Question

Directions: Replace the number with the word(s) that best fit(s) the meaning of the passage as a whole.
Indian institutions prefer students to be _______ (46) listeners. Our education system, barring a few exceptions, encourages a hierarchical relationship between teacher and student. The former controls knowledge and the latter is expected to submissively accept what is handed down. The argumentative Indian thrives despite the system. This may look like an / a _______ (47) because a competitive political democracy like India should have facilitated an educational system that is cool about arguments and dissent. Or, is the _______ (48) in the education system a reflection of a flaw in our democratic culture? We have regular elections and our political space teems with parties subscribing to a _______ (49) of ideologies. But is this space sufficiently democratic so that people get the leaders they deserve? A range of identities such as family, clan, caste, religion influences our choice of leaders more than their understanding of public policy. Beneath _______ (50) of democracy, the old social order, where caste was privileged over merit, has survived, though in a weaker form.
This may look like an / a _______ (47) because a competitive political democracy like India should have facilitated an educational system that is cool about arguments and dissent.

• A. Anomaly
• B. Amusement
• C. Enigma
• D. Cavalcade
• E. Catastrophe

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

In this question, the task is to identify the word that best fits the context of the passage, replacing the blank space with the most suitable option. The specific sentence in question is:

"This may look like an / a _______ (47) because a competitive political democracy like India should have facilitated an educational system that is cool about arguments and dissent."

To find the correct answer, let's analyze the context:

1. The passage discusses the hierarchical nature of the Indian education system, which is at odds with the country's democratic values that promote argument and dissent.
2. The phrase "This may look like a/an _______ because" suggests that the word we are looking for should denote something unusual or contradictory to what might be expected in a democracy.
3. Given the context, "anomaly" is the word that best captures this contradiction. An anomaly refers to something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected, which fits the scenario where a hierarchical educational system exists in a democratic society.

Let's rule out other options:

• Amusement - This refers to something funny or entertaining, which does not fit the critical and serious tone of the passage.
• Enigma - While this refers to something mysterious or puzzling, it doesn't specifically highlight the contradiction or inconsistency that "anomaly" does.
• Cavalcade - This refers to a formal procession or sequence, which is irrelevant to the context of the passage.
• Catastrophe - This indicates a disaster or tragedy, which is too extreme for describing the educational system's deviation.

Hence, the correct answer is Anomaly because it aligns accurately with the unexpected and contradictory nature of the educational system in a democracy like India.