SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 21 September 2025, Shift 3 · 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.

A personal foul in basketball primarily involves:

(a)Arguing with the referee
(b)Illegal physical contact during active play
(c)Delay of game violations
(d)Unsportsmanlike conduct on the bench

Answer

Why

Correct — B. A personal foul is a breach of the rules on physical contact with an opponent: holding, pushing, charging, tripping or blocking illegally.

It is charged to the player who made the contact. Reach the limit and you foul out → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Arguing with the referee — Arguing with the referee draws a technical foul, a non-contact foul for behaviour. Disputing a call too vehemently is penalised whether the ball is live or dead.
(c)
Delay of game violations — Delay of game is usually met with a team warning, then a technical foul if repeated. It involves no contact with an opponent, so it is not a personal foul.
(d)
Unsportsmanlike conduct on the bench — Misconduct on the bench draws a technical foul, a non-contact foul for behaviour. A personal foul needs contact with an opponent.

Concept

Basketball separates violations from fouls. A violation, such as travelling or a double dribble, costs the ball. A foul is illegal contact or unsporting behaviour, and it is recorded against whoever commits it.

Fouls split by contact. Personal fouls are illegal contact with an opponent. Technical fouls are non-contact offences such as arguing, taunting or bench misconduct.

Under FIBA rules a player fouls out on five fouls, personal and technical together. In the NBA it is six personal fouls.

The option's 'during active play' is the everyday picture. FIBA goes further: illegal contact between players on court is a personal foul even when the ball is dead.

Key facts

A personal foul is illegal physical contact with an opponent.
A technical foul is a foul that involves no physical contact between opposing players during play.
Under FIBA rules a player fouls out after five fouls, personal and technical combined.
In the NBA a player fouls out after six personal fouls.

Study next

Basketball violations: travelling, double dribble and the shot clockUnsportsmanlike and disqualifying fouls under FIBA rulesFree throws awarded after a shooting foul

Common traps

Picking bench misconduct because 'foul' sounds like bad behaviour: bench misconduct is a technical foul, not a personal one.
Treating every foul as personal: arguing and delay are penalised without any contact.

Here a basketball term is asked by its definition. Basketball's rules are also asked at 14 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.4, on violations such as how a dribble ends.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.