Statement & Arguments

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You are given a policy question and two arguments, and asked which are strong. This is not about your own opinion on the issue — it is about whether each argument is relevant, substantial and actually addresses the question asked.

A note on these answers. Unlike arithmetic, this question type has no provable answer — it follows an established convention. The solutions below apply that standard convention, but reasonable people can disagree on individual arguments, and no official key was published for these papers.

What Makes an Argument Strong

Strong — directly relevant to the question, addresses a real and significant consequence, and would genuinely influence the decision.

Weak — trivial, off-topic, merely restates the question, appeals to convenience or tradition, is ambiguous, or relies on an extreme or unlikely scenario.

Reliable Signs of a Weak Argument

Sign	Example phrasing
Appeal to no alternative	"there is no other way", "they have no other go"
Circular restatement	"Yes, because it is good for the country"
Appeal to other countries alone	"because other nations do it"
Extreme or absolute claim	"it will completely eliminate the problem"
Answers a different question	argues about cost when asked about fairness

Judge each argument on its own. The two arguments are assessed independently — both can be strong, both weak, or one of each. Do not assume the paper wants a "balanced" answer.

Worked Examples from Real Papers

TS Police SI 2022 — Q58

Should there be blended learning in the education system?
I. Yes. This method allows students to work at their own pace, ensuring that they fully understand new concepts.
II. No. Possession of electronic gadgets in the classroom and access to social media diverts most students from the actual concepts and lessons.

Argument I names a concrete educational benefit — self-paced learning and better comprehension. That is directly relevant and substantial, so it is strong.
Argument II names a concrete practical harm — devices in classrooms creating distraction. Also directly relevant and substantial, so it too is strong.
Answer: Both I and II are strong.
Note: arguments on opposite sides can both be strong. Strength is about quality of reasoning, not about which side wins.

TS Police SI 2022 — Q59

Should there be a high level of violence in films in the name of entertainment?
I. No. Exposure to high levels of violence causes behavioural changes in human attitude, particularly in children and youth, thereby developing criminal thoughts.
II. Yes. When the story demands it, the film makers have no other go.

Argument I identifies a serious societal consequence affecting an identifiable group. Relevant and weighty → strong.
Argument II is an appeal to having no alternative — but film makers plainly do have alternatives in how they depict a scene. It concedes the point rather than defending it → weak.
Answer: Only I is strong.
Compare with Q58 above: the "no other go" phrasing is the tell. Whenever an argument rests on necessity rather than merit, check whether the necessity is real.

Cause & Effect

A closely related type gives two statements and asks how they are connected. The options are usually: I causes II, II causes I, both are effects of independent causes, or both are effects of a common cause. Ask yourself which event could plausibly produce the other.

TS Police SI 2022 — Q72

Statement I: The prices of petrol products have increased substantially during the past few months in India.
Statement II: The prices of many goods in India are increasing nowadays.

Fuel is an input to transporting and manufacturing almost every commodity, so a sustained rise in petrol prices feeds through into general prices.
The causal direction only runs one way — goods becoming costlier does not raise petrol prices.
Answer: I is the cause and II is its effect.
Method: test both directions explicitly before choosing. If neither direction is plausible, only then consider the "independent causes" options.

Also see: Assumptions & Conclusions · Assertion & Reason · Data Sufficiency