quiz on problem solving and decision making

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Self-Assessment • 20 min read

How Good Is Your Problem Solving?

Use a systematic approach..

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Good problem solving skills are fundamentally important if you're going to be successful in your career.

But problems are something that we don't particularly like.

They're time-consuming.

They muscle their way into already packed schedules.

They force us to think about an uncertain future.

And they never seem to go away!

That's why, when faced with problems, most of us try to eliminate them as quickly as possible. But have you ever chosen the easiest or most obvious solution – and then realized that you have entirely missed a much better solution? Or have you found yourself fixing just the symptoms of a problem, only for the situation to get much worse?

To be an effective problem-solver, you need to be systematic and logical in your approach. This quiz helps you assess your current approach to problem solving. By improving this, you'll make better overall decisions. And as you increase your confidence with solving problems, you'll be less likely to rush to the first solution – which may not necessarily be the best one.

Once you've completed the quiz, we'll direct you to tools and resources that can help you make the most of your problem-solving skills.

How Good Are You at Solving Problems?

Instructions.

For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the 'wrong direction'. When you are finished, please click the 'Calculate My Total' button at the bottom of the test.

Answering these questions should have helped you recognize the key steps associated with effective problem solving.

This quiz is based on Dr Min Basadur's Simplexity Thinking problem-solving model. This eight-step process follows the circular pattern shown below, within which current problems are solved and new problems are identified on an ongoing basis. This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only.

Below, we outline the tools and strategies you can use for each stage of the problem-solving process. Enjoy exploring these stages!

Step 1: Find the Problem (Questions 7, 12)

Some problems are very obvious, however others are not so easily identified. As part of an effective problem-solving process, you need to look actively for problems – even when things seem to be running fine. Proactive problem solving helps you avoid emergencies and allows you to be calm and in control when issues arise.

These techniques can help you do this:

PEST Analysis helps you pick up changes to your environment that you should be paying attention to. Make sure too that you're watching changes in customer needs and market dynamics, and that you're monitoring trends that are relevant to your industry.

Risk Analysis helps you identify significant business risks.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis helps you identify possible points of failure in your business process, so that you can fix these before problems arise.

After Action Reviews help you scan recent performance to identify things that can be done better in the future.

Where you have several problems to solve, our articles on Prioritization and Pareto Analysis help you think about which ones you should focus on first.

Step 2: Find the Facts (Questions 10, 14)

After identifying a potential problem, you need information. What factors contribute to the problem? Who is involved with it? What solutions have been tried before? What do others think about the problem?

If you move forward to find a solution too quickly, you risk relying on imperfect information that's based on assumptions and limited perspectives, so make sure that you research the problem thoroughly.

Step 3: Define the Problem (Questions 3, 9)

Now that you understand the problem, define it clearly and completely. Writing a clear problem definition forces you to establish specific boundaries for the problem. This keeps the scope from growing too large, and it helps you stay focused on the main issues.

A great tool to use at this stage is CATWOE . With this process, you analyze potential problems by looking at them from six perspectives, those of its Customers; Actors (people within the organization); the Transformation, or business process; the World-view, or top-down view of what's going on; the Owner; and the wider organizational Environment. By looking at a situation from these perspectives, you can open your mind and come to a much sharper and more comprehensive definition of the problem.

Cause and Effect Analysis is another good tool to use here, as it helps you think about the many different factors that can contribute to a problem. This helps you separate the symptoms of a problem from its fundamental causes.

Step 4: Find Ideas (Questions 4, 13)

With a clear problem definition, start generating ideas for a solution. The key here is to be flexible in the way you approach a problem. You want to be able to see it from as many perspectives as possible. Looking for patterns or common elements in different parts of the problem can sometimes help. You can also use metaphors and analogies to help analyze the problem, discover similarities to other issues, and think of solutions based on those similarities.

Traditional brainstorming and reverse brainstorming are very useful here. By taking the time to generate a range of creative solutions to the problem, you'll significantly increase the likelihood that you'll find the best possible solution, not just a semi-adequate one. Where appropriate, involve people with different viewpoints to expand the volume of ideas generated.

