You have studied the rules of précis writing. You know how to identify the central idea, remove unnecessary details and reduce a passage without changing its meaning.
But can you apply these techniques independently?
That is where many PFRDA Grade A aspirants face difficulty.
Knowing how to write a précis and actually writing a good précis under time pressure are different skills.
In this article, you will practise five original passages covering financial inclusion, pension reforms, artificial intelligence, demographic changes and climate-related financial risks.
Each exercise includes a model answer and a short explanation of what makes the précis effective.
Important: The word limits below are for practice. Always follow the specific instructions provided in your actual examination.
How to Use These Five Practice Passages
For each passage:
- Read it carefully and identify the central idea.
- Note the essential supporting arguments.
- Write a précis in your own words within the suggested limit.
- Give it a suitable title.
- Compare your response with the model answer only after completing your attempt.
Do not memorise the model answers. The objective is to develop independent comprehension and writing ability.
Practice Passage 1: Financial Inclusion in India
Suggested Precis Length: 90–110 words
Passage
Financial inclusion is an important component of inclusive economic development. It enables individuals, particularly those from economically disadvantaged communities, to access formal financial services such as savings accounts, credit, insurance and pension products. Access to these services can help households manage financial emergencies, build savings and participate more actively in economic activities.
India has made considerable progress in expanding financial access through banking initiatives, digital payment systems and direct benefit transfers. These developments have helped many individuals enter the formal financial system. However, opening bank accounts does not automatically guarantee meaningful financial inclusion. Some account holders may lack sufficient financial knowledge, while others face difficulties arising from irregular incomes, inadequate digital connectivity or limited access to banking assistance.
Financial literacy is essential for encouraging the effective use of financial services. Individuals must understand how to save responsibly, borrow according to their repayment capacity and protect themselves against financial fraud. Financial institutions must also design affordable products suited to the needs of different communities.
Meaningful financial inclusion should therefore be assessed not merely through account ownership but through the extent to which individuals can use financial services safely, regularly and productively.
Model Precis
Title: Meaningful Financial Inclusion
Financial inclusion promotes economic participation by providing access to banking, credit, insurance and pension services. India has expanded formal financial access through banking initiatives, digital payments and direct benefit transfers. However, account ownership alone does not ensure effective participation. Limited financial literacy, irregular incomes and inadequate infrastructure can restrict the use of financial services. Therefore, financial education and affordable, accessible products are essential. Individuals must understand responsible saving, borrowing and fraud prevention. Meaningful financial inclusion should ultimately be measured by the safe, regular and productive use of financial services rather than merely the number of accounts opened.
What You Should Learn
The central idea is that financial inclusion requires meaningful use of financial services, not merely access to bank accounts.
Notice how the model answer preserves the progress, challenges and necessary solutions without reproducing every example.
Practice Passage 2: Pension Reforms and Retirement Security
Suggested Precis Length: 90–110 words
Passage
Retirement security has become an increasingly important policy concern as life expectancy rises and traditional family support systems undergo changes. Individuals may spend a substantial portion of their lives after retirement, making adequate financial preparation essential. Without sufficient retirement savings, elderly individuals may become financially dependent on their families or public assistance.
Pension systems help address this challenge by encouraging individuals to accumulate resources during their working years. However, pension coverage remains uneven, particularly among workers in informal occupations who may not receive regular employer-sponsored retirement benefits. Irregular earnings and competing household expenses can also make consistent contributions difficult.
Financial awareness plays a significant role in retirement planning. Individuals who understand the importance of early savings and long-term investment are better positioned to prepare for retirement. Nevertheless, awareness alone cannot overcome barriers created by low incomes, complex enrolment procedures or unsuitable financial products.
Policymakers and financial institutions must therefore promote accessible pension arrangements, flexible contribution options and reliable customer assistance. Digital technology may simplify enrolment and account management, but individuals with limited digital skills should not be excluded.
A sustainable pension system requires a balance between wider coverage, affordability, financial awareness and effective institutional safeguards.
Model Precis
Title: Strengthening Retirement Security
Rising life expectancy and changing family structures have increased the importance of retirement planning. Pension systems support financial security, but coverage remains limited among informal workers facing irregular incomes and competing expenses. Financial awareness encourages early savings, although low incomes and complicated procedures may restrict participation. Therefore, policymakers and financial institutions must promote affordable pension arrangements, flexible contributions and accessible enrolment. Digital services can improve convenience, provided adequate assistance is available to those with limited technological skills. Sustainable retirement security requires broader pension coverage, financial education and reliable institutional safeguards.
