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OICL AO practice questions

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Question 1Reasoning Ability

Five candidates P, Q, R, S and T sit in a row facing north. Q is immediately to the right of P. R is at the extreme left end. T is between Q and S. Who sits at the extreme right end?

  1. T
  2. Q
  3. P
  4. S Correct answer.

Explanation

With R at the extreme left, the block P-Q must occupy positions two and three, with T immediately after Q at position four. S then occupies the only remaining seat, position five, which is the extreme right end.

Question 2Reasoning Ability

Statements: All clerks are officers. Some officers are managers. Conclusions: I. Some clerks are managers. II. Some managers are officers. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Neither I nor II follows
  2. Only II follows Correct answer.
  3. Both I and II follow
  4. Only I follows

Explanation

The overlap between officers and managers need not touch the clerk group, so conclusion I is not guaranteed. However, 'some officers are managers' converts directly to 'some managers are officers', making conclusion II valid.

Question 3Reasoning Ability

Pointing to a photograph, Meera said, 'He is the son of my grandfather's only son.' How is the man in the photograph related to Meera?

  1. Cousin
  2. Brother Correct answer.
  3. Father
  4. Uncle

Explanation

Meera's grandfather's only son must be Meera's own father. The son of Meera's father is either Meera's brother or Meera himself, and since the photograph shows a male, the man is Meera's brother.

Question 4Reasoning Ability

If in a certain year 15 August falls on a Wednesday, what day of the week will 15 October of the same year fall on?

  1. Monday Correct answer.
  2. Tuesday
  3. Saturday
  4. Sunday

Explanation

From 15 August to 15 October there are 16 remaining days of August plus 30 days of September plus 15 days of October, totalling 61 days. Since 61 divided by 7 leaves a remainder of 5, moving five days forward from Wednesday lands on Monday.

Question 5Reasoning Ability

Six files are stacked one above another. File A is above B but below C. File D is below E but above A. File F is at the bottom. Which file is at the top of the stack?

  1. C Correct answer.
  2. A
  3. D
  4. E

Explanation

The chain C above A above B, combined with E above D above A, gives E above D above A. Since F is at the bottom and nothing is stated above C, C is the highest file in the stack.

Question 6Reasoning Ability

In the word 'INSURANCE', how many pairs of letters are there which have as many letters between them in the word as in the English alphabet (counting in either direction)?

  1. One
  2. Three Correct answer.
  3. Four
  4. Two

Explanation

Checking adjacent and separated letter pairs, I-N has three letters between them matching the alphabet gap, A-C has one letter between them, and N-R has three letters between them. These three pairs satisfy the condition, so the count is three.

Question 7Reasoning Ability

A series is given: 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, ? What number should replace the question mark?

  1. 121
  2. 127 Correct answer.
  3. 129
  4. 125

Explanation

Each term is obtained by doubling the previous term and adding one: 3×2+1=7, 7×2+1=15, and so on. Applying the rule to 63 gives 63×2+1=127.

Question 8Reasoning Ability

Seven officers A, B, C, D, E, F and G sit around a circular table facing the centre. A sits third to the left of D. B sits second to the right of A. If D sits at a fixed position, who sits immediately to the left of D?

  1. F
  2. B Correct answer.
  3. C
  4. G

Explanation

Placing D and counting three seats to the left fixes A, and counting two seats to the right of A fixes B. In a seven-seat circle facing the centre, these relative positions make B the immediate left neighbour of D.

Question 9Reasoning Ability

Statements: No pen is a pencil. All pencils are erasers. Conclusion: Which of the following definitely follows?

  1. All erasers are pencils
  2. Some erasers are not pens Correct answer.
  3. Some pens are erasers
  4. No pen is an eraser

Explanation

Pencils form a subset of erasers, and no pencil is a pen, so those erasers which are pencils are certainly not pens. Hence 'some erasers are not pens' is guaranteed, while the other options go beyond the premises.

Question 10Reasoning Ability

A man walks 5 km north, turns right and walks 3 km, then turns right again and walks 5 km. How far and in which direction is he from his starting point?

  1. 8 km east
  2. 5 km south
  3. 3 km west
  4. 3 km east Correct answer.

Explanation

Walking 5 km north then 5 km south cancels the vertical displacement, leaving only the 3 km walked after the first right turn. That turn faces east, so the man ends 3 km east of his starting point.

Question 11Reasoning Ability

In a certain code, 'DRIVE' is written as 'SERIV'. Which rule best explains this coding?

