The competition for banking exams is getting tougher each day. The number of candidates that appear for these exams is also increasing every day. The IBPS Clerk can land reputed jobs in different banks. Since the IBPS Clerk is a competitive exam, this makes cracking it even more difficult. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. If you are planning to appear for the IBPS Clerk exam, know that the difficulty level of this exam is lower than that of the PO Exams. So with persistence and hard work, you can crack this exam in the first attempt itself.
Several candidates study for 3-4 years and still fail to ace the exam. On the contrary, many candidates prepare for 3-4 months and crack the exam in their first attempt itself. The difference lies in the level of dedication and consistency in their studies. Which type of candidate are you? If you are willing to devote dedicated hours to your studies, then it is not a difficult feat to crack the IBPS Clerk exam in the first go itself. Visit this website to learn more about the exam pattern, syllabus and marking scheme.
We are here with a few tips that will help you in your preparation. The preparation strategies for all banking exams are almost similar with minor differences. So if you plan to give any other banking exam in the future, all the tips mentioned below will still be beneficial to you.
1. Know the exam pattern:
Whichever exam you are aiming to crack, the first step is to always be acquainted with its requirements, pattern, and marking scheme. The IBPS Clerk examination has three sections containing a total of 100 MCQs totalling 100 marks. You will get one hour to solve the entire question paper with different sectional timings and cut off. The main exam will contain four sections consisting of 190 questions in total adding up to 200 marks. You will have 160 minutes to solve the entire question paper. These will also be multiple choice-based exams. Similar to the prelims, each section has a different cut-off and duration allotted to it.
2. Analyze the syllabus keenly:
Once you understand the exam pattern, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the syllabus. At this point, you need to survey the syllabus for both the prelims and the main exam. You need to incorporate the syllabus of the main exam as well when you are preparing for the preliminary exam. In case you pass the prelims, you would not have enough time to prepare for the main exam. Also, the difficulty level will increase in the main exam. Hence both exams must be prepared side by side. Make sure that you get a detailed look at each topic and also go through some past question papers to understand which topics are more frequently asked.
3. Set a timetable as per your needs:
Now that you are aware of the syllabus and the important topics, you need to make a customized timetable as per your level of knowledge, and your strengths and problem areas. The first three steps mentioned here might take you 4-5 days if you want to make a thorough study plan. Thus, you must begin your preparation for the IBPS Clerk exam ideally 6 months before the exam at the very least.
4. Prepare for each section accordingly:
Having a thorough understanding of the syllabus of each section will help you plan smartly for different sections.
For instance, if English is your weak point, develop a habit of reading daily. Dedicate one hour to reading every day. Read anything of your choice and then write it in your own words to comprehend what you just read better. You need to be on top of the basic grammar rules to excel in this section.
Reading newspapers is another step that you cannot skip. This will prepare you for the General Awareness section as well as improve your reading skills. Focus on news related to economics and tech. Go through the FAQs on the RBI website to help you in Banking Awareness. You can also subscribe to websites that offer you daily updates on news and help you prepare for banking exams. You must also have the basic computer knowledge to score in the Computer Awareness questions.
To ace the Quant section, you need to practice some basic mathematical hacks. You must know the formulas, tables (1-25 at least), square roots (1-20), cube roots (1-20), ratios, conversion of decimals and fractions, percentages at the tip of your tongue. This would save you precious time in the exam. However, you need meticulous practice every day to achieve this. Use flashcards, post-its, notes, etc to help you memorize these things. As you know, the IBPS Clerk exam tests your speed and accuracy. If you are proficient in these things, you can quickly solve the questions. Also, practice daily Data Interpretation sets and Number series as these are very important. Students often make mistakes in number series and hence this topic needs to be practised diligently.
Another section that requires extensive practice is the Reasoning Section. To score well in this section you need to practice different types of puzzles from the syllabus daily. If you are someone who enjoys puzzles and logical questions, you can score well in this section. Remember there is negative marking, so attempt only the questions that you are completely sure of.
5. Mock tests! Mock Tests! Mock Tests!
Although mentioned last, no one can deny the importance of practising with mock tests. You must be regular in giving sectional tests, mock tests, and memory-based papers.
However mock tests are not just for increasing your speed and accuracy. The major thing that you need to do is analyze yourself properly after each mock test. Firstly, make sure that you do not give mock tests casually. Set a time when you are not distracted in the least. Do not pause the test and come back to it later. Give the test in all seriousness in one go to see how you would perform in exams. After each mock test, scrutinize your performance. Go over the answers that you got wrong and revise those concepts. Look at how many questions you couldn’t attempt and see why. Also, revise the answers you got correct and do not take those lightly. Maintain a record book to note your performance and analyze it after every week to see how much you have improved and what you need to do to see further improvement.
The IBPS Clerk exam, just like other banking exams, can only be cracked by those candidates who have the required self-discipline and determination to stick to a schedule and dedicate 100% focus to their studies.
