Tips to Crack Bank PO Exams: The Public sector banks in India conducts a common written examination except for SBI which holds its own examination for Probationary Officers. The conducting body IBPS( Institute of Banking Personnel selection), conducts the Bank PO exam in two phases- Prelims and Mains. Lakhs of candidates appear for the written test and only those students who qualify the prelims are considered eligible for bank PO Mains. To crack the bank PO exam, candidates must be thoroughly aware of the exam pattern and syllabus before the actual preparation. Read the article carefully for more details on how to clear the bank PO exam in the first attempt.
Bank PO Exam Pattern 2020
Table of Contents
Candidates must go through the exam pattern before preparing the time table for preparation. The written exam comprises of objective and descriptive sections.
Exam Pattern for Bank PO (Preliminary Exam)
| Sections | No.Of Questions | Maximum marks | Duration |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Numerical Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 Minutes |
Exam Pattern for Bank PO (Main exam)
| Sections | No.Of Questions | Maximum marks | Duration | Medium of exam |
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 | English and Hindi | 60 Minutes |
| English Language | 35 | 40 | Only English | 40 Minutes |
| Data Analysis and Interpretation | 35 | 60 | English and Hindi | 45 Minutes |
| General, Economy/Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 | English and Hindi | 35 Minutes |
| Total | 155 | 200 | – | 180 Minutes |
| English Language (Letter Writing & Essay) | 2 | 25 | English | 30 Minutes |
Note: The descriptive part comprises of lengthy question Answers on current issues.
Bank PO Exam Syllabus 2020
| English language | Fill in the Blanks, Cloze test, Spotting the Error, Sentence Improvement, Para-jumbles and Reading Comprehension |
| Quantitative ability | Syllogism, Inequality, and Miscellaneous questions, Input / Output, and Seating Arrangement / Puzzle. |
| Reasoning | Simplification, Quadratic Equation, Data Interpretation, Number series and Misc. Qs. Such as Average, Profit & Loss, etc. |
| General Awareness | Make a habit to watch the news regularly and read the latest current affairs magazines |
See IBPS Bank PO 2020 IBPS CWE: Exam Dates (Released), Application
Top 13 Tips to Crack the Bank PO Exam 2020
- A good analysis of topics covered for Bank PO exam- First and foremost step is to analyse the Bank Po recruitment exam and understand the strong and weak areas.
- Analysing previous year exam- Analysing previous year questions will help in understanding the variety of questions asked. This will also help in the filtering of the most important topics.
- Attempt Full-length Bank PO Mock Tests- Take Mock tests every day. This helps in increasing speed and accuracy and also makes one aware of his/her preparation level.
- Revision- After finishing a topic, candidates must do the revision. This will help to retain the basic points like- formulas, concepts, rules, etc.
- Create a timetable- After getting an idea of Exam Pattern and syllabus, candidates must create a realistic time-table. It should be made in such a way that all the important topics are covered for the day and the person is not mentally exhausted.
- Develop Reading Habits- The English language, general awareness and Computer Application section requires a lot of reading habit for Bank PO preparation. Candidates must read newspapers, magazines, books and yearbooks on a daily basis.
- Clear the basics- The exam not only deals with remembering or learning the important topics but also tests the analytical skills. One has to have a basic knowledge of concepts.
- Practice diligently- A rigorous practice is required without which the preparation is incomplete. A candidate must put the focus on the basics and solve every day and then slowly move to the advanced section.
- Work on time management and Accuracy- The Bank PO exam preparation must be in a time-bound manner. This means candidates have to learn to solve the paper on time with accuracy.
- Use the best resources of Bank exam preparation- It is suggested to use a good quality resource for the preparation of PO exam. With the plethora of information available in the market, one has to choose the best study material with lots of research and recommendations.
- Identify and work on the weak areas- Candidates must work on the weaker areas and work on them. They should also focus on their strong areas and solve more advanced problems.
- Stay Calm and Focused- Due to the difficulty of the exam, it is common to feel stressful. But candidates must keep focused and not let anxiety become a hurdle in their preparation time. Try Yoga, meditation and other recreational activities to soothe the mind.
- Coaching can be an option- Lastly, it is entirely up to an individual to take help of coachings as they have a structured study pattern. They also help the students to prepare in the most effective way.
The above bank exam preparation tips are beneficial for aspiring candidates who want to make a career in the Banking sector. Candidates must work on the bank exam tricks to gain efficiency and work daily on test modules to increase their speed. With the right approach, candidates can achieve the desired results and crack the bank PO examination with ease.