SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 19 September 2025, Shift 1 · General Awareness · Question 24 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.

What is the most notable feature of the Rouf dance of Kashmir?

(a)Colorful costumes
(b)Hand gestures
(c)Footwork of dancers
(d)Musical instruments

Answer

Why

Correct — C. Rouf is a folk dance of Kashmir performed by women in groups that stand facing each other.

What carries it is the footwork: its simple, rhythmic steps are the dance's best-known feature, and the dancers sing as they move.

Footwork of dancers → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Colorful costumes — Costume is not the defining trait. Rouf is known for the dancers' steps. Long colourful robes and tall conical caps are associated with Dumhal, the men's dance of the Wattal community.
(b)
Hand gestures — Hand gestures are not Rouf's signature. Its defining trait is the dancers' simple, rhythmic footwork. Expressive hand gestures are central to classical forms such as Kathakali.
(d)
Musical instruments — Rouf is known for its dancers, not its instruments. Its defining feature is the rhythmic footwork, and the dancers themselves sing the verses.

Concept

Rouf is a folk dance of the Kashmir Valley performed by women.

Groups stand facing each other and move with simple, rhythmic steps while they sing.

It graces festive occasions, especially Eid and the days of Ramzan, and weddings. It is also danced to welcome spring.

A dance question can ask for the defining trait, not just the state. Tie each dance to one signature: Hojagiri to balancing, Rouf to footwork, Dumhal to its robes, conical caps and the banner its dancers plant in the ground.

Key facts

Rouf is a women's folk dance of Kashmir, danced in groups facing each other.
Its defining feature is simple, rhythmic footwork.
It is danced on festive occasions, especially Eid and Ramzan, and at weddings.
Dumhal, another dance of Kashmir, is performed by men of the Wattal community.

Study next

Dumhal, the Wattal men's dance of KashmirBhand Pather, the folk theatre of KashmirBacha Nagma, the Kashmiri dance performed by boys

Common traps

Choosing costumes because they are the most visible part of a folk performance: the question asks what defines Rouf.
Mixing up Rouf with Dumhal: Rouf is danced by women, Dumhal by men of the Wattal community.

In this shift, GA Q.17 asks for Hojagiri's tribe and state, with its bottles and lamps in the stem. Here the stem names the region and asks for the dance's defining feature.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Culture — all 163 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.