this scourge. Let me detail a few steps needed to fight corruption.
Fairness, transparency and accountability displayed by leaders are what instil confidence in a government, a community and society. Unfortunately, in our society, the government rarely practises these attributes when it comes to the elite. Only when we practise these attributes in fighting corruption among the elite and the powerful, will we succeed in rooting it out.

Which of the following, according to the author, could lead to solving the problem of corruption?

1. Legislation of stricter laws
2. Quality leadership
3. Coming together of like-minded people

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Corruption in India has become so pervasive that it has seeped into the most revered institutions. No wonder then that Justice Bharucha was compelled to remark in 2001, “about 20 per cent of the judges in the courts are corrupt; corruption among public servants has reached monstrous dimensions in India. Its tentacles have started grappling even the institutions created for the protection of public.” Even a powerful prime minister like Rajiv Gandhi admitted defeat and bemoaned that “out of every 100 crore allocated to an anti-poverty project, I know that only about Rs. 15 crore reach the people. The remainder is gobbled up by middlemen, power brokers, contractors, and the corrupt.” As much as Rs. 37,000 crore or about 1.5 to 2 per cent of the GDP surfaced as part of the Voluntary Disclosure scheme in 1997 alone. It should surprise no one that Transparency International has ranked India among the top fifty-five corrupt countries in the world.
Is corruption the sole prerogative of the politicians and the bureaucracy? I am afraid not. In fact, the biggest corruption cases have been outside the government. The Harshad Mehta scam of around Rs. 10,000 crore and Ketan Parikh’s scam of Rs. 5,000 crore put other scandals to shame. It is estimated that non-banking financial companies have swindled over 30 million small investors. The other day, it was reported that a sizeable number of software professionals in a well-known multinational had fudged their bills. This morning, I received an e-mail from an erstwhile, dismissed colleague of mine arguing why she was not all that wrong in swiping an attendance card on behalf of another colleague! The cricket match-fixing scandal is still fresh in our memories. The list goes on. It is very clear that corruption is now an accepted phenomenon in the psyche of Indians from all walks of life.

Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem? Is there any hope at all? Will we ever see a corruption-free society? Can we at least work towards creating a corruption-free society for our children and grandchildren? I am an optimist and I believe that every problem can be solved. It requires leadership that is inspirational, selfless and courageous. We do have a few such people in India among our politicians, bureaucrats and corporate leaders. They have to come together to fight this scourge. Let me detail a few steps needed to fight corruption.
Fairness, transparency and accountability displayed by leaders are what instil confidence in a government, a community and society. Unfortunately, in our society, the government rarely practises these attributes when it comes to the elite. Only when we practise these attributes in fighting corruption among the elite and the powerful, will we succeed in rooting it out.

The author states or implies that corruption

1. is bad economics as it stalls progress
2. is an insurmountable problem
3. creates wealth in the hands of a few

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Corruption in India has become so pervasive that it has seeped into the most revered institutions. No wonder then that Justice Bharucha was compelled to remark in 2001, “about 20 per cent of the judges in the courts are corrupt; corruption among public servants has reached monstrous dimensions in India. Its tentacles have started grappling even the institutions created for the protection of public.” Even a powerful prime minister like Rajiv Gandhi admitted defeat and bemoaned that “out of every 100 crore allocated to an anti-poverty project, I know that only about Rs. 15 crore reach the people. The remainder is gobbled up by middlemen, power brokers, contractors, and the corrupt.” As much as Rs. 37,000 crore or about 1.5 to 2 per cent of the GDP surfaced as part of the Voluntary Disclosure scheme in 1997 alone. It should surprise no one that Transparency International has ranked India among the top fifty-five corrupt countries in the world.
Is corruption the sole prerogative of the politicians and the bureaucracy? I am afraid not. In fact, the biggest corruption cases have been outside the government. The Harshad Mehta scam of around Rs. 10,000 crore and Ketan Parikh’s scam of Rs. 5,000 crore put other scandals to shame. It is estimated that non-banking financial companies have swindled over 30 million small investors. The other day, it was reported that a sizeable number of software professionals in a well-known multinational had fudged their bills. This morning, I received an e-mail from an erstwhile, dismissed colleague of mine arguing why she was not all that wrong in swiping an attendance card on behalf of another colleague! The cricket match-fixing scandal is still fresh in our memories. The list goes on. It is very clear that corruption is now an accepted phenomenon in the psyche of Indians from all walks of life.

Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem? Is there any hope at all? Will we ever see a corruption-free society? Can we at least work towards creating a corruption-free society for our children and grandchildren? I am an optimist and I believe that every problem can be solved. It requires leadership that is inspirational, selfless and courageous. We do have a few such people in India among our politicians, bureaucrats and corporate leaders. They have to come together to fight this scourge. Let me detail a few steps needed to fight corruption.
Fairness, transparency and accountability displayed by leaders are what instil confidence in a government, a community and society. Unfortunately, in our society, the government rarely practises these attributes when it comes to the elite. Only when we practise these attributes in fighting corruption among the elite and the powerful, will we succeed in rooting it out.

What kind of picture of India does the author paint in the opening paragraph of the passage?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Corruption in India has become so pervasive that it has seeped into the most revered institutions. No wonder then that Justice Bharucha was compelled to remark in 2001, “about 20 per cent of the judges in the courts are corrupt; corruption among public servants has reached monstrous dimensions in India. Its tentacles have started grappling even the institutions created for the protection of public.” Even a powerful prime minister like Rajiv Gandhi admitted defeat and bemoaned that “out of every 100 crore allocated to an anti-poverty project, I know that only about Rs. 15 crore reach the people. The remainder is gobbled up by middlemen, power brokers, contractors, and the corrupt.” As much as Rs. 37,000 crore or about 1.5 to 2 per cent of the GDP surfaced as part of the Voluntary Disclosure scheme in 1997 alone. It should surprise no one that Transparency International has ranked India among the top fifty-five corrupt countries in the world.
Is corruption the sole prerogative of the politicians and the bureaucracy? I am afraid not. In fact, the biggest corruption cases have been outside the government. The Harshad Mehta scam of around Rs. 10,000 crore and Ketan Parikh’s scam of Rs. 5,000 crore put other scandals to shame. It is estimated that non-banking financial companies have swindled over 30 million small investors. The other day, it was reported that a sizeable number of software professionals in a well-known multinational had fudged their bills. This morning, I received an e-mail from an erstwhile, dismissed colleague of mine arguing why she was not all that wrong in swiping an attendance card on behalf of another colleague! The cricket match-fixing scandal is still fresh in our memories. The list goes on. It is very clear that corruption is now an accepted phenomenon in the psyche of Indians from all walks of life.

Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable problem? Is there any hope at all? Will we ever see a corruption-free society? Can we at least work towards creating a corruption-free society for our children and grandchildren? I am an optimist and I believe that every problem can be solved. It requires leadership that is inspirational, selfless and courageous. We do have a few such people in India among our politicians, bureaucrats and corporate leaders. They have to come together to fight this scourge. Let me detail a few steps needed to fight corruption.
Fairness, transparency and accountability displayed by leaders are what instil confidence in a government, a community and society. Unfortunately, in our society, the government rarely practises these attributes when it comes to the elite. Only when we practise these attributes in fighting corruption among the elite and the powerful, will we succeed in rooting it out.

Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?

Passage:
The spirit of nationality is one of the great dynamics of modern times. The question at once arises: What is nationalism? Many theories have been advanced, seeking variously to identify nationalism with language, culture, race, politics, geography, economics, or religion. Now these, and even other, matters may be factors predisposing or contributing to the formation of national Consciousness. But, in the last analysis, nationalism is something over and above all its constituent elements, which it works into a new and higher synthesis. There is really nothing recondite or mysterious about nationalism, despite all the arguments that have raged concerning its exact meaning. As a matter of fact, nationalism is a state of mind. Nationalism is a belief, held by a fairly large number of individuals, that they constitute a "Nationality"; it is a sense of belonging together as a "Nation." This "Nation," as visualized in the minds of its believers, is a people or community associated together and organized under one government, and dwelling together in a distinct territory. When the nationalist ideal is realized, we have what is known as a body-politic or "State." But we must not forget that this "State" is the material manifestation of an ideal, which may have pre-existed for generations as a mere pious aspiration with no tangible attributes like state sovereignty or physical frontiers.

