Chapter 7 of 14

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SSC CGL General Intelligence & Reasoning★ Tier 1: 1–2 Q (2–4 marks) · Tier 2: 1–2 Q (3–6 marks)

Order and Ranking

1–2 quick marks per tier from three tiny formulas — total = left + right − 1, people between = difference − 1, and rank-from-bottom = total − rank-from-top + 1. The only real error is the off-by-one, which the "−1 because the person is counted twice" rule fixes every time.

⏱ 12 min readEasy difficulty✓ Free · exam-pattern aligned

Timed practiceMCQs from this chapter with instant scoring

FlashcardsFormulas & traps on spaced repetition

SSC CGL PYQsSolved previous-year questions

By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Find the total in a row from a two-sided position using N = L + R − 1
2Convert a rank from one end to the other with N − position + 1
3Count the people strictly between two positions
4Solve interchange and 'k ranks below' problems correctly
5Handle ranking puzzles that add failed or absent (un-ranked) people

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Why this chapter matters in SSC CGL

Order and ranking is pure formula arithmetic, so it's among the quickest reliable marks in reasoning — provided you never slip on the off-by-one. Three tiny formulas answer everything, and internalising 'subtract 1 when the person is counted from both ends' removes the single mistake that costs candidates these questions. Minutes saved here go to the heavier puzzle topics.

Order and Ranking — SSC CGL Reasoning

Order and ranking is arithmetic in disguise, and it lives or dies on one off-by-one. When someone is counted from both ends, they're counted twice — so you subtract 1. Master three formulas (total, people-between, rank-from-the-other-end), always ask "is this person counted twice?", and these become the fastest marks in the reasoning section.

1. What SSC actually asks

Tier 1: 1–2 Q · Tier 2: 1–2 Q. Types: total people in a row from two-sided position, converting rank-from-top to rank-from-bottom, counting people between two positions, position after an interchange, and puzzles adding failed/absent students to a ranked count.

2. The three core formulas

For a person counted from both ends of a row of $N$ :

$N = (position from left) + (position from right) - 1$

The $- 1$ is because that person is counted in both positions. Rearranged:

$position from right = N - (position from left) + 1$

And for people strictly between two positions:

$between = ∣ pos_{1} - pos_{2} ∣ - 1$

Row of 25, B is 11th from left → 11th from left means $25 - 11 + 1 = 15$ th from right.

3. Ranking in a class (top and bottom)

Rank works exactly like left/right:

$Total = (rank from top) + (rank from bottom) - 1$

$rank from bottom = Total - (rank from top) + 1$

In a class of 40, a boy 15th from the top is $40 - 15 + 1 = 26$ th from the bottom.

4. Interchange and "shifted by" problems

Interchange: if A and B swap, A now sits where B was. If that new spot is "12th from right", then A is 12th from right — combine with the other end for the total.
"k ranks below": add $k$ to the rank from top. Ram 12th, Shyam 6 below → Shyam 18th from top → $40 - 18 + 1 = 23$ rd from bottom.

5. Puzzles with un-ranked people

Some students may have failed or been absent and don't hold a rank. Compute the ranked count first, then add them:

John is 12th from top and 28th from bottom → ranked $= 12 + 28 - 1 = 39$ . If 9 failed and 3 were absent, total $= 39 + 9 + 3 = 51$ .

6. Solved PYQ-style examples

Q1. A is 7th from the left and 9th from the right in a row. How many people are in the row? Solution. $7 + 9 - 1 =$ 15.

Q2. In a class of 40, a boy is 15th from the top. His rank from the bottom is… Solution. $40 - 15 + 1 =$ 26.

Q3. P is 10th from the left and Q is 16th from the left. How many people are between them? Solution. $16 - 10 - 1 =$ 5.

Q4. Ravi is 7th from the left and Kavi is 12th from the right. They interchange places and Ravi becomes 22nd from the left. How many children are in the row? Solution. Ravi takes Kavi's spot (12th from right) $= 22$ nd from left, so total $= 22 + 12 - 1 =$ 33.

Q5. John is 12th from the top and 28th from the bottom of a merit list. If 9 students failed and 3 were absent, the total number of students is… Solution. Ranked $= 12 + 28 - 1 = 39$ ; total $= 39 + 9 + 3 =$ 51.

7. Exam protocol

Two-sided position → $N = L + R - 1$ (the person is counted twice).
Convert ends with $N - position + 1$ — never just $N - position$ .
People between two positions = difference of positions $- 1$ .
After an interchange, the mover inherits the other's position exactly.
Failed/absent people aren't ranked — compute the ranked count, then add them separately.

Key formulas & results

Everything to memorise for the exam hall, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Total from both ends

N = L + R - 1

The −1 removes the double count of the person seen from both sides.

