← Reasoning

Eligibility Test

Reasoning · Logical & Analytical Reasoning

6 Part1 worked examples26 practice questions

Every recruitment or admission notice states what qualifications a candidate must have — this much age, this much percentage, this many years of experience. Banking, insurance and other exams turn this into a reasoning question: you get a list of rules and the profile of a candidate, and you are asked what should be done with him or her.

There is no hard maths or general knowledge here. It needs only care: check each condition one by one, count the conditions that are missed, and apply the exception rule exactly. In this chapter we turn it into a firm method.

PartWhat you learn
Part 1The order of the decision, words like “at least / at most”, finding age from a date
Part 2Referral exceptions, and when to say “data inadequate”
Part 3Full question sets: bank, scholarship, education loan, teacher recruitment

How to use this chapter

  1. Read the rules — at the start of each part the rules are open. Read them once carefully; all the questions below depend on them.
  2. Study the solved example — every condition has a ✔ or ✘. That is the habit you must build.
  3. Try it yourself — the solution is hidden. Check the conditions on paper first, then choose. Take the hint if stuck, the solution last.
  4. Levels — Basic, Standard, Advanced. Advanced questions bring exceptions, borderline values and missing facts.
NoteAll candidates are imaginary and all rules are our own; real recruitment rules may differ. In the exam only the rules given in the question count.
1

Foundation — the order of the decision and the language of limits

Conditions, exceptions, referral, inadequate data

The vocabulary, the order of the decision, the exact sense of words like “at least / at most” and finding age from a date.

Vocabulary and the order of the decision

Four possible decisions, one fixed order

The meaning of condition, exception, refer and inadequate data, and the order for deciding.

TermMeaningExample
Conditionsomething every candidate must meetage 21–35 years
Exceptiona special concession: if just one condition is missed and an extra requirement is met, the case goes to an officerMBA ≥ 65% → to the General Manager
To referhanding the decision to an officer instead of deciding (neither selected nor rejected)“refer the case to the Director”
Data inadequatea fact that is not given could change the decisionexperience not mentioned at all

In every question there are only four possible decisions: select, do not select, refer to someone or data inadequate. Think of them in a fixed order so that no situation is missed:

Order of the decision
1. Check every condition: ✔ or ✘ (or “?” if not given)2. No ✘, no ? → select3. Exactly one ✘ and its exception met → refer4. All other ✘ situations → do not select5. A ? that the result depends on → data inadequate
NoteTwo things lose the most marks. (1) An exception works only when just one condition is missed. If two are missed, forget the exception. (2) An exception belongs to the condition named in it — it does not work if some other condition is missed.

Here is our first full sample. Look at the rules, then the solution for the candidate.

Selection rules for Assistant Manager (Accounts) in a cooperative bank (all cases are as on 01.01.2025). The candidate must —

  • (i) be at least 24 and at most 34 years old as on 01.01.2025
  • (ii) hold a Commerce degree with at least 55% marks
  • (iii) be a postgraduate with at least 60% marks
  • (iv) have at least 5 years of post-qualification experience in the accounts department of an organisation
  • (v) have at least 45% marks in the interview

Exceptions (rules for referring) —

  • (a) for a candidate who meets every condition except (iii) but holds an MBA in Finance with at least 65% marks — refer the case to the General Manager
  • (b) for a candidate who meets every condition except (iv) but is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with at least 1 year of experience in an organisation — refer the case to the Director
Example 1 · Basic
Seema was born on 12 June 1997. She has obtained 85% marks in B.Com. She has obtained 48% marks in the postgraduate degree. She has 5 years of post-qualification experience in an accounts department. She has earned 71% marks in the interview. She holds an MBA in Finance with 72% marks. She is not a Chartered Accountant. What is the right decision about this candidate?
Solution, step by step
  1. 1(i) age 24–34 yr — 27 yr 6 mo 20 d → ✔
  2. 2(ii) B.Com ≥ 55% — 85% → ✔
  3. 3(iii) postgraduate ≥ 60% — 48% → ✘
  4. 4(iv) experience ≥ 5 yr — 5 → ✔
  5. 5(v) interview ≥ 45% — 71% → ✔
  6. 6Only condition (iii) is missed, and the requirement of exception (a) is met.
  7. 7So the case goes to the General Manager.
Answer Refer the case to the General Manager
Exactly one condition missed + the exception’s requirement met = refer.

