Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Several arguments have been advanced by supporters of the propositions that higher education in India should not be open to all. In the first place, they maintain, making higher education open to all leads to the deterioration of standards of education. There is a steady decline in the educational standards in India. A graduate of the times when higher educational facilities were available to a selected few, had the much higher standard than the graduate of today. The reason is that every Tom, Dick and Harry has not the capacity and ability to comprehend higher truths of life which higher education seeks to discover. Even in ancient India, Takshila and Nalanda Universities had very rigid and stringent rules regarding admission of students. Students seeking admission in these universities had to pass several tough tests before they could be allowed admission in them. By these rigid rules and regulations, these universities maintained one of the highest standards of teaching and learning in the world. The graduates of these universities were the very glass and essence of humanity, whose scholarship evoked admiration of the mightiest and wisest of rules of those times. Great sanctity was therefore attached to these temples of higher learning. Higher education in India at present finds itself in a mess. There is nothing like standards. Things have come to such a pass that one who is adept in cooling and cheating can easily pass higher examinations. Efforts have been made to prevent the students from indulging in unfair practices but to no avail.

A. Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option A. B or C.

I. Choose the most appropriate title for the story:
(A) Higher Education,
(B) The rise and fall of Indian Economy,
(C) Indian tradition and education

II. If we make higher education open to all, the standards of scholarship will
(A) not be affected at all,
(B) be adversely affected,
(C) won’t be affected

III. The universities of Takshila and Nalanda in ancient India
(A) were liberal enough to grant admission to anybody,
(B) had very rigid and stringent rules of admission,
(C) had no rules of admission

IV. Educational standard of India is going down in today’s time because
(A) copying and cheating are freely allowed in examinations,
(B) funds allocated to education are really very meagre,
(C) admission are allowed to students irrespective of whether they have the capacity and ability for higher scholarship

V. The graduates which the ancient universities of India turned out
(A) dedicated themselves to teaching and nothing else,
(B) toured different countries of the world to communicate the message of India,
(C) were the cream of scholarship and humanity

2. State whether the following statements are True or False:

I. According to the passage, making higher education open to all leads to the deterioration of standards of education
II. There is no steady decline in the educational standards in India
III. The universities of Takshila and Nalanda were ancient universities of India
IV. The ancient universities of India had very rigid and stringent rules of admission
V. By these rigid rules and regulations, these universities maintained highest standards of teaching and learning in the world.
VI. The universities of Takshila and Nalanda in ancient India were liberal enough to grant admission to anybody and followed no rigid rules
VII. According to the passage, educational standard of India is going down in today’s time because funds allocated to education are really very meagre

VIII The Higher education in India is going through a great phase.
IX. The graduates of ancient Indian universities were the essence of humanity, whose scholarship evoked admiration.
X. According to the passage, higher education in India at present finds itself in a mess

3. Look at these words and phrases taken from the reading passage. Match them with the correct meaning given in the box.

I. Deteriorate
II. Facility
III. Comprehend
IV. Stringent
V. Indulge
(a) To understand
(b) Becoming worse
(c) Absolutely strict and firm
(d) Allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of
(e) The action of providing something for use