31 July 2026 | FREE Editorial PDF

Daily Vocabulary — 31-July-2026

All words from today’s editorials, in one place.

EDITORIAL 1: UNADDRESSED CHALLENGES: ON INDIA’S CRISIS IN EDUCATION

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Mollified	Made someone less angry or upset; appeased	Appeased	Provoked
Simple Example: The immediate demand was conceded and the upsurge mollified with new legislation and the promise of judicial scrutiny.
Dysfunctional	Not operating normally or properly	Malfunctioning	Functional
Simple Example: This is crisis management, building on a dysfunctional architecture rather than addressing it.
Operationalise	To put into practical effect; to make something work in practice	Implement	Shelve
Simple Example: The task force is expected to operationalise the K. Radhakrishnan Committee’s October 2024 blueprint.
Stalled	Brought to a standstill; halted in progress	Halted	Advanced
Simple Example: Much of the blueprint has stalled for 18 months awaiting implementation.
Daunting	Seeming difficult to deal with; intimidating	Formidable	Manageable
Simple Example: The NEET 2027 deadline is daunting given the structural challenges that remain.
Purview	The scope or range of a person’s or institution’s authority	Ambit	Exclusion
Simple Example: Agencies such as the NMC and the IITs may well be outside the purview of the taskforce.
Perpetuating	Making something continue indefinitely	Prolonging	Ending
Simple Example: Question banks mixed and matched algorithmically end up perpetuating the nexus with coaching classes.
Nexus	A connection or series of connections linking two or more things	Link	Separation
Simple Example: NEET’s question-bank system perpetuates the nexus with coaching classes and the potential for mischief.
Plausibly	In a way that seems reasonable or probable	Credibly	Implausibly
Simple Example: One of the top AIIMS institutions could plausibly be entrusted with NEET paper-setting each year.
Intrinsic	Belonging naturally to something; essential	Inherent	Extrinsic
Simple Example: JEE’s conduct owes much to IIT faculty who see its integrity as intrinsic to a brand they have a stake in.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

EDITORIAL 2: HIDING THE SCISSORS: ON THE CENTRAL BOARD OF FILM CERTIFICATION

Source: The Hindu

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Excise	To remove or cut out, especially by censorship	Delete	Insert
Simple Example: The CBFC’s decisions on what to excise from Indian films are followed nearly completely, even by streaming services.
Espouse	To support or adopt a cause, belief, or way of life	Advocate	Oppose
Simple Example: There is a reason why few political films that espouse the cause of secularism are seen in cinemas today.
Captured	Taken control of by a group with a particular interest	Co-opted	Liberated
Simple Example: The censor board stands captured, blocking off films that are inconvenient to the ruling dispensation.
Dispensation	A particular system of government, religion, or society	Regime	Opposition
Simple Example: The CBFC purges politics hostile to the dominant philosophy, blocking films inconvenient to the ruling dispensation.
Purging	Getting rid of people or things regarded as unwanted	Eliminating	Retaining
Simple Example: The CBFC has been purging politics hostile to the dominant philosophy from films.
Concealment	The action of hiding something or preventing it from being known	Suppression	Disclosure
Simple Example: The CBFC is also guilty of unlawful concealment, having stopped publishing certificates in the Gazette.
Odious	Extremely unpleasant; repugnant	Repugnant	Delightful
Simple Example: Pre-censorship as a concept is odious to free societies, and the CBFC’s role ought to be curtailed.
Curtailed	Reduced in extent or scope	Restricted	Expanded
Simple Example: The CBFC’s role ought to be curtailed, if not abolished altogether, the editorial argues.
Compelled	Forced or obliged to do something	Coerced	Discouraged
Simple Example: While it exists, the CBFC must be compelled by the film fraternity, and its founding statute, to follow the law.
Stifled	Prevented from happening or continuing; suppressed	Suppressed	Encouraged
Simple Example: The censor’s scissors have plagued and stifled the voice of generations of storytellers.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

