Raghubir is afraid that once the new emission norms are rolled out, he might not beable to use his SUV anymore.
Which of the following options will BEST put Raghubir at ease with using his SUVfor some more time?
XAT 2022 Question Paper - DM
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Raghubir, a reputed doctor, practices medicine in a tier-three city. He owns an importedSUV which he bought 10 years ago, using his hard- earned savings of nearly 5 years.Initially, he used to take it for long rides, but for the last 6-7 years, he only commutes to hisclinic, a 10-minute drive from his home.
The SUV has been his proud possession but it demands high maintenance. Also, thediesel-guzzling SUV does not comply with the new emission norms being introduced in thetier-one and tier-two cities. Of late, a few newspapers reported that the new emission normsmay be introduced in tier-three cities as well. This news has worried Raghubir.
Solution
In option A, the assurance given by the mechanic can't be relied upon so it won't put Raghubir at ease. In option B it is said that Raghubir's lawyer friends bought non-compliant SUVs from tier two cities which means new emission norms are not strict in tier two cities, so this will also put Raghubir at ease. Option D is totally irrelevant. In option C, it does not matter if there are many SUVs because in his city if the law is enforced so this option can also be eliminated. Option E will not put Raghubir at ease because that might just be some people who are not abiding by the law and could be caught in the future.
Anya, Raghubir’s daughter, works in a metro city. She is concerned about privatetransport emissions and is unhappy with her father’s diesel-guzzling SUV. Thoughshe wants her father to be more environmentally responsible, she is aware that anydrastic suggestion might attract strong resistance. Hence, she wants a solution,acceptable to Raghubir, that gently dissuades him from using his SUV on a dailybasis.
Which of the following actions by Anya will BEST dissuade Raghubir from using hisSUV on a daily basis?
Solution
Options C and D can be eliminated as Raghubir is emotionally attached to his SUV also taking the SUV to a metro city is not viable so option C is eliminated. Asking Raghubir to take public transport might also involve drastic change, so Option A is also eliminated. Retrofitting the SUV with CNG is not viable, so option B is also eliminated. Therefore option E is the best option in this case.
The new emission norms are about to get implemented in tier-three cities, andRaghubir’s city will follow suit shortly. Hence, Raghubir starts exploring options ofbuying an electric vehicle (EV). He lists the following factors that will guide him onbuying an electric car:
P. EVs within Raghubir’s budget can cover his daily commute, but not the long rides.
Q. A new electric SUV in the market, within his budget, nearly has the same look andfeel of his present SUV.
R. EVs cannot be driven beyond a speed of 70 kmph.
S. New charging stations on the main highway, connecting his city to the closestmetro city, may come up in another year.
T. The only shop, selling EVs in his city, is ready to trade in Raghubir’s SUV at areasonable price.
The above listed factors have been arranged in a DECREASING order of influence inthe options given below.
Which of the following options will BEST help Raghubir buy an electric vehicleimmediately?
Solution
Clearly Q is the best option. He is emotionally attached to the SUV and would prefer the same look and feel in an EV if given an option. So, between options B and C, C is correct as T would be a more influential point compared to the speed of the EV as he now only travels between his home and clinic - a 10-minute drive.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Future Leaders is one of the most prestigious private schools in a small town, next to an industrial hub. Most of its students come from affluent families, but there are some who belong to middle-income and lower-middle-income families as well. The school charges an annual fee of ₹2 lakhs, inclusive of all charges, payable at the beginning of the academic year. Roughly 20% of the fees collected goes into paying the salaries of the teachers, another 30% for the upkeep of the school, and roughly 20% for miscellaneous expenses in running day-to-day businesses like supply, cleaning etc. The remaining goes into an exigency corpus.
This year, like the rest of the country, the town has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The classes have been shifted online. The local authorities have mandated that all schools have to reduce their fees by 20%. Further, parents should be given extended time to pay the fees if they are in financial distress. Six months into the academic year, only 40% of the parents have paid even the reduced annual fees.
