TOPIC: Miscellaneous
Directions (1-10): Read the following
passage carefully and answer the questions given below them. Certain
words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering
some of the questions.
India can increase its GDP by up to 60%
by 2025 by enabling more women to participate in its workforce, a 2015 study by
the McKinsey Global Institute had stated. However, social and cultural constraints
can prevent this from becoming a reality. Many women who work outside home
still have primary household and parenting responsibilities that need to be
balanced with their work life. Studies estimate that India’s ambitious target
of achieving 175 GW of renewable energy (RE) by 2022 could create 3,30,000 jobs
in the wind and solar energy sectors alone. Can this rapidly growing industry
create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for women? And can these
opportunities provide better salaries and health-care benefits, skilling and
training opportunities, and enhance the quality of life for women and their
families? What can decision-makers — in government and in the private sector —
do to support the inclusion of more women in this growing sector?
The problem and the opportunity are both
clear. According to the World Bank, more than 270 million Indians live in
poverty. Further, studies by the International Energy Agency, an autonomous
intergovernmental organisation, show that about 240 million people lack basic
electricity services. The government has committed to installing 175 GW of RE
by 2022. Several of these installations will be in rural areas, where a large
number of the poor live. Can the new RE projects be planned in a manner that
also creates good quality jobs for women in these areas? Currently, India’s RE
industry sector, as with other sectors, has low participation of women. India
ranks a poor 120 among 131 countries on female labour force participation,
according to World Bank data. A majority of women currently employed in the RE
sector work at project sites, doing civil masonry work, which is temporary and
labour-intensive with little potential for future growth. Moreover, the working
conditions on many sites are not always suitable for women as they are devoid
of safety and support systems
Where there is a need for more skilled or
semi-skilled labour, fewer women can respond due to existing barriers to
formal education and training. Technical training institutes do not admit
applicants who have not graduated Class 12. And even where they meet the prerequisite
for admission into training institutes, the institutes tend to be located in
towns and cities, making it difficult for rural women to effectively
participate, especially when they are also expected to carry out other
household responsibilities. Consequently, there are very few women in
production, facilities, and operations and maintenance roles in the RE sector.
So, what will it take for women from poorer
and rural communities to access jobs in the RE sector? In a recent study, we
found that jobs in the RE sector can impact poverty, provided several “tweaks”
are made to the existing systems. Particularly with the growth of the
decentralised RE and off-grid energy sector, there is significant potential to
include local women in the workforce. Overall, the study concluded that if the
government, clean energy enterprises, training institutes and civil society
work together to implement these “tweaks”, India could create good-quality
employment opportunities that can support the inclusion of more women. But such
interventions need to be designed with women at the centre and not as an
afterthought.
Training institutes could reduce the bar on
entry, allowing for less formally educated women to learn new skills and
receive training. Training should be customised to respect specific needs like
location, hours of engagement, safety and sanitation. Mobile training modules
that can cater to small groups of women in remote areas can be developed.
Training institutes and civil society organisations should collaborate
and strengthen connections with clean energy enterprises to help trained women
secure employment. This sensitisation to women’s specific needs can help
increase participation of women in the RE workforce. If the public and private
sectors come together to bring such jobs to women, particularly in poorer
communities, India’s transition to clean energy could also improve the quality
of life for women and their families.
Q1. As per the passage, what are the
reasons that hinder women participation in workforce in India?
(a) Marriage at an early age
(b) Social and Cultural Restrictions
(c) Lack of funds.
(d) Household and parenting
responsibilities.
(e) None of the Above
Q2. What is the plight of women
currently employed in the Renewable Energy
sector?
(I) Temporary and Labour-intensive work
(II) Unsuitable working conditions and
lack of safety
(III) Less scope for future growth
(a) Only (I)
(b) Only (II)
(c) Only (III)
(d) Both (I) and (II)
(e) All are correct.
Q3. As per the passage, What are the
barriers to formal education and training for women?
(I) Technical training institutes do not
admit applicants who have not graduated Class 12.
(II) The institutes tend to be located
in towns and cities, making it difficult for rural women to participate.
(III) Civil Masonry work require less
number of women.
