The IBPS SO Prelims Exam 2026 was conducted on 29th August 2026 in two shifts. With the exam concluded now, the detailed exam analysis has been updated based on candidate feedback and expert review. It covers the overall difficulty level, good attempts, section-wise performance, and topic-wise distribution of questions asked in the exam.
IBPS SO Exam Analysis 2026
The IBPS SO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 for both the shifts is available now. It covers the section-wise difficulty level, good attempts, and questions asked based on candidate feedback and expert analysis. Candidates can use the analysis to evaluate their performance and understand the overall difficulty of the exam.
IBPS SO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift-wise Difficulty and Good Attempts
The IBPS SO Prelims Exam 2026 was conducted on 29th August 2026 in multiple shifts. The Shift 1 and Shift 2 difficulty level and good attempts have been updated based on candidate feedback and expert analysis below:
| Section | Shift 1: Difficulty | Shift 1: Good Attempts | Shift 2: Difficulty | Shift 2: Good Attempts |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | 20 – 22 | Easy to Moderate | 20 – 22 |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 20 – 22 | Easy to Moderate | 19 – 21 |
| Professional Knowledge | Easy to Moderate | 17 – 20 | Easy to Moderate | 18 – 20 |
| Quantitative Aptitude/General Awareness | Easy to Moderate | 15 – 19 | Easy to Moderate | 17 – 19 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 72 – 83 | Moderate | 72 – 82 |
Note: These figures are indicative and should not be considered official cut-offs.
IBPS SO Prelims Shift-wise Sectional Analysis 2026 (Shift 1)
The IBPS SO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 includes a detailed section-wise analysis of the examination. The analysis covers the topics asked, number of questions, difficulty level, and overall review of each section based on candidate feedback.
IBPS SO Prelims Reasoning Ability Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
In Shift 1, the Reasoning Ability section included 25 questions for 25 marks, with a sectional time limit of 20 minutes. Based on candidate feedback, questions were mainly asked from box-based puzzles, seating arrangements, alphanumeric series, syllogism, pair formation, and blood relations. The topic-wise distribution of questions reported in Shift 1 is provided below.
| Reasoning Topics | Number of Questions |
| Box-Based Puzzle (8 Boxes) | 5 |
| Linear Seating Arrangement (7 Persons) | 5 |
| Inequality | 3-4 |
| Blood Relations | 3 |
| Alphanumeric Series | 3 |
| Syllogism | 2 |
| Pair Formation | 2 |
| Blood Relation Puzzle (8 Persons) | 3 |
| Total | 25 |
IBPS SO Prelims English Language Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
In IBPS SO Prelims Shift 1, the English Language section covered a combination of reading comprehension, phrase replacement, spelling-based questions, error detection, connectors, and sentence arrangement. The topic-wise distribution reported by candidates is given below.
| English Language Topics | Questions Asked |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 5-6 |
| Para Jumbles | 2 |
| Fill in the Blanks | 2 |
| Phrase Replacement | 4 |
| Error Detection | 4 |
| Misspelt Words | 4 |
| Sentence Arrangement | 3-4 |
| Total | 25 |
Note: The English Language section consists of 25 questions for 25 marks and has a separate sectional time limit of 20 minutes.
IBPS SO Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
The Quantitative Aptitude section in Shift 1 featured questions from approximation, bar graph DI, wrong number series, caselet DI, and arithmetic. The detailed topic-wise breakup of the section is given below.
| Topic | Questions Asked |
| Arithmetic | 6 |
| Bar Graph DI | 6 |
| Approximation | 5 |
| Wrong Number Series | 4-5 |
| Caselet DI – 3 Shops | 3 |
| Total | 25 |
Note: Quantitative Aptitude is tested for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer. The section carries 25 questions for 25 marks with a separate time limit of 20 minutes.
IBPS SO Prelims General Awareness Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
The detailed analysis covering Current Affairs, Banking Awareness, RBI-related developments, financial awareness, government schemes, and other relevant topics will be updated once the examination is over.
TABLE TO BE UPDATED
IBPS SO Prelims Professional Knowledge Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
The Professional Knowledge section in Shift 1 covered questions from computer networks, operating systems, programming languages, databases, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data structures, and banking awareness. Based on candidate feedback, some of the topics and concepts asked are listed below.
| Topic | Question Type |
| DNS | Default port number |
| ARP | Protocol used to map an IP address to a MAC address |
| Quantum Computing | Basic concept-based question |
| Cryptography | Algorithm using the same key for encryption and decryption |
| Operating System | FIFO scheduling / related concept |
| KYC | Banking-related Know Your Customer concept |
| Memory Addressing | 32-bit system and 4 GB address space |
| Page Replacement | NRU algorithm |
| Python | Generator function |
| C++ | Private access specifier |
| Agile Methodology | Types of Agile methodologies |
| Artificial Intelligence | Overfitting |
| SQL / Database | UNION operation |
| Java | final keyword |
| Java Programming | Concept-based question |
| Cloud Computing | SaaS |
| Data Structures | B+ Tree |
| Computer Architecture / Networking | Addressing-related concept |
IBPS SO Prelims Shift-wise Sectional Analysis 2026 (Shift 2)
The Shift 2 sectional analysis of the IBPS SO Prelims Exam 2026 has been prepared using feedback shared by candidates after the exam. It provides a breakdown of the topics covered, number of questions, section-wise difficulty level, and overall exam experience for Shift 2.
