Question

"Tata Steel, one of the biggest steel makers in the world, was born in Jamshedpur. The very success of Tata Steel could lead to its failure in the future and hence the challenge for Tata Steel is to recognise its strengths that make it successful in initial conditions and stick to them."

1. This is a valid conclusion.
2. The conclusion is contrary to the ideas described in the passage.
3. This is an internally contradictory conclusion.

• A. 1 only
• B. 2 only
• C. 3 only
• D. 1 and 2

Hint:

Compare the warning ("success could lead to failure") with the fix suggested ("stick to the same old strengths") and see whether the two sit together logically.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The passage warns that Tata Steel's success could turn into failure, and then advises the firm to hold onto the strengths that worked in its early days.

1. This is a valid conclusion: for this to be true, the advice would need to actually solve the problem the passage names. Since the advice tells the firm to repeat the very behaviour (clinging to old strengths) that can cause success to turn into failure, it does not solve the problem, so calling it simply valid misses the flaw.
2. The conclusion is contrary to the ideas described in the passage: this would mean the conclusion disagrees with something the passage says elsewhere. But the clash here is not with outside ideas, it is with its own opening warning, so this label does not fit either.
3. This is an internally contradictory conclusion: the passage first says success can breed failure, most often because firms stop adapting, and then tells the firm to stick rigidly to its original strengths. Sticking rigidly to old strengths is exactly the kind of behaviour that stops a firm from adapting. So the advice fights against the warning it follows, which is a textbook internal contradiction.

The internal contradiction is the accurate reading, so the answer is "3 only".

Let's summarize:

• An internally contradictory conclusion recommends the very thing its own warning cautions against.
• Clinging to old strengths without adapting is a classic route by which past success turns into future failure.

So the correct choice is option C, "3 only".