Loading...
Loading...
Banking exams like IBPS PO, SBI PO, IBPS Clerk, and RBI Grade B are among the most popular government job exams in India. They are competitive — but also very predictable in their syllabus and question patterns. With 90 days of focused preparation, a first-time candidate can comfortably clear Prelims and be competitive in Mains. Here is a complete 90-day plan.
All major banking exams have two stages: Prelims and Mains. Prelims covers three subjects: English Language (30Q), Quantitative Aptitude (35Q), and Reasoning Ability (35Q) — total 100 marks, 60 minutes. Mains adds: General Awareness (Banking/Financial), Computer Knowledge, and a Descriptive test (for PO level). Your 90 days should be split: 60 days for Prelims preparation, 30 days for Mains topics + mock tests.
Week 1–2: Quantitative Aptitude basics — Number System, Simplification, Percentage, Profit/Loss, Ratio & Proportion. Practice 50 questions daily. Week 3: Reasoning — Sitting Arrangement, Puzzles, Syllogism, Inequalities. These 4 topics cover 60–70% of Reasoning marks in Prelims. Week 4: English — Grammar rules (Subject-Verb agreement, Tenses, Articles), Reading Comprehension strategy, Fill in the Blanks. Take one sectional mock test per week to assess progress.
Advertisement
Week 5–6: QA advanced — Data Interpretation (bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, tables), Time & Work, Speed-Time-Distance, Simple & Compound Interest. Practice 2 DI sets daily. Week 7: Reasoning advanced — Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Direction Test, Data Sufficiency. Week 8: English advanced — Error Spotting, Para Jumbles, Sentence Improvement, Cloze Test. Take 2 full mock tests per week from Week 6 onwards.
Week 9–10: General Awareness for Mains — Banking Awareness (RBI, SEBI, functions, interest rates), Financial Awareness, Static GK (capitals, currencies, important days), Current Affairs (last 6 months). Week 11: Computer Knowledge — MS Office basics, internet terminology, hardware/software, shortcuts. Week 12: Full-length mocks daily (Prelims pattern) + 2 Mains pattern mocks. Analyse every mock — understand why each wrong answer was wrong.
Quantitative Aptitude: Arun Sharma (TMH) or M. Tyra. Reasoning: M.K. Pandey (BSC Publications) or R.S. Aggarwal. English: SP Bakshi (Arihant) for grammar, Norman Lewis for vocabulary. Banking Awareness: Arihant Banking Awareness or Oliveboard free PDFs. Current Affairs: Monthly capsule from Oliveboard, Testbook, or Adda247 (free). Previous year papers: Kiran Banking Yearbook.
Most candidates take too few mocks and analyse them too little. The correct approach: Take a mock, then spend 2x the test time analysing it. Categorise every wrong answer: Was it a concept gap (needs study)? A calculation error (needs practice)? A time management issue (needs strategy adjustment)? Track your scores in a spreadsheet. Your mock test score 2 weeks before the exam should predict your actual result with high accuracy.
About this article: Written and reviewed by the Sarkaari Saathi Editorial Team. Information verified against official government sources. Last updated: 10 July 2026.
Always verify from the official government portal before taking action.
Sponsored
Advertisement
NIT Warangal, BITS Pilani, and IIT Madras offer online degrees now recognised for Grade B officer recruitment. Compare fees, duration, and job eligibility.
Sponsored
SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda 11th Bipartite revision: DA, HRA, and special allowances recalculated. Scale I through Scale VII in-hand take-home breakdown.
Sponsored
Long-term salary trajectory, promotion timelines, and total compensation including pension for SSC Inspector vs Bank Manager — data from 2016 joiners.
Real answer sheet analysis from 2024 results. These 6 structural changes — not content changes — are what separates 120-mark answers from 80-mark answers.