Preparing for the IBPS PO 2022 exam? The most crucial step for the preparation of any competitive examination is finalizing the list of resources! There is no single book that comprehensively covers all the sections of the IBPS PO exam. Hence, it is important to prepare a list of study materials or resources before kickstarting the IBPS PO preparation. 

In this article, we will be sharing the list of best standards books for IBPS PO along with the preparation strategy suggested by PW experts. You can ensure your selection in the IBPS PO exam by effectively incorporating the strategy and using the suggested resources. 

Overview

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IPBS) conducts the Probationary Officer (PO) exam for various public sector banks in India. Every year, around 2 lakh aspirants register for the IBPS PO exam for a few thousand vacancies. In order to prepare for such a competitive exam, it is essential to have a topper-proof booklist.

In this article, we have prepared an exhaustive IBPS PO booklist that covers the entire IBPS PO syllabus in detail.  But first, let’s have a brief overview of the IBPS PO exam. 

About IBPS PO Exam

IBPS PO is a three-level exam consisting of

• •  IBPS PO Preliminary Exam, 
  • IBPS Mains Exam and 

• IBPS PO Interview. 

Each level is an elimination level and one has to qualify for the sectional and overall IBPS PO cutoff at each level to reach the interview. While the IBPS preliminary round is qualifying in nature, the final merit is prepared by considering the total marks of IBPS PO Mains and IBPS Interview. 

The resources you choose, i.e, your list of IBPS books plays an important role in the final selection. Hence, it is important to choose your IBPS booklist extremely carefully. We’ve here listed some of the best books for IBPS PO recommended by PW experts. 

Booklist for IBPS PO

IBPS PO exam consists of two stages namely Prelims and Mains. These consists of sections as below:

• Prelims: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, and English Language 
• Mains: Reasoning & Computer Aptitude, General/ Economy/ Banking Awareness, English Language, and Data Analysis & Interpretation

Let us look at the section-wise IBPS PO booklist:

IBPS PO Preparation Tips

Once you’ve finalized IBPS PO preparation books, the next step is to structure your preparation plan. Here are some tips from PW experts that will help you in refining your preparation. 

Understand the syllabus

Although the IBPS does not give a detailed syllabus for the Probationary Officer (PO) exam, you can easily deduce it from the past year\'s papers. Go through the previous years\' papers to make an exhaustive list of topics for all IBPS subjects. 

Once you have an understanding of all the topics, it will be easier to master all the topics in the IBPS syllabus. Further, a robust understanding of the syllabus through previous years’ papers will also help you in prioritizing the order of topics.

Make a detailed IBPS PO study plan

The next step is to prepare a comprehensive IBPS PO study plan. Your study plan should ideally cover each topic of the IBPS subjects. Make sure to keep revision as a part of your IBPS PO study plan. It will help you in maximizing retention. 

You should have a month-wise plan as well as week wise plan with sufficient scope for backlog accommodation if any. By doing this, you’ll ensure that you are able to stick to the plan most of the time. 

Focus on level-wise preparation

Most IBPS PO aspirants make the mistake of preparing for all the levels of the IBPS PO exam together. Since some of the sections are common, it seems convenient too. However, the difficulty level of Prelims is different and often lower than the Mains level. Hence, it is advisable that you focus on level-wise preparation. 

That being said, prepare a significant portion of Mains before the Prelims as there is hardly a gap between the two rounds. In the gap between IBPS Prelims and IBPS PO Mains exam, you’ll only be able to revise.  

Take mock tests at frequent intervals

One of the most common mistakes that IBPS PO aspirants often make is not writing enough mock tests. Ideally, start writing mock tests once you’re about 60% thorough with the IBPS PO syllabus. Do not wait for the syllabus to get over. 

Writing IBPS PO mock tests regularly will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses to align your IBPS PO preparation. It will also help you manage your time effectively in the actual IBPS PO exam. 

Analyze the mock tests

What’s more important than writing a lot of mock tests is analyzing them. If you’re only writing IBPS PO mock tests and not analyzing them well, then you’ll not get the full benefit of them. Hence, make sure to also analyze the mock tests well. 

Analyze the questions which are taking more time or that are difficult to solve and work on them. Analyzing the mock tests will also help you in assessing which IBPS PO subject needs more of your time and energy. 

Conclusion

Most IBPS PO aspirants often exhaust the number of attempts in the IBPS PO exam by preparing mindlessly. Having an exhaustive IBPS PO booklist as well as a robust study plan is extremely essential in ensuring the final selection in the said exam. If you’re getting overwhelmed preparing for these on your own, you can also explore PW courses for the IBPS PO exam. 

FAQs regarding IBPS PO Books

Q1. How should I choose IBPS PO books?

The first step is to create an exhaustive list of topics that are asked in various IBPS PO subjects across all levels. Once you have the list, choose the books that cover most of the topics from your micro topics list. It will help you in limiting your IBPS PO booklist. 

Q2. Which are the best IBPS PO books for reasoning?

Verbal Reasoning by R S Agarwal (S Chand Publication) is one of the best IBPS PO books for reasoning. This book includes all the topics and types of questions that are often asked in the IBPS PO exam. 

Q3. Which are the best IBPS PO books for Maths?

Quantitative Aptitude by Abhijit Guha and Quantitative Aptitude by RS Agarwal have exhaustive coverage of the topics asked in the IBPS PO exam. 

Q4. Which are the best IBPS PO books for English?

Objective English by TMH publication is a crisp and succinct book for the English language. However, if you want to strengthen your basics, you can also go for Wren and Martin. 

Q5. Are 6 months enough for IBPS PO preparation?

Ideally, yes, six months are enough for IBPS PO preparation provided you are dedicated and focussed towards the preparation. A decent practice of all the topics covered under various IBPS PO subjects can be done in six months if planned well. For focused practice and guidance, you can explore PW best online courses for Banking