AIIMS 2019 Physics Earth's Magnetic Field MCQ Question

At the magnetic poles of Earth, the magnetic field lines are directed vertically downward, resulting in a vertical component (V) of the magnetic field and a horizontal component (H) of zero. While it is true that a compass needle aligns with the horizontal component of the magnetic field, at the poles where H = 0, the compass needle does not have a horizontal force to balance against, causing it to point vertically rather than horizontally. Therefore, the statement that the dip needle will stand vertical at the North Pole is incorrect, as it does not account for the fact that the compass needle's behavior is influenced by the vertical component rather than simply being free to rotate in the horizontal plane. Options (A) and (C) are incorrect because they either affirm the misleading statement or suggest uncertainty where the physics is clear.