XAT 2026 Question Paper

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XAT 2026
Question Paper
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XAT 2026 Question Paper

Notes · Sample Papers · Previous Year Papers · Mock Tests

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Xavier Aptitude Test — Question Paper with Answer Key

4 Sections • Quantitative Aptitude & DI · Decision Making · Verbal Ability & LR · General Knowledge • 95 Questions • 5
options (A–E)

Instructions: Every question has five options (A)–(E); choose the single best answer. Caselets, data sets and reading passages
appear in shaded boxes above the questions they belong to. The answer key is given at the end.
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Section I — Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
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Questions 1–28 · 28 questions
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1.
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In a battle, the commander-in-chief arranges his soldiers in a formation of three concentric circles. The
radii of the circles are in an arithmetic progression: the smallest radius is 70m (meters) and the largest
is 140m.
If each soldier is to be separated from the adjacent soldiers standing on the same circle by 1m, how
many soldiers are required to complete the formation? (Consider π = 22/7.)
(A) 660
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(B) 1320
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(D)

(E) 440
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2. In a business school, only three specializations are offered: marketing, finance and operations. A
student can opt for either one, or two, or no specializations. In the current batch of 120 students, 60 are
specializing in marketing, 50 are specializing in finance and 30 are specializing in operations. During
the placement process, all students specializing either in marketing or in finance are shortlisted for
consulting job interviews.
If 45 students are not shortlisted for consulting job interviews, what is the MINIMUM possible number
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of students specializing in both marketing and finance?
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(E) 40

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3. An archer, from the point A, is aiming at a target, placed on the top of a 56 feet tall tree. The base of the
tree is at the point C. From the archer’s position, the angle of elevation to the target is 45° from his eye
level. The archer, facing the tree, moves backwards on the straight line joining the points A and C, to a
new position at the point B. From the point B, the angle of elevation from his eye level to the target
becomes 30°.
How far did the archer move from A to B (in feet) if his eye level is at a height of 6 feet from the ground?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

4. Two buses travel between Jamshedpur and Kolkata in the opposite directions, on the same road. On
that road, the maximum allowed speeds are different (but constant) for the opposite directions. Usually,
both buses travel at the respective maximum allowed speeds to their respective destinations: the bus
from Jamshedpur to Kolkata takes 4 hours, while the bus from Kolkata to Jamshedpur takes 3 hours.
One day, the two buses start at the same time. However, one hour after starting, the bus from
Jamshedpur to Kolkata reduces its speed to half of its maximum allowed speed due to congestion on the
road.
If both buses do not stop anywhere in between, how many hours after starting do they meet?
(A) 2 hours
(B) 23/12 hours
(C) 12/5 hours
(D) 21/11 hours
(E) 10/11 hours

QUESTIONS 5 TO 7

Brijbhushan, a microfinancier, lends money at the rate of Rs.10 per square meter to small farmers at a
village. He charges an annual interest rate of 10%. All the farming plots in that village are rectangular,
with areas varying between a minimum of 1000 square meters and a maximum of 10,000 square
meters.

This year, Brijbhushan has lent money only to five farmers: Aditya, Binod, Chhuttan, Dabloo and
Govind. The perimeter of Chhuttan’s plot is 250 meters, with the length and width being at a ratio of 4:1.
Aditya’s plot has an area three times the area of Govind’s plot. The area of Aditya’s plot is also the
average of the areas of Govind’s plot and Dabloo’s plot. The plots belonging to Aditya, Binod and Dabloo
are of the same width, but of different lengths. Moreover, the length of Binod’s plot is the sum of the
lengths of Aditya’s plot and Dabloo’s plot.

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5. What is the interest owed by Chhuttan to Brijbhushan at the end of the year?
(A) Rs. 2000
(B) Rs. 3500
(C) Rs. 5000
(D) Rs. 4000
(E) Rs. 2500

6. What is the MAXIMUM possible value of the total loan Brijbhushan has given to these five farmers?
(A) None of the other options is correct
(B) Rs. 250,000
(C) Rs. 237,500
(D) Rs. 232,500
(E) Rs. 242,500

7. If the width of the Aditya’s plot is 25 meters, what is the MINIMUM possible length of Binod’s plot?
(A) 360 meters
(B) 320 meters
(C) 250 meters
(D) 400 meters
(E) 280 meters

8. Consider a seven-digit number 735x6y4, divisible by 44, where the two digits x and y are unknown.
Consider the following two additional pieces of information:
I. x and y are even numbers
II. x and y are equal
To determine the values of x and y UNIQUELY, which of the above pieces of information is/are
MINIMALLY SUFFICIENT?
(A) I only
(B) Both I and II together
(C) II only
(D) Either I or II, by itself, is minimally sufficient
(E) The answer cannot be obtained even with both additional pieces of information

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The swimming pool in an exclusive club is a circular strip. A water flow is artificially maintained in the

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strip, along a clockwise direction, at a constant speed of 3km/h (kilometers/hour). One morning, Ayub
and Rana start swimming at the same time from two diametricallya opposite points on the strip. Ayub
swims in a counterclockwise direction, while Rana swims in a clockwise direction. They swim at
constant, but different, speeds. When they meet for the first time, Ayub has covered 60m (meters). They
meet again after Rana has covered 180m from the first meeting point.
If Rana swims at the speed of 3 km/h in still water, how long does Ayub take to complete one round of
the circular strip, if he swims in the clockwise direction?
(A) 4 minutes 30 seconds
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None of the other options is correct
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1 minute 48 seconds
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(E)
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10. 125 is multiplied by either 10 or 15. The resultant number is again multiplied by either 10 or 15. This
process continues.
Which of the following CANNOT be a resultant number at any point in time?
(A)
(B)

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11. Three categories of candidates appear a
for an admission test: diligent (10%), lazy (30%) and confused
(60%). A diligent candidate is 10 times more likely to clear the admission test compared to a lazy
candidate.
If 40% of the candidates clearing the admission test are confused, what is the MAXIMUM possible
value of the probability of a confused candidate clearing the test?
(A) 13/37
(B) 13/90
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12. In a multiple-choice examination, there are 20 questions. Each correct answer is worth 4 marks, while 2
marks are to be deducted for every wrong answer. Further, 1 mark is to be deducted for every
unattempted question. One student receives a total of 46 marks in the examination. However, before
releasing the marks, the professor realizes that she has, by mistake, deducted 2 marks for every
unattempted question and 1 mark for every wrong answer.
After correction, how many marks will the student get?
(A) 42
(B) 44
(C) 48
(D) 46
(E) 49

13. Let be a real-valued function defined as
. What is the value of ?
(A) 6
(B) 7
(C) None of the other options is correct
(D) 5
(E) 4

14. Let be the list of all prime numbers less than 25. Define , where is the
sum of all where k ranges from 1 to n, . Let B be the set of all integer-valued . What is the
Smallest element of B?
(A) 1
(B) 19
(C) 11
(D) 17
(E) 23

15. Consider two circles, each having radius of 5cm (centimeters), touching each other at a point P. A direct
tangent QR is drawn touching one circle at a point Q and the other circle at a point R. Inside the region
PQR inscribed by the two circles and the tangent, a square ABCD is inscribed with its base AB on the
tangent and the other side touching the two circles at points D and C, respectively.
Find the area of the square ABCD.
(A) sq. cm
(B) None of the other options is correct
(C) 40 sq. cm
(D) 4 sq. cm
(E) 100 sq. cm

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16. Rajan is a fruit seller. On any day, he sells only one kind of fruit. On the first day, he buys 9 kg of
blueberries. On the second day, he buys 22 kg of kiwis. On the third day, he buys 50 kg of peaches. The
per kg purchase price of each fruit is an integer. Further, on each of these three days, he spends the
same amount to purchase fruits. On the fourth day, he buys mangoes at Rs. 35/kg and spends Rs. 15
less than any of the previous three days.
If he then sells all the mangoes at Rs. 50/kg, what is his MINIMUM possible profit on the fourth day?
(A) Rs. 2130
(B) Rs. 2115
(C) Rs. 2085
(D) Rs. 2265
(E) None of the other options is correct

17. How many solutions of the equation exist, where x, y and z are positive
integers?
(A) 17
(B) 15
(C) 16
(D) None of the other options is correct
(E) 18

18. A triangular plot is such that two of its sides, of lengths 90m (meter) and 60m, are perpendicular to
each other. There is a housing complex in a rectangular region within the plot. The area of the
rectangular region is 4/9th of the area of the triangular plot. Additionally, two sides of the rectangular
region lie on the two perpendicular sides of the triangle, and one vertex is on the hypotenuse. The
members of the housing complex want to construct a wall along the perimeter of the rectangular region.
If the cost of construction is Rs. 5000/m, what is the MINIMUM possible cost of building the wall?
(A) Rs. 777,777
(B) Rs. 700,000
(C) Rs. 666,667
(D) Rs. 766,667
(E) Rs. 433,333

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During Durga Puja, for the purpose of lighting, one puja pandal in Kolkata used many identical

