GMAT · Data Insights — Multi-Source Reasoning · Karnataka, India
Data Insights — Multi-Source Reasoning for the GMAT Exam — Karnataka candidates
8% of the GMAT test plan. Synthesizing information from 2–3 tabbed sources (text, charts, or mixed) to answer inference and evaluation questions. Calibrated for Kannadiga candidates.
If you have already studied this content from a textbook, you know the material. The question this page answers is whether you can apply it under exam conditions. Data Insights — Multi-Source Reasoning sits at roughly 8% of the Graduate Management Admission Test content distribution — Multi-Source Reasoning (MSR) tests whether candidates can integrate information across multiple formats — a core business skill. The difficulty is that contradictions between sources are planted intentionally; candidates who read only one tab are trapped by partial information. Pass rates for the GMAT are published annually by the awarding body and vary by cohort and locale. For Karnataka candidates preparing for GMAT, the calibration of study to local context matters: Karnataka runs KCET (state engineering/medical/agriculture entrance) alongside JEE Main and NEET. Bengaluru is the top-3 city for GATE and CAT candidates.
Common failure modes
These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.
- !Reading only the first tab and missing key data in subsequent tabs
- !Treating a source's stated assumption as a proven fact
- !Selecting an answer that is true per one source but contradicted by another
Study tips
- 1Read all tabs before answering any question — note the type (quantitative vs qualitative) of each.
- 2Flag explicit contradictions between sources; MSR questions often test whether you noticed them.
- 3Practice the "what does each source add" approach: summarise each tab in one sentence before answering.
- 4KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority) issues a separate KCET admit card — KCET, JEE Main, and NEET have non-overlapping dates so a typical student sits all three.
- 5NEET-UG is offered in Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) at all KA centres. JEE Main and GATE are English/Hindi only — confirm your medium when applying.
- 6For GATE: Karnataka hosts 12+ test cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi; pick a centre near your university to avoid intercity travel on test day.
Sample GMAT Data Insights — Multi-Source Reasoning questions
These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real GMAT questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.
- 1
Tab 1 states that Project Alpha has a budget of $2M. Tab 2 (a chart) shows Alpha spent $1.8M through Q3. Tab 3 (email) says the project will "likely exceed budget." Which inference is best supported?
- AProject Alpha will definitely exceed its budget
- BProject Alpha has already exceeded its budget
- CProject Alpha has spent $1.8M and may exceed its $2M budgetCorrect
- DThe email is unreliable because the chart shows underspending
Why this answer?
The chart confirms $1.8M spent (within the $2M budget so far) and the email projects a likely overrun. The best inference combines both sources. "Definitely" (A) and "already exceeded" (B) overstate the evidence.
Frequently asked questions
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