Dr.

Rajkumar Academy for Civil Services

Dear Aspirants,
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a highly prestigious and sought-after exam in
India. Candidates from different fields compete at a nationwide level in order to achieve their
aspirations of becoming officers in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police
Service (IPS), or Indian Forest Service (IFS). Therefore, passing the Civil Services
Preliminary examination (CSP) is the initial progression towards achieving that goal. In
recent years, CSAT has become increasingly challenging due to growing competition, making
it difficult to achieve success. The paper has transitioned from being a qualification paper to
now serving as an elimination paper.

To support the Aspirants community, we, at the Dr Rajkumar Academy for Civil Services, are
introducing the Decode CSAT handouts. These handouts aim to provide a comprehensive
coverage of Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

We hope that this initiative helps you overcome your fear of CSAT and enables you to achieve
success in the UPSC CSE exam.

Wishing the Best – ALWAYS!

UPSC Team
Dr. Rajkumar Academy for Civil Services

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SYLLOGISM a) The Middle Term: A term that appears

in both premises but not in the
Syllogisms are a common topic in competitive conclusion is called the middle term.
exams like the CSAT (Civil Service Aptitude
Test). They test your logical reasoning and b) The Major Term: The predicate term of
ability to draw valid conclusions from given the conclusion is called the major term.
premises.
c) The Minor Term: The subject term of the
Syllogism Basics: conclusion is called the minor term.
A syllogism is a type of logical reasoning
problem that involves two or more statements d) The major term and minor term should
followed by a conclusion. be distributed at least once in the
Each statement consists of two premises (major premises.
and minor) and a conclusion.
5. Mood and Figure:
1. Types of Syllogisms: A syllogism's mood is determined by the
a) Categorical Syllogism: Involves types of categorical propositions (A, E, I, O)
statements about categories, where each used in its premises and conclusion.
statement has a subject, predicate, and
quantifier (all, some, or no). A syllogism's figure depends on the
b) Hypothetical Syllogism: Involves position of the middle term in the premises.
conditional statements (if then) where
the conclusion is based on a given
condition. ✓ means → Distributed all element.
2. Standard Form of Categorical Syllogism: × means → Not distributed, not all elements.
A categorical syllogism follows the
standard format: LOGICAL PART:

Major Premise: All/Some/No A are B. ➢ Universal Assertion – All A’s are B’s
Minor Premise: All/Some/No B are C.
Conclusion: All/Some/No A are C. ➢ Particular Assertion – Some A’s are B’s.

3. Venn Diagrams: ➢ Universal Negation – No A is B

Venn diagrams are often used to visually
represent categorical syllogisms. ➢ Particular Negation – Some A’s are Not B’s.

Circles are used to represent categories, ELOBORATION OF LOGIC:

and their overlap or separation indicates the
relationship between them. ➢ All A’s (✓) are B’s (×)
Here in this assertion A’s are all checked, all
4. Rules for Valid Syllogisms: B’s are not checked.

➢ Some A’s (×) are B’s (×)

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Here only some A’s are checked and all B’s No Horse (✓) is a Monkey (✓)
are not checked.
Sol: No conclusion, because both are
➢ No A (✓) is B (✓) Negative.
Here Assertion A is also checked, and B also
checked. Example 2:
No Plane (✓) is Ship (✓)
➢ Some A’s (✓) are not B’s (✓) No Ship (✓) is Bus (✓)
In this assertion some A’s are checked and
B’s are also checked. Sol: No conclusion, because both are
Negative.
RULES / PROCEDURE: -
4. If both are particulars no conclusion can be
1. In every deduction there must be 3 – distinct drawn.
terms.
Example 1:
Example 1: Some Engineers (✓) are Doctors (×)
All A’s (✓) are B’s (×) Some Doctors (✓) are Researchers (×)
All C’s (✓) are D’s (×)
Sol: No conclusion, because both are
Sol: No conclusion, because there are 4 – particulars.
distinct terms [A, B, C, D].
Example 2:
Example 2: Some A’s (×) are not B’s (✓)
All Cats (✓) are Rats (×) Some B’s (×) are not C’s (✓)
All Rats (✓) are Cats (×)
Sol: No conclusion, because both are
Sol: No conclusion, because only 2 – distinct particulars.
terms [Cats, Rats].
Example 3:
2. Middle term [common term] must be Many Fans (✓) are Lights (×) (Many means
distributed at least once. Some)
Some Lights (✓) are Tubes (×)
Example 1:
All Pens (✓) are Pencils (×) Sol: No conclusion, because words like
All Pencils (✓) are Erasers (×) ‘many’, ‘more’, ‘few’, ‘most’, ‘little’, ‘most of’,
‘much of’ etc. are treated as synonyms to
Sol: All Pens are Erasers. ‘some’.
Words like ‘all not’ and ‘not all’ are treated
3. If both are negative, no conclusion can be equivalent to ‘some not’.
drawn.
5. If one of the statements is negative, then
Example 1: conclusion must be negative.
No Pigs (✓) is a Horse (✓)

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Example 1: Some Dusters (×) are Tables (×)

No Scientist (✓) is a Teacher (✓)
Some Teachers (×) are Researchers (×) Sol: Some Dusters are Tables.

