Open Dataset · v1.0.0 · CC-BY-4.0500 Audited Questions · Zero Full-Mock SpoilersClean Markdown (/open-benchmark/md)JSON Schema Preview API

Indian Competitive Exam Setter-Trap, AI-Hint & Shortcut Open Benchmark (CC-BY-4.0)

Standard multiple-choice datasets record only the question stem and the right answer letter. In negative-marked Indian exams (SSC CGL, RRB NTPC, IBPS & SBI PO, CAT, and UPSC Prelims), ranks are decided by whether a candidate spots the setter’s primary trap option under a 30–60 second clock. Every row in this open benchmark pairs the problem with its distractor misconception, a Socratic Level-1 AI Hint, and a fast exam-hall shortcut.

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500-Question Coverage Across 5 Exam Families

Split	Target Examination	Rows	Marking & Clock	Trap & Shortcut Coverage	Live Mock & Cut-Offs
SSC	SSC CGL Tier-1	100	+2.00 / -0.50 · 60 min	Successive discounts, algebraic identities, syllogisms, grammar proximity rules & constitutional articles	Timed Mocks·Cut-Offs
RAILWAY	RRB NTPC CBT-1	100	+1.00 / -0.33 · 90 min	Trains & unit conversion (5/18), 2-year CI-SI difference, clock hand drift & circuit/optics numericals	Timed Mocks·Cut-Offs
BANKING	IBPS & SBI PO Prelims	100	+1.00 / -0.25 · 60 min	Square-gap number series, coded inequality Either-Or splits, shared-root quadratics & DI base shifts	Timed Mocks·Cut-Offs
CAT	CAT (VARC · DILR · QA)	100	+3.00 / -1.00 · 40m x 3 locked	Logarithmic AM-GM minima, Legendre factorial zeros, round-robin draw invariants & causal confounders	Timed Mocks·Cut-Offs
UPSC	UPSC Prelims (GS I & CSAT)	100	GS +2/-0.67 · CSAT +2.5/-0.83	Parliamentary motions, RBI OMO liquidity direction, wildlife law distinctions & modular CSAT remainders	Timed Mocks·Cut-Offs

Representative Benchmark Rows (1 per Exam Family)

mtz-bench-ssc-001SSC CGL Tier-1·Quantitative Aptitude — Successive Discounts & Marked Price

+2 / -0.5 · Target 35s

A shopkeeper marks an article 40% above its cost price and offers two successive discounts of 20% and 10% on the marked price. Find his net gain or loss percentage.

(A) 10.00% gain [Primary Trap]

(B) 0.80% gain [Correct]

(D) 0.80% loss

In-Test AI Hint (Level 1)

Set Cost Price = 100 so Marked Price = 140. Apply the two scale factors (0.80 and 0.90) sequentially to 140.

Setter-Trap (Linear Subtraction of Discounts from Markup%)

Rushed candidates compute 40% - (20% + 10%) = 10%, ignoring that both discounts apply sequentially to the Marked Price (140), not to the Cost Price (100).

Exam-Hall Shortcut

CP = 100 -> MP = 140 -> SP = 140 x 0.80 x 0.90 = 100.80 -> 0.80% gain.

mtz-bench-rrb-001RRB NTPC CBT-1·Mathematics — Trains, Platforms & km/h-to-m/s Conversion

+1 / -0.33 · Target 35s

A 180-metre-long express train running at 72 km/h completely crosses a station platform in 24 seconds. What is the length of the platform?

(A) 480 metres [Primary Trap]

(B) 300 metres [Correct]

(D) 1548 metres

In-Test AI Hint (Level 1)

Convert 72 km/h to m/s using x (5/18) = 20 m/s, then subtract the train’s own 180 m length from the total distance covered in 24 seconds.

Setter-Trap (Reporting Total Distance (Speed x Time) Without Subtracting Train Length)

Multiplying 20 m/s x 24 s gives 480 m, which is (Train + Platform). Stopping at 480 m forgets to subtract the 180 m train length.

Exam-Hall Shortcut

72 km/h = 20 m/s -> Total = 20 x 24 = 480 m -> Platform = 480 - 180 = 300 m.

mtz-bench-bank-026IBPS & SBI PO Prelims·Reasoning Ability — Coded Inequalities — Complementary Either-Or Split

+1 / -0.25 · Target 22s

Statement: P >= Q = R >= S Conclusions: I. P > S II. P = S

(A) Neither Conclusion I nor II follows [Primary Trap]

(B) Either Conclusion I or II follows [Correct]

(D) Both Conclusions I and II follow

In-Test AI Hint (Level 1)

Trace the chain from P to S: every link allows equality (=), so P >= S. What happens when Conclusion I checks ">" and Conclusion II checks "="?

