Direction: In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each number. The challenge in Madras high court to the Emergency-era shifting of education from state list to concurrent list ______ (1) ______ a futile exercise in turning back the clock. Forty-six years have passed ______ (2) ______ the 42 Constitution Amendment Act. In this period, the education sector has seen far too many changes, and most can’t be ______ (3) ______ . For instance, a common national medical test now allows students the ease of appearing for just one examination instead of multiple ones conducted by each state. States still enjoy ______ (4) ______ to operate their own universities, schools and education syllabus. Private sector is also flourishing in education. And the policy tinkering at all levels goes on. UGC is restructuring UG, PG and doctoral programmes. States are trying out clustering of schools, closing down smaller schools. Instruction in English seems to have lost favour at the Centre, even though society is ______ (5) ______ headed in the opposite direction. But the moot point is no one entity can claim complete control. It is a diverse ecosystem. Far more important issues than locating education in the Constitution are at stake.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.
flexibility
Analyzing Blank 4: States' Autonomy in Education
The question asks to fill in the fourth blank in the passage: "States still enjoy ______ (4) ______ to operate their own universities, schools and education syllabus." We need to determine the most suitable word from the given options to complete this sentence accurately.
Understanding the Context of the Sentence
This sentence describes the current status of states in managing education after the shift from the state list to the concurrent list during the Emergency era. It highlights that states continue to have a certain degree of control or freedom regarding their universities, schools, and curriculum.
Grammatical Requirements for Blank 4
The phrase "States still enjoy ______ (4) ______" requires a noun to function as the object of the verb "enjoy". Let's look at the options:
- Option 1:
flexible- This is an adjective. It cannot directly follow "enjoy" in this structure. - Option 2:
flexibility- This is a noun. It means the quality of bending easily without breaking, or the ability to adapt or be adapted to various conditions. This fits grammatically as the object of "enjoy". - Option 3:
suitable- This is an adjective. Similar toflexible, it doesn't fit grammatically here. - Option 4:
suitability- This is a noun. It means the quality of having the right characteristics for a purpose. While states operate schools, "suitability" doesn't convey the sense of retained freedom or autonomy as well as "flexibility" does.
Evaluating Options Based on Context
The passage contrasts the past (Emergency-era changes) with the present, noting that states still retain rights regarding their educational systems. The word flexibility accurately reflects this retained freedom or autonomy that states possess in operating their universities, schools, and setting educational syllabuses. It suggests they have the capacity and freedom to manage these aspects according to their needs, despite the broader constitutional changes.
The word suitability would imply that operating their own systems is appropriate, but it doesn't capture the essence of the freedom or power states still hold. Therefore, flexibility is the better choice contextually.
Final Selection for Blank 4
Based on both grammatical structure and contextual meaning within the passage, the noun flexibility is the most appropriate word to fill in blank number 4. It correctly describes the continuing freedom states have in managing their educational institutions.
Similar Questions
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 5.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 1.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 2.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 3.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 4.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 5.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 1
Important Questions from Cloze Test
What would come in blank space (1)?
What would come in blank space (2)?
What would come in blank space (3)?
What would come in blank space (4)?
What would come in blank space (5)?
