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    Mock Test 7 for XAT: 95 Questions with Solutions & Analysis

    Attempt the Mock Test 7 for XAT: 95 exam-level questions, detailed solutions and performance analysis. First questions free.

    95 Qs

    Total Questions

    95 Marks

    Total Marks

    141.77 Mins

    Duration

    +3 / -1 / 0

    Marking Scheme

    Section-wise Paper Structure

    Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI)

    28 Qs

    29% of total marks

    Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR)

    26 Qs

    27% of total marks

    Decision Making (DM)

    21 Qs

    22% of total marks

    General Knowledge (GK)

    20 Qs

    21% of total marks

    Free Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

    Authentic examination problems with detailed derivations and answer keys.

    Question 1
    2024 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard
    Common Description: A store offers a choice of ve different discount coupons to its customers, described as follows: Coupon A: A at discount of Rs. 250 on a minimum spend of Rs. 1200 in one transaction.
    Coupon B: A 15% discount on a minimum spend of Rs. 500 in one transaction, up to a maximum discount of Rs. 300.
    Coupon C: A at discount of Rs. 100 on a minimum spend of Rs. 600 in one transaction.
    Coupon D: A 10% discount on a minimum spend of Rs. 250 in one transaction, up to a maximum discount of Rs. 100.
    Coupon E: A at discount of Rs. 50 on a minimum spend of Rs. 200 in one transaction.
    The customers are allowed to use at most one coupon in one transaction, i.e., two or more coupons cannot be combined for the same transaction. Four customers used four different discount coupons for their respective transactions in such a way that they obtained a total discount of Rs. 710. Which discount coupon was not used?
    Question 2
    2023 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    The Guava club has won 40% of their football matches in the Apple Cup that they have played so far. If they play another n matches and win all of them, their winning percentage will improve to 50. Further, if they play 15 more matches and win all of them, their winning percentage will improve from 50 to 60. How many matches has the Guava club played in the Apple Cup so far? In the Apple Cup matches, there are only two possible outcomes, win or loss; draw is not possible.

    Question 3
    2023 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    Comprehension:The three graphs below capture relationship between economic(and social) activities and subjective well-being. The rst graph(Graph-1) captures relationship between GDP(percapita) and Satisfaction with life, across different countries and four islands: Gizo, Roviana, Niijhum Dwip, and Chittagong. The Graph-2 captures three different measures of subjective well-being(Satisfaction with life, Affect Balance and Momentary Affect) across the four islands, which have different levels monetization(Index). The Graph-3 captures levels of thirteen different socio-economic activities across four islands.

    Which of the following site has the highest shing to economic ratio?

    Question 4
    2025 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    Work, for many on the career track, is greedy. The individual who puts in overtime, weekend time, or evening time will earn a lot more—so much more that, even on an hourly basis, the person is earning more....The greediness of work means that couples with children or other care responsibilities would gain by doing a bit of specialization. This specialization doesn’t mean catapulting back to the world of Leave It to Beaver. Women will still pursue demanding careers. But one member of the couple will be on call at home, ready to leave the office or workplace at a moment’s notice. That person will have a position with considerable flexibility and will ordinarily not be expected to answer an e-mail or a call at ten p.m. That parent will not have to cancel an appearance at soccer practice for an M&A. The other parent, however, will be on call at work and do just the opposite. The potential impact on promotion, advancement, and earnings is obvious. The work of professionals and managers has always been greedy. Lawyers have always burned the midnight oil. Academics have always been judged for their cerebral output and are expected not to turn their brains off in the evenings. Most doctors and veterinarians were once on call 24/7. The value of greedy jobs has greatly increased with rising income inequality, which has soared since the early 1980s. Earnings at the very upper end of the income distribution have ballooned. The worker who jumps the highest gets an ever-bigger reward. The jobs with the greatest demands for long hours and the least flexibility have paid disproportionately more, while earnings in other employments have stagnated. Thus, positions that have been more difficult for women to enter in the first place, such as those in finance, are precisely the ones that have seen the greatest increases in income in the last several decades. The private equity associate who sees the deal through from beginning to end, who did the difficult modeling, and who went to every meeting and late-night dinner, will have maximum chance for a big bonus and the sought-after promotion. Rising inequality in earnings may be one important reason why the gender pay gap among college graduates has remained flat in the last several decades, despite improvements in women’s credentials and positions. It may be the reason why the gender earnings gap for college graduates became larger than that between men and women in the entire population in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

