Directions (1-10): Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Some words in the passage have been highlighted to aid in answering the question.
On April 26, the Union Cabinet approved the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023. The policy endeavours to facilitate an orderly growth of the sector and in turn, achieve the public health objectives of access, affordability, quality and innovation. It is expected to help the domestic medical devices sector market grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030 alongside achieving a 10-12% global market share over the next 25 years. The aim is to provide the required support and direction, and help the sector become “competitive, self-reliant, resilient and innovative” to cater not only to domestic but global needs.
The most significant of the introduced measures entail regulatory streamlining. The policy enhances the role of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) along with designing a coherent pricing regulation.
Pricing regulation is particularly important for addressing a broader challenge in the domestic device manufacturing sector. Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator at the Association of Indian Medical Devices Manufacturers (AiMeD) told that some private hospitals give higher priced products instead of available low-cost options.
“Because of this, the manufacturer or importer of India is tied up in a system of market operating with artificially inflated MRP labelled on the device,” said Mr. Nath, adding separately, “we have been seeking MRP of imports be monitored and compared with imports’ landed prices and steps taken to control when found irrationally excessive.”
To ensure a skilled workforce and create future ready MedTech human resources, comprising scientists, regulators, health experts, managers, and technicians, the policy would support dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices, including futuristic medical technologies, high-end manufacturing and research. This would complement the Department’s proposed National Policy on Research and Development alongside innovation in the pharma-MedTech sector in India. Further, centres of excellence in academic and research institutions, innovation hubs, and ‘plug and play’ infrastructure are also being planned, alongside support to start-ups.
The policy also seeks to establish and strengthen large medical device parks and clusters with quality infrastructure facilities close to economic zones with requisite logistics connectivity. This is expected to be a collaborative venture with the State governments and industry, resulting in better convergence and backward integration with the industry. Ensuring an ecosystem to encourage private investments, series of funding from venture capitalists and potential public-private partnerships (PPP) is a key component of this endeavour. This will also be supplemented intervention programs such as Make in India, Ayushman Bharat, Heal-in-India and Start-up mission.
Q1. The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to help the domestic medical devices sector market grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030. Which of the following is NOT an objective of the policy?
(a) To achieve access to affordable medical devices
(b) To ensure quality medical devices
(c) To promote innovation in the medical devices sector
(d) To increase the number of medical device manufacturers in India
(e) To improve healthcare infrastructure in rural areas
Q2. Which of the following is the most likely impact of the policy on the medical devices sector in India?
(a) The sector will grow at a faster rate
(b) The sector will become more competitive
(c) The sector will become more self-reliant
(d) The sector will become more innovative
(e) The sector will become more affordable
Q3. Which of the following is NOT a measure that the policy proposes to take to achieve its objectives?
(a) Regulatory streamlining
(b) Skill development
(c) Infrastructure development
(d) Public-private partnerships
(e) Promoting the use of traditional Indian medical devices
Q4. Which of the following statements is most likely to be a direct outcome of the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023?
(a) The medical devices sector in India will grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030.
(b) The medical devices sector in India will achieve a 10-12% global market share over the next 25 years.
(c) India will become a global hub for medical devices manufacturing.
(d) The medical devices sector in India will become more competitive in the global market.
(e) The medical devices sector in India will create more jobs.
Q5. From among the following given options, choose the word most similar in meaning to the similar word “entail”, as used in the context of the passage.
(a) debar
(b) mislay
(c) reject
(d) embrace
(e) omit
Q6. Choose the most suitable antonym of the word “coherent”, as highlighted in the given passage.
(a) sophistic
(b) cognitive
(c) syllogistic
(d) tenable
(e) empiric
Q7. Find the suitable word to fill the given below blank taken from the passage.
The policy also seeks to establish and strengthen large medical device parks and clusters with quality infrastructure facilities close to economic zones with ________ logistics connectivity.
(a) undesired
(b) external
(c) requisite
(d) extraneous
(e) surplus
Q8. From among the following given options, choose the word most similar in meaning to the similar word “clusters”, as used in the context of the passage.
(a) units
(b) items
(c) entities
(d) singles
(e) clumps
Q9. Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?
(a) Optimistic
(b) Critical
(c) Neutral
(d) Pessimistic
(e) Informative
Q10. Which of the following measures is being taken to ensure a skilled workforce in the medical devices sector?
(a) Dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices.
(b) Centers of excellence in academic and research institutions.
(c) Innovation hubs.
(d) ‘Plug and play’ infrastructure.
(e) All of the above.
Solutions
S1. Ans. (e)
Sol. For justification of answer, refer to the lines in the first paragraph of the passage which states that “the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to facilitate the growth of the domestic medical devices sector market from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030”. It also mentions several objectives of the policy, which include:
(a) To achieve access to affordable medical devices: One of the objectives of the policy is to ensure that medical devices are accessible and affordable for the public. This implies that efforts will be made to make medical devices more affordable and available to a larger population.