Ajay Biswas, the rector of the school, is alarmed by the shortfall in fee payments and wants to find the best solution to manage the situation. He does not want to trouble parents who might be genuinely in financial distress, but feels that there may be a possibility that many parents are taking advantage of the situation.
Which of the following actions by the school will BEST make financially capable parents pay the fees?
Solution
Share
Option A: Calling parents frequently to school at the time of a pandemic is not a feasible option.
Option B: This might spread misinformation about the school's credibility and can leave a wrong impression.
Option C: Giving discounts to the kids from well-off families during the pandemic(or in general ) would be discrimination.
Option D: This will dilute the credibility of the school and will also be an example of discrimination.
Option E: This is the best way to deal with the situation as the one deserving will get some time after submitting the proof of their distress, and the ones pretending will have to pay the fees.
Thus, the correct option is E.
The board of trustees of the school is concerned about the current financial situation and has called Biswas for a meeting. The trustees have thought of the following actions, as listed below, to improve the school finances immediately:
P. Appeal to the local industrialists to donate to the school
Q. Withhold 20% of teachers' salary till the situation improves
R. Ask parents to pay up within a week or show a proof of financial distress
S. Stop online classes for a week to signal the desperate financial crunch
T. Start an extra section in every class and offer admission to whoever is willing to pay fees
Biswas is tasked to find the most feasible way of alleviating the financial crunch immediately.
Which of the following combinations of the above-listed actions, in a DECREASING order of preference, will BEST help Biswas in achieving his goal?
Solution
As the school is facing an immediate cash crunch, it should cut down on expenses and try to bolster the cash receivable. It should take all steps that are in their hands - asking others for money will take time and would not be entirely in their hands. So the first 2 steps should be Q and R as it would help the immediate situation. Moreover, R alone will not be effective. It needs to couple the threat with S to highlight the seriousness of the situation.
Step P would be helpful, but getting grants during financial crises is unlikely and would take a lot of time. Similarly, filling a new section to get money is unlikely to work when school is online and people are struggling. Hence, P and T should be last in priority as they are unlikely to work.
Teachers of Future Leaders contribute to its stellar reputation. Moreover, they assist the school in arriving at several critical decisions. Biswas resents their involvement in school matters as he has to listen to their collective voice rather than the other way around.
Biswas feels that the current situation offers him an opportunity to get back at the teachers. He wants to discuss the possibility of reducing teachers’ salaries by 20% with the board of trustees.
Which of the following, if true, will BEST enable Biswas to present his case for reducing teachers’ salaries?
Solution
Option A: This is the best way for Biswas to present his case as he will have the precedence of a similar decision taken by other well-known schools.
Option B: Since teachers' reputation contributes to the reputation of the school, it is given that they get more salary compared to their peers. This will not much help Biswas in his case.
Option C: Getting an education from an institute is a two-way street. They paid fees for the school services. Presenting the case in this manner won't bear any fruit.
Option D: This case, instead of strengthening, will weaken the case of Biswas and hence is not the right choice.
Option E: The rejection of this case will have the same reason as option B.
Thus, the correct answer is A.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Fundamental Research in Science for Corporate Applications (FuRSCA) is an R&D unit of a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). FuRSCA’s employees are research scientists who assist the Public Sector Undertaking through their R&D. Given the far-reaching implications of its research, FuRSCA was established as a separate entity near the factory of the PSU. FuRSCA has three levels of hierarchy viz.: junior, senior and chief scientists and all of them reside on the campus. Hence, every scientist, regardless of hierarchy, resides in a house that is similar in all aspects. Though the scientists are entitled to a house rent allowance(HRA), given the distance of FuRSCA from the city, housing them on the campus makes sense.