Tip: Don't evaluate your ideas until step 5. If you do, this will limit your creativity at too early a stage.

Step 5: Select and Evaluate (Questions 6, 15)

After finding ideas, you'll have many options that must be evaluated. It's tempting at this stage to charge in and start discarding ideas immediately. However, if you do this without first determining the criteria for a good solution, you risk rejecting an alternative that has real potential.

Decide what elements are needed for a realistic and practical solution, and think about the criteria you'll use to choose between potential solutions.

Paired Comparison Analysis , Decision Matrix Analysis and Risk Analysis are useful techniques here, as are many of the specialist resources available within our Decision-Making section . Enjoy exploring these!

Step 6: Plan (Questions 1, 16)

You might think that choosing a solution is the end of a problem-solving process. In fact, it's simply the start of the next phase in problem solving: implementation. This involves lots of planning and preparation. If you haven't already developed a full Risk Analysis in the evaluation phase, do so now. It's important to know what to be prepared for as you begin to roll out your proposed solution.

The type of planning that you need to do depends on the size of the implementation project that you need to set up. For small projects, all you'll often need are Action Plans that outline who will do what, when, and how. Larger projects need more sophisticated approaches – you'll find out more about these in the article What is Project Management? And for projects that affect many other people, you'll need to think about Change Management as well.

Here, it can be useful to conduct an Impact Analysis to help you identify potential resistance as well as alert you to problems you may not have anticipated. Force Field Analysis will also help you uncover the various pressures for and against your proposed solution. Once you've done the detailed planning, it can also be useful at this stage to make a final Go/No-Go Decision , making sure that it's actually worth going ahead with the selected option.

Step 7: Sell the Idea (Questions 5, 8)

As part of the planning process, you must convince other stakeholders that your solution is the best one. You'll likely meet with resistance, so before you try to “sell” your idea, make sure you've considered all the consequences.

As you begin communicating your plan, listen to what people say, and make changes as necessary. The better the overall solution meets everyone's needs, the greater its positive impact will be! For more tips on selling your idea, read our article on Creating a Value Proposition and use our Sell Your Idea Skillbook.

Step 8: Act (Questions 2, 11)

Finally, once you've convinced your key stakeholders that your proposed solution is worth running with, you can move on to the implementation stage. This is the exciting and rewarding part of problem solving, which makes the whole process seem worthwhile.

This action stage is an end, but it's also a beginning: once you've completed your implementation, it's time to move into the next cycle of problem solving by returning to the scanning stage. By doing this, you'll continue improving your organization as you move into the future.

Problem solving is an exceptionally important workplace skill.

Being a competent and confident problem solver will create many opportunities for you. By using a well-developed model like Simplexity Thinking for solving problems, you can approach the process systematically, and be comfortable that the decisions you make are solid.

Given the unpredictable nature of problems, it's very reassuring to know that, by following a structured plan, you've done everything you can to resolve the problem to the best of your ability.

This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many Mind Tool quizzes that can help you to evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.

If you want to reproduce this quiz, you can purchase downloadable copies in our Store .

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Problem Solving and Decision Making Quiz

Study Flashcards

6 questions, what is the process of decision making, what is a single-criterion decision problem, what is problem solving, in a multicriteria decision problem, what is the objective, what does a model represent in the context of decision-making, what is the alternative in the context of decision-making, description.

Test your understanding of problem solving and decision making with this quiz. Explore the process of identifying differences and taking action to resolve them, as well as defining problems, identifying alternatives, and making decisions. This quiz covers single-criterion decision problems and more.

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• INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
• Decision-Making and Problem Solving

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Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

• Effective Decision Making
• Decision-Making Framework
• Introduction to Problem Solving

Identifying and Structuring Problems

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Implementing a Solution and Feedback

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The SkillsYouNeed Guide to Interpersonal Skills

Making decisions and solving problems are two key areas in life, whether you are at home or at work. Whatever you’re doing, and wherever you are, you are faced with countless decisions and problems, both small and large, every day.