    Women have been swimming upstream, holding their own but going against a strong current of endemic income inequality. Greedy work also means that couple equity has been, and will continue to be, jettisoned for increased family income. And when couple equity is thrown out the window, gender equality generally goes with it, except among same-sex unions. Gender norms that we have inherited get reinforced in a host of ways to allot more of the childcare responsibility to mothers, and more of the family care to grown daughters.

    Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

    Question 5
    2026 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    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.

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

    Question 6
    2025 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    Look how you turned on the ceiling fan—it’s too high, see how it shakes and trembles.

    You walk into this room with your hot ideas and the ceiling fan has to work harder to cool down the room for us. You walk into this room with your crazy eyes and the ceiling fan wants to fly loose. It dreams of becoming a spider lily.

    Which of the following statements BEST conveys the theme of the poem?

    Question 7
    2025 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    Ned Flanders and Homer Simpson Partners Limited is a law firm, known for its unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. They treat the clients as family members who have grown along with the firm. Further, they are highly regarded in the industry, consulted by the country’s top organizations. Among the founders, Homer Simpson is flamboyant, while Ned Flanders is serious. Together, they bring a dynamic balance to the team.

    The organization believes in a strong socialization ritual that bonds the new lawyers(newcomers) with the existing members. Also, the socialization ritual ensures that newcomers fully understand the nature of their work and integrate seamlessly into the company’s culture. During their first week, newcomers are overloaded with a barrage of artificial tasks, unexpected client calls, and a challenging meeting with the founders. This results in newcomers getting overwhelmed, and doubting their decision to join the firm, only for the founders to meet them and reveal that this is one big prank and a way to welcome them to the organization. This socialization ritual has served them well for the past two decades. However, not all the newcomers appreciate the utility of this ritual.

    One of the lawyers, Ms. Lisa Simpleton, who joined in 2023 and went through the same socialization ritual, found it unwelcoming. She believes that other newcomers might also share the same opinion. Lisa thinks that the current generation, especially post-COVID, needs more friendly welcome, and the firm must put an end to this ritual.

    It is 2025: a new batch of lawyers has joined the firm.

    Some lawyers from the 2024 batch have approached the founders to express their appreciation for the intent behind the socialization ritual. They shared that the experience offered them a glimpse of the world they are about to enter. However, they feel that the ritual has become archaic in its execution, showing its age and necessitating some fresh thinking.

    As they leave, Ned feels that the time has come to abandon the ritual due to changing times. However, Homer disagrees; he thinks that exposing the employees to what the profession has to offer, in the first week, is very critical. Moreover, it helps the organization know whether the newcomer is ready for such a profession. Further, he adds that the socialization ritual has been effectively helping them for decades in grooming the talents of their organization.

    Which of the following actions should the founders BEST take, if they still want to welcome their newcomers by exposing them to the harsh reality of the profession, while being empathetic to the demands of the times?

    Question 8
    2026 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Common Description:

    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.

    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?

    Question 9
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    A housing queue has 100 applicants. The authority discovers that 10 applicants falsely claimed a "student" exception, which adds 10 points to their score. The original scores of these false claimants were in the range . Their inflated scores pushed them ahead of 20 legitimate applicants whose original scores were in the range and who did not claim any exception.

    To correct this without penalizing the legitimate non-exception applicants, the authority applies a uniform penalty to ALL applicants who claimed the student exception.

    What is the minimum integer penalty that guarantees NO falsely claiming student will have a final score strictly greater than the lowest legitimate non-exception applicant (whose score is 50)?

    Question 10
    2024 PYQ
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Match the following national capitals with their respective countries/territories.

    Question 11
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Assertion (A): India has never won a gold medal in athletics (track and field events) at the Olympic Games.

