Parallel Row Seating Arrangement: Quick Answer
In a parallel row seating arrangement, people sit in two rows facing each other: usually Row 1 faces south and Row 2 faces north, so each person in one row faces exactly one person in the other row. The key rule is that left and right flip between the rows: for a north-facing person, right is east; for a south-facing person, right is west. Draw both rows on one west-to-east axis, place fixed clues first, and convert every left/right clue using that rule.
Key takeaway: North-facing → right = east (→), left = west (←). South-facing → right = west (←), left = east (→). "Faces" means the same position in the opposite row. Parallel row puzzles were reported in SBI PO 2026 and IBPS PO 2026 Prelims shifts (for example a 14-person parallel row in IBPS PO, 22 August 2026), so expect them in both Prelims and Mains.
Each of the three puzzles below was checked by computer against every possible arrangement and has exactly one solution.
Left and Right Rules in Parallel Row Seating Arrangement
| Person faces | Right side is | Left side is | "Second to the right" means |
|---|---|---|---|
| North (Row 2) | East | West | Two seats towards east |
| South (Row 1) | West | East | Two seats towards west |
How to draw it:
NORTH
Row 1 (faces south): W [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] E
Row 2 (faces north): W [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] E
SOUTH
Seat 1 of Row 1 faces seat 1 of Row 2, seat 2 faces seat 2, and so on. Keep both rows numbered west to east, and do the left/right conversion in your head. Do not number the south-facing row from its own left, or "faces" pairs get mixed up.
Types of Parallel Row Puzzles in Bank Exams
| Type | Size | Twist | Usual exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 8 persons (4 + 4) | Only seat clues | SBI Clerk, IBPS Clerk, RRB Clerk |
| Standard | 10–12 persons (5 + 5 or 6 + 6) | Faces, neighbours, ends | IBPS PO, SBI PO Prelims |
| Big row | 14–16 persons (7 + 7 or 8 + 8) | Some seats vacant, unknown number of people | IBPS PO, SBI PO Prelims 2026 |
| With variable | 10–12 persons | Age, salary, city, colour per person | Mains |
| Mixed facing | Any | Some in a row face inside, some outside | SBI PO Mains |
How to Solve Parallel Row Seating Arrangement: 5-Step Method
- Draw two rows on one west–east axis; mark which row faces north and which faces south.
- Start with the most fixed clue: "sits at an extreme end", "sits in the middle", "faces X".
- Convert left/right correctly for each person's facing direction before you write anything.
- Build cases when a clue has two possible positions (for example "two persons between D and A" when D is at an end). Keep each case in a separate sketch.
- Use "faces" clues to link the rows and eliminate cases; finish with negative clues, then re-check all clues.
Speed tip: in most bank puzzles, one row can be solved almost completely before the other. Solve that row first, then use "faces" clues to drop the second row into place.
Solved Parallel Row Seating Arrangement 1 (8 Persons)
Eight persons sit in two parallel rows of four each. A, B, C and D sit in Row 1 facing south; P, Q, R and S sit in Row 2 facing north. Each person in one row faces a person in the other row.
- B sits second to the right of D.
- Q faces B.
- P sits immediately to the right of Q.
- S faces the person who sits immediately to the right of A.
- C does not sit at an extreme end.
Solution:
- Row 1 faces south, so "B second to the right of D" means B is two seats west of D: (B1, D3) or (B2, D4).
- C is not at an end. If B2, D4: seats 1 and 3 remain, C3, A1; A's right (west) is outside the row, so clue 4 fails → rejected.
- So B1, D3, C2, A4. A's right (west) is seat 3 = D, so S faces D → S3.
- Q faces B → Q1. P is immediately right of Q; Row 2 faces north, so right = east → P2. R takes seat 4.
| Seat (west → east) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 (faces south) | B | C | D | A |
| Row 2 (faces north) | Q | P | S | R |
Questions: (i) Who faces A? R. (ii) Who sits immediately to the right of P? S (east of P). (iii) Who faces C? P.
Solved Parallel Row Seating Arrangement 2 (10 Persons)
Ten persons sit in two parallel rows of five each. A, B, C, D and E sit in Row 1 facing south; L, M, N, O and P sit in Row 2 facing north.
- C sits exactly in the middle of Row 1.
- Only one person sits between A and C.
- N faces A.
- Only two persons sit between N and O.
- E sits second to the left of D.
- L faces the person who sits immediately to the right of E.
- M is not an immediate neighbour of O.
- B sits second to the right of C.
Solution:
- C = seat 3; A is seat 1 or 5.
- Clue 8: B is second to the right of C; for a south-facing person right = west, so B = seat 1, and therefore A = seat 5.
- Clue 5: E is second to the left (east) of D: with seats 2 and 4 left, D = 2, E = 4.
- N faces A → N = 5. Two persons between N and O → O = 2.
- E's right (west) is seat 3 = C, so L = 3. Seats 1 and 4 remain for M and P; M is not next to O (seat 2), so M = 4, P = 1.
| Seat (west → east) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 (faces south) | B | D | C | E | A |
| Row 2 (faces north) | P | O | L | M | N |
Questions: (i) Who faces D? O. (ii) Who sits second to the left of C? A (C faces south, so left is east: seat 5). (iii) How many persons sit between P and M? Two (O and L).
