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Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
Vindhya, Shabnam and Amala are interning at a software organization as part of the requirement of their B-school curriculum.
The organization has allotted each of them a project based on their area of specialization. In the first meeting with the HR head, they are informed of a PPO possibility (pre-placement offer, i.e., an offer to join the company after their MBA), based on their performance. All of them are eager to convert their internship into a job offer.
Each of them is assigned a mentor who evaluates the intern's performance along with the HR head.
In the second week of her eight-week internship, Amala realizes that the project requires inputs from subjects she studied in her third trimester. However, during the third trimester, Amala was significantly distracted by an inter-college sports meet, affecting her grasp of the subjects.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way forward for Amala?
Option A will reduce Amala's chances of getting a PPO as it will seem like running away from a problem instead of finding a solution.
Option D will also avoid the problem, and her poor performance may also damage her networking.
Option E does not help Amala solve her problem at all.
Option C is a good choice but it has to be taken into account that Shabnam will also be very busy with her project and trying to get a PPO and will probably not be able to help Amala too much.
Option B is the best choice as it shows Amala's honesty and her preparedness to learn and seek help.
Hence, the answer is option B.
Vindhya’s project is about understanding employee perception regarding the organization’s HR policies. Against her own instinct, she is suggested by her mentor to interview only the good performers identified by his office because poor performers, he believes, usually crib against the policies.
Which of the following courses of action will BEST enable Vindhya to provide the organization with a complete picture?
Since Vindhya wants to convey the complete picture to the organisation, option A can be rejected.
Option B can also be dismissed as separating the data will not provide an accurate picture of the situation.
Options C and D may lead to some tension among the HR department and Vindhya and may cost her the PPO.
Option E is the best option as Vindhya is still following her mentor's suggestions and also getting the whole information.
Hence, the answer is option E.
Shabnam, who is working on sales executives’ work-life balance, has collected the following details about their frequent travels:
1. Frequent meetings help strengthen relationships with key customers.
2. Travelling has no effect on the personal lives of the sales executives as most of them are single.
3. Travel enhances the financial health of the sales executives since their fixed salaries are low.
4. Frequent travel has no significant impact on market budget, given the current high margins from sales.
5. The sales executives have the autonomy to decide the frequency of their travel.
Shabnam thinks that the frequency of travel is higher than required.
Which of the following combinations of the above reasons can enable Shabnam BEST substantiate her thinking?
We have to choose the statements which will substantiate Shabnam's thinking that the frequency of travel is higher than required.
Statement 1 can be dismissed as it will do the opposite job.
Statement 2 can also be dismissed as it is not true for all the employees. Also, this situation is subject to change as more of them get married.
Statement 3 is a valid point. As their fixed salaries are low and travelling improves their financial health, the sales executives are more inclined to take more trips than necessary.
Statement 4 is also valid as frequent visits are not required if they don't have any effect on the budget, even though the margins are high in sales. This would mean that there is no advantage to frequent travel.
Statement 5 is also valid. Since the executives have the autonomy to decide the frequency of travel, they can travel more than required.
Thus, 3, 4 and 5 are valid points to substantiate Shabnam's thinking.
Hence, the answer is option C.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
A Multinational Company (MNC) sources pristine natural spring water from Bori, a village in Satpura mountains. The unprocessed natural spring water is directly bottled by the MNC. The company brands it as “Natural Spring Water” and sells at 50% premium vis-a-vis other brands that sell processed water.
The local panchayat, under the Panchayati Raj Act, 1992 controls the spring water usage. Hence, the company signed a 30-year contract with the panchayat for exclusive access to the spring water for business purposes. This contract contributes 50% to the panchayat’s revenues besides providing 250 jobs in the panchayat. The spring also meets domestic and agricultural needs of the people of Bori and the surrounding villages.
Chanchala owns a small parcel of farming land in Bori. She grows cannabis in some part of her land and earns a significant amount of money from it. Soon after the bottling plant was commissioned, Chanchala, instigated by a landlord with a vested interest, starts accusing the MNC of robbing her of water and impacting her livelihood. She threatens to take the MNC to court.
Which of the following options will BEST solve the MNC’s problem?
Option A won't necessarily solve the problem as the son can always work at the farm and doesn't really need the job.
Option B could increase the problems for the MNC as it is akin to taking away Chanchala's livelihood.
Options C and E may lead to more instances of people accusing the MNC.
