India’s health indicators have continued to improve. However, progress has not matched the country’s economic growth during the last decade. While there is no single metric to measure the performance of the health system, India compares poorly with countries at similar levels of development.
Fertility rates outstrip those in most Asian countries, and maternal and infant mortality is one of the highest in Asia. Of particular concern is the health of India’s children, whose well being will determine the extent of India’s much-awaited demog - raphic dividend.
The country faces an unfinished agenda of tackling childhood and infectious diseases as well as an emerging burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The high financial burden of both catastrophic and routine health care makes the poor highly vulnerable to health shocks, with medical expenses contributing to household poverty and compromising any effort to improve health outcomes.
Despite some improvements, a high proportion of the population continues to suffer and die from easily preventable diseases, lack of access to affordable and quality care, and malnutrition. Women and children from low-income households are the most vulnerable.
Only about half of pregnant women receive adequate antenatal coverage - at least three visits during one pregnancy. This percentage remains low and stagnant. While the percentage of children between 12-23 months of age that are fully immunized rose from 46% in 2004 to 54% in 2008, these levels remain unacceptably low. Infant and maternal mortality rates are decreasing, but slowly.
Despite the largest child-nutrition program in the world, rates of childhood malnutrition have remained unchanged for nearly two decades: 48% of children under the age of five are stunted (low height for age), 43% are underweight (low weight for age), and 20% are wasted (low weight for height).
At the same time, new health concerns are emerging. The rise in chronic adult diseases and injuries is stretching the system’s capacity to respond. Non-communicable diseases and injuries already account for about 60% of India’s disease burden, led by cardiovascular disease, mental health, injuries, cancer, and diabetes.
At over 70% of all health spending, out-ofpocket expenditures are by far the main financing mechanism for health care in India. This poses considerable financial burden on households. Based on the National Sample Survey (60th round), in 2004, 63 million individuals or 12 million households fell into poverty due to health expenditures (6.2% of all households).
The Central Government has focused new energy and attention on the health sector recently. National health budgets have increased significantly in the past two years and additional resources have been promised. The Government proposes to increase health spending from the current level of a little more than 1% of GDP to 2-3%.
1. Which of the following portrays the poor picture of health system in India in comparison to rest of Asia?
1. The rate of malnutrition in India is as high as it was twenty years ago.
2. Immunisation rate has increased very slowly.
3. Along with high fertility rates, the infant mortality is one of the highest.
4. There is absence of a single metric
system to measure the performance of health system.
5. There is inadequate infrastructure to deal with chronic diseases and injuries.
2. Why does the author think that the nation’s health care system is facing challenges in delivery of services?
1. Due to lack of efficient and skilled medical practitioners
2. Due to rising population with improved fertility rates
3. Due to lack of education among pregnant women
4. Due to upsurge in incurable diseases and injuries
5. Due to rise in cost of medical equipments and drugs
3. According to the passage, what under mines most measures to improve health care?
1. Avoidance of regular check-ups due to lower affordability
2. Inadequate provision of health care facilities dedicated to the rural population
3. Adequate antenatal coverage received only by 50% of the pregnant ladies
4. Economic growth given more importance in lieu of health care
5. Spread of communicable diseases due to unhygienic practices at medical centres
4. The reason why the women are vulnerable to health complications is that they
1. are not well-informed about pregnancy tests by the medical experts
2. do not go in for medical examinations because of conservative traditions
3. get married at an early age without having received the proper education
4. lack access to healthcare facilities which are adequate and low-priced
5. are prone to chronic adult diseases and malnutrition
5. Which of following best fits as a title for the passage?
1. Concerns for medical care in India
2. Medical care requirement for women and children
3. Need for long-term care in India
4. Issues of health and environment in India
5. Status of medical facilities in India
6. Which of the following is/are correct as per the passage?
I. The proportion of infants who have completed the full course of vaccinations is declining.
II. Children affected by malnutrition need to focus only on correcting their weight as per their age.
III. Government of India plans to double the spending on health sector.
1. Only I
2. Only II
3. Only III
4. Only I and II
5. Only II and III
7. As per the passage, which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold letters? OUTSTRIP
1. Accelerate
2. Surpass
3. Challenge
4. Override
5. Perform
8. As per the passage, which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold letters? POSES
1. Adopts
2. Suggests
3. Signals
4. Presents
5. Positions
9. As per the passage, which of the following is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold letters ? EMERGING
1. Vanishing
2. Spoiling
3. Expiring
4. Ceasing
5. Failing
10. As per the passage, which of the following is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold letters?
STAGNANT
1. Dynamic
2. Vigorous
3. Flowing
4. Dormant
5. Shaky
(Q.11-15). Directions: Rearrange the following sentences (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) to make a meaningful paragraph and then answer the question that follows.
A. Gandhiji’s first political fast was made soon after his return from Africa.
B. In fact, he had also received help from that man’s sister during the strikes.
C. This was when the poor labourers of the Colleen Mills of Hyderabad were on strike.
D. It may come as a surprise that Gandhiji was a friend of the largest mill owner.
E. Gandhiji had made the strikers promise to remain on strike until the owners agreed to accept the decision of an arbitrator.
11. Which shall be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
12. Which shall be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
13. Which shall be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
14. Which shall be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
15. Which shall be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
(Q.16-20). Directions: Read the following passage having some numbered blanks.
Good manners stand next to a good heart in adapting men and women to the community in which they live. Indeed, so far as the opinion of ordinary society matters, good manners go further, for however gifted by nature or education one maybe, or however well-intentioned and __(1)__ in conduct, if he is ignorant of the customs and requirements of good society, is awkward or __(2)__ in manner, careless in speech, and heedless of social demands, and even of the arbitrary dictates of fashion, he risks exposing himself to __(3)__, and may be __(4)__ or condemned, while men far below him in character and ability, but with superior knowledge of correct social deportment, may become the admired favourites of the world. In short, it may be said that success in life often depends far more on appearance and deportment than on __(5)__ character.
16. Fill blank (1).
1. virtuous
2. Judgmental
3. amateurish
4. genuine
5. lawful
17. Fill blank (2).
1. rustic
2. Callous
3. Ungraceful
4. pensive
5. devastating
18. Fill blank (3).
1.abhorrence
2. Scoffing
3. hatred
4. flattery
5. ridicule
19. Fill blank (4).
1. disabled
2. Accepted
3. deferred
4. welcomed
5. neglected
20. Fill blank (5).
1. behavioural
2. Indigenous
3. innate
4. intuitive
5. outward
21. Directions: Identify the part having an error. If there is no error, mark (5).
1. Ten miles beyond the island
2. were stranded a ship
3. with its sails
4. lowered.
5. No error
22. Directions: Identify the part having an error. If there is no error, mark (5).
1. He was looking impatient
2. at the salesman, who showed
3. no signs of
4. leaving the room.
5. No error
23. Directions: Identify the part having an error. If there is no error, mark (5).
1. Any kind of help
2. that you can
3. offer me
4. will be appreciate.
5. No error
24. Directions: Identify the part having an error. If there is no error, mark (5).
1. No sooner did
2. he torn open
3. the envelope than he
4. fell down unconscious
5. No error
25. Directions: Identify the part having an error. If there is no error, mark (5).
1. In one of our first few conversation,
2. she informed me
3. that she had been
4. ill for months.
5. No error