(a) Only (I)
(b) Only (II)
(c) Only (III)
(d) Both (I) and (II)
(e) All are correct.
Q4. What initiatives can training
institutes take to help more women take up training?
(a) Customising training to cater to
specific needs like location, safety and sanitation.
(b) Developing mobile training modules
to help women in remote areas.
(c) Providing free training to poor
women.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
(e) All are correct.
Q5. What is the style of writing used by
the author in the passage?
(a) Narrative
(b) Analytical
(c) Descriptive
(d) Argumentative
(e) None of the Above
Q6. As per the passage, what amount of
renewable energy generation is targeted by India by 2022?
(a) 122GW
(b) 173GW
(c) 175GW
(d) 145GW
(e) 120GW
Q7.
Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR to the word given in passage.
DEVOID
(a) Affluent
(b) Solvent
(c) Secure
(d) Destitute
(e) Surmise
Q8. Choose the word which is MOST
SIMILAR to the word given in passage.
PREREQUISITE
(a) Voluntary
(b) Imperative
(c) Optional
(d) Affinity
(e) Rapport
Q9. Choose the word which is most
opposite to the following word given in bold in the passage
CONSTRAINT
(a) Restraint
(b) Goad
(c) Coercion
(d) Liberation
(e) Duress
Q10. Choose the word which is most
opposite to the following word given in bold in the passage
BARRIER
(a) Rampart
(b) Palisade
(c) Obstacle
(d) Barricade
(e) Assistance
Directions (11-15): In the passage given
below there are blanks which are to be filled with the options given below.
Find out the appropriate word in each case which can most suitably complete the
sentence without altering the meaning of the statement.
Q11. Scripting humour is no light gag.
Comedians are always on the job, trying to (11)………… humour in (12)…………..
life in an effort to build a connection with the audience. “For a beginner,
the key is to participate in as many open mics as possible. That’s the best way
to (13)…………….. your humour and understand what works best for the
crowd,” says Manik Mehta, who has been a part of Vizag Komedians from the
start. The open mics have not only helped the standup comedy culture grow in
the city, but have also helped cafes draw more crowds, in what Mehta describes
as a win-win situation. “The city has a lot more potential. The challenge right
now is to find newer locations,” he adds. Colleges have also been warming up to
standup comedy shows, through their annual festivals. GITAM University recently
hosted a (14)……………… by comedian Abish Mathew, while IIM-Visakhapatnam
and Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy have also brought in popular names
from the standup field. One of the biggest advantages of such shows is that
(15)………………….. get to open for these established comedians, giving them a
moment in the brighter spotlight, and also a chance to watch bigger talents in
action.
(a) Sniff away
(b) Sniff off
(c) Sniff out
(d) Sniff in
(e) None of the Above
Q12.
Scripting humour is no light gag. Comedians are always on the job,
trying to (11)………… humour in (12)………….. life in an effort to
build a connection with the audience. “For a beginner, the key is to
participate in as many open mics as possible. That’s the best way to (13)……………..
your humour and understand what works best for the crowd,” says Manik
Mehta, who has been a part of Vizag Komedians from the start. The open mics
have not only helped the standup comedy culture grow in the city, but have also
helped cafes draw more crowds, in what Mehta describes as a win-win situation.
“The city has a lot more potential. The challenge right now is to find newer
locations,” he adds. Colleges have also been warming up to standup comedy
shows, through their annual festivals. GITAM University recently hosted a (14)………………
by comedian Abish Mathew, while IIM-Visakhapatnam and Indian Institute of
Petroleum and Energy have also brought in popular names from the standup field.
One of the biggest advantages of such shows is that (15)………………….. get to
open for these established comedians, giving them a moment in the brighter
spotlight, and also a chance to watch bigger talents in action.
(a)
Synergy
(b) Mundane
(c) Assist
(d) Profound
(e) None of the Above
Q13. Scripting humour is no light gag.
