07 Sep
Having strong reasoning skills is a must for any public sector banker. Sound logical ability is considered a critical parameter which is tested in all Bank PO / Clerk recruitment exams conducted by IBPS & SBI. In these exams, there is a complete section dedicated to logical and reasoning ability. Quite often the verbal reasoning aspect,an integral part of this section, proves to be a bit puzzling for candidates. It is so because the candidates, somewhere, lack in understanding of the logic behind words.
As a candidate, you must make it a point to strengthen your verbal logic skills. Given below are some tips and tricks by experts of Bank Coaching Classes that will be highly useful in this regard.
Four types of questions based on verbal reasoning can be seen in the exam.These are:-
(I) Statement & Course of Action: Statement & Course of action questions are basically decision making questions. They are designed in such a way as to test your decision making ability. The statement presents a problem or a situation which has to be analyzed carefully. After that a decision needs to be taken regarding the course of action that can solve the problem, the course of action which is appropriate in the circumstances given.
Example
Statement: The revenue generated by a particular product has declined steeply in comparison to similar products present in the market place, thereby causing great concern to the firm.
Course of Action:I. The firm should undertake a proper study of competing products present in the marketplace.
II. The price of the product should be decreased and its quality improved.
Explanation
The sale of the firm’s product has decreased but that of its competitors has not been affected. In such a scenario, it is best to compare the rival products with the firm’s product. So, the first course of action is suitable. However, till now we don’t have any idea regarding the cause of downfall in the sale. Therefore, decreasing the price and improving the quality will not be appropriate. Only when there is the complete understanding of why the sale has gone down should a corrective action be taken.
(II) Statement & Assumption: The task out here is to spot the assumption which is implicit in the statement. At first, it is important to understand the meaning conveyed by the words “statement” and “assumption”. A statement represents the explicitly stated information. It is that information which has been expressed clearly. On the other hand, assumption is the hidden information. It is implied but not stated. An assumption can be compared to the foundation of a building. Just like the foundation which supports a building while remaining invisible, the assumption supports the statement. The underlying principle to be followed is that a valid assumption is essentially related to the statement. The statement becomes meaningless without the support of the valid assumption.
Example
Statement:“I have paid you Rs. 1000; now I don’t owe you anything” – Jaya said to Rakesh.
Assumption: I. Jaya owed Rs. 1000 to Rakesh.
II. Rakesh had been demanding his money back from Jaya for a long time.
Explanation
Jaya’s assumption was that an outstanding balance of Rs. 1000 had to be cleared, that she owed this money to Rakesh.However, there is no assumption regarding the condition under which the outstanding balance was settled. The statement gives no indication about whether Rakesh had been demanding his money back or Jaya had repaid the money on her own without being reminded.
(III) Statement & Conclusion: The information provided in the statement has to be weighed carefully to check the validity of conclusions based on it. The aspect which deserves special attention out here is that a conclusion must not be based on any external information. Only those conclusions are valid which can be deduced from the information given.Finally, remember that a valid conclusion is a logically sound inference which can’t be proven false.
Example
Statement:The number of people living below the poverty line is calculated on the basis of minimum daily calorie requirement in terms of food and actual consumption. 39% of Indians live below the poverty line.
Conclusions:I. 39% of India’s people do not get required calories of food.
II. Poverty is India’s biggest concern.
Explanation
As per the information given in the statement, poverty line is computed on the basis of food requirement and actual calorie (energy) intake. Using this methodology it has been seen that 39% of Indian population falls below the poverty line. So, the conclusion that can be derived is that 39% of Indians don’t get required calories of food. However, concluding that poverty is the biggest concern in India will be erroneous as the data required to support such a conclusion is not available in the statement.
(IV) Strong Argument vs. Weak Argument: Out here, a question is presented along with “Yes” and “No”answers.The respective justification (arguments) for these “Yes” and “No” answers is also presented. A rational and objective argument is considered a strong argument. However, the argument that is not able to sustain counter questioning proves to be logically deficient. Such an argument is clearly a weak argument.
Example
Statement: Should women learn martial arts like kung fu and taekwondo?
Arguments: I. Yes. It will empower them to protect themselves from rogues and ruffians.
II. No. They may lose their desirable feminine grace.
Explanation
Yes, it is desirable for women to learn martial arts such as kung fu and taekwondo. By learning these arts they will be able to ensure their self defence which is an essential requirement. The argument (“no” argument) given for discouraging them from taking upmartial arts does not make any sense. The perceived loss of feminine grace is not a reasonable justification for discouraging them from learning martial arts and thereby risking their security.
At last, it is required that you practice solving adequate number of verbal reasoning questions. Moreover, it is suggested that you attempt online tests offered by a top institute for SBI Coaching or IBPS PO Coaching in Delhi. It will give you much greater clarity regarding the difficulty level of questions which can be there in the exam.
Summary:
This article has been written with the orientation of making you familiar with the kind of verbal reasoning questions which are seen in Bank PO / Clerk exams. If you follow the tips and tricks presented in this article, you will surely be benefited a lot.In order to get your doubts and queries cleared, you can write at vidyagurudelhi@gmail.com.
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