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Statement and Course of Action

Reasoning · Logical & Analytical Reasoning

6 Part3 worked examples19 practice questions

Suppose you are the collector of a district and a report comes in that a village’s pipeline has burst. What would you do at once? You would get it repaired and inform the people — you would not shut off the water of the whole district, nor say “let us watch for a few days”. A course-of-action question asks exactly this good sense of you.

The question gives a statement — a problem, plan or report — and under it two (or more) courses of action, i.e. suggested steps. You must say which course is proper to take in that situation (follows).

The journey of the chapter: first the meaning of a course of action and six tests; then ten kinds of course (of which only two or three are proper); then the difference between “both” and “either”; and finally practice by theme.

How to use this chapter

  1. Read — each part gives the idea, tables and rules.
  2. Study the solved example — beside each course the reason “why proper / why not” is open.
  3. Try it yourself — decide on each course first, then pick the option.
  4. Know the level — Basic, Standard, Advanced.
NoteThe questions you solve are remembered in this browser; see your progress on the right (the “Contents” button on a phone).
1

Foundation — a course of action and its tests

Every question stands on these tools

The meaning of a course of action, six tests of a proper one, and ten kinds of course.

What a course of action is

A problem, a plan or a report — and the step that follows

The three forms of a statement, what “follows” means, and the order of deciding.

TermMeaningExample
ProblemSomething is going wrongA pipeline is leaking
Plan / announcementA decision or scheme is statedFree books will be given to girls
Report / allegationSomeone has reported something not yet provedAccording to a newspaper medicines are being sold
Course of actionA step suggested for that situation“The repair should be done at once”
FollowsA sensible administrator would think it right to take it—

“Follows” here means a proper, practical step. As in the previous chapter you cannot change the facts of the statement — you take it as true and add no new facts. The difference is that here common sense is used for “what would be right to do”.

The order of deciding
Spot the problem, plan or report in the statementAsk: does this step work on exactly that?Is it practical and in proportion?Yes → proper
TrickSay this sentence to each course: “If I were the administrator, would I really do this?” If the answer is “maybe”, apply the tests (next part).
Example 1 · Basic
Statement: The main drinking-water pipeline of a colony has been leaking for three days and a lot of water is being wasted. Course of action I. The municipal staff should repair the pipeline at once. Course of action II. Residents should wait for the leak to stop by itself.
Solution, step by step
  1. 1Course of action I follows. Follows — a direct remedy. The leak is the problem; repairing it is the direct remedy.
  2. 2Course of action II does not follow. Does not follow — ignores the problem. A leak does not stop by itself; this ignores the problem.
Answer Only course of action I follows
Repair is the direct cure of a leak; waiting shuts the eyes to the problem.
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: Many cases of dengue have been reported from one ward of the city. Course of action I. Hospitals should raise their fees. Course of action II. The health department should carry out fogging in that ward and clear stagnant water.
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: A fire broke out in a crowded market; traders say most shops had no fire extinguishers. Course of action I. Keeping fire extinguishers should be made compulsory for shopkeepers. Course of action II. Fire-safety inspection of all the shops in the market should be carried out.
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: A long traffic jam builds up every morning at a busy crossing. Course of action I. No vehicle should be allowed to move in the city. Course of action II. The fine for vehicles parked in other lanes should be raised.

Six tests of a proper course

Six questions for every course

Relevance, practicality, proportion, activity, the right doer and facts first.

TestQuestionWhat fails it
1. RelevanceDoes it work on that very problem or plan?“Raise the parking fee” (for a fire problem)
2. PracticalityCan it be done in the time and resources available?“Dam the river in one week”
3. ProportionIs the step equal to the size of the problem?“Shut the city’s water” (for one pipe)
4. ActivityDoes it do something, or just wait or ignore?“Let the leak stop by itself”
5. The right doerIs the work asked of the responsible body?“Residents dig the road themselves”
6. Facts firstIs punishment given before an allegation is inquired into?“Dismiss all the staff”

A course is proper only when it passes all of these. Mind that being extreme (close everything, dismiss everyone) and being passive (let us watch, ignore it) are both wrong ends. The right step is in the middle: necessary, direct and measured.

TrickWhen the statement is a “report” or “allegation”, “hold an inquiry” is almost always proper and “punish or dismiss” almost always premature. But if the statement itself says the fault is established, the “before inquiry” argument does not apply.
Example 2 · Standard
Statement: A question paper of the Board exam leaked a day before the exam, and the Board has confirmed it. Course of action I. All the teachers of the district should be suspended at once. Course of action II. The Board should cancel that exam and hold it again with a new paper.
Solution, step by step
  1. 1Course of action I does not follow. Does not follow — punishment or a verdict before the facts. It is not even known who is at fault; punishing everyone is punishment before inquiry.
  2. 2Course of action II follows. Follows — a direct remedy. The leak has destroyed the fairness of the exam; a new paper restores it.
Answer Only course of action II follows
The leak is confirmed, so cancelling the exam is proper; but the guilty are still unknown, so suspending all is punishment before inquiry.
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: Many teachers of a rural school stay absent from class without taking leave. Course of action I. The school building should be freshly painted. Course of action II. The education department should make surprise inspections and act against habitual absentees.
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: Heavy rain has made the river overflow and several villages are cut off from the rest of the area. Course of action I. All the villages by the river should be removed for ever. Course of action II. Relief and rescue teams with food and boats should be sent at once.
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: Milk samples of some sellers in the town were found adulterated in tests. Course of action I. All sellers should be fined without testing their milk. Course of action II. More parks should be built in the town.
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: Frequent power cuts in the town in summer are hurting students’ studies and small businesses. Course of action I. The schedule of cuts should be announced in advance. Course of action II. People should be told to bear all this quietly.
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: Cases of online fraud through fake phone calls are increasing. Course of action I. Victims of the fraud should be punished for carelessness. Course of action II. The police and banks should run awareness campaigns on not sharing OTPs.

