15 students failed in a class of 52. After removing the names of failed students, a merit order list has been prepared in which the position of Ramesh is 22nd from the top. What is his position from the bottom?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 16th
Only the 52 − 15 = 37 students who passed are in the merit list. With 21 above Ramesh, 37 − 22 = 15 are below him, so he is 16th from the bottom.
- Students in the merit list = 52 − 15 = 37.
- Position from bottom = total − position from top + 1 = 37 − 22 + 1 = 16.
- Check: 21 above + Ramesh + 15 below = 37.
Remember · Rank from top + rank from bottom = total + 1 — but first count only those actually in the list.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·