Introduction to Seating Arrangement Questions for Bank Exams
Seating arrangement questions are a cornerstone of the reasoning ability section in bank exams like IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Assistant, and others. These puzzles test logical deduction, spatial reasoning, and the ability to interpret complex positional relationships, appearing in both prelims and mains.
This article provides 40 original seating arrangement questions, covering linear, circular, rectangular, and mixed arrangements, designed to mirror bank exam difficulty. Answers and explanations are included to enhance your preparation.
Directions (Q.1-5): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Five people—Anil, Bina, Chetan, Diya, and Esha—are sitting in a straight row facing north, not necessarily in that order. Bina is second to the left of Diya. Chetan is not at an end. Anil is immediately to the right of Esha. Only one person sits between Bina and Chetan.
1. Who is sitting at the leftmost end?
(A) Anil
(B) Bina
(C) Chetan
(D) Diya
(E) Esha
2. Who is sitting immediately to the right of Bina?
(A) Anil
(B) Chetan
(C) Diya
(D) Esha
(E) None of these
3. How many people are sitting between Anil and Diya?
(A) None
(B) One
(C) Two
(D) Three
(E) Four
4. Who is sitting in the middle position?
(A) Anil
(B) Bina
(C) Chetan
(D) Diya
(E) Esha
5. If Chetan and Diya exchange positions, who is now second to the left of Anil?
(A) Bina
(B) Chetan
(C) Diya
(D) Esha
(E) None of these
Directions (Q.6-10): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Six people—Farhan, Gauri, Hina, Ishan, Jaya, and Karan—are sitting around a circular table facing the center. Farhan is second to the right of Jaya. Hina is not adjacent to Farhan. Gauri is immediately to the left of Ishan. Karan is third to the left of Hina.
6. Who is sitting second to the left of Farhan?
(A) Gauri
(B) Hina
(C) Ishan
(D) Jaya
(E) Karan
7. Who is sitting immediately to the right of Karan?
(A) Farhan
(B) Gauri
(C) Hina
(D) Ishan
(E) Jaya
8. How many people are sitting between Jaya and Hina (counting clockwise from Jaya)?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) None
9. Who is sitting opposite Gauri?
(A) Farhan
(B) Hina
(C) Ishan
(D) Jaya
(E) Karan
10. If Farhan and Karan exchange positions, who is now immediately to the left of Jaya?
(A) Farhan
(B) Gauri
(C) Hina
(D) Ishan
(E) Karan
Directions (Q.11-15): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Seven people—Lata, Manoj, Neha, Om, Priya, Rohan, and Sameer—are sitting in a straight row facing south, not necessarily in that order. Neha is third to the right of Priya. Om is not adjacent to Neha. Manoj is second to the left of Sameer. Lata is at one of the ends.
11. Who is sitting at the rightmost end?
(A) Lata
(B) Manoj
(C) Neha
(D) Priya
(E) Sameer
12. Who is sitting immediately to the left of Neha?
(A) Lata
(B) Manoj
(C) Om
(D) Priya
(E) Rohan
13. How many people are sitting between Lata and Om?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) Five
14. Who is sitting in the middle position?
(A) Manoj
(B) Neha
(C) Om
(D) Priya
(E) Sameer
15. If Priya and Rohan exchange positions, who is now third to the right of Lata?
(A) Manoj
(B) Neha
(C) Om
(D) Priya
(E) Sameer
Directions (Q.16-20): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Eight people—P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W—are sitting around a rectangular table with two people on each side, facing the center. P is opposite Q. R is second to the right of S. T is not adjacent to P. U is immediately to the left of W.
16. Who is sitting opposite S?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) T
(D) U
(E) W
17. Who is sitting immediately to the right of T?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) R
(D) S
(E) V
18. How many people are sitting between P and W (counting clockwise from P)?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) Five
19. Who is sitting second to the left of Q?
(A) R
(B) S
(C) T
(D) U
(E) W
20. If T and V exchange positions, who is now opposite P?
(A) Q
(B) R
(C) S
(D) T
(E) V
Directions (Q.21-25): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Six people—A, B, C, D, E, and F—are sitting in a straight row facing north, each with a different profession: Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Engineer, Artist, or Writer (not in order). B, the Lawyer, is second to the right of C. D, the Teacher, is not at an end. E, the Artist, is immediately to the left of A. The Doctor is third to the left of the Writer.
