UPSC Prelims 2025·CSAT·Reading Comprehension·Passage Comprehension

In our country, regrettably, teaching and learning for the examination have been our forte but the new demands of society and the future of work require critical and independent thinking, learning through doing, asking questions from multiple disciplinary perspectives on the same issue, using evidence for building arguments, and reflecting and articulation. Higher education should not "either be a mere servant of the government policy or a passive respondent to public mood." Higher learning is all about how to think rather than what to think. Teaching has to be re-invented. Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea conveyed by the passage?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. AIndia does not have enough resources for promoting quality education in its universities.
  2. BThe institutions of higher learning in the country should not be under the control of the Government.
  3. CClassroom approach to higher education should be done away with.
  4. DClassroom needs to be reimagined and teaching needs to be re-invented.Correct

Explanation

The passage critically evaluates the current teaching and learning methods, stating they are too focused on examinations. It emphasizes the need for critical thinking, independent learning, interdisciplinary perspectives, evidence-based arguments, and reflection. The passage explicitly concludes that "Teaching has to be re-invented" and implies a need to change the entire approach to learning, which occurs primarily in the classroom. Analyzing the options: A) India does not have enough resources for promoting quality education in its universities. This statement is not supported by the passage. The passage focuses on pedagogical methods and the philosophy of education, not resource scarcity. B) The institutions of higher learning in the country should not be under the control of the Government. The passage states higher education should not "be a mere servant of the government policy," implying intellectual independence. While this is a point made, it's a specific aspect of the role of higher education, not the central idea that encompasses the transformation of teaching and learning methods. The core message is broader than just government control. C) Classroom approach to higher education should be done away with. The passage calls for "re-inventing" teaching and implies reimagining the classroom, not eliminating it. "Done away with" is too extreme and not what the passage suggests. D) Classroom needs to be reimagined and teaching needs to be re-invented. This statement perfectly captures the central idea. The passage details the shortcomings of current teaching and learning and explicitly states, "Teaching has to be re-invented." The entire discussion about fostering critical thinking, learning by doing, and asking questions implies a fundamental reimagining of the classroom environment and pedagogical strategies. Therefore, D best reflects the central idea conveyed by the passage.
Reading Comprehension: In our country, regrettably, teaching and learning for the examination have been our forte but the new demands of societ

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