Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and CAPFs: Reasoning, GK, Numeracy and English
Paper outline
The SI paper is a single objective test with general intelligence and reasoning, general knowledge and general awareness, numerical ability, and English comprehension. Compared with constable-level papers, the reasoning is a notch harder, with puzzles, seating arrangements and data interpretation, and the English section tests grammar and vocabulary more rigorously.
Traps to watch
Puzzle questions consume time; a single complex seating arrangement can eat ten minutes. Attempt them only after securing easier marks. In numerical ability, questions on ratio and proportion often hide a 'continued ratio' step. In English, fill-in-the-blank items distinguish similar words such as 'affect' and 'effect', or 'principal' and 'principle'. In GK, questions on Delhi Police history, ranks and constitutional articles are common and easily confused.
Rule of thumb and worked example
Use the two-pass strategy: first pass for direct questions, second pass for puzzles and lengthy calculations. Example of a continued ratio: if A:B = 2:3 and B:C = 4:5, make B common by taking LCM 12, giving A:B = 8:12 and B:C = 12:15, so A:B:C = 8:12:15. Always equalise the common term before combining ratios.
Preparation approach
Solve previous-year papers under exam timing, drill grammar rules with examples, and revise current affairs monthly. Keep a short list of constitutional articles and police-related facts for quick revision.