Scheme is defined as?

• A. An elaborate plan that is devised in order to gain something and, often, trick people
• B. A casual method
• C. An official plan
• D. A random routine

Answer: (C)

Scheme refers to a planned, organized program of actions designed to achieve a goal. It implies structure, purpose, and coordination, often created by an institution or government. Because of that sense, the closest meaning is an official plan—something formally laid out and sanctioned to reach a specific objective. The notion of a scheme as an elaborate plot to trick someone is a possible nuance in some contexts, but it isn’t the core meaning in everyday usage. A casual method lacks form, and a random routine isn’t a plan, so they don’t capture what a scheme conveys.