Now some thinking questions. Here the rules come without numbers, only as logic — just count how many conditions are missed.

BasicTry it yourself first
A rule has 5 conditions. Each of (v) has an exception: when only that condition is missed and the extra requirement of its exception is met, the case is referred. A candidate meets every condition. The candidate meets the extra requirement of the exception for (v). What is the decision?
BasicTry it yourself first
A rule has 6 conditions. Each of (iv) and (v) has an exception: when only that condition is missed and the extra requirement of its exception is met, the case is referred. A candidate misses (i). The candidate meets the extra requirement of no exception. What is the decision?
StandardTry it yourself first
A rule has 5 conditions. Each of (i) and (v) has an exception: when only that condition is missed and the extra requirement of its exception is met, the case is referred. A candidate misses (ii). The candidate meets the extra requirement of the exception for (v). What is the decision?
StandardTry it yourself first
A rule has 4 conditions. Each of (i) and (ii) has an exception: when only that condition is missed and the extra requirement of its exception is met, the case is referred. A candidate misses (iii). The candidate meets the extra requirement of the exception for (i). What is the decision?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
A rule has 4 conditions. Each of (iv) has an exception: when only that condition is missed and the extra requirement of its exception is met, the case is referred. A candidate meets every condition. The candidate meets the extra requirement of the exception for (iv). What is the decision?

The language of limits

What happens on the boundary for “at least”, “not more than”, “up to”, “less than”

Whether the boundary value itself is included for each limit word — a table and practice.

The smallest yet deadliest error in eligibility questions happens exactly on the boundary value. Say the condition is “at least 55% marks”. A candidate has 55% — pass or fail? “At least” means 55 or more, so 55 passes. But if the condition were “more than 55%”, 55 would fail.

WordsMeaningThe boundary itself (e.g. 55)?
at least 5555 or moreincluded ✔
not less than 5555 or moreincluded ✔
at most 5555 or lessincluded ✔
not more than 5555 or lessincluded ✔
up to 5555 or lessincluded ✔
more than 5556, 57 …not included ✘
less than 55… 53, 54not included ✘
below 55… 53, 54not included ✘
TrickTo remember: words with “not” or “up to”, and “at least / at most”, include the boundary. Only plain “more” and “less / below” exclude it. “Not more than 55” = up to 55 (included).

Test some values against a condition. Each time first decide whether the boundary value is included.

BasicTry it yourself first
Condition: the age must be less than 28 years. Which of these values meets it?
BasicTry it yourself first
Condition: the typing speed must be more than 45 words per minute. Which of these values meets it?
BasicTry it yourself first
Condition: the height must be more than 175 cm. Which of these values meets it?
BasicTry it yourself first
Condition: the typing speed must be below 45 words per minute. Which of these values meets it?
StandardTry it yourself first
Condition: the typing speed must be less than 30 words per minute. Which of these values meets it?
StandardTry it yourself first
Condition: the marks must be at most 65%. Which of these values does not meet it?
StandardTry it yourself first
Condition: the experience must be not less than 3 years. Which of these values does not meet it?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Condition: the height must be below 165 cm. Which of these values meets it?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Condition: the marks must be at least 45%. Which of these values does not meet it?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Condition: the age must be not more than 21 years. Which of these values does not meet it?

Finding age from the date of birth

“Age on a given date” — years, months, days

The method of subtracting dates to get the age, the borrowing rule and turning an age limit into a birth-date limit.

Most rules do not give the age directly; the candidate’s date of birth is given and the rule says “age on such-and-such date …”. So the first job is to find the age on that date. Subtract exactly as you subtract two numbers — days from days, months from months, years from years.

