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Thinking of becoming a Bank PO? You have come to the right place. Nowadays everyone is crazy for government jobs and Bank PO is on the top among them. What is Bank PO? In simple words, Probationary Officer is an entry-level officer post in any bank.
The job is secure, salary is good and growth is also tight. Starting package is usually around ₹40,000 (can be slightly higher or lower depending on the location), on top of this there are allowances, perks and scope for promotions as well.
The biggest plus point of this job? Work-life balance and respect. Parents are happy and pocket is full. In this guide, we will show step by step how beginners can prepare without getting confused, with a smart plan.
Why cracking Bank PO is a smart career move
In today’s time, when there is no trust in job security in private jobs, Bank PO is a solid career option. Think – fixed salary, government benefits, medical facilities, and long-term stability. And if your goal is to settle with time, then this job is perfect.
The banking sector never stops, every year lakhs of people apply for PO. And the demand is also constant. If you are a graduate and want a decent, secure, and respectable career in life, then Bank PO is an option to seriously consider.
One more thing promotions are also fast. You can reach from Assistant Manager to Branch Manager in 5-6 years. Think about it, by 30 you have both a secure position and money.
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What to expect in the exam (prelims, mains, interview)
Now let’s talk about the exam pattern – Bank PO exam is conducted in three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
- Prelims: This is a screening test. It is not too tough but both speed and accuracy are required. Questions come from English, Reasoning and Quant (Maths). It is important to clear each section.
- Mains: It is a little next level. Sections include Reasoning, Data Interpretation, English, General Awareness (mainly banking related) and Computer Aptitude. Concept clarity and practice both come in handy here.
- Interview: If you clear Mains then you get a call for interview. Here your personality, communication and basic banking knowledge are checked. Confidence and honesty are important here.
Understand the Bank PO Exam Pattern
Bank PO exam is conducted in 3 rounds – Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Each round has its own importance and it is important to understand how to prepare for which stage.
Prelims is a screening round. It has 3 sections – English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude. The paper is of total 100 marks and time duration is 1 hour. Prelims is only for qualifying – its score does not count in the final selection but it is necessary to clear it. Here speed and accuracy both matter.
Mains exam is a little detailed. It includes Advanced Reasoning, English, General Awareness (mostly banking-related), Computer Aptitude, and a Descriptive Test in which you have to write an essay or letter. This is of 200+ marks and this is counted in the final merit. Both depth and concept clarity are required in this stage.
Interview is the last stage, of 50-100 marks. Here your communication skills, presence of mind and banking awareness are tested.
One important point – there is negative marking in every objective paper. 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. So, don’t guess, attempt only when you are sure.
Best Books for Bank PO Preparation
When preparing for Bank PO, the first doubt that arises is – which book to buy? There are so many books in the market that it is normal to get confused. But remember a simple rule – more books means more tension. Buy one or two good books for one subject and revise them repeatedly.
For Quantitative Aptitude RS Aggarwal and Kiran Prakashan both are good options. RS Aggarwal is perfect for basics and Kiran’s practice sets match the exam pattern.
For Reasoning Arihant and MK Pandey both are reliable books. Spend some extra time on puzzles and seating arrangement because these questions carry more marks.
For English Wren & Martin for basics of Grammar and SP Bakshi for practice is the best combo.
For General Awareness cover static part from Lucent GK and clear current + banking terms from Banking Awareness by Arihant.
For Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers – set paper of Kiran Publications. It will feel like real exam.
Pro Tip: 1 or 2 books are enough for each subject. Don’t read in pursuit of every new material. Revision is the real key.
60-Day Study Plan for Bank PO
Do you want to prepare in a smart way? Then follow this 60-day plan – perfect for beginners. The entire 2 months are divided into 2 phases: Concept-building and Practice + Speed.
🟢 Phase 1 (Day 1–30): Basics & Concepts
The focus of this phase is to build a strong foundation.
- 2 hours Quantitative Aptitude: Take one topic daily (like percentage, profit-loss, etc.) and do 20 practice questions on it. Clear the concepts, also keep the short tricks written down.
- 2 hours Reasoning: Focus on puzzles, syllogism, coding-decoding. Practice daily so that logic becomes strong.
- 1 hour English: Study grammar rules (nouns, verbs, articles, adjectives) + add 10 new words to vocabulary daily.
- 30 mins GK: Read the newspaper dailyThe Hindu or Indian Express. Focus on headlines, banking news and economy.