IBPS SO Prelims Reasoning Ability Analysis 2026 for Shift 2
The Reasoning section in Shift 2 featured a strong focus on puzzles and seating arrangements, along with questions from syllogism, inequality, direction sense, and alphanumeric tests. The topic-wise distribution reported by candidates is given below.
| Topic | Questions |
| Linear Arrangement – (Bidirectional) | 5 |
| Floor-Based Puzzle with Variable | 5 |
| Box-Based Puzzle – 6 Boxes | 5 |
| Syllogism | 3 |
| Inequality | 3 |
| Direction Sense | 3 |
| Alphanumeric Test | 1 |
| Total | 25 |
IBPS SO Prelims English Language Analysis 2026 for Shift 2
The English Language section in Shift 2 included questions from reading comprehension, fillers, phrase replacement, error detection, spelling, and word rearrangement. The topic-wise distribution reported by candidates is given below.
| Topic | Questions |
| Reading Comprehension on Employment | 5 |
| Fillers | 5 |
| Phrase Replacement | 5 |
| Misspelt Words | 5 |
| Word Rearrangement | 3 |
| Error Detection | 2 |
| Total | 25 |
Note: The English Language section consists of 25 questions for 25 marks and has a separate sectional time limit of 20 minutes.
IBPS SO Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Analysis 2026 for Shift 1
The Quantitative Aptitude section in Shift 1 featured questions from approximation, bar graph DI, wrong number series, caselet DI, and arithmetic. The detailed topic-wise breakup of the section is given below.
| Topic | Questions Asked |
| Arithmetic | 6 |
| Bar Graph DI | 6 |
| Approximation | 5 |
| Wrong Number Series | 4-5 |
| Caselet DI – 3 Shops | 3 |
| Total | 25 |
Note: Quantitative Aptitude is tested for IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer. The section carries 25 questions for 25 marks with a separate time limit of 20 minutes.
IBPS SO Prelims General Awareness Analysis 2026 for Shift 2
The General Awareness section in Shift 2 covered a broad mix of banking awareness, current affairs, international organizations, awards, geography, government-related topics, and financial concepts. Based on candidate feedback, the following areas were reported in the exam.
| Topic | Questions |
| Banking Awareness | Bank headquartered in Chennai |
| Geography | World’s largest archipelago |
| Banking | Minimum age for opening a savings account |
| Government | Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| Sports | FIFA winner-related question |
| International Organisation | IEA |
| Aadhaar | Aadhaar linked with email |
| Banking / Insurance | DICGC and RBI relationship |
| Awards & Films | Best Feature Film |
| History / Heritage | Dholavira |
| Geography / Cities | White City |
| KYC | Documents accepted for KYC |
| Indian Polity | Rajya Sabha members retiring periodically |
| Science / Energy | Hydrogen-related question |
| Culture | Dappu Festival |
| Geography | River flowing within a single country |
| Literature | Nobel Prize author associated with The Vegetarian |
| Space / Current Affairs | ISS-related question |
| Important Days | 24 October |
| Current Affairs | Mahesh Dixit |
| Banking Regulation | NSFR |
| Agriculture / Banking | Agricultural Loan |
IBPS SO Previous Year Prelims Trend
The IBPS SO Prelims exam pattern has remained broadly consistent over the years, with English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude forming the core sections for posts such as IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer. However, the distribution of questions across individual topics has varied from year to year. Analysing these trends helps candidates identify frequently asked topics, understand changes in difficulty, and prioritise important areas during preparation.
For Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari, General Awareness with Special Reference to Banking Industry is asked instead of Quantitative Aptitude.
IBPS SO Prelims Good Attempts Trend
Good attempts vary across shifts depending on the difficulty level, question distribution, and candidates’ accuracy. The previous-year data indicates that candidates generally needed to attempt around 84–103 questions across the three sections with good accuracy to remain competitive. Since IBPS SO Prelims has negative marking, accuracy is more important than simply increasing the number of attempts.
| Year | English | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | Overall Good Attempts |
| 2025 | 31–34 | 28–30 | 25–28 | 84–95 |
| 2024 | 30–33 | 29–31 | 25–28 | 87–99 |
| 2023 | 32–36 | 28–33 | 29–34 | 89–103 |
| 2022 | 22–24 | 32–36 | 32–34 | 87–95 |
| 2021 | 22–24 | 33–37 | 32–34 | 88–96 |
Note: Good-attempt figures are indicative and may differ across shifts. Candidates should consider the difficulty level and their accuracy while evaluating their attempts.