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structures made of wooden sticks. The design of the structures was
a isosceles triangular structure, and a
constructed with the help of six wooden sticks by combining an
square structure, with the bases of both structures being the same. Let us take one such structure. Call
the triangle PAB, with PA = PB, and the square ABCD, with AB being the same wooden stick as a
common base for the triangle and the square. To make the structure strong, the two equal sides of the
triangular structure were tied with the opposite side of square’s base, i.e., CD, at points E and F, in such
a way that CE = EF = FD. The structure was hung from P.
If AB = 0.5m (meter), the total length of wooden sticks required for twenty such structures is:
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(A) 70m
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20. A park has two gates, Gate 1 and Gate 2. These two gates are connected via two alternate paths. If one
takes the first path from Gate 1, they need to walk 80m (meters) towards east, then 80m towards south,
and finally 20m towards west to arrive at Gate 2. The second path is a semi-circle connecting the two
gates, where the diameter of the semi-circle is the straight-line distance between the two gates.
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A person walking at a constant speed of 5 kilometers/hour enters the park through Gate 1, walks along
the first path to reach Gate 2 and then takes the second path to come back to Gate 1.
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back to Gate 1, if she never stops in between?
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Which of the following is the CLOSEST to the time the person takes, from entering the park to coming

(A) 4 minutes ag
(B) 3 minutes 30 seconds
(C) 4 minutes 30 seconds
(D) 5 minutes 30 seconds
(E) 6 minutes

21.
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Ronny uses a 5-digit key for a combination lock, where 5 digits need to be entered in a fixed sequence.

om he remembers
While c
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that the 5 digits are 9, 8, 7, 5 and 4, he has forgotten the sequence
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e sum of the last three
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that the sum of the first three digits is a multiple of 3, and so is the

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4 is the fourth digit of the key
(A)

(B) 9 is the third digit of the key
(C) 8 is the fourth digit of the key
(D) 4 is the second digit of the key
(E) 8 is the second digit of the key

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22. There are three rectangular tanks in a building. The length, width and height of the first tank are m
meters each, and the length, width and height of the second tank are n meters each. However, the
length, width and height of the third tank are m meters, n meters and 1 meter, respectively.Initially, the
first tank is full of water, while the second and the third are empty. When the second and the third tanks
are completely filled with water transferred from the first tank, 85,000 liters of water is still left in the
first tank.
If both m and n are positive integers, what is the value of m? (1 meter =1000 liters)
(A) None of the other options is correct
(B) 7
(C) 5
(D) 6
(E) 10

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QUESTIONS 23 TO 25

Light Chemicals is an industrial paint supplier with presence in three locations: Mumbai, Hyderabad
and Bengaluru. The sunburst chart below shows the distribution of the number of employees of different
departments of Light Chemicals. There are four departments: Finance, IT, HR and Sales. The employees
are deployed in four ranks: junior, mid, senior and executive. The chart shows four levels: location,
department, rank and gender (M: male, F: female). At every level, the number of employees at any
location/department/rank/gender are proportional to the corresponding area of the region represented
in the chart.
Due to some issues with the software, the data on junior female employees have gone missing. Notice
that there are junior female employees in Mumbai HR, Sales and IT departments, Hyderabad HR
department, and Bengaluru IT and Finance departments: the corresponding missing numbers are
marked u, v, w, x, y and z in the diagram, respectively.
It is also known that:
a) Light Chemicals has a total of 210 junior employees.
b) Light Chemicals has a total of 146 employees in the IT department.
c) Light Chemicals has a total of 77 employees in the Hyderabad office.
d) In the Mumbai office, the number of junior female employees is 55.

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23. Based on the given information and the sunburst chart, the MOST LIKELY values of u, v and w,
respectively, are:
(A) 30, 20, 5
(B) 20, 25, 10
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a 24. Based on the given information and the sunburst chart, which of the following has the HIGHEST
number of employees?
(A) IT department, all offices together
(B) Bengaluru office
(C) Sales department of Mumbai office
(D) Cannot be answered uniquely based on the given information
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(E) Mid-level, all offices together

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25. Based on the given information and the sunburst chart, which of the following statements CANNOT BE
TRUE?
(A) In the Hyderabad office, the number of senior employees is more than the number of junior
employees.
(B) All three offices put together, the number of Sales employees is less than the number of Finance
employees.
(C) In the Bengaluru office, the number of Finance employees is more than the number of IT
employees.
(D) Number of female junior employees at Finance and IT departments in the Bengaluru office are
equal.
(E) In the Mumbai office, the number of junior employees is more than the number of mid-level
employees.

QUESTIONS 26 TO 28

An investment company, WinLose, recruits employees to trade in the share market. For newcomers,
they have a one-year probation period. During this period, the employees are given Rs. 1 lakh per month
to invest the way they see fit. They are evaluated at the end of every month, using the following criteria:
1. If the total loss in any span of three consecutive months exceeds Rs. 20,000, their services are
terminated at the end of that 3-month period,
2. If the total loss in any span of six consecutive months exceeds Rs. 10,000, their services are
terminated at the end of that 6-month period.
Further, at the end of the 12-month probation period, if there are losses on their overall investment,
their services are terminated.
Ratan, Shri, Tamal and Upanshu started working for WinLose in January. Ratan was terminated after 4
months, Shri was terminated after 7 months, Tamal was terminated after 10 months, while Upanshu was
not terminated even after 12 months. The table below, partially, lists their monthly profits (In Rs. ‘000)
over the 12-month period, where x, y and z are masked information.
Note:
1. A negative profit value indicates a loss.
2. The value in any cell is an integer.
Illustration: As Upanshu is continuing after March, that means his total profit during January-March
(2z+2z+0) ≥ ─ Rs.20,000. Similarly, as he is continuing after June, his total profit during January-June
≥ ─ Rs.10,000, as well as his total profit during April-June ≥ ─ Rs.20,000.

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26. What BEST can be said about the value of x?
(A) x is a non-negative even number less than or equal to 10
(B) x is an even number between 10 and 14, both inclusive
(C) x is a positive even number
(D) x is a non-negative even number less than or equal to 14
(E) x = 10

27. What BEST can be said about the value of y?
(A) y = 58
(B) y = 56 or 58
(C) y is an even number less than 60
(D) y = 56
(E) y is an even number greater than 50

28. What BEST can be said about the profit generated by Upanshu at the end of his probation period?
(A) At least Rs. 107,000
(B) At least Rs. 147,000
(C) Rs. 109,000 exactly
(D) Rs. 107,000 exactly
(E) At most Rs. 110,000

Section II — Decision Making
Questions 29–49 · 21 questions

QUESTIONS 29 TO 31

MultiKrack, one of the oldest FMCG companies in Eastern India, was run by the Malhotras, a traditional
business family, for generations. The organization believed that key positions should be held only by
family members and close friends.

But, as the organization grew in size, the top management decided to bring in fresh thinking and fill key
positions from premier management institutions. The need for such a decision was also brought upon by
changes in consumer preferences, which the top management felt could be best handled by recruiting
premier talent from the younger generation (Gen Z).

MultiKrack drew the best talent, from premier management institutions, by offering highly attractive
salaries. The first batch of Gen Z management trainees joined MultiKrack. Anindita was one of the seven
management trainees recruited. She reported to Uday, a senior manager, who directly reported to the
top management.

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In one of the meetings, Uday was making a presentation on positioning their most popular product to

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make it more appealing to Gen Z. Unhappy with the discussion, Anindita
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regarding the assumptions Uday made about Gen Z. Uday immediately retorted: “Anindita, this is a
discussion for adults. Kids, like you, should listen for a few months before sharing their opinion.”
Further, he remarked, “you Gen Z have opinions about everything regardless of the subject.” Thereafter,
he brushed aside any views Anindita attempted to share during the discussion. After the meeting,
Anindita felt offended. However, when she discussed it with other management trainees, they did not
find anything wrong with what Uday said. Even then, she decided to do something about such a
treatment, since it would be seen as an approved behaviour.
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Which of the following options will BEST help Anindita in taking an appropriate stand against Uday’s
behaviour?
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Urge other management
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Meet Uday
(D) Before actively participating in meetings, wait for a few months as Uday suggested.
(E) Ask her colleagues to talk to Uday on behalf of her.

30. Anindita was passionate about bringing a change in her organization. Thus, she went thoroughly
prepared for every meeting. However, she soon realized that her ideas were not taken up for discussions
during meetings. She often felt looked down upon by Uday who dismissed her suggestions without even
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hearing them out. When she discussed her experience with other management trainees from other
departments, she came to know that this was a common practice across MultiKrack. They wanted to do

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something about it; however, they were clueless about the course of action, since their seniors did not

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seem to be interested in listening to them.
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Which of the following actions by the management trainees will be MOST effective in improving the
treatment of Gen Z at MultiKrack?
(A) Focus on proving themselves professionally, and be patient until attitudes change in general.
(B) Reach out to the top management and explain how the attitude of the seniors is affecting their
morale.
(C) Seek informal meetings with seniors belonging to Gen X and try to explain the Gen Z point of view.
(D) Create an informal support group to deal with the duress of handling the MultiKrack seniors.
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31. A few months passed. Anindita was a valuable member of her team and the top management was
impressed with her. However, the other management trainees left the organization. In their exit
interviews, they shared the condescending behavior of senior management as the reason for their
departure. Some even left MultiKrack to join organizations that paid lesser than what MultiKrack paid.
The top management understood that the seniors belonged to a different generation; they found it
difficult to appreciate the intergenerational differences. The top management felt it was high time to do
something about the senior management’s behavior towards the juniors.
Which of the following actions, considered by the top management, will BEST enable change in the
senior management's behavior?
(A) Keep management trainees in mostly independent roles to limit their interactions with senior
management.
(B) Ask Gen Z to rate the senior management on their behavior every quarter.
(C) Hire more Gen Z and fast track them to senior management based on performance.
(D) Invest in diversity, equity and inclusion training, using mass exodus as a turning point for the
organization to embrace.
(E) Issue a company-wide warning that any form of discrimination will result in disciplinary action.

