Right/Wrong selection decisions matter a lot to the organisations.
Consider, for a moment that any selection decision can result in 4 possible outcomes. A decision is correct when an applicant was predicted to be successful and proved to be successful on the job, or when the applicant was predicted to be unsuccessful and would perform accordingly if hired. In the first case, we have successfully accepted; in the second case we have successfully rejected. Problems arise when errors are made in rejecting candidates who would have performed successfully on the job (reject errors) or accepting those who ultimately perform poorly (accept errors). Don’t you think, these problems can be significant and can result in costly mistakes?
What are the number of possible outcomes from any selection decision?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → 4
Option (1) 1 — Incorrect. The passage counts four outcomes, not one.
Option (2) 2 — Incorrect. Two is the number of correct decisions only. The two errors are outcomes as well.
Option (3) 3 — Incorrect. The passage counts four outcomes, not three.
Option (4) 4 — Correct. The passage says any selection decision “can result in 4 possible outcomes”. Two are correct decisions: a good candidate is successfully accepted, or a poor one is successfully rejected. Two are errors: a reject error turns away a candidate who would have done well, and an accept error hires one who performs poorly.
Note: The passage is the NCERT box ‘Right/ Wrong Selection Decisions Matter a lot to the Organisations!’ from the chapter Staffing, which has been reproduced by NTA in the exam. Read the boxes and case studies in NCERT as well, because NTA sets whole passages straight from them.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Right/ Wrong Selection Decisions Matter a lot to the Organisations! Consider, for a moment that any selection decision can result in 4 possible outcomes. A decision is correct when an applicant was predicted to be successful and proved to be successful on the job, or when the applicant was predicted to be unsuccessful and would perform accordingly if hired. In the first case, we have successfully accepted; in the second case we have successfully rejected. Problems arise when errors are made in rejecting candidates who would have performed successfully on the job (reject errors) or accepting those who ultimately perform poorly (accept errors). …” |