What Statement & Conclusion Questions Test
- Conclusions that follow directly from a statement
- Implicit assumptions behind a statement
- Strong vs weak arguments
- Appropriate courses of action
Question bank coverage by sub-pattern
How Statement & Conclusion Appears in SSC CPO
Statement & Conclusion is part of the General Intelligence & Reasoning section (25% of the SSC CPO syllabus).
Statement & Conclusion Solved Examples for SSC CPO
6 exam-pattern statement & conclusion questions from the practice bank, each with a full solution.
Statement: Should private universities be allowed in India? Argument I: Yes, because it will help to increase the literacy rate. Argument II: No, because education will become more expensive, and only the rich will have access to it.
- A.Only argument I is strong
- B.Only argument II is strong
- C.Both arguments I and II are strongCorrect
- D.Neither argument I nor II is strong
Solution
Argument I is strong because increasing the literacy rate is a desirable goal. Argument II is also strong because the potential for increased cost and unequal access is a significant concern. Both arguments are relevant and directly address the statement.
Statement: "The government has decided to provide free textbooks to all students up to high school." Assumption:
- A.Many students cannot afford textbooks.
- B.Free textbooks will improve the quality of education.
- C.Textbooks are essential for education.Correct
- D.The government has enough funds to provide free textbooks.
Solution
The decision to provide free textbooks assumes that textbooks play a crucial role in the education of students. Without this assumption, the policy would be ineffective.
Notice: "All residents are requested to keep the park clean." Assumption: I. Residents use the park. II. Residents are responsible for keeping the park clean.
- A.Only assumption I is implicitCorrect
- B.Only assumption II is implicit
- C.Both assumptions I and II are implicit
- D.Neither assumption I nor II is implicit
Solution
The notice assumes that residents use the park, otherwise there would be no need to address them. It doesn't explicitly state that residents are *responsible* for the park's cleanliness, just that they are requested to keep it clean.
In each question below is given a statement followed by two conclusions numbered I and II. You have to take the given statement to be true even if it seems to be at variance from commonly known facts, and decide which of the conclusions logically follows from the statement. Statements: A recent nationwide healthcare census revealed that cities with dedicated urban cycling corridors reported twenty percent lower rates of adult hypertension. Conclusions: I. Urban cycling infrastructure encourages physical cardiovascular exercise that contributes to lower blood pressure among adults. II. All adults living in cities with cycling tracks ride bicycles every single day.
- A.Only conclusion I followsCorrect
- B.Only conclusion II follows
- C.Neither conclusion I nor II follows
- D.Both conclusions I and II follow
Solution
Logical Deduction: Conclusion I: The statement establishes a positive correlation between dedicated cycling infrastructure and reduced hypertension. Conclusion II: The census indicates lower citywide hypertension rates, but does not claim that 100% of adults cycle daily. Therefore, only conclusion i follows.
Statement: "A recent study suggests that coffee consumption may reduce the risk of certain diseases."
- A.Coffee definitely prevents diseases.
- B.Coffee probably reduces the risk of certain diseases.Correct
- C.Coffee has no effect on disease risk.
- D.Coffee increases the risk of all diseases.
Solution
The statement uses the phrase 'may reduce', indicating a possibility but not a certainty. Therefore, 'probably reduces' is the most accurate assessment of the conclusion's truth value.
Statements: All pens are books. All books are copies. Conclusions: I. All copies are pens. II. Some copies are pens.
- A.Only conclusion I follows
- B.Only conclusion II followsCorrect
- C.Both I and II follow
- D.Neither I nor II follows
Solution
Given statements: All pens are books (A→B), All books are copies (B→C). Combining these, we get: All pens are books are copies (A→B→C). Conclusion I: All copies are pens is incorrect because the reverse is not necessarily true. Conclusion II: Some copies are pens is correct because since all pens are copies, some copies are definitely pens. Hence, only conclusion II follows.
Statement & Conclusion — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the golden rule for conclusion questions?
Use only what the statement says — no outside knowledge, however true. A conclusion "follows" only if the statement makes it necessarily true, not merely plausible.
How do I judge strong vs weak arguments?
Strong arguments are specific, feasible and tied to the issue's core; weak ones are generic, extreme or address a side issue. Emotional appeals without mechanism are weak by definition.
How many Statement & Conclusion practice questions does Parikshala have for SSC CPO?
120 exam-pattern Statement & Conclusion questions for SSC CPO Reasoning, each with a step-by-step solution. Practice is free — no sign-up needed to start.