2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/34667We investigate here how the shearing effects present within a collapsing matter cloud influence the outcome of gravitational collapse in terms of formation of either a black hole or a naked singularity as the final end state. For collapse of practically all physically reasonable matter fields, we prove that it would always end up in a black hole if it is either shear-free or has homogeneous density. Thus it follows that whenever a naked singularity forms as end product, the collapsing cloud must necessarily be shearing with inhomogeneous density. Our consideration brings out the physical forces at work which could cause a naked singularity to result as collapse end state, rather than a black hole.4 pages, Letter, Revised version,clarity improvedGeneral Relativity and Quantum CosmologyThe critical role of shear in gravitational collapsetext