    Reason (R): Neeraj Chopra's gold medal in javelin throw at Tokyo 2020 was India's first individual gold medal at the Olympics.

    Choose the correct option:

    Question 12
    Level 3: Exam Standard

    Consider the following statements regarding the Financial Intelligence Unit - India (FIU-IND):

    1. It is the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing, and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.
    2. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    3. Reporting entities, including banks and intermediaries, are legally obligated to report cash transactions and suspicious transactions to FIU-IND under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    How many of the above statements are strictly correct?

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    Mock Test 7 for XAT: 95 Questions with Solutions & Analysis

    Attempt the Mock Test 7 for XAT: 95 exam-level questions, detailed solutions and performance analysis. First questions free.

    Paper breakdown

    95 questions · 95 marks · 141.77 minutes. Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI): 28 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR): 26 · Decision Making (DM): 21 · General Knowledge (GK): 20

    Free sample questions from Mock Test 7

    Question 1 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) · 2024 MCQ
    Common Description: A store offers a choice of ve different discount coupons to its customers, described as follows: Coupon A: A at discount of Rs. 250 on a minimum spend of Rs. 1200 in one transaction.
    Coupon B: A 15% discount on a minimum spend of Rs. 500 in one transaction, up to a maximum discount of Rs. 300.
    Coupon C: A at discount of Rs. 100 on a minimum spend of Rs. 600 in one transaction.
    Coupon D: A 10% discount on a minimum spend of Rs. 250 in one transaction, up to a maximum discount of Rs. 100.
    Coupon E: A at discount of Rs. 50 on a minimum spend of Rs. 200 in one transaction.
    The customers are allowed to use at most one coupon in one transaction, i.e., two or more coupons cannot be combined for the same transaction. Four customers used four different discount coupons for their respective transactions in such a way that they obtained a total discount of Rs. 710. Which discount coupon was not used?
    1. A.

      Coupon A

    2. B.

      Coupon B

    3. C.

      Coupon C

    4. D.

      Coupon D

    5. E.

      Coupon E

    Correct Answer:

    E

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a combinatorial optimization problem involving discount caps. The key is to determine the maximum possible discount each coupon can provide and use elimination to find which combination can reach the target sum.

    Step 1: Analyze the maximum discount for each coupon.

    • Coupon A: Flat Rs. 250 (Min spend 1200). Max = 250.
    • Coupon B: 15% off, max Rs. 300 (Min spend 500). Max = 300.
    • Coupon C: Flat Rs. 100 (Min spend 600). Max = 100.
    • Coupon D: 10% off, max Rs. 100 (Min spend 250). Max = 100.
    • Coupon E: Flat Rs. 50 (Min spend 200). Max = 50.

    Step 2: Calculate the maximum possible total discount if one coupon is left out.

    The total discount obtained is Rs. 710. We need to find which coupon was NOT used. This means the sum of the discounts of the 4 used coupons must be exactly 710.

    Let's check the maximum possible sum for each scenario (leaving one out):

    • Leave out A: Max sum = B(300) + C(100) + D(100) + E(50) = 550. (Cannot reach 710).
    • Leave out B: Max sum = A(250) + C(100) + D(100) + E(50) = 500. (Cannot reach 710).
    • Leave out C: Max sum = A(250) + B(300) + D(100) + E(50) = 700. (Cannot reach 710).
    • Leave out D: Max sum = A(250) + B(300) + C(100) + E(50) = 700. (Cannot reach 710).
    • Leave out E: Max sum = A(250) + B(300) + C(100) + D(100) = 750. (Can reach 710, since 710 <= 750).

    Step 3: Verify the valid scenario.

    If E is left out, the used coupons are A, B, C, D.

    Their discounts must sum to 710.

    A gives 250, C gives 100. Sum so far = 350.

    Remaining needed from B and D = 710 - 350 = 360.

    Since B can give up to 300 and D can give up to 100, their maximum combined is 400.

    We need 360, which is perfectly possible (e.g., B gives 300, D gives 60; or B gives 260, D gives 100).

    Therefore, the coupon not used is Coupon E.

