Fresher 
Key takeaways
- Aptitude tests usually have three parts: quantitative, logical reasoning and verbal ability.
- The same topics repeat across companies, so focused practice pays off.
- Learn the basic method for each topic first, then practise under a timer.
- Skip a question that takes too long and come back to it if time allows.
- Read the instructions for negative marking and the rules for online proctoring.
What the test usually looks like
Every company uses its own test, but most fresher aptitude tests have a similar structure. The exact number of questions and the time limit vary, so always read the instructions on the day.
| Section | What it checks | Typical topics |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative aptitude | Basic maths and working with numbers | Percentages, ratios, profit and loss, time and work, speed and distance, averages |
| Logical reasoning | Spotting patterns and thinking step by step | Number and letter series, coding-decoding, blood relations, seating arrangements, puzzles |
| Verbal ability | Reading and English usage | Reading comprehension, grammar, sentence correction, synonyms and antonyms |
| Coding (some tests) | Writing simple programs | Arrays, strings, basic maths problems |
Quantitative aptitude: what to study
You do not need advanced maths. Almost everything is class 8 to class 10 level, asked in a way that tests speed. Learn one clear method for each topic before you look for shortcuts.
- Percentages: increase, decrease, successive changes.
- Profit and loss: cost price, selling price, discount.
- Ratios and proportions: dividing an amount in a ratio.
- Averages: adding or removing a value.
- Time and work: people or pipes working together.
- Time, speed and distance: trains, relative speed.
- Simple and compound interest.
- Number basics: divisibility, HCF and LCM.
Worked examples
Q.A price rises by 20% and then falls by 20%. What is the net change?
Take the price as 100. After a 20% rise it becomes 120. A 20% fall on 120 is 24, so the new price is 96. The net change is a 4% decrease. A quick rule: two changes of +x% and −x% always give a net loss of x²/100 %.
Q.Divide 64 between A and B in the ratio 3 : 5.
The total parts are 3 + 5 = 8. One part is 64 ÷ 8 = 8. So A gets 3 × 8 = 24 and B gets 5 × 8 = 40.
Q.A can finish a job in 10 days and B in 15 days. How long will they take together?
In one day, A does 1/10 of the work and B does 1/15. Together they do 1/10 + 1/15 = 3/30 + 2/30 = 5/30 = 1/6 of the work each day. So they finish in 6 days.
Q.A train 200 m long runs at 72 km/h. How long does it take to cross a pole?
Convert the speed: 72 km/h × 5/18 = 20 m/s. To cross a pole, the train covers its own length. Time = 200 ÷ 20 = 10 seconds.
Q.The average of 5 numbers is 20. When a sixth number is added, the average becomes 22. What is the sixth number?
The sum of 5 numbers is 5 × 20 = 100. The sum of 6 numbers is 6 × 22 = 132. The sixth number is 132 − 100 = 32.
Q.An item is bought for ₹400 and sold for ₹500. What is the profit percentage?
Profit = 500 − 400 = ₹100. Profit % is calculated on the cost price: 100 ÷ 400 × 100 = 25%.
Logical reasoning
Logical reasoning questions look different each time, but a small set of types covers most tests. Practise each type until you can recognise it in a few seconds.
Q.Find the next number: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?
The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next difference is 12 and the answer is 42. Another way to see it: the terms are 1×2, 2×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×6, so the next is 6×7 = 42.
Q.If CAT is written as DBU, how is DOG written?
Each letter moves one step forward in the alphabet: C→D, A→B, T→U. So D→E, O→P, G→H, and DOG becomes EPH.
Q.A is B’s brother. B is C’s mother. How is A related to C?
B is C’s mother, and A is B’s brother, so A is the brother of C’s mother. A is C’s maternal uncle. Drawing a small family tree helps for longer questions.
Verbal ability
The verbal section checks whether you can read carefully and use correct English. The best preparation is regular reading and a quick revision of common grammar rules.
- Read one news article in English every day and summarise it in two lines.
