The second and final day of the prestigious banking recruitment screening, the IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026, took place on August 23, 2026. With two shifts successfully conducted—including Shift 1 which wrapped up at 10 am—thousands of banking aspirants have shared their experiences. This comprehensive exam analysis breaks down the section-by-section difficulty, topics asked, question counts, and safe good attempts for both shifts to help candidates evaluate their performance.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Overview: August 23, 2026
As August 23 marks the conclusion of the initial phase of selections for the IBPS PO recruitment drive, understanding the trend is crucial. Across the board, the paper maintained a consistent standard. The total questions asked in the exam equaled 100, divided among English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability.
Overall Difficulty Levels
- Overall Difficulty – Moderate
- Reasoning Ability – Easy to Moderate
- Quantitative Aptitude – Moderate
- English Language – Easy to Moderate
Quantitative Aptitude Section Analysis
The Quantitative Aptitude section contained 35 questions for 30 marks, presenting a Moderate challenge level in both shifts. Candidates faced a mix of arithmetic, data interpretation, and simplification.
| Topics | No. of Questions (Shift 1) | No. of Questions (Shift 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Approximation | 03 | 04 |
| Line Graph DI | 05 | — |
| Table DI | — | 06 |
| Bar Graph DI | 05 | 05 |
| Wrong Number Series | — | 04 |
| Caselet DI | 03 | 01 |
| Quadratic Equation | 03 | 04 |
| Arithmetic | 10-11 | 11 |
| Total | 35 | 35 |
Reasoning Ability Section Analysis
The Reasoning section was rated Easy to Moderate. Puzzles and seating arrangements took center stage, testing aspirants' logical mapping speed.
Sets of Puzzles & Seating Arrangement asked in Shift 1
- Single row (mix direction), 7 persons, north-facing – 5 questions
- Order and Sequence (6 people + variable) – 5 questions
- Box-based + variable (6 persons) – 5 questions
- Certain number of persons (North): N=18-3 questions
- Year-based puzzle – 5 questions
Sets of Puzzles & Seating Arrangement asked in Shift 2
- Month-based with variable- 5 questions
- Parallel Row-based Seating Arrangement – 5 questions
- Selection-based puzzle (9 persons) – 5 questions
- Year-based puzzle (8 persons) – 5 questions
| Topics | No. of Questions (Shift 1) | No. of Questions (Shift 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangement | 23 | 20 |
| Syllogism | 03 | 03 |
| Blood Relation (No instruction) | 03 | 03 |
| Inequalities | 03 | 03 |
| Pair Formation | — | 01 |
| Meaningful Word | 01 | 01 |
| Word-based (V/C-based) | 01 | 01 |
| Total | 35 | 35 |
English Language Section Analysis
The English Language module was Easy to Moderate. Notably, the Reading Comprehension topic in shift 1 focused on medication in China, providing an engaging context for test-takers.
| Topics | No. of Questions (Shift 1) | No. of Questions (Shift 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 08-09 | 09 |
| Para Jumble (6 sentences) | 05 | 05 |
| Error Detection (Single) | 03-04 | 04 |
| Word Swap | 04 | 03 |
| Phrase Replacement (Get Behind) | 01 | 04 |
| Double Fillers | 02 | 04 |
| Word Rearrangement | 03-04 | — |
| Word Usage | — | 01 |
| Total | 30 | 30 |
Good Attempts Summary
To clear the sectional and overall cut-offs, safe good attempts varied slightly across the shifts:
| Sections | Good Attempts (Shift 1) | Good Attempts (Shift 2) | No. of Questions Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Ability | 24-26 | 26-28 | 35 |
| English Language | 20-22 | 23-25 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 23-25 | 15-17 | 35 |
| Overall | 67-73 | 64-70 | 100 |
Candidates who have completed their exam should monitor official updates, analyze their accuracy, and prepare rigorously for the upcoming Mains phase if their score aligns with these good attempts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Recommended Reads
- IBPS PO 2026 Recruitment: Notification, Vacancies, Exam Dates & Syllabus
- IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Shift 2 Exam Analysis (22 Aug): Good Attempts & Review
- IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 (Aug 22 Shift 1): Review & Good Attempts
- IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Memory-Based Question Papers: August 22-23
- IBPS PO Exam Centre List 2026: Prelims & Mains Test Cities
- IBPS Clerk vs IBPS PO: Comprehensive Comparison of Exam, Salary & Career
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