IBPS PO Exam Pattern: All Three Phases
A 1-hour screening test, a 3-hour mains, then an interview. Here is exactly how each phase is structured and scored.
IBPS PO selection runs in three phases. Prelims is a 1-hour, 100-mark online screening test. Mains is a 3-hour, 200-mark objective paper followed by a 30-minute, 25-mark descriptive test. Candidates shortlisted from mains attend an interview worth 100 marks, and the final merit list combines mains and interview in an 80:20 ratio.
Prelims is a filter: it decides who reaches mains but the marks themselves stop mattering after that. Everything that determines your rank happens in mains and the interview.
You save ₹450 today
- Prelims + mains mocks
- PO-level puzzle & DI bank
- Banking awareness packs
One payment, no subscription · Valid for 6 months
Phase 1: Preliminary Examination
Online CBT, 60 minutes, 100 marks in total.
English Language
Questions
30
Marks
30
Quantitative Aptitude
Questions
35
Marks
35
Reasoning Ability
Questions
35
Marks
35
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
Phase 2: Main Examination (Objective)
Online CBT, 180 minutes, 200 marks in total. Note that marks per section do not track question counts.
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude
Questions
45
Marks
60
English Language
Questions
35
Marks
40
Data Analysis & Interpretation
Questions
35
Marks
60
General Economy / Banking Awareness
Questions
40
Marks
40
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning & Computer Aptitude | 45 | 60 |
| English Language | 35 | 40 |
| Data Analysis & Interpretation | 35 | 60 |
| General Economy / Banking Awareness | 40 | 40 |
The Descriptive Test: 25 Marks of Typing
Alongside the objective mains, IBPS PO has a 30-minute online descriptive test carrying 25 marks: one essay and one letter, typed rather than handwritten. Essay topics lean toward banking and the economy, and letters are formal in register, a complaint to a bank manager, for instance.
Because it is typed and timed, structure beats flourish. A clear introduction, three body points, and a conclusion is the format that survives 30 minutes.
Questions in the format described here. No signup.
Phase 3: The Interview and the 80:20 Merit Formula
Candidates shortlisted from mains attend a personal interview worth 100 marks. The final merit list is computed as mains 80% plus interview 20%. Prelims marks do not enter this formula at all.
The weighting means a strong mains score does most of the work, but 20% is far from decorative: at the margins where allotment to a preferred bank is decided, interview marks move real ranks.
Sectional Cut-Offs Apply in Prelims
Clearing the overall prelims score is not enough; you need to clear the cut-off in each of the three sections individually. A brilliant quant score cannot rescue a failed English section. Plan practice time across all three sections from the start.
The Pattern at a Glance
- check_circleThree phases: Prelims, Mains (objective + descriptive), Interview
- check_circlePrelims: 100 marks in 60 minutes, screening only
- check_circleMains objective: 200 marks in 180 minutes across four sections
- check_circleMains descriptive: 25 marks in 30 minutes, essay plus letter
- check_circleInterview: 100 marks
- check_circleFinal merit: Mains 80% + Interview 20%
FAQs
How many phases does IBPS PO have?expand_more
Three: a preliminary exam (100 marks, 1 hour), a main exam (200-mark objective paper plus a 25-mark descriptive test), and an interview (100 marks).
Do IBPS PO prelims marks count in the final merit?expand_more
No. Prelims is a screening test. The final merit list is based on mains (80%) and the interview (20%) only.
Is there an interview for IBPS PO?expand_more
Yes. Shortlisted mains candidates attend a personal interview worth 100 marks, which contributes 20% of the final merit score.
What is the descriptive test in IBPS PO mains?expand_more
A 30-minute, 25-mark online typing test with two tasks: an essay and a letter. Essay topics are usually banking and economy related, and the letters are formal.
How long is the IBPS PO mains exam?expand_more
The objective paper runs 3 hours for 200 marks, and the descriptive test adds another 30 minutes for 25 marks.
Next steps
Take a full IBPS PO mock testSimulate the real prelims format before the real thing.