QUESTIONS 32 TO 34

Abhishek, a student of a prestigious business school, gets interested in Payeasy, a fintech firm, after
listening to a pre-placement talk by Neha Bhupati, a senior leader at the firm, and an alumna of the
same business school. He joins Payeasy through campus placement. Neha plays a key role in recruiting
him, seeing great potential in him.
Abhishek starts working in the digital payments vertical under Mukesh Kumar, who reports directly to
Neha. Mukesh, Abhishek’s direct superior, is impressed by his performance and rates him very high in
the first year. Abhishek understands that if Mukesh consistently rates him as “Excellent Performer” for
the second year as well, his chances of getting promoted will improve. (The organization promotes
individuals who are consistently rated as “Excellent Performer” for at least two years by their immediate
superiors.)

Over time, Abhishek realizes that the learning opportunities in his current role have plateaued. Given his
longstanding interest in blockchain and cryptocurrency, he starts exploring opportunities in that vertical
within the company. This change is not possible without the consent of his immediate boss, Mukesh.
When Abhishek brings this up with Mukesh, he acknowledges Abhishek’s curiosity and enthusiasm;
however, he emphasizes how Abhishek’s competencies fit him rightly into the current vertical. Mukesh
assures Abhishek of more challenging assignments in the future, provided he remains a good team
player. Further, he shares his skepticism about the long-term prospects of cryptocurrency. Hence,
Mukesh politely declines Abhishek’s request.

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32. Abhishek is not happy with Mukesh’s decision. Abhishek is aware that he needs to be in the good books
of Mukesh for his performance rating. However, he is passionate about cryptocurrency; hence, he
considers approaching Neha directly to discuss a possible move. Neha can take such decisions
independently, but Neha and Mukesh usually see eye to eye on most issues.
Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST encourage Abhishek to reach out to Neha regarding
his desired change to a different vertical?
(A) Neha is known to Abhishek as they are alumni of the same business school.
(B) Mukesh is infamous for not letting his team members go to any other vertical.
(C) A colleague got her vertical changed by presenting her case to the higher-ups, bypassing her
immediate boss.
(D) Abhishek strongly feels that he cannot continue for one more year in his current role.
(E) The crypto team is always running short of talented employees.

33. Dissatisfied with Mukesh’s response, Abhishek reaches out to Neha for a vertical change. Though she
listens to Abhishek, she shares her displeasure with the request. In fact, she brushes his request off,
telling him to resign from Payeasy if it does not charm him anymore. Abhishek gets worried as he has a
huge educational loan to pay, and such a departure will put him in a fix.
Later that day, in one of the team meetings, Abhishek feels ignored as he is cut twice while he tries to
share his project progress. Thereafter, he starts believing that Mukesh is not happy with him. This fear
appears to get substantiated when Mukesh assigns an important project to another team member,
which Abhishek wants to work on. His fear keeps growing regarding Neha and Mukesh not being happy
with him. However, when he receives his annual rating, he finds out that Mukesh has rated him as the
“best performer” of the year, based on his previous year’s performance.
Abhishek wants his relationship with Mukesh to be back on track, as it was, before he reached out to
Neha.
Which of the following options will BEST enable Abhishek rebuild his relationship with Mukesh?
(A) Abhishek should stay low profile for some time as time heals the past.
(B) Abhishek should double down on his performance to demonstrate his value to the team.
(C) Abhishek should request Mukesh for an open discussion to get rid of any misunderstandings.
(D) Abhishek should request Neha to help him in rebuilding his relationship with Mukesh.
(E) Abhishek should reach out to Mukesh and apologize for his perceived immaturity.

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After two years at Payeasy, Abhishek applies to a competing firm and is called for an interview. The

se g
hiring manager, Amit, is impressed with Abhishek and tells him thatla he will take the final decision to
a to know more about Abhishek since
select Abhishek in a day or two. After the interview, Amit wants
Abhishek will be leading a team of 15 people and his people management skills are very important for
the team’s success. He calls Mukesh, Abhishek's superior. Mukesh is Amit's classmate who Amit trusts
immensely. Mukesh informs Amit that though Abhishek is a good talent, he questions his superiors too
often. Mukesh further shares that such a behavior makes it difficult for the superiors to manage the
team.
Amit needs a good talent, but is confused if he should recruit Abhishek, given Mukesh’s assessment of
m
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Abhishek.

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Which of the following data will BEST enable Amit to take a decision on Abhishek’s recruitment?
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efearmof consequences.
Amit’s organization is very democratic, where people are encouraged to share their critical views
a
(A)
without any
as l
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Two years back, Mukesh discouraged Amit from offering a role to one of his a
subordinates,
laterawent to a competing firm and is now a star performer there.
(B)

(C) Payeasy has been seeing attrition of good talent to Amit’s organisation in the recent past due to the
high salaries that Amit’s organization offers.
(D) Mukesh is known to be very possessive of his subordinates.
(E) Abhishek was kind and cooperative throughout the selection process of Amit’s organization.

m
QUESTIONS 35 TO 37

m .co
s e
Fine Elements Inc. is an Indian organization with a substantial presence in South and East India. The
company is recruiting talent to expand in Northaand West India. The organization’s head of talent

a gl process, a key stage in the recruitment process, to his
acquisition, Premnarayan, entrusts the interview
line managers who take the responsibility of selecting candidates. Premnarayan, however, lays down
stringent rules that the line managers need to follow to achieve consistent outcomes.

Joginder Mahato, a line manager, has been interviewing candidates. During the interview, Joginder
realizes that one of the candidates, Animisha, called for the interview, does not satisfy the necessary
condition of five years experience. Upon enquiring, he finds out that this happened due to an oversight
by an inexperienced secretary who was asked to prepare the shortlist for the interview. However, as
m
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Animisha is present for the interview, he decides to conduct her interview. Joginder finds Animisha’s
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candidature to be the best among the candidates he has interviewed so far.
e m
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em Joginder wants to recommend Animisha for selection despite her not fulfilling
a the experience criterion.
las35.
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a to recommend Animisha?
ag Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST convince Joginder

The HR department has increased the experience criterion from 3 years to 5 years only this year.
(A)

(B) Animisha interned with one of the verticals of Fine Elements Inc. during her graduation.
(C) Animisha has a lucrative offer from a competing firm, for a similar role.
(D) Joginder was selected in his current role, a decade back, even though he had not satisfied many of
the eligibility criteria.
(E) The role Animisha has applied for is one where getting good talent is not easy.
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36. Joginder shares his preference for Animisha with Premnarayan, the talent acquisition head. However,
while rolling out the offer, Premnarayan realizes that Animisha does not meet the eligibility criteria.
Though the recommendation has come from Joginder, who is a senior, he wants to reject Animisha for
the role.
Which of the following reasons will BEST help him in rejecting Animisha’s candidature?
(A) Animisha was given a job offer while she interned with Fine Elements Inc. but she declined it.
(B) Premnarayan has overruled a few selection decisions of the seniors in the past.
(C) Animisha already holds a job offer from a rival firm at a competing salary.
(D) Joginder’s team, though lean, has been performing well for many years.
(E) Other potential candidates were rejected because of the change in the experience criterion.

37. Joginder recommends Animisha’s candidature only to be turned down by Premnarayan. However, he
wants Premnarayan to reconsider his decision.
Hence, Joginder has compiled a list of reasons to persuade Premnarayan to reconsider Animisha’s
selection:
A. Animisha is academically strong and a gold medalist during her graduation.
B. Animisha's experience is falling short only by a few months for the role she has applied for.
C. The number of applicants applied for the role she has applied for is very small.
D. Animisha’s college is known for producing the best business leaders for past many years.
E. Before he retired, Animisha’s maternal uncle was associated with Fine Elements Inc. for over 10
years.
F. Average industry experience for the role she has applied for is much lower than what Fine Elements
Inc. has advertised.
Which of the following combination of reasons will BEST convince Premnarayan to reconsider his
decision regarding Animisha’s selection for the role?
(A) B, C, E
(B) C, D, F
(C) A, D, E
(D) A, B, D
(E) D, E, F

QUESTIONS 38 TO 40

Mr. Screwvala, a highly successful investment banker, had a career of nearly 25 years. In his circle, he
was respected for his straight-shooter image and industrious behaviour. Screwvala loved travelling; he
travelled extensively, both for his job and personal interests. He always wanted to share his life
experiences with people at large.