🔵 Phase 2 (Day 31–60): Mock Tests & Speed
Now that the basics are clear, the game is all about speed and accuracy.
- Do 1 mock test daily (Prelims pattern). Follow the time limit as in a real exam.
- Analyse after the test – where did I go wrong, what was left out, which topic are you facing difficulty in.
- Do speed drills – like solving 20 Quant questions in 10 minutes.
- Practice Reasoning + English in a timed manner.
- Revise GK and Current Affairs daily.
🟡 Bonus Tip: Give a full-length minus mochak test every Sunday. The minus pattern is different, so a little tough practice is also necessary.
How to Prepare for English Section
Scoring in English is possible only when you work on grammar, vocab and reading. For grammar, revise tenses, prepositions and error spotting daily. This is the base of the exam.
If you want to make your vocabulary strong, memorise 10 new words daily. You can use apps like Vocab24 for easy and quick revision.
If you want to improve your reading, read editorials daily solving comprehension from The Hindu or Indian Express will become easy.
Essays and letter writing come in the descriptive section. Practise both formal and informal types – start writing one every week.
Avoid unnecessary literature or deep grammar theory. Focus only on exam-specific topics Smart study better results.
Reasoning Tricks to Save Time
Reasoning is time-consuming, so use smart tricks.
Start with puzzles – easy ones first like seating arrangement or blood relations. When the flow is established, try tough puzzles.
Venn diagram method is best for Syllogism – less confusion and more speed.
Solve 5-10 questions daily in Coding-Decoding. Once you understand the pattern, this section becomes free marks.
Non-verbal reasoning (like number series, analogies) is high-scoring – you can improve both speed and accuracy in this.
Golden Rule: Solve easy and short questions first in the exam. Leave lengthy puzzles for the last. You will save time and your marks will be sure.
Quantitative Aptitude – How to Score 40+50
It is not difficult to score 40+ in Maths, you just need a smart approach. First of all, learn fast math tricks you should remember tables (1–20), squares (1–30), cubes. If the calculation is fast, it will save time.
10-15 marks are obtained from DI (Data Interpretation). Solve one pie chart or bar graph daily. Use approximate values – like solving 99 by considering 100. Both time and effort are less.
Arithmetic is important – develop a strong grip on topics like Percentages, Profit & Loss, Ratios, SI-CI. Practice one topic + 20 questions daily.
Algebra and Geometry have less weightage. If you are weak then you can skip them as well, focus on the scoring topics.
Pro Tip: First work on accuracy, then improve speed. When your brain becomes comfortable with calculations, your score will be boosted in the mock test.
General Awareness Last-Minute Strategy
There is no need to read too much in GA, revise smartly.
First of all clear banking terms like RBI, Repo Rate, NPA, CRR, IMF. These will also be useful in interview.
Read only last 6 months’ Current Affairs like schemes, bank mergers, government policies. 30 minutes per day is enough.
Make a list for Static GK like bank HQs, taglines, currencies, important days, awards.
Best sources? Bankersadda, GKToday, and monthly magazines. Take one source daily and revise from that.
Warning: Do not ignore GA – 40 marks are given in Mains. And there is negative marking here too, so just give sure answers.
Interview Preparation Tips
First impression matters in interview So wear formals shirt+tie (boys), saree or suit (girls). Simple and neat look.
Prepare common questions Why banking, Tell me about yourself, Strengths and Weaknesses etc.
Read recent banking news daily RBI updates, inflation, digital banking, etc. You should have basic knowledge.
Do mock interviews with friends. Recording and watching them is helpful.
Key Point: Confidence is more important than giving perfect answers. Give your answers honestly and in a clear tone it will be a game over.
FAQs
Q1. Can a weak student crack Bank PO?
Absolutely If you study smartly for 4–5 hours daily then anything is possible.
Q2. Is coaching necessary?
No Preparation can also be done with free resources like Adda247, StudyIQ on YouTube you just have to be regular.
Q3. How much time to prepare?
If the basics are clear then 2 months are enough for beginners 3–6 months are ideal.
Q4. Which bank’s PO is easiest?
SBI PO is a bit tough. Start with IBPS PO the syllabus is similar but the competition is manageable.
Q5. Is computer knowledge needed?
Yes, you should know the basics like MS Office, Internet use, shortcuts advance knowledge is not required.
Conclusion
Bank PO is a solid career option if you are focused. Smart study, daily practice and confidence these are the three things you need. Start today!
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