Consider two Statements and a Question:
- Statement-1: Priya is 4 ranks below Seema and is 31st from the bottom.
- Statement-2: Ena is 2 ranks above Seema and is 37th from the bottom.
- Question: What is Seema’s rank from the top in the class of 40 students?
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Statements and the Question?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) Either Statement-1 alone or Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
Each statement on its own places Seema 35th from the bottom (31 + 4, or 37 − 2). In a class of 40 that is 40 − 35 + 1 = 6th from the top, so either statement alone is enough.
- Statement-1: Priya is 31st from the bottom and 4 ranks below Seema, so Seema is 31 + 4 = 35th from the bottom.
- Rank from top = 40 − 35 + 1 = 6. Statement-1 alone answers the Question.
- Statement-2: Ena is 37th from the bottom and 2 ranks above Seema, so Seema is 37 − 2 = 35th from the bottom — again 6th from the top.
- Each statement alone is sufficient.
- ✗ (a) Statement-1 alone gives Seema's rank (6th from the top).
- ✗ (b) Statement-2 alone also gives 6th from the top.
- ✓ (c) Either statement alone fixes Seema at 35th from the bottom, i.e. 6th from the top.
- ✗ (d) Combining is not needed, since each statement alone is enough.
Remember · Rank from top + rank from bottom = total + 1. In data sufficiency, test each statement alone before combining.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·