How difficult is the IBPS PO exam-Check Here

How difficult is the IBPS PO exam?- Every year Institute of Banking Personnel Selection conducts IBPS PO Exam. Lakhs of students appear in this examination every year, but only a few make it through. Many candidates fail several times before succeeding. The IBPS PO exam is one of the most competitive exams conducted for the recruitment of PO in various banks across the country. The bank examinations such as IBPS PO are not that easy to crack. The number of candidates who succeed in the IBPS PO exam is much less than those who failed. Every year the number of candidates increases and so does the rate of failure.

The competitiveness of the exam is such that even after rigorous preparation and hard work, many candidates fail to qualify for the exam.  Many candidates clear the written exam but cannot perform up to the mark in the interview round. So even after passing the written examination based on their merit, they fail to get the final selection as Bank PO. There are a number of reasons for failing in the IBPS PO examination. In this blog, we will look into some of these reasons. We will also try to answer the question that everyone is curious about: “How difficult is the IBPS PO exam?”

Reasons for failing in the Bank PO exam:

  1. Now knowing the syllabus well: Many candidates, when they start preparing for the IBPS PO exam, start preparing without even going through the syllabus. They go through each and every type of question they come across. This is one of the most important mistakes many candidates make. The pattern and the syllabus change every year, by going through the syllabus you can avoid covering some less important topics that have no weightage over the years. In order to succeed, you must know “THE TOPIC YOU CAN AVOID WHILE PREPARING.”
  2. Not knowing the previous year Exam papers and cut-offs: When a candidate goes through the previous year papers, he/she gets the proper idea of the kind of questions asked in the actual exam. Solving previous year questions always gives the candidate an upper edge on the candidates who haven’t solved any PYP. So make sure to go through at least 5-6 previous year question papers. Apart from Previous year papers, previous year cut-off trend also equips the candidate to make better decisions while attempting the question in the actual exam. Check IBPS PO previous year cut-off here.
  3. Ignorance towards the competition: Some candidates appearing for the bank examination take it very lightly, which is one of the primary reasons why candidates fail. There are a number of aspirants applying for a post where the vacancies are in thousands. The success rate is very low due to high competition.The selection depends mainly on the performance and the sectional cut-offs. Keep in mind that you have to give your best in order to secure a position in this exam.
  4. Attempting questions for the sake of increasing attempts: While attempting the question paper, sometimes the candidates feel they haven’t attempted enough questions to clear the cut-off, they tend to answer the questions by guessing. In the IBPS PO exam there is a negative marking of 0.25. If you attempt questions by surmise, the chances of yours getting selected decreases dramatically. Do not guess the answers until you are entirely sure.
  5. Not able to deal with exam anxiety: It is one of the most important mistakes anyone can make. There is sectional timing in IBPS PO exam, so when candidates start solving questions in the actual exam, the pressure of solving all questions within the restricted time frame, increases their anxiety. This exam hall anxiety may lead you to mark incorrect answers. The exam anxiety is most common among the candidates who appear for the first time. In order to avoid this anxiety, try to practice mock tests as much as you can. Solving mock tests helps you to be confident while attempting the questions in the actual exam.

Now let’s move on to the question “How difficult is the IBPS PO exam?”

How difficult is the IBPS PO exam?

The preliminary level of the IBPS PO exam is just qualifying in nature; that means you just need to clear the overall and the sectional cut-offs in order to appear for the mains. The overall cut-off depends on the number of candidates, number of seats, difficulty of the exam. The prelims exam is not that difficult to clear as practicing mock tests will make you familiar with the exam. With proper 4-5 month preparation, it is possible to clear the exam(If you already have basic knowledge of quant, English, and reasoning). The candidates have a mindset that if they want to qualify for the exam, they will be able to do this in 3-4 attempts. It is not true as many candidates qualify for the exam on their first attempt. Clearing the exam in the first attempt needs practice and constant effort.

When we talk about the difficulty level of IBPS PO, then the exam and questions asked themselves are not tough. Basic questions are asked in the IBPS PO exam consisting of basic quant, English, and reasoning. The number of seats and the number of candidates make the exam Lil bit hard.

So overall the exam is not difficult to clear if you follow the proper strategy and avoid the mistakes mentioned above.

IBPS PO Exam Pattern:

Here is the IBPS PO Prelims exam pattern:

Sl. No.Name of TestsNo. of QuestionsMaximum MarksDuration
1English Language303020 minutes
2Numerical Ability353520 minutes
3Reasoning Ability353520 minutes
 Total10010060 minutes

Here is the IBPS PO Mains exam pattern:

Sl. No.Name of testNo. of QuestionsMax. MarksMedium of ExaminationTime Allotted
1Reasoning and Computer Aptitude4560English and Hindi60 minutes
2English Language3540English only40 minutes
3Data Analysis and Interpretation3560English and Hindi45 minutes
4General, Economy/Banking Awareness4040English and Hindi35 minutes
 Total155200 180 minutes
 English Language (Letter and Essay writing)225English30 minutes

Check the topper strategy for the IBPS PO exam:

How I cracked the IBPS PO Exam: Neeraj Agrawal – Oliveboard

Also Check:

  1. IBPS PO Study Material | IBPS Probationary Officer Exam 2021 Preparation Material | Oliveboard
  2. IBPS PO Preparation Strategy – Guidelines for Prelims (oliveboard.in)
  3. IBPS PO Prelims Preparation | Weekly Study Plan | Oliveboard
  4. IBPS PO Preparation Tips By Topper | Interview With Topper Ankit Vani (oliveboard.in)
  5. IBPS PO Online Preparation: How to make the most of it – Oliveboard
  6. IBPS PO Prelims Preparation | Weekly Study Plan | Oliveboard
  7. IBPS PO English- Preparation Tips, Descriptive Guide, PDFs & Mock Tests (oliveboard.in)

IBPS PO Exam: General Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks to clear the IBPS PO Exam.

  1. Make Time Table- Many students apply for any exam but then do not study systematically. For systematic study you need a proper time table. So first of all prepare a time table covering all the topics asked in the exam.
  2. Read good books: There are plenty of books available in the market, but reading all of them will be of no use. Refer to the standard books only. If you have notes from your coaching institute then refer to them for your preparation.
  3. Practice is the key: One thing that sets toppers apart is the habit of Practicing as much as they can. For this exam, Practice is the key, you have to practice a lot of questions before appearing in the actual exam.
  4. Mock Tests: Join a mock test series for better understanding of the actual exam level, test series can immensely help you in acing this exam.
  5. Previous Year Question Papers: Go through the previous year question papers, It will help you to get a better idea of the level of exam and the kind of questions asked.
free mock tests online

This is all from our side in this blog. ALL THE BEST for your exam!


BANNER ads

Download 500+ Free Ebooks (Limited Offer)👉👉

X