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2 Selection PYQ (Solutions)

Master Selection for CAT 2026 with practice questions and detailed explanations

CAT 2025

Selection or Grouping Puzzles

Selection or grouping puzzles involve choosing subsets or forming groups under conditions (for example, selecting committee members with constraints, or grouping people into teams). CAT often includes such conditional grouping sets.

  • CAT 2018: Slot 1 featured the “Institutes” puzzle and the “Exam” puzzle, which were quite difficult grouping/conditionality sets.
  • CAT 2019: Slot 2 had “Languages and Teams” (difficult) – a grouping puzzle involving teams.
  • CAT 2020 & 2021: Both years included at least one set each requiring grouping or allocation. For example, CAT 2020 Slot 3’s “Land Plots” distribution could be seen as grouping land among people.

InsideIIM’s analysis shows that grouping/conditional puzzles constituted 6–25% of DILR sets over 2017–2021, peaking in 2020 (25%).

  • In about half the years, there was a dedicated grouping set.
  • Expect roughly 1 set in some CAT papers focusing on selection (like selecting candidates or assigning people to groups with conditions).
  • While not every year has such a set, they appear often enough to be significant.

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Weightage Over Past Years

YearQ.NODifficulty Level
20211Medium
20171Easy

CAT 2021 Selection questions

Question 1

Slot-3

Three reviewers Amal, Bimal, and Komal are tasked with selecting questions from a pool of 13 questions (Q01 to Q13). Questions can be created by external "subject matter experts" (SMEs) or by one of the three reviewers. Each of the reviewers either approves or disapproves a question that is shown to them. Their decisions lead to eventual acceptance or rejection of the question in the manner described below.

If a question is created by an SME, it is reviewed first by Amal, and then by Bimal. If both of them approve the question, then the question is accepted and is not reviewed by Komal. If both disapprove the question, it is rejected and is not reviewed by Komal. If one of them approves the question and the other disapproves it, then the question is reviewed by Komal. Then the question is accepted only if she approves it.

A question created by one of the reviewers is decided upon by the other two. If a question is created by Amal, then it is first reviewed by Bimal. If Bimal approves the question, then it is accepted. Otherwise, it is reviewed by Komal. The question is then accepted only if Komal approves it. A similar process is followed for questions created by Bimal, whose questions are first reviewed by Komal, and then by Amal only if Komal disapproves it. Questions created by Komal are first reviewed by Amal, and then, if required, by Bimal.

The following facts are known about the review process after its completion.

  1. Q02, Q06, Q09, Q11, and Q12 were rejected and the other questions were accepted.
  2. Amal reviewed only Q02, Q03, Q04, Q06, Q08, Q10, Q11, and Q13.
  3. Bimal reviewed only Q02, Q04, Q06 through Q09, Q12, and Q13.
  4. Komal reviewed only Q01 through Q05, Q07, Q08, Q09, Q11, and Q12.

How many questions were DEFINITELY created by Amal?

How many questions were DEFINITELY created by Komal?

How many questions were DEFINITELY created by the SMEs?

How many questions were DEFINITELY disapproved by Bimal?

3

7

4

5

The approval ratio of a reviewer is the ratio of the number of questions (s)he approved to the number of questions (s)he reviewed. Which option best describes Amal's approval ratio?

lies between 0.25 and 0.75

either 0.25 or 0.75

lies between 0.25 and 0.50

0.25

How many questions created by Amal or Bimal were disapproved by at least one of the other reviewers?

5

4

7

2

CAT 2017 Selection questions

Question 1

Slot-1

Applicants for the doctoral programmes of Ambi Institute of Engineering (AIE) and Bambi Institute of Engineering (BIE) have to appear for a Common Entrance Test (CET). The test has three sections: Physics (P), Chemistry (C), and Maths (M). Among those appearing for CET, those at or above the 80th percentile in at least two sections, and at or above the 90th percentile overall, are selected for Advanced Entrance Test (AET) conducted by AIE. AET is used by AIE for final selection.

For the 200 candidates who are at or above the 90th percentile overall based on CET, the following are known about their performance in CET: 1.No one is below the 80th percentile in all 3 sections. 2.150 are at or above the 80th percentile in exactly two sections. 3.The number of candidates at or above the 80th percentile only in P is the same as the number of candidates at or above the 80th percentile only in C. The same is the number of candidates at or above the 80th percentile only in M. 4.Number of candidates below 80th percentile in P: Number of candidates below 80th percentile in C: Number of candidates below 80th percentile in M = 4:2:1.

BIE uses a different process for selection. If any candidate is appearing in the AET by AIE, BIE considers their AET score for final selection provided the candidate is at or above the 80th percentile in P. Any other candidate at or above the 80th percentile in P in CET, but who is not eligible for the AET, is required to appear in a separate test to be conducted by BIE for being considered for final selection. Altogether, there are 400 candidates this year who are at or above the 80th percentile in P.

What best can be concluded about the number of candidates sitting for the separate test for BIE who were at or above the 90th percentile overall in CET?

3 or 10

10

5

7 or 10

If the number of candidates who are at or above the 90th percentile overall and also at or above the 80th percentile in all three sections in CET is actually a multiple of 5, what is the number of candidates who are at or above the 90th percentile overall and at or above the 80th percentile in both P and M in CET? (TITA)

If the number of candidates who are at or above the 90th percentile overall and also at or above the 80th percentile in all three sections in CET is actually a multiple of 5, then how many candidates were shortlisted for the AET for AIE? (TITA)

If the number of candidates who are at or above the 90th percentile overall and also are at or above the 80th percentile in P in CET, is more than 100, how many candidates had to sit for the separate test for BIE?

299

310

321

330

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