Directions (Qs. 1 - 10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given after reading it. Certain words/ phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
against Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in India had not put enough of a squeeze on them, then the Ministry of Home Affair’s long-drawn-out process of scrutinising their foreign funding licences by year end is sure to do so. Close on the heels of the news that the Missionaries of Charity group had been denied a renewal of its licence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (amended in 2020), comes the revelation that more than four fifths of the applications of the 22,000 plus NGOs that have sought renewal have yet to be scrutinised. Unless the Government extends the deadline by midnight, all of them stand to lose their ability to access international funding in the new year. As experts have explained, the NGOs have to prove not only that the source of funding and their usage of the funds is appropriate but also establish that their work does not qualify as harmful to “public interest” or “national security” — ambiguous terms that are left to MHA officials to define. So, as many as 2,000 NGOs under scrutiny may be denied a renewal of their FCRA licence as the Missionaries of Charity and its roughly 200 homes around the country have been in this round.
Contrary to the Government’s defence that it is only following accounting and audit procedures, it seems clear that t organisations that haveparticularly faced the Modi government’s ire are those that work in specific “sensitive areas”: pollution and climate change issues, human rights, child labour and human slavery, health and religious NGOs, particularly Christian and Islamic charities. Prominent names among nearly 20,000 NGOs to have lost their foreign funding licences since 2014 include Amnesty International, Greenpeace India, People’s Watch, European Climate Foundation, Compassion International and the Gates Foundation backed Public Health Foundation of India. If the Government has ampleevidence to prove that Indians are better off without the work of these internationally renowned organisations, then it has yet to show it. It is time the Government gives a more transparent account of its actions against NGOs, which at present appear to mirror those in China and Russia which have used their NGO laws to shut down dissent and criticism. The actions in India over “foreign hand” concerns seem more hypocritical given the relative ease with which political parties are able to access foreign funds for their campaigns through electoral bonds, under the same FCRA that seeks to restrict funds to NGOs. At a time when India is facing the ........(3)........ effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a longterm economic crisis, the Government’s moves that have resulted in an estimated 30% drop in international non-profit contributions, only hurt the poorest and most vulnerable recipients of philanthropic efforts, particularly those by NGOs working in areas where government aid fails to reach.
What can be the suitable title of the above passage?
A) Killing the licence – Need and importance
B) Is NGO a failure?
C) Malpractices of NGOs
D) NGOs and their uses
E) NGOs are government offices
Explanation: The given passage gives an idea on why the central government is scrutinising the foreign funding licences of some of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the importance of renewing their licences. So, the title “Killing the licence – Need and importance” can be the suitable title of the above passage.
Ans: A
2. According to the passage, what is the reason for the denial of renewing the licence of more than four-fifths of 22,000+ NGOs seeking renewal?
A) Because NGOs are responsible for the wastage of government funds.
B) Because the applications of NGOs that have sought renewal have yet to be scrutinised.
C) Because Government offices are not working.
D) Because NGOs are not for welfare of the people.
E) Because NGOs have closed their offices.
Explanation: The sentence quoted below in double quotations in the first paragraph gives the reason for the denial of renewing the licence of more than four-fifths of 22,000+ NGOs seeking renewal.
“Close on heels of the news that the Missionaries of Charity group had been denied a renewal of its licence under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (amended in 2020), comes the revelation that more than four-fifths of the applications of the 22,000 plus NGOs that have sought renewal have yet to be scrutinised.”
Ans: B
3. Choose the word which is most similar in meaning of the word scrutinising printed in bold in the passage.
A) inspecting
B) enjoying
C) suffering
D) defeating
E) selecting
Explanation: The word ‘scrutinise’ means “to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.”
Ans: A
4. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word vulnerable printed in bold in the passage.
A) at risk
B) endangered
C) protected
D) unshielded
E) exposed
Explanation: The word ‘vulnerable’ means the ones who “exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.” Out of all the options given below, Option ‘C’ (protected) gives the most opposite meaning to the word ‘vulnerable.’
.Ans: C
5. Choose a correct word from the options for ......(3)...... in the passage, that suits appropriately to the context of the sentence and make the paragraph meaningful and grammatically correct.
A) straightening
B) loopy
C) crippling
D) stranded
E) abandoned
Explanation: The meanings of the given options are: Straightening - make or become straight.
Loopy - having many loops.
Crippling - causing a severe and almost insuperable problem. Stranded - left without any options to move from somewhere.
Abandoned - to leave and never return to. From the options, the word ‘crippling’ which means “causing a severe and almost insuperable problem” gives appropriate meaning to the sentence. So, option C is the correct choice.
Ans: C
6. According to the author, what are the things that the NGOs have to prove to access international funding in the new year?
I. The source of funding and their usage of the funds is appropriate.
II. Their work does not qualify as harmful to Public Interest or National Security.
III. Their work is to support human slavery.
A) III and I
B) I and II
C) All the above
D) III only
E) II only
Explanation: The sentence quoted below in double quotations taken from the first paragraph helps us to answer the question. “As experts have explained, the NGOs have to prove not only that the source of funding and their usage of the funds is appropriate but also establish that their work does not qualify as harmful to “public interest” or “national security” ambiguous terms that are left to MHA officials to define.”
Ans: B
7. Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
I. Nearly 20,000 NGOs to have lost their foreign funding licences since 2014.
II. As many as 2,000 NGOs under scrutiny may be denied a renewal of their FCRA licence as the Missionaries of Charity.
III. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a long-term economic crisis, an estimated 30% rise in international non-profit contributions has been observed.
A) I and II
B) II and III
C) I only
D) III only
E) II only
Explanation: According to the passage, statement (I), ‘Nearly 20,000 NGOs to have lost their foreign funding licences since 2014’ is true (refer para 2). Statement (II), ‘As many as 2,000 NGOs under scrutiny may be denied a renewal of their FCRA licence as the Missionaries of Charity’ is also true (refer para 1). Statement (III) is not true according to the passage (refer para 1). Because, the according to the paragraph, “At a time when India is facing the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a longterm economic crisis, the Government’s moves that have resulted in an estimated 30% drop in international non-profit contributions” (refer para 2).
Ans: D
8. According to the passage, what type of NGOs have faced problems in renewing their licences?
A) NGOs related to pollution and climate change issues.
B) NGOs related to child labour.
C) NGOs related to health and religion.
D) NGOs related to human slavery.
E) All the above
Explanation: According to the passage, the NGOs that work in specific “sensitive areas” such as pollution and climate change issues, human rights, child labour and human slavery, health and religious NGOs, particularly Christian and Islamic charities (refer para 2) have faced problems in renewing their licences.
Ans: E
9. Choose the word which is most similar in meaning of the word evidence printed in bold in the passage.
A) thing
B) proof
C) belief
D) objection
E) thick
Explanation: The word ‘evidence’ means “objects, documents, official statements, etc. that are used to prove something is true or not true”. Out of the given options, the word ‘proof’ gives most similar meaning to the word ‘evidence’.
Ans: B
10. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word contrary printed in bold in the passage.
A) obstructive
B) contradictory
C) reverse
D) compatible
E) opposite
Explanation: The word ‘contrary’ means “opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.” Out of the given options the word ‘compatible’ which means ‘well suited’ gives the opposite meaning to the word ‘contrary’.
Ans: D