EDITORIAL 3: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PUNCH THE MONKEY, MANY FRIENDS TO YOU

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Tragic	Causing or characterised by extreme distress or sorrow	Sorrowful	Joyful
Simple Example: The tragic image of lonely young Punch clutching his doll made him a viral sensation.
Exuding	Displaying an emotion or quality strongly and openly	Radiating	Concealing
Simple Example: Punch’s eyes were exuding a fear and insecurity that so many human beings can identify with.
Insecurity	Lack of confidence or certainty; a feeling of anxiety	Anxiety	Confidence
Simple Example: The image captured a fear and insecurity in young Punch that resonated with viewers worldwide.
Sensation	A widespread reaction of interest and excitement	Phenomenon	Non-event
Simple Example: The tragic image of lonely young Punch made him a viral sensation.
Footfall	The number of people visiting a place; visitor traffic	Visitors	Absence
Simple Example: The footfall at the zoo grew by thousands wanting to see Punch.
Gingerly	In a careful, cautious, or tentative manner	Cautiously	Recklessly
Simple Example: He has, gingerly at first and gradually with more confidence, reached out to the other young monkeys.
Rejected	Dismissed as inadequate or unsuitable; refused acceptance	Spurned	Accepted
Simple Example: A bit of a runt, he was rejected by the other young simians in his troop.
Runt	The smallest and weakest animal in a litter	Weakling	Strongest
Simple Example: A bit of a runt, Punch was rejected by the other young simians in his troop.
Abandoned	Given up entirely; deserted	Deserted	Retained
Simple Example: He was abandoned by his mother, likely because she was too exhausted to care for him.
Companion	A person or animal that accompanies another; a friend	Comrade	Stranger
Simple Example: Punch’s closest companion was a stuffed toy — an orangutan — that was given to him.

Idioms

Idiom	Actual Meaning	Simple Meaning
Come out of one’s shell	To become less shy or reserved and more confident in social situations	To become more open and friendly after being timid
Far from the madding crowd	Away from the noise, hustle, and confusion of crowded, hectic life	In a calm, quiet place away from the busy crowd

EDITORIAL 4: A MEDICAL EDUCATION MORE INCLUSIVE

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Stipulates	Demands or specifies as part of an agreement or rule	Specifies	Waives
Simple Example: The new benchmark stipulates that a candidate’s eligibility for the MBBS course will be based on a functional assessment.
Overdue	Not having happened by the expected or required time; late	Belated	Premature
Simple Example: The NMC’s revised guidelines mark an overdue shift towards making medical education more inclusive.
Disqualification	The action of debarring someone from an activity or position	Debarment	Qualification
Simple Example: The message is significant: disability, by itself, should not be treated as a disqualification.
Rigid	Unable to bend or be forced out of shape; inflexible	Inflexible	Flexible
Simple Example: Framed around rigid thresholds and broad categories, the earlier guidelines often functioned as instruments of exclusion.
Prescribed	Recommended or laid down as a rule	Stipulated	Optional
Simple Example: Applicants could be declared ineligible simply because they crossed a prescribed threshold.
Blanket	Covering all cases or instances; total and inclusive	Comprehensive	Selective
Simple Example: Petitioners argued that blanket exclusions violated the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Arbitrary	Based on random choice rather than reason or system	Capricious	Reasoned
Simple Example: Functional assessments must not become another source of arbitrary decision-making.
Subjectivity	The quality of being based on personal opinion rather than fact	Bias	Objectivity
Simple Example: The NMC should develop standards that minimise subjectivity while preserving flexibility.
Safeguard	A measure taken to protect someone or something	Protection	Threat
Simple Example: Including doctors with disabilities on every board is a safeguard that will strengthen credibility.
Credibility	The quality of being trusted and believed in	Trustworthiness	Doubtfulness
Simple Example: Including doctors with disabilities on every board will strengthen the credibility of the process.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

EDITORIAL 5: AFTER YOUTH PROTESTS, PARLIAMENT MUST OPEN ITS DOORS WIDER

Source: The Indian Express

Vocabulary

Vocabs	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Sloganeering	The use of slogans, especially in politics	Chanting	Silence
Simple Example: The Bill was passed by voice vote amid sloganeering in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Agitation	A state of anxious campaigning or protest for a political or social cause	Unrest	Calm
Simple Example: The debate carried echoes of the street agitation that had raged outside the House.
Stringent	Strict, precise, and exacting	Rigorous	Lenient
Simple Example: The protests prodded the government to make the law more stringent in terms of punishments and fines.
Momentum	The impetus gained by a developing process	Impetus	Inertia
Simple Example: The momentum built by the students’ protests must not be lost.
Antagonistic	Showing or feeling active opposition or hostility	Hostile	Friendly
Simple Example: Some readings of the protests painted them as antagonistic to democratically elected people’s representatives.
Resentment	Bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly	Bitterness	Contentment
Simple Example: The students’ uprising rang with accumulated anger and resentment at the failure of institutions.
Assuage	To make an unpleasant feeling less intense	Alleviate	Intensify
Simple Example: Institutions have failed to assuage students’ apprehensions about dwindling opportunities for dignified employment.
Dwindling	Diminishing gradually in size, amount, or strength	Shrinking	Growing
Simple Example: Students are anxious about dwindling opportunities for employment that is dignified and fulfilling.
Polarisation	Division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinion	Division	Unity
Simple Example: Parliament could be held back by long-playing syndromes like growing political polarisation.
Reciprocity	The practice of mutual exchange for common benefit	Mutuality	One-sidedness
Simple Example: Parliament could be held back by growing political polarisation and erosion of reciprocity.