He chanced upon such an opportunity when his old friend, Mr. Patel, a well-known publisher, offered
Screwvala to publish a book based on his life experiences. Screwvala grabbed the opportunity; however,
given his thorough nature, he took a three-year long sabbatical to finish the book.
During that period, Patel guided Screwvala at every step, reviewing every chapter personally. At the end,
the book was probably as much Patel’s, as it was Screwvala’s!

On publication, the book turned out to be a bestseller, and Screwvala became famous.

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38. Patel had a new proposal for Screwvala: he wanted Screwvala to work on a detective novel. Patel
promised him good money but proposed that Screwvala would only write the final chapter of the novel,
after his co-authors had completed the first nine chapters. Screwvala was surprised at the offer, since he
never tried writing anything creative, and definitely not fiction. He wanted to be sure whether he could
actually measure up with the co-authors who were established creative writers.
Which of the following, IF TRUE, will be the MOST compelling reason for Screwvala to accept the offer?
(A) Screwvala is earning a decent royalty on the sales of his first book.
(B) Patel is an experienced publisher who mentored many successful writers in the past.
(C) Screwvala loved taking up challenging assignments during his stint as an investment banker.
(D) Writing the novel will pay Screwvala to travel across the globe.
(E) Screwvala has enjoyed working on his first book and does not want to go back to investment
banking.

39. Patel had a new proposal for Screwvala: he wanted Screwvala to work on a detective novel. Patel
proposed that Screwvala would only write the final chapter of the detective novel, after his co-authors.
Screwvala accepted the offer.
Though the project started on time, a few of the authors could not manage to submit their chapters
within the given timeline. Hence, it created a delay for the authors to follow.
Having to wait endlessly for the other authors to finish their chapters, with no end in sight, Screwvala
started getting impatient. In the meantime, he was offered another proposal from a rival publisher to
write a travelogue on a country of his choice, which would involve all-expense-paid trips. Because of his
love for travel, Screwvala felt inclined to accept the offer. However, this would mean getting out of the
contract of the detective novel, which could cause a serious friction with Patel.
Which of the following, IF TRUE, will be the MOST compelling reason for Screwvala to continue with
the detective-novel project?
(A) Screwvala has already invested considerable time in the detective novel.
(B) Patel did tell Screwvala that writing the detective novel would test his patience.
(C) Screwvala believes that he owes it to Patel for the help he has received in his journey as a writer.
(D) The rival publisher is not as well-known as Patel.
(E) Screwvala is not sure whether writing two books on similar topics consecutively will be well
received.

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Patel had a new proposal for Screwvala: he wanted Screwvala to work on a detective novel. Patel

se a novel, after his co-authors.
proposed that Screwvala would only write the final chapter of the ldetective
g
Screwvala accepted the offer by signing a contract. a
While waiting for his turn to come to write his chapter for the detective novel, Screwvala started writing
a travel blog. Because of his radiant style, the blog became popular. Hence, he started mulling over
converting the blog articles into a book.
When Screwvala shared this idea, Patel sprung a surprise by pointing out to a clause in their contract.
The clause forbade Screwvala from publishing anything else until the detective novel got published.
Screwvala signed the contract without reading it as he trusted Patel as a good friend. Further, Patel
m
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offered Screwvala an extra sum of money if he would delay the publication of his travel blog articles as a
m
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book.
e m
Screwvala felt betrayed. Which of the following will be the MOST compelling reason for Screwvala to
em l a s
as
continue with publishing his blog as a book, ignoring the contract with Patel?
g
l feels that most readers who like his writing style are already regular readers a
ag
(A) Screwvala of his blog
as well.
(B) Screwvala discovers that Patel replaced an originally contracted author from the project because of
Patel's differences with the author.
(C) It is never Screwvala’s nature to take it quietly when he realizes that he has been taken unfair
advantage of.
(D) Screwvala is frustrated with the slow progress of the detective novel and has lost interest in it.
(E)
m
Screwvala’s lawyer believes that if Screwvala is desperate, he can try helping Screwvala in getting

.co
out of the contract, by offering Patel a reasonable compensation.

s em
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QUESTIONS 41 TO 43
a
Vidya, a Bachelor of Commerce graduate, secured admission to one of India’s premier business schools
(B schools) called Best-Known School of Management (BKSM). Not long after her joining BKSM, she
was struck by the calibre of her experienced peers. This, in turn, made her anxious about her placement.
Hence, she reached out to one of her seniors, who had also joined BKSM as a fresher, for advice.

In conversations with the senior, Vidya learned that freshers were often advised to join student
committees to strengthen their curriculum vitae (CVs) for placements. Confident of making it to one, she
m
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started preparing. Despite her confidence, she could not secure a spot in the prominent committees she

o m
aspired to join.
mSince the processes
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emwere entirely student-run, with minimal administrative oversight, she feltgthat
a she had no avenue to
Frustrated and angry, Vidya began believing that committee selections were biased.
s l
la raise her concerns. Anjali, Vidya’s roommate in BKSM, told her about Why a MBA, a social media
ag platform where students often voiced their grievances anonymously.

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a For more Question Papers, Sample Papers, Notes & Syllabus visit Page 19 of 45

41. Impulsively, Vidya secretly recorded her next committee interview. The interview turned out to be
particularly harsh. Now, she was even more determined to post the transcript of the interview on Why
MBA to teach a lesson to her seniors. However, she contemplated the consequences she might face after
posting the transcript.
Which of the following considerations will BEST stop her from sharing the transcript on Why MBA?
(A) Every interview is unique, and it will be easy to guess her identity from the transcript.
(B) In recent past, many such posts were shared on Why MBA, but not much changed in committee
selection processes.
(C) A few seniors who never made it to committees still secured good placements.
(D) Sharing such posts on Why MBA may present the committee selection processes in a bad light.
(E) Sharing such posts on Why MBA may negatively impact the morale of student committee
members.

42. Vidya secretly recorded her next committee interview. The very next day, Vidya was selected for the
same committee for which she had recorded the interview. Relieved, she decided not to post anything
on Why MBA.
However, a few days later, a post went viral on Why MBA about BKSM, accusing the student
committees of unfair practices, claiming that seniors selected juniors based on personal preferences
rather than objective criteria. The post created a stir in BKSM, making Vidya anxious.
Vidya’s anxiety stemmed from the fact that Anjali, her confidant, knew about Vidya’s intent to publish
her interview transcript on Why MBA. Hence, Vidya feared that Anjali might assume that she was
behind the viral post. Worse still, if Anjali shared Vidya’s earlier intent with anyone at BKSM, her
reputation and relationships could be damaged.
What BEST can Vidya do in the current situation so that she is NOT negatively impacted by the viral
post?
(A) Request Why MBA to disclose the name of the person who shared the viral post.
(B) Share a post of admiration on Why MBA about the committee that has selected her.
(C) Do not worry about Anjali as Anjali has a limited friend circle.
(D) Inform the committee that, while Vidya had secretly recorded her interview with them, she had
nothing to do with the viral post.
(E) Have a discussion with Anjali and clarify that Vidya had nothing to do with the viral post.

For more Question Papers, Sample Papers, Notes & Syllabus visit Page 20 of 45

43. A few committee secretaries complained to the dean of BKSM about some anonymous posts on Why
MBA that they felt were unfairly targeting them. Upon visiting the forums on Why MBA, the dean felt
that while most of the posts were innocuous, some indeed crossed the line. Further, she felt that such
posts tarnished the image of BKSM. Conversely, she observed that such posts led those targeted to
reflect, mend their ways, and become more accountable. She wondered what she could do to save the
reputation of BKSM being assailed in public forums through anonymous posts; however, she did not
want to do anything disproportionately harsh.
What BEST can the dean do to take a sustainable decision to dissuade students from posting their
grievances in public forums, presenting the college in a bad light?
(A) Ask the IT head to run digital surveillance, and catch students posting anything degrading about
BKSM in any public forum.
(B) Announce that she will run daily open houses to hear student grievances.
(C) Create an anonymous in-house forum within BKSM, where the students could discuss anything
without consequences.
(D) Announce that she will run all committee selections personally.
(E) Ban access to public forums like Why MBA on the campus.

QUESTIONS 44 TO 46

Business schools’ (B schools) curriculums are filled with group assignments and case competitions. Even
when students have just joined the B schools, corporate houses try to catch good talent early by
promising them internships based on case competitions. These competitions involve comprehending the
problems presented by the organizations, analyzing the challenges they currently face, and presenting
solutions in a manner that convinces the organizations’ representatives who visit the B schools to
evaluate various teams that present their solutions on such problems.

For students who are just joining a B school, the capability to actually solve such problems is quite
limited. Because of that, the corporate houses generally are more focused on the presentations made by
groups. Hence, the groups that communicate better, most often, win these competitions.

Abirami joins MBS, a B school. As a fresher, she believes she needs to learn a lot about how
organizations work and wants to work with others who have joined MBS and have work experience.