    Answer: Coupon E

    Question 2 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) · 2023 MCQ

    The Guava club has won 40% of their football matches in the Apple Cup that they have played so far. If they play another n matches and win all of them, their winning percentage will improve to 50. Further, if they play 15 more matches and win all of them, their winning percentage will improve from 50 to 60. How many matches has the Guava club played in the Apple Cup so far? In the Apple Cup matches, there are only two possible outcomes, win or loss; draw is not possible.

    1. A.

      50

    2. B.

      40

    3. C.

      30

    4. D.

      Cannot be determined, as the value of n is not given

    5. E.

      60

    Correct Answer:

    A

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a percentage shift problem involving a changing base (total matches). The key is to translate the winning percentages into algebraic equations using the initial matches and wins.

    Step 1: Define variables.

    Let the number of matches played so far be .

    Let the number of matches won so far be .

    Step 2: Formulate the initial condition.

    Winning percentage is 40%.

    .

    Step 3: Formulate the first shift condition.

    If they play more matches and win all, the new win % is 50%.

    Substitute :

    .

    Step 4: Formulate the second shift condition.

    If they play 15 more matches and win all (on top of the previous matches), the win % becomes 60%.

    Total matches now = .

    Total wins now = .

    Step 5: Solve for .

    Substitute and into the equation:

    .

    The number of matches played so far is 50.

    Answer: 50

    Question 3 · Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation (QA & DI) · 2023 MCQ

    Common Description:

    Comprehension:The three graphs below capture relationship between economic(and social) activities and subjective well-being. The rst graph(Graph-1) captures relationship between GDP(percapita) and Satisfaction with life, across different countries and four islands: Gizo, Roviana, Niijhum Dwip, and Chittagong. The Graph-2 captures three different measures of subjective well-being(Satisfaction with life, Affect Balance and Momentary Affect) across the four islands, which have different levels monetization(Index). The Graph-3 captures levels of thirteen different socio-economic activities across four islands.

    Which of the following site has the highest shing to economic ratio?

    1. A.

      Gizo

    2. B.

      Chittagong

    3. C.

      Roviana

    4. D.

      Niijhum Dwip

    5. E.

      All four islands have equal dependence

    Correct Answer:

    A

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a multi-graph interpretation question, recognizable because it requires extracting data from one graph (Graph-3) and potentially cross-referencing with another (Graph-2 or Graph-1) to calculate a ratio.

    Step 1: Identify the relevant graph. The question asks for the "fishing to economic ratio". Graph-3 captures levels of thirteen different socio-economic activities, including fishing. Graph-1 or Graph-2 likely contains the "economic" metric (often GDP or Monetization Index).

    Step 2: Locate the "Fishing" activity bar/point for each of the four islands (Gizo, Roviana, Niijhum Dwip, Chittagong) in Graph-3.

    Step 3: Locate the "Economic" metric for each island. If "economic" refers to the Monetization Index from Graph-2, extract those values. If it refers to GDP from Graph-1, extract those. In this specific XAT context, "economic ratio" usually implies comparing the activity level to the overall economic index (Monetization).

    Step 4: Calculate the ratio for each island.

    Step 5: Compare the ratios. Gizo typically shows a high dependence on fishing relative to its monetization index in this dataset.

    Answer: A

    Question 4 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2025 MCQ

    Common Description:

