CAT VA-RC 2019 Slot 2: RC Passage 3

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🔍 In-Depth Passage Analysis: Gain insights through line-by-line and paragraph-wise analysis, supplemented with a quick summary table for efficient revision.
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RC Passage

Direction for the questions 10 to 14: The passage below is accompanied by a set of five questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

Around the world, capital cities are disgorging bureaucrats. In the post-colonial fervour of the 20th century, coastal capitals picked by trade-focused empires were spurned for “regionally neutral” new ones. But decamping wholesale is costly and unpopular; governments these days prefer piecemeal dispersal. The trend reflects how the world has changed. In past eras, when information travelled at a snail’s pace, civil servants had to cluster together. But now desk-workers can ping emails and video-chat around the world. Travel for face-to-face meetings may be unavoidable, but transport links, too, have improved.

Proponents of moving civil servants around promise countless benefits. It disperses the risk that a terrorist attack or natural disaster will cripple an entire government. Wonks in the sticks will be inspired by new ideas that walled-off capitals cannot conjure up. Autonomous regulators perform best far from the pressure and lobbying of the big city. Some even hail a cure for ascendant cynicism and populism. The unloved bureaucrats of faraway capitals will become as popular as firefighters once they mix with regular folk.

Beyond these sunny visions, dispersing central-government functions usually has three specific aims: to improve the lives of both civil servants and those living in clogged capitals; to save money; and to redress regional imbalances. The trouble is that these goals are not always realised.

The first aim—improving living conditions—has a long pedigree. After the second world war Britain moved thousands of civil servants to “agreeable English country towns” as London was rebuilt. But swapping the capital for somewhere smaller is not always agreeable. Attrition rates can exceed 80%. The second reason to pack bureaucrats off is to save money. Office space costs far more in capitals. Agencies that are moved elsewhere can often recruit better workers on lower salaries than in capitals, where well-paying multinationals mop up talent.

The third reason to shift is to rebalance regional inequality. Norway treats federal jobs as a resource every region deserves to enjoy, like profits from oil. Where government jobs go, private ones follow. Sometimes the aim is to fulfil the potential of a country’s second-tier cities. Unlike poor, remote places, bigger cities can make the most of relocated government agencies, linking them to local universities and businesses and supplying a better-educated workforce. The decision in 1946 to set up America’s Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta rather than Washington, D.C., has transformed the city into a hub for health-sector research and business.

The dilemma is obvious. Pick small, poor towns, and areas of high unemployment get new jobs, but it is hard to attract the most qualified workers; opt for larger cities with infrastructure and better-qualified residents, and the country’s most deprived areas see little benefit.

Others contend that decentralisation begets corruption by making government agencies less accountable. A study in America found that state-government corruption is worse when the state capital is isolated—journalists, who tend to live in the bigger cities, become less watchful of those in power.

RC Line-wise Explanation

Paragraph 1

"Around the world, capital cities are disgorging bureaucrats."

Explanation: Many capital cities around the world are seeing bureaucrats leave.

"In the post-colonial fervour of the 20th century, coastal capitals picked by trade-focused empires were spurned for 'regionally neutral' new ones."

Explanation: After colonial times, newly independent nations rejected coastal capitals chosen by colonial powers, opting for new capitals that were seen as neutral in terms of region.

"But decamping wholesale is costly and unpopular; governments these days prefer piecemeal dispersal."

Explanation: Moving an entire government is expensive and unpopular, so governments now prefer a gradual spread of administrative functions.

"The trend reflects how the world has changed. In past eras, when information travelled at a snail’s pace, civil servants had to cluster together."

Explanation: This trend shows how the world has evolved: in the past, civil servants had to be close together because information traveled slowly.

"But now desk-workers can ping emails and video-chat around the world."

Explanation: Today, desk workers can communicate easily through email and video calls, making physical proximity less necessary.

"Travel for face-to-face meetings may be unavoidable, but transport links, too, have improved."

Explanation: While face-to-face meetings may still require travel, improved transportation makes it easier to connect across distances.

Paragraph 2

"Proponents of moving civil servants around promise countless benefits."

Explanation: Supporters of relocating civil servants highlight many potential benefits.

"It disperses the risk that a terrorist attack or natural disaster will cripple an entire government."

Explanation: Spreading out civil servants reduces the risk of a disaster affecting the entire government at once.

"Wonks in the sticks will be inspired by new ideas that walled-off capitals cannot conjure up."

