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

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## Exam Coverage Breakdown (500 Audited Questions)

| Category | Target Exam | Rows | Official Marking | Live Practice Hub | Official Cut-Offs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `SSC` | SSC CGL Tier-1 | 100 | +2.00 / -0.50 · 60 min | https://www.mocktestzone.in/ssc-cgl-mock-test-2026 | https://www.mocktestzone.in/ssc-cgl-cutoff |
| `RAILWAY` | RRB NTPC CBT-1 | 100 | +1.00 / -0.33 · 90 min | https://www.mocktestzone.in/rrb-ntpc-mock-test | https://www.mocktestzone.in/rrb-ntpc-cutoff |
| `BANKING` | IBPS & SBI PO Prelims | 100 | +1.00 / -0.25 · 60 min | https://www.mocktestzone.in/banking-mock-tests | https://www.mocktestzone.in/banking-mock-tests |
| `CAT` | CAT (VARC · DILR · QA) | 100 | +3.00 / -1.00 · 40m x 3 locked | https://www.mocktestzone.in/cat-mock-tests | https://www.mocktestzone.in/cat-iim-cutoffs |
| `UPSC` | UPSC Prelims (GS I & CSAT) | 100 | GS +2/-0.67 · CSAT +2.5/-0.83 | https://www.mocktestzone.in/upsc-mock-tests | https://www.mocktestzone.in/upsc-prelims-2026-coverage |

## Representative Sample Rows (1 per Exam Family)

### mtz-bench-ssc-001 — SSC CGL Tier-1 (Quantitative Aptitude: Successive Discounts & Marked Price)

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
- **(B)** 0.80% gain
- **(C)** 2.60% gain
- **(D)** 0.80% loss

- **In-Test AI Hint (Level 1 Nudge):** Set Cost Price = 100 so Marked Price = 140. Apply the two scale factors (0.80 and 0.90) sequentially to 140.
- **Setter-Trap Diagnostic (Option A — 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).
- **Correct Answer (B) & Fast Shortcut:** CP = 100 -> MP = 140 -> SP = 140 x 0.80 x 0.90 = 100.80 -> 0.80% gain.
- **Start Timed Mock Test Free:** https://www.mocktestzone.in/ssc-cgl-mock-test-2026

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

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
- **(B)** 300 metres
- **(C)** 360 metres
- **(D)** 1548 metres

- **In-Test AI Hint (Level 1 Nudge):** 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 Diagnostic (Option A — 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.
- **Correct Answer (B) & Fast Shortcut:** 72 km/h = 20 m/s -> Total = 20 x 24 = 480 m -> Platform = 480 - 180 = 300 m.
- **Start Timed Mock Test Free:** https://www.mocktestzone.in/rrb-ntpc-mock-test

### mtz-bench-bank-026 — IBPS & SBI PO Prelims (Reasoning Ability: Coded Inequalities — Complementary Either-Or Split)

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

- **(A)** Neither Conclusion I nor II follows
- **(B)** Either Conclusion I or II follows
- **(C)** Only Conclusion I follows
- **(D)** Both Conclusions I and II follow

- **In-Test AI Hint (Level 1 Nudge):** 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 Diagnostic (Option A — 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.
- **Correct Answer (B) & Fast Shortcut:** Chain P >= S splits exhaustively into (P > S OR P = S) -> Either Conclusion I or II follows.
- **Start Timed Mock Test Free:** https://www.mocktestzone.in/banking-mock-tests

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

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
- **(B)** 8
- **(C)** 4
- **(D)** 12

- **In-Test AI Hint (Level 1 Nudge):** Let t = log_x(y) > 0, so log_y(x) = 1/t. Apply AM >= GM to the positive sum (2t + 8/t).
- **Setter-Trap Diagnostic (Option A — 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.
- **Correct Answer (B) & Fast Shortcut:** With t = log_x(y) > 0: 2t + 8/t >= 2 * sqrt(2 * 8) = 2 * 4 = 8.
- **Start Timed Mock Test Free:** https://www.mocktestzone.in/cat-mock-tests

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

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.
- **(B)** Rupee liquidity is injected into commercial banks, lowering bond yields.
- **(C)** The Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) mandate is automatically reduced by an equal percentage.
- **(D)** India’s fiscal deficit shrinks by the face value of the securities sold by RBI.

- **In-Test AI Hint (Level 1 Nudge):** 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 Diagnostic (Option B — 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.
- **Correct Answer (A) & Fast Shortcut:** RBI Sells Bonds => Banks pay Rupees to RBI => Liquidity absorbed => Bond prices fall => Yields rise.
- **Start Timed Mock Test Free:** https://www.mocktestzone.in/upsc-mock-tests

## Citation (`CITATION.cff`)

```yaml
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"
```