[case_study] Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
India is well-linked with the rest of the world despite its vast size and diversity. The Indian postal network is the largest in the world. India has one of the largest telecom networks in Asia. More than two-thirds of villages are covered by STD telephone facilities. All India Radio (Akashwani) broadcasts programmes in national, regional and local languages. Doordarshan is one of the largest terrestrial television networks in the world. India is also the world's largest producer of feature films. The Digital India programme aims to transform India through Information Technology.
(i) How does the Digital India programme aim to bridge the digital divide in India? [1 mark]
(ii) Explain how the reach of All India Radio and Doordarshan across rural India contributes to social and economic development. [2 marks]
(iii) India has the world's largest postal network. How does this network support both communication and economic activities in rural areas? [1 mark]
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:35 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) The Digital India programme aims to bridge the digital divide by transforming India through Information Technology, using the formula IT (Indian Talent) + IT (Information Technology) = IT (India Tomorrow), making technology central to enabling change and creating a knowledge-based society.
(ii) All India Radio broadcasts programmes in national, regional and local languages, reaching people in remote rural areas and creating awareness about national programmes and policies. Doordarshan, one of the largest terrestrial TV networks, broadcasts educational, entertainment and sports programmes. Both provide information on government schemes, helping rural people participate in economic and social development.
(iii) India's postal network — the largest in the world — handles personal written communications as well as parcels, supporting social communication. It also facilitates economic activities by delivering goods, documents and periodicals to rural areas through surface mail covering land and water transport.
Source: Communication, Chapter 7
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Explanation
- (i) Directly quote/paraphrase the Digital India definition from the passage. One line is enough for 1 mark.
- (ii) For 2 marks, give two distinct points — one for AIR (languages/awareness) and one for Doordarshan (educational/entertainment reach). Link both to development.
- (iii) For 1 mark, mention both functions: communication (personal mail) and economic activity (parcels, periodicals). Keep it to one or two lines.
- Always ground answers in the passage; examiners penalise answers that go beyond the source for comprehension-type questions.