Bank PO Preparation Guide 2026 — IBPS, SBI, Syllabus & Tips

Bank PO Exams in India

• IBPS PO: conducted by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection for public sector banks; 4,000–8,000 vacancies/year
• SBI PO: State Bank of India; 2,000–3,000 vacancies; prestigious; higher package
• Other: RBI Grade B, NABARD, SIDBI: specialised roles; harder exams; fewer seats

Exam Pattern — IBPS PO

• Prelims: 100 marks; English (30), Quantitative Aptitude (35), Reasoning (35); 1 hour
• Mains: 200 marks; English (40), Quant (50), Reasoning/Computer (60), General Awareness (40); 3 hours + Descriptive
• Interview: 100 marks; final merit = Mains (80%) + Interview (20%)

Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

• Data Interpretation (DI): tables, bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs — highest weightage in Bank PO Mains
• Arithmetic: Percentage, Ratio, Profit-Loss, SI/CI, Time-Work, Speed-Distance
• Number Series, Simplification, Quadratic Equations: Prelims-level questions

Reasoning Ability

• Puzzle and Seating Arrangement: linear, circular, floors; 15–20 marks in Mains
• Syllogism: All-Some type; new pattern with possibility statements
• Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Sense: Prelims staples

English Language

• Reading Comprehension: 2 passages in Mains; 10 questions each; focus on inference and tone
• Error Spotting, Fill in the Blanks, Para Jumbles, Cloze Test
• Word Swap and Sentence Improvement: new patterns in IBPS PO

General Awareness for Banking

• Banking Awareness: RBI policies, repo rate, CRR, SLR, NBFC, NPA, Basel III norms
• Financial Awareness: Budget, Economic Survey highlights, government schemes (PM Jan Dhan, MUDRA)
• Current Affairs: last 6 months; monthly capsules from Adda247, Bankersadda

Preparation Timeline and Resources

• 4–6 months for serious preparation; daily 4–5 hours
• Books: Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal; Modern Approach to Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
• Mocks: Testzone, Adda247, Oliveboard; 100+ full mocks target for serious preparation