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The first step that Abirami wants to take is to join a group, having members with extensive work

se a together and formed groups.
experience. Meanwhile, students with prior work experience havelcome
g
a are not interested since she is a
She reaches out to one such group. However, the group members
fresher. They are unsure whether she can bring any value to case competitions that involve
understanding, recommending and presenting solutions to organizational problems.
Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST convince the group members that Abirami will be a
valuable member of the group for case competitions?
(A) She has closely observed her mother working and hence understands the way organizations work.
The MNC, where her father is employed, floats the most popular case competition for MBS
m
(B)
students.
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(C)
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She is a good debater who can logically think and argue on the go.
m and can grasp key aspects of the problem at hand very quickly. las e m
(D)
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She is a good listener,
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(E)
l a
She has interned with her fathers’ firm for two weeks, during her graduation. a
ag
45. Abirami cannot join groups having members with work experience; they reject her for being a fresher.
Meanwhile, three of her batchmates, all freshers, are interested in forming a group with her. Abirami
likes being with them as two of them are from her undergraduate college; however, Abirami fears that
they may all come up with similar ideas during case discussions.
Which of the following reasons, IF TRUE, will BEST persuade Abirami to join them?
(A) These three batchmates are Abirami’s closest friend at MBS.
m
(B)

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These three batchmates were toppers in their respective streams during graduation.
(C)
s e
MBS’s professors generally appreciate these three batchmates’ inputs during case discussions.
(D)
l a their own groups, rejecting freshers.
Students with work experience have formed
g
(E) Some organizations prefer to offerainternship opportunities to freshers over those with work
experience.

46. Abirami eventually joins a group, largely comprised of students with work experience. Whenever
competition calls are announced, the group meets to discuss the competition. As competitions go by,
Abirami observes that her views are hardly heard in meetings, though the other group members make it
a point to invite her to every meeting. Since Abirami doesn’t get acknowledged for her ideas in group

o m
discussions, she starts reflecting on what she has gained so far by being a part of the group.

o m of the following pieces of information will BEST convince Abirami that being c
. in the group is
c. Which e m
e m beneficial to her?
as
l together, their groups
l as (A)
a g
Members of other groups shared with her that, while her group worked

ag rarely met, and worked in silos.
She can focus on her academics and still reap benefits from the group’s success, if any.
(B)

(C) Her only responsibility is to submit the final presentation to the company concerned after
reviewing for language errors.
(D) Her group has already been shortlisted for the final rounds of three of the four competitions they
have participated in, so far.
(E) The group meetings that she has attended so far have taught her a lot about how organizations
work. m .
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QUESTIONS 47 TO 49

Selvam Tutorials offers exclusive face-to-face evening classes from Monday to Friday for students who
are preparing for various entrance exams. Selvam Dindigul, the owner, operates from his ancestral
house, situated in the middle of the city. There are several instructors, but each teaches only one of the
following courses: quantitative ability, verbal ability and decision making. Selvam usually recruits fresh
graduates, or those instructors who are working with other tutorials and seeking a job change.

As Selvam Tutorials has been expanding aggressively over the past few years, managing it alone becomes
challenging for Selvam. Hence, he recruits Kanmani Gunaa, his niece, who has an online MBA with
specializations in Accountancy and HR, as a manager. He asks Kanmani to introduce modern HR
practices at Selvam Tutorials while managing cost effectively.

47. Soon after Kanmani takes over, she discovers that every instructor is paid differently even though they
teach for the same number of hours. Moreover, these instructors have been recruited locally, having
similar educational background. As she is introducing modern HR practices, she wants to equalize the
salaries of all the instructors.
Which of the following is definitely NOT an option for Kanmani?
(A) Kanmani should create a new policy about equalizing salaries and get it approved by Selvam before
implementing it.
(B) Kanmani should ask Selvam the reasons behind the salaries being unequal.
(C) Kanmani should suggest Selvam that all instructors are paid equally.
(D) Kanmani should not interfere with salaries, since it is a sensitive topic.
(E) Kanmani should find out what other tutorials are practising and follow the most popular practice.

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48. One of the instructors meets Kanmani and urgently requests for a week-long leave because he needs to
take care of his ailing father in a nearby village. Kanmani grants him leave. However, on the very next
day, she is chastised by Selvam. He tells Kanmani, “while all instructors are legally eligible for leave, we
cannot grant leave to instructors, given the tight schedule and continuous classes.” Selvam instructs
Kanmani to ensure that, when classes are on, leaves are not granted.
Kanmani wants to allow instructors to avail leaves whenever they need them; however, she understands
that there should be contingency arrangements in place so that the deliverables are not compromised.
Kanmani is contemplating the following contingency arrangements for the classes that may not be
conducted due to faculty leave.
Which of the following will be the BEST contingency arrangement at the lowest possible cost without
compromising on the deliverables?
(A) She should ask instructors, who want to take leave, to conduct make up classes for the missed
classes over the weekend.
(B) She should ask instructors, who want to take leave, to find replacements from outside the tutorial,
if at all they want to take leave.
(C) She should hire one extra instructor in each course and use them whenever any instructor needs
leave.
(D) She should reward every instructor who does not take leave, with 2% of their wage, to encourage
them not to take leave.
(E) She should ask instructors, who want to take leave, to squeeze in the content of the missed classes
in the remaining classes.

49. Kanmani meets Selvam and requests his permission to recruit three extra instructors, who would be on
the regular payroll. They will only chip in whenever the regular instructors go on leave. Selvam, having
been running the tutorial for quite some time, believes that this would not be the right way to solve the
problem of managing classes when instructors go on leave. He shares the following data with Kanmani
to help her understand that this problem cannot be solved by recruiting more people:
a) The number of days that instructors go on leave of absence is usually two days a month on average.
b) Each instructor has a unique style of teaching that cannot be replicated by part-timers.
c) Classes are held for 5 days a week, allowing enough rest for the instructors.
d) Selvam tried with part-time instructors as back-ups previously but they were often unavailable when
needed.
e) The extra instructors must be paid a monthly salary, even when they might not be teaching the entire
month.
Which of the following combinations of data will BEST convince Kanmani not to recruit extra
instructors on the regular payroll?
(A) c, d, e
(B) a, b, c
(C) b, d, e
(D) a, b, e
(E) a, c, e

Section III — Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning

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Questions 50–75 · 26 questions
as
se 50.
ag l
Read the following sentences carefully.

1. Everybody were late.
2. I will ask you if I need help.
3. Please revert to me at the earliest possible.
4. The report that the committee submitted was well received.
5. She is accustomed to work late.
m
m
Which of the following options consists of only grammatically CORRECT sentences?
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4, 5
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a
(A)

s e l
1, 3
a ag
(B)

1, 4 gl
(C)

(D) 2, 4
a
(E) 3, 5

51.
Read the following excerpt carefully.

When we encounter new situations, concepts, or problems, we make _________of them
o m
c
by________them onto older experience and structures. Far from being a_______ mental shortcut,
. and grow in______________.
m
analogy is a process by which humans generalize, adapt,
e
s
lathe blanks in the above excerpt?
g
Which of the following options BEST fills up
a
(A) meaning, linking, inconsequential, life
(B) use, engaging, quick, confidence
(C) fun, connecting, serious, skills
(D) sense, mapping, minor, understanding
(E) most, relating, comprehensive, experiences

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

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52.
Which of the following options BEST explains the underlying message of the cartoon?

(A) The truth is more powerful than manipulation.
(B) It is easier to trust selfish assurances, than altruistic promises.
(C) People prioritize certitude even if their interests are at stake.
(D) People submit to the honest hypocrites.
(E) Leaders should always be transparent with their intentions.

53.
Read the following sentences carefully.

1. The hybrid workplace is failing to live up to expectations in a number of ways.
2. By one estimate, spending an average of three days each week in the office can limit encounters
between any two workers by 64% compared with pre-pandemic norms.
3. Many people hanker after the socializing, camaraderie and shared experience, even if getting used to
it may take time.
4. For one thing, it is no substitute for the buzz and the chatter of the pre-pandemic office.
5. Even small amount of remote work can have a big impact on the frequency of face-to-face
interactions in the office.

Which of the following options BEST arranges the above sentences in a logical sequence?

(A) 5,1,2,4,3
(B) 1,4,3,5,2
(C) 1,4,2,5,3
(D) 2,5,3,4,1
(E) 3,4,5,2,1

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54.
Read the following sentences carefully.

1. She described about the journey.
2. We are awaiting her reply.
3. She is superior to us.
4. She requested for more time.
5. She is angry with her friend.
6. She insisted for an apology.

Which of the following options contains only grammatically INCORRECT sentences?

(A) 1, 4, 6
(B) 2, 3, 5
(C) 1, 3, 4
(D) 2, 4, 5
(E) 1, 2, 6

55.
Read the following excerpt carefully.

Reliability is magnetic because humans are hardwired to avoid risk, so once you prove yourself
trustworthy and reliable, you become the default choice for opportunities without ever asking for them.

Which of the following options, IF TRUE, will BEST CONTRADICT the idea of the excerpt?

(A) People gravitate towards those who consistently reduce uncertainty.
(B) Being dependable turns a person into the most favourite one.
(C) Predictability becomes a competitive advantage in a chaotic world.
(D) Opportunities only come to those who actively chase them.
(E) Those that are not preferred for critical tasks are unreliable.

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se
Read the following sentences carefully.