Setter-Trap (Marking "Neither" on a Valid >= Split (Either > or =))

From P >= Q = R >= S, the combined relation is P >= S. Individually neither P > S nor P = S is 100% certain, so rushed candidates pick "Neither" instead of recognizing the complementary Either-Or pair.

Exam-Hall Shortcut

Chain P >= S splits exhaustively into (P > S OR P = S) -> Either Conclusion I or II follows.

mtz-bench-cat-001CAT (IIM Common Admission Test)·Quantitative Ability (QA) — Logarithms & AM-GM Minimum Value

+3 / -1 · Target 75s

For real numbers x > 1 and y > 1, what is the minimum possible value of 2 * log_x(y) + 8 * log_y(x)?

(A) 10 [Primary Trap]

(B) 8 [Correct]

(D) 12

In-Test AI Hint (Level 1)

Let t = log_x(y) > 0, so log_y(x) = 1/t. Apply AM >= GM to the positive sum (2t + 8/t).

Setter-Trap (Symmetric x = y Substitution Trap Instead of Term-Equality in AM-GM)

Plugging x = y gives log_x(y) = 1 and yields 2 + 8 = 10. In AM >= GM, equality holds when the two additive terms are equal (2t = 8/t => t = 2 => y = x^2), giving 8.

Exam-Hall Shortcut

With t = log_x(y) > 0: 2t + 8/t >= 2 * sqrt(2 * 8) = 2 * 4 = 8.

mtz-bench-upsc-002UPSC Civil Services Prelims (GS Paper I)·Indian Economy — RBI Open Market Operations (OMO) & Systemic Liquidity

+2 / -0.67 · Target 60s

When the Reserve Bank of India conducts an outright SALE of Government Securities (G-Secs) under Open Market Operations (OMO), what is the immediate monetary effect?

(A) Rupee liquidity is absorbed from the banking system, putting upward pressure on short-term bond yields. [Correct]

(B) Rupee liquidity is injected into commercial banks, lowering bond yields. [Primary Trap]

(D) India’s fiscal deficit shrinks by the face value of the securities sold by RBI.

In-Test AI Hint (Level 1)

Follow the rupees rather than the bond paper: when RBI hands G-Sec securities to commercial banks, which way do the rupees flow?

Setter-Trap (Buyer-vs-Seller Cash-Flow Direction Reversal Trap)

Candidates see "Sale of G-Secs" and assume money enters the market. When RBI SELLS bonds, banks pay rupees TO the RBI in exchange for paper, draining systemic rupee liquidity.

Exam-Hall Shortcut

RBI Sells Bonds => Banks pay Rupees to RBI => Liquidity absorbed => Bond prices fall => Yields rise.

Record Schema (JSONL / CSV)

question_id: Deterministic unique ID (mtz-bench-<cat>-<num>)
category: SSC | RAILWAY | BANKING | CAT | UPSC
exam_name: Target examination and stage
subject / subtopic: Section discipline and granular concept tested
marks_correct / marks_wrong: Official positive marks and negative-marking penalty
target_seconds: Exam-hall target time budget in seconds
question_stem / option_a..d: Complete problem statement and 4 distinct choices
correct_option: Verified right option letter (A, B, C, or D)
primary_trap_option: Top setter-engineered distractor letter (never equal to correct_option)
misconception_label: Taxonomy label for the cognitive or formula slip
why_trap_is_wrong: Diagnostic explanation of why rushed test-takers pick the trap option
in_test_ai_hint_level1: Socratic Level-1 concept nudge (modeled on MockTestZone live In-Test AI Hints)
fast_exam_shortcut: Fast elimination or multiplier shortcut for exam-hall speed
rag_passage: Self-contained RAG chunk carrying question, trap diagnostic, shortcut, and live practice URL

Citation & Attribution (CC-BY-4.0)

Free to share, index, and adapt in RAG systems, research benchmarks, and educational tools with attribution to MockTestZone.

cff-version: 1.2.0
title: "MockTestZone Indian Competitive Exam Setter-Trap, Socratic AI-Hint & Shortcut Benchmark (500Q)"
version: 1.0.0
license: CC-BY-4.0
url: "https://www.mocktestzone.in/open-benchmark"
authors:
  - name: "MockTestZone (Prep Social)"
    website: "https://www.mocktestzone.in"

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