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CSAT 2021 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2021 · Question 51 · Reading comprehension

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

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.

Passage—1

The best universities like Harvard and MIT, despite having the luxury of having some truly excellent teachers on their payroll, are increasingly embracing the “flipped classroom” format, where students listen to video lectures at home, and spend class time applying their knowledge, solving problems, discussing examples, etc. Professors guide that discussion and fill in wherever necessary, explaining those bits that seem to be eluding the students and throwing in advanced ideas that happen to be topical. These universities have made their video lectures available free for anyone in the world. They are also encouraging colleges and universities all over the world to integrate these online courses into their own pedagogy, picking the pieces that are appropriate for their needs and building a package around them.

CSAT 2021 · Q51

Reading comprehension Medium

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

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Availability of higher education can be made easier and cheaper without diluting the content.

The best universities pair video lectures with active class discussion, give those lectures free to the world, and invite other colleges to build them into their own teaching. The central idea is that good higher education can reach more people, more cheaply, without losing quality.

  • ✗ (a) The passage describes a blended 'flipped classroom', with class time and professors, not a claim that online mode beats conventional teaching.
  • ✓ (b) Lectures by excellent teachers are 'available free for anyone in the world' and can be integrated by colleges everywhere — easier, cheaper access to the same content.
  • ✗ (c) Infrastructure spending is never discussed, and 'human and social capital' is a leap.
  • ✗ (d) Private institutions and coaching institutes are not mentioned.

Remember · The central idea generalises what the passage's examples achieve; reject options about groups or costs the passage never mentions.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

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