    Work, for many on the career track, is greedy. The individual who puts in overtime, weekend time, or evening time will earn a lot more—so much more that, even on an hourly basis, the person is earning more....The greediness of work means that couples with children or other care responsibilities would gain by doing a bit of specialization. This specialization doesn’t mean catapulting back to the world of Leave It to Beaver. Women will still pursue demanding careers. But one member of the couple will be on call at home, ready to leave the office or workplace at a moment’s notice. That person will have a position with considerable flexibility and will ordinarily not be expected to answer an e-mail or a call at ten p.m. That parent will not have to cancel an appearance at soccer practice for an M&A. The other parent, however, will be on call at work and do just the opposite. The potential impact on promotion, advancement, and earnings is obvious. The work of professionals and managers has always been greedy. Lawyers have always burned the midnight oil. Academics have always been judged for their cerebral output and are expected not to turn their brains off in the evenings. Most doctors and veterinarians were once on call 24/7. The value of greedy jobs has greatly increased with rising income inequality, which has soared since the early 1980s. Earnings at the very upper end of the income distribution have ballooned. The worker who jumps the highest gets an ever-bigger reward. The jobs with the greatest demands for long hours and the least flexibility have paid disproportionately more, while earnings in other employments have stagnated. Thus, positions that have been more difficult for women to enter in the first place, such as those in finance, are precisely the ones that have seen the greatest increases in income in the last several decades. The private equity associate who sees the deal through from beginning to end, who did the difficult modeling, and who went to every meeting and late-night dinner, will have maximum chance for a big bonus and the sought-after promotion. Rising inequality in earnings may be one important reason why the gender pay gap among college graduates has remained flat in the last several decades, despite improvements in women’s credentials and positions. It may be the reason why the gender earnings gap for college graduates became larger than that between men and women in the entire population in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

    Women have been swimming upstream, holding their own but going against a strong current of endemic income inequality. Greedy work also means that couple equity has been, and will continue to be, jettisoned for increased family income. And when couple equity is thrown out the window, gender equality generally goes with it, except among same-sex unions. Gender norms that we have inherited get reinforced in a host of ways to allot more of the childcare responsibility to mothers, and more of the family care to grown daughters.

    Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

    1. A.

      Flexibility in work may result in relatively lesser income.

    2. B.

      The root of all problems in the world is greed.

    3. C.

      Women can be equally greedy as men.

    4. D.

      Many of those toiling hard on the career track are greedy

    5. E.

      Jobs that extract the most out of the workforce also pay more

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a "CANNOT be inferred" question, recognizable by the explicit negative constraint. We are looking for the statement that is either contradicted by the passage or completely unsupported (especially extreme statements).

    Step 1: Analyze Option A. The passage states, "jobs with the greatest demands for long hours and the least flexibility have paid disproportionately more." This implies flexibility may result in lesser income. (Can be inferred)

    Step 2: Analyze Option B. "The root of all problems in the world is greed." This is a massive, sweeping generalization. The passage only discusses "greedy work" in the context of career tracks and income inequality, not all problems in the world. (CANNOT be inferred)

    Step 3: Analyze Option C. The passage notes, "Women will still pursue demanding careers," implying they can be as ambitious or "greedy" for career success as men, even if structural norms push them toward flexibility. (Can be inferred)

    Step 4: Analyze Option D & E. The passage explicitly states, "Work, for many on the career track, is greedy" and "jobs that extract the most... have paid disproportionately more." (Can be inferred)

    Step 5: Conclude that Option B is the clear outlier due to its extreme, out-of-scope nature.

    Answer: B

    Question 5 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2026 MCQ

    Common Description:

    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.

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

    1. A.

      Scientists are driven by the urge to explore, not by who the exploration affects.

    2. B.

      Scientists do not care about the consequences of scientific discoveries.

    3. C.

      Relying on science to answer moral questions is futile.

    4. D.

      The future of mankind cannot be determined by scientific discoveries.

    5. E.

      Scientists are not responsible for the impact of their scientific discoveries.

    Correct Answer:

    A

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a "main conclusion" reading comprehension question, recognizable because it asks what can be "BEST concluded" from the passage about the nature of scientific discovery.

    Step 1: Identify the author's core argument about scientists. The passage states physicists pursued nuclear physics "in all innocence of any intention of finding the engine of a new weapon" and that discoveries are made "because it was possible to find them," not because they are useful.

    Step 2: Evaluate the options.

    • Option A aligns perfectly: scientists are driven by the urge to explore ("possible to find them"), not by who the exploration affects ("in all innocence").
    • Option B is too extreme ("do not care"); the passage says they pursued it in innocence, not that they are callous or indifferent to consequences.
    • Option C is out of scope; the passage doesn't discuss science answering moral questions.
    • Option D is contradicted; the passage implies scientific discoveries profoundly determine the future (e.g., the "nuclear burden").
    • Option E is a distortion; while the discovery was inevitable, the passage does not absolve scientists of all responsibility, it just explains the origin of the discovery.

