IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: 23 August Shift 1 & Shift 2 Review

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducted the highly anticipated IBPS PO 2026 Prelims exam across multiple dates, including August 22 and August 23, spread over four daily shifts. Aspirants aiming for a prestigious career in the banking sector can review comprehensive insights into the exam's structure, section-wise distribution, difficulty level, and recommended good attempts for 23 August (Shift 1 and Shift 2).

For applicants tracking their progress or preparing for upcoming recruitment cycles, understanding the shift-wise breakdown is vital. To learn more about overall benchmarks, explore the main IBPS PO 2026 portal.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Schedule & Timings

The examination spans four carefully managed shifts each day. Below is the official schedule for the 23 August examination window:

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Shift Timing 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 Prelims Exam Structure

The preliminary test features 100 total questions and carries a maximum weight of 100 marks. Candidates face a strict time allotment of 60 minutes overall, structured with individual 20-minute sectional limits.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

Section	Questions	Marks	Time
English Language	30	30	20 minutes
Quantitative Aptitude	35	35	20 minutes
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 minutes
Total	100	100	60 minutes

IBPS PO Exam Analysis 2026: Shift 1 (23 August)

Shift 1 registered an overall Moderate difficulty rating, with safe good attempts ranging between 67 and 73 questions.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1: Difficulty Level and Good Attempts

Section	Total Questions	Good Attempts	Difficulty Level
English Language	30	20-22	Easy to Moderate
Reasoning Ability	35	24-26	Easy to Moderate
Quantitative Aptitude	35	23-25	Moderate
Overall	100	67-73	Moderate

Shift 1 Topic Breakdown

Puzzles & Seating Arrangement Questions Asked (Shift 1)

• Single Row Seating Arrangement (Mixed Directions): 7 persons, all facing North – 5 questions
• Order & Sequence Puzzle: 6 people + variable – 5 questions
• Box-Based Puzzle: 6 persons + variable – 5 questions
• Certain Number of Persons (North-Facing): N = 18 – 3 questions
• Year-Based Puzzle: 5 questions

Reasoning Ability - Shift 1

Topics	No. of Questions
Inequalities	3
Puzzles & Seating Arrangement	23
Meaningful Word	1
Blood Relation (No Instruction)	3
Word-Based (V/C-Based)	1
Syllogism	3
Total	35

English Language - Shift 1

Topics	No. of Questions
Word Swap	4
Double Fillers	2
Reading Comprehension	9
Error Detection (Single)	4
Word Rearrangement	4
Phrase Replacement (Get Behind)	1
Para Jumble (6 Sentences)	5
Total	30

Quantitative Aptitude - Shift 1

Topics	No. of Questions
Arithmetic	13
Bar Graph DI	5
Approximation	3
Caselet DI	1
Table DI	5
Quadratic Equation	3
Line Graph DI	5
Total	35

IBPS PO Exam Analysis 2026: Shift 2 (23 August)

Shift 2 featured a Moderate overall difficulty level, with quantitative aptitude leaning slightly more demanding. Safe good attempts hovered around 64 to 70 questions.

IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 2: Difficulty Level and Good Attempts

Section	Total Questions	Good Attempts	Difficulty Level
English Language	30	23-25	Moderate
Reasoning Ability	35	26-28	Moderate
Quantitative Aptitude	35	15-17	Moderate to Difficult
Overall	100	64-70	Moderate

Shift 2 Topic Breakdown

Quantitative Aptitude - Shift 2

Topics	No. of Questions
Arithmetic	11 Qs
Quadratic Equation	04 Qs
Data Interpretation – Bar Graph	05 Qs
Caselet	01 Qs
Wrong Number Series	04 Qs
Approximation	04 Qs
Data Interpretation – Table	06 Qs
Total	35 Qs

Reasoning Ability - Shift 2

Topics	No. of Questions
Direction-Based	03 Qs
Puzzle (Month-Based + Variable)	05 Qs
Meaningful Word	01 Qs
Blood Relation	03 Qs
Year-Based Puzzle (8 Persons)	05 Qs
Pair Formation	01 Qs
Syllogism	03 Qs
Puzzle Selection Based (9 Persons)	05 Qs
Word-Based	01 Qs
Inequality	03 Qs
Puzzle (Parallel Row)	05 Qs
Total	35 Qs

English Language - Shift 2

Topics	No. of Questions
Para Jumble	05 Qs
Word Usage	01 Qs
Reading Comprehension	09 Qs
Word Swap	03 Qs
Error Detection (4 Sentences)	04 Qs
Double Fillers	04 Qs
Phrase Replacement	04 Qs
Total	30 Qs

Next Steps for Candidates

With the prelims examinations completed on 22 and 23 August 2026, qualifying candidates should immediately refocus their preparation strategies toward the next stage. The official IBPS PO Mains Exam is officially scheduled to take place on 4 October 2026. Reviewing these shift analyses will help applicants gauge expected cut-offs and fine-tune their accuracy for the upcoming mains testing phase.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What was the timing of IBPS PO 23 August Shift 1?

The IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1 on 23 August 2026 was conducted from 9 AM to 10 AM. Candidates were required to report at 8 AM.

How many questions were asked in IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2?

A total of 100 questions were asked in the IBPS PO Prelims examination: 30 from English Language, 35 from Reasoning Ability, and 35 from Quantitative Aptitude.

What is the total duration of the IBPS PO Prelims Exam?

The total duration of the IBPS PO Prelims examination is 60 minutes, with 20 minutes allotted to each section.

When is the IBPS PO Mains Exam scheduled?

The IBPS PO Mains Exam is scheduled to take place on 4 October 2026.