Two of the most reliably tested topics in the Hindi grammar section of IBPS RRB PO are Sandhi (संधि) and Samas (समास). They appear similar to students on the surface — both involve merging — but they operate at entirely different levels of the language.
Sandhi is a sound-level phenomenon. When two words are placed next to each other, their boundary sounds sometimes merge, producing a new sound. The result is a single new word. The process is phonological: you are following rules about how vowels, consonants, and the visarga (ः) interact at a junction point. Sandhi-vichchhed (संधि विच्छेद) — splitting that merged word back into its two original parts — is what exams test most often.
Samas is a meaning-level phenomenon. A samas (समास) is a compound word formed by combining two or more meaningful words, where the connecting grammatical particle (vibhakti — a case marker like का, के, की, में, को, से, etc.) is dropped. Identifying the type of compound — and writing out the vigrah (विग्रह), the full expanded form — is what the exam tests.
Here is the analogy that keeps them straight in your mind. Sandhi is like two water drops touching — they physically merge into one drop, and the shape changes. Samas is like placing two books on a single shelf — they sit together for meaning, but each book is still independently there. In sandhi, the sounds themselves are altered. In samas, the words retain their identity but the glue between them (the karak/vibhakti) is removed.
Why does IBPS RRB PO test these specifically? Because rural banking officers deal with Hindi documentation — loan agreements, government scheme names (think: जनधन, महात्मा, स्वयंसहायता), notices — and many of these words are samasa or sandhi forms. The exam is testing whether you can parse these forms correctly.
Sandhi (संधि literally means "joining") happens at the junction of two words or morphemes. There are three main types, and you need to recognize which rule applies from the changed sound at the junction.
This is by far the most tested type. Six sub-types exist; memorize the first three thoroughly.
Dirgha Sandhi (दीर्घ संधि): Same-class vowels merge into a single long vowel.
अ/आ + अ/आ = आ → राम + अवतार = रामावतारइ/ई + इ/ई = ई → गिरि + ईश = गिरीशउ/ऊ + उ/ऊ = ऊ → भानु + उदय = भानूदयGunn Sandhi (गुण संधि): अ or आ + इ/ई = ए; अ/आ + उ/ऊ = ओ; अ/आ + ऋ = अर्
Vriddhi Sandhi (वृद्धि संधि): अ/आ + ए/ऐ = ऐ; अ/आ + ओ/औ = औ
Yan Sandhi (यण संधि): इ/ई → य्; उ/ऊ → व्; ऋ → र् — before a dissimilar vowel.
This is the rule behind "अत्याचार" — the exam's single most tested sandhi word.
Ayadi Sandhi (अयादि संधि): ए/ऐ/ओ/औ → अय्/आय्/अव्/आव् before a vowel.
Here, a consonant at the end of the first word changes based on the starting sound of the second word. The most common pattern tested:
त् + ऋ = तर् → सप्त + ऋषि = सप्तर्षिThe visarga (ः) changes depending on what follows it. Key rules:
There are six types of samas (समास). The exam asks you to identify the type given the compound word, or to match the vigrah.
The first member is an indeclinable (अव्यय). The whole compound becomes an adverb. Key first-member markers: यथा, अनु, प्रति, भर, आजन्म, बेखटके.
The second member is the head (pradhan). The dropped element is a vibhakti. Sub-types are named by the vibhakti dropped.
Both members have the same case (same karak). Relation is adjective–noun or upamana–upameya (metaphor).
First member is always a number (संख्यावाचक). The compound refers to a collection/group.
Both members are equally important (co-ordinate). Two tests: (a) you can insert "और/या/एवं" between them; (b) both parts are main.
Neither member is the head — the compound describes a third entity not mentioned. Classic test: the vigrah ends with "जो/वाला/वह जिसका...".
Look — Karmdharay and Bahuvrihi are the hardest to separate. The trick: if the compound refers to one of its own members, it is Karmdharay. If it refers to a third external entity, it is Bahuvrihi. "नीलकमल" refers to the lotus itself — Karmdharay. "नीलकंठ" refers to Shiva — Bahuvrihi.
Whenever you see a sandhi word and spot the cluster य or व immediately before a vowel, reverse-map it: य ← इ/ई, व ← उ/ऊ. So अत्याचार → see 'त्या' → the 'य' is a clue → original was 'ति + आ' = अति + आचार. This single pattern covers roughly 35% of sandhi-vichchhed questions. Standard method: try all four options mentally (45s). This pattern: you see 'य/व' cluster, you know it's Yan Sandhi, pick accordingly (12s).
Before checking any other samas type, ask: "Does the first word contain a number (एक, द्वि, त्रि, चतुर्, पंच, सप्त, नव, दश...)?" If yes, and the vigrah is "X का समूह", it is Dvigu — stop there. You eliminate 5 other types in one step. त्रिलोक → त्रि (three) → Dvigu, done. Standard method: read all options and check vigrahs (30s). Number test: 8s.