    Answer: A

    Question 6 · Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VALR) · 2025 MCQ

    Common Description:

    Look how you turned on the ceiling fan—it’s too high, see how it shakes and trembles.

    You walk into this room with your hot ideas and the ceiling fan has to work harder to cool down the room for us. You walk into this room with your crazy eyes and the ceiling fan wants to fly loose. It dreams of becoming a spider lily.

    Which of the following statements BEST conveys the theme of the poem?

    1. A.

      The poem talks about inner conflict resolved by an attempt to restore balance

    2. B.

      The poem conveys fear and anxiety due to the loss of stability.

    3. C.

      The poem conveys a subtle art of argumentation and counter-argumentation

    4. D.

      The poem talks about a conflict between transformation and escapism

    5. E.

      The poem conveys quest for self during emotional turmoil

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a theme identification question for a poem, recognizable because it asks for the statement that "BEST conveys the theme".

    Step 1: Analyze the imagery. The poem describes a ceiling fan that "shakes and trembles" because it is turned on "too high".

    Step 2: Connect imagery to the subject. A person enters with "hot ideas" and "crazy eyes", causing the fan to "work harder" and want to "fly loose", dreaming of becoming a "spider lily" (a symbol of disruption or breaking away from reality).

    Step 3: Synthesize the theme. The physical instability of the fan mirrors the psychological or emotional instability brought by the person's intense, disruptive presence. There is no resolution or balance restored; instead, there is a mounting sense of unease.

    Step 4: Evaluate options. Option B perfectly captures this mounting instability and anxiety. Option A is wrong because there is no resolution. Option C is wrong because there is no argumentation. Option D is wrong because the fan's desire to transform is a symptom of the instability, not a conflict with escapism. Option E is wrong because there is no introspective "quest for self".

    Answer: B

    Question 7 · Decision Making (DM) · 2025 MCQ

    Common Description:

    Ned Flanders and Homer Simpson Partners Limited is a law firm, known for its unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. They treat the clients as family members who have grown along with the firm. Further, they are highly regarded in the industry, consulted by the country’s top organizations. Among the founders, Homer Simpson is flamboyant, while Ned Flanders is serious. Together, they bring a dynamic balance to the team.

    The organization believes in a strong socialization ritual that bonds the new lawyers(newcomers) with the existing members. Also, the socialization ritual ensures that newcomers fully understand the nature of their work and integrate seamlessly into the company’s culture. During their first week, newcomers are overloaded with a barrage of artificial tasks, unexpected client calls, and a challenging meeting with the founders. This results in newcomers getting overwhelmed, and doubting their decision to join the firm, only for the founders to meet them and reveal that this is one big prank and a way to welcome them to the organization. This socialization ritual has served them well for the past two decades. However, not all the newcomers appreciate the utility of this ritual.

    One of the lawyers, Ms. Lisa Simpleton, who joined in 2023 and went through the same socialization ritual, found it unwelcoming. She believes that other newcomers might also share the same opinion. Lisa thinks that the current generation, especially post-COVID, needs more friendly welcome, and the firm must put an end to this ritual.

    It is 2025: a new batch of lawyers has joined the firm.

    Some lawyers from the 2024 batch have approached the founders to express their appreciation for the intent behind the socialization ritual. They shared that the experience offered them a glimpse of the world they are about to enter. However, they feel that the ritual has become archaic in its execution, showing its age and necessitating some fresh thinking.

    As they leave, Ned feels that the time has come to abandon the ritual due to changing times. However, Homer disagrees; he thinks that exposing the employees to what the profession has to offer, in the first week, is very critical. Moreover, it helps the organization know whether the newcomer is ready for such a profession. Further, he adds that the socialization ritual has been effectively helping them for decades in grooming the talents of their organization.

    Which of the following actions should the founders BEST take, if they still want to welcome their newcomers by exposing them to the harsh reality of the profession, while being empathetic to the demands of the times?

    1. A.

      They should, in their website, share details about how tough the workload is going to be.

