IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Day 1 Exam Analysis: Check Shift-Wise Difficulty, Good Attempts and Expected Cut-Off
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducted the first day of the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination 2026 on Saturday, August 22. Based on initial feedback from candidates and coaching analysis, the exam was reported to be easy to moderate in difficulty across the early shifts.
New Delhi, August 22: The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducted the first day of the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination 2026 on Saturday, August 22. Based on initial feedback from candidates and coaching analysis, the exam was reported to be easy to moderate in difficulty across the early shifts.
The IBPS PO Prelims 2026 is being conducted across four shifts each on August 22 and 23 to shortlist candidates for more than 7,300 Probationary Officer and Management Trainee vacancies in participating public sector banks.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern
The IBPS PO Preliminary Examination is a 60-minute computer-based test comprising 100 objective-type questions. The paper is divided into three sections, with a separate 20-minute timer for each section:
- English Language: 30 questions
- Quantitative Aptitude: 35 questions
- Reasoning Ability: 35 questions
Candidates are awarded one mark for every correct answer, while 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect response. NTA Clarifies Answer Key Challenge Fee, Says System Benefits All Candidates.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Day 1 Section-Wise Analysis
English Language
The English Language section was considered the most manageable section by many candidates, with the overall difficulty ranging from easy to moderate. Questions included Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Detection, Sentence Rearrangement, Word Swap and Word Usage.
The Reading Comprehension passages covered topics including modern town planning and environmental impact. Candidates with good accuracy could attempt around 22 to 25 questions. UPSC EPFO APFC Notification 2026 Released, Apply Online for 80 Posts From August 22.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section was moderate and relatively calculation-intensive. Candidates faced around 10 to 12 standalone arithmetic questions covering topics such as ratios, ages and interest.
The section also included two Data Interpretation sets, based on a table and a line graph, along with Approximation and Number Series questions. Around 18 to 22 questions were considered a reasonable number of good attempts with accuracy.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning Ability section was described as easy to moderate but time-consuming. Puzzles and seating arrangements formed a significant portion of the section.
Questions included a 14-person parallel row arrangement, month-and-date puzzles, box-based arrangements and category-based selection questions. Other topics included Syllogism, Inequality, Direction Sense and Blood Relations.
Candidates could aim for around 20 to 25 good attempts in this section.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Good Attempts
| Section | Questions | Difficulty | Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | Easy to Moderate | 22-25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | Moderate | 18-22 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | Easy to Moderate | 20-25 |
| Overall | 100 | Easy to Moderate | 60-72 |
The above assessment is based on initial candidate feedback and preliminary coaching analysis. The difficulty and good-attempt range may vary across shifts.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Expected Cut-Off
Based on the initial difficulty level and previous trends, the expected cut-off for candidates in the General category could be around 52 to 58 marks. The actual cut-off will depend on candidate performance, vacancies and the normalization process across all shifts.
Candidates must also clear the prescribed sectional and overall cut-offs to qualify for the next stage.
What After IBPS PO Prelims 2026?
The IBPS PO Preliminary Examination is a qualifying stage and its marks are not included in the final merit list. Candidates who qualify the prelims will be eligible to appear for the IBPS PO Main Examination, which is tentatively scheduled for October 4, 2026.
The IBPS PO Prelims 2026 results are expected to be released on the official IBPS website in September 2026.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2026 04:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).