Option D is the best option as the villagers employed by the company can make a good case for it and Chanchala is more likely to listen to them than to the MNC.
Hence, the answer is option D.
The MNC has spotted traces of chemicals in their fortnightly water quality analysis. The MNC realizes that this is due to the contaminated agricultural runoff, flowing into the spring from the nearby fields where farmers use pesticides and fertilizers.
This requires an immediate solution. Which of the following options will BEST resolve the situation for the MNC?
Option A would be unethical and thus can be rejected.
Option B will also be wrong as after removing the contaminants, the water won't be natural spring water. So marketing it as such will be cheating the customers.
The unique selling point of the brand was that they were selling natural spring water and were also charging a premium for it. If they rebrand it as purified water, then it would lose it's uniqueness.
Option D will lead to massive losses for the MNC and can be rejected.
Option E is the best choice for the company as it will help them stay in business while they solve the problem.
Hence, the answer is option E.
The MNC is concerned about chemical contamination of the natural spring water due to the agricultural runoff with pesticides and fertilizers. The MNC is looking for a sustainable solution to this contamination.
Which of the following courses of action will BEST solve the issue?
Option A might lead to tensions between the Panchayat and the MNC as the spring is the primary water source for the villagers, and they might not be ready to switch to an alternate source.
Option B will lead to the brand losing its uniqueness, and they won't be able to charge the same price for the water, leading to a loss in revenue.
Option C will lead to a substantial financial undertaking as the MNC will have to sign new deals and set up a new bottling plant.
Option E will lead to tensions between the farmers and the MNC as they will lose their primary source of income.
Option D is the best choice as it is a win-win situation for both parties.
Hence, the answer is option D.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
The Small Shop, selling computer peripherals, is the only one of its kind in the remote village of Turturunk. Because online purchases take two weeks or more to arrive, The Small Shop is a quick stop for buying items such as pen drives and USB cables. Besides selling computer peripherals, The Small Shop also undertakes repairs of out-of-warranty products.
The Small Shop which earlier recorded an annual increase of approximately 12% in revenues has been stagnating at 4% for the last three years, during which e-commerce sidelined brick and mortar outlets. The shop is struggling to increase profitability. In general, The Small Shop has been offering a discount on MRP to compete with e-commerce prices.
Which of the following is the BEST reason for The Small Shop NOT to reduce the current discount offered to the customers?
Taking a business decision just because of some words on a sign is not prudent; hence, option A can be rejected.
Option B can be ignored as the outside villagers form a very insignificant portion of the total revenues.
Option C can be rejected as even though the delivery fee has been charged since last year, it has not improved The Small Shop's business.
Option D does not mention the kind of business that is being started by the mentioned person.
Option E is the best choice, as the villagers form the majority of the shop's business and if they prefer the shop from e-commerce, then it is a reason to keep the discount.
Hence, the answer is option E.
The Small Shop wants to increase the variety of products sold, including expensive ones. However, it is averse to accumulating unsold products, specifically of the expensive kind.
Which of the following is the BEST option if The Small Shop wants to increase the variety of the products it sells?
We have to choose the option that will provide the best course for the Small Shop to increase the variety of products.
Option B discourages the increase in variety and thus, can be rejected.
Option C mentions a minimum order every month, which could lead to the problem of unsold products. Hence, it can be dismissed.
Option D does not solve the problem of unsold products and also adds the cost of new rental space.
Option E says to exclusively sell expensive products. It will not increase the variety. Also, the expensive products will only form 10% of the total revenue, which is insignificant for such a drastic change.
Option A is the best option, as it ensures the increase in variety as well as solves the problem of unsold products.
Hence, the answer is option A.
An emerging brand offers a franchise to The Small Shop for repairing its products, on a condition that other brands are not to be repaired. Repairs currently account for 15% of its revenues.
Which of the following, if true, will BEST help The Small Shop to decide on the franchise?
The Small Shop will be convinced to take up the offer if it has long-term benefits for the shop.
Option A will lead to the shop losing two employees for 3months. This will cause a problem for the proper functioning of the shop for those months. Thus, it will not encourage the owner to take the deal.
Option B will not encourage the deal as it will be a great risk as the brand is very new.
Option D is not related to the decision.
Option E is convenient for the shop but does not show that the business will improve. It just talks about maintaining the status quo.
Option C is the best option as it shows that the revenues from repairing are going to increase every year. This will encourage the shop in taking the deal.
