Mock-Test-1

NABARD Grade - A 2023 - Phase 2

Maximum marks (100) Time (90 mins.)

Instructions-
1) All questions are compulsory.
2) Figures to the right indicate maximum marks to each question.
3) Answers must be written only in English.
4) Marks will be deducted if word limit is not observed.

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Q.1 Write an Essay of about 350 words on any one of the following topics: - (40 Marks)
1. Discus E-Rupee: its functions and benefits.
On 2nd August 2021, Indian Government launched digital payment solution e-Rupi which
is a cashless and contactless instrument for digital payment. It is expected that the eRUPI
voucher is going to play an important role in making Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) more
effective in digital transactions. It will also give a new dimension to digital governance in
the country.

e-RUPI is basically a digital voucher. A beneficiary gets it on his phone in the form of an
SMS or QR code. It is a pre-paid voucher, which can be redeemed at any center that
accepts it.

E-RUPI is a digital voucher which can be issued by partner bank and redeemed at the
center which accepts it. For example, if the Government issued an e-RUPI voucher
through a partner to cover a particular treatment of an employee in a specified hospital,
the employee will receive an SMS or a QR Code on his feature phone / smart phone and
He/she can pay through the e-RUPI voucher received on his phone for the treatment
he/she has availed.
Thus e-RUPI is a contactless, cashless voucher-based mode of payment the enable users
to redeem the voucher without a card, digital payments app, or internet banking access.

e-RUPI does not require the person to have a bank account, it works just like cash. It also
ensures an easy, contactless two-step redemption process and does not require to share
personal details of both the parties.

Transaction of e-RUPI is operable on basic phones also and so it can also be used by
persons who do not own smart-phones. It also doesn’t require internet connection for
redemption of e-Rupi. Since e-Rupi is a digital voucher and so there is no need for
physical issuance of vouchers resulting in some cost savings as well.

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The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) oversees the digital payments
ecosystem in India. NPCI has launched e-RUPI, which is a voucher-based payments
system to promote cashless transactions.

e-Rupi has been developed by NPCI in collaboration with the Department of Financial
Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and National Health Authority.
Initially NPCI has partnered with 11 banks for e-RUPI transactions namely Axis Bank, Bank
of Baroda, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak
Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Union Bank of India and
acquiring Apps namely Bharat Pe, BHIM Baroda Merchant Pay, Pine Labs, PNB Merchant
Pay and YoNo SBI Merchant Pay. It is expected that more banks and acquiring Apps will
join the e-RUPI initiative soon.

Initially NPCI has tied up with more than 1,600 hospitals where e-RUPI can be redeemed.
Other ground level initiative has also been taken to make this initiative successful. It is
expected by experts that in the coming days user base of e-RUPI will widen and even
private sector using it to deliver employee benefits and MSMEs adopting it for Business
To Business (B2B) transactions.

2. Discuss G-20 in the wake of India’s Presidency.

India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. The
43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final New
Delhi Summit in September next year.

A new working group on Disaster Risk Reduction will be established under India's
Presidency to encourage collective work by the G20, undertake multi-disciplinary
research and exchange best practices on disaster risk reduction. G-20’s invited

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international organisations are UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO, WTO, ILO, FSB, OECD, AU
Chair, NEPAD Chair, ASEAN Chair, ADB, ISA and CDRI.

The opportunity to lead G20 comes at a time of compounding existential threat, with the
COVID-19 pandemic having exposed the fragilities of our systems under the cascading
impacts of climate change. In this regard, climate change is a key priority for India’s
presidential Presidency, with a particular focus towards not only climate finance and
technology, but also ensuring just energy transitions for developing nations across the
world.

Understanding that the issue of climate change cuts across industry, society, and sectors,
India offers the world LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) -a behaviour-based movement that
draws from our nation's rich, ancient sustainable traditions to nudge consumers, and in-
turn markets, to adopt environmentally-conscious practices. This ties closely with India’s
G20 theme: 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth. One Family. One Future.

An accelerated, resilient and inclusive growth is a cornerstone for sustainable

development. During its G20 Presidency, India aims to focus on areas that have the
potential to bring structural transformation. This includes an ambition to accelerate
integration of MSMEs in global trade, bring in the spirit of trade for growth, promote
labour rights and secure labour welfare, address global skills gap, and build inclusive
agricultural value chains and food systems etc.

