SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 14 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 11 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.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Which of the following statements about dams is/are correct? 1.A dam always refers to a concrete or structural wall built to block water. 2.Spillways in dams help in regulating water flow, either intermittently or continuously. 3.Dams can be classified based on structure, purpose, and height.

(a)Both 1 and 2
(b)Both 2 and 3
(c)Both 1 and 3
(d)1, 2 and 3 all are correct

Answer

Why

Correct — B. NCERT's Class X Contemporary India II (Water Resources) says most dams have a spillway or weir over or through which water is meant to flow either intermittently or continuously: statement 2.

It adds that dams are classified according to structure, intended purpose or height: statement 3.

Statement 1 fails, because NCERT says "dam" refers to the reservoir rather than the structure. So option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Both 1 and 2 — Statement 2 is right, but statement 1 is not. NCERT lists timber and embankment dams besides masonry ones, and says "dam" refers to the reservoir rather than the structure.
(c)
Both 1 and 3 — Statement 3 is right, but this keeps the false statement 1 and drops the true statement 2 on spillways, which NCERT states almost word for word.
(d)
1, 2 and 3 all are correct — Accepting all three keeps statement 1, and its word always fails: not every dam is a concrete wall, as NCERT's timber and embankment dams show.

Concept

NCERT defines a dam as a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment.

By structure and materials, dams are timber, embankment or masonry dams, with several subtypes. By height, they are large and major dams, or alternatively low, medium-height and high dams. Purpose is the third basis.

Key facts

NCERT: a dam is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow, often creating a reservoir, lake or impoundment.
Most dams have a spillway or weir over or through which water flows intermittently or continuously.
By structure and materials, dams are timber, embankment or masonry dams, with several subtypes.
By height, dams are large and major dams, or alternatively low, medium-height and high dams.

Study next

Multipurpose river valley projects, which Nehru called the 'temples of modern India'Traditional rainwater harvesting systems in IndiaMajor dams of India and the rivers they stand on

Common traps

Letting the word always in statement 1 pass, when NCERT's timber and embankment dams disprove it.
Doubting statement 2 over the phrase intermittently or continuously, which is NCERT's own wording.

Here NCERT's definition of a dam is split into statements to be judged. Dams also appear at 18 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.8, which asks the state with the maximum number of large dams (keyed Maharashtra).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Geography — all 135 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.