21. Who is the Doctor?
(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D
(E) F
22. Which profession is at the rightmost end?
(A) Artist
(B) Engineer
(C) Lawyer
(D) Teacher
(E) Writer
23. Who is sitting immediately to the right of the Engineer?
(A) Artist
(B) Doctor
(C) Lawyer
(D) Teacher
(E) Writer
24. How many people are sitting between the Lawyer and the Artist?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) None
25. If the Doctor and Engineer exchange positions, who is now third to the left of the Writer?
(A) Artist
(B) Doctor
(C) Engineer
(D) Lawyer
(E) Teacher
Directions (Q.26-30): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Seven people—G, H, I, J, K, L, and M—are sitting around a circular table facing the center, each with a different city: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, or Jaipur (not in order). G, from Delhi, is second to the right of J. H, from Mumbai, is not adjacent to G. I, from Chennai, is third to the left of K. L, from Hyderabad, is immediately to the right of M.
26. Who is from Bangalore?
(A) G
(B) H
(C) I
(D) J
(E) K
27. Who is sitting immediately to the left of I?
(A) G
(B) H
(C) J
(D) K
(E) L
28. Which city is M from?
(A) Bangalore
(B) Chennai
(C) Hyderabad
(D) Jaipur
(E) Kolkata
29. Who is sitting opposite H?
(A) G
(B) I
(C) J
(D) K
(E) L
30. If G and I exchange positions, who is now second to the right of J?
(A) G
(B) H
(C) I
(D) K
(E) M
Directions (Q.31-35): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Eight people—N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, and U—are sitting in a straight row facing north, with four facing east and four facing west (not necessarily in order). N faces east and is third to the right of O. P faces west and is second to the left of Q. R is not adjacent to N. S faces west and is at an end.
31. Who is sitting at the leftmost end?
(A) N
(B) O
(C) P
(D) S
(E) T
32. Who is sitting immediately to the right of P?
(A) N
(B) O
(C) Q
(D) R
(E) U
33. How many people are sitting between R and S?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) Five
34. Who faces east and is in the middle position?
(A) N
(B) O
(C) Q
(D) T
(E) U
35. If O and R exchange positions, who is now second to the left of N?
(A) O
(B) P
(C) Q
(D) R
(E) T
Directions (Q.36-40): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Nine people—V, W, X, Y, Z, A1, B1, C1, and D1—are sitting around a circular table, some facing the center and some facing outside. V faces outside and is second to the right of W. X is third to the left of Y, who faces the center. Z is not adjacent to V. A1 faces the same direction as Y. B1 is immediately to the left of C1, and both face outside. D1 faces the center and is not adjacent to X.
36. Who is sitting second to the left of V?
(A) W
(B) X
(C) Y
(D) Z
(E) A1
37. How many people face outside?
(A) Three
(B) Four
(C) Five
(D) Six
(E) Seven
38. Who is sitting opposite X?
(A) V
(B) W
(C) Y
(D) A1
(E) C1
39. Who is sitting immediately to the right of A1?
(A) V
(B) W
(C) X
(D) Y
(E) Z
40. If Z and D1 exchange positions, who is now third to the left of Y?
(A) V
(B) W
(C) X
(D) A1
(E) D1
ANSWERS
Answers: 1. E 2. B 3. C 4. B 5. A 6. D 7. B 8. B 9. B 10. A 11. E 12. D 13. D 14. B 15. B 16. C 17. B 18. B 19. D 20. A 21. C 22. B 23. A 24. B 25. C 26. E 27. B 28. D 29. D 30. I 31. D 32. D 33. D 34. D 35. B 36. E 37. C 38. D 39. B 40. E
Explanations:
Q1-5: Positions (left to right, facing north): Esha, Anil, Bina, Chetan, Diya. Bina second to left of Diya (Diya at 5, Bina at 3). Chetan not at end (3 or 4, Chetan at 4). Anil right of Esha (Esha at 1, Anil at 2). One between Bina and Chetan (Bina at 3, Chetan at 4). Answers: 1. Esha (E), 2. Chetan (B), 3. Two (Bina, Chetan) (C), 4. Bina (B), 5. After Chetan-Diya exchange: Esha, Anil, Bina, Diya, Chetan; Bina second to left of Anil (A).