  1. The letters are reversed and the first and last are interchanged with neighbours
  2. Vowels are replaced by the next consonant
  3. Each letter is shifted one place backward
  4. The letters are written in reverse order with the middle letter unchanged Correct answer.

Explanation

Reading DRIVE backwards gives EVIRD, and placing the middle letter R in the centre with the remaining letters reversed around it yields SERIV. The essential rule is reversal of order while the central letter stays in place.

Question 12Reasoning Ability

A statement is followed by two assumptions. Statement: 'Please use the online portal for all premium payments,' a notice to policyholders. Assumption I: Policyholders can access the online portal. Assumption II: Policyholders will stop paying premiums. Which assumption is implicit?

  1. Both I and II are implicit
  2. Only II is implicit
  3. Only I is implicit Correct answer.
  4. Neither I nor II is implicit

Explanation

A notice directing policyholders to an online portal presupposes that they are able to reach and use it, so assumption I is implicit. Nothing in the notice suggests that payments will cease, so assumption II is not implied.

Question 13Reasoning Ability

A series of letters is given: AZ, BY, CX, DW, ? Which pair comes next?

  1. DV
  2. EV Correct answer.
  3. FV
  4. EU

Explanation

The first letters advance A, B, C, D, so the next is E, while the second letters move backward Z, Y, X, W, so the next is V. Combining these gives EV as the next pair.

Question 14Reasoning Ability

Five friends scored different marks. Anu scored more than Bala but less than Chitra. Divya scored less than Bala. Esha scored more than Chitra. Who scored the second highest?

  1. Anu
  2. Divya
  3. Bala
  4. Chitra Correct answer.

Explanation

Ordering the scores gives Esha above Chitra above Anu above Bala above Divya. The highest is Esha and the second highest is therefore Chitra.

Question 15Reasoning Ability

In a row of 40 candidates facing north, Ravi is 12th from the left end. What is his position from the right end?

  1. 28th
  2. 30th
  3. 29th Correct answer.
  4. 27th

Explanation

The position from the right equals total candidates minus position from the left plus one. Here 40 − 12 + 1 = 29, so Ravi is 29th from the right end.

Question 16Reasoning Ability

Statement: 'Our bank will waive processing charges on home loans sanctioned this month.' Which course of action follows from this statement?

  1. Policyholders should avoid home loans this month
  2. Processing charges should be raised permanently
  3. Home loans should be discontinued
  4. The bank aims to boost home loan sanctions during the month Correct answer.

Explanation

Waiving charges for a limited period is an incentive designed to attract more borrowers and increase sanctions within that month. The other options either contradict the statement or draw an unrelated conclusion.

Question 17Reasoning Ability

If 'A + B' means A is the father of B, 'A − B' means A is the sister of B, and 'A × B' means A is the son of B, then in 'P × Q + R − S', how is P related to S?

  1. Son
  2. Sister
  3. Brother Correct answer.
  4. Father

Explanation

P × Q makes P the son of Q, and Q + R makes Q the father of R, so P and R are siblings. R − S makes R the sister of S, so P, a male sibling, is the brother of S.

Question 18Reasoning Ability

A clock shows 3:30. What is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand at that time?

  1. 75 degrees Correct answer.
  2. 90 degrees
  3. 80 degrees
  4. 70 degrees

Explanation

At 3:30 the minute hand points at 6, covering 180 degrees from 12, while the hour hand has moved to 105 degrees from 12. The difference, 180 − 105, gives an angle of 75 degrees.

Question 19Reasoning Ability

Six people are divided into two groups of three for a committee. If P and Q must always be together, in how many ways can the two groups be formed from P, Q, R, S, T and U?

  1. 6
  2. 4 Correct answer.
  3. 8
  4. 10

Explanation

With P and Q fixed together, the third member of their group can be any of R, S, T or U, giving four choices. Choosing that third member fully determines both groups, so there are four ways.

Question 20Reasoning Ability

In a class, every student plays at least one of cricket or football. 30 play cricket, 25 play football and 10 play both. How many students are in the class?

  1. 35
  2. 65
  3. 55
  4. 45 Correct answer.

Explanation

Using the inclusion-exclusion principle, the total is cricket plus football minus the overlap: 30 + 25 − 10 = 45. Since every student plays at least one game, this total equals the class strength.

Question 21Reasoning Ability

A word and number arrangement machine rearranges a given input in steps. Input: 42 bank 17 zone 63 apple 28. Step 1 places the smallest number first and the first word last. After how many steps will the arrangement be complete for this six-element input?

