IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026, Difficulty Level & Good Attempts
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 provides a detailed review of the paper conducted on 22 August Shift 1, 2, 3, and 4 and 23rd August 2026 shift 1 and 2, covering the overall difficulty level, section-wise performance, good attempts and important topics asked in the examination. The exam consisted of 100 questions from Reasoning Ability, English Language and Quantitative Aptitude, with a sectional time limit of 20 minutes each. Our faculty has connected with the candidates, and as per the feedback, the exam was of “Moderate” level. This analysis includes the topic-wise question distribution, important puzzles, Data Interpretation sets, English-language questions, section-wise difficulty level and good-attempt range, helping candidates assess their performance and understand the latest examination pattern and trends.
The IBPS PO expected cutoff for prelims is decided based on the shift-wise exam level, category-wise vacancies, and some other key factors. Check this table to know the expected cut off.
Note: The IBPS Prelims result will be out within one month. IBPS PO mains exam will be on 4th October. If you are thinking you are getting 50+ marks from any shift, you can simply start preparing for mains.
| Category | Expected Cut Off 2026 |
| General/UR | 50–56 |
| OBC-NCL | 49–55 |
| EWS | 49–55 |
| SC | 44–50 |
| ST | 40–46 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2 Analysis of 23rd August 2026 is updated here immediately after the 2nd shift is conducted. The IBPS PO Prelims Exam, Shift 2, has been conducted from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. The section-wise difficulty level and detailed questions is added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 23-27 |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | 20-24 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate | 18-23 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 61-74 |
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 2 topic-wise analysis is updated here after the examination.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
| Age-based puzzle | 5 |
| Stack-based puzzle (6 persons with variables – stapler, calendar, marker, pencil, eraser, pen) | 5 |
| Parallel row seating (14 persons) | 5 |
| Month puzzle (6persons – 3 months, 2 dates) | 5 |
| Blood relation | 3 |
| Direction | 3 |
| Inequality | 3 |
| Syllogism | 3 |
| MiscellaneousWord pair (Turnpike) – 1Alphabet based -1Odd one out – 1 | 3 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
| Reading comprehensionPassage related to: Mortality rate in countriesSynonym / Antonym: Case, Say | 10 |
| Fillers | 4 |
| Parajumbles | 5 |
| Phrase replacement | 3 |
| Find the correct and incorrect sentences | 4 |
| Word swap | 4 |
| Total | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis covers Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in 2nd Shift , 23rd Aug.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
| Bar graph DI (Number of Males and Females in company) | 6 |
| Table DI (based on the number of UPI, credit cards, debit cards) | 6 |
| Quantity based (Q1 & Q2) | 3 |
| Wrong Number Series | 5 |
| Simplification | 4 |
| Arithmetic Questions | 11 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1 Analysis of 23rd August 2026 is updated here immediately after the 1st shift is conducted. The IBPS PO Prelims Exam, Shift 1, has been conducted from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The section-wise difficulty level and detailed questions was added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
| Reasoning Ability | easy to moderate | 20-24 |
| English Language | easy to moderate | 23-27 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate | 18-21 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 61-72 |
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 1 topic-wise analysis is updated here after the examination.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions | Details sub topic |
| Puzzles | 5 | Single row ( mix direction ) – 7 person [ N > S ] |
| 5 | Order and Sequence ( 6 person + variable ) | |
| 5 | Box based + variable 6 person | |
| 3 | certain no of person ( North ) | |
| 5 | year based puzzle ( base year based ) | |
| Blood relation | 3 | no instruction |
| Inequalities | 3 | – |
| Syllogism | 3 | – |
| Meaningful word | 1 | – |
| Word based ( v/c based ) | 1 | – |
| Pair formation | 1 | – |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions | Details sub topic |
| Reading comprehension | 9 | Passage related to: China’s Drug Manufacturing Synonym / Antonym: Still, Remains |
