RRB NTPC 2025 Reasoning: Practice Questions to Sharpen Your Skills

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RRB NTPC 2025 Reasoning: Practice Questions to Sharpen Your Skills

The Railway Recruitment Board Non-Technical Popular Categories (RRB NTPC) 2025 exam is a golden opportunity for candidates aiming to secure roles like Junior Clerk, Accounts Clerk, Station Master, or Traffic Assistant in Indian Railways. As of March 23, 2025, while the official notification for RRB NTPC 2025 is pending (expected around June–July 2025 based on past cycles like CEN 01/2019 and 2021), the General Intelligence and Reasoning section remains a critical component of the Computer-Based Test (CBT). Typically comprising 30 questions (30 marks) in CBT 1 and 35 questions (35 marks) in CBT 2, this section tests logical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills—key traits for railway operations. This guide provides a curated set of practice questions with solutions, designed to sharpen your reasoning skills for RRB NTPC 2025, along with preparation tips tailored to the expected exam pattern.

Reasoning Syllabus Overview

Based on previous NTPC exams (e.g., CEN 01/2019), the reasoning syllabus includes:

  • Verbal Reasoning: Analogies, series (number/letter), coding-decoding, blood relations, syllogisms, direction sense.
  • Non-Verbal Reasoning: Figure patterns, mirror/water images, paper folding, spatial visualization.
  • Analytical Reasoning: Puzzles (seating arrangement, scheduling), data sufficiency, statement-conclusion.

Weightage:

  • CBT 1: 30 questions (easy to moderate).
  • CBT 2: 35 questions (moderate to difficult, with more complex puzzles).
  • Scoring: +1 per correct answer, -1/3 for incorrect (negative marking).

Practice Questions with Solutions

Below are 20 practice questions covering key reasoning topics, with detailed explanations to mimic the RRB NTPC 2025 difficulty level. Solve them first, then check the solutions to refine your approach.

Coding-Decoding (3 Questions)

  1. If “CAT” is coded as “DBU,” how is “DOG” coded?
  • Solution: Each letter in “CAT” shifts forward by 1 (C+1=D, A+1=B, T+1=U). Apply the same to “DOG”: D+1=E, O+1=P, G+1=H. Answer: EPH.
  1. In a code, “FRIEND” is written as “IRUFQG.” What is the code for “HELLO”?
  • Solution: Analyze the pattern: F→I (+3), R→R (0), I→U (+12), E→F (+1), N→Q (+3), D→G (+3). It’s a shifting pattern. For “HELLO”: H+3=K, E+0=E, L+12=X, L+1=M, O+3=R. Answer: KEXMR.
  1. If 5=20, 6=30, 7=42, what is 8?
  • Solution: Pattern: 5×4=20, 6×5=30, 7×6=42 (multiply by increasing numbers: 4, 5, 6). For 8: 8×7=56. Answer: 56.

Series (3 Questions)

  1. Find the next number: 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, …
  • Solution: Differences: 3, 5, 7, 9 (odd numbers increasing by 2). Next difference is 11, so 26+11=37. Answer: 37.
  1. Complete the series: A, D, G, J, …
  • Solution: Letters increase by 3 (A+3=D, D+3=G, G+3=J). J+3=M. Answer: M.
  1. What comes next: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …
  • Solution: Squares of consecutive numbers (1², 2², 3², 4², 5²). Next is 6²=36. Answer: 36.

Blood Relations (3 Questions)

  1. A is B’s sister. C is B’s mother. D is C’s father. E is D’s mother. How is A related to E?
  • Solution: A (sister) and B (sibling) are children of C (mother) and D (father). E is D’s mother, so E is A’s grandmother. Answer: Granddaughter.
  1. Pointing to a man, a woman says, “His mother is the only daughter of my father.” How is the woman related to the man?
  • Solution: The woman’s father has one daughter (the woman herself). The man’s mother is that daughter, so the woman is the man’s mother. Answer: Mother.
  1. If P is Q’s son, Q is R’s daughter, and R is S’s husband, how is S related to P?
  • Solution: P (son) of Q (daughter) of R (husband) and S (wife). S is Q’s mother, thus P’s grandmother. Answer: Grandmother.

Direction Sense (2 Questions)

  1. A man walks 5 km north, turns right and walks 3 km, then turns left and walks 4 km. Where is he from the starting point?
    • Solution: North 5 km (0,5), right (east) 3 km (3,5), left (north) 4 km (3,9). Distance from (0,0): √(3²+9²) = √90 ≈ 9.5 km. Answer: 9.5 km NE.
  2. A car starts facing south, turns 90° clockwise, then 180° anticlockwise, and finally 90° clockwise. Which direction is it facing?
    • Solution: South → East (90° clockwise) → West (180° anticlockwise) → South (90° clockwise). Answer: South.