1. Any viewer of crime dramas might think, though, that therea
g
is a better way.
2. What would really speed things up would be a means of sampling an entire habitat at one go.
3. But, these, too must first be detected and collected—and they will identify only the animal that
dropped them.
4. Ecologists have thought of this, and it certainly works for things like animal droppings.
5. Just as DNA traces on an unwashed glass or a carelessly discarded cigarette butt can place a suspect
as having been in a particular place, so can DNA shed by a creature as it goes about its business.
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Which of the following options BEST arranges the above sentences in a logical sequence?
e m
(A) 2,3,4,1,5
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1,5,4,3,2 as
(B)
g l ag
(C)
a
3,4,5,1,2
(D) 1,4,5,2,3
(E) 4,3,5,2,1

57.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.

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Of the six American winners of science Nobels this year, three were born outside the United States. In

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this century, the émigré fraction of U.S. Nobels in physics, chemistry and medicine now stands at 40
percent.
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The nation’s long history of scientific feats,
a
lexemplified by Nobels, helped build a number of trillion-
a
dollar companies in Silicon Valley as well as the world’s most dynamic economy and its wealth of social
benefits, economists say.

Which of the following can be BEST concluded from the above passage?

(A) Immigration is the key to all scientific achievement in the USA.
(B) Silicon Valley must ensure that the government does not block immigration to the USA.
(C) Any government policy, that dissuades immigration of good talent to the USA, will impact the m
m American economy.
c. o Immigrants have contributed immensely to the wealth of the USA through mtheir scientific .co
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The government should dissuade immigration to increase the non-émigré
(E) fraction of U.S. Nobels.

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58.
Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.

When it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship, most of us now believe that failure isn’t a bad thing.
In fact, it is often a necessary ingredient on the road to success. Because we know that success might
come after numerous attempts, many of which might fail but eventually add up to that elusive success.
Yet, when it comes to our individual careers, if there is one thing we still consider taboo, it is the
dreaded pay cut.

A pay cut is still considered as a mark of personal failure. We instinctively baulk from career options, no
matter how interesting they might be, the moment we realize that we must accept a salary cut.

Which of the following can be BEST concluded from the passage?

(A) If an employee cannot accept a pay cut, they cannot explore alternative career options.
(B) When attempting to switch careers, an employee should be ready to take some risks.
(C) Employees perceive their worth based on their current salaries.
(D) An employee who is willing to accept a pay cut is an entrepreneurial person.
(E) When an employee fails in their current job, prospective companies will hire them only if they
accept a pay cut.

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QUESTIONS 59 TO 61

As the post-World War II generation of liberal democratic leaders forged new, highly successful
domestic and international institutions and policies throughout the West, the weaknesses of liberal
democracy that dominated the two decades after World War I faded from view. But they did not
disappear.

First, because liberal democracy restrains majorities, it slows the achievement of goals that majorities
support. This generates frustration with institutional restraints, and an unacknowledged envy of
authoritarian systems that can act quickly and decisively. China can build huge cities in the time that it
takes the United States to review the environmental impact of small highway projects. Liberal
democracy requires more patience than many possess.

Second, liberal democracy requires tolerance for minority views and ways of life to which many citizens
are deeply opposed. It is natural to feel that if we consider certain views or ways of life to be odious, we
should use public power to suppress them. In many such cases, liberal democracy requires us to restrain
this impulse, a psychological burden that some will find unbearable.

This leads directly to the third inherent problem of liberal democracy—the distinction it requires us to
make between civic identity and personal or group identity. For example, although we may consider
certain religious views false and even dangerous, we must, for civic purposes, accept those who hold
these views as our equals. They may freely express these views; they may organize to promote them; they
may vote, and their votes are given the same weight as ours. The same goes for race, ethnicity, gender,
and all the particularities that distinguish us from one another.

This requirement often goes against the grain of natural sentiments. We want the public sphere to reflect
what we find most valuable about our private commitments. Liberal democracy prevents us from fully
translating our personal identities into our public lives as citizens. This too is not always easy to bear.
The quest for wholeness—for a political community, or even a world, that reflects our most important
commitments—is a deep yearning to which illiberal leaders can always appeal.

Nor is the fourth inherent difficulty of liberal democracy—the necessity of compromise—easy to bear. If
what I want is good and true, why should I agree that public decisions must incorporate competing
views? James Madison gives us the answer: in circumstances of liberty, diversity of views is inevitable,
and unless those who agree with us form a majority so large as to be irresistible, the alternative to
compromise is inaction, which is often more damaging, or oppression, which always is.

59.
According to the passage, which of the following BEST explains why liberal democracy needs patience?

(A) Because liberal democracy at its core is more conservative.
(B) Because liberal democracy has to ensure that all views are considered before taking a decision.
(C) Because liberal democratic institutions that enable protection of minorities restrain majorities
from acting unilaterally.
(D) Because liberal democracy believes that minority views matter more than majority views.
(E) Because liberal democracy believes environmental impact is more important than human progress.

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According to the passage, how does the second problem of liberal democracy lead to the third problem?

(A)
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While some find certain views personally distasteful, theyawill permit those views to exist in the
public sphere.
(B) The more we find some views unacceptable, the more liberal democracy forces us to accept it in a
public space.
(C) We tolerate unpopular views since the view holder has a right to express and follow them.
(D) By tolerating the views we disagree with, we suffer from multiple identities.
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(E)

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allowing them to coexist among us.
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According to thea a
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ag for liberal democracy?
is a difficulty

(A) We do not like compromising on anything we badly want.
(B) Since our core beliefs define who we are, we want to see that reflected in public space.
(C) Liberal democracy makes us endure divergent behaviours in public sphere.
(D) While we believe our views are correct, to accept that others’ views deserve merit is not always
easy.
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(E) Since liberal democracy is supposed to protect our rights, compromising on them seems
incompatible with liberty.
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QUESTIONS 62 TO 64

When people who are talking don't share the same culture, knowledge, values, and assumptions, mutual
understanding can be especially difficult. Such understanding is possible through the negotiation of
meaning. To negotiate meaning with someone, you have to become aware of and respect both the
differences in your backgrounds and when these differences are important. You need enough diversity of
cultural and personal experience to be aware that divergent world views exist and what they might be
like. You also need patience, a certain flexibility in world view, and a generous tolerance for mistakes, as
well as a talent for finding the right metaphor to communicate the relevant parts of unshared
experiences or to highlight the shared experiences while deemphasizing the others. Metaphorical
imagination is a crucial skill in creating rapport and in communicating the nature of unshared
experience. This skill consists, in large measure, of the ability to bend your world view and adjust the
way you categorize your experience. Problems of mutual understanding are not exotic; they arise in all
extended conversations where understanding is important.

When it really counts, meaning is almost never communicated according to the CONDUIT metaphor,
that is, where one person transmits a fixed, clear proposition to another by means of expressions in a
common language, where both parties have all the relevant common knowledge, assumptions, values,
etc. When the chips are down, meaning is negotiated: you slowly figure out what you have in common,
what it is safe to talk about, how you can communicate unshared experience or create a shared vision.
With enough flexibility in bending your world view and with luck and skill and charity, you may achieve
some mutual understanding.

Communication theories based on the CONDUIT metaphor turn from the pathetic to the evil when they
are applied indiscriminately on a large scale, say, in government surveillance or computerized files.
There, what is most crucial for real understanding is almost never included, and it is assumed that the
words in the file have meaning in themselves—disembodied, objective, understandable meaning. When
a society lives by the CONDUIT metaphor on a large scale, misunderstanding, persecution, and much
worse are the likely products.

62.
Based on the passage, which of the following reasons BEST explains why metaphorical imagination is a
crucial skill?

(A) Because it helps individuals to bridge the gap that occurs while sharing lived experiences.
(B) Because it explains complex ideas in the simplest and relatable ways.
(C) Because it builds empathy and social understanding.
(D) Because it helps in aligning individual’s cultural knowledge with others.
(E) Because it turns the unfamiliar into something we can connect with.

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63.
Which of the following statements BEST conveys the premise of the passage?

(A) Large-scale communication systems, built on the CONDUIT metaphor, fuel misunderstanding and
fracture social order.
(B) Effective communication is not merely an exchange of information, but it is an exchange of
overview.
(C) For actual understanding in human interactions, we should acknowledge the limits of our own
world view.
(D) For human interaction, effortless understanding is a rare convenience.
(E) Metaphors are not merely a part of speech, but a cognitive bridge between communicators.

64.
Based on the passage, which of the following statements BEST explains the limitations of “CONDUIT
metaphors” in communication?

(A) CONDUIT metaphors treat abstract ideas as tangibles rather than fluid and dynamic.
(B) CONDUIT metaphors ease the shared work needed to co-create understanding.
(C) CONDUIT metaphors aim at simplifying ideas rather than exploring the complexities.
(D) CONDUIT metaphors work on the assumption that words have inherent fixed meanings.
(E) CONDUIT metaphors ignore the significant efforts needed to interpret the messages.

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QUESTIONS 65 TO 67

Disparate as these targets might initially appear, there is a through g
a line in the trolls’ targeting practices:
the concept of exploitability. Trolls believe that nothing should be taken seriously, and therefore regard
public displays of sentimentality, political conviction, and/or ideological rigidity as a call to trolling
arms. In this way, lulz functions as a pushback against any and all forms of attachment, a highly ironic
stance given how attached trolls are to the pursuit of lulz.

