UPSC Prelims 2023 CSAT Paper II · Q71 of 77 Comprehension medium

Passage

Directions for the following 3 (three) items : Read the following three passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Passage - 1 In India, while the unemployment rate is a frequently used measure of poor performance of the economy, under conditions of rising school and college enrolment, it paints an inaccurate picture. The reported unemployment rate is dominated by the experience of younger Indians who face higher employment challenges and exhibit greater willingness to wait for the right job than their older peers. The unemployment challenge is greater for people with secondary or higher education, and rising education levels inflate unemployment challenges.

Which one of the following statements most likely reflects as to what the author of the passage intends to say ?

  1. (a) Enrolment in schools and colleges is high but there is no quality education.
  2. (b) Unemployment must be seen as a function of rising education and aspirations of young Indians. ✓ UPSC's answer
  3. (c) There are no labour-intensive industries to accommodate the huge number of unemployed people.
  4. (d) The education system should be properly designed so as to enable the educated people to be self-employed.

Why the answer is (b)

• The passage states that the standard unemployment rate is an inaccurate measure of economic performance in India due to rising school and college enrolment.

• It highlights that the reported rate is dominated by younger Indians who face higher employment challenges and have a greater willingness to wait for the right job.

• The text explicitly links rising education levels to inflated unemployment challenges, noting that the issue is greater for those with secondary or higher education.

• Therefore, the author intends to convey that unemployment figures are significantly influenced by the rising educational attainment and the specific job-seeking aspirations of the younger demographic.

• This aligns directly with the view that unemployment must be understood as a function of these rising education levels and aspirations, rather than just a simple indicator of economic failure.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Enrolment in schools and colleges is high but there is no quality education.
The passage discusses the quantity of enrolment and its effect on unemployment statistics, not the quality of education provided.
(c) There are no labour-intensive industries to accommodate the huge number of unemployed…
The text attributes the unemployment challenge to education levels and job-waiting behavior, not to a lack of labour-intensive industries.
(d) The education system should be properly designed so as to enable the educated people to…
The passage analyzes the statistical inaccuracy of unemployment rates due to education and aspirations, without proposing self-employment as a solution.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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