KPMG Placement Papers 2026: Test Pattern, Syllabus, Sample Questions

The KPMG online test is 64 questions, runs 40 minutes, and carries no negative marking. The structure is simple. What catches unprepared candidates is the pace: roughly 37 seconds per question across two sections that test numerical and verbal reasoning.

KPMG in India operates through audit, tax, and advisory practices, with offices in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune. The online test is the first filter in most campus recruitment drives and applies across roles in consulting, advisory, and technology services. Like the EY aptitude test, KPMG’s assessment is a two-section screen with no negative marking, which shifts the strategy toward maximum attempts rather than risk-based skipping.

What the KPMG Online Test Looks Like

The test divides evenly across two sections:

Section	Questions	Time
Numerical Ability	32	20 minutes
Verbal Ability	32	20 minutes
Total	64	40 minutes

Three structural facts that shape how you prepare:

• No negative marking. Attempt every question. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so leaving any question blank is a waste.
• Fixed section split. Both sections get exactly 20 minutes. You cannot bank time from one section to use in the other.
• Moderate difficulty, tight clock. The questions are not designed to be unsolvable. They are designed to be time-consuming. Speed comes from recognising patterns quickly, not from discovering tricks during the test.

The test is conducted on a proctored online platform with webcam monitoring. Check the invitation email for the exact platform and any technical requirements at least a day before the test date.

KPMG Online Test Syllabus

Numerical Ability

The 32 Numerical questions draw from six broad areas:

• Percentages, fractions, and decimal conversions
• Ratios, proportions, and averages
• Data interpretation (bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and tables)
• Profit and loss, simple and compound interest
• Time and work, pipes and cisterns
• Basic algebra (linear equations and ratio-based word problems)

Data interpretation carries the most questions within this section and is the area most likely to decide borderline outcomes. A typical DI question gives you a chart or table and asks two to three questions requiring a percentage change, comparative ratio, or total calculation. The arithmetic is not difficult. The challenge is reading the chart accurately under time pressure.

Verbal Ability

The 32 Verbal questions draw from five areas:

• Reading comprehension (one to two passages with three to five questions each)
• Grammar and sentence correction (subject-verb agreement, tense, articles)
• Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, analogies, and fill-in-the-blanks)
• Para jumbles (logical sentence ordering)
• Critical reasoning (identifying valid conclusions, assumptions, and inferences)

Reading comprehension accounts for a large share of the verbal section. For most candidates, it is more accessible than the numerical section because it rewards general language skills. Read the questions before the passage, locate the answers, and move on. Re-reading a full passage for each question is the most common time-wasting mistake.

Sample Questions with Worked Solutions

The questions below are representative of the format and difficulty level you will encounter. Each solution is verified from first principles.

Numerical Ability: Four Examples

Percentages

• Q1. A product priced at ₹800 is offered at a 20% discount. What is the final price?
  • A) ₹620 B) ₹640 C) ₹660 D) ₹680
• Answer: B) ₹640
• Step 1: Discount amount = 20% of 800 = (20/100) x 800 = 160
• Step 2: Final price = 800 - 160 = 640

Ratios and Ages

• Q2. The ages of A and B are in the ratio 3:5. If A is 15 years old, how old is B?
  • A) 20 B) 25 C) 30 D) 35
• Answer: B) 25
• Step 1: Let ages be 3x and 5x. Given 3x = 15, so x = 5.
• Step 2: B’s age = 5 x 5 = 25

Averages

• Q3. The average of five numbers is 40. When one number is removed, the new average of the remaining four is 38. What is the removed number?
  • A) 40 B) 44 C) 48 D) 52
• Answer: C) 48
• Step 1: Sum of 5 numbers = 40 x 5 = 200
• Step 2: Sum of remaining 4 = 38 x 4 = 152
• Step 3: Removed number = 200 - 152 = 48

Time and Work

• Q4. A can finish a task alone in 10 days, B in 15 days. How many days will they take working together?
  • A) 5 days B) 6 days C) 7 days D) 8 days
• Answer: B) 6 days
• Step 1: A’s work rate = 1/10 per day; B’s rate = 1/15 per day
• Step 2: Combined rate = 1/10 + 1/15 = 3/30 + 2/30 = 5/30 = 1/6 per day
• Step 3: Time together = 6 days

Verbal Ability: Two Examples

Grammar and Sentence Correction

• Q5. Choose the grammatically correct sentence.
  • A) She didn’t knew about the meeting.
  • B) She didn’t know about the meeting.
  • C) She doesn’t knew about the meeting.
  • D) She don’t know about the meeting.
• Answer: B) She didn’t know about the meeting.
• Explanation: “Didn’t” is an auxiliary verb in the past tense. The main verb that follows takes the base form: “know,” not “knew.”

