Problem and Course of Action A course of Action is a step to be taken for improvement or further action with regard to the problem on the basis of the information given in the statement. Such questions are asked to test your ability to judge a problem correctly and to determine the root cause of the problem and then to prescribe a suitable course of action. As responsible officers, you will have to face many administrative challenges which will require ability to decide correct course of action. Therefore, these questions are asked to test such ability in you. How to Solve : On the basis of the experience of coming across a large number of such questions, I can foretell you that basically there will be two broad types of pattern of such questions- First where the presented situation depends upon a problem and the suggested course of action gives solution. Second where the presented situation depends upon a simple fact (not a problem, just a situation) and the suggested course of action suggest way of improvement. Give answer – (1) If only course of Action I follows. (2) If only course of Action II follows. (3) If either course of Action I or II folllows. (4) If neither course of Action I nor II follows. (5) If both course of Action I and II follows. EXAMPLE – Q.1. Statement : Very large numbers of people from northern part of the city are suffering from water borne diseases. Course of Action : I. The municipal authority should advice people living in area not to use water supplied through pipeline for drinking purpose. II. The local hospitals should be put on high alert to tackle the emerging crisis situation. EXPLANATION (I) is not valid solution because water is necessary not only for drinking it also required for daily use, bathing, working so no one can avoid the use. But II course of Action is required because infected water creates health related problems so hospitals should be ready to face any situation. Ans. (2) Q.2. Statement : Despite all the efforts by the government, thirty cases of polio were reported in State X as the parents of those children remained uninformed of this drive against polio. Course of action : I. Strict action should be taken against the parents of children affected from polio. II. Strict action should be taken against the doctors administering polio drops in the state. EXPLANATION : Both are weak course of action because we can’t support any strict course of action before knowing the real cause. And according to given condition awareness should be created about polio. Ans. (4) Q.3. Statement : Private airlines have increased the fare during festive season by almost 50%. Course of action: I. People should be advised to travel only by buses and trains during the festive season. II. Airfares should be regulated by the government to a certain limit. EXPLANATION : At the time of festive season reservations in trains and buses is the biggest problem as great number of people like to use airlines. To control the fare increment government should make certain limit on private airlines.Ans. (2) Q.4. Statement : Several passengers were stranded at the airport as all the flights had to be cancelled due to severe snowfall for the third consecutive day. Course of action : I. All the flights should be immediately resumed. II. Airport authority should provide Exams appropriate stay arrangements for the stranded passengers. EXPLANATION : Airport Authority should arrange proper accomodation for the passenger due to cancellation of all flights. Ans. (2) Q.5. Statement : A practice march by the Army is scheduled to be held on one of the busiest roads in the city on Tuesday. Courses of action : I. Traffic should be diverted during the practice march so as to ease traffic congestion during that time. II. Public notices should be issued to avoid using the road till the practice march on Tuesday gets over. EXPLANATION : To avoid the traffic inconvenience, of the public government should issue the notice and divert the traffic. Ans. (5) Key points- Correct course of action should either be lesser than the problem or should improve the present situation. Simple problem must have simple course of action and not a complex one so that it may solve or reduce the problem and not create more issue.. Course of action regarding government action must be given for the wellfare of public or development of the country. Suspension, Restriction or Resignation will not be immediate course of action but warning. Statement and assumption An Assumption is some thing which is assumed, supposed and taken for granted. When somebody says something he does not put everything and every aspect of his idea into that which he takes for granted, this may be defined as an assumption. Cases of Assumption C ases of assum ption C onjunction C onn otive P hrase B efore, so, even, after, therefore, as a result of although, despite of, inspite of D efinitive W ords O nly, best, all Strongest, certainly definitely C ases of assum ption C onjunction C onn otive P hrase B efore, so, even, after, therefore, as a result of although, despite of, inspite of D efinitive W ords O nly, best, all Strongest, certainly definitely C ases of assum ption C onjunction C onn otive P hrase B efore, so, even, after, therefore, as a result of although, despite of, inspite of D efinitive W ords O nly, best, all Strongest, certainly definitely 1 – Definitive Words While evaluating an assumption you can always take a clue from some words that lend a definite meaning to the statement. 