IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Last Minute Tips, Exam Day Instructions, COVID Guidelines

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims on 26th December 2021 for the 1.828 Specialist Officers (SO) – Scale I posts that include IT Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Agricultural Officer, Law Officer, Marketing Officer, and HR/Personnel Officer.

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Last Minute Tips, Exam Day Instructions & COVID Guidelines: The IBPS SO 2021 Prelims will be held on 26^th December 2021 for candidates applying for the 1.828 Specialist Officers (SO) – Scale I posts that include IT Officer, Rajbhasha Adhikari, Agricultural Officer, Law Officer, Marketing Officer, and HR/Personnel Officer across 11 participating Public Sector Banks. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) will conduct the IBPS SO 2021 in two phases – online Preliminary and online Main exams. Online candidates who qualify in the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims will be allowed to appear in the IBPS SO 2021 Mains exam on 30^th January 2021 followed by the Interview phase. The IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Admit Card is available to download till 26^th December 2021. In this article, we have shared the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Last Minute Tips, Exam Day Instructions & COVID guidelines.

IBPS SO 2021: Important Dates

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims on 26th December: Practice 20 Important Banking Awareness Questions with Answers

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims Exam Pattern

The IBPS SO 2021 Prelims exam will be conducted in online mode (post-wise). The IBPS SO 2021 Prelims includes English Language, Reasoning Ability, General Awareness (special reference to Banking Industry), and Quantitative Aptitude. Each section will be allotted 40 minutes. There will be a total of 150 Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). The medium of exam for Reasoning Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness (with Special Reference to Banking Industry) will be English & Hindi. The paper for the English Language will be conducted in English only.

NOTE: For the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari, the sections in the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims will be English Language, Reasoning Ability, and General Awareness (special reference to banking industry).

For the post of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, Marketing Officer, and HR/Personnel Officer, the sections in the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims will be English Language, Reasoning Ability, and Quantitative Aptitude.

For the post of Law Officer and Rajbhasha Adhikari

For the post of IT Officer, Agriculture Field Officer, HR/Personnel Officer, and Marketing Officer

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims: Best 7 Last-Minute Tips & Preparation Strategies

1. Revise through the syllabus, important topics, exam pattern, cut-offs

A day before the exam is the time to go through the syllabus to recall the important topics, practice important questions, recall the exam pattern, check the cut-off marks, and other important exam guidelines to avoid any mistakes. Finish your preparation well in time before the exam day to find time for rest.

2. Avoid guesswork, each wrong answer is a penalty

In the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims, each wrong answer carries a penalty. 1/4th or 0.25 of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted to arrive at a final score. If a question is left blank, no marks will be deducted. There is also a sectional cut-off for each section. Candidates have to qualify each section in the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims by securing minimum cut-off marks that will be decided by IBPS.

3. Solve mock test papers, previous years’ question papers, quizzes

Candidates should allot as much time as possible to practice mock test papers, previous years’ question papers with a timer to learn to adapt to the exam setting. Candidates will be given 20 minutes each for all sections.

4. Do not take up new topics

Candidates are not advised to take up new topics a day before the exam. They should strengthen what they have prepared so far. Revisit your bookmarks, important topics, work on your strong areas. Read GK/current affairs, newspapers to keep yourself updated with the latest events and information.

5. Section-wise important last-minute preparation tips

English Language Syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Tenses Rules, Cloze Test (Fill in the Blanks), Para Jumbles, Idioms & Phrases, Error Detection, Multiple Meanings, Paragraph/Sentence Completion, Sentence Correction/Improvement.

Reasoning Ability Syllabus: Seating Arrangement, Puzzles, Inequalities, Syllogism, Input-Output, Data Sufficiency, Blood Relation, Order & Ranking, Alphanumeric Series, Coding-Decoding, Distance & Direction, Verbal Reasoning.

Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus: Number Series, Data Interpretation, Simplification/Approximation, Quadratic Equation, Data Sufficiency, Mensuration, Average, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Work, Time & Energy, Time & Distance, Probability, Relations, Simple and Compound Interest, Permutation & Combination.

Check section-wise important topics and expected number of questions for English, Reasoning, Quantitative, and General Awareness in the IBPS SO 2021 Prelims exam.

6. Keep your Admit Card, ID Proofs, Aarogya Setu app ready

Candidates are advised to carry their Admit Card, photo-ID proofs, photographs, and other required documents at least 2 hours before the reporting time for formalities completion. Please note that the call letter for the Prelims exam will not be collected at the exam venue but will only be duly authenticated/stamped by the exam centre staff. Remember to follow the social distancing mode of exam-related instructions, install the Aarogya Setu app on mobile, and carry items only that are permitted into the exam venue. (Check Below).

7. Eat good mood-lifting food, get good sleep & keep calm

The night before the exam day is the day you remind yourself to take a pause and give yourself rest after all the hard work. Candidates are advised to consume happy mood-lifting healthy food to keep their body and mind functions healthy.

IBPS SO 2021 Prelims: Exam Day Instructions & COVID Guidelines

1. Candidate is required to report at the exam venue strictly as per the time slot mentioned in the Call Letter AND/OR informed via SMS/Mail on their registered mobile number/mail prior to the exam date. Different reporting time will be printed for a set of candidates.

2. Candidate Roll Number & Lab Number Mapping will NOT be displayed outside the exam venue. The same will be intimated to the candidates individually at the time of the entry of the candidate to the exam venue and post their Admit Card/Call Letter and ID verification.

3. Candidates need to adhere strictly to the list of items permitted in the exam venue. All Candidates must strictly follow the social distancing mode of conduct during the exam.

(i) Mask (WEARING A MASK is COMPULSORY)

(ii) Gloves

(iii) Personal transparent water bottle (Candidates are advised to bring their own water bottle)

(iv) Personal hand sanitizer (50 ml)

(v) A simple pen

(vi) Exam related documents (Call Letter/Admit Card, ID card in Original, Photocopy of ID Card, etc)

(vii) Call Letter/Admit Card should be brought with the Photocopy of the Photo ID stapled with it. Original ID (same as Photocopy) is also to be brought for verification. The name on the ID and on the Call Letter/Admit Card should be exactly the same.

(viii) In case of Scribe Candidates – Scribe form duly filled and signed with Photograph affixed.

4. Candidates should install the Aarogya Setu app on mobile reflecting their risk factors. Candidates should not share any of their personal belonging/material with anyone.

5. Candidates should maintain a safe social distance from one another and stand in the row as per the instructions provided at the venue.

6. If a candidate is availing the scribe, then the scribe also should bring their own Gloves, N95 Mask, sanitizer (50ml), and water bottle. Wearing a mask is compulsory. Both candidate and Scribe will require to be wearing N95 Mask.

7. All candidates will be checked with Thermo guns at the entry point for temperature. In case, any person is observed to be having above-normal temperature (> 99.14° F) or displaying any symptoms of the virus, they will not be allowed entry into the venue.

8. Candidate registration will be done through photo capture. Photographs will be taken while the candidate is standing. A seat number will be given to the candidate.

9. Rough sheet(s) kept at each candidate’s desk will be used by the candidate. After the end of the examination, candidates need to drop the rough sheets in the designated dropbox as instructed at the venue.

10. Post Examination Controls: On completion of a shift, the candidates should move out in an orderly manner without crowding as instructed by the venue staff.

Wish you the best!