The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 for August 22 and 23 provides candidates with a detailed overview of the examination, including the shift-wise difficulty level, good attempts, questions asked and section-wise analysis. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is conducting the Probationary Officer/Management Trainee Preliminary Examination on August 22 and 23, 2026, in multiple shifts across examination centres in India.
The IBPS PO Prelims examination comprises 100 questions carrying 100 marks, with questions divided among English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. Candidates are given 60 minutes to complete the examination.
The analysis provided below is based on the initial feedback from candidates who appeared in the examination. As additional shifts are completed, the IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 will be updated with more information about questions, difficulty level and good attempts.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift-Wise Difficulty Level
Candidates preparing for upcoming shifts can check the shift-wise analysis of the IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 below.
| Shift | Quantitative Aptitude | English Language | Reasoning Ability | Overall Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shift 1 | 17–20 | 22–27 | 21–23 | Easy to Moderate |
| Shift 2 | 16–20 | 25–27 | 19–27 | Easy to Moderate |
| Shift 3 | 21–25 | 24–27 | 22–26 | Moderate |
| Shift 4 | To Be Updated | To Be Updated | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Note: The number of good attempts may vary depending on the accuracy and time management of individual candidates. The difficulty level can also vary slightly across different shifts.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
Before checking the detailed shift-wise analysis, candidates should be familiar with the IBPS PO Prelims exam pattern.
| Section | Number of Questions | Marks |
| English Language | 30 | 30 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 35 |
| Reasoning Ability | 35 | 35 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
The total duration of the examination is 60 minutes. Candidates need to manage their time carefully because the examination tests speed as well as accuracy.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift 1
The first shift of IBPS PO Prelims 2026 on August 22 followed the sequence of English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning section included questions from several puzzle and miscellaneous topics. Questions were reported from:
- Month-based puzzle
- Variable-based puzzle
- Box-based puzzle
- Comparison puzzle
- Parallel-row arrangement
- Selection-based puzzle
- Blood Relations
- Inequality
- Direction Sense
- Pair Formation
- Meaningful Word
- Odd One Out
Interestingly, no questions from Syllogism were reported in Shift 1.
English Language
Questions in the English Language section were asked from topics including:
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Word Swap
- Fillers
- Error Detection
- Cloze Test
- Word Replacement
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Direct questions
The section was considered manageable by candidates who had good command over vocabulary and basic English grammar.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section included questions from:
- Missing Number Series
- Approximation
- Number Series
- Data Interpretation
- Arithmetic
Good Attempts and Difficulty
According to initial candidate feedback, the overall difficulty level of Shift 1 was Easy to Moderate. Candidates reported attempting approximately 62 to 72 questions, depending on their speed and accuracy.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift 2
The second shift of the examination was also considered Easy to Moderate, although candidates reported that the paper was comparatively lengthy.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning section included several puzzle-based questions. Topics reported by candidates included:
- Floor and Variable-based Puzzle
- Month and Date-based Puzzle
- Selection-based Puzzle
- Circular Seating Arrangement
- Syllogism
- Inequality
- Blood Relations
- Pair Formation
- Word-based Questions
- Meaningful Word
Around five questions were reported from the selection-based puzzle, while questions from blood relations were also included.
Quantitative Aptitude
Questions in Quantitative Aptitude were reported from:
- Wrong Number Series
- Approximation
- Double-Line Data Interpretation
- Table-based Data Interpretation
- Caselet Data Interpretation
- Arithmetic
Around three questions were reported from the wrong number series.
English Language
The English Language section included questions based on:
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Fillers
- Para Jumbles
- Error Detection
- Phrase Replacement
- Word Swap
Candidates also reported questions involving fillers within the Reading Comprehension section.
Good Attempts and Difficulty
Based on candidate feedback, the good attempts for Shift 2 were around 63 to 80 questions. The paper was generally rated Easy to Moderate, although many candidates found it somewhat lengthy compared with Shift 1.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift 3
The third shift of August 22 was reported to be slightly more challenging than the first two shifts, with the overall paper being rated Moderate.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning Ability section included questions from:
- Box-based Puzzle
- Floor-based Puzzle
- Circular Seating Arrangement
- Selection-based Puzzle
- Blood Relations
- Inequality
- Syllogism
- Direction and Distance
- Pair Formation
- Odd One Out
The presence of multiple arrangement and puzzle-based questions made time management important in this section.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section included:
- Missing Number
- Tabular Data Interpretation
- Line and Mixed Data Interpretation
- Approximation
- Double-Line DI
- Caselet DI
- Arithmetic
- Mensuration
Some Data Interpretation questions were reported to be one-liner based, which could help candidates save time if they were comfortable with calculations.