| Phrase replacement | 1 | get behind |
| Para jumble | 5 | sentences 6 , decision making |
| Double filler | 4 | – |
| sentence improvement | 3 | – |
| find incorrect sentences | 4 | – |
| word replacement /swap | 4 | – |
| Total Marks / Questions | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis covers Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in 1st Shift , 23rd Aug.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
| Bar graph DI (total no. of boys and girls) | 5 |
| Line Graph with Table DI (No, of chairs sold on Monday and Tuesday) | 6 |
| Caselet DI (cookies baked & sold: chocolate, honey & almond) | 5 |
| Quadratic Equation | 3 |
| Approximation | 4 |
| Arithmetic Questions | 12 |
| Total Marks / Questions | 35 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 4 Analysis 2026 has been updated here immediately after the fourth shift is conducted. The IBPS PO Prelims Exam, Shift 4, has been conducted from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM. The section-wise difficulty level and detailed questions is added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 25-30 |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | 20 – 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Easy to Moderate | 20-25 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 65-80 |
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 4 topic-wise analysis was updated after the examination.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
| Year-Based Puzzle (BY-2026) | 5 |
| Comparison Puzzle (Toffee) | 3 |
| Uncertain SA (North) | 5 |
| Parallel Row SA (14P – N↓ S↑) | 5 |
| Flat & Floor (3) | 3 |
| Designation Based (6P + Variable countries) | 5 |
| Inequalities (1 comma, 2 basic) | 3 |
| Distance & Direction (point based) | 3 |
| Pair Formation (No. based) | 1 |
| Meaningful Word | 1 |
| Odd One Out | 1 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
| Reading Comprehension | 10 |
| Word Rearrangement (3 words) | 3 |
| Word Usage | 1 |
| Phrase Replacement (Phrasal Verb) | 4 |
| Error Detection – Sentence (2 Correct, 2 Incorrect) | 4 |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 4 |
| Cloze Test / Fillers | 4 |
| Total Marks / Questions | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis will cover Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in Shift 4.
| Topic / Question Type | Details / Sub-topic | No. of Questions |
| Oneliners / Speed Maths | Approximation | 4 |
| Missing Number Series | 5 | |
| Simplification | 0 | |
| Wrong Number Series | 0 | |
| Quadratic Equation | 0 | |
| Data Interpretation (D.I.) | Partnership Based Caselet (Easily extractable) | 5 |
| Bar Graph DI | 5 | |
| Venn Diagram / Pie Chart (1200 Total, 700 Car Users, Bike Users) | 5 | |
| Arithmetic | Age | 1 |
| Boats & Streams | 1 | |
| Quantity Comparison ($Q_1, Q_2$) / Other Topics | 9 | |
| Total Marks / Questions | 35 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 3 Analysis 2026 has been updated here immediately after the third shift is conducted. The third shift was conducted from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The section-wise difficulty level and detailed questions was added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall difficulty level of the exam moderate.
| Section | Difficulty Level | Good Attempts |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate | 23-26 |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | 22-25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate | 19-22 |
| Overall | Easy to Moderate | 64-73 |
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 3 topic-wise analysis was updated after the examination.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
| Direction Distance | 3 |
| Box-Based Puzzle (6 Boxes Variable) | 5 |
| Floor Based Puzzle | 5 |
| Circular Based (7 Person) | 5 |
| Selection Based | 5 |
| Blood Relation | 3 |
| Syllogism | 3 |
| Inequality | 4 |
| Pair Formation | 1 |
| Odd One Out/Word-Based Questions | 1 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topics Asked in English | Number of Questions | Details / Key Highlights |
| Reading Comprehension | 9 | * Topic: Marine / Scuba diving / Tourism * Direct questions (majority) * 3 Synonyms: Sort, Proceeds, Masquerading |
| Filler | 1 | |
| Cloze Test | 6 | Topic: Aquarium Glass |
| Word Rearrangement | 4 | — |
| Phrases Replacement | 4 | — |
| Error Detection | 5 | Grammar rule focus: To + V1 |
| Column Based | 1 | — |
| Total | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis will cover Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in Shift 3.
