SarkariPYQ

SSC Stenographer 2024 PYQ — Question 28

SSC Stenographer - 11/12/2024 (9:00 AM to 11:00 AM) • English • Q28

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In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.

With the aid of globalisation, the (1)________ planet can be viewed as a (2)________ marketplace. By viewing the world as a single market, merchants are able to expand their reach. Agricultural products, engineering goods, food items and toiletries that were already created in India were not permitted to be (3)_______ until the 1990s. But during the 1990s, the wealthy countries (4)________ pressure on the poor and emerging nations to open their markets so that the wealthy might more easily spread their industries. When India first began its liberalisation and globalisation process in 1991, it was a (5)______ step for the country.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 4.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is option 1, i.e. exerted.

The key sentence reads:

“But during the 1990s, the wealthy countries (4) _____ pressure on the poor and emerging nations to open their markets…”

To “exert pressure” means to apply influence or demand. In the context of the 1990s, affluent nations—often acting through institutions like the IMF and World Bank—encouraged (and sometimes even required) developing countries to adopt liberalisation policies. These policies included reducing tariffs, removing import licenses, and opening up financial markets.

This was a core tenet of the so‑called “Washington Consensus,” which prescribed trade liberalization, privatization, and finance reform for poor and emerging economies. These policies were often enforced via conditional loans—goods and services were permitted only if markets were opened.

Thus, “exerted pressure” perfectly captures how wealthy nations influenced policy in poorer regions during globalisation. It’s a standard collocation in economics and political science.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect

discontinued  - Means “stop doing something”—doesn’t make sense with “pressure.”
conserved - Refers to preservation or saving—irrelevant here.
exempted  - Means “freed from obligation”—the opposite of the intended meaning.

These words do not align with the context of active pressure during the 1990s.