Statement and Assumption Reasoning, Concepts, Short Tricks, Tips

Statement and Assumption is a key reasoning topic asked in almost every competitive exam including SSC, Banking, RRB, and State PSCs. In these questions, a statement is provided, and candidates must identify which assumptions are logically implicit in it. In this blog, we have provided the definition, importance, short notes, formulas, tricks, solved examples from 2024–25 exams, and more.

What Is Statement and Assumption in Reasoning?

In Statement and Assumption questions, you are given a statement followed by possible assumptions. An assumption is something that is implicitly taken for granted in the statement but not explicitly mentioned.

• Why it appears in exams?
  These questions test logical thinking, ability to read between the lines, and decision-making skills.
• Skills required:
  Logical interpretation, critical thinking, identifying hidden meanings, and quick elimination of options.

Why Is Statement and Assumption Important in Competitive Exams?

Statement and Assumption questions may look simple but often test deep reasoning ability. Exams use them to check whether candidates can analyze implications beyond the surface meaning.

Exam	No. of Questions	Difficulty
SSC CGL / CHSL	1–2	Easy
IBPS PO / SBI PO	1–2	Moderate
RRB NTPC / Group D	1	Easy
State PSC / Police	1–2	Moderate

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Statement and Assumption Reasoning Short Notes

Some of the terms related to the topic statement and assumption are as follows:

Term	Meaning
Statement	A given sentence or claim
Assumption	A hidden belief or precondition
Explicit Fact	Directly mentioned in the statement
Implicit Assumption	Understood but not directly written
Valid Assumption	Logically follows from the statement
Invalid Assumption	Cannot be concluded logically

Quick Revision Summary

Some of the most used concepts for last-minute revision are as follows:

Concept	Explanation
Statement	The given sentence under consideration
Assumption	Belief that must be true for statement to hold
Valid Assumption	Logically linked to the statement
Invalid Assumption	Not supported by the statement
Explicit Fact	Clearly mentioned in statement
Implicit Meaning	Hidden idea that supports the statement

What Are the Types of Statement and Assumption Questions in Reasoning?

Types of Statement and Assumption Questions being asked in the exam are as follows:

1) Public Messages: Ads, Notices, Appeals

Hallmark: A message aimed at the public asking them to do/avoid something.
Typical valid assumption: The audience can see/understand the message and may change behaviour.
Trap: Assuming guaranteed compliance or universal reach.
Fresh example:
Statement: “Use the metro on festival days to keep roads decongested.”
Implicit assumption: Many commuters are able and willing to switch to metro on those days.
Invalid leap: “Everyone owns a metro pass.”

2) Cause–Effect Assertions

Hallmark: A claim that X is happening because of Y, or that Y will lead to Z.
Typical valid assumption: The cause and effect are connected strongly enough to matter in this context.
Trap: Confusing coincidence with causation.
Fresh example:
Statement: “Online grocery orders spiked after the heatwave.”
Implicit assumption: Heat discourages outdoor shopping, nudging people online.
Invalid leap: “No other factor (discounts, holidays) played any role.”

Check out 100 Reasoning Questions with Solution for IBPS RRB

3) Recommendations / Course of Action

Hallmark: Advice, suggestion, or a proposed remedy.
Typical valid assumption: The action is feasible and likely to address the problem.
Trap: Assuming resources, permissions, or perfect execution exist.
Fresh example:
Statement: “Schedule weekend mock tests to raise prelims scores.”
Implicit assumption: Regular testing improves performance for these candidates.
Invalid leap: “Mocks alone guarantee selection.”

4) Existence / Feasibility of a Condition

Hallmark: A proposal or claim that presumes something/someone exists or is available.
Typical valid assumption: The subject or condition actually exists (or can exist).
Trap: Assuming universal availability or scale.
Fresh example:
Statement: “Launch evening classes for working aspirants.”
Implicit assumption: There are enough working aspirants who would attend.
Invalid leap: “All working aspirants prefer evenings.”

5) Time-Anchored Claims (Past/Present/Future)

Hallmark: Mentions policy effects, trends, or expectations across time.
Typical valid assumption: The current/expected context allows the predicted impact.
Trap: Dragging in unrelated past success/failure or assuming permanence.
Fresh example:
Statement: “The revised pattern will improve question quality next year.”
Implicit assumption: The revision targets known gaps affecting quality.
Invalid leap: “The earlier pattern had no merits at all.”

6) Policy / Regulatory Announcements

Statement: “Cap interchange fees to make digital payments cheaper.”
Assumes: Lower fees will be passed on to users (and adoption will rise).
Trap: Assuming banks/PSPs will not offset via other charges.

7) Conditional (If–Then) & Eligibility Framing

Statement: “If attendance falls below 70%, bar the candidate from the lab.”
Assumes: Attendance is a meaningful proxy for lab readiness.
Trap: Treating the condition as both necessary and sufficient without evidence.

8) Comparative / Benchmark Claims

Statement: “Regional newspapers are more trusted than national dailies.”
Assumes: The comparison metric (trust) is measurable and relevant here.
Trap: Extending a local survey to the entire population.

