Introduction
Decision Making questions give a set of eligibility criteria (for a loan, a scheme, a promotion, etc.) along with
a candidate's details, and ask you to apply the rules step-by-step to reach the correct decision — approve,
reject, or refer to a higher authority.
Solving Approach
- List every criterion as a separate, numbered condition before looking at the candidate's data.
- Check the candidate against each condition one at a time, in the order given — don't skip ahead.
- Note any special/exception clauses (e.g., "unless approved by senior manager") separately, since they usually override the main rule.
- If multiple outcomes seem to apply, the most specific/exception-based rule usually takes priority over the general rule.
Q. Loan eligibility criteria: (i) Applicant must be 21-58 years old. (ii) Minimum annual income ₹3,00,000. (iii) If income is between ₹3,00,000-₹4,00,000, a co-applicant is mandatory. Applicant: Age 35, Income ₹3,50,000, no co-applicant. Decide.
Age condition (i): 35 is within 21-58 → satisfied. Income condition (ii): ₹3,50,000 > ₹3,00,000 → satisfied.
Condition (iii): income falls in the ₹3,00,000-₹4,00,000 band, so a co-applicant is mandatory — but none is
provided.
Answer: Application should be referred back / rejected pending a co-applicant, since condition
(iii) is not met despite (i) and (ii) being satisfied.
⚠️ Key Insight: Passing the general conditions doesn't guarantee approval if a more specific
conditional clause (like the co-applicant rule above) still applies — always check every listed condition, not
just the first one or two.
✅ Practice Focus: Sequential rule-checking against multiple criteria · Handling conditional/
exception clauses · Distinguishing "approve," "reject," and "refer to higher authority" outcomes.