2021 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2021 · CSAT

Question 51: Reading Comprehension

Passage – 1 · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “The best universities like Harvard and…”

Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage given above ?

aEfficacy of universities would be better in online mode of conducting classroom tuition as compared to conventional method.
bAvailability of higher education can be made easier and cheaper without diluting the content.
cWe need not invest much in infrastructure related to higher education and yet develop better human and social capital.
dPrivate sector institutions in higher education as well as coaching institutes can take advantage of this opportunity and thrive well.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

The passage describes leading universities adopting the flipped classroom: students watch recorded lectures at home and use class time to apply knowledge and discuss, with teachers guiding. These universities make the lectures free worldwide and urge other institutions to build them into their own teaching. The central idea is that higher education can become easier to reach and cheaper to deliver without lowering the quality of the content. It does not claim online teaching beats the classroom, that infrastructure spending is unnecessary, or that private institutes will profit. Remember: a central idea is broad and carries no extra claims.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) The passage does not rank online teaching above classroom teaching; it blends the two.
  • (b) Right: free shared lectures widen access at low cost while class time keeps the substance.
  • (c) Investment in infrastructure is not discussed, so 'need not invest much' is unsupported.
  • (d) Private institutions and coaching institutes are never mentioned.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2021, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.