MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning 2026: Complete Preparation Guide to Score High in the Exam

MAT 2026 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Section Syllabus

Get a complete overview of the MAT 2026 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning syllabus, covering puzzles, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, and logical reasoning topics to plan your preparation effectively. MAT 2026 Syllabus for Intelligence and Critical Reasoning consists mainly following topics:

MAT 2026 Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Section Preparation Tips

The following are some preparation tips for intelligence and critical reasoning related to the MAT examination:

Understand Types of Questions Asked in MAT:

Understanding of MAT 2026 exam pattern and type of questions asked in the exam is very important and this should be your first step when you start preparing for the exam. You should be familiar with difficulty level and type of questions, you can get this information by analysing previous year question papers and some MAT sample papers.

Practice Regularly:

Regular practice is very important for any exam as it increases your concentration and focus and helps you to improve your sitting capacity from the exam point of view. But with regular practice, you should also work on solving different types of questions rather than solving similar questions. Different type of questions helps you to understand the concept in a better way.

Use Logical Reasoning Books and Study Materials:

To crack the MAT 2026 exam, you should prepare from the previous year's papers and practice sets, you should work on solving the study material in a smart way. You should understand what level of questions are asked in the exam, and prepare accordingly only for that level. You can practice using Logical Reasoning books and question banks and use resources like MAT Intelligence And Critical Reasoning questions and answers pdfs and e-books.

Solve MAT Previous Year Question Papers:

You should work on the analysis of MAT previous year question papers of at least 5 years. By solving previous year's question papers, you will get answers to the following questions:

1. What type of questions were asked?

2. What was the difficulty level of those questions?

3. How many questions were asked from which topics?

If you can get the answer to these questions then you can prepare in a better way for the examination using this understanding.

Take MAT Mock Tests and Practice Quizzes:

Mock tests help you to manage time and to check how much you are learning. It helps you to understand the concepts in depth and helps you to rectify the minor conceptual errors in your learning. Mock tests are as important as analysis of MAT previous year question papers. You should take Mock Tests and practice different Quizzes.

MAT 2026 May Session Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Section: Important Topics

Focus on the most important MAT 2026 reasoning topics for the May session, including puzzles, seating arrangements, coding-decoding, series, and syllogisms to maximize your score efficiently. We have provided below the important topics to prepare for MAT 2026:

Fact-Inference-Judgement:

In this topic of critical reasoning, you have to check any statement and find out that it is a fact or inference or judgement. Below some key points and definitions are explained for better understanding:

Facts

If a statement has some information which is said, seen or read by someone or which involves dates, natural events, universal truth etc. If these statements are open for verification, then they are considered as fact.

Inferences

If a statement has a logical deduction and it is a conclusion of any fact, then it is considered as in an inference

Judgements

If a statement has opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects situations and occurrences in the past, present or future, then it is considered as judgement. Judgement can be identified from statements that:

• Imply approval or disapproval

• Impose compulsion

• Predict using will or shall

Passage Conclusion:

This topic of critical reasoning is similar to statement assumption topic. In this topic, a passage is given and you have to check whether the given options are correct inferences drawn from the passage or not. To find out the inference you have to find out the logical reason behind the action given in the passage or what can be concluded on the basis of given information. To learn this topic, you have to use general and social knowledge.

Clocks:

This topic of clocks in MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section is related to our daily life. In this topic, you have to mainly focus on the Hour hand & Minute hand. You have to focus and learn on following points to understand this topic:

1. Speed of Minute and Hour hand.

2. Distance travelled by hands are calculated in term of angle, so you must learn which hand covers how many degrees in a given time.

3. Overlapping of hands.

4. Angle between hour and minute hand.

Ex: Find the angle between the minute and hour hand at 3:40 pm.

Solution:

Angle between hands θ = | 11M/2 - 30H|

{M-> Minute = 40, H-> Hour = 3 as time is 3:40, || -> mod sign which represents that answer of this subtraction must be positive}

θ = |11 x 40/2 - 30 x 3| = |220-90|

θ = 130 ans.

Calendars:

The calendars topic of MAT May session 2026 Logical Reasoning Questions is very important. You must have knowledge of some basic definitions and concepts to solve the questions related to this topic, which are as under:

1. What is Century year – Years which are multiple of 100 are called century year, Ex: 1200,1300,1700, 2100, etc. otherwise it is a non-century year i.e. 2013, 1997,1990 etc.

2. What is Leap Year -

3. 
   