The final marker of trolling is the trolls’ insistence on and celebration of anonymity. The ability to
obscure one’ s offline identity has a number of immediate behavioral implications. Most obviously,
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anonymity allows trolls to engage in behaviors they would never replicate in professional or otherwise
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public settings, either because the specific behaviors would be considered socially unacceptable, or
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because the trolls’ online persona would clash with their offline circumstances — for example, if the troll

l a
speech or behavior,
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in question were a schoolteacher or nurse. Even if the person behind the troll avoided explicitly bigoted
a
his or her extracurricular interests would likely upset or merely baffle family g
members and agcoworkers, further reinforcing the importance, perhaps even necessity, of keeping one’ s
real-life identity under wraps.

Conversely, successful trolling is often dependent on the target’s lack of anonymity, or at least their
willingness to disclose real-life attachments, interests, and vulnerabilities. This, according to the troll, is
grounds for immediate trolling, since in the trolls’ minds, the Internet is — at least should be — an
attachment-free zone. The trolling mantra “Nothing should be taken seriously” suggests as much, and
functions both as a rallying cry and post hoc justification for trollish behavior. Trolls believe that, by

o m
wearing their hearts (or political affiliations, or sexual preferences, or other aspects of identity) on their
c
. is thus framed by trolls in explicitly
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sleeves, their targets are asking to be taught a lesson. Trolling
e target won’ t be so stupid. Maybe next time they
s
pedagogical terms. Maybe next time, trolls argue, the
la are — at least in their own minds — doing their targets
a favor. a g
won’ t be such obvious trollbait. In this way, trolls

65.
Based on the passage, which of the following can be BEST inferred about the behaviour of trolls?

(A) Trolls target those who are weak and likely to be hurt by the attacks.
(B) Trolls aggressively engage with those who are invested in what they care about.
(C) Trolls gravitate towards public forums to magnify the impact of their attacks.
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c. o Trolls attack those who they believe have wronged them or violated social
(D) Trolls use offensive and provocative comments to emotionally upset the targets.
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(E)
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ag Based on the passage, which of the following statements BEST conveys why trolls prefer anonymity?

(A) Anonymity frees trolls from biographical constraints to create caricatured versions of themselves.
(B) Anonymity allows trolls to express their impulses, aggressions and fascinations.
(C) Anonymity lets trolls go against the social norms and express their repressed selves covertly.
(D) Anonymity grants trolls freedom to pursue the interests they shy away from their visible lives.
(E) Anonymity helps trolls in liberating themselves from confronting their own moral contradictions.
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67.
Based on the passage, what does the author BEST convey by the statement, “trolls are — at least in their
own minds — doing their targets a favor?”

(A) Trolls use their online harassment as a form of corrective social conditioning.
(B) Trolls help their victims in identifying and fixing their mistakes.
(C) Trolls make their targets strong and resilient against any kind of bullying.
(D) Trolls shame their subjects to introspect and reflect on what they share online.
(E) Trolls scare away their victims from being themselves ever again online.

QUESTIONS 68 TO 70

Later, I realized that reviewing the history of nuclear physics served another purpose as well: It gave the
lie to the naive belief that the physicists could have come together when nuclear fission was discovered
(in Nazi Germany!) and agreed to keep the discovery a secret, thereby sparing humankind the nuclear
burden. No. Given the development of nuclear physics up to 1938, development that physicists
throughout the world pursued in all innocence of any intention of finding the engine of a new weapon of
mass destruction—only one of them, the remarkable Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, took that
possibility seriously—the discovery of nuclear fission was inevitable. To stop it, you would have had to
stop physics. If German scientists hadn’t made the discovery when they did, British, French, American,
Russian, Italian, or Danish scientists would have done so, almost certainly within days or weeks. They
were all working at the same cutting edge, trying to understand the strange results of a simple
experiment bombarding uranium with neutrons. Here was no Faustian bargain, as movie directors and
other naifs still find it intellectually challenging to imagine. Here was no evil machinery that the noble
scientists might have hidden from the politicians and the generals. To the contrary, here was a new
insight into how the world works, an energetic reaction, older than the earth, that science had finally
devised the instruments and arrangements to coax forth. “Make it seem inevitable,” Louis Pasteur used
to advise his students when they prepared to write up their discoveries. But it was. To wish that it might
have been ignored or suppressed is barbarous. “Knowledge,” Niels Bohr once noted, “is itself the basis
for civilization.” You cannot have the one without the other; the one depends upon the other. Nor can
you have only benevolent knowledge; the scientific method doesn’t filter for benevolence. Knowledge
has consequences, not always intended, not always comfortable, not always welcome. The earth revolves
around the sun, not the sun around the earth. “It is a profound and necessary truth,” Robert
Oppenheimer would say, “that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are
found because it was possible to find them.”

...Bohr proposed once that the goal of science is not universal truth. Rather, he argued, the modest but
relentless goal of science is “the gradual removal of prejudices.” The discovery that the earth revolves
around the sun has gradually removed the prejudice that the earth is the center of the universe. The
discovery of microbes is gradually removing the prejudice that disease is a punishment from God. The
discovery of evolution is gradually removing the prejudice that Homo sapiens is a separate and special
creation.

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68.
Based on the passage, which of the following would the author BEST agree with?

(A) Science is not benevolent.
(B) Science is inconsiderate.
(C) Science is amoral.
(D) Science is the ultimate truth.
(E) Science is immoral.

69.
Based on the passage, which of the following statements is DEFINITELY NOT true?

(A) Science gradually removes false beliefs about the world.
(B) Scientific discoveries are driven by utility not by the pursuit of truth.
(C) For a civilization, knowledge creation is its core activity regardless of its nature.
(D) Science does not promise only positive outcomes.
(E) The wheel of scientific progress cannot be stopped.

70.
Based on the passage, which of the following statements can be BEST concluded?

(A) Scientists are driven by the urge to explore, not by who the exploration affects.
(B) Scientists do not care about the consequences of scientific discoveries.
(C) Relying on science to answer moral questions is futile.
(D) The future of mankind cannot be determined by scientific discoveries.
(E) Scientists are not responsible for the impact of their scientific discoveries.

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QUESTIONS 71 TO 73

A crucial moderating factor in how people experience comparison isgself-esteem. Individuals with high
a
self-esteem are more likely to interpret upward comparison as informative rather than threatening. They
are more resilient in the face of others’ success and more likely to believe they can improve. In contrast,
people with low self-esteem are more prone to interpret comparison as judgment, reinforcing negative
self-views and triggering feelings of inadequacy.
This dynamic creates a self-reinforcing loop. People who already doubt their worth are more vulnerable
to upward comparison, which intensifies those doubts. Those with a secure sense of self are more likely
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to use comparison as a learning tool. The same external stimulus—a colleague’s achievement, a peer’s

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attractiveness, a friend’s popularity—can have radically different effects depending on internal stability.
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emin “selective comparison,” seeking out those who confirm their existing beliefs
Self-esteem also influences how people choose their comparison targets. Research has found that
s g l a
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individuals often engage
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agseek out targets that reinforce that sense, perpetuating a narrative of inferiority. One of
about themselves. This can become a subtle form of self-sabotage. Someone who feels unworthy may
unconsciously
the most promising antidotes to social comparison is temporal comparison—evaluating oneself not
against others, but against one’s own past. This strategy has been shown to increase motivation and
satisfaction, especially when individuals can see concrete progress.

Temporal comparison activates the same reward circuits as social comparison but avoids the threat
systems associated with social ranking. It also reinforces agency: individuals focus on what they can

m
control and improve rather than what others possess. In therapeutic and coaching settings, temporal

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comparison is often used to help clients build self-efficacy and track growth over time.

s em
Moreover, people who focus on self-improvement rather than social dominance are less likely to fall into
la never compare—but that they compare with awareness
cycles of envy or self-pity. They can still use others as inspiration, but they do so without attaching their
g
a
self-worth to the outcome. This is not to say they
and perspective.

The most skilful approach to comparison may lie not in eliminating it, but in reframing it as feedback.
When we interpret comparison as information rather than a verdict, we open the door to learning.
Instead of asking, “Am I better or worse?” we can ask, “What can I learn from this?” This shift turns
others into teachers rather than rivals.

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Psychologists emphasize that the key variable here is mindset. A fixed mindset interprets comparison as
o
melse has reached a certain level, it means the path exists. This reframing ismnot c
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a threat. If someone else is better, it means we are worse. A growth mindset sees comparison as a map. If
o
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someone
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trick. It changes the emotional tone of comparison, making it more likely to inspire
l pang of envy or shame
l as Reframing also requires emotional regulation—the ability to notice an a g
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ag without reacting impulsively. With practice, individuals can learn to pause, reflect, and reinterpret their
emotional responses. Over time, this builds resilience and self-trust, allowing comparison to become a
catalyst rather than a cage.

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71.
Based on the passage, which of the following options will the author BEST agree with regarding the
differences between temporal and social comparison?