IBPS SO Prelims Overall Difficulty Trend
The overall difficulty of the IBPS SO Prelims exam has generally remained Moderate, although individual sections and shifts may vary. Reasoning is often time-consuming because of puzzles and seating arrangements, while Quantitative Aptitude generally requires speed in calculations, particularly in Data Interpretation and Arithmetic. English has also featured multiple Reading Comprehension and grammar-based questions.
| Year | English Language | Reasoning Ability | Quantitative Aptitude | Overall Difficulty |
| 2025 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| 2024 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| 2023 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| 2022 | Easy to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| 2021 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
IBPS SO Prelims English Language Trend 2025–2021
The English Language section has consistently focused on Reading Comprehension, Error Detection, sentence arrangement, fillers, word-based questions, and vocabulary. Reading Comprehension has remained one of the most prominent areas, while recent papers have included patterns such as Word Swap, Phrase Replacement, Connectors, Match the Column, and Sentence Improvement.
| Topic | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Reading Comprehension | 14–16 | 20 | 20 | – | 20 |
| Error Detection/Spotting Error | 5 | 5 | 5 | – | 5 |
| Cloze Test | 6 | – | 5 | – | – |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 5 | 5 | – | – | – |
| Para Jumble | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Word Swap | 4–5 | – | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Fillers | 5 | – | 5 | – | – |
| Phrase Replacement | 5 | – | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Word Usage | 2 | – | 5 | – | – |
| Word Rearrangement | 4 | – | – | – | 5 |
| Connectors | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Sentence Improvement | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Match the Column | 5 | 5 | – | – | 3–4 |
| Total Questions | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Trend: Reading Comprehension has consistently carried significant weightage in the English section. Error Detection and vocabulary/word-based questions have also appeared regularly, while recent papers have shown greater variation through Word Swap, Connectors, Sentence Improvement, Fillers, and Match the Column.
IBPS SO Prelims Quantitative Aptitude Trend 2025–2021
The Quantitative Aptitude section has consistently given considerable weightage to Data Interpretation and Arithmetic. Approximation, Number Series, and Quadratic Equations have also appeared regularly, although their presence and weightage have varied across years. Recent papers have included multiple DI formats such as Table, Line Graph, Pie Chart, Bar Graph, and Caselet DI.
| Topic | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Approximation | 5–6 | – | – | 5 | 5 |
| Quadratic Equation | 5 | – | 5 | – | – |
| Missing/Wrong Number Series | 6 | 4–5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Arithmetic | 11–20 | 15 | 25 | 14 | 20 |
| Table DI | 5–6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Line Graph DI | – | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Bar Graph DI | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Pie Chart DI | 5–6 | 5 | – | 5 | 5 |
| Caselet DI | 5–6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Data Sufficiency | 3 | – | – | 3 | – |
| Quantity Comparison | – | 4–5 | – | – | – |
| Total Questions | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Trend: Arithmetic and Data Interpretation have remained the most important areas in Quantitative Aptitude. Number Series and Approximation have also appeared regularly, while the type of DI sets has changed considerably across years. Candidates should therefore practise different DI formats rather than relying on a fixed pattern.
IBPS SO Prelims Reasoning Ability Trend 2025–2021
Reasoning Ability has consistently been dominated by puzzles and seating arrangements, with multiple questions often grouped into individual sets. Floor-based, linear, circular, box, variable-based, and row-based arrangements have appeared across different years. At the same time, Syllogism, Inequality, Direction, Blood Relation, Input-Output, and Data Sufficiency have remained important shorter topics.
| Topic | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Seating Arrangement & Puzzles | 20 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 20 |
| Floor-Based Puzzle | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Variable-Based Puzzle | 5 | – | 5 | – | – |
| Linear/Parallel Row Seating | 5–10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | – |
| Circular/Square Seating | 5 | – | 5 | 5 | – |
| Input-Output/Machine Input | 4–5 | 4 | – | – | 5 |
| Syllogism | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3–4 |
| Inequality | 3–5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3–4 |
| Direction & Distance | 3–4 | – | 4 | 3 | 2–3 |
| Blood Relation | 3–5 | 2–3 | – | 3 | 3 |
| Data Sufficiency | 2–4 | – | 5 | 3 | 4–5 |
| Logical/Critical Reasoning | 3–4 | 4–5 | – | 5 | 3–4 |
| Coding-Decoding/Chinese Coding | 2–3 | – | 6 | 5 | – |
| Pair Formation | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Meaningful Word | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| Odd One Out | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| Miscellaneous | 5–7 | 7–8 | 6 | – | – |
| Total Questions | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Trend: Puzzle and seating arrangement questions have consistently formed the largest portion of the Reasoning section. The exam has repeatedly tested candidates through variable-based and arrangement-based puzzles, while Syllogism, Inequality, Direction, Blood Relation, Input-Output, and Data Sufficiency provide important scoring opportunities.
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