To become an officer in public sector banks in India, you need to qualify in IBPS PO exam.Inorder to successfully pass this examination, you must know about what & how to prepare.With increasing competition for bank jobs, the exam difficulty has also been increased.For you to understand it better, we are explaining the IBPS PO 2016 exam pattern in detail along with simple tips for you to start preparations.
IBPS PO 2016 (VI) is a 3-stage selection process comprising of Prelims, Mains & Interview stages.Each stage is an elimination round which means, only those who qualify in each test shall proceed to the next.
As part of the IBPS PO recruitment, there are 2 written exams:
- Preliminary exam or Prelims
- Main exam
While every applicant can appear for prelims, mains can be written only by those who pass in prelims with the necessary cutoff scores.
IBPS Prelims Exam Pattern:
This is the 1st phase of examination in IBPS PO recruitment in the following pattern:
- Duration: 1 hour
- Total Marks: 100
- Total Questions: 100
The IBPS PO prelims question paper consists of objective type questions on Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude & English.The regularly asked topics in each section are:
- Reasoning – Reasoning concepts of assumptions, syllogisms, seating arrangements, data sufficiency and input-output
- Quantitative Aptitude – BODMAS concepts, data interpretation, time & distance, time & work, profit & loss and percentages
- English – Grammar rules, vocabulary, comprehension, sentence arrangement and sentence correction
Questions are of moderate difficulty only with 1 mark for each correct answer & 0.25 negative mark for every wrong one.
Cutoff Marks: IBPS PO cutoffs are applied in two stages – on each section & on the total score. Those of you who secure above these cutoffs are only shortlisted for mains.
Since this is treated only as a screening test, your prelims score is are not considered for final selection.
IBPS Mains Exam Pattern:
If you want to feature in the final merit list, passing in the mains exam is extremely important.The general overview of IBPS PO mains is:
- Duration: 140 minutes
- Total Marks: 200
- Total Questions: 200
The IBPS PO mains also consists of multiple choice questions but has more number of sections.It comprises of:
- Reasoning
- English Language
- Quantitative Aptitude
- General Awareness
- Computer Knowledge
An important change introduced from last year is – there is a time limit on each section within which you need to answer all questions.So candidates cannot move between papers without completing a specific test.
Similarly, the system will automatically open the next section if the time limit for that section is over, even if you havent answered all the questions in that paper.
The level of difficulty is usually moderate to difficult because of the massive competition. With only 8800 PO vacancies to be filled in 2017-18, IBPS would shortlist less number of people in main exam compared to last year.
Before you Start Preparing:
Understanding the exam pattern is job half done.Knowing how to make crack it & devising the right plan only will help you to clear IBPS PO exam.
If you are confused on where & how to start preparing, here are 3 simple rules that you need to keep in mind.
Analyse the Syllabus & Gathering the Study Materials:
You should take out first few days to fully familiarize yourself with the syllabus for IBPS exam.In this period, you should also obtain the study materials and books that are required for each exam section
This step is crucial to identify your strengths and weakness, while also keeping yourself focused in the following weeks.
Learn Concepts & Tricks:
It is required to cover all the concepts that can be tested as part of the IBPS syllabus. As you develop expertise in the subject matter, develop or learn the shortcuts to achieve higher speed in solving questions.
Practice Regularly:
IBPS mock tests from the past few years are easily available on the internet and are a valuable resource in understanding the difficulty level of the questions and for further practice.
Considering that IBPS is now a computer based test, it is vitally important for the candidates to adapt to this mode, especially to avoid losing time in the real exam.IBPS online Mock Tests on TCY can be of particular help to you.
Staying aware of the recent developments is imperative, and thus, a habit of reading english newspapers will serve you well.This will also keep you updated on the general affairs, especially in relation to banking and economy, while helping develop your command on English language.
Special Offer on Online IBPS Course
TCY is offering monthly subscriptions on various plans for IBPS preparations varies from Rs. 425 to 1200. You get sectional and mock tests for prelims as well as mains.
Currently under TCY Freedom Campaign, you can get any Course Pack @ Rs. 500.If you are preparing for IBPS, SSC or any Govt. Exam, this is a golden opportunity.
Last year, more than 5000 students availed this offer. This offer is applicable till 20th August only. Click here to avail the annual pack at flat rate of Rs.500