Ten kinds of course

Three proper, seven improper

How to recognise each kind, its tell-tale phrase and its verdict.

KindHow it soundsVerdict
Direct remedyWorks on the root (repair, fogging, inspection)Follows
Supporting / preventiveAwareness, notice, monitoring, future preventionFollows
First an inquiryInquiry or audit into a report or allegationFollows
ExtremeClose all, dismiss all, for everDoes not follow
PassiveIgnore, wait, bear itDoes not follow
UnconnectedA step with no link to the problemDoes not follow
Punishment before inquirySuspend, dismiss or fine without inquiryDoes not follow
Burden on someone elsePeople do it themselves, blame the victimDoes not follow
Impractical / beyond the caseDam the river in a week; give everything free to allDoes not follow
Against the aimStop the very scheme just announcedDoes not follow
TrapTwo kinds that look proper but are not: harsh punishment and changing everything. Harsh punishment is proper only when the statement says the fault is established; and “changing everything” only when the problem is truly that of the whole system.
Example 3 · Basic
Statement: A fire broke out in a crowded market; traders say most shops had no fire extinguishers. Course of action I. The parking fee in the market should be raised. Course of action II. Shopkeepers who had no extinguishers should be sent to jail at once without any inquiry.
Solution, step by step
  1. 1Course of action I does not follow. Does not follow — an unconnected step. Parking fees have nothing to do with fire safety.
  2. 2Course of action II does not follow. Does not follow — punishment or a verdict before the facts. An inquiry must come before punishment, and the lack of extinguishers calls for correction more than for jail.
Answer Neither I nor II follows
Both improper: one jails before inquiry, the other is unconnected.
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: The main drinking-water pipeline of a colony has been leaking for three days and a lot of water is being wasted. Course of action: The water supply of the whole city should be shut off until all pipelines are replaced. What kind of course is this?
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: The main drinking-water pipeline of a colony has been leaking for three days and a lot of water is being wasted. Course of action: Residents should wait for the leak to stop by itself. What kind of course is this?
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: The main drinking-water pipeline of a colony has been leaking for three days and a lot of water is being wasted. Course of action: The residents should dig up the road and repair the pipeline themselves. What kind of course is this?
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: A fire broke out in a crowded market; traders say most shops had no fire extinguishers. Course of action: Shopkeepers who had no extinguishers should be sent to jail at once without any inquiry. What kind of course is this?
BasicTry it yourself first
Statement: A fire broke out in a crowded market; traders say most shops had no fire extinguishers. Course of action: The parking fee in the market should be raised. What kind of course is this?
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: Heavy rain has made the river overflow and several villages are cut off from the rest of the area. Course of action: The river should be completely dammed in one week. What kind of course is this?
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: A question paper of the Board exam leaked a day before the exam, and the Board has confirmed it. Course of action: The leak should be ignored and the exam held as it is. What kind of course is this?
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: The state government has announced a scheme to give free books to girl students. Course of action: The scheme should be stopped as unnecessary. What kind of course is this?
StandardTry it yourself first
Statement: A newspaper has reported that medicine stock of a government hospital is being sold in the open market. Course of action: All the staff of the hospital should be dismissed at once. What kind of course is this?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Statement: A newspaper has reported that medicine stock of a government hospital is being sold in the open market. Course of action: An inquiry into this report should be ordered. What kind of course is this?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Statement: Stray dogs have bitten several people in a locality. Course of action: Anti-rabies injections should be made sure for those who were bitten. What kind of course is this?
2

Reading two courses together

Both proper? Either one? Or neither?

The difference between “both” and “either” and what is proper for each of the three forms of statement.

When both courses are proper

A remedy + a supporting step

The pair of a remedy and a supporting or preventive step; an independent verdict on each course.

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“Either I or II” — when the courses are substitutes

One is enough, both are not needed

The test to tell “both” from “either”, with examples of alternative courses.

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Look at the form of the statement: problem, plan or report

The proper step differs with each form

What is proper and what is not in the three forms, and the trap of “punishment before inquiry”.

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3

Practice by theme

Civic amenities, health and education, services and schemes

Judge courses of action on problems from three areas.

Civic amenities and disasters

Pipeline, fire, flood, jam, electricity

Courses on problems of public amenities and disasters.

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Health and education

Dengue, milk, dogs, the school building and teachers

Courses on problems of health and school.

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Services, schemes and complaints

Fraud, ration cards, a scheme, a report

Courses on situations about government services and schemes.

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4

Strategy guide

One order for every question and the traps to avoid

The order of testing a course and tell-tale phrases.

Order of checks and tell-tale phrases

See the words, name the kind

Naming the kind and verdict from the words of the course.

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Common traps and time-savers

The mistakes that keep happening

Reasons for losing marks in course-of-action questions.

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5

Mixed practice

All themes mixed

Questions on different situations in three levels.

Basic practice

One proper, one plainly improper

Direct remedies against passive, unconnected or extreme steps.

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Standard practice

Remedy + support, punishment versus inquiry

Questions where both are proper, both improper, and punishment-before-inquiry.

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Advanced practice

Three or four courses and fine distinctions

Group-option questions and those turning on allegation versus confirmation.

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6

Revision — cards

Flip each card and test yourself

Think of the answer yourself first, then flip.

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