The IBPS SO Prelims exam is scheduled for 30th August 2025. In the last month remaining for the IBPS SO 2025 Prelims exam, focusing on important topics and mastering them will help you a lot. Refer to the Prelims exam pattern and avoid learning any new topics now. If you want to clear this exam in the first attempt only, you need to practice questions for 6 to 8 hours daily now. Make a weekly revision target and attempt 1 full-length mock test every weekend. Read on to know how to crack IBPS SO 2025 in the first attempt!
Cracking the IBPS SO exam in the last few days is a challenging task now. To crack the IBPS Specialist Officer Exam in your first attempt, understand the types of questions asked in the exam. This can happen only when you start practicing from today onwards. First think are you well aware of the exam pattern? Have you compiled your study resources? Are your basic concepts clear? If you can answer all these questions confidently, you can also clear this exam in the remaining days of preparation.
The Prelims exam includes 50 questions each from the Reasoning, English Language, and Quantitative Aptitude sections. You will get 40 minutes for each section, and a negative marking of 1/4th of the marks allotted to the question is applied. Remember that sectional cut-offs apply for this exam.
| Section | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | 40 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 150 | 125 |
Refer to the IBPS SO Complete Syllabus and Exam Pattern Now!
You should know about the IBPS SO Important topics and their weightage in the previous year’s exam. The Quantitative Aptitude Important topics include DI, Simplification and Approximation, Number Series, and Arithmetic word problems. The important reasoning topics include puzzles and seating arrangement, syllogism, inequality, coding-decoding, and blood relations. The English Language important topics include RCs, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Error Spotting, and Fill in the Blanks.
| Know IBPS SO Quant Topic-wise Weightage! |
| Know IBPS SO Reasoning Topic-wise Weightage! |
| Know IBPS SO English Topic-wise Weightage! |
Regular tests help you know your preparation level. You can attempt 1 to 2 topic tests every day and do a thorough analysis of your tests, and know where you are lacking. Each topic test will consist of 10 questions from that particular topic, of 10 marks, to be completed in 10 minutes only. Don’t spend more than one minute on any question when you attempt the test.
Make your weekends count with smart revision of topics that you have studied during your weekdays. Practice through time-bound tests. Shift your focus to another subject to avoid hectic studying. Don’t get stuck on 1 topic for more than 2 hours. Take a 10-minute topic test every day. Weekends are for analysis of tests and making short notes for last-minute revision.
You have 30 days to complete 10 full-length Prelims Mock tests provided to you. It contains 150 questions of 125 marks and is to be completed in 2 hours. Try to complete 1 section in 40 minutes only. Negative marking applies; therefore, strive for accuracy. It is more important to attempt accurately than attempt a larger number of questions through guesswork. Avoid guessing answers if you don’t know the logic behind them.
| Day 1 | Mock Test 1 |
| Day 3 | Mock Test 2 |
| Day 5 | Mock Test 3 |
| Day 7 | Mock Test 4 |
| Day 9 | Mock Test 5 |
| Day 11 | Mock Test 6 |
| Day 13 | Mock Test 7 |
| Day 15 | Mock Test 8 |
| Day 17 | Mock Test 9 |
| Day 19 | Mock Test 10 |
Check your overall performance in tests and improve your problem-solving skills based on that. Make sure you are heading the right way, mastering important topics, and making daily improvements. Note down the solutions and learn the concepts behind the questions that you have skipped. Learn why your answer is incorrect and how you can improve your accuracy.
Not only learning, but revision makes all the difference! Revision can be done through self-made notes. Applying the formulas and short tricks to tests. Using flashcards to revise important grammar rules and vocabulary. Note important words in a colourful paper and stick it to the wall or keep it where you can see it again and again. Practicing quizzes on important topics and noting down the solutions. Revising through short notes helps you retain the memory of solving the questions.
Following a healthy lifestyle will help you increase your score in this exam. You become mentally prepared for this exam. Make the best use of the time available to you. Divide your study slots in such a way that they cover the important topics of the subjects covered in the Prelims exam.
Following the above-provided strategies will help you prepare for the exam. It is really important that you know the basics, and this is your first attempt, so don’t panic before the exam. Pink and attempt easy questions that you like, and leave those questions that take more than 1 minute to answer, and return to them once you complete your paper. Remember that in the IBPS SO exam, you get sectional timing and sectional cut-off both along with negative marking. Practice more through the mock tests provided to you.
All the very best to our Future Specialist Officers!
Our Related Articles on IBPS SO
| IBPS SO Salary | IBPS SO Cut Off |
| IBPS SO Syllabus | IBPS SO Previous Year Question Paper |
| IBPS SO notification 2025 | IBPS SO Study Plan |
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With only last few days remaining, it is challenging to crack the IBPS SO exam now. But, yes, you can crack IBPS SO this year, if your basics are strong enough. Prepare for the Prelims exam important topics now to clear the IBPS SO this year.
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