The Doon School entrance exam is one of the most competitive written assessments at the Class VII and Class VIII level in India. This page gives you the confirmed exam structure, subject-wise breakdown, sample question types, and practical guidance on how to use practice papers effectively in your preparation.

Doon School Entrance Exam Pattern 2027

The entrance test consists of four papers of one hour each, conducted in the following order on the day of the exam:

Key points to note:

• The exam is held at The Doon School, Dehradun and nine other centres across India
• Hindi is not part of the entrance test
• All four subjects carry equal weight
• The test is designed for boys applying to Class VII and Class VIII

Doon School Entrance Exam Sample Questions 2027

The following questions are illustrative examples developed by Truemaths based on the confirmed exam pattern — English, Mathematics, Science, and Reasoning and Case Study Response. They are not official question papers released by The Doon School.

English

Section A — Reading Comprehension

Read the following passage and answer the questions below:

The Arctic is one of the world’s most extreme environments, yet it supports a remarkable variety of life. Polar bears, Arctic foxes, and migratory birds have all adapted to survive temperatures that can fall below minus 40 degrees Celsius. However, as global temperatures rise at roughly twice the global average in the Arctic, sea ice is disappearing at an unprecedented rate. Scientists warn that if current trends continue, the Arctic could experience its first ice-free summer before 2050. This would not only devastate local wildlife but would accelerate global warming further, as the white ice that currently reflects sunlight would be replaced by dark ocean water that absorbs it — a phenomenon known as the albedo effect.

Q1. Why would the disappearance of Arctic ice accelerate global warming?

(A) Because polar bears would migrate southward and disturb other ecosystems

(B) Because dark ocean water absorbs more sunlight than white ice reflects

(C) Because migratory birds would carry heat from warmer regions

(D) Because Arctic temperatures would drop further, disrupting ocean currents

Q2. What does the word “unprecedented” mean as used in the passage?

(A) Widely anticipated (B) Frequently observed (C) Never seen before (D) Gradually increasing

Q3. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in this passage?

(A) Celebratory (B) Indifferent (C) Cautionary (D) Humorous

Q4. What is the albedo effect as described in the passage? Explain in your own words in two to three sentences.

Section B — Grammar and Vocabulary

Q5. Identify the figure of speech in the following sentence:
“The silence in the room screamed louder than any argument could.”

(A) Simile (B) Personification (C) Alliteration (D) Hyperbole

Q6. Rearrange the following sentences into the most logical order:

 P: Without a clear plan, the expedition was doomed from the start.
Q: The team had assembled all the necessary equipment weeks in advance.
R: Yet no one had thought to map the route beyond the first checkpoint.
S: Their confidence, it turned out, was entirely misplaced.

(A) QRPS (B) QPRS (C) PQRS (D) RQPS

Q7. Choose the word closest in meaning to “obstinate”:

(A) Flexible (B) Stubborn (C) Curious (D) Cautious

Q8. Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb:
By the time the results were announced, the students _____ waiting for over three hours.

(A) have been (B) had been (C) were (D) are

Q9. Identify the error in the following sentence and rewrite it correctly:
“Neither the captain nor the players was prepared for the sudden change in weather.”

Section C — Written Expression

Q10. You have been asked by your school to write a short speech for Assembly on the topic: “Is competition always healthy?” Write your speech in 80 to 100 words. Your response will be assessed on clarity of argument, use of examples, and quality of expression.

Mathematics

Section A — Number Theory and Arithmetic

Q1. Find the smallest number that when divided by 12, 15, 18, and 27 leaves a remainder of 5 in each case.

(A) 540 (B) 545 (C) 270 (D) 275

Q2. A sum of money doubles itself in 8 years at simple interest. In how many years will it become five times itself at the same rate?

(A) 24 years (B) 28 years (C) 32 years (D) 36 years

Q3. The price of an article is first increased by 20% and then decreased by 25%. What is the net percentage change in the original price?

(A) 5% decrease (B) 10% decrease (C) 10% increase (D) 5% increase

Section B — Algebra

Q4. If 2x + 3y = 12 and 3x + 2y = 13, find the value of x + y.

(A) 4 (B) 5 (C) 6 (D) 7

Q5. A train travels from Station A to Station B at 60 km/h and returns at 40 km/h. What is the average speed for the entire journey?

(A) 48 km/h (B) 50 km/h (C) 52 km/h (D) 54 km/h

Q6. A cistern can be filled by two pipes in 12 minutes and 15 minutes respectively. A third pipe can empty it in 10 minutes. If all three pipes are opened simultaneously, in how many minutes will the cistern be full?

(A) 18 minutes (B) 20 minutes (C) 22 minutes (D) 24 minutes

Section C — Geometry

Q7. In a triangle ABC, angle A is twice angle B, and angle C is three times angle B. Find all three angles.

(A) 30°, 60°, 90° (B) 36°, 72°, 72° (C) 20°, 40°, 120° (D) 30°, 60°, 90°

Q8. A square and a rectangle have the same perimeter of 64 cm. The rectangle’s length is 20 cm. What is the positive difference between the areas of the two figures?

(A) 12 cm² (B) 16 cm² (C) 24 cm² (D) 36 cm²

Q9. The diagonal of a rhombus are 16 cm and 12 cm. Find the perimeter of the rhombus.

(A) 36 cm (B) 40 cm (C) 48 cm (D) 52 cm

Section D — Data Handling

Q10. The average of five consecutive odd numbers is 31. What is the largest of these numbers?

