Statement–Conclusion, Courses of Action & Decision Making: Notes for RRB NTPC

Statement and conclusion

A conclusion is a fact or judgment that can be drawn from the statement. It follows only when the statement, read sensibly, makes it true. You may use the meaning and purpose stated in the passage, but not your own general knowledge or opinions about the subject.

Courses of action

Here the statement describes a problem or a situation, and each course of action proposes a step. A course of action follows when it is practical, within the power of the person or body named, and likely to solve, reduce or prevent the problem, or to help people affected by it.

• Follows: inquiry into a failure, repairing what broke, warning people at risk, adding supply when prices rise, penalising those responsible.
• Does not follow: shutting down an entire system for a local fault, banning a basic service, punishing everyone for a few people's mistakes, steps that create bigger problems than they solve.
• Both actions can follow if they attack different parts of the same problem.
• Neither follows if both are extreme or unrelated to the problem.

Worked example: 'Many students of a school fell ill after eating the mid-day meal.' I. The food samples should be tested and the supplier's role investigated. II. Mid-day meals should be stopped in all schools of the state. I is practical and targets the cause; II is an extreme step that punishes millions for one incident. Only I follows.

Decision making — situations

Situation questions ask for the most suitable action by a manager, officer or employee. The best answer usually solves the problem at hand, keeps the service running, is fair to everyone and stays within the person's role. Options that avoid responsibility, deny service, or overreact are wrong even if they would technically end the problem.

Decision making — eligibility cases

Bank-style decision questions list conditions for selection and then special rules: if a candidate fails one condition but meets another, the case is referred to an officer. Make a small table: one row for the candidate, one column per condition, and tick or cross each.

1. Check every main condition and mark tick, cross or 'not given'.
2. If all are ticked, the candidate is selected.
3. If exactly the condition named in an exception fails, check the exception's own requirement; if met, refer the case as stated.
4. If any other condition fails, the candidate is not selected.
5. If a fact needed for any condition is not given, choose 'data not enough'.

Worked example: a scholarship needs (i) family income below Rs 3 lakh, (ii) 75% marks in Class 12 and (iii) admission to a government college. If (ii) fails but marks are at least 70% and the student is a state-level athlete, the case goes to the principal. Arun has 72% marks, family income Rs 2.5 lakh, is a state-level athlete and has admission in a government college: refer to the principal.