Read the Assertion (A) and Reason (R) statements and choose the correct…

In an Assertion-Reason item, the Assertion (A) and the Reason (R) are first judged true or false independently. Only once both are found true does a further question arise: does R state the actual mechanism that makes A hold, or is it merely an unrelated fact that also happens to be true?

Encouraging students to ask questions in the classroom is a core active-learning and inquiry-based teaching practice, so (A) is true. Welcoming questions specifically lowers the barrier to speaking up for introverted or reticent learners, so (R) is also true — and it names the exact participation benefit the practice is designed to produce, not an incidental side effect. Because (R) identifies the direct mechanism through which (A) operates, (R) is a genuine explanation of (A).

• Both true but (R) not the explanation of (A) would require (R) to be an unrelated true fact about students with no bearing on why the practice is recommended — but (R) names the specific benefit the practice targets.

• (A) true, (R) false would require that welcoming questions does not help quieter students participate — contrary to established classroom-communication findings on participation barriers.

• Both false would require that encouraging classroom questioning is itself poor practice — contrary to basic inquiry-based, active-learning pedagogy.

This item is from CTET Paper II (July 2024); the exam's official final answer key corroborates this reading.