What You Should Learn
The central idea is that effective pension systems require wider coverage, affordability, awareness and accessible arrangements.
Avoid reducing the passage to a statement such as “People should save for retirement.” That would omit the institutional and economic challenges discussed by the author.
Practice Passage 3: Artificial Intelligence and Employment
Suggested Precis Length: 90–110 words
Passage
Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces by enabling machines and software systems to perform tasks that previously required substantial human involvement. Businesses increasingly use intelligent technologies to analyse information, improve customer service, automate routine operations and support decision-making. These developments can increase productivity and reduce operational costs.
However, technological advancement also raises concerns about employment. Workers performing repetitive tasks may face changes in job requirements, while some occupations may experience reduced demand for particular skills. At the same time, artificial intelligence can create opportunities in emerging fields that require technological expertise, analytical abilities and human judgment.
The effects of artificial intelligence will therefore depend partly on how societies prepare their workforces for technological change. Education systems must equip learners with adaptable skills, while employers should invest in training programmes that help existing employees perform new responsibilities. Governments can also support workforce transitions through appropriate education and employment policies.
Artificial intelligence should not be viewed exclusively as either a threat or an opportunity. Its long-term contribution to economic development will depend on whether technological innovation is accompanied by human skill development and inclusive employment strategies.
Model Precis
Title: Artificial Intelligence and Workforce Adaptation
Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces by automating tasks, improving decision-making and increasing productivity. However, it may also reduce demand for certain skills and change existing employment opportunities. Simultaneously, emerging industries can create new roles requiring technological knowledge and human judgment. Managing this transition requires adaptable education systems, employee training and supportive government policies. Employers must help workers develop skills suited to changing job requirements. Artificial intelligence should therefore be viewed neither solely as a threat nor as an opportunity. Its long-term economic benefits depend on combining technological progress with workforce development and inclusive employment strategies.
What You Should Learn
The passage presents both opportunities and challenges.
A précis discussing only job losses would be incomplete. Similarly, focusing exclusively on productivity gains would distort the author’s balanced argument.
When a passage contains contrasting viewpoints, preserve the relationship between them.
Practice Passage 4: Ageing Population and Economic Challenges
Suggested Precis Length: 90–110 words
Passage
Many countries are experiencing demographic changes resulting from declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy. While longer lives reflect improvements in healthcare and living conditions, an ageing population can create significant economic and social challenges. A growing proportion of elderly citizens may increase demand for healthcare, pensions and long-term care services.
At the same time, a shrinking working-age population can reduce labour availability and place pressure on economic productivity. Businesses may face difficulties recruiting workers, while governments may struggle to maintain adequate social security arrangements with a smaller proportion of active contributors.
Several factors contribute to declining birth rates, including employment uncertainty, rising living costs and difficulties balancing professional responsibilities with family life. Policymakers have responded through family-support measures, childcare assistance and employment-related reforms.
Technological innovation, including automation and robotics, may help businesses address labour shortages. However, technology alone cannot resolve the broader social consequences of demographic change.
Managing population ageing requires coordinated policies that support families, improve workforce participation, strengthen retirement security and adapt public services to changing demographic needs.
Model Precis
Title: Economic Challenges of Population Ageing
Declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy are creating demographic challenges in many countries. Ageing populations increase demand for healthcare, pensions and long-term care, while shrinking workforces can constrain productivity and weaken social security financing. Employment uncertainty, rising living costs and work-life difficulties contribute to lower birth rates. Governments have introduced family-support measures and employment reforms to address these concerns. Automation and robotics may ease labour shortages but cannot resolve every social challenge. Effective responses require coordinated policies supporting families, workforce participation, retirement security and public services suited to changing demographic needs.
What You Should Learn
The passage has four essential components:
- Causes of demographic change
- Economic and social consequences
- Possible technological responses
- Need for coordinated policy measures
A good précis connects these elements rather than treating them as unrelated facts.
Practice Passage 5: Climate Change and Financial Stability
Suggested Precis Length: 90–110 words
Passage
Climate change presents growing challenges not only for the environment but also for economic and financial stability. Extreme weather events can damage infrastructure, disrupt agricultural production and interrupt business operations. These developments may reduce household incomes, increase insurance losses and weaken the repayment capacity of borrowers.
