**Explanation:**

**Water** is considered a universal solvent because it has the ability to dissolve a wide variety of substances. This means that many different types of solutes can dissolve in water, making it a versatile and effective solvent.

**Properties of Water as a Solvent:**

1. **Polarity:** Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has a slight positive charge on one end and a slight negative charge on the other. This polarity allows water molecules to attract and surround solute particles, breaking them apart and allowing them to dissolve.

2. **Hydrogen Bonding:** Water molecules are capable of forming hydrogen bonds with other water molecules and with certain solute molecules. These hydrogen bonds help to stabilize the solute particles in the solution, preventing them from re-aggregating.

3. **Dissociation:** Water molecules can dissociate, or separate, into positively charged hydrogen ions (H+) and negatively charged hydroxide ions (OH-). This ability to dissociate allows water to dissolve ionic compounds, such as salts, by surrounding the individual ions with water molecules.

4. **Versatility:** Water can dissolve a wide range of substances, including salts, sugars, acids, bases, and many organic compounds. This makes it a highly versatile solvent that is essential for many biological and chemical processes.

5. **Solubility:** Water has a high solubility for many substances, meaning it can dissolve large amounts of solute. This is due to its ability to form multiple hydrogen bonds and its ability to interact with a wide range of solutes.

**Comparison with other options:**

- **Oil** and **Petrol**: Oil and petrol are nonpolar substances and do not have the ability to form hydrogen bonds or dissolve polar solutes. They are also immiscible with water, meaning they do not mix well and tend to separate from water.

- **Kerosene**: Kerosene is a nonpolar solvent similar to oil and petrol. It does not have the ability to dissolve polar solutes and is immiscible with water.

Therefore, the correct answer is **Water** as it possesses the necessary properties to act as a universal solvent.

Large number of substances get dissolved in water, so water is a Universal Solvent.