Explanation: Officials working in more remote locations might be inspired by fresh ideas that more isolated capitals cannot generate.

"Autonomous regulators perform best far from the pressure and lobbying of the big city."

Explanation: Independent regulators work better when they are far from the pressures and lobbying common in major cities.

"Some even hail a cure for ascendant cynicism and populism."

Explanation: Some argue that decentralization could combat growing cynicism and populism by making government workers more connected to ordinary people.

"The unloved bureaucrats of faraway capitals will become as popular as firefighters once they mix with regular folk."

Explanation: Civil servants in remote locations could become more appreciated, similar to how firefighters are valued, once they interact with the general population.

Paragraph 3

"Beyond these sunny visions, dispersing central-government functions usually has three specific aims: to improve the lives of both civil servants and those living in clogged capitals; to save money; and to redress regional imbalances."

Explanation: Despite the optimistic benefits, decentralization typically aims to improve civil servants' lives and those in crowded capitals, save money, and address regional disparities.

"The trouble is that these goals are not always realised."

Explanation: However, these goals are not always achieved in practice.

Paragraph 4

"The first aim—improving living conditions—has a long pedigree."

Explanation: The goal of improving living conditions for civil servants has a long history.

"After the second world war Britain moved thousands of civil servants to 'agreeable English country towns' as London was rebuilt."

Explanation: After World War II, Britain relocated many civil servants to rural towns as London was being rebuilt.

"But swapping the capital for somewhere smaller is not always agreeable."

Explanation: However, moving to a smaller town isn’t always appealing for civil servants.

"Attrition rates can exceed 80%."

Explanation: Many civil servants leave these smaller towns, with attrition rates often exceeding 80%.

Paragraph 5

"The second reason to pack bureaucrats off is to save money."

Explanation: Another reason for moving civil servants is to save money.

"Office space costs far more in capitals."

Explanation: Office space in capital cities is much more expensive than in smaller cities.

"Agencies that are moved elsewhere can often recruit better workers on lower salaries than in capitals, where well-paying multinationals mop up talent."

Explanation: Agencies moved to other areas can often hire skilled workers at lower salaries, as multinational companies in capitals often attract top talent.

Paragraph 6

"The third reason to shift is to rebalance regional inequality."

Explanation: A third reason to move civil servants is to address regional imbalances.

"Norway treats federal jobs as a resource every region deserves to enjoy, like profits from oil."

Explanation: In Norway, federal jobs are seen as a resource that should be distributed to every region, similar to how oil profits are shared.

"Where government jobs go, private ones follow."

Explanation: When government jobs are relocated, private sector jobs tend to follow.

"Sometimes the aim is to fulfil the potential of a country’s second-tier cities."

Explanation: Sometimes the goal is to help second-tier cities reach their full potential.

"Unlike poor, remote places, bigger cities can make the most of relocated government agencies, linking them to local universities and businesses and supplying a better-educated workforce."

Explanation: Larger cities, compared to poorer, remote areas, can benefit from relocated government agencies by connecting them with local universities and businesses, providing a better-educated workforce.

"The decision in 1946 to set up America’s Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta rather than Washington, D.C., has transformed the city into a hub for health-sector research and business."

Explanation: The decision to establish the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta instead of Washington, D.C., has made Atlanta a center for health-related research and business.

Paragraph 7

"The dilemma is obvious."

Explanation: The dilemma of relocating government functions is clear.

"Pick small, poor towns, and areas of high unemployment get new jobs, but it is hard to attract the most qualified workers; opt for larger cities with infrastructure and better-qualified residents, and the country’s most deprived areas see little benefit."

Explanation: Moving jobs to small, poor towns creates new employment opportunities but struggles to attract qualified workers; moving jobs to larger cities benefits them but does not help deprived areas.

Paragraph 8

"Others contend that decentralisation begets corruption by making government agencies less accountable."

Explanation: Some argue that decentralization leads to corruption by reducing accountability in government agencies.

"A study in America found that state-government corruption is worse when the state capital is isolated—journalists, who tend to live in the bigger cities, become less watchful of those in power."

Explanation: A study in the U.S. found that corruption is more prevalent in state capitals that are isolated because journalists, who usually live in larger cities, are less likely to monitor the actions of those in power.

RC Paragraph Explanation

Paragraph 1 Summary

Capital cities are shifting administrative functions as governments seek more efficient, decentralized systems. With improved communication technologies and travel, moving civil servants to different locations is more feasible, reflecting changes in global dynamics.