Sol: Some Researchers are not Scientists. Example 5:

All Pens (✓) are Pencils (×)
Example 2: Some Pens (×) are Erasers (×)
All Bowlers (✓) are Batsman (×) All Papers (✓) are Books (×)
Some Batsman (×) are Wicketkeeper (×) All Erasers (✓) are Books (×)
No Batsman (✓) is Manager (✓)
Sol:
Golden Rule (i) Some Erasers are Pencils
All ✓ × (ii) Some Books are Pens
Some × ×
No ✓ ✓ 7. If both the statements are affirmative, then
Some × Not ✓ conclusion must be affirmative.

Sol: Example 1:
(i) No Bowler is Manager. All Pens (✓) are Pencils (×)
(ii) Some Wicketkeepers are not Managers. All Pencils (✓) are Erasers (×)

6. If one of the statements is particular [Some], Sol: All Pens are Erasers
then conclusion must be particular [Some].
Example 2:
Example 1: All Trees (✓) are Flowers (×)
All Politicians (✓) are Intelligent (×) All Flowers (✓) are Grasses (×)
Some Women (×) are Politicians (×)
Sol: All Trees are Grasses
Sol: Some Women are Intelligent.
Example 3:
Example 2: All Circles (✓) are Squares (×)
All Politicians (✓) are Wealthy (×) All Squares (✓) are Parallelograms (×)
Some Politicians (×) are not Educated (✓) All Parallelograms (✓) are Quadrilaterals
(×)
Sol: Some Wealthy are not Educated.
Sol:
Example 3: (i) All Circles are Parallelograms
All Sports (✓) are Famous (×) (ii) All Squares are Quadrilaterals
Some Sports (×) are Dangerous (×)
Some Important Guidelines:
Sol: Some Famous are Dangerous.
1. The words ‘some’, ‘some – not’, ‘all’, and ‘no’
Example 4: are called as qualifier.
All Tables (✓) are Cars (×)

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2. Words like ‘many’, ‘more’, ‘fear’, ‘most’, Restatements:

‘little’, ‘most of’, ‘much of’, etc. are treated as
synonyms to ‘some’. (1) All A’s are B’s
Words like ‘all – not’ and ‘not – all’ are Some A’s are B’s
treated equivalent to ‘some – not’. Some B’s are A’s

3. Words like ‘every’, ‘each’, ‘any’ is to be (2) Some A’s are B’s
treated as synonyms to ‘all’. Some B’s are A’s

4. Statements / Conclusions with qualifiers (3) No A is B

‘some’ and ‘all’ are classified as affirmative No B is A
statements / conclusions, and those with Some A’s are not B’s
qualifying ‘some – not’, ‘no’ are classified as Some B’s are not A’s
negative statements / conclusions.
(4) Some A’s are not B’s
Some B’s are not A’s
✓ means → Distributed all element.
× means → Not distributed, not all element. PRACTICE EXERCISE – 1

1) All A’s (✓) are B’s (×)

All A’s (✓) are B’s (×)
All C’s (✓) are D’s (×)
Some A’s (×) are B’s (×)
No A (✓) is B (✓)
Sol: No Conclusion
Some A’s (×) are not B’s (✓)

2) All Cats (✓) are Rats (×)

(1) Universal affirmative means ‘all’
All Rats (✓) are Cats(×)
All A’s (✓) are B’s (×)
Means: All A’s checked, B’s are not checked.
Sol: No Conclusion

(2) Particular Affirmative means ‘some’

3) All Cows (✓) are Donkeys (×)
Some A’s (×) are B’s (×)
All Donkeys (×) are Buffaloes (×)
Means: Some A’s are checked, some B’s are
checked.
Sol: No Conclusion [common term must
check (✓) once]
(3) Universal Negative means ‘no’
No A (✓) is B (✓)
4) All Pens (✓) are Pencils (×)
Means: Both A’s and B’s are checked
All Pencils (✓) are Erasers (×)
(4) Particular Negative means
Sol: All Pens are Erasers
Some A’s (×) are not B’s (✓)
Means: Here some A’s are checked but all B’s
5) Some Engineers (×) are Doctors (×)
are checked
Some Doctors (×) are Researchers (×)

