UPSC CSE Prelims CSAT (Paper II) previous year questions on Ranking Puzzles (Logical Reasoning), asked from 2011–2026, with answers. There are 25 questions in this post. Attempt each question, then click Show Answer to check.
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1] P, Q, R, S and T are ranked 1 to 5 (not necessarily in that order). The rank of P is 4, the rank of Q is not 5, the rank of R is 1, the rank of S is not 2, the rank of T is not 3. Then which of the following is/are correct?
I. If the rank of S is 3, then that of T is 2.
II. If the rank of Q is 3, then that of T is 5.
Select the answer using the code given below. [2026/33]
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Show Answer
Ans: (d) Neither I nor II
2] Consider the following statements:
1. A is older than B.
2. C and D are of the same age.
3. E is the youngest
4. F is younger than D.
S. F is older than A.
How many statements given above are required to determine the oldest person/persons? [2023/38]
(a) Only two
(b) Only three
(c) Only four
(d) All five
Show Answer
Ans: (d) All five
Directions for following two questions
Six students A, B, C, D, E and F appeared in several tests. Either C or F scores the highest. Whenever C scores the highest, then E scores the least. Whenever F scores the highest, B scores the least. In all the tests they got different marks; D scores higher than A, but they are close competitors; A scores higher than B; C scores higher than A.
3] If F stands second in the ranking, then the position of B is [2019/76]
(a) Third
(b) Fourth
(c) Fifth
(d) Sixth
Show Answer
Ans: (c) Fifth
4] If B scores the least, the rank of C will be [2019/77]
(a) Second
(b) Third
(c) Fourth
(d) Second or third
Show Answer
Ans: (d) Second or third
5] If E is ranked third, then which one of the following is correct? [2019/78]
(a) E gets more marks than C
(b) C gets more marks than E
(c) A is ranked fourth
(d) D is ranked fifth
Show Answer
Ans: (b) C gets more marks than E
Read the following statements S1 and S2 and answer the two items that follow:
Sl: Twice the weight of Sohan is less than the weight of Mohan or that of Rohan.
S2: Twice the weight of Rohan is greater than the weight of Mohan or that of Soham
6] Which one of the following statements is correct? [2019/79]
(a) Weight of Mohan is greatest
(b) Weight of Sohan is greatest
(c) Weight of Rohan is greatest
(d) Whose weight is greatest’ cannot be determined
Show Answer
Ans: (d) Whose weight is greatest’ cannot be determined
7] Which one of the following statements is correct? [2019/80]
(a) Weight of Mohan is least
(b) Weight of Sohan is least
(c) Weight of Rohan is least
(d) ‘Whose weight is least’ cannot be determined
Show Answer
Ans: (b) Weight of Sohan is least
8] Four tests—Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology are to be conducted on four consecutive days, not necessarily in the same order. The Physics test is held before the test which is conducted after Biology. Chemistry is conducted exactly after two tests are held. Which is the last test held? [2017/13]
(a) Physics
(b) Biology
(c) Mathematics
(d) Chemistry
Show Answer
Ans: (c) Mathematics
9] 15 students failed in a class of 52. After removing the names of failed students, a merit order list has been prepared in which the position of Ramesh is 22nd from the top. What is his position from the bottom? [2017/18]
(a) 18th
(b) 17th
(c) 16th
(d) 15th
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 16th
10] In a test, Randhir obtained more marks than the total marks obtained by Kunal and Debu. The total marks obtained by Kunal and Shankar are more than those of Randhir. Sonal obtained more marks than Shankar. Neha obtained more marks than Randhir. Who amongst them obtained highest marks? [2017/40]
(a) Randhir
(b) Neha
(c) Sonal
(d) Data are inadequate
Show Answer
Ans: (d) Data are inadequate
11] Consider the following:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are standing in a row facing North.
B is not neighbour of G.
F is to the immediate right of G and neighbour of E.
G is not at the extreme end.
A is sixth to the left of E.
H is sixth to the right of C.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above? [2017/59]
(a) C is to the immediate left of A.
(b) D is immediate neighbour of B and F.
(c) G is to the immediate right of D.
(d) A and E are at the extreme ends.
Show Answer
Ans: (c) G is to the immediate right of D.
12] Five people A, B, C, D and E are seated about a round table. Every chair is spaced equidistant from adjacent chairs.
