Passage

In our schools, we teach our children all that is there to know about Physics, Maths and History and what-have you. But do we teach them about the bitter caste divide that plagues the country, about the spectre of famine that stalks large part of our land, about gender sensitivity, about the possibility of atheism as a choice, etc? Equally important, do we teach them to ask question, or do we teach them only to passively receive our wisdom? From the cocooned world of school, suddenly, the adolescent finds himself/herself in the unfettered world of university. Here he/she is swept up in a turmoil of ideas and influences and ideologies. For someone who has been discouraged from asking questions and forming an opinion, this transition can be painful.

Question

CSATEasyPrelims 2021Comprehension

Which one of the following best reflects the central idea of the passage given above?

Explanation

Option A is incorrect: The passage makes no mention of the expectations of either parents or children. Hence it is beyond the scope of the passage.

Option B is incorrect: The time factor, i.e., allocation of time between academics and skill development activities, is not discussed in the passage.

Option C is close but incorrect: The passage does not discuss the aspect of holistic education of children in terms of whose responsibility it should be. Though it asserts that the schools do not fulfill this important role and it is important that these values and such education are not received straightaway at the time of college, but also at the time of school, the author does not make any conclusive judgments about where the ultimate responsibility should lie.

Option D is the best answer: The passage explicitly mentions, both the present world order demands, as well as the societal and life-coping skills in addition to academic content. The present world order is mentioned in the lines, But do we teach them about the bitter caste divide that plagues the country, about the specter of famine that stalks large parts of our land, about gender sensitivity, about the possibility of atheism as a choice, etc.? Societal and life coping skills are discussed as Equally important, do we teach them to ask questions, or do we teach them only to passively receive our wisdom?. Further, the author asserts From the cocooned world of school, making the assertion made in the statement a valid one.