    2. B.

      They should get a mental health professional to design their socialization ritual.

    3. C.

      They should stick to what they are doing but hire a mental health professional who the newcomers can refer to if they feel the need.

    4. D.

      They should invite suggestions from their young lawyers regarding formulating a new socialization ritual.

    5. E.

      They should talk to their competitors in the same industry and check what kind of practices they follow.

    Correct Answer:

    D

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a "change management and stakeholder inclusion" question, recognizable because it asks for the best action to balance tradition (harsh reality exposure) with modern empathy (changing times).

    Why it applies: The founders are divided (Ned wants to abandon, Homer wants to keep the core intent). The solution must preserve the core intent while updating the execution to be empathetic.

    Step 1: Evaluate Option D. Inviting suggestions from young lawyers directly involves the stakeholders who feel the ritual is archaic. It respects the founders' goal (exposing reality) while modernizing the execution through fresh thinking, satisfying both Ned's and Homer's concerns.

    Step 2: Evaluate other options. Option A (website warning) is passive and doesn't change the ritual. Options B and C (mental health professional) treat the symptom (stress) but do not fix the archaic execution of the ritual itself. Option E (checking competitors) is external and may not fit the firm's unique culture.

    Common trap: Choosing an option that completely abandons the ritual or outsources the fix (like hiring a professional), which fails to address Homer's valid point about the necessity of exposing newcomers to reality.

    Answer: D

    Question 8 · Decision Making (DM) · 2026 MCQ

    Common Description:

    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.

    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?

    1. A.

      These three batchmates are Abirami’s closest friend at MBS.

    2. B.

      These three batchmates were toppers in their respective streams during graduation.

    3. C.

      MBS’s professors generally appreciate these three batchmates’ inputs during case discussions.

    4. D.

      Students with work experience have formed their own groups, rejecting freshers.

    5. E.

      Some organizations prefer to offer internship opportunities to freshers over those with work experience.

    Correct Answer:

    C

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a peer selection and evidence-based decision-making question. The goal is to alleviate a specific fear about team composition.

    Step 1: Identify Abirami's specific fear. She worries that her fresher batchmates will "all come up with similar ideas" during case discussions, leading to a lack of diverse perspectives.

    Step 2: Evaluate which option directly counters this fear by providing objective evidence of diverse or high-quality inputs. Option C states that professors appreciate these batchmates' inputs during case discussions. This implies their ideas are distinct, valuable, and well-received by experts, directly alleviating her fear of homogeneous or poor ideas.

    Step 3: Eliminate other options. Option A (closest friends) might actually increase the risk of an echo chamber and similar ideas. Option B (toppers) indicates individual academic success but not necessarily collaborative, diverse case discussion skills. Option D is a statement of fact about rejection, not a positive reason to join this group. Option E is a general market trend, not a specific attribute of these three batchmates.

    Answer: C

    Question 9 · Decision Making (DM) NAT

    A housing queue has 100 applicants. The authority discovers that 10 applicants falsely claimed a "student" exception, which adds 10 points to their score. The original scores of these false claimants were in the range . Their inflated scores pushed them ahead of 20 legitimate applicants whose original scores were in the range and who did not claim any exception.

    To correct this without penalizing the legitimate non-exception applicants, the authority applies a uniform penalty to ALL applicants who claimed the student exception.

    What is the minimum integer penalty that guarantees NO falsely claiming student will have a final score strictly greater than the lowest legitimate non-exception applicant (whose score is 50)?

    Correct Answer:

    9

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: this is a reverse-engineering question — you must determine the maximum possible inflated score of a false claimant, then calculate the penalty required to bring that maximum score down to or below the threshold of the lowest legitimate applicant.

    Step 1: identify the scores of the false claimants.

    Original scores: .

    Maximum original score = 49.

    Exception added = +10 points.

    Maximum inflated score = .

    Step 2: identify the threshold score.

    The lowest legitimate non-exception applicant has a score of 50.

    We want the final score of the highest false claimant to be .

    Step 3: set up the inequality for the penalty .

    Final score of highest false claimant = Maximum inflated score - .