| Topics Asked in Quantitative Aptitude | No. of Questions | Notes / Details |
| Missing No. | 4 Q | Cube, Prime, etc. |
| Approximation | 3 Q | — |
| DI (Table + line) | 5 Q | — |
| DI (Line) | 5 Q | Curves: (M + F) / 2, M% across A, B, C, D |
| Caselet DI | 5 Q | — |
| Arithmetic | 13 Q | Partnership (Variable) SI–CI Mensuration (Cube + Rectangle) Ages (3 Persons) |
| Total | 35 | |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2 Analysis 2026 has been updated here immediately after the first shift is conducted. The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2 exam was conducted on 22nd August 2026 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The section-wise difficulty level and detailed questions was added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall difficulty level of the exam moderate.
| Section | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level |
| Reasoning Ability | 25 – 29 | Easy to Moderate |
| English Language | 20 – 22 | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 19 – 23 | Moderate |
| Overall | 64 – 74 | Moderate |
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 2 topic-wise analysis was updated after the examination.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Floor-Based + Variable | 5 |
| Month & Date-Based + Variable | 5 |
| Selection-Based – 3 Countries | 5 |
| Circular Seating Arrangement (Inside/Outside) | 5 |
| Chinese Coding | 4 |
| Inequalities | 3 |
| Blood Relation – 3 Generations | 3 |
| Syllogism | 2 |
| Pair Formation | 1 |
| Meaningful Word | 1 |
| Word-Based (V/C) | 1 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topics Asked in English | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (Pandemic Research) | 10 |
| Para Jumble (6 Sentences) | 5 |
| Word Swap | 4 |
| Phrase Replacement | 4 |
| Error Detection (2 Incorrect, 1 Correct) | 3 |
| Double Fillers | 3 |
| Word Usage (Graze) | 1 |
| Total | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis will cover Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in Shift 2.
| Topics Asked in Quantitative Aptitude | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Wrong Number Series | 3 |
| Approximation | 4 |
| DI (Double Line Graph) | 6 |
| DI (Table) | 6 |
| Caselet DI (Table-Based) | 3 |
| Q1–Q2 | 2 |
| Arithmetic | 11 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1 Analysis 2026 has been updated here immediately after the first shift is conducted. The IBPS PO Prelims Exam shift 1 was conducted from 9 am to 10 am. The section-wise difficulty level, good attempts, and detailed questions was added based on feedback received from candidates.
The overall exam was of Moderate level.
| Section | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level |
| Reasoning Ability | 26 – 27 | Moderate |
| English Language | 20 – 22 | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 19 – 22 | Moderate |
| Overall | 65 – 71 | Moderate |
The good attempts shown above was based on the overall difficulty of the paper and the expected level of accuracy. They should be treated as an indicative range rather than a fixed qualifying score.
The IBPS PO Reasoning Ability section consists of 35 questions for 35 marks, with 20 minutes available. The detailed Shift 1 topic-wise analysis was updated after the examination.
| S. No. | Topic / Question Type | Structure / Coverage | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Month + Date Based + Variable | June / July / August + Date-based + Variable | 5 |
| 2 | Box-Based + Variable | 6 Boxes | 5 |
| 3 | Parallel Row | 14 Persons | 5 |
| 4 | Selection-Based | 9 Persons, 3 Cities | 5 |
| 5 | Comparison Puzzle | 6 Persons | 3 |
| 6 | Blood Relation | Person / Generation not given | 3 |
| 7 | Direction | Direction-based questions | 3 |
| 8 | Inequalities | 2 Comparison-Based + 1 Non-Comparison | 3 |
| 9 | Meaningful Word | Word-based | 1 |
| 10 | Pair Formation | Word-based | 1 |
| 11 | Odd One Out | 4 Letters | 1 |
| Total | 35 Questions |
The IBPS PO English Language section contains 30 questions for 30 marks, with 20 minutes allotted to complete it. The section generally tests Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, sentence arrangement and other language-based concepts.