Many decisions and problems are so small that we may not even notice them. Even small decisions, however, can be overwhelming to some people. They may come to a halt as they consider their dilemma and try to decide what to do.

Small and Large Decisions

In your day-to-day life you're likely to encounter numerous 'small decisions', including, for example:

Tea or coffee?

What shall I have in my sandwich? Or should I have a salad instead today?

What shall I wear today?

Larger decisions may occur less frequently but may include:

Should we repaint the kitchen? If so, what colour?

Should we relocate?

Should I propose to my partner? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with him/her?

These decisions, and others like them, may take considerable time and effort to make.

The relationship between decision-making and problem-solving is complex. Decision-making is perhaps best thought of as a key part of problem-solving: one part of the overall process.

Our approach at Skills You Need is to set out a framework to help guide you through the decision-making process. You won’t always need to use the whole framework, or even use it at all, but you may find it useful if you are a bit ‘stuck’ and need something to help you make a difficult decision.

Decision Making

Effective Decision-Making

This page provides information about ways of making a decision, including basing it on logic or emotion (‘gut feeling’). It also explains what can stop you making an effective decision, including too much or too little information, and not really caring about the outcome.

A Decision-Making Framework

This page sets out one possible framework for decision-making.

The framework described is quite extensive, and may seem quite formal. But it is also a helpful process to run through in a briefer form, for smaller problems, as it will help you to make sure that you really do have all the information that you need.

Problem Solving

Introduction to Problem-Solving

This page provides a general introduction to the idea of problem-solving. It explores the idea of goals (things that you want to achieve) and barriers (things that may prevent you from achieving your goals), and explains the problem-solving process at a broad level.

The first stage in solving any problem is to identify it, and then break it down into its component parts. Even the biggest, most intractable-seeming problems, can become much more manageable if they are broken down into smaller parts. This page provides some advice about techniques you can use to do so.

Sometimes, the possible options to address your problem are obvious. At other times, you may need to involve others, or think more laterally to find alternatives. This page explains some principles, and some tools and techniques to help you do so.

Having generated solutions, you need to decide which one to take, which is where decision-making meets problem-solving. But once decided, there is another step: to deliver on your decision, and then see if your chosen solution works. This page helps you through this process.

‘Social’ problems are those that we encounter in everyday life, including money trouble, problems with other people, health problems and crime. These problems, like any others, are best solved using a framework to identify the problem, work out the options for addressing it, and then deciding which option to use.

This page provides more information about the key skills needed for practical problem-solving in real life.

Further Reading from Skills You Need

The Skills You Need Guide to Interpersonal Skills eBooks.

Develop your interpersonal skills with our series of eBooks. Learn about and improve your communication skills, tackle conflict resolution, mediate in difficult situations, and develop your emotional intelligence.

Guiding you through the key skills needed in life

As always at Skills You Need, our approach to these key skills is to provide practical ways to manage the process, and to develop your skills.

Neither problem-solving nor decision-making is an intrinsically difficult process and we hope you will find our pages useful in developing your skills.

Start with: Decision Making Problem Solving

See also: Improving Communication Interpersonal Communication Skills Building Confidence

Decision Making Quiz With Answers!

How good are you at making decisions? Do you know all aspects to be considered during the decision-making? Take this decision-making quiz to find how well do you understand the terminologies and processes involved in the final decision making. You can take the quiz and give the maximum correct answers to prove your capability. This decision-making test is designed to recall the terms and situations related to decisions. You can share this decision-making skills test with friends and check their scores too.

Basketball team tryouts are scheduled for August 30. What should you do?

Start practicing two to three days a week until tryouts.

Practice every day until you think you are the best.

Wait a week a two before tryouts to start practicing.

Start practice right away.

Rate this question:

Kevin's friends are at home, and they are going to throw a parent while his parents are out of town. What should you do?

Call Kevin up and ask, "what should I bring?"

Talk to Kevin and explain why it is a bad idea.

Talk to Kevin and explain the consequences, and that you are still his friend, but you are going to have to tell his parents if he does not stop the party.