9) Appeal to Authority / Expert Citation

Statement: “As per the health council, screen adults annually.”
Assumes: The council is credible and its guidance fits this population.
Trap: Blindly accepting authority without context.

10) Quantified or Proportional Claims

Statement: “Most first-time test takers struggle with DI sets.”
Assumes: A sizeable majority actually faces difficulty.
Trap: Reading “most” as “all.”

11) Goal–Means Framing

Statement: “To cut evaluation time, adopt OMR scanning.”
Assumes: OMR scanning is faster and workable for this exam.
Trap: Ignoring setup costs, training, or error rates.

Also Solve Statement and Assumption Questions Based on RRB NTPC

12) Resource / Constraint Based

Statement: “Limit batch size to 40 to improve interaction.”
Assumes: Smaller groups lead to more interaction here.
Trap: Assuming the same effect regardless of faculty/format.

13) Hypothetical / Counterfactual

Statement: “Had we started earlier, the campaign would have succeeded.”
Assumes: Early start is a decisive success factor.
Trap: Overlooking other bottlenecks (budget, messaging).

14) Multi-Statement / Layered Sets

Statement(s): Two or more claims that jointly support a proposal.
Assumes: Each link in the chain holds (A-B, B-C).
Trap: One weak link breaks the overall assumption.

Statement and Assumption Formulas for Reasoning

While there are no mathematical formulas, reasoning “templates” act as shortcuts:

• If a statement suggests an action, the assumption is that action is possible.
• If a statement suggests a problem, the assumption is that the problem exists.
• If a statement provides a solution, the assumption is that the solution is effective.
• If a statement is advice, the assumption is that following it is beneficial.

Statement and Assumption Tricks for SSC CGL and Other Exams

Follow these strategies to solve questions quickly:

1. Identify the core idea of the statement.
2. Ask: “What must be true for this statement to make sense?”
3. Eliminate assumptions that are not directly related.
4. Do not assume things outside the scope of the statement.
5. Remember: Assumptions are about what is believed, not what is proven.

Practice all questions based on Logical Reasoning

How to Approach Statement and Assumption Questions

When solving Statement and Assumption questions, the key is to understand the hidden belief that makes the statement meaningful. By following some simple steps, you can avoid common traps and pick the right answer.

• Author’s Point of View: Always think like the person making the statement and ask what they believe to be true.
• Negation Test: Reverse the assumption – if the statement collapses, the assumption is valid.
• Stick to Given Info: Use only the data in the statement, avoid bringing in outside facts.
• Avoid Extreme Wording: Assumptions with “all, always, every, only” are usually invalid.
• Check Relevance: Assumptions must directly support the statement, not contradict or add unrelated ideas.

Solved Statement and Assumption Questions from 2024–25 Exams

Q1. SSC CGL 2024 (Memory-Based, Tier 1 Shift 2)
Statement: “Government should make yoga mandatory in schools.”
Assumptions:

1. Yoga is beneficial for students.
2. All schools have yoga teachers.
   Answer: Only Assumption 1 is valid.
   Explanation: The statement assumes yoga is useful. It doesn’t assume that every school already has yoga teachers.

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Q2. IBPS PO 2024
Statement: “Private vehicles should be banned in city areas.”
Assumptions:

1. Traffic congestion can be reduced this way.
2. People will follow the rule.
   Answer: Only Assumption 1 is valid.

Q3. RRB NTPC 2024 (Memory-Based)
Statement: “Coaching institutes should be regulated by the government.”
Assumptions:

1. Some coaching institutes exploit students.
2. Students cannot study without coaching.
   Answer: Only Assumption 1 is valid.

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Statement and Assumption Concepts for Bank Exams

Bank exams like IBPS PO and SBI PO often ask tricky versions:

• Coded assumptions in abstract language.
• Situational assumptions involving policies, banking, or economy.
  Example:
  Statement: “RBI should cut repo rates to boost economy.”
  Assumption: Cutting repo rate will increase growth.

Common Mistakes to Avoid while Solving Statement and Assumption

While solving questions based on the topic Statement and Assumption, aspirants must keep these details in mind to avoid mistakes while solving such types of questions:

1. Assuming outside knowledge – Stick to the statement only.
2. Treating facts as assumptions – Facts are explicit, assumptions are implicit.
3. Overgeneralizing – Don’t assume beyond what’s logically implied.
4. Ignoring the scope – Assumptions must be linked directly to the statement.
5. Confusing conclusion with assumption – Assumption is the base, conclusion is the result.

Related Reasoning Topics to Explore

Topics	Topics
Blood Relation Concepts	Floor Based Puzzle Short Tricks
Clock Reasoning Concepts	Puzzle Reasoning Questions
Calendar Reasoning Strategies	Alphanumeric Series Patterns

Aspirants, now you have a clear understanding of how to practice and solve Statement and Assumption questions effectively. You can also enroll in Oliveboard Courses and learn from experienced faculty members to strengthen your preparation before appearing for the next competitive exam.

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