Question

Statement I: School education has been made free for children of poor families
Statement II: Literacy rate among the poor is steadily growing.

• A. Statement I is the cause and statement II is the effect
• B. Statement II is the cause and statement I is the effect
• C. Both the statements are independent causes
• D. Both the statements are independent effects

Hint:

In cause-effect questions involving policies, the policy almost always acts as the cause, and social indicators act as the effect.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understand Statement I — Free school education for children from poor families means that economic barriers to education have been removed for this group.
Step 2: Understand Statement II — Literacy rate among the poor is steadily growing, which indicates a positive educational outcome over time.
Step 3: Check direct cause-effect — If education is made free, more poor children can attend school, leading to higher literacy rates.
Step 4: Reverse check — A rise in literacy rate would not cause education to be made free; policy changes precede social outcomes, not vice versa.
Step 5: Consider independent causes/effects — The strong logical link shows that these are not unrelated events; they are directly connected.
Step 6: Conclusion — Statement I is the cause (policy decision) and Statement II is the effect (improved literacy), so option (a) is correct.