Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the exam every year to fill the seats for various banks. IBPS Clerk 2021 notification is out with a total of 5831 vacancies for various banks. The number of vacancies has gone up a little compared to last year. The prelims examination is considered to be of easy to moderate level. And a lot of students apply for this post and appear in examinations. So it is better to have a strategy to crack the exam in one go. You can expect high cut-offs as usual- 80+ for the general category. Thus it is really important to lay out a plan to crack the exam. First things first, it is really important for you to know the pattern of the examination.
Know the IBPS clerk exam pattern
There are 3 sections in the prelims exam and a total of 100 questions. You need to attempt the paper in 60 minutes. The 3 sections are English Language, Numerical Ability, and Reasoning Ability. You will be given 20 minutes each to solve each section of the paper. The English language paper will be of 30 marks while the other two would be carrying 35 marks each.
For the mains examination, there will be 4 sections. A total of 35 minutes each will be allotted for General English and General and Financial awareness. And 45 minutes each will be provided for the “reasoning and computer aptitude” and “quantitative aptitude” sections. It requires extensive study to be able to crack the exams just after seeing the pattern. It is wise to also know the syllabus before starting your preparation.
Know the syllabus beforehand
It is important to know the syllabus in order to excel in the exam. You need to know the syllabus for each section and then start working on that. The combined syllabus is very vast so you need to first focus on things you already know and later start with the things you need to learn. It is always better to complete the full syllabus before sitting in the examination due to high competition and cut offs.
Should have the basics cleared
It is very important to have basics cleared for these kinds of competitive exams. Usually, the questions are on the basics that test your ability and application of the concepts. It is better to first have your basics till class 10th cleared before starting with the questions. You also need to have mathematical tables and factors and figures in mind to be able to have a quick approach.
Analyse your strengths
Of course, you need to first identify your strengths. You need to identify the things you’re good at. For that, you can try to solve previous year’s questions and then evaluate the concepts that you already know and are good at. And what are the concepts you don’t know at all? It is very important to know your strengths and weaknesses before making a strategy.
Work on your weaknesses
Next, after knowing your strengths it’s important to work on your weaknesses and the concepts you don’t know at all. It is okay if you feel like there’s a lot of syllabi and you don’t know anything. You can learn everything that’s covered in the syllabus but you need to have a fixed time schedule for proper study. You can also enroll in online classes for that matter.
Give regular mock tests
Another tip that works wonders is to practice mock tests. Giving mock tests on a regular basis will not only ensure your progress but also boost up your confidence with increasing marks in every attempt. Mock tests really help you be in the same environment as during the actual exam and will help relieve the stress build-up on the actual exam day. There are many online portals providing mock tests at very affordable rates.
Attempt questions that are easy first
Yes, you heard that right. It’s important to attempt questions that feel easy to you first because each question carries a mark. It makes no sense to waste time on a single question of the same weightage as of the other 4 easy questions that you know. You don’t need to know all the questions, just enough to crack the exam
Always remember the things you can
You already know that for these exams you need to remember a lot of things for all the sections. For example, it is better to remember the table for 25 rather than calculating it at the time of the exam or some quick formulas. This will save your time in the exam. Every second in the exam is important for you. So it’s better to go with proper planning and remembering these kinds of things.
Have a proper study schedule
This is indubitably the most important of all hacks. You need to have a proper and tight study schedule. You need to study for a certain amount of time daily to be able to crack the exam. Remember, no matter how easy the exam may be for you, there’s high competition. Lakhs of students appear for the same 5000 positions. You need to be to the best of your capability. In case you’re already working somewhere, you can dedicate your Saturdays and Sundays totally to studying. It is possible to crack the exam with dedication and hard work.
Learn time management for the exam
No matter how much hard work you do, you’ll also need to be smart at managing your time. Time management is a lifelong skill that’s very important in every aspect. You need to properly learn and master this technique of managing time, especially in the exam. You have limited time for solving a lot of questions so you need to know where to spend your time.
These are some basic tips you can follow to crack the exam. It is possible. Just believe in yourself and do the hard work.