Write the vigrah. Does the meaning point back to one of the two words in the compound, or to a completely different entity? Points back → Karmdharay. Points elsewhere → Bahuvrihi. Example: नीलकमल vigrah = "नीला कमल" — this IS a lotus → Karmdharay. नीलकंठ vigrah = "नीला है कंठ जिसका" — this is Shiva, not the throat → Bahuvrihi. This eliminates the most common 2-mark confusion in under 10s (vs. 40s of elimination reading).
Memorize 6 trigger words that almost always signal Avyayibhav: यथा, अनु, प्रति, भर, आ (prefix meaning up to), बे. See any of these at the start of the compound → mark Avyayibhav and move on. यथाशक्ति, प्रतिदिन, अनुरूप, भरपेट — all Avyayibhav. 4 options to eliminate → 1 trigger-word check (5s vs 25s).
For Gunn Sandhi: आ + ई/इ = ए. So any word with 'ए' in the middle, where one part ends in आ and the other begins with इ/ई — that's Gunn Sandhi. महेश = महा + ईश (आ + ई = ए). देवेंद्र = देव + इंद्र (अ + इ = ए). When you see option "महा + ईश", confirm by applying: आ + ई = ए → महेश. Correct. 3-step mental check (10s) vs reading all four options and backtracking (40s).
When a Sandhi or Samas question appears in the exam hall, use this two-pass approach:
For Sandhi-Vichchhed:
For Samas identification:
Never skip the vigrah step for Samas. It takes 10 seconds and eliminates wrong answers instantly.
Why this question: "अत्याचार" is among the top 5 most frequently tested sandhi words across IBPS exams. Getting this wrong usually means misidentifying the sandhi type.
Solving path: Spot the 'त्या' cluster in अत्याचार. The 'य' in 'त्या' signals Yan Sandhi. In Yan Sandhi, य ← इ/ई. So the first word ended in 'इ' → that word is 'अति'. The second word begins with 'आ' → आचार. Confirm: अति + आचार → इ + आ = या (Yan) → अत्याचार. Option A is correct.
Why this question: त्रिलोक tests whether you can separate Dvigu from Tatpurush — the most common confusion when a number is present.
Solving path: Apply the Number Test. First word = त्रि (three). Vigrah = तीन लोकों का समूह. "समूह" (collection) + number in first position = Dvigu. Option B is correct. Do not let "तीन लोकों का" mislead you into Tatpurush — the 'का' here is part of the vigrah expansion, not a dropped vibhakti that defines the relationship.
Why this question: यथाशक्ति is a classic Avyayibhav trap — students often misread यथा as making it Tatpurush.
Solving path: First word = यथा. Check the trigger list: यथा is an avyaya. The whole compound means "according to one's power" — it functions as an adverb. Vigrah = शक्ति के अनुसार. First word avyaya + whole compound is adverbial = Avyayibhav. Option B is correct.
Why this question: महेश tests Gunn Sandhi (आ + ई = ए). Many students incorrectly write महे + श because they split at the visible syllable boundary.
Solving path: The 'ए' in महेश is the Gunn Sandhi product. Gunn rule: आ + ई = ए. First word must end in आ → महा. Second word must begin with ई → ईश. Combine: महा + ईश → आ + ई = ए → महेश. Option A is correct. Option C (मह + ईश) fails because 'मह' ends in अ, and अ + ई = ए is Gunn too, but the correct base word is महा (great), not मह.
Why this question: नीलकमल tests Karmdharay vs Bahuvrihi — the single most common distinction error in the samas section.
Solving path: Write the vigrah: नीला कमल. Does this point to a third entity? No — it refers to the lotus itself. So it is not Bahuvrihi. Is the relation adjective (नीला) + noun (कमल) in the same karak? Yes. That is Karmdharay. Option B is correct. Had the question been about नीलकंठ, the vigrah would point to Shiva — a third entity — making it Bahuvrihi.
Splitting at the syllable boundary, not the sound-change boundary. Students split अत्याचार as अत्य + आचार because 'अत्य' looks like a unit. Always ask: what sandhi rule is operating? Only then split.
Confusing Dvigu with Tatpurush when a number is followed by 'का/के/की' in the vigrah. Dvigu vigrah ends in "का समूह" — the number is the defining feature, not the 'का'. If the vigrah were "राजा का पुत्र" (non-number), that would be Tatpurush.
Marking Karmdharay when the answer is Bahuvrihi. The test: if the compound word describes itself (one of its own parts), Karmdharay. If it describes something external, Bahuvrihi. Write the vigrah every time.
Ignoring the visarga (ः) when doing sandhi-vichchhed. Some students drop the visarga and get the wrong original word. मनोरथ → मनः + रथ, not मन + रथ.
Treating गुणवान् as a sandhi word. The question for गुणवान् (PYQ id 69fcb80b2c734e5b74b8a16b) is a deliberate trap — there is no sandhi here. गुण + वान् is simply a two-word formation with the suffix वान्. No sound change occurred. The correct answer is option A: गुण + वान्.
Misidentifying Avyayibhav as Tatpurush when an avyaya precedes a noun. The entire compound must function as an indeclinable adverb for it to be Avyayibhav. If it does not, re-evaluate. But for words like यथाशक्ति, प्रतिदिन, अनुसार — Avyayibhav is always correct.