Each question given below consists of a statement, followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the arguments is a 'strong' argument and which is a 'weak' argument. Give answer: (A) If only argument I is strong (B) If only argument II is strong (C) If either I or II is strong (D) If neither I nor II is strong (E) If both I and II are strong.
Statement: Should higher education be completely stopped for some time?
Arguments:
1. No. It will hamper the country's future progress.
2. Yes. It will reduce the educated unemployment
Answer: A
Clearly, higher education is not the cause of unemployment. In fact, it has created greater job opportunities. So, argument II is vague. Also, higher education promotes the country's development. So, argument I holds
Statement: Should children be legally made responsible to take care of their parents during their old age?
Arguments:
1. Yes. Such matter can only be solved by legal means.
2. Yes. Only this will bring some relief to poor parents.
Answer: D
Taking care of the parents is a moral duty of the children and cannot be thrust upon them legally, nor such a compulsion can ensure good care of the old people. So, none of the arguments holds strong.
Statement: Should import duty on all the electronic goods be dispensed with?
Arguments:
1. No. This will considerably reduce the income of the government and will adversely affect the developmental activities.
2. No. The local manufacturers will not be able to compete with the foreign manufacturers who are technologically far superior.
Answer: B
Abolishing the import duty on electronic goods shall reduce the costs of imported goods and adversely affect the sale of the domestic products, thus giving a setback to the Indian electronics industry. So, argument II holds strong. Argument I does not provide a convincing reason.
Statement: Should there be no place of interview in selection?
Arguments:
1. Yes, it is very subjective in assessment.
2. No. It is the only instrument to judge candidates' motives and personality.
Answer: A
Clearly, besides interview, there can be other modes of written examination to judge candidates' motives. So argument II is not strong enough. However, the interview is a subjective assessment without doubt. So, argument I holds.
Statement: Should fashionable dresses be banned?
Arguments:
1. Yes. Fashions keep changing and hence consumption of cloth increases.
2. No. Fashionable clothes are a person's self expression and therefore his/her fundamental right
Answer: B
Clearly, imposing ban on fashionable dresses will be a restriction on the personal choice and hence the right to freedom of an individual. So, only argument II is strong.
Statement: Should religion be banned?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It develops fanaticism in people.
2. No, Religion binds people together
Answer: C
Religion binds people together through the name of God and human values. But at the same time it may create differences and ill-will among people. So, either of the arguments holds strong.
Is paying ransom or agreeing to the conditions of kidnappers of political figures, a proper course of action?
Arguments:
1. Yes. The victims must be saved at all cost.
2. No. It encourages the kidnappers to continue their sinister activities.
Answer: E
Both the arguments are strong enough. The conditions have to be agreed to, in order to save the life of the victims, though actually they ought not to be agreed to, as they encourage the sinister activities of the kidnappers.
Statement: Should the practice of transfers of clerical cadre employees from government offices of one city to those of another be stopped?
Arguments:
1. No. Transfer of employees is a routine administrative matter and we must continue it.
2. Yes. It involves lot of governmental expenditure and inconvenience too many compared to the benefits it yields.
Answer: D
It is not necessary that any practice which has been in vogue for a long time is right and it must be continued. So, argument I is not strong. Also, a practice must be continued or discontinued in view of its merits/demerits and not on grounds of the expenditure or procedures it entails. The policy of transfer is generally practised to do away with corruption, which is absolutely essential. So, argument II also does not hold
Statement: Should there be a world government?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It will help in eliminating tensions among the nations.
2. No. Then, only the developed countries will dominate in the government.
Answer: B
Clearly, a world government cannot eliminate tensions among nations because it will also have the ruling group and the opposition group. Further, the more powerful and diplomatic shall rule the world to their interests. So, only argument II holds.
Statement: Should India engage into a dialogue with neighbouring countries to stop cross border tension?
Arguments:
1. Yes. This is the only way to reduce the cross border terrorism and stop loss of innocent lives.
2. No. Neighbouring countries cannot be relied upon in such matters, they may still engage in subversive activities
Answer: A
Clearly, peaceful settlement through mutual agreement is the best option, whatever be the issue. So, argument I holds strong. Moreover, the problem indicated in II can be curbed by constant check and vigilance. So, II seems to be vague.