Which of the following places is home to the oldest operating oil refinery in India?

Introduction / Context:
India has a long history of oil exploration and refining, especially in the north eastern region. One refinery in particular is famous as the oldest operating oil refinery in the country and is often mentioned in both history and geography textbooks. Questions about this refinery test knowledge of industrial geography and the early development of the petroleum sector in India. This question asks students to identify the place where this historic refinery is located.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The question refers to the oldest operating oil refinery in India. - The options are Haldia, Digboi, Rajpur and Noonmati. - One of these places has a refinery that dates back to the early days of the oil industry in India. - The focus is on historic precedence, not necessarily current capacity.

Concept / Approach:
Digboi in Assam is widely recognised as the site of the oldest operating oil refinery in India and is sometimes called the birthplace of the country s oil industry. Oil was discovered there in the late nineteenth century, and a refinery was set up soon after. While other refineries like Haldia and Noonmati are important, they were established later. The approach is to recall that Digboi is the classic example used in exam questions about the earliest oil refinery in India.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by checking lists of Indian refineries with their commissioning dates. These lists consistently show that the Digboi refinery in Assam was established in the late nineteenth century and is regarded as the oldest continuously operating refinery in the country. Haldia and Noonmati appear with twentieth century start dates. Many general knowledge books directly state that Digboi is the site of India s oldest refinery, confirming the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Haldia is an important refinery town but does not have the historical distinction of being the first in India. Noonmati, though part of the Assam refining network, was built later and does not predate Digboi. Rajpur is not a standard answer in refinery related questions and is not known as a major centre of petroleum refining. None of the above is incorrect because Digboi uniquely matches the description of the oldest operating refinery.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may be tempted to choose Haldia or Noonmati if they remember reading about these refineries more recently, without focusing on the word oldest in the question. Another pitfall is not associating Digboi strongly with oil history and therefore overlooking it. To avoid these errors, it is helpful to memorise that Digboi equals earliest refinery and to distinguish questions about capacity or importance from those about historical firsts.

Final Answer:
The place that is home to the oldest operating oil refinery in India is Digboi in Assam.