Convert ends

R = N - L + 1

Position from right when you know N and position from left (and vice versa).

People between

between = ∣ L_{1} - L_{2} ∣ - 1

Subtract 1 because the endpoints aren't 'between'.

Ranked total in puzzles

Total = (ranked) + (failed) + (absent)

Compute ranked = top + bottom − 1 first, then add the un-ranked.

SSC CGL test series

Ready to be tested on this?

Order and Ranking shows up in every SSC CGL paper — sit a timed one and find out where you actually stand.

0–1Qs in Tier 1

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Traps SSC CGL sets — and how to dodge them

These are the exact option-traps and misreads that cost marks under negative marking.

WATCH OUT

✗ Forgetting the −1 when combining two-sided positions.

✓ A person seen 7th from left and 9th from right is counted twice, so the row has 7 + 9 − 1 = 15, not 16.

WATCH OUT

✗ Converting ends with N − position instead of N − position + 1.

✓ 15th from top in a class of 40 is 40 − 15 + 1 = 26th from bottom. Dropping the +1 gives 25, which is wrong.

WATCH OUT

✗ Counting the endpoints as 'between' two positions.

✓ People strictly between positions 10 and 16 number 16 − 10 − 1 = 5, excluding both P and Q.

WATCH OUT

✗ Misplacing the mover after an interchange.

✓ When A and B swap, A takes B's exact position. If that spot is 12th from the right, A is 12th from the right — then use the other end for the total.

WATCH OUT

✗ Adding failed/absent students into the ranked formula directly.

✓ Only ranked students satisfy top + bottom − 1. Compute that count, then add failed and absent students separately to get the total.

Exam-pattern practice

PYQ-style questions with full solutions. Work through them as a readiness check — mark yourself honestly and get your gap report at the end.

Readiness check

Are you exam-ready for Order and Ranking?

9 problems from this chapter. Try each one, reveal the worked solution, mark yourself honestly — get your gap report at the end.

9 questions~6 min

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•Total from both ends: N = L + R − 1 (person counted twice)
•Convert ends: position from other side = N − position + 1
•People between two positions = |difference| − 1
•Rank from bottom = Total − rank from top + 1
•Interchange: the mover takes the other person's exact position
•'k ranks below' = add k to the rank from the top
•Un-ranked (failed/absent) added after computing the ranked count
•Always ask: is this person being counted from both ends?

SSC CGL question blueprint

How this topic is asked, tier by tier — so you can prep to the pattern.

Typical weightage: 8

Question style	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
Tier 1 — total, conversion, between	2–4 (1–2 Q × 2 marks)
Tier 2 — interchange, un-ranked puzzles	3–6 (1–2 Q × 3 marks)

Prep strategy

Memorise the three formulas and the 'counted twice ⇒ −1' idea
Drill 10 mixed problems including interchange and un-ranked types
Sketch the row for any multi-step question to avoid off-by-one slips
Timed set: 10 questions in 6 minutes

Exam-hall strategy

Battle-tested tips from mentors and toppers for this topic under the sectional clock.

Reach for N = L + R − 1 whenever a position is given from both ends.
Convert ends with N − position + 1; never forget the +1.
For 'between', subtract 1 from the position difference.
In interchange problems, transfer the position wholesale to the mover.
Separate un-ranked people out and add them after the ranked count.

Beyond the exam

Where this skill shows up in the job you're competing for — and in life.

Merit lists and results

Converting between rank-from-top and rank-from-bottom, and totalling candidates, is everyday exam-result arithmetic.

Queues and scheduling

Knowing your position from both ends of a waiting line or a job queue is the same two-sided counting.

Sports standings

League tables use position-from-top and position-from-bottom, including ties and un-ranked (disqualified) entries.

Where else this topic is tested

Prepare once, score in every exam that asks it.

SSC CHSL1–2 Q — same formulas

SSC MTS1–2 Q — basic row problems

IBPS / RRB Clerk1 Q — often within seating sets

RRB NTPC1–2 Q — ranking and rows

📝 My notes

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Questions aspirants ask

Pulled from the Q&A community and mentor sessions.

Usually 1–2 per tier. They are fast, formula-based marks — the main risk is a careless off-by-one, not difficulty.

Because the person whose two-sided position you're given is counted once from the left and once from the right. Subtracting 1 removes that double count.

Take the difference of their positions and subtract 1, since neither endpoint counts as 'between'. Positions 10 and 16 have 16 − 10 − 1 = 5 people between.

The two people swap positions exactly, so each inherits the other's distance from both ends. Use the inherited position with the opposite end to find the total.

They hold no rank, so they aren't part of top + bottom − 1. Find the ranked count first, then add the failed and absent students to reach the total strength.