The new recruits are provided a transit accommodation in the institute’s studio apartments, until vacant houses are available. For these recruits, a queue has been created on the basis of their date of joining and not on hierarchy, with the most recent recruit going to the last in the queue. Execution of this policy is the responsibility of the FuRSCA Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), who reports to the Director of FuRSCA.
Harsh Kohli resides in house no. 324. Since long, Harsh wants to move from a 3 series house to a 2 series house because his mother-in-law, a chief scientist, lives alone in house no. 225. A few years back, Harsh formally requested the CAO to allow him to move to a 2 series house whenever available. Recently, when house no. 224 becomes vacant, Harsh appeals to the CAO for that house, citing his earlier request. Currently, there are five scientists waiting in the queue and Sauf Tangud is on the top of the queue.
From the following options, choose the BEST action to be taken by the CAO without violating the existing housing policy.
Solution
Since there is no preference for the houses for the new recruits, Sauf can be allocated to Harsh's room if he is shifted to 224. In this way, there will be no conflicts for the CAO.
Thus, option D is the correct answer.
Option A is a possible solution, but that will allow more requests for the swapping to emerge by giving them precedent. Options B and C can be rejected as Harsh's formal request is also pending for quite a long time.
Rawng Regrud joins FuRSCA recently and is placed third in the housing queue. He has been temporarily housed in a studio apartment. Given that the studio apartment is too small, he requests his sister to take care of their ailing parents while he awaits a regular house allotment. As months pass, his sister finds it difficult to accommodate her parents along with her in-laws. She requests Rawng to accommodate them with his family. Since he is third in the queue, he may not get a house allotted in the near future. He approaches the CAO with a request to be moved up the queue on humanitarian grounds.
Which of the following responses by the CAO shall be perceived as the most appropriate by all the stakeholders?
Solution
Among all the choices, option D is the most viable option, as it not only gives Rwang the appropriate space to live with his parents but also prevents any alterations in the present queue.
In addition, there is a very high chance of queue movement in the extended time window, which will allow Rwang to avail company's residential services.
Thus, the correct option is D.
Of late, the CAO has received several requests from the residents of 3 series housesto move to other series houses. The CAO is aware that this is largely because oftheir own noisy factory nearby. Due to limited housing available on the campus, hemust do something before the problem worsens. He wants to find a solution thatmakes the lives of 3 series residents more comfortable.
Which of the following actions can BEST help the CAO in achieving his goal?
Solution
Option E provides the aptest solution for the aforementioned issue by avoiding making exceptions or wasting much of the company's resources. This also targets the root of the problem instead of giving short-term solutions.
Options A, B, C, and D are not targeting the main issue; they are unnecessary, wasting the company's resources on short-term alleviations.
Thus, the correct option is E.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Korkai is a serene village, nestled in a small island, separated from the mainland by a strait— the world forgot to name. Its inhabitants are mostly fishermen; a few are cattle-grazers too. A boat ride across the strait is the only mode of transport to the mainland. Budugu, the boatman, ferries people, cattle, and bicycles across the strait in his boat for a living. The remoteness and the lack of connection to the mainland has served him well. He has a family of five. His two daughters are away studying in a city college and dream of corporate jobs in the cities. His ailing mother and wife complete his family. Budugu sent his daughters to study in the city as there is only one school in Korkai, run by an NGO. The NGO prepares the village kids for higher studies. For those who cannot go to cities, the NGO teaches them about the virtues of the local way of life. Budugu is a member of the village Panchayat that runs the village administration. At Korkai, hardly anyone remembers the local MLA or MP. Interestingly, the local MLA visited last week, and informed the islanders of major changes planned for the region: urgent construction of a bridge connecting the island to the mainland, and real estate development. She announced that the island will become a well-known eco-tourism destination in the state. She stressed that the local livelihood, dependent on fortunes at the sea, might enjoy the certainty in minimum wages, meted out by the eco-resort owners. Nevertheless, some villagers fear that the bridge will irreversibly change their lives and livelihoods.
