The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) successfully administered the much-anticipated IBPS PO 2026 preliminary examination on 22 August 2026 across various online centers. Designed for candidates aspiring for the Probationary Officer/Management Trainee positions under the CRP PO/MT-XVI recruitment cycle, the test evaluates candidates across multiple shifts. If you appeared for the test or are preparing for upcoming cycles, reviewing shift-wise memory-based papers and comprehensive assessments is crucial.
To help candidates gauge their performance, experts have compiled the exact question trends and memory-based papers. You can also review specific shift breakdowns such as the IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 Shift 1, 22 August and the IBPS PO 2nd Shift Analysis 22 August 2026.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 Overview
The preliminary examination follows a strict online format with sectional timing. Review the core specifications of the examination below:
| 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 Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
Comprising objective questions totaling 100 marks, the prelims test allocates a strict 20-minute sectional window for each of its three domains:
| 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 |
IBPS PO Memory-Based Question Papers & PDF Downloads
Candidates can access shift-wise downloadable PDF files for English and Hindi mediums below as they become available:
| Exam Date | Shift | English | Hindi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 1 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 2 | Download PDF | TBA |
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 3 | TBA | TBA |
| 22 August 2026 | Shift 4 | TBA | TBA |
Additional official references for candidates include the IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S1 Exam (English), the IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S1 Exam (Hindi), and the IBPS PO Pre Memory Based Paper 22nd August 2026 S2 Exam (English).
How to Use IBPS PO Memory Based 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 score and performance using the steps above, candidates should immediately begin targeted preparation for the Mains examination scheduled for 4 October 2026, focusing on weak areas identified during the prelims review.