SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 19 September 2025, Shift 3 · General Awareness · Question 12 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.

Consider the following statements regarding the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games and identify which are correct: 1) The first edition was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1984 with participation from all seven SAARC nations. 2) India has hosted the SAF Games more times than any other country up to 2016.

(a)Both 1 and 2 are correct
(b)Only 1 is correct
(c)Only 2 is correct
(d)Neither 1 nor 2 are correct

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Statement 1 holds. The first SAF Games were held in Kathmandu in September 1984, with seven nations taking part: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the seven that founded SAARC.

Statement 2 fails. Up to 2016 India hosted three times (Calcutta 1987, Madras 1995, Guwahati–Shillong 2016). Bangladesh also hosted three (Dhaka 1985, 1993, 2010), so India was level, not ahead → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Both 1 and 2 are correct — Statement 2 is false: by 2016 India and Bangladesh had each hosted three editions, so India had not hosted more than any other country.
(c)
Only 2 is correct — Statement 2 is the false one, since India tied Bangladesh at three hostings each. Statement 1, the 1984 Kathmandu edition with seven nations, is true.
(d)
Neither 1 nor 2 are correct — Statement 1 is true: the 1984 Games in Kathmandu drew all seven, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Concept

The South Asian Federation (SAF) Games began in Kathmandu in 1984 and were renamed the South Asian Games in 2004.

Hosts up to 2016: Nepal 1984 and 1999, Bangladesh 1985, 1993 and 2010, India 1987, 1995 and 2016, Pakistan 1989 and 2004, and Sri Lanka 1991 and 2006. Nepal hosted again in 2019, at Kathmandu and Pokhara.

SAARC itself was founded at Dhaka in December 1985, a year after the first Games. 'All seven SAARC nations' in Statement 1 means the seven countries that went on to found it, and all seven competed in 1984.

Key facts

The first SAF Games were held in Kathmandu, Nepal, in September 1984, with seven nations taking part.
Up to 2016, India and Bangladesh had each hosted the Games three times.
The SAF Games were renamed the South Asian Games in 2004.
SAARC was founded at Dhaka in December 1985 by seven nations.

Study next

South Asian Games hosts and medal tablesAsian Games hosted by India in 1951 and 1982SAARC: founding members and the secretariat in Kathmandu

Common traps

Crediting India with the most hostings: it was level with Bangladesh at three each up to 2016.
Rejecting Statement 1 because SAARC did not yet exist in 1984: the statement names the seven countries, and all seven competed.

Here a multi-sport event is tested through its first edition and its hosts. India's Asian Games hostings are asked at 19 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.21 (keyed 1951 and 1982).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.