Puzzles (3 Questions)

  1. Five friends A, B, C, D, E sit in a row. A is to the left of B, C is between B and D, E is at the right end. What’s the order?
    • Solution: E at right end (5). A left of B (1,2 or 2,3). C between B and D (B-C-D). Possible: A-B-C-D-E. Answer: A, B, C, D, E.
  2. Three houses numbered 1, 2, 3 have colors red, blue, green. Red is not next to green. Blue is at 2. What’s the arrangement?
    • Solution: Blue at 2. Red not next to green: 1-red, 2-blue, 3-green (works). Answer: Red, Blue, Green.
  3. Four people P, Q, R, S have jobs: teacher, doctor, engineer, lawyer. P is not a doctor, Q is a teacher, R is not an engineer. Who is the lawyer?
    • Solution: Q=teacher. P≠doctor, R≠engineer. Assign: Q=teacher, S=doctor, R=engineer, P=lawyer (fits). Answer: P.

Non-Verbal Reasoning (3 Questions)

  1. How many triangles are in this figure? (Imagine a triangle with one smaller triangle inside it.)
    • Solution: Outer triangle (1), inner triangle (1). Total: 2. Answer: 2.
  2. What’s the mirror image of “RAIL”?
    • Solution: Reverse horizontally: LIAR (stylized as mirrored letters). Answer: LIAR.
  3. A square is folded in half, then in half again. How many squares are visible when unfolded?
    • Solution: 1 square folded to 4 smaller squares (creases). Unfolded: 1 original square. Answer: 1 (visible as a whole).

Syllogisms (3 Questions)

  1. Statements: All cats are dogs. Some dogs are rats. Conclusion: Some cats are rats.
    • Solution: All cats are dogs (subset). Some dogs are rats (overlap). No definite link between cats and rats. Answer: Does not follow.
  2. Statements: No pens are pencils. All pencils are books. Conclusion: Some books are not pens.
    • Solution: No pens are pencils (disjoint). All pencils are books (subset). Books include pencils, which aren’t pens, so some books aren’t pens. Answer: Follows.
  3. Statements: Some apples are fruits. All fruits are sweet. Conclusion: Some apples are sweet.
    • Solution: Some apples are fruits (overlap). All fruits are sweet (inclusive). Thus, those apples are sweet. Answer: Follows.

Preparation Tips for RRB NTPC 2025 Reasoning

With CBT 1 likely in September–October 2025 (per past trends), you have 5–6 months from March 23, 2025. Here’s how to sharpen your skills:

  1. Understand Concepts:
  • Study basics from R.S. Aggarwal’s Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning or Arihant’s RRB NTPC Guide.
  • Focus on high-weightage topics: coding-decoding (5–6 questions), series (4–5), puzzles (5–7 in CBT 2).
  1. Daily Practice:
  • Solve 30–40 questions daily (10 each verbal, non-verbal, analytical).
  • Use online platforms (Testbook, Oliveboard) for variety—aim for 90% accuracy.
  1. Time Management:
  • Allocate 25–30 minutes for Reasoning in CBT 1 mocks (50 seconds/question).
  • For CBT 2, practice complex puzzles in 5–7 minutes.
  1. Mock Tests:
  • Take 10–15 full-length mocks by August 2025, targeting 25+/30 (CBT 1) and 30+/35 (CBT 2).
  • Analyze errors to avoid repeating mistakes (e.g., misreading blood relation clues).
  1. Shortcuts and Mnemonics:
  • Coding: Use alphabet positions (A=1, Z=26).
  • Direction: Draw a compass mentally (N-E-S-W).
  • Series: Look for arithmetic (+2, ×3) or geometric patterns.
  1. Resources:
  • Books: M.K. Pandey’s Analytical Reasoning (puzzles), NCERT-level logic aids.
  • X: Follow @RRBExamPrep for tips and sample questions.

Why These Skills Matter

In 2021’s CBT 1, Reasoning cutoffs ranged from 25–28 (UR), with over 1 crore applicants for 35,208 posts. For 2025, expect similar competition (potentially 50,000+ vacancies if trends hold). Scoring 85%+ in Reasoning (26–28 in CBT 1, 30–32 in CBT 2) can significantly boost your overall rank, especially with negative marking.

Conclusion

Mastering reasoning for RRB NTPC 2025 requires consistent practice and a sharp analytical mind. These 20 questions cover the syllabus’s breadth, from simple series to intricate puzzles, preparing you for both CBT stages. Start now—March 23, 2025—gives you ample time to refine your skills. Monitor rrbcdg.gov.in for the notification, and use these exercises to build confidence and precision. With dedication, you’ll ace Reasoning and secure your spot in Indian Railways!

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