IBPS Clerk 2016 prelims: Last-minute tips to crack the exam

After the unexpected pattern and changes in the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) PO mains that left candidates puzzled, everyone is waiting to see whether there will be alterations in the clerk preliminary examination as well.

With less than a day left for clerk prelim exam, here are some last-minute tips to help you get ready for the exam.

The exam will have 3 sections - reasoning, English language and quantitative aptitude in which apart from English candidates can attempt the rest of the two sections in either Hindi or English. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 for each wrong attempt so it’s very important that you do not take chances while marking the answers. Candidates will have a time limit of just 60 minutes to attempt all the sections.

It’s very important for every candidate to let go of the jitters and patiently prepare for the real face off. You must stay confident and practice with mock test and analyses and formulate your strategy as per your strengths and weaknesses in the subjects. After the speed and mock tests, analyse your score because till date you’ve learned and revised all you could have for the IBPS clerk pre-exams so now it’s time to formulate all that learning into a productive strategy for tomorrow.

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It is important that every examinee plans the time they should devote to each section. Attempting all the 100 questions in just 60 minutes is not an easy task, so wisely choose the questions you want to attempt or skip. Remember if you get stuck on a question you can skip it and save your valuable time as each minute counts in scoring well. If the questions are too easy or too difficult don’t be tempted to mark wrong answers as accuracy matters a lot in IBPS and other banking examinations.

During the examination, it is imperative to scan through the question paper carefully and then work on the answers. Please read the instructions of questions carefully, especially in the reasoning section. Also, do go through the memory based paper from the previous year as it can help you understand the pattern and type of questions.

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A must follow guide to avoid being stressed on the exam day:

“ Don’t wait for the last moment and take a print out of your admission letter today

“ Do read the general instructions on the admission letter carefully

“ Take your current ID proof along with its photocopy and paste your recent photograph

“ While attempting the questions do invest some time in reading the instruction/directions carefully. That smart investment of time can really save you from losing a mark

“ Be aware while marking your answers for review. If an answer is selected for a question that is marked for review, it will be considered in the final evaluation

“ Reach the venue of examination well ahead of time

“ Stay calm and be confident while attempting questions don’t get stuck on any one for too long, maintaining your calm will help you analyse them better.

“ You must be careful of negative marking.

We wish you luck for tomorrow’s examination. And if you are feeling worried, just remember there comes a time in every student’s life when those things that you dread begin to loom on the horizon. It is your confidence that will help you grow. Stay focused and you’ll surely get through.

(Nagar is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Career Power. Views expressed are personal.)