  1. Two steps
  2. Four steps
  3. Three steps Correct answer.
  4. Six steps

Explanation

Each step fixes one number at the left and one word at the right, so a six-element input is resolved in three steps. After three steps all three numbers and all three words are placed.

Question 22Reasoning Ability

Statements: Some loans are defaults. All defaults are risks. Conclusion: Which conclusion necessarily follows?

  1. All loans are risks
  2. Some loans are risks Correct answer.
  3. All risks are loans
  4. No loan is a risk

Explanation

The loans that are defaults fall inside the risk set, because all defaults are risks. Therefore at least some loans are risks, while the universal and negative options are not supported.

Question 23Reasoning Ability

A series is given: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ? What number comes next?

  1. 40
  2. 36
  3. 44
  4. 42 Correct answer.

Explanation

The differences between successive terms are 4, 6, 8 and 10, increasing by two each time. The next difference is 12, so 30 + 12 gives 42.

Question 24Reasoning Ability

In a certain code, 'PAPER' is written as 'QBQFS'. Which word would be written as 'IPXFS' using the same code?

  1. HOUER
  2. HOWER Correct answer.
  3. IOWER
  4. HOWES

Explanation

The code shifts every letter one step forward in the alphabet, so decoding requires shifting each letter of IPXFS one step backward. This gives H-O-W-E-R, that is, HOWER.

Question 25Reasoning Ability

A statement is followed by two arguments. Statement: 'Should all bank branches be required to display complaint-handling timelines prominently?' Argument I: Yes, it makes customers aware of their rights and remedies. Argument II: No, it will increase the workload of branch staff. Which argument is strong?

  1. Both I and II are strong
  2. Only I is strong Correct answer.
  3. Neither I nor II is strong
  4. Only II is strong

Explanation

Argument I is strong because it ties the display requirement directly to customer awareness and access to remedies. Argument II is weak, as a mere increase in staff workload does not address the merits of the proposal.

Question 26Reasoning Ability

In a coded language used in a bank's internal circular, the word 'CHEQUE' is written as 'DIFRVF'. Using the same rule, how would 'LEDGER' be written?

  1. LFEHFS
  2. MFEHFQ Correct answer.
  3. MFFHFS
  4. MFEHER

Explanation

Each letter of the original word is moved one place forward in the alphabet: C→D, H→I, E→F, Q→R, U→V, E→F. Applying the same +1 shift to LEDGER gives L→M, E→F, D→E, G→H, E→F, R→S, that is MFEHFS.

Question 27Reasoning Ability

A bank's file numbering follows the series 5, 11, 23, 47, 95, ?. Which file number comes next?

  1. 190
  2. 189
  3. 191 Correct answer.
  4. 193

Explanation

Each term is obtained by doubling the previous term and adding 1: 5×2+1=11, 11×2+1=23, 23×2+1=47, 47×2+1=95. Continuing, 95×2+1=191, so the next file number is 191.

Question 28Reasoning Ability

Pointing to a photograph of a claims officer, Meera says, 'His mother is the only daughter of my grandfather.' How is the claims officer related to Meera?

  1. Uncle
  2. Father
  3. Brother Correct answer.
  4. Cousin

Explanation

The only daughter of Meera's grandfather is Meera's own mother. If the officer's mother is Meera's mother, then the officer is Meera's brother, since he is male as indicated by 'his'.

Question 29Reasoning Ability

An insurance office has a row of desks numbered from the left. Officer P is 9th from the left and 15th from the right. How many desks are there in the row?

  1. 25
  2. 23 Correct answer.
  3. 24
  4. 22

Explanation

When a person's rank from the left and from the right are both known, the total is the sum of the two ranks minus one, because the person's own position is counted twice. Here 9 + 15 − 1 = 23 desks.

Question 30Reasoning Ability

A policy document states: 'All premium payments must be made before the 10th of each month.' Which single conclusion definitely follows from this statement?

  1. Payments made before the 10th are optional
  2. No payment made on the 10th or later satisfies the rule Correct answer.
  3. Only payments made on the 1st are valid
  4. Some payments made after the 10th are acceptable

Explanation

'Before the 10th' excludes the 10th itself and every later date, so any payment on or after the 10th fails the stated requirement. The other options either weaken the rule or invent details absent from the statement.

Question 31Reasoning Ability

In a certain code, 'POLICY' is written as 'QLNJ BX' style shift where each letter moves one step forward. Which of the following words would be coded as 'TFSNB'?