Steps to find the age
1. Write the “as on” date above and the birth date below2. Subtract days; if negative, add the days of the previous month and take 1 off the months3. Subtract months; if negative, add 12 and take 1 off the years4. Subtract the years

Example — born 16 December 2005, as on 1 May 2026: days 1 − 16 = −15, the previous month (April) has 30 days, so 31 − 16 = 15 (15 days); months 5 − 12 = −7, one was lent so −8, add 12 to get 4; years 2026 − 2005 = 21, one lent so 20. Age = 20 years 4 months 15 days.

NoteAn age limit “at least 21 and at most 30 years” counts years, months and days: an age of 30 years 1 month is above the upper limit. So look at months and days too, not only the years.

The reverse also comes: from an age limit to a birth-date limit. More age = born earlier. A candidate with “at most 30 years” must be born on or after the day exactly 30 years before the date.

BasicTry it yourself first
A candidate was born on 18 January 2007. What is the age on 30 June 2026?
BasicTry it yourself first
A candidate was born on 22 August 2006. What is the age on 1 October 2025?
BasicTry it yourself first
A candidate was born on 7 March 1998. What is the age on 15 May 2025?
StandardTry it yourself first
A candidate was born on 10 May 1995. What is the age on 30 September 2026?
StandardTry it yourself first
A candidate was born on 12 July 2005. What is the age on 30 October 2024?
StandardTry it yourself first
Age limit: at least 18 and at most 25 years on 15 September 2025. The candidate with which date of birth meets the age condition?
StandardTry it yourself first
Age limit: at least 18 and at most 27 years on 30 October 2026. The candidate with which date of birth meets the age condition?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
Age limit: at least 18 and at most 27 years on 15 February 2024. The candidate with which date of birth meets the age condition?
StandardTry it yourself first
The age must be at least 30 years on 1 July 2025. When must the candidate have been born?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
The age must be at least 23 years on 1 October 2024. When must the candidate have been born?
AdvancedTry it yourself first
The age must be at most 29 years on 15 July 2026. When must the candidate have been born?
2

Referral and inadequate data

Plain decision → exception → missing facts

Rules without exceptions, rules with exceptions (refer) and questions where some facts are simply not given.

The plain decision: select or do not select

A ✔ or ✘ on every condition

The first kind of questions on rules without exceptions and the right habit of checking.

🔒

Exceptions and referral

Only one condition missed + the extra requirement met → refer

How to read an exception, when a case goes to an officer and when it does not.

🔒

When are the data inadequate?

“Inadequate” only if the missing fact can change the decision

What to do when a fact is not given: when to say “data inadequate” and when a decision is still possible.

🔒
3

Full question sets

Exam-like rules and plenty of candidates

Four complete rule lists, each with a solved sample and around a dozen candidates.

Set 1: Assistant Manager in a cooperative bank

Five conditions, two exceptions

The bank-recruitment style: separate exceptions for (iii) and (iv) and two different officers.

🔒

Set 2: Merit scholarship

Five conditions, exceptions for attendance and income

A mix of percentage, amount and yes/no conditions and referral to different officers.

🔒

Set 3: A bank’s education loan

Yes/no conditions and the property exception

Where many conditions are yes/no: “no” is also a given fact.

🔒

Set 4: Teacher recruitment in a school

Age relaxation, a list of qualifications and the TET

Where the age limit depends on the candidate’s category and the qualification can be one of several.

🔒
4

Strategy guide

Every question in the same order

The order of checks, time-savers and the common mistakes.

The order of checks

Rules once, candidates again and again

A quick order for reading the rule list and testing each candidate.

🔒

Common mistakes

The mistakes that keep happening

The commonest reasons for losing marks in eligibility questions.

🔒
5

Mixed practice

All types mixed

Limits, ages and full candidate questions in three levels.

Basic practice

Plain selection, boundary values and age

Limit words, age calculation and rules without exceptions.

🔒

Standard practice

Referral, inadequate data and age checks

Rules with exceptions, missing facts and birth-date limits.

🔒

Advanced practice

The finest: incomplete exception requirements, two misses, a missing fact

The hardest kinds, where every sentence matters.

🔒
6

Revision — cards

Flip each card and test yourself

Think of the answer yourself first, then flip.

🔒