2- Conjunction When a statement consists of two clauses and clauses are connected by conjunction, the nature of conjunction used, goes a long way in detecting the assumption that the author must have made. 3- Connotive Phrase Some times the author says the things in indirect way and because of this we remain untoughed with the meaning. Important Facts Related to Invalid Assumption Some times assumptions are contrary to their statement or not connected with the statement and can easily be rejected. An assumption is invalid if it is a mere restatement putting it in different words of given statement. The given assumption is invalid if it is an inferrence derivable from given statement. An assumption is invalid if it uses too farfatched reasoning. Difference Between Implication And Assumption Sometimes implications are also treated as assumptions. It is slightly different from assumpiton. Impication means the hidden meaning of statement while assumption is something on which statement is based. Given Answer – (1) If only I is implicit. (2) If only II is implicit. (3) If either I or II is implicit. (4) If neither I nor II is implicit. (5) If both I and II are implicit. [4] EXAMPLEs Q1. Statement : ‘Do not enter – avoid the risk of getting infected with the ABC disease’-written outside the quarantine ward no. 2 (meant only for ABC disease) of a hospital’. Assumption : I. Disease ‘ABC’ is contagious. II. All the patients in ward no.2 suffer from disease ABC. EXPLANATION : ABC is a contagious disease and all patient of ward number 2 are suffering from ABC disease, on the behalf of these assumption above condition is given. Ans. (5) Q.2. Statement : In city Z, people prefer to buy Car X instead of Car Y as Car X has German technology which is very advanced. Assumption : I. Cars with German technology are perceived to be better than other cars in city Z. II. Had German technology been present in Car Y also, its sales would have crossed car X’s sales. EXPLANATION : It seams that German Technology is better than other technologies so it would increase the sale. Both assumptions are implicit. Ans. (1) Q.3. Statement : Railway does not provide concession to any one for travelling to certain holiday destinations. Assumption : I. Railway services are available for travelling to these holiday destinations. II. Railways provides concession to certain persons for travelling to places other than these holiday destinations. EXPLANATION : Railway services are available for travelling holiday destination on the basis of this assumption above statement is given. But the other assumption sounds just opposite meaning. Ans. (1) Q.4. Statement : “Travelers with a ticket for the second class if found travelling in the first class compartments would be penalized”- Notice in the compartments of a train. Assumption : I. Travelers with a ticket for the first class are also not allowed to travel in the second class compartments. II. Inspections are carried out in the train to check the tickets. EXPLANATION: First assumption is not related with statement. Inspections are carried out in trains to check the tickets. Ans. (2) Q.5. Statement : The prices of petrol and diesel have remained unchanged only in Nigeria since the past three years. Assumption : I. Petrol and diesel prices have changed elsewhere in the world during these three years. II. Before this three years period, petrol and diesel were available at a price different from the present rates. EXPLANATION: The price of petrol and diesel have changed else where in the world in three years in comparison to Nigeria and prices remain unchanged since three years, it means there rate would have been different three years before . Ans. (5) Memorable Points- Statement is a part of our speech of which most of the ideas remain unexpressed. Assumption is something in which the reader assume something on the basis of the given statement. If statement and assumption are not co-related then it is not implicit validity. Assumption is always positive regarding the competition of the work favouring the executor. Request/order/Advise is considered valid in the case of Assumption. [5] Important Questions Problem and Course of Action Q.1-20. In each question below is given a statement followed by two courses of action numbered I and II. A course of action is a step or administrative decision to be taken for improvement, follow-up or further action in regard to the problem, policy, etc. On the basis of the information given in the statement, you have to assume everything in the statement to be true, then decide which of the suggested courses of action logically follow(s) for pursuing. Give answer (1) If only Course of action I follows. (2) If only Course of action II follows. (3) If either Course of action I or II follows. (4) If neither Course of action I nor II follows. (5) If both Courses of action I and II follow. Q.1. Statement : Many customers complained to the manager of the local branch of the bank against the high handedness of the bank employees while dealing with the customers. Courses of action: I. The bank management should immediately suspend all the employees of the branch and deploy a different set of employees. II. The.bank management should ask for a report from the manager of the branch for taking necessary steps. Q.2 Statement : Two persons, while on their daily walks in the jogger’s park were killed by unidentified miscreants early in the morning. Courses of action: I. The police authority should deploy police constables near the jogger’s park to prevent such criminal acts in future. II. The citizens of the locality should go for early morning walks in groups to avoid such attacks. Q.3. Statement : A very larger number of recently recruited officers left the Bank after attending the training programme on branch Banking operations conducted by the bank. Courses of action: I. The bank should take a bond of at least two years from each newly recruited officers before putting them into the training programme. II. The bank should conduct the training progrmme at least one year after the newly recruited officers joined the bank. Q.4. Statement : An increasing number of graduates produced by Indian