Question 1

A public school in a rural area has a 60% student dropout rate. Investigation reveals that most students leave school after Class 5 because their families need them to work in fields during harvest season. What is the BEST course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to design a solution that addresses the actual constraint preventing action.

Question 2

A software company notices that employee productivity has dropped by 30% over the past month. Exit interviews reveal that employees feel undervalued and lack career growth opportunities. What should be the PRIMARY course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to connect a problem to its root cause and select the most direct remedial action.

Question 3

A manufacturing company discovers that its factory is releasing untreated wastewater into a nearby river, causing severe water pollution and health issues in the adjacent village. The company has limited funds. Which course of action should be PRIORITIZED?

Accepted Answer

This tests ethical reasoning and prioritization of immediate harm prevention over financial concerns.

Question 4

A city hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood units in its blood bank. The inventory has dropped to dangerous levels, and emergency surgeries are being postponed. Which of the following should be the FIRST course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most immediate and logical first step in addressing a critical problem. In a course of action question, the FIRST action should address the most urgent need directly, not secondary measures or long-term solutions.

Question 5

Statement: A large number of students in a government school are falling ill repeatedly due to contaminated drinking water supplied in the school.

Which of the following courses of action should be taken?

I. The school authorities should immediately arrange for safe drinking water for the students.
II. The school should be shut down permanently.

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Identify the problem — students are falling ill due to contaminated drinking water. Step 2: Evaluate Course I — Arranging safe drinking water directly addresses the root cause and is a practical, immediate remedy. This is a valid and necessary course of action. Step 3: Evaluate Course II — Shutting down the school permanently is an extreme measure that punishes students for an administrative failure. The problem is with the water supply, not the school's existence. This is not a proportionate or logical response. Step 4: Conclusion — Only Course I follows as it addresses the problem effectively without causing further harm.

Question 6

A city's public transportation system is losing passengers because buses are frequently late and overcrowded. Surveys show that commuters are switching to private vehicles. Which course of action would MOST DIRECTLY address the stated problem?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to select actions that directly solve the identified issues rather than peripheral improvements.

Question 7

A manufacturing plant has been receiving complaints about poor product quality. Quality audits show that 40% of defects occur during the assembly stage due to worker fatigue. Workers report they work 12-hour shifts with only one 30-minute break. What should be the FIRST course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify and address the direct cause of a measurable problem.

Question 8

A government office has a backlog of 5,000 pending applications for licenses, with an average processing time of 45 days per application. Citizens are facing severe hardship due to delays. What should be the IMMEDIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This tests prioritization of urgent action to reduce immediate suffering while addressing systemic issues.

Question 9

A city hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood units in its blood bank. The inventory has dropped to dangerous levels, and patients requiring emergency transfusions are at risk. Which of the following should be the MOST IMMEDIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most urgent and practical course of action in a critical situation. The correct answer prioritizes immediate action to address the life-threatening shortage.

Question 10

A hospital notices that patient wait times in the emergency department have increased from 2 hours to 5 hours over three months. The administration suspects understaffing during peak hours. What should be the FIRST course of action?

A. Immediately hire 50 new staff members
B. Analyze staffing levels during peak hours and identify specific gaps
C. Close the emergency department for one week for restructuring
D. Ask patients to come during off-peak hours instead

Accepted Answer

Before taking costly or disruptive action, the first step is to analyze the problem systematically. Identifying specific staffing gaps allows for targeted, efficient solutions rather than guessing at solutions.

Question 11

A factory is experiencing a 40% drop in productivity due to outdated machinery. The management has identified three possible courses of action:

1. Immediately replace all machinery with modern equipment
2. Conduct a cost-benefit analysis before making any investment decision
3. Ignore the problem and hope productivity improves naturally

Which course of action should be taken FIRST?

Accepted Answer

When facing a problem with multiple solutions, the logical first step is to gather information and analyze costs versus benefits before committing resources. Immediate action without analysis risks wasteful spending; ignoring the problem is irresponsible.

Question 12

A school notices that 40% of students are dropping out before completing secondary education, primarily due to financial hardship and lack of awareness about educational benefits. What should be the PRIMARY course of action?

Accepted Answer

This tests identification of root causes and the most fundamental intervention needed.

Question 13

A city hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood units. The blood bank has only 2 days of supply left, and emergency surgeries are scheduled daily. Which of the following should be the MOST IMMEDIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most urgent and practical first step in a crisis situation.

Question 14

A school observes that students from low-income families consistently score lower in exams compared to their peers from affluent backgrounds. Teachers attribute this to 'lack of intelligence.' What should be the MOST APPROPRIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This tests critical thinking about identifying actual causes versus accepting false assumptions, and choosing evidence-based interventions.

Question 15

A city hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood units during the monsoon season when donation camps cannot be organized. The blood bank has only 2 weeks of stock remaining. Which of the following should be the MOST IMMEDIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most urgent and practical first step when facing an immediate crisis.

Question 16

A school observes that student attendance has dropped by 25% in the past month. Teachers report that students cite long commute times as the primary reason. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate course of action?

A. Reduce school hours to shorten the school day
B. Investigate the root causes of increased commute times and explore solutions
C. Expel students with poor attendance records
D. Increase tuition fees to discourage enrollment

Accepted Answer

The appropriate course of action is to investigate the root cause (increased commute times) and explore practical solutions. Reducing hours, expulsion, and fee increases either ignore the problem or create additional harm.

Question 17

A bank has noticed a significant increase in customer complaints about long waiting times at branches. Average wait time has increased from 15 minutes to 45 minutes over six months. Which course of action should the bank take?

I. Hire additional staff to increase service capacity.
II. Analyze customer traffic patterns to understand peak hours and bottlenecks.
III. Introduce online banking services to reduce in-branch transactions.

Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to recognize that a comprehensive solution requires understanding the problem (analysis), increasing capacity (hiring), and providing alternatives (online services). All three are necessary for effective resolution.

Question 18

A manufacturing factory has been receiving complaints about excessive noise pollution from nearby residential areas. The local environmental authority has issued a warning notice. Which course of action should the factory management take?

I. Install noise-reduction equipment in the factory.
II. Shift noisy operations to night hours when fewer residents are affected.
III. Conduct a noise audit to identify the exact sources and levels of noise pollution.

Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify that proper diagnosis (audit) must precede targeted solutions. Installing equipment or shifting operations without knowing the exact problem is inefficient and may not solve the issue.

Question 19

A school principal discovers that students are frequently absent on Mondays and Fridays, with attendance dropping to 60% on these days compared to 85% on other days. The school suspects this is due to students extending weekends. What should the principal do?

I. Conduct interviews with absent students and their parents to understand the reasons.
II. Implement stricter attendance policies with penalties for absence.
III. Schedule important tests and activities on Mondays and Fridays to discourage absences.

Which course of action is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to distinguish between understanding a problem (investigation) and addressing it (action). Before implementing strict measures, the root cause must be confirmed through proper investigation.

Question 20

A software company notices that employee productivity has dropped by 30% over the past quarter. Investigation reveals that the office air conditioning system is malfunctioning, causing temperatures to reach 38°C. Which course of action should the management take?

I. Immediately repair or replace the air conditioning system.
II. Allow employees to work from home until the system is fixed.
III. Conduct a survey to understand other potential causes of reduced productivity.

Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the root cause and take both immediate remedial action and investigative action. While the AC malfunction is identified, good management requires fixing it (I), providing relief (II), and investigating other factors (III).

IBPS RRB Clerk Course of Action

Course of Action— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Course of Action — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Course of Action