(b) To ensure quality medical devices: Another objective of the policy is to ensure that the medical devices manufactured and used in India meet quality standards. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining high-quality standards in the medical devices sector.
(c) To promote innovation in the medical devices sector: The policy aims to encourage innovation in the medical devices sector. This indicates a focus on research and development, as well as supporting new and innovative technologies in the field of medical devices.
(d) To increase the number of medical device manufacturers in India: The passage does not specifically mention this objective of the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023. However, it emphasizes the growth of the domestic medical devices sector, which implies an increase in the number of manufacturers.
(e) To improve healthcare infrastructure in rural areas: This option is not mentioned as one of the objectives of the policy in the passage. The focus of the policy, as stated, is on facilitating the growth of the medical devices sector and achieving specific market targets.
Key Points:
The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 does not explicitly mention improving healthcare infrastructure in rural areas as one of its objectives. The policy does, however, aim to achieve access to affordable medical devices, ensure quality medical devices, promote innovation in the medical devices sector, and increase the number of medical device manufacturers in India.
Therefore, option (e) To improve healthcare infrastructure in rural areas is NOT an objective of the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023.
S2. Ans. (a)
Sol. The policy aims to facilitate the orderly growth of the medical devices sector and has set a target for the domestic medical devices market to grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030. Additionally, the policy aims to achieve a 10-12% global market share over the next 25 years. These goals indicate an ambition to accelerate the growth of the sector. While the policy also emphasizes other objectives such as competitiveness, self-reliance, innovation, and affordability, the specific mention of the expected growth in market size suggests that it is the most likely impact of the policy.
Key Points:
The policy has a number of measures that are designed to promote growth in the sector, including:
- Regulatory streamlining: The policy enhances the role of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and introduces a coherent pricing regulation. This is expected to help to reduce the cost of medical devices in India and make them more affordable for patients.
- Skill development: The policy supports the development of a skilled workforce in the medical devices sector. This will help to ensure that the sector has the talent it needs to grow and innovate.
- Infrastructure development: The policy supports the development of medical device parks and clusters. This will help to create a conducive environment for the growth of the sector.
- Public-private partnerships: The policy encourages public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the medical devices sector. This is expected to help to attract investment and accelerate the growth of the sector.
In addition to these measures, the policy also provides a number of incentives for companies to invest in the medical devices sector in India. These incentives include tax breaks, land at concessional rates, and financial assistance. The combination of these measures is expected to have a significant impact on the growth of the medical devices sector in India. The sector is expected to grow at a faster rate than it would have without the policy. This will lead to increased investment, job creation, and access to quality medical devices for patients.
S3. Ans. (e)
Sol. The policy proposes to take the following measures to achieve its objectives:
- Regulatory streamlining
- Skill development
- Infrastructure development
- Public-private partnerships
Promoting the use of traditional Indian medical devices is not a measure that the policy proposes to take. This is because the policy is focused on modern medical devices, and traditional Indian medical devices are not considered to be modern medical devices.
The policy states that it will “promote the development and use of modern medical devices”. This suggests that the policy is not interested in promoting the use of traditional Indian medical devices.
In addition, the policy does not mention traditional Indian medical devices anywhere else in the passage. This suggests that the policy is not considering traditional Indian medical devices as a viable option for achieving its objectives.
Therefore, the answer to the question is “Promoting the use of traditional Indian medical devices.”
S4. Ans. (c)
Sol. The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to address the challenges faced by the medical devices sector in India and to help the sector to grow and develop. The policy is expected to help the sector to grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030 and to achieve a 10-12% global market share over the next 25 years. The policy is also expected to make India a global hub for medical devices manufacturing.
Key Points:
The policy is comprehensive as it covers a wide range of issues, including:
- Regulatory streamlining:The policy aims to streamline the regulatory process for medical devices, which will make it easier for companies to bring new products to market.
- Pricing regulation:The policy aims to regulate the prices of medical devices, which will make them more affordable for patients.
- Skilled workforce development:The policy aims to develop a skilled workforce for the medical devices sector, which will help to ensure that there are enough people with the right skills to work in the industry.
- Infrastructure development:The policy aims to develop the infrastructure needed for the medical devices sector, such as manufacturing facilities and testing laboratories.
The policy is expected to help the medical devices sector to grow and develop in a number of ways. For example, the policy is expected to:
- Increase the number of medical devices companies in India: The policy is expected to attract more companies to the medical devices sector, which will create more jobs and boost the economy.
- Increase the number of medical devices manufactured in India:The policy is expected to increase the number of medical devices manufactured in India, which will reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
- Improve the quality of medical devices manufactured in India:The policy is expected to improve the quality of medical devices manufactured in India, which will make them more competitive in the global market.
