Reasoning (Statements and Course of Action)

STEPS TO EVALUATE A COURSE OF ACTION

If we analyse the questions asked in the examinations till now, we can classify the question into two patterns or types.

I. The first pattern talks of a problem and the suggested courses of action talk of a solution.

II) The second pattern talks of a situation or fact and the courses of actions are ways of improving that situation.

Type 1. Problem Solution Relation

In this type of pattern, the suggested course of action can be followed if.

1) It solves / reduces of minimise the problem

2) the solution or course of action is practically Possible.

Type II: Fact - Improvement Relation 

i. This pattern is solved just by applying the same rules of 

Type I. First we have to identify whether the fact or situation will improve due to the course of action mentioned. Second thing to do is to check whether the, course of action is practically possible.

GOLDEN RULE THE FINAL WORD

Never allow our personal perceptions to come into play while evaluating the suggested courses of action. We should always give importance to the way public departments and systems function and we should accept them even if we don't trust them. Our decisions and views should be impartial and impersonal.

Apart from these things, you need to take care of the following points while doing these type of questions :

i. Remember that the course of action should always be positive. Just put yourself in a situation and take the decision right. You don't need to get carried away emotionally or in any kind of psychological feelings.

ii. If the question is demanding to take any action against anyone, then try to search if he/she is repeating the mistake or not because you cannot take decisions just after listening to complaints.

iii. Try to do all questions from this section, even if two of your answers are correct and suppose three are wrong (out of five questions on course of action/statement-assumption), then also you will have positive 1.25 marks.

Below are the questions based on the Statement-Course of action :

Directions : 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 two given suggested courses of action logically follows for pursuing.

Give answer:

(a) if only I follows

(b) if only II follows

(c) if either I or II follows

(d) if neither I nor II follows

(e) if both I and II follow

1. Statement : The inmates of Jail X are very dangerous people.

Courses of Action :

I) More security personnel should be deployed to guard the Jail.

II) Some inmates should be shifted to a different jail.

2. Statement : Power supply on state X is terribly poor.

Courses of Action :

I) The concerned authorities should immediately take measures to protect power theft. pilferage etc.

II) The government should buy excess power from the neighboring states.

3. Statement: The teenager was arrested by the police for taking drugs.

Courses of Action :

I) The teenager should be meted with corporal punishment by the police.

II) The teenager should be sent to a drug rehabilitation centre.

4) Statement: Corruption has become rampant in our society.

Courses of Action :

I) All corrupt persons should be brought to book.

II) We should all strive to make our society corruption free.

5) Statement : Floods may create havoc in the country this year too.

Courses of Action :

I) The Government should be on the alert to evacuate flood-affected victims.

II) People should not be afraid of floods.

6) Statement : The State Government has decided to declare "Kala Azar" as a notifiable disease under the Epidemics Act. 1987 . Family members or neighbours of the patient are liable to be punished in case they do not inform the state authorities.

Courses of Action :

I) Efforts should be made to effectively implement the Act.

II) The cases of punishment should be propagated through mass media so that more people become aware of the stern action.

7) Statement : Every year, at the beginning or at the end of the monsoons, we have some cases of conjunctivitis, but this year it seems to be a major epidemic witnessed after nearly four years.

Courses of Action :

I) Precautionary measures should be taken after every four years to check this epidemic.

II) People should be advised to drink boiled water during winter season.

8) Statement : A recent study shows that children below five die in the cities of the developing countries mainly of diarrhoea and parasitic intestinal worms.

Courses of Action :

I) Governments of the developing countries should take adequate measures to improve the hygienic conditions in the cities.

ii) Children below five years in the cities of the developing countries need to be brought under constant medication.

9) Statement : One of the problems facing the food- processing industry is the irregular supply of raw material to other industries also.

Courses of Action :

I) The government should regulate the supply of raw material for the food processing industry.

II) The government should annouce an attractive Package to ensure regular supplly of raw material. The producers of raw material are not getting a reasonable price.

10) Statement : Most the development plans develop on paper only.

Courses of Action :

I) The incharge should be instructed to supervise the field - work regularly.

II) the supply of paper to such departments should be cut short.

1)a I is desirable because tighter security arrangements are needed for dangerous people. II is ruled out because its efficacy is in doubt.

2) e Both I and II are established facts and hence both I and II follows.

3) b It is an established fact that a teenager who takes drugs will never stop it if he is beaten by the police. But the right action is to take him to a rehabilitation centre. Hence only II follows.

4) d Both I and II are vague. It lacks substance. Nothing concrete is being said here. 

5) a If floods occur this year too, I is likely to yield positive results. II is a negative approach. We must refrain from panic but a healthy fear is desirable.

6) e When the Government takes such an action it is necessary that people are made aware of the consequences they would face if they do not obey the directive . Hence II follows. I is obvious.

7) d Against an epidemic, precautionary measures should be taken every year and not every four years. Hence I does not follow. II is not a preventive action against conjunctivitis. Hence II also does not follow.

8) a To improve the hygienic conditions is always a welcome step and in view of the statement it becomes even more necessary. Hence, I unquestionably follows. But II does not. We should not medicate any child unless he has actually contracted the disease. Prevention is all right but curing should begin only after the disease has been contracted.

9) b I is an absurd suggestion. When one industry is facing trouble because of regulations, it talks of regulating the supply of other industrial raw materials too. II is a better action because it would tend to solve the problem.

10) a The Statement mentions a problem that most of the development plans develop on paper only. They are not materialised in reality. This problem could be solved if field work was supervised properly. Hence I follows. But II is a absurd suggestion. The issue is lack of actual field work and not misuse of paper.