[0cf8612b2e1e]

This is being discussed in the context of the Chinese test which required memorizing enormous numbers of facts. An example question for a train test requires knowing human anatomy to the degree of classifying individual organs.

I am failing to see how that is anything but blocking those who cannot dedicate themselves to the test.

[dxbydt]

There are more sailors than ships. In this context, something like 10000 applicants for a single rrb vacancy. You don’t want the railways to be nepotistic. Nor do you want legacy admits. Nor money power to dominate. What’s left ? Well, how about - leetcode has 6720 permutations. Find the 100th one by hand, when ranked alphabetically. One of my friends got this question last week at a bog standard Java IT job, in Bangalore, with over 1000 applicants. Its a fair question, just a little bit of math and arranging alphabets. Doesn’t mean he has to devote itself to handcomputing permutations for the entirety of his life. Its one day of interviews and you get to know if you are selected by 4pm same day. Perfectly fair imo. The standard gs interviews during my time took 12 separate rounds with 12 teams, were completely non-transparent, and you spent a whole month not knowing whether you are in or out. I would rather permute leetcode. Similarly, let the railway board applicant sweat a little. Its a government job for life with handsome pension to boot.

[ywvcbk]

> Similarly, let the railway board applicant sweat a little. Its a government job for life with handsome pension to boot.

So just have a general aptitude, “IQ style”(of course bot directly) test? Or better yet base your questions on things that are actually relevant to the job?

The purpose of tests like that is to select to people who have nothing better to do but waste their time learning pointless trivia. Seems extremely suboptimal..

[corimaith]

Or you could just set the test for the actual prerequisites, then run a lottery on those who pass to decide who to interview.

Statistically the individual's chances are the same, but you free up a not-insignificant amount of work and stress that could be spent on more productive areas.