Just pretend you know nothing, and not go to the party.

You have a big project, and you have a month in advance to complete it when you should start it?

Start researching ideas and do a little bit of the project each day until you finish.

A week before its due.

Two weeks before its due.

Print and copy a project from the internet.

You have a busy day on Monday what can you do to help yourself?

Tell others about what you have to do.

Make a checklist of what has to be completed.

Make a to-do list and rank the acitivities in order of importance.

Just go with the flow, and try to complete all that you can think of.

Two of your fellow employees are having a verbal argument in your office. They are fighting over who is responsible for the task that the boss has just assigned to the three of you. Give two ways in which you might solve this conflict.

Five of your fellow employees have just been let go. the workload of the five employees has been divided up between two other employees. these two employees continue to complain and are very resentful of the employer. give two ways in which you might solve this conflict., you are working on a team project that is to be presented to your board of directors by the end of the week. one of the team members continually makes fun of two other team members. the two team members have decided that they will not speak to the woman who continues to make fun of them. all the team members have remarked about the tension in the workplace. give two ways in which you might solve this conflict., two students are about to get in a fight. the first thing you should do is go get an adult., when coming to school, you must always have your cell phone., if you think you are going to be late for work, it is a good idea to call work and let them know what is going on., in class, it is ok to sit down at your desk and text on the phone when the teacher is talking, as long as your not bothering others., listening skills are not a skill that is needed every day., in every building, there are norms and guidelines on how to act., if you do not follow the rules or make good-decision making consequences will not happen., it is alright if you do not do all your work on time because someone will always allow you to make it up..

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Problem Solving and Decision Making MCQs with Answers

Welcome to the Problem Solving and Decision Making MCQs with Answers . In this post, we have shared Problem Solving and Decision Making Online Test for different competitive exams. Find practice Problem Solving and Decision Making Practice Questions with answers in Aptitude Test exams here. Each question offers a chance to enhance your knowledge regarding Problem Solving and Decision Making.

In problem-solving, you analyze and assess various solution paths, while in decision-making, you engage in a similar process of exploring and evaluating alternatives. Therefore, the essence of decision-making lies in meticulously identifying and evaluating the available options.

Problem Solving and Decision Making Online Quiz

By presenting 3 options to choose from, Problem Solving and Decision Making Quiz which cover a wide range of topics and levels of difficulty, making them adaptable to various learning objectives and preferences. Whether you’re a student looking to reinforce your understanding our Student MCQs Online Quiz platform has something for you. You will have to read all the given answers of Problem Solving and Decision Making Questions and Answers  and click over the correct answer.

• Test Name:  Problem Solving and Decision Making MCQ Quiz Practice
• Type:  MCQ’s
• Total Questions:  40
• Total Marks:  40
• Time:  40 minutes

Note:  Questions will be shuffled each time you start the test. Any question you have not answered will be marked incorrect. Once you are finished, click the View Results button. You will encounter Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) related to Problem Solving and Decision Making , where three options will be provided. You’ll choose the most appropriate answer and move on to the next question without using the allotted time.

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Thinking and decision-making

11th - 12th grade, social studies.

9 questions

Introducing new   Paper mode

No student devices needed.   Know more

Which of the following statements is true about thinking, decision making and problem solving?

Decision making is a part of problem solving - and both decision making and problem solving are examples of thinking.

Decision making is an aspect of thinking - but not part of problem solving.

Problem solving is a part of decision making - but only decision making is a true example of thinking.

Thinking, decision making and problem solving are three distinct cognitive processes with no overlap in what they do.

Mary believes that she is an excellent math student. In fact, her favorite unit is statistics. However, when she is asked to critically evaluate the data of a experiment in psychology class, she does not know how to do it. How does the Dual Process model explain this?

She has developed the System 2 thinking necessary for math class, but not for psychology class.

Her knowledge from mathematics is interfering with her knowledge in psychology.

She is not able to transfer her understanding in mathematics to a new context (situation). So, her approach to solving the problem shows System 1 thinking.

