Logical Reasoning Questions for CLAT | QB Set 61

A game plan for India’s success as 2036 Olympic host

In his Independence Day address from Red Fort to the country, this August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that it was India’s dream to host the 2036 Olympic Games, adding that preparations were being made for this. This is an audacious announcement to say the least. India has never hosted the Olympics before. India has almost always underperformed in the global athletic arena. India has limited world class track and field infrastructure.

Yet, the Olympic ambition does not seem far-fetched. The country’s sporting prowess is growing. Indians can now compete and win medals at the continental level. However, whether India succeeds in its Olympic bid or not will depend on how the country builds consensus among its citizens and its leaders.

Electing the future host

Hosting an Olympic Games is a marathon effort, as this writer witnessed firsthand when visiting the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. There is a lot of ground to cover in preparing the infrastructure. In Paris, for instance, there were 329 medals on offer across 33 sports (including the four additional sports that bring the best athletes in the world one stage, not to mention the lacrosse tournaments). Since 2019, the process for host bidding has undergone a complete overhaul. These changes are part of the reforms brought in by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after allegations of corruption were made in connection with the award of the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Games. The revamped process was first tried in 2021 when the bidding process was conducted to choose Brisbane as the host city for the 2024 Games.

The conductor cities are now engaged in confidential exchanges by the Future Host Commission (FHC), a dedicated body set up by the IOC. The remit of the FHC goes beyond ensuring integrity. It also runs feasibility assessments, studies environmental concerns and human rights standards as part of the process. The IOC is expected to hold an election at the conclusion of the dialogue process led by the FHC, likely in 2026, where its members will vote to choose the host of the 2036 Games.

India’s march towards its Olympic ambition began in 2010, after New Delhi hosted a successful Commonwealth Games. The Government reformed sports organisations through the National Sports Development Code (‘Sports Code’). With an eye on improving the sports ecosystem, the government launched the Khelo India Scheme in 2017. Under this scheme, the focus is on upgradation of sports infrastructure, development of talent, promotion of sports and sports culture.

Under the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification programme, there is a push to develop highly talented individuals between the ages of 8 and 18 years. The Committee formed for identifying and nurturing talent recommends athletes who are monitored with support from the central and state governments. The number of participants in Khelo India so far has crossed 10 million. Players who participated in 2018 Asian Games and 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as Olympic hopefuls have featured in Khelo India tournaments.

States and events

Sports is a state subject, being included under Entry 33 of the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Among the States and Union Territories, Tamil Nadu leads in terms of infrastructure. Recently, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced a Global Sports City on the outskirts of Chennai. The project is expected to have international facilities including a multipurpose stadium, football grounds, athletics track, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a velodrome, sports medicine facilities, and accommodation for elite athletes.

Chennai, has been hosting international surfing events. Chennai hosted an international beach volleyball tournament in 2010 and an international sailing regatta in 2014.

Planning ahead

The biggest expenditure for countries organising the Olympics is on building sporting infrastructure. However, Paris capitalised on existing venues and facilities, thus reducing the capital expenditure.

According to the Union Government, Tamil Nadu has nearly 530 Olympic-standard infrastructure facilities; Delhi is second with nearly 161 and Odisha third with 153. Tamil Nadu, having hosted the South Asian Federation Games in 1995 and the Khelo India Youth Games in 2023, has invested in considerable sporting infrastructure. Similarly, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, hosted the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 and showcased its world-class sporting infrastructure. By leveraging these, as has been done in Tamil Nadu and Odisha, India would be in a better position to advance a cost-efficient and eco-friendly bid to host the 2036 Games.

There is much at stake when India makes its bid to host the 2036 Olympics. Political consensus, coordination among stakeholders and a long-term vision will be crucial to convincing the IOC that India is ready.

Question 1) Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games is feasible?
A) India has consistently underperformed in recent international athletic competitions.
B) The Future Host Commission has rejected multiple bids from countries lacking prior Olympic experience.
C) Several states in India lack the necessary infrastructure to host Olympic-level events.
D) The Indian government has successfully implemented the Khelo India Scheme to nurture young athletes.

Question 2) If the Government of Tamil Nadu fails to complete the Global Sports City project, which of the following is the most likely consequence for India’s Olympic bid?
A) India’s bid will be rejected due to insufficient infrastructure.
B) The Union Government will allocate more funds to other states to compensate.
C) Tamil Nadu will lose its position as a leading state in sports infrastructure.
D) India’s Olympic bid will still proceed but will be less competitive.

Question 3) The author mentions the 2010 Commonwealth Games as a starting point for India’s Olympic ambition. What assumption underlies this reference?
A) Hosting the Commonwealth Games automatically qualifies a country to host the Olympics.
B) Successfully hosting a major international sporting event demonstrates a country’s capability for the Olympics.
C) The infrastructure built for the Commonwealth Games is sufficient for the Olympics.
D) The Commonwealth Games and the Olympics have similar organizational requirements.

Question 4) Which of the following best describes the author’s tone towards India’s Olympic bid?
A) Skeptical but hopeful
B) Cautiously optimistic
C) Indifferent
D) Highly critical

Question 5) The passage suggests that the Khelo India Scheme has a significant role in India’s Olympic bid. Which of the following, if true, would most support this claim?
A) The majority of India’s Olympic athletes were trained under the Khelo India Scheme.
B) The Khelo India Scheme has led to increased participation in sports at the grassroots level.
C) The Khelo India Scheme is primarily focused on sports infrastructure development.
D) Other countries bidding for the Olympics have similar schemes in place.

Question 6) What is the main assumption behind the author’s suggestion that leveraging states like Tamil Nadu and Odisha could make India’s Olympic bid more cost-efficient?
A) These states have all the infrastructure necessary to host the Olympics on their own.
B) The existing infrastructure in these states reduces the need for new construction, thereby lowering costs.
C) Other states will not need to contribute to the infrastructure development.
D) The sports infrastructure in Tamil Nadu and Odisha is underutilized.