Directions (1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given
below it. Certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while
answering some of the questions.
JUSTICE VIKRAMJIT SEN, A RETIRED JUDGE
of the Supreme Court, once observed during the hearing of a case in 2015:
“India is a secular country, but I don’t know how long it will remain so.” A
sense of exasperation might have
been behind his observation, but events since then could make one wonder
whether the judge’s remark was meant to shake up those who are complacent about
the future of secularism in India.
There is no denying the fact that
India’s unique brand of secularism, despite being subjected to various stresses
and strains, has proved resilient. India’s brand of secularism is a complex mix
of constitutional provisions that guarantee all persons freedom of conscience
and the right to free profession, practice and propagation of religion; the
freedom to manage religious affairs; the freedom from being compelled to pay
taxes to promote a particular religion; and protection of the interests of
minorities. But the enforcement of these provisions, in practice, has given
rise to a number of challenges from both the state and non-state actors. One
only needs to read contemporary news headlines to understand the severity of
these challenges to secularism. They appear insurmountable partly because India’s unique brand of secularism
has not been sufficiently understood either by its contemporary rulers or by
civil society.
India’s Constitution-makers did not feel
the need to explain the unique brand, leaving it to lawmakers and the courts to
make sense of it through constitutional provisions. Therefore, it is not
surprising that the word “secularism” does not find mention in the original
Constitution. As secularism finds expression in a number of constitutional
provisions, the Constitution-makers rightly thought it unnecessary to proclaim
India a secular Republic even in the Preamble. Besides, secularism being a
complex term defied easy definition; therefore, putting it in the Preamble
without defining it elsewhere would lend the term to various interpretations
not originally envisaged by the Constitution-makers. So it was believed at the
time of the making of the Constitution. But Parliament’s insertion of the word
“secular” along with the word “socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in
the Preamble during the Emergency (1975-77) was, to infer from the debates,
aimed at emphasising the “larger objective”. That it was conceived by the rulers as just an objective in the mid 1970s
showed that the country was still far from realising it fully.
A.R. Antulay, a Congress Member of the
Rajya Sabha who participated in the debate then, explained why the
Constitution-makers had not included the word secularism in the original
Constitution: “Maybe, the conditions and circumstances, then prevailing, were
not favourable. The split in the Congress in the wake of Partition and
immediately after Independence, the country could not have afforded, perhaps
the newly won independence would have been lost. Pandit Nehru, himself a
personification of secularism and himself of socialist conviction must have sensed that…. [a] split within the Congress
over socialistic and secular lines immediately after Partition, immediately
after Independence, would have meant the loss of independence, perhaps.”
Q1. Which of the following statements
does not form the part of the given passage?
(a)India’s unique brand of secularism is
very difficult to comprehend especially by its contemporary rulers and civil
society.
(b)Many believed that the inclusion of
the word secularism in the Preamble would create the right atmosphere to urge
minorities to play a positive role in the development and progress of the
nation.
(c)India’s brand of secularism is a
complex mix of constitutional provisions that guarantee all persons freedom of
conscience and the right to free profession, practice and propagation of
religion.
(d) It was feared that secularism being
a complex term would lend to various interpretations that might contradict what
originally envisioned by the Constitution-makers.
(e)None of the above.
Q2. Why according to the passage did the
Constitution-makers avoid defining the term “secularism” in the Preamble?
(I)The term “secularism” was so
sophisticated that the Constitution-makers found it difficult to define it
smoothly.
(II)The Constitution-makers worried that
without defining the term in the Preamble would lend it to various explanations
that might differ what originally envisaged by them.
(III)The conditions and circumstances
prevailing during that period were unfavourable to make any such move to define
the most important term in the Preamble.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Only (II) is correct
(c)Both (I) and (III) are correct
(d)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(e)All are correct
Q3. What are the provisions related to
Secularism mentioned in the Constitution?
(I)It guarantees all persons freedom of
conscience and the right to free profession.
(II)It guarantees practice and propagation
of religion and protection of the interests of minorities.
(III)It guarantees the freedom to manage
religious affairs.
(IV)It guarantees the freedom from being
compelled to pay taxes to promote a particular religion.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(c)Only (I), (II) and (IV) are correct
(d)Only (II), (III) and (IV) are correct
(e)All are correct
Q4. Why according to the passage the
rising challenges to secularism seem invincible?
(a)India’s unique brand of secularism
has not been sufficiently understood either by its contemporary rulers or by
civil society.
(b)India’s Constitution-makers did not
feel the need to explain the meaning of the term and left it to lawmakers and
the courts to decide the same through constitutional provisions.
(c)The government abandoned its move to
define the term, conceding the reservations expressed by the Members of
Parliament during the debate on the subject.
(d)Parliament has failed in its
obligation to see that equal opportunities are afforded to the minorities so
that they may develop equally and thus enable us to establish a welfare society
in this country.
(e)All are true.
Q5. What led the judge of the Supreme
Court to state “India is a secular
country, but I don’t know how long it will remain so”?
(I)The Judge felt that people have
become complacent about the future of secularism in India.
(II)There were certain events that
challenged the existence of secularism in the Constitution.
(III)The Judge was pleased by the issues
related to the case he was hearing in 2015.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Both (I) and (II) are correct
(c)Both (II) and (III) are correct
(d)None is correct
(e)All are correct
Q6. What does author mean by the term “larger objective” in context of the
passage?
(I) Secularism is a priceless objective to strive for and defend given
the grim challenges it faces from non-state actors, often with the connivance
of the state.
