Prepare to beat competition

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) exam is a coveted and highly competitive annual test. Every year, thousands of students appear for the Common Written Examination (CWE) conducted by IBPS.

The exam is open to only citizens of India with graduate degree and good proficiency in computers. You should be proficient at reading, writing and speaking the local language of the region applied for. The IBPS Clerk Exam is a two-stage exam including prelims and mains.

Final selection depends on scores obtained by you in mains and you must clear the sectional as well as the overall cut-off percentage.

Main sections of the prelims exam are as follows:

Reasoning

When we discuss the various sections of this exam, the most critical one is considered to be the 'Reasoning.' Here we have listed the topics which form the basis of the questions:

• Problem-solving
• Letter and Symbol series
• Syllogisms
• Blood Relations
• Coding-Decoding
• Directions

Apart from the above, aspirants should practice additional topics such as Syllogism, Seating Arrangement, and Mathematical Inequality.

Practice makes one perfect, and you must practice as much as possible to crack the Reasoning Questions. Instead of devoting all your time to the questions and solving them, it would be better to familiarise yourself with patterns and understand the logical reasoning behind each topic.

English language

To sail through the English language section, you must be well-versed with the rules of Grammar. Cultivate a daily habit of reading and writing which will surely strengthen your grasp of the language.

The main topics of the English language that you must focus on include:

• Vocabulary- Synonyms, spelling, antonyms and word formation
• Grammar
• Comprehension

Further, you must make it a point to read English newspapers and magazines daily.

Every time you come across a new word or phrase, note down its meanings, synonyms, antonyms and possible usage. This will enhance your vocabulary and reading speed. Get yourself well-versed with the grammar rules and usage.

Numerical Ability

This section evaluates the number-crunching ability of the candidate. The nature of jobs offered by IBPS is such that they prefer to hire candidates who excel in calculations. There is a great need for time management in this section and of course, the importance of practice can’t be over-emphasised. The main topics of Numerical Ability are:

• Ratio and proportion
• Percentage
• Data interpretation
• Averages
• Quadratic Equations

It is important for you to internalise all the formulae which will help you in faster solution of this section's questions. You must also learn short-cuts, time-saving tips and tricks to solve the questions faster. Devote more time to practice topics that prove to be a challenge to you.

— Inputs from Ashutosh Kumar, Founder Testbook.com

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Cracking the prelims exam

Revision is a must

Revise whatever you study. This will prevent you from forgetting what you had learned during the preparation.

Make small, easy to remember notes for yourself which will come handy during the revision.

Improve your accuracy and speed

Your accuracy is the number of questions you answer correctly.

Avoid focusing on those questions that take more of your time and confuse you.

Manage your time

Time management plays a crucial role in every exam. Attempting all questions in the given time frame is crucial. Adequate practice and time management tricks will enable you to go through all the questions once.

During the preparation, divide your study hours smartly to allocate ample time to prepare all the subjects.

Attempt mock tests

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Sample Papers

Now that we know the exam in detail, let’s quickly test your preparation level by attempting some sample questions from the various sections:

1.If roots of x2 - 4x + a = 0 are equal, then a = ?

1. -4

2. 4

3. 8

4. -8

Directions: In each of the following questions, select from amongst the five alternatives, the word nearest in meaning to the word given in capitals.

2. LETHAL

1. Light

2. Dangerous

3. Deadly

4. Cruel

5. Thoughtless

3. CENTENARY

1. A guard

2. a hundred years

3. a very old man

4. hundred runs

5. hundredth anniversary

Directions: In each of the following questions, there is a question mark in which only one of the five alternatives given under the question satisfies the same relationship as is found between the two terms to the left of the sign:: given in the question. Find the correct answer.

4. Day : Night : : Kind : ?

1. Dark

2. Bright

3. Cruel

4. Generous

5. Gratitude

The ever increasing competition has compelled IBPS to raise the difficulty level of the prelims exam every year. It is very important for the aspiring candidates to have a well-structured study plan and they must adopt a cognitive approach to solve the exam.