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.
36.
Statement: Should there be only one university throughout India?
Arguments:
Yes. This is the only way to bring about uniformity in the educational standards.
No. This is administratively impossible.
Yes. This will make the degrees procured by students, comparable for offering jobs.
The use of the word 'only' in argument I makes it weak. To bring uniformity in educational standards, we can have many universities all following same curricular and policies under one Board. Also, having one university will make the management of education throughout the country almost impossible. So, argument II holds. Besides, it is the variation in the syllabi and assessment of different universities that makes their degrees incomparable, when the students from these universities come together to compete for a job on a common platform. This problem can be eradicated by implementing this scheme. So, argument III also holds strong.
Statement: Should India immediately stop digging coal from its mines?
Arguments:
Yes. The present stock of coal will not last long if we continue mining at the present rate.
No. We do not have alternate energy source of sufficient quantity.
No. This will put millions of people at a disadvantage and their lives will get adversely affected and also the industry.
Though the reserves of coal are limited, yet stopping its use till alternate sources of energy have been discovered, is no solution to conserve it. So, I is not strong. It is true that we haven't till date found a renewable source of energy which is available in plenty and can substitute coal. So, II holds strong. Further, stopping coal mining would surely throw the engaged workers out of employment. So, III also holds strong.
Statement: Should all the indirect taxes in India be combined into a single tax on all commodities?
Arguments:
Yes. This will considerably simplify the tax collection mechanism and the cost of collecting tax will also reduce.
Yes. The manufacturers and traders will be benefited by this which in turn will boost tax collection.
No. No other country has adopted such system.
Only I and II are strong. Clearly, both I and II hold strong, as they provide very convincing reasons, for a single tax system would help get rid of multifarious taxes on a product. Besides, the idea of imitation of other countries in the implementation of a certain policy holds no relevance. So, argument III does not hold strong.
Statement: Should there be complete ban on Indian professionals seeking jobs elsewhere after getting their education in India?
Arguments:
Yes. This is the only way to sustain present rate of technological development in India.
No. The Indians settled abroad send huge amount of foreign exchange and this constitutes a significant part of foreign exchange reserve.
No. The practical knowledge gained by Indians by working in other countries help India develop its economy.
Statement: Should there be a total ban on tobacco products and smoking in India?
Arguments:
Yes. It is wrong to smoke away millions of money.
No. It will throw thousands of workers in the tobacco industry out of employment.
No. The government will lose huge amount of money as it will not earn by way of taxes on these products.
Clearly, smoking needs to be abolished because it is injurious to health and not only to save money. So, argument I is vague. Banning a product would surely render jobless the large number of workers involved in manufacturing it. So, argument II holds strong. Also, tobacco products are a source of big revenue for the government. So, argument III also holds.