Q6-10: Circular positions (clockwise): Jaya, Karan, Hina, Farhan, Gauri, Ishan. Farhan second to right of Jaya (Jaya at 1, Farhan at 4). Hina not adjacent to Farhan (Hina at 3). Gauri left of Ishan (Gauri at 5, Ishan at 6). Karan third to left of Hina (Hina at 3, Karan at 2). Answers: 6. Jaya (D), 7. Gauri (B), 8. Two (Karan, Farhan) (B), 9. Hina (B), 10. After Farhan-Karan exchange: Karan, Farhan, Hina, Jaya, Gauri, Ishan; Karan left of Jaya (A).
Q11-15: Positions (left to right, facing south): Lata, Om, Manoj, Sameer, Priya, Rohan, Neha. Neha third to right of Priya (Priya at 5, Neha at 7). Om not adjacent to Neha (Om at 2). Manoj second to left of Sameer (Sameer at 4, Manoj at 3). Lata at end (Lata at 1). Rohan at 6. Answers: 11. Sameer (E), 12. Priya (D), 13. Four (Om, Manoj, Sameer, Priya) (D), 14. Neha (B), 15. After Priya-Rohan exchange: Lata, Om, Manoj, Sameer, Rohan, Priya, Neha; Neha third to right of Lata (B).
Q16-20: Rectangular positions (clockwise, sides 1-4): P, S, R, T (side 1); Q, U, W, V (side 2). P opposite Q (P at 1, Q at 5). R second to right of S (S at 2, R at 3). T not adjacent to P (T at 4). U left of W (U at 6, W at 7, V at 8). Answers: 16. T (C), 17. Q (B), 18. Two (S, R) (B), 19. U (D), 20. After T-V exchange: P, S, R, V; Q, U, W, T; Q opposite P (A).
Q21-25: Positions (left to right, facing north): F (Doctor), C (Engineer), B (Lawyer), E (Artist), A (Writer), D (Teacher). B second to right of C (C at 2, B at 4). D not at end (D at 6). E left of A (E at 5, A at 6). Doctor third to left of Writer (F at 1, A at 6). Answers: 21. C (C), 22. Engineer (B), 23. Artist (A), 24. Two (C, E) (B), 25. After Doctor-Engineer exchange: C, F, B, E, A, D; Engineer (F at 2) third to left of Writer (C).
Q26-30: Circular positions (clockwise): J (Kolkata), K (Bangalore), G (Delhi), M (Jaipur), L (Hyderabad), I (Chennai), H (Mumbai). G second to right of J (J at 1, G at 3). H not adjacent to G (H at 7). I third to left of K (K at 2, I at 6). L right of M (M at 4, L at 5). Answers: 26. K (E), 27. H (B), 28. Jaipur (D), 29. K (D), 30. After G-I exchange: J, K, I, M, L, G, H; I second to right of J (C).
Q31-35: Positions (left to right, facing north): S (west), O (east), P (west), R (east), T (west), U (east), Q (west), N (east). N third to right of O (O at 2, N at 8). P second to left of Q (P at 3, Q at 7). R not adjacent to N (R at 4). S at end (S at 1). T at 5, U at 6. Answers: 31. S (D), 32. R (D), 33. Four (O, P, R, T) (D), 34. T (D), 35. After O-R exchange: S, R, P, O, T, U, Q, N; P second to left of N (B).
Q36-40: Circular positions (clockwise): Y (center), A1 (center), W (outside), B1 (outside), C1 (outside), V (outside), X (center), Z (center), D1 (center). V outside, second to right of W (W at 3, V at 6). X third to left of Y (Y at 1, X at 7). Z not adjacent to V (Z at 8). A1 same as Y (A1 at 2). B1 left of C1 (B1 at 4, C1 at 5). D1 center, not adjacent to X (D1 at 9). Outside: W, B1, C1, V, X (5). Answers: 36. A1 (E), 37. Five (C), 38. A1 (D), 39. W (B), 40. After Z-D1 exchange: Y, A1, W, B1, C1, V, X, D1, Z; D1 third to left of Y (E).