Sol: No Conclusion

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6) All Girls (✓) are Good (×) 7) Many Mothers (×) are Sisters (×)
Some Good (×) are Women (×) All Sisters (✓) are Goddess (×)

Sol: No Conclusion Sol: Many Mothers are Goddess

7) All Cooks (✓) are Drivers (×) PRACTICE EXERCISE – 3

All Drivers (✓) are Dancers (×)
1) All Trains (✓) work in Factory (×)
Sol: All Cooks are Dancers Some Trains (×) are Apprentices (×)

PRACTICE EXERCISE – 2 Sol: Some Apprentices are Factories / Some

Factories are Apprentices
1) Some A’s (×) are not B’s (✓)
Some B’s (×) are not C’s (✓) 2) All Books (✓) are Pencils (×)
Some Pens (×) are Books (×)
Sol: No Conclusion
Sol: Some Pencils are Pens
2) All Politicians (✓) are Wealthy (×)
Some Politicians (×) are not Educated (✓) 3) Many Fans (×) are Lights (×)
Some Lights (×) are Tubes (×)
Sol: Some Wealthy are not Educated
Sol: No Conclusion
3) All Indians (✓) are Patriotic (×)
Some Indians (×) are NRI’s (×) 4) All Sports (✓) are Famous (×)
Some Sports (×) are Dangerous (×)
Sol: Some NRI’s are Patriotic / Some
Patriotic are NRI’s Sol: Some Famous are Dangerous

4) No Pigs (✓) is a Horse (✓) 5) No Train (✓) is a Train (✓)

No Horse (✓) is a Monkey (✓) Some Trains (×) are not Buses (✓)

Sol: No Conclusion Sol: No Conclusion [Both are Negative]

5) All Men (✓) are Same (×) 6) Some Books (×) are Books (×)
Some Same (×) are Insane (×) Some Books (×) are Not Cooks (✓)

Sol: No Conclusion Sol: No Conclusion

6) All Cats (✓) are Dogs (×) 7) Some Shirt (×) are Pants (×)
No Dogs (✓) are Rats (✓) All Pants (✓) are Shorts (×)

Sol: No Rats are Cats / All Cats are not Rats Sol: Some Shirts are Shorts

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PRACTICE EXERCISE – 4
3) Some Birds (×) are Sparrows (×)
1) All Tables (✓) are Cars (×) No Sparrow (✓) is Narrow (✓)
Some Dusters (×) are Tables (×)
Sol: Some Birds are not Narrow
Sol: Some Dusters are Cars
4) Some Books are Pens
2) No Scientist (✓) is a Teacher (✓) No Pen (✓) is Pencil (✓)
Some Teachers (×) are Researchers (×)
Sol: Some Books are not Pens
Sol: Some Researchers are not Scientists
5) All True (✓) are False (×)
3) No Red (✓) is Black (✓) Some True (×) are not Lies (✓)
All Blue (✓) are Black (×)
Sol: Some False are Not Lies
Sol: All Blue are Black
6) Some Tubs (×) are Bulbs (×)
4) Some Tools (×) are not Hammers (✓) No Bulb (✓) is Tube (✓)
All Tools (✓) are made of Iron (×)
Sol: Some Tubs are not Tubes
Sol: Some Hammers are not made of Iron
7) Some Tangles (×) are not Hair (✓)
5) No Europeans (✓) are Fair (✓) All Strings (✓) are Hair (×)
Some Negros (×) are Fair (×)
Sol: Some Tangles are not strings
Sol: Some Negros are not Europeans
8) Some Cracks (×) are not Crates (✓)
6) All Cigarettes (✓) are Cigars (×) All Cracks (✓) are Creeks (×)
Some Cigarettes (×) are not Good for Health
(×) Sol: Some Creeks are not Crates

Sol: Some Cigars are not Good for Health

PRACTICE EXERCISE – 5

1) No Scientist (✓) is a Teacher (✓)

Some Teachers (×) are Researchers (×)

Sol: Some Researchers are not Scientists

2) Some Ducks (×) are Clucks (×)

No Swan (✓) is a Clucks (✓)

Sol: Some Ducks are Not Swans

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4. Consider the following Statements:

