IBPS RRB Assistant 2025 – Last-minute Tips and Strategy for Reasoning Section

We present this article, which has a few handy inputs on how to prepare for and succeed in the Reasoning section of the upcoming IBPS RRB Assistant 2025 Prelim and Main examinations, with the hope that you will certainly benefit from it.

IBPS RRB Assistant Prelim – Reasoning:

The Reasoning section of this exam comprises 40 questions, each carrying one mark, and must be attempted within 20 minutes.

There is a negative marking scheme, where 1/4th of the marks assigned for a question are deducted for each wrongly marked response. To qualify, candidates must score the minimum cut-off marks in both tests (Reasoning and Numerical Ability).

This being a relatively easier-to-handle part of the test, it offers ample scope for score maximization. In the Prelims, the difficulty level of questions in this area ranges from very easy to easy (as per the feedback given by T.I.M.E. students who appeared for such exams in the past).

The following data presents the topic-wise break-up and analysis of the Prelim exam across the years [collated from feedback as given by T.I.M.E. students who appeared for such exams in the past].

IBPS RRB Assistant Prelim 2024 : (10th August shift 2)

S. No.	Topic	No. of questions given	Level of Difficulty
1	Floor arrangement (3 floors & 2 flats)	5	Easy
2	Circular arrangement (8 persons, facing centre)	5	Easy
3	Linear arrangement (7 persons, single row, facing north)	5	Easy
4	Comparison (6 persons)	3
5	Miscellaneous	4	Easy
6	Direction sense	3	Easy
7	Sequence	5	Very easy
8	Symbols and notations (inequalities)	2	Easy
9	Deductions / Syllogisms (only a few)	3	1-Easy, 2-Moderate
10	Set of Words	5	Easy

IBPS RRB Assistant Prelim 2023 : (13th August shift 1)

S. No.	Topic	No. of questions given	Level of Difficulty
1	Linear Arrangement (Unknown number of persons)	5	Easy
2	Box arrangement (8 boxes)	5	Easy
3	Linear arrangement (two rows, five persons each)	5	Easy
4	Floor Arrangement (9 floors)	5	Easy
5	Miscellaneous	2	Easy
6	Blood Relations	1	Easy
7	Direction sense	3	Easy
8	Sequence	4	Very easy
9	Symbols and notations (inequalities)	4	Easy
10	Deductions / Syllogisms (only a few)	3	3-Easy, 1-Moderate
11	Set of Numbers	3	Very easy

Puzzles asked in other slots:

• Linear Arrangement (unknown number of persons, Two rows, 7 persons all facing North, etc.)
• Circular Arrangement (8 persons; all facing centre, etc.)
• Box based
• Month-based (7 months & 7 persons)
• Square Arrangement (8 people; persons sitting at corners face outside, middle face inside)
• Month & Date based (4 months & 2 dates)
• Floor based (8 floors and 8 persons)
• Distributions
• Comparisons (heights, weights, ranks, etc.)

The following areas are important for the Prelim exam:

• Symbols and notations
• Blood relations
• Direction sense
• Coding-decoding
• Syllogisms
• Set of numbers/words
• Sequence
• Puzzles - Linear / Box / Floor / Circular / Distribution / Comparisons / Quant-based
• Miscellaneous (Word/Number arrangements, meaningful words, letter series, etc.)

IBPS RRB Assistants Mains – Reasoning:

The Reasoning section of the exam consists of 40 questions with a total of 50 marks, to be attempted in 30 minutes.

The negative marking scheme deducts 1/4th marks for each wrong answer. A variable marking scheme MAY BE applicable in this section.

IBPS RRB Assistant Mains 2024:

S. No.	Topic	No. of questions	Level of Difficulty
1	QBR (8 persons, 8 years)	5	Moderate
2	Distribution (6 persons, 3 months, 2 dates, variable)	5	Moderate
3	Linear arrangement (8 persons, facing North/South)	5	Easy-Moderate
4	Floor Arrangement (6 persons, 6 floors, variable)	5	Easy-Moderate
5	Distribution (5 persons, 5 days, variable)	1	Easy
6	Comparisons	3	Easy
6	2-column coding & decoding	5	Easy
7	Data sufficiency (2 statements)	3	Easy
8	Direction Sense (one person multiple points)	3	Easy
9	Miscellaneous	2	Easy
10	Deductions / Syllogisms (possibility)	3	Easy

IBPS RRB Assistant Mains 2023:

S. No.	Topic	No. of questions	Level of Difficulty
1	Distribution (7P + 7 months + 7 colours)	5	Moderate
2	Floor arrangement (6P + 3floors + 2flats + variable)	4	Moderate
3	Box arrangement (10 boxes)	5	Easy
4	Distribution (7P + Designation + distribution)	5	Easy-Moderate
5	Circular Arrangement (8 persons, 4 facing centre, 4 outside)	5	Easy-Moderate
6	Linear Arrangement (Unknown number)	1	Easy
7	Blood relations	3	Easy
8	Coding Decoding	5
9	Deductions	4	Easy
10	Direction Sense	2	Easy
11	Miscellaneous	1	Very easy

The following areas are important for the Mains exam:

• Symbols and notations
• Blood relations
• Direction sense
• Coding-decoding
• Syllogisms
• Puzzles - Linear / Box / Floor / Circular / Distribution / Designations / Comparisons / Quant-based
• Data sufficiency
• Input and output
• Miscellaneous (Word/Number arrangements, meaningful words, letter series, etc.)

Note: Critical Reasoning questions have not appeared in the exam till date.

Strategy:

Though everything in an exam is important, it is essential to prioritise the order in which you handle questions. To maximise your score, we recommend the following plan:

• First attempt: Sequence, set of numbers/words, Deductions, Blood relations, Directions, Symbols and notations, Word/Number arrangements, Input and output.
• Then attempt: Puzzles (start with Comparisons, then Seating and Distribution).
• Data Sufficiency should be solved last for time management.

Some useful Tips:

• Go through Analyses of previous years’ papers to understand weightage and patterns.
• Manage time, speed, and accuracy carefully.
• Practice questions daily for an edge over others.
• Track your performance to identify weak areas.
• Answer in the right sequence to maximise attempts.
• Take ample topic-wise and Mock Tests to improve preparation and confidence.

All the Best!!