IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper With Answers Free PDF is a useful resource for candidates preparing for IBPS PO 2026. Solving previous year and memory-based papers helps you understand the exam pattern, difficulty level, frequently asked topics, and question trends while improving speed and accuracy.
IBPS PO Prelims is scheduled for 22 and 23 August 2026, followed by Mains on 4 October 2026. As IBPS does not generally release complete official question papers, the available PDFs are mostly memory-based papers prepared from candidates’ exam experiences. This guide provides previous year papers with answers for Prelims and Mains to help you practise and assess your preparation effectively.
Chcekout highlights of the IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper and exam below:
| Parameter | Details |
| Exam Name | IBPS PO / MT (CRP PO/MT-XVI) |
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Papers Available | Prelims and Mains (2015–2025) |
| Paper Type | Memory-based (shift-wise and year-wise) |
| Solutions | Detailed answer explanations available |
| Prelims Exam Date 2026 | 22 and 23 August 2026 |
| Mains Exam Date 2026 | 4 October 2026 |
| Total Vacancies 2026 | 7,565 (indicative) |
| Official Website | ibps.in |
Previous year papers are not just revision tools — they are your window into the IBPS examiner’s mind. Candidates who skip this step often find themselves blindsided by question formats or time pressure during the actual exam.
Here is what practising these papers does for you:
Before you download and practise any previous year paper, understand the revised 2026 exam pattern. IBPS has made significant changes in the Mains structure this year — if you are using old pattern papers as benchmarks, you may be preparing for the wrong exam.
The Prelims is an online computer-based test of 60 minutes. Sectional timing is strictly enforced at 20 minutes per section — time saved in one section cannot be transferred to another.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Key 2026 Change: Reasoning Ability now carries 40 marks (up from 35), while Quantitative Aptitude has been revised to 30 marks (down from 35). Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer.
The Mains exam has seen the biggest structural changes in 2026. The total objective questions have increased from 145 to 170, while total marks remain at 200.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 | 60 minutes |
| General/Economy/Banking/Digital & Financial Awareness | 50 | 60 | 35 minutes |
| English Language | 40 | 20 | 40 minutes |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 60 | 45 minutes |
| Objective Total | 170 | 200 | 160 minutes |
| Descriptive Test (Essay + Comprehension) | 2 | 25 | 30 minutes |
| Grand Total | — | 225 | 190 minutes |
Key 2026 Change: The descriptive paper now features Essay and Comprehension instead of the earlier Essay and Letter Writing format. The Banking Awareness section now includes RBI circulars and Digital and Financial Awareness.
The papers below are memory-based PDFs compiled from candidate reviews across multiple shifts. Both Prelims and Mains papers with detailed solutions are listed.
Practising IBPS PO prelims previous year question paper PDF with answer key for multiple years helps you spot recurring topics and master the time management strategy needed for the 60-minute format.
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2024 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2024 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2024 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2024 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2023 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2023 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2023 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2023 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2022 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2022 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2022 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2022 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2021 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2021 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2021 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2021 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2020 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2020 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2020 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2020 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
In the table given below, we have given IBPS PO 2019 PYQs with Solution, free PDF Download links.
| IBPS PO PYQs with Solution | Free PDF Download Links |
| English 2019 Question Paper | Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution |
| Reasoning 2019 Question Paper | Download PDF With Detailed Solution |
| Quants 2019 Question Paper | Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution |
Previous year papers reveal a clear pattern – certain topics appear in almost every exam cycle. Knowing these saves you from spending equal time on low-yield areas.
Reasoning carries the highest marks in Prelims (40 marks) and remains critical in Mains. The IBPS PO reasoning ability previous year paper PDF consistently shows these topics dominating:
Review the IBPS PO quantitative aptitude previous year question paper PDF and you will notice:
This section now carries 60 marks in the 2026 Mains pattern. It rewards candidates who stay updated with banking and financial current affairs from the last six months. Focus on RBI circulars, government schemes, and Union Budget announcements.
