RRB NTPC Undergraduate CBT 2 17 Sept 2026 Shift 1 – Question Paper

Concept: Among the European trading companies, the Dutch (VOC) were interested almost purely in trade, especially spices, and not in building an empire in India.

1. The Dutch captured Cochin from the Portuguese in 1663 and made the Malabar coast (Kerala) their main base for pepper and spices.
2. Their defeat by Travancore at the Battle of Colachel (1741) ended their power in India; they then concentrated on Indonesia.
3. The English and French fought for political power; the Danes had only small settlements (Tranquebar, Serampore).

Yaad rakhein: Dutch = spices + Malabar/Cochin; English = political empire; French = Pondicherry.

Answer: (C) Dutch East India Company

Concept: $\text{SP}=\text{CP}\times (1+\frac{\text{Profit}\%}{100})$; find the SP of one item, then see how many fit into ₹400.

1. CP of 1 item $=\frac{400}{20}=$ ₹20.
2. SP of 1 item at $25\%$ profit $=20\times \frac{125}{100}=$ ₹25.
3. Number of items sold for ₹400 $=\frac{400}{25}=16$.

Trick: Same money both sides → $\text{Items sold}=\text{Items bought}\times \frac{100}{100+P}=20\times \frac{100}{125}=16$.

Answer: (B) 16

Concept: Differences follow cubes with alternating signs.

1. $74\to 75$: $+1^3$; $75\to 67$: $-2^3$; $67\to 94$: $+3^3$; $94\to 30$: $-4^3$
2. Next: $30+5^3=30+125=155$

Trick: When terms jump up and down, check alternating $+/-$ of squares or cubes: $1,8,27,64,125$.

Answer: (A) 155