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Cracking the MAT December 2025 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section requires more than just quick thinking – it demands consistent practice with exam-focused mock tests. This section often plays a decisive role in boosting your overall percentile, as it tests logical reasoning, analytical decision-making, and problem-solving speed. By attempting a well-structured MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning mock test of MAT 2025, candidates can strengthen their strategy, identify weak areas, and build confidence before the actual exam. In this article, we bring you effective practice tips, question patterns, and mock test strategies tailored for the MAT 2025 December session.
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Till 2023, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section, a total of 40 questions were usually asked but from the previous year, there are 30 questions instead of 40 from this section.
These questions will test your ability to
Identify patterns and relationships between data points.
Solve verbal reasoning topics like puzzles, blood relations, seating arrangements, and mathematical reasoning.
Evaluate logical arguments and come to a conclusion based on the given information.
Attempting MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning mock tests is very crucial.
Mock tests help students in certain ways:
Familiarize yourself with various types of questions commonly asked in the MAT exam from Intelligence and Critical Reasoning.
Regular practice of MAT 2025 mock test practice will improve your time management skills and accuracy.
Mock tests provide insights into your strengths and weaknesses.
Performing better each time in the mock tests will boost your confidence for the exam.
Help to identify your silly mistakes and rectify them.
Taking MAT practice tests on Intelligence and Reasoning regularly helps us in many ways. We are going to discuss those in detail below.
Mock tests will certainly help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
You should do:
Review the results of mock tests to identify the topics where you did the question entirely wrong. It means you need to learn the basics again and practice more on that particular topic.
Some online platforms review your results automatically to give suggestions on your strong and weak areas.
With the help of solutions of Mock tests, you will be able to know your frequent mistakes, and accordingly, you can work on those.
Learn the methods of solving the questions you have left unanswered.
You can also note down the timings of answering the questions. Then solve the issue for which those questions are taking most of the time.
Mock tests are prepared closely following the real MAT exam pattern and MAT syllabus. So you will get an in-depth idea about the questions that will be asked in the real exam.
You can enhance your time management skills by giving regular mock tests. Try to complete all the questions including complex reasoning questions within the allotted time.
Consistent practice of mock tests will increase your speed as well as accuracy.
Giving full-length mock tests will also build your mental stamina to sit for 150 minutes in one sitting which is critical for performing well in the exam.
Here are the important topics and common types of questions that will be asked from the MAT 2025 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section.
Here are the important topics in the reasoning section.
Course of action | ||
Multi-dimensional arrangements | ||
Incorrect terms |
We have provided below the common types of questions asked in MAT 2025 Reasoning section, and the expected questions based on previous exam analysis and trends.
Chapters | Expected questions |
Blood Relations | 10-12 |
Cause & Effect | 8-10 |
Direction sense | 3-4 |
Analogy | 3-4 |
Statements & Assumptions | 3-4 |
Syllogisms | 3-4 |
Critical reasoning | 4-5 |
Series & Sequence | 3-4 |
Sample questions for MAT 2025 reasoning play a major role in your preparation journey. Here are some of the MAT reasoning sample questions from important topics.
Direction: Solve the following question and mark the best possible option.
Introducing Rajesh, Neha said, “his brother’s father is the only son of my grandfather”. How is Rajesh related to Neha?
Brother
Daughter
Mother
Niece
Correct Answer:- A
Explanation:-
The only son of my grandfather is my father. So if Neha said that his brother’s father is my father, it means both persons are brother and sister. Hence Rajesh is the brother of Neha.
Therefore, Rajesh is the brother of Neha.
Q. Direction: Solve the following question and mark the best possible option.
In a certain code, ‘BASIC’ is written as ‘DDULE’. How is ‘LEADER’ written in that code?
NHCGGU
OHDGHU
NGCFGT
OGDFHT
Correct Answer:- A
Explanation:-
Follow the same pattern to obtain the answer.
On the same lines code for LEADER is NHCGGU.
Number series:
Direction: What should come in place of the question mark (?) in the following number/alphabetic series?
1, 9, 17, 33, 49, 73, ‘?’
97
98
99
100
Correct Answer:- A
Explanation:-
Hence, the correct answer is 97.
Statements & Conclusions:
Direction: The question has a statement followed by two conclusions I and II. Consider the statement and the following conclusions. Decide which of the conclusions follows from the statement.
Statement:
The use of non-conventional sources of energy will eliminate the energy crisis in the world.
