Statement & Conclusion – UPSC CMS (Reasoning Ability)
1. Simple Explanation
In a Statement & Conclusion passage, you are given one or more statements (facts) and a set of conclusions (logical inferences).
Your job is to decide which conclusion(s) necessarily follow from the statements alone.
- Conclusion is valid – it must be true in every possible situation consistent with the statements.
- Conclusion is invalid – it contradicts the statements or can be false in some scenario that satisfies the statements.
- Conclusion cannot be derived – it may be true or false; the statements do not provide enough information.
Important: Do not bring in any extra assumption or information that is not explicitly or implicitly contained in the statements.
2. Key Points
| # | Point | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Statements are facts, not assumptions | They are given as true; conclusions are to be deduced. |
| 2 | All conclusions must be logically necessary | If a conclusion could be false while still satisfying the statements, it is invalid. |
| 3 | Check for contradictions | Any conclusion that contradicts a statement is automatically invalid. |
| 4 | Look for hidden implications | Some statements imply constraints that aren’t obvious (e.g., “A is taller than B” + “B is taller than C” ⇒ “A is taller than C”). |
| 5 | Avoid “guessing” | The answer must be provable from the statements; no guessing is allowed. |
| 6 | Use a process of elimination | If a conclusion is ruled out by a statement, eliminate it immediately. |
| 7 | Multiple conclusions possible | In MCQ format, usually only one conclusion is valid; if more than one is valid, the question will specify “Which of the following could be true?” etc. |
| 8 | Beware of “could be” vs “must be” | “Could be” indicates possibility, not necessity. |
| 9 | Logical operators | Remember basic operators: AND, OR, NOT, Implication (→). |
| 10 | Time‑saving trick | Write down the statements in a diagram or table; it helps visualise relationships. |
3. Worked Example
Statements
- S1: A, B, and C are three friends who all live on different floors of a 5‑storey building.
- S2: A lives on a higher floor than B.
- S3: C lives on a lower floor than A.
- S4: B lives on the 3rd floor.
Possible Conclusions
- C1: C lives on a lower floor than B.
- C2: A does not live on the 5th floor.
- C3: B does not live on the 4th floor.
- C4: C lives on the 1st floor.
Step‑by‑Step Reasoning
-
Fix B’s floor
- From S4: B = 3rd floor.
-
Determine A’s floor
- From S2: A > B → A is on a higher floor than 3.
- Possible floors for A: 4 or 5.
-
Determine C’s floor
- From S3: C < A.
- If A = 4 → C can be 1, 2, or 3.
- If A = 5 → C can be 1, 2, 3, or 4.
-
Check each conclusion
| Conclusion | Analysis |
|---|---|
| C1: C < B (C lower than B) |
- B is on 3rd.
- C could be 1 or 2 if A=4, or 1–4 if A=5.
- Since C can be 4 when A=5, C is not guaranteed to be lower than B. → Invalid. | | C2: A ≠ 5 |
- A could be 5 (if B=3, C=1,2,3,4).
- Nothing forbids A=5. → Invalid. | | C3: B ≠ 4 |
- B is fixed at 3rd floor (S4).
- Contradicts S4 if B were 4.
- Since S4 is a fact, C3 must be true. → Valid. | | C4: C = 1 |
- C could be 1, but also could be 2, 3, or 4.
- Not necessarily true → Invalid. |
Answer: C3 is the only conclusion that necessarily follows from the statements.
4. Quick Revision Summary
- Statements = Facts – treat them as true;