(A) 33 (B) 35 (C) 37 (D) 39

Science

Section A — Physics

Q1. A boy pushes a box across the floor with a force of 50 N. The frictional force opposing his push is 30 N. What is the net force acting on the box and in which direction does it act?

(A) 80 N in the direction of push
(B) 20 N in the direction of push
(C) 20 N opposite to the direction of push
(D) 30 N in the direction of push

Q2. Which of the following correctly explains why a glass filled with ice-cold water forms droplets on its outer surface on a humid day?

(A) Water seeps through the glass from inside
(B) Water vapour in the air condenses on the cold surface
(C) The glass absorbs moisture from the surrounding air into its structure
(D) Cold water evaporates and collects on the outside

Q3. A ball is thrown vertically upward. At the highest point of its path, which of the following statements is correct?

(A) Both velocity and acceleration are zero
(B) Velocity is zero but acceleration due to gravity acts downward
(C) Velocity is maximum and acceleration is zero
(D) Both velocity and acceleration are at maximum

Section B — Chemistry

Q4. Rusting of iron is an example of which type of chemical change?

(A) Decomposition (B) Displacement (C) Oxidation (D) Neutralisation

Q5. Which of the following is a physical change?

(A) Burning of wood (B) Souring of milk (C) Melting of ice (D) Digestion of food

Q6. A student adds a few drops of lemon juice to a blue litmus solution. What change, if any, would she observe?

(A) No change (B) Turns red (C) Turns green (D) Turns colourless

Section C — Biology

Q7. A green plant is kept in a dark room for 72 hours. What would happen to the starch content of its leaves, and why?

(A) Starch increases because the plant stores energy in the dark
(B) Starch decreases because photosynthesis cannot occur without light
(C) Starch remains unchanged because it is produced in the roots
(D) Starch increases because respiration produces starch

Q8. Which of the following organisms would be classified as a decomposer in a forest ecosystem?

(A) Oak tree (B) Earthworm (C) Hawk (D) Deer

Q9. The human heart has four chambers. In which chamber does oxygenated blood enter from the lungs?

(A) Right atrium (B) Left atrium (C) Right ventricle (D) Left ventricle

Q10. Which of the following best explains why antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections?

(A) Viruses are too small for antibiotics to reach
(B) Antibiotics target bacterial cell walls, which viruses do not have
(C) Viruses produce enzymes that break down antibiotics
(D) Antibiotics work only on infections in the bloodstream

Reasoning and Case Study Response

Section A — Logical Reasoning

Q1. Count the total number of triangles in the figure below:

(A large triangle is divided into 16 smaller triangles by lines parallel to each side)

(A) 27 (B) 35 (C) 38 (D) 40

Q2. In a certain code, BASKET is written as TEKSAB. Using the same logic, how would CORNER be written?

(A) RENROC (B) CORNRE (C) RENCOR (D) RENRCO

Q3. If the day after tomorrow is Wednesday, what day was it three days before yesterday?

(A) Thursday (B) Friday (C) Saturday (D) Sunday

Q4. Five friends — Arjun, Ben, Chetan, Dev, and Eshaan — are seated in a row facing North. Ben is to the immediate left of Dev. Arjun is at one end. Chetan is between Eshaan and Ben. Who is seated at the other end?

(A) Chetan (B) Dev (C) Eshaan (D) Ben

Q5. A clock shows the time as 3:15. What is the angle between the hour and minute hands?

(A) 7.5° (B) 0° (C) 15° (D) 22.5°

Section B — Case Study Response

Read the following situation carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Rohan is a new student at a residential school. On the third day, he notices that a group of senior students is pressuring a younger boy to do their chores, threatening to make school life difficult for him if he refuses. Rohan does not know the younger boy personally. The school has a clearly stated anti-bullying policy, but Rohan is worried that if he reports the incident, the senior students may turn on him next.

Q6. What are the two main competing concerns Rohan is facing in this situation? Identify both clearly.

Q7. What would you do if you were in Rohan’s position? Give at least two concrete steps and explain your reasoning for each.

Q8. The school’s anti-bullying policy exists precisely for situations like this. Do you think policies alone are enough to prevent bullying in a boarding school environment? Explain your view in four to five sentences.

All questions above are original practice material developed by Truemaths based on the confirmed Doon School entrance exam pattern. They are not official papers released by The Doon School, Dehradun.

How to Use These Sample Papers Effectively

Sample papers are a tool, not a destination. How a student uses them determines how much they actually improve. Here is a structured approach:

Step 1 — Attempt under timed conditions
Set a one-hour timer for each subject and attempt the paper without interruption or reference material. This simulates the actual exam environment and helps build stamina and time management.

Step 2 — Review every question, not just wrong answers
After completing a paper, go through every question — including those answered correctly. Understanding why a correct answer is right is as important as understanding why a wrong answer is wrong.

Step 3 — Track patterns across papers
Keep a note of the topics that cause consistent errors. Over multiple papers, patterns emerge. These patterns show where genuine conceptual gaps exist, not just where a student was careless on a given day.

Step 4 — Revisit Science and English reading regularly
For Science, re-reading the paper helps consolidate application-level understanding. For English, extensive reading outside sample papers builds the vocabulary and comprehension skills that the paper tests.

Step 5 — Leave Reasoning for last in practice sessions
The Reasoning and Case Study paper is best practised after the other three, as it requires fresh thinking and cannot benefit from rote revision. Build this habit in practice so it mirrors what the student will experience on exam day.

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