Conclusions:
I. Modern technology is gradually replacing the conventional sources of energy.
II. The excessive exploitation of the environment has led to the depletion of conventional sources of energy.
if only conclusion I is strong
if only Conclusion II is strong
if neither conclusion I nor II are strong
if both conclusions I and II are strong
Correct Answer:- C
Explanation:-
Non-conventional sources do not imply modern technology. Based on the statement it is difficult to talk about conventional sources. The given conclusions are way out of track and cannot be deduced from the question statement. Hence both are rejected.
So, the correct answer is “if neither conclusion I nor II are strong”.
Direction: Choose the correct answer from the options provided below to indicate the most appropriate word to complete the pair.
Airplane : Runway
Bulldozer : Building
Tractor : Field
Man : Footpath
Bird : Sky
Correct Answer:- B
Explanation:-
The given analogy is of the machine and where it usually runs.
A tractor is used to plow and therefore it runs on the field.
Hence, the correct answer is option (B).
Statements:
All cats are animals.
All animals are wild.
Conclusions:
I. All cats are wild.
II. Some animals are cats.
Only I follows
Only II follows
Both I and II follow
Neither I nor II follows
Correct Answer:- C
Explanation:-
From the given statements, both conclusions are valid.
Hence, the correct answer is option (C).
Q1. Direction: Solve the following question and mark the best possible option.
A, B, C and D play a game of cards. A says to B, ‘If I give you 8 cards, you will have as many as C has and I shall have 3 less than what C has. Also if I take 6 cards from C, I shall have twice as many as D has.’ If B and D together have 50 cards, how many cards have A got?
23
27
37
40
Correct Answer:- D
Explanation:-
Going by options.
If A has 40 cards, then C has (40 - 8) + 3 = 35 and B has 27 cards. So D has 23 cards. And if A takes 6 cards from C, he’ll have 46 cards which is double of D’s cards.
Q2. Direction: Read the information given below and answer the question that follows.
In a queue, Sadiq is 14th from the front and Joseph is 17th from the end, while Jane is in between Sadiq and Joseph. If Sadiq is ahead of Joseph and there are 48 persons in the queue, how many persons are there between Sadiq and Jane?
5
6
7
8
Correct Answer:- D
Explanation:-
48 total persons in queue. 14 + 17 = 31 persons in front and end. Remaining = 48 – 31 = 17. Jane is between Sadiq and Joseph. So she is the 9th person behind Sadiq. Hence 8 people between Sadiq and Jane.
Q3. Direction: Solve the following question and mark the best possible option.
Kittu is in between Mohan and Sohan. Raju is to the left of Sohan and Shyam is to the right of Mohan. If all of the friends are sitting facing South, then who is on their extreme right?
Sohan
Mohan
Kittu
Shyam
Raju
Correct Answer:- D
Explanation:-
We can make the following sitting arrangement as per the given arrangement Shyam Mohan Kittu Sohan Raju ↓(facing south).
Hence, the correct answer is “Shyam”.
Q4.Direction: In each question below is given a statement followed by two assumptions numbered I and II. You have to consider the statement and the following assumptions and decide which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement.
Statement: Please close the door of the elevator when not in use - an instruction outside the elevator of a building
Assumptions:
I. People would close the door of the elevator after using it.
II. It would have been better to put the instructions inside the elevator
If only assumption I is implicit
If only assumption II is implicit
If neither I nor II is implicit
If both I and II are implicit.
Correct Answer:- A
Explanation:-
Assumption (I) Is implicit as it is assumed that people would follow the instruction.
Assumption (II) is explicit as the place of putting instruction is outside the scope of assumption.
Q5. Statement 1: There is an increase in the rate of unemployment.
Statement 2: Many job vacancies remain unfilled.
Which statement is the cause and which is the effect?
Solution:
Statement 1 is the cause, and Statement 2 is the effect.
Before appearing in the exam, familiarize yourself with the different types of reasoning questions like blood relations, analogy, syllogisms, cause & effect, puzzles, and logical deductions.
Read the question carefully and understand the category of the question.
For seating arrangements or blood relation type questions, use diagrams for better visualization.
For mathematical reasoning questions and pattern-based puzzles, identify the pattern and use shortcut methods.
Eliminate extreme or wrong options first, then analyze the remaining options. This will increase the chance of selecting the right answer.
Follow the allotted time chart that you have made during the practice of mock tests and do not overspend time on one question.