Solved Parallel Row Seating Arrangement 3 (12 Persons)
Twelve persons sit in two parallel rows of six each. A, B, C, D, E and F sit in Row 1 facing south; P, Q, R, S, T and U sit in Row 2 facing north.
- D sits at an extreme end of Row 1.
- Only two persons sit between D and A.
- F sits immediately to the right of A.
- B is an immediate neighbour of F, but B is not A.
- C does not sit at an extreme end.
- R faces C.
- Only three persons sit between R and T.
- Q is an immediate neighbour of T.
- U faces E.
- S sits immediately to the left of P.
Solution:
- Case 1: D = seat 1, A = seat 4. F is right of A (south-facing → west) → F = 3; B next to F (not A) → B = 2. C not at an end → C = 5, E = 6.
- Case 2: D = 6, A = 3, F = 2, B = 1. C and E take seats 4 and 5.
- Row 2, Case 1: R faces C → R5; three persons between R and T → T1; Q next to T → Q2; U faces E → U6; seats 3 and 4 left; S immediately left (west) of P → S3, P4. ✔
- Row 2, Case 2: if C = 4, R4 and T would have to be seat 0 or 8 (impossible). If C = 5, R5, T1, Q2, E = 4 so U4; seats 3 and 6 remain and S cannot sit immediately west of P → rejected.
| Seat (west → east) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 (faces south) | D | B | F | A | C | E |
| Row 2 (faces north) | T | Q | S | P | R | U |
Questions: (i) Who faces F? S. (ii) Who sits immediately to the left of B? F (B faces south, so left is east). (iii) Who sits at the two ends of Row 2? T and U. (iv) Who faces the person sitting second to the right of A? A is seat 4; two seats west is seat 2 (B), and Q faces B.
Common Mistakes in Parallel Row Seating Arrangement
- Using your own left and right for the south-facing row. For Row 1 (facing south), the person's right is your left on the page (west).
- Numbering the rows in opposite directions. Keep both rows west → east so "faces" is always "same seat number".
- Forgetting "immediate". "Sits to the right of" allows any seat on that side; "immediately to the right" means the next seat.
- Missing the second case. "Two persons between D and A" with D at an end gives a case for each end; check both.
- Mixing rows in "between" counts. "Persons between N and O" counts only persons in that row, unless the question says otherwise.
Parallel Row Seating Arrangement Practice Questions with Answers
Use the three solved puzzles above.
Q1. (Puzzle 1) Who sits at the west end of Row 2? (a) P (b) Q (c) R (d) S — Answer: (b)
Q2. (Puzzle 1) Who sits immediately to the left of D? (a) A (b) C (c) B (d) No one — Answer: (a) (D faces south, so left is east: seat 4)
Q3. (Puzzle 1) Which pair faces each other? (a) B–P (b) D–S (c) C–R (d) A–Q — Answer: (b)
Q4. (Puzzle 2) Who faces C? (a) M (b) O (c) L (d) N — Answer: (c)
Q5. (Puzzle 2) Who sits immediately to the right of O? (a) P (b) L (c) M (d) N — Answer: (b) (O faces north, so right is east)
Q6. (Puzzle 2) Who faces the person sitting at the east end of Row 1? (a) N (b) M (c) P (d) L — Answer: (a) (A sits at the east end)
Q7. (Puzzle 2) How many persons sit to the left of E? (a) None (b) One (c) Two (d) Three — Answer: (b) (E faces south, so left is east: only A)
Q8. (Puzzle 3) Who faces D? (a) Q (b) T (c) U (d) S — Answer: (b)
Q9. (Puzzle 3) Who sits second to the right of P? (a) R (b) U (c) S (d) Q — Answer: (b) (P faces north; two seats east is seat 6)
Q10. (Puzzle 3) How many persons sit between B and C? (a) One (b) Two (c) Three (d) Four — Answer: (b) (F and A)
Q11. (Puzzle 3) Who faces the person who sits immediately to the left of A? (a) R (b) P (c) S (d) U — Answer: (a) (A faces south; left is east, seat 5 = C, and R faces C)
Q12. (Puzzle 3) Which of the following sits at an extreme end? (a) B (b) Q (c) E (d) R — Answer: (c)
Parallel Row Seating Arrangement FAQs
What is parallel row seating arrangement?
It is a seating puzzle with two rows facing each other, usually one row facing north and the other facing south, where each person faces one person in the opposite row.
How do left and right work in parallel row seating?
For a person facing north, right is east and left is west. For a person facing south, right is west and left is east.
How do I solve parallel row puzzles fast?
Draw both rows west to east, place end/middle and "faces" clues first, convert left/right by facing direction, keep cases separate, and solve one row fully before the other.
Was parallel row seating asked in bank exams in 2026?
Yes. Candidates reported parallel row puzzles in SBI PO Prelims (1–2 August 2026) and a 14-person parallel row in IBPS PO Prelims (22 August 2026).
What is the difference between linear and parallel row seating?
Linear seating has a single row; parallel row seating has two rows facing each other, which adds "faces" clues and a left/right flip for the south-facing row.
Practice Next
- Puzzle tests: IBPS PO Puzzle and Seating Mock Test 08, SBI PO Puzzle and Seating Mock Test 08, IBPS Clerk Puzzle and Seating Mock Test 07, IBPS RRB Clerk Seating Arrangement Mock Test 02.
- Related notes: linear seating arrangement, circular seating arrangement tricks, month based puzzle questions, floor puzzle questions, direction sense questions.
- Browse all study notes.