Statement & Assumptions MCQs for UPSC Prelims

46 practice questions on Statement & Assumptions from the Logical Reasoning section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 46 come with a written explanation and 2 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

5 Easy 39 Medium 2 Hard 2 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question medium

"If political leadership fails to emerge, there is likelihood of military taking over power in developing countries. Radical student groups or labour may try to raise revolution but they are not likely to compete with the military. Military intervention, rule, and withdrawal from politics is closely related to a society's level of political development." In the context of political development, the assumption in the above passage is that

  1. A political leadership is not an effective instrument.
  2. B military fills in political vacuum.
  3. C military intervention is inevitable for development.
  4. D None of the above
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - military fills in political vacuum.

The passage states that when political leadership fails to emerge, the military is likely to take over, and that other groups cannot compete with it. The unstated premise that makes this reasoning work is that the military steps into the gap left by absent political leadership, that is, the military fills the political vacuum. The other options either contradict the passage (leadership being ineffective, or intervention being inevitable for development) or ignore that an assumption is being asked for.

Q2
Previous year question easy

Geeta: Naresh has become a better boxer since he started meditation. Radha: Impossible. A boxer's most important asset is his aggressiveness. Radha's statement reflects her belief that

  1. A meditation tends to make a person less aggressive.
  2. B meditation has little or no effect on the person who practises it.
  3. C Naresh would not have taken to meditation as he was a boxer.
  4. D Naresh has not become a better boxer.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - meditation tends to make a person less aggressive.

Radha rejects the idea that meditation improved Naresh's boxing, and her stated reason is that aggressiveness is a boxer's key asset. For this objection to make sense, she must assume meditation reduces aggressiveness, which would harm rather than help a boxer. That underlying belief is captured by option (a). The other options either deny meditation has any effect, or claim Naresh did not improve, neither of which is the assumption her aggressiveness argument depends on.

Q3
easy

Statement: "The municipal corporation has decided to install LED street lights across the city to reduce electricity consumption." Which of the following is an assumption implicit in the statement?

  1. A LED street lights consume less electricity than the lights currently in use
  2. B The city has never had any street lights before
  3. C Electricity tariffs will rise sharply next year
  4. D All residents have demanded brighter street lighting
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - LED street lights consume less electricity than the lights currently in use

An implicit assumption is something taken for granted that must hold for the statement's action to make sense. The corporation expects LEDs to reduce consumption, which presupposes LEDs consume less than the existing lights. That LEDs use less electricity is exactly what is assumed. The city having no prior lights is not implied (they speak of reducing consumption, implying existing lights). Rising tariffs and resident demand are extraneous reasons not required by the stated purpose.

Q4
medium

Statement: The municipal corporation has decided to charge a hefty fine on households that fail to segregate wet and dry waste at source. Which of the following is an assumption implicit in the above statement?

  1. A A financial penalty is likely to influence households to segregate their waste.
  2. B No household in the city currently segregates its waste.
  3. C The municipal corporation has no other source of revenue.
  4. D Waste segregation is impossible without imposing fines.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - A financial penalty is likely to influence households to segregate their waste.

An implicit assumption is something the speaker takes for granted for the statement/action to make sense. Imposing a fine to make households segregate waste presupposes that the threat of a financial penalty can change household behaviour; otherwise the policy would be pointless. So option (a) is implicit. Option (b) is an extreme generalisation not required by the statement. Option (c) about revenue is unrelated; the aim is behaviour change, not income. Option (d) is too strong: the corporation may believe fines help, but not that segregation is otherwise 'impossible'. Hence (a) is the implicit assumption.

Q5
medium

Statement: The municipal corporation has decided to install LED streetlights across the city to reduce electricity consumption. Which of the following is an assumption implicit in the statement?

  1. A LED streetlights consume less electricity than the lights currently in use.
  2. B The city has never used streetlights before.
  3. C All citizens prefer LED lighting over conventional lighting.
  4. D Electricity tariffs will rise sharply in the coming year.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - LED streetlights consume less electricity than the lights currently in use.

An assumption is something taken for granted that must be true for the statement to make sense. For installing LEDs to 'reduce electricity consumption', the corporation must assume LEDs use less electricity than the existing lights; otherwise the stated goal is unachievable. The claim that the city never used streetlights before contradicts 'currently in use' and is not assumed. Citizens' aesthetic preference is irrelevant to the consumption goal. A future rise in tariffs is a separate consideration, not necessary for the decision's stated rationale of reducing consumption.

Q6
medium

Statement: A municipal corporation puts up a notice at a public park: "Visitors are requested not to pluck flowers." Which one of the following assumptions is implicit in the above statement?

  1. A Some visitors may pluck flowers if not requested otherwise.
  2. B All visitors to the park damage the plants.
  3. C The park has no security guards at all.
  4. D Plucking flowers is a punishable criminal offence.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Some visitors may pluck flowers if not requested otherwise.

An assumption is something taken for granted that underlies the statement. The notice is meaningful only if there is a tendency among at least some visitors to pluck flowers; otherwise the request would be pointless. Hence 'Some visitors may pluck flowers if not requested otherwise' is implicit. 'All visitors damage the plants' is too strong; the notice does not assume everyone misbehaves. 'No security guards at all' is unrelated and not implied. 'Punishable criminal offence' is also not assumed; a polite request does not presuppose legal penalties. Only the moderate assumption about some visitors is implicit.

Q7
medium

Statement: The city corporation has decided to make wearing of helmets compulsory for all two-wheeler riders. Which of the following is an assumption implicit in this statement?

  1. A Wearing a helmet can reduce the severity of head injuries in accidents.
  2. B All two-wheeler riders already own helmets.
  3. C Two-wheelers are the only vehicles in the city.
  4. D No rider will ever meet with an accident in future.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Wearing a helmet can reduce the severity of head injuries in accidents.

An assumption is something taken for granted that underlies the decision. Making helmets compulsory presupposes that helmets help protect riders, i.e. reduce the severity of head injuries; otherwise the rule would be pointless. That all riders already own helmets is not assumed, as compulsion can prompt them to buy. That two-wheelers are the only vehicles is unrelated and false. That no rider will ever have an accident is contradicted by the very purpose of the safety rule.

Q8
medium

Statement: A city municipal corporation has decided to charge a fee for entry of private vehicles into the busiest market area during peak hours. Which of the following can be a valid assumption underlying this decision? I. Charging a fee may discourage some people from bringing private vehicles into the market area. II. There is no congestion problem in the market area at any time of the day. Select the correct answer:

  1. A Only assumption I is implicit
  2. B Only assumption II is implicit
  3. C Both I and II are implicit
  4. D Neither I nor II is implicit
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Only assumption I is implicit

An assumption is something taken for granted that must hold for the decision to make sense. Assumption I is implicit: a fee is levied during peak hours precisely on the expectation that pricing will deter at least some private-vehicle entry and thereby ease congestion; without this belief the policy would be pointless. Assumption II directly contradicts the rationale: if there were no congestion problem at any time, there would be no reason to restrict vehicles during peak hours, so II cannot be an underlying assumption. Hence only assumption I is implicit.

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