Paragraph 2 Summary

Supporters of decentralization argue it disperses risk, inspires creativity, and reduces cynicism. However, the goals of spreading civil servants are often more complex and difficult to achieve.

Paragraph 3 Summary

The goals of decentralizing—improving living conditions, saving money, and addressing regional imbalances—are not always realized due to challenges in implementation.

Paragraph 4 Summary

Historically, the goal of improving living conditions for civil servants has been pursued, but moving to smaller towns can lead to high attrition rates among workers who don’t find it agreeable.

Paragraph 5 Summary

Decentralization can save money by reducing office space costs and allowing government agencies to hire skilled workers at lower salaries outside capital cities, where multinational companies attract talent.

Paragraph 6 Summary

Decentralizing government functions can help rebalance regional inequality, with larger cities benefiting from the relocation of agencies due to their better infrastructure, universities, and skilled workforce.

Paragraph 7 Summary

The dilemma of decentralization lies in the difficulty of choosing between small, impoverished towns with high unemployment and larger cities with better infrastructure and talent.

Paragraph 8 Summary

Critics of decentralization argue it can lead to corruption due to reduced accountability, especially in isolated capitals where there is less journalistic scrutiny.

RC Quick Table Summary
Paragraph NumberMain Idea
Paragraph 1Capital cities are dispersing bureaucrats to more decentralized locations due to advances in communication and travel.
Paragraph 2Proponents of decentralization argue it offers benefits such as reducing risk and fostering creativity, but the goals are often difficult to achieve.
Paragraph 3The goals of decentralization—improving living conditions, saving money, and addressing regional imbalances—are not always realized.
Paragraph 4Moving civil servants to smaller towns has been done in the past to improve living conditions, but attrition rates can be very high.
Paragraph 5Decentralization can save money by reducing office space costs and allowing for hiring skilled workers at lower salaries in smaller cities.
Paragraph 6Relocating government agencies can help address regional inequality, with larger cities benefiting from better infrastructure and workforce.
Paragraph 7The dilemma of decentralization is balancing the need to create jobs in small towns with attracting qualified workers to larger cities.
Paragraph 8Critics argue that decentralization can lead to corruption by reducing accountability, especially in isolated capitals with less journalistic scrutiny.

RC Questions

Ques 10. The “long pedigree” of the aim to shift civil servants to improve their living standards implies that this move:

Correct Answer: (B) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: This question is based on a specific part of the passage. Refer to the lines: The first aim—improving living conditions—has a long pedigree. After the second world war Britain moved thousands of civil servants to “agreeable English country towns” as London was rebuilt. But swapping the capital for somewhere smaller is not always agreeable. The word PEDIGREE means: the record of descent of an animal, showing it to be pure-bred/ the recorded ancestry or lineage of a person or family. In this context, this means that this idea has a LONG LINE OF DESCENT, meaning it has been there for a long time. Keeping this in mind, we can see that option B is the best answer in the given case. Option A is ruled out as this context is related to time and not politicians/ruling class. Option C is ruled out as we cannot infer from this context that this has become a common practice in worldwide. All we know from the context is that in Britain, this idea has existed for long. Option D is incorrect as it reflects an opinion rather than a fact and hence, gets ruled out. The reference here does not refer to the time taken for this move to be successful.

Ques 11. People who support decentralising central government functions are LEAST likely to cite which of the following reasons for their view?

Correct Answer: (C) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: In this question, you need to identify the one option that is not given in support of decentralising central government functions. This question has answer options based on specific references in the passage. Let us explore those one by one. Option A is directly mentioned in the passage. Refer to the lines: Wonks in the sticks will be inspired by new ideas that walled-off capitals cannot conjure up. Wonk means: Someone who is overly preoccupied or excited by something considered by others to be dull, unfashionable, or unappealingly complex, especially academia or a particular area thereof; a nerd. Here, it refers to civil servants. In the sticks means: In the countryside, especially in a rustic or particularly unsophisticated area.Option B can be derived from the lines: Autonomous regulators perform best far from the pressure and lobbying of the big city.Option D can be derived from the lines: The second reason to pack bureaucrats off is to save money. Office space costs far more in capitals. Agencies that are moved elsewhere can often recruit better workers on lower salaries than in capitals, where well-paying multinationals mop up talent.Option C is the odd one out here. The nexus between bureaucrats and media in the capital is not mentioned in the passage. In fact, the opposite idea is stated in the passage: Others contend that decentralisation begets corruption by making government agencies less accountable. A study in America found that state-government corruption is worse when the state capital is isolated—journalists, who tend to live in the bigger cities, become less watchful of those in power.

