IBPS PO Preliminary examination is in just 2-3 days. This time, IBPS has changed the exam pattern. Now, the maximum marks of Reasoning ability have increased from 30 to 40 marks. Whereas the maximum marks of Quantitative have reduced as compared to last year. The earlier quants section is of 35 marks, but now it is of 30 marks. In such a situation where there is uncertainty about how the marks are going to be distributed, you need to make a strategy for how you should approach the paper. In this blog, we are going to discuss the strategy for how to approach IBPS PO exam paper with the new exam pattern.
Changes in IBPS PO Exam Pattern
As already mentioned above that IBPS has changed the exam pattern and now the marks for reasoning have increased, whereas the marks for quantitative aptitude have decreased. In the table below, we have mentioned the changes in the exam pattern for better understanding.
| Subjects | Previous Exam pattern | New Exam pattern |
| English | 30 questions of 30 marks | 30 questions of 30 marks |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 questions of 35 marks | 35 questions of 30 marks |
| Reasoning | 35 questions of 35 marks | 35 questions of 40 marks |
Note: There is a sectional time limit. Candidates have to qualify in each of the three tests by securing the minimum cut-off marks to be decided by IBPS.
For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-fourth or 0.25 of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty.
Ways to Approach IBPS PO Question Paper
As per the information handout, there is an equal distribution of marks, and this simply means that each question in the Reasoning section will carry 1.14 marks. Similarly, each question of Quant will carry 0.86 marks. In these last few days, you are expected to focus more on reasoning questions so that you make the most of this section. Scoring well in this section will also give a boost to your overall cut-off. And mind you, the focus on the reasoning section has increased, but the sectional timing remains the same. So, all in all, in these handful of days, practice more questions of the reasoning section.
English Section
In these last 2-3 days, focus on vocabulary-based questions such as fillers, cloze test, and synonyms and antonyms. Reading comprehension should also be prepared alongside. When you are solving the English section, make sure to attempt vocabulary-based questions (fillers, cloze test, synonyms, antonyms, etc.), then head towards the reading comprehension, and in that area, give first preference to fact-based questions than go for inference-based questions.
Quantitative Aptitude
In the quants section, focus on revising formulas and small tricks in the last 2-3 days, along with mild practice sessions. Solve simplification and approximation problems on the first hand, and then solve arithmetic problems based on profit and loss, simple and compound interest. After solving all these, move towards DI and choose those where the problems seem calculative and a bit direct. Do not waste time on lengthy questions that involve rigorous calculations.
Reasoning
In the reasoning section, the first focus should be on syllogisms, coding-decoding, and alphanumeric series, questions that take less than 40 seconds to solve. When you are picking puzzle questions, be very mindful. As one single question can take more than 3-4 minutes sometimes, and we do not have this much time. Also, after the introduction of the new exam pattern, the reasoning weightage has increased. So, picking the right questions to solve becomes necessary.
Key Points to Maximize Scores
There are several key points to keep in mind to enhance your scores in the coming examination.
- Practice the art of picking the right question for yourself. These can only be done after rigorous practice using mock tests.
- If you get stuck on any question or if any question is taking more than 30-40 seconds, then skip that question and move on to the next question. If time permits, revisit and solve the question.
- When it comes to RCs, read the questions first and then move to the passage. In this way, you will focus on the information related to the asked question in the passage.
- Be very careful while picking reasoning questions. This time, the pattern has changed, and some questions may carry more weight than others. So choose wisely.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have tried to give an approach on how an aspirant should tackle the new exam pattern. Hardly 2-3 days are left. If you want to practice questions to become a pro in picking up the right questions for yourself, then take our mock test series, where you can get the first mock test absolutely free! The link is given below.
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