Higher education, the author would have us believe, is

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

A country is as good as the quality of intellectuals it produces. Progress comes from thinking, articulating, discussing, debating and executing ideas in an environment of respect for pluralism. We should remember Benjamin Disraeli’s words that a university should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning. The aim of a country’s higher education system is sustainable development and improvement of the economy as a whole. Research has shown that, on average, countries that have higher levels of literacy and have invested steadily in raising the education levels of their labor force have sustained high levels of economic growth.  
Science is about unraveling nature, and creating a foundation for technology to make life better for humankind. The higher the quality of university education is in a country, the more prosperous and competitive the people. The USA is the finest example of this thesis, since it has built a vibrant educational system which is the second largest in the world. Seventeen of the world’s top twenty universities are American. Not only do US universities produce workers to drive economic growth, but they are also world-class incubators of innovation and knowledge creation. American universities currently employ 70 per cent of the world’s Nobel Prize winners.
The American education system has helped seed the growth of key ‘new technology’ industries in the USA—the semiconductor, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries—through the early discoveries of university researchers.
Similarly, since the 1960s, the South-East and East Asian countries pursued a strategy of building a ‘stock’ of highly-trained human resources to attract knowledge-intensive investment and boost economic growth. The Republic of South Korea is a good example of such an economy. As early as 1980, the country had achieved a primary enrolment rate of 96 per cent, and a tertiary enrolment rate of 40 per cent, figures similar to the industrialized nations. The country’s education policy has significantly contributed to South Korea’s rapid export-led growth, the sustained economic development the country has experienced since the 1980s, and the rising prosperity of its people.
Even in India, the value of higher education was realized by our early leaders. India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, recognized the importance of institutes of higher learning for the development of the country. It was this vision that led to the establishment of the IITs, the IIMs, AIIMS and the national laboratories resulting in many high-impact initiatives including Vikram Sarabhai’s space programme and Homi Bhabha’s atomic programme. Over the last two decades, India has made strong economic gains leveraging its educational infrastructure. India’s vast pool of low-cost, educated workers has helped establish the country’s burgeoning software, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

What, according to the passage, is not the enabling tool for social and economic development of a country?

1. Respect for pluralism
2. Scientific temperament
3. Higher education
4. Dissemination of knowledge

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

A country is as good as the quality of intellectuals it produces. Progress comes from thinking, articulating, discussing, debating and executing ideas in an environment of respect for pluralism. We should remember Benjamin Disraeli’s words that a university should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning. The aim of a country’s higher education system is sustainable development and improvement of the economy as a whole. Research has shown that, on average, countries that have higher levels of literacy and have invested steadily in raising the education levels of their labor force have sustained high levels of economic growth.  
Science is about unraveling nature, and creating a foundation for technology to make life better for humankind. The higher the quality of university education is in a country, the more prosperous and competitive the people. The USA is the finest example of this thesis, since it has built a vibrant educational system which is the second largest in the world. Seventeen of the world’s top twenty universities are American. Not only do US universities produce workers to drive economic growth, but they are also world-class incubators of innovation and knowledge creation. American universities currently employ 70 per cent of the world’s Nobel Prize winners.
The American education system has helped seed the growth of key ‘new technology’ industries in the USA—the semiconductor, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries—through the early discoveries of university researchers.
Similarly, since the 1960s, the South-East and East Asian countries pursued a strategy of building a ‘stock’ of highly-trained human resources to attract knowledge-intensive investment and boost economic growth. The Republic of South Korea is a good example of such an economy. As early as 1980, the country had achieved a primary enrolment rate of 96 per cent, and a tertiary enrolment rate of 40 per cent, figures similar to the industrialized nations. The country’s education policy has significantly contributed to South Korea’s rapid export-led growth, the sustained economic development the country has experienced since the 1980s, and the rising prosperity of its people.
Even in India, the value of higher education was realized by our early leaders. India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, recognized the importance of institutes of higher learning for the development of the country. It was this vision that led to the establishment of the IITs, the IIMs, AIIMS and the national laboratories resulting in many high-impact initiatives including Vikram Sarabhai’s space programme and Homi Bhabha’s atomic programme. Over the last two decades, India has made strong economic gains leveraging its educational infrastructure. India’s vast pool of low-cost, educated workers has helped establish the country’s burgeoning software, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

““The USA is the finest example of this thesis”, says the author. What thesis is he referring to?

