A statement is given followed by two inferences. Decide which of the inferences can be drawn from the given statement.

Statement:

Some students who do not perform well in the written exam still rank high in the merit list for admission to College A.

Inferences:

1. Candidates who perform well in the written exam never make it to the merit list for admission to College A.

2. Criteria other than written examinations are also considered for admission to College A.

The statement says some students with low written scores still rank high.

It does not say that students who perform well in the written exam never make it to the merit list.

Since some students with low written scores rank high, this means other factors (like interviews, extracurriculars, or recommendations) must be considered for admission.

This inference logically follows from the statement.

Thus, the correct option is (a) Only Inference 2 can be inferred.