SOLVE YOURSELF A) Some Erasers are not Sharpeners
B) Some Pencils are Erasers
Out of the five/six statements, three are C) Some Sharpeners are not Erasers
logically connected. Find the answer D) No Pencil is a Sharpener
choices, pick the one in which the first 2 E) All Erasers are Sharpeners
statements give the third as the conclusion
a. B, D, A
1. Consider the following Statements: b. B, E, A
A) Some Caps are Tanks c. B, D, C
B) Some Bulbs are not Caps d. A, C, D
C) All Caps are Bulbs
D) All Tanks are Caps 5. Consider the following Statements:
E) Some Bulbs are Tanks A) All Circles are Squares
B) All Squares are Parallelograms
a. C, E, D C) All Parallelograms are Quadrilaterals
b. A, C, D D) Some Circles are Parallelograms
c. A, B, C E) Some Circles are not Parallelograms
d. A, C, E
a. A, B, C
2. Consider the following Statements: b. A, B, E
A) All Birds are Rings c. A, B, D
B) No Wing is a Bird d. C, D, E
C) Some Rings are Wings
D) No Ring is a Wing 6. Consider the following Statements:
E) Some Birds are not Rings A) All Cricketers are Footballers
B) All Footballers are Magicians
a. E, B, A C) All Magicians are Cricketers
b. B, C, D D) Some Cricketers are Footballers
c. A, D, B E) Some Footballers are Magicians
d. B, D, E F) Some Magicians are Cricketers

3. Consider the following Statements: a. A, B, C

A) Some Actors are not Dancers b. E, F, B
B) Some Actors are Dancers c. B, C, D
C) No Actor is a Director d. D, E, F
D) All Actors are Directors
E) Some Dancers are Directors

a. A, D, B
b. D, B, E
c. A, C, E
d. B, C, E

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7. Consider the following statements:

A) All Artists are Whimsical Which of the following is correct?
B) Some Artists are Drug Addicts a. Only conclusion I is valid
C) Frustrated people are prone to become b. Only conclusion II is valid
Drug Addicts c. Both the conclusions are valid
d. Neither of the conclusion are valid
From the above Three statements it can be
concluded that 10. Two statements are given followed by two
conclusions:
a. Artists are Frustrated
b. Some Drug Addicts are Whimsical Statements:
c. All Frustrated people are Drug A) All Cats are Dogs
Addicts B) All Cats are Black
d. Whimsical people are generally
Frustrated Conclusion I: All Dogs are Black
Conclusion II: Some Dogs are not Black
8. Consider the following statements
A) None but Students are Members of club Which of the following conclusions logically
B) Some Members of club are Married follows two statements?
Persons a. Only conclusion I
C) All Married Persons are Invited for b. Only conclusion II
dance c. Neither conclusionI nor ConclusionII
d. Both conclusion I and conclusion II
Which of the following conclusion can be
drawn from the statements? 11. A statement followed by conclusion I and
conclusion II. Read all conclusion and then
a. All Students are Invited for dance decide which of the given conclusion
b. All Married Students of the club are logically follows the statements.
Invited for dance
c. All Members of club are Married Statements:
Persons A) Some Cats are Almirahs
d. None of the above conclusion can be B) Some Almirahs are Chairs
drawn C) All Chairs are Tables

9. Consider the following statements followed Conclusion I: Certainly, some Almirahs

by two conclusions: are Tables
Conclusion II: Some Cats may not be
Statement: Chairs
A) Some Men are Great Which of the following is correct?
B) Some Men are Wise a. Only conclusion I
b. Only conclusion II
Conclusion I: Men are either Great or Wise c. Both conclusion I and conclusion II
Conclusion II: Some Men are neither d. Neither conclusion I nor Conclusion
Great nor Wise II

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ANSWERS:
12. Consider the following statements followed For above questions
by two conclusions:
1 d
Statements: 2 c
A) Some Radios are Mobiles 3 b
B) All Mobiles are Computers 4 a
C) Some Computers are Watches 5 c
6 c
Conclusion I: Some Radios are Watches 7 b
Conclusion II: Some Watches are Mobiles 8 b
9 d
Which one of the following are correct? 10 c
a. Only conclusion I 11 c
b. Only conclusion II
12 b
c. Both conclusion I and conclusion II
13 a
d. Neither conclusion I nor Conclusion
II

Space for Rough work

13. Consider the following statements followed
by four conclusions:

Statements:
A) Some Greens are not Blues
B) Some Blues are Blacks

Conclusion I: Some Greens are Black

Conclusion II: No Green is Black
Conclusion III: All Greens are Blacks
Conclusion IV: All Blacks are Greens

Which one of the following are correct?

a. Conclusion I and Conclusion II only
b. Conclusion II and Conclusion III only
c. Conclusion III and Conclusion IV
only
d. Conclusion IV and Conclusion I only

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