Bank PO exams have three stages: Prelims (qualifying), Mains (merit), and Interview. Three months is enough for Prelims + Mains if you already have basic aptitude. For absolute beginners, add one month of foundation work.
Prelims pattern (IBPS PO / SBI PO)
- English Language: 30 questions, 20 minutes.
- Quantitative Aptitude: 35 questions, 20 minutes.
- Reasoning Ability: 35 questions, 20 minutes.
- Total: 100 questions, 60 minutes. Sectional cut-offs apply — you must clear each section separately.
- Negative marking: 0.25 per wrong answer.
Month 1 — build speed
- Maths: finish Number Series, Simplification, Data Interpretation (bar/pie/table). These are 60% of the Prelims paper and speed-dependent.
- Reasoning: Puzzles and Seating Arrangement (linear, circular, floor-based) are the backbone. Practise 5 sets daily until you solve a 5-variable puzzle in 7 minutes.
- English: Reading Comprehension — read one passage of 400 words daily and answer 5 questions in 7 minutes. Start error spotting and fill in the blanks.
- Take one sectional test daily (20 minutes) to track speed.
Month 2 — Mains focus
- Maths: add Quadratic Equations, Quantity Comparison, Caselet DI, Missing DI. These are Mains-specific. Arithmetic word problems (partnership, pipes, trains, boats) need 30 minutes daily.
- Reasoning: add Input-Output, Machine, Coding-Decoding, Syllogism (5-statement), Data Sufficiency. Increase puzzle difficulty to 6–7 variables.
- English: add Sentence Rearrangement, Cloze Test, and Inference-based RC. Start practising the Descriptive English (letter + essay) for SBI PO Mains.
- General Awareness: start daily 30-minute current-affairs + banking awareness (RBI policies, financial terms, government schemes). This section is only in Mains but carries 40 marks.
- Take one full Mains mock every weekend.
Month 3 — mock and analyse
- One full Prelims mock every alternate day, one full Mains mock on remaining days.
- Target: Prelims — 55+ in 45 minutes (leave 15 minutes for review). Mains — 100+ out of 200.
- Analyse every mock: which questions took more than 90 seconds? Which were solvable but skipped? Adjust your attempt strategy.
- Last week: revise banking awareness notes, formula sheet, error log. No new topics.
Interview preparation
Start only after Mains results. Typical questions: "Why banking?", "Tell me about yourself", current RBI governor and policies, your graduation subject, and state-specific awareness. Practise with a friend for 7 days. Dress formally. The interview carries 100 marks and is largely about communication and awareness, not knowledge depth.