Comedians are always on the job, trying to (11)………… humour in (12)…………..
life in an effort to build a connection with the audience. “For a beginner,
the key is to participate in as many open mics as possible. That’s the best way
to (13)…………….. your humour and understand what works best for the
crowd,” says Manik Mehta, who has been a part of Vizag Komedians from the
start. The open mics have not only helped the standup comedy culture grow in
the city, but have also helped cafes draw more crowds, in what Mehta describes
as a win-win situation. “The city has a lot more potential. The challenge right
now is to find newer locations,” he adds. Colleges have also been warming up to
standup comedy shows, through their annual festivals. GITAM University recently
hosted a (14)……………… by comedian Abish Mathew, while IIM-Visakhapatnam
and Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy have also brought in popular names
from the standup field. One of the biggest advantages of such shows is that
(15)………………….. get to open for these established comedians, giving them a
moment in the brighter spotlight, and also a chance to watch bigger talents in
action.
(a) Hone
(b) Disrespect
(c) Signify
(d) Exaggerate
(e) None of the Above
Q14. Scripting humour is no light gag.
Comedians are always on the job, trying to (11)………… humour in (12)…………..
life in an effort to build a connection with the audience. “For a beginner,
the key is to participate in as many open mics as possible. That’s the best way
to (13)…………….. your humour and understand what works best for the
crowd,” says Manik Mehta, who has been a part of Vizag Komedians from the
start. The open mics have not only helped the standup comedy culture grow in
the city, but have also helped cafes draw more crowds, in what Mehta describes
as a win-win situation. “The city has a lot more potential. The challenge right
now is to find newer locations,” he adds. Colleges have also been warming up to
standup comedy shows, through their annual festivals. GITAM University recently
hosted a (14)……………… by comedian Abish Mathew, while IIM-Visakhapatnam
and Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy have also brought in popular names
from the standup field. One of the biggest advantages of such shows is that
(15)………………….. get to open for these established comedians, giving them a
moment in the brighter spotlight, and also a chance to watch bigger talents in
action.
(a) Ceremony
(b) Gig
(c) fund
(d) amusement
(e) None of the Above
Q15. Scripting humour is no light gag.
Comedians are always on the job, trying to (11)………… humour in (12)…………..
life in an effort to build a connection with the audience. “For a beginner,
the key is to participate in as many open mics as possible. That’s the best way
to (13)…………….. your humour and understand what works best for the
crowd,” says Manik Mehta, who has been a part of Vizag Komedians from the
start. The open mics have not only helped the standup comedy culture grow in
the city, but have also helped cafes draw more crowds, in what Mehta describes
as a win-win situation. “The city has a lot more potential. The challenge right
now is to find newer locations,” he adds. Colleges have also been warming up to
standup comedy shows, through their annual festivals. GITAM University recently
hosted a (14)……………… by comedian Abish Mathew, while IIM-Visakhapatnam
and Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy have also brought in popular names
from the standup field. One of the biggest advantages of such shows is that
(15)………………….. get to open for these established comedians, giving them a
moment in the brighter spotlight, and also a chance to watch bigger talents in
action.
(a) Experienced
(b) Inhabitants
(c) Vagabonds
(d) Amateurs
(e) None of the Above
ALSO CHECK:
S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. Refer 1st para first three lines.
S2. Ans.(e)
Sol. Refer 2nd para last four lines.
S3. Ans.(d)
Sol. Refer 3rd para.
S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. Refer 5th para first 6 lines.
S5. Ans.(b)
Sol. The author uses analytical style of
writing.
S6. Ans.(c)
Sol. Refer 1st para 5th line.
S7. Ans.(d)
Sol. Devoid: entirely lacking or free from.
Destitute: extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself.
S8. Ans.(b)
Sol. Prerequisite: a thing that is required as a prior condition for
something else to happen or exist.
Imperative: of vital importance; crucial.
S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. Constraint: a limitation or restriction.
S10. Ans.(e)
Sol. Barrier: a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or
access.
S11. Ans.(c)
Sol. Sniff Out: recognize or detect
S12. Ans.(b)
Sol. Mundane: lacking interest or excitement; dull.
S13. Ans.(a)
Sol. Hone: refine or perfect (something) over a period of time.
S14. Ans.(b)
Sol. Gig: a live performance by a musician or group playing popular or
jazz music.
S15. Ans.(d)
Sol. Amateur: a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on
an unpaid basis.
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