Random practice will lead students to nowhere. Here are some strategic approaches which students can use during the practice of the MAT intelligence and Critical Reasoning section. Practising MAT mock test-free is a good way to start your MAT 2025 preparation. In this section of the article, we will discuss how to access the MAT exam online mock test for free. The candidates can also refer to other important MAT 2025 preparation books for additional help.
Regularly solve Sudoku, crosswords or riddles to improve your critical thinking skills. These games will train your brain to think logically.
For questions based on syllogisms and statements & assumptions, always choose the conclusion that is valid from the given information.
Critical reasoning questions are often written in tricky language to confuse students. Take your time to read and analyze the question first.
During mock tests, if any of your answers are right but took more time, then check other resources for quicker and more efficient methods which you could have used.
In the reasoning section, 30 questions will be asked this year. Allot a total of 25-26 minutes for this section. Solve easier questions in 15-20 seconds and difficult ones within 1-1.5 minutes. This will help you to complete this section quickly and with accuracy.
Practice 20-30 questions of reasoning daily and give topic-wise 4-5 mock tests every week.
Learn shortcut tricks and methods for questions like coding-decoding, number series, and direction sense.
Do not stuck on one question. If you find any question difficult then just leave that for later and move forward to the next question.
Preparing a bulletproof strategy for MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning preparation is the primary need during preparation.
Use SWOT analysis to identify topics and divide them accordingly to practice.
Invest 1-2 hours every day for reasoning practice.
At the initial stages of the preparation, attempt 1-2 topic-wise mocks per week and gradually increase the number to track your progression.
Allot 1 day of every week for revision and learning new techniques to solve questions quicker.
Use a question-based approach for a faster solution.
Example:
Blood relation: use the concept of family tree for better visualization
Syllogisms: Use Venn diagrams to understand the statements better.
Seating arrangements: Make a visual representation of the given data to understand positions and relationships.
Consistent practice of reasoning questions is the key to scoring high in this section.
Here is a demonstration of a routine for a day. You should make changes accordingly as per your preferences.
Morning: Start the morning with easier topics like coding-decoding, number series, and direction sense. Allot 30-45 minutes to practice them.
Daytime: Practice more complex topics like blood relations, seating arrangements and logical puzzles for 1-1.15 hours.
Evening: Attempt topic-wise timed mock tests for 30-45 minutes.
Night: Review the mock test results and solutions for 30 minutes. Prepare the next day's routine before going to bed.
Taking multiple MAT December 2025 Critical Reasoning mock tests is useful only if you evaluate your performance after each attempt. Maintain an error log to track accuracy, time spent, and recurring mistakes.
Review both sectional and overall scores after every MAT reasoning mock test. Compare your results with previous attempts to monitor improvement. Track attempted vs correct answers across a series of tests—rising accuracy indicates steady progress. Also, note if you are exceeding the ideal time per question.
Identify why mistakes occur—conceptual gaps, misreading questions, or time pressure. Revise weak topics, practice tricky question types, and adopt quicker solving methods for time-heavy reasoning sets. Review unanswered questions carefully and set small improvement goals for the next MAT 2025 mock test to boost both speed and accuracy.
Mastering the MAT December 2025 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section requires smart preparation, not just hard work. The following practice tips for MAT reasoning 2025 will help you focus on key topics, improve speed, and maximize accuracy for top scores.
For the MAT December 2025 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section, focus on high-weightage topics like puzzles, seating arrangements, syllogisms, coding-decoding, and blood relations. These areas appear frequently and can help boost your overall score quickly. Prioritizing these important MAT reasoning topics 2025 ensures maximum returns for your preparation.
Scoring high in the MAT December 2025 reasoning section requires balancing speed and accuracy. Avoid rushing through puzzles; instead, attempt easier questions first and save lengthy ones for later. Regular timed MAT reasoning mock tests 2025 improve accuracy, time management, and exam confidence.
Practicing MAT previous year papers for Intelligence and Critical Reasoning is key to understanding exam trends. PYQs highlight repeated question types like direction tests, analogies, and statement-based reasoning. Combining MAT PYQs with mock tests 2025 builds conceptual clarity and sharpens exam readiness.
The MAT 2025 Intelligence and Reasoning section can be tricky if you repeat common errors. Knowing what to avoid helps boost accuracy and confidence in the December session.
Not reviewing solutions after mock tests.