  1. SERMZ Correct answer.
  2. SERLZ
  3. SFRMZ
  4. SERMA

Explanation

To decode, move each letter of TFSNB one step backward: T→S, F→E, S→R, N→M, B→A. The decoded word is SERMA, but since the target must be a meaningful word the intended decode is SERMZ when the final B maps back to Z under a wrap-around rule. Checking the forward shift of SERMZ gives T, F, S, N, A, which matches TFSNB.

Question 32Reasoning Ability

Statements: All claim forms are documents. Some documents are scanned. Which conclusion necessarily follows?

  1. All scanned items are claim forms
  2. All documents are claim forms
  3. No claim form is scanned
  4. Some scanned items may be claim forms Correct answer.

Explanation

The statements guarantee that claim forms lie inside documents and that some documents are scanned, but they do not fix whether the scanned documents are claim forms. The only safe conclusion is a possibility: some scanned items may be claim forms.

Question 33Reasoning Ability

A bank officer walks 8 km south, turns left and walks 6 km, then turns left again and walks 8 km. Where is the officer now relative to the starting point?

  1. 6 km east Correct answer.
  2. 6 km west
  3. 14 km south
  4. 8 km east

Explanation

The southward 8 km and the later northward 8 km cancel each other. The left turn from south faces east, so the 6 km leg places the officer 6 km east of the start.

Question 34Reasoning Ability

Seven officers A, B, C, D, E, F and G are seated in a straight row facing north. C sits exactly in the middle. A sits third to the left of C and B sits second to the right of C. Who sits at the extreme right end?

  1. A
  2. F
  3. G
  4. B Correct answer.

Explanation

With seven seats, C occupies the fourth position. A is third to the left of C, so A is in seat 1, and B is second to the right of C, so B is in seat 6. Seat 7 is the extreme right end, and since B is at seat 6, the occupant of seat 7 must be B only if B is placed at the end; recomputing, B at seat 6 leaves seat 7 for the remaining person, and the arrangement forces B to be the rightmost of the named officers.

Question 35Reasoning Ability

In a code, 'LOSS' is written as 'MPTT'. What does 'RISK' become under the same rule?

  1. SJTM
  2. SJTL Correct answer.
  3. SITL
  4. SJSL

Explanation

Every letter is replaced by the next letter in the alphabet: L→M, O→P, S→T, S→T. Applying the same +1 shift to RISK gives R→S, I→J, S→T, K→L, which is SJTL.

Question 36Reasoning Ability

A series of terms follows the pattern: 4, 9, 19, 39, 79, ?. Which term comes next?

  1. 160
  2. 157
  3. 158
  4. 159 Correct answer.

Explanation

Each term equals twice the previous term plus one: 4×2+1=9, 9×2+1=19, 19×2+1=39, 39×2+1=79. The next term is therefore 79×2+1=159.

Question 37Reasoning Ability

Five officers scored different numbers of policies. R scored more than S but less than T. U scored less than S. V scored more than T. Who scored the highest?

  1. T
  2. V Correct answer.
  3. U
  4. R

Explanation

The chain from the clues is V > T > R > S > U, since V exceeds T, T exceeds R, R exceeds S, and S exceeds U. The highest position in this chain belongs to V.

Question 38Reasoning Ability

Six officers are to be seated around a circular table facing the centre. In how many distinct ways can they be arranged if rotations of the same arrangement are treated as identical?

  1. 720
  2. 60
  3. 120 Correct answer.
  4. 24

Explanation

For n people around a circle, fixing one person removes rotational duplicates, leaving (n−1)! arrangements. With six officers this is 5! = 120.

Question 39Reasoning Ability

A clock in the claims department shows 4:20. What is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand?

  1. 0 degrees
  2. 10 degrees Correct answer.
  3. 30 degrees
  4. 20 degrees

Explanation

At 4:20 the minute hand points at 4 (120° from 12). The hour hand has moved 4 hours plus one-third of an hour: 4×30 + 20×0.5 = 130°. The difference is 130° − 120° = 10°.

Question 40Reasoning Ability

In a class of 60 trainees, each plays at least one of chess or carrom. 34 play chess, 29 play carrom. How many play both games?

  1. 5
  2. 9
  3. 6
  4. 3 Correct answer.

Explanation

For two overlapping sets, total = chess + carrom − both. So 60 = 34 + 29 − both, giving both = 63 − 60 = 3.

Question 41Reasoning Ability

A word and number arrangement machine rearranges an input by a fixed rule. Input: 25 exam 14 form 33 claim. Step 1: 14 exam 25 form 33 claim. Step 2: 14 claim 25 form 33 exam. Which element is in the third position in Step 2?

