A positively charged glass rod attracts an object. The object must be:

The correct answer is Option (3) → either negatively charged or neutral

Like charges repel and unlike charges attract. A negatively charged object is attracted by the positive rod, and a positively charged object would be repelled, so it is ruled out.

A neutral object is also attracted. The positive rod pulls the free charges of the object, so the side nearer the rod gets negative charge and the far side gets positive charge (induced charges). The nearer negative charge is attracted more strongly than the farther positive charge is repelled, so there is a net attraction.

The object need not be a magnet. A neutral piece of any material is attracted, and a magnet plays no part in the electrostatic attraction.

Note: This question is from the pre-rationalised NCERT book (2022-23). The topic was removed from the latest NCERT book (2026-27), and it also appears to be out of the CUET 2026 syllabus.

NCERT (Pre-rationalised edition, 2022-23):
Charging by Induction – “… When electrified rods are brought near light objects, a similar effect takes place. The rods induce opposite charges on the near surfaces of the objects and similar charges move to the farther side of the object. … We know that opposite charges attract while similar charges repel. However, the magnitude of force depends on the distance between the charges and in this case the force of attraction overweighs the force of repulsion.”