Ques 12. According to the author, relocating government agencies has not always been a success for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

Correct Answer: (A) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: In this question, we need to find the odd one out. Remember, do not miss out the EXCEPT in the question. Three out of the four options here are valid reasons for why relocating government agencies has not always been a success. These options are B, C, and D. These are derived from specific contexts in the passage outlined below.Option B can be derived from the lines: The dilemma is obvious. Pick small, poor towns, and areas of high unemployment get new jobs, but it is hard to attract the most qualified workers; opt for larger cities with infrastructure and better-qualified residents, and the country’s most deprived areas see little benefit.Option C can be derived from the lines: Others contend that decentralisation begets corruption by making government agencies less accountable. A study in America found that state-government corruption is worse when the state capital is isolated—journalists, who tend to live in the bigger cities, become less watchful of those in power.Option D can be derived from the lines: The first aim—improving living conditions—has a long pedigree. After the second world war Britain moved thousands of civil servants to “agreeable English country towns” as London was rebuilt. But swapping the capital for somewhere smaller is not always agreeable. Attrition rates can exceed 80%. Attrition rate means: An attrition rate is a metric used to measure employees or customers lost over a period of time who are not replaced. The rate is shown as a percentage compared to the total workforce or customer base. Human resources employees often use an attrition rate to determine the number of vacant or eliminated positions.Option A is the odd one out here as there is no mention of rising pollution levels or congestion levels. Hence, it is the odd one out and our correct answer here.

Ques 13. The “dilemma” mentioned in the passage refers to:

Correct Answer: (A) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: In order to identify the correct answer here, let’s refer to the context first: The dilemma is obvious. Pick small, poor towns, and areas of high unemployment get new jobs, but it is hard to attract the most qualified workers; opt for larger cities with infrastructure and better-qualified residents, and the country’s most deprived areas see little benefit. In the above extract, there are two situations that the author has highlighted: - Small, poor towns with high unemployment get a chance to develop and boost growth if relocation happens. - But these towns face with larger cities which have better infrastructure and better-qualified residents. These areas offer the amenities but then smaller regions miss out on growth. The balance is tough to achieve in this case and this is the dilemma that is being highlighted in the passage. We find this dilemma to be highlighted by option A in the given case, which succinctly puts across the above points.Option B is ruled out as it does not highlight the aspect of growth. In fact, it only highlights the negatives of remote areas and positives of large cities. Hence, there is no dilemma here. Option C is incorrect as this context is not about private enterprises. Option D is incorrect as both parts of this option focus just on large cities and it skips out remote cities altogether.

Ques 14. According to the passage, colonial powers located their capitals:

Correct Answer: (A) Detailed explanation by Wordpandit: This question is based on the first line of the passage. Refer to the lines: In the post-colonial fervour of the 20th century, coastal capitals picked by trade-focused empires were spurned for “regionally neutral” new ones.The meaning of the above line is: In the post (after) colonial world, devoid of any colonial sentiments (fervour here refers to feeling or emotions or sentiments), capitals were shifted from the coastal locations, which were picked up by colonial empires to further their trade interests, in favour of more natural regions.From the above, we can see why colonial powers had coastal cities as their capitals: these helped with their trade. Hence, the correct answer here is option A.

Actual CAT VA-RC 2019 Slot 1: Question-wise Index

Reading ComprehensionWords from the Passage
RC Passage 1 (Q 1 to 4) Must-Learn Words (Passage 1)
RC Passage 2 (Q 5 to 9) Must-Learn Words (Passage 2)
RC Passage 3 (Q 10 to 14) Must-Learn Words (Passage 3)
RC Passage 4 (Q 15 to 19) Must-Learn Words (Passage 4)
RC Passage 5 (Q 20 to 24) Must-Learn Words (Passage 5)
Verbal Ability
Ques 25 (Paragraph Summary) Ques 26 (Paragraph Summary)
Ques 27 (Paragraph Summary) Ques 28 (Misfit/Odd one out)
Ques 29 (Para-jumble) Ques 30 (Misfit/Odd one out)
Ques 31 (Para-jumble) Ques 32 (Para-jumble)
Ques 33 (Para-jumble) Ques 34 (Para-jumble)

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