universities are unemployable. Courses of action: I. Colleges and Institutes of higher learning should be given greater autonomy to decide course content. II. World class foreign universities should be encouraged, to set up campuses in India. Q.5. Statement : Heavy rains hit the state during October, just before the State Assembly elections and caused heavy damage to standing crops in most parts of the state. Courses of action: I. Elections should be postponed to give candidates the opportunity to campaign. II. The Government should announce a relief package for those who are affected. [6]Q.6. Statement : The dolphin population in India has been decreasing sharply over the past few years. Courses of action : I. Dolphins should be declared an endangered species and be breed in aquariums or protected areas. II. Locals should be enlisted to protect dolphins. Q.7. Statement : In a mock security drill at the airport, a passenger ignored the instructions of the crew and severely injured his leg while hurrying to get off the plane. Courses of action: I. The passenger should sue the airline for negligence. II. The airline should provide immediate medical assistance to the passenger. Q.8. Statement: Illegal construction in the area which attracts thousands of tourists every year has been leading to frequent landslides and floods. Courses of action: I. The government should put a ban on all kinds of construction work in the area. II. Tourism in the area should be totally banned until illegal construction work stops completely. Q.9. Statement : Imported fruits which are priced at nearly thrice the regular price have been floading the market, making fruits out of reach for a middle class household. Courses of action: I. The government should regulate the prices of fruits so as to make them affordable to the common man. II. Indian farmers should be encouraged to grow the imported varieties of fruits as these are more popular among the general public. Q.10. Statement : Four cases of pick pocketing were reported at one of the most renowned five star hotels last evening Courses of action : I. The hotel staff should be instructed to be vigilant and report any suspicious person or activity. II. More CCTV cameras should be installed near the dining and reception areas of the hotel where these incidents took place. Q.11. Statement : Despite repeated warnings to students and parents from the college, some students have finally no fulfilled the mandatory criteria of 75% attendance in order to appear for exams Courses of action: I. The college should stop adhering to this particular criteria. II. Either the parents or guardians of the defaulters should be called for a meeting. Q.12. Statement : The students residing at the hostel of a university had to stay without electricity. and water for 48 hours not because of shortages but because of negligence by the hostel staff. Courses of action: I. The management of the university should look into the matter and take action against such negligence. II. The students should leave the hostel and find some alternate accommodation. Q.13. Statement : Local villagers have reported that instances of illegal cutting of trees have increased over the last few months in the forest area. Courses of action: I. The locals should be encouraged to report any such activities in the future. II. Authorities should immediately look into the matter and put a stop to such illegal activity. [7] Exams Q.14. Statement : There is an exodus of good student from the vernacular medium schools to the nearby English medium schools in the locality. Course of action : I. The management of the vernacular medium schools should immediately set up a joint action committee to find out the reason for the exodus and find way to reverse the trend. II. The management of the English medium schools should immediately set up a joint action committee to regulate the exodus to accommodate the next student as per their capacity. Q.15. Statement : There has been sudden increase in the number of migrants from rural areas to big cities in the recent past causing extensive pressure on the meager resources of the civic amenities. Course of action : I. The concerned civic authority should immediately put a complete ban on entry of immigrant population . II. The govt. should immediately set up task force with a mandate to find ways to reduce to influx of migrant population in the big cities. Q.16. Statement: Despite all the efforts by the government, thirty cases of polio were reported in State X as the parents of those children remained uninformed of this drive against polio. Courses of action : I. Strict action should be taken against the parents of children affected from polio. II. Strict action should be taken against the doctors administering polio drops in the state. Q.17. Statement : Several passenger were standed at the airport as all the flights had to be cancelled due to severe snowfall for the third consecutive day. Course of action: I. All the flights should be immediately resumed. II. Airport authority should provid appropriate stay arrangements for the standed passengers. Q.18. Statement: Very few students have been opted for academic research as professional courses offer better economic dividends. Course of action: I. Academic research should be linked to industry so as to improve its economic perspective. II. Economic dividends of professional courses should be made less attractive so as to attract students to academic research as well. Q.19. Statement: People see tax as a burden and thus device ways to underpay or avoid it altogether. Courses of action : I. Govt. should educate and inform citizens about the ways in which taxes help in development of the nation II. Tax rates should be increased so that the under- recovery in collection is compensated Q.20. Statement: A plethora of bodies