Financial institutions can also face risks arising from the transition towards a lower-carbon economy. Businesses dependent on carbon-intensive activities may encounter changing regulations, technological competition and shifts in consumer demand. Such developments can affect the value of investments and the financial position of companies.
Managing these risks requires financial institutions to improve their understanding of climate-related exposures. Banks and insurers may need to strengthen risk assessment, develop appropriate financial products and consider environmental factors in long-term planning.
Policymakers also play an important role by encouraging reliable climate-related information, supporting sustainable investment and promoting effective risk-management practices. However, financial stability measures must recognise differences in economic circumstances and the practical challenges of transitioning towards cleaner technologies.
Climate-related financial risks therefore require coordinated action among financial institutions, businesses and policymakers to strengthen economic resilience and support sustainable development.
Model Precis
Title: Climate Risks and Financial Stability
Climate change threatens financial stability through extreme weather, economic disruption and risks associated with the transition to cleaner technologies. Physical damage can reduce incomes, increase insurance losses and weaken borrowers’ repayment capacity. Meanwhile, regulatory and technological changes may affect carbon-intensive businesses and investment values. Financial institutions must strengthen climate-risk assessment and incorporate environmental considerations into long-term planning. Policymakers should improve climate-related information, encourage sustainable investment and support effective risk management. However, transition policies must consider economic differences and practical constraints. Coordinated action is essential to improve financial resilience while supporting sustainable development.
What You Should Learn
The passage distinguishes between two broad types of climate-related financial risk:
Physical risks: Damage arising from extreme weather and other climate effects.
Transition risks: Financial consequences of policy, technological and economic changes associated with a lower-carbon economy.
Both ideas are necessary to preserve the passage’s meaning.
How to Evaluate Your Own Precis
After attempting the five passages, use this simple practice checklist.
| Evaluation Area | Maximum Practice Points |
|---|---|
| Identification of central idea | 5 |
| Inclusion of essential arguments | 10 |
| Accuracy of meaning | 5 |
| Conciseness and organisation | 5 |
| Grammar, language and title | 5 |
| Total | 30 |
While comparing your answers with the model précis, remember that your wording does not need to be identical.
A response can be correct even when it uses different vocabulary and sentence structures.
The important question is whether you have preserved the original meaning accurately and concisely.
What If Your Answer Is Different from the Model?
Do not assume that every difference is a mistake.
Instead, examine whether your response:
- Communicates the same central idea.
- Retains the essential supporting arguments.
- Avoids unsupported information.
- Uses grammatically correct sentences.
- Follows the prescribed word limit.
If your answer satisfies these conditions, it may be acceptable even when its wording differs substantially from the model.
However, if you repeatedly omit important arguments or struggle with sentence construction, you should address those weaknesses before attempting more passages.
Move from Practice to Measurable Improvement with Bank Whizz
These five exercises can help you understand the basic expectations of précis writing.
But independent practice also has a limitation: you may not always recognise weaknesses in your own answers.
For example, an aspirant may write a grammatically correct précis but omit the author’s most important argument. Another may identify every relevant idea but struggle to express them within the word limit.
The corrective approach should be different in each case.
At Bank Whizz, we encourage PFRDA Grade A aspirants to begin with a diagnostic attempt so that preparation can focus on actual writing weaknesses rather than assumptions.
If you have not yet assessed your descriptive English preparation, begin here:
Bank Whizz – Free PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English Diagnostic Test Series
For candidates who want structured practice across Essay Writing, Precis Writing and Reading Comprehension, the Bank Whizz PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English Mentorship Programme provides a more organised preparation pathway.
The purpose is not merely to complete a large number of tests. It is to identify what needs improvement and make each subsequent attempt more accurate.
Final Advice for PFRDA Grade A Aspirants
Complete all five passages independently before studying the model answers.
Do not worry if your first few attempts are imperfect.
Instead, identify whether your primary difficulty is:
- Understanding the central idea
- Selecting essential information
- Reducing the word count
- Maintaining grammatical accuracy
- Writing a coherent summary
Then practise that specific skill.
In précis writing, improvement comes not from reading more model answers, but from writing independently, identifying mistakes and correcting them consistently.