1. Instructions
  2. 2008: English paper (RBI legal officer)
  3. 2009’s Paper

Instructions

  1. All questions are compulsory.
  2. Each question must be started on a fresh page.
  3. All questions must be answered together, without other answers intervening.
  4. Answers must be written in English.
  5. Marks will be deducted if an answer far exceeds or falls short of the set limit, or is irrelevant, or if the handwriting is illegible.

2008: English paper (RBI legal officer)

Essay (40m)

Write an argumentative essay of about 500 words on any one of the following 40 marks

  1. Contribution of Reality shows in taping the talents.
  2. Role of the R.B.I. in encountering the economic slowdown.
  3. lias SMS language potential enough to occupy due place in  formal communication ?
  4. Do you feel India will enjoy sound position with the arrival of celebrities in Indian politics ?
  5. Government’s role in eliminating internal and external terrorism.

Précis 24m

Make a precis of the following passage in your own words, reducing it to about 200 words, and give it a suitable title. Write your précis on the special sheet provided for this purpose.

  • Economic stimulus is the order of the day. This is as it must be, as governments around the world struggle to jump-start the global economy. But as leaders address the immediate need to stimulate the economy, so too they must act jointly to ensure that the new de facto ecopomic. model being developed is sustainable for the planet. What we need is both stimulus and long-term investments that accomplish two objectives simultaneously with one global economic policy response-a policy that addresses our urgent and immediate economic and social needs and that launches a new green global economy. In short, we need to make ‘growing green’ our mantra
  • First, a synchronized global recession requires a synchronized global response. We need stimulus and intense co-ordination of economic policy among all main economies. We avoid the beggar-thy neighbour policies that contributed to the , Great Depression. Co-ordination is also vital for reducing financial volatility. In Washington last November, G20 leaders expressed their determination to enhance Cooperation and work together to restore global growth and achieve needed reforms in the world’s financial systems. Stimulus is intended to jump-start the economy, but if properly conceived and executed it can also launch us on a new low carbon path to green growth. Some $2250 billion of stimulus has already been announced by 34 nations. This stimulus, along with new initiatives by other countries, must help catapult the world economy into the 21st Century. Leaders everywhere, notably in the US and China, are realizing that green is not an option but a necessity for recharging their economies and creating jobs. Globally, with 2.3 million people employed in the renewable energy sector, there are already more jobs there than directly in the oil and gas industries. In the US, there are now more jobs· in the wind industry than in the entire coal industry. We urge ·an governments to expand green stimulus elements, including energy efficiency, renewables, mass transit, new smart electricity grids and reforestation and to co-ordinate their efforts for rapid results
  • Second, we need’ pro-poor’ policies now. In much of the developing world, governments do not have the option to borrow or print money to cushion the devastating economic blows. Therefore, governments in industrialized countries must reach beyond their borders and invest immediately in those cost-effective programmes that boost the productivity of the poorest. It means investing in agriculture in developing countries by getting seeds, tools, sustainable agricultural practices and credit to smallholder farmers so that they can produce more food and get it to local and regional markets. Pro-poor policy also means increasing investments in better land use, water conservation and drought-resistant crops to help farmers adapt to a changing climate, which-if not addressed-could usher in chronic hunger and malnutrition across large swathes of the developing world.
  • Third, we need a robust climate deal in Copenhagen. The climate deal must be dramatically accelerated and given attention at the highest levels. A successful deal in Copenhagen offers the most potent global stimulus package possible. With a new climate framework in hand, business and governments will finally have the carbon price signal businesses have been clamouring for, one that can unleash a wave of innovation and investment in clean energy. It will provide the green light for the green growth. This is the basis for a truly sustainable economic recovery that will benefit us and our children’s children for decades to come.
  • For millions of people from Detroit to Delhi these are the worst times. Families have lost jobs, homes, health care and even the prospects of their next meal. With so much at stake, governments must be strategic in their choices. We must not let the urgent undermine the essential. Investing in the green economy is not an optional expense. It is a smart investment for more equitable, prosperous future.

Comprehension

From the previous passage, answer the following questions  (total 10 marks for first four qs)

  1. What, in the passage, has been referred to as an economic stimulus?
  2. What do the stimulus and long-term investments tend to accomplish?
  3. What are the various ways in which governments of the world are expected to jump-start the global economy ?
  4. What has been considered necessary for recharging the economies and creating jobs? Give reasons.
  5. Explain clearly the contextual meaning of any three of the 6 following expressions in the passage  (6 marks)
    1. de facto
    2. recession
    3. catapult
    4. clamouring for
    5. accelerated
    6. volatility.

Letter/Report writing 20m

Attempt any one of the following in about 250 words: (20 marks)

  1. Several complaints have been received by the RBI in the respect of difficulties faced by the customers on account of their accounts having been classified as inoperative in banks. This has caused much displeasure and inconvenience to the customers as they are not able to operate their bank accounts properly due to this anomaly. As the Manager of RBI, write a letter to the State and Central Co-operative Banks, instructing them to follow certain guidelines strictly to handle the adverse situation amicably.
  2. There has been a significant decline in the business of the urban branches of a nationalized bank. A committee of five Regional Managers has been appointed to look into the causes. Write the report recommending suggestions within one month of the formation of the committee.
  3. It has been proposed that the working hours of your bank branch be changed to morning and evening hours for the banking convenience of the customers. You have been appointed as the convener of the committee to look into the feasibility of implementing the proposal. Prepare your report with recommendations.

