Reading Comprehension for Bank Exams, Reading Comprehension for Bank PO, RC for Bank PO, RC for bank exams, English rc for bank exams, Story-based rc for bank exams
Reading Comprehension for Bank Exams
This is the 3rd set of reading comprehension for bank and insurance exams. Reading Comprehension plays an important role in the English section of banking exams. Because English is not subject it should be treated as a language and for this, we should read English on regular basis in any form like an editorial story.
This post is for the bank exam candidates preparing for bank exams like SBI PO, IBPS PO, and RRB PO. If any candidate has any doubt regarding any question or topic, he/she can comment in the comment section provided below the post.
Set-1. The better part of management is preparedness. Unless a certain clairvoyance, inspired by evidence, is possible and systems are ready, post facto management could be a damp squib. The rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country indicate the need to gear up again. On April 12, a total of 7,830 new cases were reported in a 24-hour period, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data, possibly the highest in over 200 days. There are over 40,000 active cases in the country as on date. A lineage of the Omicron virus called XBB.1.16 is said to be behind the current rapid proliferation of cases in the country. Fatalities are also slowly increasing, being reported from States where there had been no deaths reported for months. It might be reassuring that initial studies of the behaviour of XBB.1.16 show milder infections not requiring hospitalisation, indicating that it is not a very virulent strain. However, health systems can scarcely afford to be underprepared, especially considering the recent traumatic experience of a raging pandemic taking a huge toll.
In any long-winded battle in the realm of public health, a sense of fatigue is inevitable, particularly during a pandemic when the demand for health human resources and infrastructure is relentless. Every opportunity to lay down the burden will be seized, naturally, and low infection levels over time can lead to complacency. The rising number of COVID-19 cases in India is a call to rouse health systems across the country and have them in a state of readiness to meet the challenge. The difference though, between March 2023 and March 2020, is that the world is no longer COVID-naïve. The experience has given an indication of how to be prepared, even if the World Health Organization has come around to treating COVID-19 similar to seasonal influenza. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the meeting of the COVID-19 task force two weeks ago, rightly advised States to focus on the stratagem that worked earlier — ‘test-track-treat-vaccinate’ and adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour. He also called for enhancing lab surveillance, testing all severe acute respiratory illness cases, and for drills to be conducted regularly in hospitals, nationwide. Several States have brought in compulsory masking at various levels and conducted drills. But, it is also clear from prior experience that a lot depends on compliance at the personal level hand washing hygiene, masking, and reaching the hospital early particularly in the case of senior citizens and persons with co-morbidities. As governments prepare themselves, strengthening health systems, individuals should also be prudent to take adequate precautions.
Set-2. Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s assent, on April 7, to the Bill prohibiting online gambling and regulating online games in the State, has brought closure to a controversial issue. Almost all parties, including the AIADMK and the BJP, have backed the legislation, now called the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act. The passage of the Bill has seen ups and downs. About a month ago, the Governor returned the Bill, on the grounds that the State Assembly had “no legislative competence” to enact such a law. In late March, the House re-adopted and sent the Bill back to him. In the meantime, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur had, referring to the presence of “betting and gambling” in the State List (Entry 34), clarified in Parliament that online gambling too came under the jurisdiction of States. The news that the piece of legislation had received the assent of the Governor came out on April 10 — the day the House had adopted a resolution urging the President and the Union government to ensure time-bound gubernatorial assent to Bills passed.
The Governor’s approach to the Bill — of late assent — is in contrast to when he approved an identical ordinance in October last. His meeting with e-gaming industry representatives, even as the Bill was under his consideration, came in for criticism. Adding to the intrigue was the Raj Bhavan’s silence over four months when the Bill was with the Governor. In fact, on the day that the Raj Bhavan returned the Bill to the Assembly (March 8), there was no official word from the Governor’s side in support of his stand. Mr Ravi could have deflected criticism had he made his stand open, as he had done to a Bill that he had returned in February 2022, seeking exemption for students of the State from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medicine (this Bill is awaiting presidential assent). Further, with the Centre has notified the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, there should be no confusion as far as enforcing the law is concerned — which has to be done in conjunction with the IT Act, 2000. Addiction to online gaming has resulted in financial distress in many a family and also caused serious health issues. Even while seeking to implement the law banning online gambling and online games of chance (rummy and poker), the proposed Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority should ensure a balance: no restrictions on online games permitted under the Act as well as monitoring of online game providers. In an ever-evolving digital world, it would be in the interests of all to create an environment for healthy online games.
Set-3. India’s neutrality on the Russia-Ukraine war has been a reason for dismay in the West. While Delhi has done well to ensure that ties don’t head south, it must not fall short of solidarity with Kyiv in its hour of crisis. An opportunity has just arisen in Ukraine President Volodymyr Zaleski's request for additional humanitarian aid from India through a letter handed over by the country’s visiting deputy foreign minister Emine Dzhaparova. Supplying covid vaccines to other countries and sending aid to Turkey after its recent earthquake marked India as a country ready to help. Relief supplies for the people of a war-ravaged country would be in the same spirit. It would help build goodwill and enhance our soft power.
Our neutrality over the ongoing war in Europe mustn’t come to be seen as an opportunistic stance that helps us procure cheap oil from Russia without alienating the West. A nation-state’s sovereignty has been violated and there is enough to suggest that Ukrainians value their freedom. Their resistance is therefore a just cause, regardless of all other factors. Moreover, if New Delhi wants a say in any peace deal that’s struck, we need to be on good terms with both sides.
