What Type of Questions are Asked in IBPS PO Exam, Get Last year Trends

The IBPS PO Prelims Exam is the first stage of the selection process to recruit candidates for Probationary Officer (PO) post. The IBPS PO prelims exam will be conducted on August 17th, 23rd, and 24th in four shifts. Every year, lakhs of aspirants compete for limited seats, making it a highly competitive exam. To crack IBPS PO 2025 exam, you must understand what kind of questions are asked, the latest trend, and which topics to focus on. In this article, we provide a detailed analysis of the types of questions asked in the IBPS PO Prelims Exam based on the last year trends.

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Overview of the Latest IBPS PO Prelims Pattern (2025)

According to the revised IBPS PO exam pattern applicable for the 2025 cycle, the prelims exam now has the following structure: 

Section	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Time Allotted
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35	30	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	40	20 minutes
Total	100	100	60 minutes

• Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer.
• Sectional timing: Each section has a strict 20-minute limit.
• Candidates must clear both sectional and overall cut‑offs to qualify for the Mains.
• Notably, Quantitative marks have decreased from 35 to 30, and Reasoning increased from 35 to 40, while English remains unchanged

Difficulty & Format: What to Expect in 2025

Difficulty Level

• In the 2024 Prelims, most shifts were reported as “moderate” in difficulty, with smooth curve‑shaping through normalization across shifts.
• Expect a balanced mix of easy‑moderate and a few tougher questions, especially in Reasoning and DI areas.

Shift-wise Variation

• Exam analysis shows variable shift‑wise exposure: e.g., some shifts had coding–decoding, others had wrong number‑series or quadratics. Despite variety, the overall level remained consistent

Important Topics to Prioritize (Based on Frequency)

Section	Must-Do Topics (Repeated Every Year)
English	RC, Cloze Test, Para Jumbles, Error Spotting
Reasoning	Puzzles (Seating/Box/Linear), Inequality, Syllogism
Quant	Simplification, DI (Tabular/Bar), Arithmetic

Types of Questions Asked in the IBPS PO prelims exam

Here’s a more granular breakdown of question types across sections, based on 2024 and earlier memory‑based analyses.

Reasoning Ability (35 questions, reduced to 40 marks in 2025)

• Linear Seating Arrangement (5–8 Qs)
  – Arrangements in single or double row facing inside/outside.
• Circular Seating (3–5 Qs)
• Box/Fixed Seating / Floor puzzles (1–3 Qs)
• Comparison/Designation‑based, Day/Week/Order‑based variations
• Syllogism (3–5 Qs) – two or three statements, draw conclusions.
• Inequality (3–4 Qs)
• Coding‑Decoding – including Chinese coding (1–5 Qs)
• Blood Relation (around 3 Qs)
• Direction & Distance (approx. 3 Qs)
• Odd One Out / Pair‑Word / Number Series (1–2 each)
• Miscellaneous: seating‑type hybrids, input–output, or weird pattern logic.
  

Examples:

• “In a row of 8 persons facing north, P is 2nd from left…” (seating)
• Syllogism with “Some A are B; All B are C; Conclusions…”
• Inequality: “P > Q ≥ R = S < T…”
• Coding‑decoding: e.g. letter shifting or symbol substitution.
  

Quantitative Aptitude (35 questions, reduced to 30 marks in 2025)

A small change can make a big impact!

 In the upcoming IBPS PO Prelims, the Quant section still has 35 questions, but now it’s only 30 marks instead of 35.

What does this mean for you?

warning: Each question now carries less than 1 mark, which means:

You can’t afford to waste time on low-yield questions. Candidates must prioritise accuracy and speed which means every second you save gives you a better chance to maximise marks

• Data Interpretation (DI)
  – Pie charts, Tables, Caselet, Line, Bar. Typically 4–5 Qs per DI set.
  – Caselets often 2 or 3 short paragraphs with multi‑part questions.
• Arithmetic
  – Mixture/Alligation, Time & Work, Speed/Distance, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Ages, Ratio/Proportion.
• Number Series – find missing term or wrong term.
• Approximation / Simplification – high speed calculations.
• Quadratic Equations – solve or find integer solutions.
• Quantity Comparison / Data Sufficiency – evaluate statements.
• Miscellaneous – set theory, probability, permutation/combination (rare).
  

English Language (30 Questions 30 Marks)

Because a stable section means less unpredictability and more control. It’s your opportunity to maximize marks with the right prep:

• Reading Comprehension (RC)
  – 1 passage with 8–10 questions—topic areas include banking/economy, socio‑political, abstract.
• Error Detection – identify error in grammar/sentence.
• Cloze / Double Fillers – vocabulary + grammar.
• Phrase Replacement / Word Swap.
• Sentence Rearrangement / Para Jumble – logical sequence.
• Fillers – single/multiple blanks.
• Word Usage / Paraphrase / Synonym – small share.

Year	Reasoning Old Papers	Quant Old Papers	English Old Paper
2024 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution
2023 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution
2022 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution
2021 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution
2020 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution
2019 Question Paper	Download PDF With Detailed Solution	Download Free PDF with Detailed Solution	Download Free Paper with Detailed Solution

Conclusion

The IBPS PO Prelims Exam is not just about solving questions; it’s about solving the right questions in less time with maximum accuracy. By understanding the types of questions asked, their difficulty level, and last year’s trends, you can streamline your preparation effectively.

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IBPS PO Syllabus	IBPS PO Salary
IBPS PO Previous Year Question Paper	IBPS PO Cut Off

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