निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा कथन, इस परिच्छेद द्वारा संप्रेषित केन्द्रीय विचार को सर्वोत्तम रूप से दर्शाता है?

Correct Option: (c) Public policy should ensure that competencies and achievements of young people are aligned with their expectations.

The passage details a stark contrast between expectations and academic realities. Parents and children expect that graduating from class 8 will lead to high school, college, and white-collar careers, with very few wanting to return to agriculture. However, more than half of these children lack basic competencies like reading simple texts or performing basic division. This huge gap between their aspirations and their actual academic skills represents a major challenge. The central idea of the passage is that public policy must intervene to ensure that the actual competencies and skills of young people are aligned with their goals and societal expectations to avoid a demographic crisis. Other options focusing on complete poverty eradication, monetary incentives, or forced agricultural return do not capture this core focus. Thus, option (c) is the correct answer.