In a rut means stuck in a boring fixed routine. This answer is correct because the expression has a fixed figurative meaning in English. In an SSC idiom question, students should match the whole phrase with its accepted meaning rather than translate each word separately.

• Classroom example: In a rut can refer to a situation involving stuck in a boring fixed routine.
• Story example: A writer may use In a rut when describing a situation involving stuck in a boring fixed routine.
• Exam example: When a sentence contains In a rut, choose the meaning “stuck in a boring fixed routine.”