SSC Stenographer 2026 PYQ — Question 146

In the given passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage intently and choose the most appropriate option to fill in each blank:
In a time characterized by deep ideological divides and epistemic uncertainty, the role of intellectuals has become increasingly (1)_____. "Not anymore" confined to the ivory towers of academia, public thinkers are now thrust into digital arenas, where their ideas are subjected to the volatile currents of public sentiment and algorithmic amplification. This (2)_____ from cloistered contemplation to performative intellectualism has raised concerns about the erosion of nuanced debate in favor of ideological branding.
The commodification of knowledge production, particularly within neoliberal structures, has reoriented scholarship toward metrics of visibility rather than depth. Consequently, the pursuit of truth is often (3)_____ by the need for marketability, leaving complex ideas diluted to conform to audience expectations. Amid this shift, academic institutions themselves have become entangled in bureaucratic inertia, frequently adopting managerial logics that prioritize efficiency over (4)_____.
To counter this drift, there must be a recommitment to critical inquiry as a mode of civic responsibility. Intellectual labor must resist assimilation into spectacle and instead cultivate spaces for deliberation that are both inclusive and rigorous. Only by embracing such an ethic of care can the academy preserve its (5)_____ in shaping public reason.
What should come in the place of blank number 4?