Reading Comprehension for RBI Assistant 2015 – 1

Bharatiya Mahila Bank, the
country’s first all-women commercial bank, commenced its operations with seven
branches. The first branch of Bank was opened in the iconic Air India building at Nariman point in Mumbai.

India’s Primie Minister inaugurated
the system on 19 November 2013 on the occasion of the 94th birth anniversary of
former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The setting up of the Bharatiya
Mahila Bank is a small step towards the economic empowerment of women. It is
also a reflection of our commitment to this cause. The bank will allow deposits
to flow from everyone, but lending will be predominantly
for women. The main objective of Bharatiya Mahila Bank is financial inclusion
of women and providing them equal and easy access of financial services. But
the move has been criticized as it treats women “differently”. This fact is
guised in many forms, some in garbs of reverence,
some as protection, but they are all forms of discrimination that promote
gender-based stereotyping.
Women-only organizations stem from this eagerness to patronize women in the name of preferential treatment.”

Bharatiya Mahila Bank has been
set up with an initial paid-up capital of Rs 1,000 crore. Led by Usha
Ananthasubramanian, all the eight on the board of directors of the bank are
women.  The bank aims to increase its
branch count to 25 by March 2014.Currently, all the seven branches of the bank
are in urban centres — Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Guwahati, Chennai, Bangalore
and Ahmedabad. This could also prove to be a hindrance, at least in the
short-term, in reaching out to rural women. In India, only 26% of women have an
account with a formal financial institution, compared with 46% of men. That
means an account in either a bank, a credit union, a co-operative, post office
or a microfinance institution. Also, for women, per capita credit is 80 per cent lower than males. The Bharatiya
Mahila Bank, which started operations from November 2013, is planning to open a
modest 33,400 accounts through 39 branches in its first year.

1. Which of the following is correct in the context of the passage?

I. Only women are appointed in Bhartiya Mahila Bank (BMB).

II. BMB is planning to open more branches in next five years.

III. Women have 20% less account with a formal financial
institution, in the comparison of men.

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Only III

(d) All I, II, and III

(e) None of these

2. Consider the following statements and find out which of them are
false in the context of the passage?

I. It will accept deposits from only women but lending will be only
for men.

II. It’s first branch Inaugurated in Mumbai

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Both I and II

(d) Either I or II

(e) None of these

3. On which of the following occasion BMB is inaugurated ?

I. On the occasion of woman’s day.

II. On the occasion of women empowerment.

III. On the occasion of the 96th birth anniversary of the former
Prime Minister of India

(a) Only I

(b) Only II

(c) Only III

(d) Both II and III

(e) None of these

4. What do you meant by “Per capita credit is 80 percent lower
than males” ?

(a) Total is less than 80%.

(b) Average per person is 80
percent lower than males.

(c) Total capital is less than
20% in the comparison of men.

(d) An account is credited less
than 80%.

(e) None of these.

5. What is the initial capital of BMB ?

(a) 26% of its total income.

(b) Equal to 33400 accounts.

(c) It’s one thousand crores.

(d) Yet it’s not decided.

(e) None of these

Directions: (Q.6-7): Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning
to the word printed in bold as used
in the passage.

6. Predominantly

(a) Mostly (b) Ruling (c) Mainly (d)
Inferior (e) Trivial

7. Iconic

(a) Historic (b) Seminal (c)
Untraditional (d) Atypical (e) Scorn

Direction: (Q. 8 – 10) : Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in
meaning of the word printed in bold as
given below-

8. Reverence

(a) Dissimilate (b) Pigeonhole (c)
Methodize (d) Disregard (e) Condescend

9. Stereotype

(a) Disorganize (b) Snub (c) Antagonize
(d) Emblematic (e) Disdain

10. Patronize

(a) Favour (b) Oppose (c)
Standard (d) Confuse (e) Facade