Directions (23-25):A word has been given in each question and has been used in the sentences given below. Identify the statements where the word has been used in a contextually and grammatically correct manner. If the word has been used incorrectly in all the statements, mark (e), “None of these”, as your answer.

Irrational
(i) The CEO blamed the irrational behavior of the employees for the loss the company had suffered.
(ii) India’s first Census was held in 1872, irrational non-synchronously in different parts of the country.
(iii) Indian Council of Medical Research mulled over setting up network centers to curb the irrational use of drugs.

The correct option is both (i) and (iii).

Meaning of "Irrational":
The word irrational is an adjective that means not logical, reasonable, or based on clear thinking. It describes actions, decisions, or behaviors that lack sound reasoning.

Analysis of the given sentences:

(i) "The CEO blamed the irrational behavior of the employees for the loss the company had suffered."
In this sentence, "irrational" correctly modifies the noun "behavior" to describe unreasonable or illogical actions taken by the employees. Thus, statement (i) is contextually and grammatically correct.

(ii) "India’s first Census was held in 1872, irrational non-synchronously in different parts of the country."
In this sentence, using the adjective "irrational" is grammatically incorrect and makes no sense in this context. The sentence requires an adverb like "albeit" or "though" to connect the clauses or simply describe how it was conducted. Therefore, statement (ii) is incorrect.

(iii) "Indian Council of Medical Research mulled over setting up network centers to curb the irrational use of drugs."
Here, "irrational" is used as an adjective modifying the noun "use" to refer to the improper, illogical, or unscientific use of drugs. Thus, statement (iii) is contextually and grammatically correct.

Therefore, the word irrational has been correctly used in statements (i) and (iii).