Mary's self-esteem in psychology class is interfering with her ability to solve the problem. It has nothing to do with System 1 and System 2 thinking.

If I meet two students from your school and they are brilliant psychology students, I may then conclude that your school must have an amazing psychology program. This conclusion follows a simple “rule of thumb” or a mental short-cut called a

participant bias

matching bias

When are we more likely to use System 1 thinking?

When we have practiced something a lot.

When we have too much information to process.

When the problem is highly abstract.

When we need to transfer information from one situation to another.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of System 1 thinking?

It is dependent on context - that is, environmental cues - to solve the problem.

Is able to transfer information from one situation to another.

Requires little effort.

Results in creating impressions.

Which of the following statements is true about the Wason selection task?

When people are trained in how to do the task, they no longer make errors.

People tend to be able to explain their decisions to the researcher.

People get better at the task the older they get.

People make fewer errors when the task is put into a context which they understand, rather than an abstract task.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of System 2 thinking?

It is the basis for most of our day to day decision making.

It is slow and requires conscious effort.

Is logical and less prone to error.

According to Goel et al (2000), which part of the brain may be responsible for processing abstract problems?

The temporal lobe

The frontal lobe

The parietal lobe

The hypothalamus

Which of the following is not a limitation of the Dual Process Model?

It does not explain the interaction of the two systems.

There is no biological support for a two systems approach.

It is reductionist - it does not explain the role of emotion in decision making.

The descriptors of the different systems are not well operationalized - for example, not all fast processing is System 1.

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Decision Making and Problem Solving

Last updated on December 10, 2023 by Alex Andrews George

ClearIAS.com is dedicated to providing aspirants with essential tools to successfully navigate the UPSC Civil Services Prelims .

One such tool is the ability to think decisively, which is critical for effectively tackling the CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) Paper .

This blog will delve into the importance of decision-making and problem-solving skills, further illuminated through Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) examples with detailed solutions.

Table of Contents

Importance of Decision Making & Problem Solving

Decision making and problem-solving are pivotal skills tested in the CSAT paper . As future civil servants, aspirants need to develop these skills to address complex, multifaceted problems efficiently and ethically.

1. Decision Making

Decision making is the process of making choices by evaluating alternatives. It requires analytical and critical thinking skills, alongside an understanding of the implications and consequences of each option.

2. Problem Solving

Problem-solving entails identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems in a systematic manner. It often requires innovative thinking and the ability to apply learned concepts to novel situations.

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MCQ Examples of Decision-Making Questions

Below are MCQ examples that demonstrate decision-making skills:

Scenario: An area is affected by severe flooding. You, as a district magistrate, have limited resources. Which of the following should be your immediate priority?

• A. Repairing roads
• B. Distributing food and water
• C. Rebuilding houses
• D. Organizing entertainment to lift people’s spirits

Answer: B. Distributing food and water

Solution: Immediate needs like food and water are crucial for survival in disaster scenarios, making them the top priority.

Scenario: You are working on a project with a tight deadline. Your team member is consistently delivering work late, affecting the timeline. What should be your immediate step?

• A. Report the member to higher authorities
• B. Remove the member from the team
• C. Discuss the issue with the member
• D. Ignore the issue and adjust the project timeline

Answer: C. Discuss the issue with the member

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Solution: Communication is key in resolving team disputes. Before taking drastic measures, understanding the member’s perspective and finding a solution collaboratively is advisable.

Scenario: Your city is facing a significant rise in COVID-19 cases. As an officer, you are assigned to create awareness. Which approach is most effective?

• A. Distribute pamphlets
• B. Organize large public awareness events
• C. Implement awareness through social media and local networks
• D. Ignore the situation, assuming people are already aware

Answer: C. Implement awareness through social media and local networks

Solution: Social media and local networks provide wide reach without risking further spread through large gatherings.

Scenario: There is a proposal for a new dam which will provide water and electricity but will displace a local tribe. What should you consider first?

