Which of the following statements is true regarding the trend of unemployment rate in India between July- September, 2019 and July-September, 2022?1.It remained the same.2.It declined.Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

1. A

   2 is true and 1 is false.

   Option (a) asserts that statement 2 is true while statement 1 is false. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban areas declined significantly from July-September 2019 to July-September 2022. This comprehensive governmental survey tracked employment indicators across quarters, revealing a consistent downward trend in joblessness as economic activities rebounded post-pandemic. Consequently, statement 1 claiming the rate remained unchanged is factually incorrect, making this option the correct key.

2. B

   Both 1 and 2 are false.

   Option (b) claims that both statement 1 and statement 2 are false. This is incorrect because official Periodic Labour Force Survey data clearly records a measurable downward movement in the urban unemployment rate between the specified quarters of 2019 and 2022. Rejecting both statements ignores the valid statistical decline captured in statement 2.

3. C

   1 is true and 2 is false.

   Option (c) states that statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false. This reverses the actual findings of the Periodic Labour Force Survey reports, which documented a drop rather than stagnation in the unemployment rate over the observed multi-year period.

4. D

   Both 1 and 2 are true.

   Option (d) asserts that both statement 1 and statement 2 are true. This creates a logical contradiction since the unemployment rate cannot simultaneously remain the same and decline during the exact same comparative timeframe.

Summary. Official key is (a) because Periodic Labour Force Survey data shows the urban unemployment rate declined between July-September 2019 and July-September 2022. Statement 1 incorrectly claims stability, whereas statement 2 accurately reflects the post-2019 downward trajectory. Aspirants must carefully evaluate official statistical reports like the PLFS when answering questions on socio-economic trends. Thus, only option (a) correctly identifies the valid statement among the given choices.