Wasting time on one tough question instead of moving ahead.
Rushing through questions and missing key details.
Ignoring all options and jumping to conclusions.
Trying to attempt all questions with poor accuracy.
Skipping unanswered questions without reviewing solutions.
Spend 30–45 minutes analyzing every MAT reasoning mock test. Maintain an error log.
Attempt easy and familiar questions first, then tackle tougher ones.
Read all options, eliminate extremes, and choose carefully.
Focus on accuracy first; speed comes with practice.
Review methods for unanswered questions and strengthen weak topics.
Managing time in the MAT December 2025 reasoning section is crucial for a high score.
Solve easier questions first to save time for complex ones.
Do not spend over 1.5–2 minutes on a single question.
Read questions carefully and identify vital data.
Use option elimination and back-calculation for better accuracy.
Pay attention to critical terms like all, some, only, unless, not.
Focus on accuracy before speed during initial prep.
Learn faster solving techniques for common reasoning topics.
Avoid random guessing; rely on elimination and logic.
Use diagrams for seating arrangement and blood relation questions.
Sharpen mental calculations and apply shortcuts to save time.
Regular MAT Intelligence and Reasoning mock tests 2025 build exam stamina, reduce anxiety, and improve time management. Mock tests also:
Familiarize you with actual exam difficulty.
Improve logical deduction, accuracy, and speed.
Help you experiment with different solving strategies.
Allow performance tracking and highlight weak areas for revision.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Important topics of MAT 2025 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section from which most of the questions come are:
Blood Relation
Puzzles
Calendars
Clocks
Seating arrangements
Coding-decoding
Series
Syllogisms
Multi-dimensional arrangements
Direction sense
Mathematical reasoning
Critical reasoning
The reasoning section is generally easy to moderate in difficulty. Puzzles and seating arrangements may take more time, while questions like coding-decoding, blood relations, and analogies are usually straightforward.
High-weightage topics include syllogisms, puzzles, seating arrangements, statement–conclusion, coding-decoding, direction tests, and blood relations. Focusing on these improves accuracy and overall score.
Yes, mock tests are crucial. They help you understand the question pattern, improve time management, and identify weak spots. Attempting 2–3 reasoning mocks weekly builds confidence before the exam.
At the beginning of the preparation, take 3-4 topic-wise every week and gradually increase the number of tests to 4-5. Also, attempt 2-3 full-length mock tests every week at the later part of the preparation.
On Question asked by student community
Hello! If you are preparing for NMMS 2025 in Tamil Nadu, the MAT (Mental Ability Test) guide will help you practice important reasoning and problem-solving questions. I’m attaching a link where you can download the PDF and use it to improve your speed and accuracy for the exam.
https://school.careers360.com/download/ebooks/nmms-tamilnadu-mat-question-paper-answer-key-2025
1. MAT (Mental Ability Test):
It checks logical thinking, reasoning ability, patterns, series, puzzles, and problem-solving skills of students.
2. SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test):
It tests knowledge of subjects like Science, Social Science, and Mathematics that students study in school.
3. Number of Questions in NMMS Exam:
MAT section → 90 questions
SAT section → 90 questions
Total → 180 questions
All questions are multiple-choice type (MCQs).
Hello,
Thank you for your question!
KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).
CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.
CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.
Hello it will clear your doubt!
Hi,
MAR stands for Marks and Academic Record. This is a summary of your academic performance, especially during admission or counselling. It includes the list of subjects studied like Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Maths, English etc , marks obtained in each subject, total marks, percentage, year of passing, and board name (CBSE, State Board, ISC, etc.). MAR helps authorities verify that you meet the eligibility criteria for the course you're applying to, and it’s often required at the time of document verification during admissions.
If you’ve given the MAT exam and want admission in an MBA program through government colleges in Kolkata, here’s what you need to know:
Several government or government-aided institutes in Kolkata accept MAT scores for MBA admission. However, most top government colleges in West Bengal prefer CMAT, CAT, or JEMAT scores. That said, some colleges may consider MAT scores in specific quotas or for leftover seats.
Though you can consider:
Bengal Institute of Business Studies (semi-government)
NSHM Knowledge Campus (Kolkata)
Institute of Engineering and Management (IEM) – sometimes considered semi-govt/private
Army Institute of Management (for defense background)
For purely government institutes like Calcutta University (Dept. of Business Management) or IISWBM, MAT is usually not accepted — they require CAT or JEMAT.
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