India's G20 Presidency collides with the crucial midpoint of the 2030 Agenda. As such,
India acknowledges the detrimental impact of COVID-19, which changed the current
decade of action into a decade of recovery. In line with this perspective, India wants to
focus on recommitting G20's efforts to achieving the targets laid out in the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development

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As G20 Presidency, India can foreground its belief in a human-centric approach to
technology, and facilitate greater knowledge-sharing in priority areas like digital public
infrastructure, financial inclusion, and tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from
agriculture to education

India's G20 priority will be to continue pressing for reformed multilateralism that creates
more accountable, inclusive just, equitable and representative multipolar international
system that is fit for addressing the challenges in the 21st century.

India hopes to use the G20 forum to highlight inclusive growth and development, with
women empowerment and representation being at the core of India's G20 deliberations.
This includes a focus on bringing women to the fore, and in leading positions, in order to
boost socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs.

3. Discuss UPI: its advantages and disadvantages.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments system has become most used and famous
method of online financial transaction. This is easiest and fastest way of transferring and
receiving money online which helped in tackling the problem of cash flow and promoted
cashless economy. Even though UPI is indeed a groundbreaking innovation which made
digital payments method most popular and preferred, reliability and security of UPI is still
considered to be at stake.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a
single mobile application, merging several banking features, seamless fund routing and
merchant payments into one hood. UPI is like an advanced version of Immediate
Payment Service (IMPS) which enables round–the-clock funds transfer service to make
cashless payments faster, easier and smoother. PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, Amazon
Pay and BHIM etc. are some most popular UPI apps.

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There are numerous advantages of UPI which made cashless payment faster, easier and
smoother and promoted cashless economy. Some benefits of UPI is given below:

• UPI enables real-time money transfers via mobile devices 24X7.

• Gives access to multiple bank accounts through a Single App.
• Virtual UPI address provides additional layer of security because the customer is
not required to enter details such as Card number, Account number, IFSC code, etc.
• UPI App also allows to share bills and receipts with your friends.
• QR Code, Scan and Pay
• Best alternative to the hassles of Cash on Delivery making it UPI on delivery.
• Easy to use and can be used in approximately all platform from small amount to a
moderate amount.

Even though UPI is a groundbreaking innovation which made digital payments method
most popular and preferred, reliability and security of UPI is still considered to be at
stake. Without proper awareness about to how to use UPI can be dangerous in wake of
cybercrime in the global banking and financial services industry. Fraudulent claims,
chargebacks, fake buyer accounts, promotion/coupon abuse, account takeover, identity
theft etc through Malicious Software are emerging as challenges.

In a vibrant democracy and emerging economy, a public policy-driven digital

empowerment of people can help ensure responsible digital conduct in the interest of
consumers and the larger public interest. Secure use of UPI payments has made the way
of cashless economy possible which benefited almost every individual and participating
organizations.

4. Agricultural Challenges to Overcome in India.

Agriculture policy, impelled by sudden apprehensions and enthusiasm, reflects upon the
psyche of politicians worldwide in a very poor light. The political leadership resort to

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providing short-term solutions for public worries over food security and appease
shamelessly to farm (and fishing community) voters.
However, this does not provide any good policy to achieve permanent growth in output.
It is not the prerogative of any country to monopolise the agricultural trade with
expensive, counterproductive and trade-distorting agricultural policy.

In India, pioneers of high yielding hybrid seeds, in particular M.S. Swaminathan, using to
their advantage, a wide variety of international grain types, were able to achieve a real
‘green revolution’ in India in the 1960s and 1970s that impressively boosted the
agricultural productivity and made the country fully self-sufficient in its main food
requirements for the first time in modern history. Energetic policy at the Union and State
levels well supported the scientific innovation to achieve one of the world’s most striking
agricultural successes of the twentieth century. However, a purposeful policy could not
be executed well and dissolved into politicking and piecemeal implementation.

Without the support of any rigorous policy, unsustainable use of water resources
encouraged by free or subsidised electricity for farm pumps and excessive use of
fertilisers, led to depletion of sub-surface aquifers and soil degradation. At the same
time, an expanding population, climate change and a sudden boost in agricultural
commodity prices in 2007–2008 due to lower international grain stocks and a sharp rise
in commodity prices, notably oil, raise a warning to India that its agricultural policy needs
to be revisited. This was followed by impulse buying on international markets
simultaneously when export of some items was prohibited (affecting mainly other
developing countries, as the industrialised world cornered all the food it required). A
healing step taken by Delhi was the lowering of tariffs on some essential international
food imports. However, by November 2008, the government again raised tariffs on some
products (soya) protect the interests of the domestic producers.

