Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:
The digital revolution has re-framed the way Indian students communicate, learn, and connect. Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook have entered the daily lives of millions of students. Today, 398 million young people use social media in India. According to a study compiled by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) in 2023, teenagers spend more than 2-3 hours on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. Social media is an important tool for learning and interaction, but unregulated usage can have serious negative impacts on mental health, academic performance, and emotional well-being. The most alarming characteristic observed in a young Indian student is social media addiction. Reports indicate that 27% of teenagers in India develop features of social media dependency, leading to a lack of concentration, bad academic output, and mental illness conditions. Continuous demands of checking notifications, posting updates, and scrolling feeds form a pattern of instant indulgence thereby causing reduced productivity and increased alienation.
Schools can lead in this area by incorporating media literacy and mental health awareness into the curriculum. Equipping Indian students with digital literacy skills will help them have an open conversation and provide emotional support to maintain a balanced relationship between social media and real life. As the worlds collide digitally, Indian youth have to be equipped with overall skills to navigate these electronic spaces thoughtfully and responsibly. Educators, parents, and policymakers can create that generation that works well in digital culture and values the virtual world's humane touch and well-being.
The most alarming and distinctive trait observed in a young Indian student is _____.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → social media addiction
The passage explicitly states that "the most alarming characteristic observed in a young Indian student is social media addiction", and adds that 27% of teenagers in India develop features of social media dependency.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: reduced productivity — Incorrect. Result, not cause: reduced productivity is mentioned only as a result of the habit of constant checking, not as the most alarming trait.
Option 3: pattern of instant indulgence — Incorrect. Result, not cause: this pattern comes from checking notifications and scrolling feeds; it is one effect of the addiction, not the trait the passage calls most alarming.
Option 4: increased alienation — Incorrect. Result, not cause: alienation (a feeling of being cut off from others) is again listed as a result of the pattern, not the main trait.