with no single one which can be held accountable for city’s development is the; key reason behind its rather stagnant state. Courses of action : I. Each body should be given a set of duties and there should be no duplication in such allocation. II. An umbrella committee should be appointed with powers to regulate actions of all other bodies. Statement and assumption Q.1-20. In each question below is given a statement followed by two assumptions numbered I and II. An assumption is something supposed or taken for granted. You have to consider the statement and the following assumptions and decide which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement. [8]Give answer (1) if only Assumption I is implicit. Give answer (2) if only Assumption II is implicit. Give answer (3) if either Assumption I or II is implicit. Give answer (4) if neither Assumption I nor II is implicit. Give answer (5) if both Assumptions I and II are implicit. Q.1. Statement The civic body put up a huge notice board on the beach located at an isolated part of the city as “Many picknickers died while swimming in the sea during the past few months”. Assumptions: I. Picknickers may ignore the notice and continue venturing into the sea. II. Picknickers may read and be careful while venturing into the sea. Q.2. Statement: The govt. has recently advised all the public sector banks to reduce rate of interest on home loans upto Rs.25 lakhs. Assumptions: I. The public sector banks may reduce the interest on all home loans upto Rs.25 lakhs. II. People may take undue advantage of the govt.’s decision. Q.3. Statement : The local hospital put up a notice board at the main entrance stating that the hospital will carry out free check up for detecting cancer for the people staying entire locality. Assumptions: I. Large number of people living in the locality may avail the free check up -facility offered by the hospital. II. Hospital staff deployed for the purpose may be able to cope up with the rush of people for check up. Q.4. Statement: Government has decided to relocate all the factories from the city with imme diate effect to reduce the pollution. Assumptions: I. Pollution in the city is being caused only because of the factories exist ing there. II. People may be able to manage travelling daily to the relocated factories Q.5. Statement: The government announced a heavy compensation package for all the victims of the terrorist attacks. Assumptions: I. Such incidents of terror may not occur in near future. II. Compensation may mitigate the anger among the citizens against the current government. Q.6. Statement: Even though the number of sugar factories is increasing at a high rate in India, we still continue to import it from other countries. Assumptions: I. Even the increased number of factories may not be able to meet the demand of sugar in India. II. The demand for sugar may increase substantially in future. Q.11. Statement: A major retail store announced thirty percent reduction on all food items during the weekend. Assumptions: I. People may still prefer buying food items from other stores. II. Large number of customers may visit the retail store and buy food items. Q.12. Statement : The captain of the school football team selected only fourteen players to play all the eight matches of the interschool football competition. [9] I. There may be adequate number of football Players for all the matches. II. The captain may be able to play in all the matches. Q.14. Statement : The school authority has decided to give five grace marks in English to all the students of Std. IX as the performance of these students in English was below expectation. Assumptions: I. Majority of the students of Std. IX may still fail in English even after giving grace marks. II. Majority of the students of Std. IX may now pass in English after giving grace marks. Q.15. Statement : The govt. has decided to earmark a separate lane in the metropolis for passenger vehicles with more than one occupant. Assumptions: I. The move may help decongest the roads of the metropolis. II. Many people may resort to pool car system to avoid traffic snarls. Q.16. Statement : The railway authority has announced that it will carry out major repair work for two days beginning Saturday on the main line connecting the two big cities in the State bringing the rail service to a halt. Assumptions: I. People may reschedule their journey in view of the railway authority’s decision. II. People may still plan their travel by train between the two cities even on these two days. Q.17. Statement : The civic authority of the metropolis has decided to suspend sanctioning of new building proposals for six months and assess the impact of the current building projects on the city’s amenities. Assumptions: I. The builders’ lobby may move the court against the civic body’s decision. II. The civic authority may be able to complete the impact study in about six months. Q.18. Statement : ‘Do not enter – avoid the risk of getting infected with the ABC disease written outside the quarantine ward no. 2 (meant only for ABC disease) of a hospital’. Assumptions : I. Disease ‘ABC’ is contagious. II. All the patients in ward no.2 suffer from disease ABC. Q.19. Statement : In city Z, people prefer to buy Car X instead of Car Y as Car X has German technology which is very advanced. Assumptions : I. Cars with German technology are perceived to be better than other cars in city Z. II. If German technology had been present in Car Y also, its sales would have crossed car X’s sales. Q.20. Statement : The municipal corporation has announced 50 percent reduction in water supply till monsoon arrives in the city. Assumptions: I. People may protest against the unilateral decision of the municipal corporation. II. Municipal Corporation may reduce its taxes from the residents as it failed to provide adequate water. [10] Explanation/Important Questions Problem and Course of Action Q.1.