(i) C is seated next to A
(ii) A is seated two seats from D
(iii) B is not seated next to A
On the basis of above information, which of the following must be true? [2016/12]
1. D is seated next to B
2. E is seated next to A
3. D and C are separated by two seats
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 nor 3
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 1 and 2 only
13] In a class of 60 students, where the number of girls is twice that of boys, Kamal, a boy, ranked seventeenth from the top. If there are 9 girls ahead of Kamal, the number of boys in rank after him is: [2016/74]
(a) 13
(b) 12
(c) 7
(d) 3
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 12
14] Four persons A, B, C and D consisting of two married couples are in a group. Both the women are shorter than their respective husbands. A is the tallest among the four. C is taller than B. D is B’s brother. In this context, which one of the following statements is not correct? [2015/17]
(a) All four have family ties.
(b) B is the shortest’ among the four.
(c) C is taller than D.
(d) A is B’s husband.
Show Answer
Ans: (c) C is taller than D.
15] If A runs less fast than B, and B runs as fast but not faster than C; then, as compared to A, C runs [2015/29]
(a) slower than A
(b) faster than A
(c) with same speed as A
(d) Given data is not sufficient to determine
Show Answer
Ans: (b) faster than A
16] Usha runs faster than Kamala, Priti runs slower than Swati, Swati runs slower than Kamala. is the slowest runner? [2015/60]
(a) Kamala
(b) Priti
(c) Swati
(d) Usha
Show Answer
Ans: (b) Priti
Directions for the following 2 (two) items:
Read the following passage and answer the 2 (two) items that follow:
A, B, C, D, E and F are cousins. No two cousins are of the same age, but have birthdays on the same day of the same month. The youngest is 17 years old and the oldest E is 22 years old. F is somewhere between B and D in age. A is older than B. C is older than D. A is one year older than C.
17] Which one of the following is possible? [2015/72]
(a) D is 20 years Old
(b) F is 18 years Did
(c) F is 19 years old
(d) F is 20 years old
Show Answer
Ans: (b) F is 18 years Did
18] What is the number of logically possible orders of all six cousins in terms of increasing age? [2015/73]
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 2
19] There are seven persons up on a ladder A, B, C, D, E, F and G (not in that order). A is further up than E but is lower than C. B is in the middle. G is between A and B. E is between B and F. If F is between E and D, the person on the bottom Step of the ladder will be [2014/8]
(a) B
(b) F
(c) D
(d) E
Show Answer
Ans: (c) D
20] Consider that:
1. A is taller than B.
2. C is taller than A.
3. D is taller than C.
4. E is the tallest of all.
If they are made to sit in the above order of their height, Who Will occupy the mid position? [2014/9]
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
Show Answer
Ans: (c) C
21] In a row ‘A’ is in the 11th position from the left and ‘B’ is in the 10th position from the right. If ‘A’ and ‘B’ interchange, then ‘A’ becomes 18th from the left. How many persons are there in the row other than ‘A’ and ‘B’? [2014/67]
(a) 27
(b) 26
(c) 25
(d) 24
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 25
22] In a class of 45 students, a boy is ranked 20th. When two boys joined, his rank was dropped by one. What is his new rank from the end? [2013/34]
(a) 25th
(b) 26th
(c) 27th
(d) 28th
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 27th
23] Gita is prettier than Sita but not as pretty as Rita. Then, [2012/25]
(a) Sita is not as pretty as Gita
(b) Sita is prettier than Rita
(c) Rita is not as pretty as Gita
(d) Gita is prettier than Rita
Show Answer
Ans: (a) Sita is not as pretty as Gita
24] Examine the following statements:
1. Rama scored more than Rani
2. Rani scored less than Ratna
3. Ratna scored more than Rama
4. Padma scored more than Rama but less than Ratna.
Who scored the highest? [2012/27]
(a) Rama
(b) Padma
(c) Rani
(d) Ratna
Show Answer
Ans: (d) Ratna
25] In a queue, Mr. X is fourteenth from the front and Mr. Y is seventeenth from the end, while Mr. Z is exactly in between Mr. X and Mr. Y. If Mr. X is ahead of Mr. Y and there are 48 persons in the queue, how many persons are then between Mr. X and Mr. Z? [2011/63]
(a) 6
(b) 7
(c) 8
(d) 9
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 8
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