Comprehension
There are millions of children in India, who cannot, for a variety of reasons, be protected by their parents and adult family. They maybe dead, or alcoholic, or violent and abusive, or in jail, or lost, or have abandoned their child. The parents may also be themselves destitute, homeless, gravely ill or disabled, and therefore unable to care for their children without support. The child, who has no home or settled place or abode and any ostensible means of subsistence maybe at risk in other ways as well: due to riots, natural disasters, war and militant conflict; disabilities and incurable terminal ailments, with no one who can support or look after the child; when a child is grossly abused or tortured; is inducted into drug abuse or trafficking; child marriage and child labor. In all such situations, it is the State, which is both morally and legally responsible to protect, nurture and raise each child.
However, at present, the State in India invests miniscule resources in child protection. India today is a youthful nation: 19 percent of the children in the world live within its boundaries, and more than one-third of the population is below 18 years. Accounting for the largest number of children in work, and the second largest number of children affected by HIV, India arguably has the highest number of children facing exploitation and neglect in the world. But the investment on child protection was a shocking 0.034 per cent of the budget.
Traditionally, public authorities have tried to accomplish their duty of protecting children who are at risk mainly by locking away large numbers of these children in State-run, closed institutions for many years until the child grows to adulthood, and soon after the child comes of age by abruptly discharging the child without any further support into the larger society. Private and religious charities also sometimes run orphanages for such children, but they are usually run on similar custodial principles of raising the child in confined and overly disciplined environments. For children who conflict with the law, there are statutory ‘special homes’ to which they are usually confined in conditions similar to jails. For many years, these children also shared adult jails, and many illegally continue to do so.
It is both absurd and heartless for children to be locked up only because they have no one to protect them. It is argued that this is done for the sake of the child: if the child was free in the community, the State would be unable to protect the child from abuse, and therefore she is locked up for her own good. This is quite illogical. The State must find ways to protect the child who is in need of care in ways that respect the child’s right to a happy and free childhood, while at the same time ensuring her protection, and her rights to food, education, health care, recreation, love and security.
Question: 1

According to the passage, ‘special homes’ are statutorily run for

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • Children who are gravely ill or disabled
  • Orphans and children affected by natural disasters and riots
  • Children with incurable terminal ailments
  • Destitute children and children who are addicted to drugs
  • Juvenile delinquents
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The Correct Option is

Solution and Explanation

To determine the correct answer, we need to analyze the passage thoroughly and understand the context in which 'special homes' are mentioned.

  1. The passage discusses the various challenges faced by children in India, which include being without parental care due to multiple difficult circumstances such as their parents being dead, alcoholic, violent, or in situations where they are unable to care for them.
  2. In the passage, it is noted that the State has the moral and legal responsibility to protect these children. However, the State often confines children to closed institutions, including 'special homes,' particularly those who conflict with the law.
  3. The specific term 'special homes' in the passage refers to facilities where children who conflict with the law are kept, often under conditions similar to adult prisons. These are statutory in nature, meaning they are established by law.
  4. From the given options, the phrase ‘Juvenile delinquents’ aligns with the description provided in the passage, indicating children who have had conflicts with the law. These are the children typically confined in 'special homes'.

Thus, examining the passage and understanding that 'special homes' are meant for juveniles who have legal conflicts, we can conclude that the correct answer is:

Juvenile delinquents

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Question: 2

It is evident from the passage that all these institutions are devoid of

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • Requisite facilities
  • Minimum infrastructure
  • Safety arrangements
  • Love and affection
  • Community interaction
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The given passage discusses the situation of children in India who are deprived of parental protection due to various adverse circumstances. It highlights the responsibilities of the State towards these children and criticizes the current methods employed by the State and certain private institutions. Let's break down the passage to understand which aspect the institutions are devoid of:

  1. Context of the Passage: The passage provides insights into the conditions of children who are either orphans or abandoned and how the State and various institutions handle their upbringing. It emphasizes the lack of a nurturing environment as these children are often placed in confined conditions without proper emotional support.
  2. Institutional Critique: The passage explicitly mentions that children are "locked up only because they have no one to protect them" and critiques this method as "absurd and heartless". The critique is directed towards the lack of emotional support such as love and affection, which is crucial for a child's development.
  3. Analysis of Options:
    • Requisite facilities: While facilities are important, the passage does not highlight a lack of facilities as the core issue.
    • Minimum infrastructure: There is no specific mention of inadequate infrastructure affecting children in these institutions.
    • Safety arrangements: The passage suggests that safety arrangements are in place since children are confined for their "own good", albeit with a flawed logic.
    • Love and affection: This is highlighted as missing, given the environment is described as "custodial" and "heartless".
    • Community interaction: Though important, the specific absence of emotional nurturance is emphasized over community interaction in the passage.
  4. Conclusion: Based on the passage's focus on the lack of emotional support and the critique of the institutional environment as one devoid of love, the correct answer is Love and affection.
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Question: 3

It becomes an obligation for the State to take moral and legal responsibility in the case of children

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • Who are badly abused
  • Whose parents are seriously ill
  • Who are orphaned or abandoned
  • Whose parents are destitute and homeless
  • All the above
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The Correct Option is

Solution and Explanation

The question at hand discusses the moral and legal responsibilities of the State in India concerning children who are in vulnerable conditions. The question requires us to identify under which circumstances it becomes an obligation for the State to take responsibility for children.

