Each question given below consists of a statement, followed by three or four arguments numbered I, II, III and IV. You have to decide which of the arguments is/are 'strong' arguments) and which is/are 'weak' arguments) and accordingly choose your answer from the alternatives given below each question.
6.
Statement: Should the public sector undertakings be kilo wed to adopt hire and fire policy?
Arguments:
Yes. This will help the public sector undertakings to get rid of non-performing employees and reward the performing employees.
No. This will give an unjust handle to the management and they may use it indiscriminately.
Yes. This will help increase the level of efficiency of these organizations and these will become profitable establishments.
'Hire and fire policy' implies 'taking up the performing employees and discarding the non-performing ones'. Clearly, such a policy would stand out to encourage employees to work hard and devotedly to retain their jobs and thus enhance productivity and profitability of the organizations. So, both arguments I and III hold strong. Argument II seems to be vague in the light of this.
Statement: Is caste-based reservation policy in professional colleges justified?
Arguments:
Yes. The step is a must to bring the underprivileged at par with the privileged ones.
No. It obstructs the establishment of a classless society.
Yes. This will help the backward castes and classes of people to come out of the oppression of upper caste people.
Clearly, capability is an essential criteria for a profession and reservation cannot ensure capable workers. So, neither I nor III holds strong. However, making one caste more privileged than the other through reservations would hinder the objectives of a classless society. So, argument II holds strong.
Statement: Should there be a complete ban on genetically modified imported seeds?
Arguments:
Yes. This will boost the demand of domestically developed seeds.
No. This is the only way to increase production substantially.
Yes. Genetically modified products will adversely affect the health of those who consume these products.
Genetically modified imported seeds have been specially formulated to increase the yield and quality of produce. So, argument II is strong. Besides, increase in production holds much more significance than the sale of domestically produced seeds. Thus, argument I does not hold. Also, the genetically modified seeds result in a producer of finer quality which is no way harmful to the consumer. So, III also does not hold strong.
Statement: Should the income generated out of agricultural activities be taxed?
Arguments:
No. Farmers are otherwise suffering from natural calamities and low yield coupled with low procurement price and their income should not be taxed.
Yes. Majority of the population is dependent on agriculture and hence their income should be taxed to augment the resources.
Yes. Many big farmers earn much more than the majority of the service earners and they should be taxed to remove the disparity.
Clearly, if the income of farmers is not adequate, they cannot be brought under the net of taxation as per rules governing the Income Tax Act. So, I is not strong. Besides, a major part of the population is dependent on agriculture and such a large section, if taxed even with certain concessions, would draw in huge funds, into the government coffers. Also, many big landlords with substantially high incomes from agriculture are taking undue advantage of this benefit. So, both arguments II and III hold strong.
Statement: Should all the management institutes in the country be brought under government control?
Arguments:
No. The government does not have adequate resources to run such institutes effectively.
No. Each institute should be given freedom to function on its own.
Yes. This will enable to have standardized education for all the students.
Yes. Only then the quality of education would be improved.
Clearly, the government can pool up resources to run such institutes, if that can benefit the citizens. So, I does not hold strong. II does not provide any convincing reason. Also, it is not obligatory that government control over the institutes would ensure better education than that at present. So, both III and IV also do not hold.