Hence, the answer is option C.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
When Deepti opened the package, she was aghast. She received cotton pillow covers instead of satin pillow covers, she had ordered. Deepti ordered them for her father from a popular e-commerce website that hosted products of many sellers.
Confused, Deepti contacted the seller’s office using the details given on the package. The seller’s representative profusely regretted and promised to send the satin pillow covers at no extra cost. He added that Deepti need not return the cotton covers she received. Deepti happily accepted the deal.
A few days later, Deepti received another package from the seller. Unfortunately, this package also contained cotton pillow covers. Completely disillusioned with the seller’s professionalism, Deepti decided to put to use these cotton pillow covers also.
A few days later, Deepti received an email from the e-commerce website, requesting her to share feedback about the seller. Deeply frustrated with the overall online purchasing experience, she deliberately ignored it.
Later that evening, over supper, her father opined that the balcony curtains needed to be changed. He suggested that they be bought from a local shop. “If something went wrong, we could at least yell at the seller,” he added.
Deepti stared at her laptop and began writing her feedback.
What would Deepti DEFINITELY achieve by giving feedback?
Deepti initially did not give any feedback. She thought of giving feedback after her father mentioned that at least you can yell at the seller if you bought from a local shop. With this, we can infer that Deepti thought of venting her frustration by giving feedback.
The answer is option B.
In the feedback column, Deepti awarded 1-star out of the maximum 5 stars to the seller and described her negative experience.
Later that evening, the sales head called and pleaded with her to retract her feedback and upgrade them to 5-star, as they had already fired the employee concerned. He appealed that they were a young organization and that their sales were getting badly affected.
Given the circumstances, what should be the IDEAL response?
Deepti did not share something which didn't happen and Deepti is sharing what actually happened. Hence, options A, C, D and E are not the answers.
Answer is option B.
After a few months, the sales head enquired, “In case you are using the cotton pillow covers and like them, kindly rate them on the e-commerce website. It will help us serve our customers better.”
Later that evening, her father remarked, “You know, I really love these pillow covers though I am not sure why you bought so many of them”.
Which of the following reasons gives Deepti the BEST rationale to ignore the sales head’s request?
The seller didn't rectify his mistake and asked for a review on a product not ordered. Giving a review on a product she didn't intend to buy is not necessary. Hence, option B is the best rationale to ignore the sales head's request.
The answer is option B.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
Rakesh, who hailed from Dhanbad, worked in Jamshedpur with SPCIL, a government construction company. Although HR policies concerning job security & work-life balance attracted Rakesh to SPCIL, over time he found his work monotonous with no growth opportunities. However, the proximity to Dhanbad enabled him to visit his parents at his convenience.
Recently Rakesh applied to Grow and Prosper (G&P), a multinational company engaged in construction related operations, making inroads into many Indian states. G&P interviewed Rakesh and offered him three times his current salary at SPCIL.
While considering G&P’s offer, Rakesh pondered over the following facts:
1. A recent government policy made poor performance punishable by salary reduction or dismissal.
2. The first assignment at G&P is a bridge construction project in a village near Dhanbad.
3. With his current savings, Rakesh need not depend on regular income for at least six months.
4. Though an exemplary performer, Rakesh has hardly been recognized at SPCIL.
5. Based on the annual performance review at G&P, Rakesh will either earn double the salary or get fired.
Which of the following combinations of the above facts will BEST help Rakesh decide on joining G&P?
Among the five statements, we need to find statements that would motivate Rakesh to join G&P.
Statement 1 brings out the negative aspect of both SPCIL and G&P. Statement 3 doesn't help Rakesh in deciding to join G&P or not. Both statements 1 and 3 do not favour G&P. Statement 2 is in favour of G&P as the first assignment is in the village near Dhanbad. Statement 4 and 5 infers that Rakesh being a good performer, will succeed in G&P. Therefore, statements 2, 4 and 5 are in favour of G&P.
The answer is option A.
While mulling over the offer, Rakesh consulted Manikandan, his trusted senior at SPCIL. Manikandan, who had friends in G&P, disclosed that it preferred government employees for its projects in Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. “Once the project is completed, G&P may not need your skills,” observed Manikandan.
Which of the following, if true, will BEST enable Rakesh to decide on the offer?
Options A, D, and E neither support nor weakens the point mentioned by Manikandan that once the project is completed, G&P may not need your skills. In option B, it is mentioned that Manikandan's contact has left G&P, but there can be many reasons for leaving the company. Option C infers that there are employees still working with G&P who worked on similar projects earlier.
