IBPS has conducted the Prelims Exam for the post of Probationary Officers successfully across the country on 13 & 14th October 2018. The exam was conducted in four different slots. The sectional timing of 20 minutes was introduced for the first time. Approximately 10-15 lakh aspirants applied for the post and only 4,252 candidates will get the final selection.
If we look at the previous trends, candidates will be selected 10 times of the total vacancies. So, it is expected that around 45-50 thousandcandidates will be selected for the Mains examination. Here is the approximated cut-off.
Maximum candidates have attempted a total number of questions in the exam in a range of 50-55.
Below we are sharing the expected cut-off scores of individual sections as well as the overall exam for different categories for IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2018 from the table below:
| S. No. | Name of the Test | Maximum Marks | Expected Cut-off Score | |
| SC/ ST/ OBC/ PWD | General | |||
| 1. | English Language | 30 | 3.75 | 5.25 |
| 2. | Reasoning Ability | 35 | 5.75 | 9.75 |
| 3. | Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 4.25 | 7.25 |
IBPS PO Cut Off for Prelims 2018 Overall Category-wise
| Name of Category | Expected Cutoff Score (Out of 100) |
| SC | 34.50 – 38.25 |
| ST | 26.25 – 29.75 |
| OBC | 42.25 – 45.25 |
| General | 43.25 – 49.25 |
| HI (Hearing Impaired) | 13.25 – 15.75 |
| OC (Orthopaedically Challenged) | 25.35 – 27.75 |
| VI (Visually Impaired) | 21.25 – 24.25 |
| ID (Intellectual Disability) | 15.25 – 17.75 |
IBPS PO Prelims 2018 Exam: Good Attempts
Based on the level of the exam, here is the number of good attempts for individual sections and overall exam:
| Name of the Section | Number of Good Attempts |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 17-20 Questions |
| Reasoning Ability | 21-24 Questions |
| English Language | 20-23 Questions |
| Overall Good Attempts | 55 -60 Questions |
English Language Exam Analysis of IBPS PO Prelims 2018
1. Reading Comprehension
- Total Number of Qs – 5/7/10
- Level – Moderate
The passage was based on –
- Skill development and the role of universities.
- Japan Overworking condition.
- Newspaper & Mass Media.
- Unemployment of women and how it affects the economy of the country.
- Digital Banking
- Agriculture & Food Supply
- South Africa Economy
- Global Warming
Note:
- 2 Antonym & synonym were also asked.
- In some slots of the exam, two RC was asked.
2. Fillers
- Total Number of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- There was no variation in the pattern of fillers.
- Students were required to identify the single filler in the given sentence.
- The question was and can be easily doable.
3. Cloze Test
- Total Number of Qs – 5/6
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- Old pattern
- The question was and can be easily doable.
4. Spotting Error
- Total Number of Qs – 5/6
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- Old pattern
- The question was and can be easily doable.
5. Sentence Improvement / Correction –
- Total Number of Qs – 4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- One sentence was given, and some words were bold, and they are asked to be replaced with each other.
6. Sentence Rearrangement/Para jumble
- Total Number of Qs – 4/5
- Level – Moderate
- 6 sentences need to be arranged.
Topic
- Competition Coaching
- Stock market
7. Phrase replacement
- Total Number of Qs – 4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- Questions were based on the new pattern.
- Some part was bold in the given sentence. Students had to find the correct alternative in place of bold part.
8. Word usage
- Total Number of Qs – 2/3/4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- A word was given. It was followed by 3 sentences. Students had to find the correct use of in the given sentences.
9. Word replacement
- Total Number of Qs – 2/3/4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- A word was bold in a sentence. Students need to identify the correct alternative in place of it from the given options.
- In a sentence 4 words were bold. Students had to find which two words can be interchanged without changing the meaning of the sentence.
10. Match the column
- Total Number of Qs – 2/3/4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- 3 sentences A, B, and C were given which needs to be matched with sentence D, E, and F.
Quantitative Aptitude Exam Analysis of IBPS PO Prelims 2018
1. Number Series
- Total no. of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy to Moderate
- Wrong Number
- Missing Number
2. Data Interpretation
- Total Number of Qs – 10 to 15
- Level – Moderate to Tough
- Table Chart
- Line Graph
- Bar Graph
- Caselet (paragraph based)
- Mixed DI – Line Graph + Table chart
- Mixed – Pie + Table
Note:
- Line Graph & Table Chart was asked in the maximum shift of the exam.
- In some slots of the exam, only two sets (10 Qs) of D.I. were asked.
Topics of D.I. –
Bar Graph
- A, B, C, D & E having diff values like – 3000 3600 2100 2000 1800 and given the % tags of large-scale industry.
Line Graph
- It was based on – Sale of wax boxes on different days by ABC company.
Table-Chart
- It was based on S.I, C.I and rate of interest.
- 3 columns were there. In one, no. of questions attempted in the mock test was given, in two, no. of questions attempted in the actual test was given and in third, the percentage of incorrect questions in the actual test was given.