• A. Proceed with the construction immediately
• B. Reject the proposal outright
• C. Assess alternative solutions and engage with the tribe for their input
• D. Delay the decision indefinitely

Answer: C. Assess alternative solutions and engage with the tribe for their input

Solution: It is essential to balance development and the welfare of all stakeholders involved, necessitating a thorough assessment and inclusive decision-making process.

Scenario: As a civil servant, you receive two projects. Project A will benefit a large number of people slightly. Project B will significantly benefit a smaller group. Which project should be prioritized?

• A. Project A
• B. Project B

Answer: C. Both

Solution: Civil services work for the welfare of all. An ideal approach would be finding a way to implement both projects effectively, balancing the broader good with significant impact where needed.

Scenario: You have a limited budget for a healthcare initiative. What is the crucial factor to consider when deciding which health programs to fund?

• A. Popularity of the program
• B. Political backing
• C. Program’s potential impact on public health
• D. The novelty of the program

Answer: C. Program’s potential impact on public health

Solution: The primary consideration for any healthcare initiative should be its potential positive impact on public health, ensuring that it addresses the community’s most pressing health needs efficiently.

John needs to choose between two job offers. Offer A has a higher salary but is located in a city with a high cost of living. Offer B has a lower salary but is situated in a town with a lower cost of living. Which job offer should John choose?

• D. Cannot be determined

Answer: D. Cannot be determined

Solution : This question requires decision-making skills. Without knowing John’s priorities and values, the answer cannot be determined. Each offer has its pros and cons, and the decision rests on John’s personal preferences and circumstances.

MCQ Examples of Problem-Solving Questions

What is the next number in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20?

Answer: B. 30

Solution : This is a series problem. The series is progressing by adding consecutive even numbers (4, 6, 8, etc.). Thus, 20 + 10 = 30.

If all Ps are Qs, and some Qs are Rs, which of the following must be true?

• A. All Ps are Rs
• B. Some Ps are Rs
• C. No Ps are Rs
• D. None of the above

Answer: D. None of the above

Solution : Without definite information, we cannot confirm any of the given options. It is possible that some Ps are Rs, but it is not necessarily true.

Three individuals have to be selected from a group of 6 people. How many different combinations are possible?

Answer: C. 20

Solution : This is a combination problem. The number of ways to choose 3 individuals from 6 is given by the combination formula: 6C3 = 6! / (3!*(6-3)!) = 20.

If a shirt costs Rs.40 after a 20% discount, what was its original price?

Answer: B. Rs.50

Solution : Let the original price be X. The shirt is sold for 80% of its original price after a 20% discount. So, 0.80X = Rs.40. Solving for X gives X = Rs.50.

A train covers a distance of 150 km in 2.5 hours. What is its average speed?

Answer: A. 60 km/h

Solution : Average speed is obtained by dividing the total distance by the total time taken. So, 150 km / 2.5 hours = 60 km/h.

How to study Decision Making and Problem Solving for CSAT?

Students may note that this article on Decision Making and Problem Solving is just an overview of the topic. There is a lot more to learn about Decision Making and Problem Solving in the CSAT paper.

We recommend the below sources to learn the subject.

• Join the ClearIAS CSAT Course .
• Join ClearIAS Prelims Test Series .
• Join ClearIAS Prelims cum Mains Course.
• Go through ClearIAS YouTube Classes on CSAT.
• Read books on CSAT .

Also read:   CSAT Course: UPSC Prelims Paper 2 Program

Decision-making and problem-solving are vital skills for the UPSC CSAT Prelims and for effective functioning as a civil servant .

As you have seen the decision-making and problem-solving section is not limited to scenario-based questions!

Aspirants should keep in mind that any questions which are problem-solving or decision-making in nature can be asked from this section.

Further, questions may not be limited to the Class X level, as is the case with the basic numeracy section or data interpretation.

Practising decision-making and problem-solving questions not only improves these skills but also boosts your confidence in tackling the diverse set of problems presented in the examination.

For more resources and practice questions, continue exploring ClearIAS.com. Happy studying!

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About Alex Andrews George

Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and social entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training , Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped many aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

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