The answer is option C.
Rakesh, in his current job, came across incidences of bribing by private sector officials. He wondered if he might have to bribe government officials while at G&P.
He reflected on his interview with G&P:
1. The interviewers were puzzled how Rakesh could manage his EMIs with his current income.
2. One interviewer was constantly probing how Rakesh managed to meet his project deadlines with little cooperation from his subordinates.
3. “What would you do if your project has a fortnight’s deadline and it takes a month to obtain a permit?,” asked another interviewer.
4. A question that intrigued Rakesh was, “Should a pack of dacoits share their loot with one of their gang, who had killed a bystander against their motto ‘Thou shalt not kill’?”
Which of the following sequences of the above statements is in the MOST appropriate DESCENDING order of bribing undertones?
Let's look at what each statement means in the context of bribery.
Statement 1 asks about managing EMIs on the current salary, which is really checking Rakesh’s financial situation. It may sound like a simple concern, but it hints that his official income might not cover his lifestyle. In fields where unofficial earnings(taking bribes, for example) are common, this question quietly checks if the candidate is used to getting extra money through things like commissions or bribes.
Statement 2 asks how Rakesh meets project deadlines even when his team does not cooperate. This is about how he uses influence and control at work. It checks if he gets results only by following rules or also by using informal methods. Bribery could be one way, but the question could also be answered by talking about leadership, persuasion, or discipline, so the hint at bribery is not strong.
Statement 3 gives a real problem: getting a permit that officially takes a month, but the project deadline is only two weeks away. This makes it impossible to finish on time if you follow the rules. The question quietly suggests looking for solutions outside the normal process, and this often means bribing officials to speed up approvals. Here, the hint at bribery is clear and practical.
Statement 4, involving dacoits and a violated moral code, is an ethical analogy. It examines whether collective benefits should override ethical breaches by individuals. While the metaphor uses criminals, it does not refer to bribery directly or even operationally. Any connection to corruption is abstract and philosophical rather than procedural.
Now, looking at the statements, we can say that Statement 3 has the strongest bribing undertone because it constructs a real-world administrative deadlock that almost requires bribery to resolve. Statement 1 comes next because it indirectly normalises undeclared income by questioning financial viability on official pay alone. Statement 2 is weaker, as bribery is only one of several ways to interpret how cooperation or results might be secured. Statement 4 is the weakest because it is essentially a moral thought experiment, with only a distant and symbolic link to corruption. So, the best order from strongest to weakest bribery undertone is 3, 1, 2, 4, which matches option E.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
Two industrial towns, Jayanagar and Ramnagar, about 15 kms. apart, are similar in land area, population, ethnic diversity and per capita incomes.
Jagdeep Singh owns a bakery named Le Baguette in Jayanagar. He specializes in croissants, masala bread and whole wheat bread; eggless cakes are also a favorite.
Among the four bakeries in Jayanagar, Jagdeep’s bakery with a market share of 30% is second only to the oldest Le Croissant bakery whose market share is 40%. Le Croissant commands a loyal customer base and does not offer eggless varieties.
Jagdeep has decided to open a branch in Ramnagar. Which of the following facts about Ramnagar will BEST support his decision?
Option B doesn't mention anything about the Ramnagar market. Therefore, this neither supports nor weakens the decision. Option C mentions that Jagdeep was supplying bread to bakeries; this implies that he is not in direct contact with customers. Options D and E go against the decision taken by Jagdeep. Among the given options, option A supports the decision.
The answer is option A.
Jagdeep wishes to open a 100% eggless branch in Ramnagar. To explore feasibility, he collected the following facts:
1. Eggless products account for 30% of Le Baguette’s sales.
2. At least 20% of all bakery sales in Ramnagar is from eggless products.
3. The eggless varieties of Le Baguette contain minute traces of egg.
4. Le Baguette currently makes 3% of its revenue from Ramnagar customers and all of it comes from eggless products.
5. Le Croissant’s Ramnagar branch struggles with a market share of 10%.
From the combinations below, in the DESCENDING order of effectiveness, choose the one that BEST supports Jagdeep’s decision.
Statement 3 mentions that the eggless varieties of Le Baguette contain minute traces of egg. This doesn't support the decision taken by Jaydeep. Statement 5 doesn't mention anything about the Ramnagar market for eggless products. Therefore, this neither supports nor weakens the decision. Statements 1, 2 and 4 mention the market value of eggless products in Le Baguette and Ramnagar. Thus, statements 1, 2 and 4 support the decision taken by Jaydeep.
