Directions for the following 4 (four) items:
Read the following passage and answer the four items that follow. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only.
Passage
It is no longer, enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education.
The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child-friendly learning system that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher accountability systems and processes must ensure that children are learning. And that their right to learn in a child- friendly environment is not violated. Testing and redesigned to ensure that these do not force children to struggle between school and tuition centres, and bypass childhood.
17. According to the passage, which of the following is/are of paramount importance under the Right to Education?
- Sending of children to school by all parents
- Provision of adequate physical infrastructure in schools
- Curricular reforms for developing child-friendly learning system
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 3 only
- None of the above
18. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- The Right to Education guarantees teachers' accountability for the learning process of children.
- The Right to Education guarantees 100% enrolment of children in the schools.
- The Right to Education intends to take full advantage of demographic dividend.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
19. According to the passage, which one of the following is critical in bringing quality in education?
- Ensuring regular attendance of children as well as teachers in school
- Giving pecuniary benefits to teachers to motivate them
- Understanding the socio-cultural background of children
- Inculcating learning through activities and discovery
20. What is the essential message in this passage?
- The Right to Education now is a Fundamental Right.
- The Right to Education enables the children of poor and weaker sections of the society to attend schools.
- The Right to Free and Compulsory Education should include quality education for all.
- The Government as well as parents should ensure that all children attend schools.
Solutions to Q.17, 18, 19 and 20 given below
Sol 17. Answer is (c).
The thrust of the passage is about fundamental changes that go beyond mere infrastructure and attendance. It says that the Right to Education focuses not on changing the mindset of parents, but focuses on changing the quality of the education that disadvantaged groups receive. It focuses on intangible changes like curricular reforms, teacher's accountability etc. rather than the actual physical infrastructure present at schools. It focuses on teaching-learning process.
Statement 1 is not correct. Statement 2 also is incorrect. Only 3 fits in.
So best answer is (c) - 3 only.
Sol 18. Answer is (b).
Statement 1 says - '...RTE guarantees teachers' accountability...' - this is wrong as the passage speaks about "...teacher accountability systems must ensure that ... etc." Author is expecting that such a thing should happen, and that implies it is not a guaranteed feature. Statement 1 is thus wrong, and is not an assumption. "Guaranteed" is a very strong word, which indicates that all measures have already been taken! In fact, the author is hoping that one day such a situation can arise. Thus, options (a) and (d) are gone.
Statement 2 is correct as the passage speaks of "free and compulsory..." etc. That would imply 100% enrolment of children.
Now look at the options. Only (b) can be correct - 2 and 3 only.
Strictly speaking, even statement 3 may not be correct, but we have no option like "only 2".
Sol 19. Answer is (d).
Option (d) is the best answer as the passage says that ensuring regular attendance is required, but not sufficient in ensuring quality education. However inculcating learning through activities and discoveries falls under the Act's objectives to enhance the learning process and make it less dependent on stressful books and examinations.
Options (a) and (b) could be eliminated easily. Option (c) is not the major argument.
Sol 20. Answer is (c).
We are asked the "essential message" in the paragraph.
Option (a) is a fact, not the essential message.
Option (b) is another fact, though a praiseworthy one, but not the essential message.
Option (c) is correct, as that is what the passage is trying to communicate - Quality Education.
Option (d) is not the main message.
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