SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 15 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 21 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.

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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.

Read the statements carefully and select the correct option: Assertion (A): Production of inorganic chemicals in India is centered in only northern states. Reason (R): Sulphuric acid and soda ash are crucial chemicals in the production of fertilizers, detergents, and glass.

(a)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b)Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c)A is true, but R is false
(d)A is false, but R is true

Answer

Why

Correct — D. The Assertion is false. NCERT's Class 10 geography chapter Manufacturing Industries says inorganic chemical industries "are widely spread over the country", not confined to the north.

The Reason is true. The same passage says sulphuric acid is used to make fertilisers, and soda ash to make glass, soaps and detergents.

A false, R true → option (d).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — A is false: NCERT says inorganic chemical industries are widely spread over the country. A false Assertion cannot be explained, so this fails at the first step.
(b)
Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A — A is false, so 'both true' fails. R's uses of sulphuric acid and soda ash are right, but they say nothing about where the plants stand.
(c)
A is true, but R is false — Reversed. A is the false statement, undone by the word only. R is true: sulphuric acid feeds fertiliser making, and soda ash feeds glass and detergents.

Concept

NCERT splits the chemical industry into two sectors.

Inorganic chemicals: sulphuric acid, nitric acid, alkalies, soda ash and caustic soda. These industries are widely spread over the country.

Organic chemicals: petrochemicals, used for synthetic fibres, synthetic rubber, plastics, dye-stuffs, drugs and pharmaceuticals. These plants are located near oil refineries or petrochemical plants.

NCERT also calls the chemical industry its own largest consumer.

Watch the absolute word only in an Assertion. Here it turns an industry spread across the country into a northern one, and that alone makes A false.

Key facts

Sulphuric acid is used to manufacture fertilisers, synthetic fibres, plastics, adhesives, paints and dyes.
Soda ash is used to make glass, soaps and detergents, and paper.
Inorganic chemical industries are widely spread over the country, per NCERT Class 10.
Organic chemical plants are located near oil refineries or petrochemical plants.

Study next

The fertiliser industry: nitrogenous, phosphatic and complex fertilisersFactors that decide where an industry is locatedOrganic chemicals and petrochemical plants

Common traps

Accepting A because a few large chemical centres come to mind, and missing the word only.
Marking both true because R is plainly correct, without testing A on its own.

Sulphuric acid is also asked as a reagent: zinc with it gives zinc sulphate at 12 Sep 2024, 12:30, GA Q.19, and magnesium with the dilute acid releases hydrogen at 17 Sep 2024, 09:00, GA Q.3.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Scientific Research — all 178 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.