General Intelligence & Reasoning: Pattern First, Speed Second
General Intelligence & Reasoning tests pattern recognition under time pressure: series, analogies, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogisms, seating, and non-verbal figures. The ministerial paper usually keeps arithmetic reasoning simple but makes coding and syllogism tricky.
Core methods
- Series: check differences, then ratios, then squares/cubes, then alternating patterns.
- Coding: write alphabet positions 1-26 and test forward, backward, or mixed shifts.
- Blood relations: draw a family tree; mark gender only when stated.
- Directions: fix north at the top and trace each turn on paper.
- Syllogism: use Venn diagrams; do not assume real-world facts.
Worked example
If DELHI is coded as EFMIJ, how is MUMBAI coded? Reasoning: Each letter moves one step forward: D→E, E→F, L→M, H→I, I→J. Apply the same rule: M→N, U→V, M→N, B→C, A→B, I→J. Answer: NVNCBJ.
Traps that cost marks
- Reversing left and right after a turn; the person's facing direction matters.
- Assuming a sibling's gender from a name.
- Treating 'some A are B' as 'all A are B' in syllogism.
- Overcomplicating a simple +1 coding rule.
- Spending too long on one non-verbal figure; mark and return.