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Difficulty: MediumStatement and Arguments

Given below is a statement followed by two arguments numbered I and II. Read the statement and arguments carefully and determine which of the arguments is/are strong in the context of state policy formulation.

Statement: Should the state government mandate that all state-run public transport buses be converted entirely to electric vehicles within a tight deadline of two years?

Argument I: Yes, because replacing fossil-fuel buses with electric buses will significantly lower urban carbon emissions and improve city air quality.
Argument II: No, because enforcing a complete transition within two years without adequate charging infrastructure will severely strain state finances and risk disrupting daily municipal commuter services.

Which of the following options correctly assesses the strength of these arguments?

  1. A
    Only argument I is strong
  2. B
    Only argument II is strong
  3. C
    Neither argument I nor II is strong
  4. Both argument I and argument II are strongAnswer

Answer

Both argument I and argument II are strong.
The option stating that both argument I and argument II are strong is correct because Argument I offers a valid and direct positive outcome (emission reduction), while Argument II provides a realistic assessment of implementation bottlenecks (lack of charging infrastructure and financial strain within two years). In public policy analysis, both the intended objective and practical feasibility constraints constitute strong arguments.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the core issue in the statement
The core issue concerns mandating a 100% electric public transport fleet within a strict 2-year deadline.
Understanding both the objective (clean energy conversion) and the constraint (two-year timeframe) is necessary to evaluate the arguments.
2
Evaluate Argument I
Argument I is strong.
It provides a directly relevant, logical benefit (reduction of urban emissions and improved air quality) stemming from electric vehicle adoption.
3
Evaluate Argument II
Argument II is strong.
It addresses practical feasibility, raising valid concerns about financial strain, infrastructure constraints, and service disruption given the short two-year mandate.

Key Concept

Evaluating argument strength based on direct relevance, logical soundness, and practical feasibility in public policy.
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Topics

Statement and Arguments

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