Let's analyze the provided options in light of the given comprehension:

  1. Who are badly abused: The comprehension clearly states that the State is responsible for protecting children who are "grossly abused or tortured." Hence, this option is correct as per the passage.
  2. Whose parents are seriously ill: The passage mentions that when parents are "gravely ill," they may be unable to care for their children, thereby necessitating State intervention. This option aligns with the comprehension.
  3. Who are orphaned or abandoned: It is highlighted in the text that the State must protect children who have been abandoned by their parents. This makes the option valid.
  4. Whose parents are destitute and homeless: The passage discusses that when parents are destitute and homeless, they may be incapable of providing adequate care to their children, prompting the State's responsibility to step in.
  5. All the above: Since each of the scenarios in options 1 through 4 is backed by the provided comprehension, this collective option is indeed the correct answer. The State has a legally and morally defined role in the care of all these groups of children.

Therefore, the correct answer is that it becomes an obligation for the State to take responsibility in all the mentioned situations. Hence, the correct answer is "All the above".

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Question: 4

Pick out the statement, which is true

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • India accounts for the largest number of children engaged in work
  • The author feels that it is quite reasonable to keep the neglected children in jails to ensure their safety
  • Orphanages run by private charities do not enforce strict discipline on the inmates
  • A huge amount in the Indian budget is reserved for child protection
  • Compared to the rest of the countries in the world, India has the least number of children, who are affected by HIV
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The question asks us to identify the true statement among the given options based on the provided comprehension passage. Let's evaluate each option one by one with reference to the information in the passage:

  1. Option 1: "India accounts for the largest number of children engaged in work"
    • This statement is directly supported by the passage, which mentions: "Accounting for the largest number of children in work..." This indicates that India does have the largest number of children engaged in work.
  2. Option 2: "The author feels that it is quite reasonable to keep the neglected children in jails to ensure their safety"
    • The passage clearly refutes this statement. It states: "It is both absurd and heartless for children to be locked up only because they have no one to protect them..." indicating that the author does not support the practice of keeping neglected children in jails.
  3. Option 3: "Orphanages run by private charities do not enforce strict discipline on the inmates"
    • The passage mentions that private and religious charities run orphanages on "custodial principles of raising the child in confined and overly disciplined environments." This contradicts the statement in Option 3, making it false.
  4. Option 4: "A huge amount in the Indian budget is reserved for child protection"
    • The passage explicitly mentions that "the investment on child protection was a shocking 0.034 percent of the budget." This indicates that only a minuscule amount is allocated for child protection, making Option 4 false.
  5. Option 5: "Compared to the rest of the countries in the world, India has the least number of children, who are affected by HIV"
    • The passage contradicts this statement by stating: "and the second largest number of children affected by HIV..." Thus, India does not have the least number of children affected by HIV.

Based on the analysis above, the correct answer is: India accounts for the largest number of children engaged in work.

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Question: 5

Pick out the word which is a close synonym of ‘ostensible’ as used in the passage.

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • Apprehensive
  • Rigid
  • Contemptible
  • Apparent
  • Unreal
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

To solve this problem, we need to find a word that is a close synonym of the term ‘ostensible’ as used in the passage. The passage speaks about the socio-economic issues faced by children in India, stressing the notion of visibility or apparentness of children's hardship and the lack of adequate action from the state.

The word 'ostensible' typically means something that is apparent or stated to be true but not necessarily so. It often implies that the appearance of something might be different from its reality.

Now, let's analyze each option:

  1. Apprehensive: This means anxious or fearful about something in the future. This word does not relate to the context or meaning of 'ostensible' which implies a more visible or apparent characteristic rather than a feeling.
  2. Rigid: This means inflexible or unable to change. This option is unrelated to the meaning of 'ostensible' which does not encompass the idea of inflexibility or stiffness.
  3. Contemptible: This means deserving contempt or scorn. The passage does not suggest that the means of subsistence are in any way despicable, but rather visible or perceivable.
  4. Apparent: This means clearly visible or understood; obvious. 'Apparent' is closely related to 'ostensible' as both imply the sense of being apparent or obvious.
  5. Unreal: This refers to something not existing in reality. Although 'unreal' seems related to the idea of appearance versus reality, it is not synonymous with 'ostensible', which focuses on what is visible rather than what doesn’t exist.

Based on the analysis, the word "apparent" is the closest synonym to 'ostensible' as used in the passage because both words refer to something that is perceivable or evident.

Conclusion: The correct synonym for 'ostensible' in the passage is apparent.

