IBPS PO Exam is scheduled to be on 17th, 23rd, and 24th August. This clearly indicates that less than a month is left for the exam. In such a scenario, it is very crucial for the students they focus on high-scoring topics that can yield marks and hence secure their chances of becoming a banker. In the list of important topics, blood relations also take up their space, and solving their questions is a task in itself. In this blog, we are going to discuss the tips to solve Blood Relation Questions for IBPS PO Exam quickly.
Blood Relation questions in IBPS PO involve two people, and their relation is given in the form of statements. You have to decode the relation by solving the given statements. Sometimes statements are direct, and sometimes they are given in indirect form.
Usually, there are four major types of blood relations. In the table given below we have mentioned the most asked type of blood relation question in IBPS PO along with examples for better understanding.
| Type | Description | Example |
| Direct Statements | Simple one-line relationship-based questions. | A is the brother of B. B is the daughter of C. How is A related to C? |
| Coded Blood Relations | Symbols or codes represent relationships. | A + B means A is the father of B; A – B means A is the mother of B. What does A + B – C mean? |
| Puzzle-Based (Paragraph) | A short paragraph involving multiple relationships that need decoding. | A is the son of B. B is the daughter of C. D is the husband of C. How is A related to D? |
| Mixed with Direction/Seating arrangement | Blood relation combined with sitting arrangement or direction-based logic. | P, Q, R, S, T sit in a row. Q is the son of R, who is to the left of P. How is T related to R? |
Blood relation questions demand high problem-solving skills; you have to decode the given statements to get the relation between the two people. Below, we have given some tips to solve Blood Relations.
While you’re reading the question, underline the keywords such as relation, daughter, wife, son, etc., as it will help you in decoding the information, as now your attention will be directly on the highlighted or underlined keywords.
If the statement includes too many people and relations and is quite confusing, then use certain symbols to represent gender and make a family tree chart. For better clarity, here is an example-
Question:
“A is the son of B. B is married to C. D is the daughter of C. E, who is the brother of A, is married to F. G is the son of E and F. How is G related to D?”
Solution: You can replace thissymbol with other ones as well.
| Symbol | Meaning |
| ♂️ | Male |
| ♀️ | Female |
| ↑ | Parent |
| ⬌ | Spouse/Marriage |
| ↓ | Child |
B ⬌ C
|
┌─────┴─────┐
A♂️ D♀️ E♂️ ⬌ F♀️
|
G♂️
Question: How is G related to D?
From the tree that we had made above:
Answer: Nephew
If the puzzle includes multigenerational relations, then make the family tree in such a manner that the older generation comes at the top. In the above example, we have followed the same.
If the gender of a particular person is not given or by clues it is not clearly mentioned then use question mark (?) for the unknown. This will prevent the chance of making wrong assumptions.
Read the questions first instead of reading the given clues. The moment you read what is asked, write it down, and then use the clues to get the answer. In this way, you won’t get distracted by the clues and will also be able to save time.
Common relationship conversions help to save time, as by memorizing them, you will be able to decode the relation without much effort. Also, they help solve reverse questions like, “How is A related to B?” vs “How is B related to A?” Here is a list that you must remember to solve the questions, and if you practice regularly, it will be automatically memorized, and you don’t need to put extra time into this.
| Relationship Phrase | Simplified Relation |
| Mother’s brother | Maternal Uncle |
| Father’s brother | Paternal Uncle |
| Mother’s sister | Maternal Aunt |
| Father’s sister | Paternal Aunt |
| Brother’s son | Nephew |
| Brother’s daughter | Niece |
| Sister’s son | Nephew |
| Sister’s daughter | Niece |
| Father’s father | Paternal Grandfather |
| Mother’s father | Maternal Grandfather |
| Father’s mother | Paternal Grandmother |
| Mother’s mother | Maternal Grandmother |
| Husband’s father | Father-in-law |
| Wife’s father | Father-in-law |
| Husband’s mother | Mother-in-law |
| Wife’s mother | Mother-in-law |
| Son’s wife | Daughter-in-law |
| Daughter’s husband | Son-in-law |
| Wife’s brother | Brother-in-law |
| Husband’s sister | Sister-in-law |
| Brother’s wife | Sister-in-law |
| Sister’s husband | Brother-in-law |
| Uncle’s son/daughter | Cousin |
| Cousin’s son | Nephew (once removed) |
| Grandson’s father | Son |
| Granddaughter’s mother | Daughter-in-law (if married) or Daughter (if unmarried) |
| Father’s son (excluding oneself) | Brother |
| Father’s daughter (excluding oneself) | Sister |
Use different symbols to represent relations and make a chain that ultimately decodes the whole statement. Here is a table that depicts the symbols and the kind of relationship they represent.
| Symbol | Meaning |
| + | A is the father of B |
| – | A is the mother of B |
| * | A is the sister of B |
| / | A is the brother of B |
| % | A is the wife of B |
| @ | A is the husband of B |
Practice the question in both directions. An example of how A is related to B and how B is related to A. This will help you to solve complex problems with less effort, and if some clues are not clearly given, then you will be able to decode them as well.
Practice questions, which are in combination with the seating arrangement, should be practiced as in the mains you will get such advanced-level questions.
Sometimes, the statements are such that we get confused between the relation such as is it brother or uncle. In such a scenario eliminate based on gender or generation. Here is a example for better understanding.
Statement: “My mother’s only daughter” → Riya herself
So, “He is the son of Riya.”
Now look at the options:
If we apply the Gender Filter:
Apply Generation Filter:
Correct Answer: C) Son
In this blog, we have explained in detail about the blood relation questions that are asked in IBPS PO exam. If you face difficulty in topics such as blood relation, coding, decoding, and many more, you can join our IBPS PO mock test series. In this series, you can get one full-length and the first three topic tests absolutely free. Hurry up, as only one month left for the exam.
Disclaimer: The blood relation examples, tips, and practice questions provided are compiled from expert analysis of exam trends and reliable sources. They are intended for practice and guidance only, not official IBPS PO exam content. Actual exam questions may differ. Candidates should always verify details through official IBPS notices before relying on them.
Use symbols and memorize certain relations, along with eliminating options that are of the same gender or generation. This is the most important tip to increase speed in blood relation questions.
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