The following question consists of a statement and two arguments, I and II. Decide which of the arguments is strong and choose the correct option.
Statement: Ragging in colleges is a good practice.
Arguments:
I. Yes. Sensible ragging helps college boys step into manhood and teaches them to take trifles in good humour.
II. No. The torture inflicted in the name of ragging and the humiliation suffered by young boys and girls often go beyond limits.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Only argument II is strong
An argument is strong when it is directly related to the statement and rests on a real and important fact; it is weak when it rests on an unproven belief or a doubtful claim.
I. Yes. Sensible ragging helps college boys step into manhood and teaches them to take trifles in good humour. Weak. Nothing shows that harassing newcomers builds character, and no one can keep ragging “sensible”. In India ragging is banned in colleges and punishable under the UGC anti-ragging regulations, so the benefit claimed is doubtful.
II. No. The torture inflicted in the name of ragging and the humiliation suffered by young boys and girls often go beyond limits. Strong. It points to the real harm that ragging does: physical and mental torture and humiliation of students, which has led to serious injuries and even suicides and is the very reason ragging was banned.