The Institute of Personnel Selection (IBPS PO 2026) Prelims examination is being conducted dynamically across multiple shifts. For candidates tracking the competitive landscape, understanding performance metrics like difficulty ratings and section layouts is critical. Following the earlier IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1, 22 August, this comprehensive review dives deep into the IBPS PO Shift 2 Exam Analysis 2026 for 22 August to help aspirants gauge their performance and compare their standing.
Candidates who have successfully secured their IBPS PO Admit Card 2026 Out updates can look forward to the upcoming milestones. Before evaluating the individual components, it is helpful to cross-reference the questions with the official IBPS PO Prelims Question Paper 2026.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Exam Schedule & Structure
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) administers the IBPS PO Prelims 2026 on 22 and 23 August 2026. The examination is divided into four shifts on 22 August and two shifts on 23 August 2026. Since the prelims exam is qualifying in nature, clearing sectional and overall benchmarks is mandatory to move forward to the Mains examination scheduled for 4 October 2026.
| Shift | Reporting Time | Exam Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Shift 1 | 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM |
| Shift 2 | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Shift 3 | 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM |
| Shift 4 | 3:30 PM | 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
IBPS PO 2nd Shift Overall Difficulty and Good Attempts
The overall difficulty level of the IBPS PO 2nd Shift on 22 August was Moderate. With 100 questions carrying 100 marks and 20 minutes allotted separately for each section, time management remained a top priority. Additionally, candidates must remember that there is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
| Section | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| English Language | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | Easy to Moderate |
| Overall | Moderate |
The overall good attempts for Shift 2 ranged between 65-72 questions. Reviewing the individual section breakdowns helps analyze targeted performance metrics:
| Section | Good Attempts |
|---|---|
| English Language | 23-27 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 18-20 |
| Reasoning Ability | 23-26 |
| Overall | 65-72 |
Section-Wise Topic Distribution Overview
The IBPS PO Prelims exam pattern dictates precise question distribution across the English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability sections. Below are the checklists tracking the detailed topics encountered in Shift 2.
Reasoning Ability Topics
The Reasoning Ability section features 35 questions carrying a total of 40 marks.
- Month-Date-based Puzzle (April, May, June, 13, 26) + Variable (Cuisine) - 5 Qs
- Floor-Based (6) Puzzle + Variable (Desserts) - 5 Qs
- Circular Seating Arrangement (In/Out) - 5 Qs
- Selection-based (3 Countries) - 5 Qs
- Syllogism (3 statements, 2 conclusions) - 2 Qs
- Blood Relation (3 Gen) - 3 Qs
- Inequalities (comma-based) - 3 Qs
- Chinese Coding - 5 Qs
- Pair Formation (Number based) - 1 Q
- Word-based - 1 Q
- Meaningful word - 1 Q
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Month-Date-based Puzzle (April, May, June, 13, 26) + Variable (Cuisine) | 5 Qs |
| Floor-Based (6) Puzzle + Variable (Desserts) | 5 Qs |
| Circular Seating Arrangement (In/Out) | 5 Qs |
| Selection-based (3 Countries) | 5 Qs |
| Syllogism (3 statements, 2 conclusions) | 2 Qs |
| Blood Relation (3 Gen) | 3 Qs |
| Inequalities (comma-based) | 3 Qs |
| Chinese Coding | 5 Qs |
| Pair Formation (Number based) | 1 Q |
| Word-based | 1 Q |
| Meaningful word | 1 Q |
Quantitative Aptitude Topics
The Quantitative Aptitude section comprises 35 questions carrying 30 marks.
- Approximation - 4 Qs
- Wrong Number Series - 3 Qs
- DI (Table) - 6 Qs
- DI (Double Line Graph) - 6 Qs
- Caselet DI - 2 Qs
- Arithmetic - 11 Qs
- Q1 Q2 - 2 Qs
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Approximation | 4 Qs |
| Wrong Number Series | 3 Qs |
| DI (Table) | 6 Qs |
| DI (Double Line Graph) | 6 Qs |
| Caselet DI | 2 Qs |
| Arithmetic | 11 Qs |
| Q1 Q2 | 2 Qs |
English Language Topics
The English Language section consists of 30 questions for 30 marks.
- RC (Pandemic Research) with Synonym/Antonym and Filler - 10 Qs
- Word Usage (Graze) - 3 Qs
- Word Swap - 4 Qs
- Error Detection (Sentence-based) - 3 Qs
- Phrase replacement - 4 Qs
- Double fillers - 3 Qs
- Parajumble (Colonialism) - 5 Qs
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| RC (Pandemic Research) • Synonym/Antonym • Filler |
10 Qs |
| Word Usage (Graze) | 3 Qs |
| Word Swap | 4 Qs |
| Error Detection (Sentence-based) | 3 Qs |
| Phrase replacement | 4 Qs |
| Double fillers | 3 Qs |
| Parajumble (Colonialism) | 5 Qs |
Complete Exam Structure Breakdown
To recap the framework of the prelims examination, the test configuration is structured as follows:
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 30 | 20 Minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 40 | 20 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 Minutes |
Next Steps for Candidates
After evaluating your attempts with this shift analysis, make sure to verify your answers and project your normalized scores. Aspirants who fall within or above the good attempt range of 65-72 questions should immediately pivot their focus toward intensive preparation for the upcoming Mains examination on 4 October 2026. Keep track of official scorecard releases and further notifications regarding cut-offs.