(II)The insertion of the word “secular”
along with the word “socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in the Preamble
was visualized as a larger objective.
(III)The government envisioned that the
objective of secularism could actually limit the steps envisaged in the
Constitution to ensure the freedom and protection of minorities.
(a)Only (I) is correct
(b)Only (II) is correct
(c)Only (III) is correct
(d)Both (I) and (II) are correct
(e)All are correct
Direction
(7-8): Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group
of words printed in bold as used in passage.
Q7. Conceive
(a)Harmonize
(b)Consolidate
(c)Perceive
(d)Integrate
(e)Penetrate
Q8. Exasperation
(a)Tedious
(b)Scathing
(c)Quibbling
(d)Vexation
(e)Exigent
Direction (9-10):
Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word/group
of words printed in bold as used in passage.
Q9. Insurmountable
(a)Vulnerable
(b)Impervious
(c)Remote
(d)Elusive
(e)Dogged
Q10. Conviction
(a)Conjecture
(b)Dictum
(c)Dogma
(d)Assumption
(e)Doubt
Directions (11-15): Read each sentence to find
out whether there is any grammatical or idiomatic error in it. The error, if
any, will be in one part of the sentence. The number of that part is the
answer. If there is ‘No error’, the answer is (e). (Ignore errors of
punctuation, if any.)
Q11. All of a sudden (a)/ Sudhir
remembered that (b)/ he has not (c)/ locked the office. (d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q12. I am sure that (a)/ all my monthly
expenses (b)/ would exceed the income (c)/ if I do not economise. (d)/ No
error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q13. Although their visas (a)/ will
expire in September (b)/ they can have them (c)/ extended for six months. (d)/
No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q14. Hardly as I stepped (a)/ out of my
house when (b)/ I saw some policemen (c)/ coming towards my house.(d)/ No
error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
Q15. The last of the Mughal (a)/
emperors of India was imprisoned (b)/ and was later sent into (c)/ exile by the
British. (d)/ No error. (e)
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) E
SOLUTIONS:
S1. Ans. (b)
Sol. Read the complete passage carefully. Statements (a), (c) and (d) can be easily accessed from the passage while statement (b) finds no relevance as it is not mentioned anywhere in the passage that the inclusion of the word secularism in the Preamble would create the right atmosphere to urge minorities to play a positive role in the development and progress of the nation. Hence only option (b) does not form the part of the passage.
S2. Ans. (e)
Sol. Refer the third and fourth paragraphs of the passage, all three reasons are well explained that led the Constitution-makers to avoid defining the term in the Preamble. Hence (e) is the correct option.
S3. Ans. (e)
Sol. Refer the second paragraph of the passage, “India’s brand of secularism is a complex mix of constitutional provisions that guarantee all persons freedom of conscience and the right to free profession, practice and propagation of religion; the freedom to manage religious affairs; the freedom from being compelled to pay taxes to promote a particular religion; and protection of the interests of minorities.” Hence all four statements are correct in context of the passage.
S4. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer the second paragraph of the passage, “One only needs to read contemporary news headlines to understand the severity of these challenges to secularism. They appear insurmountable partly because India’s unique brand of secularism has not been sufficiently understood either by its contemporary rulers or by civil society.” Hence only option (a) is correct in context of the passage.
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Refer the first paragraph of the passage, “JUSTICE VIKRAMJIT SEN, A RETIRED JUDGE of the Supreme Court, once observed during the hearing of a case in 2015: “India is a secular country, but I don’t know how long it will remain so.” A sense of exasperation might have been behind his observation…” Hence only statement (I) is correct in context of the passage.
S6. Ans. (b)
Sol. Refer the second last sentence of the third paragraph, “But Parliament’s insertion of the word “secular” along with the word “socialist” to describe the Indian Republic in the Preamble during the Emergency (1975-77) was, to infer from the debates, aimed at emphasising the “larger objective”.” Hence only statement (II) is correct in context of the passage.
S7. Ans. (c)
Sol. Conceive means form a mental representation of; imagine. Hence “Perceive” is the word most similar in meaning to it.
S8. Ans. (d)
Sol. Exasperation means a feeling of intense irritation or annoyance. Vexation means the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried. Hence both are similar in meanings.
Exigent means pressing; demanding.
Tedious means too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.
Quibbling means argue or raise objections about a trivial matter.
S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. Insurmountable means too great to be overcome. Hence “Vulnerable” is the word most opposite in meaning to it.
Impervious means unable to be affected by.
S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. Conviction means a firmly held belief or opinion. Hence “Doubt” is the word most opposite in meaning to it.
Conjecture means an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
Dictum means a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source.
Dogma means a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
S11. Ans. (c)
Sol. Use ‘had’ in place of ‘has’ because past perfect is used for past form of incident.
S12. Ans. (b)
Sol. The use of ‘all’ is superfluous as ‘monthly expenses’ includes all types of expenses.
S13. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘expire’ will be used in place of ‘will expire’ as for future fixed programme, simple present tense is used. Ex. The college re- opens on Monday.
S14. Ans. (a)
Sol. Use ‘had’ in place of ‘as’ as the syntax ‘Hardly+ had+ Subject+ V3’, ‘when + Subject + V2’ is used.
Ex. Hardly had I gone out when a friend of mine came.
S15. Ans. (c)
Sol. Use ‘on’ after ‘later’ as ‘later’ means ‘after’ while ‘later on’ means ‘afterwards’.
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