Two Statements followed by four Conclusions are given below. You have to take the Statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from the commonly known facts. Read all the Conclusions and then decide which of the given Conclusions logically follows/follow from the Statements, disregarding the commonly known facts:
- Statement–1: All pens are books.
- Statement–2: No chair is a pen.
- Conclusion–I: All chairs are books.
- Conclusion–II: Some chairs are pens.
- Conclusion–III: All books are chairs.
- Conclusion–IV: No chair is a book.
Which one of the following is correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) None of the Conclusions follows
“All pens are books” and “No chair is a pen” say nothing definite about chairs and books. Conclusions I and IV are only possibilities, II contradicts Statement–2, and III is impossible, so none follows.
- Draw the circle ‘pens’ inside ‘books’ (All pens are books) and ‘chairs’ outside ‘pens’ (No chair is a pen).
- ‘Chairs’ may lie wholly inside ‘books’ (outside the pens), partly inside, or wholly outside — the statements do not decide.
- So Conclusion–I and Conclusion–IV are possible but not certain; Conclusion–II contradicts Statement–2; Conclusion–III would make every pen a chair, which Statement–2 forbids.
- None of the conclusions follows.
- ✗ I Possible (chairs may lie inside books, away from the pens) but not certain.
- ✗ II Directly contradicts Statement–2: no chair is a pen.
- ✗ III If all books were chairs, the pens (which are books) would be chairs — impossible under Statement–2.
- ✗ IV Possible (chairs may lie wholly outside books) but not certain.
Remember · Syllogisms: a conclusion follows only if it holds in every possible diagram, not just in one.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·