(4) First is not valid because it is extreme and immediate and second to because bank management has no role in question. Q.2.(1) I is valid because deploying police at place of accident is a proper action. II is not valid because it is a casual suggestion. Q.3.(1) Rating bond may restrict the rate of leaving candidates so I is valid. II is not valid because it is ridiculous. Q.4.(4) To provide autonomy to decide course will greatly effect the quality of course, so (I) does not follow. To encourage foreign universities is not the solution of the problem. So (II) also does not follow. Q.5.(2) Course of Action (I) does not follows beacuse it is only wastage of extra money and time. To provide relief package to affected people is valid course of action. So (II) follows. Q.6.(5) To declared dophins as endangered species and to breed in aquariums and protected areas will help to increase the number of Dolphins. So course of action (I) is valid listing the locals to protect the dolphins may prove a helpful step in this direction so course of action (II) is also valid. Q.7.(2) Only II follows because the Ist one not solve our problem and the second one solve the above problem. of the statement. Q.8.(4) Both I and II are not follows because they do not solve the problem of the statement. Q.9.(5) Both I and II are follows because they solve the problem of the statement. Q.10.(5) Both I and II are follows because they solve the problem of the statement. Q.11.(2) Only II follows because the Ist one not solve our problem and the second one solve the above problem. of the statement. Q.12.(1) Q.13.(1) Only I follows because the Ind one not solve our problem and the first one solve the above problem. Q.14.(1) Only I follows because the Ind one not solve our problem and the first one solve the above problem. Q.15.(2) Only II follows because the Ist one not solve our problem and the second one solve the above problem. of the statement. Q.16.(4) Both I and II are not follows because they do not solve the problem of the statement. Q.17.(2) Only II follows because the Ist one not solve our problem and the second one solve the above problem. Q.18.(1) Only I follows because the second one not solve our problem and the first one solve our problem. Q.19.(1) People should provide information about countribution of tax payment in country’s development. Q.20.(5) Both I and II are follows because they solve the problem of the statement. Statement and assumption Q.1.(2) I is not implicit because it is negative assumption. II is implicit because it is the basis of notice. Q.2.(1) An advice is given assuming that it will be followed so I is implicit. II is not implicit because it is negative. Q.3.(5) If I and II are not possible then there no use making such arrangements so both must have been assumed. [11] Q.4.(4) Both assumption does not follow (I) assumption does not follow because of only used in this assumption. II Assumption also does not follow because aim for relocation is discussed in the statement. Q.5.(4) Both assumption does not follow (I) assumption does not follow because there is not only discussion about the future. II assumption also does not follow because compensation is not for mitigating the anger among the citizens. Q.6.(1) Only I assumption follows, because it explain the situation for the statement. Q.7.(2) ‘II’ is a valid assumption because this type of presumption may easily lead a shopkeeper to announce a big discount. Q.8.(5) The captain selected only fourteen player even when he knew that they have to play 8 matches it mean the captain was assuming that this no. of players is adequate so T is implicit. II is also implicit because- this is quite natured that a person has been made captain because he is supposed to play in all the matches. Q.9.(2) If majority of students still fail then there is no meaning of giving grace marks i.e. this can’t be implicit. Since majority of students showed the poor performance so the target was that majority of students may how pass. II may be implicit. Q.10.(1) Preventing roads from congention may have been one of the reasons so I is an implicit assumption. II seems more to been effect so it not implicit. Q.11.(1) Authorities may have been expecting people to reschdule their journey while making such announcement so (I) is implicit. II is not implicit because it goes against the motive of statement. Q.12.(2) (I) Is not implicit because it firstly is a negative assumption and secondly the action is not so hard that the party could move to court. II. is implicit because that is why six month’s time has been given. Q.13.(5) It may be possible that all the patients of ward no.2 have been suffering from contagious disease ABC. Q.14.(1) According to the statement only I assumption is implicit. Q.15.(4) According to the statement both assumption are not implicit. Q.16.(1) To prevent the people for crossing the railway track the police has punished them. Q.17.(5) The number of applicatns may have increased so most of the engineering colleges has applied for sanctioning more seats. Q.18.(4) Most of the private companies have decided against annual increase in salaries due to economic situations employees protest against decision is an after effect and any type of change in salaries next year cannot be expected so both assumptions are not impicit. Q.19.(5) The govt. has levy congestion tax to passengers travelling by air to and from metro cities it is posibile that collected amount will be used for handling huge traffice so first assumption is implicit and any type of charge, tax, may be levied on the basis of their capability so second in also implicit. Q.20.(5) According to the statement both assumption are implicit.
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