(A) Temporal comparison relies on threat responses, whereas social comparison eliminates threat
circuitry.
(B) Temporal comparison eliminates threat responses, whereas social comparison can activate threat
circuitry.
(C) Temporal comparison relies on both reward and threat circuits, whereas social comparison relies
only on the threat circuitry.
(D) Temporal comparison measures performance by embedding it in a hierarchy, whereas social
comparison does not.
(E) Temporal comparison evokes objectivity by excluding emotional interpretation, whereas social
comparison is externally anchored.

72.
Based on the passage, which of the following will the author MOST agree with?

(A) High self-esteem ensures that the anchor of comparison is seen as opportunity for growth.
(B) High self-esteem ensures that upward comparison must yield positive results.
(C) High self-esteem affects upward comparison negatively, but resilience helps cope with the
negativity.
(D) High self-esteem creates a reinforcing loop of adequacy making us look forward to upward social
comparison.
(E) The need for upward comparison reduces when we have high self-esteem.

73.
Based on the passage, which of the following is NOT true about comparison?

(A) The effect of negative comparisons can be altered when individuals approach it with a growth-
oriented mindset.
(B) The impact of social comparison depends on how individual interpret comparisons with others.
(C) Individuals with low self-esteem prefer those comparisons that reinforce negative self-evaluation.
(D) People with high self-esteem do not require to rely on temporal comparison for learning.
(E) Variation in self-esteem influences how individuals perceive comparisons with others.

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QUESTIONS 74 TO 75

Beware of the old newspapers
stacked
on that little three legged stool over there.

Don’t disturb them.
I know it for a fact
that snakes have spawned in between these
sheets.

Don’t even look in that direction.
It’s not because of breeze
that their corners are fluttering.

It’s alive, that nest of newspapers.
New born snakes, coiling and uncoiling,
are turning their heads to look at you.

That white corner has spread its hood.
A forked tongue
shoots out of its mouth.

Keep your eyes closed.
Get rid of the whole goddamn pile if you
want to
in the morning.

74.
What does the poet BEST convey about old newspapers when he says “that snakes have spawned in
between these sheets?”

(A) Old newspapers stand for suppressed truths whose venom surfaces when disturbed.
(B) Old newspapers are society’s voices that turn hostile over time.
(C) Old newspapers embody the decay of knowledge turning into toxic remnants.
(D) Old newspapers’ unattended knowledge turns into future threats.
(E) Old newspapers symbolize the repressed stories that may confront the present.

75.
Which of the following BEST captures what the poet communicates when he says, “Keep your eyes
closed./ Get rid of the whole goddamn pile if you/ want to/ in the morning?”

(A) Acting on an unsettling past can help in overcoming the fear it instils.
(B) Staying away from the past helps in escaping what is unsettling.
(C) Being delusional about the disturbing past is the solution to handle it.
(D) Confrontation is not the best way in dealing with the disturbing past.
(E) Better to avoid the disturbing past rather than confronting it.

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m Section IV — General Knowledge as
se Questions 76–95 · 20 questions
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76.
Match the temple architectural terms in Column A with their descriptions in Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

1. Garbhagriha a. Main gateway of a Dravidian temple

2. Gopuram b. Inner sanctum where the deity resides
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3. Mandapa
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c. Stone disk at the top of a Nagara shikhara
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d. Pillared assembly hall for devotees
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(A)

(B) 1-d, a
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1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c
g 3-b, 4-a
2-c,
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(C) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d
(D) 1-b, 2-d, 3-a, 4-c
(E) 1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-b

77. India recently achieved a milestone by placing its heaviest payload ever into orbit using the LVM3-M6
rocket. Which of the following is a satellite, launched as a part of this mission?
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(A) Oceansat-3
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(B) RISAT-2BR1
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(C) GSAT-24
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(D) BlueBird Block-2 a
(E) XAT-2026

78. Which of the following is NOT true about octopuses?
(A) Their blood emits a radium-like glow under moonlight.
(B) They have three hearts.
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(C) They can eject a cloud of ink which creates smoke-screen effect, to escape predators.
m usually have a lifespan of around 1-5 years.
c. o They
(D)

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They can regrow their lost arms.
(E)

s g l
g la 79. Who won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the novel "James", aareimagining of "The Adventures of
a Huckleberry Finn"?
(A) Rabih Alameddine
(B) Andrew Miller
(C) Percival Everett
(D) Hisham Matar
(E) David Szalay
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80. Which of the following is a comet that flew very close to the Earth in December, 2025?
(A) C/2025 A6
(B) C/2024 G3
(C) 3I/ATLAS
(D) C/2025 R2
(E) Halley’s Comet

81. Which of the following is the first Asian country to host the Commonwealth Games?
(A) India
(B) Bhutan
(C) China
(D) Japan
(E) Malaysia

82. Who was the RUNNER-UP in the 2025 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Singles Championship?
(A) Taylor Fritz
(B) Novak Djokovic
(C) Alexander Zverev
(D) Jannik Sinner
(E) Carlos Alcaraz

83. Who is credited for popularizing the telephone greeting “Hello”?
(A) Alexander Graham Bell
(B) Adele
(C) Lionel Ritchie
(D) Thomas Edison
(E) Thomas Watson

84. Who, among the following, is credited for designing the following ad campaigns: "Kuch khaas
hai...zindagi mein" (Cadbury's), "Fevicol ka mazboot jod hai, tootega nahin" (Fevicol), and "Har ghar
kuch kehta hai" (Asian Paints)?
(A) Alyque Padamsee
(B) Rajiv Rao
(C) Sonal Dabral
(D) Prasoon Joshi
(E) Piyush Pandey

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85. Who was the player of the tournament in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025?
(A) Shafali Verma
(B) Deepti Sharma
(C) Smriti Mandhana
(D) Sara Tendulkar
(E) Jemimah Rodrigues

86. What is common among the following celebrities: Val Kilmer, Diane Keaton, Robert Redford,
Dharmendra Deol and B. Saroja Devi?
(A) These celebrities were the co-actors of Kamal Haasan in his 100th movie.
(B) These celebrities are posthumously nominated for 2026 Bharat Ratna Award.
(C) These celebrities passed away in 2025.
(D) These celebrities were born in the same year.
(E) These celebrities received Times Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2025.

87. Which Indian city has become home to the country’s first Semiconductor Innovation Museum?
(A) Kolkata
(B) Pune
(C) Mumbai
(D) Hyderabad
(E) Bengaluru

88. India recently launched its first indigenous 64-bit dual-core microprocessor. What is it named?
(A) DHRUV64
(B) VEGA-X
(C) SHAKTI-64
(D) ARYA-Core
(E) PRITHVI-9

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Match the legendary Indian Musician in Column A with the musicalainstruments they are famously
se associated with in Column B.
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COLUMN A COLUMN B

1. Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma a. Sarod

2. Ustad Amjad Ali khan b. Flute

3. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia c. Santoor

4. Ustad Bismillah Khan d. Shehnai
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5. U Srinivas e. Mandolin
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(D) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-d, 5-e
(E) 1-e, 2-c, 3-d, 4-b, 5-a

90. Which of the following GST slabs was abolished, during GST rationalization, in September 2025?
(A) 25 Percent

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(B) 12 Percent
(C) 18 Percent
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(D) 5 Percent
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91. Which of the following is the Oxford Word of the Year 2025?
(A) Rizz
(B) Rage bait
(C) Six-Seven
(D) Pookie
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92. Arrange the following generations from the oldest to the youngest:
1. Generation X
2. Silent Generation
3. Generation Alpha
4. Baby Boomers
5. Millennials
(A) 2, 4, 5, 1, 3
(B) 1, 2, 4, 5, 3
(C) 2, 1, 4, 5, 3
(D) 4, 2, 1, 5, 3
(E) 2, 4, 1, 5, 3

93. Which of the following BEST describes a startup that is resilient, built for a long-term survival, and is
not focused on hyped-up valuation?
(A) Pegasus
(B) Unicorn
(C) Tortoise
(D) Leech
(E) Cockroach

94. What is the primary objective of “Project Suncatcher” that Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced
recently?
(A) Building solar-powered smartphones.
(B) Deploying solar-powered AI data centers in space.
(C) Launching a global network of solar-powered drones.
(D) Creating a new AI model for weather prediction.
(E) Developing transparent solar panels for skyscrapers.

95. Which major Indian infrastructure project, featuring the world's highest railway arch bridge over the
Chenab River, was fully integrated into the national network in 2025?
(A) Diamond Quadrilateral
(B) Namo Bharat RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System)
(C) Char Dham Highway Project
(D) Bharatmala Project
(E) USBRL (Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link)

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Answer Key

Section I — Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation (Q1–Q28)

Q.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ans D A C D E C B C D D

Q.No 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Ans B C B B D B C B C A

Q.No 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Ans E B B A D E A A

Section II — Decision Making (Q29–Q49)

Q.No 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Ans C B D C C A D A D C

Q.No 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Ans C E A E C C C E D A

Q.No 49

Ans C

Section III — Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (Q50–Q75)

Q.No 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59

Ans D D C B A D B C C C

Q.No 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

Ans D E E C D B C E C B

Q.No 70 71 72 73 74 75

Ans A B A D E A

Section IV — General Knowledge (Q76–Q95)

Q.No 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

Ans A D A C C E E D E B

Q.No 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95

Ans C D A D B B E E B E

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