Budugu fears that the proposed bridge will leave him jobless, and is determined to do something about it. He wants to gather effective support in order to get the construction of the proposed bridge delayed.
Which of the following will be the MOST feasible option for Budugu to gather effective support?
Solution
Option C is incorrect as it is worst thing someone can do to support a cause. Option B is incorrect as constructing bridge doesn't disturb the life of fishes, frogs etc., Options A may help but are not the most feasible options when compared to option E.
E is a better choice over D as a Panchayat as a resolution passed by the panchayat would be more credible.
Answer is option E.
The local MLA is worried about the resistance to the project. This project, like her other successful projects in nearby villages, was supposed to garner a significant amount of funding. Moreover, it would make her the face of development in the state; perhaps, even would land her a ministerial berth. However, Budugu’s activism has cast the project in a bad light among the popular minds. The MLA wants to protect her pro-development image.
Which of the following is the BEST course of action for the MLA?
Solution
Among the given options, only option E protects her pro-development image by convincing people that the project will improve the socio-economic conditions of area and benefit the residents.
Answer is option E.
As the project gets delayed, Budugu becomes a well-known social activist with a lot of followers. When Pragati, his elder daughter, finishes her education and starts looking for employment, a few known corporates refuse her a job because of her father’s “anti-development” stand.
Which of the following options BEST communicates to the corporates that Pragati has an identity of her own?
Solution
Option E doesn’t address the question. Proving that her father is misconstrued doesn’t showcase the daughter’s unique identity.
Option A - the current affairs need not necessarily be relevant in this cause.
Option B - going totally against her father - discrediting him to get a job would be unethical.
D is an illogical step.
By showcasing on social media the accolades and awards she received in her college, Pragati can communicate to the corporates that she has an identity of her own.
Answer is option C.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Dileep Dosan sells dosas in front of an upscale hospital at a city in Punjab. He only sells two varieties of dosas: plain for ₹25 and masala for ₹40.
His dosa stall is popular amongst the hospital staff members, who mostly hail from South India and form his core clientele. They frequently visit his stall during office hours as they find his dosas to be reasonably priced. Though the hospital staff members can visit the upscale food court on the top floor of the hospital, they prefer his stall for breakfast and lunch, and even for occasional evening snacks. His daily sale volume varies between 300 and 400 dosas, in which the demand for masala dosas is around 50-60%.
One day, Dileep, while walking through the hospital food court, sees a vacant spot.He wonders if he can shift his stall to that spot.
Which of the following information will dissuade him the MOST from shifting his stall to the food court?
Solution
It is mentioned that hospital staff frequently visit his stall during office hours as they find his dosas to be reasonably priced. Option E dissuades him the most because if shifted to the hospital food court, the minimum price should be Rs 200, which may discourage staff from visiting the stall.
Options A and C may bother Dileep to some extent but not more than option E.
Options B and D are incorrect as the statements support shifting the stall.
Answer is option E.
Dileep shifts his stall to the hospital food court. He prices his plain dosa at ₹40 and masala dosa at ₹60. However, two months on, he is serving only about 150 dosas per day. The clientele is mostly the same hospital staff members, who had been his customers before he moved to the food court.
Which of the following actions will BEST help Dileep in increasing his sales?
Solution
Giving a discount to only hospital staff is unfair to the other customers. Therefore, options A, B and E are incorrect.
Option C is incorrect as the increasing prices of all food items discourage staff from visiting the stall, and adding shezwan dosa will not help.
Option D is the correct answer as the prices for best-sellers remain the same, and adding more varieties at higher prices will help.
Answer is option D.
On the first anniversary of his stall at the food court, Dileep reviews his customer base. Almost all of his customers are the hospital staff members. Though he wishes to serve the general visitors at the hospital, they avoid his stall. On enquiring, he discovers that visitors generally avoid his stall because it is majorly frequented by the hospital staff members, giving it a feel of a staff canteen.
