The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary 2nd June 2025

Reading Comprehension passages are an integral part of the English section of government exams. However, for beginners, such passages can seem difficult. The Hindu Editorial is an excellent tool to improve the reading and understanding of passages. The language is very similar to the passages that generally appear in the English section of government exams, and each paragraph is filled with exam-relevant vocabulary and real-world topics. First, go through the vocabulary section and read the meanings of the words, their Hindi translations, synonyms, and antonyms. Once you know the meanings of the words, read the passage carefully, and you will feel that it is much easier to understand the main idea and tone of the passage. This method not only improves the understanding of reading comprehension passages but also builds a strong vocabulary base for cloze tests and sentence fillers in the exam. Doing this every day will boost your confidence in the English section and help improve your scores in sections such as Reading Comprehension, Cloze Tests, and Sentence Fillers.

Growing pains: On economic performance, Viksit Bharat
India needs to grow faster to transition as a developed economy

The data on India’s economic performance in 2024-25, released on Friday, have something for everybody. Those with an optimistic outlook can rejoice at the seemingly robust growth in the fourth quarter. Pessimists can despair over the four-year low annual growth figure. The realist’s assessment, however, is that there is cause for some restrained celebration, and more than a healthy dose of disappointment. The Q4 growth of 7.4% was considerably higher than what was expected for the quarter, and the fastest seen in an otherwise dismal financial year. The main drivers were the construction sector returning to double-digit growth, and the agriculture sector posting a strong showing. These are also two major employment drivers. Services, too, continued their steady and strong growth. The manufacturing sector, on the other hand, grew at just 4.8%, down from 11.3% in Q4 of the previous year. There is a reality check hiding in the aggregate numbers, as well. The GDP growth rate of 7.4% was achieved in large part due to a 12.7% growth in net taxes. This bump in tax collections provided a statistical boost without which growth in actual economic activity would have come in at around 6.8%. The much-hyped ‘Maha Kumbh effect’ on consumption expenditure also does not seem to have materialised. Growth in Private Final Consumption Expenditure in Q4 — the Kumbh quarter — came in at 6%, the slowest in five quarters. Capital formation, however, grew a robust 9.4% as the government finally sped up its sluggish capital investments.

Government officials and Union Ministers have expressed their satisfaction at the 6.5% growth in 2024-25, the slowest since the pandemic, saying it is still the fastest among major economies, and not bad in the context of a “growth-scarce” global environment. All of this is true. Yet, ‘not bad’ is not nearly good enough for India. The race is not with the rest of the world, but is an effort to keep pace with the country’s growing requirements. The Modi government, with its sights set on a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, must be held to a higher standard in line with its aspirations. If, as the Economic Survey points out, Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires “sustained economic growth of close to 8% every year for at least a decade”, then India is decidedly moving very slowly, even if in the right direction. In his press conference, Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said India was entering a phase of low inflation and stable growth. Stability can be good, since it implies lower chances of growth slowing. Yet, it also implies growth is unlikely to accelerate significantly either. The government needs to consider whether this is truly a satisfactory situation for a transitioning economy.

1. Pains: mental or emotional difficulties
Synonyms: agonies, afflictions
Antonyms: comfort, ecstasy

2. Transition: the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another
Synonyms: shift, transformation
Antonyms: stagnation, pause

3. Outlook: a person’s way of understanding and thinking about something
Synonyms: perspective, viewpoint
Antonyms: indifference, apathy

4. Rejoice: to express great happiness about something
Synonyms: celebrate, revel
Antonyms: lament, fret

5. Seemingly: in a way that appears to be true but may in fact not be
Synonyms: apparently, supposedly
Antonyms: truly, actually

6. Robust: strong and not likely to fail or become weak
Synonyms: resilient, sturdy
Antonyms: frail, unstable

7. Restrained: showing calm control rather than emotion
Synonyms: controlled, reserved
Antonyms: fiery, uninhibited

8. Dismal: causing or showing the feeling of being sad
Synonyms: bleak, dreary
Antonyms: cheerful, comforting

9. Materialised: became real
Synonyms: happened, transpired
Antonyms: ceased, disappeared

10. Sluggish: moving, reacting or working more slowly than normal
Synonyms: lethargic, tardy
Antonyms: energetic, vigorous

11. Implies: to make it seem likely that something is true or exists
Synonyms: signifies, indicates
Antonyms: conceals, denies

Idioms and Phrases

12. Reality check: an occasion when you are reminded of how things are in the real world, rather than how you would like things to be

13. Its sights set on: to decide to achieve something

14. In line with: similar to, or at the same level as something

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