Reading Comprehension

• Passage: The shift towards digital consulting has changed how advisory firms work with clients. Data-driven decision-making now forms the core of most engagements, requiring consultants to interpret datasets and translate findings into actionable recommendations. Analytical skills remain the foundation, but fluency with data tools has become a baseline expectation.
• Q6. What is the main argument of the passage?
  • A) Traditional consulting methods are outdated.
  • B) Data interpretation has become a baseline skill for consultants.
  • C) All consultants must learn advanced programming.
  • D) Analytical skills are no longer sufficient on their own.
• Answer: B) Data interpretation has become a baseline skill for consultants.
• Explanation: The passage states that data-driven work “forms the core” and technical fluency “has become a baseline expectation.” B captures this directly. A and C overstate the argument. D contradicts the passage, which says analytical skills “remain the foundation.”

Cut-Off Benchmarks and Marking Scheme

KPMG does not publish official cut-off marks. The figures below are community estimates drawn from campus placement reports and should be treated as planning benchmarks, not confirmed thresholds.

Section	Estimated Competitive Score	Out of
Numerical Ability	12-14	32
Verbal Ability	21-23	32

No negative marking means guessing when uncertain is rational. The practical target is to attempt all 64 questions and maximise correct answers within the time available. Sectional cut-offs may apply independently, so a strong verbal performance cannot compensate for a weak numerical score. For most candidates, data interpretation in the Numerical section requires more focused practice time than reading comprehension in the Verbal section.

KPMG Selection Process: After the Online Test

Candidates who clear the online test move to the following rounds, which vary by role and campus cycle:

• Group Discussion or Group Exercise: A structured discussion involving six to eight candidates on a business or current-affairs topic. Assessors observe communication clarity, reasoning quality, and the ability to build on others’ points constructively.
• Technical or Case Interview: A one-on-one session probing problem-solving and domain knowledge. For consulting and advisory roles, expect case-style questions with quantitative components. For technology roles, expect questions on programming fundamentals, data structures, or system design basics.
• HR Interview: Covers motivation, communication, and fit. Expect questions on why KPMG, your strongest competencies, and how you approach unfamiliar problems.

The KPMG India Careers portal lists active drives and current role descriptions. Check it before each placement cycle to confirm the specific format for your hiring year.

How to Prepare: A Four-Week Plan

Four weeks of focused preparation is enough to build the speed and accuracy this test demands.

Week 1: Arithmetic Foundation Revise percentages, ratios, averages, profit and loss, and simple interest until the calculations feel automatic. These concepts drive nearly every numerical question, including data interpretation sets.

Week 2: Data Interpretation Practise 20 to 30 DI sets per day from mixed chart types: bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and tables. Time each set. In the actual test, you have roughly 5 minutes per DI set of three to four questions.

Week 3: Verbal Ability Read one editorial per day from The Hindu or Business Standard for reading comprehension stamina. Separately, work through 20 grammar correction and 10 para jumble questions per day. Critical reasoning improves quickly with pattern drilling.

Week 4: Full-Length Mock Tests Run at least three timed full-length mocks: 40 minutes, no breaks, timed sections. After each mock, categorise every wrong answer: misread data, wrong formula, or careless arithmetic. Each error type needs a different fix.

Mu Sigma’s placement test and ZS Associates’ online assessment both overlap with KPMG’s numerical and verbal format. Practising across multiple company patterns in Week 4 builds adaptability.

A strong score in the 64-question test earns an interview slot. The data pattern-recognition built in Week 2 of this plan is the same skill that drives the LLM build exercises at TinkerLLM, where the first month costs ₹299. Less than a single full-mock package from most prep platforms.