SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 14 September 2025, Shift 1 · English Comprehension · Question 15 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:
India’s tryst with the Olympic Games began in 1900, when Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian athlete, clinched two silver medals in athletics. However, it wasn’t until the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics that India emerged as a formidable force in hockey, winning its first team gold. What followed was a golden era, where the Indian men’s hockey team dominated the Olympic arena with eight gold medals between 1928 and 1980—an unmatched legacy. Despite this early excellence, India’s Olympic journey has been riddled with inconsistencies. Post-1980, a conspicuous medal drought gripped the nation, exposing systemic inefficiencies: lack of infrastructure, inadequate training, and minimal grassroots scouting. Athletes often relied more on personal resilience than institutional support to achieve global recognition. The 21st century, however, has ushered in a phase of cautious optimism. With the establishment of bodies like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and increased corporate sponsorship, Indian athletes now enjoy improved access to international-level coaching, nutrition, and psychological training. The medal tallies, though modest, have seen an upward trend—symbolized by Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold in javelin at Tokyo 2020. What’s most heartening is the diversification of sports. No longer confined to hockey and wrestling, India is now making strides in disciplines like badminton, shooting, boxing, and athletics. Equally noteworthy is the rising representation and success of Indian women athletes, who have frequently been the torchbearers in recent Olympic outings. Yet, challenges remain. The transition from potential to podium demands long-term investment, scientific sports management, and societal encouragement that transcends cricket-centric fandom. While India’s Olympic identity is still evolving, the collective ambition is clearer than ever: to transform from a participant nation into a sporting powerhouse.

When did India first win an Olympic team gold medal?

(a)1900 Paris
(b)1936 Berlin
(c)1928 Amsterdam
(d)1948 London

Answer

Why

Correct — C. The passage fixes the date in its second sentence: India emerged as a hockey force at "the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics", "winning its first team gold".

The next sentence opens the golden era at the same point: eight gold medals between 1928 and 1980.

First, team and gold all meet at 1928 Amsterdam → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
1900 Paris — 1900 is Norman Pritchard's year, and he won two silver medals in athletics. Silver, not gold, and won by one athlete, not a team.
(b)
1936 Berlin — 1936 Berlin comes after the 1928 date the passage gives for the first team gold. A later gold in the same hockey run cannot be the first.
(d)
1948 London — 1948 London is later still, inside the run of eight golds between 1928 and 1980. It cannot be the first; the passage places that at 1928.

Concept

A when-first question is answered by the sentence that marks a beginning. Here the signal is it wasn't until: nothing of the kind came before that date.

Test each date in the passage against the question's three words, first, team, gold:
1900 is two silvers for one athlete.
1928 is the first team gold.
Tokyo 2020 is one athlete's gold, Neeraj Chopra's in javelin.

The passage names no city for 1900; the options add Paris, Berlin and London. The 1900 Games were held in Paris, which is why option (a) looks plausible: it pairs a real date from the passage with a gold the passage never mentions.

Key facts

India's first Olympic team gold came in hockey, at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
India's men's hockey team won eight Olympic golds: 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964 and 1980.
Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in athletics at the 1900 Paris Games, in the 200 m and the 200 m hurdles.

Study next

Signal phrases that mark a first occurrence: it wasn't until, not until, for the first timeChecking every condition in a question — first, team, gold — against the passageIndia's eight Olympic hockey golds and where each was won

Common traps

Choosing 1900 because it is the first date in the passage, without checking that its medals were silver and individual
Picking a famous later gold, 1936 or 1948, from memory instead of the date the passage gives

The same facts are asked directly in General Awareness.

12 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.20 asks the year of India's Olympic hockey debut (keyed 1928).

15 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.6 asks who won India's first Olympic medals at the 1900 Paris Games (keyed Norman Pritchard).

The same passage carries English Q.15 to Q.19.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:
India’s tryst with the Olympic Games began in 1900, when Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian athlete, clinched two silver medals in athletics. However, it wasn’t until the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics that India emerged as a formidable force in hockey, winning its first team gold. What followed was a golden era, where the Indian men’s hockey team dominated the Olympic arena with eight gold medals between 1928 and 1980—an unmatched legacy. Despite this early excellence, India’s Olympic journey has been riddled with inconsistencies. Post-1980, a conspicuous medal drought gripped the nation, exposing systemic inefficiencies: lack of infrastructure, inadequate training, and minimal grassroots scouting. Athletes often relied more on personal resilience than institutional support to achieve global recognition. The 21st century, however, has ushered in a phase of cautious optimism. With the establishment of bodies like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and increased corporate sponsorship, Indian athletes now enjoy improved access to international-level coaching, nutrition, and psychological training. The medal tallies, though modest, have seen an upward trend—symbolized by Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold in javelin at Tokyo 2020. What’s most heartening is the diversification of sports. No longer confined to hockey and wrestling, India is now making strides in disciplines like badminton, shooting, boxing, and athletics. Equally noteworthy is the rising representation and success of Indian women athletes, who have frequently been the torchbearers in recent Olympic outings. Yet, challenges remain. The transition from potential to podium demands long-term investment, scientific sports management, and societal encouragement that transcends cricket-centric fandom. While India’s Olympic identity is still evolving, the collective ambition is clearer than ever: to transform from a participant nation into a sporting powerhouse.