Dileep realizes his best efforts have not given him any extra sales and the visitors can potentially increase his revenue by a considerable amount.
Which of the following options can BEST help Dileep in discouraging hospital staff members from visiting his stall while increasing his overall revenue?
Solution
In this question, Dileep wants to include general visitors and increase his sales. Option A is incorrect as charging premium prices to hospital staff is unfair. Introducing massive discounts welcomes hospital staff to the stall, making general visitors think that the stall is a staff canteen. Therefore, option C is incorrect. Option E is correct; this discourages hospital staff from visiting the stall and increases sales from staff and general visitors.
Answer is option E.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
A2Z is a state-funded leading engineering college in the country, renowned for its teaching and placements. Now, A2Z aspires to be a global leader in research as well. A2Z has, therefore, decided to push for better quality research from its newly recruited faculty members. In the past, a few faculty members were confirmed because of their exceptional teaching feedback even though their research output was below par. Currently, the Dean, in consultation with the academic council, has included the quality of research as a mandatory requirement along with teaching excellence for the confirmation of the newly recruited faculty members. (The academic council comprises of the senior faculty members from different departments.)
Initially, newly recruited faculty members are put on probation for three years. Either they are confirmed or their probation is extended or their services are terminated, based on teaching and research contributions. Once confirmed, their job is secure along with other additional perquisites.
Aparna joined the social sciences department of A2Z two years back. She is amongst the many faculty members, recruited after the new norms for confirmation were introduced. She completed her doctorate from a reputed university in the USA, with a significant research contributions. However, after joining A2Z, Aparna got deeply involved in social outreach as COVID-19 was spreading. Though her social outreach has given her immense satisfaction, she has nothing to show against research contributions; further, it has impacted her teaching effectiveness. Her confirmation is due in a year.
The Dean, during the annual appraisal of Aparna, realizes that her research contribution needs considerable investment of time and efforts. He is concerned that her performance could set a wrong precedent for the new faculty recruits. The dean wants to communicate to the new faculty recruits that research contribution is critical.
Which of the following actions will BEST help the Dean in achieving the objective, while being fair to Aparna?
Solution
The dean wants to be fair to Aparna but also wants to show the new recruits that research work is essential for their jobs. Thus, there needs to be some form of action which is not too harsh but conveys the message.
Options D and E will be eliminated as they are more negative than expected and unfair to Aparna.
Option B is too lenient as there is no consequence for her actions.
Option C, increasing the requirements and probation period by 2 yrs would be too harsh.
Before extending the probation period, there should be a warning at least as Aparna had been contributing towards an unprecedented noble social cause. So, A is the best choice.
Hence, the answer is option A.
One year on, Aparna continues with her social work. Gradually, she gets closer to the end of her probation and she has not much to show against her teaching and research contributions. However, her social work has been widely appreciated by the local media. The Chief Minister of the state wants Aparna to take a larger role in social outreach and assist the government.
The Dean is afraid that not confirming Aparna might prompt her to leave the institution, sending a wrong signal to the outside world. However, he also wants to send a message to the newly joined faculty members that teaching and research contributions are essential for confirmation.
Which of the following actions by the Dean is the MOST sustainable given the circumstances?
Solution
Option D is the correct answer as extending Aparna's probation provides her with an extended period to enhance her research and teaching contributions. This acknowledges her valuable social outreach work while also giving her a clear timeframe to meet the institution's expectations.
By informing Aparna that her probation is extended due to the need for improvement in her research and teaching, the Dean effectively communicates the importance of meeting these expectations for confirmation. This ensures transparency and clarity regarding the institution's requirements.
This option strikes a balance between retaining Aparna's talents and ensuring that she meets the institution's standards. It acknowledges her potential contributions while also setting clear expectations for her to fulfill in order to secure a permanent position.