2009’s Paper

Essay (40m)

Q1. Write essay in 500 words, on any one of the following topics (40m)

  1. Justice delayed is justice denied
  2. Indian Government and Global Warming
  3. Globalization and Regional Languages
  4. “Fundamental Rights in Indian Constitution is a charter of rights to guarantee the civil liberties.”
  5. Reserve Bank and its role in economic growth of India.

Précis  (24m)

Q2. Make a precis of the following passage in your own words, reducing it to about 200 words, and give it a suitable title. Write your precis on the special sheet provided for this purpose:- (24m)

  • In India, there has been a lot of debate on the drivers of and deterrents to economic growth. Since the debate has by and large raged among economists, it has been largely restricted to what one may refer to as technical formal factors :the local and global macroeconomic framework, infrastructure, agricultural performance, governance, health and education, etc. The role of social structures and processes has more or less been neglected In fact, even in dealing with the so called technical-formal factors, the non-technical-informal processes and politics have not been part of this debate. On the other hand, sociologists have engaged in detailed discussions on the changing structures and processes of Indian society for a close to a century now, but have mostly kept away from demonstrating the relevance of these social changes to the country’s economy. One can argue that a disciplinary divide like this exists even in western countries, where these sciences have originated in their modem form, but we would also agree that the sharpness of the divide there has been blunted to a greater degree by the prevalence of inter, multi and trans-disciplinarily than it has been here.
  • At a more practical level, this divide has meant that the notion of equity has come to be seen in the limited sense of redistribution and welfare, and as such opposed by particular group of market economists. Politicians, with their patronizing pursuit of social justice in the form of various bail-outs and dole-outs, seem to have made the perceived trade-off between equity and efficiency look more real. The truth of the matter is, if we bring insight from these two disciplines together, we would realize that, in fact, it is the presence of vast and persistent social inequities based on gender, class, caste, religion etc that pose a fundamental challenge to the pursuit of economic efficiency in India.
  • In India, prima facie we come across horizontal and vertical forms of equity. Equity in horizontal sense-addressing social biases and creating an enabling environment for all to participate in the process of economic growth itself-ceases to be a predicament, but a pre-condition for efficiency. Equity in vertical sense is meant to advocate the idea of efficiency first, equity later-we need wealth to be able to redistribute it.
  • Unfortunately, the horizontal form of equity is not preferred by the political class in India. It can not be since the pursuit of equity has largely been taken up because of political compulsions to please and pacify certain sections of the electorate. Social sector programmes that have come up do have potential to mitigate the immediate hardships of the poor. They reflect the curative firefighting style of Indian policymaking, indisposed to address the root causes of the problems we face. And what is worse, even these token measures could be gradually toned down the moment they stop yielding the desired political results or the crisis does not loom large on our heads. The rise of coalition politics has in a way made this problem more chronic, with a great amount of focus on keeping the coalition partners together and continuing in power.
  • If the Government is serious about inclusive growth, the focus has to be on horizontal equity, on social liberalization which entails opening up barriers that prevent millions from participating in the process of growth in itself. It is not poverty alone that has to be tackled, the self respect and confidence of the oppressed has to be restored to enable them to stand up and pursue their and their country’s prosperity. What is keeping a massive pool of our talent untapped and holding the country back from a gigantic growth momentum are horizontal inequities. And once we are able to tackle them even to a limited degree, then sky would be the only our limit.

Comprehension (10m)

From the above passage, answer following

  1. Why do thinkers fail to properly evaluate the economic growth in India?
  2. Which are the forms of equity ? In what way are they different from each other ?
  3. Which factors do not let the political class take into account the horizontal form of equity ?
  4. Which remedial steps are required to be taken by the government to ensure the inclusive growth for India ?

Vocab (6m)

  1. Explain clearly the contextual meaning of any three of the following expressions in the passage :-
    1. By and Large
    2. Deterrents
    3. Prima Facie
    4. Tone down
    5. Loom large
    6. Massive

Letter / report writing (20m)

Attempt any one of the following, in 250 words.

  1. As the President of ICAI, write a letter to the Governor, Reserve Bank of India requesting for the procedures to be followed for the Allocation of Central Statutory Audits of Public Sectors
  2. You had transferred an amount of Rs. 25,000 from ICICI, Malaviya Nagar Branch to SBI Allahabad Branch. When you visited the SBI Branch, you could not find your EFT even after 3-4 days. After several visits and repeated letters you did not get any satisfactory reply from them. Now you are compelled to write a letter to Customer Service Department, State Bank of India, Central office, Mumbai requesting them to expedite the matter by directing the concerned authoriti.es responsible for this undue delay
  3. The prices of food grain are shooting up beyond control. It is essential for the government to curb the price hike in the common interest of people. As suggested by the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, RBI tends to form a committee of eminent economists to explore if reducing the supply of money and taming the interest rate could tame the rising prices of food articles. As the chairman of the committee, submit your report to RBI offering the recommendations.