Question 1

A public park in a residential area has become unsafe due to poor lighting and overgrown vegetation. Residents are avoiding the park. Which is the BEST course of action for the local authority?

Accepted Answer

Tests ability to identify practical, direct solutions to a clearly stated problem.

Question 2

A company's customer complaint rate has increased from 5% to 15% in two months. The complaints are mainly about product quality and delivery delays. What should the company do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Tests prioritization and identification of the most urgent and relevant investigative action.

Question 3

A school has observed that students are frequently absent, and academic performance is declining. Teachers report that many students come from low-income families and work part-time jobs. What is the MOST APPROPRIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

Tests ability to identify contextual, empathetic solutions that address underlying socioeconomic constraints.

Question 4

A city hospital is facing a severe shortage of blood donors. The blood bank has only 2 days of supply left. Which of the following should be the MOST IMMEDIATE course of action?

Accepted Answer

This tests the ability to identify the most urgent and practical immediate action in a crisis situation.

Question 5

A school's examination results show that 40% of students failed in Mathematics. The principal wants to improve student performance. Which course of action is MOST APPROPRIATE?

Accepted Answer

Tests identification of the most logical and targeted response to a specific academic problem.

Question 6

A factory has noticed that worker productivity has dropped by 25% in the last quarter. The management suspects poor working conditions. What should be the FIRST course of action?

Accepted Answer

Tests the ability to gather information before taking corrective action, avoiding premature conclusions.

Question 7

A city hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood donors. The blood bank can only operate at 40% capacity, and emergency surgeries are being postponed. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most direct and practical solution to an immediate problem. The hospital must address the root cause (shortage of donors) rather than manage symptoms.

Question 8

A government school in a rural area has a 60% student dropout rate, particularly among girls. Teachers report that many students leave school to help with household work and farming. The district education officer must decide on a course of action. Which is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to address systemic barriers to education by implementing solutions that remove obstacles rather than simply penalizing absence.

Question 9

A bank's customer service department receives 500 complaints monthly, with an average resolution time of 45 days. Customer satisfaction scores have dropped to 35%. The branch manager must decide on a course of action. Which is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify process inefficiencies and implement solutions that improve both speed and quality of service delivery.

Question 10

A manufacturing plant has noticed a 25% increase in product defects over the last quarter. Quality inspectors report that workers appear fatigued and are rushing through assembly processes. The plant manager must decide on a course of action. Which approach is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the underlying cause of a problem and implement a solution that addresses that root cause rather than its symptoms.

Question 11

A city's public transportation system has declining ridership. Surveys show that buses are frequently late, routes are confusing, and passengers feel unsafe at night. The transport authority must decide on a course of action. Which is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify multiple contributing factors to a problem and implement a comprehensive solution addressing all key barriers.

Question 12

A software company's employee turnover rate is 35% annually, with exit interviews revealing that employees cite low salaries, lack of career growth opportunities, and poor work-life balance. The HR director must decide on a course of action. Which is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to address multiple interconnected factors contributing to a problem and implement solutions that tackle root causes rather than symptoms.

Question 13

A retail chain's online sales have stagnated despite a 30% increase in website traffic. Analysis reveals: (i) the checkout process requires 12 steps and takes 8 minutes, (ii) 45% of products show 'out of stock' despite inventory availability, (iii) customer reviews are mostly negative about delivery speed, (iv) the website design is outdated. The management decides: (I) Streamline checkout to 4 steps, (II) Fix the inventory management system, (III) Partner with a faster logistics provider, (IV) Redesign the website. Which actions should be prioritized to convert traffic into sales?

A) I and II only
B) I, II, and III
C) II and III only
D) All four

Accepted Answer

The problem identifies a conversion gap: high traffic but stagnant sales. The causes are: (i) friction in checkout, (ii) false stock-outs, (iii) slow delivery. Action IV (website redesign) is mentioned as a condition but is NOT identified as a sales conversion barrier—the traffic is already high, so design is not preventing visits. Actions I, II, and III directly address the three stated conversion barriers: checkout friction, inventory accuracy, and delivery speed. Action IV is a general improvement but not a causal solution to the conversion problem. The correct answer is B because these three actions directly remove barriers to purchase completion.

Question 14

A manufacturing plant has been experiencing a 15% decline in productivity over the last quarter due to outdated machinery and insufficient worker training. The management has identified three potential interventions: (I) Replace all machinery with modern equipment at a cost of ₹50 lakhs, (II) Conduct intensive worker training programs costing ₹8 lakhs, (III) Implement a performance-based incentive system costing ₹5 lakhs. Which course of action should be taken?