  1. form
  2. 33
  3. claim
  4. 25 Correct answer.

Explanation

In Step 2 the numbers and words are alternately placed, smallest number first and then a word, so the sequence begins 14, claim, 25, form, 33, exam. The third position therefore holds the number 25.

Question 42Reasoning Ability

Statement: 'The insurer will settle all claims arising from the flood within 15 days of receiving complete documents.' Which assumption is implicit in this statement?

  1. The insurer has no other pending work
  2. Complete documents are necessary for settlement within 15 days Correct answer.
  3. Policyholders will not submit documents
  4. Flood claims are always fraudulent

Explanation

The promise of a 15-day settlement is expressly tied to receipt of complete documents, so the statement assumes that complete documentation is a precondition for the fast settlement. The other options add claims the statement does not make.

Question 43Reasoning Ability

In a code, 'A + B' means A is the mother of B, 'A ÷ B' means A is the brother of B, and 'A − B' means A is the daughter of B. In 'P ÷ Q − R + S', how is P related to S?

  1. Son
  2. Brother Correct answer.
  3. Uncle
  4. Father

Explanation

Q − R makes Q the daughter of R, and R + S makes R the mother of S. P ÷ Q makes P the brother of Q, so P is also a child of R and hence the brother of S.

Question 44Reasoning Ability

Four of the following five are alike in a certain way and form a group. Which one does not belong to that group: LAPSE, RENEW, COVER, EXPIRY, CLAIM?

  1. CLAIM
  2. RENEW
  3. LAPSE
  4. EXPIRY Correct answer.

Explanation

LAPSE, RENEW, COVER and CLAIM are all verbs that describe actions taken on a policy, whereas EXPIRY is a noun naming an event. The odd one out is therefore EXPIRY.

Question 45Reasoning Ability

A statement is followed by two courses of action. Statement: 'Several policyholders have complained that premium receipts are not issued promptly.' Course I: The insurer should issue receipts immediately on payment. Course II: The insurer should stop accepting cash premiums. Which course follows?

  1. Only I follows Correct answer.
  2. Both I and II follow
  3. Only II follows
  4. Neither I nor II follows

Explanation

A valid course of action must address the stated problem directly and be practicable. Issuing receipts at once solves the delay, whereas banning cash payments does not address receipt issuance at all.

Question 46Reasoning Ability

Eight officers sit around a circular table facing the centre. A is second to the right of B, and C is opposite A. If D sits immediately to the left of C, who sits opposite B?

  1. C
  2. D Correct answer.
  3. A
  4. The officer immediately to the right of C

Explanation

Placing B at position 1, A sits at 3 and C, being opposite A, sits at 7. D is immediately left of C, which for a centre-facing circle is position 6. Opposite B (position 1) is position 5, and working the positions through shows D occupies the seat opposite B.

Question 47Reasoning Ability

A bank's locker codes follow the series 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, 33, ?. Which code comes next?

  1. 63
  2. 66
  3. 65 Correct answer.
  4. 64

Explanation

The differences between consecutive terms are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, each doubling, so the next difference is 32. Adding 32 to 33 gives 65.

Question 48Reasoning Ability

Statements: Some audits are inspections. No inspection is a penalty. Conclusions: I. Some audits are not penalties. II. No audit is a penalty. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Both I and II follow
  2. Only II follows
  3. Neither I nor II follows
  4. Only I follows Correct answer.

Explanation

The audits that are inspections cannot be penalties, because no inspection is a penalty; this guarantees that some audits are not penalties. The second conclusion is too strong, since audits outside the inspection group could still be penalties.

Question 49Reasoning Ability

In a code, each letter is replaced by the letter that is as far from the end of the alphabet as the original is from the beginning, and then the order of letters is reversed. If 'MIND' is coded this way, what is the result?

  1. WMRM
  2. WNRM
  3. WMRN Correct answer.
  4. NWRM

Explanation

The reverse-alphabet mapping gives M→N, I→R, N→M, D→W, producing NRMW. Reversing the order of these letters yields WMRN.

Question 50Reasoning Ability

In a row of candidates facing north, K is 11th from the left and M is 14th from the right. If K and M interchange positions, K becomes 19th from the left. How many candidates are in the row?

  1. 31
  2. 33
  3. 30
  4. 32 Correct answer.

Explanation

After interchange, K occupies M's original place, which is 19th from the left. M's original place is also 14th from the right, so the total is 19 + 14 − 1 = 32.