The passage mentions that the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to make the medical devices sector in India “competitive, self-reliant, resilient, and innovative” to cater not only to domestic but global needs. The policy also seeks to establish and strengthen medical device parks and clusters with quality infrastructure facilities. These measures, along with the focus on skill development and support for research and development, indicate the intention to position India as a global hub for medical devices manufacturing.
S5. Ans. (d)
Sol. The word “entail” means to involve or include something as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence. In the context of the passage, the word “entail” is used to describe the consequences of a certain action. The word “embrace” has a similar meaning, as it means to accept or include something willingly or enthusiastically. Therefore, the word “embrace” is the most similar in meaning to the word “entail” as used in the context of the passage.
The other options are not as similar in meaning to the word “entail”.
Additional Information:
“Debar” means to exclude or prevent someone from doing something.
“Mislay” means to lose something temporarily.
“Reject” means to refuse to accept or consider something.
“Omit” means to leave something out or not include it.
S6. Ans. (a)
Sol. The word “coherent” means logical and consistent. The antonym of “coherent” is “illogical and inconsistent. The word “sophistic” means using clever but false arguments. This is the closest antonym to “coherent” because it means using arguments that are not logical or consistent.
The other words are not antonyms of “coherent.”
Additional Information:
“Cognitive” means relating to the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
“Syllogistic” means “relating to or using a syllogism, which is a logical argument in which two statements are used to reach a conclusion.
“Tenable” means capable of being held or defended.
“Empiric” means “based on or derived from observation or experiment.
S7. Ans. (c)
Sol. The most appropriate word that fits in the blank to make the sentence contextually meaningful and grammatically correct is “requisite”. The word “requisite” means “required or necessary.” In the context of the sentence, it makes sense that the policy would seek to establish and strengthen large medical device parks and clusters with quality infrastructure facilities close to economic zones with requisite logistics connectivity. This means that the policy is seeking to create an environment where medical device companies have access to the transportation and infrastructure facilities that they need to be successful.
The other words are not as appropriate in this context.
Additional Information:
“Undesired” means not wanted or desired.
“External” means coming from or relating to the outside.
“Extraneous” means not relevant or important.
“Surplus” means an amount of something that is more than what is needed.
S8. Ans. (e)
Sol. The word “clusters” is used in the context of the passage to refer to groups of things that are close together or connected. The word “clumps” has a similar meaning, as it refers to groups of things that are close together or connected. The other words do not have the same meaning.
Additional Information:
“Units” are individual things that are not necessarily connected to each other.
“Items” are individual things that are not necessarily close together.
“Entities” are individual things that are not necessarily connected to each other.
“Singles” are individual things that are not necessarily close together.
S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. The passage is optimistic about the future of the Indian medical devices sector. It highlights the potential for growth and innovation, and it describes the steps that the government is taking to support the sector. The passage does not express any pessimism or criticism.
Here are some supporting evidence from the passage:
- “The policy endeavours to facilitate an orderly growth of the sector and in turn, achieve the public health objectives of access, affordability, quality and innovation.”
- “It is expected to help the domestic medical devices sector market grow from $11 billion to $50 billion by 2030 alongside achieving a 10-12% global market share over the next 25 years.”
- “The aim is to provide the required support and direction, and help the sector become “competitive, self-reliant, resilient and innovative” to cater not only to domestic but global needs.”
Key points:
The passage also uses positive language such as “facilitate”, “achieve”, “expected”, “aim”, “provide”, “support”, “direction”, “competitive”, “self-reliant”, “resilient”, and “innovative”. This language creates a sense of optimism about the future of the Indian medical devices sector.
S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to ensure a skilled workforce in the medical devices sector by taking a number of measures, including:
- Dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices:The policy supports the creation of dedicated multidisciplinary courses for medical devices, including futuristic medical technologies, high-end manufacturing and research. This would complement the Department’s proposed National Policy on Research and Development alongside innovation in the pharma-MedTech sector in India.
- Centers of excellence in academic and research institutions:The policy also plans to establish centers of excellence in academic and research institutions, which would provide a platform for collaboration between industry, academia and government. These centers would focus on research and development, training and skill development, and testing and certification.
- Innovation hubs:The policy also plans to establish innovation hubs, which would provide a platform for start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to develop and commercialise innovative medical devices. These hubs would provide access to funding, mentorship, and incubation facilities.
- ‘Plug and play’ infrastructure:The policy also plans to develop ‘plug and play’ infrastructure, which would provide a ready-made environment for start-ups and SMEs to set up and operate their businesses. This infrastructure would include access to land, buildings, utilities, and other essential services.
These measures are expected to help the medical devices sector to attract and retain a skilled workforce, which is essential for the sector’s growth and development.
English Language Quiz For Bank Foundatio...
English Language Quiz For Bank Mains Exa...
