How to Minimize Negative Marking in IBPS PO Exam

Every year the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts IBPS PO exams to recruit eligible candidates for the post of Probationary Officer in various commercial banks. Through this exam, IBPS offers a golden opportunity for candidates to bag a managerial position in reputed Indian banks. 

Sincere candidates must know about various details such as IBPS PO Salary, Job Profile, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Syllabus and more. But knowing the above details is not enough to crack the IBPS PO exam. Candidates must have a top-notch preparation for successful performance in the exam.

The IBPS PO selection process comprises three stages i.e., Prelims exam, Mains Exam and Personal Interview. Both the Prelims and Mains exam include a negative marking scheme under which 0.25 or one-fourth marks allotted to a given question is deducted for every incorrect answer. Apart from having an excellent preparation strategy, candidates appearing for banking exams like IBPS PO must also plan on how they are going to attempt the questions in the exam to clear it with minimum negative marking.

On that note, let’s talk about some tips that can help candidates minimize negative marking and score better in the IBPS PO exam.

  • Read the Questions Properly

Candidates often commit many silly mistakes due to careless reading of questions and instructions and this costs them a deduction of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer. 

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Candidates are advised to read the question as well as associated instructions carefully before solving any question. At times we miss out on minute details present in a question which could make a significant difference between our understanding of the question and what is stated. 

For instance, sometimes we unknowingly skip words such as doesn’t, Didn’t, not etc and prefixes like in-, non-, un- and more while reading a question which can cost us a penalty of marks. 

Likewise, we often skip or carelessly go through the directions and instructions, underestimating their importance and move on to solving the question in the worry of losing time. A comprehensive and cautious reading of the questions and associated instructions must be done by candidates during the exam before attempting any question to minimize the negative marking.

Apart from the question-related instructions, candidates must also read the instruction on the IBPS PO Admit Card carefully to avoid any confusion regarding the venue, timing and other details about the exam.

  • Steer Clear of Wild Guesswork

Applying random guesswork or arbitrary speculations to answer questions in banking exams like IBPS PO can be a terrible blunder for a candidate. This is a foolish practice which candidates should avoid. Like any other banking exam, IBPS PO comprises a negative marking scheme according to which candidate will lose 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. 

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Candidates are advised to not attempt the questions they are not confident about and avoid random guesses to avoid foolish loss of marks.

  • Try not to Answer in Final Minutes

The last minutes of the sectional time must be utilized by candidates for checking and reviewing the attempted questions. This time ought not to be used to solve or attempt any new question as addressing a new question with haste during these last seconds could result in an incorrect answer. Thus, it is suggested to not address any questions in the last minutes of the test.

  • Attempt the Easier or Familiar Questions First

After beginning with any section in the exam, candidates should quickly skim through the questions, and should initially start with attempting those questions which are easy or which are familiar to them. This approach can help candidates save time for complex questions. It also lets them gather marks of all the questions they are familiar with so that during the final minutes they don’t regret missing out on a question that was easy for them. Furthermore, this practice will bolster confidence and focus to later solve complex or difficult questions. 

  • Solve Previous Years IBPS PO Question Papers 

Previous year IBPS PO prelims and mains question papers will give candidates a glimpse of the type of questions to expect in the exams. Solving previous papers gives an insight into the trends of the weightage of various topics along with the pattern of questions asked in the exam. 

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Subsequent to solving the previous year’s papers, candidates should evaluate their mistakes, take note of the weak areas they must work on, and should make amends in their study plan to enhance their performance.

  • Apply Calculated Guesswork

This technique refers to eliminating other incorrect or irrelevant options to arrive at the right answer. This sort of guesswork can be productive in some cases, but not always. It has better odds of getting the right answer and can be of great help to the candidates in clearing the IBPS PO Cut Off.  

  • Attempt As Many Online Mock Test as Possible

Candidates must attempt as many online mock or practice tests as possible before appearing for any banking exam. Candidates can test their knowledge and abilities by giving regular mock tests. 

Furthermore, they can also assess their performance and get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses to utilize their strengths and make efforts to convert their weaknesses into strengths. 

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