By specifying that Aparna would have to leave if her research and teaching do not improve within the extended probationary period, the option holds her accountable for meeting the institution's expectations. This incentivizes Aparna to actively work on improving her performance.
Overall, Option D offers a pragmatic approach that addresses both the institution's need to maintain academic standards and Aparna's potential to contribute positively, thereby ensuring sustainable decision-making in the given circumstances.
A few months later, Aparna, during an interview with the local media, inadvertently expresses her fear that she might be let go by A2Z because she has not met its teaching and research requirements. Consequently, the academic council urges the dean to review the faculty confirmation policy.
The Dean, however, believes that any change in the policy will be a setback to the institute's aspirations of becoming a global leader in research.
Which of the following actions by the Dean will be the MOST appropriate, given the circumstances?
Solution
Confirming Aparna will send a contradictory message to the new recruits about the teaching and research policy of the institute. Hence, options B and E are eliminated.
Firing Aparna or talking about her poor performance will put the institute in a negative shadow, and thus, options A and D will be eliminated.
Option C shows the institute's readiness to hire Aparna as well as its determination to uphold the teaching and research policy.
Hence, the answer is option C.
Read the following scenario and answer the THREE questions that follow.
Comprehension:
Sundaresan was a professor of Corporate Responsibility at a premium management institution. As a requirement of his course, students had to synthesize sustainability challenges, faced by thermal power companies and submit an assignment on them. Though it was an individual assignment, some students sought permission from Sundaresan to work on the assignment as a team. Sundaresan knew that collaboration fosters peer learning, and therefore, allowed them to work in teams. However, he mandated that a team should not exceed three members. While 15 students elected to work individually, another 15 formed teams of three each, and another 10 formed teams of two members each.
As assignment deadline came closer, Sundaresan was approached by Abbas Warram, who chose to work in a team of three members. He informed Sundaresan that Venkamma, his team member, distressed by the death of her grandmother, could not work on her bit of the assignment. Abbas requested for a deadline extension so that she could finish her part of the assignment. By then, many students who were working alone had already submitted their assignments.
Which of the following actions by Sundaresan is the MOST appropriate, given the circumstances?
Solution
Since there is a valid and justifiable reason for the assignment to be incomplete, Sundaresan should give some form of concession to the team but should also add some clause so that it is not unfair to the other students who completed their assignments in time.
Option A would be unfair to the team as it was a team assignment and could not be completed without a team member.
Options B and D were inconsiderate on the professor’s part.
Option E is entirely unfair to each team member and is, thus, invalid.
Being a professor of Corporate Responsibility at a premium management institution, C should be the correct step to go with.
Hence, the answer is option C.
When Sundaresan was about to grade the assignments, he received a request from the class representative regarding the students who worked individually. The request was to give those students additional marks because they handled the entire workload. This would improve their course grade significantly.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action by Sundaresan to mark the assignments?
Solution
Whether to complete the assignments individually or in a team was an individual choice that everyone made for themselves. Thus, giving additional marks to the people working alone would be unreasonable as they could have chosen to be in a team.
Hence, the answer is option E.
Sundaresan was going through the submitted assignments. Team 9, with three members, had impressive exhibits and charts. Later, he discovered that Team 13, with three members, also had the same exhibits and charts. He realized that one of the teams had copied from the other. Hence, he informed both the teams that he would award an F-grade (fail grade) to both the teams for copying.
Later that evening, Aashi from Team 9 called and admitted to sharing exhibits and charts with Aanvi of Team13. Further, she mentioned that Aanvi could not put enough efforts since she lost significant amount of time due to COVID-19. Therefore, Aanvi requested for help. However, Aanvi assured Aashi that she would not reproduce the shared content. Aashi requested Sundaresan to punish her and Aanviand spare others as they were not involved.
Which of the following actions by Sundaresan is the MOST appropriate?
Solution
Basic fundamentals of teamwork - if one goes down, all go down, i.e., sharing the responsibility. Option E is correct.