English Language
Questions in the English section were reported from:
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms
- Direct Questions
- Fillers
- Cloze Test
- Word Rearrangement
- Phrase Replacement
- Error Detection
- Column-based Questions
Overall, candidates found the English section manageable, although the combination of different question types required careful time allocation.
IBPS PO Prelims Shift 4 Analysis 2026
The detailed analysis for Shift 4 of August 22, 2026 will be updated after candidates complete the examination and feedback regarding the questions and difficulty level becomes available.
| Section | Analysis |
| English Language | To Be Updated |
| Quantitative Aptitude | To Be Updated |
| Reasoning Ability | To Be Updated |
| Good Attempts | To Be Updated |
| Overall Difficulty | To Be Updated |
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Overall Difficulty
Based on the analysis of the first three shifts, the IBPS PO Prelims examination has ranged from Easy to Moderate to Moderate.
Shift 1 was reported as Easy to Moderate, while Shift 2 was also Easy to Moderate but comparatively lengthy. Shift 3 was reported as Moderate.
Candidates should remember that the concept of good attempts is not the same as the number of questions attempted. A good attempt depends on the accuracy of the answers, the difficulty of the paper and the overall performance of candidates in a particular shift.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026: Expected Good Attempts
Based on the initial feedback from the first three shifts, the expected good attempts can be broadly understood as follows:
| Shift | Reported Good Attempts | Difficulty |
| Shift 1 | 62–72 | Easy to Moderate |
| Shift 2 | 63–80 | Easy to Moderate |
| Shift 3 | To be updated based on detailed feedback | Moderate |
| Shift 4 | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
These figures are indicative and based on candidate feedback. The final assessment may change after a detailed review of the question paper and response trends.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026: Important Topics Asked
Across the first three shifts, candidates reported questions from a wide range of topics.
Reasoning Ability
Puzzles and seating arrangements remained important, with questions from floor-based, box-based, circular, selection-based and variable-based arrangements. Other questions included inequalities, syllogism, blood relations, direction and distance, pair formation and word-based questions.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section featured number series, approximation, Data Interpretation and arithmetic. Different forms of DI, including table, line, double-line, mixed and caselet DI, were reported across shifts.
English Language
Important topics included Reading Comprehension, vocabulary-based questions, synonyms and antonyms, fillers, error detection, word swap, phrase replacement, para jumbles, sentence rearrangement and cloze tests.
IBPS PO Prelims Expected Cut-Off 2026
The IBPS PO Prelims cut-off 2026 will be announced by IBPS after the examination process and result evaluation. The expected cut-off can be estimated only after considering factors such as:
- Overall difficulty level
- Number of candidates appearing
- Number of vacancies
- Shift-wise variation
- Candidates’ overall performance
- Normalisation of scores
Therefore, candidates should not consider the current good-attempt figures as an indication of the final cut-off.
What Candidates Appearing in Upcoming Shifts Should Do
Candidates appearing in the remaining shifts should avoid relying only on the number of attempts made by candidates in previous shifts. Instead, they should focus on accuracy, question selection and time management.
Since the paper pattern and difficulty can vary slightly between shifts, candidates should first solve questions they are confident about and avoid spending too much time on lengthy puzzles or calculations.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: FAQs
What was the difficulty level of IBPS PO Prelims 2026 Shift 1?
The overall difficulty level of Shift 1 on August 22 was reported as Easy to Moderate based on initial candidate feedback.
What were the good attempts in IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1?
Candidates reported approximately 62 to 72 good attempts in Shift 1, depending on their accuracy and time management.
What was the difficulty level of IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2?
Shift 2 was reported as Easy to Moderate, although candidates found the paper comparatively lengthy.
What was asked in the Reasoning section of IBPS PO Prelims 2026?
Questions were reported from puzzles, seating arrangements, inequalities, syllogism, blood relations, direction and distance, pair formation and word-based topics.
What topics were asked in Quantitative Aptitude?
Questions were reported from number series, approximation, Data Interpretation, arithmetic and mensuration, among other topics.
When will the IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 be updated?
The analysis will be updated after each shift based on candidate feedback and the questions reported from the examination.
Conclusion
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 for August 22 indicates that the examination ranged from Easy to Moderate to Moderate across the first three shifts. Reasoning included several puzzle and arrangement-based questions, while Quantitative Aptitude featured number series, approximation, Data Interpretation and arithmetic. English included Reading Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and rearrangement-based questions.
Candidates appearing in the upcoming shifts should focus on accuracy and efficient time management rather than attempting a fixed number of questions. The shift-wise analysis, good attempts and difficulty level will be updated as more candidate feedback becomes available for the IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 on August 22 and 23.