Idioms

No idioms found in the editorial.

Test Yourself — 5 Questions

Answer all before you scroll down — then comment your score below!

Q1. The immediate demand was conceded, and the upsurge MOLLIFIED with new legislation and the promise of judicial scrutiny. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Provoked   (B) Appeased   (C) Inflamed   (D) Agitated   (E) Worsened

Answer: B

Meaning: Mollified means made less angry or upset; appeased. Logic: ‘Appeased’ is a direct synonym. Elimination: Provoked, Inflamed, Agitated and Worsened all suggest intensifying anger, the opposite sense.

Q2. The CBFC’s decisions on what to EXCISE from Indian films are followed nearly completely, even by streaming services. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Insert   (B) Retain   (C) Delete   (D) Preserve   (E) Restore

Answer: C

Meaning: Excise means to remove or cut out, especially by censorship. Logic: ‘Delete’ is a direct synonym. Elimination: Insert, Retain, Preserve and Restore all suggest keeping or adding content, the opposite sense.

Q3. The TRAGIC image of lonely young Punch clutching his doll made him a viral sensation. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Joyful   (B) Comic   (C) Triumphant   (D) Sorrowful   (E) Cheerful

Answer: D

Meaning: Tragic means causing or characterised by extreme distress or sorrow. Logic: ‘Sorrowful’ is a direct synonym. Elimination: Joyful, Comic, Triumphant and Cheerful all convey positive emotion, the opposite sense.

Q4. The new benchmark STIPULATES that a candidate’s eligibility for the MBBS course will be based on a functional assessment. Select the option that is the closest synonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Specifies   (B) Waives   (C) Ignores   (D) Overlooks   (E) Withdraws

Answer: A

Meaning: Stipulates means demands or specifies as part of an agreement or rule. Logic: ‘Specifies’ is a direct synonym. Elimination: Waives, Ignores, Overlooks and Withdraws all suggest not enforcing a requirement, the opposite sense.

Q5. Framed around RIGID thresholds and broad categories, the earlier guidelines often functioned as instruments of exclusion. Select the option that is the closest antonym of the word given in capitals as used in the passage.

(A) Inflexible   (B) Strict   (C) Flexible   (D) Fixed   (E) Stringent

Answer: C

Meaning: Rigid means unable to bend or be forced out of shape; inflexible. Logic: ‘Flexible’ is its direct opposite. Elimination: Inflexible, Strict, Fixed and Stringent are all near-synonyms of rigid.

How many did you get right? Comment your score below — we read every one!

Quick Recap — Today’s Words

Mollified (Appeased) | Dysfunctional (Malfunctioning) | Operationalise (Implement) | Stalled (Halted) | Daunting (Formidable) | Purview (Ambit) | Perpetuating (Prolonging) | Nexus (Link) | Plausibly (Credibly) | Intrinsic (Inherent) | Excise (Delete) | Espouse (Advocate) | Captured (Co-opted) | Dispensation (Regime) | Purging (Eliminating) | Concealment (Suppression) | Odious (Repugnant) | Curtailed (Restricted) | Compelled (Coerced) | Stifled (Suppressed) | Tragic (Sorrowful) | Exuding (Radiating) | Insecurity (Anxiety) | Sensation (Phenomenon) | Footfall (Visitors) | Gingerly (Cautiously) | Rejected (Spurned) | Runt (Weakling) | Abandoned (Deserted) | Companion (Comrade) | Stipulates (Specifies) | Overdue (Belated) | Disqualification (Debarment) | Rigid (Inflexible) | Prescribed (Stipulated) | Blanket (Comprehensive) | Arbitrary (Capricious) | Subjectivity (Bias) | Safeguard (Protection) | Credibility (Trustworthiness) | Sloganeering (Chanting) | Agitation (Unrest) | Stringent (Rigorous) | Momentum (Impetus) | Antagonistic (Hostile) | Resentment (Bitterness) | Assuage (Alleviate) | Dwindling (Shrinking) | Polarisation (Division) | Reciprocity (Mutuality)

Idioms: Come out of one’s shell, Far from the madding crowd

Stay Connected

Subscribe on YouTube: MockToOfficer

Join the Telegram channel: https://t.me/Mocktoofficer_group

Visit mocktoofficer.in for full courses and practice

Scroll Down to download the detailed CA PDF

Watch Today Current Affairs Video

Join Our Community to Share your Knowledge

Share this PDF with your Friends and Study Groups