The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS PO Prelims Question Paper 2026) has officially kicked off its preliminary examinations. The much-anticipated IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 is being conducted across multiple shifts on 22 and 23 August 2026. This review focuses specifically on Shift 1, which took place from 9 am to 10 am on 22 August 2026. Candidates aiming to gauge their performance or prepare for subsequent shifts can explore a detailed breakdown of the sectional difficulty levels, question distributions, and good attempts right here.
Overview of IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1 (22 August 2026)
The preliminary exam follows a structured format consisting of 100 objective questions with a total duration of 1 hour (60 minutes). The exam sequence for this shift followed a fixed pattern: English Language first, followed by Quantitative Aptitude, and finally Reasoning Ability.
Overall, candidates reported that the difficulty level of Shift 1 was easy to moderate. Total good attempts for the entire paper ranged between 65-72 questions.
| Section | No. of Questions | Difficulty level |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | Easy to Moderate |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | Moderate |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | Moderate |
| Total | 100 | Moderate |
Section-Wise Analysis & Good Attempts
To clear the sectional and overall cut-offs (IBPS PO Prelims Expected Cut Off 2026), analyzing individual section performance is crucial. Let's break down each subject.
| Section | Good Attempts |
|---|---|
| English Language | 23-26 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 18-21 |
| Reasoning Ability | 22-25 |
| Total | 65-72 |
1. Reasoning Ability Exam Analysis
The Reasoning section contained 35 questions and was rated as moderate. Interestingly, no syllogism questions were asked in this shift. Puzzles and seating arrangements took center stage.
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Month-Date-based Puzzle +Variable (June, July, August, 9, 22) | 5 Qs |
| Box-Based Puzzle (6 boxes) | 5 Qs |
| Parallel Row (14 Persons) | 5 Qs |
| Selection-based (9 persons) | 5 Qs |
| Comparison Puzzle (6 Persons) (juice in container) | 3 Qs |
| Blood Relation | 3 Qs |
| Inequalities (2 questions with comma, and 1 without comma) | 3 Qs |
| Direction Sense | 3 Qs |
| Pair Formation (Word) | 1 Q |
| Meaningful word | 1 Q |
| Odd One Out (4 letters) | 1 Q |
2. English Language Exam Analysis
The English Language section featured 30 questions and was categorized as easy to moderate in terms of complexity, with candidates achieving good attempts between 23 and 26.
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| RC (Modern Town Planning – Pesticide, Disease) Filler Synonym/Antonym Direct questions |
8-9 Qs |
| Word Usage (Foil and Moot) | 3 Qs |
| Word Swap | 3-4 Qs |
| Sentence Rearrangement | 3 Qs |
| Error Detection | 5 Qs |
| Word replacement (Acting upon) | 2-3 Qs |
| Cloze Test (Crops) | 5 Qs |
3. Quantitative Aptitude Exam Analysis
Quantitative Aptitude consisted of 35 questions and proved to be moderate overall. Arithmetic carried significant weight, while approximation and line graph data interpretation offered scoring opportunities.
| Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Approximation | 5 Qs (Easy) |
| Missing Number Series | 5 Qs |
| DI (Table) | 5 Qs |
| DI (Line Graph) (Boys and Girls) | 5 Qs (Easy) |
| Q1 Q2 | 3-4 Qs |
| Arithmetic | 11-12 Qs |
Focus Areas for Upcoming Shifts
If you are appearing for subsequent shifts or future exam days, keep these critical focus areas in mind:
- Puzzles and seating arrangements in Reasoning (highest weightage)
- Cloze test and error detection in English
- Arithmetic questions in Quant (carried the most marks in that section)
- Plan time and prioritize high-weightage topics first
After reviewing this analysis, candidates should cross-verify their performance metrics and seamlessly transition to evaluating subsequent shifts, such as checking out the IBPS PO 2nd Shift Exam Analysis 2026 to identify emerging question trends.