Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the question…
2024
Directions: Study the following information carefully and answer the question that follows.
A reputed educational foundation is to select meritorious students for scholarships for higher studies abroad who fulfil the following criteria:
Age – More than 22 years but less than 27 years as on 1.4.2017.
Minimum percentage of marks – B.Sc. with 65% or B.A. with 55% or B.Com. with 60%.
Prizes/Awards – Should have at least one in Essay, Debate or Sports.
Annual family income – Not more than Rs. 2,50,000.
Domicile – Must have been staying in India for the last 15 years or more, as on 1.4.2017.
Concessions: The candidate has to fulfil all the above conditions. However, certain concessions are available to the following categories:
Wards of farmers – Relaxation in the maximum age limit by up to five years.
SC/ST applicants – Relaxation in the percentage of marks by up to 5%.
Considerations:
If criterion (3) – Prizes/Awards – is not fulfilled, the case may be referred to the Secretary of the foundation.
If criterion (4) – Annual family income – is not fulfilled, the case may be referred to the Chairperson of the foundation.
Study the information given below for a candidate and decide the course of action.
Vaishali, born on 20.2.1991, completed her B.Sc. with 59.6% marks. Her father, a farmer, has been living in Madhya Pradesh for the past 32 years, with a present annual family income of Rs. 2,35,000. She is a State Champion in Badminton.
- A.
The candidate is to be selected.
- B.
The candidate is to be selected under a concession.
- C.
The case is to be referred to the Chairperson.
- D.
The candidate is not to be selected.
Attempted by 2 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: This is a selection decision-table item: check the candidate against every stated criterion one by one. The candidate is selected only if every criterion is met – directly, or through a concession that specifically covers that criterion. A failed criterion triggers a referral only if that specific criterion is one of the listed referral triggers (here, only a shortfall in Prizes/Awards or in Annual Family Income triggers a referral, to the Secretary or the Chairperson respectively). Any other failed criterion, left uncovered by a concession, simply means the candidate is not selected.
Application: Check Vaishali against each criterion.
Age: Born 20.2.1991; as on 1.4.2017 she is 26 years 1 month old, within the required 22–27 year band, so this criterion is met without needing the farmer's-ward age concession.
Marks: B.Sc. requires 65%; she scored 59.6%, a shortfall of 5.4 percentage points. The farmer's-ward concession relaxes only the age limit, not marks, and the marks concession applies only to SC/ST applicants, which she is not stated to be. So this criterion is NOT met, and no concession covers the gap.
Prizes/Awards: She is a State Champion in Badminton, which satisfies the sports requirement, so this criterion is met – the Secretary-referral trigger (for a Prizes/Awards shortfall) does not apply.
Annual family income: Rs. 2,35,000 is within the Rs. 2,50,000 ceiling, so this criterion is met – the Chairperson-referral trigger (for an income shortfall) does not apply.
Domicile: The given information – her farmer father's 32-year residence in Madhya Pradesh, an Indian state – places the family in India well beyond the 15-year requirement, so nothing in the passage suggests this criterion is unmet.
Cross-check: Every criterion except marks is satisfied, and both criteria whose failure would trigger a referral – Prizes/Awards and Annual family income – are themselves satisfied here, so neither referral route opens up. Since the marks shortfall has no applicable concession, the only conclusion consistent with all five criteria is that the candidate cannot be selected.
Reference – official answer-key excerpt:
