The given diagram represents various players in a college. The square represents the football players. Triangle represents cricket players and circle represents kabaddi players. Observe the figure carefully and answer the following question. What is the ratio of players who play both kabaddi and cricket but not football to players who only play cricket? [Diagram: A square, a triangle, and a circle intersect. Inside the square only is the number '2'. Inside the circle only is '6'. Inside the triangle at the bottom (only) is '14'. In the intersection of the square and circle only is '11'. In the triple intersection of the square, circle, and triangle is '10'. In the intersection of the square and triangle only is '8'. In the intersection of the circle and triangle only is '7'.]
This MPSC previous-year question is drawn from Group B Mains 2024 - General Studies & Intelligence Test (Set A). It belongs to the Aptitude section under the topic Puzzles and is reproduced here in English exactly as it appeared in the official Maharashtra Public Service Commission paper, along with the four options, the official Set A answer key and a compact explanation of why the correct option is correct.
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Straight to the answer — option A. Players in both kabaddi and cricket but not football sit in the circle–triangle overlap only, which is 7; cricket-only players in the triangle alone are 14. The ratio 7 : 14 simplifies to 1 : 2.
Why this question matters
Within aptitude, this specific question sits on a pattern that MPSC has asked in some form at least four times in the last ten prelim cycles. Recognising a pattern instead of memorising an isolated fact is what separates aspirants who plateau at 55 percent from those who consistently cross 75 percent on the objective section.
How to attempt this in the exam
Approach this in three passes. First pass: eliminate any option that contains a factual howler you can spot in five seconds. Second pass: match the remaining options against the anchor in the question stem — the year, the article number, the place name, the scientist. Third pass: commit. On MPSC puzzles items, the wrong option that survives to the final two usually flips one attribute of the correct one.
Subject-specific tip
Tip: revise this question with the rest of the section on our subject-wise practice mode and pair the review with the relevant study guide to lock the concept into long-term memory.
MPSC exam ecosystem — a compact map
The Maharashtra Public Service Commission conducts five major recruitment examinations you can prepare for on this platform: MPSC Gazetted Civil Services (formerly known as State Services), MPSC Gazetted Technical Services, MPSC Group B (Subordinate Services), MPSC Group C (Subordinate Services), and the MPSC Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) examination. Each starts with an objective preliminary test, and the successful candidates progress to a written mains and finally to a personality test. Our platform focuses on the prelims round because that is where the winnowing is sharpest — often five to fifteen aspirants compete for every mains seat.
Beyond the classic five, MPSC also conducts specialised examinations for RTO Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI), Excise Sub-Inspector, Tax Assistant, Sales Tax Inspector (STI) and Assistant Section Officer (ASO). Many of these share their General Studies paper structure with the main services, so PYQ practice cross-transfers well. Our /exams page groups every paper by exam family and year so aspirants can filter to exactly the sitting they plan for.
MPSC uses a rotational negative-marking scheme of one-fourth mark per wrong answer for the objective paper — hence disciplined attempting matters as much as knowing the answers. Skip items where all four options seem equally plausible; that is usually the single biggest score-lifting habit for aspirants moving from the 55–65 percentile band into the 75-plus band.
Source and editorial process
Source: Group B Mains 2024 - General Studies & Intelligence Test (Set A). This question, its four options and the marked correct answer are transcribed verbatim from the official Maharashtra Public Service Commission Set A paper. Our editorial team cross-checks each question against the original PDF released on mpsc.gov.in and against the corresponding official answer key.
We never paraphrase the wording. Where MPSC has issued a revised key after an objection round, the answer highlighted above reflects the revised key and the revision is logged in our internal change-log. If you spot a discrepancy, please email us at dontknowacademy@gmail.com — we acknowledge every report within 24 hours and push a fix within 48 hours.
Related study material
Deepen your preparation on this topic with our long-form MPSC study guides. Every guide is written specifically for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission preliminary syllabus and takes twelve to sixteen minutes to read in full.
- MPSC Exam PatternGroup B, Group C, PSI, Gazetted CS & TS prelims — marks, syllabus, negative marking, cut-offs.
- MPSC Preparation Strategy6-month plan, book list, daily routine, PYQ usage, mock-test strategy.
- Indian Polity for MPSCConstitution, Fundamental Rights, DPSPs, Parliament, state government, key amendments.
Practice the full subject
Group B Mains 2024 - General Studies & Intelligence Test (Set A)
Practice more questionsAbout MPSC PYQ QUIZ
MPSC PYQ QUIZ is a free educational platform by Don't know Academy that helps Maharashtra Public Service Commission aspirants practise with the complete archive of previous-year questions. Every paper on the site is sourced from the official MPSC release, tagged by subject and topic, and paired with the official Set A answer key. The platform is independent and not affiliated with MPSC, the Government of Maharashtra or any government body — please read our Disclaimer for the full statement.