The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 for August 22 and 23 provides candidates with a detailed overview of the shift-wise difficulty level, good attempts, questions asked and section-wise paper pattern. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) is conducting the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination on August 22 and August 23, 2026, across multiple examination centres in India.
The IBPS PO Prelims examination consists of 100 questions carrying 100 marks, divided among English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability. Candidates get a total of 60 minutes to complete the examination.
The exam is being conducted in four shifts each day. The analysis below is based on candidate feedback and the questions/topics reported after the completion of each shift. The shift-wise analysis will be updated as more information becomes available.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Shift-Wise Difficulty Level & Good Attempts
Candidates appearing in the upcoming shifts can use the following table to understand the overall difficulty level and estimated good attempts reported for the August 22 examination.
| 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: Good attempts are indicative and may vary depending on a candidate’s accuracy, question selection and individual performance. The difficulty level can also vary slightly from one shift to another.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
The IBPS PO Preliminary Examination consists of three sections:
- English Language: 30 questions
- Quantitative Aptitude: 35 questions
- Reasoning Ability: 35 questions
- Total: 100 questions
- Total Marks: 100
- Duration: 60 minutes
Candidates have to manage their time effectively because the preliminary examination is designed to test speed and accuracy along with basic conceptual understanding.
IBPS PO Prelims Shift 1 Analysis – August 22, 2026
The first shift of the IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026 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
The English section included questions based on:
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Word Swap
- Fillers
- Error Detection
- Cloze Test
- Word Replacement
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Direct questions
Overall, the English section was considered manageable by candidates.
Quantitative Aptitude
Questions in Quantitative Aptitude were reported from:
- Missing Number Series
- Approximation
- Data Interpretation
- Arithmetic
- Number Series
Good Attempts & Difficulty
According to initial candidate feedback, the overall number of attempts was around 62–72 questions, with the paper being rated Easy to Moderate in difficulty.
IBPS PO Prelims Shift 2 Analysis – August 22, 2026
The second shift was also reported to be Easy to Moderate, although candidates found the paper somewhat more lengthy compared with Shift 1.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning section included questions from:
- 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 on blood relations were also included.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section included:
- Wrong Number Series
- Approximation
- Double-Line Data Interpretation
- Table-based Data Interpretation
- Caselet Data Interpretation
- Arithmetic
Approximately three questions were reported from the wrong number series.
English Language
The English section included questions based on:
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Fillers
- Para Jumbles
- Error Detection
- Phrase Replacement
- Word Swap
Candidates also reported filler-based questions within the Reading Comprehension section.
Good Attempts & Difficulty
Based on candidate feedback, the estimated number of good attempts in Shift 2 was around 63–80 questions. The overall difficulty level was reported as Easy to Moderate, although the paper was considered relatively lengthy.
IBPS PO Prelims Shift 3 Analysis – August 22, 2026
The third shift was reported to be Moderate overall. Candidates faced questions from puzzles, seating arrangements, Data Interpretation and English language topics.
Reasoning Ability
The Reasoning section included:
- 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 section required candidates to manage their time carefully because of the presence of multiple puzzle-based questions.
Quantitative Aptitude
The Quantitative Aptitude section included questions from:
- Missing Number Series
- Tabular Data Interpretation
- Line and Mixed Data Interpretation
- Approximation
- Double-Line Data Interpretation
- Caselet DI
- Arithmetic
- Mensuration
The Data Interpretation questions were reported to be largely one-liner in nature.
English Language
The English Language section included:
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms
- Direct Questions
- Fillers
- Cloze Test
- Word Rearrangement
- Phrase Replacement
- Error Detection
- Column-based Questions
The overall English section remained manageable, although candidates needed good reading speed to attempt the questions efficiently.
IBPS PO Prelims Shift 4 Analysis – August 22, 2026
The detailed analysis for Shift 4 of August 22, 2026 will be updated after the examination is completed and candidate feedback becomes available.
Candidates can check this section for:
- Section-wise difficulty
- Questions asked
- Good attempts
- Important topics
- Overall paper difficulty
- Candidate feedback
IBPS PO Prelims Exam 2026: Overall Difficulty Level
Based on the analysis of the first three shifts on August 22, the IBPS PO Prelims paper 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.
The final assessment of the examination difficulty will become clearer after the completion of all shifts on August 22 and August 23.
IBPS PO Prelims 2026: What Are Good Attempts?
Good attempts do not represent a fixed qualifying score. They are an estimate based on the difficulty of the paper, number of questions attempted and expected accuracy.
For the August 22 shifts analysed so far, candidate attempts have generally been reported in the range of approximately 62 to 80 questions, depending on the shift and individual performance.
Candidates should remember that accuracy is more important than simply attempting a higher number of questions. Incorrect answers can reduce the overall score because of negative marking.
IBPS PO Expected Cut-Off 2026
The IBPS PO Prelims expected cut-off 2026 will depend on several factors, including:
- Overall difficulty level of the examination
- Number of candidates appearing
- Number of vacancies
- Normalisation across shifts
- Overall performance of candidates
- Category-wise competition
Therefore, the expected cut-off should be considered only an indicative estimate until IBPS officially releases the cut-off.
IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026: Key Takeaways
The key observations from the August 22 shifts include:
- The overall paper ranged from Easy to Moderate to Moderate.
- Reasoning included several puzzle and seating-arrangement questions.
- Data Interpretation formed an important part of Quantitative Aptitude.
- English included Reading Comprehension, word-based questions, error detection and rearrangement-based questions.
- Shift 2 was reported to be comparatively lengthy.
- Shift 3 was considered moderately difficult.
- Candidate attempts varied considerably depending on shift and accuracy.
- The detailed analysis will be updated as feedback from additional shifts becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the difficulty level of IBPS PO Prelims 2026 on August 22?
The difficulty level varied across shifts. Shift 1 and Shift 2 were reported as Easy to Moderate, while Shift 3 was reported as Moderate.
What were the good attempts in IBPS PO Prelims 2026?
Based on candidate feedback, the estimated attempts across the first three shifts ranged from approximately 62 to 80 questions. The exact number of good attempts depends on the shift and accuracy.
How many questions are asked in IBPS PO Prelims?
The IBPS PO Prelims examination consists of 100 questions for 100 marks.
What is the duration of IBPS PO Prelims?
Candidates get 60 minutes to complete the IBPS PO Preliminary Examination.
Which sections are included in IBPS PO Prelims?
The three sections are English Language, Quantitative Aptitude and Reasoning Ability.
Will the IBPS PO Exam Analysis 2026 be updated?
Yes. The shift-wise analysis can be updated after each shift based on candidate feedback, reported questions and the overall difficulty level.
Conclusion
The IBPS PO Prelims Exam Analysis 2026 provides candidates with an overview of the examination difficulty, good attempts and questions asked across different shifts. On August 22, the first three shifts ranged from Easy to Moderate to Moderate in difficulty, with the reported good attempts varying according to the shift.
Candidates appearing in the upcoming shifts on August 22 and 23, 2026, can use this analysis to understand the paper pattern and prepare their exam strategy accordingly. The shift-wise details, questions asked and difficulty level should be treated as indicative until the complete examination and official IBPS information are available.
