The IBPS recruitment drives are much sought-after in India as prime government jobs.
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) provides its services to public sector banks, regional rural banks, and other financial institutions.
IBPS carries out Common Recruitments Process (CRP) on behalf of these organizations across nearly 200 cities/towns. It conducts four types of exams: IBPS PO (Probationary Officers), IBPS SO (Specialist Officers), IBPS Clerk, and IBPS RRB (Regional Rural Banks). These exams are conducted once a year following certain stages.
IBPS exam pattern
- The syllabus for all exams remains almost the same, but it is the difficulty level of the questions and exam pattern that makes IBPS PO tougher to clear than IBPS Clerk.
- Questions in both prelims and mains are asked in MCQ form.
- In IBPS PO mains, there is one section with a descriptive exam of the English language (Letter Writing and Essay).
- In the IBPS Prelims, there is one mark for every correct answer and 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer attempted by the candidate.
- In IBPS PO and Clerk Prelims, the questions are based on Numerical Ability (NA), Reasoning Ability (RA), and English Language. However, for other exams, there is a different mix of subjects.
- In the various IBPS Mains exams, there is a different mix of subjects (General/Financial/Banking Awareness, Professional Knowledge, Computer Aptitude and Data Analysis and Interpretation), in addition to NA, RA, and English language.
- The number of questions, marks and time allotted for each section, and overall exam time are different for various IBPS exams.
- The candidate will reach the final (interview) stage only after he has cleared the prelims and the mains for the IBPS SO and PO.
- A candidate is finally selected by the combined final score obtained as per the weightage (ratio) of the Main exam (80) and Interview (20).
- Also, the candidate should qualify both in the mains and interview round (cut off – 40% is for general and 35% for SC/ST/OBC/PWD candidates).
IBPS exam tips to follow to score high marks
All candidates should know that the foundation of the institute is based on the philosophy of speed, accuracy, and confidentiality in all its activities. It is important to follow certain tips before starting preparation for such exams.
1. Know the important topics of the IBPS syllabus: As the syllabus is detailed and lengthy, a candidate should give maximum focus to those topics from which most questions are asked.
2. Know your strengths and improve upon your weak areas: Strong areas require less practice whereas, weak areas require more practice. Strong and weak areas can be identified with the help of solving easy to difficult level questions. Working on weak areas is a prerequisite for securing good marks in IBPS exams.
3. Regular practice and revision: Consistency is the key to clearing any competitive exam. One should practice questions from every topic daily to improve basics, increase speed and enhance accuracy. Frequently, also keep revising the important topics and formulas.
4. Solve and analyze different test papers: Solving previous years’ question papers (this also gives a thorough understanding of the question pattern and allotted marks) and mock papers is another way to improve speed, accuracy, and time management.
5. Participate in quizzes and read a lot: Taking part in different quizzes is also a good way to assess performance. Don’t forget to read a newspaper every day, without fail.
6. One should only attempt what one knows: As there is negative marking for every incorrect answer, one should attempt only those questions for which there is the maximum surety. Focus on getting correct answers for most questions rather than covering all questions.
Finally, as is the case with any other competitive exam, it is important to be focused on your approach, maintain positivity in your life, and reduce stress by engaging in some physical activity every single day.
Courtesy: Indiatoday