Understanding the difficulty level helps you set realistic score targets during practice.
| Section | Prelims Difficulty | Mains Difficulty |
| English Language | Easy to Moderate | Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate | Difficult |
| General Awareness | Not applicable | Easy to Moderate |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | Not applicable | Moderate to Difficult |
Overall, the IBPS PO prelims difficulty level is Easy to Moderate, while the Mains is generally Moderate to Difficult, with Data Interpretation and Reasoning Puzzles being the toughest sections.
Downloading the papers is step one. How you practise with them determines whether they improve your score.
Step 1 – Start with the most recent papers first Begin with 2025 and 2024 papers. The 2026 exam will closely resemble recent trends rather than older patterns, especially given the revised Mains structure.
Step 2 – Simulate real exam conditions Set a timer strictly to 60 minutes for Prelims and 190 minutes for Mains. Do not pause, do not use a calculator, and do not check notes mid-attempt. This is the only way to build genuine exam stamina.
Step 3 – Analyse every mistake before moving to the next paper After completing a paper, spend equal time on the analysis. Mark questions you got wrong, questions where you guessed, and questions that took too long. Pattern recognition here is your biggest gain.
Step 4 – Solve topic-wise before attempting full papers If your Quantitative Aptitude is weak, isolate previous year DI or Number Series questions and practise them separately before attempting full-length papers.
Step 5 – Track your score across papers Maintain a simple log — date, paper year, score by section, total score. Tracking progress across 8 to 10 papers reveals whether you are actually improving or stagnating.
Step 6 – Practice shift-wise papers for variety The shift-wise IBPS PO prelims memory-based question paper PDF gives you variation in question sets, which is critical because the same topic can be asked in different formats across shifts.
Candidates using papers from 2023 or earlier as their primary benchmark need to note the following differences to calibrate expectations correctly:
| Parameter | Previous Pattern (up to 2025) | Revised 2026 Pattern |
| Mains Objective Questions | 145 | 170 |
| English Language Marks (Mains) | 40 | 20 |
| General Awareness Questions | 40 | 50 |
| General Awareness Marks | 40 | 60 |
| Descriptive Paper Format | Essay + Letter Writing | Essay + Comprehension |
| Personality Test | Not included | Mandatory (non-qualifying) |
Use 2025 papers as your closest simulation, then adjust your time and target scores based on the revised 2026 structure.
Use this checklist as you work through the previous year papers:
No, IBPS does not release official question papers since the exam is fully online. All available PDFs are memory-based papers compiled from candidate reviews after the exam. These papers are highly reliable for practice and pattern understanding.
Solving at least the last 5 years (2020 to 2025) of previous year papers is recommended. This gives you a strong picture of recurring topics, evolving question formats, and section-wise difficulty trends specific to IBPS PO.
Based on all available memory-based papers, IBPS PO Prelims has consistently been Easy to Moderate in overall difficulty. Reasoning Ability tends to be slightly tougher than English, with Quantitative Aptitude being unpredictable in complexity.
Yes, absolutely. Prelims papers are ideal for speed and sectional accuracy practice. Mains papers help you build stamina for the longer format and practise the Data Interpretation and Banking Awareness sections that do not appear in Prelims.
Yes, IBPS PO follows a negative marking rule of 0.25 marks per wrong answer in both Prelims and Mains. While practising previous year papers, track your incorrect attempts carefully and build a guessing strategy based on your confidence level per question.
SSC CHSL Result 2026 is out with the FRTA list. Check Identification Verification details, result…
Read daily Vishleshan for regulatory exams. Explore editorial analysis, current affairs, PDFs and free mock…
Best SSC CGL Online Coaching 2026 with structured classes, mock tests, PYQs and performance analysis…
BPSC TRE 4.0 Notification 2026 has been released for 32,388 Bihar teacher vacancies. Applications start…
Score high in GA with Static GK PDF Free Download! Get topic-wise capsules, notes, and…
SSC CGL Mock Test New Interface with sectional timing and updated navigation to sharpen speed,…
Thousands of aspirants have cleared exams using PracticeMock’s exam-level mock tests.