The answer is option C.
From a newspaper, Jagdeep has learnt that Americans use their own ovens to bake ready-to-bake products, sold by some bakeries. This idea is apparently catching up in Indian metros as well.
Jagdeep wants to try this out in his bakery. He has gathered the following facts:
1. US bakeries that also sell ready-to-bake products earned higher revenues compared to those that do not.
2. Around 7% of Jagdeep’s regular customers own baking ovens in their homes.
3. The sale of baking ovens in India is forecast to increase by 12% every year, for the next three years.
4. 50% of Jagdeep’s regular customers are fulltime working couples.
5. In Indian metros, ready-to-bake products give higher profit margins compared to finished products.
Select the BEST of the following sequences of the above facts, in DESCENDING order of effectiveness, to support Jagdeep.
Statement 1 mentions the US market, which doesn't mention anything about the Indian market. Therefore, this cannot be the first in the order. Statement 2 mentions that there can be customers for ready-to-bake products if started by Jaydeep. Statement 3 mentions how the sales of ovens will increase in future. Statement 4 doesn't support the decision. Therefore, this will be the last in the order. Statement 5 mentions the Indian market for ready-to-bake products. The order will be 2, 3, 5, 1, and 4.
The answer is option D.
Read the situation below and answer the 3 associated questions:
A powerful, intelligent king Vanamali once ruled over an ancient kingdom, Vanarajya. The kingdom was known for its high mountains and sprawling plains, and ninety percent of its land was under forest cover. Trade in forest produce was the mainstay of its economy, supported by subsistence agriculture.
With the increase of population, over time the forest in the plains was cleared for agriculture. The forest in the mountains continued to supply nutrient-enriched water and abundant forest produce to the plains. As a result, agricultural yields were bountiful. The plains prospered as compared to the mountains.
The increasing prosperity of the plains people tempted those in the mountains to divert forest land for agriculture. Vanamali was afraid that expansion of agriculture would result in deforestation of the mountains.
Which of the following is the BEST course of action for Vanamali to conserve the mountain forest?
The prosperity of plains people tempts mountain people. Options B, C and D don't improve the prosperity of mountain people. Option E doesn't directly help mountain people to improve their prosperity. Option A directly helps mountain people to improve financially.
The answer is option A.
Vanamali, afraid of further deforestation, issued a diktat against felling of trees in the mountains. In due course, thanks to the booming agriculture, the king along with plains people began to prosper. However, mountain people became relatively poor, thanks to Vanamali’s diktat.
Which of the following options should mountain people choose to BEST protect their long-term interests?
The primary motive of the mountain people is to conserve the forest and sustain the earnings. Options B, C and E don't help in conserving the forest and sustaining the earnings. Option A doesn't benefit mountain people. Option D helps on conserving the forest and doesn't go against the diktat of the king.
Answer is option D.
The village elders of the mountains had informed Vanamali about the presence of a precious metal in abundance under a large part of the forest. They pleaded with him to repeal his diktat and permit felling of trees for mining.
Vanamali knew that the precious metal would make his kingdom prosper. However, he was worried that mining would reduce the flow of nutrients, water and forest produce to the plains.
Vanamali’s advisor Vanapandit presented the following action plans for his consideration:
1. Repeal the forest diktat and charge hefty royalty for mining in the mountains
2. Permit mining in the mountains and enforce rainwater harvesting in the plains
3. Permit mining in the mountains and begin afforestation in the plains
4. Continue with the forest diktat in the mountains
5. Permit limited mining in rotation but maintain the forest diktat in the rest of the mountains
Which of the following sequences of action plans, in the DESCENDING order of their ability to contribute to Vanarajya’s sustainable prosperity, will be the MOST appropriate for Vanamali?
Vanamali wants the sustained property for the kingdom.
Statement (1) and (4) are completely against the requirements. Therefore, 1 and 4 will be the last in order. Statement (2) doesn't solve the problem completely. It doesn't ensure the flow of nutrients and forest produce to plains. Statement (3) doesn't solve the problem completely but is better than 2. This statement has the solution for the supply of forest produce but doesn't ensure the flow of nutrients. (5) states the best solution among all the statements. Therefore, the order will be 5, 3, 2, 4 and 1.
The answer is option E.
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