How many seating arrangement questions in IBPS PO prelims?

IBPS PO prelims typically has 10-15 marks worth of seating arrangement and puzzle questions out of 35 total reasoning marks. This is usually split across 2-3 puzzle sets, each with 5 questions. The puzzles are predominantly linear row and circular seating.

How many puzzle questions in SBI PO compared to IBPS PO?

SBI PO prelims is similar: 10-15 marks from puzzles out of 35. SBI PO mains has a dedicated reasoning section of 45-60 marks where puzzles account for 15-25 marks — a higher proportion than IBPS PO mains. SBI typically includes more circular and floor puzzles.

Do SSC exams have seating arrangement puzzles?

Yes. SSC CGL and CHSL include seating arrangement puzzles in the General Intelligence and Reasoning section (25 questions, 50 marks). Puzzles typically account for 5-10 marks. SSC puzzles tend to be simpler (4-5 people) compared to banking puzzles.

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How Many Puzzle Questions in IBPS, SBI, and SSC Exams

Puzzle and seating arrangement questions consistently carry the highest single-topic weight in Indian competitive-exam reasoning sections. Here is the exact breakdown for every major exam.

Master Breakdown by Exam

Exam	Reasoning Marks	Puzzle Marks	Puzzle %	Typical Puzzle Types
IBPS PO Prelims	35	10-15	~35%	Linear row, circular, floor
IBPS PO Mains	60	15-20	~30%	Double-row, complex circular, floor + scheduling
IBPS Clerk Prelims	35	10-15	~35%	Linear row, simple circular
SBI PO Prelims	35	10-15	~35%	Circular, linear, floor
SBI PO Mains	45-60	15-25	~38%	Double-row, circular with mixed facing, floor + variable
SBI Clerk Prelims	35	10-15	~35%	Linear row, simple circular
SSC CGL Tier 1	50	5-10	~15%	Simple seating, ordering, ranking
SSC CHSL	50	5-10	~15%	Simple seating, ordering
RBI Grade B	60	15-20	~30%	Complex circular, double-row, floor + scheduling

Question Types by Frequency

Puzzle Type	Frequency	Difficulty
Linear row seating (5-7 people)	Very high — appears in every exam	Easy-Medium
Circular seating (6-8 people, centre-facing)	High — appears in most prelims	Medium
Floor arrangement (4-6 floors)	Medium — appears in PO exams	Medium-Hard
Double-row seating (facing each other)	Medium — appears in mains	Hard
Circular with mixed facing	Low-Medium — PO mains only	Hard

What This Means for Your Prep

If you can solve 2 puzzle sets (10 questions) accurately in under 10 minutes, you secure roughly 30% of the section — before touching any other topic. That is the highest-leverage investment in reasoning prep.

Deduce gives you one fresh, server-validated puzzle every day across all types. Solve consistently and you cover the entire puzzle syllabus without buying a single question bank.

Also see: Linear vs Circular · Prep Order · Daily Solved Puzzles