SSC Stenographer 2026 PYQ — Question 177

In the given passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage intently and choose the most appropriate option to fill in each blank:
The architecture of modern policymaking increasingly reflects a shift from dialogic consensus to technocratic unilateralism. Public consultation, once a hallmark of democratic ethos, is now frequently (1)_____ by algorithmic forecasting and data-driven mandates. While such models brag precision, they risk sustaining systemic (2)_____ by embedding pre-existing prejudices into ostensibly neutral code.
This evolution is further complicated by the political spectacle, where performative symbolism often supplants substantive reform. Leaders indulge in rhetorical grandstanding, constructing narratives that are (3)_____ rather than transformative. Consequently, public trust erodes, not due to apathy but from acute (4)_____—a recognition that participation no longer guarantees influence. To reclaim legitimacy, institutions must reimagine governance not as a procedural mechanism but as an iterative, dialogical act. This demands epistemic humility, the willingness to engage multiple worldviews without defaulting to technocratic (5)_____. Only then can policy transcend compliance and cultivate authentic democratic agency.
Q4: What should come in the place of blank number 4?