How to prepare for Bank PO Exams in India

Are you aspiring to be a banker and join the league of elite bank officers? Well, the very first thing you must learn is that bank exams, as opposed to the general perception, are not very difficult. Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts Exams for Probationary Officers (POs) or Assistant Managers in public sector banks in India. However, it is important to understand the severity of competition as a fairly large number of people compete to qualify for very a few vacancies in various prestigious public sector banks of India.

Therefore, what matters the most is your level of preparation, practice and time management rather than the difficult level of the exam. You must work on the basics, strengthen your foundation and subsequently gain expertise in the advanced sections of every subject. You can also refer to various magazines for competitive exams.

The banking examination has undergone some major changes in the level and type of questions. But that isn’t an excuse and you must start practicing according to the exam’s pattern along with the previous year’s memory papers.

Understand the pattern – the IBPS PO Exam comprises of two levels, Preliminary, the Common Written Exam (CWE) and Interview. The CWE is divided into Prelims and Main exams and the candidates who qualify the prelims appear in the main exam. The IBPS Exam includes the subjects like Reasoning, General Awareness, English/Hindi language, Quantitative Aptitude and Computer Knowledge. All the sections carry equal weightage thus making it important to lay equal emphasis on each section. We will briefly discuss the various subjects for IBPS Bank PO Exam and how to prepare for them.

1. Reasoning – This section is extremely important as it can help you attain a really high score, even a 100 percent. You just need to manage your time and give in full concentration.
2. General Awareness – This is another fundamental subject and anyone who is aware of the everyday happenings can easily score well. Focus mainly on current affairs related to Banking & Finance Sector. You should start reading daily newspapers and magazines for boosting your general knowledge.
3. English/Hindi Language – You need to choose either of these languages as per your background. It is important to note that participants having a good command on English score better as English is an important part of the banking exam as well as the banking process.
4. Quantitative Aptitude – It is required to put in enough practice to score well in the quant section as it involves swift calculations. A major percentage of questions are from data interpretation, so that is where you must concentrate. You must learn various tips and shortcuts to solve these questions from magazines for competitive exams.
5. Computer Knowledge – Computers are an integral part of the banking process thus basic computer knowledge is a must for all the aspirants. Your computer skills and basic knowledge about computers is checked in this section. It’s easier to score in this section as the syllabus is quite limited and less time-consuming.

If you are planning to appear for the IBPS PO Exam, it’s best not to just make it a plan but devise a strategy and work for your career.