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These set of measures taken together are certainly not a coherent set of policies to raise
productivity over long-lasting periods. Instead, as in any place in the world when
governments face similar pressures, such measures reek of political opportunism and
whim.

However, it is not the matter of agricultural policy only to improve productivity and
nutrition. Hence, food security is not only about agricultural incentives and disincentives
but wider national policies and programmes are equally important. However, despite
Indian democracy being vibrant enough, active civil society and admirably free and
crusading press, little progress has been made in recent years.
It is high time India take the required steps in the interests of its own food security.

India has a vast agricultural land and per capita, same as Italy and Germany, when both
are highly efficient agricultural producers. What India needs is full range of policies
necessary to boost agricultural production and nutritional progress. The country may
devise sensible water management policies and programmes as is not short of water with
perennial monsoons, with some fluctuations, which can be relied on. More importantly,
India has plentiful human capital, which is optimistic, hardworking and endlessly
entrepreneurial and having such admirable workforce, India can definitely succeed in
boosting world agricultural production. However, this need a range of sound policies with
a balanced approach taking into account rural interests and perspectives in a more
systematic and meaningful way along with determined implementation of those policies.

Q.2 Make a Précis of the following passage in 150 words and give it a suitable title.

(30 Marks)

India is an agricultural country: Kids of 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s grew up reading this
one sentence in school textbooks until LPG (liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation)

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changed the complexion of Indian economy. Services became the king of economy and
industries started pulling out workers from the fields.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus in India -- as part of global pandemic -- shut down
offices of the gloating services sector and closed factories. But crops standing in fields
kept growing, and farmers continued to tend them. Covid-19 has essentially and largely
remained an urban outbreak in India till now.

Now, economy indicators show what is already known: production has contracted in
factories and services have suffered losses. The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India
Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 27.4 in April. This is the lowest
reading of PMI in 15 years, that is, since it started recording data.

A PMI of below 50 indicates contraction in manufacturing. It was 51.8 in March. Cases of

the novel coronavirus started surging in India in the first week of March. States were
going for lockdowns by the third week. The national lockdown was announced from
March 25. India remained locked down through April.

Now, lockdown 3.0 is in place. The third phase of the coronavirus lockdown is actually an
exit door. Over 14 days, India will restart the economic engine that was practically
switched off on March 25. The manufacturing units have started opening in green and
orange zones (areas either free from coronavirus or less impacted by Covid-19, the
disease).

It is expected that PMI will rise in May. But how long the economy will remain in revival
mode is a difficult question to answer. The Indian economy was already in an extended
slowdown before the coronavirus outbreak applied brakes.

As the novel coronavirus shows ebbing signs in Asia, Europe and America, there is a fresh
round of trade war between the US and China. This has dampened the mood of revival.
Stock exchanges including those in India have reflected the soggy sentiments.

In a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) survey, about 45 per cent of CEOs in India said
they don't see economic normalcy returning before a year. Another 36 per cent were
more optimistic but said it would take 6-12 months for economy to function with
normalcy.

Simply put, over 80 per cent of CEOs in India think normalcy is not going to return before
six months. This is the beginning of May. So, before the end of October, the Indian
economy of industry and services sectors (agriculture fields don't have CEOs) is to reel
under the impact of coronavirus.

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The Indian economy is left with agriculture, only agriculture to depend upon. And, the
good news is India is expecting record food-grain production at almost 300 million tonnes
-- 298.32 million tonnes to be precise (149.92 MT kharif + 148.4 MT rabi).

The government now has to ensure that all food-grains that farmers want to sell in the
market is picked up. This is particularly necessary because with seemingly less significant
contribution to the GDP at around 16 per cent, agriculture provides employment to
about 55 per cent of workforce in India.

Add to this tally those migrants who are returning home in Shramik Special trains and are
likely to return to their villages when lockdown is lifted and regular public transport
resumes. A healthier and growing agriculture could not have happened at a better time.

Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand has pointed to this silver lining in the dark clouds
hovering over Indian economy. In media reports, Chand has been quoted as saying, "The
farm sector will grow by 3 per cent this year despite adverse conditions and it would add
at least 0.5 per cent to India's GDP growth in 2020-21."

This 0.5 per cent additional contribution by agriculture may actually prevent Indian
economy from contracting this fiscal. This includes production of non-food crops such as
oilseeds.

To top it up, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a normal
monsoon in 2020. There is no concrete study yet but coronavirus outbreak has put
pressure on ground water resources everywhere.

Sanitising body, hospitals, vehicles and public places requires a lot of water. Water
consumption has increased in every household. With factories opening, water
consumption will only increase as India eyes upscaling the fight against coronavirus. The
IMD prediction, if it turns out accurate, will ensure that taps, wells and fields don't dry up
when summer hits its peak.

With more production and more workforces, agriculture requires proper management by
the government. If 100 per cent procurement happens, it will revive private consumption
demand, which was originally responsible for the economic slowdown in India in pre-
corona time.

This brings us back to the opening sentence that India is still an agricultural country. The
coronavirus outbreak has reinforced this often ignored reality of 130-plus nation.

Solution-
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Title: - India: An Agrarian Economy

Agriculture contributes to 16% of Indian GDP and provides employment to 55% of

workforce. The coronavirus led to shutting of services sector and manufacturing
industries. This led to lowest PMI reading of 27.4 in April. Indian economy was already
struggling before the pandemic. It may take about a year to recover. Agriculture is
providing support to the economy. The foodgrain production is expected to be around
300 million tonnes in this year. The Government needs to ensure 100% procurement.
This will lead to revival in consumption demand. The coronavirus has led to water stress
with the increase in consumption of water for sanitation purposes. The prediction of
normal monsoon by IMD is the good news that will help to meet the increased water
demand. Agriculture is the only sector that is expected to grow by 3% this year. It is
expected to add around half a percent in the GDP growth of India. Thus, agriculture plays
a substantial role in India even though this fact has been neglected by the country since
LPG reforms.

Q.3 You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge
receipt of a new bank card. However the card was missing from the envelope.
Write a letter to the banks’ head office in 170 words.
ABC Apartments,

Lodhi Road,

New Delhi.

Sep 29, 2019.

The Manager,

PQR Bank.

New Delhi.

Subject : Bank Card missing.

Respected Sir,

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This is with reference to a post I received on 28 September, 2019 from PQR Bank. It was
meant to be the receipt of my bank card but unfortunately bank card was missing from it.

As and when I opened the envelope, I realised that it had the instruction document in it
but the bank card was not present in it. Neither the envelope was damaged from
anywhere nor was it opened before I received it. So I assume bank card was not enclosed
in the while preparing it. Concerned authorities forgot to place the bank card in it by
mistake. I request you to please acknowledge the matter and inform me about the
whereabouts of my card if possible.

If my assumption is wrong, than there are chances of it being stolen or lost somewhere in
the way. I may have to file an FIR to prevent it from getting misused. Your immediate
response would be highly appreciated.

Thanking You

Yours Truly

XYZ

OR

Write a letter to the editor about poor conditions of roads and public parks in
your area in about 170 words.
ABC Apartments

Lodhi Road

New Delhi

Sep 29, 2019

The Editor

PQR Times

New Delhi

Subject : Poor condition of infrastructure.

Respected Sir

Through the esteemed column of your prestigious newspaper, I would like to draw your
kind attention towards the poor health of roads and public parks in our area.

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Poor conditions of roads has led to increased number of road accidents. Uncountable
potholes are very dangerous to people’s safety. We are afraid to send our children
outside because of uncovered manholes. Speed breakers are also not in good conditions.
Instead of preventing mishaps they are becoming a cause of injury. Broken condition of
roads leads to traffic jams which cause wastage of time and resources. Traffic jams have
also become a cause of aggressive arguments and street brawls.

Public parks’ maintenance is not done properly. They are not cleaned regularly. Piles of
garbage are growing in the corners of the parks. They have become the breeding ground
for mosquitoes and flies. Some unsocial elements have also been reported and so are the
incidents of eve-teasing and kidnapping. Old people, children and women do not find it
safe inside the parks. This needs to be acknowledged as soon as possible.

Your support regarding this would be highly appreciated.

Thanking You

Yours Truly

XYZ

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