Complete the given line from 'Rules and Regulations' section of a school diary : Minimum 75% attendance is to appear for the final examinations. (A) recorded (B) mandatory (C) secured (D) obtained
Complete the given line from 'Rules and Regulations' section of a school diary : Minimum 75% attendance is to appear for the final examinations. (A) recorded (B) mandatory (C) secured (D) obtained
Options
(B) mandatory — it alone conveys the sense of a compulsory, rule-based requirement (75% attendance) needed to be eligible for the final exams.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for correctly selecting option (B) mandatory; no partial credit is awarded for MCQs; selecting any other option earns 0 marks.
Hint
Look for the word that expresses a compulsory rule, not one that describes marks obtained or data recorded.
Quick Oral Answer
The blank requires a word meaning 'compulsory' since the sentence states an eligibility condition; 'mandatory' is correct, while 'recorded', 'secured' and 'obtained' do not fit this specific communicative context.
Analysis & Explanation
This item checks whether students can pick the word that matches the register and meaning of an official notice like a school diary's 'Rules and Regulations' section.
Concept tested
- The sentence states a condition that MUST be met before appearing for exams, so the missing word must mean 'compulsory/obligatory'.
- 'Mandatory' exactly conveys an unavoidable requirement laid down by an authority — the tone typical of such notices.
Why the other options fail
- 'Recorded' describes what is done to attendance data, not a requirement.
- 'Secured' and 'obtained' collocate with marks/scores (e.g., 'secured 90% marks'), not with an eligibility condition.
Common mistakes
- Picking a word that is grammatically fine but semantically/collocationally wrong for the context.
- Ignoring the communicative purpose (a rule/condition) of the text type.
Common Mistakes
- 1Choosing 'secured' or 'obtained' because these words are commonly associated with percentages, without noticing that here the percentage refers to an eligibility condition, not a score achieved.
- 2Selecting 'recorded' by focusing only on the word 'attendance' and ignoring the full sentence structure 'is __________ to appear', which demands a word meaning compulsory.
- 3Not reading the source context ('Rules and Regulations' section of a school diary) which signals that the sentence is stating a mandatory condition, not describing a fact or a result.
Interesting Facts
CBSE's Class 10 English (Language and Literature) paper has, since the 2020 curriculum revision, replaced purely academic grammar drills with editing and gap-filling tasks based on authentic real-life texts like notices, diaries, and reports to test functional language use.
The word 'mandatory' comes from the Latin 'mandare' (to command), the same root that gives us 'mandate' and 'command' — all linked to the idea of an authoritative instruction that must be obeyed.
Most Indian school attendance rules, including CBSE's own bye-laws for affiliated schools, prescribe a minimum of 75% attendance as compulsory for a student to be eligible to sit board examinations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'mandatory' correct and not 'secured' or 'obtained'?
'Secured' and 'obtained' collocate with marks or scores (e.g., 'secured 90%'), while the sentence here describes a compulsory rule for exam eligibility, which requires 'mandatory', meaning obligatory or required by rule.
What skill does this type of question test?
It tests contextual vocabulary and register awareness — the ability to select a word that matches the communicative purpose (a rule/regulation) of a real-life formal text such as a school diary.