Bhatia's Battery of Performance Tests of Intelligence (Bhatia Battery)
A clinician's overview of Bhatia's Battery of Performance Tests of Intelligence, a non-verbal Indian intelligence battery. Its five subtests, what it measures, and where it fits in Indian practice.
Educational overview only. The Bhatia Battery is a published, restricted instrument obtained through its publisher and administered by qualified professionals. ElloMind does not provide the materials, items or scoring; this page is educational only.
What it is
The Bhatia Battery, developed by C.M. Bhatia in 1955, is a non-verbal, performance-based intelligence test standardised for the Indian population. It was designed so that a person's literacy and language would not limit the result, which made it well suited to a country with wide variation in schooling.
It is made up of five performance subtests and yields an estimate of intelligence based on time and accuracy.
What it covers
| Koh's Block Design | Reproducing designs with coloured blocks |
| Alexander's Pass-Along | Sliding blocks into a target arrangement |
| Pattern Drawing | Copying patterns without lifting the pen |
| Immediate Memory | Digit span forward and backward |
| Picture Construction | Assembling cut pictures |
Who it is for
It is used where a non-verbal, performance-based estimate of intelligence is helpful, including with clients who have limited literacy or formal education, and in settings where language-loaded tests would be unfair.
It is administered individually by a trained examiner, with careful timing.
How it is administered
The examiner administers the five subtests in order, recording time and accuracy, and converts performance to a mental age and IQ estimate using the battery's norms.
The materials are obtained through the publisher; the items are not circulated openly.
Use in India
The Bhatia Battery remains a staple in Indian clinical practice, particularly for assessing intelligence in people with low literacy, and is often used alongside verbal tests or as part of intellectual disability assessment. As with other older Indian tests, clinicians keep the age of the norms in mind.
Related free tools
Citation and sources
Bhatia, C.M. (1955). Performance Tests of Intelligence under Indian Conditions. Oxford University Press.
- Koh's Block Design Test (related subtest) — Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions
Five performance subtests: Koh's Block Design, Alexander's Pass-Along, Pattern Drawing, Immediate Memory (digit span), and Picture Construction.
It is non-verbal and performance-based, so it does not depend on literacy or language. That makes it well suited to Indian clients with varied schooling.
A trained examiner, working individually with the client and timing each subtest. The materials are obtained through the publisher.
More tests and assessments
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
IntelligenceWechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
Non-verbal reasoningRaven's Progressive Matrices (RPM)
Intelligence (India)Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT)
Intelligence (India)Malin's Intelligence Scale for Indian Children (MISIC)
Performance test (India)Seguin Form Board Test (SFBT)
Adaptive behaviourVineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS)
Cognitive screeningMini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Projective testThematic Apperception Test (TAT)
DepressionBeck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)
PersonalityMinnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
PersonalitySixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)
This page is general educational information for professionals, not clinical or legal advice, and not a substitute for training in the instrument. ElloMind does not provide, sell or reproduce copyrighted test materials.