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

A country is as good as the quality of intellectuals it produces. Progress comes from thinking, articulating, discussing, debating and executing ideas in an environment of respect for pluralism. We should remember Benjamin Disraeli’s words that a university should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning. The aim of a country’s higher education system is sustainable development and improvement of the economy as a whole. Research has shown that, on average, countries that have higher levels of literacy and have invested steadily in raising the education levels of their labor force have sustained high levels of economic growth.  
Science is about unraveling nature, and creating a foundation for technology to make life better for humankind. The higher the quality of university education is in a country, the more prosperous and competitive the people. The USA is the finest example of this thesis, since it has built a vibrant educational system which is the second largest in the world. Seventeen of the world’s top twenty universities are American. Not only do US universities produce workers to drive economic growth, but they are also world-class incubators of innovation and knowledge creation. American universities currently employ 70 per cent of the world’s Nobel Prize winners.
The American education system has helped seed the growth of key ‘new technology’ industries in the USA—the semiconductor, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries—through the early discoveries of university researchers.
Similarly, since the 1960s, the South-East and East Asian countries pursued a strategy of building a ‘stock’ of highly-trained human resources to attract knowledge-intensive investment and boost economic growth. The Republic of South Korea is a good example of such an economy. As early as 1980, the country had achieved a primary enrolment rate of 96 per cent, and a tertiary enrolment rate of 40 per cent, figures similar to the industrialized nations. The country’s education policy has significantly contributed to South Korea’s rapid export-led growth, the sustained economic development the country has experienced since the 1980s, and the rising prosperity of its people.
Even in India, the value of higher education was realized by our early leaders. India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, recognized the importance of institutes of higher learning for the development of the country. It was this vision that led to the establishment of the IITs, the IIMs, AIIMS and the national laboratories resulting in many high-impact initiatives including Vikram Sarabhai’s space programme and Homi Bhabha’s atomic programme. Over the last two decades, India has made strong economic gains leveraging its educational infrastructure. India’s vast pool of low-cost, educated workers has helped establish the country’s burgeoning software, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Which of the following can definitely not be inferred from the passage?

1. India's burgeoning software, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries failed to boost Indian economy the same way these industries did for US economy.
2. Nehru's and Indira Gandhi's belief in higher education was very strong.
3. Only a sound infrastructure of higher education can ensure success in leveraging knowledge and innovation.

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

A country is as good as the quality of intellectuals it produces. Progress comes from thinking, articulating, discussing, debating and executing ideas in an environment of respect for pluralism. We should remember Benjamin Disraeli’s words that a university should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning. The aim of a country’s higher education system is sustainable development and improvement of the economy as a whole. Research has shown that, on average, countries that have higher levels of literacy and have invested steadily in raising the education levels of their labor force have sustained high levels of economic growth.  
Science is about unraveling nature, and creating a foundation for technology to make life better for humankind. The higher the quality of university education is in a country, the more prosperous and competitive the people. The USA is the finest example of this thesis, since it has built a vibrant educational system which is the second largest in the world. Seventeen of the world’s top twenty universities are American. Not only do US universities produce workers to drive economic growth, but they are also world-class incubators of innovation and knowledge creation. American universities currently employ 70 per cent of the world’s Nobel Prize winners.
The American education system has helped seed the growth of key ‘new technology’ industries in the USA—the semiconductor, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries—through the early discoveries of university researchers.
Similarly, since the 1960s, the South-East and East Asian countries pursued a strategy of building a ‘stock’ of highly-trained human resources to attract knowledge-intensive investment and boost economic growth. The Republic of South Korea is a good example of such an economy. As early as 1980, the country had achieved a primary enrolment rate of 96 per cent, and a tertiary enrolment rate of 40 per cent, figures similar to the industrialized nations. The country’s education policy has significantly contributed to South Korea’s rapid export-led growth, the sustained economic development the country has experienced since the 1980s, and the rising prosperity of its people.
Even in India, the value of higher education was realized by our early leaders. India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, recognized the importance of institutes of higher learning for the development of the country. It was this vision that led to the establishment of the IITs, the IIMs, AIIMS and the national laboratories resulting in many high-impact initiatives including Vikram Sarabhai’s space programme and Homi Bhabha’s atomic programme. Over the last two decades, India has made strong economic gains leveraging its educational infrastructure. India’s vast pool of low-cost, educated workers has helped establish the country’s burgeoning software, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.