   

4. 
   

   1. If a year is a non-century year and divisible by 4 i.e. 2012, 2016,2004

   2. If a year is a century year and divisible by 400 (1200,1600,2000 etc.) then that year is called a Leap year.

In a Leap year there are 366 days as February has one extra day i.e. 29 Feb.

3. What is Non-Leap Year –

4. 
   
   

5. 
   

   1. Non-century year not divisible by 4 Ex: 2011,2003 etc.

   2. Century year not divisible by 400 Ex: 1700,1800,2100 etc.

In a non-leap year there are 365 days as February has only 28 days.

Statement-Argument

In questions related to this topic, usually one statement and two arguments are given. You have to use common sense and general knowledge to find out which argument is strong with respect to the given answer for ex. In the example below, argument I support the statement by saying yes, so you have to check whether the given argument in favor of yes is strong or not.

Ex: Statement: Plastic must be banned in India?

Arguments:
(I) Yes, since this will reduce environmental pollution.
(II) No, since it will create problems of carrying bags like polyethene for the household people.

(a) If only I is strong
(b) If only II is strong
(c) If either I or II is strong
(d) If neither I nor II is strong
(e) If both I and II are strong

Solution: Argument 1 is strong with respect to the given yes but argument 2 is a weak argument in support of no. So, option (1) is the correct answer.

To learn this topic, you have to focus on the following points:

1. If yes or no is given, there must be a logic that supports yes or no. Without logic, that argument is considered as weak.

2. You have to analyze the logic of the argument by using your common sense and general knowledge.

Analogy:

In this analogy, a particular relationship example is given and you have to find the answer in another example using the same relationship that is already given. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: Paw: Cat :: Hoof : ?

1. Lamb b. Elephant c. Lion d. Horse

Solution:

In first example it is given that Cat has paw, on the basis of this we have to find out that which of the given animal has Hoof, only horse has hoof out of the given animals. Ans. (d)

This topic is basically related to the general knowledge section. To solve these types of questions, you must have some basic knowledge about animals, birds, rivers, countries, currency, etc.

Blood Relations / Family Tree:

In this blood relation topic questions related to family and relations are asked in different ways. To prepare for this section, you must have knowledge of basic relations of your family i.e. who is sister-in-law, who is father-in-law, who is brother-in-law etc. You should mainly focus on two points to solve questions related to this topic:

1. Never assume the gender of any person on the basis of the name.

2. Properly understand every relation.

Ex: Who is father-in-law?

Solution: For a male father of wife and for a female father of husband is called father-in-law.

Logical Sequence:

In this topic of logical reasoning, some words are given and you have to arrange them in the logical sequence on the basis of your general and social knowledge. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: Arrange the words given below in a meaningful sequence.

1. Police 2. Punishment 3. Crime

4. Judge 5. Judgement

1. 3, 1, 2, 4, 5

2. 1, 2, 4, 3, 5

3. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

4. 3, 1, 4, 5, 2

Solution: The first action is crime, then police, then judge, then judge will give judgement and after that punishment. So, the correct answer is option (d).

Assumption:

In this topic of Critical Reasoning, usually one statement and two assumptions are given and you have to find out which of the assumptions can be drawn from the given statement. In these types of questions, you have to find out the possible reason behind the action in the statement, and that possible reason is considered as assumption. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: Statement: "If you trouble me, I will slap you." - A mother warns her child.

Assumptions:

1. With the warning, the child may stop troubling her.

2. Mother beats her child.

3. Only assumption II is implicit

4. Only assumption I is implicit

5. Neither I nor II is implicit

6. Either I or II is implicit

7. Both I and II are implicit

Solution: In the given statement, mother is warning her child with the expectation that the child will stop troubling her. Assumption 1 is about possibility which is possible, so you can say assumption 1 is implicit. But the assumption 2 doesn’t relate with surety. So, assumption 2 is not implicit. Here implicit means that this assumption can be derived from the given statement.

Premise:

This topic of critical reasoning is considered one of the complicated topics of critical reasoning. A premise is a statement or assumption on which an argument is based.

Ex: If a person looks at a green apple and says, "this apple is sour," the premises of this argument could be:

1) Green apples are sour.

2) This apple is green.

Conclusion:

In this topic of Critical Reasoning, usually one statement and two conclusions are given and you have to find out which of the conclusions can be drawn from the given statement. In these types of questions, you don’t have to use general knowledge, you just have to find a conclusion on the basis of a given statement. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: Statement: The manager humiliated Sachin in the presence of his colleagues.