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Question: 6

It may be inferred from the passage that it is the right of every child to have a/an

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • Luxurious life
  • Special identity in the society
  • Individual status
  • Happy and free childhood
  • Free access to higher education
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The question asks which right can be inferred for every child based on the provided passage. To answer this question, let's analyze the content of the provided passage to identify the theme and the implication regarding the rights of children.

  1. The passage discusses the plight of millions of children in India who lack protection due to various circumstances, such as the absence or inability of parents or guardians.
  2. It highlights how these children are often subjected to an inadequate child protection system involving State-run institutions, orphanages, and sometimes even sharing space with adult prisoners.
  3. The passage emphasizes the need for the State to find ways to protect these children while ensuring their fundamental rights, including food, education, health care, recreation, love, and security. It argues against confining children in restrictive environments and stresses the importance of a child's right to a happy and free childhood.
  4. The passage criticizes the current system for its inadequacies and highlights that the State's investment in child protection is negligible.

Based on the examination above, the passage strongly advocates for the right of children to a "happy and free childhood," emphasizing that despite the need for protection, it should not come at the cost of their happiness and freedom. This is the central theme of the passage, as the author underlines the absurdity and heartlessness of isolating children instead of ensuring a nurturing environment.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Happy and free childhood.

The other options, such as luxurious life, special identity in the society, individual status, and free access to higher education, are not discussed or implied to be rights in the context of the passage. The emphasis is clearly on a basic, fundamental right to a happy and free existence.

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Question: 7

What have been the State authorities doing all these years?

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • They have been strictly supervising the State-run homes and similar charitable organizations which give shelter to homeless children
  • They have been keeping huge numbers of neglected children in State-run homes and would suddenly send them out into the society as soon as they become adults
  • They have been trying to bring reformation in the minds of children who display socially unacceptable behavior
  • They have been running schools with the prime motto of sending out young offenders as changed persons
  • They have been providing state-of-the-art facilities in order to attract more such children to these homes
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The question is based on understanding what the State authorities have been doing concerning the issue of neglected children in India. To determine the correct answer, let's analyze the provided options in the context of the passage:

  1. Supervising State-run homes and charitable organizations: The passage does not mention the State authorities are strictly supervising or ensuring proper management of these homes.
  2. Keeping children in State-run homes and suddenly discharging them: The passage states that public authorities traditionally lock up large numbers of children in State-run, closed institutions until they reach adulthood. Once they come of age, they are abruptly discharged without support. This aligns with the context provided in the passage.
  3. Reformation of socially unacceptable behavior: The passage focuses on the custodial approach rather than reforming behaviors of children who display socially unacceptable behavior.
  4. Running schools with a reformative motto: The passage discusses confinement in State-run institutions rather than running reformative schools aimed at changing young offenders' behaviors.
  5. Providing state-of-the-art facilities: There is no mention of providing modern facilities or using them to attract more children to State-run homes in the passage.

Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:

They have been keeping huge numbers of neglected children in State-run homes and would suddenly send them out into the society as soon as they become adults.

The passage describes how the State fulfills its duty of child protection by confining children in State-run institutions until adulthood without adequate follow-up support afterwards, which matches option two. The other options are not supported by the passage.

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Question: 8

What is the central theme of this passage?

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • It recommends that State-run institutions should be run on the same lines and follow the model of religious charities
  • It makes a comparative study about State-run homes and orphanages run by private organizations
  • It draws conclusions on a study based on ‘children’s jails’
  • It critically analyses the deplorable conditions in State-run homes
  • It focuses on the child, who is in need of State support
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The Correct Option is

Solution and Explanation

The passage presented discusses the challenges faced by children in India who are without parental support, be it due to death, illness, or other adverse circumstances. It further emphasizes the responsibility of the State to provide protection and nurture these children, highlighting that current investments in child protection are inadequate. Given this summary, let's evaluate the provided options to determine the correct theme of the passage. 

  1. Option 1: "It recommends that State-run institutions should be run on the same lines and follow the model of religious charities"
    This option is not supported by the passage. The text criticizes the current state of affairs, including State-run institutions and private charities, suggesting they follow similar ineffective principles.
  2. Option 2: "It makes a comparative study about State-run homes and orphanages run by private organizations"
    The passage does mention both State-run and private institutions but does not focus on a comparative study between them. It describes the inadequacies of both.
  3. Option 3: "It draws conclusions on a study based on ‘children’s jails’"
    While the passage mentions the punitive conditions faced by children in some institutions, it does not focus solely on an academic study or specific conclusions about 'children's jails'.
  4. Option 4: "It critically analyses the deplorable conditions in State-run homes"
    Although the text does criticize the conditions in State-run homes, the overall theme is broader, focusing on the need for the State to protect and support children adequately.
  5. Option 5: "It focuses on the child, who is in need of State support"
    This option best captures the central theme of the passage, which revolves around the need for adequate State support for children in need. The text consistently argues for the State's responsibility towards these children and the necessary improvements needed to ensure their welfare.

Based on the above analysis, the correct answer is: It focuses on the child, who is in need of State support.

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