A) Only I
B) Only II
C) I and II together
D) All three together

Accepted Answer

The question requires identifying which combination of actions directly addresses the stated root causes. The problem explicitly identifies TWO causes: outdated machinery AND insufficient training. Action I addresses machinery, Action II addresses training, and Action III addresses motivation. Since both root causes are explicitly mentioned, both I and II are necessary. Action III (incentives) may help but is not directly addressing the identified causes—it assumes motivation is the issue, which wasn't stated. Therefore, I and II together form the most logically justified course of action.

Question 15

A hospital's emergency department has a 4-hour average wait time, leading to patient dissatisfaction. An audit reveals: (1) 30% of staff positions are vacant, (2) the triage system is manual and slow, (3) many patients arrive with non-emergency complaints. The hospital administrator proposes: (I) Hire additional staff immediately, (II) Digitize the triage system, (III) Launch a public awareness campaign about appropriate ER usage, (IV) Extend ER operating hours. Which actions should be prioritized?

A) I and II only
B) I, II, and III
C) II and IV only
D) All four actions

Accepted Answer

The problem identifies three distinct causes: staff shortage (1), slow process (2), and inappropriate patient flow (3). Actions I, II, and III directly address these three causes respectively. Action IV (extending hours) does not address any identified root cause—it merely spreads the same problem over more time without solving the underlying issues. Therefore, I, II, and III form the logically complete set. IV is a symptomatic treatment, not a causal solution.

Question 16

A bank's loan default rate has risen to 18% from 8% in one year. An audit identifies: (A) loan officers lack training in credit risk assessment, (B) the loan approval process is fully automated with no human review, (C) borrowers from rural areas have limited financial literacy, (D) interest rates are 2% below market average. The bank's response: (I) Conduct comprehensive credit risk training for loan officers, (II) Introduce a mandatory human review stage before loan approval, (III) Launch financial literacy programs in rural areas, (IV) Increase interest rates to market average. Which course of action best addresses the root causes of default?

A) I and II only
B) I, II, and III
C) II and IV only
D) All four

Accepted Answer

The problem identifies four conditions, but only three are stated as causes of increased defaults: (A) inadequate officer training, (B) lack of human oversight, (C) borrower financial illiteracy. Condition (D)—below-market interest rates—is a business decision, not identified as a default cause. Actions I, II, and III directly address the three stated causes by improving assessment quality, adding oversight, and improving borrower capability. Action IV (raising rates) does not address any identified default cause; it may improve margins but does not solve the underlying risk assessment or borrower literacy problems. The question asks for actions addressing 'root causes of default,' making I, II, and III the correct answer.

Question 17

A software company's product has a 35% user churn rate. Investigation shows: (A) the user interface is outdated and confusing, (B) customer support response time averages 48 hours, (C) competitors offer similar features at 20% lower cost. The CEO proposes: (I) Redesign the UI, (II) Hire additional support staff to reduce response time to 12 hours, (III) Reduce prices by 15%, (IV) Add premium features to justify current pricing. Which combination represents the most logically sound course of action?

A) I and II
B) I, II, and III
C) I and III only
D) II and IV only

Accepted Answer

The three causes are: poor UX (A), slow support (B), and price disadvantage (C). Actions I, II, and III directly address these three causes respectively. Action IV (premium features) does not address the stated causes—it attempts to justify existing prices rather than addressing the competitive price gap. While IV might be a long-term strategy, it does not solve the immediate churn drivers. The logically sound set is I, II, and III because each addresses an identified cause. Notably, reducing price by 15% (not 20%) is a measured response that addresses the competitive gap without eliminating profit margins.

Question 18

A school's student dropout rate has increased from 5% to 12% in two years. The principal identifies: (1) 40% of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, (2) the school lacks vocational training programs, (3) there is no counseling support for at-risk students, (4) the school building requires renovation. The principal plans: (I) Introduce scholarship programs for low-income students, (II) Launch vocational training in trades, (III) Hire a full-time counselor, (IV) Renovate the school building. Which actions directly address the dropout causes?

A) I, II, and III
B) I and IV only
C) II and III only
D) All four

Accepted Answer

The problem identifies four conditions, but only three are stated as causes of dropout: (1) economic disadvantage, (2) lack of vocational programs, (3) lack of counseling. Condition (4)—building renovation—is a facility issue, not identified as a dropout cause. Actions I, II, and III directly address the three stated causes. Action IV (renovation) may improve the school environment but does not address any identified dropout driver. The question asks for actions that 'directly address dropout causes,' making I, II, and III the correct answer. IV is a general improvement, not a causal intervention.

SSC MTS Course of Action

SSC MTS Course of Action — Past Exam Questions

Course of Action— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

60-Second Revision — Course of Action