- Revise subject-verb agreement, tenses, articles (a, an, the) and prepositions.
- For reading comprehension, read the questions first, then the passage.
- Answer only from the passage, not from your own knowledge.
- Learn a few common word pairs and their meanings instead of long word lists.
A 14-day preparation plan
About one to two hours a day. Adjust it to the topics you find hardest.
| Days | Focus | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Percentages, profit and loss | 20 questions a day, check every mistake |
| 3–4 | Ratios, averages, interest | 20 questions a day, learn the basic formulas |
| 5–6 | Time and work, speed and distance | 20 questions a day, then 10 timed |
| 7 | Mixed quant test | One timed test of 30 questions, review all errors |
| 8–9 | Series, coding-decoding, blood relations | 25 questions a day |
| 10–11 | Seating arrangements and puzzles | 4–5 puzzles a day, drawn on paper |
| 12 | Verbal ability | Two reading passages and 20 grammar questions |
| 13 | Full mock test | A complete test under real time limits |
| 14 | Review | Revisit your weakest topic, rest well in the evening |
Improving speed and accuracy
- Memorise tables up to 20, squares up to 30 and common fractions as percentages (1/8 = 12.5%).
- Practise with a timer from the second week so you know your pace.
- Do a first pass answering only the questions you can solve quickly.
- Use the answer options: sometimes checking options is faster than solving fully.
- Keep a mistake notebook and re-solve those questions a few days later.
On test day
- Sleep well the night before. Tired minds make simple calculation errors.
- Keep your ID, admit card or test link and login details ready.
- Read all instructions: number of sections, time per section and negative marking.
- Keep rough paper and a pen if the rules allow it.
- Do not spend more than a minute or two on one question in the first pass.
Rules for online proctored tests
Many online tests use your camera and microphone to make sure you are taking the test alone. Breaking the rules, even by accident, can end your test.
- Sit alone in a quiet, well-lit room with your face clearly visible.
- Close other apps and browser tabs, and turn off notifications.
- Do not look away from the screen for long or talk aloud.
- Use a stable internet connection and keep your laptop charging.
- Test the system check or sample test link a day before.
Practise and learn more
Once you understand the method for each topic from the examples above, the next step is volume: many short questions, done against the clock. These free question banks are popular with students preparing for campus and off-campus tests. Pick one topic at a time instead of jumping between sites.
- IndiaBIX: Aptitude Topic-wise quantitative questions with solutions. Match the topics to the 14-day plan above.
- IndiaBIX: Logical reasoning Series, coding-decoding, blood relations and seating questions to practise the patterns.
- IndiaBIX: Verbal ability Grammar, sentence correction and reading comprehension practice.
- GeeksforGeeks Search for “aptitude” or a topic name for explanations and company-wise previous questions.
These are independent websites. We are not affiliated with them and do not control their content.
After the test
Results can take a few days. Whatever the result, write down the topics that felt difficult and practise them before your next test. If you clear the test, the next steps are usually a technical and an HR interview. Prepare with our interview questions, and keep applying through fresher jobs and walk-in drives.
Frequently asked questions
If you studied maths up to class 12, two weeks of daily practice of one to two hours is usually enough to get comfortable with the common topics. If maths was never your strength, give yourself three to four weeks and start with the basics like percentages and ratios.
It depends on the company and the test. Some tests deduct marks for wrong answers and many do not. Read the instructions at the start of the test. If there is negative marking, skip questions you cannot narrow down.
Usually not, unless the test provides an on-screen calculator. Practise mental maths and shortcuts for percentages, fractions and multiplication tables up to 20.
Percentages, profit and loss, ratios, time and work, time speed and distance, averages, number series, coding-decoding, blood relations, seating arrangements, and basic grammar and reading comprehension come up very often.
Each company sets its own cut-off, and it can change with the number of applicants. Aim to answer the easy and medium questions correctly and quickly, rather than trying to solve every hard question.
Keep going
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