The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) successfully administered the preliminary phase for aspiring banking professionals under the recruitment cycle CRP PO/MT-XVI. For candidates preparing for forthcoming recruitment stages or looking to evaluate their performance, having access to authentic resources is paramount. You can explore comprehensive insights and updates directly via IBPS PO 2026.
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 was conducted online on 22 and 23 August 2026 across multiple shifts—specifically four shifts per day. To aid your preparation and assessment, memory-based question papers compiled from these specific dates and shifts have been made accessible in both English and Hindi languages.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Overview
Understanding the core structure of the examination helps aspirants calibrate their preparation strategy. The exam mode is strictly online with a total duration of 1 hour (60 minutes). Below is a summary of the exam parameters:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) |
| Post | Probationary Officer/Management Trainee |
| Recruitment Cycle | CRP PO/MT-XVI |
| Exam Stage | Preliminary Examination |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Exam Dates | 22 & 23 August 2026 |
| Number of Shifts | 4 shifts per day |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Sections | English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability |
| Question Paper | Shift-wise Memory-Based Paper |
| Mains Exam Date | 4 October 2026 |
IBPS PO Question Paper 2026 PDFs (22 & 23 August)
Candidates can access the shift-wise memory-based question papers from the table below. Make sure to download both the English and Hindi versions according to your examination shift:
| Exam Date | Shift | English | Hindi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 1 | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S1 exam (English)) | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S1 exam (Hindi)) |
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 2 | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S2 exam (English)) | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S2 exam (Hindi)) |
| 23 August 2026 | Shift 1 | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 23rd August 2026 S1 exam (English)) | Download PDF (IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 23rd August 2026 S1-Hindi exam) |
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern & Sectional Distribution
The preliminary exam is structured across three core sections. Each section has a sectional time limit of 20 minutes, totaling 60 minutes for the entire test:
| Section | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 | 20 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 60 minutes |
Shift Analysis Breakdown
To gain a deeper understanding of the difficulty trends, weightage of topics, and good attempts across individual exam shifts, candidates should review our specialized shift-by-shift analysis pages:
- Read the IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1, 22 August to check section-wise performance indicators.
- Review the IBPS PO 2nd Shift Analysis 22 August 2026 for detailed topic distribution and candidate feedback.
How to Use IBPS PO MBT Question Paper 2026?
- Download the memory-based paper for your examination shift.
- Go through all the questions carefully.
- Mark the questions you attempted in the actual examination.
- Compare your answers with the available solutions.
- Calculate the approximate number of correct and incorrect attempts.
- Check the detailed exam analysis to understand the difficulty level and expected good attempts.
After evaluating your performance and checking your standing through these memory-based papers, candidates should immediately pivot their focus toward upcoming stages—keeping in mind that the Mains Exam Date is officially scheduled for 4 October 2026.