- CP and SP of different things A to E was given.
- It was based on the shirts produced in 4 years by a company.
- A, B, C worker and male-female ratio.
Pie chart –
- There were total 14,400 chocolates. They were distribution among students A, B, C, D, and E.
Caselet DI –
- A salon distributed 450 vouchers of free haircut and pedicure. The number of haircut vouchers was 130 more than the number of pedicure voucher.
- It was based on S.I, C.I.
- Four organizations, 1,2,3,4 the no. Of employees in first 3 organizations are same i.e., 12 and the no. of males are also the same in all organizations.
- It was based on the number of students in class 10 and class 12.
Mixed DI
- Total Votes as per the candidates were given in Line chart whereas how many candidates won how much votes were given in table form.
3. Quadratic Equation
- Total no. of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy to Moderate
- Simple & can be easily doable.
4. Quantity 1 & Quantity 2
- Total no. of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy to Moderate
- 2 quantity was given.
- You need to find the relation between the two given quantities.
- All questions were based on Arithmetic topics.
5. Data Sufficiency
- Total no. of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy to Moderate
6. Arithmetic Questions
- Total no. of Qs – 10-12
- Level – Moderate & tough
- Questions under this segment were asked from different arithmetic problems like Partnerships, Problem on Ages, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Time Speed & Distance, Mixtures, Simple & Compound Interest etc.
Reasoning Ability Exam Analysis of IBPS PO Prelims 2018
1. Puzzle
- Total Number of Qs – 10/15
- Level – Moderate to Tough
Floor Based
- 5 people live on different floors and they like a different subject.
Box-based
- 9 boxes were there and have to arrange as per the given condition.
- 10 boxes were there and have to arrange as per the given condition.
- 11 boxes were there and have to arrange as per the given condition.
Scheduling (Day, Months & Year + Age)
- 8 Persons and January to August months need to be arranged.
- There are 5 persons who go for work on five days of the week starting from Monday to Friday.
- 8 person P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W were born in different years viz. 1945, 1956, 1961, 1973, 1978, 1989, 1996 and 2007 but not necessarily in the same order.
- Jan, June, Oct month has given 6 people sitting in 15 and 30 date.
Order & Ranking Puzzle
- There are six bottles C, D, E, F, G, H which contains juices in different amounts.
Tabulation
- 5 People, 5 colors, & their hierarchy system – Assistant Manager, MD, GM
- 7 days were given, and 7 cities were given and they traveled to different cities
- There are 6-person P, Q, R, S, T, and U are arranged according to their ages.
Note:
- Scheduling & Box based Puzzle was asked in the maximum shift of the exam.
2. Seating Arrangement
- Total Number of Qs – 10/15
- Level – Moderate
Square table
- 8 people D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K are sitting around a square table in such a way that four of them sit at corners while four sit in the middle of each of the four sides. The ones sitting in the middle of the sides are facing center and the ones sitting at the corners are facing outside.
Linear Arrangement (Two rows)
- 7 people (7 in each row) some facing North & some facing South direction.
- 12 persons were seated in two parallel rows, containing six persons each, in such a way that there is an equal distance between adjacent persons. In row 1, A, B, C, D, and E are seated in a row facing south. In row 2, p, Q, R, S, T, and U are seated in a row facing north.
Linear Arrangement – Single row
- 7 people facing north and lives in a different city.
- The number of people unknown sitting in a straight line facing North direction.
- 5 persons were seating in the north direction and the different color they like.
Circular table
- 8 people facing inward & outward. One more variable was given: the name of the color each person likes.
- 6 persons were facing center and the number of matches they play was arranged.
- Six friends A, B, C, D, E, F traveling to six different cities.
Note:
- Linear & Square seating arrangement was asked in the maximum shift of the exam.
3. Syllogism
- Total Number of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
- Old pattern
Note:
- Two Statements were given & Conclusion with possibility & Never follow case was asked in the exam.
4. Coding Decoding
- Total Number of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy
- Old pattern
Note:
- The level of the Coding Decoding question was easy which was based on the old pattern.
5. Inequality
- Total Number of Qs – 5
- Level – Easy
- Direct
Note:
- The level of the Inequality question was easy and was direct.
- In some shifts, there were Single Qs in which you have to find the conclusion which is definitely true & definitely false.
6. Data Sufficiency
- Total Number of Qs – 3/4/5
- Level – Easy & Moderate
Note:
- The level of the Data Sufficiency question was easy and moderate.
- Questions were based on Floor, Blood Relation, Distance & Direction, Order ranking, Linear Arrangement, topics.
7. Miscellaneous Qs
- Total Number of Qs – 5/6
- Level – Easy
- Blood Relation – 2/3
- Order Ranking – 1/2/3
- Distance & Direction – 2/3
- Alphanumeric Series – 1
- Single Qs on Alphabet – 1/2
- Single Qs on Numbers – 1/2
Note:
- The level of the Miscellaneous question was easy.
Topics which were NOT asked –
- Input-Output – Question from Input-Output topic were not asked in the exam.
