Passage

Directions for the following 6 (six) items : Read the information given below and answer the six items that follow. A, B, C and D are students. They are studying in four different cities, viz., P, Q, R and S (not necessarily in that order). They are studying in Science college, Arts college, Commerce college and Engineering college (not necessarily in that order), which are situated in four different States, viz., Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam and Kerala (not necessarily in that order). Further, it is given that— (i) D is studying in Assam (ii) Arts college is located in city S which is in Rajasthan (iii) A is studying in Commerce college (iv) B is studying in city Q (v) Science college is located in Kerala

A is studying in

(a) Rajasthan
(b) Gujarat ✓ UPSC's answer
(c) city Q
(d) Kerala

Why the answer is (b)

• Arts college is in city S, Rajasthan (ii), and Science college is in Kerala (v), so Commerce and Engineering are in Gujarat and Assam.

• D studies in Assam (i). A studies in Commerce (iii), so Commerce cannot be in Assam (A and D would then share a state); Commerce is in Gujarat and Engineering in Assam, where D studies.

• So A studies in Gujarat, option (b).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Rajasthan: Rajasthan has the Arts college, which is C's.
(c) city Q: City Q is B's city.
(d) Kerala: Kerala has the Science college, which is B's.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.