Conclusions:

1. The manager did not like Sachin.

2. Sachin was not popular with his colleagues.

3. Only conclusion I follows

4. Only conclusion II follows

5. Either I or II follows

6. Neither I nor II follows

7. Both I and II follow

Solution: In the statement nothing is given about like or dislike, so conclusion 1 doesn’t follow as the manager might have humiliated Sachin on account of mistake. Also, nothing is given about popularity of Sachin with his colleagues so, conclusion 2 also does not follow. Ans: Option(d)

Series:

In this topic, some values are given, and as per the given pattern you have to find the missing number. Series questions have different variations as there are multiple patterns, to solve these questions you have to learn these patterns. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: 3,8,15, 24, 35, ?

Solution: 8-3 = 5

15-8 = 7

24-15 = 9

35 – 24 = 11

Following this pattern, the next difference must be 13 as the difference between differences is 2.

? – 35 = 13, so the missing number is 48 ans.

Similar to this example there are multiple patterns i.e. addition of a specific number, difference, product, division, difference with squares, etc. If you know all patterns then this topic is very easy.

Decision Making:

In this topic, some conditions are given in a paragraph and questions are asked on different conditions which you have to answer on the basis of the given information or you have to decide that which of the following options is correct for the asked condition. This topic is a type of critical reasoning in which some conclusions or analysis are required.

Syllogism:

This topic is asked in MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section. This topic needs a higher level of analysis and logic as there is more than one possibility hidden in a given statement, so you have to consider all possibilities and work on finding a conclusion by using these possibilities. The best way to solve Syllogism questions is the Venn Diagram. Venn Diagram gives a clear visualization of all possibilities.

Let’s understand what types of questions are asked in a syllogism:

Ex:

Read the given statements and conclusions carefully. Assuming that the information given in the statements is true, even if it appears to be at variance with commonly known facts, decide which of the given conclusions logically follow(s) from the statements.

Statements:

All bottles are glasses.

All glasses are jugs.

Conclusions:

I. All bottles are jugs.

II. All jugs are bottles.

III. Some glasses are bottles.

1. Only conclusions I and III follow

2. Only conclusions I and II follow

3. Only conclusion I follows

4. Only conclusions II and III follow

Solution:

The possible Venn diagram, according to the given statements is as follows –

Let's analyse the conclusions –
Conclusion (I): All bottles are jugs – From the Venn diagram, it is evident that the circle of the bottle is completely overlapped with the circle of the jug. Therefore, this conclusion is true.
Conclusion (II): All jugs are bottles – From the Venn diagram, it is evident that the circle of the bottle is completely inside the circle of the jug. Therefore, some jugs are bottles is true but all jugs are bottles is false.
Conclusion (III): Some glasses are bottles – From the Venn diagram, it is evident that the circle of the bottle is completely inside the circle of the glass. Therefore, this conclusion is true.

So, only conclusions I and III follow. Hence, the first option is correct.

Cubes:

In this topic of Logical Reasoning, a cube is generally divided into smaller cubes. There are many variations, let’s understand this with the help of an example:

Ex: A cube is painted in red color and divided into 64 equal parts. Then how many of the smaller cubes have only 2 faces painted?

Solution: To solve this a simple formula is used-

N3 = 64, N = 4

No. of cubes that have only 2 faces painted = 12 (N-2) = 12(4-2) = 24 ans.

To learn this topic, you have to understand the basic concept and logic related to cubes i.e. which cubes have exactly three faces painted, etc.

Set Theory, Venn Diagrams:

Set theory questions in logical reasoning questions are related to Venn Diagrams. Venn Diagram problems are related to problems where some persons are involved in only one thing but some are involved in multiple things, to determine the no. of persons involved in different groups Venn Diagram is used.

• Always be careful with the key word ‘only’.

Ex: There are 90 persons in an office. 40 persons like Cricket, 20 persons like only Football and 60 persons like Hockey. Now there are two type of statement-

1. 40 persons like only Cricket- Interpretation of this statement is that only 40 persons like Cricket.

2. 40 persons like Cricket- But interpretation of this statement is that 40 persons like Cricket but there is nothing mentioned about only Cricket, which means they can like other games too i.e. Football, Hockey.

MAT Intelligence and Critical Reasoning Best Preparation Books

Following are some MAT preparation books that are very helpful if you are preparing for the Intelligence and Critical Reasoning section for MAT:

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