    Step 4: solve for .

    The minimum integer penalty is 9.

    Step 5: verify the result.

    If , the highest false claimant's final score is .

    This is not strictly greater than 50, so the condition is satisfied.

    Common trap: adding the penalty instead of subtracting it, or comparing the inflated score to 59 instead of 50.

    Answer: 9

    Question 10 · General Knowledge (GK) · 2024 MCQ

    Match the following national capitals with their respective countries/territories.

    1. A.

      a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i

    2. B.

      a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv

    3. C.

      a-ii, b-i, c-iii, d-iv

    4. D.

      a-ii, b-iv, c-i, d-iii

    5. E.

      a-ii, b-iv, c-iii, d-i

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a standard geography matching question testing knowledge of world capitals. The strategy is to identify the most certain pairs first and use elimination for the rest.

    Step 1: Identify the capital-country pairs based on general knowledge.

    • (a) Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan.
    • (b) Naypyidaw is the capital of Myanmar (Burma).
    • (c) Malé is the capital of Maldives.
    • (d) Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

    Step 2: Map these to the implied numbered list in the options.

    • a (Thimphu) matches ii (Bhutan)
    • b (Naypyidaw) matches iii (Myanmar)
    • c (Malé) matches i (Maldives)
    • d (Colombo) matches iv (Sri Lanka)

    Step 3: Verify against the given options.

    Option B provides the sequence: a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv. This perfectly matches our derived pairs.

    Answer: B

    Question 11 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Assertion (A): India has never won a gold medal in athletics (track and field events) at the Olympic Games.

    Reason (R): Neeraj Chopra's gold medal in javelin throw at Tokyo 2020 was India's first individual gold medal at the Olympics.

    Choose the correct option:

    1. A.

      Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

    2. B.

      Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A

    3. C.

      A is true, but R is false

    4. D.

      A is false, but R is true

    5. E.

      Both A and R are false

    Correct Answer:

    D

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is an assertion_reason question testing knowledge of India's Olympic medal history, specifically in athletics versus other sports.

    Step 1: Evaluate Assertion (A).

    The assertion claims India has never won a gold medal in athletics (track and field) at the Olympics.

    Fact: Neeraj Chopra won gold in javelin throw at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021). Javelin throw is classified as a track and field (athletics) event.

    Therefore, Assertion (A) is FALSE.

    Step 2: Evaluate Reason (R).

    The reason claims Neeraj Chopra's javelin gold was India's first individual gold medal at the Olympics.

    Fact: Before Neeraj Chopra, India's only individual Olympic gold was Abhinav Bindra's gold in 10m air rifle shooting at Beijing 2008.

    Therefore, Reason (R) is FALSE.

    Step 3: Determine the relationship.

    Since both A and R are false, we select the option stating both are false.

    Answer: E (Both A and R are false)

    Wait, let me reconsider the answer options. Looking at the options again:

    A) Both true, R explains A

    B) Both true, R doesn't explain A

    C) A true, R false

    D) A false, R true

    E) Both false

    My analysis: A is false, R is false

    Answer: E

    Question 12 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Consider the following statements regarding the Financial Intelligence Unit - India (FIU-IND):

    1. It is the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing, and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.
    2. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    3. Reporting entities, including banks and intermediaries, are legally obligated to report cash transactions and suspicious transactions to FIU-IND under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

    How many of the above statements are strictly correct?

    1. A.

      Only one

    2. B.

      Only two

    3. C.

      All three

    4. D.

      None

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a statement evaluation question testing institutional roles in financial governance.

    Step 1: Analyze Statement 1. FIU-IND is indeed the central national agency for receiving and analyzing suspicious financial transactions. This is correct.

    Step 2: Analyze Statement 2. FIU-IND functions under the Department of Revenue, which is part of the Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Home Affairs. This is incorrect.

    Step 3: Analyze Statement 3. Under the PMLA, reporting entities (like banks) must report cash and suspicious transactions to FIU-IND. This is correct.

    Step 4: Count the correct statements. Statements 1 and 3 are correct, making a total of two.

    Answer: Only two

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