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IBPS PO, Clerk, SO, RRB exams 2018: Here’s how to prepare for the exam
The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will hold the preliminary examinations for RRB officers scale one and office assistant next month.
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The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will hold the preliminary examinations for RRB officers scale one and office assistant next month. A common question that arises in the mind of many aspirant is the number of hours they need to devote every day so that they can maximise their preparations.
There are, however, no single answer to that question. For those who are attempting the exams for the first time, for instance, studying 20 to 25 hours per week is sufficient. However, for those who have prepared for bank exams earlier, 12 to 15 hours per week should be enough.
An added impetus should be the fact that your preparations for the bank exams will help you in several other entrance exams as well.
Though the pattern of these exams varies, the syllabus is almost identical. Candidates are asked questions on numerical ability, reasoning ability, English language, data interpretation and analysis, and general/economy/banking awareness.
Additionally, for the IBPS specialist officer exam, candidates need to study professional knowledge as a subject in the respective field as per the eligibility criteria.
The success mantra for these exams is one and the same: Basics, application, nurture, and kickstart. To elaborate, basics, implies the concepts and formulae to be revised for every topic. Exercises are to be solved to understand the application of basics. Topic-wise tests to be taken to nurture speed and accuracy. And, taking mock tests for bank exams will give your preparations a kickstart.
An effective preparation plan
The first phase of the exam (prelims) comprises numerical ability (quantitative aptitude), reasoning ability, and English language. So, the focus first should be on these subjects. The time spent on each of these will vary. But it should be ensured that each one of these are covered at least once.
Banking/computer/finance/economic/general awareness should be taken up during the time gap between the prelims and mains exams.
The objective in the first phase of preparations should be to gain a complete understanding of the topics, subjects, concepts, basics, and the pattern of the exams.
However by now, many aspirants preparing for RRB officer scale 1 or office assistant examinations must have already covered the basic part of their preparation like understanding the concepts, topics and pattern of the exam.
Last 30 days
Once you are comfortable with the concepts, the next step is to start practising. You must revise, work on coming up with a strategy you will adopt on the exam day, and take practice tests as well as full-length bank mocks. Analyse every test you take (and the mocks), find out the errors you made, clear all doubts, and in the process learn how to manage time efficiently. Additionally, keep a check on the cut-off predictions, as per the level of every mock.
(Garg is a mentor at Career Launcher. Views expressed here are personal.)