| Topic / Question Type | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Cloze Test | 6 |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 4 |
| Word Swap | 4 |
| Reading Comprehension – Medical Issues Based Passage | 8 |
| Find the Incorrect Statement | 4 |
| Phrasal Verb | 2 |
| Word Usage | 2 |
| Total | 30 |
The IBPS PO Quantitative Aptitude section contains 35 questions for 35 marks and is separately timed for 20 minutes. The analysis will cover Data Interpretation, arithmetic, number series, approximation, quadratic equations and other questions asked in Shift 1.
In today’s 1st shift, candidates reviewed Quantitative Aptitude was of Moderate level with some questions time-consuming.
| Topic | No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| Table DI – Boys & Girls | 6 |
| Table DI – Mangoes & Apples | 5 |
| Q1 & Q2 | 3 |
| Missing Number Series | 5 |
| Simplification | 5 |
| Arithmetic Questions | 11 |
| Total | 35 |
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 has been prepared using feedback collected from candidates who appear in the respective shift along with expert review of the reported questions.
The analysis will focus on:
Because this is a memory- and feedback-based analysis, individual experiences can differ. The analysis should therefore be used as a practical reference rather than an official IBPS document.
Candidates appearing in later IBPS PO shifts should use the available analysis to understand the broad trend without trying to memorise every reported question.
Review the overall difficulty of the paper and determine whether the shift was easy, moderate or difficult. This can help you understand the level of questions you may encounter and set a realistic reference for your own shift.
Look for topics and question patterns that appear repeatedly across shifts. Pay attention to common puzzle types, DI formats, Reading Comprehension topics, arithmetic chapters and frequently asked English question patterns.
If candidates report lengthy puzzles, calculation-heavy DI sets or time-consuming questions, include similar formats in your practice. This will help you improve both solving speed and confidence before your shift.
Use shift-wise analysis only to refine your existing preparation strategy. Do not completely change your question-attempt order, time allocation or preparation approach based on what happened in another shift. Stick to the strategy you have already practised and tested through mocks.
A higher number of attempts is useful only when supported by good accuracy. Do not increase your attempts simply because another shift had a higher reported good-attempt range. Focus on selecting questions carefully, avoiding unnecessary guesses and maintaining accuracy throughout the examination.
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 has been updated after candidates complete each shift. Shift 1 was updated first, followed by the remaining shifts on the same day they are conducted. The analysis will include difficulty level, good attempts and topic-wise questions.
The Shift 1 analysis will include the overall difficulty level, section-wise difficulty, good attempts and topic-wise questions from Reasoning Ability, English Language and Quantitative Aptitude. Specific questions and their distribution was added after candidates report the details of the paper.
Good attempts are an indicative range of questions that can be considered reasonable to attempt based on paper difficulty and expected accuracy. They are not an official IBPS cutoff and may vary according to a candidate’s speed, accuracy and overall performance.
The IBPS PO Prelims consists of 100 questions for 100 marks. Reasoning Ability has 35 questions, English Language has 30 questions and Quantitative Aptitude has 35 questions. Each section has a separate 20-minute time limit, making the total duration 60 minutes.
The IBPS PO Preliminary Examination 2026 is scheduled for 22 and 23 August 2026. Candidates should check their individual admit cards for the exact examination date, shift and reporting time allotted to them.
Yes. The analysis can help candidates identify the broad difficulty level, recurring topics and question formats reported in earlier shifts. However, the exact questions and difficulty can vary between shifts, so candidates should use the analysis as a reference rather than changing their entire preparation strategy.
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